growing october 2015

DORNEYS PUMPKIN PATCH GROWING SMORES AND SMILES

ANGEL UNAWAREBill Dinky, a force during a

time of crisis

TEACHING YOUNG FARMERS

Sullivan FFA delivers more than expected

SHARP SHOOTINGCowboy Ron Ice enjoys time for hobby he loves

OCTOBER 2015

FOURTH GRADE FARM FAIR

Daviess County students learn about farm life

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4 | OCTOBER 2015 x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

AA REALIZATION HIT me just a few weeks ago. It was something I guess I should have realized for quite a while but I hadnt. A hand-addressed letter arrived for me at home. I sort of assumed it was probably a note from someone wanting a donation or asking me to change insurance providers. It wasnt. Instead, the carefully folded white piece of paper was inviting me to a get togeth-

er of young farmers. I think I read the enclosed sheet about a half a dozen times. They think Im a farmer? I couldnt believe it. Yes, I grow things. I pick them. I drive a tractor (although some members of my family may question my ability to drive certain tractors). I can probably tell you more about what I grow in my field than you would ever want to know. But I just didnt really think about the title farmer. I thought about it more. I was still kind of questioning why I had been invited.

My grandfather, who I call Rabbit, is a farmer. At 80 years old, he works on the farm every day. He helps me plant, hoe rows, fertilize, and pick. He cultivates. He teaches me what I need to do to have better crops. In turn, I keep him on his toes with my oddball crops that require us to buy marking flags in droves so we can determine what weve got when harvest time rolls around.

A few weeks ago, my uncle was questioning the method of our madness as we were planting dozens of fall crop broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other goodies. My mom, who Ive given the title of chief tomato picker and cherry tomato connois-seur, explained to him that it was really just as much my grandfather who wanted to plant so much as it was me. We love what we do. Its not always easy but theres something about being out on tractor or in the field that gets in your blood.

My grandfather and uncle used to raise green beans and sweet corn for Stoke-lys in addition to several acres of melons and other produce used to stock our farm market. I spent a lot of time out in the fields with them moving irrigation systems and driving tractors filled with summers bounty. I guess I caught the bug early from watching them.

Since then, all Ive ever really wanted to do is grow things and share peoples stories through writing, To me, I have the best of both worlds and while we may not have 1,000s of acres of crops, I am a farmer. And if thats my biggest accomplish-ment, Im just fine with that.

*Lindsay is actually the sixth generation of farmers in her family.

Lindsay Owens, editorSend Lindsay your story ideas at [email protected].

EDITORS PAGESTAFF

Melody Brunson General Manager

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 127

Lindsay Owens Editor

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 123

Natalie ReidfordDesign Editor(812) 568-8991

Sara Hornback Advertising Sales

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 111

Kim SchoelkopfAdvertising Sales

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 116

Wanita TetreaultAdvertising Sales

(812) 254-0480, Ext. 121

Alice SchwartzGraphic Artist

PHOTOGRAPHY

Matt Griffith, Terri Talarek King, Todd Lancaster, Bill Richardson,

Kelly Overton and Lindsay Owens

WRITERS

Terri Talarek King, Damian Mason,

Angie J. Mayfield, Lindsay Owens, Bill Richardson,

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.

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4 EDITORS PAGEThey think Im a farmer?By Lindsay Owens

8 DOWN ON THE FARM

Bill Dinky, angel unawareBy John H. Stoll

9 FOURTH GRADE FARM FAIR

Daviess County students enjoy a taste of farm lifeBy Lindsay Owens

13 THE NATURAL SIDE OF THINGS

Life-giving soilBy Terri Talarek King

14 PUMPKINS, SMORES AND SMILES

Dorneys Pumpkin Patch provides fall funBy Bill Richardson

18 WELL WATER TESTING

USDA recommends residential and home water sources be testedBy Lindsay Owens

19 OPENING THE EYES OF FUTURE FARMERS

Sullivan FFA teaches farming and the club itself offers more than expectedBy Lindsay Owens

23 HORSE PROGRESS DAYS

Farmers, farriers and breeders flock to Daviess County for the latest and greatestBy Angie J. Mayfield

24 SHARP SHOOTINGHorseman and cowboy Ron Ice enjoys time to ride and competeBy Rama Sobhani

28 THE FUNNIER SIDE OF FARMING

Cover crops protect your most valuable assetBy Damian Mason

29 A NEW ERA IN IRRIGATION

Subsurface drip irrigation helps eliminate washout, evaporationBy Lindsay Owens

32 MY RURAL ROOTSFarm sharing: Neighbors

helping neighborsBy Angie J. Mayfield

33 4-H NEWSPurduettes perform to benefit Daviess County 4-HBy Lindsay Owens

34 FARM KIDS CORNER

Fall fun on the farm

35 CALENDARWalnut Grove Festival, WTH

block party

36 IN SEASONNapa cabbage and sweet potatoesBy Lindsay Owens

37 GOOD TO THE EARTH

North Daviess FFA attends state conventionSubmitted by Gary Stuckey

ON THE COVER: The signs of fall are coming to this Knox County

home. | PHOTO BY TODD LANCASTER

CONTENTSOCTOBER 2015 | VOL. 2, ISSUE 5

24

Photo by Matt Griffith

Photo by Lindsay Owens

9

38

Photo submitted by Marlene Swartzentruber

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By John H. Stoll

As a special treat to my loyal readers I have asked my dad, Dale

Stoll, to contribute to this article. The majority of the body of this article is his words. He is an avid storyteller and an accom-plished writer in his own right. He has written short stories and poems for most of his adult life with per-

haps his most famous short story, The Genuine Blue Fit, appearing in the Washington Times Herald under the column of Sharing Outdoors by Bill Quilliam. That story has since been illustrated and put into book form for preservation.

I suppose every family has them; those stories and legends handed down from generation to generation. This story is one of those. Its about a homeless man who suffered from some cognitive disabilities in the days

of my great-grandpa Wagler. The time frame is in the mid 1910s, through the flu epidemic of 1918, and for years beyond. This man, through his love and devotion, earned him a permanent earthly home on the Wagler farm. This was shortly after my great-grandpa bought this farm in 1901. My family still owns this farm; my nieces and nephews living there now and are the fifth generation of Wagler farmers to occupy this fertile hill ground. His name was Bill Dinky and his legend goes thus:

BILL DINKY WAS a homeless man. He moved about in the commu-nity on foot staying with different fam-ilies. He had a mental condition but had a heart of gold. He did not want to live in the county home; choosing to live instead with the families in the community with whom he became good friends, and they became his caretakers.

He helped do odd jobs around the farm for his room and board. He was able to throw hay down out of the hayloft and help shuck corn. He was good at splitting wood for the kitchen stove.

He once was walking along the

road after dark when he met the first vehicle he had ever seen. He jumped into the road ditch to hide and later told someone he had seen a machine with fire in its guts.

Bill wore rubber overshoes over his regular shoes. One of his many quirks was that he never took his shoes and overshoes apart.

His homelessness changed during the flu epidemic of 1918. During that time, a very severe and contagious strain of flu swept the community claiming the lives of many. Five of my ancestors died of this flu in one week. Grandma Wagler also died during this epidemic. History teaches us that this strain of the flu was brought over from Europe and the people here in the United States had little or no immunity to it.

The flu was so contagious that the funeral for one of my ancestors was held in a peculiar way. The casket with the body of the deceased was placed in front of a window and the people gathered outside for the service. The viewing took place by filing past the window where the body could be seen on the inside of the house.

Bill served as a caretaker of the sick on Grandpa Waglers farm. No one was allowed into the rooms of the sick because of the severity of it. He cared for those who were sick, going into their rooms and doing all he could when hardly anyone else was able to do so. Bill never got sick.

After the epidemic Grandpa Wagler announced that as long as Bill was alive he would have a home on the Wagler farm. He insisted on sleeping on a cot under the stairway in Grandpas house and eventually a wall was built to form a small bedroom for Bill under the staircase. Grandpas house was torn down in 2008, but up until that time you could still see Bills special bedroom.

And so concludes one of the great legends of the Wagler clan. Bill Dinky clearly was, as scripture men-tions, a stranger who was an angel unawares.

While not employed on the family farm, John does enjoy helping out his brothers there during planting and harvest seasons. He is very apprecia-tive of his heritage and is thankful he was given the opportunity to be raised a farm boy.

DOWN ON THE FARM

Bill Dinky, an angel unaware

Grandpa Waglers house. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JOHN STOLL

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GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND x OCTOBER 2015 | 9

DBy Lindsay Owens

DREARY WEATHER DIDNT stop Daviess County fourth graders from invading the 4-H grounds located in Washingtons Eastside Park on a rainy Friday in September. Organized by the Daviess County Soil and Wa-ter Conservation Districts Education Coordinator Sally Christie, the Fourth Grade Farm Fair offers students from all the county schools as well as homeschool students, a taste of farm life complete with demonstrations, live animals and more.

We have 391 fourth graders this year, said Christie as she prepared to blow a whistle for the students to move from one of the 17 stations to another. This is the 19th year for our Farm Fair. We have such wonderful support from the community and we are really fortunate that many of our speakers come back year after year.

In addition to many of the peren-nial presenters, Christie said the 2015 edition of the Farm Fair also featured three new presenters.

Weve added miniature donkeys this year and the all-terrain vehicle safety, she said. This is also Luis San-tiagos first Farm Fair.

Students made a nearly a full day out of the fair arriving just before 9 a.m. and wrapping things up just after 2 p.m.

They spend 10 minutes at each

of the stations, said Christie, who said children brought their lunch to the grounds but milk was provided by Prairie Farms. After their lunch, An-drea Bauer with A-1 K-9 and 4-H leader Kensay Mott provides a dog agility demonstration for the kids with their dogs Daphne, Ditto, Piper and Roper.

Inside the exhibit building, stu-dents learned about nutrition from Chris Clark with Daviess County Purdue Extension, heard about soil health from Extension Educator Luis Santiago, and were able to ask ques-tions about being a veterinarian to Dr. Carrie Bean. Also inside the building was JD Turpin with the White River Co-op who explained the uses of corn to students.

Moving out to the livestock barns, students met Wayne Schuetz and his two miniature donkeys.

Daviess County students enjoy a taste of farm life

Children from all Daviess County fourth-grade classes were invited to take part in Fourth Grade Farm Day. | PHOTOS BY LINDSAY OWENS

444

FOURTH GRADE FARM FAIR

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They are primarily a pet, said Schuetz as he stroked the mother donkey tenderly on her head. But they need companionship so you have to have more than one of them. Theyre pretty easy to keep too.

Just down the barn from Schuetz was Jerry Lubbehusen who talked with the students about raising goats.

Scott Armes and Jay Armes discussed raising beef cattle and pigs while Brandon and Susan Hess shared infor-mation on sheep and Jeanna Burkhart talked to students about miniature horses.

While the animal stations are al-ways popular with the fourth graders, one of the favorite stops for students

may have been the one Mark Guinn with Perdue Farms was manning.

Youll get to hold a baby turkey here, he said as the students gathered on the straw bale seating. But first Im going to tell you about how we get the turkeys.

Guinn explained to the students that the turkey eggs take about 28

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Gerald Apple, left, explains how bees make wax. Angela Quast, right, talks to students about recycling.



days to hatch and that after the tiny turkeys are vaccinated, they are sent to about 180 turkey farms, many of which are in Daviess County.

Others in the livestock barn were Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor Philip Flint who talked to the children about wheat and its uses, Angela Quast who discussed recy-cling, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Conservation Officer Blake Everhart talked about all-terrain vehi-cle safety while Adam Dumond provid-ed information on forestry and Marsha

Boyd explained why popcorn pops. Nestled away in the show arena

was beekeeper Gerald Apple. You just dont see as many bees

as you used to, he told students as he picked up a container bees are now shipped in. It used to be nothing to get 30 or 35 calls a month for bees. Now if you have to buy the bees, they are sold by the pound in these containers.

Apple said the shipping containers the lively pollinators temporarily inhab-it have a container of sugar water in

them to help the bees make wax. They drink about half a jar of sug-

ar water each day, he said before ex-plaining to the groups the importance of the queen bee. You have to have a queen. Shes very important.

While the Farm Fair means a day out of the classroom for students, it doesnt mean the information provid-ed during the field trip doesnt come back to the classroom. Many teachers integrate information discussed at the event into additional lessons in the classroom.

Clockwise from top: Canaj Ajradinoska and Jalia Sandoval help with a soil demonstration. Holding the baby turkeys is a favorite activity of many of the students. Miniature donkeys were a new feature at the Farm Fair this year. Marsha Boyd talks about the differences between field corn and popcorn.


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WBy Terri Talarek King

WHEN I TAUGHT organic gardening, my favorite topic was soil. What happens in the soil is a com-plex, well-tuned, balanced, life-giving process. The more I learn, the more fascinating it becomes.

I mean, healthy soils. Im puzzled when soil is re-ferred to as abiot-ic, maybe because I picture the kind packed with life and nutrition, dark and loamy, full of microorganisms, fungi and spaces for air and water

percolation. Most interesting is the symbiotic relationship between plant rootlets, surrounding soil, mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria, all enabling each other to efficiently absorb and share nutrients, aided by air, water, photo-synthesis, and tiny animals.

Did you know that a tablespoon of healthy soil contains 6 billion microor-ganisms? And that all of these pro-cesses help to keep carbon in the soil where it is available for plants, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere, where we have too much?

But, some actions disrupt or destroy these processes, leading to problems such as infertility, erosion, plants prone to disease and pest problems, and even desertification (a major problem in some parts of the world.) Sometimes this is caused by extractive farming taking from the soil without giving back.

Poor soil can also lead to malnutri-tion, hunger, famine, war (over arable land, potable water and food), ecosys-tem failure and climate problems (part-ly caused by the release of too much carbon.) Its all connected.

This is why the 68th United Na-tions General Assembly declared 2015 as International Year of Soils. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization, in conjunction with other groups, aims to increase awareness and understand-ing of the importance of soil for food security and essential ecosystem func-tions. It is estimated that one-third of

our worlds soils are degraded, espe-cially scary when we consider that it can take up to 1,000 years to form one centimeter of soil.

Everything makes a difference. Here at home, as both farmers and gardeners, what can we do to maintain healthy soil?

1. Avoid tilling. Tilling destroys soil structure and that special, complex web of life. Practice no-till farming and gardening.

2. Be aware of your soil condi-tion, and learn more about it.

3. Use cover crops. They protect and enrich the soil and prevent erosion. Some add nitrogen (espe-cially legumes.)

4. Mulch. This can be done with cover crops or dry materials. This keeps the soil covered, suppresses weeds, and eventually enriches.

5. Compost. Reuse cut, pulled and harvested waste material, kitch-en scraps, manure, etc. Micro- and macro-organisms will break it all down into usable form for us.

6. Fertilize naturally. Chemical fertilizers are incomplete nutrition, disrupt the relationship between plants and soil microorganisms and create dependency.

7. Contact your county Soil and Water Conservation District. They are a terrific source of advice and information for both gardeners and farmers.

8. Educate others by your example.

Books:

The Soil Will Save Us: How Scien-tists, Farmers, and Foodies are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet; Kristin Ohlson; 2014.

The Soul of Soil: A Soil-Building Guide for Master Gardeners and Farm-ers; Grace Gershuny and Joe Smillie; 1999.

Teaming With Microbes: A Garden-ers Guide to the Soil Food Web; Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis; 2006.

Websites:

www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profit-ably-3rd-Edition/Text-Version

(Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education)

www.fao.org/soils-2015/about/en

2015 International Year of Soils description and objectives

www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=49520#.Vd4cwpc8q1o

Spotlighting Humanitys Silent Ally ...

ourworld.unu.edu/en/recom-mended-reading-for-the-un-internation-sl-year-of-soils-2015

https://www.soils.org/IYSSoil Science Society of America

(SSSA)

www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/soils/edu

Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Education links

Terri Talarek King lives in Knox Coun-ty and is a naturalist and organic gardener, educator and writer. She is certified as an advanced master nat-uralist and grow organic educator.

THE NATURAL SIDE OF THINGS

Life-giving soil

A tablespoon of healthy soil contains 6 billion microorganisms. | PHOTO BY KELLY OVERTON

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MBy Bill Richardson

MOST FOLKS WILL go home with more than just a pumpkin when they pay a visit to Dorneys Pumpkin Patch.

Located just east of Lawrenceville, Illinois, on Old U.S. Route 50, Jason and Kim Dorney have operated the pump-kin patch on their family farm since 2000, with help from their sons, Austin, 20, and Slayton, 17, and a handful of part-time employees.

Selling pumpkins is a priority at the patch, from September through November. However the farm is busi-est during the month of October, when each weekend its open to guests who wish to take part in a variety of fun activities for the young and the young at heart.

Kim Dorney, a fifth-grade teacher at Lawrencevilles Parkside Elemen-tary School, says the idea came after visiting other pumpkin patches.

When they were younger we used to take the boys, and we en-joyed that, she said. Sometimes we traveled far away to do it. We thought maybe something like that would work around here, that our own community would enjoy it. It kind of developed from there.

An operation that started on a quarter-acre near the family home has gradually expanded to its present size of about seven acres.

It started out really small, said Jason Dorney, a full-time farmer who grew up on the land that contains the Pumpkin Patch. We planted mostly for ourselves, really. That first year we might have sold a few (at a roadside

stand), but that was about it.Jason stresses that unlike the corn

or soybeans he plants on the family farm, pumpkins are a high-mainte-

nance crop. He shoots for June 15 as a planting date each summer.

I cultivate them twice, he said. You have to fertilize them during the

Pumpkins,

Dorneys Pumpkin Patch

provides fall fun

Jason and Kim Dorney are busy preparing the Pumpkin Patch for visitors. | PHOTO BY BILL RICHARDSON

smores& SMILES

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growing season and spray for bugs, because the bugs will infest them and kill the plants. Theres a lot more to it than you might think.

Kim puts in her time in the patch, as well. Throughout the summer she spends countless hours in the patch with a hoe in her hands.

Thats how I get my exercise, she jokes.

The pumpkins are important, but theyre really not the main attrac-tion. What could be described as an agricultural playground draws visitors from throughout the surrounding area.

Youngsters will find more than a dozen attractions waiting on them, including a couple of slides, two mazes, a gourd slingshot, hay rides, a choo-choo train and inflatables. A concession stand is on site for those who develop an appetite or perhaps get thirsty.

Dorneys Pumpkin Patch is open every Saturday and Sunday afternoon for visitors. During the week, school buses can often be found on the prop-erty, shuttling youngsters on field trips in for a day of fun. Other groups are welcome, too, which keep the Dorneys hopping.

Sometimes the groups arent very big, Jason said. We may have only eight or 15 kids. But sometimes well have 100 or more and thats when its really busy.

Kim says the field trips are an ex-tension of her job as a teacher.

The kids are near and dear to my heart, she said. I also like to see the families out here on weekends, having fun, in an atmosphere that doesnt have all the technology.

Kim says the first-grade students from Parkside visit the Pumpkin Patch nearly every year. Classes from sur-rounding communities, such as Robin-son, Mount Carmel, Olney and Oblong, are regulars. Also, she says, students from the Knox County schools have bussed across the Wabash River in recent years.

Its not just school groups who come calling, though. Boy Scout troops have a good time, and the Dorneys plan to welcome a group from the Lawrence-Crawford Association for Exceptional Citizens this fall.

Its a lot of work, but Im okay with that, said Kim, a city girl who grew up in Lawrenceville. I love the field trips. I love it when weve got 100 kids out here, running and doing the activities, having a blast

In addition to the activities offered at Dorneys Pumpkin Patch, a variety of fall decor is also available. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY DORNEYS

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with their friends. I love to see them smiling, ear to ear.

Last fall, for the first time, the Pumpkin Patch opened a scary corn maze on Saturday evenings, to go with the Halloween season. Some of the employees donned frightening outfits with props such as chain saws to add to the experience.

It was a lot of fun, Kim said of the nighttime hours. Were going to try and continue that again this year.

DORNEYS PUMPKIN PATCH 14144 Old U.S. Highway 50Lawrenceville, IL 62439 618-943-9600

ACTIVITIES

Choo-Choo Train 20-foot slide Corn maze Small fence maze Gourd slingshot Hay rides Inflatables Dark straw crawl Corn box Gold mine Small slide Pumpkin bowling

Children always enjoy the barrel train. | PHOTO COURTESY OF DORNEYS

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When theyre finished, guests can gather around a bonfire and enjoy smores and other snacks for purchase in the concession stand.

The Dorneys realize that unless Austin or Slayton take things over the days for the patch are probably numbered.

I could see another 10 years, Jason said. But eventually we want to turn it over.

Still, that leaves plenty of time for anyone who wants to pay a visit.

Youll likely go home with a pump-kin but more importantly memories to spare.

Above, the corn box is a popular attraction at Dorneys. A variety of pumpkins, below, are available for purchase at the farm. | PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY DORNEYS

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By Lindsay Owens

IF YOU LIVE on a farm or in a rural area, theres a good chance you may have one of these and if you do, you may want to take a few minutes to consider your health. Its your well, and well, if it hasnt been tested recently, you may be surprised at what lurks in your water.

The United States Department of Agriculture recommends as part of its Good Agricultural Practices or GAP program that any source of water used for crop irrigation, frost protection, pesticide/fertilizer application or rins-ing of crops be tested. Water sources should be tested for Total coliform and E. Coli as well as Nitrate and Nitrite. The same should apply to wells used for home use too.

A lot of people have had the same well for years and theyve never had a known problem, said Kinetico repre-sentatives with Kinetico in Vincennes, which offers free water testing. The water table around here is pretty shallow and people still drive points. The shallower the well, the greater the chance of contaminants getting in the water.

The Environmental Protection

Agency recommends private water supplies be tested annually so that potential issues can be caught early on. While your well may not have been a problem in the past, it may be a good idea to have water tested if youve had recurring gastro-intestinal issues, corrosion of pipes, gas drilling or coal operations nearby, or stained plumb-ing fixtures or laundry.

A lot of people wait until their wa-

ter tastes a little off or theres a serious problem. Theres no certain time of the year thats better than another for testing your water, said Kinetico rep-resentatives. And just because a well tests okay once, doesnt mean it cant change. Wells, like everything else, can change.

For more information on water wells and potential signs of issues visit water.eps.gov/drink/info/well.

45 Vendors selling handcrafted items such as seasonal decor, polymer clay jewelry, deer antler jewelry, and bead jewelry, crochet and embroidery baby blankets, handmade soaps, doll clothes, dog biscuits and accessories, embroidered sweatshirts, purses, diaper bags, pressed flower notecards, hairbowssweets and holiday foods, various sewn items, etc.

St. John LutheranSt. John Lutheran

~ Lunch will be available from 11 am-1 pm Proceeds benefit the St. John Lutheran Youth Group ~

44TH ANNUAL

Sat., Nov. 7 9 am-4 pm 707 N 8th St., Vincennes, INAdmission Charge 50 cents or canned food donation

Art & Craft FairArt & Craft Fair

WELL WATER TESTINGUSDA recommends residential and home water sources be tested

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S

S

By Lindsay Owens

SULLIVAN HIGH SCHOOLS Future Farmers of America organization may have a rich history but its future looks even better. What started out as the Carlisle FFA decades ago became the Sullivan County FFA in the 1960s. It was in the 1980s the organization finally became known as the Sullivan FFA.

Since its inception, Sullivan County FFA members have earned 13 American Degrees, the highest level of recognition offered by the national organization as well as numerous Hoo-sier Degrees.

The number of students involved in local version of the national organi-zation has varied over the years but thanks to new affiliate memberships, Sullivan High School agriculture teach-ers and FFA advisors Jeff Miller and Kevin Cross hope to see those num-bers reach new levels.

Before the affiliate membership

came about, FFA had been treated like a club, said Cross, who, along with Miller, teaches a variety of ag-related classes ranging from landscaping to animal science and everything in between. Now to be a part of FFA, you have to be enrolled in some type of agriculture class. We are really excit-ed about the affiliate memberships. It means we have more kids involved but it also means we can have more kids out doing things in the community.

Currently, Sullivan High School has about 150 kids enrolled in agriculture classes and a large part of those stu-dents participate in other FFA affiliat-ed events including various contests, conventions and social events that bring area FFA chapters together.

Karson Harris, who serves as the secretary for the Sullivan chapter said those outings have provided him with some of his fondest memories.

The atmosphere on our trips is awesome, said Harris, who said he

always knew he wanted to be a part of FFA when he was old enough. We go on trips for area soils, livestock judging and other contests. Its always a lot of fun. I really love doing it.

Students in the chapter also go on a multi-day ag-related tour each summer.

We always go somewhere in the region and take the kids to see ag and nature resource related places, said Cross.

During the annual excursion students have visited Mammoth Cave, Fair Oaks Dairy, thoroughbred farms in Kentucky and John Deere among other places.

Part of a farm family, Harris said FFA opened even his eyes to other aspects of agriculture.

FFA has really made me realize theres a lot more to farming than just planting corn or picking beans, he said. There are things you dont even think about. FFA is more than you might expect too.

When students arent busy pre-paring for contests, like the upcoming State contest later this month, they are often found working on

OPENING THE EYES OF FUTURE FARMERSSullivan FFA teaches that farming and the club itself offers more than expected

444

Ryan Kaiser, Jackson Shott, Ellie Eslinger and Thomas Hughbanks pose for a photo in front of the red barn used as part of the Sullivan Future Farmersof America float in the Corn Festival Parade. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS

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At Midwest Ag, we are

servingag people

ag people.

We understand the importance of family and

farming traditions, and well bring safety, security,

and a personal approach to your table. At Midwest Ag,

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 futureand those that will fill your shoesdepend on it.

Loan officers Mike Cecil andBrandon Decker, and crop insurancespecialist Kallie Burke-Schuckman(812) 257-8801 |www.midwestag.com

projects that benefit the Sullivan Coun-ty community as a whole. The chapter recently opened a new public walking trail near its ag center located near

Sullivan Junior High and is currently working on developing a monarch but-terfly habitat on the grounds thanks to a fundraising opportunity offered by

Tractor Supply Company. We really want to make this a

community ag center, said Cross of the facility the students have used

Above, Sullivan High School FFA members show off the new walking trail students recently completed. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS

Top right, FFA students take a trip each summer. They recently visited a Kentucky thoroughbred farm. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY KEVIN CROSS AND JEFF MILLER

The primary fundraiser for Sullivan FFA, right, is the spring farm equipment auction. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS



since 2012. Long-term, wed love to have a community garden here but for now, we use it whenever we can.

Ellie Eslinger said the ag center serves as not only a classroom but also a place for dances, dinners and pig insemination.

We do pig insemination here every year, she said. But we use it for other things too. Right now were building our float for the Corn Festival parade here and there are classes that come out here about every day to work on something.

Eslinger said the walking trail is not only open for use by community members but is also used by the cross country team.

There are people who come out and walk the trail every day clearing branches for the runners, she said, of the trail that took years two complete with the help of a grant from the Na-tional FFA. Its really nice. Weve put up several signs identifying different types of wildlife and various plants weve found along it too.

The work done by students in the chapter expands beyond the county line too. The chapter has also been one of the main sponsors of the Wabash Valley Youth Classic swine show each June at the Wabash Valley Fair Grounds in Terre Haute.

There are a lot of kids who par-ticipate, said Miller, who is only the second agriculture teacher Sullivan High School has had. We had over 300 pigs and 255 exhibitors. Its one of the biggest shows in the state.

The chapter also assists with the annual Ag Day breakfast; hosts third grade ag day and sponsors a breakfast for faculty during National FFA Week.

We always have something going on, said Ryan Kaiser. And I like that. Were learning skills instead of sitting in a classroom.

To help cover the cost of the chap-ter trips and other expenses, alumni of the Sullivan FFA program host an an-nual farm auction each April with pro-ceeds benefitting the current students. Due to the overwhelming response of the spring sale, auctioneer Jeff Boston and the FFA alumni group will be host-ing a fall auction after Thanksgiving (see next page for details).

Our alumni are phenomenal, said Cross. They really put their heart and soul into making things possible for our kids. Our students dont have to worry about money for trips. FFA is one of those things that the more you get involved, the more you can get out of it. We want our kids to get all they can.

FFA HAS REALLY MADE ME REALIZE THERES A LOT MORE TO FARMING THAN JUST PLANTING CORN OR PICKING BEANS. THERE ARE THINGS YOU DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT. FFA IS MORE THAN YOU MIGHT EXPECT TOO.

Karson Harris

Ellie Eslinger, above, discusses signs along the FFAs new and open to the public walking trail. Eastern cottontail rabbits, right, are just one of several animals one may encounter on the trail. | PHOTOS BY LINDSAY OWENS

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SULLIVAN HIGH SCHOOL FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA ALUMNI AUCTION Submitted by Kevin Cross and Jeff Miller, Sullivan High School FFA

The Sullivan High School Future Farmers of America and FFA alumni hosts a large farmrelated auction each April with proceeds going to support current FFA members. Due to the success of the spring edition of the sale, a fall sale will be held at Sullivan County 4-H Grounds on Nov. 28 beginning at 10 a.m.

Auctioneer Jeff Boston, whose daughter Madison is member of organization, will be accepting equipment at the fairgrounds beginning on Nov. 23 and ending Nov. 26. No items will be accepted after Nov. 26. All equipment can be dropped off between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day. Items accepted include farm machinery, construction equipment, hay and livestock equipment, trucks and trailers. Unlike the spring sale, there will not be an inside sale including

small items such as power tools, used tires and wheels, and miscellaneous other items. According to the Jeff Boston Auction Service website, those who wish to have their items advertised should contact Boston no later than Nov. 7. The auction service can come to homes or business to list and photograph the items that will be sold.

For more information on the auction, contact the auction service at 812-382-4440.

INDIANAPOLIS - The National FFA Orga-nization (FFA) announced national finalists in August. Madison Boston of the Sullivan FFA was selected as a national finalist for the National

FFA Proficien-cy Award in Agricultural Services-Entre-preneurship/Placement. Boston is one of only four people chosen to compete for this award at the national finals held Oct. 28 during the 88th National FFA Conven-

tion and Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. The proficiency awards recognize outstand-

ing student achievement in agribusiness gained

through establishment of a new business, working for an existing company or otherwise gaining hands-on career experience. The Agri-cultural Services - Entrepreneurship/Placement Award is one of 49 proficiency program areas FFA members can participate in to develop valuable experience and leadership skills at the local, state and national levels. (A description of the proficiency area is attached.)

Boston, a member of the Sullivan FFA Chapter, became eligible for the national award after winning the Indiana state FFA competition earlier this year.

This award is sponsored by TransCanada, as a special project of the National FFA Founda-tion. In recognition of being a finalist, each of the four finalists received a plaque and $500. The national winner of the Agricultural Services - Entrepreneurship/Placement Award will receive an additional $500 during a special ceremony at the national FFA convention.

About National FFA Organization

The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 610,240 student members as part of 7,665 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin

Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultur-al education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at FFA.org, on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog.

About National FFA Foundation

The National FFA Foundation builds part-nerships with industry, education, government, other foundations and individuals to secure financial resources that recognize FFA member achievements, develop student leaders and support the future of agricultural education. Governed by a 19-member board of trustees comprised of educators, business leaders, indi-vidual donors and FFA alumni, the foundation is a separately-registered nonprofit organization. About 82 percent of every dollar received by the foundation supports FFA members and agricultural education opportunities. For more, visit FFA.org/Give.

Boston to compete at the 88th National FFA Convention & Expo

SULLIVAN-AREA STUDENT COMPETED FOR FFA AWARD

Madison Boston. | PHOTO SUBMITTED



TBy Angie J. Mayfield

THOSE WHO BELIEVE theres never anything exciting to do in rural areas, along with those who assume the days of farming with horses are over, have obviously never attended a Horse Progress Days event. Over the Fourth of July holiday, thousands of farmers, farriers, and breeders from several states flocked to the Graber farm in Daviess County to socialize and view the latest equipment, inven-tions, hitching techniques, and semi-nars related to farming and draft horse care and use.

Parking in the muddy fields proved challenging, but those in attendance were rewarded immediately with a smorgasbord of food, vendors, and activities. From sandwiches to steaks to fried pies and homemade ice cream, there were fresh delicacies for the entire family.

While adults discussed the lat-est feeds and feeders, stalls, fencing, welding tools and technologies with vendors, the kids sprinted toward the playground and then the petting zoo.

Miniature ponies and donkeys, baby pigs and calves, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, hedgehogs, and even minks were available to pet and learn more about.

Field demonstrations on tillage, haymaking, produce farming, fertilizer spraying, manure spreading, irrigation, and logging took place. A vegetable produce greenhouse was a popular attraction with giant tomatoes and innovative methods of growing more with less. There were also horse shoe-ing demonstrations and educational seminars on various products and technologies throughout the two-day event, as well as an auction and a bus tour of the local horse farms and har-ness and collar shops.

A favorite demonstration for many was the Parade of Breeds. Various breeds of horses, and even a team of donkeys, strutted their stuff for spec-tators. The Belgians and Percherons, gentle giants from 16 to 18 hands tall (4 inches per hand), as well as the smaller Fjords, were a glorious sight to witness. The Brabant horses, owned by Tommy Flowers of South Carolina,

were the most uniquely colored drafts at the event.

Robert Ericksons mammoth don-key team from Wisconsin was also a favorite of many. Their long ears, soft eyes, and personable nature made them absolutely huggable. Erickson showed his custom harness made es-pecially to accommodate the donkeys thick necks, narrow hips, and low withers/shoulders. The strap Not a Mule added to the side answers peo-ples first question. He uses his team, Olga and Bernie, for farming, parades, cowboy funerals, and even to pull their camper on vacation.

Horse Progress Days is a unique annual. The innovation of our forefa-thers was remarkable, but new meth-ods and technologies are updated each year to make our lives easier and our animals and crops healthier but its important to remember the work previous generations did.

Horse Progress Days began 22 years ago. Next year, the event will be held in northern Indiana. Then it moves to Pennsylvania, followed by Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio. The event will return to the area between Mont-gomery and Odon in 2021. For more in-formation, visit their website at www.horseprogressdays.com

Horse Progress Days

Robert Ericksons mammoth donkeys, Olga and Bernie, are a friendly, popular team at Horse Progress Days. | PHOTO BY ANGIE J. MAYFIELD

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RBy Rama Sobhani

RON ICE HAS broken just about every bone in his body.

His wrist, neck, shoulders and back have all taken a break at some point and he still has the rods and screws holding part of his back togeth-er from a particularly bad injury. All of this was due to falling off a horse at some point in the many, many years that Ice has been riding horses for vari-ous competitions and, as he refers to it, the matter of fun over injury.

Ice is a champion horse rider. Hes been on the backs of horses since he was 13 years old and has taken tro-phies and broken records in just about every kind of riding competition imag-inable. Most recently, Ice has become a champion in horseback cowboy shooting competitions but his equine rsum is so long and varied it would be impossible to recount all of it.

If it has to do with horses, Ice has partaken in it. Along with riding them, hes raised many horses through the years, bred them, and showed them at 4-H events all over the country along with his family, first with his children and now with his grandchil-dren. Between March and November of every year, Ice said he and his wife are constantly traveling. There isnt a weekend between those months they arent moving around to some kind of horse-related activity, be it livestock shows, camping or competitions.

His home, just outside Bruceville, in the country, is a living testament to his success on horseback. His trophies and pictures of him riding in competi-tion are all around the living room. A

Horseman and cowboy Ron Ice enjoys time to ride, compete

Riding at speed on his horse Roper, Ron Ice shoots a balloon target with his Winchester rifle. Ice is a member of the Indiana Mounted Regulators, a group dedicated to the art of trick shooting cowboy-era guns from horseback. | PHOTOS BY MATT GRIFFITH

SHARPSHOOTING

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stand displaying eight trophies in the form of belt buckles showcases his vic-tories in cowboy shooting and the old TV show, Gunsmoke, is showing as Ice collected memorabilia from around the room.

Ive had a lot of horses over the years; hundreds, he said looking over a photo album. I wish Id kept more pictures.

Ice is a member of the Indiana Mounted Regulators, a group ded-icated to the art of trick shooting cowboy-era guns from horseback. Hes proven himself to be an excellent purveyor of the art. In 2014, he set a record for the fastest time completing one of the competition drills and reg-ularly beats his competition, earning one trophy after the next. The eight belt buckle trophies on display in his house were won in cowboy shooting matches.

The setup for cowboy shooting matches is holistic. The shooters dress in period attire, complete with Stetson hats and spurs. They use period fire-arms, like single-action Colt .45 revolv-ers and lever-action rifles, to shoot at, and hopefully, pop balloons set up in various obstacle course configurations. Cowboy shooters use special ammo that has no projectile, just 444

A Ruger Vaquero .45 Long Colt pistol is one of the guns used by Ron and all riders in competition.

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a casing filled with black powder and its the burning powder that pops the balloon.

Riders, like Ice, approach the tar-gets on horseback, at a full gallop, and take their shots at five balloons, then turn their horses, holster one pistol, take out a second, then repeat the pass at another five targets. Ices best time to perform all of those things is 12.4 seconds.

When I was showing and reining horses, I learned to ride with my legs. I have a lot of connection with my horse through my legs. I guess I was fortu-nate that riding and learning about horses came easy to me, Ice said.

Being so good at what he does and the fact that its such a thrilling thing to watch, Ice has been asked and volunteers to put on demonstrations for various groups around the commu-nity, mostly for young children. He did a shooting demonstration at the YMCA recently and travels around to do clinics on showing horses for 4-H clubs around the state.

I usually end the demonstrations with shooting exploding balloons and riding fast, Ice said of his favored fina-le. Afterward, I usually sit around the rails, talking, and promote gun safety and show them how to handle guns around horses.

Ron Ice drives a nail through the horseshoe into the hoof of one of his horses. Ice has been shoeing horses for more than 40 years.

I GUESS I WAS FORTUNATE THAT RIDING AND LEARNING ABOUT HORSES CAME EASY TO ME.

Ron Ice

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Naturally, horses are somewhat of a family affair. Ice used to shoot at competitions with his grandson, Ethan Ice, until he went off to start college; and Ice said his granddaughter, Allie Webster, is interested in learning to ride and shoot. And the many people Ice has met along the way on his trav-els to shoots and shows here and there have created a larger family of friends who all provide him opportunities to take a break from traveling and spend

a night talking about the equestrian life.

Ices life is quite busy, but thats the way he likes it because most of it revolves around horses. When he retired from working at Vectren and moved into the countryside about 12 years ago, he said, things finally slowed down enough for him to do his favorite thing.

I finally have enough time to ride, Ice said.

Ron Ice with his close friend and co-worker Spur, an Australian Shepherd one will find by Ices side most of time during the day.

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MBy Damian Mason

Man despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments owes his existence to a 6-inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains.

I dont know who said the above quote, but as a farm boy, I like it. With-out soil (and precipitation) there is no us. While we cant control the rains, we

can certainly manage our soil. Thats why Im a proponent of cover crops.

Cover crops, admittedly, face some battles. For generations weve equated clean fields to good farming. Im not the only farm kid who experienced a weekly Sunday drive after church to check the crops, which really meant: snooping on the neighbors fields.

Clean fields were a source of pride and Fall tillage conveys a farmer who is on top of his game and prepped for Spring. Unfortunately, that pride in workmanship leaves soil exposed to the devastation of wind and water.

Im no agronomist, but I did place 9th in the nation in FFA soil judging in 1987 (I still have the medal!). Soil judg-ing taught me the value and fragility of top soil. What townsfolk call dirt is the very foundation of our existence. As the keeper of the soil, its our duty to man-age it as the valuable asset it is.

When you read about the latest farm sale, realize this: the buyer is pay-ing for soil and its productive potential.

Given that most farmers hold the bulk of their net worth in land, isnt it smart to protect this resource?

A few benefits associated with cover cropping:

Erosion controlSustainability might be a market-

ing buzz word, pushed by foodies and the Whole Foods crowd, but when it comes to soil, were not sustainable without it. The biggest payoff and justification for cover crops, period, is erosion control.

Right behind erosion control, and closely related, is reduced soil compac-tion and improved soil tilth. Rye grass has a root system up to 5 feet deep and radishes have a 12-inch tap root. Thats a whole lot of compaction layer busting done naturally, versus using the V Ripper.

Weed suppression and water management

Cover crops create a mulch layer which controls weeds better than bare soil. That mulch layer also retains top soil moisture. Deep-rooted cover crops aid in percolation of winter moisture. Come August, subsoil moisture will be nurturing your thirsty crops.

Nutrient utilizationRadishes scavenge nutrients from

your soil during the off season, then make those vital nutrients available to your crop. If 11 percent of input ex-penses are fertilizer, why not get more bang for your fertility buck? Positive results on nitrogen sequestration via cover crops might equate to reduced nitrogen application too.

Crop diversityWe all know the value of crop rota-

tion. After 50 years of corn followed by soybeans, how much rotation have we really accomplished? Cover crops like clover introduce a third plant to the cycle. The benefit? Nitrogen fixation, improved soil biology and tilth, and possibly pest control.

Agriculture is an industry under

attack by environmental activists and our own government. Need I point out the regulatory overreach happening with EPA and their Waters of the U.S. initiative? How about the algae bloom in Lake Erie blamed on farm phos-phates? Cover crops demonstrate Ags Environmental Stewardship. Farmers touch the Earth every day; lets show were taking the lead to protect it.

Land is your biggest investment and the foundation of your farming operation. Investment advisors caution wealthy clients to never dip into the principal, and only live off the divi-dends and interest. So look at soil as your wealth and cover crops as a way of nurturing your principal. Eventually the dividend returns will increase!

Damian Mason is a farm owner and very busy Agricultural speaker. He has a degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University but dont hold that against him. Find him at www.damianmason.com

Cover crops protect your most valuable asset

THE FUNNIER SIDE OF FARMING

PHOTO BY KELLY OVERTON

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LBy Lindsay Owens

LOOKING AT BILL Reslers field of corn located just outside of Oaktown, one may not noticed much of anything out of the ordinary. The stalks are tall and adorned with ears of corn waiting to mature for harvest. The gentle sound of a pump running echoes in the background but you wont find an overhead irrigation sys-tem around.

Resler, who said typically this particular field yields about 125 bushels of corn to the acre, is hoping for an even better result this year since hes installed Netafim subsur-face drip irrigation with the help of the Trickl-Eez Company. The drip irrigation system is made of flexible

polyethylene tubing that features emitters permanently affixed to the inside of the tubing. The tubing, which from the outside looks like much like traditional trickle tape often used to irrigate specialty crops such as melons, tomatoes and peppers, is buried 12 to 18-inches

deep with rows set between 40 and 60-inches apart.

West of Highway 41 has more water than we do on this side, said Resler, who so far, likes the results hes seen from the underground system. Im trying to make a marginal farm into a good farm and get a better re-turn on my investment in the long run. I plan to do 35 more acres next year. We just couldnt get enough water over here before.

Resler has two wells installed on this particular farm and said that the use of the new system has already proven beneficial to his crop.

It looks a lot better than it normal-ly does, he said. Im still learning but I like what I see so far. We can put on an inch of water with the system we have here. Its going to be a good investment.

Grant Williams, Midwest/North-east Netafim sales representative was on hand at Reslers farm to

Subsurface drip irrigation helps eliminate washout, evaporation

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PERKS OF SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION

Reduces crop stress Prevents weed germination Eliminates herbicide washout Reduces labor requirements Eliminates surface

evaporation Reduces maintenance costs

For more information on Trickl-Eez and the subsurface drip irrigation system, visit www.trickl-eez.com or call 269-429-8200.

A NEW ERA IN IRRIGATION

This system used to install subsurface drip irrigation may look complicated, but it can install roughly 2.5 acres per hour. | PHOTOS BY LINDSAY OWENS

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explain how the subsurface irrigation system works.

We offer several different grades of tubing for different crops, said Williams as he held up a ring contain-ing multiple samples of the tubing. We are using Typhoon here. The sensors help to adjust to the needs of the crop. Those sensors also adjust for elevation.

Williams said the underground system, which is expected to last de-cades, uses less water than traditional overhead irrigations and many grow-ers see an increase in yield.

The system is about 95 percent water efficient since the water is delivered directly to the root zone, said Williams, who said the system will work in field of nearly any shape, size and elevation.

The underground system is also fairly affordable. Installation represen-tatives said the materials cost about $1,500 per acre. Each system is custom designed to meet the needs of each field. Approximately 2.5 acres of the specialized trickle tape can be in-stalled in an hour using a special piece of equipment brought to the farm by

Trickl-Eez. To help track the progress of the

corn crop on Reslers ground, two probes were installed to track rainfall, fertilizer levels and more.

With ground like this, you dont want to get behind with water, said Betsy Bower with Ceres Solutions, which monitors the probes. You want to stay on top of the game.

Bower said the probes use a telem-etry unit and crop metrics platform to translate data so that users know how much and when to water.

Knowing where the roots are

Grant Williams and Tom Anderson, above left, explain how the subsurface drip irrigation system operates. Betsy Bower, above right, explains the data collected by probes on Bill Reslers farm near Oaktown.



is key, she said, as she showed the crowd gathered a chart detailing the probe results from the Reslers ground. Different farms and fields need to be managed differently.

Managing the needs of crops can be done through the subsurface drip system as well.

Fertilizer can be applied through the system, said Williams. With this

system, that fertilize will go directly to the roots. This system isnt using anything new. Its just using what we have available in a way thats new to this area.

The Netafim subsurface drip irrigation can utilize more than one well. The irrigation system is customized to meet the needs of each field. The special tape is laid roughly 12 to 18 inches below the surface.



ABy Angie J. Mayfield

AS A MOTHER, wife, farmer, wild-life rehabilitator and professor, it is a rare moment when Im not busy trying to nurture mouths or minds. Therefore, I tend to laugh heartily when students

or friends ask me where Im going on vaca-tion. Anyone with livestock knows that vacations are rare and require creative planning. Then, we suffer so much anxiety worrying about

what we forgot to do or what might not be done or done correctly that we seldom enjoy the time away when we are fortunate enough to go.

We do go camping and trail riding occasionally for a few days, but we al-most always have a bottle calf, a fawn, or a few baby critters along. I received quite a few laughs and stares Memori-al Day weekend on a trail in Shawnee National Forest. I guess its not common to have a baby goat lying across ones lap and two little raccoons peering out of a saddle bag. My mule is quite used to it by now, however. Our neighbors at camp probably werent impressed by the calf bawling in the back of our horse trailer every morning either, but thats as common at our house as the roosters crowing and the donkey bray-ing. I may complain, but I wouldnt give up our way of life for any convenience.

My teenage son is kind enough to feed and water the pigs, equines, calves and chickens when were gone for a day or two at least enough to sustain minimal life but he tends to draw the line at one weekend a month. At least we have it better than friends of ours who run confinement operations and dairy farms. They are lucky to find fam-ily to take care of their farms for even a weekend. Dairy cows must be milked twice a day and dont really care if their humans are tired and in dire need of a break or not.

We discussed this with our friends this spring and came up with a plan. Like timesharing, farm sharing could allow us to each have a vacation. We would learn the chores and take care of each others farms for a week. It worked well. Yes, we were exhausted from the extra work, but it was also rewarding to help each other. Our week at their farms also proved to be a valuable learning experience. We now know more about operating a dairy and turkey and confinement hog operations, including all of the rules, technology and gadgets. In exchange, they learned more about free-range and organic farming and animal husbandry. Each have their advantages and disadvan-tages and are equally challenging and time-consuming.

In addition to taking care of each others farms during vacations, we also barter other goods and services with friends and neighbors. We help each other bale hay, exchange labor and hay for equipment use, share a bull, a barn, pastures, and even a trash dumpster. From our dairy farm friends, we exchange produce and a hog each year for a bull calf to raise to butcher. I recently traded eight guineas and 60 days of mule training for a mare horse. We each gained something we wanted without spending any money.

In these tough economic times where cash is sparse, the ability to remain self-sufficient, save money, and make life a little easier for our friends and neighbors can make a real differ-ence in our quality of life. It also creates lifelong friendships and restores our faith in humanity. We all need a little of that...

Angie J. Mayfield lives in Loogootee, but she and her husband, Doug, also own a farm in Fairfield, Ill. She is a professor at Vincennes University, a mother of five, and the author of Love, Loss, and Lunacy in a Small Town. She can be contacted at [email protected]

Farm sharing: Neighbors helping neighbors

MY RURAL ROOTS

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4-H NEWS

Online 4-H enrollment for all counties will open Oct. 1 and run until Jan. 15. That website is in.4hon-line.com. Those with questions should contact their local Extension Office.

Knox County will be having an enrollment open house at the Knox County Fairgrounds on, Jan. 3. Time is TBA.

Other counties may offer enroll-ment events as well.

4-H Scholarship (Foundation Senior Scholarship, Accomplishment Scholarship, and 4-H Club Scholar-ship) are due to the Extension Office by Jan. 15.

For more information, contact your local Extension Office.

4-H enrollment, scholarships

By Lindsay Owens

DAVIESS COUNTY 4-H Alumna Jenna McCracken is part of an elite group of singers at Purdue University. Shes one of just 60 young women in the Purduettes, a group formed in 1942 to perform at appearances previously booked by the Purdue Varsity Glee Club. Most of the Glee Club members were sent off to fight in World War II.

We do a variety of songs. Well sing everything from show choir tunes and classical music to songs that are popular now, said McCracken, the daughter of Jerry and Marla McCrack-en of Washington, who is studying interior design. About 15 of us are se-lected from each class after auditions are held in the spring. Its so much fun to be a part of the group.

The Purduettes perform a variety of shows around the state but the show on Oct. 25 will be extra special for McCracken as she and the other members of the group will be per-forming at Antioch Christian Church in Washington. Proceeds from the concert, which begins at 4 p.m., will benefit Daviess County 4-H.

Its really exciting to be able to perform in Washington, said Mc-Cracken, who said her sister Jerica, a student at Washington High School, helped bring the music group to Washington. We just wanted to give back to 4-H and I still wanted to be involved.

Tickets for the performance are on sale now at the Daviess County Exten-sion Office in Washington, Fat Boys Pizza in Montgomery, and the Odon Veterinary Clinic. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. For more information on the concert contact the Daviess County Extension Office at 812-254-8668.

Purduettes performing special concert to benefit Daviess County 4-H

Daviess County 4-H alumna Jenna McCracken, third row, center, will be performing a special concert in Washington later this month with the other members of the Purduettes. | PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY JERRY AND MARLA McCRACKEN

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FARM KIDS CORNER

FALL FUN ON THE FARM Unscramble the letters to reveal words associated with the fall. Write the letters in the numbered boxes on the lines below.

ANSWER KEY: 1) Tractors 2) Strawbales 3) Pumpkins

4) Gourds 5) Hoodies 6) Bittersweet 7) Cool

8) Jack-O-Lantern 9) Leaves 10) Cornstalks

11) Harvest 12) Scarecrows 13) Apples

14) Persimmons

PUZZLE ANSWER: Strawbales

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OPEN THROUGH OCT. 28Farmers Market of Historic VincennesWednesdays 4 p.m. 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays 8 a.m. 1 p.m. Local produce, fall dcor and more.

OCT. 7Sullivan County Shifters Cruise-in on the Square6 p.m. Weather permitting.

OCT. 10Knox County Fall FestivalNorth Knox Primary School, Bicknell, from 8 a.m. 3 p.m. Vendors featuring foods, handmade items, and more. Free admission.

OCT. 10Corning Apple FestivalSt. Patrick Church, Corning from 10 a.m. 4 p.m.

OCT. 10Lena Dunn Elementary Community Fall FiestaLena Dunn Elementary, Washington, from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. Games, food, hayride and more.

OCT. 16-17Walnut Grove FestivalGrouseland, home of William Henry Harrison, Vincennes. Special speakers, vendors and more.

OCT. 16, 17, 23, 24Fort FrightFort Knox II in Vincennes. Admission $8 and includes haunted trails, games, prizes and more.

OCT. 23-25Old Town Players presents The Legend of Sleepy HollowVincennes. Call 812-882-1639 for show times and ticket information.

OCT. 25Purduettes fundraiser for Daviess County 4-H4 p.m. at Antioch Christian Church. Tickets $15 for adults, $10 for students. Tickets available at Daviess County Extension

Office (812-254-8668), Fat Boys Pizza, and the Odon Veterinary Clinic.

OCT. 31Washington Times Herald Block Party

NOV. 14Holiday Market and ExpoSullivan Civic Central Plaza Civic Center. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring handmade and one-of-a-kind items just in time for the holiday season.

NOV. 14North Daviess craft showNorth Daviess Schools.

CALENDAR

6695 E. Gasthof Village Rd., Montgomery, IN 1/2 Mile N. US Hwy. 50 812-486-4900 www.gasthofamishvillage.com

~GIFT SHOPS~The Blue Door, The Pig & Fiddle

Buffet Restaurant & BakeryVillage Inn Banquets & Catering

True Homemade Amish BuffetOPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

2$ 00OFFAdult dinner

BuffetLimit 4 adults per coupon. Offer good Mon.-Sat. 4-8 pm; Sun. 11 am-3 pm. Not valid with Senior Night discounts or any other discount, promotion, cou-pon or on Holidays. Expires 11/30/15. WT Growing

Seniornight$899+ Drink

Every Wed. Evening 4-8 PM Ages 55+

November 6th & 7th 10 am-4 pm each day

GAsthof holidAy CrAft BAzAAr

Holiday Shopping! Variety of Vendors, Unique Gifts of all Kinds

Local Amish Made: Wooden Toys, Crafts, Jellies & Jams

Vendors set up in the Restaurant, Banquet Facilities and on the 1st Floor of the Village Inn

p35CalendarOct15.indd 1 9/27/15 5:28 PM


By Lindsay Owens

Napa or Chinese cabbage One of newer favorites, I first

planted Chinese or Napa cabbage a handful of years ago. While this savory cabbage can be planted in the spring or fall, I have better luck with my fall planting. Seeds can be directly sown, but I typically plant small plants simply because it is easier to determine if its a plant or a weed when sprouting.

Depending on the variety you choose to plant, be sure to space the plants at least 12 inches apart (some varieties, even when planted late, get pretty big). Chinese cabbage can be picked as greens, before heads sprout, or as heads. Its a great addition to any salad, and makes great cabbage rolls, slaw and more.

Heres one of my favorite salads using Chinese cabbage:

Asian salad

1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup wine vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 (3 ounce) pack-ages Ramen noodles (without flavor pack-ets), lightly crushed

1/2 cup slivered almonds 1 cup sesame seeds 1 head napa cabbage, chopped 1 bunch green onions, choppedOptional: Colored bell peppers,

chopped, and mandarin orang-es (add these at the end and toss with dressing)

In a bowl, whisk together vege-table oil, sugar, wine vinegar and soy sauce until the sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate the dressing while prepar-ing the salad.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Spread the broken ramen noodles, almonds and sesame seeds onto a baking sheet.

Bake the Ramen noodle mixture until lightly browned, about 15 min-utes, stirring often. Watch carefully to prevent burning. Allow mixture to cool.

Just before serving, mix together the Napa cabbage and green onions with toasted Ramen mixture in a salad bowl until thoroughly combined; toss with the dressing.

Sweet potatoes I may not grow my own sweet po-

tatoes, but I do love to eat them. I hav-ent tried this recipe yet, but as soon as local sweet potatoes are in season, its on my list.

Praline sweet potatoes

4 cups mashed sweet potatoes 1/2 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons vanilla extract 4 eggs, beaten 1/2 pint heavy cream 1/4 pound butter 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Butter one 2-quart casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a mixing bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs and cream. Blend well, and spread evenly in casserole dish.

Prepare the topping by combining the butter, brown sugar, flour and pe-cans. Mix until crumbly, and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheat-ed oven.

IN SEASONNapa cabbage and sweet potatoesFall crops turn into classic comfort dishes

PHOTO BY KELLY OVERTON

p36InSeasonOct15.indd 1 9/27/15 5:03 PM


N Submitted by Gary Stuckey

NORTH DAVIESS STUDENTS Carrie Winklepleck and Jessa Newby received their State FFA Degree at the 2015 Indiana FFA State Convention. The Hoosier Degree is the highest Degree the Indiana FFA awards.

Winkleplecks supervised agricul-tural experience project was with her equine. Winkleplecks parents are Fred and Theresa Winklepleck of Odon.

Newbys supervised agricultural experience project was raising chick-ens and turkeys. Newbys parents are Jesse and Stacey Newby of Bloom-field.

Both Winklepleck and Newby are four-year members in the North Da-viess FFA and are chapter officers this year. They have both been in many contests such as crops and forestry, soils, and leadership contests.

Congratulations to these out-standing members.

Winklepleck and Newby receive Hoosier FFA Degree

GOOD TO THE EARTH

Submitted by Gary Stuckey

THE NORTH DAVIESS FFA at-

tended the 2015 State FFA Convention

at Purdue University in West Lafayette,

Indiana.

Abbie Neukam and Deion Archer

were the delegates from the North

Daviess Chapter. Garrett Pickett was

elected to the office of State Band

Historian. The members attended

leadership sessions and also had the

opportunity to see the Purdue campus

while at state convention.

North Daviess FFA attends 2015 State Convention

North Daviess FFA members attending the 2015 State FFA Convention are, from left, Abbie Neukam, Jessa Newby, Garrett Pickett, Megan Nowling, Deion Archer, Carrie Winklepleck and Trevor Gingerich.

Jessa Newby, left, and Carrie Winklepleck received their State FFA Degree at the 2015 Indiana FFA State Convention. | PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GARY STUCKEY

444

p37-38GoodToEarthOct15.indd 1 9/28/15 11:23 AM


Submitted by Marlene

Swartzentruber

BROOKE SWARTZENTRUBER

TOOK her Shorthorn Plus Steer to the

Indiana State Fair and won Champion

in the All Other Breeds Category and

was able to participate in the Grand

Champion Drive.

It is very difficult to place any-

thing above third in a class, so we feel

very blessed to have participated in

the Grand Drive, said Swartzentruber,

who would also like to thank her uncle

Travis Yoder for helping her with this

4-H project.

She is the daughter of Marlin and

Marlene Swartzentruber of Odon.

BROOKE SWARTZENTRUBER WINS CHAMPION AT STATE FAIR

Shorthorn Plus Steer wins in All Other Breeds Category

Brooke Swartzentruber with her champion Shorthorn Plus Steer. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY MARLENE SWARTZENTRUBER

p37-38GoodToEarthOct15.indd 2 9/28/15 11:23 AM

p39MacAllisterOct15.indd 1 9/24/15 11:10 AM

p40ColonialOct15.indd 1 9/24/15 11:11 AM

p1CoverOct15p2MelonAcresOct15p3RTJOct15p4EditorOct15p5GSHFoundationOct15p6ContentsOct15p7GermanAmericanOct15p8JohnStollOct15p9-11FarmDaysp12HoosierLonghornOct15p13NaturalSideOct15p14-17Dorneysp18WellTestingp19-22SullivanFFAp23HorseProgressp24-27RonIcep28FunnierFarmingOct15p29-31TrickleEezp32MyRuralRootsOct15p33_4HNewsOct15p34KidsCornerOct15p35CalendarOct15p36InSeasonOct15p37-38GoodToEarthOct15p39MacAllisterOct15p40ColonialOct15

growing october 2015

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