The 14th annual Butler County Farm Tour is being held 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at four locations.

The Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau hosts the program with the help of many sponsors in the hope of introducing the public to the county’s important agricultural industry and lifestyle.

Agriculture employs almost 2,000 county residents, producing more than $43 million in food, timber, nursery plants and other products.

Jack Cohen, the tourism bureau’s executive director, said Monday the public is interested in the role of agriculture in Butler County. “Not everyone knows that agriculture is the second largest industry in the county, and the tour is a great way for people to learn more about it,” Cohen said.

This year’s tour locations are:

n Metrick’s Harvest View Farm and Market, 143 Eagle Mill Road, between Route 422 and Route 68 south.

On the Metrick’s 38 acres, visitors can see how much produce and livestock can be raised on a small farm, including: peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and pumpkins, as well as beef, pork, lamb, and chickens and eggs.

During the tour, the Metricks will be demonstrating their honey production and cider press.

n Lesney Farm, 135 Lesney Lane, also near Mount Chestnut and just south of the Metrick’s farm.

The Lesney Farm is much bigger than Harvest View, with more than 900 acres used to produce grain and raise milk cows and their calves.

The Lesney Farm also has horses.

n The Daubenspeck Farm, 128 Stevenson Road, Connoquenessing Township, south of Route 68, just off Kriess Road.

The Daubenspeck Farm shows an operation in between the sizes of the first two farms, with 226 acres, 91 or them tillable.

A dairy farm from 1918 to 1998, the farm now features a small beef operation.

n Brenckle’s Farms and Greenhouse, 543 Evans City Road.

Brenckle’s features nursery and garden plants, including heirloom varieties, and accessories for inside and outside plantings.

The Metrick, Lesney and Daubenspeck farms are all part of the Butler County Conservation Easement Program, which means the farms will retain their agricultural use instead of being developed in the future.

The Farm Tour is self-guided with guests driving their own vehicles and stopping at the farms in any order. Portable, handicapped accessible rest room facilities will be available at each stop.

Visitors are asked to respect the following rules:

n Limit visits to the times designated for the tour;

n Be courteous and drive/park only where directed;

n Do not smoke at any of the farm stops;

n Leave all pets at home.

Pick up a “Farm Tour Passport” at any of the stops, get it stamped at each farm to enter to win door prizes.

Call the tourism bureau at 866-856-8444 or the Butler County Cooperative Extension office at 724-287-4761, Ext. 227.