July 1st, 2014
1st day in Ohio;
Arrived to Dayton, Ohio airport I am welcomed by My Aunt’s Carla and Laurie. Camera up as I walk down the arrive aisle. My smile grows big. Heavy camera bag and yet I feel so happy to see them at the end of the hallway.
Big hugs and smiling faces is all I need right now. My flight time was off so, bless their hearts, they waited for me at the local Waffle house having coffee. Uncle Doug waiting outside we grabbed my bag and headed off to Uncle Doug’s place next to Mad River. Kayak’s and canoes floating by. Uncle Doug, the youngest of 5, my dad being the oldest, is quite the joker and a laugh ever minute. In fact that is what I love about the Karns family. a barrel of laughs. nonstop wit and bi hearts with a love of food. As we arrive to my uncle’s place we head down to his garden where he constructed and planted only one month ago. Already growing this is a such a joy to see that everyone in my family is somehow connected to food and art. Either cooking it, planting it, selling. We are in someway all about food. All comes from My Grandma Jeanne. I had a pleasure to know here for before she passed 3 years ago. “ Hi Honey” still sticks in my head. or “ I love you Robert, Jr.” She was a riot and such a pistol. All her hard work and recipes live on in the family.
As we sit and catch up around a table, we decide to grab a bite. I am told my Dad used to go to Young’s Jersey Dairy as a kid. Whether he was going after Boy’s Scouts or was interested in some girl he dated. That’s my Pop, a charmer. We grab a bite and have a nice waitress Ashlee. I order a Sweet Tea and a burger with Baby Swiss no bun. My Aunt Carla has a Crispy Buttermilk chicken, which came to the table I about salivated. but here I am Gluten Free and not about to ruin my stay. We finish our lunch and go check out the petting zoo next to Young’s food area. From what I was told it was all about the cheese and milk. but oddly enough they can’t seek the milk out here in Ohio. It not being pasteurized they are not allowed to sell it. Also as my family says it’s more of amusement park then a milk producer. I am sure trying to make money. but really, Udders and Putters Miniature golf? Well you decide. Goats, pigs and ducks. I photographed and we go check out a buckeye. Peanut butter covered in a ribbon of Chocolate. Hotter than hell. I get a few photos of the old sign and cow sitting up on the entrance post. My Pop well for sure get a kick out of it.
Finally arriving at Aunt Carla’s Farmhouse, JC Growers, Jenny her business partner heads out to look at some of the garlic they growing. I immediately grab my camera and soak up the imagery right in front of me, All kinds of garlic and other vegetables and fruits and just popping out with color, Raspberries, blackberries. I get a few shots of Jenny and Aunt Carla handling the garlic and with lighting shining down these will make great shots for their website. I plan to grab so much imagery and help them out with photos of product and farm images to help the brand for what they are doing out here in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. After a couple hours, we shot, some scales, which I find out are the flower and stem of the garlic. Lots of clipping and cleaning my Aunt Carla and Jenny are busting their butts out here Jenny is a bit of a culinary genius. Always coming up with new recipes and products for JC growers to sell at the local Farmer’s Market.