As detailed in a description of my childhood that I am working on for my kids, grandkids, and yes, great... etc. (depending on how long the interest lasts), the farm I grew up on was reclaimed from swampland around what is reported by "old timers" as a lake that existed in the early 1900's. The farm was primarily "muck" (see picture) which is more black than the black dirt that most people talk about. This dirt is essentially all decomposed organic material, therefore very rich. With all the wonders of the richness of this soil, allowing super crops to be grown, comes the curse of "wetlands". To farm this land, large pumps were installed, powered by gas engines which pumped the water out into man-made ditches. In addition, farming this land requires judicious timing, to get the ground tilled and planted without getting tractors, etc. stuck in the muck. We never went 
into the field without a log chain to pull out the equipment which invariably got stuck in the muck. To keep the ditches open and flowing, periodically they need to be dredged out. By the time I was 10 or 12, we quit running the pumps, but I do remember the equipment coming in to clean the ditches (apparently supported by governmental programs). Yesterday, I had occasion to return to the farm for a visit. I don't believe I had been back for over 10 years??? The "new" owners who bought the farm with dad's agreement before passing in 1986, had remodeled the house considerably. (I might add, they did a great job.) During the remodeling they found "some pictures". I was able to go and reclaim the pictures of George and Rebecca 
Kneller (my dad's grandparents). I had also noticed considerable change of the grounds and the fields that I had roamed during the formation of my outlook on life. There were no black fields, but in the field "below the house" there were 2 ponds surrounded by natural growth. Mark explained that the government had apparently wained in interest in keeping the ditches clean, therefore farming the ground was more difficult than ever with drainage decreasing. I may not have this exactly correct, but apparently the prudent move that the Harmons chose was to turn it into "wetlands" and nature preserve. Mark gave me permission to drive back "the lane" to look over the property. What used to be fertile farmland, was now returned to "wetlands" 
including 5-6 ponds, over 14,000 new trees where we used to grow alfalfa (along with a number of small pine trees). There were deer trails going down to drinking spots in the ditch which is overgrown. (Although I did spot a plethera of stinging nettles which used to plague us as we gathered wild black rasberrys along the ditchbanks.) I snapped a picture of the corner field (see red X in picture of whole farm) where somewhere around 1958 I won 3rd place in the Kosciusko County 4H 5-acre corn club. Sorry, don't remember how many bushels per acre. My first thought was "No, No! This isn't right!"... understanding that I had no right to say what was or wasn't right about this land. As I walked through the fields my frame of reference 
changed. It was really neet to see the ponds and the cat-tails growing in the fields along with the trees. I began to picture people who were here, maybe 100 years ago who saw it very nearly as I was seeing it. Then I became very grateful that someone, years ago, carved out a place in this swampy land for me to grow up. Just as very few people in that small Indiana town remember who I am, only a few people will know that this small parcel of wetland became farmland and supported for 44 years, a small family of 4 who cared for it and received from it respect, a solid work ethic, and principles of life to pass on to the next generations that could not have been developed in any other place as they were on that spot. Through the years, the ditches will continue 
to fill in, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts will walk those grounds much as pioneers did, not knowing that this one branch of the family of a German immigrant once called this land "home", farming it from daylight to dusk, wrestling our impliments out of the muck to get the crops in before another rain kept us out for weeks. This will be our little secret. There is a scripture:"do not dispise humble beginnings".... Oh, I am so thankful to God for carving out this little place for us to grow up, then return it to the way he had developed it. I thank the Harmons for allowing me to see it in the "restored" condition. The rich memories developed in each field will live as long as I do, or as I am able to convey them. Gotta stop now... You see, this lump in my throat is about to overtake me.
into the field without a log chain to pull out the equipment which invariably got stuck in the muck. To keep the ditches open and flowing, periodically they need to be dredged out. By the time I was 10 or 12, we quit running the pumps, but I do remember the equipment coming in to clean the ditches (apparently supported by governmental programs). Yesterday, I had occasion to return to the farm for a visit. I don't believe I had been back for over 10 years??? The "new" owners who bought the farm with dad's agreement before passing in 1986, had remodeled the house considerably. (I might add, they did a great job.) During the remodeling they found "some pictures". I was able to go and reclaim the pictures of George and Rebecca 
Kneller (my dad's grandparents). I had also noticed considerable change of the grounds and the fields that I had roamed during the formation of my outlook on life. There were no black fields, but in the field "below the house" there were 2 ponds surrounded by natural growth. Mark explained that the government had apparently wained in interest in keeping the ditches clean, therefore farming the ground was more difficult than ever with drainage decreasing. I may not have this exactly correct, but apparently the prudent move that the Harmons chose was to turn it into "wetlands" and nature preserve. Mark gave me permission to drive back "the lane" to look over the property. What used to be fertile farmland, was now returned to "wetlands" 
including 5-6 ponds, over 14,000 new trees where we used to grow alfalfa (along with a number of small pine trees). There were deer trails going down to drinking spots in the ditch which is overgrown. (Although I did spot a plethera of stinging nettles which used to plague us as we gathered wild black rasberrys along the ditchbanks.) I snapped a picture of the corner field (see red X in picture of whole farm) where somewhere around 1958 I won 3rd place in the Kosciusko County 4H 5-acre corn club. Sorry, don't remember how many bushels per acre. My first thought was "No, No! This isn't right!"... understanding that I had no right to say what was or wasn't right about this land. As I walked through the fields my frame of reference 
changed. It was really neet to see the ponds and the cat-tails growing in the fields along with the trees. I began to picture people who were here, maybe 100 years ago who saw it very nearly as I was seeing it. Then I became very grateful that someone, years ago, carved out a place in this swampy land for me to grow up. Just as very few people in that small Indiana town remember who I am, only a few people will know that this small parcel of wetland became farmland and supported for 44 years, a small family of 4 who cared for it and received from it respect, a solid work ethic, and principles of life to pass on to the next generations that could not have been developed in any other place as they were on that spot. Through the years, the ditches will continue 
to fill in, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts will walk those grounds much as pioneers did, not knowing that this one branch of the family of a German immigrant once called this land "home", farming it from daylight to dusk, wrestling our impliments out of the muck to get the crops in before another rain kept us out for weeks. This will be our little secret. There is a scripture:"do not dispise humble beginnings".... Oh, I am so thankful to God for carving out this little place for us to grow up, then return it to the way he had developed it. I thank the Harmons for allowing me to see it in the "restored" condition. The rich memories developed in each field will live as long as I do, or as I am able to convey them. Gotta stop now... You see, this lump in my throat is about to overtake me.
