February 2013 Farm Indiana

tive assistant at First Financial Bank in Columbus, also helps shuttle 15-year-old daughter, Hadlee, a Columbus East High School sophomore, to many of her activities, including FFA, 4-H, dance, swimming and tennis.

On their own farm, Matt and Will have to work plenty of extra hours, making use of the head-lights on the farm equipment after

The Swope family considers its farming enterprise a small op-eration by today’s standards, but

22-year-old Will Swope hopes he can ex-pand on the current 400 acres he works with his father, Matt Swope, in north-western Bartholomew County.

Someday, Will would like to fulfill his dream of working full time as a farmer, a passion that first attracted him at a young age. “I remember get-ting off of the school bus and hopping on the tractor,” he says. “I knew right then that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”

Will remembers conversations with his high school guidance counselor about possible career paths, and he al-ways came back to an unwavering desire to be a farmer.

Will’s mother, Kim, admires her son’s determination to follow in the family footsteps that also included Matt’s father and stepmother, Joe and Roxann Swope, and Matt’s mother and stepfather, Nan-cy and Ed Hoeltke.

Matt also is the great-great-grandson of M.O. Reeves, one of the Reeves broth-ers in Bartholomew County who founded and operated Reeves Pulley Co. and

Reeves and Co., which made farm imple-ments. “The farming tradition goes all the way back to them,” says Joe Swope, who spent some time farming, but also owned the former Columbus Industries Inc., a manufacturing company.

Extra HoursKim and Matt acknowledge the growing number of farms that span thousands of acres, but they still see a place for the family farm and hope they can continue.

“It’s very competitive for young people today,” says Kim, who did not grow up on a farm but has learned to love the life. “Now I can’t imagine anything else.”

Matt and Kim, married for 26 years, make their home in a rural area not far from Edinburgh Premium Outlets. Within about 5 miles of their home, Matt and Will farm the 400 acres, most-ly of corn, soybeans, wheat and green beans. Work has to be done primarily in the late afternoons, evenings and week-ends because they both have other full-time jobs.

Matt is an equipment operator for Case Construction in Columbus, and Will works at Columbus Silgas Farm Services in Taylorsville. Kim, an execu-

| story By Brenda showalter // photos By josh marshall |

February 2013 | section a

tHE swopEsFamily: Father, matt; mother, Kim;

son, will; daughter, hadlee

Farm: 400 acres in northwestern Bartholomew County

Crops: mostly corn, soybeans, green beans and wheat

See swope on A2 >>

will swope sits on the first tractor he ever drove, a John Deere 8440.

BEloW: will and his father, Matt, walk on the family farm, where Matt grew up in the 1970s.

FAMILY FARMS

Now is the time to start thinking about marketing your 2013 grain crops

6672 East 650 South | Edinburgh, IN 46124 | 812-526-5574 | 800-284-2676 | kokomograin.com

Farm IndIana // February 2013a2

dark and relying on Kim to help with such duties as accounting and bookkeeping.

up to tHE CHallEngEThe family enjoys the farm life so much they are eager to pass along that love and respect for the career to youths in-volved in local 4-H programs. Hadlee has been a 4-H member for seven years, with one of her favorite projects raising and showing pigs at the fair. “I spend time walking and feeding them and keeping the pen clean,” she says.

But 4-H also is about being part of a group and having fun. “It taught me how to raise an animal, but I also made a lot of new friends,” she adds.

The Swopes see camaraderie among the youths and adults in the farming community but also find it can be dif-ficult for a young man like Will to break into the career dominated by longtime farmers and big corporations.

But Will says he’s up to the challenge. A graduate of Columbus North High School, he went to Vincennes Universi-ty, where he earned a degree in agribusi-ness, learning many skills that would help prepare him for a farming career. “I’d like to see us be able to keep farm-ing thriving for the next generations,” he says.

One of Will’s biggest challenges has been trying to save money so he can pur-chase quality farmland, which recently has been fetching a higher price than many farmers can pay and still turn a profit. For now, he is living at home with his parents and saving his money.

Although last summer’s drought ate into the profits of most farmers in southern Indiana, Matt says one of the positives has been the high prices for crops. But all farmers are dealing with rising costs in other areas, such as equipment and fertilizer.

Will says he eventually would like to provide better irrigation to the fields so he won’t have to worry as much about

dry weather. He also wants to incorpo-rate more technology, including a yield mapping system, and to better manage crops and be good stewards of the land, he says, through regular rotation. It’s always a balancing act, the Swopes say, to make wise use of your resources but still produce a profit.

Will plans to keep working with his dad, so someday, he hopes, he can be counted as one of those longtime Bar-tholomew County farmers.

“It gets in your blood,” he says. *Fi

lEFT: will spent his senior year of high school restoring this 1966 john deere 4020 tractor with his father, matt. BoTTom: a grinding stone that was a part of an old mill located on the farm was found in the nearby river in the early 1970s and placed in the front yard of the family's farm home.

swope // cont. from A1

14055 South 725 West, Columbus, IN 47201 | 1-812-342-60-10 | [email protected] 3778 West State Road 56,Salem, IN 47167 | 1-812-833-1005

OUR WORK SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

a3Farm IndIana // February 2013

As I write this, we’re expe-riencing the coldest days of winter. The weather applica-tion on my smartphone tells me it is 21 degrees outside, but it feels a little more like 12 degrees. And yesterday

morning, when I wrapped myself in six layers of clothes and trudged out the door to head to an early-morning meeting, it was even colder. Brrrrrr.

The good news is I warmed right up when I walked into that conference room yesterday morning. Surrounding me were approximately one dozen key players in the agricultural industry from several of Indiana’s eastern counties. A few folks from Home News Enterprises, along with myself, were meeting with these movers and shakers to discuss our plans for starting a Farm Indiana “east” edition. And, boy, were their responses to our plans both warm and welcoming.

That’s exactly how the reactions to the south-central version of Farm In-diana have been, too. When the movers and shakers around our own offices dove into the ag world by producing this new publication, they had no idea what to expect. What has transpired has far exceeded their expectations.

Since its inception, Farm Indiana has grown in both interest and page count. This issue, we’re publishing our largest edition — 32 pages — to date, and it just keeps growing. In the short time I have been involved, I’ve realized just how much news there is to cover. Each new day brings story suggestions, possible sources and information about changes in sci-ence and technology to my inbox. At times, it’s a little overwhelming. And it’s exciting.

The good news here is that there are limitless relevant and local stories to be told, and we’re here to do it. If nothing else keeps me warm this winter, knowing that little fact will. All around me — despite the freezing tempera-tures outside — great things are growing.

Comments, story ideas and suggestions should be sent to Sherri Lynn Dugger, The Republic, 333 Second St., Columbus, IN 47201,

call (812) 379-5608 or email [email protected]. For advertising information, call (812) 379-5690.

©2013 by Home News Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction of stories, photographs and advertisements without permission is prohibited.

February 2013 Farm Indiana

A1 Swope Family FarmA4 L&M Glick SeedA7 Burcham FamilyA9 New VenturesA12 Midway Farm and OrchardA14 Extension Educators

B1 Whispering Pines AlpacasB3 Farm BriefsB4 Brad and Amanda BriggsB6 National Farm Machinery ShowB8 Shirk’s InternationalB11 Berkemeier FarmB14 Student ProfilesB15 Calendar of Events

omissioN: In the box on page B5 of the january issue of Farm Indiana, the oldest great-grandchild of henry Bush, Christopher Kiel, was omitted. Farm Indiana apologizes for the oversight.

Mellencamp Irrigation & Excavation6478 E. 950 N. Seymour, IN 47274812.216.1396

Good Things are Growing

edItor's note

Local company L&M Glick Seed offers farmers hybrids and varieties focused on the traits and genetics that work in southeastern and central Indiana and across the greater

Ohio River Valley area.That’s because the owners, Brett and Trevor Glick, are them-

selves fourth-generation Bartholomew County farmers who put their products to the test on their own acreage.

“We select the varieties and the hybrids that work well,” Brett says, “we don’t just look at test blocks.”

sEEDs of CHangEA privately held company, Glick has less corporate interference in what strains it buys—and sells. “We do all the selecting ourselves, where a lot of seed dealers, they’re kind of told what varieties and hybrids to sell,” he says. “We get to pick and choose, and we go out and grow them. We’re more independent than the vast majority of other seed companies you’ll find.”

He also says Glick has access to a wider range of ge-netics than most other companies, and, as farmers, they can tell customers how a variety or hybrid performs in full-scale production, where it counts.

“The fact is no hybrid is right for everyone everywhere,” accord-ing to the company’s website. “We have chosen the hybrids that are working here on our farms. We stress not only yield and standabili-ty but also the health requirements of the greater Ohio Valley area.”

Glick concentrates on the trifecta of corn, soybeans and wheat, Brett says. For soybeans and wheat, “we go out and buy strains, and then we expand them,” he explains. To get seed corn, the brothers contract growers in southern Indiana.

Brett says the seed business has seen a great deal of change over the four generations his family has farmed, and he sums

up that change with two words: “Better genetics.”These genetics are “constantly improving the beans and corn,” he says. “As bad as this year

was, if we had still had the same varieties and hybrids we had 20 years ago, it would have been worse.”

In 2012, early planting weather was good, and wet conditions prevailed in May and June. But that was followed in late summer by hot days and nights with

little rain, which led to a rapid, early har-vest. “Genetics are getting a lot better, a

lot more resistant” to such conditions, Brett says. “They can take a lot more stress.”

a faMily affairBrett and Trevor grew up in farming and in the seed

company established by patriarch D.E. “Elmer” Glick and the brothers’ great-grandfather, Lloyd Glick, in the 1880s. The origi-nal farm is still part of the land holdings the family farms today in Bartholomew County.

“My great-grandfather, Lloyd, was a schoolteacher in a one-room schoolhouse,” Brett says. “He went off to war, but he was only in the war about 60 days before it was over. He came back,

| story By jeFF tryon |

fourth-generation farmers, glick brotherstest their products on their own land

See glick on A6 >>

pHoTos By jENNiFEr CECilBrett glick, left, and his brother, trevor.

“We select the varieties and the hybrids that work well. We don’t just

look at test blocks.”—Brett GlICK

Farm indiana // February 2013a4


Columbus-area customers who are allergic to commercially grown beef, which often includes trace amounts of antibiotics, seek the offer-ings of Brothers Beef for health reasons, as much as taste.

Brett and Trevor Glick, who own L&M Glick Seed, also own Brothers Beef, the only grass-fed beef operation in Bartholomew County. Raised around cattle farming, the brothers began their operation in 2007 to of-fer all natural, grass-fed beef from Angus cattle. For the Glicks, starting their business had as much to do with exercising the right to raise cattle in ethical and humane ways as it did with providing diversity in the lo-cal supply of beef.

Generally born during February and March, the calves stay with their mothers until December when they’re weaned. During their time on the farm, the cattle experience consistency that extends beyond diet. “They’re with the same group pretty much their whole lives,” says Brett. “They’re on pasture. Except for the worst of weather, they see us every day so they’re not surprised by us.”

The Glicks have to balance the diets according to each cow’s stage of growth. When cattle are young, they require higher protein intake than their adult counterparts. Prior to harvesting, they need foliage with higher sugar content to “get more finished muscle and fat,” Trevor says.

And sometimes the cows get sick. If a cow’s health warrants antibiot-ics, it is given antibiotics, Trevor says. “We won’t let them suffer if there is a medication that could help them.” But the use of antibiotics immedi-ately disqualifies the animal from being sold.

If the animal receives medicine, he explains, it is removed and kept for use by the family.

Brothers Beef, (812) 343-8119, (812) 371-5532, www.brothersbeef.com

The Grass is Always GreenerGrass-fed or locally raised beef is regularly praised as the meat to eat

| story By jennIFer m. wIllhIte |

photo By andrew laKerlocally, Brothers Beef supplies meat to tre Bicchieri (425 washington st., (812) 372-1962) and double oak Farm Green Grocery (1120 washington st., (812) 376-0775).

COME SEE US AT THE

NATIONAL FARM EQUIPMENT SHOW

IN THE SOUTH WING A BOOTH #48


but his job was gone. So he decided to ex-pand his seed business, and that’s when it really took off.”

Brett says that although growing up in the family business, “you always know some-thing about it,” he hadn’t really planned on going into it until fate intervened.

“I graduated from college in 2004, and I went out to Colorado for a while. But then my father passed away in an accident, and I came back to the farm, and my brother

and I are now running it,” he says.And as to whether the Glick farm and

the attendant seed company pass into the fifth generation, only time will tell. Brett doesn’t have any children; his brother has three. “If they (Trevor’s children) choose to come back to the farm, we will wel-come them,” Brett says. “If they choose not to, well, I’m not going to force anyone into a profession. This is a lifestyle, not just a job. You have to love it.” *Fi

glick // cont. from A4

For more on l&m Glick seed, visit glickseed.com.For more on Brothers Beef, visit brothersbeef.com.

pHoTo By jENNiFEr CECiltrevor, left, and Brett Glick

the Burcham family diversifies to keep its traditions going

Room on the Farm

Like Us On Facebook At Bob Poynter GM Cars & Trucks!

812-522-4187 • 1209 E. TIPTON ST. 812-372-5270 • 800-264-4187

GREAT TRUCKS FOR HARD JOBS

Fill in the information below or email us to receive more information about the great selection of trucks and offers.

Name_______________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________

Email_______________________________________________

Mail to: Bob Poynter GM | 1209 E Tipton St | Seymour, IN 47274 OR Email Request to: [email protected]

Southern Indiana Irrigation Systems, Inc.15790 North 100 EastEdinburgh, IN 46124812-526-0600


Wayne Burcham spreads out papers on a table in the small, neat office that serves as head-

quarters for his family’s farming opera-tion, which today encompasses ground split almost evenly between Jackson and Washington counties, divided by the winding Muscatatuck River.

The office, once part of a complex of buildings that made up a feed mill, is located on a quiet, dead-end road in the tiny town of Vallonia. But the area wasn’t always so quiet, Wayne says, ex-plaining that this part of the commu-nity was once the hub of rural Jackson County. In addition to the mill, which at one time was thriving with activity, there was a busy railroad depot here, which linked the county with the rest of the state and the country.

The depot “was the center of the com-munity,” Wayne explains. “They didn’t have interstates. Everything went by rail.”

The depot is long gone; the only in-dication now that the community was once more than a sleepy hamlet is the mill, which the Burchams purchased from Jackson-Jennings Co-op in 2001. The mill has “helped our farm opera-tion,” Wayne says. Its buildings allow for a workshop, as well as space for storing grains and chemicals.

traCEs of HistoryWhen Wayne Burcham talks about his family’s farm, he traces a list of names and dates from the Burcham side of his family tree. Wayne studies numbers, which date back to the 1700s, trying to determine just when the first Burchams arrived in what was to be-come Jackson County.

It’s confusing, he explains, partly because dates overlap and also because there are so many Burchams named John. (Wayne’s grandfather was one.)

| story & photos By marCIa walKer |

the Burcham family diversifies to keep its traditions going

Room on the FarmFAMILY FARMS

(from left) wayne and Mary lou Burcham, John and Kara Burcham, Jeremy Burcham and Chad Burcham.

765-932-3979

1026 N. Lincoln St. • Greensburg, IN812-663-7111 • www.shirksinternational.com

’07 IH 9400i Tandem Daycab, 435HP Cat, 10 Spd, Jake Brake, 167” WB,

Air Ride--$29,500.00 (I07536)

’05 IH 9900i, 450HP Cummins, 10 Spd, Jake, 51” Flat Top Bunk, Air

Ride--$25,000.00 (I05465)

2006 34’ Jet Aluminum Hop-per, ROUNDED HOPPERS, Sight

Windows, Roll Tarp, 11R22.5 Tires--$25,000.00 (TL351)

28’ Wheeler Steel Hopper Trailer, Single Axle and Hopper, Roll Tarp--

$12,500.00 (TL346)

1026 N. Lincoln St. • Greensburg, IN812-663-7111 • www.shirksinternational.com


Wayne and his wife, Mary Lou, carried on that family tradition by also naming their first-born son John, who arrived 13 minutes ahead of his twin brother, Jer-emy. The twins are now 26.

Wayne’s finger stops on the name Samuel. Around 1810, he says, Samuel Burcham built a fort along what is today State Road 235. “As far as I know, the Burchams have been farming in Vallo-nia all the way back to Samuel,” he says.

Wayne is proud of his family heritage, on both sides of his family tree. His moth-er was a Hess, another family that has lived in the Vallonia area for generations.

While each generation made a living through farming, the crops that have been raised have changed, dictated in part by changes in technology and mar-ket demand.

Through the years, the Burchams and Hesses raised hogs, mules, cattle, wa-termelon, corn, hay and sheep. At one time, Wayne says, his family operated the largest breeding and feeding opera-tion for sheep in a three-state area.

Wayne’s grandfather, John, moved away for a while to earn a living by de-livering coal with a team of mules and a wagon, a job comparable to being a truck driver today. “He hated that job,” Wayne

says. “He wanted to get back to farming.”John Burcham did later return to

Vallonia and to farming, after losing his first wife and their baby during childbirth. John and his brother later established Burcham Brothers Produce, raising watermelon and sweet corn.

John Burcham eventually remarried and signed a note to cover the costs of a house, only to lose the house and be-

longings in a fire. “Grand-pa carried out the china cabinet, the front door and the dog,” Wayne says.

Wayne and Mary Lou still have the cabinet in the house where they now live, which was built by his grandfather in 1921.

The Hess side of Wayne’s family tree offers its own

share of stories. John Hess, Wayne’s mater-nal grandfather, was a mule trader. “He dealt in very expensive mules,” Wayne says. “He built the round barn, which used to stand on State Road 135 south of Vallonia, as a showroom.”

Carrying on traDitionsWayne and Mary Lou’s children are car-rying on the family traditions. Wayne, who has twice suffered ruptured disks, has turned the physical labor of operating the farm over to his sons. “The boys do the labor for me,” he says. “I do the man-agement. Now, they are stepping into the management part.”

The boys started out hands-on. As teenagers, they launched a business that involved raising and selling sweet corn. The first year, they planted half an acre; at its peak, the sweet corn patch encom-passed 10 acres.

At age 12, their youngest son, Chad, obtained a bank loan for $15,000, co-signed by his father. The two drove to the stockyards in Little York, where Wayne says he went to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee while Chad went to the auction

ring to purchase cattle. Chad also established a lawn mowing business as a teenager.

While all three are committed to the family farm, the sons also real-ize that to support ev-eryone, they need to di-versify. Each has carved out his own niche.

John, who has a degree in ag business from Western Ken-tucky University, owns a trucking business. He also sells seed for Wyffel Hybrid. His

wife, Kara, a regional marketing representative for a tax com-pany, still finds time in the spring and fall to help run the farm.

“I can drive any equipment same as they (her husband and brothers-in-law) can,” she says. “Anything they can do, I can do better.”

John and his twin brother, Jeremy, who also attended Western Kentucky before switching to Vincennes for train-ing as a diesel mechanic, also rent a tenant farm.

Jeremy, who enjoys fixing stuff, pur-chased three combines, which he put back into operating condition, and offers custom harvesting.

Chad is now finishing his educa-tion at Western Kentucky University, and he operates a cow/calf operation, manages the pasture part of the farm operation and is also a livestock judge for the university.

All three brothers are involved with the newest venture, Burcham Farm Service, which offers mechanical ser-vices on lawn mowers, combines and “everything in between,” Chad says.

Each effort is focused on one goal, Wayne says. “We all want to be on the farm,” he explains. “It’s something we all want, to have room on the farm for all of us.” *Fi

1873 E. Tipton St. | Seymour | BowmanAutoGroup.com

Experience the Bowman Difference!

Bill BattinSales Manager

Bryan BowmanOwner

Rob PaddackBusiness Manager

Bonnie BaxterSales

Bart DraperSales

Trent TurnerSales

Steve LewisSales

Lauren BowmanInternet Sales Manager

Dan CoomerSales

John WiethoffSales

2012 RAM 2500 ST CREW 4X4

Over40 Trucks

In Stock

(with trade)$39,999

$47,360 MSRP$43,499 Bowman Price- 3,500 Rebates

Diesel, Automatic Stock #C0455

FREE WeeklyCar Wash

with purchase

BOWMAN

>> tHE BurCHaMsFamily: wayne and mary lou Burcham, john and Kara Burcham, jeremy Burcham, Chad Burcham

Farm: 1,000 acres of corn, 950 acres of beans, 150 acres of hay, 25 head of angus cattle

lEFT: Brothers jeremy, john and Chad Burcham, with elvis. BEloW: the Burchams purchased a feed mill in 2001.

a9Farm indiana // February 2013

A drought, flood, recession or political uncertainty, as well as local business conditions, all can affect a farm-er’s bottom line. That’s why more farmers are looking

at new ventures to boost their incomes.Roy Ballard, a Purdue University extension educator in

Hancock County, advises Indiana farmers on looking for new avenues for revenue. “I get about one call a day from farmers who are excited about an idea,” says Ballard, who serves as the state’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education coordi-nator. “When money is tight, people want to try new ventures.”

Ballard says the search for new ways to add income to the farm budget frequently comes up when a family member wants to join the operation. This might be a wife or someone who has left another job, or a son or daughter who has recently gradu-ated from college.

Although the process can be driven by financial need, the desire to expand the farm enterprise in a new direction also

can be a creative one that reaps financial rewards. “They can find something they are excited about doing,” Ballard says. “People have lots of imagination.”

Some examples he has heard of in recent years have included producing goat cheese, making fiber products from alpaca wool, selling specialty grains, such as flax seed and buckwheat, or marketing a range of artisan crafts.

Other farmers have grown Christmas trees, started apple or-chards, begun herb farms, opened bed-and-breakfast lodgings and even constructed zip lines on their properties.

MarKEt watCHFor some, the solution is simply to fill more months with mon-ey-making opportunities. Many farmers sell fresh produce in the summer and fall, but Jim and Carol Daily decided to open a market in Bartholomew County that would be open all year.

Previously, they had sold vegetables at a small stand near

| sTory By BrENda sHoWalTEr |

today’s farmers understand that keeping a steady stream of income might require more than traditional methods of the past

pHoTo By jENNiFEr CECilCarol and Jim Daily

Celebrating 60 years in business! Fraley Truck and Implement Sales

744 East US Highway 52 Rushville, IN 46173 • (765) 932-41331163 South State Road 129 Versailles, IN 47042 • (812) 689-5800

www.fraleyimplement.com


Second and State streets in the sum-mer and at area farmers markets, but in 2010, they purchased a former con-venience store/gas station property on Jonathan Moore Pike to sell their products year-round.

“Over the years, farming has had its ups and downs,” says Jim, who farms with his sons, Ben, 23, and Evan, 20. The Dailys also have two daughters, Kristin, 27, and Kelsey, 26, although they don’t participate in the daily farm operations.

“This allows for a more steady in-come flow,” says Ben.

Now, with a temperature-con-trolled facility, the family can sell fruits and vegetables in the warm months and offer other items dur-ing the winter and spring. Jim and his sons farm 2,500 acres in Bar-tholomew County, but he says their market has made their goods more

visible than ever to area residents.The Dailys sell a range of fresh gro-

cery items, plus freezer beef, mainly custom-ordered quarters and halves, but also some smaller portion-size packages as available. They also sell an assortment of oven-fresh goodies made in the market’s kitchen. Breads, pies, cakes, cookies and ready-to-heat-and-serve items such as chili, lasagna, pot pie and meatloaf await customers.

“There have been other farm mar-kets around here, but nothing on a year-round basis like this,” Jim says.

tour DE fruitAnother longtime Bartholomew County farming family, the Hack-mans have learned about the benefits and enjoyment of “agritourism” ac-tivities. They operate a farm market through the summer and the fall where they sell fresh produce and

1

3

2

Email: [email protected]: (812) 358-5138 • Cell: (812) 525-7186

PETE’S TRENCHING, LLC.Tony Peters Owner/Operator___

Indiana State Licensed

Design & Install Field Tile Install Well Pumps

Installed with RTK

JS& Farmers Insurance

Agency, LLCP.O. Box 452,

1924 Longest Drive, Franklin, IN 46131

(317) 736-6744 1-800-832-3462

G. LongD. SmithC. Billingsley K. CarsonC. Morris

Finding a great deal on farm insurance starts with fi nding a great agent.

BE READY.

Especially in a no-till environment, crop residue management is critical to cycle valuable potassium and phosphorus that are tied up in residue and return them to the soil. The soil also needs to foster water and nutrient uptake in an environment that is level and uniform, not only on the surface for ease of planting, but at plant depth. The Case IH True-Tandem 330 Turbo is the only vertical tillage machine that efficiently sizes and mixes residue and levels soil, ensuring greater productivity. Let Case IH help you be ready to plant your next crop. To learn more, visit your Case IH dealer or visit caseih.com

All rights reserved. Case IH and CNH Capital are registered trademarks of CNH America LLC. www.caseih.com

Jacobi Sales, Inc.415 Stevens Way, Seymour, IN 47274

(812) 523-5050

550 Earlywood Dr., Franklin, IN 46131(317) 738-4440

1. jim daily pets a calf at his Columbus farm. 2. Cattle at the daily farm. photos By jennIFer CeCIl3. Fruits and vegetables fill the table at hackman's Farm market. photo By joel phIlIppsen


flowers, but John Hackman now also takes about 2,500 schoolchildren on educational tours of his farm each fall.

Classes, from preschool to about fifth grade, can come to the farm to learn about animals at a petting zoo, to see pumpkins grown in a patch, to walk through a corn maze and to take a wagon ride.

Hackman charges a small fee for each child, who leaves with a pint-sized pumpkin. Although not a big money-maker, he figures by teaching children

pHoTos By aNdrEW lakErpeering through a refractometer, David simmons measures the sugar content of chardonel grapes at the simmons winery vineyard. iNsET: simmons holds a cluster of st. Vincent grapes.

5969 E US 50 Seymour, IN 47274

812-522-2367

Flat Rock SeedCall Bruce Weaver at

2002 East 950 South • Flat Rock, IN

Your supplier for premium forage products:

Alfalfa, Clover, Grass, Sorghum,Masters Choice Corn

PREPARE FORSPRING PLANTING

Cell: 812-374-7107 | Home: 765-525-6443 | [email protected]

about the farm, many will want to come back and bring their parents.

off tHE VinEBrenda and David Simmons of Hope had a multiyear plan that included expanding their farming operation in many directions. David grew up in a farming family in the Hope area, and Brenda says he still loves going out in the fields each spring to plant corn and soybeans.

David and Brenda, a former math teacher, continued to raise their tra-ditional farm crops and operated a summer farmers market to sell the produce for years before they decided to start growing grapes in 1997.

Eventually, they opened a winery and banquet hall where they could host wed-dings and special events, and this year they opened a restaurant and brewery at the same location on Road 450N.

“The way to really make it is to di-versify,” says Brenda, adding that their success has allowed them to have their two children work with them full time.

She believes looking for new ways to grow a farming business is necessary in today’s economy. “My gut feeling is you have to do this to survive.” *Fi


All along the grounds of Midway Farm and Orchard, the weight

of the past is evident.The weathered timbers of

a 150-year-old barn sag but stand as a testament to the farm’s longevity. Gnarled apple trees, some planted more than a century ago, still produce fruit every year. Gardens of cabbage, toma-toes and cucumbers line the stately white farmhouse.

Bill and Linda Sabo, and Linda’s sons, Hugh and David Vandivier, have main-tained nearly 200 years of agricultural tradition in their small farm outside Franklin.

Midway Farm and Or-chard, founded in 1822, was one of the first homesteads in Johnson County. Dur-ing the winter months, the farm is in hibernation. Fruit trees in the small backyard victory garden are covered in plastic to protect the limbs. The remnants of last

season’s vegetables poke through the snow and ice. Across the 55 acres sur-rounding the property, the remaining stubble of corn-stalks dots the land.

The family doesn’t work the farm fields anymore. Each year, they rent the land to local farmers to plow, plant and tend seed corn and soybeans. During warmer weather, Bill and Linda plant about an acre of vegetables in a wide plot to the south of the house. Tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots are carefully tended in rows throughout the gar-den. Recently, they planted apple and peach trees to go along with the longtime or-chard of persimmon trees, Linda says.

Midway Farm and Or-chard was originally estab-lished by the early settlers of Johnson County. An old white barn — thick, rough-hewn timber supports and

planks — was built in 1860. The farmhouse, with its tiled cupola and white porch, has been standing since 1903.

A white wooden sign, which the family erected to let passersby know the history, stands in front of the home, giving some of the important dates from the farm’s found-ing. Using land-ownership records and historical docu-ments, they’ve been able to pinpoint the founding of the farm to Aug. 5, 1822.

Since that time, ownership has changed hands to differ-ent families, but it has been run most recently by four gen-erations of Vandiviers. “From the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Vandiviers were one of the main families of Franklin,” Hugh says. “This is our con-nection to that time.” growing up on tHE farMFarm life helped shape the Vandivier children — Hugh

a richly colored indiana sunset fills the sky as snow blankets the farmland that has been in the family for nearly 200 years. aBoVE: a photo of who is believed to be the original owner of the property. opposiTE paGE, From lEFT: Bill and linda sabo stand in front of her family home. a submitted photo of the farm during summer. a look inside the home.

| story by ryan trares // photos by josh marshall |

one family celebrates the history of its small franklin farm

The Past’sPresence

FAMILY FARMS

a13Farm indiana // February 2013

and David, as well as their sister, M.J. Metzinger.

Though they mostly raised row crops, there was a brief time when the family raised sheep and cattle. One of Hugh’s earliest memories is accidentally leaving a fence gate open. “My father was running all over the barn lot, trying to catch these sheep and get them back into their enclosure,” he recalls. “We didn’t really have livestock after that.”

Living out in the country, the Vandivier children relied on each other and their sur-roundings for entertainment. In the spring and summer, once their farm chores were finished, they were shep-herded outdoors and left to explore, Linda says.

Sometimes they’d play in the woods or the barn. “It might not have been the safest, but it was a fun adventure as far as hide-and-seek,” Hugh says.

During the blizzard of 1978, the kids created a system of snow tunnels all over their property. Together with their Siberian husky, Nome, they’d crawl through their naturally insulated passageways.

Bill and Linda are the only ones still living at Midway Farm. Hugh lives nearby in Indianapolis, where he works as a writer and an editor.

Since he’s the closest, he often helps his mother and stepfather with some of the upkeep of the land. The fact that the farm has remained in the Vandivier family for the past four generations is a point of pride, one that they hope continues for genera-tions more.

Even as the family spreads out, it provides a home base for their heritage and history. “You feel like you’re still connected to it,” Hugh says, “even if you don’t live there anymore.” *Fi

—huGh vandIvIer

“From the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Vandiviers were one of the main families of Franklin. This is our connection to that time.”

Come talk to us about how you can improve your profi ts per acre

(812) 379-2634 1442 W 550 N, Columbus, IN 47203

MiDway farM anD orCHarDoWNErs: linda and Bill sabo; farmland is managed by linda’s sons, hugh and david vandivier.

FouNdEd: 1822 // Crops: seed corn and soybeans

NoTaBlE daTEs:aug. 5, 1822: midway Farm was established in Franklin township.

1860: Construction on the farm’s barn was finished.

1903: Construction of the farmhouse.


| story By Barney quICK |

local educators help connect the dots

for urban and rural residents

245 HP, auto, 25,999 GVW,

68K miles, $57,900

2009 Intnl 4300 Crew Cab

2006 Volvo VNM64T 1995 Mack CH612

VED12-365, Fuller 10, 3.90,

170” WB$34,500

S/A tractor, 300, 5 sp, 159” WB, $11,500

2009 Volvo VNL64T 77”

sleeper, 485 HP, 9 speed,

3.42, 232” WB, $59,995

HOURSTues - Friday8:30am-6pm

Saturday8:30am-2pm

We are located at I-65, exit 50 west, 3 miles on left.

U.S. Department of Agricul-ture like these are available in each state to help educate and support residents in nearly ev-ery aspect of their lives — from agriculture and food to envi-ronment, community econom-ic development and more.

“There are a lot of Exten-sion functions you don’t often think about,” says Albert Armand, a farmer in Decatur County. “A lot of people don’t

realize what kinds of informa-tion are available through it.”

Decatur’s Extension edu-cator Daniel Wilson, for in-stance, has helped bring new crops to his county, Armand says. He also cites Wilson’s role in organizing the coun-ty’s farmers market, as well as his personal assistance in figuring a yield estimate for insurance purposes in a field of Armand’s that had suffered

crop damage. “Big operators have seed

sales reps who come around to consult,” Armand says. For smaller producers, he explains, support only comes from Extension Services.

Educators like Wilson can serve as great resources for homeowners, as well, by an-swering questions about local insects or even making “rec-ommendations about the grass

aBoVE: Bartholomew County extension educator mike Ferree, who retired at the end of 2012. the repuBlIC FIle photo BEloW: albert armand drives a tractor on his decatur County farm during last year's soybean planting. photo By anGela jaCKson

Learning by Extension

When Bartholomew County Extension educator Mike

Ferree retired at the end of 2012, a big hole was left in his absence—one that hasn’t yet been filled. As Columbus, the county seat, had grown, he had a hand in helping the city accommodate its surround-ing farm population. “I coor-dinated a series of meetings on land-use topics,” he says. Ferree also served on the Bartholomew County Parks and Recreation Board and the county’s Plan Commission.

Overall, he served as a much-needed liaison between Bartholomew County’s urban and rural residents. Through daily use of social media, vid-eoconferencing and emails, Ferree was in constant com-munication with locals, helping to answer their ques-tions and support their ever-changing needs.

Extension Services of the


aBoVE: a farm in eastern Bartholomew County. photo By andrew laKer BEloW: albert armand installs a Gps system on his tractor to help determine its location during planting. photo By anGela jaCKson

The Community Foundation of Jackson Countyin partnership with

Purdue University Cooperative Extension Serviceand

Jackson Jennings Co-Oppresents

Farming 2013A special briefing and breakfast

for the Jackson County agricultural community

You and your guests are cordially invited to join us for breakfast at Pewter Hall, 850 West Sweet Street in Brownstown.

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 7:30 a.m.

Guest speakers: Christopher Hurt, Ph.D. Purdue University Editor of Purdue Agricultural Economic Report

Pamela Jones Davidson, J.D. President, Davidson Gift Design Senior Vice President, Thompson & Assoc.

Please make your reservation to the Community Foundation of Jackson County

Phone: 523-4483Email: [email protected]

Breakfast is free, courtesy of Jackson Jennings Co-op!

in your yard,” Armand says. While several counties in

the south-central region cur-rently have openings for edu-cators, Extension personnel are staffing offices there. Ac-cording to Extension interim director Jim Mintert, at any given time there are between five and 10 openings for Ex-tension educator positions in the region. It typically takes about six months to fill the

positions, he says. “That’s really not a long

time when you’re trying to get someone with the quali-fications we want and put them in a rural setting,” he says. Educators are required to have both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, with at least one of those degrees in an agriculture-related field.

Finding the right educator is a matter of matching skill sets to communities. “We can provide resources to help them build those skill sets,” Mintert says.

“The first thing I tell new staff members is to get to know their communities,” he

adds. “Some areas are very row crop-focused; in others, livestock is more important. In urban areas, we look for people with knowledge of horticultural issues.”

Amanda Dickson, who assumed the dual role of educator and 4-H coordina-tor for Brown County in late 2012, sees her role as that of a “good listener” who can “read between the lines.” Her first

task was to size up Brown County’s agricultural iden-tity, which she characterizes as small acreage (10 acres or less) and primarily livestock-based. Brown County, she says, ranks in the state’s top third for poultry production, and it ranks high for land value, due to the impact of its tourism industry.

Dickson, an Oklahoma native with an academic background in agricul-tural economics, was a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, and she says she has seen a number of parallels in her volunteer work and her pro-fessional career. Much of her

—alBert armand

“A lot of people don’t realize what kinds of information are available

through (Extension functions).”

time as an Extension educa-tor is spent consulting with her constituents on practical matters of land development.

“I get calls all the time about weed identification and eradication,” she says. “I get tree questions, such as why bark is falling off, or why

leaves are getting spots. I also get wildlife questions, such as how to keep animals away from gardens.” Occasion-ally her economics expertise comes into play, like when she recently fielded a question about how to charge rent on 16 acres of farmland.

Clearly, though Exten-sion is a statewide system, its services are by no means of a one-size-fits-all nature. “Our mission is to deliver pro-grams targeted to the needs of the individual commu-nity,” Mintert says. *Fi

Fletcher

will not be under sold!

additional trade cash!$500bring in this ad

and receive

Fletcher

8 miles south of the Greenwood

Park Mall

3099 N. Morton St., (U.S. 31) Franklin, IN

1-866-618-9077www.f l e tcherchrys ler .comOpen Monday-thru Friday 8am-8pm • Saturday 8am-6pm

* All prices include all rebates and trade-in bonus. Photos for illustration purposes only. See dealer for details.Fletcher

named indiana’s #1 ram truck dealer

we have hundreds of trucks available

2nd year in a row!

see our specials online www.fletcher.com

$26,730PriceFletcher

2013 ram Quad cab st

2012 ram 1500 crew st 4x4

$31,179PriceFletcher PriceFletcherMSRP $37,820#T12322


$31,704MSRP $38,177#T12668

PriceFletcher


$30,976MSRP $37,214#T12408

PriceFletcher

2012 ram 1500 crew st express

$34,294MSRP $34,294#T12674

PriceFletcher

2013 ram 1500 regular cab

$25,740MSRP $28,444#T13008

PriceFletcher

2013 ram 1500 crew slt big horn 4x4

$37,997MSRP $43,415

Includes trade in#T13000

Motor

trend truck

of the Year

PriceFletcher

2013 ram 1500 crew sport 4x4

$40,810MSRP $46,375

Includes trade in#T12983

several

available

2013 ram 1500 crew laramie 4x4

$40,555MSRP $46,075

Includes trade in

PriceFletcher#T12925


$39,998MSRP $47,845

Includes trade in

PriceFletcher


$41,603MSRP $48,759

Includes trade in

PriceFletcher#T12734 #T12789

2012 ram 2500 mega laramie 4x4

$52,141MSRP $60,384

Includes trade in


2012 ram 3500 crew laramie dually 4x4

$49,986MSRP $59,260

Includes trade in


2012 ram 3500 crew st dually 4x4

$42,440MSRP $49,759

Includes trade in


2012 ram cargo vans

$22,715MSRP $25,365

Includes trade in


2012 ram 3500 regular cab & chassis

$27,474MSRP $32,715

Includes trade in


$44,500MSRP $54,825

Includes trade in


2012 ram 3500 crew cab & chassis 4x4

several

availableManager

special! cummins

dieselManager

special!

#1 ram

dealer5

available hilsbor

body

Motor trend

truck of the Year

we got them!

it’s new

it’s hotMSRP $30,470

Includes trade in

#1 Fuel Economy

3.6L V6#T13067

Cummins

Diesel Headquarters

25MPg!

February 2013 | Section B

ing alpacas) sounded like fun.”So the Schnackels began working toward a new life as livestock farm-

ers — fiber farmers, actually. While llamas are used as pack animals, the more delicate alpacas are strictly used for their fiber, which is finer than the hair of its larger cousin.

Alpacas are predominantly from Peru and Chile, but most of Whisper-ing Pines’ alpacas are multicolored Chileans. “They come in 22 natural colors,” Bill says. “When they show, they show in 16 color groups. Some people will breed for all black, or all white; they just want a specific color. We’ve enjoyed the multi (colored animals).”

When Bill and Guna Schnackel arrived at the edge of an early retirement, they knew they wanted to move from Chicago to the “picturesque” hills of Brown County. Bill says he also

knew he and Guna were “a little young for the rocking chair.” Now the owners and proprietors of Whispering Pines Alpacas and Spe-

cialty Gifts near Nashville, the Schnackels found their new calling after a chance encounter with alpacas.

“We had heard about alpacas, and we went to a program up north where five farms all got together to talk about it,” he said, during an in-terview at his hill-top wooded farmstead off Salt Creek Road. “It (rais-

Owners of Whispering Pines Alpacas lead high-fiber life

| Story By JeFF tryon |

See alpacas On b2 >>

PHotoS By aaron FerguSonBill Schnackel poses with one of his alpacas.

BOTTOM: Schnackel feeds supplemental nutrients to his herd.

FAMILY FARMS

Farm IndIana // February 2013B2

alpacas // cOnt. frOm b1

SOLD

2010 Chevy Camaro SS

3H53A

20,000reduced to

2010 Honda OdysseyHonda Certified

3696

3,000reduced to

2001 Chevy VentureVan

3627A

13,900reduced to

2009 Ford Mustang

3H45A

24,900reduced to

2011 Ford Edge SELAWD

3680

22,500reduced to

2012 Chevy Equinox LT

3H123A

12,900reduced to

2008 Ford TaurusLIMITED

3741

18,800reduced to

2010 Honda CR-VHonda Certified

3702

20,300reduced to

2010 Ford Flex SEL

3732

14,900reduced to

2009 Mercury SablePREMIUM

3C29A

16,800reduced to

2011 Honda CivicHonda Certified

3685

15,200reduced to

2011 Ford Fusion SESunroof

3725

2H466D 1993 Ford F-150 $2,900

3688A 1999 Subaru Forester $3,900

3T25A 2005 Dodge Caravan SE $5,500

3714 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited $5,800

3737 2006 Ford Ranger XL $6,500

3738A 2004 Chrysler Town & Country Touring $6,900

3H66A 2005 Nissan Pathfinder SE $8,900

2H436A 2009 Pontiac G3, Hatchback $9,800

3719 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT $12,000

3H52A 2007 Honda CR-V EX-L, 4WD $12,400

3T21A 2009 Ford F150 STX Reg Cab $12,400

2H423A 2008 Buick Lucerne CXS $14,400

3670 2008 Honda Accord EX-L, 4 Door $14,400

3675 2011 Chevy Impala LT, 4 Door $14,900

3728 2010 Honda Accord EX-L $16,200

3H134A 2007 Chevy Silverado LTZ, Crew 4x4 $16,500

3H82A 2008 Honda Accord EX-L, Sedan SOLD

3718 2012 Honda Civic LX, Coupe $17,300

3H87E 2007 Chevy Silverado LT Z71 $17,500

3687 2012 Honda Civic EX, 4 Door $17,700

3641 2010 Honda CR-V LX, 4WD $18,000

3665 2008 Honda CR-V EX-L Nav. $20,000

3H33A 2008 Honda Odyssey EX, 4 Door $20,000

3682B 2010 Nissan 370Z, Coupe $25,000

Right on the Corner!

Right on the Price! Right here in Columbus!

RENNER MOTORSUS 31, Columbus • (812) 372-1561 • (800) 467-8450

www.rennermotors.comMARKHUNTER

er i cBur r i s

jonFRANZ

gregE rdman

KE I T HRoach

sco t tBabb

s teveL Ew i s

Wayneo haver'

t e r r yG i l p i n

M I K EW i l son

F I N AN C E MANA G E RF L E E T R E PI N T E R N E T

“We like Brown County. It’s very picturesque. We like being out here, but not completely isolated.”

—guna ScHnackel

He says they were surprised recently when an all-white female and an all-black male produced a multicolored alpaca, which they named “Mia.”

“Genetics is a funny thing,” he says.

Country timeThe Schnackels actually bought a couple of alpacas in 2005, a year before acquiring their dream property in Brown County. “We like Brown County,” says Guna. “It’s very picturesque. We like being out here, but not completely isolated.”

Bill says he’s found the attitude of coun-try folk refreshing as compared to the big city. “One thing I enjoy about Brown County is the quality of people here,” he says. “When we were building, and people said they would be there on Tuesday, they were there on Tuesday. Their prices were extremely fair.

“We came from Chicago where it was just, ‘Make as much money as you can any way you can,’” he says. “Here it was more like, ‘As long as I can put a roof over my head, food on the table and gas in the car, I’m comfortable.’

“That was really refreshing.”

PHOTO By aarOn fergusOnBill Schnackel tends to his herd.

B3Farm IndIana // February 2013

Social media has become an exciting way to enhance a farm or food business’s marketing activities, allowing the owner or manager to connect directly with customers in new and meaningful ways. often, it’s these connections or relation-ships that make a business suc-cessful over the long run.

Penn State extension is partnering with ohio State extension and the university of nebraska extension to offer the Social Media & Mobile technol-ogy for ag Businesses webinar series to help small business owners understand how to integrate social media and mobile applications into the company’s marketing plan.

Social media tools (Facebook, twitter, linkedIn, Pinterest, etc.) offer easy methods to com-municate, connect and engage with customers and the public. Mobile tools, operated from a smartphone or tablet (such as an iPad), offer many other op-tions to both businesses and customers to find and connect with businesses, increase ease of transactions and more.

Webinar participants will gain a better understanding of social media and mobile tools, and more importantly, learn how these tools can im-prove their marketing effec-tiveness and customer service. topics in the series include mobile usage and payment technology, an introduction to linkedIn and Pin-terest, mobile and location-based marketing, social media analysis tools for Face-book, twitter and Pinterest, and more.

the Social Me-dia & Mobile technol-ogy for ag Businesses webinar series began in January and offers different topics weekly until March 7. Webinars are one hour in length and begin at 2 p.m. Pricing for the webinar series is $10

per webinar. this fee provides access to chosen webinars and recordings of the webinar(s) that participants can view again after the initial webinar.

to register for the webinar series, please visit agsci.psu.edu/social-media-mobile-tech.

| By ken Salkeld, Jennings county anr extension educator |

Use the Web to Grow Your Business

Beef 101 Class to Take PlaceBeef 101 is a four-part

workshop series geared toward all beef producers, large or small, beginning or experienced. the course will provide beef producers with research-based information they can utilize in their opera-tions to improve the quality of the beef herd and increase the productivity and profit-ability of the beef operation. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in up to eight hours of training and discussion on a variety of beef

production topics. topics will be led by Purdue ex-tension specialists, exten-sion educators and local beef production experts, and each session will include adequate time for questions and answers. Participants will also receive a reference bind-er, handouts, Purdue Forage Field guide, grazing stick and ncBa references. the cost of the course is $25 per person. contact the dearborn county extension office at (812) 926-1189 before Feb. 22 to sign up.

2013 Regional Pesticide Exam ScheduleIf you have let your Indiana Private Pesticide license lapse, you may retake the test

and become eligible to have a pesticide license again. the Pesticide core, Pesticide Fumigation exam and/or the category 14 Fertilizer certification exams for private ap-plicators can be taken. training is not offered at these locations. exams can be taken anytime between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m. advance registration is required. If interested, please call (765) 496-7499 to register.

Census Deadlinethe leading source of facts and figures about american agriculture, the census of agriculture pro-

vides a detailed picture of u.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. For the 2012 census of agriculture, forms were mailed out in december, and farmers and ranchers are asked to respond by mail or online by Feb. 4.

the 2012 census of agriculture will collect information concerning all areas of farming and ranching operations, including production expenses, market value of products and operator characteristics. census data is used to make decisions about many things that directly impact farmers, including com-munity planning, availability of loans, location and staffing of service centers and more. Participation in the census is required by law, which also protects the confidentiality of all individual responses. For more information, go to www.agcensus.usda.gov/about_the_census/index.php.

Indiana Small Farm Conferencethe Indiana Small Farm

conference (Hendricks county Fairgrounds, March 1 and 2) will provide small farmers with op-portunities to learn and interact with other farmers, producers, extension educators, research-ers and students. there will be sessions about crop production, livestock production, process-ing and marketing produce and goods, energy, and small farm management. For details or to register, visit www.ag.purdue.edu/smallfarms.

Despite the couple’s careful planning, Whispering Pines didn’t unfold exactly as expected. What came as a surprise was the amount of work that would be necessary in maintaining the farm. “By now, we figured we’d be doing our own spinning and knitting and weaving,” he explains. “I don’t think I anticipated what all would be involved.”

“There’s always cleaning and getting hay and all those things,” Guna says. “It adds up.”

BoyS And girlSThe Whispering Pines herd now numbers 14, down from a high of 21 alpacas. “We never thought we’d have more than 10, because my business plan called for a nice distribution of two girls for every boy,” Bill says. “We’re about even now, because the last two batches have been three girls and a boy. All of the animals we have now ex-cept the two older females and the herd sire were born here.”

The alpacas are sheared in the spring, usu-ally May. “We have someone come and shear them because it has to be done right,” Bill says. “Then we send the fiber either to the co-op or out to be processed.”

The really “nice stuff,” Bill says, is turned into sweaters and scarves. The coarser fibers become rugs or “stuff that doesn’t touch the skin.”

Guna says approximately 80 percent to 90 percent of people who raise alpacas have never raised livestock at all. “They’re not a large animal like a cow or a horse,” she says. “Anybody can handle them. You don’t need to have a lot of land.”

And, she says, they’re mild-tempered ani-mals. “For the most part, they’re sweethearts.”

But taking care of alpacas in hilly country is a different life from the administrative career Bill left behind. “Farming is physical,” he says. “There’s pounding fence posts and moving hay; there’s just stuff all the time.”

The alpacas, he says, “just love running up and down these hills, but for us, when we’re down there working on the property, it’s a long way back up.” *fI

Alpaca fiber and yarn are for sale through the Whispering Pines website, as well as toys, gifts,

clothes, scarves and socks made from the animals’ fur. For more information, visit

WhisperingPinesAlpacas-indiana.com.

alpacas // cOnt.

PHotoS By JeFF tryonaBOVe: the Schnackels also have a specialty gift shop.

PHoto By JennIFer cecIltrevor glick bottle feeds a newborn calf.


>> the BriggSeSfaMIly: Brad and amanda Briggs;

son, Michael

farM: 10 acres with hay, meat goats and a garden, 15 brood does, two ducks,

19 kids and counting

FAMILY FARMS


Amanda and Brad Briggs raise goats, grow hay and maintain a large gar-den on their 10 acres just south of

Dupont near the Jennings/Jefferson county line. But what is perhaps their most impor-tant crop can be found in their classrooms at Madison Consolidated and Jennings County high schools.

That’s where the Briggses are making an impact on future generations of farmers. Amanda is an ag teacher and FFA adviser at Madison, while Brad holds the same positions at Jennings County High.

Amanda began teaching in 2003; Brad stepped into the classroom in 2004.

For Amanda, teaching was a goal she set for herself early in life. “I always wanted to be a teacher, even when I was little,” she says. “I got in FFA in high school — so I put the two together.”

Brad admits to being a little less certain about teaching as a career, although both his mother and grandmother were teachers. At first, he contemplated a degree in ag engineering.

But he felt opportunities in that special-ized field would be limited. His teaching

degree offers flexibility, he explains, noting that there are other opportunities for em-ployment should he decide to leave the class-room. “It’s a multipurpose degree,” he says.

rootS in the SoilBoth Amanda and Brad have farming back-grounds. Amanda grew up on a farm in Jefferson County. “We had beef cattle, dairy goats, hay and tobacco,” Amanda says.

Brad was raised on a dairy farm in Switzer-land County; his family eventually switched to beef and also raised hay and tobacco. The two were both involved with 4-H and FFA. They met as district officers when they were seniors in high school. Later, they rode back and forth together to Purdue University, where both obtained teaching degrees.

The couple’s decision to raise meat goats was the result of a compromise. Amanda was already hooked on raising dairy goats, but that didn’t appeal to Brad. “When she got me into it, it was dairy goats,” Brad says. “I couldn’t stand those things. We

compromised on meat goats. They are more like cattle. I was a beef guy.”

The gentle animals are also easier for their son, Michael, who is closing in on his fourth birthday, to handle. “They’re pretty safe,” Amanda says. “He can go out there and love them, hug them and wrestle with the baby goats.”

The Briggses have two bucks, 15 brood does and on the winter morning of this interview, 19 babies, with one more doe expected to deliver any day. Breeding is timed so delivery occurs in December and January because many of the goats will be sold to 4-H mem-bers to raise as 4-H projects.

For the past five years, Brad says, goats that got their start in life on the Briggs farm have taken both grand champion and reserve grand champion (in the division for wethers) at the Jennings County Fair.

“We try to help them (4-H members) out,” Brad says. “If they have questions or want us to come look at the goats, we try to help them.”

The Briggses admit it can be a challenge

meeting the demands of teaching and of be-ing FFA advisers, which frequently requires many hours spent on activities outside the regular school day, along with maintaining their farm. The two also serve as goat su-perintendents at the Jefferson County Fair. They belong to the Indiana Association of Ag Educators; Brad is involved with Jen-nings County Farm Bureau and Amanda with Jefferson County Farm Bureau. During the summer months, Amanda raises a large garden, canning some of her produce and giving away much of it.

exhiBiting exCellenCeAmanda and Brad were recent finalists in a

Young Farmer Excellence in Agriculture award, offered by Farm Bu-reau. The award is offered to farmers ages 18 to 35; Brad is 32, Amanda, 31.

The contest included a lengthy application process, which involved mak-ing a presentation in front of the selection committee as well as receiving a visit from a Farm Bureau representative. Although the Briggses didn’t win, they made it into the top three finalist positions. As runners-up, they were awarded a plaque and $1,000.

As far as their futures, Brad and Amanda both indicated uncertainty about whether they will remain in the classroom. Though they both enjoy teaching, new demands be-ing placed on teachers, like being required to document their abilities to teach, may force them to move on eventually.

Amanda believes that documentation is already in place by virtue of her degree. “Let me teach and I’ll be happy; make me fill out paperwork to justify what I’m doing—it takes away from the kids, and I won’t stay there,” she says. “Just let me teach.”

The two are certain, however, that agri-culture in some form will always be a part of their plans. Mostly because they want the farm life to be available to their young son. “Our 10 acres is enough to give him the ex-perience of farming,” Amanda says. “It’s the way we were raised. We want to raise him the same way.” *fI

One Jennings county couple divide their time between the classroom and the farm

| Story By MarcIa Walker PHotoS courteSy oF IndIana FarM Bureau |

6528 N. County Road 400 East, Seymour, IN 47274 3 Miles West of Seymour on State Road 258

Winter Hours thru March 31st

Monday thru Friday 5:00am-5:30pmSaturday 7:00am-5:30pm - CLOSED SUNDAYS

Breakfast every day from 5am until 10:30am Daily Hot Lunch Specials 10:30am until 2:00pm

Made from scratch pies and desserts

NOW SELLING BEER AND WINE.

ALL YOUR FAVORITE BRANDS!

Proudly Serving the Jackson County Farming Community

for 7 Years!

the Briggses, amanda, left, and Brad, right, both teach at local high schools.

If You’re Not Using A Stihl or Husqvarna Chain Saw...Plan On A Long Day!

ANNUAL FEBRUARY INVENTORY SALEFREE MERCHANDISE with purchase of

any Stihl or Husqvarna10% off for cash on saw supplies:

bar oil, fuel mix, chain, wedges, cable & chokers.

HERBERT SALES & SERVICE935 E. Main St., Greensburg, IN 47240Mon–Fri 7–5 • Sat 7–12 • 812.663.5724


Might as well start thinking about tak-ing that hard-earned,

midwinter break from rebuild-ing silos, repairing equipment or keeping the livestock warm.

Sneak off the reservation for a few days Feb. 13 through 16 to the 48th annual National Farm Machinery Show at the

Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville for the country’s largest indoor ag show.

Though the new product list-ing and final exhibitor list were still in the making at press time, exhibit space is sold out, and that’s saying something since organizers expanded show space for 2013.

“We reconfigured our lobby space to accommodate more exhibitors for this year,” said Amanda Storment, vice presi-dent of media and public rela-tions for the Kentucky State Fair Board, which owns and operates the show. “We’ll have an additional 15,500 square feet of space this year.”

That’s on top of the 1.2 mil-lion square feet of indoor ex-hibitor space already in place that accommodated more than 800 exhibitors last year, show-ing items from the latest in heavy ag machinery to interac-tive displays and new products

ranging from computer soft-ware and electronics to irriga-tion and breeder services.

There will also be free semi-nars and television tapings throughout the show on a va-riety of topics, from improved growing methods to cutting-edge marketing trends

allowing you to maximize the margins.

Eight interconnected ex-hibit halls keep the entire af-fair under roof, and Storment said a copy of the 2013 show guide and floor map is avail-able to help visitors navigate the exhibits with the least amount of wasted effort.

“Or you can just start at the south wing court and work your way through since it’s all under one roof,” she said.

Either way, there’s plenty to see and do, in-cluding the show’s family living cen-ter that features gifts and crafts for the home, antiques and toys for the kids.

Last year, over 300,000 attended the show, and organizers are bracing for a

similar crowd this year.Hotels and accommodations

are plentiful around Louisville, but if you’re of a mind to bring the family camper, RV over-nighting with electricity is

available for $50 nightly on the west side of the expo grounds near Gate 2.

Also returning this year for its 45th turn is the

annual Championship Tractor Pull, which draws ground-pounding monster machines and drivers from all over the

national Farm Machinery Show

offers the country’s largest indoor ag experience

| Story By JIM MayFIeld |

Jill Davenport601 North Ewing StreetSeymour, IN [email protected]

TenderloinsPork Roast

SausageRibs

The Other White Meat &It’s Good For You Too!

Bush’s Market 7301 E. 25th Street • 379-9077

Mon-Fri 8am-5:30pm, Sat 8am-4pm

Butters/Preserves Available From Dillman Farm & Baked Goods From Ahlemeyer Farm Bakery

812-376-7200 • www.grassluvers.com

Grass Luvers

Powers Sales & Service

3605 N. National RoadColumbus, IN 47201

M-F 8am-5pm • Sat 8am-12pm

0% for48 MONTHS

New ThisNew This

Mowers Startingat $2,799

WHaT: national Farm machinery ShowWHen: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, Feb. 13 to 16WHere: Kentucky exposition Center, 937 Phillips lane, louisvilleadMIssIOn: Free; parking $8COnTaCT: nFm show hotline: (502) 367-5004; greater louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau: (502) 584-2121 or (800) 626-5646

IF you Go:


country for some heavy haul-ing at Freedom Hall on the exposition center grounds.

This ain’t your father’s Massey, Vern. These are some bad boys and girls competing in a dozen classes with some serious horsepower under foot, boasting names like “Rock Hard Ram,” “Wampus Cat” and “Git Er Dun Deere.”

Once again, the CTP bigguns will vie for a piece of the $250,000 purse, each eve-ning for about three hours beginning at 7:30, Wednesday through Saturday, with a 1 p.m. matinee scheduled for Saturday as well. “Tickets are selling well,” Stor-ment said. “There will probably

be tickets available for Wednes-day and Thursday, but Saturday will most likely sell out.”

All tractor pull seating is re-served, with ticket prices rang-ing from $35 to $45. In addi-tion to packing some sturdy earplugs, Storment urged any-one interested in seeing the beasts in action Saturday to call the expo ticket office early at (502) 367-5000.

Go ahead, take a few days away from your catalog-sized to-do list and off-season regimen, get down to Louisville and ease up for a while. For more information, visit the show’s website at www.farm-machineryshow.org. *fI

PhotoS By SCott henderSon, nAtionAl FArm mAChinery ShoWMany large pieces of farm equipment will be on hand for viewing. rIgHT: In addition to machinery, crop-growing and cultivating displays are available.

CDP Brewery Now OpenNew Wines

Strawberry Rhubarb, Persimmon, Estate Steuben Rose & Estate Chardonel

812-522-92966361 N. Co. Rd. 760 E.Seymour, IN 47274Hours: Mon-Th urs. 11–6, Fri-Sat 11–7, Sun 12–6

Arch Weddings • Tent Receptions


| Story By JIM MayFIeld // PHotoS By JoSH MarSHall |

“I trained as a top turret gunner and aerial engi-neer on B-17s,” Shirk said recently at the offices of Greensburg’s Shirk’s In-ternational, a business he’s run in one incarnation or another since 1951.

The turnover rate for bomber crews flying over Hitler’s Europe was high, to put it genteelly, but fortunately for Shirk there was a long line of top tur-ret trainees ahead of him, and Berlin fell before he had the opportunity to view the European land from 30,000 feet.

With the war in Eu-rope over, the Pacific still loomed, but Shirk con-tinued to fly the wings of

good fortune. “I got on the list for B-29s and went to Florida for training about the time Harry (Truman) dropped the bomb, so I went fishing instead.”

Armed with his dis-charge papers, Shirk returned home in 1946, and in 1951 became a si-lent partner with Glenn Weston selling Minneap-olis-Moline farm machin-ery and DeLaval dairy equipment in Greensburg.

In 1962, Shirk bought Weston’s interest in the business and formed Shirk’s Tree City Sup-ply Inc., becoming an International Harvester Co. dealer, carrying farm equipment and trucks and

starting a successful ven-ture that has adapted and flourished with the times.

As the face of south central Indiana agriculture changed, more small fam-ily farm operations were giving way to the larger corporate spreads. Shirk let go of his implement busi-ness at the close of 1986, and the company became an International truck franchisee, concentrating on truck sales and service.

The decimation of small farming in the region forced implement deal-ers to scratch for more business in a shrinking market, Shirk said, and the company needed to change directions. “We got out of the implement business because there

was just too much compe-tition,” he said. “And now many if not most of those folks are gone.”

In 1987, the company was renamed to Shirk’s International, and with further acquisitions over the next 10 years, the busi-ness would become the only International truck dealership in southeast Indiana and the largest trucking concern in the region, including interna-tional sales.

Shirk’s son-in-law, Steve Freeman, left the world of banking and finance 20 years ago to come on board, and as president of the firm, is now working to keep the company vi-brant in an ever-changing business climate.

Shirk’s International fo-cuses on four core business-es: new medium and heavy truck sales, used trucks, a complete parts department and service. The company also controls a truck rental and leasing subsidiary.

When the company pur-chased Hull’s Truck and Trailer from John Hull in 1997, the acquisition presented a unique oppor-tunity to offer additional services to its clients.

“When we expanded, we acquired a number of ad-ditional employees that we had to accommodate,” Free-man said. “That allowed us to expand to a second shift (in the service and parts departments), which does a lot for our customers.”

With the shop open

shirks profile

Shirk’s International has kept the wheels turning for six decades

A lOng time AgO, A yOung-buck

fArmer’S SOn left the flAt

rOw-crOpping fieldS Of decAtur

cOunty tO See the wOrld.

And chArleS Shirk gOt himSelf

quite A view.

“We got out of the implement business because there was just too much competition. And now many if not most

of those folks are gone.”—chArleS Shirk

Charles shirk


from 6:30 a.m. until 10 p.m., the service department can tackle big truck problems more efficiently and provide evening service and mainte-nance to get the rigs back on the road the next morning, Freeman said.

Though the company has expanded significantly from its original building erected in 1951 to over seven acres, the growth has been slow and steady, following a con-servative business model.

Shirk’s has been able to expand and adapt without leveraging the firm, and “we run things over in our minds a long time before we do things,” Freeman said.

“A long time” is another of the company’s keys to success. There’s a consider-able lineage of corporate knowledge and continuity roaming the grounds.

“I’ve been here for 20 years, our service manager has been here for over 35 years, our parts manager has been here for 22 years and our office manager has been here for 15 years,” Freeman said.

And that’s not counting the boss, who has seen it all since 1951.

“The other thing is we’re not emotional about the business,” Freeman said. “We’ve pretty much been doing the same thing since the early ’50s.”

When things start spik-ing, Shirk’s keeps its cor-porate head, follows the same business model that has worked over the years, adapts when necessary and just keeps on pedaling.

See shIrk On b10 >>TOP: President Steve Freeman. lefT: charles Shirk still gets a smile on his face when he sits in his 1925 International 6-Speed Special farm truck.


1636 State St., Suite GColumbus • 812-372-0008

1-800-Next-Windowwww.WindowWorld.com

www.windowworldscindiana.com

Vinyl Siding • Windows • Doors

*any size white vinyl double hung window installed up to 4’x6’

Home of the$1 89WindowJohn Andretti Just off Highway 50 • Seymour • 522-1635

FULL RETAIL MEAT CASET-BONES • RIBEYES • FILETS

GROUND BEEF • PORK BURGERSBEEF FREEZER BUNDLES

MEAT SMOKING AVAILABLE

PORK • BEEF • DEER

Enjoy “Award Winning” Meats From

DARLAGECUSTOM MEATS

“There was some con-cern a few years back about whether or not we might get swallowed up when International began con-solidating its franchisees,” Freeman said. “Charlie said, ‘Let’s just wait it out. A new group of managers will probably come in, and it will be all right.”’

And so it was. Another

shIrk // cOnt. frOm b9

good call in a line of many.As for the future, the com-

pany will have to remain lean and nimble. The market for big trucks is challenging, and government-imposed emission standards on diesel have driven up new truck prices dramatically.

The changing culture is also challenging, Freeman said. It’s not as easy as it once was to find new blood with a love for heavy lubricants and big trucks to turn the wrenches back in the shop.

But Shirk’s has been

watching change for over 50 years, making the right adjustments, and business is good. “There’s no reason for us to move,” Freeman said.

The patriarch agrees.“I should be on a fancy

boat in Florida, but I like it here,” Shirk said.

Sitting in a small Greens-burg conference room that’s been his domain on Lincoln Street for over a half-cen-tury, Shirk seems content that his business is in good hands and pragmatic about where things are going.

“I’m 90 years old. I prob-ably won’t have to worry about the future in another 10 years,” Shirk said.

The statement comes with a wry smile and keen look to see if his audience gets the back story. After surviving the big bombers and more years in business than some folks live, it’s a fair bet that one, at least, begins to get a handle on the big picture.

“When I’m gone, they’ll probably never miss me,” he said. *fI

TOP: President Steve Freeman. MIddle: owner charles Shirk. BOTTOM: roy Hadler,

left, and clark Martin in the parts department.

Hamilton Farms 812/350-0272www.flatrockprecision.com

317/[email protected]


FAMILY RESTAURANT1602 State St. • Columbus

(812) 376-6386

LET US DO

THE COOKING

TONIGHT!

Broasted Chicken

Homemade Sides

Homemade Desserts

Roll & Lots More

Family Style

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner • CateringDaily 6:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. • Saturday 6:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

LTTF

Dutch acres equipment110 CommerCe dr, Franklin, in • 317-738-90228669 s. st. rd. 67, mooresville, in • 317-560-7256

Package SPecialModel 5053

In 1855, the first bridge over the Mississippi River was opened near what is now Minneapolis, Isaac Singer patented his first sewing machine motor

and a little-known Seminole Indian chief named Billy Bowlegs began raising havoc with the local peace-keepers for a third time down in Florida.

At about that same time, a German immigrant named Joseph Berkemeier made his way from New-

port, Ky., under Cincinnati’s shadow to the crags and crevices of east central Indiana as it tucks and folds its way north toward Brookville Lake. There, he pur-chased a plot of farmland that remains in the Berke-meier family four generations later.

“My great-grandfather originally bought 40 acres,” said Eileen Fisse, who lives in the house she and hus-band, Charles, built just a few yards from the original homestead and outbuildings.

Charles and Eileen, who’ve been married 57 years, raised six children, 10 grandchildren and a great-grandchild on or about the farm her great-grandfa-ther built, and though they no longer actively farm the property themselves, for them Indiana farming is more than a way of life; it should be a requirement.

“I think every kid should be raised in the country,” Eileen said. “Today, kids think eggs come from a car-ton and milk comes from a box.”

The Fisses’ children, however, had every opportunity to learn precisely how and from where their food comes.

“Our kids were very active on the farm and in 4-H and FFA,” Eileen said. “There were plenty of chores to

| Story By JIM MayFIeld // PHotoS By JoSH MarSHall |

FAMILY FARMS

For the Fisse family, farming is more than

a way of life. it’s a necessity.

See berkemeIer On b12 >>


aBOVe: From left, lizzie Fisse, 8, erica Stevens, cindy Stevens, PJ Fisse, 11, eileen Fisse, charles Fisse and Phil Fisse.

do and very little time for them to say, ‘I’m bored.”’It’s not like the Fisse kids had much of choice.

Charles’ roots in the land go back nearly as far. His grandparents journeyed from Benton County, north of Lafayette, and purchased 120 acres of Decatur County farmland just a few miles west of the Berke-meier farm. Charles worked that farm as well until two operations became one too many.

“I would have liked to have kept it,” Charles said. “But it was just a little too much.”

At its high point, the Berkemeier spread encompassed some 160 acres where the family grew at various times corn, wheat, hay, winter barley and beans and raised hogs, cattle, sheep and chickens — lots of chickens.

“At one point my mother had 300 chickens,” Eileen said, with the eggs going to local hatcheries.

Nowadays, the farm, down to about 75 acres, is

—eIleen FIsse

“I think every kid should be raised in the country. Today, kids think eggs come from a carton and milk comes from a box.”

DEPENDABLE relationships, knowledge, securityWe come prepared to walk you through the what-ifs…

offering crop protection and lending for the growth,

comfort and safety of your farm and family.

[ ]

We strive to be your trusted provider forcrop insurance, loans and equipment leasing.Contact us today by calling (765) 932-2750or visit www.midwestag.com.

berkemeIer // cOnt. frOm b11


Truckload Rail Fence Sale!

2-Rail - $5.00/ft.3-Rail - $7.00/ft.4-Rail - $9.00/ft.

Prices are for white only with standard caps.Above prices do not include installation.These prices are good until March 2013.

1400 W Main St., Greensburg, IN • 812-663-2754 or 800-276-1676www.whynotvinyl.com

managed by the Fisses’ son, who continues to grow corn, soy beans and hay on the property.

Charles helps out but splits his time trucking and working with his wife part time at a big-box retailer.

Though the size and output have diminished over time, the farm’s stature has only increased.

Last March, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture recognized the Berkemeier family farm with the Hoosier Homestead Sesquicentennial Award for 150 years of ownership.

The Hoosier Homestead Award program recog-nizes families with farms that have remained in the same family for 100 years or more. In 2012, the state recognized 43 family farms through the program, and more than 5,000 farms have been honored for their longevity since the program’s inception in 1976.

In addition to a century of service, qualifying farms must be at least 20 acres or produce $1,000 worth of agriculture products annually.

Though gratified by the recognition, the Fisses are realistic about the present status of the small family farm in a world of corporate-owned mega-spreads.

“Now, it’s really just an expensive hobby,” Eileen says.Hobby or not, she says the farm will remain in the

family for as long as she has anything to do with it.“We won’t sell the place,” she said.“I talked to her one time about selling, but she

said, ‘No way,’ so I listened,”’ Charles said.With tilling, planting, fertilizing and harvesting

being done by others, the Fisses now have time to travel and enjoy just being on land that goes back generations. The couple have traveled to all contig-uous 48 states following a passion they’ve enjoyed for more than 30 years — square dancing.

With winter setting in, Eileen tends her puzzles, Charles carves wood from trees downed from the woods out back and serves as court taster to Ei-leen’s cooking.

“I’ve got to try it,” he says of Eileen’s dishes. “You have to have quality control, and I’m never sure with just one bite.” *fI

TOP: three generations: from left, PJ, Phil and charles look out at the field and discuss what work needs to be done before the spring planting season. rIgHT: Phil, PJ and lizzie work to restore their 1982 John deere 2940 tractor.

Let us protect you...

CALL US TODAY!Seymour 522-2600

106 E. Second St. Seymour

Franklin 736-55221111 North Main St., Franklinwww.Green-Owensins.com


Formulatedfor GeneticallySuperior Cattle

AzaliaElevator Inc.

Elizabethtown, IN812-579-5475

ahn’sandlingGrain

GSI Bins & AccessoriesIn-stock Cash and Carry 2012WSL30-6...14K...$17,800 • WSL36-6...20K BU...$23,400 • FCDL48-9-N...54K BU...$50,800

Call or Fax for 2013 Bin and Accessories Quote.

All Bins include: Shell of Bin, 2 Ring Cam-lock Door, Anchor Brackets, OS LDR/SFTY Cage, Inside R-F LDR PKG, Bin Door Step, Poly Base Sealer, Scattergrain Spreader, Cut-Lock Floor with High Back, 20 Gauge - 12” Grandstand Floor Supports, Transition w/o faceplate, 9 Grill Vents, and 8” UNLD Kit. HRZ DRV, 2B.

Give us a call!

Harry | 812-343-1991Lora Lee | 317-726-6309

Hahn’s Grain HandlingPhone: 765-629-2470

Fax: 765-629-2591

Stop and see us at the Farm Machinery Show! Booth# 1017

What made you join your groups?

I have a family background in 4-H and FFA. My grandfather and uncle have farmed as their careers and I have always had an interest in agriculture because of my family’s involvement.

What do you like or dislike about farming and agriculture?

One thing that I like about agriculture is that it is the background of the world. Without agriculture, we would not survive. However, I dislike agriculture only because people are not informed about agriculture and do not understand how important it is to our society.

What changes would you like to see in agriculture?

I would like agriculture to take a step of improvement in the social level so people are more aware of its importance. New technology will definitely help with this, and we are gradually moving in that direction.

Where do you see farming and agriculture in the next 5 to 10 years?

Within the next 5-10 years, I see agriculture moving forward and continuing to develop a more sus-tainable agriculture with new developments in technology and animal production, especially because of the intensely growing population.

What made you join your groups?

Since joining 4-H and FFA, both organizations have helped my work ethic and character. I love ani-mals and being a fourth-generation cattleman in my family has been a rewarding experience.

What do you like or dislike about farming and agriculture?

One part of agriculture I wish I could change: The vast majority of Americans are increasingly dis-connected from farmers and where their food originates. Through FFA and 4-H, we need to stress the importance of agriculture.

What changes would you like to see in agriculture?

When government steps in as a middleman, regulations make it hard for farmers to farm and small businesses to operate. We need to stress the importance of how today's farmer must wear many hats.

Where do you see farming and agriculture in the next 5 to 10 years?

In the next five to ten years, I see farmers and agriculture staying strong, giving America the highest quality food, clothing and products to support our economy. With new farming technology, produc-tion will continue to increase. As long as we have the freedom to choose what we grow and what we eat, we will continue to enjoy the fruits of the American harvest.

laynesanders

School: Greensburg High School

Adviser: Guinn Wicker

Potential College Choice: Purdue University

erin bushSchool: Franklin Community High School

Advisers: Ashley Schultz, Bill McIntire, Heather Dougherty

Potential College Choice: Kansas State University

We will profile two 4-H and FFA members in each issue of Farm Indiana. If you know a member who lives in Bartholomew, Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jennings or Johnson County whom you think we should feature,

visit our Farm Indiana page on Facebook, download the questionnaire and follow the directions at the bottom to enter.

StudentPROFILES

FARM INDIANAC L A S S I F I E D S

333 2nd Street, Columbus | (812) 379-5600

Selling some of your farm equipment?

Looking for some help on your farm?

Have any other farm- related needs?

Consider the Classifieds pages, published each month in

Farm Indiana. Call (812) 379-5600


Calendar of EventsfArm indiAnA

FeB. 2purdue ag alumni science Forecast and Fish Fry. Guest speaker will be Steve Inskeep, host of National Public Radio Morning Edition. He is known for his probing questions to presidents, warlords, authors and musicians, but his pas-sion is the untold sto-ries of the less famous. Time: 11:30 a.m. Loca-tion: Indiana State Fair-grounds, 1202 E. 38th St., Indianapolis. Information: ag.purdue.edu/agalumni/Pages/2013%20FishFry.aspx.

FeB. 5bartholomew county extension and soil & Water conservation district annual meeting. Guest speaker will be Fred Whitford, coor-dinator, Purdue Pesti-cides Program. Tickets are available at the Extension and SWCD offices. Time: 6:30 p.m. Location: Bartholomew County 4-H Fair-grounds, 750 W. Road 200S, Columbus. Information: bartholomewswcd.org.

FeB. 5aim to start strong Winter meetings. Stewart Seeds is hold-ing a series of winter meetings to prepare for the upcoming plant-ing season. Stewart Seeds agronomists Jus-tin Petrosino, Trevor Perkins and Brian

Denning will lead a discussion on manage-ment practices that are key to getting a good crop stand established this spring, including plant spacing, even emergence and plant population. Lunch is provided. Time: 9 a.m. to noon. Location: Clarion Inn, 2480 Jonathan Moore Pike, Columbus. Informa-tion: (800) 365-7333.

FeB. 6southern Indiana Grazing conference. Speakers and topics include Walt Davis, “Tricks of the Trade and Grazing for Gain”; David Hall, “Select-ing Cattle for Fescue Tolerance”; Jay Fuhrer, “Integrating Livestock to Work Within Your System”; Gabe Brown, “Using Livestock to Rejuvenate the Land”; Wally Olson, “Market-ing Strategies and Year Around Grazing”; Ed Ballard, “Extending the Grazing Season.” Time: 8:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 6. Location: Simon J. Graber Facility, 9164 E. Road 875N, Odon. Information: (812) 254-4780, ext. 3, daviesscoswcd.org.

FeB. 12- APril 2Wildlife manage-ment for the private landowner Workshop. Comprehensive, eight-week workshop designed to provide landowners with infor-mation about how to

develop and implement wildlife management objectives on their property. The cost for the workshop is $100 and includes a binder and CD with resource materials, publications geared to course top-ics, and snacks and drinks during each evening. Specific topics will include the biol-ogy and management of white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bobwhite quail, rabbits and doves. There will be two Saturday field days that demonstrate tech-niques discussed in the classroom. Time: 6 to 9 p.m., every Tuesday night. Forest manage-ment field day will be March 9, and the grass-land/wetland field day will be March 30. Loca-tion: Southeast Purdue Agricultural Center near North Vernon. Information: (812) 662-4999.

FeB. 13-16national Farm machinery show. The 48th National Farm Machinery Show, the nation’s largest indoor farm show, returns to the Kentucky Exposition Center. Location: 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville, Ky. Information: farmmachineryshow.org.

FeB. 14purdue regional dairy roadshow meeting. Topics include mar-ket and other current updates in the dairy industry by various

representatives. Time: 9:30 a.m. Location: Family Arts Building, Bartholomew County 4-H Fairgrounds, 750 W. Road 200S, Co-lumbus. Information: ag.purdue.edu.

FeB. 15seventh annual agribusiness Farmers breakfast. Time: 8:30 a.m. Loca-tion: WG Smith Build-ing, Memorial Park, New Castle. Informa-tion: www.henrycountycf.org.

FeB. 16Good agriculture practices. Discussion of food safety on fresh fruit and vegetable farms. Time: 9 a.m. Location: Southeast Purdue Ag Center, 4425 E. Road 350N, But-lerville. Information: ag.purdue.edu.

FeB. 18private applicator recertification program.

Time: 9 a.m. Shelby County Fairgrounds, Family Arts Build-ing, 500 Frank St., Shelbyville. Informa-tion: (317) 392-6460.

FeB. 18 & 20Farm succession and estate planning. Location: Brownstown Baptist Church. Infor-mation: (812) 358-6101.

FeB. 20Women to Women: educating Women about Farm com-modity marketing. Featuring Naomi Blohm, expert at advising farm-ers on how to manage their cash marketing needs and properly use futures and options. Time: 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Location: Bar-tholomew County Ex-tension Office, 1971 State St., Columbus. Informa-tion: (812) 379-1665.

FeB. 21-22midwest Women in ag conference. Programs designed to

fit the needs of women in all sectors of agri-culture and in different phases of their life. Lo-cation: Clarion Hotel, Columbus. Informa-tion: (812) 379-1665.

FeB. 28herbicide resistant Weed management update. PARP and CCH credits available. Location: Pines Evergreen Room, Seymour. Information: (812) 358-6101. *fI

PHoto By Scott HenderSon, natIonal FarM MacHInery SHoWfeB. 13-16: the equipment on display at the national Farm Machinery Show towers over the crowd.

EnviroHeat 10103 N 200 E

Seymour, IN 47274 812-522-8200

CLASSICS AND E CLASSICS IN STOCK

WE ARE AGRIGOLDWE ARE CORN SPECIALISTS

Nobbe Seeds • Office – 812.663.5020 • Cell – 812.593.0241 • Greensburg, IN

WE KNOW CORN

®

Travis TruebloodAVP, Agricultural BankingC 812-896-4917 P [email protected] F 855-273-2814

Member of the PNC Financial Services Group121 North Chestnut Street K4-K530-01-1Seymour Indiana 47274

Send uS your uPcoMIng agrIculture eVentS:be sure to include a contact, the date, location and other important information. email info to: [email protected].

4814 W Old State Road 46Greensburg, IN812-663-4020 • 800-241-4020www.obermeyeragrigroup.com

4814 W Old State Road 46Greensburg, IN812-663-4020 • 800-241-4020

www.obermeyeragrigroup.com

4814 W Old State Road 46, Greensburg, IN812-663-4020 • 800-241-4020

www.obermeyeragrigroup.com

A TRADITIONof Excellence

Documents

February 2013 Farm Indiana