FARM LIVING: Fluhrer farm remains in family name

By Kelly Terpstra, kterpstra@charlescitypress.com

When George Cummins speaks, people’s ears tend to perk up.

The retired agronomist and former director of the Floyd County Iowa State University Extension Office has seen a thing or two over the years when it comes to agriculture and farming in the state of Iowa. He knows what he’s talking about.

When he says that the family farm is dying, he means it.

“The family farm is kind of becoming an endangered species,” said Cummins, who has traveled the globe in support of a better understanding and improvement in the way the world develops crops.

The most recent Iowa State University land ownership survey showed that 60 percent of landowners in the state of Iowa are over the age of 65. Half of the ground is owned by people that don’t farm the land, according to Cummins.

Commodity prices and industrialization are just some of the reasons Cummins lists as factors that have made it more difficult for a farm to stay in the family name decade after decade.

For Charles City’s Bill Fluhrer and many farmers like him, they’re looking to buck that trend.

“He’s the kind of guy you want as a neighbor,” said Cummins.

Fluhrer was recently honored with the distinction of having his family farm reach an epic milestone in family ownership. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship recently recognized 160 acres of his homestead as a Heritage Family Farm.

A farm is bestowed with that distinction after it has remained in the same family ownership for at least 150 years. There are seven such farms in Floyd County and more than 1,200 in the state.

Frederick Sampson, the brother of Bill Fluhrer’s great-grandmother, first ran the Heritage Farm just west of Charles City in 1868. Bill’s great-grandfather, Jacob Fluhrer, then took control of the farm in 1883. It remained in the Fluhrer family name for well over a century after that and was purchased by Bill from his cousin, Walter Fluhrer, three years ago. Walter died in 2014.

“I was happy that Walter and I had an agreement that I would be able to own the family farm on his death,” said Bill.

Bill’s wife, Pat, who is an accomplished organist and pianist, was happy to see that her husband can keep the memory of the Fluhrer name alive through the exchange of land.

“It meant so much to Bill to obtain the farm that was in his family for 150 years — even though we never lived on it,” said Pat.

Bill and Pat also own 320 acres that they live on just past the Floyd County Fairgrounds on Highway 14 that is classified as a Century Farm — 100 years or more of the same family ownership.

That farm, which was given that honor in 1997, sits 1½ miles due south from the Heritage farm.

That’s plenty of distance for Bill to also keep Walter’s memory alive and well.

Bill has taken an old silo from Walter’s Heritage Farm and renovated it, so to speak.

“He’s taken it down to our pond and put it in the trees,” said Pat.

The silo, built in 1917, now resides next to the Fluhrer family cabin, where fishing is good and family time is important.

Bill has created a pool room, living room, bedroom and observatory in the top of silo, where one can gaze at the stars in wonder at night. One room is made from tin from a cattle shed where folks can play a game of 8–ball on the billiards table. The walls are finished and adorned with barn wood on the interior of the silo.

“We’re making it a tribute to Walter because pretty much everything in there is from him,” said Pat.

Another homage to Walter will be a picture of him placed in the silo. A cupboard that was owned by Walter has also made its way into the silo. How it got in the possession of Walter was by trade.

“I asked him where that came from and he said my parents bought it with two pigs,” Bill said with a wide smile.

There is still work to be done on the silo, as Bill is not finished with it as of yet. His handiwork also includes restoring tractors, among other things.

“It’s been a fun project,” said Bill. “I don’t know what Walter would think of it.”

Pat had an answer to that question.

“Oh, he’d be happy. He would laugh,” said Pat.

The Fluhrer’s plan on awarding the Heritage Farm to their four daughters when the time comes.

The price of premium land in Iowa has risen to a level that’s a far cry from what the price used to be over a century ago.

“When Jacob bought it, he paid $10 an acre for it,” said Bill.

Bill remembers a conversation he had with one of the members of his church not too long ago about how long the farm had been in his family.

“I said, it’s no big deal. He said, ‘it is a big deal,’” Bill said.