2018 Centennial Award – George Barnard

George Barnard was born on December 31, 1917. Happening in the world that year: Woodrow Wilson was president, the US declared war on Germany and sent troops to fight in WWI, Vladimir Lennon launched a coup against Czar Nicholas II and ushers in Communist party rule in what would become the USSR, and the US purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark.

George began farming with his father upon graduation from Carrollton HS in 1935. That year they planted corn with a 2 row horse drawn planter. In the fall, the corn crop was harvested by shucking each ear by hand. George could harvest about an acre/day and 70 bu/a was considered a good yield.

Wheat harvest was done with an 8’ binder which cut and bundled the wheat which was stacked in shocks in the field to dry. Later the shocks were collected and put thru a thresher separating the grain from the stalk and chaff.

In 1938 Rural Electrification came to the Barnard homestead when George was 21 years old. In 1939 the farming operation became more mechanized as they purchased a combine to harvest wheat. While this implement only cut a 5’ swath, it combined the harvesting and threshing activities into one operation. That year a neighbor was hired to pick their corn with a one row picker. It was not until 1972 that George purchased his first tractor with a cab, after 37 years of farming. George was active in the farming operation with his son, Alan until two seasons ago. During his farming career he went from harvesting I acre of corn/day by hand to at age 97 operating a combine with computer monitors harvesting over a 100 acres/day.

George lived most of his life in the home he was born in in Carrollton Township. He later moved across the field to the home previously occupied by his mother, who lived there until age 101. His mother lived to age 105.

 

March 06, 2018 09:28 am | Education

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