GROWING October 2015

OCTOBER 2015
SHARP
SHOOTING
Cowboy Ron Ice enjoys

time for hobby he loves
TEACHING YOUNG
FARMERS
Sullivan FFA delivers more

than expected
FOURTH GRADE
FARM FAIR
Daviess County students

learn about farm life
ANGEL UNAWARE
Bill Dinky, a force during a

time of crisis
DORNEYS PUMPKIN PATCH GROWING SMORES AND SMILES

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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
Sara Hornback
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, 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.
4 | OCTOBER 2015
p4EditorOct15.indd 1
A 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 together 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 connoisseur, 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 Stokelys 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 accomplishment, Im just fine with that.
*Lindsay is actually the sixth generation of farmers in her family.
Lindsay Owens, editor

Send Lindsay your story ideas at lowens@washtimesherald.com.
x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

9/28/15 11:27 AM
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CONTENTS
OCTOBER 2015 | VOL. 2, ISSUE 5
EDITORS PAGE
They think Im a farmer?
By Lindsay Owens
19 OPENING THE EYES

OF FUTURE
FARMERS
Sullivan FFA teaches farming

and the club itself offers
more than expected
By Lindsay Owens
DOWN ON THE
FARM
Bill Dinky, angel unaware
By John H. Stoll
FOURTH GRADE
FARM FAIR
23 HORSE PROGRESS
DAYS
Farmers, farriers and

breeders flock to Daviess
County for the latest and
greatest
By Angie J. Mayfield
Daviess County students

enjoy a taste of farm life
By Lindsay Owens
13 THE NATURAL SIDE

OF THINGS
24 SHARP SHOOTING
Horseman and cowboy Ron
Ice enjoys time to ride and
compete
By Rama Sobhani
Life-giving soil
By Terri Talarek King
24
28 THE FUNNIER SIDE

OF FARMING
Cover crops protect your

most valuable asset
By Damian Mason
29 A NEW ERA IN
IRRIGATION
Subsurface drip irrigation

helps eliminate washout,
evaporation
By Lindsay Owens
Photo by Matt Griffith
38
Dorneys Pumpkin Patch

provides fall fun
By Bill Richardson
Farm sharing: Neighbors

helping neighbors
33 4-H NEWS
Purduettes perform to benefit
Daviess County 4-H
By Lindsay Owens
34 FARM KIDS
CORNER
Fall fun on the farm
35 CALENDAR
Walnut Grove Festival, WTH
block party
37 GOOD TO THE
EARTH
18 WELL WATER
North Daviess FFA attends

state convention
Submitted by Gary
Stuckey
TESTING
p6ContentsOct15.indd 1
32 MY RURAL ROOTS
Napa cabbage and sweet

potatoes
By Lindsay Owens

SMORES AND
SMILES
USDA recommends
residential and home water
sources be tested
By Lindsay Owens
Photo by Lindsay Owens
36 IN SEASON
14 PUMPKINS,
6 | OCTOBER 2015
ON THE COVER: The signs of

Photo submitted by
Marlene Swartzentruber
fall are coming to this Knox County

home. | PHOTO BY TODD LANCASTER

9/28/15 11:26 AM
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DOWN ON THE FARM

Bill Dinky, an angel unaware
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 accomplished writer in
his own right. He
has written short
stories and poems
for most of his
adult life with perhaps 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 community on foot staying with different families. 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 mentions, a stranger who was an angel
unawares.
Grandpa Waglers house. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JOHN STOLL

8 | OCTOBER 2015
p8JohnStollOct15.indd 1
While not employed on the family

farm, John does enjoy helping out his
brothers there during planting and
harvest seasons. He is very appreciative of his heritage and is thankful he
was given the opportunity to be raised
a farm boy.

9/28/15 11:02 AM
FOURTH GRADE FARM FAIR

Daviess County
students enjoy a
taste of farm life
By 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 Water 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 perennial 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 Santiagos 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, Andrea 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, students 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 questions 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.
444
Children from all Daviess County fourth-grade classes were invited to take part in Fourth Grade Farm Day. | PHOTOS BY LINDSAY OWENS
GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND
p9-11FarmDays.indd 1
OCTOBER 2015 | 9
9/28/15 11:04 AM
Gerald Apple, left, explains how bees make wax. Angela Quast, right, talks to students about recycling.
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 information on sheep and Jeanna Burkhart
talked to students about miniature
horses.
While the animal stations are always 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
BOOMER
MAGAZINE
...is looking for writers and/or photographers
Cover local events, write human interest features

and meet new people. Must have a strong grasp
of the English language. Pay is per published article
or photo. Send samples of your work to Melody
Brunson, P.O. Box 471, Washington, IN 47501 or
email her at dcboomermagazine@gmail.com.
Photographers must have own equipment.
10 | OCTOBER 2015
9/28/15 11:05 AM
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.
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 recycling, Indiana Department of Natural
Resources Conservation Officer Blake
Everhart talked about all-terrain vehicle safety while Adam Dumond provided 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 inhabit have a container of sugar water in
them to help the bees make wax.

They drink about half a jar of sugar water each day, he said before explaining 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 provided during the field trip doesnt come
back to the classroom. Many teachers
integrate information discussed at the
event into additional lessons in the
classroom.
OCTOBER 2015 | 11
9/28/15 11:05 AM
p12HoosierLonghornOct15.indd 1
9/23/15 10:40 AM
THE NATURAL SIDE OF THINGS
Life-giving soil
By Terri Talarek King
WHEN I TAUGHT organic

gardening, my favorite topic was soil.
What happens in the soil is a complex, well-tuned, balanced, life-giving
process. The more I learn, the more
fascinating it becomes.
I mean, healthy soils. Im puzzled
when soil is referred to as abiotic, 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, photosynthesis, and tiny animals.
Did you know that a tablespoon of
healthy soil contains 6 billion microorganisms? And that all of these processes 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 malnutrition, hunger, famine, war (over arable
land, potable water and food), ecosystem failure and climate problems (partly caused by the release of too much
carbon.) Its all connected.
This is why the 68th United Nations 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 understanding of the importance of soil for food
security and essential ecosystem functions. It is estimated that one-third of
Books:
our worlds soils are degraded, especially 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 condition, and learn more about it.
3. Use cover crops. They protect
and enrich the soil and prevent
erosion. Some add nitrogen (especially 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, kitchen 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.
The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, 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 Farmers; Grace Gershuny and Joe Smillie;
1999.
Teaming With Microbes: A Gardeners Guide to the Soil Food Web; Jeff
Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis; 2006.
Websites:
www.sare.org/Learning-Center/
Books/Managing-Cover-Crops-Profitably-3rd-Edition/Text-Version
(Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Education)
en
www.fao.org/soils-2015/about/
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/recommended-reading-for-the-un-internationsl-year-of-soils-2015
https://www.soils.org/IYS
Soil 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 County and is a naturalist and organic
gardener, educator and writer. She is
certified as an advanced master naturalist and grow organic educator.
A tablespoon of healthy soil contains 6 billion microorganisms. | PHOTO BY KELLY

OVERTON

p13NaturalSideOct15.indd 1
x OCTOBER 2015 | 13
9/16/15 8:57 AM
Pumpkins, smores
& SMILES
Dorneys
Pumpkin Patch
provides fall fun
By 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 pumpkin 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 busiest 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 Elementary School, says the idea came after
visiting other pumpkin patches.
When they were younger we
used to take the boys, and we enjoyed 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
14 | OCTOBER 2015
p14-17Dorneys.indd 1
Jason and Kim Dorney are busy preparing the Pumpkin Patch for visitors. | PHOTO BY BILL
RICHARDSON
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.
Youhave to fertilize them during the
9/28/15 11:09 AM
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 attraction. 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 property, 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 extension 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 surrounding communities, such as Robinson, 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
444
In addition to the activities offered at Dorneys Pumpkin Patch, a variety of fall decor is also
available. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY DORNEYS
OCTOBER 2015 | 15
9/28/15 11:09 AM
DORNEYS PUMPKIN PATCH

14144 Old U.S. Highway 50
Lawrenceville, IL 62439
618-943-9600
ACTIVITIES

Children always enjoy the barrel train. | PHOTO COURTESY OF DORNEYS
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
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.
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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
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 pumpkin but more importantly memories
to spare.
OCTOBER 2015 | 17
9/28/15 11:10 AM
WELL WATER TESTING

USDA recommends
residential and home water
sources be tested
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 rinsing 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 representatives 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
44TH ANNUAL
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 plumbing 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 representatives. 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.
St. John Lutheran
Art & Craft Fair

Sat., Nov. 7 9 am-4 pm 707 N 8th St., Vincennes, IN
Admission Charge 50 cents or canned food donation
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.
~ Lunch will be available from 11 am-1 pm Proceeds benefit the St. John Lutheran Youth Group ~
18 | OCTOBER 2015
p18WellTesting.indd 1
9/29/15 11:25 AM
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 Farmers
of America float in the Corn Festival Parade. | PHOTO BY LINDSAY OWENS
OPENING THE EYES OF FUTURE FARMERS

Sullivan FFA teaches that farming
and the
club itself offers more than expected
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 Hoosier Degrees.
The number of students involved
in local version of the national organization has varied over the years but
thanks to new affiliate memberships,
Sullivan High School agriculture teachers and FFA advisors Jeff Miller and
Kevin Cross hope to see those numbers 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 excited 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 students participate in other FFA affiliated 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 preparing for contests, like the upcoming
State contest later this month, they
are often found working on
444
p19-22SullivanFFA.indd 1
OCTOBER 2015 | 19
9/29/15 11:27 AM
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
projects that benefit the Sullivan County 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 butterfly 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
We understand the importance of family and

farming traditions, and well bring safety, security,
At Midwest Ag, we are
ag people
serving
ag people.
20 | OCTOBER 2015
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 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
(812) 257-8801 |
www.midwestag.com
9/28/15 10:46 AM
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 National 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 participate, 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 chapter trips and other expenses, alumni of
the Sullivan FFA program host an annual farm auction each April with proceeds benefitting the current students.
Due to the overwhelming response of
the spring sale, auctioneer Jeff Boston
and the FFA alumni group will be hosting 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
444
they can.
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
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
OCTOBER 2015 | 21
9/28/15 10:46 AM
SULLIVAN-AREA STUDENT COMPETED

FOR FFA AWARD
Boston to compete at the 88th
National FFA Convention & Expo
INDIANAPOLIS - The National FFA Organization (FFA) announced national finalists in
August. Madison Boston of the Sullivan FFA was
selected as a national finalist for the National
FFA Proficiency Award in
Agricultural
Services-Entrepreneurship/
Placement.
Boston is one
of only four
people chosen
to compete for
this award at
the national
finals held Oct.
28 during the
Madison Boston.
88th National
| PHOTO SUBMITTED
FFA Convention and Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.
The proficiency awards recognize outstanding student achievement in agribusiness gained
through establishment of a new business,

working for an existing company or otherwise
gaining hands-on career experience. The Agricultural 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 Foundation. 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 agricultural 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 partnerships 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, individual 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.
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.
22 | OCTOBER 2015
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.
9/28/15 10:46 AM
Horse Progress Days

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, inventions, hitching techniques, and seminars 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 latest 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 shoeing 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 harness 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 spectators. 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 donkey 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 especially to accommodate the donkeys
thick necks, narrow hips, and low
withers/shoulders. The strap Not a
Mule added to the side answers peoples 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 forefathers was remarkable, but new methods 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 Montgomery and Odon in 2021. For more information, visit their website at www.
horseprogressdays.com
Robert Ericksons mammoth donkeys, Olga and Bernie, are a friendly, popular team at Horse Progress Days. | PHOTO BY ANGIE J. MAYFIELD

p23HorseProgress.indd 1
x OCTOBER 2015 | 23
9/27/15 5:54 PM
SHARP
SHOOTING
Horseman and
cowboy Ron Ice
enjoys time to
ride, compete
By Rama Sobhani
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
24 | OCTOBER 2015
p24-27RonIce.indd 1
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 together 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 various 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 trophies and broken records in just about
every kind of riding competition imaginable. 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 grandchildren. 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 competition are all around the living room. A
9/28/15 11:15 AM
stand displaying eight trophies in the

form of belt buckles showcases his victories 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 dedicated 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 regularly 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 firearms, like single-action Colt .45 revolvers 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.
p24-27RonIce.indd 2
OCTOBER 2015 | 25
9/28/15 11:15 AM
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.
26 | OCTOBER 2015
p24-27RonIce.indd 3
I GUESS I WAS
FORTUNATE
THAT RIDING AND
LEARNING ABOUT
HORSES CAME EASY
TO ME.
Ron Ice
a casing filled with black powder and

its the burning powder that pops the
balloon.
Riders, like Ice, approach the targets 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 fortunate 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 community, 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 finale. Afterward, I usually sit around the
rails, talking, and promote gun safety
and show them how to handle guns
around horses.
9/28/15 11:15 AM
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.
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 travels 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.
p24-27RonIce.indd 4
OCTOBER 2015 | 27
9/28/15 11:15 AM
THE FUNNIER SIDE OF FARMING

Cover crops protect your
most valuable asset
By 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. Without soil (and precipitation) there is no
us. While we cant control the rains, we
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 control
Sustainability might be a marketing 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 compaction 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.
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 phosphates? 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 dividends 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
Weed suppression and

water management
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 judging 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 manage it as the valuable asset it is.
When you read about the latest
farm sale, realize this: the buyer is paying for soil and its productive potential.
28 | OCTOBER 2015
p28FunnierFarmingOct15.indd 1
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 utilization
Radishes scavenge nutrients from
your soil during the off season, then
make those vital nutrients available
to your crop. If 11 percent of input expenses 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 diversity
We all know the value of crop rotation. 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
PHOTO BY KELLY OVERTON

9/27/15 5:04 PM
A NEW ERA IN IRRIGATION
Subsurface drip irrigation

helps eliminate washout,
evaporation
By 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 system 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 subsurface 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
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.
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 return 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 normally 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/Northeast Netafim sales representative was
444
on hand at Reslers farm to
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
p29-31TrickleEez.indd 1
OCTOBER 2015 | 29
9/29/15 11:28 AM
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.
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 containing 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 decades, uses less water than traditional
overhead irrigations and many growers see an increase in yield.
30 | OCTOBER 2015
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 representatives 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 installed 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 telemetry unit and crop metrics platform to
translate data so that users know how
much and when to water.
Knowing where the roots are
9/28/15 11:18 AM
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.
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.
OCTOBER 2015 | 31
9/28/15 11:18 AM
MY RURAL ROOTS
Farm sharing: Neighbors helping
neighbors
AS A MOTHER, wife, farmer, wildlife 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 vacation. 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 almost always have a bottle calf, a fawn,
or a few baby critters along. I received
quite a few laughs and stares Memorial 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 braying. 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 family 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.
32 | OCTOBER 2015
p32MyRuralRootsOct15.indd 1
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 disadvantages 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 difference 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 profmayfield@
yahoo.com

9/16/15 10:35 AM
4-H NEWS
Purduettes
performing special
concert to benefit
Daviess County 4-H
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 McCracken of Washington, who is studying
interior design. About 15 of us are selected 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 performing 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 McCracken, 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 Extension 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.
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
4-H enrollment, scholarships

Online 4-H enrollment for all
counties will open Oct. 1 and run
until Jan. 15. That website is in.4honline.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 enrollment events as well.

4-H Scholarship (Foundation
Senior Scholarship, Accomplishment
Scholarship, and 4-H Club Scholarship) are due to the Extension Office
by Jan. 15.
For more information, contact
your local Extension Office.

p33_4HNewsOct15.indd 1
x OCTOBER 2015 | 33
9/27/15 5:53 PM
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.
PUZZLE ANSWER: Strawbales

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
34 | OCTOBER 2015
p34KidsCornerOct15.indd 1

9/24/15 12:59 PM
CALENDAR
OPEN THROUGH OCT. 28
OCT. 10
Farmers Market of Historic

Vincennes
Lena Dunn Elementary Community

Fall Fiesta
Wednesdays 4 p.m. 7:30 p.m. and

Saturdays 8 a.m. 1 p.m. Local produce, fall
dcor and more.
Lena Dunn Elementary, Washington, from

3 p.m. until 6 p.m. Games, food, hayride and
more.
OCT. 7
OCT. 16-17
Sullivan County Shifters Cruise-in

on the Square
Walnut Grove Festival
6 p.m. Weather permitting.
OCT. 10
Knox County Fall Festival

North Knox Primary School, Bicknell, from
8 a.m. 3 p.m. Vendors featuring foods,
handmade items, and more. Free admission.
OCT. 10
Corning
Apple
Festival
St. Patrick
Church,
Corning from
10 a.m.
4 p.m.
Grouseland, home of William Henry

Harrison, Vincennes. Special speakers,
vendors and more.
OCT. 16, 17, 23, 24
Fort Fright
Fort Knox II in Vincennes. Admission $8 and
includes haunted trails, games, prizes and
more.
Office (812-254-8668), Fat Boys Pizza, and

the Odon Veterinary Clinic.
OCT. 31
Washington Times Herald Block

Party
OCT. 23-25
Old Town Players presents The

Legend of Sleepy Hollow
NOV. 14
Vincennes. Call 812-882-1639 for show times

and ticket information.
OCT. 25
Purduettes fundraiser for Daviess

County 4-H
4 p.m. at Antioch Christian Church. Tickets
$15 for adults, $10 for students. Tickets
available at Daviess County Extension
Holiday Market and Expo

Sullivan Civic Central Plaza Civic Center. 9
a.m. to 2 p.m. Featuring handmade and oneof-a-kind items just in time for the holiday
season.
NOV. 14
North Daviess craft show

North Daviess Schools.
GAsthof holidAy
CrAft BAzAAr
November 6th & 7th 10 am-4 pm each day
~GIFT SHOPS~
The Blue Door, The Pig & Fiddle
Buffet Restaurant & Bakery
Village Inn Banquets & Catering
True Homemade Amish Buffet

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
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
Senior
night
$ 99
+ Drink
Every Wed. Evening 4-8 PM Ages 55+
$
Limit 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, coupon or on Holidays. Expires 11/30/15. WT Growing
00
OFF
Adult dinner
Buffet
6695 E. Gasthof Village Rd., Montgomery, IN 1/2 Mile N. US Hwy. 50 812-486-4900 www.gasthofamishvillage.com
p35CalendarOct15.indd 1
x OCTOBER 2015 | 35
9/27/15 5:28 PM
IN SEASON
Napa cabbage and sweet potatoes
Fall crops turn into classic comfort dishes
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) packages Ramen
noodles (without flavor packets), lightly crushed
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup sesame seeds
1 head napa cabbage, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Optional: Colored bell peppers,
chopped, and mandarin oranges (add these at the end and
toss with dressing)
In a bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, sugar, wine vinegar and soy
sauce until the sugar has dissolved.
Refrigerate the dressing while preparing 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 minutes, 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 potatoes, but I do love to eat them. I havent 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 pecans. Mix until crumbly, and sprinkle
over sweet potato mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven.
PHOTO BY KELLY OVERTON
36 | OCTOBER 2015
p36InSeasonOct15.indd 1

9/27/15 5:03 PM
GOOD TO THE EARTH

Winklepleck and Newby receive Hoosier
FFA Degree
Jessa Newby, left, and Carrie Winklepleck received their State FFA Degree at the 2015
Indiana FFA State Convention. | PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY GARY STUCKEY
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 agricultural experience project was with her
equine.Winkleplecks parents are Fred
and Theresa Winklepleck of Odon.
Newbys supervised agricultural
experience project was raising chickens and turkeys. Newbys parents are
Jesse and Stacey Newby of Bloomfield.
Both Winklepleck and Newby are
four-year members in the North Daviess 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 outstanding members.
North Daviess
FFA attends 2015
State Convention
Submitted by Gary Stuckey
THE NORTH DAVIESS FFA attended 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.
444
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.
p37-38GoodToEarthOct15.indd 1
x OCTOBER 2015 | 37
9/28/15 11:23 AM
BROOKE SWARTZENTRUBER WINS CHAMPION AT STATE FAIR
Shorthorn Plus Steer

wins in All Other
Breeds Category
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 anything 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.
38 | OCTOBER 2015
p37-38GoodToEarthOct15.indd 2
Brooke Swartzentruber with her champion Shorthorn Plus Steer. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY
MARLENE SWARTZENTRUBER

9/28/15 11:23 AM
p39MacAllisterOct15.indd 1
9/24/15 11:10 AM
p40ColonialOct15.indd 1
9/24/15 11:11 AM

GROWING October 2015

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OCTOBER 2015

Cowboy Ron Ice enjoys

Sullivan FFA delivers more

Daviess County students

Bill Dinky, a force during a

DORNEYS PUMPKIN PATCH GROWING SMORES AND SMILES

A REALIZATION HIT me just a few weeks ago. It was something I guess

Lindsay Owens, editor

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

19 OPENING THE EYES

Sullivan FFA teaches farming

Farmers, farriers and

Daviess County students

13 THE NATURAL SIDE

28 THE FUNNIER SIDE

Cover crops protect your

Subsurface drip irrigation

Dorneys Pumpkin Patch

Farm sharing: Neighbors

Fall fun on the farm

North Daviess FFA attends

Napa cabbage and sweet

Photo by Lindsay Owens

ON THE COVER: The signs of

fall are coming to this Knox County

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

DOWN ON THE FARM

of my great-grandpa Wagler. The time

road after dark when he met the first

Grandpa Waglers house. | PHOTO SUBMITTED BY JOHN STOLL

While not employed on the family

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

FOURTH GRADE FARM FAIR

DREARY WEATHER DIDNT

We have 391 fourth graders this

of the stations, said Christie, who

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

They are primarily a pet, said

Scott Armes and Jay Armes discussed

may have been the one Mark Guinn

...is looking for writers and/or photographers

Cover local events, write human interest features

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

days to hatch and that after the tiny

Boyd explained why popcorn pops.

them to help the bees make wax.

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

THE NATURAL SIDE OF THINGS

WHEN I TAUGHT organic

2015 International Year of Soils

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

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

MOST FOLKS WILL go home

stand), but that was about it.

nance crop. He shoots for June 15 as a

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

growing season and spray for bugs,

GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

DORNEYS PUMPKIN PATCH

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

with their friends. I love to see them

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