APRIL 2016

THE ROUND
BARN

HAPPINESS ON
HORSEBACK
Young equestrian
Meredith Graber
chooses hooves over
bike tires

Daviess County
landmark working for
more than 100 years

MOON
FOLKLORE

From superstition to
farming foundation

HAMMELMAN FARM GROWS SUCCESS SINCE THE CIVIL WAR

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Helping Farmers
with their
Business Needs
Banking
Insurance
Investments

Greg Foster

Gaven Oexmann

Riley Christy

Chad Deckard

Alex Knepp

Jake Alexander

Joe Dickson

Greg Cardinal

JM Vieck

Backed by customer service excellence!

Vincennes, IN:
101 N. 3rd Street 1700 Willow Street 2814 N. 6th Street
(812)882-4528
Washington, IN:
201 E. Main Street Cherry Tree Plaza
(812)254-4630
Montgomery, IN:
7721 N. 900 E.
(812)636-8300
germanamerican.com

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EDITORS 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 Tetreault
Advertising 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.

4 | APRIL 2016
p4EditorApr16.indd 1

SPRING HAS SPRUNG and Im so excited to get back in the field (granted as of right now, my early spring field more closely resembles a pond than a
patch of spring greens and cold crops). Im hopeful, though, the rain will stop and
the fields will dry sooner rather than later.
A few weeks ago at an Ag Day celebration, I had a
man approach my table who wasnt familiar with Growing.
He asked several questions about the magazine, and then
asked what it was I loved about working in agriculture so
much. The answer was pretty simple. Its the only thing that
Ive ever known.
I grew up on the farm. Being an only child, I spent my
days finding my own entertainment. I spent hours fishing
in the old water trough behind my grandparents red barn.
I ran in the fields and knew the perfect spot to stand to get
my voice to echo off the barn was about halfway down the
field up near the fencerow. I tamed the wild barn cats and assured my grandfather
(Rabbit) we definitely had enough fleas in the barn to open our own flea market (although Im not sure he appreciated my observation of the fleas or the hours I dedicated to taming all those wild cats that decided the back porch was a much better
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 wasnt 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.
Im not going to say Ive always
loved everything about working on
the farm, because that wouldnt be
Ellie Mae enjoys life on the farm, too.
the truth. There were times I hated
Her favorite spot right now is the pond.
| PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS
it. I didnt 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 Ive gotten older, though, I began to realize
what growing up on the farm has given to me a chance to educate, feed my community and overcome when things dont go as planned. Its not always easy. Its not
always fun, but in the end, its always worth it.
The start of a new planting season also means that Growing in the Heartland has
now been in existence for two years. We are always striving to tell the stories of those
who make the local agriculture industry what it is. If you have a story youd like to
see in Growing, please feel free contact me at lowens@washtimesherald.com.

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CONTENTS
APRIL 2016 | VOL. 3, ISSUE 2

EDITORS PAGE

The only thing Ive ever

known
By Lindsay Owens

21 NEW BUILDING,

25

UNCHANGING
SERVICE

Blesch Bros. Equipment

Company keeps customer
first in new facility
By Lindsay Owens

MR. AND MRS.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kent and Diane Mason find
careers in parallel positions
By Mike Myers

THE NATURAL SIDE

OF THINGS
Dragons and rattlesnakes
and adders ... Oh, my!
By Terri Talarek King

HAPPINESS ON
HORSEBACK
Meredith Graber, one of the
countrys top youth riders
By Lindsay Owens

12 DOWN ON THE
FARM

Ole Rex
By John Stoll

13 WOVEN INTO
HISTORY

Hammelman farm a success

story since Civil War
By Rama Sobhani

16 THE FUNNIER SIDE

OF FARMING

Navigating (this) ag downturn

By Damian Mason

Photo by Lindsay Owens

17 THE ROUND BARN

Daviess County landmark

celebrated during Indianas
Bicentennial
By Lindsay Owens

19 MY RURAL ROOTS
Moon folklore
By Angie J. Mayfield

20 IN SEASON
Rhubarb growing tips
By Lindsay Owens

Photo by Lindsay Owens

20 CALENDAR

USDA grant writing

workshop, Grouseland dinner

25 HOBBS

HAMPSHIRES
Brother-sister duo breed and
show flock with success
By Lindsay Owens

21

28 GOOD TO THE
EARTH

North Daviess FFA goes to

state finals, Shoals hosts state
FFA president

ON THE COVER: The

Photo by Lindsay Owens

Hammelman family on their farm.

| PHOTO BY MATT GRIFFITH

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

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Mr. and Mrs.

EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR

But for Kent and Diane Mason, that

is a routine that hits closer to home
than it does for most folks.
The Masons are both career employees with the Farm Service Agency,
and have for years now held the exact
same position with FSA. Most recently,
the couple moved to Indiana after a
stint working side by side in the FSA
state office in Springfield, Illinois.
Kent Mason is the county executive director for the Daviess-Martin
FSA office in Washington. Diane holds
the same position in the Knox County
FSA office in Vincennes, where the
couple has resided since moving to
Indiana a year ago after the director
positions in each county came open at
the same time.

(FARMERS ARE)
SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS PEOPLE,
THEY GET THINGS
DONE, THEYRE
SELF STARTERS.
THEY WANT TO BE
SUCCESSFUL. THAT
IS ONE THING THAT
I SEE CONSISTENT
IN EVERY COUNTY I
HAVE EVER BEEN IN.
Diane Mason

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

Kent and Diane Mason find careers

in parallel positions with FSA

By Mike Myers
ITS 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.
6 | APRIL 2016
p6-7Masons.indd 1

Each Mason offers a unique perspective on how they handle having

the same responsibilities at work.
Were no different than a lot of
spouses who go home and talk about
their days activities. In our case, were
able to have a full understanding of
what the other went through during
the day; we both went through the
same type of things, said Kent. When
we talk about what happened at work,
the other knows it, and we kind of
strengthen each other.
The first day on vacation we still
talk about work. Then we have five
days that we talk about life, said Diane.
Then the day before we got back to
work we start talking about work again.
We can leave work behind. We debrief,
we have our lives away from work, and
then we gear back up at work.
Kent, a native of Albion, Illinois,
grew up on the farm. Diane, an Evansville native, was raised in the city.
They met in 1999 at an FSA function
in Springfield, Illinois and discovered
they were working only 15 miles apart
in Albion and Mt. Carmel respectively.
There are roughly 500 employees
in the state, and we found out we were

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3/22/16 11:57 AM

About the Farm

Service Agency

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

only 15 miles apart for several years

apart, said Kent.
A friendship began, and then they
applied for and accepted open executive 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 Illinois and Indiana respectively led them
to the open director positions here in
Daviess and Knox counties.
We both had a strong desire (to
get closer to home). Whenever youre
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 weve
kind 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 constant among those who they serve.
I have seen that to be true everywhere, that farmers have their own
culture. Even the northern farmers
versus the southern farmers in the
same county can have their own subset culture, said Diane. But one thing
that is consistent is theyre successful
business people, they get things done,
theyre self starters. They want to be
successful. That is one thing that I see
consistent in every county I have ever
been in.

FSA was created after several

other United States Department
of Agriculture agencies merged
and was set up in 1994.
Mission statement: Farm
Service Agency is equitably
serving all farmers, ranchers,
and agricultural partners
through the delivery of effective,
efficient agricultural programs
for all Americans.
Agency/Internal Vision: A
customer-driven agency with
a diverse and multi-talented
work force, dedicated to
achieving an economically and
environmentally sound future for
American Agriculture.
Societal/External Vision: A
market-oriented, economically
and environmentally sound
American agriculture delivering
an abundant, safe, and
affordable food and fiber
supply while sustaining quality
agricultural communities.

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

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THE NATURAL SIDE OF THINGS

Dragons and Rattlesnakes
and Adders ... Oh, My!
By Terri Talarek King

ITS 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 wildflowers white,
yellow, pink. A
gentle breeze
rustles your hair.
You have nothing
more to worry
about than early
mosquitoes.
Or, do you?
This woodland might be inhabited by dragons,
rattlesnakes and adders, and other
dangerous-sounding creatures!
Dangerous-sounding is the key.
Im only speaking of some unusual but
common spring plants: Green Dragon,
Rattlesnake fern and Adders-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 dracontium) is a flowering plant named
for the long spathe that encircles a
long, narrow spadix, reaching out

from roughly a half-circle of leaflets. A

spathe is a modified leaf. The spadix 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-Pulpit. Neither has flowers that look like
flowers.

Rattlesnake fern
Rattlesnake fern (Botrychium
virginianus) has a fertile (spore-bearing), 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.

Adders-Tongue fern is a primitive fern

that is hard to spot.| PHOTO CREDIT:
WIKIMEDIA.ORG

Adders-Tongue fern
Adders-tongue fern (Ophioglossum 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 near
the top. Sometimes curving, this frond
resembles a snakes tongue. This is a
very primitive fern.
This spring, take the children or
some friends into the woods, searching

Rattlesnake ferns fertile stalk

resembles a rattlesnake tail. | PHOTO
CREDIT: ILLINOISFLOWERS.INFO

for dragons, rattlesnakes and adders. While you are at it, maybe you
will see some corals and oysters,
both elegant, unusual-looking fungi.
Who says theres nothing exotic in
our woodlands?

For more information

Fern Finder: A Guide to Native
Ferns of Central and Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada; Anne
C. Hallowell and Barbara G. Hallowell;
Nature Study Guild Publishers; 2001.
Mushrooms of North America; Orson K. Miller, Jr.; E.P. Dutton; 1981.
Newcombs Wildflower Guide;
Lawrence Newcomb; Little, Brown and
Company.

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

8 | APRIL 2016
p8NaturalSideApr16.indd 1

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 grow
organic educator.

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3/22/16 11:37 AM

Happiness
on

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

Meredith Graber, one of the countrys top youth riders

By Lindsay Owens

WHEN MEREDITH GRABER was little, her

father, Bob, tried tirelessly to get his daughter
interested in motorcycles and bikes, but it just
wasnt for her.
It was the helmet. I just didnt 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 what
shed always wanted.
We didnt 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 Celebration of Champions last month in Fort Worth,
Texas, with a world championship title in tow,
her fourth saddle in roughly one years 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 Corydon 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 competitions 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
444
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x APRIL 2016 | 9
3/22/16 11:48 AM

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. | PHOTOS
BY LINDSAY OWENS

requested pattern and turning the

cow.
Ive 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 wed
try it.
Meredith has caught the eye of

some big names in the horse world,

said Janell. She works very hard and
shes had some great people helping
her along the way.
In addition to competing across the
county, Meredith has also participated
in the ring during the annual Daviess
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 were
still fast enough to master the cattle, which were range-bred and often a bit
on the wild and dangerous side. The horses didnt just make managing the
herd 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 of
cow 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.
10 | APRIL 2016
p9-11MeredithGraber.indd 2

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3/22/16 11:48 AM

Spending hours each week riding

at home or with her current trainer,
Ben Bowman of Sandborn, Meredith,
whos earned a plethora of ribbons,
trophies and belt buckles that line
the walls of the garage and one room
of the familys home, remains very
humble.
I dont really strive for the material things, she said, adding that she
enjoys meeting people at the competitions just as much as she enjoys the
actual 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 National Reined Cow Horse Association
Stakes.
I couldnt do this without the help
and support of my family and my trainers, said Meredith, adding that local
farrier Nathan Jones has also been a
big supporter of her endeavors.
I really love what I do.

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

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

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

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DOWN ON THE FARM

Ole Rex

By John H. Stoll
I AM NOT someone who has
a 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 Indiana farm.
Rex was a
Blue Heeler, a
breed of dog that
is high-energy,
clever, and active.
The website Dogster.com describes
Blue Heelers as
like most herders, they can be
one-person dogs.
They also have a
unique independence, not requiring
much in the way of cuddling or affection. Though tough and resolute, they
will definitely appreciate positive feedback and good treatment. They dont
bark too much, but they are still very
protective of the home. Blue Heelers
can be cautious and wary qualities
that make them excellent watchdogs.
They are also friendly and loving companions.
Certainly, most of the attributes
above described Rex perfectly. He was
my brothers 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 that
had 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
12 | FEBRUARY 2016
p12JohnStollApr16.indd 1

thinking that Dad had been gone long

until she had lured him far away from
enough that Rex wouldnt bother to
her nest; then she would take flight
follow him. She was wrong, in a good
and leave the disappointed dog below.
way. Dad had settled himself into his
I dont remember him ever catching
tree stand to wait for fresh venison to
a bird but I also dont remember him
come wandering by when he heard
ever quit trying.
the crack of a twig. Looking intently
Rex was the boss on the farm. All
now, he soon discovered a nice doe
the animals had great respect for his
come running down the path beside
short, sharp nips at their heels. He
which he had stationed his tree stand.
would dart in and nip at the horses
Trotting only a few yards behind was
heels, then immediately flatten himself
faithful ole Rex. Dad says he had his
on the ground. The horses instant
tongue hanging out with his head
reactions were to unleash a vicious
down looking for all the world like he
kick; but, of course, they seldom made
did when he was sent to bring the
contact as their rump and legs were
cows home at milking time. His status
kicking up and Rex was hunkered
in the family was elevated even more
down. However, we had one old red
after that.
Belgian mare whose name was Sheila
And yes, Rex was a loving dog.
who was too fat and lazy to kick up.
Like
most dogs, he longed to be near
Her rump never got far off the ground
his master. On summer Sundays,
when she jumped, so her kicks were
sitting in a chair in the shade of the
more horizontal. There were times
maples, Rex loved to lie at your feet.
when her powerful feet made contact
Always there, always ready to bid his
with ole Rex. We kids referred to that
masters call.
as ole Rex got his bell rung again.
I remember
Rexs favorite
summer napping place
under the big
maple tree in
the front yard.
He had dug a
hole through
the grass and
into the cool
earth below and
would nestle
there for a nap
in the hot, sweltering days of
summer.
I vividly
remember Dad
coming out of
the house after
his short lunchtime siesta, yelling, Sic em! in
Ole Rex was high-energy, protective and resolute. | PHOTO
a loud, excited
SUBMITTED BY JOHN STOLL
voice, and Rex
would jump
straight up out
his bed and hit the ground running,
While not employed on the family
looking for something to chase.
farm, John does enjoy helping out his
Dad once tied ole Rex to the hitchbrothers during planting and harvest
ing rail and donned his hunting cap
seasons. He is very appreciative of
and shotgun and headed off for the
his heritage and is thankful he was
woods to hunt deer. After a time, Mom
given the opportunity to be raised a
farm boy.
took pity on ole Rex and untied him,

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3/22/16 12:08 PM

Woven into history

THE FAMILY HAMMELMAN may be the perfect
archetype of a success story in Knox County.
What started as a small farm belonging to a
family of German immigrants has turned into
a multi-generational story of prosperity that
now encompasses thousands of farm acres,
agricultural support operations and, perhaps
most importantly, closeness among a family thats
proliferated since the Civil War.
By Rama Sobhani 444

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

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3/22/16 12:03 PM

Hammelman farm
growing success
since 1864

RANDY HAMMELMANS
FAMILY may be the perfect
picture within a picture.
Randy, his wife, Ramona,
and their five children are
the 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,

14 | APRIL 2016

Randy Hammelman has happy memories of farming alongside his

father, Ronald, who expanded the farm over the years to its current
size.

150 or 200 years.

The family farm started
as a 40-acre farm and is now
in its fifth generations, Hammelman said. That 40 acres
went through the second
generation of the family, then
my grandfather had 100 acres.
My dad, Ronald, expanded
the farm around 1961. He
bought ground a little at a
time and when I was in high
school, it was about 1,000
acres.
When Randy took up the
plow as a teenager, he said,
the farm had grown to about
1,500 acres and when he took
it over completely in 2008, he
increased it to where it stands
now at about 2,000.
Ive got to give my dad
credit for expanding the farm
to where it is now, Hammelman 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 about
25 years. Aside from making
a living growing corn and

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3/22/16 12:03 PM

soybeans, for the most part, he and his

family spend very much of their time
involved with local schools and youth
programs and thats 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 children
are involved.
Its coaching that gets Hammelman 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, Reese, 13, started dribbling a ball when
he was younger.
Hammelman said when he was
first solicited by the coaching staff at

Reese takes time to feed the cows in the

early morning.

the North Knox School Corporation to

be a coach, he was a bit reluctant, but
agreed to help out in any other capacity. But after getting into it and spending 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 children found to be a difficult situation to
adapt to.
I dont think so. Im hard on them,
but they enjoy it, he said.
The familys humble beginnings in
1864, when the entirety of the livestock
was a horse and a cow, couldnt be
more starkly contrasted to present-day
farming.
Technology has been the biggest
thing. It used to be that farming was
physically demanding, now its more
mentally stressful, Hammelman said.
Youve got to be thinking about what
youve got into it, whether it rains
youve 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 were 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 mantle. The memories Randy has of learning the trade with his father are very
fond ones and something he thinks he
and 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 dont
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 Id be
tickled to death if he did.
With two younger children, 11-yearold Reegan and three-month-old Ryplee, the Hammelmans seem to have a
fairly good chance of their family farm
continuing into the future, still tied to
the land on which it started. Randys
perception of just how deep and interesting is his connection to area history
is that he doesnt perceive it much
until prompted.
This is my life, its what I know.
My dad used to wave at everybody
and Id say, How do you know so
many people? and hed say to me,
One day youll know them all, too.
Now my son asks me the very same
question.
GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p13-15HammelmanFarm.indd 3

x APRIL 2016 | 15
3/22/16 12:03 PM

THE FUNNIER SIDE OF FARMING

Navigating (this) ag
downturn

By Damian Mason
FARMERS HEAD TO the fields
this spring facing a third consecutive year of revenue declines. USDA
projects 2016 net farm income at $55
billion a 56 percent decrease from
ags banner year of 2013.

Im only slightly kidding. According to Food Business News,

specialty food sales grew 19 percent
from 2012-2014, surpassing $100
billion. The definition of specialty
food? Products of premium quality
that may be made by small or local
manufacturers, feature ethnic flavor,
or contain the best available ingredients.
Bonus you can charge a premium for non-mass produced food.
Remember, commodities are sold on
price; unique products are sold on
value proposition.

Double down on business

practices

Before you jump head first off

your grain leg, a little perspective:
2013 was amazingly good. So was
2012, despite the drought. Basically,
2006 through 2013 was a remarkable
era in farm country.
So, whats a crafty ag professional to do now? First, dont panic.
Secondly, consider these recommendations.

Lose the commodity

mindset
Thanks to the Internet and
affluent consumers, theres a vast
marketplace for differentiated food
products.
A beef farmer in Montana can
legitimately earn a living selling organic, grass fed, gluten-free, certified
humane, brushed by his daughter,
blessed by a Rabbi, spoken to in
Swahili, steers named after British
poets, to customers in Boston.
16 | FEBRUARY 2016
p16FunnierFarmingApr16.indd 1

Farming is a business and a lifestyle. Unless you run it as a business,

there will be no lifestyle.
Have you met with your lawyer
to update your estate plan? Are your
insurances in place, guaranteeing adequate coverage should catastrophe
strike?
How is your banking relationship? You need a financial partner
you can count on when margins are
tight. Theres always another bank
whod love your business.
Three years into decreasing crop
prices merits a meeting with your
landlords. (And thats painful for me
to say because I am one!) Yes, cash
rents and land prices have downside
on the horizon.
Now is an excellent time to
strengthen partnerships with your
vendors. Three years ago, a few dollars of input costs could blow in the
wind; today, that could be your profit
margin.

Shake hands with the

reality of agricultural
production
Hugely profitable cycles in agriculture are the exception, not the
rule. I remember the boom years of

the 1970s, although it was from afar.

We were a small dairy farm, without
significant assets, and limited grain
production. But I remember the
boom.
More importantly, I remember
the bust of the 1980s high interest
rates, huge surpluses, bankruptcy
auctions, the PIK program, and imploding land prices.
As an industry, weve been way
worse off than we are today.
Agriculture isnt a bad business.
Its a commodity business. From
copper to corn, cattle to crude oil,
commodities are cyclical. Its the
reality of what we do.

The bright side

They say a rising tide floats all
boats, which really means, Its easy
to make money when everyones
making money.
Well, the tides out. You can long
for the good old days or you can
use this downturn to make yourself
stronger. If its any consolation, Im
pulling for you!
Damian Mason delivers insights on
the business of agriculture at meetings throughout North America. Find
him at www.damianmason.com

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

3/18/16 10:05 AM

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 Indianas 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 landmark

celebrated during
Indianas Bicentennial
THE TOP 10 barns were selected
based on architectural and historical
features, aesthetics, character and
condition, geographic distribution and
construction demonstrating Indianas
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 are

winners and we in Indiana are grateful
for the stewardship the barn owners
demonstrate in keeping our heritage
alive, said CEO of Indiana Landmarks
Marsh Davis.
Betsy Jones, project coordinator,
said that honorable mentions in the
contest will be announced in the coming months.
We were blown away by the level
of pride that jumped off the entry
forms and photos, said Jones. The
stories the owners shared about their
barns exuded family history, pride and
a genuine love of those barns.
A true circular barn built in 1908,
the T.C. Singleton round barn is 64 feet
in diameter, with a central driveway
behind the two main doors. The barn
stands on a concrete foundation and is
constructed of a wood frame clad with
board and batten siding. Louvered
vents and several small windows
adorn the exterior.
On the inside, the barn features a
space for livestock on the ground level
as well as a capacious hay loft under
a three-pitch gambrel roof and a corn
crib.
Barber said what may be one of
the most unique things about the barn
is that more than 100 years later, the
descendants of Singleton still use the
barn much like it was used when it
was originally constructed.
Tom Singletons grandchildren
and great-grandchildren continue the
proud tradition of maintaining the
barn, said Barber, who said the barn
also has several stories to tell.
One story even put the barn on the
map in the 1920s. According to local
history in 1925, Klu Klux Klan grand
dragon D.C. Stephenson, was tried
and convicted of the kidnapping, rape
and murder of Madge Oberholtzer, a
state education official. After not being
pardoned by Governor Edward L. Jackson, Stephenson, in an act of revenge,
leaked documents to the Indianapolis
News that identified numerous state
and locally elected officials that were
bankrolled by the KKK. Stephenson,
Barber said, eventually told officials
the supporting documents were hidden in two black boxes in the round
barn.
Singleton had no knowledge of
the boxes and no ties to the KKK but
nonetheless, in July 1927, the Marion
County deputy prosecuting attorney
Emsley W. Johnson, Sr., met with Stephensons friend L.G. Julian to recover
444
the secret boxes.

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p17-18RoundBarn.indd 1

x APRIL 2016 | 17
3/23/16 4:40 PM

Emsley was a nephew by marriage to Thomas Singleton, said

Barber, adding it was probable that
Stephenson arranged with Julian to
have the boxes secured in a remote location 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-affiliated
elected officials and led to the demise
of the KKKs political power in the
state.
But thats 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 University of Illinois.
In the letter, the professor was
inquiring about the usefulness of the
round barn, she said. Im not sure
what my great-grandfathers 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 shed 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

18 | APRIL 2016
p17-18RoundBarn.indd 2

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

located on the dairy campus.

I couldnt 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), Casey
Knigga (Ohio County), Roy Burchman
(Porter County) and Rebecca Rouch
(St. Joseph County).
The contest is over, but barns can
still be added to the registry by visiting
www.200indianabarns.com. Barns
added to the registry will be recorded
for history and be part of a pending
traveling exhibit.

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

3/23/16 4:40 PM

MY RURAL ROOTS
Moon folklore: A foundation for
farming
By Angie J. Mayfield

IM A SIXTH-GENERATION
farmer, so Ive heard my share of
folklore, old wives tales, predictions,
or superstitions what you call them
depends on the person, their storytelling 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 moon
stems from the simple belief that the
moon governs moisture. Pliny the
Elder, the First-Century Roman naturalist, 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
theres a lot of wisdom in most of those
predictions, so I follow many myself. I
was always told to wait until the first
week of May to plant or Id 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 moons phases have guided many a farmer and gardener in
the past, and still do today, but they
require some understanding. A moonrise occurring in the evening brings
fair weather, says one proverb, harking
back to the belief that the waning
moon (full and last quarter, which rise
in 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 during
drought 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. Dont
begin 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 theyre 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 flowering bulbs and vegetables that bear

crops below ground during the dark,

or waning, of the moon from the day
after it is full to the day before it is new
again. Old-time farmers swear that
this practice results in larger, tastier
harvest and I agree.
My grandparents had a whole
slew of ways to predict weather and
winters from animals to persimmons
to the moon. I remember that a white
ring around the moon predicted foul
weather. However, Id never heard
there was a relationship between
the age of the moon and the birth of
babies until I did some research. The
age of the moon refers to a specific
point in the lunar cycle, with the day
of the new moon being zero, the next
day one, and so on. (The moon waxes
for 14-plus days, and after full it wanes
for 14-plus days). Supposedly, all of a
womens children will be born, besides
premature and planned caesarean,
around the same age of the moon. I
checked out the age of the moon for
the day of my birth and my brothers
plus my own kids and found only a 1-3
day difference. Interesting!
Regardless of your own beliefs or
practices, farming by the moon cant
hurt any. They may be just old wives
tales, but theyve been used to feed
families for generations.
Angie J. Mayfield is an Associate
Professor at Vincennes University, author,
equestrian, and organic farmer who lives
near Loogootee, Indiana. She can be
contacted at profmayfield@yahoo.com

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p19MyRuralRootsApr16.indd 1

x APRIL 2016 | 19
3/18/16 10:18 AM

IN SEASON
Rhubarb growing tips

Colorful vegetable popular at farmers market

By Lindsay Owens

RHUBARB. IT SEEMS most either

love or hate this stalky vegetable. Yes,
I said vegetable even though its most
commonly used in desserts.
Surprisingly, I sell quite a lot of
rhubarb at the farmers market. In fact,
regardless of how much I pull on market
mornings, it always seems to be the first
thing to sell out. I (I guess this should really be we because in theory, the plants are
my grandpas) have quite a few rhubarb
plants. We raise Victoria rhubarb and
many are surprised by just how sweet it
is even though its typically more green
than red.
While nearly every book or website
offers up different information on growing
rhubarb, there are a few tips Ive found for
getting the most out of your crop whether
you have one plant or 21 plants.
1. Do not pull stalks from first-year
plants. In some cases, if the plants
are growing rapidly, you can pull a
few stalks but be sure you leave at
least three to four healthy ones.
2. Always harvest stalks by pulling

from bottom of the plant and be

sure to keep the leaves away from
animals (they are poisonous).
3. Stop picking your crop before
July 4. Why July 4? Just like with
other perennial crops, some years the
produce comes off later than others.
By July 4, Ive typically been able
to harvest enough rhubarb for the
freezer and my customers without
over picking the plants. This gives
plants enough time to recoup before
the weather turns cool and they die
down as well.
I typically make rhubarb crisp with a
crumb topping but stumbled across this
recipe for rhubarb custard bars one of my
customers gave me. I cant wait to try it.
Rhubarb custard bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
FILLING:
2 cups sugar
7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 large eggs, beaten

5 cups finely chopped fresh or frozen
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 sugar; cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into a greased
13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 for 10
minutes.
Meanwhile, for filling, combine sugar
and flour in a bowl. Whisk in cream and
eggs. Stir in the rhubarb. Pour over crust.
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. Cover
and chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 dozen.

CALENDAR
APRIL 4

APRIL 27

MAY 13-14

USDA Agriculture Marketing

Service grant writing workshop

Knox County Chamber of

Commerce Breakfast Bandwagon

Spring Fest and Rail Fest

1 p.m. 6 p.m, Indianapolis. Register by

calling 765-494-0349.

Vincennes University Student Union, 7 a.m.

Sponsored by Burkhart Insurance.

APRIL 4 9

APRIL 27

Coon Hunters Professional Kennel

Club Spring Super Stakes

Grouseland annual dinner

Sullivan County 4-H Fairgrounds. Call 812562-0874 for more information.

APRIL 9

The Korean Orchestra concert

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

APRIL 16

4-River Forestry Committee Nature

Fest

MAY 25

Knox County Chamber of

Commerce Breakfast Bandwagon

Vincennes University Green Activities

featuring master artisan and American long
rifle builder Marvin Kemper. Tickets and
more information available by calling 812882-2096.

Vincennes University Green Activity Center,

noon. Sponsored by Good Samaritan
Hospital.

MAY 7

French Commons, Vincennes.

Waapaahsiki Siipiiwi Indiana

Mounds Celebration of the Future

MAY 28

Fairbanks. Music, ancient stories and more.

Call 812-696-2731 for more information.

Ferdinand State Forest, all day.

20 | APRIL 2016

Downtown Washington. Vendors, food and

more.

MAY 28-29

Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous

Opening Day of the Vincennes

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

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p20CalendarInSeasonApr16.indd 1

3/19/16 10:20 AM

NEW BUILDING,

UNCHANGING
SERVICE
Blesch Bros. Equipment Company
in Odon keeps customer first in
new facility

Above, Blesch Bros. opened its new 25-acre facility

near Odon in November. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS
The Blesch Bros. staff includes, from left, Ethan
Lubbehusen, Devon Summers, Beverly Riker, Brian
Held, Daniel Chestnut, Gary Brashear, Jeremiah
Wagler, Brandon Hess, Max Burkhart, Jon Heidinger
and 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 didnt have a bigger office,
said Hess, as he looked out his window
and onto the showroom floor. I wanted 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 facility 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 occupied into its new one with 25 acres,

doesnt mean the way the company

does business has changed.
Weve always tried to drive home
that in todays agriculture world, stores
can get bigger and bigger but sometimes as they get bigger and bigger,
they forget whats most important
and thats knowing and serving the
customers, said Hess, adding that
the total number of employees at both
Blesch Bros. locations totals around
45. I like to say we are big enough to
serve but small enough to know who
you are. Thats really important.
Offering New Holland Agriculture,
444
New Holland Construction,

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p21-23BleschBros.indd 1

x APRIL 2016 | 21
3/23/16 4:44 PM

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

Kinze, Capello, Kuhn Krause, UM Unverferth, Rhino, Bush Hog, Westfield,

Penta, County Clipper, Salford and McFarlane 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

22 | APRIL 2016
p21-23BleschBros.indd 2

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 Odon

area but all the way over in Illinois and
clear up to the Cloverdale and Greencastle area.
In addition to equipment sales,
Blesch Bros., also offers a full line of
parts as well as both in store and

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

3/23/16 4:44 PM

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

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 equipment 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. Its important to make those
connections.
Helping Hess in the sales department is Brian Held, who has more than
30 years of agricultural experience
and joined the sales department in

Senior
night

$ 99

Every Wed. Evening 4-8 PM Ages 55+

True Homemade Amish Buffet

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

gaSthof flea Market

Officially opens for the season Sat., April 2nd

+ Drink

~GIFT SHOPS~
The Blue Door, The Pig & Fiddle
Buffet Restaurant & Bakery
Village Inn Banquets & Catering

2014. The Blesch Bros. team in Odon

also consists of Hess wife, Susan,
and Beverly Riker in the office; Gary
Brashear and John Heidinger in the
parts department; and Ethan Lubbehusen, Devon Summers, Daniel Chestnut,
Jeremiah Wagler, and Max Burkhart in
the service department.

GROUPS
WELCOME
Call ahead
for parties of
10 or more.

Open every Tues., Wed., & Sat. 9 AM-3 PM

April thru Nov. 5th

$
Limit 4 adults per coupon. Offer good Mon.-Sat. 4-8
pm. Not valid with senior discount or Senior Night
promotion. Not valid with any other coupon, discount or promotion. Expires 4/30/16. Growing Mag.

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GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p21-23BleschBros.indd 3

x APRIL 2016 | 23
3/23/16 4:44 PM

 C OME JU DGE

for Yourself.

GOLFERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD COME TO CHALLENGE THE JUDGE and the two other golf courses in Prattville at RTJ Capitol Hill. Bring your clubs
and 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
guest rooms overlooking the Senator golf course. With the Marriotts 20,000 square feet of meeting space, 96 guest rooms and luxurious Presidential
Cottage combined with three world-class golf courses, business and pleasure can definitely interact in Prattville.

THE ROBERT TRENT JONES GOLF TRAIL AT CAPITOL HILL is home of the Yokohama Tire LPGA Classic on the Senator Course
September 18 to 24, 2014. The Marriott Prattville is part of the Resort Collection on Alabamas Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
Visit www.rtjgolf.com or call 800.949.4444 to learn more.

p24RTJApr16.indd 1
RTJ746JudgePRATT_CNHIMags.indd 1

3/22/16 1:10 PM
3/28/14 12:17 PM

Brother-sister duo
show, breed small
flock with success

By Lindsay Owens

Hobbs Hampshires

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 and
begins 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 preveterinary 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 project 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 successful 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 the
Round Robin at the fair.

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

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 American 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.

Its a lot of work sometimes, said

Tommy, who said luckily this year, the
lambs werent born during inclement
weather like they often are. But its always exciting when one youve raised
wins whether its at the state fair or a
national show.
Hampshire sheep, which Diane and
Tommy said are known more for their
meat than wool are hornless and grow
quickly but to help prepare
444

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p25-27Hobbs.indd 1

x APRIL 2016 | 25
3/22/16 1:00 PM

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 NAILE
1st place Crossbred Ewe Lamb Indiana State
Fair
Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair
Exhibited by: Hobbs Hampshires
Bred By: Hancock Hampshires
Retained by: Hobbs 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
Exhibited by: Diane Hobbs
Bred By: Hancock Hampshires
Retained by: Hobbs Hampshires
Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair
Exhibited by: Diane Hobbs
Bred By: Hancock Hampshires
Retained by: Hobbs Hampshires
2012
2nd place Hampshire Ewe Lamb NAILE
Reserve Grand CommercialEwe Indiana State
Fair (Open)
Reserve Supreme Ewe Knox County Fair
Exhibited by: Hobbs Hampshires
Bred By: Hancock Hampshires
Retained by: Hobbs Hampshires

26 | APRIL 2016
p25-27Hobbs.indd 2

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

the animals for the show ring, the

siblings begin working with them
when they are just a few days old.
Its 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 youll be. Its just not
something you can work on the
month before or a few weeks before
the show.
While having a small flock
means the sheep become more like

pets than traditional livestock, the

Hobbs siblings said they are always
happy to share their love of Hampshire sheep.
Its really hard to not get attached sometimes, said Diane, adding the new lambs will be available
for purchase through their website
www.hobbshampshires.com in the
coming weeks.
But Tommy is quick to point out
as much as they love their sheep,
they love sharing what theyve
learned with others interested in
showing.
We had a lot of help getting
starting and its always fun to share

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

3/22/16 1:00 PM

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

what youve learned, said Tommy,

who said its important to do your
research before jumping into raising sheep or any type of livestock.
But its also important to realize
just how much work they can be.
If you want to show, dont
be afraid to ask questions, said
Diane, who said those wanting
to get started with sheep should
also buy from a successful,
reputable breeder.

Lambs on the Hobbs farm. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS

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GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p25-27Hobbs.indd 3

x APRIL 2016 | 27
3/22/16 1:00 PM

GOOD TO THE EARTH

North Daviess FFA advances to State Finals
Submitted by Gary Stuckey
Seventeen members from the North
Daviess Future Farmers of America
traveled to Boonville High School on
March 3 to participate in the annual

FFA leadership contests. There were 17

schools and more than 200 members
from District 10 participating that evening.North Daviess members competed in 25 contests that night and placed
first in nine contests, second in four and

third in two. The members in the nine

contests that placed first will advance
to the state finals at Purdue University
in June.This is a new record for North
Daviess in the state finals.The FFA
members advisor is Mr. Gary Stuckey.

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, participantin 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 quiz
bowl; Emily Remsburg, third in quiz bowl; Abbie Neukam, first in agriculture processing proficiency, first in turf grass proficiency, participant in
agricultural 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, second
in freshman public speaking; Cole Roark, third in traditional scrapbook; Deion Archer, first in horticulture demonstration, first in natural resources
demonstration, 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

INDIANA CORN MARKETING COUNCIL LOOKING FOR BOARD MEMBERS

The Indiana Corn Marketing
Council is seeking Indiana corn
producers interested in serving on
its board of directors. The ICMC
manages corn checkoff investments and determines promotional, educational and research activities that can strengthen Indianas
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 ICMCs
Annual Elections in August 2016.
28 | APRIL 2016

p28-30GoodToEarthApr16.indd 1

District 1. The counties of Lake,

Porter, LaPorte, Starke, Pulaski, Jasper, White, Benton, and Newton.
District 4. The counties include
Warren, Tippecanoe, Montgomery, 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 board

of directors are required to be
registered voters, at least 18 years
of age, and corn producers in Indiana. To be a candidate, you need
to fill out and sign a petition form.
It is available at County Extension offices, at www.incorn.org/
elections, or by calling the Indiana
Corn office at 317-644-2791.
Petitions must be returned to the
ICMC office and postmarked before June 30, 2016.

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

3/22/16 1:04 PM

Celebrating the
Future Farmers
of America
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 wasnt the only
unusual challenge taking place
in Gary Stuckeys 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
Washingtons 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, appreciation
activities 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 Conference 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 members
with experiences outside of the
classroom through the application of skills learned inside the
classroom.
Its really a positive experience, 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, Ive
decided I want to be a welder.
The FFA welding contests have
really challenged me and make
me want to be the best
that I can.
444

At Beacon Ag, we are

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

Shoals hosts FFA

state president

The Shoals High School Future Farmers of

American hosted Indiana State FFA president
Kenzie Kretzmeier, a member of the Benton
Central FFA during National FFA Week. | PHOTO
SUBMITTED BY DANIELLE TURPIN

We understand the importance of family and

farming traditions, and well bring safety, security,
and a personal approach to your table. At Beacon, we
keep our promises. Its about being dependable and
doing what we said we were going to doprotecting
and taking care of you.
Put your trust in usyour
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

(800) 825-6703 |
www.beaconaggroup.org
GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

p28-30GoodToEarthApr16.indd 2

APRIL 2016 | 29

3/22/16 1:04 PM

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

Daviess County students attend

Young Ladies of Agriculture
By Jane Ann Beard
SEVEN DAVIESS COUNTY high
school students attended the Young
Ladies of Agriculture conference held
Feb. 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

30 | APRIL 2016

p28-30GoodToEarthApr16.indd 3

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 career
options available along with a panel
presentation from Midwest Women in
Ag attendees. Dinner speaker was Kenzie Kretzmeier, Indiana Future Farmers

of America State President.

Five of the local young women,
Abbie Neukam, Jessa Newby, Carrie Winklepleck, Abby Holstine, and
Megan Nowling attend North Daviess
High School and are active in the
schools FFA chapter. Some of the girls
are also active in 4-H as well as other
related activities. The other two young
women attending were Gracen Jarrett
and Claire Jarrett from Washington
Catholic High School. While Washington Catholic does not offer an agriculture program, the Jarretts raise cattle
and are active in 4-H.

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

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