Purdue News
Purdue News
Sponsored by the Indiana Farm Management Association, the annual tour is carried out in cooperation with the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service and Department of Agricultural Economics to encourage high levels of management in farming. Howard Doster, Purdue agricultural economist, said the tour is held in a different part of the state each year in an effort to highlight all of Indiana's top farming operations. At each stop, the host family is available to answer questions and talk about the management techniques used on their farm. This year, the featured farms were:
Langeland Farms in Decatur County, owned and operated by fifth-generation farmers Gary and Patty Reding. They raise about 450 acres of crops, sell about 2,000 hogs per year from a farrow-to-finish operation, and have a 45-head cow herd. Value-adding is key to managing their operation. They grow more than 50,000 bushels per year of certified soybean and wheat seed, and they are involved in the production, contracting and export of food-grade soybeans. Patty's parents, Dale and Evelyn Lange, have a land-owning corporation called D&E Langeland Farms. Dale manages 70 acres of timber for veneer white oak logs.
Graham Creek Farm in Jennings County, a diversified 7,400-acre farm operated by the George and June Corya family. Current enterprises include corn, soybeans, hay, beef, wood shavings, seed and timber. George began using no-till in 1959, and it has been important to his crop production, especially from a labor-saving standpoint. Flexibility also has been key to his operation. He has adjusted to market changes and capitalized on marketing opportunities over the years and will continue to do so.
Friedersdorf Farms in Decatur County, operated by Roy and Denise Friedersdorf. It's a 1,595-acre grain farm, seed dealership and 100-sow farrow-to-finish swine operation. Roy's grandfather started selling seed in 1936, and it has remained a part of Friedersdorf Farms for 61 years. Roy uses crop-production, swine-production and financial records to assess business performance and make decisions.
David Miers Farm in Decatur County, which primarily raises corn and soybeans for seed and commercial soybeans on 1,550 tillable acres. In addition, David operates a custom seed-corn harvesting operation. Significant to his success is the principle of efficiency. The fifth-generation farmer doesn't take on anything he believes he cannot do efficiently. Planning, communication and seeking outside expertise when necessary are important to this strategy.
Larry and Carol Pumphrey Farm in Decatur County, which started out modestly in 1967. Since then, the owners have built it into a 3,900-acre crop and 2,400-sow swine business run with the assistance of 25 employees. Being organized and having a personalized, hands-on management style has taken them a long way, according to Carol. Also, they've adopted 21st century pork production systems, including three-site production, artificial insemination, all in-all out, split-sex and phase feeding, and early weaning.
At the 830-acre Southeast Purdue Agricultural Center in Jennings County, tour participants could see a drainage project that provides data on surface and subsurface runoff and optimal tile spacing. In addition, there's agroforestry research; corn, soybean, sorghum, forage and Christmas tree varietal tests; herbicide test plots; Bt corn test plots; and a wet-site hardwood study.
Source: Howard Doster, (765) 494-4250; e-mail, doster@agecon.purdue.edu
Writer: Andrea McCann, (765) 494-8406; e-mail, mccann@aes.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
