"It's kind of a happy/sad." Floom family saying goodbye to longtime Jackson Twp. farm
JACKSON TWP. – First, video killed the radio star. Then, streaming services gnawed away at cable TV.
Now, the old Floom family farmhouse will soon be owned by someone not named Floom.
"It's kind of a happy/sad," explained Debbie (Floom) Sprit, who along with eight sisters and brothers, grew up there; she even returned to raise her family there for 15 years.
More: Kiko auction details
More: Ken Floom
The four-bedroom frame house is 122 years old.
It's been in the Floom family as long as anyone can remember.
The parents of the Floom children — Ken and Vivian — had purchased it from Grandma Floom. After they both died, it wound up with the kids, who aren't exactly kids anymore. They're between the ages of 60 and 74 years old. They'd kept it as a rental property until this year as they've finally decided that it's time to sell the homestead.
On May 24, Kiko will auction what remains of the Floom farm in separate bids. One for the 2 acres where the house is situated. The other for 4 1/2 acres of vacant land across the street.
The house appears out of place considering its surroundings. It's on a peninsula of sorts where Wise Avenue meets Whipple Avenue NW. The place is encircled by the roads, Cain Toyota, offices and businesses, with the skyline of The Strip shopping area visible to the west.
Through the years, development creeped closer as the Flooms sold bits and pieces of the once 28-acre farm.
One afternoon last week, four of the siblings — Sprit, Barbie Ream, Vivian Floom and Greg Floom — gathered on the property to talk about the upcoming sale. It turned into a laugh-filled family reunion, as they recalled what it was like growing up there.
Family, fun and working in the fields
"I would wish my childhood upon everyone," Greg Floom said.
The road that's now Whipple didn't even exist yet. So the property was like a giant cascading playground. They played kickball, volleyball, softball and tag. They rode sleds. They were surrounded by other fun places too. Barns to romp in and a creek and railway to explore.
"Like the Little Rascals," Barbie said.
The Flooms prayed before dinner. They prayed as a family again at bedtime.
And of course, there were the cornfields. That's what outsiders probably remember most about the Floom place. The house was a popular destination for a half-century for roadside sweet corn.
Walking around the property, the siblings could almost see, feel and hear so many childhood memories. Their dad's career was as an electrician, so the corn business had to be a family affair.
"I'm a kid, excited my dad is coming home from work," Greg recalled, pointing at the driveway. "So, I run up to see him ... first words out of his mouth are, 'How much corn did you pick today?'"
All the children hoed and weeded, picked corn and sold it.
"We all had bank accounts when we were 7 years old," Barbie said.
They learned to work; to earn money.
"Remember the nubbins?" Debbie asked.
Those were stunted ears of corn that couldn't be sold. But they were ideal for contests to see who could eat the most. Greg was pretty sure he had the record with 18 one day.
"No, 20. I had 20," Debbie chimed in.
Greg relived the day he accidentally set a cherry tree on fire. They remembered when corn cost 35 cents a dozen. And Barbie can still picture Grandma Floom traipsing through the fields in a long dress, with black Converse tennis shoes and an apron to hold the corn she picked.
"Kuh-chhh, kuh-chh," Barbie said, as she whipped her hand down from eye level, toward her waist, imitating how her grandma ripped ears of corn from the stalk and the sound it made.
High traffic area, industrial zoning
They're not sure who will buy the property or what will happen to it.
It's zoned for light industrial use. Kiko advertises the parcels as being in high traffic areas, with a combined 670 feet of frontage along Whipple and 453 feet more along Wise.
The township's own zoning code describes the best uses as modern industrial and administrative facilities, research institutions repair, storage, retailing, wholesaling and distribution, limited manufacturing and processing, "free from the encroachment of all residential uses."
In other words, it's not the best location to live.
The Floom family would disagree.
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.
On Twitter: @tbotosREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Jackson Township site was pupular destination for roadside sweet corn
