Ann's Raspberry Farm  

  Fredericktown, Ohio 

Our farm is located in an Amish Area of Central Ohio where cars, buggies, people and pets share the roadways and still have a friendly wave for each other. Please drive slowly when visiting our area to keep our friends safe while you enjoy the beautiful rolling, curvy country roads lined with white farms and shaded by tall trees. It's not that the sky is bluer; it's just that there is more of it to see. We love it here and love having you come to share our experience. Please note that the Amish take Thursdays off, instead of Saturday, and Sunday, of course, and then plan your day trip accordingly.

In 2010, Edible Columbus Magazine did an article about our farm in which we included ideas for day trips. At the end of our road is the lovely Kokosing Reservoir and Camp Ground. It is a quiet, rustic place for a refreshing picnic and dip in the water. No lifeguards and only pit toilets. A relaxing way to spend the afternoon after a pleasant morning picking berries. Bring a lounge chair, towels, a nice lunch, cold water and a book. After lunch, you can take a walk over the dam - the parking is just down the road - and roll down the hill a few times like you did when you were a kid. Let yourself have a good hard laugh. You will feel like you have been away for a long time when you get back home. Be sure to leave the park by 2:00, because you have a couple of more stops planned.

When you are all done enjoying that laugh at the reservoir, come out of the driveway and turn right (N). You are then on Waterford Rd. The next road on your left (W) is our road Blair, turn left (W) onto it and go to the end (You will pass our farm). Make a right at the end of our road onto Lucerne Rd.(N) at the next stop sign make a left (W)onto Yankee (which turns into Rt. 14 in Morrow County). Not very far down on your left you will find an Amish Surplus store which is very interesting. They have all kinds of different things. You just never know what you can't live without. However, if you haven't paid for it by 3:00, you can live without it, because the other two stops close by 5:00. Come out of the drive and make a left (W) back onto Yankee (that turns into Rt. 14) and take it to the stop sign. Now, you are at Rt. 314. Turn right onto Rt. 314 (N) and continue your day trip on to Yoder's Amish Bulk Food Store.

We hope that you put your dinner in the crock pot tonight, because you'll surely want to stop and pick up some cheese, spices and dry goods at Yoder's Amish Bulk Foods Store just a few miles ahead on Route 314(N). On your way there you will pass a sign on your left for "The Bent and Dent" just after you cross a bridge that goes over 71 (no entrance or exit to the expressway there). It is just what the name implies. It is run by an Amish family that sells bent and dented groceries and paper products. Sometimes you get a deal, but you have to watch the dates and packaging to be sure that it is safe to consume or use. (Just a heads up from a professional canner, the Best Buy date is the Expiration Date. The FDA believes that it won't kill you to eat it beyond that date, because of the production sanitation requirements, but the nutritional value, texture, taste and freshness might not be to your liking. Seals on cans are important. Use good common sense when making your purchases. If the can is dented, be sure that the dents are not located at any seams on the can.) In any effect, it has become a favorite stop for many of our visitors. Continue straight ahead, but think about stopping on your way back from Yoder's Amish Bulk Foods just up the road.

You can't miss Yoder's Amish Bulk Foods after you go over that bridge. It isn't too far up on the right. It has a big, yellow sign advertising daily specials. Usually, there is a cheese on special. You will find homemade baked goods and handmade candy along with spices, nuts, cereal, flour, sugar and other pantry items. It is operated by an Amish family and a fun stop. After you purchase your goodies, go out the drive and turn left (S) back onto Rt. 314. Just before you cross the bridge again, go ahead and make that right to "The Bent and Dent". It is only a short way down on your left in a new little Amish building. You will find it interesting and it closes at 5:00. You might want to bring a flashlight and reading glasses to look for those important expiration dates. One day my friend and I had to check out in the dark. Remember, the Amish do not use our "fast time" (daylight savings time). We are an hour ahead of them until we turn the clocks back in the fall.

Come out of the Bent and Dent driveway and turn right. Go to the stop sign and make a right back onto 314 heading South. Go to the light and make a right onto 95 going West. It is about 2.5 miles to 71 and you are on your way home with loads of berries, Brussels sprouts, jam, relish, mustard, cheeses, spices and bent and dent and surplus treasures... You'll be back, because it was a fantastic day!

We hope you enjoy this "Day Trip". We have found that most of our visitors bring their friends back even after the berry season is over...The next time you come try having lunch at Taste of Country in downtown Fredericktown. It is a bulk food store and deli which is owned and operated by a local family - very quaint and delicious food. Fredericktown comes alive during the Tomato Show Weekend in September, which has been a fun family event for over 35 years. It features some local talent and the Little Miss Tomato Contest as well as fair food and rides. It is small town America at its best. Hope to see you.