Be sure to take in the Indiana Farm Management Tour in Clinton County this week. It begins at noon on Wednesday, June 26, at Jay Hawley's farm near Kirklin. Lunch will be available.

The tour will include an interview about history and management of the farm with Hawley and his family. The hog farmer has turned to local retail meat sales to add income over the past few years. There will also be mini-tours on various topics related to the farm.

Shop or banquet hall? – The tools will be moved out and this shop on Hal and Ty Brown's farm will become the Master Farmer banquet hall on Wednesday evening.

The next stop is Hal and Ty Brown's farm near Mulberry. Their farm features a large crop operation, plus a vibrant side business selling corn heads. They operate the business out of the farm, and part of the huge new shop and toolshed is dedicated to the business. Their shop features a third story loft over the office area. They also have a large dike for fertilizer that is a good example of how to store fertilizer on the farm.

The evening program will be held at the Brown's, and is also the Indiana Master Farmer ceremony and panel discussion. The deadline for meal reservations for that program has already passed. Master Farmers will be featured on the Website after the program on Wednesday.

The next day includes stops at Gary and Larry Neal's farm near Frankfort and Jeff and Kent Need's farm, also near Frankfort. The Neal brothers and the next generation operate a large crop operation, and specialize in staying up to date on precision technology.

The Need farm features a nephew and his uncle, with the nephew working full-time off the farm but still managing the operation. This farm also cooperates with the local soil and water conservation district, and this year's plots will be discussed.

The tour concludes at Mike and David Beards' operation near Frankfort. Their main enterprises include finishing pigs on contract and operating a custom manure operation business.

Attend all or part of the driving tour. Contact your Extension office for details.