55 years ago
The first Rush County lamb pool draws a consignment of 195 head.
Soil temperatures for planting dent corn in heavy clay soils should be 60 degrees or higher. In loam soils the temperature should be 56 degrees or higher, and sandy soils should be 52 degrees. Planting of soybeans should be in slightly higher degrees.

The 310-acre Gamble Farms just west of Connersville, Ind., have been bought by Connersville Developments, Inc. for a residential development.

A 4-H Lamb and Gold Medal Lamb Club tour was held in Rush County featuring Russell Brower, sheep specialist of Purdue University, with discussions and demonstrations.  Stops were made at these farms:  Duane Walker, Brenda & Phillip Dalrymple, Lynn & Philip Gardner, Hugh Webb, Carol and Sherry Kuhn and George Truster.

40 years ago
Kent Bitler of Knightstown, Ind., a sophomore at Purdue, will work as an apprentice agent at the Richmond extension office this summer.
Rush County youth were elected to state Junior Leader Council during their annual meeting recently. Carol Mann, David Liggett and Bill Selm were slated to join the council.

Knightstown Sale Barn prices from last week: Ewes and lambs, $13.50 each; baby calves, $43; veal calves by pound, $41; cows and calves, $365; 800-pound steers and heifers, $24.10-$29.50; pigs, $10.75-$14.75; sows and pigs, $70; and fat hogs, $18.10.

Joe Stonebraker, owner of Boulder Lawn Horse Farm west of Richmond, Ind., has imported four Gelder mares to his farm from Gelderland, The Netherlands. These are the first Gelder horses ever shipped to the United States.
These animals are jet black with white stocking legs and bald faces and are used as fine harness horses.

25 years ago

State top Livestock Judging Team at the 4-H/FFA contest held at Purdue recently was the Clinton Centrals’ FFA team, consisting of Joe Rule, Brent McKinney, Todd Caldwell and Dean Wyrick. Rex Smith coached the team. Caldwell was also named second high individual in the contest overall, statewide.

L.H. Newcomb has been recommended as the new chair of the Department of Agricultural Education at The Ohio State University, pending approval of the board of trustees.

The downward trend in farmland values continued during the past year. For the nation as a whole, average farm real estate values per acre dropped about 12 percent. U.S. farmland values averaged $596 an acre, down from $679 last year.

Large selection of Duroc boars and gilts, performance tested. Will deliver. Melody Lane SPF, Linden, Ind.

10 years ago

U.S. House budget writers approved $74 billion in spending for food and agriculture programs after sidestepping a fight over price supports for milk.
Loy’s Livestock Sale Barn in Portland, Ind., founded by Mike Loy’s grandfather in 1947, conducts livestock sales one night a week, Mondays.
Grant County, Ind., farm for sale: 315 acres, 304 tillable, three tracts within a half-mile area. Level to slightly undulating. Glynwood, Blunt and Pewamo soils. Approximately 50 percent corn base, 111 yield. Northeast of Upland, $2,400 per acre. Call Schrader R.E. & Auction Co.

Used equipment for sale: JD 4WD 9200 tractor, 18.4 x 46, 1,400 hours, $88,500; JD 6605 cab, MFWD, power reverser, loader, PR, $44,200; JD 787/30-foot air-seeder, reconditioned, 600 acres, $48,000; JD 8300 drill, $1,750; 1999 JD 9610 combine, duals, contour, 385 hours, $114,500 – Smith Implements, Greenfield,  Greensburg and Rushville, Ind.