CRAWFORD

owned this farm since 1999; they had three children, a son Trent and daughters Kim and Stephanie.

More than the price of the land has changed since Delbert’s grandfather purchased it in 1920.

The paperwork filled out on their Century Farm application states that the farm’s products are “corn and soybeans,” but the Clausens have a history rich in cattle production.

“Great-Grandpa Andrew fed cattle to go to Chicago,” said Trent Clausen. “The big deal was to go on the Blue-Ribbon Special before Thanksgiving weekend.”

Feeding cattle was the prestigeend of the farming and livestock business; the Schleswig Cattle Train became known as the BlueRibbon Special and had grown to 97 carloads on a regular basis, forming two trains.

“The train pulled into Schleswig on Monday,” said Delbert Clausen.

THE CLAUSENS are celebrating 102 years of ownership. From left to right are Hunter, Trent and Delbert Clausen. Delbert Clausen has spent more than eight decades on this farm.

“Only the cattle train would come in, and they’d pull out that afternoon and be on the Wednesday market in Chicago. It was all Schleswig cattle-feeders on that train.

“There was one time when they made 100 carloads of cattle, and they brought more than the caboose in. The Pullman came also, so they were going first class.”

The first train to come into the area did so in 1899 — effectively creating the town of Schleswig — and the last train departed in 1957.

The Schleswig Calf Show Days celebration has also been a large part of the Clausen farm Experience.

The town festival originated in 1949, corresponding with the 50th anniversary of Schleswig.

“As a kid, we were assigned five calves in October,” said Trent Clausen. “You fed the five random calves. In September, we took the calves to town. You could kick the worst out of the five, and the other four would be judged by cattle buyers.”

On Saturday, there would be an auction to allow the participants to sell their stock; it was an event that Delbert Clausen participated in as

See CLAUSEN, Page 32C

Home Of The Original

Stock Tank

By KRISTIN DANLEY-GREINER

Farm News writer

WOODWARD — For the longest time, Jenna McCarthy’s grandparents wanted to file the paperwork for their farm operation in Dallas County to be declared a century farm by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

So the 26-year-old Ames resident decided to help out her beloved grandparents, Alvin and Nancy Barclay, and start the process. Last summer, the family farm finally received its special designation.

“It was so exciting for us. It’s something my grandparents have wanted to do for a really long time, so I finally took the initiative to get the abstract and everything prepared and submitted. It was so cool to make it official, to signify that my family has been here for this many generations and we plan to stay here for several more,”