| 1930s - 1950s |
| 1938 |
Dr.
William Murray develops the idea of a student managed farm as part
of their collegiate experience that emphasize concepts and practices
learned in the classroom |
| 1942 |
187
acre farm (present location of home farm) purchased for $150 per
acre (early photos) |
| 1943 |
First
class offered by College of Agriculture during winter quarter with
Dr. Murray as instructor; Enrollments eventually peaked at 20 students
prior to war. |
| 1950 |
First
tractor was purchased by the students (Farmall C) and was used
exclusively for farm chores. |
| 1950s |
Field
equipment was added to the operation |
| 1959 |
House
was moved from central campus to the farm and a classroom was set
up in the basement |
| 1960s - 1970s |
| 1960s |
Enterprises on farm included: corn, soybeans, oats, swine, beef
cattle feeding, and beef cows
|
| 1965 |
Constructed swine
shed |
| 1967 |
Purchased grain leg and drying equipment |
| 1970 |
Constructed machine
shed located near the grain bins |
| 1974 |
Constructed open-front
swine finishing building |
| 1976 |
Full
line of crop equipment was completed |
| 1977 |
Constructed
farrowing house (west side) |
| 1978 |
Constructed nursery unit on east side of the confinement farrowing
house |
| 1980s |
| 1983 |
First computer was used on farm |
| 1984 |
Purchased Brooks
Farm (50.5 acres) through the ISU Achievement Foundation |
| 1986 |
Constructed feed mill building and purchased mix mill system |
| 1988 |
Classroom was constructed from farm funds
|
| 1989 |
A
second machine shed was constructed at the north end of the farmstead |
| 1990s |
| 1992 |
An
open-front livestock shed was added |
| 1993 |
The
Norman farm was purchased from the Norman family for $76,000. Thirty-eight
acres were added at a cost of $2000 per acre. The farm was financed
by the ISU Foundation. |
| 1993 |
Six
additional government bins were added to the grain storage system |
| 1995 |
A
fire in the old farrowing/nursery barn destroyed the building and
approximately 600 head of sows and pigs. |
| 1995 |
A
used combine (JD 7720 with JD 643 corn head) was added to the equipment
line. |
| 1995 |
The
computer system at the farm was upgraded with a larger and more
efficient microcomputer added to replace older units. |
| 1996 |
New 300 head nursery was
constructed; Farrowing/nursery
building was remodeled into confinement
farrowing house; New three car garage was constructed by students;
Row crop equipment moved to a 12 row system
|
| 1997 |
New 1200 head capacity swine finishing building was completed (primary contractor
was Hog Slat, Humboldt, Iowa which donated $23,810 of building
materials and labor towards this project); Purchased
1996 Case IH 5240 tractor with Westendorf loader |
| 1998 |
Record low hog prices in December |
| 2000s |
| 2000 |
Grant received for computers for precession farming |
| 2001 |
Livestock
barn converted into a 139 head capacity Gestation Building |
| 2002 |
A
compost pile was constructed for the farm |
| 2003 |
Gift from Pearl Edna Rathman Trust used in construction of new computer laboratory
and office;
Started
leasing a JD8320 tractor; Purchased John Deere 9600 Combine and
Brent 420 auger wagon;
Celebrated 60th Anniversary
|
| 2005 |
Purchased John Deere Garden Tractor with 62 inch deck |
| 2006 |
Purchased Case IH Field Cultivator;
Dr. Charles Steiner named Assistant Professor and Instructor in charge
of Ag450 Farm;
Ground breaking for the new agriculture mechanics shop started
in the fall |
| 2007 |
All livestock removed from farm since the creation of the Ag450 Farm. This allowed
for a thorough cleaning to get ready for contract feeding.
New Ag Shop constructed |
