The Same Hoosier Soil

An interview with John Hartsough of Creekside Farms on soil conservation, adapting with the times, and the independence found in farming

Acres U.S.A. Your family farm has deep roots in Indiana and the Midwest. Can you share a bit of the history?

John Hartsough. The story begins with my great-grandfather, Daniel Lantise Hartsough. He farmed over 100 acres in Pleasant Township back in the 1890s, but like many farmers during that time, he lost the land — likely a result of the agricultural downturn worsened by the Panic of 1890. Falling crop prices, tightening credit, and rising debt made it difficult for small farmers to hang on. In 1903, he moved to Chester Township and started again with 40 acres. My grandfather, William Young Hartsough, added another 40 acres nearby, and eventually both farms grew to 120 acres each. By 1960, they were joined together. Over time, we added a few more pieces. Today, the home farm spans 283 contiguous acres.

Acres U.S.A. What kind of operation was it during those early years?

Hartsough. It was always a diversified operation — beef cattle, pigs, chickens, and field crops like hay, oats, wheat and corn. Soybeans came later, originally as a forage crop. They used horses for power, and manure was the main source of fertility. Cream was separated and sold, with the skim milk going to pigs. Most of what they grew was for on-farm use. Corn, for instance, was mainly fed to livestock. It wasn’t really a cash crop like it is today. There might’ve been some grain taken to a local elevator, but this was more of a subsistence model. You’d grow what you needed to feed the animals and the family.

They had what was called a “grain bank.” Farmers would take corn to the elevator, and the elevator would grind it into feed and bring it back. Grinding on the farm wasn’t as common back then. Later, Dad and I had our own grinder and mixer — we made all our own rations.

One of my earliest jobs was helping Dad grind feed. We had a hammer mill that ran off a flat belt from the tractor. The feed would drop into the mixer, and Dad would add bagged supplements — probably protein and minerals like calcium. We’d fill burlap bags with the finished ration, and I’d drag the full bags away while he filled the next one. That’s how I first learned to be useful on the farm.

Acres U.S.A. You’ve shared some interesting historic farm photos; can you explain them a bit?

Hartsough. Sure! Those photos were taken in 1932 and were actually commissioned by the International Harvester Company for advertising purposes. All the equipment shown is International Harvester, and one of the pictures even ended up on the November 1934 page of their calendar — that same calendar is still hanging in my office today.

There’s also a family story tied to those photos. My grandpa was an early adopter of tractors. He and my grandma had gone to Kriegbaum & Sons, the International Harvester dealer in Huntington, Indiana, to pick up tractor parts. On the way out, they passed a display featuring an electrically powered vacuum pump milker, and possibly a cream separator. My grandma casually mentioned that it might be nice to have one of those. Jim Kriegbaum overheard her, and that evening after milking was done, he showed up at their farm and stayed until midnight. He must’ve made the sale!

Acres U.S.A. You had electricity that early on the farm?

Hartsough. My great-grandfather signed an easement for power poles to go across the north field back in 1921, but it wasn’t officially recorded with the county until 1934. Those poles carried electricity to North Manchester from Huntington. Since the photos are from 1932 and show powered equipment, we think the farm first had electricity around 1928.