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Soil productivity information is sourced from the Web Soil Survey developed by the National Cooperative Soil Survey and operated by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Crop history information is sourced from the NASS Cropland Data Layer. Ownership information is sourced from the Bartholomew County assessor.
Bartholomew County
agricultural parcels: 18,177
average value: $7,368 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 68
average acres per parcel: 12.2
Jennings county
average value: $5,765 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 62
Brown county
average value: $6,272 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 34
Shelby county
average value: $7,085 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 68
Johnson county
average value: $8,346 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 65
Jackson county
average value: $6,334 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 59
Decatur county
average value: $6,826 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 67
Morgan county
average value: $7,219 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 61
rush county
average value: $7,099 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 72
Monroe county
average value: $6,742 per acre
average National commodity crop
Productivity index: 48
SOURCE: AcreValue, which provides reports on the value of agricultural land in Bartholomew County. The GIS map provides parcel boundaries, acreage and ownership information sourced from the Bartholomew County assessor. AcreValue’s valuation model utilizes over 20 field-level and macroeconomic variables to estimate the price of an individual plot of land.
STORY BY BARNEY QUICK PHOTOS BY CARLA CLARK
yYou may buy packaged beef, lamb or goat from PAQ-D Meats. That is, after all, the business it conducts. But one’s interaction with the northern Bartholomew County family operation may also involve one or more forms of community outreach for which the Langenderfers engage.
David and Paige Langenderfer and their daughters, Quincy, 8, and Amelia, 6, are all about sharing their love of animals and their enthusiasm for youth development with the public. A visit to the barn-and-pasture complex where their animals are raised is riotous, rural fun. You should be prepared to have one or more four-legged residents socialize with great gregariousness.
Paige comes from a farming background. The operation is situated on farmland that has been in her family, the Hardens, for generations. Upon graduation from college, she did work in journalism (for The Republic) and public relations (for IUPUC), and then focused on motherhood.
David had a decidedly city upbringing. He is a mechanical engineer at Cummins and learned about farm life after getting together with Paige.
“I was really impressed with the way he picked up the farming work ethic,” said Paige. So they embarked on the packaged meat venture in January 2018. “We bought a lamb and started thinking we could raise them,” said David.
Paige readily admits that, while she likes the entrepreneurial work life, it’s the critters and not the details of the business that appeal to her the most.
“I was an animal lover as a kid,” she said. “I may have even liked them better than people.”
They initially bought six sheep and four goats. By the end of 2018, they had a dozen of each. Presently, they have 30 goats and 40 sheep.
“Goats and sheep average two babies at a time, so in winter, we have upwards of 150 between the two species,” said Paige.
The beef is raised offsite. It’s supplied by local farmers Jim, Kevan and Jason Pence.
When tromping around the grounds, in addition to sheep and
clockwise from top: The Langenderfer family pose with their goats at PAQ’D meats. // A friendly goat wanders up to the camera. // Quincy, 8, carries around a goat kid. Visitors can also get a chance to hold the goat kids when they schedule a cuddle session. // Stampede! The goats have tons of room to play and chase each other around the yard. // Amelia, 6, shows off the sheep she raises and competes in sheep shows with.
goats, a visitor will encounter chickens, which are mainly kept to ward off bugs, several cats and a couple of dogs. Oh, yes, and three emus, Dorothy, Betty and Bob will be on hand, as well. In fact, be prepared to stand aside if they start feeling frisky.
“They can run 35 miles an hour,” said David.
The Langenderfers acquired them for fun. “You can’t see emus at the fair,” David said.
They market their products via their website and social media. Meats are available for pickup or delivery.
“A lot of people sell quarters and halves, and we do some of that as well,” said David. “But we wanted to cater to people looking to just buy some steaks or burgers.”
The Langenderfers offer cuddle sessions. Visitors can hold baby goats and lambs. They note that the idea has even caught on as a way to celebrate birthdays.
They also take animals to vacation Bible schools and preschools, as well as the petting zoo at the Bartholomew County 4-H Fair.
4-H was a big part of Paige’s life growing up, and Quincy and Amelia intend to get involved as soon as they’re old enough. In the meantime, they’re already showing animals. In June of this year, the family went to Wisconsin so the girls could show in the All-American Junior Sheep Show at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.
“The lamb you get at Kroger mostly comes from Australia,” Paige said. “And we discovered that goat is the number one selling meat in the world.”
PAQ-D Meats actively supports youth activities in the area. It sponsors a T-ball team at CERAland and has donated half a beef to a fundraiser for North High School’s booster club.
The civic involvement, the tours and the cuddle sessions stem from the family’s desire to bridge the gap between agricultural life and the rest of society.
“Our country is so urbanized now that most people don’t understand what goes into supplying their food,” said David. “The news covers controversial farming situations, but we’d like the public to know that local people are doing their best. They don’t get involved in the crazy stuff one hears about in large-scale operations.”
That may be the best way to sum up the essence of what PAQ-D Meats is about. It offers a chance for us all to gain a deeper appreciation of each other.
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DDid you know that the Bartholomew County Public Library (BCPL) is a repository for your garden? Perhaps you have considered checking out a book on best-gardening practices or attended a program dedicated to becoming a better all-around horticulturalist. But what about coming to the library for your garden seeds?
At the section of the BCPL known as Cleo’s Seed Share, you can do just that. You can borrow seed, just as you might borrow a book or media item; only, you don’t have to return the seed! And, you don’t even have to hold a library card to be a seed borrower.
Named after long-time librarian Cleo Rogers, for whom the library is also named after, the seed library is still a relatively new part of BCPL. It was established in 2019 as an outgrowth of that year’s Exhibit Columbus’ exhibition, which featured the “Untitled” exhibit of native plants and fauna by Frida Escobedo Studio and was built and displayed on the library plaza.
That exhibit proved to be very popular and attracted the attention of many library patrons. Its legacy lives on today in seeds from “Untitled”, which became part of the foundation for the seed share collection.
A seed share, or seed library, is a community resource where free seeds are available to gardeners of any or all experience levels. Often such endeavors are initiated in hopes of providing would-be grow-
ers with an affordable, local alternative for seed and other gardening resources, thus reducing dependency on large corporations that tend to be expensive sources of seed.
Cleo’s Seed Share’s mission statement is “to support a resilient, healthy, and sustainable community by providing education opportunities, outreach and free resources on gardening.”
It’s all about giving gardening back to the public.
The BCPL seed share is located in a card catalog receptacle on the main level of the building, near a window that looks out on the Large Arch sculpture. According to Christina Kelly, who helps curate the seed library, it has been “super busy” since its creation. She estimates that thousands of seed packets have gone out from the seed share into community gardens each year. And gardeners have been faithful in donating
‘It’s all about giving gardening back to the public’
collected seed at the end of each growing season to replenish the supply.
Late winter is typically when much of the seed swap takes place, as gardeners begin to envision their spring gardens and prepare themselves for another growing season. Library staff supplement the seed packets donated by the public with their own purchase of other safe seed to make certain an ample supply is on hand. Volunteers, many of whom are youths looking to complete hours of community service, help sort and package the seed.
Those who wish to donate seed are asked to complete a Cleo’s Seed Share intake form which is available at the seed library and lists the grower’s name, year the seed was harvested, origin of the seed, use of any chemical fertilizers or pesticides and whether the seed needs to be “cold-stratified” for storage purposes. In addition, packets are marked by variety, name and genus or species, then filed alphabetically in the card catalog. The background information helps the seed share know what type of product they are making available to the public.
The seed supply comes with a safety promise: “Cleo’s Seed Share (provides) a safe and genetically stable source of seeds for future generations. For the benefit of all farmers, gardeners, and consumers who want an alternative to corporate-produced seed, the seed share promises that we will not knowingly buy, grow, share or trade genetically engineered (“GMO”) seeds or plants. Additionally, as members of a growing international movement of seed stewards, we promise to foster new seed stewards through information, workshops and free access to seeds for
Borrowing seed is a simple process. A patron simply signs their name, the date borrowed and the type and amount (# of packets) of seed borrowed. From there, it’s up to each grower to help that seed sprout and mature in their garden.
Community seed shares, such as Cleo’s, are more commonplace than one may first imagine. The addition of this resource locally, since 2019, has helped ensure that gardening in Columbus and Bartholomew County continues to be strong. A more lasting impact of the resource, beyond a seasonal garden, hopes to address greater goals such as:
• Providing education on gardening and the role plants play in preserving local habitats and pollinator species.
• Increasing food security in underserved populations.
• Increasing access to healthy food.
• Preserving genetic diversity and restoring indigenous varieties of seed.
• Preserving cultural knowledge of growing and preserving food.
• Providing a free community resource and reducing dependency on large corporations for seed.
• And, building a more sustainable, connected community.
The next time you visit the BCPL check out Cleo’s Seed Share as a viable option of seed for your home garden.
no matter when or how, Bartholomew County REMC is here to help you power every moment of it.
WWith the rising price of grocery store eggs, as a result of Avian influenza that affected many laying houses last spring and summer, some people may be considering raising a few chickens in their backyard to help offset the cost. This has raised numerous questions ranging from how to feed chickens to addressing local animal-keeping ordinances. Often, for many communities, the answers are a work in progress.
David D. Frame, extension poultry specialist with Utah State University, offered the following advice when thinking about raising backyard poultry:
SCIENCE-BASEd EdUCATION IS CRITICAL: Be cautious of advice from self-proclaimed “experts” or people with informal training who attempt to fill a perceived educational niche. Learning how to do things correctly from qualified, science-based sources is paramount to being successful.
COmmUNITY ImPACTS: The local community may experience unanticipated impacts from an abrupt unregulated increase in backyard poultry keeping. Any potential undesirable repercussions can be minimized through recognition and well-thought-out planning to ensure that all remain good neighbors.
NOISE: Hens are quieter than roosters. There are no practical or humane methods to “de-crow” a male fowl. It takes experience and knowledge to properly identify the gender of young chicks. Your local farm implement store may not be able to provide this service reliably when chicks are purchased. Be prepared to cull roosters as the chicks mature. Hens do not need a rooster present in order to lay eggs.
mIxING Of SPECIES: It is extremely risky to raise multiple species of poultry and waterfowl on the same premises — particularly if there is a chance of exposure to wild birds.
ZONING: Some municipalities do not allow the raising of poultry or have strict ordinances that restrict this activity. Check with your city or county office to determine if there are specific regulations or restrictions that might prevent keeping poultry on your property. Along with city or county ordinances, some communities or subdivisions have rules or “covenants” that restrict the raising of poultry. Be sure to check if your home is in one of these.
ANImAL CONTROL: Chickens do not respect property lines — they are prone to wander at will into neighbors’ yards and gardens. Remember, chickens can also fly. To minimize the impact on neighbors, enclosures should be considered that properly restrain poultry and confine them to your property.
ANImAL WASTE: In many instances, used chicken litter can be incorporated into the garden soil or composted; however, improper composting or storage may create excessive odor and fly problems. Proper composting requires careful management of moisture, aeration and temperature. Allowing chickens to superficially scratch through a pile of manure is not sufficient for optimal composting to occur for a number of reasons.
dISPOSAL Of dECEASEd ANd SPENT fOWL: It is important to realize that chickens have a relatively short life span. The productive life of a hen is about three to five years. Baby chicks soon grow up to be adult chickens and adult chickens end up as old chickens. Do local ordinances allow birds to be buried on the premises or composted on-site or taken to the landfill?
PROTECTION fROm PREdATORS ANd dISEASE: Chickens are to be enclosed in a coop at night to protect them from predators. Although, the debate could go on repeatedly as to what the optimal construction should be, common sense is usually adequate. Doors should tightly close, glass or strong plastic windows should be used and a solid floor should be in place. Periodic inspection around the coop will indicate if varmints are trying to enter.
COvERING OUTSIdE RUNS: These need to be covered with good-quality wire or roofing that will keep out wild birds and keep the chickens inside. Many people might find this a serious inconvenience, but it is imperative!
As you consider adding laying hens or other poultry to your home, please make sure to do your homework ahead of time so you and your poultry can have the best life together.
The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity institution.
BY: JOHN E. WOOdmANSEE, PURdUE ExTENSION OffICE
How did the Indiana counties rank in corn production? What was the recent state-wide yield for soybeans? These and other questions are addressed in the annual 2021-2022 Indiana Agricultural Statistics Bulletin, recently posted online.
Statewide in 2021, Indiana ranked as follows for crops compared to other states:
• Corn for grain, 5th
• Soybeans, 5th
• Peppermint, 4th
• Spearmint, 3rd
• Watermelon, 6th
• Pumpkins, 2nd
In livestock, Indiana ranks 5th for all hogs and 3rd for all chickens. The state ranked 9th in pig crop, 4th in turkeys raised and 2nd in total eggs produced.
Indiana farmers received $14.1 billion in cash receipts from marketings in 2021, up 31% from 2020. Marketed crops totaled $9.56 billion (68.0% of the total), while livestock receipts came in at $4.50 billion, for 32% of the total.
Corn was the leading source of income for Indiana farmers in 2021, amounting to $5.05 billion. Soybeans were second at $3.83 billion. Meat animals were third at $1.97 billion. Poultry and eggs were fourth at $1.44 billion, followed by dairy at $833 million. These five commodity groups accounted for over 93% of cash receipts in 2021. Food grains, vegetables, other livestock and crops (including fruit and nuts) make up the difference.
2021 Indiana cash receipts in categories by percentage were: feed crops, 36.6%; oil crops, 27.3%; meat animals, 14.0%; poultry & eggs, 10.3%; dairy, 5.9%; other crops, 2.7%; other livestock, 1.8%; food grains, 1.0%; and vegetables, 0.4%.
Indiana farmers reported lower corn and soybean yields in 2022, as opposed to the record highs reported in 2021, according to a recent report by Nathanial Warenski, state statistician of the United States Department of Agriculture and of the National Agriculture Statistics Service: Indiana Field Office.
Indiana corn production in 2022 totaled 975 million bushels, 5% below 2021. Corn acreage harvested for grain totaled 5.13 million, down 3% from 2021. The average yield of 190 bushels per acre was five bushels below 2021.
Indiana soybean production totaled 335 million bushels, down slightly from 2021. Harvested acreage was 5.83 million, up 190 thousand from 2021. The average yield of 57.5 bushels per acre was 2.5 bushels below the average in 2021.
No county-level yield data is available at this time for 2022.
USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service: Indiana Field Office, publishes the Indiana Agricultural Statistics bulletin each year. It contains current and historic data for all major crops, livestock, economic and related data.
Find the current (2021-22) and past reports at nass.usda.gov/Statistics_ by_State/Indiana/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/index.php
$35.1 billion
Agriculture cotributions to Indiana’s economy (estimated)
$11.1 billion
The value of unprocessed agricultural commodities sold in 2017
8th
Indiana ranks 10th largest farming state in the nation
$6.6 billion
Indiana’s agricultural exports
7.3 million
Number of turkeys in Indiana
4.2 million
Number of hogs in Indiana
189,000
Number of dairy cows in Indiana
15 million
Acres of farmland cultivated by Indiana’s farming operations
94,000
Farmers in Indiana
55.5
The average age of an Indiana farmer
56,649
Number of farming operations in Indiana
264
Average size of an Indiana farm (in acres)
96 percent
Indiana’s farms that are family-owned
80 percent
Land in Indiana that is farms, forests and woodland
1.5 million
Acres of living or overwintering covers
Source: USDA NASS; Economic Research Service; Indiana Business Research Center, kelley School of Business, Indiana University, Beyond the Farm
Indiana ranks 1st in commercial duck production, hardwood veneer, wood office furniture and wood kitchen cabinet manufacturing.
Indiana ranks 2nd in popcorn production, ice cream production, tomatoes (processed), total eggs produced.
Indiana ranks 3rd in spearmint, tomatoes (all) and cropland planted with a cover crop.
Indiana ranks 4th in pumpkins, turkeys raised and peppermint.
Indiana ranks 5th in corn (for grain), soybeans, watermelon and hog production.
Source: USDA NASS
7k Farms offer trailers to rent when you buy product from us. We have 10 16ft trailers with different configurations to meet all your needs. We have trailers that are half freezer and half cooler that run on 220v. We also have units that have a 3 door cooler inside with 3 or 4 freezer chest to fill with products for your event, these units only need multiple 110v circuits. If your organization needs a trailer for freezer storage for an event or fair, 7k Farms can help.
