Once upon a time you used to see hay stacks (or mows) all over the country side. Now we bail or roll the hay. This picture postcard was taken about 1910 in Wabash County on a farm at Laketon. Three men are busy stacking the hay. The hay wagon is pulled up to the side of the stack and the man on the wagon is throwing hay to the guy on top.
Oh, the hard work- but also fun. Remember the fun of riding in a hay wagon on a cool, crisp night with friends and favorite significant other, as the wagon jostled to and fro? Or maybe you remember playing hide and seek in a hay loft with your cousins? Or, possibly Saturday nights listening to WHAS Hay Loft Hoe Down on radio or TV? And, who can forget the suave James Bond OO7 and Miss Galore in the hayloft scene in Goldfinger?
John Bevier says “I can recall doing a LOT of hay baling ... those bales were pretty hard to toss high up on the wagon, as the stack got higher ! My girlfriend ( now, my wife, Donna Sue) drove the tractor while me and her Dad worked at ground level together. While we were in the field, Donna's mom was busy making a tasty dinner that would feed an army. So... if you didn't see this one coming ... A Family that "Hays Together"... "Stays Together" You can quote me on that !”
Gladys Airgood adds “I grew up on a farm and one of my first jobs was "doodling" the newly cut and raked hay to make bundles for the men to pick up an put on the wagon. How I loved the scent of the hay and horses!”
Not all experiences with hay were pleasant. Kent Eiler recalls "while
I'm not old enough to see the threshing, I do remember the huge straw pile in the barnyard. There was kind of a cove where the straw was usually removed with a pitchfork for the stable and hen house. One day my uncle was in the stable loading the manure spreader and I was playing in that cove in the straw pile. Found out there was a nest of yellow jackets inside. Not sure how many times I got stung, but at least a few. My uncle took me to the house where Gramp was and fresh chewing tobacco juice was put on the welts. I survived and the straw pile lasted for several more years."
The Hoosier Homestead Awards recognizes families with farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. Started in 1976, more than 5,000 statewide awarded. Earliest Allen County award is Paul Parker from November 5, 1837.
Centennial Award - 100 years of ownership
Sesquicentennial Award - 150 years of ownership
Bicentennial Award - 200 years of ownership
On Wednesday, 103 Indiana farm families were presented with Hoosier Homestead Awards at the Indiana State Fair from Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Don Lamb.
Of those 103 Indiana farm families, 14 are from 21Country.
At one time fences, like this one, could be found all over Wabash County. This is a split rail fence also called a worm or snake fence. In the early days settlers used the abundant trees to make rails and then stacked them one on top of the other in an interlocking zig-zag fashion. They were easy to create, repair and later take down. This one was found at the entrance to Brown County State Park. When growing up in Indiana Abraham Lincoln was known as a "rail splitter."
According to the 1824 law shown below worm fences were required for enclosing animals upon the owners land.
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Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Indiana. That all fields kept for enclosures, shall be well enclosed with a fence composed of sufficient posts and rails, posts and pailing, palisadoes or rails alone, laid up in the manner which is commonly called a worm fence; which posts shall be deep set and strongly fastened in the earth, and all fences composed of posts and rails, posts and pailings, or palisadoes, shall be at least five feet in hieight; and all fences which are composed of rails in manner which is commonly denominated a worm fence, shall be at least five feet. What shall be six inches in height, the uppermost rail in each and every fence, pannel thereof, supported by strong stakes strongly set and fastened in the earth, so as to compose what is commonly called a stakeing and ridering, otherwise the uppermost rail in each and every pannel shall be braced with two strong rails, poles, or stakes, locking each corner or angle thereof; and in all the foregoing materials, the apertures between the rails, pailngs, or palisadoes within two feet of the surface of the earth, shall not be more than four inches, and from the distance of two feet from the surface of the earth, the apertures between such rails, pailings, or palisadoes shall not be more than six inches, and that in all worm fences staked and ridered, the worm shall be at least four ket six inches, and if locked as aforesaid, the worm shall be at least five feet and all fences of the height and strength herein required, shall be considered lawful against horses and neat cattle.
Sec. 2. If any horse, mule, or ass, sheep, goat, or neat cattle, shall break into any person's enclosure, the fence being of the aforesaid height and strength, or if any hog or hogs shall break into any person's enclosure, the fence being of the aforesaid sufficiency, and by the view of two persons for that purpose appointed by the board of county com-
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missioners of said county, found and approved to be such, then the owner of such creature or creatures, shall be liable to make good all damages to the owner of the enclosure; for the first offence, single damages only; ever afterwards, double the damages sustained.
Sec. 3. For the better ascertaining and regulating: of partition fences, it is hereby directed that when any neighbour shall improve lands adjacent to each other, or where any person shall enclose any lands adjoining to another's land already fenced, so that any part of the first person's becomes the partion fence between them, in both these cases, the charge of such division fence (so far as enclosed on both sides) shall he equally borne and maintained by both parties; to which and other ends in this law mentioned, the board of county commissioners in the several counties in this commissioners state, yearly, shall nominate and appoint three honest and able men, for each township respectively, who being duly sworn to the faithful discharge of the duties of their appointment, shall proceed, at the request of any person or persons feeling him or themselves aggrieved, to view all such fence or fences, about which any difference may happen to arise; and the aforesaid persons or any two of them in each township respectively, shall be the sole judges of the charge to be borne by the delinquent or by both or either party, and of the sufficiency of all fences, whether partition or others; and when they shall adjudge any fence to be insufficient, they shall give notice thereof to the owners or proprietors or occupiers thereof, upon request of the other, and due notice given by the said viewers, shall refuse or neglect to make or repair the said fence or fences, or to pay the money of the charge of any fence before made, being the division or common fence, within twenty days after notice given, then upon proof thereof before two justices of the peace of the respective county, it shall be lawful for the said justices to order the person aggrieved or suffering thereby, to make or repair the said fence or fences, who shall be reimbursed his costs and charges from the person so refusing or neglecting to make or repair the partition fence or fences aforesaid ; or to order the delinquent to pay the moiety of the charge of the fence before made, being a division or common fence, (as the case may be,) and if the delinquent shall neglect or refuse to pay to the party injured, the moiety of the charge of any fence before made, or to reimburse the costs and charges of making and repairing the said fence or fences, under the order aforesaid, then the same shall be levied upon the delinquent's goods and chattels, under warrant from a justice of the peace, by distress and sale thereof, the overplus, if any, to be returned to the said delinquent: Provided that nothing herein contained, shall be intended to prevent or debar any person or persons from
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enclosing his or her own grounds in any manner they please, with sufficient walls or fences of timber, other than those heretofore mentioned, or by dykes, hedges or ditches. All such walls and fences to be in height, at least five feet from the ground, and all dykes to be at least three feet in height from the bottom of the ditch, and planted and set with thorn and other quickset, so that such enclosures shall fully answer and secure the several purposes meant to be answered and secured by this law: Provided also, that such walls or fences of timber, other than those heretofore mentioned, and dykes, hedges and ditches, shall be subject to all provisions, inspections, and restrictions respectively, to which by this law, any other enclosure or fence is made liable," according to the true intent and meaning hereof.
Here is some more history on Indiana farming! Indiana's agriculture has changed over the years with mechanized farming....
Indiana's agriculture has changed over the years with mechanized farming. Modern methods of farming such as using steam powered threshing machines increased productivity throughout Indiana.#IndianaAgricultureHistory
ONE STRUCTURE PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED AND NOT BURNEDANOTHER REDUCED TO ASHES.
Thursday night during the electrical storm, more damage was done in the country than was at first reported. Lightning struck many trees, many small buildings and also did damage to hay stacks.
The most serious damage, however, was done to farm barns. The reports of these losses did not reach the city until this. morning, when the members of the Allen County Fire Insurance board met in their offices above the Dreier store to hold their regular weekly meeting. The most serious loss WAS sustained by Daniel Sowers, of Scipio township. His large bank barn was struck by lightning, and with its contents, was totally destroyed.
The building was burned to the ground. The lightning seemed to rip the huge structure wide open. Almost instantly the bunding was a seething mass. Two horses were cremated. J.
N. Mason, of St. Joe township, also suffered much loss, although fire was prevented. During the height of the storm, while the rain was pouring down in torrents, one entire corner of his barn was totally destroyed by lightning. The flash ripped the shingles off and tore the huge timbers into shreds.
His loss will be considerable, despite the fact that the flash of lightning was not followed by fire. The destruction of the roof let the rain in on his crop of. hay so that it will be lot little value. The Allen County Insurance company corries, insurance on both, these buildings.
Allen county fruit growers in 1915 have produced one of the largest yields of apples in many years and favored with ideal weather conditions at the right time and most of the necessary farm work out of the way they have been able to take care of their abundant apple crop in first class fashion. Hundreds, or perhaps thousands of bushels of this surplus yield that would have gone to waste under less favorable conditions have been converted into cider, apple butter or apple jell, while some have been laid away for home consumption this winter.
Only a very small percentage of Allen county's annual crop is fit for the market and suitable for preservatoin in cold storage. This deplorable fact is due to a lack of interest on the part of our fruit-growers who neglect to attend to the spraying of the trees at the right time, in most instances probably because farmers at that season of the year are too busy with other work that they consider more important. The majority of our farmers still adhere to the old plan and are satisfied if the animals yield is large enough in quantity and good enough in quality to keep them in vinegar and apple butter the year around, with a few bushels of the best laid away for home use during the winter months.
Waste Exaggerated
Much has been said about the enormous waste of perfectly good apples by allowing them to rot on the ground in the farm orchards. "City folks" taking a spin through the country report that hundreds of bushels may be seen lying under the trees where they are left to rot. A prominent farmer, who was questioned about this, however, asserts that in most instances of this kind these apples will not be lying on the ground very long, for when cider making day comes around the rest will be shaken from the trees and the entire lot hauled to the cider mill where they are converted into several barrels of cider for vinegar or apple butter making and probably a few gallons of apple jell, the latter being made at the mill "while you wait."
KEY TO ILLUSTRATIONS.
1-Cooking apple butter on the David Klopfenstein farm, near Grabill.
2-J. F. Muller, of Leo, oldest cider mill owner in county.
3-One tree's yield on the Kloptenstein farm.
4-The Leo cider mill.
Forty Thousand Bushels.
Probably forty thousand bushels of apples have been produced this year in Allen county, according to County Agricultural Agent C. Henry, who states that, thirty-three or thirty-five thousand bushels is an average apple crop for Allen county, which ranks second in the state in the number of bearing apple trees. By far the biggest percentage of this enormous apple crop is taken to the cider mills of which there are quite a number in the county. Long rows of wagons loaded with apples may now be seen lined up at these mills every day, each farmer awaiting his turn to have his apples ground and his barrels filled with the sweet cider that flows from the press.
When asked, what quantity of apples is required to make a gallon of cider; George Stulte, a prominent Washington township farmer, gave the following figures to a Journal-Gazette representative:
"We are just through cooking twenty-three gallons of apple butter for which we used seventy bushels of cider and seven bushels of peeled and cored apples. Figuring one bushel of apples for each four gallons of cider, it took about twenty-four bushels of apples to produce the three gallons of apple butter, or approximately one bushel of apples for each gallon of butter. Apple butter is sold at about one dollar a gallon. It takes about twelve hours to cook one kettle of apple butter. Apple jell is cooked from the cider right at the mill, and seven gallons of cider, are required for each gallon of jell."
In the accompanying illustration are shown Mr. and Mrs. David Klopfenstein, of near Grabill, and their two daughters, engaged in the task of preparing their annual supply of apple butter. The boiling cider and apples must be stirred continually in order to keep it from scorching. In the lower right corner is shown the Leo cider mill, one of the busiest places in the county at this season of the year, Mr. J. F. Muller, the owner of the mill, is one of the oldest and most experienced makers of cider and apple jell in the county.
Founded in 1869, Purdue University was the epicenter of formal agricultural knowledge. Researchers there experimented...
Founded in 1869, Purdue University was the epicenter of formal agricultural knowledge. Researchers there experimented with new farming methods, published bulletins, and worked with the federal government and farm organizations.
In 1913 the Indiana General Assembly began to fund a statewide network of county agents - full-time resident advisers to local farmers - to spread Purdue's innovative knowledge and methods about agriculture that enabled more food to be grown on less ground.
Interested in old fences, gates, bridges? Or need to build one (rather than buy one)? Take a look at George A. Martin's book from 1892. - https://www.gutenberg.org/files/58452/58452-h/58452-h.htm I found a free online copy of the book. You can also pick up another edition (less than 100 years old) from various bookstores. I especially liked the fancy rustic gate, the stone bridge, and the hinges which were made of wood. If you want to make a fence, you get a lot of options and ideas with wood, wire, and stone.
As Indiana's largest county, Allen County boasts the third largest population and second most number of farms in the state. Roughly 64 percent of its 420,682 acres are in agriculture; producing commodities including corn, soybeans, hay, livestock, poultry, eggs, horses, wheat, oats, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Farmland in Indiana Nearly two-thirds of Indiana's 23 million acres are farmlands. Five of the state's 92 counties have more than 90% of their land area in farm uses (see Figure 1). Only six counties have less than one-third of their areas in farms. In 1997, 65% of Allen County land was farmland.
Allen County, Indiana Named for Colonel John Allen, who fought Tecumseh's siege of Fort Wayne in 1812 with 657.30 square miles from StatsIndiana. 657.30 square miles = 420,672 acres.
Indiana lost about 345,700 acres of farmland to other purposes between 2010 and 2022, but agricultural productivity still increased, the state found in a study released Monday. [ Inventory of Lost Farmland Full Report 2010 – 2022 Prepared by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. [ Allen County lost 28,034 acres ]
Most of it was lost to residential development around the edges of cities and suburban areas, according to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).
“The inventory of lost farmland was an opportunity for ISDA and legislators to gain access to reliable data, where up until now, we could only make assumptions,” agency Director Don Lamb said in a news release.
...
The study
ISDA used two data sources: a parcel dataset from Indiana’s Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) and a cropland data layer dataset from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The first showed a total of about 18.31 million acres of land with property class codes in the agricultural range in 2010, and a total of 17.97 million acres in 2022 across the state of Indiana.
...
The cropland data layer, after image generalization processing, showed about 14.84 million acres of land with land classified as any type of agricultural use to in 2010, and a total of 14.18 million acres in 2022.
That’s a difference of 664,988 acres. Most was lost to developed land, but some became forest.
...
Despite land losses, Hoosier cash crop production is up.
Indiana produced about 597 million bushels of corn for grain in 2012, but over 1 billion in 2022, per the report, which cited USDA yield data. Soybean production also increased from about 219 million bushels of soybeans in 2012 to over 326 million in 2022.
...
Finally, it recommended that lawmakers consider prime farmland — the state’s best 12.6 million acres of land — in decision-making.
On the latest episode of the Indiana Ag Policy Podcast: Hoosier Ag Today's Eric Pfeiffer sits down with Indiana Farm...
On the latest episode of the Indiana Ag Policy Podcast: Hoosier Ag Today's Eric Pfeiffer sits down with Indiana Farm Bureau Vice President Kendell Culp and their Executive Director of Public Policy Andy Tauer to discuss the recent report from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture on lost farmland in Indiana. They also discuss what will likely be the number one issue at the Indiana Statehouse this upcoming legislative session—property taxes!
LISTEN: A new report from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture shows that the state lost an estimated 350,000 acres of farmland over a 12-year period.
LISTEN: A new report from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture shows that the state lost an estimated 350,000 acres of farmland over a 12-year period.
#DYK? George Washington cultivated industrial hemp at Mount Vernon, and we're growing it down on the Pioneer Farm for the first time this summer. Learn more about this new project during our Facebook Live with our Director of Horticulture Dean Norton on Wednesday, July 18 at 9:00 am EST, and at Did Washington Grow Hemp?
"For the first time in what historians say could be centuries, hemp has been grown and harvested at Mount Vernon, George Washington's historic estate." -- NPR's Brakkton Booker
"For the first time in what historians say could be centuries, hemp has been grown and harvested at Mount Vernon, George Washington's historic estate." -- NPR's Brakkton Booker
Did you know that more than 6 percent of all watermelons grown in the U.S. each year are grown in Indiana? Learn more about this summertime staple: http://my-indiana-home.com/indiana-watermelons/
Did you know that more than 6 percent of all watermelons grown in the U.S. each year are grown in Indiana? Learn more about this summertime staple: Farm Facts: Watermelon
That's right. In tonight's weather broadcast, I discussed "evapotranspiration" (or evapotransportation if you get tongue tied like me) and why cornfields are at least partially to blame for our humid summer days
Who has Hoosier Farmer ancestors? If you have farm history in your family history you can submit it to https://www.acclaimpress.com/books/indianas-century-farms/. "Hoosier Homestead Honoring Farm Legacy" won't be available until 2022, but you can reserve your copy today by visiting the link above. #Indiana#familyhistory
John Phipps says the answer is in how NASS defines "farmland". https://www.agweb.com/news/business/farmland/john-phipps-us-running-out-farmland
“The only question I have is the 900 million acres of farmland. I come up with about 180 million acres of corn and beans, 45 million acres of wheat (rounded up), 11 million acres of cotton and 3 million rice. A quick google search showed me about 3 million in vegetables. 50 million acres of hay. That’s a total of 292 million. What am I missing? What are the other 608 million acres growing?”
Is China really buying up a bunch of U.S. farmland?
The auction attracted 25 bidders from Indiana and Ohio. Purdue University released its annual Farmland Value & Cash Rents Survey that showed top quality Indiana farmland was up 31% from the same time in 2021.
These samples are the same soil type and have been in a corn-bean rotation for the past 20+ years, however their...
These samples are the same soil type and have been in a corn-bean rotation for the past 20+ years, however their treatment has been substantially different. The soil on the left has not been tilled or had anhydrous ammonia applied for over 20 years and has had a cereal rye cover crop grown after harvest for the last 5 years. The soil on the right has been tilled each year, as well has had anhydrous ammonia applied in the fall. This picture was taken about 2 minutes after the samples were submerged in water. The tilled soil essentially “exploded” as soon as it entered the water. Repeated tillage has destroyed the structure of the soil, eliminating pore space and destroying the biological “glue” that helps hold soil together, and as a result the soil has collapsed. In contrast, due to minimal soil disturbance the tillage-free soil has excellent pore space and extensive biological activity, and as a result has provided the soil with a healthy structure that can withstand the impacts of water.
Within 5 minutes the tilled soil was completely gone, whereas the tillage-free soil remained almost entirely intact. We decided to see how long it could last and kept adding water to it (to keep up with evaporation) over the course of several weeks. We gave up after 6 weeks, in which the tillage-free soil sample was still about 95% intact.
Indiana farmland prices once again hit record highs in 2023. Statewide, top-quality farmland increased 7.3% to $13,739...
Indiana farmland prices once again hit record highs in 2023. Statewide, top-quality farmland increased 7.3% to $13,739 per acre, average-quality farmland increased 5.8% to $11,210 per acre, and poor-quality farmland increased 0.7% to $8,689 per acre. Read the complete Purdue Agricultural Economics report: Purdue Agricultural Economics Report (PAER) [ Current year ]
Hoosier Ag Today is on the road for Day #1 of the Fort Wayne Farm Show at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. The event runs through Thursday, Feb. 18 and features educational seminars and over 1,000 booths of innovative products.
Hoosier Ag Today's Eric Pfeiffer will bring you coverage throughout this week from the #FortWayneFarmShow at HoosierAgToday.com and on the Hoosier Ag Today mobile app—a free download for iPhone and Android.
Trying to find 2022 Census of Agriculture data? Check out our how-to-get-the-data video to aid your search. You can also find the full 2022 ag census report, U.S. and state tables, data Highlights and more at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.
Trying to find 2022 Census of Agriculture data? Check out our how-to-get-the-data video to aid your search. You can also find the full 2022 ag census report, U.S. and state tables, data Highlights and more at nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.
With temperatures on the rise, Indiana farmers will soon begin planting this year’s crop which means you are more likely...
With temperatures on the rise, Indiana farmers will soon begin planting this year’s crop which means you are more likely to encounter large farm equipment on rural roads and highways.
ISF Director Matt Huber (EAPS) is featured discussing the Indiana Climate Impacts Assessment. Giving further insight into the globe's biggest impactors and how actions across the globe are effecting Hoosiers. Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Linda Prokopy
Climate change is directly impacting Indiana farms. The growing season in Indiana is getting harder to evaluate. The data, going in some cases back to 1895, show clear trends, and there are no signs of them stopping or reversing. Indiana will continue to warm, more precipitation will fall, and extremely hot days will be common in many parts of the state.
One in every three bites of food we eat is created with the help of pollinators. Pollinators help to make coffee, apples, squash, and of course, honey But climate change is affecting pollinators throughout the country, threatening food security and ecosystem health.
USDA Climate Hubs work to ensure that farms, grazing lands, and forests across the U.S. can support healthy pollinators. Because whether it’s a home garden or a forest, pollinators thrive in healthy environments. Learn more about pollinators and climate change from our stories today!
How tall is the corn in your garden? The Victory Garden has two unique cultivars ‘Glass Gem’ and ‘Ultra Violet’. Since they are both newer varieties, they have already exceeded.
The Purdue University Farmland Value and Cash Rent Survey showed that Indiana farmland prices once again hit a new record in 2024.
The average price of top-quality farmland is $14,392, up 4.8 percent from June 2023. Average and poor-quality farmland also hit new high prices at $11,630 and $9,071 per acre, an annual increase of 3.7 and 4.4 percent, respectively.
Indiana has about 20,000 historic wooden barns scattered around the state, but many of them are quickly falling into...
Indiana has about 20,000 historic wooden barns scattered around the state, but many of them are quickly falling into disrepair. That's why the Indiana Barn Foundation is bringing awareness to the efforts to save these cultural landmarks.
“Let's give these old barns a chance because they tell us a lot about our agricultural history, and a lot of cases they tell us a lot about our family and community history too,” says Kent Yeager, President of the Indiana Barn Foundation.
Purdue University and Bayer have announced the creation of the Coalition for Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture, a...
PurdueUniversity and Bayer have announced the creation of the Coalition for Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture, a public-private partnership designed to help improve the soil health of farmland while also increasing food production for a growing population.
The coalition will be administered through Bayer at Convergence, the company’s innovation center at Discovery Park District at Purdue.
: Indiana State Department of Agriculture)
But climate change is affecting pollinators throughout the country, threatening food security and ecosystem health.