Farm Indiana | March 2017 by Margo Wininger

March 2017

In the Green

Andrew Pauli uses a unique growing space and business model to sell produce

Bob Hawkins explains how sphagnum moss is used to package trees.

By Jon Shoulders | Photography by Chad Williams

he urban agriculture trend sweeping across many cities in the U.S. has resulted in some unique projects right here in Indiana. Community produce plots, restaurant microfarms and rooftop gardens are all sprouting up at a steady rate. Nevertheless, Andrew Pauli’s new Columbus-based produce operation known as The Gardeners Farm sits in a rather distinctive location, even within the context of the growing urban ag movement. Eighteen months ago Pauli was working as the official gardener and groundskeeper for The Inn at Irwin Gardens, a 19th-century mansionturned-bed-and-breakfast facility on Fifth Street in downtown Columbus, and he approached Jessica and Chris Stevens, owners of the inn since 2009, with a plan to utilize a somewhat neglected greenhouse space built on the property in the early 1970s. Pauli was finishing a horticulture degree at Purdue University at the time and saw enormous potential in the space for not only cultivating plants for the inn gardens,

but also for growing and selling veggies as a standalone business venture. “I’ve been the gardener there for about five years now, and about a year and a half ago we started fixing some of the masonry and glass panels on the greenhouse and replaced the fans, and I began learning how to grow inside a greenhouse, which I’d never done before,” Pauli says. “It’s a pretty different realm than just growing in a field, and I’m doing it all organically, so you have to focus on prevention and keeping things very, very clean so you don’t have bug problems. So it’s

Getting a head start

Tree seedlings dug, packaged and waiting for spring at Vallonia State Nursery

story and photos By Marcia Walker

Andrew Pauli

been a learning experience.” The result is The Gardeners Farm, a year-round produce business Pauli officially launched in September that resembles a community supported agriculture program while retaining some unique characteristics, beyond the fact that the business exists in a refurbished greenhouse in downtown Columbus. Rather than following a traditional CSA structure where customers pay a lump sum at the beginning of the growing season and pick up their predetermined orders for the duration of that season, Pauli bills his clients monthly, and they can notify him if they wish to skip a pickup. “That way you’re not paying for something that you may not be using,” he says. “All my clients have my number, and they can call or text me saying they’re going to be gone and they need to be taken off the list for that week. When you come and pick up your bin, you can make additions on top of what’s in there.” Pauli sends out text and email alerts on Saturdays at noon notifying his customers what will be in their pickup bins for the coming week, which can include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, a variety of leafy greens, eggplants, carrots and more. Customers can choose their pickup day each week. All the veggies are picked fresh for customers on their pickup day.

Farm Indiana is a monthly publication of AIM Media Indiana.

“Everybody seems to like the property is not rented it so far. It’s cool being right for weddings and other downtown, and I think the private events. “Andrew convenience of being located has really worked hard downtown and on such a and been thoughtful about cool, historic property has continuing that with the an attraction to it,” says gardens and has found Pauli, a Columbus native ways to use the greenwho attended Columbus house space positively.” East High Pauli operSchool before ates The Garpursuing hortideners Farm culture studies as a separate at Purdue. business entity Jessica from the inn Stevens sees but grows any The Gardeners Farm new plants The GardenLocation: 608 Fifth St., ers Farm as a needed for Columbus (located on unique means its gardens the grounds of The Inn of connecting alongside his at Irwin Gardens). the public with produce within Products: Fresh vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, the greenthe property, cucumbers, eggplants, on which the house. “So far carrots, onions, turnips, 13,000-squarethe customers leafy greens and more. foot Italianate are primarily Customer pickup hours: house was individual resiTuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., year-round originally dents, but I’ve (no walk-ins; customers built by the sold vegetables must sign up for monthly Irwin family to the Cumbilling and pick up orders in 1864 before mins cateron a prearranged day). being coming kitchen, Contact: Andrew Pauli, (812) 344-4943. prehensively and I hope to For more information on renovated and start growing The Inn at Irwin Gardens expanded in some produce bed-and-breakfast and 1890 and again for the inn event rental facility, visit in the early kitchen soon irwingardens.com. 1900s. “The and getting best thing since we’ve been into some local restaurants,” here is being able to preserve he says. “I’m also working the house for nostalgia and on setting up a separate for the community, and for little place where people tourists and anyone visiting can come to pick up their or exploring Columbus,” stuff, which will hopefully says Stevens. The inn ofbe ready by the spring. This fers seasonal open garden whole property has become hours for the public when a real passion of mine.”

Publisher Chuck Wells Editor Doug Showalter

Just as the season is winding down for most agricultural-related businesses in Indiana, workers at the Vallonia State Nursery are preparing for action. The busiest months for the state-owned and operated nursery, located south of Vallonia near Starve Hollow Lake, are November through May. That’s when most of the 3.5 million tree seedlings that are shipped out annually are dug, processed and put into cold storage until orders are filled in the spring. “We try to get as much done in the fall and winter because it makes it so much easier in the spring,” Bob Hawkins, nursery supervisor, explained. The nursery encompasses 250 gently rolling acres in Driftwood Township, an area of Jackson County with sandy soil and that is better known for growing watermelons than growing trees. The sun was out but not doing much in the way of providing warmth on the day that Hawkins gave a tour. The temperature hovered in the low teens; a skiff of fresh snow covered the ground. Hawkins was pleased to see the snow, explaining it acts as insulation and helps keep the ground from freezing. “Once they go dormant and start losing leaves in November ... we’ll dig trees until the ground is frozen,” Hawkins said. “We have to have everything packaged and out by late March.” In the fields, the trees are dug, lifted and placed in huge boxes; a tractor is used to haul the boxes to the processing building. The seedlings, most a year old, look like little more than sticks with long, stringy roots. They are watered, then placed in cold storage until they are processed. The processing building is basically a huge walkin cooler. The temperature is kept at 35 degrees, the concrete floor kept wet to keep the humidity level up. Processing, in assembly line fashion, involves inspecting each seedling before bundling them into groups of 100. “They have to meet minimum size requirements, must meet certain specifications and must be free of any insect or mechanical damage,” Hawkins explained. He estimates that so far this season, some 600,000 seedlings are being stored, about 50 percent of what is needed to fill orders. “We only lift and pack trees that have been sold,” he said. The trees are packed in sphagnum moss. Hawkins explained the moss acts like a sponge, holding water and keeping the roots moist. Some 10 to 12 semi loads of moss, harvested in bogs in Wisconsin, are hauled to the nursery each year. All the seedlings at the nursery are grown from seed that comes from several sources. Some, about 30 percent, come from seed orchards on the nursery, but seeds are also purchased from local vendors. Most of the seed comes from Indiana; any that come from outside the state must come from the same hardiness zone as Indiana. Seven people work full time at the nursery along with 10 to 15 seasonal workers, but much of the manpower comes from an inmate work crew from Edinburgh Correctional Facility. As many as 44 inmates are bused to the nursery several days a week. At one time, the nursery that is now under the auspices of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources was under the control (Continues on page 2.)

Comments, story ideas, events and suggestions should be sent to Doug Showalter, The Republic, 2980A N. National Road, Columbus, IN 47201, call 812-379-5625 or email dshowalter@therepublic.com.

To advertise, contact Kathy Burnett at 812-379-5655 or kburnett@aimmediaindiana.com

Farm Indiana | march 2017

Briefs FSA expands Bridges to Opportunity WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has announced the expansion of its Bridges to Opportunity program that provides a one-stop-shop that connects producers with resources, programs and educational services offered across the department, as well as from other USDA partner organizations. Bridges to Opportunity, which previously provided enhanced support to more than 150,000 customers in 20 states, now serves customers across the country using fiscal year 2016 funds. Bridges to Opportunity was developed by FSA to provide producers with a more comprehensive customer service experience by connecting them with other USDA agencies and nonfederal partners. Through Bridges to Opportunity, FSA county office employees have the tools to connect farmers, ranchers and anyone interested in agriculture with customized expertise on topics including organic production, beginning farmer resources, integrated pest management, disaster assistance, conservation practices, agricultural educational courses, loans, grants and other financial assistance that can start, grow or benefit farming and ranching operations. For more information about Bridges to Opportunity, contact your local FSA county office. To locate your FSA county office, see https://offices.usda.gov. USDA reports sizzling numbers for 2016 Indiana popcorn crop WEST LAFAYETTE — The Indiana popcorn harvest exploded in 2016, with yields up by nearly 30 percent compared with 2015. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports

Wildlife Fund code is “200.” If you would like to stay up-to-date on all the projects and programs, sign up for the nongame wildlife newsletter at EndangeredWildlife.IN.gov that total production was up 45 percent from 2015 to a record 4.46 million hundredweight of popcorn, or nearly 500 million pounds. The total crop value was $71.4 million, compared to $50.7 million in 2015. Wet conditions in the spring and summer raised fears that the early-season damage of 2015 would be repeated, but the weather was warmer and drier than normal at the end of the growing season, creating perfect conditions for the record-setting crop. Producers planted 94,000 acres in 2016, 9,000 more than the previous year, and harvested 93,000 acres, an increase of 10,000 acres. Price per hundredweight was lower in 2016 at $16 per hundredweight, compared to $16.50 in 2015 and $18.90 in 2014. The full USDA report is available at https:// www.nass.usda.gov/ Statistics_by_State/Indiana/ Publications/Current_News_ Release/2017/nr1704in.pdf. Help vulnerable wildlife survive You can help wildlife species such as bald eagles, peregrine falcons, barn owls, box turtles, black bears and more by donating to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund as you do your taxes. In 2016, donations through the tax check-off dropped dramatically. This was most likely due to a change that required donations from tax forms to be on a separate page, Schedule IN-5. This year, a code is also required to donate, which also may complicate the procedure for donating. The Indiana Nongame

from the field

Turkey hunt applications accepted online Hunters can apply online for a reserved turkey hunt by visiting hunting. IN.gov and clicking on the “Reserved Hunt Info” link. The application period runs through March 19. No late entries will be accepted. The online method is the only way to apply. Applicants must possess a hunting license valid for the hunt for which they are applying. Hunting seasons dates now available The 2017-18 hunting seasons are now posted at http://www. in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fwhunting_trapping_seasons. pdf. Dates for migratory birds and waterfowl seasons will become available in the summer. Their seasons are set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. 2016 hunting and fishing licenses are valid through March 31. It’s sew exciting At the upcoming Sewing Camp, sponsored by the Purdue Extension Service, children in Grades 3 to 6 can learn sewing basics while making a versatile drawstring bag. The camp will be from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. March 21 to 23 at Columbus East High School. Cost is $5 for current 4-H members or $20 for nonmembers (which will allow them to take other projects this year), plus the purchase of fabric, pins and thread. Call 812-379-1665 by March 20 to make reservations, as space is limited. If you have special needs please call prior to the meeting. Adults are welcome to stay. Staff Reports

applications that are useful in agriculture continue to arrive on the scene or fall away. It’s interesting to note that many apps listed in “best” lists as recently as two years ago are already gone. The listing of apps I give here is limited to those that can run on both Android and iOS, and aren’t associated with commercial systems paired with specific implements. Some are opensource, and others are from land grant universities, and all have ratings of four stars or more. Please don’t take this listing as an endorsement. Based on my own experience and use, along with some research, I’ve compiled a list that I hope you’ll find useful. SoilWeb provides access to USDANRCS soil survey data on your smartphone. It’s GPS-based, so it can tell you about the attributes of the soil exactly where you are. Search for USDA in your app marketplace, and you’ll find some good ones for free.

The best tool might be in your pocket

By kris medic

Would you be stunned if you heard a farmer say that his best tool is a smartphone? I was. It was the 2014 Indiana Small Farm Conference, and the farmer was Mike Hoopengardner. He talked about how he can check vendors, orders, prices, markets and other things all without having to stop what he’s doing, shed boots or track mud through the house, and fire up the computer. Mike is the operator, along with his family, of Redbud Farm and Caprini Creamery in Spiceland. So a pretty useful tool might be right there in your pocket, according to Mike. In addition to basic communication with family, associates, customers and vendors, the

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say, Schneider does,” Hawkins said, referring to a privately owned tree nursof the U.S. Forest Service. It was handed ery also located in Jackson County. off to the state in the 1960s. Fifty different species are grown Richard Beckort, Purdue Extension at the nursery. Hawkins said the big educator for Jackson County, said the sellers are oaks, walnut and white pine. 2012 agricultural census indicates that Some of the more unusual varieties 14.7 million of Indiana’s 22.9 million include yellowwood, a rare tree that acres is used for agricultural purposes. grows naturally in only a few places in Of those acres devoted to farming, 1 Indiana, including Brown County State million is wooded. Park, and Kentucky coffee tree. Beckort said some of the seedlings The nursery also works with the grown at Vallonia will be used to American Chestnut Foundation, which reclaim farm ground. He is attempting to develop a explained that planting chestnut tree that is resisVallonia State Nursery trees on marginal farm tant to the blight that years 2782 W. County Road 540S ground or ground susago wiped out most of the Vallonia ceptible to erosion offers stately trees. Mission: To grow and a way for farmers to make “Right now, it’s too early distribute to landowners ground more economito determine if it has been high quality plant materials cally productive. successful,” Hawkins said. for conservation plantings. Conservation plantings Other uses for the In addition to producing include plantings for timber, seedlings grown at the trees, the nursery’s mission wildlife, windbreaks, soil nursery include windincludes working to spread and water protection, breaks, timber producawareness and appreciation reclamation, carbon sequestering and education. tion and wildlife enabout trees. An Arbor Day hancement. Hawkins said program is available for some of the nursery’s biggest custom- Indiana schools, and a free tree is availers are coal mines, purchasing trees able for any third-grade student whose to reclaim ground. school participates in the program. Any “I think our customer base is strong,” school corporation in the program is he said. “It’s a very good program. also eligible to receive a free tree to be People like it.” planted on school grounds. Hawkins stressed that the trees Hawkins is a native of Indianapolis grown at Vallonia are not intended for and a graduate of Purdue University. landscaping or decorative purposes but He spent a year as a backcountry ranger for large-scale projects. The minimum in Maine before coming to Vallonia, order size is 100. where he has been for 30 years. “We have a different market then, “I just love this work,” he said. “And I think we are doing a wonderful thing for the environment. It’s pretty amazing, the 30 years I’ve been here, the number of trees produced and set out around Indiana. I think we are doing a lot of good things. I think it’s the best program offered by the state at an affordable cost for Indiana citizens.” Vallonia State Nursery

(Continued from page 1.)

FarmPAD is a tracking system for all farm records, even where there is no cell service. It covers equipment, crops, fertilizers, chemicals, pests, storage and many other points. I noted that not every app available from TapLogic comes with high ratings, but this one has a 4.3. Livestock Manager enables a producer to track animals’ basic data, plus treatments, vaccinations, artificial inseminations, location and sales. Herd summaries and export to a PCbased platform are included. Corn N Rate Calculator comes from the University of Wisconsin. It lets you find the recommended N rate to maximize profitability when nitrogen and corn prices fluctuate. Fertilizer Removal by Crop is a reference to help calculate and plan fertilizer applications. Other AgPhD apps have high ratings and may be worth a look. While we’re on fertilizer, consider a look at U2U, the Corn Split N Tool “which combines historical weather and fieldwork data with

economic considerations to determine the feasibility and profitability of completing a second (split) nitrogen application within a specific time period.” It’s not an app, but it’s worth a look. Find it at http://agclimate4u.org. Canopeo from Oklahoma State allows users to quantify plant canopy in the field using photos taken with a smartphone. I was going to add a few weather apps, but that’s another entire column. I also looked at grain and commodity price apps, but couldn’t find one with a high-enough rating for you. Pocket Rain Gauge intrigued me. Maybe you should try it and remember that a Flashlight app may someday get you out of a bind. Kris Medic is Purdue Extension Bartholomew County’s educator for agriculture, natural resources and community development. Her family farms are in Pennsylvania and Croatia. She can be reached at 812-379-1665 or kmedic@ purdue.edu.

Farm Indiana | march 2017

Local focus

Hoosier consumers search for food grown in Indiana

The following is the first installment in a two-part series examining the local food movement in Indiana. By Jon Shoulders

The concept of consuming and championing locally grown products has gone beyond mere trend status. It has become an almost essential component of the consumer marketplace. It’s increasingly difficult to find a grocery, restaurant or retail establishment that doesn’t tout at least a few of its products as locally sourced, grown, manufactured or processed. Given that the demand for such products is likely here to stay, producers and industry professionals say customers should be more careful and thorough than ever before when seeking food and other goods designated as local. Sarah Joyner, manager of the Cummins Mid-Week Farmers Market in Columbus, says the term “local” has the potential to be used with a degree of laxity by business owners in the attempt to satisfy consumer demand. “Having worked with local food in several arenas, I would say there is not much screening when it comes to marketing and providing truly local foods,” Joyner says. “I think the possibility is there to claim food as local without defining what local is.

“I have heard stories of vendors buying produce from led to more awareness about local farmer vendors at the the grocery store and marketing the produce at the market,” she says. farmers market as local and organic, enabling them to Despite the growing clamor for local food (the U.S. mark it up to a higher price.” Department of Agriculture reports that the number While Indiana farmers markets typically involve of farmers markets nationally increased 180 percent regulations requiring vendors to submit detailed inforbetween 2006 and 2014), less than 10 percent of the mation including the location of the farm or property approximately $16 billion Hoosiers spend on food each where the products are grown or raised, the term “local” year goes toward products grown or produced within can still be applied loosely, particularly at restaurants the state, according to Indiana State Department of and retail locations – leaving room for possible consumAgriculture statistics. er misinterpretation. In response, the ISDA launched the Indiana Grown “There needs to be a more standardized approach,” initiative in 2015, aimed at promoting Indiana food and Joyner says. “For example, if someone in Columbus has other agricultural products through distinctive labeling. the definition of local as a 100-mile radius from ColumThe Indiana Grown label can be found on products in bus, this can get into parts of Kentucky and Ohio, which farmers markets around the state as well as supermarmeans dollars are not staying in Indiana. If someone’s kets such as Marsh and Kroger. definition of local is in Indiana, this could mean a busiStill, the onus ultimately falls on consumers truly ness in Evansville could get produce from Fort Wayne interested in supporting local farmers to educate them— nearly 300 miles away — and still call it local.” selves on where their food comes from. Liz Brownlee, Becky Church, chairwoman of the Columbus Farmco-owner of Nightfall Farm in Jackson County and ers Market, says the 2016 growing season provided a regular vendor at Columbus, Seymour and Madison lesson on the importance of direct communication with farmers markets, says many of her customers simply nolocal producers through farmers markets and comtice a difference in taste between her products and those munity supported agriculture (CSA) programs. They on big-box grocery store shelves, and become regulars as were a means for consumers to learn firsthand about a result. where their products actually come from, as well as the “Although our customers come to us for many differduties and challenges farmers face – weather problems, ent reasons – some care about our environmental pracfertilization, harvesting, advertistices, some like that we’re local ing and transportation costs to and a family farm – they all seem name a few – in bringing those to come back because our food products to the public. tastes good,” says Brownlee, who “There was little opportunity grows pasture-raised chicken, in the spring growing season last pork, turkey and lamb with her year for farmers where it wasn’t husband, Nate, and offers several too wet to get in the fields, and meat CSA programs. then fields got drowned,” Church “They tell us that our food, and says. “So we had vendors last year everything they get at the farmers that struggled at the end of the market, tastes better than the season to have enough produce. grocery store.” People were able to observe the Brownlee adds that the remote Morgan Meier, left, and Hallee Swope sell Hackman’s produce at the Columbus City Farmers Market. challenges of the local farmers location of her farm makes weekCarla Clark | For The Republic when they had less produce at the ly farmers market participation end of the season than they usually do. a must, regardless of the economic and weather-related “That’s something you can only learn about by getting challenges that might be thrown her way. out there and interacting with the vendors. You won’t be “We live on a dead-end road in the country,” she says. exposed to that kind of thing just going to the grocery, “We have to leave to sell our food. It does take time and and it might make you return to the vendor that you energy to be at market, but for us this is part of the cost start to learn about.” of running our business. The farmers market lets us conChurch says the surge in consumer demand for fresh, nect with customers and other farmers.” locally grown fare has contributed to an increase in For a directory of Indiana farmers markets by city, visit both vendor and consumer participation in recent years, farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Indiana.htm. helping the Columbus Farmers Market grow from 22 For a farmers market vendor guide for specialty vendors to approximately 130 in nine seasons. crop producers, visit cdext.purdue.edu/wp-content/up“The health factor and the farm-to-table freshness reloads/2016/03/indiana-farmers-market-vending.pdf. ally appeal to people and are a big reason why more and For more information on the Indiana Grown initiative, more people are coming out, and the good thing is that’s go to indianagrown.org.

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Farm Indiana | march 2017

Clint Arnholt

“I was bound and determined I was going to come back and farm. I didn’t want to do anything else.”

Following in footsteps Arnholt family offers diverse soil services at Sudan Farms

story and photos By Marcia Walker

ll Clint Arnholt ever wanted to do was farm. On a chilly winter day, Clint sat with his parents, Dan and Susan, at an antique table in their warm, cheery kitchen, and set aside his iPhone long enough to talk about his lifelong passion for digging in the dirt. He said he spent much of his childhood riding in the cabs of combines and tractors. And when the Columbus East High School graduate headed off to Purdue, Clint had no doubts about the career he wanted to pursue. “I was bound and determined I was going to come back and farm,” he said. “I didn’t want to do anything else.” Clint, 40, jokes that his parents were “night farmers” because they held Sudan Farms day jobs as well. 5541 S. Road 900E “Dad and Mom Columbus always worked 812-343-0551 full time when I Services: variable was growing up,” rate lime spreading, gypsum application he explained. and high clearance Dan, 71, cover cup seeding worked 45 years for electrical utility companies, including Bartholomew County REMC, while Susan, 70, worked as a dental hygienist before taking over management of their farm. Clint knew the family’s farming operation — about 400 acres during the time he was in college — was not large enough to support him, a wife and children, and his parents, but he was determined to find a way to make it work. The self-described innovative thinker simply looked for a way to diversify, to branch out. That diversification began with lime. Lime is used to offset the effects of acidic soil, which inhibits growth. The Arnholts began applying lime to their

ductivity while minimizing expenses. the day she stood in a grain elevator, sur“We make our dirt better, our soils veying the scene before her and thinkhealthier and more productive,” he said. ing, “Surely there is something I can do.” He has also added high clearance What Susan did was go back to school, seeding to his list of services. The taking the Purdue short course. She was method, which involves using a Hagie the only woman in the class. frame with an air seeder, allows cover “I asked Dad, ‘I want to farm with crops to be sown even with corn and you,’” Susan recalled, looking back at soybeans still standing in a field. That that period of transition. way, there is still plenty of sunshine for She said her father responded that he the cover crop, necessary to establish a had always thought it would be one of his good root system. sons who would farm with him, but he Once again, the intent is to increase welcomed his daughter. soil productivity and take better care of “When Clint came back from the soil. school, they began working together,” Clint always has his eyes open for new Dan explained. techniques. He is experimenting with Dan lends a hand when needed. It’s different types of cover crops. He has a family joke that when he walks into used wheat but is also the barn, Clint will say, trying oats and a type of “Dad, if you’re looking for radish. something to do ….” And he promotes the Dan acts as sort of the use of gypsum, the apextra hand; he’s the one plication of which is yet who is likely to be sent to another service he offers. town to purchase parts, Gypsum improves water keeps the crew supplied infiltration, reducing with seed and fertilizer run-off and erosion. during planting season “I’ve always been and drive the truck durinterested in bettering ing harvest. my soil,” he said. “I worked a lot of years He also offers custom by myself,” Clint said. — Clint Arnholt farming, planting, “It’s more efficient with spraying and combining (more) people.” for farmers, often for Susan credits her son’s those with smaller operations. being an avid reader and having a great He offers all these services under the memory for his flair for technology. She name Sudan Farms. The name comes added that he is very conscientious about from the first two letters of his parusing agricultural practices that dovetail ents’ first names. Sudan Farms was eswith taking good care of the land. tablished in 1981, but the Arnholts have Clint has served on the board of the been farming since about 1867 when the Bartholomew County Soil and Wafirst members of the German-Lutheran ter Conservation District, and he and family arrived in Indiana. Dan are leaders of a specialty 4-H club That was during horse and buggy focused on lawn and garden tractors. days, Dan pointed out, proudly noting About 30 young people participate, that his heritage is 100 percent German, learning about the operation, safety and coming from both sides of the Arnholt maintenance of smaller tractors. family tree. During part of the program, parClint is the sixth generation. A sevticipants navigate a course while being enth generation is waiting in the wings, judged on how they maneuver and operClint and his wife, Katie, have three ate the machines. The local club has won children, Lillyan, Owen and Adelyn. the state championship nine times and Clint and his mother also manage national championship four times. the family’s own 1,000 acre farming Between three children of his own operation, with row crops including and the kids in 4-H, Clint has plenty corn and soybeans. of opportunities to pass on his knowlSusan also grew up on a farm. “My edge, skill and passion to the next crop dad (the late Frank Huffman) was a wonof farmers. derful teacher,” she said. “I worked hand “I kind of think things through,” he in hand with my dad while growing up.” said, summarizing his approach to farmShe recalled the day she told her ing. “When I come across something and husband she didn’t want to be a dental like an idea — (if) it’s something I try on hygienist anymore, that she wanted to do my farm — I’ll offer it to customers and something different. She also remembers try to enhance our business.”

own fields using a truck, then started hauling lime for others as well. It was the beginning of Sudan Farms. “The lime business was a way to get me back home,” Clint said. From the truck, Clint moved up to a Terra-Gator, a machine specifically designed for applying fertilizer. Its three huge tires minimize soil compaction. And Clint also began searching for other ways to diversify. While in college, he worked for a fertilizer company, where he became interested in applying computer technology to farming practices. At the time, GPS was gaining acceptance in the northern part of the state, but was still a somewhat foreign concept this far south. Clint brought the technology home. He expanded his business, adding another service: soil sampling. Soil samples are necessary to help determine how much lime and fertilizer to apply. He now does soil sampling for three fertilizer companies, serving customers in a six-county area. Collecting the samples involves a GPS mapping system, pinpointing locations in a particular field where the samples are to be taken. “Even with one soil type, you can have variations within the soil,” Clint explained. Computer technology also provides different avenues for record keeping. Not only can maps be generated to present data about soil types, they can show production rates for various crops in different areas of a particular field, rates of fertilizer application in different sections of a field and even comparisons using different seeds. Clint said that Indiana has soil maps dating to the 1930s, but those maps are not necessarily accurate since soil can change over time, frequently the result of changes in land use. The bottom line is to increase soil pro-

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Farm Indiana | march 2017

Making agriculture great again

istration will encourage Congress to look at how to effectively do that as a new farm bill is crafted. “We don’t feel like the current program is adequate,” he says. “The payout, which is based on a county yield, varies a lot. In the long run, an equitable arrangement keeps food prices down.” Speer makes no predictions on when a brand new farm bill might be the focus of Congress and the USDA. “It’s not unusual to extend discussions on the current bill for another two years.” He does stress that food assistance programs for the general population make up a significant portion of farm legislation. “People get confused. They don’t realize that hoped to see more opportunities to export agriculactual farm concerns are a really small part of it.” tural products. Melvin Bishop, whose grain and livestock farm Bill Lentz, who farms north of Columbus, says, is in southern Jackson County near Dudleytown, “I’m a little concerned about signals indicating a says, “We need some guaranteed prices. With our protectionist bias, but we really don’t know how input costs, there’s not much of a margin.” overall trade policy will affect agriculture yet.” He qualifies his statement by adding that “no Lentz likes the moves toward deregulating the farmer is asking for a handout.” energy sector. The Burbrinks see the matter somewhat differently. “From a stock market standpoint, we’ve seen “We really would like to make our own markets,” energy stocks go up lately as regulation has eased. says Charlene. “Prices would find their own proper Things like electricity will be cheaper in the long run, level. People in government who get involved in and that’s a plus for farmers. Cheaper natural gas will farm bills don’t always understand farming. In fact, be good as well. Cheaper nitrogen in particular is some of them are from densely populated areas, helpful, as it’s important in making fertilizer.” and sometimes they don’t have a clue.” Burbrink and her husband, Larry, are rather An area of particular concern for Bishop is the outspoken regarding what they’d like to see at the matter of confinement feeding and the public Environmental Protection Agency. That agency’s policy focus of recent years on free-range animals. new head, Scott Pruitt, has made it “We need people who know clear that he intends to scale back its what they’re doing regarding regulatory activity, and the Burconfinement feeding,” he says. brinks are pleased. “Free-range and organic livestock “We really “The EPA is over the top in the way is not always the best for everywould like it operates,” says Larry. “We’re rebody. Farmers want to keep their to make our quired to top off the tank of our comlivestock as healthy as possible for bine with a fuel additive designed consumers. If it all went to free own markets. to cut down on exhaust smoke, but range, you couldn’t afford to go to Prices would the combine is well-designed and the grocery store.” find their own doesn’t emit smoke in the first place. Speer concurs, saying that conproper level.” It’s a nuisance, and it’s costly. I hope finement feeding “gets a little bit of the new EPA management can get a bad rap.” — Charlene Burbrink government off our backs.” Charlene Burbrink is on board “When we went to the national with this view as well. Farm Bureau convention in Arizona, “They’re wanting to treat animals we really had our eyes opened,” says like humans, and it’s gotten out of Charlene. “That state is so over-regulated. They’re hand,” she says. trying to completely eliminate dust, even on the The theme that emerges from conversations with roads there.” area farmers is a desire to see policy shaped by Marcus Speer of Rockcreek Township in Barpeople who know something about what farmers tholomew County, who, along with his brother, is actually do. While the new president is a product of involved in a farming operation their father runs full the city, there is reason for encouragement in some time, sees a need for a government presence in supof the key people who will be addressing issues porting crop prices. He hopes that the new adminclosest to home for those who grow our food.

Area farmers keeping an open mind about Trump administration By Barney Quick

America’s agriculture sector has perhaps less of an idea how the Trump administration and particularly the new team at the U.S. Department of Agriculture is going to affect its activities than other sectors. Beyond a few general remarks on the campaign trail, mainly about his favorable views on ethanol, the new president has had little to say about farming. Trump is a product of an urban environment. Still, farmers were a significant voting block in helping ensure his victory last November. He has nominated former Georgia Gov. Sonny Sonny Perdue Perdue to be agriculture secretary, which may provide some indication of the administration’s direction. Perdue is the son of a farmer and pursued a career as a veterinarian prior to going into politics. He also has a track record of generally favoring local control over matters of public policy. Charlene Burbrink, a member of a Bartholomew County farm family, says of Perdue, “I hear he’s very good. We went to the Farm Bureau national convention, and he was discussed a lot.” The administration figure whom she finds most encouraging so far is Indiana’s former governor, who is now vice president. “We put a lot of stock in Mike Pence. He’s very supportive of farming, so we hope he has a lot of influence.” Three areas in which the new administration has made some moves — trade, energy and the environment — already may provide some clues as to how it will approach agriculture. Burbrink was disappointed that the president signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. She considers herself a free-trade advocate and had

Farm Indiana | march 2017

Growing enthusiasm

Community Pollinator Project has Jennings County all abuzz

By Cecelia Ellis

Awards and new projects are adding up at the Jennings County Soil and Water Conservation District. In just over a year, what started as an out-of-budget idea to help bees, butterflies and mankind has turned into a community-involved project that has already been recognized at local, state and national levels. The Jennings County SWCD’s Community Pollinator Project has recently been given the Indiana Conservation Partnership Award, the USDA Indiana NRCS 2016 State Earth Volunteer Award and the USDA NRCS 2016 National Earth Team Partnership Award. Soon after he arrived as the executive director of the Jennings County SWCD in 2015, Andy Ertel learned the federal government was concerned about a national shortage of pollinators. Honeybees, butterflies, some birds and a few insects are pollinators. Honeybees are the most productive pollinators, followed by monarch butterflies and hummingbirds. “I knew nothing about bees or butterflies before this started,” Ertel said as he described how he became so involved in a project to save and expand the bee and butterfly population in Jennings County. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, pollinators are necessary because 75 percent of the world’s flowering plants de-

Andy Ertel and Kelly Kent (PHOTO BY Cecelia Ellis)

pend on them to reproduce. One-third of our food comes from pollinated plants. Without pollinators we would not have many of the foods we love, including apples, watermelons, blueberries, carrots, broccoli, almonds, orange juice, coffee and chocolate. Wildlife also depends on pollinators for much of its food. Ertel decided to do something about the shortage of pollinators in his own corner of the world and enlisted Kelly Kent, Jennings County SWCD administrative assistant, to help. Since her son was allergic to bees, at first

How to get started in

Kent wasn’t so sure the idea of helping to increase the bee population was such a good idea. But after learning how important bees and other pollinators are, she decided to help. “I knew the first thing we had to do was learn about bees, and we both went about doing that,” Kent said. “We studied everything we could get our hands on.” They learned there are several suspected reasons for a decrease in the bee and butterfly population, but scientists believe one main reason is modern society’s encroachment into the natural habitat of pollinators. There is now a need to grow flowers and plants to help pollinators survive. By December 2015, Ertel and Kent were ready to start a project to help grow gardens of flowers and plants that would attract bees and butterflies and help them thrive in Jennings County. Though there was a nationwide pollinator project called Share Some Space, which published information about the plight of pollinators in today’s world, there was no funding at the county level to facilitate a pollinator project in Jennings County. “We had no money to work with, but I knew that Jenny Vogel was working on a project of planting marsh grass around the county, so I thought we could start with that,” Ertel said. Vogel, the SWCD conservationist, had funds for her separate project to sow plants to improve the soil. Because planting flowers in wild terrain would require equipment and labor to prepare the soil, Ertel asked permission to plant seeds that would grow flowers alongside the marsh grasses Vogel had already arranged to plant. Then, Ertel and Kent launched an information campaign to alert the community about the necessity of pollinators and the alarming shortage in the area. Thus was born the Community Pollinator Project. “You might say we were marketing bees,” Ertel said. “We decided it was better to encourage many people to plant small gardens across the county instead of large gardens in a few areas. Many single pots of flowers on patios or small gardens in yards would do more good for more bees.” Ertel and Kent contacted Burpee Seed Co. to ask for donations of seed packets to distribute to the public to encourage participation. “We had no idea how this was going to bloom when we started this project,” Kent said. “They gave us thousands of packages, and we were able to distribute information and seeds to participants at the county fair and agricultural meetings. They started a committee of volunteers to help design projects and figure out how to get things done without money or equipment of their own. “We have a very devoted committee of about 20 people now,” Ertel said. “Most of them have been with us from the beginning. Only a few have dropped out because of illness or family emergencies. We meet once a month. We have no rules

beekeeping

Tribune News Service

PITTSBORO, N.C. — Beekeeping was so much simpler in 1980 when John Strickland started. One of his rural Chatham County neighbors had bees, but the man was getting up in years. “If I ever have to leave them and can’t come back, I want you to take the bees and take care of them,” he told Strickland. “These people living around here, they’ll burn them.” One night, the neighbor was taken to the hospital and didn’t come home. “They took him to a nursing home,” Strickland said. “So I went over there and got the bees. That’s how I got started. I’ve been doing it ever since.” In those days, Strickland said, you could just have a hive in the yard. You didn’t have to worry about chemicals destroying the bees’ ability to navigate. You could trust a hive that was there in the fall would still be populated in the spring. These days, beekeepers like Strickland, owner of Busy Bee Farm in Pittsboro, battle increased pest threats and epidemic phenomena like colony collapse disorder, in which entire colonies of bees can vanish. “If I put in 30 hives and I have 15 of them come through the winter without colony col-

lapse, I feel like I’ve been successful,” he said. In 1980, all 30 would have survived. “It seems rare anymore that people are not losing bees,” said Moya Hallstein, president of the Chatham County Beekeepers’ Association. “It’s part of beekeeping now.” Strickland and Hallstein stand together and look out at Strickland’s rows upon rows of pick-your-own blackberries and blueberries. Just adjacent is a grassy field with his clusters of bee boxes. Here, 15 minutes out of Pittsboro, the distance from pollinator to flower is only a few yards. Strickland’s peacocks call, and they are loud. Turkeys and even a doe wander by unafraid, and Strickland doesn’t bat an eye. He’s surrounded by animals, by honeybees: It’s his life. “Once you’ve got so much money and equipment and stuff like that, you can’t get out of it,” Strickland said, sounding pleased more than trapped by this cycle. “You just keep going.” Each bee box can cost a couple of hundred dollars, and there’s the constant threat of pests and disease. But flowers need pollinating, and it’s the only way to get honey — one of few foods that will not spoil, Strickland said.

except everyone must be on time for the meetings. Everyone is involved, and everyone is encouraged to come up with ideas for new projects.” During their first year, Ertel, Kent and the committee used radio, newspapers and technology to acquaint the public with the plight of pollinators. They also made personal appearances at county council meetings, Farm Bureau meetings, the Coffee Creek Conservation Club, schools and other civic organizations. They created displays showcasing the importance of pollinators and what people can do to help them survive and took the displays to the Jennings County Fair, the Fifth-Grade Agricultural Day and the Selmier Forest Field Day. Amber Fields, Jennings County School Corp. administrative assistant for business operations and buildings and grounds and a pollinator committee member, led the way for students to grow patches of wildflowers to attract pollinators at their schools. By last summer, the Community Pollinator Project also undertook several major projects, including a permanent display at the Jennings County Fairgrounds called the Pollinator Pathway, workshops on how to grow wildflowers and a plant sale to encourage families to begin their own pollinator projects. Many projects from 2016 will continue through 2017, including the school projects and the planting of pollinator patches at area city, county and state parks. The plant sale, educational displays and the distribution of more free Burpee seeds will continue throughout the year. Upcoming major projects will include the planting of long stretches of pollinator-attracting plants across many acres at schools, businesses and along agricultural areas. Butterfly gardens will be planted at six elementary schools, the Vernon Commons, Eco Park and County Park. High school FFA classes will plant monarch gardens and pollinator patches. Several projects have especially caught the attention of North Vernon Mayor Mike Ochs. He said projects such as the pollinator borderline patches along North Vernon’s Industrial Park, the City Park walking path and massive plantings in the Old Fords Crossing Golf Course will be an advantage to the city and taxpayers. “These projects won’t cost the taxpayer a cent,” he said. “In fact, they will save money because they will decrease the amount of mowing that will have to be done. Besides, the flowers will enhance the color and look of areas that have been looking bleak. Also, when pollinator plants thrive, it will help the wildlife like the rabbits and squirrels, too. It’s a huge win all the way around.” “None of this could have happened without community participation and support,” Ertel said. Kent added, “This really caught fire and grew within the community, but it also regenerated us too. It brought us all to life.”

Getting into beekeeping isn’t easy, but Strickland and Hallstein share a few tips. » Engage the bee community: Watch videos, read up on bees and most importantly, find a beekeeper who will let you work with him for a year. After that time, you will have seen the effort and expense that go into it, and you’ll know whether you want to be a beekeeper. “Go to your local beekeeper association meetings,” Hallstein said. » Two hives are better than one: If you’re starting off small, at least start a pair of hives. Different queens have different attitudes, different hives produce differently and you can compare how they both perform. Plus, if one hive leaves or fails, you can split the surviving one and repopulate the empty one. » Place your hives properly: “Location is really, really important,” Hallstein said. Bees navigate by the sun, so hives need to face east and be in open fields. They can’t be by bodies of water, either. The sun’s reflection in a pond, say, can disorient bees, causing them to flip over and drown. » Be gentle: “I think of John as the bee whisperer,” Hallstein said as

Strickland gently, methodically opens a hive and pulls out a frame. He carried a smoker, but wore no protective gear and showed no fear. The bees don’t bother him. Bees remember how you treat them, and an easy touch can lead to a docile hive. » Pests: The major pests, Strickland and Hallstein say, are wax moths, small hive beetles, Varroa mites and skunks. They can move extraordinarily fast. Hallstein lost all six hives to the invasive small hive beetle last year, all in the span of about a week, so keep a close eye on your bees. » Feed your bees: Her first year as a beekeeper, Hallstein said, she stubbornly insisted her bees didn’t need feeding, but they actually did and they died. “I had to take responsibility for not feeding them because they didn’t have enough in there to survive,” she said. “We pretty much killed our bees.” Bee food, simply enough, is sugar water, mixed in different ratios for different situations. Another way of feeding bees is to plant tulip poplars, which are an excellent source of nectar flow. “Keep your bees strong,” she said.

Farm Indiana | march 2017

Upcoming EVENTS Feb. 23 Forest Management for the Private Woodland Owner This date kicks off a short course offered by Purdue geared toward landowners looking for help managing their forests. The course runs on Thursday evenings for eight weeks and features subjects including Forest Resource and Tree Identification (Feb. 23); Forest Biology and Ecology (March 2); Forest Cultivation I (March 9); Forest Cultivation II (March 16); Field Tour (March 18); Managing the Woodland Investment (March 23); Marketing Timber (March 30); Wildlife Management (April 6); Field Tour (April 8); and Resources and Assistance for Landowners (April 22). Time: 6 p.m. Location: Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center, 11371 E. Purdue Road, Dubois. Information: 812-678-5049. Feb. 23 and 25 Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop Two dates, 2 to 4 p.m. Register to get address for the session. For Thursday session: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ thursday-fruit-tree-pruning-workshoptickets-31157290294. For Saturday session: https://www.eventbrite. com/e/saturday-fruit-tree-pruningworkshop-tickets-31157721584. Dress for the weather; bring pruners and gloves. Severe weather may cancel. Feb. 24-25 Beef and Dairy Beef Animal ID (Tagging) Days 6 to 8 p.m. Friday; 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Jennings County Fairgrounds. All market steers (beef and dairy beef) and commercial/non-registered heifers must attend one of the animal ID days. Animal ID worksheets, requirements and 4-H online instructions will be mailed to 4-H members enrolled in the beef and dairy projects. If you do not receive this information in the mail, contact the Extension Office. A completed worksheet must be brought to Animal ID Day. Feb. 28 NRCS Webinar “Sprinkler Irrigation — History and Basics.” A free, one-hour webinar at 2 p.m. on the history of sprinkler irrigation systems. This is an audio broadcast available only on computer. Registration is not necessary. Information: holli. kuykendall@gnb.usda.gov. March 2-4 Indiana Small Farm Conference, presented by Purdue Extension Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex in Danville. Information and registration: https:// www.purdue.edu/dffs/smallfarms/ indiana-small-farm-conference. March 6 Diversified Food and Farming 2017, New Forest Farm and Restoration Agriculture 10 a.m., Purdue Extension Bartholomew County, 965 Repp Drive, Columbus. Registration not required. Information: 812-379-1665 or kmedic@purdue.edu.

Glick’s daughter, Mae, experiences farm life.

March 7 Jennings County Soil and Water Conservation District annual meeting 6 p.m., Rolling Hills Shrine Club, 3815 State Road 7, North Vernon. Featured speaker: John Scott Foster, executive director of Wesselman Nature Society. Information: www.jenningsswcd.org. March 8 Code Red User Group Free. 2 to 4 p.m., Purdue Extension Office – Bartholomew County, 965 Repp Drive, Columbus. Have you taken Code Red but want some practice or help? Come in to the Extension office to work on your records or get your questions answered. Information: Kris Medic, kmedic@purdue.edu, 812-379-1665. March 13-14 Phenomics Workshop Crop scientists and engineers will learn cross-discipline communication and collaboration skills as part of a field-based plant phenomics workshop at Purdue University’s West Lafayette campus. Cost is $500 for professionals; free for Purdue students. Space is limited. For more information or to sign up, visit https://ag.purdue.edu/ plantsciences/phenomics-curricula/ or contact Chad Martin at 765-4963964, martin95@purdue.edu. March 14 NRCS Webinar: Soil Health Economics: A Farmer’s Perspective 2 p.m. This free one-hour webinar presents the economic benefits of soil health based on implementing a soil health management system that includes continuous no-till, cover crops, nutrient management and subsurface drainage. This is an audio broadcast available only on computer. Registration is not necessary. Information: holli. kuykendall@gnb.usda.gov. March 20 Jennings County Rural Urban Dinner 6 p.m., Rolling Hills Shrine Club, 3815 State Road 7, North Vernon. All 10-year 4-H members will be recognized at this event. Information: 812-352-3033. March 22 PARP Training 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Scott Hall, 250 Fairground St., Franklin. Sign in at 9 a.m. Cost $10 for educational credits. Speakers include Fred Whitford (Cleaning the Sprayer), Sarah Hanson (Pesticide Poisoning of Livestock) and Bill Johnson (Weed Management Update). RSVP to 317-736-3724 or sspeedy@purdue. edu and let us know if you’ll be staying for lunch at no additional charge from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Editorial deadline for our next issue is March 3. Calendar items may be submitted to dshowalter@therepublic.com.

from the field

Be patient, positive and personal By katie glick

I work in an office with born that morning and how it a bunch of suits (you know affected our morning routine what I mean), and I’ve come and that one of them died. I to embrace their questions explain to the black suit about and curiosity. Sometimes I how the weather and various chuckle at their questions, and trade policies affect the corn, sometimes I tilt my head with a soybean and wheat markets questionable grin. every day and I hear about it While I am sure my facial every night. expressions may say differently, I tell the gray suit about my I have learned over the years to experience in 4-H and how it be patient and positive with my helped me develop life lessons friends and colleagues as they that I apply to my life today try to learn and understand the — work hard, be caring, the world of agriculture. buying and selling and losing Navigating through a something you have worked conversation with somehard for. one about such a large topic And then I complain to that few of us live every day my secretary that the gravel and all of us need every driveway full of rocks and mud day is quite challenging. from my farmer’s truck are While I write this, it’s a ruining my high heels, which gloomy February day where have caused a horrendous hole temperatures have risen to and run in my tights before a a warm 60 degrees (that’s big meeting. Indiana for you). My sister People remember the imand I have been talking for portance and understand the weeks about how we are going need for agriculture when they to honor our father for Ag know that it affects someone Appreciation Month in March on a personal level. and brainstormed some great We don’t look each other in ideas that we have already put the eyes enough anymore beinto action. cause we are too busy comparYet I have struggled recently ing our lives to someone else’s on how to tell online. So when my story without you are patient with getting so oversomeone when they whelmed with the ask you a question, amount of inforpositive in your tone mation I need to and personal in your share about life on response while lookthe farm and how ing in their eyes, Katie Glick lives with her husband on their important agriculthey remember and family farm near ture is to us all. they appreciate. Columbus, where they Rattling off As I finish writing grow corn, soybeans farm facts — how this, I have gotten and wheat; raise cattle; many people we a text from a friend and have a private seed company. She feed and the stats in Iowa asking how works in the on what and how many calves we’ve agriculture industry. we produce — had. Then a coldoesn’t suffice for league came in to me anymore. Those numbers chat about the recent pig farmdisappear through the thin air ing story he heard on NPR. and short attention spans of Every moment of my life inindividuals living in the hustle volves agriculture and so does and bustle of the 21st century yours — appreciate it. Your and disconnected from their patience and positive attitude food source. about your personal agriculInstead of numbers, I use ture story will last longer than personal touches. I tell the blue any agriculture appreciation suit about the calves that were month.

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Farm Indiana | march 2017

Resolve to build healthy soils on rented land

from the field

The View at Nightfall

By Melissa Erdman

District conservationist, NRCS, Mifflintown, Pennsylvania

Do you rent your land for agriculture? If so, here are five questions from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service that you need to ask the folks who rent your land: • Do you build organic matter in the soil? • Do you test the soil at least once every four years? • Do you use no-till practices? • Do you use cover crops? •W hat can we do together to improve soil health on your land? If you’re lucky, you have a renter like John Z. Beiler, who rented acres of prime farmland in Port Royal, Pennsylvania. At the landowner’s encouragement, he worked with NRCS to address gully erosion, test the farm’s soils, control noxious weeds and comply with highly erodible land and conservation plan requirements. After reviewing the resource concerns on the farm, Beiler installed much-needed conservation practices that included a grassed waterway, a lined waterway, subsurface drainage, an equipment stream crossing and a 35-foot native grass riparian herbaceous buffer. He also committed to continue no-tilling the farm and planting mixes of diverse cover crops. He had converted to no-till farming long ago and was one of the first farmers in Juniata County to include forage radishes in his cover crop mixes. He did everything he could to build healthy soil on his rented acres. Sadly, just a few months after implementing these practices, he passed away. A few weeks later, his son went to the local NRCS office to find out how to carry on his dad’s conservation work. Today, all the practices in the Beilers’ conservation plan are at work. There is an equipment crossing that limits streambank erosion and a native grass buffer on an ag-impaired stream segment that bisects the farm. The family continues to test the soils and use no-till and cover crops. The Beiler family is “building the production capacity and resiliency of their landowner’s soil … resulting in longer-term production and profitability gains through sustainable conservation practices,” according to Barry Fisher, NRCS soil health specialist and an Indiana farmer. “Finding a farmer who is interested in building organic matter by using practices like no-till and cover crops is like finding a bank with a better rate on a certificate of deposit,” said Fisher.

Time for a hometown food guide

W By Liz Brownlee

“Wow – I didn’t know your farm existed! I’ve been looking for something like your farm for a long time.” We hear this refrain weekly at the farmers market. New customers always express their comments in a good way. They’re happy to know that we’re here, and we’re happy to meet them. Still, it’s a humbling reminder that although we’ve put a lot of time into promoting our young business, there’s more work to do, and it might be time to get a little creative with our publicity efforts. We started talking with other small farmers, and many of them have a similar experience. People are excited about finding more local food options in the Columbus and Seymour area, but new customers are surprised to learn that their farm exists. This seems to be true whether the customer is new to the area or if they were born here. We also started talking to the Columbus Food Co-op, the group that’s working to open a fullservice grocery store in Columbus. Its grocery will have a full mix of products but will feature lots of local food. We’re member-owners and keen to see the store open, so we keep tabs on the progress and try to help build the group. Last year, for instance, we offered members a 10 percent discount on

certain farmers market days. Our ears perked up last fall when an email from the co-op highlighted the results from a recent survey of its 883 members. One key request: Members wanted help finding more local food. Many members already consistently buy at farmers markets, join CSAs, etc. But some people join the co-op as a way to find more local food. so I’ll help other co-op volunteers This seemed like an obvious compile the farmers’ information pairing: Its members wanted to into the one-page guide. learn about options for local food, The co-op will put it on its weband we sell local food. site so anyone in the community, I’m a firm believer that a rising including co-op members, can actide lifts all boats, so rather than cess it. We’re also going to create a just promote our farm to co-op map of the farms in the directory. members, we decided to think Last but not least, the co-op is a little more broadly. I thought going to create monthly features about the other farmers we had about farms in the area. This is talked to, who had similar expean extra piece that farmers in the riences with new customers at guide can take advantage of if they market. We wanted to do somewant to (but they don’t have to). thing that would include all of the I’m delighted to be doing somefarms in the area that wanted to be thing tangible to try to get the involved. word out about local Over the last several farms like us. I’m sure months, we’ve come up we’ll still meet new with a plan. We’re gopeople at the farmers ing to create a “Homemarket (that’s good), town Food Guide,” but hopefully the with a phone book-style Hometown Food Guide directory that focuses will help more people on the greater Columfind more local food Liz and Nate Brownlee operate Nightfall Farm in bus area. and help farmers like Crothersville. We’re not just comus connect with more piling a list; we’re askcustomers. ing farmers to tell us if they want If you’re a farmer who wants to be included. Any local farm, to be listed, email us at nightfarm stand or farmers market that fallfarm@gmail.com. If you know wants to be listed can be. Each of a farm, farm stand or farmers farmer can describe what they sell, market in the area that ought to be when and where, so customers can in the guide, I hope you’ll tell them learn about local food options. about our project and encourage I like doing graphic design work, them to participate.

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