April 2016 Growing

8/18/2019 April 2016 Growing

1/32HAMMELMAN FARM GROWS SUCCESS SINCE THE CIVIL WA

MOONFOLKLORE

From superstition tfarming foundatio

HAPPINESS ONHORSEBACKYoung equestrianMeredith Graberchooses hooves overbike tires

THE ROUNBARN

Daviess Counlandmark working f

more than 100 yea

APRIL 2016


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3/32

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4/32

4 | APRIL 2016 x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

SSPRING HAS SPRUNG and I’m so excited to get back in the field (gra

ed as of right now, my early spring field more closely resembles a pond than a

patch of spring greens and cold crops). I’m hopeful, though, the rain will stop an

the fields will dry sooner rather than later.

A few weeks ago at an Ag Day celebration, I had aman approach my table who wasn’t familiar with Growin

He asked several questions about the magazine, and the

asked what it was I loved about working in agriculture so

much. The answer was pretty simple. It’s the only thing t

I’ve ever known.

I grew up on the farm. Being an only child, I spent my

days finding my own entertainment. I spent hours “fishin

in the old water trough behind my grandparents’ red bar

I ran in the fields and knew the perfect spot to stand to g

my voice to echo off the barn was about halfway down t

field up near the fencerow. I tamed the wild barn cats and assured my grandfath

(Rabbit) we definitely had enough fleas in the barn to open our own flea market though I’m not sure he appreciated my observation of the fleas or the hours I de

cated to taming all those wild cats that decided the back porch was a much bet

place to hang out than the barn).

When I was tall enough to reach

the tractor pedals, I was sent to the

field to drive the tractor while Rabbit

and my uncle Kevin picked melons

and sweet corn. A few times (and

only a few because I wasn’t always

the best at staying in the right row),

I was also tasked with driving the

reel-type irrigation system from one

end of the sweet corn field to the

other.

I’m not going to say I’ve always

loved everything about working on

the farm, because that wouldn’t be

the truth. There were times I hated

it. I didn’t always appreciate having

to finish picking before I could go out

with my friends or having to spend almost all of my spring break working in the

greenhouse or out riding the planter. As I’ve gotten older, though, I began to rea

what growing up on the farm has given to me — a chance to educate, feed my co

munity and overcome when things don’t go as planned. It’s not always easy. It’s

always fun, but in the end, it’s always worth it.

The start of a new planting season also means that Growing in the Heartland

now been in existence for two years. We are always striving to tell the stories of th

who make the local agriculture industry what it is. If you have a story you’d like to

see in Growing , please feel free contact me at [email protected].

EDITOR’S PAGE

STAFF

Melody Brunson

General Manager

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 127

Lindsay Owens

Editor(812) 254-0480, Ext. 123

Natalie Reidford

Design Editor

(812) 568-8991

Rick Zeller

Advertising Sales

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 111

Kim Schoelkopf

Advertising Sales

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 116

Wanita TetreaultAdvertising Sales

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 121

Alice Schwartz

Graphic Artist

PHOTOGRAPHY

Matt Griffith,

Mike Myers, Kelly Overton,

Lindsay Owens and John Stoll

WRITERS

Terri Talarek King,Damian Mason,

Angie J. Mayfield, Mike Myers,

Lindsay Owens, Rama Sobhani

and John Stoll

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Growing in the Heartland is published

five times a year, serving primarily the

Daviess and Knox county areas. The

subscription price of $20 per year can

be mailed to P.O. Box 471, Washington,

IN 47501.

Ellie Mae enjoys life on the farm, too.Her favorite spot right now is the pond.| PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS


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GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND x APRIL 2016

4 EDITOR’S PAGEThe only thing I’ve ever

known

By Lindsay Owens

6 MR. AND MRS.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Kent and Diane Mason find

careers in parallel positions

By Mike Myers

8 THE NATURAL SIDEOF THINGSDragons and rattlesnakes

and adders ... Oh, my!

By Terri Talarek King

9 HAPPINESS ON

HORSEBACKMeredith Graber, one of the

country’s top youth riders

By Lindsay Owens

12 DOWN ON THEFARM

Ole Rex

By John Stoll

13 WOVEN INTOHISTORY

Hammelman farm a success

story since Civil War

By Rama Sobhani

16 THE FUNNIER SIDEOF FARMING

Navigating (this) ag downturn

By Damian Mason

17 THE ROUND BARNDaviess County landmark

celebrated during Indiana’s

Bicentennial

By Lindsay Owens

19 MY RURAL ROOTSMoon folklore

By Angie J. Mayfield

20 IN SEASONRhubarb growing tips

By Lindsay Owens

20 CALENDARUSDA grant writing

workshop, Grouseland dinner

21 NEW BUILDING,

UNCHANGING

SERVICE

Blesch Bros. Equipment

Company keeps customer

first in new facility

By Lindsay Owens

25 HOBBSHAMPSHIRESBrother-sister duo breed a

show flock with success

By Lindsay Owens

28 GOOD TO THE

EARTH

North Daviess FFA goes to

state finals, Shoals hosts s

FFA president

ON THE COVER: The

Hammelman family on their farm

| PHOTO BY MATT GRIFFITH

CONTENTS APRIL 2016 | VOL. 3, ISS

9

Photo by Lindsay Owe

25

Photo by Lindsay Owens

Photo by Lindsay Owens

21


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But for Kent and Diane Mason,

is a routine that hits closer to home

than it does for most folks.

The Masons are both career em

ployees with the Farm Service Age

and have for years now held the ex

same position with FSA. Most recen

the couple moved to Indiana after a

stint working side by side in the FS

state office in Springfield, Illinois.

Kent Mason is the county exec-

utive director for the Daviess-MartinFSA office in Washington. Diane ho

the same position in the Knox Coun

FSA office in Vincennes, where the

couple has resided since moving to

Indiana a year ago after the directo

positions in each county came open

the same time.

Each Mason offers a unique pe

spective on how they handle havin

the same responsibilities at work.

“We’re no different than a lot ofspouses who go home and talk abo

their days’ activities. In our case, w

able to have a full understanding o

what the other went through durin

the day; we both went through the

same type of things,” said Kent. “W

we talk about what happened at w

the other knows it, and we kind of

strengthen each other.”

“The first day on vacation we st

talk about work. Then we have five

days that we talk about life,” said Di

“Then the day before we got back to

work we start talking about work agWe can leave work behind. We debr

we have our lives away from work, a

then we gear back up at work.”

Kent, a native of Albion, Illinois

grew up on the farm. Diane, an Eva

ville native, was raised in the city.

They met in 1999 at an FSA functio

in Springfield, Illinois and discovere

they were working only 15 miles ap

in Albion and Mt. Carmel respective

“There are roughly 500 employe

in the state, and we found out we w

M. n M.EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR

Kent and Diane Mason are pictured at Kent’s desk at the Daviess County Farm Service Agency Office. | PHOTOS BY MIKE MYERS

IBy Mike Myers

IT’S A WEEKNIGHT ritual millions of married couples across the country go

through each evening.

They come home from a day on the job, eat dinner, then sit down to relax and

talk about what happened at work that day.

Kent and Diane Mason find careersin parallel positions with FSA

“

”

(FARMERS ARE)SUCCESSFULBUSINESS PEOPLE,THEY GET THINGS

DONE, THEY’RESELF STARTERS.THEY WANT TO BESUCCESSFUL. THATIS ONE THING THATI SEE CONSISTENTIN EVERY COUNTY IHAVE EVER BEEN IN.

Diane Mason


7/32


only 15 miles apart for several years

apart,” said Kent.

A friendship began, and then they

applied for and accepted open execu-tive director jobs in adjoining counties

in northern Illinois. That move was

followed by a move to the FSA state

office in Springfield when, once again,

positions for each of them opened up

at the exact same time.

The Masons married in 2003 and

worked together in Springfield until

2015, when a desire to be closer to

their roots and families in Southern Illi-

nois and Indiana respectively led them

to the open director positions here in

Daviess and Knox counties.

“We both had a strong desire (toget closer to home). Whenever you’re

young and graduate from college you

have a desire to get out of the house

and get away from home,” said Kent.

“As you grow older and get closer to

the end of your career and see your

parents aging, you have a strong desire

to get back close to home. So we’vekind of gone full circle.”

Throughout their job experiences in

working with farmers, they have found

differences even in the same county,

but Diane said she has found one con-

stant among those who they serve.

“I have seen that to be true every-

where, that farmers have their own

culture. Even the northern farmers

versus the southern farmers in the

same county can have their own sub-

set culture,” said Diane. “But one thing

that is consistent is they’re successful

business people, they get things done,they’re self starters. They want to be

successful. That is one thing that I see

consistent in every county I have ever

been in.”

Diane and Kent Mason discuss a form with program technician Emilee Wesner.

About the FarmService Agency

FSA was created after severalother United States Departmentof Agriculture agencies mergedand was set up in 1994.

Mission statement: FarmService Agency is equitably

serving all farmers, ranchers,and agricultural partnersthrough the delivery of effective,efficient agricultural programsfor all Americans.

Agency/Internal Vision: Acustomer-driven agency witha diverse and multi-talentedwork force, dedicated toachieving an economically andenvironmentally sound future fo American Agriculture.

Societal/External Vision: Amarket-oriented, economicallyand environmentally sound American agriculture deliveringan abundant, safe, andaffordable food and fibersupply while sustaining qualityagricultural communities.


8/32


A By Terri Talarek King

IT’S A BEAUTIFUL, rain-fresh,sunny spring day as you casually walk

through the woodland. Birds twitter

and flit through the trees. Bumblebees

visit the carpet of early spring wild-

flowers – white,

yellow, pink. A

gentle breeze

rustles your hair.

You have nothing

more to worry

about than early

mosquitoes.Or, do you?

This wood-

land might be inhabited by dragons,

rattlesnakes and adders, and other

dangerous-sounding creatures!

Dangerous-sounding is the key.

I’m only speaking of some unusual but

common spring plants: Green Dragon,

Rattlesnake fern and Adder’s-tongue

fern. Instead of reaching out to grab

or bite, they grow serenely among

the early greenery, minding their own

business.

Green Dragon

Green Dragon (Arisaema dra-

contium) is a flowering plant named

for the long spathe that encircles a

long, narrow spadix, reaching out

from roughly a half-circle of leaflets. Aspathe is a modified leaf. The spa-

dix carries the insignificant flowers

that, come autumn, become a cluster

of crimson berries. It is an elegant,

unusual looking plant, closely related

to the more familiar Jack-in-the-Pul-

pit. Neither has flowers that look like

“flowers.”

Rattlesnake fern

Rattlesnake fern (Botrychium

virginianus) has a fertile (spore-bear-

ing), narrow stalk that reaches up

above three finely divided, triangular,

sterile leaf blades. Though it makes no

sound, the fertile stalk resembles the

working end of a rattlesnake tail. This

is a beautiful fern to come upon in the

woods, especially when spores are ripe

and yellow.

Adder’s-Tongue fern

Adder’s-tongue fern (Ophioglos-

sum vulgatum) can be very difficult

to spot, as it does not look fern-like.

Instead, it looks like a single, smooth

leaf attached at the ground. But, later

on a long, thin, fertile stalk will arise

with the spore-bearing cluster nearthe top. Sometimes curving, this frond

resembles a snake’s tongue. This is a

very primitive fern.

This spring, take the children or

some friends into the woods, searching

for “dragons,” “rattlesnakes” and “a

ders.” While you are at it, maybe yo

will see some “corals” and “oysters

both elegant, unusual-looking fungi

Who says there’s nothing exotic

our woodlands?

For more information

Fern Finder: A Guide to Native

Ferns of Central and Northeastern U

ed States and Eastern Canada; Ann

C. Hallowell and Barbara G. HalloweNature Study Guild Publishers; 2001

Mushrooms of North America;

son K. Miller, Jr.; E.P. Dutton; 1981.

Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide;

Lawrence Newcomb; Little, Brown

Company.

Terri Talarek King lives in Knox

County and is a naturalist and

organic gardener, educator and

writer. She is certified as an

advanced master naturalist and g

organic educator.

Dragons and Rattlesnakes

and Adders ... Oh, My!

Rattlesnake fern’s fertile stalkresembles a rattlesnake tail. | PHOTOCREDIT: ILLINOISFLOWERS.INFO

Green dragon carries flowers that turn to crimson berries in the fall. | PHOTO CREDIT:EASYWILDFLOWERS.COM

Adder’s-Tongue fern is a primitive ferthat is hard to spot.| PHOTO CREDIT:WIKIMEDIA.ORG

THE NATURAL SIDE OF THINGS


9/32


Meredith Graber, 17, and her horse Smarty, practice nearly every day. | PHOTOS BY LINDSAY OWENS

WBy Lindsay Owens

WHEN MEREDITH GRABER was little, her

father, Bob, tried tirelessly to get his daughter

interested in motorcycles and bikes, but it just

wasn’t for her.

“It was the helmet. I just didn’t like it,” said

Meredith, now 17, as she brushed the long

flowing mane of Smarty, her horse. “And what I

wanted was a horse.”

Just a few years later, Bob and his wife,

Janell, finally decided to get their only child whatshe’d always wanted.

“We didn’t really know anything about

horses,” said Janell. “But this was really what

Meredith wanted to do. We just kind of jumped

in, I guess.”

Meredith started competitive horse riding

when she was 11 and has since worked her way

onto becoming one of the top youth riders in the

country. She started training and working with

Sherry Arnett and participating in ranch horse

competitions riding a show horse named Jesse

that was once owned by Ashley and Mike Boyd.

“I started riding a lot later than most of the

others,” said Meredith, who returned from the

National Reined Cow Horse Association Cele-

bration of Champions last month in Fort Worth,

Texas, with a world championship title in tow,

her fourth saddle in roughly one year’s time and

her second on Smarty, a horse previously owned

by Dr. Terry Fenwick of Vincennes.

Her other two saddles were won on Jesse in

the Ford Tough Versatility Challenge held in Co-

rydon and the world title in horsemanship at the

American Ranch Horse Association in Bowling

Green, Kentucky.

“Cow horse is really a lot of fun,” she said,

adding that she and her parents, who make their

home just north of Cannelburg, travel to compe-

titions across the U.S. about 26 weekends out of

the year.

Cow horse, sometimes called reined cow

horse, is a competition that asks the horse to

work a live cow in certain maneuvers, including

circling the cow, performing a

HORSEBACKHappinesson

Meredith Graber, one of the country’s top youth riders

444


10/32


requested pattern and turning the

cow.

“I’ve been doing cow horse about

a year,” said Meredith, as she rode

Smarty from his stall to the practicing

area her parents created for her in the

backyard. “We found out Smarty had

won in cow horse, so we thought we’dtry it.”

“Meredith has caught the eye of

some big names in the horse world

said Janell. “She works very hard a

she’s had some great people helpin

her along the way.”

In addition to competing across

county, Meredith has also participat

in the ring during the annual Davies

County 4-H Show as well as in several contests at the Indiana State Fair,

where she has also found success.

About reined cow horse

The National Reined Cow Horse Association serves as the governing body

for competitors and lovers of the old tradition. According to the NRCHA,

the tradition of cow horse was used by vaqueros in California during the

18th and 19th Centuries. Through a process, vaqueros were able to train

and control horses with light touches to the reins, although the horses werestill fast enough to master the cattle, which were range-bred and often a bit

on the wild and dangerous side. The horses didn’t just make managing theherd easier, they were necessary.

The Gold Rush changed cattle ranching and led diminished the need for the

well-trained and versatile working horses. By the early 20th Century, the

reined cow horse was more of a luxury than a necessity.

Formed in 1949, the NRCHA set out to preserve and educate the history ofcow horse. The organization hosts several competitions annually. During

those contests, riders and the horse are judged on reining pattern, herd

work and “fence work,” among other things. The horses are also scored on

accuracy, timing, and responsiveness in addition to how they handle a cow.

At left, in February, Graber brought home a World Championship trophy from Fort Worth, Texas, at the National Reined Cow Horse Celebration of Championship. At right, Graber,who has been competing in reining contests since age 11, has won many awards. | PHOTOSBY LINDSAY OWENS


11/32


Spending hours each week riding

at home or with her current trainer,

Ben Bowman of Sandborn, Meredith,

who’s earned a plethora of r ibbons,

trophies and belt buckles that line

the walls of the garage and one room

of the family’s home, remains very

humble.

“I don’t really strive for the mate-

rial things,” she said, adding that she

enjoys meeting people at the compe-

titions just as much as she enjoys theactual contests. “I just want to keep

improving and having fun.”

Later this month, the Grabers will

travel to Las Vegas where Meredith

and Smarty will compete in the Na-

tional Reined Cow Horse Association

Stakes.

“I couldn’t do this without the help

and support of my family and my train-

ers,” said Meredith, adding that local

farrier Nathan Jones has also been a

big supporter of her endeavors.

“I really love what I do.”

Graber competing on Smarty in reined cow horse in Fort Worth, Texas. | PHOTO BY PRIMO MORALES

Graber, who along with her parents, travel nearly half the year to contests, also show horsesat 4-H. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS


12/32

12 | FEBRUARY 2016 x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

I

By John H. Stoll

I AM NOT someone who hasa dog. I have no intentions of ever

having a dog. I do not particularly like

dogs. There, it has been said. But yet,

in my childhood we had a dog on our

farm that I liked very much. His name

was Rex and he was very much a part

of all our lives growing up on an Indi-

ana farm.

Rex was a

Blue Heeler, a

breed of dog that

is high-energy,

clever, and active.

The website Dog-

ster.com describes

Blue Heelers as “…

like most herd-

ers, they can be

one-person dogs.

They also have a

unique independence, not requiring

much in the way of cuddling or affec-

tion. Though tough and resolute, they

will definitely appreciate positive feed-

back and good treatment. They don’t

bark too much, but they are still very

protective of the home. Blue Heelerscan be cautious and wary — qualities

that make them excellent watchdogs.

They are also friendly and loving com-

panions.”

Certainly, most of the attributes

above described Rex perfectly. He was

my brother’s dog without question.

And he was high-energy. I remember

while farming he would chase birds

for hours without tiring. While plowing

he would chase blackbirds that landed

looking only for fresh earthworms.

While mowing hay he would chase

meadowlarks and other birds thathad built their nests in the tall waving

grasses and were flushed out of hiding

by the loud whirring sounds of the

mower.

Killdeers would lure him away

from their nests of eggs or young ones

by skipping along the ground flopping

their wings as if they were injured. Of

course, ole Rex could not resist and

would give chase. The crafty killdeer

would skip and flutter always just a

few feet ahead of the charging dog

until she had lured him far away from

her nest; then she would take flight

and leave the disappointed dog below.

I don’t remember him ever catching

a bird but I also don’t remember him

ever quit trying.

Rex was the boss on the farm. Allthe animals had great respect for his

short, sharp nips at their heels. He

would dart in and nip at the horses’

heels, then immediately flatten himself

on the ground. The horses’ instant

reactions were to unleash a vicious

kick; but, of course, they seldom made

contact as their rump and legs were

kicking up and Rex was hunkered

down. However, we had one old red

Belgian mare whose name was Sheila

who was too fat and lazy to kick up.

Her rump never got far off the ground

when she jumped, so her kicks were

more horizontal. There were times

when her powerful feet made contact

with ole Rex. We kids referred to that

as “ole Rex got his bell rung again.”

I remember

Rex’s favorite

summer nap-

ping place

under the big

maple tree in

the front yard.

He had dug a

hole throughthe grass and

into the cool

earth below and

would nestle

there for a nap

in the hot, swel-

tering days of

summer.

I vividly

remember Dad

coming out of

the house after

his short lunch-

time siesta, yell-ing, “Sic ‘em!” in

a loud, excited

voice, and Rex

would jump

straight up out

his bed and hit the ground running,

looking for something to chase.

Dad once tied ole Rex to the hitch-

ing rail and donned his hunting cap

and shotgun and headed off for the

woods to hunt deer. After a time, Mom

took pity on ole Rex and untied him,

thinking that Dad had been gone lo

enough that Rex wouldn’t bother to

follow him. She was wrong, in a goo

way. Dad had settled himself into h

tree stand to wait for fresh venison

come wandering by when he heard

the crack of a twig. Looking intentlnow, he soon discovered a nice doe

come running down the path besid

which he had stationed his tree sta

Trotting only a few yards behind w

faithful ole Rex. Dad says he had hi

tongue hanging out with his head

down looking for all the world like h

did when he was sent to bring the

cows home at milking time. His sta

in the family was elevated even mo

after that.

And yes, Rex was a loving dog.

Like most dogs, he longed to be ne

his master. On summer Sundays,

sitting in a chair in the shade of the

maples, Rex loved to lie at your feet

Always there, always ready to bid h

master’s call.

While not employed on the family

farm, John does enjoy helping out

brothers during planting and harv

seasons. He is very appreciative o

his heritage and is thankful he wa

given the oppor tunity to be raised

“farm boy.”

DOWN ON THE FARM

Ole Rex

Ole Rex was high-energy, protective and resolute. | PHOTOSUBMITTED BY JOHN STOLL


13/32


THE FAMILY HAMMELMAN may be the perfectarchetype of a success story in Knox County.What started as a small farm belonging to afamily of German immigrants has turned into

a multi-generational story of prosperity thatnow encompasses thousands of farm acres,agricultural support operations and, perhapsmost importantly, closeness among a family that’sproliferated since the Civil War.

By Rama Sobhani

Woven into history

444

Randy Hammelman, with wife Ramona holding Ryplee. Their other children are, from left, Rylee, Reegan, Reese and Reeva. | PHOTOS BYMATT GRIFFITH


14/32


R RANDY HAMMELMAN’SFAMILY may be the perfectpicture within a picture.Randy, his wife, Ramona,

and their five children arethe blossoms that have

sprung from the family roots

set so many years ago. Now

ensconced on a farm that

spans more than 2,000 acres

and contains four other

homes where members of

their immediate and extended

family live, the Hammelmans

have become firmly woven

into the culture and life

of Knox County. In 1995,

the state recognized their

connection to state history

by awarding Randy and his

family the Hoosier Homestead

award, an annual award given

by the state Department of

Agriculture to one family

in each county whose

homestead dates back 100,

150 or 200 years.

“The family farm starte

as a 40-acre farm and is no

in its fifth generations,” Ha

melman said. “That 40 acr

went through the second

generation of the family, th

my grandfather had 100 ac

My dad, Ronald, expanded

the farm around 1961. He

bought ground a little at a

time and when I was in hischool, it was about 1,000

acres.”

When Randy took up t

plow as a teenager, he said

the farm had grown to abo

1,500 acres and when he t

it over completely in 2008,

increased it to where it sta

now at about 2,000.

“I’ve got to give my da

credit for expanding the fa

to where it is now,” Hamm

man said.

Hammelman is a man

who wears many hats and

dabbles in more than a few

things apart from farming

including auctioneering,

which he has done for abo

25 years. Aside from makin

a living growing corn and

Hammelman farm

growing success

since 1864

Randy Hammelman has happy memories of farming alongside hisfather, Ronald, who expanded the farm over the years to its currentsize.


15/32


soybeans, for the most part, he and his

family spend very much of their time

involved with local schools and youth

programs and that’s clearly where the

passion in his family lays. Specifically,

Hammelman is now and has been for

the better part of two decades a youth

basketball coach and has also spent

some years as a 4-H leader. His wife,

Ramona, is a teacher at North Knox

and also lends a hand in coaching the

various sports in which their childrenare involved.

It’s coaching that gets Ham-

melman talking and over the years,

starting when his children were very

young, he has coached most of their

teams at one time or another as, first,

his twin daughters, Rylee and Reeva,

now 16, started on their first team in

the second grade and then his son, Re-

ese, 13, started dribbling a ball when

he was younger.

Hammelman said when he was

first solicited by the coaching staff at

the North Knox School Corporation to

be a coach, he was a bit reluctant, but

agreed to help out in any other capac-

ity. But after getting into it and spend-

ing time with longtime basketball

coach, Rick Marshall, Randy decided

he would coach.

Inevitably, that led to him coaching

teams on which his own children were

playing. But playing for their father

was definitely not a cakewalk, nor was

it something that Randy or his chil-dren found to be a difficult situation to

adapt to.

“I don’t think so. I’m hard on them,

but they enjoy it,” he said.

The family’s humble beginnings in

1864, when the entirety of the livestock

was a horse and a cow, couldn’t be

more starkly contrasted to present-day

farming.

“Technology has been the biggest

thing. It used to be that farming was

physically demanding, now it’s more

mentally stressful,” Hammelman said.

“You’ve got to be thinking about whatyou’ve got into it, whether it rains …

you’ve got so many dollars out there

and your family relies on you.

We put a lot of faith in God to keep

us warm and we’re fortunate.”

The Hammelmans have been a

family business since the start and

Randy said though his children are still

young, at least one of them has shown

interest in picking up the farming man-

tle. The memories Randy has of learn-

ing the trade with his father are very

fond ones and something he thinks heand his son, Reese, will share, should

he decide to carry on the family farm.

“I got to work with my dad and he

was my best friend. A lot of folks don’t

get to do that,” he said. “I remember

my mom used to bring meals out to us

when we were working. Reese says

he wants to (learn farming) and I’d be

tickled to death if he did.”

With two younger children, 11-year-

old Reegan and three-month-old Ry-

plee, the Hammelmans seem to have a

fairly good chance of their family farm

continuing into the future, still tied tothe land on which it started. Randy’s

perception of just how deep and inter-

esting is his connection to area history

is that he doesn’t perceive it much

until prompted.

“This is my life, it’s what I know.

My dad used to wave at everybody

and I’d say, ‘How do you know so

many people?’ and he’d say to me,

‘One day you’ll know them all, too.’

Now my son asks me the very same

question.”

Reese takes time to feed the cows in theearly morning.


16/32

16 | FEBRUARY 2016 x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

FBy Damian Mason

FARMERS HEAD TO the fieldsthis spring facing a third consecu-tive year of revenue declines. USDAprojects 2016 net farm income at $55billion — a 56 percent decrease fromag’s banner year of 2013.

Before you jump head first offyour grain leg, a little perspective:2013 was amazingly good. So was2012, despite the drought. Basically,2006 through 2013 was a remarkableera in farm country.

So, what’s a crafty ag profes-sional to do now? First, don’t panic.Secondly, consider these recommen-dations.

Lose the commodity

mindsetThanks to the Internet and

affluent consumers, there’s a vastmarketplace for differentiated foodproducts.

A beef farmer in Montana canlegitimately earn a living selling or-ganic, grass fed, gluten-free, certifiedhumane, brushed by his daughter,blessed by a Rabbi, spoken to inSwahili, steers named after Britishpoets, to customers in Boston.

I’m only slightly kidding. Ac-cording to Food Business News,specialty food sales grew 19 percentfrom 2012-2014, surpassing $100billion. The definition of specialtyfood? “Products of premium qualitythat may be made by small or localmanufacturers, feature ethnic flavor,or contain the best available ingre-dients.”

Bonus — you can charge a pre-mium for non-mass produced food.Remember, commodities are sold on

price; unique products are sold onvalue proposition.

Double down on businesspractices

Farming is a business and a life-style. Unless you run it as a business,there will be no lifestyle.

Have you met with your lawyerto update your estate plan? Are yourinsurances in place, guaranteeing ad-equate coverage should catastrophe

strike?How is your banking relation-ship? You need a financial partneryou can count on when margins aretight. There’s always another bankwho’d love your business.

Three years into decreasing cropprices merits a meeting with yourlandlords. (And that’s painful for meto say because I am one!) Yes, cashrents and land prices have downsideon the horizon.

Now is an excellent time to

strengthen partnerships with yourvendors. Three years ago, a few dol-lars of input costs could blow in thewind; today, that could be your profitmargin.

Shake hands with thereality of agriculturalproduction

Hugely profitable cycles in ag-riculture are the exception, not therule. I remember the boom years of

the 1970s, although it was from afWe were a small dairy farm, withosignificant assets, and limited graproduction. But I remember theboom.

More importantly, I rememberthe bust of the 1980s — high inter

rates, huge surpluses, bankruptcyauctions, the PIK program, and imploding land prices.

As an industry, we’ve been wworse off than we are today.

Agriculture isn’t a bad busineIt’s a commodity business. Fromcopper to corn, cattle to crude oilcommodities are cyclical. It’s thereality of what we do.

The bright side

They say “a rising tide floats a

boats,” which really means, “It’s eto make money when everyone’smaking money.”

Well, the tide’s out. You can lofor the good old days or you canuse this downturn to make yoursestronger. If it’s any consolation, I’mpulling for you!

Damian Mason delivers insights o

the business of agriculture at mee

ings throughout North America. F

him at www.damianmason.com

Navigating (this) agdownturn

THE FUNNIER SIDE OF FARMING


17/32


THE TOP 10 barns were selectedbased on architectural and historical

features, aesthetics, character and

condition, geographic distribution and

construction demonstrating Indiana’s

best.

“We are humbled by this honor

and hopeful it may bring some addi-

tional recognition to the county and

the city of Washington during the

bicentennial,” said Barber, adding her

twin boys Wyatt and Ward, age 5, will

hopefully be the next generation in her

family to fall in love with the barn.

The top 10 barns will each receive

a handcrafted framed plaque made

by Scottsburg artist Dorrel Harrison,

who makes creations from reclaimed

barn wood. The other barns will each

receive a commemorative Bicentennial

Barn sign.

“All of the barns we looked at a

winners and we in Indiana are grat

for the stewardship the barn owner

demonstrate in keeping our heritag

alive,” said CEO of Indiana Landma

Marsh Davis.

Betsy Jones, project coordinato

said that honorable mentions in the

contest will be announced in the co

ing months.

“We were blown away by the le

of pride that jumped off the entryforms and photos,” said Jones. “The

stories the owners shared about th

barns exuded family history, pride a

a genuine love of those barns.”

A true circular barn built in 190

the T.C. Singleton round barn is 64 f

in diameter, with a central drivewa

behind the two main doors. The ba

stands on a concrete foundation an

constructed of a wood frame clad w

board and batten siding. Louvered

vents and several small windows

adorn the exterior.

On the inside, the barn featuresspace for livestock on the ground le

as well as a capacious hay loft und

a three-pitch gambrel roof and a co

crib.

Barber said what may be one o

the most unique things about the b

is that more than 100 years later, th

descendants of Singleton still use th

barn much like it was used when it

was originally constructed.

“Tom Singleton’s grandchildren

and great-grandchildren continue t

proud tradition of maintaining thebarn,” said Barber, who said the ba

also has several stories to tell.

One story even put the barn on

map in the 1920s. According to loca

history in 1925, Klu Klux Klan grand

dragon D.C. Stephenson, was tried

and convicted of the kidnapping, ra

and murder of Madge Oberholtzer,

state education official. After not be

pardoned by Governor Edward L. J

son, Stephenson, in an act of reveng

leaked documents to the Indianapo

News that identified numerous stat

and locally elected officials that webankrolled by the KKK. Stephenson

Barber said, eventually told officials

the supporting documents were hid

den in two black boxes in the round

barn.

Singleton had no knowledge of

the boxes and no ties to the KKK bu

nonetheless, in July 1927, the Mario

County deputy prosecuting attorne

Emsley W. Johnson, Sr., met with St

phenson’s friend L.G. Julian to reco

the secret boxes.

THE ROUND BARN

A barn that has become what is likely one of the most widely

recognized landmarks in Daviess County is now one of 10 barns

being celebrated during Indiana’s Bicentennial. The T.C. Singleton

round barn, located on SR 57S. and owned by Cindy and Tony

Barber, was judged by a panel of artists, preservationists and

agriculturalists alongside 199 other entries.BY LINDSAY OWENS

The barn is used today much as it was more than 100 years ago. | PHOTOS BY KELLY OVERTON

Daviess County landmarkcelebrated during

Indiana’s Bicentennial

4


18/32


“Emsley was a nephew by mar-

riage to Thomas Singleton,” said

Barber, adding it was probable that

Stephenson arranged with Julian to

have the boxes secured in a remote lo-

cation that was still easy to find when

needed. “Johnson knew first hand that

Singleton was innocent of involvement

with those boxes.”

What was found in those is said to

have resulted in the prosecution and

conviction of several KKK-affiliatedelected officials and led to the demise

of the KKK’s political power in the

state.

But that’s not the only story about

the barn. Barber said not long after she

moved here in 2003, she came across

a letter to her great-grandfather from a

professor of agriculture at the Universi-

ty of Illinois.

“In the letter, the professor was

inquiring about the usefulness of the

round barn,” she said. “I’m not sure

what my great-grandfather’s response

was, but a few days after I found the

letter, some visitors from Wisconsin

stopped to admire the barn.”

Barber said she shared with the

visitors what she’d read in the letter

and ironically, the visitors had just

been to the University of Illinois and

there is not one but two round barns

located on the dairy campus.

“I couldn’t help but feel proud and

hopeful that the correspondence had

resulted in something positive for the

university and the study of agriculture

there,” Barber said.

Other barns being honored include

Dr. Bogdan Nedelkoff (Floyd County),

David Wendel (Franklin County), Keith

Allhands (Henry County), Tim and

Beth Sheets (Howard County), Greg

and Deb Smoker (LaPorte County),

Mark Feightner (Noble County), Cas

Knigga (Ohio County), Roy Burchm

(Porter County) and Rebecca Rouch

(St. Joseph County).

The contest is over, but barns c

still be added to the registry by visi

www.200indianabarns.com. Barns

added to the registry will be record

for history and be part of a pending

traveling exhibit.

The barn is owned by Cindy and Tony Barber, who hope their twin boys, Wyatt and Ward, age5, become the next generation in the family to fall in love with it.


19/32


I

By Angie J. Mayfield

I’M A SIXTH-GENERATIONfarmer, so I’ve heard my share of

folklore, old wives’ tales, predictions,

or superstitions — what you call them

depends on the person, their storytell-

ing ability, or the outcomes. Growing

up, I considered my

great-grandparents

and grandparents

very superstitious.

However, with

education I found

the age-old practice

of performing farm

chores by the moonstems from the simple belief that the

moon governs moisture. Pliny the

Elder, the First-Century Roman natu-

ralist, said the moon “replenishes the

earth. When she approaches it, she fills

all bodies, while, when she recedes,

she empties them.”

Folklore is rich among farmers,

given their close ties to Earth and

her natural rhythms. And, of course,

with practice and experience, I realize

there’s a lot of wisdom in most of those

predictions, so I follow many myself. Iwas always told to wait until the first

week of May to plant or I’d lose my

crop to frost. However, I was often

tempted to disregard that advice — and

paid for it dearly. I was one of those

who had to learn the hard way.

The moon’s phases have guid-

ed many a farmer and gardener in

the past, and still do today, but they

require some understanding. A moon-

rise occurring in the evening brings

fair weather, says one proverb, harking

back to the belief that the waning

moon (full and last quarter, which risein the evening) is dry. The new moon

and first quarter, or waxing phases, are

considered fertile and wet. The new

and first-quarter phases, known as

the light of the moon, are considered

good for planting above-ground crops,

putting down sod, grafting trees, and

transplanting. From the full moon

through the last quarter, or the dark

of the moon, is the best time for killing

weeds, thinning, pruning, mowing,

cutting timber, and planting be-

low-ground crops. The time just before

the full moon is considered particularly

wet, and is best for planting duringdrought conditions.

Other moon folklore include that

rail fences cut during the dry, waning

moon will stay straighter. Wooden

shingles and shakes will lie flatter if

cut during the dark of the moon. Fence

posts should be set in the dark of the

moon to resist rotting. Ozark lore says

that fence posts should always be set

as the tree grew. To set the root end

upward makes a short-lived fence.

For livestock farmers like us, moon

folklore is extremely important. Don’tbegin weaning when the moon is

waning. Castrate and dehorn animals

when the moon is waning for less

bleeding. And never castrate during

a full moon when blood flows more

freely. Also, slaughter when the moon

is waxing for juicier meat.

They also say the best days for

fishing are between the new and full

moon — and fishing is always better

when they’re biting.

As an avid gardener, I also try

to use moon signs when possible to

help plan my garden. I plant flowers

and vegetables that bear crops above

ground during the light, or waxing, of

the moon — from the day the Moon is

new to the day it is full. I plant flow-

ering bulbs and vegetables that bear

crops below ground during the dar

or waning, of the moon — from the

after it is full to the day before it is n

again. Old-time farmers swear that

this practice results in larger, tastie

harvest — and I agree.

My grandparents had a whole

slew of ways to predict weather an

winters from animals to persimmon

to the moon. I remember that a wh

ring around the moon predicted fou

weather. However, I’d never heard

there was a relationship between

the age of the moon and the birth o

babies until I did some research. Th

age of the moon refers to a specific

point in the lunar cycle, with the da

of the new moon being zero, the ne

day one, and so on. (The moon wax

for 14-plus days, and after full it wanfor 14-plus days). Supposedly, all of

women’s children will be born, bes

premature and planned caesarean,

around the same age of the moon. I

checked out the age of the moon fo

the day of my birth and my brother

plus my own kids and found only a

day difference. Interesting!

Regardless of your own beliefs

practices, farming by the moon can

hurt any. They may be just old wive

tales, but they’ve been used to feed

families for generations. Angie J. Mayfield is an Associate

Professor at Vincennes University, au

equestrian, and organic farmer who l

near Loogootee, Indiana. She can be

contacted at [email protected]

Moon folklore: A foundation for

farming

MY RURAL ROOTS


20/32


R

APRIL 4

USDA Agriculture MarketingService grant writing workshop

1 p.m. – 6 p.m, Indianapolis. Register bycalling 765-494-0349.

APRIL 4 – 9

Coon Hunters Professional KennelClub Spring Super Stakes

Sullivan County 4-H Fairgrounds. Call 812-562-0874 for more information.

APRIL 9

The Korean Orchestra concert

Washington High School, 7 p.m. Tickets $10each. Call 812-254-5262.

APRIL 16

4-River Forestry Committee NatureFest

Ferdinand State Forest, all day.

APRIL 27

Knox County Chamber of

Commerce Breakfast Bandwagon

Vincennes University Student Union, 7 a.m.

Sponsored by Burkhart Insurance.

APRIL 27

Grouseland annual dinner

Vincennes University Green Activities

featuring master artisan and American long

rifle builder Marvin Kemper. Tickets and

more information available by calling 812-

882-2096.

MAY 7

Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi Indiana

Mounds Celebration of the Future

Fairbanks. Music, ancient stories and more.

Call 812-696-2731 for more information.

MAY 13-14

Spring Fest and Rail Fest

Downtown Washington. Vendors, food amore.

MAY 25

Knox County Chamber ofCommerce Breakfast Bandwago

Vincennes University Green Activity Ce

noon. Sponsored by Good SamaritanHospital.

MAY 28-29

Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous

French Commons, Vincennes.

MAY 28

Opening Day of the VincennesHistoric Farmers Market

Riverfront Pavilion., Saturdays 8 a.m. – 1p.m. and Wednesdays 4 p.m. – 7:30 p.m

CALENDAR

By Lindsay Owens

RHUBARB. IT SEEMS most eitherlove or hate this stalky vegetable. Yes,I said vegetable even though it’s mostcommonly used in desserts.

Surprisingly, I sell quite a lot ofrhubarb at the farmer’s market. In fact,regardless of how much I pull on marketmornings, it always seems to be the firstthing to sell out. I (I guess this should real-ly be we because in theory, the plants aremy grandpa’s) have quite a few rhubarbplants. We raise Victoria rhubarb andmany are surprised by just how sweet itis even though it’s typically more green

than red.While nearly every book or websiteoffers up different information on growingrhubarb, there are a few tips I’ve found forgetting the most out of your crop whetheryou have one plant or 21 plants.

1. Do not pull stalks from first-yearplants. In some cases, if the plantsare growing rapidly, you can pull afew stalks but be sure you leave atleast three to four healthy ones.

2. Always harvest stalks by pulling

from bottom of the plant and besure to keep the leaves away from

animals (they are poisonous).3. Stop picking your crop before

July 4. Why July 4? Just like withother perennial crops, some years theproduce comes off later than others.By July 4, I’ve typically been ableto harvest enough rhubarb for thefreezer and my customers withoutover picking the plants. This givesplants enough time to recoup beforethe weather turns cool and they diedown as well.

I typically make rhubarb crisp with acrumb topping but stumbled across thisrecipe for rhubarb custard bars one of mycustomers gave me. I can’t wait to try it.

Rhubarb custard bars

2 cups all-purpose flour1/4 cup sugar1 cup cold butter

FILLING:2 cups sugar7 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 large eggs, beaten

5 cups finely chopped fresh or fro

rhubarb, thawed and drained

TOPPING:

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup heavy whipping cream,

whipped

In a bowl, combine the flour and s

ar; cut in butter until the mixture resem

bles coarse crumbs. Press into a greas

13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 1

minutes.

Meanwhile, for filling, combine su

and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream an

eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over cru

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until

custard is set. Cool.

For topping, beat cream cheese,

sugar and vanilla until smooth; fold in

whipped cream. Spread over top. Cov

and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the ref

erator. Yield: 3 dozen.

IN SEASON

Rhubarb growing tipsColorful vegetable popular at farmer’s market


21/32


B

Above, Blesch Bros. opened its new 25-acre fanear Odon in November. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY

The Blesch Bros. staff includes, from left, EthaLubbehusen, Devon Summers, Beverly Riker, BHeld, Daniel Chestnut, Gary Brashear, JeremiWagler, Brandon Hess, Max Burkhart, Jon Heiand Susan Hess.| PHOTO PROVIDED

By Lindsay Owens

BRANDON HESS, SALES

manager at Blesch Bros. Equipment

Company in Odon, takes pride in

being able to serve customers coming

in for parts and repairs among other

things. Service and getting to know

the customers, to Hess and the other

members of the Blesch Bros. team is of

utmost importance.

“They asked me when we built

this, why I didn’t have a bigger office,”

said Hess, as he looked out his window

and onto the showroom floor. “I want-

ed my office where I could see every-

body that came in. That was what was

important to me.”

Started in 1937 in Holland, Indiana,Blesch Bros. opened its Odon location

in 2003. The business grew quickly

and plans were made for a larger facil-

ity in 2014. That new facility, located

just down the road from its former

location, opened in November 2015

and features an expanded product line

as well as a large repair shop among

other things.

But just because the size of the

Blesch Bros. facility has more than

doubled from the tiny store it once oc-

cupied into its new one with 25 acres,

doesn’t mean the way the company

does business has changed.

“We’ve always tried to drive hothat in today’s agriculture world, st

can get bigger and bigger but some

times as they get bigger and bigger

they forget what’s most important

and that’s knowing and serving the

customers,” said Hess, adding that

the total number of employees at b

Blesch Bros. locations totals around

45. “I like to say we are big enough

serve but small enough to know wh

you are. That’s really important.”

Offering New Holland Agricultu

New Holland Construction,

NEW BUILDING,

UNCHANGINGSERVICEBlesch Bros. Equipment Companyin Odon keeps customer first innew facility

4


22/32


Kinze, Capello, Kuhn Krause, UM Un-

verferth, Rhino, Bush Hog, Westfield,

Penta, County Clipper, Salford and Mc-

Farlane equipment lines, Blesch Bros.,

has a customer base that ranges near

and far. The store also picked up the

Echo line of outdoor power equipment

this year.

“We really pride ourselves in being

able to offer diversified equipment.

We serve customers in about a 75-mile

radius,” said Hess, who has been with

Blesch Bros. since 2003 and has more

than 20 years of sales experience. “We

have customers from not only the Od

area but all the way over in Illinois an

clear up to the Cloverdale and Green

tle area.”

In addition to equipment sales,

Blesch Bros., also offers a full line of

parts as well as both in store and

Top, Blesch Bros. employees pride themselves on good customer service. Above left, the new shop at Blesch Bros.’ Odon location allows for multiplerepair projects to happen at once. Right, the Echo line of power tools is the newest product line for the stores’ Odon location. | PHOTOS BYLINDSAY OWENS


23/32


on-farm service repair. While the new

shop allows employees to work on

multiple repairs at the same time, Hess

said for those unable to get their equip-

ment to the shop, four on-farm service

trucks can help.

“We really do business the old

fashioned way,” said Hess. “We are

partners with our customers in their

business and they are partners in

ours. It’s important to make those

connections.”

Helping Hess in the sales depart-

ment is Brian Held, who has more than

30 years of agricultural experience

and joined the sales department in

2014. The Blesch Bros. team in Odo

also consists of Hess’ wife, Susan,

and Beverly Riker in the office; Gary

Brashear and John Heidinger in the

parts department; and Ethan Lubb

sen, Devon Summers, Daniel Chest

Jeremiah Wagler, and Max Burkhar

the service department.

The new Blesch Bros. facility features a large shop and showroom. Construction of the facility wrapped up in November.| PHOTO PROVIDED

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24/32

GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO CHALLENGE THE JUDGE and the two other golf courses in Prattville at RTJ Capitol Hill. Bring your clubsand come take on Judge hole number 1, voted the favorite hole on the Trail. Complete your day in luxury at the Marriott and enjoy dining, firepits and

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Visit www.rtjgolf.com or call 800.949.4444 to learn more.

» COME JUDGE for Yourself.


25/32


D By Lindsay Owens

DIANE HOBBS CLIMBS over the

gate and into the pen holding a bottle

full of formula. Almost instantly, a

Hampshire lamb edges over to her andbegins drinking.

“Aw, are you hungry?” said Hobbs,

a senior at North Knox High School

as she gently rubbed the head of the

bright-eyed little lamb.

This particular lamb is just one

of more than a dozen born to the

Hampshire ewes owned by Hobbs

and her older brother, Tommy, a pre-

veterinary science major at Purdue

University.

Diane “inherited” the sheep from

Tommy who wanted to show the

mild-mannered sheep in 4-H.“They really started as a 4-H proj-

ect but now we breed our own and sell

some of them to others involved in 4-H

or wanting to show,” said Tommy, who

along with his sister has been success-

ful in showing the sheep in various

arenas.

“We started with the goats,” said

Diane, who will wrap up her final year

of 4-H this summer, and has shown

goats each year and sheep the last

five years. “Then we got into the sheep

after Tommy showed them during theRound Robin at the fair.”

Over the course of the last four

years, the Hampshire Sheep owned by

Diane and Tommy have consistently

placed in the top 5 at the North Ameri-

can International Livestock Exposition

in Louisville, Kentucky, the largest

show of its kind in the United States as

well as the Indiana State Fair. Nearly

every one of those top sheep has also

given birth to at least one lamb already

this year as well.

“It’s a lot of work sometimes,” s

Tommy, who said luckily this year, t

lambs weren’t born during incleme

weather like they often are. “But it’s

ways exciting when one you’ve rais

wins whether it’s at the state fair or

national show.”

Hampshire sheep, which Diane

Tommy said are known more for the

meat than wool are hornless and gr

quickly but to help prepare

Above, Diane Hobbs feeds a bottle to one of the lambs recently born to the Hampshiresheep she and her brother Tommy raise on the family farm near Oaktown. Left, Hampshiresheep are a cross of Southdowns, Whiltshire Horn and Berkshire Nott breeds. | PHOTO BY

LINDSAY OWENS

Brother-sister duo

show, breed small

flock with success

4


26/32


the animals for the show ring, the

siblings begin working with them

when they are just a few days old.

“It’s a lot easier to work with a

little lamb than it is to work with a

sheep when they get up over 150

pounds,” said Diane, as one ewe

nosed her pocket in search of a

favorite treat, an animal cracker.

“You just have to know how to work

with them and the earlier you start

the better off you’ll be. It’s just not

something you can work on themonth before or a few weeks before

the show.”

While having a small flock

means the sheep become more like

pets than traditional livestock, th

Hobbs siblings said they are alw

happy to share their love of Ham

shire sheep.

“It’s really hard to not get at-

tached sometimes,” said Diane, a

ing the new lambs will be availa

for purchase through their webs

www.hobbshampshires.com in t

coming weeks.

But Tommy is quick to point

as much as they love their sheep

they love sharing what they’velearned with others interested in

showing.

“We had a lot of help getting

starting and it’s always fun to sha

HOBBS WINNING HAMPSHIRES

2015

3rd place March Hampshire Ewe Lamb NAILE

2nd place Crossbred Ewe Lamb Indiana State

Fair

Reserve Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair

Exhibited by: Diane Hobbs

Retained by: Hobbs Hampshires

2014

4th place February Hampshire Ewe Lamb NAILE1st place Crossbred Ewe Lamb Indiana State

Fair

Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair

Exhibited by: Hobbs Hampshires

Bred By: Hancock Hampshires


2013

Reserve Grand Commercial Ewe Indiana State

Fair (Open)

Reserve Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair

Exhibited by: Hobbs Hampshires

Bred By: Hobbs Hampshires

Reserve Hampshire Ewe Knox County Fair




Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair




2012

2nd place Hampshire Ewe Lamb NAILE

Reserve Grand Commercial Ewe Indiana State

Fair (Open)

Reserve Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair Exhibited by: Hobbs Hampshires



Tommy Hobbs and his sister Diane placed third in the March Hampshire Ewe Lambdivision at the North American International Livestock Expo last year. The same ewe alsplaced second in Crossbred Ewe at the Indiana State Fair and was Reserve Supreme Ewat the Knox County fair. | PHOTO PROVIDED


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what you’ve learned,” said Tommy,

who said it’s important to do your

research before jumping into rais-

ing sheep or any type of livestock.

“But it’s also important to realize

ust how much work they can be.”

“If you want to show, don’t

be afraid to ask questions,” said

Diane, who said those wanting

to get started with sheep should

also buy from a successful,

reputable breeder.

This ewe was named the 2012 Reserve Grand Commercial Ewe at the Indiana State Fair, 2013 Reserve Grand Commercial Ewe at the Indiana StateFair and Reserve Supreme Ewe at the Knox County fair. | PHOTOS PROVIDED

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Lambs on the Hobbs farm. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS


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The Indiana Corn Marketing

Council is seeking Indiana cornproducers interested in serving on

its board of directors. The ICMC

manages corn checkoff invest-

ments and determines promotion-

al, educational and research activ-

ities that can strengthen Indiana’s

corn industry.

The ICMC board includes 17

voting farmer-directors. Five seats —

in Districts 1, 4, 7 and two At-Large

— will be filled through the ICMC’s

Annual Elections in August 2016.

• District 1. The counties of Lake,

Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Pulaski, Jas-per, White, Benton, and Newton.

• District 4. The counties include

Warren, Tippecanoe, Montgom-

ery, Putnam, Owen, Clay, Vigo,

Parke, Vermillion, and Fountain.

• District 7. The counties of Sullivan,

Greene, Daviess, Martin, Knox,

Dubois, Pike, Gibson, Warrick,

Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Posey.

• At Large. The two open At-Large

seats represent the entire state

of Indiana.

Candidates for the ICMC boar

of directors are required to beregistered voters, at least 18 years

of age, and corn producers in Ind

ana. To be a candidate, you need

to fill out and sign a petition form

It is available at County Exten-

sion offices, at www.incorn.org/

elections, or by calling the Indian

Corn office at 317-644-2791.

Petitions must be returned to the

ICMC office and postmarked be-

fore June 30, 2016.

INDIANA CORN MARKETING COUNCIL LOOKING FOR BOARD MEMBERS

GOOD TO THE EARTH

From left: Jessa Newby, first in horticulture demonstration, leadership ambassador and extemporaneous speaking; Kameron Streepy, participant

in senior division welding; Brooke Mallett, first in plant and soil demonstration, participant in animal science demonstration; Megan Nowling,first in goat proficiency, second in diversified livestock proficiency, third in quiz bowl, participant in multimedia scrapbook; Emily Hart, third in quizbowl; Emily Remsburg, third in quiz bowl; Abbie Neukam, first in agriculture processing proficiency, first in turf grass proficiency, participant inagricultural sales demonstration, first in food science demonstration, participant in chapter exhibit; Rena Byers, second in small animal proficiency,first in food science demonstration, participant essay; Rebekah Ritter, second in freshman creed speaking, third in quiz bowl; Shelby Taylor, secondin freshman public speaking; Cole Roark, third in traditional scrapbook; Deion Archer, first in horticulture demonstration, first in natural resourcesdemonstration, third in traditional scrapbook; Garrett Pickett, first in natural resources proficiency; Abby Clifford, participant in public speaking;

Abby Holstine, participant in job interview; Carrie Winklepleck, participant in agribusiness management demonstration; Trevor Gingerich,participant in agriculture mechanics demonstration. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY GARY STUCKEY

Submitted by Gary Stuckey

Seventeen members from the North

Daviess Future Farmers of America

traveled to Boonville High School onMarch 3 to participate in the annual

FFA leadership contests. There were 17

schools and more than 200 members

from District 10 participating that eve-

ning. North Daviess members compet-

ed in 25 contests that night and placedfirst in nine contests, second in four and

third in two. The members in the nin

contests that placed first will advan

to the state finals at Purdue Univers

in June. This is a new record for Nor

Daviess in the state finals. The FFAmembers’ advisor is Mr. Gary Stuck

North Daviess FFA advances to State Final


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At Beacon Ag, we areAt Beacon Ag, we are

servingserving ag peopleag peopleag people. ag people.

We understand the importance of family and

farming traditions, and we’ll bring safety, security,

and a personal approach to your table. At Beacon, we

keep our promises. It’s about being dependable and

doing what we said we were going to do—protecting

and taking care of you.

Put your trust in us—your

future and those that will

fill your shoes depend on it.

Loan officers Mike Cecil and

Brandon Decker, and crop insurance

specialist Kallie Burke-Schuckman

Beacon Ag consists of Beacon Ag Group, a department of Beacon Credit Union, and Plan One FinancialServices, LLC DBA Beacon Ag Services, a wholly owned affiliate of Beacon Credit Union. Crop and livestockinsurance and equipment leasing offered by Beacon Ag Services is not insured by ASI. Each account insuredup to $250,000 by American Share Insurance. By members’ choice, this institution is not federally insured.

(800) 825-6703 | www.beaconaggroup.org

By Lindsay Owens

“Now, how many of you know

what the boot race is?” Garrett

Pickett asked his classmates.“See this pile of shoes? You need

to take off a boot or shoe and put

it in the pile. The person who

gets their boot out of pile and

back on first wins.”

Seems like it may be a

strange request for students at

North Daviess High School, but

the boot race wasn’t the only

unusual challenge taking place

in Gary Stuckey’s classroom

during the annual Ag Olympics

at North Daviess, and part of

National Future Farmers of

America Week.

Celebrated by virtually every

FFA chapter, National FFA Week

always runs Saturday to Saturday

and encompasses Feb. 22, George

Washington’s birthday. First held

in 1948, the week of Washington

s birthday was chosen to honor

his legacy as a farmer and

agriculturalist. Traditional events

for chapters include not only the

Ag Olympics, but also educational

components, appreciationactivities and more.

“As a way to celebrate the

tradition, we have a week packed

full of fun events to spread

awareness for agriculture,” said

Stuckey, who advises the FFA

students. “The students are

responsible for all the planning.

Responsibility is something we

really try to emphasize with

FFA.”

FFA members were also

preparing for the District 10 Con-

ference slated for the next week

in Boonville. The conference is

just the start of the busiest time

of the year for Stuckey and his

students.

“This is really a busy time to

be an ag teacher,” said Stuckey.

But FFA teaches even more

than responsibility and how

to graft a tree, judge livestock

or hone public speaking skills.

Since FFA members must be

enrolled in an agriculture course,

the program provides memberswith experiences outside of the

classroom through the applica-

tion of skills learned inside the

classroom.

“It’s really a positive experi-

ence,” said Pickett, who said he

joined the FFA because his sister

was a member. “I always thought

I wanted to be a police officer,

but after becoming a part of FFA

and taking welding classes, I’ve

decided I want to be a welder.

The FFA welding contests havereally challenged me and make

me want to be the best

that I can.”

The Shoals High School Future Farmers of American hosted Indiana State FFA presidentKenzie Kretzmeier, a member of the BentonCentral FFA during National FFA Week. | PHOTOSUBMITTED BY DANIELLE TURPIN

Celebrating theFuture Farmersof America

Shoals hosts FFA

state president

444


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By Jane Ann Beard

SEVEN DAVIESS COUNTY high

school students attended the Young

Ladies of Agriculture conference heldFeb. 17 in Columbus. The program was

designed as a networking opportunity

for young women in grades 9-12 who

have an interest in agriculture though

a family farm operation, courses in

school or personal interest.

More than 100 young women

attended the conference and learned

about being an AGvocate, and careeroptions available along with a panel

presentation from Midwest Women in

Ag attendees. Dinner speaker was Ken-

zie Kretzmeier, Indiana Future Farmers

of America State President.

Five of the local young women

Abbie Neukam, Jessa Newby, Car-

rie Winklepleck, Abby Holstine, and

Megan Nowling attend North Davie

High School and are active in the

school’s FFA chapter. Some of the g

are also active in 4-H as well as oth

related activities. The other two you

women attending were Gracen Jar

and Claire Jarrett from WashingtonCatholic High School. While Washin

ton Catholic does not offer an agric

ture program, the Jarretts raise catt

and are active in 4-H.

From left, Abbie Neukam, Jessa Newby, Carrie Winklepleck, Abby Holstine, Megan Nowling, Gracen Jarrett and Claire Jarrett. | PHOTO SUBMITTEDBY JANE ANN BEARD

Daviess County students attendYoung Ladies of Agriculture


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April 2016 Growing

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