Prompt Entry #5: Columbiana, OH

I spend 99% of my time with my boyfriend, in our house in Columbiana, OH.
Columbiana County and many of its surrounding counties in Ohio are predominately Amish built and run.  Consequentially, there is much farm land, where the first example of environmental detriment finds its place in the form of corn and soybean, all corn and soybean.  One summer I saw a field of sunflowers growing, I don't know what the use of them was, but it was a fun sight: going by in the morning and all the flowerheads were facing east, go by in the evening, the flowerheads were facing west, true sunflower behavior.  I haven't seen the field filled with them since.   
The environmental implications of the dichotomy of soybeans/corn and sunflowers are quite different.  Corn and soybeans, when planted in annual consistency, leach the soil, require a great deal of farm equipment use, need tons of pesticides and fertilizers, and use water like it's going out of style.  Sunflowers on the other hand, are commonly used for phytoremediation in pulling degrading compounds from both soil and water.  These compounds can be radioactive, petroleum-based, or sewage.  They are very innovative in that way, and are becoming recognized as more efficient than any technology when it comes to their remediation capabilities.
I imagine the existence of these 2 dialectic plants (I'm grouping corn and soybean together) present two different environmental ramifications to local residents.  The scrupulous requirements of corn/soybeans no doubt negatively effect the population, while sunflowers may positively effect it, both aesthetically and environmentally.
To see another local environmental issue, all one has to do is download google earth, zoom into the border of OH and PA.  From space, one can see that a good majority of western PA is green, how a good majority of the entire state of OH is brown, representing a great deal of mining that has taken place over the last century or so.  The mining does not take place on the same scale as it did, probably because it has been stripped, or at least seems so while viewing it through Google earth.
Lastly, the history of the town of Columbiana is settle in affluent founding families.  One of the families was the Firestone family, yes, as in Firestone tires.  Harvey Firestone, the innovator for the tire company, was born in Columbiana.  There is one testing plant in Columbiana.  Here are two links about the testing site: http://www.firestoneag.com/producttesting.asp
http://www.firestoneag.com/news_article.asp?article=1537
It is short but sheds light on exactly what it does.   
Also, here is a news article from a Youngstown newspaper about the Plant:
http://www.vindy.com/news/2001/aug/05/testing-torturing-tractor-tires/
Several months ago I recall reading in article in the paper at a local cafe about the testing plant incurring fines for some reason.  I can't seem to find the article online, and for the life of me I cannot remember what the fines were for.  Or it may have been increasing their taxes.  Something.  Anyway, I am not sure if the plant pollutes in any way, but testing rubber tires must make some type of undesirable outcome to local residents, but I cannot say this with complete certainty. 

In an attempt to make these environmental issues lyrical, I've put together this short story.
Vast flat land, the land of the Midwest.  This topography is perfect for agriculture.  The Amish take advantage of this, they must self-sustain, and they do, they pillage the farm land with their tractors and their foods: potatoes, corn, blueberries, raspberries, asparagus, gourds, and others.  I go to their markets, I support their agriculture.  Is that good or bad?  Giving them money means they will continue to pillage their land, and unsustainably: every year when I go through their fields on the highway the same plots of land consist of the same crop as the year before.  A monoculture.  The Amish support a monoculture. However, what qualms should I have with supporting local agriculture? I see bumper stickers that tell me to buy local, so I oblige. 
Driving on that same highway the stench of their cows fill the air. The Amish: slave drivers. Although, I shouldn't be so cynical, after all, driving on that highway right through their fields, you can see that the cows have free roam of their pasture, a freedom that many farms do not offer their cattle.  I also should not be so cynical towards the Amish in general.  Other than the fact that they do not have to pay taxes, they are applaudible.  They lead simple lives, I sometimes see women in their simple cotton dresses with their simple bonnets, in the grocery store or the post office.  I never see men, though.  The women are quiet.    They are not a plague on the local society, far from it. They own resturants, and supply the community with local foods.  No, I should be more supportive of the local Amish community, and even their monoculture.  The Amish keep to themsevles, they are self-sustaining, and who can't respect that?