By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

BLUFFTON, Ind. — A Wells County couple hope their purchase of a farm south of Bluffton signals a fresh start.
Steve and Peggy Redelman bought the small farm last year, and moved in mid-December. Since then, they’ve been making and planning repairs, and Steve has been building stalls to eventually board horses.

“We always wanted to have a place of our own,” he said. “Peggy found this place on the Internet. The people who had it did not take care of it, but we’ve starting building and fixing things already.”

Steve Redelman is a seed and fertilizer representative for several companies, and has scheduled an open house to meet their new neighbors and potential customers. The open house is 9 a.m.-noon on March 27 at the farm, located at 6391 South Indiana 1 in Bluffton; the farm is just south of Indiana 218 on the east side of the road.

Redelman represents AGGRAND fertilizer, Rupp, Brodbeck and Campbell seed companies, and Blue River organic seed corn. He also represents Viking organic products and eZall Total Body Wash for livestock, dogs and cats.

“People are welcome to come and see what we’ve got,” he said. “I want to build customer relationships with people to buy seed and fertilizer, and have an opportunity to make new friends.”
Redelman grew up in Decatur County, Ind., where his father and his father’s two brothers farmed. He and Peggy moved to Adams County in 2002.

Last year, Redelman said he thought his career and personal goals had been affected by people who didn’t want to work with him, possibly because he’s disabled. He was born with cerebral palsy, which has left him with disabilities including a speech impediment.
“I’ve got the education and I can be of value to farmers,” he said at the time. “I can help them check the soil to see what their ground needs to get their crops to grow better. Even when I wasn’t farming, I still kept my roots in it.”

In addition to selling seed and fertilizer, Redelman will offer soil tests, grain probes and thermometers, tack equipment and worming products for horses, cattle, pigs, dogs and cats.
He and Peggy also plan to offer boarding services for horses. They have some stalls and pens built, using lumber they brought with them or found at the farm, he said. They plan to charge $250-$300 a month to board a horse. The fee includes hay, feed and stall clean-out, he said.

At the open house, Redelman plans to have representatives available from area equipment dealers, from farm financial services and insurance agencies and possibly from some of the seed companies he represents. Visitors are also welcome to tour the barn and see the horse stalls.

Coffee and doughnuts will be served during the open house. For more information, contact Redelman at 260-346-2681 or 260-223-5922.