Local farm couple wins top honor for young farmers

The Abfalls - he's 35 and she's 34 - operate a 1,030-acre farm where they raise corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. They also raise beef cattle.

"We are essentially first-generation farmers," said Michelle. Her only exposure to agriculture while growing up in northeast Ohio was 4-H, and Kelly's was limited to having a father who did farming part time in Athens County.

But that taste was enough to motivate each of them to obtain agriculture degrees at Ohio State University. That's where they met.

The couple started farming in 2003 on a part-time basis. They rented a 120-acre farm and another 55 acres of tillable ground and began custom feeding replacement dairy heifers.

"Until I went to college and met other people who wanted to farm, I really didn't think it was possible," said Kelly. "I've got some other friends that started like me, and they seemed to think it was possible, so I figured if they could do it why can't I."

Michelle added, "We were lucky that there were landlords and neighboring farmers who were willing to take a chance on us by renting us ground or contracting with us to raise their heifers. Each year we grew a little more, and in 2004 Kelly began farming full time."

They bought their own farm in 2005 but still rent the majority of the land for their operations.

Today, the farm supports a family of five. Michelle is a stay-at-home mom to 6-year-old son Riley and 4-year-old twins Kyle and Megan. "I also handle all the bookkeeping," added Michelle.

Kelly said he likes the work schedule flexibility of being a farmer. "If it's a rainy day on a Wednesday in the summer time and we want to go do something as a family, we can."

"It's nice to be able to do that sometimes," Michelle agreed, "because there are a lot of other weeks where he's working seven days a week and can't take time off at all.

"We've been able to have some really great opportunities through Ohio Farm Bureau with this award," said Michelle. She serves on the board of trustees of the Athens County Farm Bureau.

The contest "is designed to help young farmers strengthen their business skills, develop marketing opportunities and receive recognition for their accomplishments," according to the Farm Bureau. "Contestants are judged on the growth of their farm businesses and involvement in Farm Bureau and their community."

The Abfalls won the use of a Kubota tractor, $1,000 in merchandise, a 2015 Polaris Ranger, and an all-expenses paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention in San Diego.