1969 - Small Farm was purchased.

1970 - We started growing vegetables in a typical back-yard garden and started planting various fruit trees, grapes and blueberry bushes.

1976 - Foothills Farm was started as a part-time farm in 1976 growing and selling various farm produce such as tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupes, peppers and egg plants.  These small gardens were worked with small 5hp roto-tillers and hand sprayers.

1980 - Foothills Farm brought its first tractor, a 1947 Ford 2N along with other farm equipment such as 3 pt 2 bottom plow, 3 pt disk cultivators, 3 pt harrows and  3 pt boom sprayers.

1981 - The farm next door was purchased expanding Foothills Farm to forty acres.

1980's  - Various vegetables was grown and shown at the Ohio State Fair through the early 1990's with some bulk sales at the farm.  During these years showing vegetables at the Ohio State Fair, Virginia won many Blue Ribbons and Grand Prize for the best overall vegetable tables. 

1989 - Virginia went to her first gourd show at Mount Gilead Ohio winning a few ribbons for her gourd crafts and green gourds.

1990 - Virginia continued showing at the Ohio Gourd Show winning four Blue Ribbons.  First addition was built onto our old garage which was to eventually be our large farm pole barn.

1991 - Virginia started a long trend of winning the most Blue Ribbons (14) and Points at the Ohio Gourd Show.  Foothills Farm also started selling gourd crafts and dry flowers at the Ohio Gourd Show.

1996 - The next addition to our pole barn was finished which is housing our workshop.

1997 - After Gary retired from the Postal Service, the farm went full-time raising the same farm produce selling at the Granville Farmer's Market including gourds and dry flowers.  Foothills Farm brought its first modern tractor, a 1997 New Holland model 1920, 34hp, four wheel drive, diesel engine with front loader and back hoe attachment.  Other farm equipment was also purchased including a 60" wide 3-pt hitch rototiller, 3 pt Box Blade, 3 pt Cultivator, 3 pt Rotary Mower and 3 pt Spreader.

1999 - A larger number of gourds was planted and with a dry hot summer, a "bumper" crop of gourds was harvested.  Went to the first "gourd tour" showing gourds at Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and Florida Gourd Shows as well at the Ohio State Fair.

2000 - The very first sales of dry gourds started this year by mail order from the Internet to a customer in upstate New York.  Also, the first Greenhouse was built to be used for starting gourd and vegetable plants inside helping to lengthen the growing season. 
 
2001 -  In order to focus on Gourds, the other farm produce was reduced with gourds becoming the primary crop along with dry flowers.  Four acres was rented from Wilsons Garden Center to increase gourd production.  Our first gourd drying rack (60 feet) was built.

2002 - The same four acres was rented again from Wilson's Garden Center for gourd production.  Our Greenhouse Supply Barn was built next to the Greenhouses.

2003 - Our second Greenhouse was built to be used for storage of the increasing amounts of dried gourds.  This greenhouse is divided up into bins for the different types of dried gourds. 

2004 -  Our first mechanical transplanter machine was purchased along with a plastic mulch layer machine and and 40" 3 pt hitch roto-tiller.  Our second gourd drying rack was built (400 ft). Foothills Farm started renting five acres near Hanover Ohio to grow even more gourds.  Went on our second "Gourd Tour" showing gourds at Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina Gourd Shows.

2005 - Foothills Farm bought its third farm tractor, a FarmPro model 2025, 20hp, two wheel drive and diesel engine along with a 40" 3 pt rototiller and 3 pt shedder.

2007 - We again started selling at three local Farmer's Markets selling gourds, vegetables, flowers, fruit, herbs, dry gourds, gourd crafts, gourd seeds and natural craft supplies.  Foothills Farm bought a even larger farm tractor, a Kubota model MX-5000, 50hp, four wheel drive and diesel engine.


2008 - we will build a third greenhouse (tunnel house) in early spring 2008 allowing to have tomatoes for sale by early June, move storage shed next to the Greenhouse Supply Barn and start construction of expanded sales room and areas by expanding the current barn.

2009 - Start construction of equipment sheds and three car garage next to main barn.

Future

Finished building both the deer proof fence and board fence along township road,
Construct pond to be used for irrigation of crops.
Finished paving of both driveway and parking lot around sales area, barns and greenhouses.
Rebuild township drainage ditch along driveway and through middle and flower fields.