Joseph E. Wing was one of the first people to identify, promote, and grow alfalfa as a forage crop east of the Mississippi River. He developed his interest in alfalfa while in Utah, where he worked on a cattle ranch. After he returned, he began promoting alfalfa culture, traveling among farmers in Champaign County and neighboring counties. His travels, lectures, and study of soils, crops, and animals eventually took him around the world. Wing also worked on the staff of the Breeders Gazette and wrote many agricultural books and articles. In 1913, he hosted the first annual alfalfa picnic at his home, Woodland Farms, where more than 3,500 people attended, including Ohio governor James M. Cox. For his contributions to alfalfa culture, he was inducted into the Ohio State Agricultural Hall of Fame in the 1940s.