What a concept!

From Farmer's Pal via Robert Owens:

Eating locally-grown produce, even if not (strictly speaking) organic, would be a vast improvement over the white tomatoes that get shipped in from California. Home canning preserves food through the winter with most of its original flavor, and none of the chemicals that preserve what we get from Argentina and Chile. Some think this is a step backward. I beg to differ.

Images of Ohio

Looking for interesting photographs of our state? Try Visual Ohio. It is a small site, but the photography is stunning, and it deserves our encouragement. It has also been added to the Links page.

Virtual buckeye to Ron Wilinski

Non-political, but not off-topic

Because my interest and knowledge are in the political realm, The Ohio Republic is principally a political blog. However, one purpose that I stated for this blog early on, is to encourage our local Ohio culture.

Much of what we can call "Ohio culture" is defined on the farms and at the county fairs of our state. With this in mind, there are two sites maintained by the Ohio Farm Bureau that are interesting even to us city dwellers. The main site is OurOhio.org. Its Facebook counterpart provides more current news of a similar nature.

And while I'm at it, here is a schedule of county fairs in Ohio this year.

Today is Ohio Statehood Day

A date hardly anyone observes, but is central to our identity as Ohioans. Part of the reason may be that it is the last of three dates that mark Ohio's statehood:

• November 29, 1802, when Ohio adopted its first state constitution and ratified that of the United States;
• February 19, 1803, when the Congress of the United States passed the Enabling Act recognizing Ohio's statehood and establishing the United Stated District Court for Ohio, and
• March 1, 1803, when the first General Assembly convened in Chillicothe.

The story of how Ohio became a state is an interesting tale of political intrigue between Jeffersonians who wanted Ohio's seats in Congress, and Federalists who wanted to delay Ohio's statehood. It may be found at the Ohio Historical Society's History Central.

Take a few minutes to think about what Ohio means to you. For all of the troubles Ohio has experienced in the last thirty years, there are many lessons we can learn from our past success. Be proud to be an Ohioan!

Just for fun

I have added to the Documentation site a list of films that were either shot or set in Ohio. Please feel free to comment or e-mail me to suggest others.

Christmas in the Heart

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

The snow lies deep upon the ground,
And winter’s brightness all around
Decks bravely out the forest sere,
With jewels of the brave old year.
The coasting crowd upon the hill
With some new spirit seems to thrill;
And all the temple bells achime
Ring out the glee of Christmas time.

In happy homes the brown oak-bough
Vies with the red-gemmed holly now;
And here and there, like pearls, there show
The berries of the mistletoe.
A sprig upon the chandelier
Says to the maidens, “Come not here!”
Even the pauper of the earth
Some kindly gift has cheered to mirth!

Within his chamber, dim and cold,
There sits a grasping miser old.
He has no thought save one of gain,--
To grind and gather and grasp and drain.
A peal of bells, a merry shout
Assail his ear: he gazes out
Upon a world to him all gray,
And snarls, “Why, this is Christmas Day!”

No, man of ice, -- for shame, for shame!
For “Christmas Day” is no mere name.
No, not for you this ringing cheer,
This festal season of the year.
And not for you the chime of bells
From holy temple rolls and swells.
In day and deed he has no part—
Who holds not Christmas in his heart!

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906) was an African-Ohioan poet and editor who lived in Dayton. He wrote both in standard English and in dialect. This poem was reproduced, courtesy of the Paul Laurence Dunbar Digital Collection at the Wright State University Library.

Positive signs in Ohio

Secessionism can be a gloomy business, stressing as we all do, the reasons that the Feds are no longer fit to live with. However, the Columbus Dispatch reports two very positive developments that are well worth reporting here.

The first story (actually a pair of stories) by Alayna DeMartini and Dean Narciso in the Metro and State section, reports the growth of environmental activism in the Clintonville neighborhood, and in the suburbs of Dublin, Upper Arlington, Westerville, and Worthington. The groups, known as Sustainable [area name], exist to educate their members and the general public on how we can minimize the waste of natural resources. Their approaches are all common-sense, and often take advantage of new technologies (such as porous driveways, to minimize runoff during rains). They also engage in activism to advocate the use of recycled materials where available.

The second, on the Business page, reports of a visit to Columbus by John Ratzenberger, best known as an actor in the television series “Cheers”; but who has recently become a vocal advocate for American manufacturing. He stresses that American manufacturing is essential, not only to our economic health as a nation, but to maintain quality and integrity in the global markets. He is looking forward to the day when we will be proud to tell others that our son will be a machinist, or our daughter a welder; because that will be a sign that our middle class is healthy and strong. The alternative, he fears, is that America will become a “slave nation” to China and India.

Mr. Ratzenberger will give a presentation at the Columbus Athenæum, 32 N. 4th St., Columbus, Thursday, November 8, at 6:30 pm. Admission is free and open to the public.

On the cultural front, I had some free time this afternoon and paid a visit to the Ohioana Library. The Ohioana is a unique cultural treasure, consisting of 45,000 books and pieces of sheet music, all written and composed by Ohioans or persons with Ohio connections. The institution is thriving, despite years of operating on a shoestring from limited state government funding. They hold two major events each year, the Ohioana awards ceremony recognizing Ohioans who have excelled in art, literature, and music; and a spring book fair, providing a collective opportunity for Ohio authors to promote current works. One of the roads to independence will be taken when we begin to appreciate and participate in the culture of our own state.

The Ohioana is a little hard to find -- it is at 274 First Avenue, Suite 300, behind the State Library in Columbus -- but then, treasures often are hard to find.