PENINSULA, Ohio — Keleman Point Farm is the latest venture to grow crops and raise livestock within Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

It's part of the “Countryside Initiative” to preserve the rural landscape of the national park.

Helping out retiring farmers from Goatfeathers Point Farm, Mike and Melissa Keleman took over the remainder of a 60-year lease in July. Now, the farm is branded with their name for at least 46 years.

“We’re following in their footsteps and their ethos is the same one we’re bringing over and just kind of keeping it going,” said Mike Keleman.

Keleman said he is proud to be a part of an initiative that helps to preserve the natural land.

“It’s all good. We don’t do chemicals, we don’t use chemical fertilizer, we don’t use weed killers,” said Mike Keleman.

The farmers who are selected for the competitive program use sustainable practices to grow livestock and crops. 

“My goal is happy Earth, happy animal, happy people,” he said. “The better you keep your land, the better and happier the animals will be, the better and happier it’ll make people.”

They also welcome park visitors with open arms.

“Trying to preserve the land as best I can is phenomenal,” Keleman said. “I mean, we’ve used these parks for years coming down here,so actually living in it and being part of that and being part of the community, it’s phenomenal. I love the people that stop by and talk and they ask farming questions and stuff like that and I really like it.”

As part of the program Mike works to take care of his land, crops, and pasture-raised livestock and the national park manages the financial aspects of the program.

“Everybody that works for the parks, they’ve been outstanding and helpful. It’s awesome. It’s a really great program that’s going on down here,” said Keleman.

With 48 acres of land, Mike has plans to use every inch of it. Only two months in, his ideas are already catching the eyes of employees working in the area, including Jared Rowan, an independent contractor with Cuyahoga Valley National Park, who helps water the Keleman’s farm.

“He’s doing a great job. His idea of what can happen with this thing is fantastic.” said Rowan.

Within a year Mike expects to offer pick-your-own pumpkin and sunflower fields. He also has plans to increase meat production.

Currently, a small pumpkin selection is available to the public for purchase and chicken eggs and seasonal items sell out quickly on his farm stand.

“And not only that but we want to encourage photographers to come out to the farm and they can take pictures of stuff and what they think would be nice for people. I notice a lot of people love the barn setting, the farm setting for pictures,” said Keleman.

Mike’s wife, Melissa, has 19 years of preschool teaching experience. When she’s not helping out on the farm she hosts a “farm school” daycare for their two sons and other children interested in learning using nature.

“It’s amazing that we have the farm now, we can incorporate so much. We have a creek down the path a little bit and so they get to explore with the rocks and just nature in general, there’s so many different elements that we can bring into the educational aspect,” said Melissa Keleman.

Only about 10 farms are leased to farmers as part of the Countryside Initiative. Mike endeavors to bring life back to the old farmsteads through taking good care of his animals and land while contributing to the community.

“They’re born, and they’re raised on grass, it’s simple, it’s back to the way it used to be, so you feel good doing it,” Mike Keleman said.