Homestead Country Market - Wellston, Ohio

By Kevin Williams

For me, Ohio State Route 32 is a captivating, enchanting highway.

The first time I ever saw an Amish buggy was along this stretch of road when I was 14-years-old.  I was captivated by the shiny black buggy parked alongside the highway selling cheese and baked goods.  But it's more than just the Amish aspect.  The road connects the populous, affluent eastern suburbs of Cincinnati with the rural, culturally rich hardwood hills of Appalachia's western edge and in the process creates a tapestry of beauty. Some of my memories along this road are poignant, some fun.  I remember it was near the village of Mount Orab that my Dad got a speeding ticket on the same drive when I was 14.  It was early on a Sunday morning and the trooper had Dad stop at the judge's house to pay the fine in a quick front-porch kangaroo court.  Something like that probably wouldn't happen today.

Anyway, today, the route is speckled with wonderful Amish and Mennonite markets.  There's The Home Place in Brown County, Keim Family Market near Winchester, Miller's near Seaman, and farther east you have Four Mile Bakery in Jackson, Ohio and, then, I stumbled upon the Homestead Country Market near Wellston.  I was racing home and had pretty much given up on finding a Plain-owned business to stop at,but when I saw the Homestead, at first I passed it...then I thought to myself "that sure looks like an Amish business..." (after a while, you develop an instinct for these things).....So I threw my car into reverse and headed back to the Homestead, and here is what I found: