Do You Remember Joseph E. Wing?

In November of 2011 I wrote about Joseph E. Wing of Mechanicsburg, Ohio.  So, for a little refresher, I am repeating a part of that post.  But, I am also expanding on what I first wrote.


Joseph E. Wing

Joseph E. Wing was born on September 14, 1861. He was raised on Woodland Farm near Mechanicsburg, Ohio. He spent time working on a cattle ranch in Utah. This proved to be life-shaping for him, as this is where he acquired his interest in alfalfa as a hay source for livestock.

Wing was one of the first farmers east of the Mississippi River to grow alfalfa as a forage/hay crop for livestock. And, once he found it to be a successful crop on his own farm, he began to spread the word, first to farmers around Champaign County, and then to farmers around the state of Ohio. In 1913 he hosted an "Alfalfa Picnic" on his farm that attracted of 3,500 people, including the Governor James M. Cox.

Mr. Wing also was a well-known breeder of Dorset sheep.  In fact, he served as the first executive secretary of the Continental Dorset Club.  He also was an author of the book, THE WINTER LAMB.  In this book he wrote, "The sire is half the herd; if he is a poor one he is all of it.  Don't quibble about the price, but be a stickler for quality. If he is not right you will regret it all your life, maybe, for it takes ten year's weeding to undo one year's bad breeding."

For his work with alfalfa, Joseph E. WIng was posthumously inducted into the Ohio Agriculture Hall of Fame in the 1940s. His farm remains in the Wing Family today. Over the course of his life, he also contributed to many agriculture publications both in Ohio and across the United States.