Keleman Point Farm Is Committed To Sustainability

Stretching a mile-and-a-half down Akron Peninsula Road in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Keleman Point Farm is easily identifiable by its fields of Tennessee fainting goats. Mike and Melissa Keleman took over the Goatfeathers Point Farm lease in July 2020, joining nine other farms as part of the Countryside Initiative program, which provides land to farmers within CVNP. As Keleman Point Farm celebrates a year in business, it remains committed to sustainability, growing heirloom vegetables and raising heritage-breed animals. “We rotate graze and pasture-raise everything from goats, turkeys and cattle,” says Mike. “That in turn makes the land [healthier] so you’re stimulating mass growth.” The farm’s first year in operation wasn’t without its challenges; learning the land, animals and operations doesn’t happen overnight. “Being in a valley is unique,” says Mike. “There’s a farm around the corner and up the hill. Their climate is completely different than my climate and they’re only three miles away.” Expect pick-your-own pumpkin patches, sunflowers and beehives in the coming months, along with fresh-cut flowers, homemade seasonal decorations, eggs, honey and rotating produce sold on the stand. “I would encourage people to come back every weekend because there’s always going to be something new,” says Mike.