Organic Farm in Clark County Preserved in 2022

Alongside South Houston Road in Harmony Township resides over 110 acres of certified organic farmland. Since its initial purchase in 1951, the Saunders Farms has provided all manner of crops on land whose soil is rich and important for the ecosystem. When Dave Saunders approached Tecumseh Land Trust to help preserve this farm, which not only has been organic since the 1980s, but also has deep roots in the Saunders family, TLT was happy to start working on easement applications to the state and federal easement programs.   

Dave grew up on this farm and has spent his whole life on this land.  Dave shared the responsibilities of the land with his parents and then later his sister, Mary Schlemmer. Dave worked as the farm’s primary caretaker while his sister managed the fiscal aspects of managing a farm operation. Over the years Dave became concerned about potential effects of agricultural chemicals on human health, especially in kids. As a result, he embraced the transition to organic farming and has been successfully farming organic row crops for 42 years. 

Dave continues to expand his understanding of agriculture and hopes more farmers will transition to organic.  But, now coming to the end of his career as a farmer, he speaks of his greatest criticism:  the use of prime farmland for residential lots.  “Most of my life we half-joked that, eventually, Dayton and Columbus are gonna meet,” Dave said.  As the metropolitan area expands outward and people attempt to find solace from it in the
countryside, the city’s influence continues.  Dave’s family has wanted nothing more than to sustain what natural land can be and provide accordingly. All he asks is that the next generation do something similar and appreciate what’s there. Dave has been mentoring a young farmer, Chris Roe, to continue the organic operation that he has intentionally established.  Now that the farm is forever protected, Dave plans to transfer ownership of Saunders Farms to Chris and partially retire from farming – a planned and thoughtful transition to the next generation.