Bob Evans Farm and the Restaurants History

Bob Evans is well known for delicious high-quality sausage. There are several Bob Evans Restaurants that serves great tasting meals at affordable prices. Bob Evans founder of the company lived on the Bob Evans Farm with his wife and six children for nearly twenty years. They lived in the large brick farm house known as the Homestead.

The Homestead is now known as a historic place. It was once a stage coach stop and an Inn. Today the Homestead serves as a company museum and historic center.

Bob Evans began making sausage on the southeastern farm in Rio Grande Ohio. At first he served samples to guests in the Homestead kitchen. As more people came he opened a little Sausage Shop on the farm to better serve them.

The Sausage Shop which is now a Bob Evans Restaurant was the company’s first venture in the business. Today you can visit the original Bob Evans Restaurant and experience the tradition of an all American farm.

The Bob Evans Craft Barn features fine folk art and the work of more then 50 award winner crafts people. There is also RV and primitive camping; you can call 1-800-994-FARM for more information. The farm is open daily from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm Labor Day to Memorial Day.

Bob Evans is the pride of Ohio and many schools have field trips to the farm. Kids and Adults alike enjoy spending a day on the farm. There are many events held through out the year at Bob Evans Farm.

There is an Annual Antique Car Show. This year was the 29th annual one. The roads around the Homestead Museum and the Craft Barn are always filled with collectable cars from the Model A to modern classics. Antique farm equipment is also on display. Admission is always free.

There is an Annual “Down on the farm Gospel Sing.” This event is held at the outdoor Amphitheater features great Gospel music. Admissions are $10 in advance, $12 at the gate children five and under are free.

For the 35 years they have had the Annual Bob Evans Farm Festival held October 14, 15 and 16th from 9am to 5pm daily. It features down home entertainment, great food, homestead living displays and more than one hundred demonstrators and crafters. Admission for adults is $5; children ages 6-12 are $3 and children 5 and under are free.

November 25, 26, and 27th is the Bob Evans Farm Craft Barn Holiday Open House from 9am – 5pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Craft Demonstrators and refreshments are all part of the festival. Admission is free.

Has you can see there is lots of events at the Bob Evans Farm and great home-style cooking at all the restaurants.

Bob Evans is 87 years old and the farm has become too much for him to handle. About eighty percent of the farm where he prepared his first batch of sausage in Gallia County is up for sale. The home of Bob Evans and several hundred acres around it are not involved in the sale. The property being sold includes bans, other houses and the Jewell Evans Grist Mill.

About two thousand acres of Evans’ twenty-six hundred acre Hidden Valley Ranch near Bidvell Ohio eighty miles south of Columbus Ohio is being marketed has a “historic and famous property.”

Come out experience farm life and delicious food you’ll be glad you did and maybe you’ll even get to meet Bob Evans.