Inaugural Mahoning County Agricultural Hall of Fame inductees to be honored at Canfield Fair

CANFIELD The Mahoning County Agricultural Society has announced the inductees of the inaugural class of the Mahoning County Agriculture Hall of Fame.

The inaugural class includes Edward and Charles Barth, as well as Larry and Kathy Bennett. These inductees will all be honored at the induction ceremony at the Canfield Fair Wednesday, August 27.

The ceremony will take place on the Concourse Stage near the Grandstand and the public is welcome to attend.

The Mahoning County Agriculture Hall of Fame was created to recognize those who have made a significant impact on agriculture, contributing to the growth and development of the county since its founding in 1846. 

The awards are made to men or women, husband and wife teams or partnerships either as farmers or contributors through an agricultural-related field.

Edward and Charles Barth established their farm in 1928 as a traditional wheat and dairy operation, but soon branched out to focus on poultry, crops and potatoes. 

Their Barth Farms Fresh Turkeys made the Barths a household name. The turkey business started with the brothers dressing birds by hands for local orders, but soon blossomed to raising 50,000 turkeys and chickens per year to meet public demand.

The brothers raised the birds on the farm to ensure they were always fresh and never frozen. This was one of the first farm-to-table models in the tri-state area.

Larry and Kathy Bennett served as third-generation owners of Bennett's Greenhouse, which was a staple in the Greenford community for over 80 years. Bennett's Greenhouse began as an orchard, but grew to eventually specialize in growing vegetables and flowers.

The Bennetts were particularly famous for their red geraniums for Memorial Day and their poinsettias at Christmas.

You can learn much more about all inductees here.