SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio — A fifth-generation farm family is fighting to retain a portion of their farmland along Everett Road in Boston Township, saying it’s critical to its sweet corn operation, as Summit Metro Parks considers converting the property to prairie.
John and Paula Szalay, co-owners of Szalay’s Farm & Market in the Cuyahoga Valley, say the family has farmed Everett Field for about 95 years. They tell 3News Summit Metro Parks’ latest proposal would remove about 13 acres from the farm, making it difficult to maintain the planting schedule needed for its sweet corn business.
The dispute comes as the park district continues to address archaeological resources in the Everett area, where investigations have documented evidence of Native American occupation. The discoveries are associated with the Everett Knoll Complex, an area that includes portions of Summit Metro Parks’ Riding Run Conservation Area, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and private property…