GROWING in The Heartland February 2015

FEBRUARY 2015
PRODUCE
FOOD SAFETY
FAMOUS MARKET,
YOUNG FARMER
Why it matters
BIRD COUNT
Austin McKinley carries on

market and restaurant tradition
Record-setting numbers
during Knox County Bird Count
A RESOLUTION
FOR AGRICULTURE
Standing up to the
opposition
TURKEY FARMS
The benefits to our Southern Indiana community
COVER CROPS: NEW RESEARCH PROVING BENEFITS

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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
Terri Talarek King,
Angie J. Mayfield,
Bill Richardson,
Kelly Overton and
Lindsay Owens
THE BITTER COLD winds of February may make spring feel like an eternity away, but I like to look at the shortest month of the year as one of opportunity.
Its a time to start fresh and prepare for the upcoming growing season. Preparing
for that season could be compared to switching ones winter wardrobe to their
spring wardrobe except in this case instead of clothing, we switch out seed catalogs. The winter months feel like Christmas nearly every day
when I open my mailbox and pull out the latest editions of
seed catalogs from various companies. Those catalogs, as
silly as it seems, give me hope that winter wont last forever
and scouring the pages for the perfect seeds is really one of
the few things I enjoy the most about the often sloppy, cold
winter months. The task also leaves me anxiously awaiting
the day I can begin to sow my seeds for the new year.
While Im grateful for the opportunity to watch the
seeds push their way through the rich southern Indiana soil
in the upcoming months, I have to thank 2014 for providing
me a chance to combine two of the things I love the most: Writing and agriculture.
Over the last several months, Ive met wonderful people who share my passion for
not only the area we call home but also what we do.
Farming, whether raising crops or critters, is not for the faint of heart. Its not always as simple as those not involved in the industry may think. The seeds, tractors
and technology are ever changing, but the blood, sweat, tears and pride put into
the crops never do. Its a constant. Each year, the tractor engine turns over and the
plow whisks under the remnants of the previous years efforts. Farming is a gamble
and is about as predictable as selecting the winning lottery numbers, but its a gamble that generations of farm families have gladly accepted.
Its far too early to know what 2015 has in store for us, but with any luck, the
weather will be gentle, animals will thrive and crops will prosper. With any luck,
therell be lots of sunshine too. After all, whats a farmer without a farmers tan?
WRITERS
Toni Allison,
Terri Talarek King,
Damian Mason,
Angie J. Mayfield,
J. Scott Monroe, Darla Norris,
Lindsay Owens, Dan Ravellette,
Bill Richardson, Rama Sobhani
and John Stoll
Lindsay Owens, editor
Lindsay, who already has

tomato plants among other things
sprouted, is counting down the
days until planting season officially begins. Until then, send her
your story ideas at lowens@washtimesherald.com.
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.
Ellie Mae is thinking about running

through rows of flowers when the
weather gets warm. | PHOTO BY
LINDSAY OWENS
4 | FEBRUARY 2015
p4EditorFeb15.indd 1
x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

1/31/15 11:52 AM
Frank Stepp, Vice President of Thompson & Associates,

is a national leader in estate planning. He has helped
thousands of Americans draft estate plans which reduce
estate taxes and increase the assets which they can
leave for their heirs.
Franks services are a gift to the community provided by
Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation.
Frank Stepp
Vice President
Thompson & Associates
p5GSHFeb15.indd 1
TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT, PLEASE CONTACT:

Jennifer Pacheco
Foundation Director
Good Samaritan Hospital
Foundation
812-885-3377
1/28/15 8:27 AM
CONTENTS
FEBRUARY 2015 | VOL. 2, ISSUE 1
EDITORS PAGE
17 SEEDLINGS
Gearing up for a new

growing season
By Lindsay Owens
15
Safety net programs

Submitted by Darla PM
Norris
18 AG EDUCATION
Produce food safety: Why it
matters
By J. Scott Monroe
19 FAMOUS MARKET,

YOUNG FARMER
Austin McKinley carries
on tradition at McKinley
Orchards Market and
Restaurant
By Dan Ravellette
22 THE FUNNIER SIDE

OF FARMING
Photo by Kelly Overton
A New Years resolution for

agriculture
By Damian Mason
Photo by Angie J. Mayfield
GREEN FIELDS ALL

YEAR LONG
26 THE NATURAL SIDE

28 SOIL HEALTH
FARM
Ray McCormick using nonstandard farming techniques

By Rama Sobhani
Billy the Backer

By John Stoll
12 SOUTHERN INDIANA
30 GOOD TO THE
TURKEY FARMS
EARTH
A benefit to our community

By Angie J. Mayfield
Katie Stam Irk goes from

farmer to Miss America
By Toni Allison
15 MY RURAL ROOTS
Raising chickens: A backyard
benefit
p6ContentsFeb15.indd 1
OF THINGS
Native landscape
By Terri Talarek King
11 DOWN ON THE
6 | FEBRUARY 2015
Gary and Lisa Bowman

lead volunteers during 10th
Annual Knox County Bird
Count
By Bill Richardson
Photo by Terri Talarek King
Surge in cover crops lets

farmers increase productivity
By Lindsay Owens
23 COUNTING BIRDS
ON THE COVER: The red
26
barn with a green roof is east of

Montgomery, Indiana. . | PHOTO BY
KELLY OVERTON

2/2/15 9:21 AM
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GREEN FIELDS ALL YEAR LONG

Surge in cover crops lets farmers increase
productivity
By Lindsay Owens
THE WINTER MONTHS used to
leave farm fields frozen over and almost
in a hibernating state, but a recent
surge in the use of cover crops has
led to green fields nearly all year long
and farmers are reaping the benefit of
increased productivity.
While winter wheat and rye have
been used as cover crops by melon
farmers to avoid losing valuable top
soil for a number of years, they are not
the only options available. Radishes,
turnips, oats, crimson clover, winter
peas, hairy vetch and annual ryegrass,
among others, are all gaining popularity
in southern portions of the state. The
fall planted crops are also not exclusive
to just melon farmers either.
Each person kind of goes at using
cover crops in a unique way, said Tom
Held, Natural Resources Conservation
Services District Conservationist in
Knox County. The crops are tailored to

the needs of each farm.
Prior to the introduction of chemical
fertilizers, cover crops were used as an
essential tool in maintaining the fertility
of soil. The use of chemical fertilizers
gained popularity and farmers started
reducing the number of acres that were
put into cover crops. With new technology and research, farmers are realizing
the importance of keeping soil healthy
to increase productivity.
By adding organic matter and
increasing microbial activity, the cover
crops make the soil healthier, said Kevin Allison, conservation and livestock
technician with the Daviess County Soil
and Water Conservation District.
The crops also do far more than
prevent soil erosion as they provide
a variety of benefits including weed,
disease, and nematode suppression as
well as improved water filtration, and
alleviated soil compaction. The im-
proved water filtration allows the soil to

drain excessive water but still maintain
moisture during a drought.
Betsy Bower, an agronomist with
Ceres Solutions, said the extra diversity
contributed by cover crops builds extra
nutrition.
Different crops offer different benefits, Bower said. We try to pinpoint
what will be the best fit and then try to
come up with the best recipe for each
field.
Bower said just like other crops,
each cover crop requires a different
growing time to mature so what works
for someone who harvests and replants
with cover crops in August, may not
work for someone harvest and replants
with a cover crop in September or
October.
When cover crops are going in late,
we can try to find the crop that will provide the most benefits for the shorter
growing season, she said adding that
some Hoosier farmers might find it best
to try a variety of cover crops.
For use over winter, some of the
cover crops can be sowed as early as
August and as late as October and still
Greg Dellinger is the fifth generation to farm the ground he and his father, Dale, share. They both hope to leave the fertile soil in better shape than
they found it by utilizing cover crops.| PHOTOS BY KELLY OVERTON
8 | FEBRUARY 2015
p8-10CoverCrops.indd 1

2/2/15 10:28 AM
Dennis Walton Farms has been using cover crops in their soybean and corn fields for a
number of years. Walton said hes seen a difference in his ground since he started using
cover crops.
provide added benefits. Bower also

stresses that to reap the most benefits;
cover crops should be used annually.
You really need to use the cover crops
for more than a year. The more you use
cover crops, the more benefits you will
see. We do more than we did 10 years
ago but we can build on that even
more.
Just like every cover crop is tailored
to meet specific needs, the methods
used to sow the nutrient rich crops also
vary.
Troy Hinkle, executive director of
Knox County Soil and Water Conservation, said that locally farmers use a
variety of methods for sowing.
Some drill the crops, or use broadcast methods, said Hinkle. But we
also have some farmers who use crop
dusters.
A popular, but often difficult to
handle, cover crop for many Hoosier
farmers is annual ryegrass. The annual
ryegrass, not to be confused with cereal
rye, can have up to 3-feet of roots to
aide in reducing soil compaction among
other things, when it has as little as
3-inches of tip growth. The forage grass
can also become out of control when
warmer weather breaks before the crop
can be destroyed in the spring. Cereal
rye though, remains a popular choice
for many.
The father and son duo of Dale
and Greg Dellinger, who farm just east
of Vincennes, have been using cover
crops since the early 1980s. They also
favor cereal rye for the mostly clay-loam
fields.
I started in 1965 with traditional

farming, said Dale, who said he initially
left the now 150-year old family farm
thinking he wanted nothing to do with
it. Ive been doing no- till since around
1982 or 1983. Greg is the fifth generation to farm the ground.
Dale said by using cover crops and
other conservation methods, he and
Greg hope to leave the acreage in better
shape than they found it.
There really are a lot of advantages
to using the cover crops, said Dale, a
former teacher and Pioneer Seed salesman. It saves on fuel and equipment
costs.
We have a lot of hilly farm area,
said Greg, who said they had worked
with Bower to craft the best crop for
their land. The cover crops along with
using no till work really well on those
areas.
Now in the third year of planting
all their acreage in cover crops, Greg
said theyve experimented with some
varieties other than the cereal rye.
Weve tried some blends with crimson
clover and annual ryegrass but the
challenge is getting it in early, he said,
as he turned over the soil. The cereal
rye puts down big root masses and will
continue to grow in the spring.
The root masses are also home to
lots of earth worms that the farming
duo welcomes.
The Dellingers, who farm a 50/50
rotation of soy beans and corn, said
theyve had success broadcasting
their cereal rye with potash but have
also tried using other methods. 444
GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND
x FEBRUARY 2015 | 9
2/2/15 10:28 AM
We can broadcast the seed and just

leave it, said Dale. Its a lot easier
than drilling it.
In addition to the use of cover
crops, Dale and Greg have also made
other improvements to the farm including adding waterways and dry ponds
among other things.
Dennis Walton, farms just outside
of Montgomery in Daviess County and
farms in Martin County as well. He has
also been using cover crops for a number of years. I started doing no-till in
1992, said Walton, who also raises soy
beans and corn.
Walton said he typically uses cereal
rye in fields he will be planting soy
beans in and uses tillage radishes in the
corn fields. Hes also had some success
with crimson clover in the past.
Cover crops and no-till really
go hand in hand, said Walton. The
residue adds organic matter to the soil
regardless of the crop but sometimes
destroying that crop in the spring can
be an issue.
Wet springs means its harder to get
equipment into the fields to the kill the
crop and causing cover crops, like rye,
to grow rapidly.
We try to conserve water with notill and the cover crops help with that
too, Walton said adding he used cover
10 | FEBRUARY 2015
Dale Dellinger stands in one of the fields he and his son, Greg, farm in Knox County that has
been sown in cover crop cereal rye.
crops on the highly erodible Martin

County ground before the recent surge
in their popularity. Without the cover
crop, erosion is hard to control. Once
you start losing soil, youre in trouble.
Both the Dellingers and Walton said
the best the advice they could give to
someone wanting to use cover crops is
to find what best suits their needs and

use the resources available to them in
their area.
The Soil and Water Conservation
District has a lot of great resources for
people, said Walton. But it still takes
some trial and error since no two years
are alike.

2/2/15 10:28 AM
DOWN ON THE FARM
Billy the Backer

By John H. Stoll
HE WAS THE smallest horse on

the farm but he was the king. All the
other horses, Belgium and Standardbred alike, bowed down to the little
old horse with the red hair. When he
snorted, all heads snapped to attention. What he
decreed stood as
law. Unquestioned.
His name was Billy,
Billy the Backer.
Billy was a
Standardbred,
which is the breed
of horse used to
pull the buggy from
back in my childhood days on the
farm. He was small
in stature with red hair and a darker
mane and tail.
He had developed several undesirable traits in his old age but he was
notorious for his ornery reverse. You
see, it isnt easy to train a horse to walk
backwards while hitched to a buggy,
but it is a necessary function especially when tied to a hitching rail with
other horses and buggies. Billy had
an exceptionally helpful reverse gear
which resulted in a lot of mishaps in
the time of his reign on the Stoll farm.
One of these, which happened to my
mother, is described below.
It is important to inject at this
point that Billy was also noted to go
from docile standing position to
forward pulling position with a firm
and sudden jerk. If you werent safely in
your designated seat when Billy jerked
forward, it was not at all uncommon
for you to take an ungraceful nosedive
onto the floor of the buggy or worse!
It happened when Mom went to
Uncle Joe and Aunt Rosemarys house
in the open buggy with my older sister
and brother in the front seat with her.
An open buggy is the one you see
without an enclosed top. While at
Joes, my brother, in his excitement,
stood up from his seat and when
Mom clucked at Billy to proceed to
the hitching rail he gave a famous jerk
and threw my startled brother from

the buggy. He landed in the path of
the rear wheel which ran over him.
Moms reaction, of course, was to give
a firm pull on the reins to stop Billy
which instantly sent him from forward
to reverse. Before poor mother could
rectify the situation, Billy in his notorious reverse, had backed the rear wheel
over my brother again. And mom, acting on instinct, slapped the reins firmly
on Billys rump and he switched again
to forward. With his Billy-like jerk he
propelled the buggy forward and ran
over dear brother with the rear wheel
a third time!
The story has a happy ending as
he escaped unhurt. Buggy wheels are
very narrow in width and are covered
in rubber and since there were no people in the back seat the weight of the
rear wheels was not as significant as it
otherwise might have been.
Another incident that comes to
mind happened in the late 1980s to
Dad, myself, and my younger sister.
And Billy of course.
It was at this time that the Stoll
family got their first top buggy. A top
buggy is the name given to the rigs
with the enclosed tops to protect from
the weather.
My cousin Sharon had married a
carpenter named Rich and Dad had
corralled him into making the top for
our first top buggy. Early one morning
we left for Rich and Sharons house to
help make the wooden top for the new
buggy. Along in the afternoon, the
contraption was near enough finished
that it was decided to take it for a test
drive. It is important to note a number
of things at this point- the wooden top
had not yet been covered in black vinyl
as it eventually would be, and also Billy had never seen a top buggy, much
less actually been hooked to one.
How Billy came to be hooked to
the strange-looking buggy without incident is still a mystery; however, what
happened next is not. All seemed to
be going fairly well until we got to the
end of the driveway where Dad safely
maneuvered a right turn onto the
graveled county road. At this time Billy
either saw, or heard, this new creation

we had hooked him to or maybe it was
a combination of both. At any rate, it
was different than anything he had
ever seen or heard before. It quickly
became apparent that Billy was not in
agreement with being involved in this
historic test drive.
As I remember, he snorted and
gave a swift firm kick with both hind
feet and when the buggy remained
intact he switched gears into his
aforementioned famous reverse. Much
shouting and chaos ensued as Billy
backed the rear of the new buggy
into a ditch and gave a quick firm jerk
which resulted in one of the shafts
being broken out. The ditch was deep
enough that in spite of Billys determined efforts he could neither extract
it from the ditch, nor could he detach
himself from the strange-looking rig.
Eventually, everyone calmed down
and Billy was unhitched and led back
to the farm. To Richs credit, the buggy
was well-constructed and needed only
minor repairs. Eventually, Billy got to
the point where he made many trips
through the countryside pulling the top
buggy and it bothered him not at all.
And on and on could go the tales
of Billy the Backer and the time when
he was King, back in the good ole days
on the farm.
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.

p11JohnStollFeb15.indd 1
x FEBRUARY 2015 | 11
1/21/15 11:28 AM
Southern Indiana
TURKEY FARMS
Weve all driven by those long poultry buildings throughout southern Indiana and maybe
even complained a little about the slight smell during certain warm seasons. However, few
people realize how much turkey farms have boosted jobs and economic growth in our area.
Mike and Patty Fuhs of Montgomery stand in front of some of their turkey barns. The Fuhs have been raising turkeys since 1987. | PHOTO BY
ANGIE J. MAYFIELD
A benefit to our community
PERDUE FARMS, THE family-owned parent company of Perdue
Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness, employs 180 contract growers within 100
miles of Washington, as well as 750
associates at their Washington processing complex and another 100 employees
combined at the feed mill in Washington
and hatchery in Vincennes. Including
wages, taxes, utilities, local purchases,
and community grants and donations,
their community impact for 2011 alone
was more than $300 million.
Mike and Patty Fuhs of Montgomery have been growing turkeys for
Perdue since 1987. Mike was a coal
miner from 1978 until 2004, but winter
layoffs forced him to seek an additional income. The Fuhs agree that their
relationship with Perdue has been a
positive endeavor for their finances and
family, and they are encouraging their
son to take over the business so he can
spend more time with his own family.
The Fuhs claim the least appealing
aspects of growing turkeys include the
12 | FEBRUARY 2015
p12-14TurkeyFarms.indd 1
cleaning and the 7-day a week commitment, even in the most inclement
weather. Due to increasing technology
and learned tricks of the trade, the
Fuhs have become more efficient over
the years, now spending only about
an hour a day caring for the turkeys. It
doesnt hurt that Mike is a handyman
when it comes to maintenance. However, when the one-day old birds are
delivered every 12-13 weeks, a 12-hour
day ensues as they prepare, unload,
and check on the baby poults. Still, the
Fuhs point out there is a great deal of
lax time compared to a regular job.
After a few weeks of growing, the
turkeys are separated and moved to
two buildings to provide more room
and clean out manure. Then, at about
20 weeks, and about 40-45 pounds,
the turkeys are grown and ready to
be shipped out. That often requires
another 12-hour day of work. However,
the process has evolved and due to
hydraulic trucks and conveyor belts,
rarely is there a necessity to handle the
birds at all. The brooders/growers are
paid per pound of poultry that arrives
alive at the processing plant. (Considering the weather weve had lately and
the fact Ive seen a few turkeys along
the road occasionally that managed to
escape, I didnt quite think that was fair
to the farmer but they seemed understanding.) The farmers can also sell
the manure compost for profit, but it is
strongly regulated by IDEM.
Wagler, an Amish farmer in Daviess
County, who asked that his first name be
omitted, has been growing turkeys for
Farbest Foods for seven years. In todays
tough economy where everything is
more expensive, most Amish farmers in
the area have been forced to seek another job or craft to support their families.
The turkey barns allow Wagler to stay
on the farm but supplement his income.
Farbest, like Perdue, contributes
extensively to economic growth in our
area and in addition to its Huntingburg,
Indiana facility, opened a turkey processing plant in Vincennes last year,
employing 300. Both Perdue and Farbest
process 35,000 - 40,000 birds five days
per week under strict food safety and
freshness guidelines. Farbest Farms
has 160 contract growers, but unlike
Perdue, their baby turkeys are hatched
and delivered from out-of-state. Accord-

2/2/15 10:29 AM
ing to the farmers interviewed, Farbest

pays slightly better per pound; however,
Perdue assists farmers more in financing
buildings and helps with upgrades, technological renovations, and unexpected
costs. Perdue also provides a guarantee/
insurance to pay if something happens
to a flock; whereas, Farbest does not.
Animal welfare and quality are
important to both companies and to all
farmers. Obviously, if the animals are
sick, mistreated, or die then both lose
money. The turkeys live in a cage-free,
temperature-controlled house, protected from the elements, predators, and
disease. Also, the birds are free to move
about with continuous access to food
and water as well as fresh-air ventilation. (After taking a look inside one of
the buildings, I admit I was amazed at
how much room the turkeys actually
had to roam around. I quickly found out
why environmental groups pictures
provide a false perception of birds
cramped together. Turkeys are attracted to noise, and as soon as the turkeys
heard our voices, they came running,
crowding together in the one end of the
building where we were. It reminded
me of my equines fighting over attention and treats when I meet them at the
gate of my pasture.)
The Fuhs pointed out that a great
deal has changed in the 27 years they

have been turkey farmers. There is more
government regulation now, more problems with environmentalists, and more
paperwork, but there are also the positive aspects of increased quality, automated technology, and tunnel-ventilated
buildings. The turkeys have changed too,
however, probably due to genetics. The
birds are larger and more aggressive,
Mike claimed. He said that ironically, the
more area the Toms have to run around,
the more they fight. Of course, their peasized brains do not warrant them as the
smartest animals in the food chain.
Wagler pointed out that the reason
the babies must be watched so closely
the first day is because they will overeat,
fill their crops, become top heavy, then tip
over under the heaters and roast themselves. He said he and his boys check on
them hourly the first day, tipping them
back over and moving them away from
the food or heat lamps if necessary. The
Fuhs create an infirmary area for those
who need a little extra care. After the first
day, the babies seem to adapt. The containers are all green, which is attractive
to turkeys and helps them learn to access
food and water. As they grow, the containers and heaters are lifted to accommodate. The new babies need temperatures of 90 degrees, but as they 444
An employee of Wagler Farms

prepares the nursery for baby turkeys.
| PHOTO BY ANGIE J. MAYFIELD
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2/2/15 10:29 AM
An empty barn at Wagler Farms is ready for a delivery of turkeys. | PHOTO BY

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Turkeys, inset, are shipped to processing plants at about 20 weeks old. | PHOTO BY
KELLY OVERTON
14 | FEBRUARY 2015
grow they prefer about 84 degrees.

Perdue and Farbest provide the
birds and all-natural feed (1-2 semis
per week to the Fuhs family), but the
growers are responsible for the labor,
buildings, electricity, water, and fuel for
heat. The baby turkeys arrive in boxes
of 100. The Fuhs receive 13,000, while
Wagler receives fewer due to a smaller
building. Wagler and Fuhs both use
dug wells for water. Wagler also has a
pond as backup, but the water must be
filtered first. Considering the turkeys
drink 5,000 gallons of water per day,
city water would be more expensive.
The Fuhss did use propane for
heat but now use natural gas after the
catastrophe of last years supposed propane shortage. Wagler and Fuhs both
discussed how companies backed out
on their contracts and propane skyrocketed from $1.40 to $4.00 overnight that
nearly broke them. We suddenly had
a $14,000 propane bill, said Mike Fuhs,
but Perdue was nice enough to pay
half. Wagler stayed with propane, and
had to pay his own bill, but he has now
changed to Co-op because they honored their customers contracts. Wagler
generates his own electricity through
wind, solar, and a back-up generator.
The Fuhs and Waglers both raise
antibiotic-free birds and agree that
the most appealing aspects of raising
turkeys is pride in what they do; check
day because being paid for ones time
is important and the independence
of working on their own land and not
having to clock in, drive, or deal with
people. The turkeys dont talk much or
judge us, laughs Patty Fuhs. We get
along real well.

2/2/15 10:29 AM
MY RURAL ROOTS
Raising chickens: A backyard benefit
IF YOU GREW up with chickens

like I did, then you know that the flavor
and quality of those pale, tasteless
store-bought products cannot begin to
compare to farm-raised eggs. However,
chickens offer other benefits besides
fresh eggs.
First, their manure can be composted with yard waste to produce excellent nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Free-range,
backyard chickens
also love to devour
protein-packed insects and serve as an
organic pest-cleanup
crew. Who isnt eager
to curb the tick, ant,
beetle, and mosquito
larvae population
on their property? Finally, mine are
wonderful companions for my dogs and
kids. Chickens are very social animals
and always know when my boys are
going fishing. The chickens follow them
around as they lift up rocks and boards
seeking worms, and happily help peck
and scavenge a few for themselves that
the kids deem too small for bait.
If you use a dozen eggs a week or
less, two hens will do nicely. If you eat
more or plan to share or sell, then you
probably want a few more. On average,
the pullets, or younger hens, start laying at 6 -8 months of age, depending on
the breed. For the first couple years of
a hens 5- to-10-year life, she will deliver
an egg just about every day, and take
only a few weeks off a year, averaging
about 212 eggs per year. Then production slows to every couple of days, then
a couple a week, and eventually none.
We keep them about 3 years then retire
them to the roaster except for Mabel,
who is a pet and part of the family.
We raise Rhode Island Reds (brown
egg layers) and Araucana (blue-green
egg layers). We own one Araucana
rooster so we can raise some babies
in the spring. We also love that morning crow, though Foghorn sometimes
thinks hes a snooze alarm that must
continue encore after encore.
My 5-year-old son Tucker is the
master hatcher. We regulate the
temperature first (between 9999.5 if
you have an incubator with a fan and
100.5 101.5 if still air) and usually put

the eggs in the incubator Sunday so
theyll hatch three weekends later. The
incubator turns the eggs at regular intervals the first two weeks, but Tucker
keeps track of the days on the calendar
and checks the incubator several times
each day for accurate temperatures
and hints of hatching. We candle the
eggs at 10 days to check for embryos
using an old projector. Then at around
21 days, the chicks hatch (28 days for
ducks and guineas). Ive never seen
Tucker more excited than when watching a tiny beak peeking through the
shell and more nurturing than when
caring for tiny chicks. Its a wonderful
lesson every child should experience.
Chickens are easy to care for, even if
you dont let them run loose in the backyard. We have a tall coop we leave open
for them to roost at night and in inclement weather. The light and heat lamp
in frigid temperatures ensures more
production, and the coop with nesting
boxes and a perch offers protection
from predators such as foxes, owls, and
coons, who sometimes roam the area
looking for a meal. In addition to their
pickings from the backyard and plenty
of available water, we also provide a
daily handful of a corn, soybean meal,
minerals, and bought oyster shell mixture to ensure proper nutrition. You can
also buy commercial laying mash or pellets, though I recommend organic. You
can also save on feed costs by letting
the chickens pick over food and lawn
scraps. Chickens love table scraps from
fish and meat, potatoes, fruits, veggies
and greens, and baked goods. Between
the kids, dogs, chickens, and two raccoons I raised and released this summer,
nothing is wasted at our house.
With chickens running loose, however, occasionally the age of a stray egg
found in the yard is unknown. One way
of testing eggs for freshness, whether
farm raised or store bought, is to fill a
deep bowl with water and disperse the
egg. A very fresh egg will be heavy,
sink to the bottom, and lie flat on its side
because the air cell within is very small.
A slightly older egg (1-2 weeks old) will
still lie on the bottom of the bowl but at a
slight angle, bobbing slightly rather than
lying still. Gradually, the egg will start to
lose freshness as more air enters the egg,
Backyard chickens provide fresh

eggs, mosquito control and
company for the cat.| PHOTO BY
ANGIE J. MAYFIELD
and it will begin to stand upright (2-3

weeks). The smaller end will lie on the
bottom of the bowl, while the broader
end points toward the surface. However, the egg is still good enough to eat. If
the egg fully floats, is very light, or has a
pungent odor, then discard it. Eggs with
tiny red or brownish spots are also safe
to eat. These are only blood vessels that
ruptured as the egg formed.
Washing is also a controversial
topic for eggs. Actually, you should
not wash the egg unless you plan on
using it within a week. Eggshells are
covered with a thin, protective membrane that is destroyed with washing.
By not washing, the membrane stays
intact and the egg keeps longer. When I
am ready to use them, I wash the eggs
with warm water and detergent, rinse
with clean warm water and allow them
to air dry. Commercial egg plants use
chlorine bleach not good.
Its reassuring knowing where our
food comes from and what the animals
have been fed and exposed to. Teach
your children the benefits of growing
your own food and the rewards of
tending to animals and our environment. Theres nothing like fresh eggs
in the morning to start the familys day
healthy and happy, so buy a couple
chickens and watch your backyard
brighten.
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

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SEEDLINGS
Submitted by Darla PM Norris
Coverage Selection for New 2014

Farm Bill Safety Net Programs
Producers have until March 31, 2015,
to choose the program best for their
operation
Farm owners and producers are
reminded that the opportunity to choose
between the new 2014 Farm Bill established programs, Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage, began Nov.
17, 2014, and continues through March
31, 2015. The new programs, designed to
help producers better manage risk, usher
in one of the most significant reforms to
U.S. farm programs in decades.
USDA helped create online tools to
assist in the decision process, allowing
farm owners and producers to enter information about their operation and see projections that show what ARC and/or PLC
will mean for them under possible future
scenarios. Farm owners and producers
can access the online resources, available
at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc, from the
convenience of their home computer or
mobile device at any time.
Covered commodities include barley,
canola, large and small chickpeas, corn,
crambe, flaxseed, grain sorghum, lentils,
mustard seed, oats, peanuts, dry peas,
rapeseed, long grain rice, medium grain
rice (which includes short grain rice), safflower seed, sesame, soybeans, sunflower
seed and wheat.
Dates associated with ARC and PLC
that farm owners and producers need to
know:
Now through Feb. 27, 2015: Farm owners may visit their local Farm Service
Agency office to update yield history
and/or reallocate base acres.
Now through Nov. 17, 2014 to March

31, 2015: Producers make a one-time
election between ARC and PLC for
the 2014 through 2018 crop years.
Mid-April 2015 through summer 2015:
Producers sign contracts for 2014 and
2015 crop years.
October 2015: Payments issued for
2014 crop year, if needed.
To learn more about which safety net
options are most appropriate for specific
farming operations, farmers can use new
Web tools at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc,
which can be accessed from the convenience of a home computer or a mobile
device at any time. To learn more about
upcoming educational meetings, farmers can contact their local Farm Service
Agency county office at http://offices.
sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app.
Beginning Farmer Loans

FSA assists beginning farmers to
finance agricultural enterprises. Under
these designated farm loan programs,
FSA can provide financing to eligible
applicants through either direct or guaranteed loans. FSA defines a beginning
farmer as a person who:
Has operated a farm for not more
than 10 years
Will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm
Agrees to participate in a loan assessment, borrower training and financial
management program sponsored by
FSA
Does not own a farm in excess of 30
percent of the countys average size
farm.
Additional program information, loan
applications, and other materials are available at your local USDA Service Center. You
may also visit www.fsa.usda.gov.
FSA Announces New Yield Data for

Safety Net Calculations
Farmers can update yield history
through Feb. 27, 2015
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
Farm Service Agency offers farmers new
information to update program payment
yields that will help them better select
protections offered by the Agricultural
Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage
programs. The new programs, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, are cornerstones of the commodity farm safety,
offering farmers protection when market
forces cause substantial drops in crop
prices and revenues.
The Farm Bill provides landowners
with the option of updating their farm
program payment yields and this is the
first time that many producers have been
able to update yields since 1986. FSA has
worked with the Risk Management Agency
to make available certified yield data that
producers can use to better calculate how
the new safety net programs can offer the
best protection against market swings.
Producers can check with their local
FSA county office to see if data is available for them. This data belongs to the
producer and only the producer associated with the crop insurance records will
be provided this service. Updating yield
history or reallocating base acres can
occur until Feb. 27, 2015.
As a reminder, from now until March
31, 2015, producers will make a one-time
election of either ARC or PLC for the 2014
through 2018 crop years. For more information, producers are encouraged to make an
appointment to go into their local FSA county office. To find a local FSA county office,
visit www.offices.usda.gov. Additional information on the new programs is available at
www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.
CALENDAR
FEB. 17
Regional exam for private

chemical applicators
3 p.m. 6 p.m.
Pike County fairgrounds. Contact local
extension office for manuals. Registration is
required.
FEB. 26
Daviess county soil & water

conservation district 73rd annual
meeting
6:30 p.m.
Washington City Park Community Building.
Reservations required by calling 812-2544780.
FEB. 27
Southwest Indiana Crop

Seminar on grain storage and
management
noon 3:45 p.m.
Near Bretzville at the Dubois County
Fairgrounds.
MARCH 7
Sullivan County Ag Day

6:30 a.m. 11 a.m.
$1 pancake breakfast and kiddie peddle
pull at the fairgrounds
APRIL 4
Sullivan High School FFA auction at

the fairgrounds all day

p17SeedlingsFeb15.indd 1
1/27/15 9:39 AM
AG EDUCATION
Produce food safety:

Why it matters
By J. Scott Monroe
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I was

working for one of our local watermelon producers. The harvest was in full
swing and the pace around the farm
was hectic, bordering on manic. In the
midst of the craziness, I was handed a
folder by the boss. It contained information about a company that he had
been working with in California. His
hope was to sell them watermelons for
processing, but he had run headlong
into the companys internal produce
food safety program. Apparently, for
us to sell them our melons, we needed
to fill out a food safety questionnaire,
engage in something called Good
Agricultural Practices (GAPs), and go
through an audit by the companys
food safety inspector.
Thus began my leap into the world
of produce food safety. Having grown
up on a produce farm, and being a
sixth-generation melon person, I was
quite skeptical of the whole process.
However, being a dutiful employee, I
took the bosss file, reviewed it, and
started a new file on my computer. I
wont tell you what I named it, but it
rhymed with GAP. Who knew that a
dozen years later, I would be employed
by Purdue Extension to work in the
area of produce food safety across the
state?
As I work with produce growers,
many of them approach the food
safety issue with the same skepticism
that I had that day on the farm. Many
lament the additional work generated
by a food safety program, stating that
theyve never personally made anyone
sick and are too busy to have additional responsibilities laid upon them.
Behind most of the comments, however, is the same basic question; does
this really matter and, if so, then why?
To answer those questions, Ive put
together a list of the top three reasons
why I think food safety matters and
should be a concern for ALL produce
growers:
1. PRODUCT QUALITY Coming
from a farm background, and hav18 | FEBRUARY 2015
p18MonroeFeb15.indd 1
ing been around produce growers

my entire life, I have yet to meet
any farmer that begins his day by
finishing that second cup of coffee,
stretching, looking out over the
fields, and declaring, What a great
day to make someone sick. It just
doesnt happen. However, looking
at CDC data, one sees that many
of the foodborne pathogens that
have traditionally been associated
with other agricultural commodities (Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli)
are showing up with increasing
frequency in produce. We can
debate where its coming from
until were blue in the face. However, the fact remains that if we, as
growers, wish to continue to produce a quality product that meets
consumer expectations, then we
need to be aware of this issue and
do everything we can to prevent
something from accidently getting
into our products.
2. CONSUMER AND BUYER
EXPECTATIONS Consumers
expect a relatively safe food supply.
Having worked overseas in areas
where one is warned not to eat anything raw as soon as they get off
the plane, Ive come to realize that
the mere fact that consumers have
the option of eating fresh produce
in this country means that growers
are doing a lot of things right. Due
to food safety issues, fresh produce
is not an option enjoyed by consumers worldwide. That being said,
in this country, consumers expectations of a safe food supply are
increasing. These expectations are
being expressed through produce
buyers, many of whom now require
third-party certifications prior to
purchasing large quantities of produce from growers.
3. LIABILITY The Food Safety and
Modernization Act was passed in
2011. Fruit and vegetable growers are currently waiting for FDA
to publish the final version of
the Produce Rule under this act.
Contained within the Act are ex-
emptions for small and very small

farmers. The language is frequently referred to as the Tester Amendment. This language has given rise
to much debate as to who should
fall under the Act and who should
not. In practical terms, it really
doesnt matter whether a produce
grower is exempt from regulations
or not. If an outbreak of foodborne
illness is traced to a specific farm,
then the implicated grower will
face the same liability as any other
grower, regardless of size. Should
an outbreak of foodborne illness be
traced back to a specific farm, an
active and aggressive food safety
program will help to demonstrate
that the grower was acting in good
faith.
Whether you grow fruits and
vegetables commercially and send
produce out by the truckload or simply
plant a little extra in the garden for the
farmers market, produce food safety is
an issue that will continue to affect all
growers. Please feel free to contact me
or the Purdue Extension Educator in
your county if you would like information on how to get started with produce food safety and GAPs.
Scott Monroe is a food safety educator
with Purdue Extension at the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center and
can be reached at 812-886-0198. Scott
lives in Sullivan County with his wife,
three kids, three horses, one dog, and
an odd assortment of barn cats.

2/2/15 8:57 AM
The Big Peach Farm Market has

been an icon in Knox County for more
than 60 years. It has stood majestically
on the west side of Old Highway 41
South as well as on the east side of
New Highway 41 South. The building
itself; the miniature, bright yellow
replica of the Washington Monument
in our nations capitol, and the 20-foothigh metal peach have provided the
background for pictures taken by
thousands of visitors and customers
down through the years. The Big
Peach orchards and building structures were created in 1954 by Wilbur
and Doris Yates. The property was
then purchased by Rogers in 1968. A
blaze caused extensive damage to the
main building in 1975 and Rogers was
forced to sell the business in 1976. After operating The Big Peach for nearly
10 years, his daughter, Margo and her
husband, Bruce Donnar took over the
reigns. The Donnars also decided to
sell the business in August of 2013.
Beginning with a
roadside stand
Austin McKinley holds a bag of apples picked from his trees. | PHOTOS BY LINDSAY
OWENS
FAMOUS MARKET,
YOUNG FARMER
Austin McKinley carries on tradition at McKinley

Orchards Market and Restaurant
By Dan Ravellette
WHEN CARL ROGERS planted
his first trees in northern Knox County,
he probably didnt realize the tremendous impact it would have on the
future generations of his family. Two of
the most recognizable names in Knox
County orchard-related businesses
are branches that have sprouted from

those original trees. Local icons such
as the Big Peach and the McKinley
Orchards Restaurant are results of
those first-fruit efforts. Austin McKinley, Rogers 18-year-old great-grandson,
is the latest member of this home
grown family to carry on this fruitful
tradition.
It may be safe to say that birth was

given to the McKinley Farm Market
and to the McKinley Orchards Restaurant in 1968 by Austins grandparents,
Sandy and Hugh McKinley, along with
his great aunt Barbara and great uncle
Larry Lamb. Locally grown apples,
peaches and other fresh produce, from
plants and trees nurtured by Sandy
and Barbaras father, Carl, were sold in
front of these ladies childhood family
home on the side of the two-lane Old
Highway 41 just north of Oaktown.
A bushel of peaches, nestled in a
basket made of 3-inch-wide strips of
almost-yellow balsa wood with thin,
silver wire handles on each side, was
sold for just $3. Austin noted that this
year, the price of peaches was right at
$42 per bushel.
Sandy beams with pride as she
shared details of why and how the
restaurant came into being. In the
early 80s, while produce was being
sold in the Farm Market, we just started serving pies. Then people started
asking for soup and sandwiches.
The now-famous McKinleys fried
chicken, along with the area-famous
apple dumplings, had their humble
beginning and were first enjoyed at
the Farm Market.
She pushed Grandpa out, Austin
said with a chuckle. The evolution
from this earliest form of peddling produce on the side of a major highway, to
the famous McKinley Orchards 444

p19-21McKinleyOrchard.indd 1
2/2/15 10:30 AM
Sandy, left, and Hugh McKinley can be found working at the restaurant each weekend along with their daughter, Michele, who does the cooking.
Hugh runs the cash register.
Market and Restaurant they have become today, is simply amazing.
Farm to table
Its also amazing when you realize
that Austin, who is Rogers great-grandson, grows and delivers the fresh,
tree-ripened apples, peaches, cantaloupe, watermelon, sweet corn and a
variety of other fruits and vegetables directly from the field to the McKinley Orchards Restaurant buffet line. For about
25 years now, the McKinley Orchards
Restaurant has been open from 5 p.m.
until 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday
evening, offering the most delicious,
home-cooked food youll find anywhere
outside of your own kitchen.
The McKinleys are very proud
to note that the restaurant has never

opened with a McKinely in the building. Austins aunt, Michele, does the
cooking and Hugh runs the cash register but other members of the family
can be found helping out as well.
Not only does Austin plant, spray
and tend to the Golden Delicious, Red
Delicious, Honey Crisp and Wolf River
apple trees; August Prince peach trees,
plus other fruits and vegetables for the
restaurant, he also provides these for
the McKinley Farm Market, a rustic
wooden pole barn structure just about
a stones throw southwest from there
on Old U.S. Highway 41. The open
shelves in this special venue display a
colorful and fragrant summertime array of fresh, home grown produce from
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the last week in June each year until

the first part of September.
One of the first actions of the growing season is also spraying the orchard
trees. I like to have the trees sprayed
on by my birthday, he said. Thats
on Feb. 25. With careful planning and
scheduling, he tries to merge spraying
both the approximate 150 apple trees
and right around the neighborhood of
75 peach trees in order to save time
and money.
It was the summer between his
first and second grade school years
that Austin was initially introduced to
the business of produce farming. His
father, Michael McKinley, provided the
first hands-on education for his son by
placing him on the seat of a red Model
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2/2/15 10:30 AM
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during the watermelon-picking season
that summer. With his fathers words
of wisdom, such as Keep it right on
the row and go straight, Austin experienced his first taste of the farming
industry right across the road referring
to Old Highway 41 north of Oaktown.
He fondly recalls with a grin the fact
that, because his legs were too short
to reach the pedals, his father would
jump on the tractor at the end of the
half-mile-long rows; push the clutch
down; turn the wheel and get it lined
out for the next row.
As with any type of long-term
business endeavor, changes are inevitable. Austin explained that many
factors that were out of his control
have caused differences in the orchard
and produce businesses. Its gone a
lot downhill, he said. Theres always
been a market for commercial apples;
it just fluctuates with the economy.
The North Knox High School senior
cited gasoline as a comparison, People are always going to buy gasoline;
theyre always going to buy it, I dont
care what the price is. People dont
have to buy fresh apples. Whenever
money is short, they buy the absolute
necessities. Vegetables are a necessity,
but you can make do without fresh,
farm produce, he said.
A long list of duties are waiting
for him this summer which include
running the field crew, overseeing the
sweet corn end of the business; and
working with most of the buyers or
peddlers. A lot of the watermelons
now are through a broker. They come
and pick them for us; they bring their
The loft at McKinley Orchard Restaurant in Oaktown is filled with antiques.
own crews and they have their own

contacts that they sell to, said Austin. He indicated other duties may be
assigned to him that his grandfather or
dad dont want to do.
Austin proudly tells the story of a
sprayer he purchased so he was able
to keep it in the family. When the Big
Peach equipment was sold in October
2013, Austin said he was able to purchase a sprayer that Sandys dad had
used on his farm
It was actually in good shape and
was actually usable, he said.
College plans
With only a few weeks remaining in his high school career, Austin
is faced with the daunting task of

making one of the most important
decisions of his young life which
college to attend. Taking his early life
experiences and his family history into
consideration, it is not at all surprising
he mentioned going into the field of
Ag Business or Ag Engineering. He
is carefully weighing all his college
offers and options. However, one thing
is certain. If he chooses to attend a
college outside of Knox Count or even
outside of Indiana, Knox County and
the surrounding area would be extremely fortunate to have a young man
of his caliber, character and work ethic
to come back home.
Complete the form below, include your check, money order or credit card information and mail to:
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2/2/15 10:30 AM
THE FUNNIER SIDE OF FARMING

A New Years resolution
for agriculture
By Damian Mason
AS I PEN this article its mid-January, which means most Americans
have already broken or abandoned
their New Years Resolutions.
The problem with resolutions is,
they require effort and people dont
like effort. You can easily say youre
gonna lose weight, quit smoking, and
start exercising over a champagne
toast on December 31. Actually doing

those things, however, takes commitment once you turn the calendar. As
such, the average New Years hangover lasts longer than most folks
resolutions.
But youre ag people, which means
youre no stranger to effort.
So, I give you one simple resolution
for agriculture: learn to fight HSUS and
PETA.
Agriculture, I want you to stand up
for yourself. Because, at the moment,
youre getting your butt-kicked by a
bunch of tofu eaters.
Every day, the Humane Society of
the United States and People for the
Ethical Treatment of Animals work to
put you out of business.
Their members trespass onto livestock facilities, record salacious video
(some of which is staged) then release
it via social media or through their
connections in the media.
Think youre not affected because
youre a grain farmer and not a livestock
producer? Think again 80 percent of
your grain goes to livestock feed.
22 | FEBRUARY 2015
p22FunnierFarmingFeb15.indd 1
Think
youre not
affected because you nurture your farm
animals like
your very own
babies? Think
again commonly accepted livestock
handling
procedures,
when depicted in a negative light, are
shocking to the consumer. Remember,
the average suburbanite requires a
weeks bereavement when their pet
goldfish dies. And you expect them to
comprehend de-horning? Needle teeth
removal? Beak trimming? Castration?
Slaughtering and butchering (which
we now refer to as harvesting because it sounds better)?
By the way, animal activists dont
want humane treatment of animals.
Their ultimate goal is a world with
NO animal agriculture. They want
to impose a plant-based diet onto all
humans. They want a world without
leather, meat, eggs, milk, or wool. Of
course, no sensible person would give
up bacon, leather boots, and dont
even get me started on cheese! Thats
why the activists distort the truth and
appeal to human emotion.
Did you know 85 percent of
America is at least three generations
removed from production agriculture. Agriculture, to our customers, is
whatever they see on the internet. Our
opponents know this. They also know
ugly, shocking pictures garner attention.
More importantly, our opponents
know how to fight granted, not
physically. How tough can a person
be on a steady diet of organic dandelion greens? Sorry if that offended the
vegetarians; then again, whats the
harm in that? The average vegetarian
doesnt possess the strength to throw
a punch anyway!
But you do possess strength agri-
culture, and its time you start swinging your fists. Heres how:
1. EXPOSE THESE CAUSE
GROUPS FOR WHAT THEY
ARE: Tax deduction-funded, nonprofit, Washington DC organizations, intent on taking away choices from the American people.
2. TALK MONEY: 99% of HSUS
funds go to paid staff and to
legislative efforts intended to put
livestock farms out of business.
Only 1% of HSUS funds go to dog
and cat rescue shelters.
3. LET THE MEAT-EATING,
MILK-DRINKING, LEATHERAND WOOL-WEARING CONSUMER FIGHT THE BATTLE
FOR US: Tell the guy at Waffle
House PETA wants to take away
his ham, egg and cheese omelet
and hell fight. Inform the fashionable lady that HSUS aims to
remove her leather pants, wool
sweaters, and entire shoe collection, and shell be less likely to
donate.
Most importantly, stop giving our
detractors ammunition to use against us.
Agriculture, you may not like
confrontation, but isnt your farm, your
livelihood, and your right to choose
worth a little dust up? I resolve to keep
up the good fight in 2015 and beyond.
For you, agriculture, and for porterhouse steak served medium rare!
Damian Mason is a farm owner, ag-vocate, and in demand agricultural speaker.
Find him at www.damianmason.com

2/2/15 9:36 AM
COUNTING BIRDS
From left, Linda Sutterer, Lisa Bowman and Gary Bowman look for birds during the 10th Annual Knox County Bird Count. Despite falling temperatures and
strong winds, the group set records by spotting 81 different species and counting 39,710 birds in total. | PHOTO BY BILL RICHARDSON
Gary and Lisa Bowman lead volunteers

during 10th Annual Knox County Bird Count
By Bill Richardson
WHEREVER THEY GO, Gary
Bowman and his wife, Lisa, are on the
lookout for birds. But once a year, on a
weekend day in either late December
or early January, the couple steps up
their game and heads up the Knox
County Bird Count, an event certified
by the National Audubon Society.
This years count was Jan. 4
postponed by a day due to heavy
rainfall and involved 24 field observers, split into eight teams, covering a
15-mile radius that was centered near
Verne. It was the 10th such Knox Coun-
ty count that the Bowmans had been

involved with, and the fourth certified
by the National Audubon Society.
Despite conditions that were far
from ideal due to frigid temperatures
and strong winds, this years count
was by all measures a success. The
group set a record by spotting 81 different species (breaking the old record of
77) and counted 39,710 birds in total
also a record.
I was surprised for two reasons,
said Gary, who is a regular participant
in other bird counts in southwest
Indiana. First of all there were strong
winds, and strong winds always seem
to make the birds hide a lot more. Secondly, after meeting with the others
at lunch time, it wasnt looking very
promising. I was pleasantly surprised
when everything came in.
Gary noted that one new species
was added with this years count, the
gray catbird.
The gray catbird is not an uncommon bird during the summer, but its
very rare during the winter, he said.
Thats one we havent had before.
While the group enjoys bird-watching and always looks forward to count
day, Gary said the efforts serve an
important purpose. The information
is collected by National Audubon, he
said. Some of the counts go back 100
years, and they can look and see, year
after year, the changes in species and
444
numbers. You can get a good

p23-25BirdCount.indd 1
2/2/15 10:30 AM
An albino robin perches in a tree. The 10th Annual Knox County Bird Count listed 314 American
Robins, but surely not too many were albinos. | PHOTO BY KELLY OVERTON
THE COUNT
Results from the 10th annual Knox County Bird Count, conducted Jan. 4.
13,957-Snow Goose
12,505-European Starling
4,284-Mallard
1,619-American Crow
1,209-Canada Goose
1,183-Rock Pigeon
518-Brown-headed Cowbird
446-Red-winged Blackbird
414-Northern Pintail
383-House Sparrow
343-Horned Lark
314-American Robin
275-Gadwall
188-Mourning Dove
162-Northern Cardinal
153-Dark-eyed Junco
152-Common Grackle
91-American Goldfinch
71-Blue Jay
69-American Kestrel
67-House Finch
61-Red-bellied Woodpecker
55-Greater White-fronted
Goose
47-Hooded Merganser
40-Carolina Chickadee
39-Northern Shoveler
39-Ring-necked Duck
38-American Tree Sparrow
37-Red-tailed Hawk
32-Eastern Bluebird
26-Tufted Titmouse
26-White-throated Sparrow
25-Green-winged Teal
25-Wild Turkey
24-Northern Flicker
24-White-breasted Nuthatch
22-Bald Eagle
17-Downy Woodpecker
24 | FEBRUARY 2015
16-Northern Mockingbird
15-Eurasian Collared-Dove
14-Carolina Wren
12-American Black Duck
11-White-crowned Sparrow
10-American Wigeon
10-Ring-billed Gull
10-Song Sparrow
9-Cedar Waxwing
6-Bufflehead
6-Coopers Hawk
6-Great Blue Heron
6-Golden-crowned Kinglet
5-Lesser Scaup
5-Northern Harrier
5-Red-headed Woodpecker
5-Eastern Meadowlark
4-Redhead
4-Horned Grebe
4-Eastern Screech-Owl
3-Pied-billed Grebe
3-Pileated Woodpecker
3-Swamp Sparrow
3-Lapland Longspur
2-Hairy Woodpecker
2-Common Goldeneye
2-Northern Bobwhite
2-American Coot
2-Belted Kingfisher
2-Eastern Towhee
1 Cackling Goose
1-Wood Duck
1-Red-shouldered Hawk
1-Great Horned Owl
1-Red-breasted Nuthatch
1-Brown Creeper
1-Winter Wren
1-Chipping Sparrow
idea of environmental changes,

Its like citizen science, Lisa said
of the count. By doing this, I feel like
were contributing to science.
Theres no way you could ever get
a governmental organization, a university, or whatever to do this, Gary
added. But I think what were doing
is important. I think it helps. And its
really interesting, over a period of time,
to see all the changes.
Gary first became interested in
birds as youngster, while visiting his
grandfathers farm in LaPorte County,
in northern Indiana. He was a naturalist in general, and a great wildlife
photographer, especially when you
consider the equipment he had compared to whats available today, Gary
said. They talk about everybody having a spark that gets you into a hobby,
and that was my spark.
Gary said his grandfather had bird
feeders near his home, and thats where
a lot of the bird-watching took place.
He was an early-riser, he said. It
was always fun to see the vast variety
of birds coming onto the feeders before
breakfast.
Gary and Lisa were out before
breakfast for this years count, too.
They and some of the others left
before daylight in hopes of hearing
barred owls. The search was fruitless
or perhaps birdless would be a better
word as none of the species was
spotted or heard.
Barred owl and field sparrow
were missed for the first time, Gary
said. Those two really hurt. Other
misses were turkey vulture, which was
missed for only the second time in
the last seven years as well as sharpshinned hawk missed for only the
second time. Yellow-bellied sapsucker
was another big miss. For the second
year in a row, it was a count week find,
as it was seen both the day before and
the day after the count.
The Bowmans said the weather
conditions led to not spotting many of
the smaller birds. The high of 40 degrees occurred before dawn, and the
temperature dropped quickly, reaching
a low of 19 at noon. The Bowmans
noted that there was a 14-mile-an-hour
wind early in the day, which increased
to 27, with gusts even higher.
Many of the smaller birds were
hard to come by as they hunkered
down to avoid the cold, blustery winds,
said he said. Sparrow species in
particular were either missing entirely
or found in lower than usual numbers
with the exception of dark-eyed juncos.

2/2/15 10:30 AM
Gary Bowman and Tom Cronk compare notes during lunch, above left. | PHOTO BY BILL RICHARDSON
One hundred eighty-eight mourning doves, above right, were counted in the 2015 Knox County Bird Count. Several species of geese such as these
on Baumert Lake, below, were also counted. | PHOTOS BY KELLY OVERTON
Woodpecker numbers were all down except for

red-bellied. The strong winds also were the reason
we had fewer owls calling and missed the barred
owl totally.
On the other hand there were record-high
numbers for more than a dozen species.
Snow goose, five species of duck, wild turkey,
bald eagle, red-bellied woodpecker, American kestrel,
white-breasted nuthatch, European starling, and redwinged blackbird all were found in record numbers,
Gary said. Both snow goose and bald eagle are
species increasing in the state in general.
The count was a result of 18.5 hours spent
in the field on foot and another 47.1 hours by car,
according to Bowman. Counters logged 4.6 miles on
foot and 501 miles by car.
Already plans for next years count are being
made.
The fun part about doing this year after year
is that you see changes in species and changes
in habitat, Gary said. You never know when you
might find one you havent seen before.
Washington, IN
Travis Schaffer, Mgr.
Crop Scouting Custom Application

Crop Input & Protection Needs - Certied Crop Advisors
866-897-3823 or 812-254-3823
2/2/15 10:30 AM
THE NATURAL SIDE OF THINGS
Native landscape
By Terri Talarek King
WOULD YOU LIKE to:

Have less lawn to mow? Do less
watering? Reduce or eliminate fertilizer
and pesticide costs? Cut way back on
pruning jobs (pun intended)? See interesting wildlife? Still have a beautiful
landscape?
Does this sound
improbable to you?
It is actually realistic if you use plants
native to our area.
With the great variety
of native trees, shrubs,
vines, grasses, ferns,
wildflowers and mosses, your landscape
will be full of diverse textures, colors and
layering, with little or no care.
How is this possible?

Native plants are those that were
here to greet the pioneers. They have
been here long enough to evolve under
local conditions. Because they are
well adapted, they flourish in local soil
environments and with the amounts
of sunshine and moisture we receive.
They survive extremes better than exotic plants because native species have
done this repeatedly through centuries.
Pest control is built into the system, so
to speak, in the evolved, natural food
chain associated with the plant. Potential pests are kept in check by other
wildlife the plant attracts. Native plants
provide shelter, food and nesting for

native wildlife species, seldom provided
by alien species.
How do I landscape with natives?

First, remove or control any invasive plants, and decide if there are
native plants you wish to retain.
Then, consider your specific conditions. Is your property suitable for prairie, meadow or woodland, or for plants
that dont mind wet feet?
Next, consider what you would like
to see in your landscape.
How do I choose plants, and

where can I get them?
Do your research first. Explore the
sources listed below to find out what is
native to our part of Indiana.
See if any local nurseries have the native plants you are looking for (they carry
mostly non-natives). Avoid cultivars.
Do not buy wildflower seed mixes,
which often contain non-native species.
Do not dig plants from the wild
(though you can collect seed from some
plants).
Lastly, use the sources listed below
to find native plants for sale. Some of
the sources also contain much information about native plant landscaping.
After you find the plants and get
them in the ground, the rest is easy
(well, compared to a landscape of exotic, alien species). Sit back and enjoy the
beauty, and the wildlife!
Hawthorns, small trees, provide birds

with nest sites and protection as well
as berries in the winter. | PHOTO BY
TERRI TALAREK KING
Bringing Nature Home: How You

Can Sustain Wildlife With Native
Plants; Douglas Tallamy
Designing for Beauty and Diversity
in the Home Garden; Rick Darke
and Douglas Tallamy
Field Guide to Indiana Wildflowers;
Kay Yatskievych
Go Native!: Gardening with Native
Plants and Wildlife in the Lower
Midwest; Carolyn Harstad
Native Trees of the Midwest: Identification, Wildlife Values and Landscaping Use; Sally Weeks, Harmon
P. Weeks, Jr., and George R. Parker
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana
and the Midwest: Identification, Wildlife Values and Landscape Use; Sally
Weeks and Harmon P. Weeks Jr.
www.awaytogarden.com/the-garden-as-habitat-with-doug-tallamy
www.inpaws.org/landscaping
www.wildones.org
www.indianawildlife.org/wildlife/
native-plants
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.
We understand the importance of family and

farming traditions, and well bring safety, security,
At Midwest Ag, we are
ag people
serving
ag people.
26 | FEBRUARY 2015
p26NaturalSideFeb15.indd 1
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

1/31/15 1:16 PM
HI, IM JOE TAYLOR. Overton, Texas. What keeps me coming back to the Trail? Its just absolutely sensational.
I have people tell me what theyve spent playing one round at Pebble Beach and a night at the hotel, or going to
Pinehurst for a couple rounds. We do the entire week, travel, hotel, green fees, good meals and everything for
the price of one day at these places. And its absolutely a sensational place to come.
TO PLAN YOUR VISIT to Alabamas Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, visit rtjresorts.com or call 1.800.949.4444 today.
facebook.com/rtjgolf
twitter.com/rtjgolf
p27RTJ2Feb15.indd 1
1/28/15 11:03 AM
RTJ747JoeTaylorAD_CNHImags.indd 1
3/28/14 12:17 PM
SOIL HEALTH
Ray McCormick practices various non-standard farming techniques concerned with improving
and maintaining soil viability. | PHOTOS PROVIDED
Modern advancements and old

farming techniques work together to
improve soil viability
By Rama Sobhani
RAY MCCORMICK IS a man who
appreciates the concept of symbiosis
more than most. As a farmer who uses
management techniques that are designed to improve the health of his soil,
he has an understanding of just how
important the health of his land is to his
own and the health of the community
and world around him.
McCormick is a local who practices various non-standard farming
techniques, all of which are concerned
with improving and maintaining the
biological viability of the soil in which
he grows crops. He is one of a growing
number of farmers who are starting to
look at the old ways of putting crops
into the ground as detrimental not only
to the viability of future plantings but
also to the prospects of a healthy and
28 | FEBRUARY 2015
p28-29RayMcCormick.indd 1
sustainable world population, as well.

Getting away from the old methods, like
tilling and fertilizing soil, will have huge
implications not just for local communities but also for the whole country and
even the rest of the world.
Soil health is how McCormick and
other farmers like him refer to the end
goal of management techniques that
are intended to maintain and improve
the miniature ecosystems that exist
within soil. In any handful of soil there
are billions of microbes bacteria, fungi,
protozoans that coexist and even help
other organisms thrive, including plants
like crops. To support these systems,
minerals and elements in the soil must
remain at a certain balance. McCormicks is a holistic view of these delicately balanced, interconnected systems.
We knew what soil biology was in
the past but we had little understand-
ing of what farmers could do to build

soil biology, McCormick said. This is a
systems approach.
What McCormick and other farmers are doing and advocating for is
methods of planting that do not disturb
the integrity of the soil in any way,
using technology for close monitoring
of soil health, and the use of cover crops
to protect soil during the post-growing
season. Modern GPS systems allow
farmers to know exactly which parts
of which field needs more attention.
Its a combination of very old farming
methods and modern advancements to
restore the soil integrity.
You cant build soil health if you
disturb the soil in any way cover
crops were used by our grandfathers
before commercial fertilizers became
available, McCormick said. Back then
we knew the value of growing clover,
rye and peas.
Now because of GPS systems we
know what to apply where. Its efficiency the right nutrient at the right time
in the right place.
If the balance of nutrients and
organisms in the soil is maintained,
the result is soil that not only improves
the quality of each crop grown in it,
but also help reduce some of the many
very serious problems associated with
large scale agricultural operations, like
soil erosion, nutrient loss and sedimentation of the watershed. That last one
has been a big problem because of the
associated loss of habitat for fish as waterways become sandier and less vegetated. Large algae blooms in the Gulf
of Mexico that have caused massive
fish kills there have also been linked
to runoff carrying too much farmland
soil down into ocean waters. Switching
large scale to the farming methods
advocated by McCormick will mean
solutions to these problems which have
impacted the future ability of mankind
as a whole to feed itself.
In just 50 years, weve lost 50
percent of the organic matter in the soil
biology. Once its lost, the area becomes
un-farmable, he said.
Because of the worldwide nature of
the problem, several federal and local
agencies are partnering up in programs
to educate farmers about how and why
they should change how they manage
their fields. The Natural Resources
Conservation Service and local Soil and
Water Conservation districts around the
country are making available educational materials as well as conducting
educational sessions to get knowledge
into the hands of farmers. Within the

2/2/15 9:49 AM
state, the partnerships include universities, the state Department of Agriculture, commodity advocacy groups
and the Indiana Farm Bureau. Private
industry is involved as well with the
Monsanto Corporation, the Walton Family Foundation and the Nature Conservancy playing a part.
Locally, at least, its paying off in a
big way.
According to McCormick, southwestern Indiana is one of the leading
areas in soil health with more than one
million acres now protected by the use
of cover crops. Because the climate in
this region of the state is conducive to
a long growing season, there is more
time out of the year that farmers can
successfully use cover crops.
(The success of the state) is
because of those conservation partnerships. We have a couple dozen conservation leaders across the state. This is
the answer to so many environmental
issues; soil health offers a unique
system to solving those issues, McCormick said.
Ultimately, the real impact will be
measured in economic terms. How
much will improving soil health improve
yields? That data is being collected now
and McCormick says it looks promising
so far. That success will be part of a bigger picture that includes a more sustainable food supply in the coming decades
and solutions to environmental issues
that impact that supply. The big picture
of that is not lost on McCormick.
Our responsibility as caretakers of
land resources is that they are available
to those who have to feed 10 billion-plus
people in 2050 and beyond, he said.
This will save the planet.
The data collected so far on current soil health practices looks promising, showing improved yields
as well as decreases in soil erosion, nutrient loss and sedimentation of the watershed.

p28-29RayMcCormick.indd 2
2/2/15 9:49 AM
GOOD TO THE EARTH

From dairy farmer to Miss
America: Life on the farm, life on
the road
Submitted by Toni Allison
THE DAVIESS COUNTY Soil and Water Conservation District has set February
26 for their 73rd Annual Meeting. The meeting will take place at the Washington City
Park Community Building at 6:30 p.m.
Katie Stam Irk, our featured speaker, was raised on a dairy farm in southern
Indiana. Katie grew up understanding the importance of
family, relationships and agriculture in her community,
and abroad. She is a 10-year 4-H member and graduate
of the University of Indianapolis with a degree in
Communication.
In 2009, Katie was crowned the first Miss America
from the state of Indiana in the pageants 88-year
history. Since passing on the title of Miss America,
Katie continues traveling the country on her national
speaking tour as an advocate, spokeswoman, host,
Katie Stam Irk, the
first Miss America
from Indiana, will
speak at the 73rd
annual meeting of
the Daviess County
Soil and Water
Conservation District.
| PHOTO PROVIDED
author, branding professional, and performer.

Katie now incorporates her background into her
public speaking, promoting the agriculture industry
and its importance to sustain future generations.
Professionally, she is an Executive Consultant for New
Sunshine, LLC in Indianapolis, specializing in product
development and marketing within the skincare and
cosmetics industry. Katie is also a Realtor with Keller
Williams Indy Metro Northeast and co-owns/operates investment properties with her
husband under Irk Property Management in Indianapolis.
Personally, Katie is passionate about ovarian cancer research, education and
support, serving on the Board of Directors for OvarcomingTogether, Indianas ovarian
cancer awareness organization. She resides in Indianapolis with her husband Brian,
their two puppies, Hank and Gus, and their newborn daughter, Charlotte Bell.
Midwest Ag is thrilled to welcome Katie to their family as she begins this journey
into the national spotlight, promoting the field and future of agriculture.
Schnitzelbank Catering will serve the dinner this year. Besides a wonderful meal
and entertainment, there will be an election of a district supervisor and reports on
conservation progress throughout the year and conservation awards.
Tickets for the evening are on sale for $8 per person and may be purchased from
any district supervisor, Philip Flint, Todd Allison, Marvin Holstine, Rob Sullender, Alan
Keith, or at the Daviess County SWCD Office located at 2524 East National Highway
in Washington. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
30 | FEBRUARY 2015
p30GoodToEarthFeb15.indd 1
2/3/15 9:48 AM
p31MacAllister'sFeb15.indd 1
1/28/15 7:56 AM
p32ColonialFeb15.indd 1
1/28/15 7:58 AM

GROWING in The Heartland February 2015

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FEBRUARY 2015

Austin McKinley carries on

The benefits to our Southern Indiana community

COVER CROPS: NEW RESEARCH PROVING BENEFITS

Mayfield, KY | Morganfield, KY | Newberry, IN | Poseyville, IN | Princeton, KY | Russellville, KY

From your lawn

Evansville | Poseyville | Jasper | Newberry

Lindsay Owens, editor

Lindsay, who already has

Ellie Mae is thinking about running

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

Frank Stepp, Vice President of Thompson & Associates,

TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT, PLEASE CONTACT:

Gearing up for a new

Safety net programs

22 THE FUNNIER SIDE

Photo by Kelly Overton

A New Years resolution for

Photo by Angie J. Mayfield

GREEN FIELDS ALL

26 THE NATURAL SIDE

Ray McCormick using nonstandard farming techniques

Billy the Backer

A benefit to our community

Katie Stam Irk goes from

Gary and Lisa Bowman

Photo by Terri Talarek King

Surge in cover crops lets

ON THE COVER: The red

barn with a green roof is east of

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

GREEN FIELDS ALL YEAR LONG

Knox County. The crops are tailored to

proved water filtration allows the soil to

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

provide added benefits. Bower also

I started in 1965 with traditional

We can broadcast the seed and just

crops on the highly erodible Martin

to find what best suits their needs and

x GROWING IN THE HEARTLAND

DOWN ON THE FARM

Billy the Backer

HE WAS THE smallest horse on

and threw my startled brother from

either saw, or heard, this new creation