[APRIL 22, 2006] State
Rep. Bill Mitchell presented a Centennial
Farm sign to the Gehlbach family at the Logan County Courthouse.
On hand to accept the honorary sign for the three-generation
family-owned farm were Iola Gehlbach, her son Gerald "Jerry" and
his wife, Nancy Gehlbach.
Adolf Gehlbach purchased the first
parcel of the farm, located south of Lincoln, in 1902. It is
unknown for certain whether it was 160 or 220 acres.
Later, his son Albert and wife Iola joined in working the
farm. They built the house in 1938. In the 1940s the farm was
turned over to them.
Now Jerry and Nancy are farming the property and live in the
family homestead. Iola still lives near the farm.
Jerry expanded the farm to 706 acres. It is now a combination
of bean and corn crops, and he's added pork production. The
family owns Heritage Pork Farm Inc.
The family incorporated ecological, environment-friendly
practices even before it was fashionable. Manure is collected and
used on the row crops. Gehlbach said that the recycling method is
less costly than commercial fertilizer also.
They've been working with equipment manufacturers that have
advised them on odor and runoff control for 25 years.
They still have annual soil tests that measure nitrogen and
phosphates to be sure those stay within EPA standards, Gehlbach
said. But he's been doing it so long he pretty much knows where his
readings will be from one year to the next.
