Students started by looking at Washington County stats using the Ag Census in 2012:
Washington County: USDA Agriculture Census
1982: Avg. size in farms (acres)- 148
Land in farms (acres)- 163,788
Farms with 1,000 acres or more- 2
Milk Cows- 23,510
2012: Avg. size in farms (acres)- 187
Land in farms (acres)- 133,432
Farms with 1,000 acres or more- 21
Milk Cows- 14,493
One student conclusion made from the Ag Census= Larger farms in 2012. Follow up questions: Why? How? When? What was the impact on community? Students followed by creating a short survey for current Slinger School District residents and conducted interviews with farmers and agriculture related industry members to assess trends (past and present)
Other general conclusions by sociology students about local farms in 2015 from interviews, site visits, secondary source readings:
Find Conclusion data here
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Farming and Farms: The following articles and photos explore past and present farms in the Slinger Area or themes related to the custom of farming
*Artifacts, Tractor stories, and more
VIM tractor memorabilia
Tractor refurbishing (Jim Wiedmeyer example pic 1 and 2)
Hay Bale Thrower (Luedtke Manufacturing)
Eliminator (Luedtke Manufacturing)
McCormick Farmall
*Farms (Past and Present)
Select Farms South of Hwy 60: Slinger School District by Dylan Mayer (senior 2014-2015)
Ritger Farm (Allenton) by Slinger sophomore, Kira Wagner (2014)
Roger Gundrum Farm (Allenton) by Jacob Olson (2014)
Strupp Farm by Hannah Strupp (2014)
Charlie Held Farm by Mitchell Duley (2014)
Richard and Gib Held Farm by Ali Wolf (2014)
Mueller's Mulberry Meadow Farm by Cody Mueller (Soph 2014)
Jim Hartmann Farm by Megan Genz (Soph 2014)
Ken Held Farm by Rachel Hau (Soph 2014)
Mike Strupp Farm by Aaron Blada, Sarah Gundrum, Cailee Meyers, Kendra Strohwig
*Photos and Story (photos courtesy of Terry Strupp)
*Audio
Herb Lofy Farm (as described in Neighborhood Project by Cherish Ward, senior
sociology student)
Wagner Farm (Beef, Farm to Table, Tom Horak, senior sociology student)
Norb Yogerst Farm (An interview with former Richfield farmer, Norb Yogerst)
Ralph Dornacker Farm (excerpts from interview with Austin Klumb, Jacob Smith)
*Research is ongoing. More added at a later date
*Farm Customs and Farm Related Events
Showing Cows at the State Fair (Dick Mayer article)
Breakfast on the Farm
-(Les Gundrum, 3/4 of way through the audio clip) Mike Strupp quotes
about half way into the clip)
-Sunset Farms hosting brochure
Blacksmithing
-an article and blog about Town of Polk resident, Mike Schuetz
Thresheree Days (Richfield)
In 2014-2015 school year, the Slinger students researched the FFA. It was the 65th year of the FFA at Slinger High School in the 2014-2015 school year.
List of FFA Charter members from 1950 (submitted by Rob Selzler, Ag teacher, 2014)
FFA audio clips/excerpts:
Frank Vlasak (interviewed by Emma Gehring and Ashley Polum)
Robert Beine (interviewed by Carol Ostovich)
Lesley Gundrum (interviewed by Ali Wolf, Jenna Schoenke, and Anna Pedrick)
Norb Yogerst (interviewed by Chase Lowen and Alex Ehlers)
Mike Strupp (interviewed by Aaron Blada, Sarah Gundrum,Cailee Meyers, Kendra Strohwig)
Below, Robert Beine, a charter member of the FFA, speaks with FFA member and sociology student, Carol Ostovich about the Beine Dairy, FFA, and more. (photos by Nate Grimm, FFA Community Night photo by Nancy Schilling-Genz)
List of FFA Charter members from 1950 (submitted by Rob Selzler, Ag teacher, 2014)
FFA audio clips/excerpts:
Frank Vlasak (interviewed by Emma Gehring and Ashley Polum)
Robert Beine (interviewed by Carol Ostovich)
Lesley Gundrum (interviewed by Ali Wolf, Jenna Schoenke, and Anna Pedrick)
Norb Yogerst (interviewed by Chase Lowen and Alex Ehlers)
Mike Strupp (interviewed by Aaron Blada, Sarah Gundrum,Cailee Meyers, Kendra Strohwig)
Below, Robert Beine, a charter member of the FFA, speaks with FFA member and sociology student, Carol Ostovich about the Beine Dairy, FFA, and more. (photos by Nate Grimm, FFA Community Night photo by Nancy Schilling-Genz)
Agribusiness
-Kreilkamp Trucking article by Jacob Kreilkamp
-Luedtke Manufacturing (article by Jakob Kreilkamp with support from Bette Weninger)
-Lance Industries (Meat tumbler) based on student interview with Ralph Gundrum
-Implements
*Mid-State Equipment in town of Polk (student site visit summary)
*Strupp in Slinger (student site visit summary added soon, click here for Country Today article)
*Farmer's Implement in Allenton (article by Jakob Kreilkamp with support from Bette Weninger)
-Feed Mills and Seed Sales
*Kratz Seed Sales
-Milk Hauling
*Scott Gundrum article, Gundrum backstory
*Mike Retzlaff, Larry Mueller interviews
-Greenhouses and Plant Sales
*Nehm's in Slinger, student article
-Agricultural Welding
*student article
-Veterinarian
*Dr. Kletti/Dr. Algiers connection
(Students are continuing to add research to this area)
-Kreilkamp Trucking article by Jacob Kreilkamp
-Luedtke Manufacturing (article by Jakob Kreilkamp with support from Bette Weninger)
-Lance Industries (Meat tumbler) based on student interview with Ralph Gundrum
-Implements
*Mid-State Equipment in town of Polk (student site visit summary)
*Strupp in Slinger (student site visit summary added soon, click here for Country Today article)
*Farmer's Implement in Allenton (article by Jakob Kreilkamp with support from Bette Weninger)
-Feed Mills and Seed Sales
*Kratz Seed Sales
-Milk Hauling
*Scott Gundrum article, Gundrum backstory
*Mike Retzlaff, Larry Mueller interviews
-Greenhouses and Plant Sales
*Nehm's in Slinger, student article
-Agricultural Welding
*student article
-Veterinarian
*Dr. Kletti/Dr. Algiers connection
(Students are continuing to add research to this area)
Dairies, Creameries, Cheese factories, etc.
-1903 list of creameries
-1910 list of cheese factories, creameries in the county
-Beine Dairy (Slinger Dairy)
*quotes from Bob Beine, notes
*backstory on Beine family
-Riesch Dairy (Cedar Lake Dairy)
*audio from Kathy Racine
-Slinger Creamery
*Miles Melius text (truck driver for Creamery)
*excerpt from 2015 Bernie Schaefer, Jr. interview (worker)
-Cedar Grove Dairy
*excerpts from interview with Erwin Rauh (2015)
*backstory on Rauh family and the dairy
-Slinger Dairy Bar and Schubert Cheese Factory (Diefenbach Corners)
*article by student
-St. Lawrence Cheese Factory
*photo
-DOW Maxon Creamery
-Storck Ice Cream (Prohibition product made at Storck Brewery)
(More research is being collected and added to this section)
Photos below by Taylor Bergmann (Kratz), Steve Hignite (McCormick), Cal Waters (Mill), Les Gundrum (Breakast on Farm "How it all started", and Nate Grimm
-1903 list of creameries
-1910 list of cheese factories, creameries in the county
-Beine Dairy (Slinger Dairy)
*quotes from Bob Beine, notes
*backstory on Beine family
-Riesch Dairy (Cedar Lake Dairy)
*audio from Kathy Racine
-Slinger Creamery
*Miles Melius text (truck driver for Creamery)
*excerpt from 2015 Bernie Schaefer, Jr. interview (worker)
-Cedar Grove Dairy
*excerpts from interview with Erwin Rauh (2015)
*backstory on Rauh family and the dairy
-Slinger Dairy Bar and Schubert Cheese Factory (Diefenbach Corners)
*article by student
-St. Lawrence Cheese Factory
*photo
-DOW Maxon Creamery
-Storck Ice Cream (Prohibition product made at Storck Brewery)
(More research is being collected and added to this section)
Photos below by Taylor Bergmann (Kratz), Steve Hignite (McCormick), Cal Waters (Mill), Les Gundrum (Breakast on Farm "How it all started", and Nate Grimm
Click on the following Strupp Farms picture for a link to a video created by Chase Lowen and Alex Ehler emphasizing Farms: Past to Present. (Featuring Slinger alumni, Norb Yogerst and Mike Strupp) Photo submitted by Terry Strupp
