ELWOOD, Ind. – Collectors can find an array of agricultural stops in Eastern Indiana’s Madison and Wayne Counties. Ag stops in Madison County include Kelly Caldwell of Simple Goodness Soaps in Elwood, Ind. Kelly makes her own hand-crafted goat milk soaps, lotions and more. She uses goat milk from goats on her farm. “I started 18 years ago making laundry soap for my daughter,” Caldwell said. 

“I wondered what else I could make for her. I was born and raised on a farm and had goat milk. I made items first for my family, then took them to the local farmer’s market. After two years, I opened this store. I make everything but the candles.”

Caldwell began with one employee and now has 12. Each one specializes and makes one of her creations. This is a great agricultural spot to stop, see and purchase handmade agriculture-based products. 

Sometimes agricultural stops are found at an event like the Pendleton Fall Creek Heritage Fair, and the Pendleton Fall Festival that is held in Pendleton the first part of September. At the event, collectors checked out the antique tractor show. Jay McAllister and his father Austin were set up with their 1958 John Deere 520. “I’ve had it for about 10 years,” he said that he purchased from a friend’s estate. 

Alan New had his 1925 Model T Ford and a rare Indiana tractor. Anderson, Ind., is famous for the Indiana tractor. New added a bit more agricultural history. “The Lambert car company made a tractor called the Trundaar. I have one of those. There was also a Bull tractor. They were made here for a while.”

The Trundaar tractor was made in 1918 in Anderson by the J. W. Lambert Buckeye Manufacturing Co. 

Even the park where the event was held had ag roots. According to a placard Falls Park had a glorious past, then it fell on hard times. “After decades as a milling center and stone quarry, the area around the falls was, by 1918 an eyesore. Pendleton hardware store owner and town board member B.F. Phipps felt the area should be more than a town dump.” 

Fellow town leaders donated funds in 1919, cleaned up the area and created a park. They dammed the water, built a swimming pool and Falls Park opened in 1920. The nearby Pendleton Historical Museum opened in 1981 and is housed in the old Falls Park pool bathhouse. In the museum, there are cool agricultural aspects. There was cider press, and wooden grain bin formed from a sycamore log. The center was burned out, then it was scraped down. A sign states this was a common means of storing grain during the pioneer days. There is also a cool hay rope hook used to stack hay. Farming tools were mixed in with household items along with the quilt show taking place.

In nearby Wayne County there is Fountain Acres Amish Market. Auctions selling mostly produce in bulk, take place on Mondays and Fridays year-round. During the summer months they add in a Wednesday auction. The Wayne County area has a great agritourism trail as well. 

In the Cambridge City countryside there is Dougherty Orchard, Indiana’s oldest family-owned orchard. Established in 1883, the orchard is owned by the 6th generation Andra Solis. She runs it with her husband Junior. Fall means apple and pumpkin picking and busy days! For those that don’t want to pick, they have already picked fruit available. Dougherty’s grows 33 varieties of apples, as well as pumpkins, pears, and sunflowers.

Also outside of Cambridge City, Pilgrimage Vineyards is owned by Scott Eckart. The winery sits on farmland that Scott’s grandfather owned. With the vineyard spreading across 8.5 acres. Scott and his wife Emma have planted 10 different varieties.

The Ekharts met as military pilots during their tenure in the Navy. It was wine tasting in Sicily where their interest in wine peaked. “The Italian countryside is our inspiration,” Scott shared.

Back in the Midwest, trying wine was an eyeopener. Scott said he had not realized wine was made here, learning of the grapes that could be grown in this climate, the Ekharts decided to open a vineyard on their farm. “We planted our first set of vines in 2019,” Scott said. “This is our seventh year.”

On the farm it was fun to see Scott’s Massey Ferguson 231 that Scott’s dad bought from his brother. They use it for mowing on the farm. 

At the winery, they have a tasting room, and outside area where on the weekends they often have a food truck and artists that are touring. Last year, Pilgrimage Wines won seven medals at the Indiana State Fair. 

Another agricultural stop is Jones Family Farm located outside of Milton. Pam Jones said they have a pumpkin patch and vegetables fresh from the farm. On their website is the motto they go by. “Be good to the land and the land will be good to you.”

After Pam and Adam Jones married, they settled in the house on Pam’s family farm. “We came to live in this house. I grew up with uncles that farmed sweet corn.”

Remembering that sweet taste that she could never replicate, Pam decided to plant sweet corn at different times, staggering it to make it last. They opened a farmstand. “Everything we sell here, we grow here.”

In 2017 Pam decided to go full-time with their family farm. They added green beans and tomatoes in 2018. “I got to talk to the customers,” she said, loving the face-to-face interaction. Before this, they just had a pickup and paid by honor. 

“People like the heirloom tomatoes,” Pam said. Growing items for their groceries for her family, she also expanded for her customers. In the spring they offer U-Pick pick strawberries. “This will be our third year for U-Pick.”

While they used to sell at farmers’ markets Pam said they made the decision to only sell from home, a decision she has never regretted. “We start with green tomatoes and flowers in the spring and fall. We have U-Pick, and I make bouquets.”

Like many other farms, they also have vintage equipment like the 1946 GMC truck in the pumpkin field. “I used to take it to the farmer’s market,” Pam shared adding, “we have a little 8N Ford we use around the farm. Why get new if the old is fine?”

That’s how most antique tractor and equipment folks feel about their old iron. Whether checking out agriculture at a farm where they make products, a show at a festival, a museum, orchard, vineyard or farm, there are a variety of ways to enjoy the beauty of fall at ag stops in Eastern Indiana.