Every day you are at the Indiana State Fair, from beginning to end, you can meet farmers with deep ties to the land through the Farmer of the Day program. Back for the second straight year, it’s sponsored by Dow AgroSciences. This year’s daily hosts share one thing in common: farmland that has been in the family for 100 years or more.

You can find the featured farmer and his family at the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Glass Barn at 2:30 p.m. EDT. There will be a question-and-answer session with the featured family each day.

Here are the four farm families manning the middle of the fair.

1. Thursday, Aug. 11: Norm and Carolyn Keiser, Poland, Clay County

LIVESTOCK SHOWS CONTINUE: Livestock move in and out constantly during the state fair. Sheep will be moving in this week for 4-H and open class breeding shows later in the week.

Designation: This Sesquicentennial Farm dates to 1854. The Keisers say their farm’s history predates the Civil War. They actually have a lambskin deed for part of the acreage signed by a representative of the federal government at the time. Although the farm passed through Norm’s ancestors, he is the first male in his family to inherit the land.

Operation today: Norm and Carolyn grow row crops on their small farm. Both are retired school teachers. Since retiring as an industrial arts teacher, Norm farms full time.

Tradition continues: The Keisers say their son, Brad, a full-time engineer, will continue the farming tradition. He farms with Norm as time allows.

RARE DOCUMENT: Norm and Carolyn Keiser proudly display the lambskin deed to the oldest land that they farm, dating back well before the Civil War. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

2. Friday, Aug. 12: Ken and Jane Rulon and family, Arcadia, Hamilton County

Designation: This farm is a Centennial Farm. “The 80 acres where our grain bin setup is located was purchased in 1869,” Ken says. “Jane and I built our house on the same property a few years ago.”

Operation today: Corn and soybeans are the major crops. Rulon Enterprises also has a hog operation, which is run as a separate entity from the grain operation.

Key players in the operation today are Ken and Jane, Ken’s brother Roy and his wife, Jamie, and Ken and Roy’s cousin, Rodney, and his wife, Tasha. Ken and Roy’s parents, Jerry and Carol, are still involved too.

Tillage and cover crops: This operation is all about no-till, cover crops and building soil health. Organic matter content in soils is increasing over time. “We believe the system is an economic advantage for us, and we’re convinced we can document it,” Ken concludes.   

FARMING IS THEIR BUSINESS: Meet the Rulons. They are (standing, from left) Jamie, Roy, Rodney, Jerry, Nick, Ken and Neal. Sitting (from left) are Tasha, Carol and Jane. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

3. Saturday, Aug. 13: Shawn and Emily Beard, Columbia City, Whitley County

Designation: This Centennial Farm was started in 1912.  “The land was originally purchased by my great-grandparents on my mother’s side: Harley and Ethel Kates,” Shawn says. “We still have the original sales agreement dated Oct. 21, 1912.”

Operation today: Soybeans and corn are the main crops. "I still work off the farm, but I have a passion for farming,” Shawn says. “I hope to farm full time someday.” Shawn’s grandfather actually retired from farming before Shawn was in a position to work the land, so it was rented out for a while. In 2011, Shawn began farming the land that had been in his family for nearly a century at that point.  

Tillage: The farm is 50% no-till, 50% conventional tillage. “We no-till about 90% of our soybeans,” Shawn relates. "We’re also experimenting with vertical tillage. I’ve used both a Great Plains Turbo-Till and a Salford machine. Vertical tillage shows promise.”

A PASSION TO FARM: Shawn and Emily Beard, and daughter Kennedy, are determined to farm and keep the Centennial Farm in their family for years to come. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

4. Sunday, Aug. 14: Fred W. and Becci Kunkel, Decatur, Adams County

Designation: This Sesquicentennial Farm dates back to 1845. “It came down through my side of the family,” Fred says. “One of my great-great-grandfathers purchased the land originally.”

Operation today: Corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa are the main crops. “We milk about 100 head of Holsteins in a commercial operation,” Fred adds. “I started doing this with my dad, Fred J. Kunkel, and my mom, Denise. They’re still a big part of it.”

Tillage and cover crops: “We no-till, and we also do some conventional tillage,” Fred says. “One thing that works really well for us is no-tilling a cover crop after silage harvest.

“We’ve been using cover crops for about 10 years,” he reports. “Our goal is to improve soil health, and it seems to be paying off.”

IMPROVE THEIR LAND: Fred W. and Becci Kunkel (right) are proud of their heritage. They want to do what they can to improve soil health. They get help from Fred's parents, Fred J. and Denise Kunkel. (Photo courtesy of Dow AgroSciences)

Dow AgroSciences communication specialists contributed information for this article.