Attention Members

I hope everyone is enjoying their Summer. This is a reminder to those chapters that have academic scholarship programs. IHC Charitable Trust second year scholarship applications are due September 1st. One eligible student chosen by each state chapter with an academic scholarship program is eligible for a second-year scholarship up to $1,000. Total scholarships are capped at $5,000. 

Send applications requests to: Joel Klein

 3829 Gibraltar Trail,

Eagan, MN 55123 

 joellindak@aol.com 

612-910-3177 

Please forward this information to your scholarship chair. They may contact me for an application or with questions.

 Joel Klein IHCCT Scholarship Chair 

As we all know in 1902, the following companies merged to form the International Harvester Company. Companies being McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Deering Harvesting Machine Company, Deering Harvester Company, Milwaukee Plano and Warder, Bushnell and Glessen.

On July 1, 2021 the only division left from IH, Navistar was bought out by Traton, a part of Volkswagen, thus ending IH. There several ways to look at this. I chose to look at all the great products they build over the years.

1907 - built their first tractor

1924 – built first all purpose farm tractor

1944 – first successful cotton picker

1977 – Axial-Flow combine. The first 5 prototypes were built at the Fort Wayne Works

1978 – 2 plus 2 tractors

First farm equipment manufacturer to build its own line of lawn equipment.

1956 – the Travelall was the first to be 4 wheel drive

1957 – built the first crew cab pick-up with 3 doors then 4 doors

1960 – the world first SUV the Scout

IH was one of the first with cabover trucks

But the end came quick for IH

1981 – the lawn equipment was sold to MTD

1982 – the construction division was sold to Dresser Industries

1984 – Ag division was sold to Tenneco

1986 – became Navistar

2020 – the end of International

Until next time.....................safe travels, 

Roger Krentscher

 Who will fill my shoes? Who's going to be the next one to plant the seed, and grow the harvest the crops? Who will feed the calves and milk the dairy cows when farmers are no longer here or not able to do so?

Young farmers, that's who. But where do they come from? They could be a first generation farmer like myself or the eighth generation on a farm that was established years ago.

“We are growing families, growing food, growing America and #StillFarming”

For me, it started with a dream. A dream is like a seed that gets planted, then cultivated, and with hard work it finally grows and bears fruit, becoming reality.

Farming is a calling. It gets in your blood. Family farmers are a special breed. We are thick-skinned but tender hearted. We are church deacons and T-ball coaches. We are 4-H leaders and volunteer firefighters. We are the neighbor in time of need. The volunteer in hard times. We are members of our small communities, but feeders of the world.

There are both challenges and opportunities ahead of us. It's a challenge to connect with consumers, to understand their wants and needs. It's also a challenge to earn and keep their trust.

But there is opportunity now more than ever. Recent issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a breakdown in the supply chain. People need to know that those of us in agriculture never stopped. We have always produced food – during wars, pandemics and every trying and difficult time throughout history – family farms are there for you. We produce!

Although time and technology have changed the way we farm, farm families haven't changed.

We still have the same spirit, drive and work ethic. I love what I do! My son followed in my footsteps and learned from me. Today, my grandson is working with and learning from his daddy. That's what farm families are all about. We are growing families, growing food, growing America and #StillFarming.

Don Hartman is a farmer and a member of the New Mexico Farm & Livestock Bureau.

He grows small grains, watermelons, onions and chile peppers.