Perhaps Mike Wilson, editor of Farm Futures, another Farm Progress publication, said it best: “Howard Doster made huge contributions to the farm management field nationwide — but he was certainly one of a kind!”

Almost everyone in agriculture knows of Howard Doster, the longtime Purdue University Extension agricultural economics professor who lived, breathed and believed in the value of farm management during his 35-year career at Purdue. In fact, he believed it until his very last breath, at age 86. Howard Doster died Feb. 13.

Many of you took his advice at one time or another. A few scoffed at some of his ideas. But no one could question his sincerity or dedication to agriculture and farmers.

This story is about my experiences with Howard.

Write about a 4-H corn club? I was new with Indiana Prairie Farmer in 1983 when Howard, whom I knew mostly by reputation at that point, asked me to do a story about his efforts to revamp the 4-H corn project so both kids and dads would learn more. I doubted my editor would buy it, but he did. Howard even gave me farmers to call. We ran the story.

How important was this to Howard? “Recently, he was actively working to start a new 4-H farm management project to teach 4-H’ers and their parents better farming practices.” That is from his obituary!

Who is this guy? I didn’t attend the Purdue Top Farmer Workshop, which he helped create and lead, my first couple of years in the business. Howard let me know. So I attended as media, not paying. He informed me that my competitors paid. Sorry, Howard, times are tight! But he let me in anyway.

What sessions! What fun! He would parade 30 to 40 speakers, many farmers, in front of 250 attendees, also farmers, in a couple of days. It was all about exposing them to new ideas. One session was a tour at the Throckmorton Ag Center, circa early 1990s.

Some farmers were experimenting with planting soybeans earlier than usual. Here’s a scene I’ll never forget: Standing next to a field, Howard called up a farmer to talk about planting soybeans in February! Without missing a beat, he next asked the Purdue soybean specialist what he thought. I was standing next to the specialist. He had no advance warning, and he still thought May 20 was a good time to plant beans. He didn’t flinch. He told the audience soybeans performed best planted in mid-May, without insulting the farmer or Howard. That’s how Howard rolled! The audience could make up their own minds.

Say what, Howard? The story wouldn’t be complete without sharing the time I got mad at Howard. I once made frequent trips to the Purdue campus, squeezing in as many appointments as I could. One day I allotted 50 minutes to interview Howard, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Yes, I should have known better. The subject was making the best use of farm machinery — something he knew a lot about.

I arrived on time, but he had students in his office. Finally, he came out at 11:40. “Come on in, Tom,” he said. I pulled out my yellow pad. He took a phone call — more time gone. Then he started an example from Doster’s Dan-D Acres pick-your-own strawberry patch, an enterprise he and his wife ran for 19 years, mostly to teach his four kids, and later his students, economic lessons.

I wasn’t following it. I had few notes on my pad. I glanced at my watch — 12:15. There was no way I was going to get a story out of this.

“Howard, I don’t get it. Where are you going with this?” I interrupted.

He paused, smiled, and said, “Oh, that’s OK, Tom. That’s the first time I tried this theory out on anyone. I guess I need to work on it some.”

I left and didn’t talk to him for six months. Then I thought better of it, called, did the story, and it was like old times. I’m glad I made that call!

Miss the Purdue-IU game? For many years, I would accompany Howard on two-day trips to visit upcoming summer farm tour hosts, often in winter. He would finalize details, and I would collect information for pre-tour stories. One night he kept me at a farm until 9 p.m. The farmers kept talking … and talking. Howard even dozed off for a few winks. Finally, we were ready to leave. “Man, that was good stuff, Tom. See you in the morning, and we will do it all at another farm,” he said — which we did.

I love talking to farmers, too, Howard, but come on. The Purdue-Indiana University basketball game was that night. Then I turned on the car radio, and we were down 20 points. Thanks, Howard — for real!

Why we asked Howard. After Howard retired from Purdue and went into consulting with his wife, Barbara, he would email me ideas. When I saw a good one, I would pursue it, and turn it into a story. Sometimes it was about flex-lease alternatives to cash rent, which he championed. Later it was about his “surprise moment” decision-making — be ready for surprises. We helped him promote his dream to connect groups of farmers to gather and learn from each other.

Occasionally, someone who never quite figured Howard out would ask me, “Why do you still use him as a source?” My answer was always the same. By Howard’s own admission, he had a lot of C+ ideas. But every once in a while, he hit upon an A+ idea that could make farmers money and improve their lives. He might be the only one in a crowd willing to speak up and share it. Sifting through to find those nuggets of gold, and sharing them with readers, was well worth the effort.

Leave a legacy. On one of those farm management tour jaunts, Howard shared that he hoped to live as long as “Mother Doster,” Esther, who passed away at 105. God had another plan. But he gave Howard 86 years, and Howard made the most of it. American agriculture is better for it.

If you remember nothing else, remember his signature signoff: “What fun!” Howard looked on the bright side, even when times were challenging. He’s waiting on us now, hoping we continue to seek an optimistic future for agriculture.

There is only one way to end a well-deserved tribute to Howard Doster. What fun!

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