Glass Barn Featured Farmers

Elaine Gillis

Enough acres of soybeans to create 107 million soy crayons –Elaine and her husband Craig help manage Gillis Farms in Dunkirk, Indiana. Third-generation farmers, Elaine and her husband work alongside his dad and brother to grow soybeans and corn. Elaine has a B.S. from Purdue University and enjoys researching and incorporating new technologies into her family’s farm operations. In her free time, Elaine enjoys running, being active in her church, travelling and volunteering at her son’s school.

Twitter: @ElaineGillis

Heather Hill 

So many pigs, she could provide 70,000 people each week with two pounds of pork chops –Hill Farms in Greenfield, Indiana has been in Heather’s husband’s family for four generations and she and her husband Marc share management duties with her in-laws. At Hill Farms, they raise 13,000 pigs and 1,300 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat. The corn and soybeans they raise are used to feed the pigs, and the manure from the pigs is used to fertilize their crops – a true circle of life. Heather has a B.S. from Purdue University and enjoys sharing her insights about pig farming and parenthood on her farming blog: 3kidsandlotsofpigs.com

Learn more about Heather's farm here

Twitter: @proudporkmom

Amy Kelsay

Each of her cows produces 128 glasses of milk each day – On Kelsay Farms in Whiteland, Indiana, Amy’s family and farm workers milk 500 cows three times a day. They also grow 2,200 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. Kelsay Farms is a sixth-generation dairy farm, and uses technology including waterbeds, ankle bracelets and automatic milkers at the farm. Amy has both a B.S. from Purdue University and M.S. from the University of Illinois. She lives on the farm with her husband Joe and their three children.

Learn more about Kelsay Farms here

Twitter: @kelsayfarms

Joe Steinkamp

¡Olé! All his corn is made into tortillas and tortilla chips right here in Southern Indiana – Joe is a fourth-generation farmer in Evansville, Indiana. At Steinkamp Farms, Joe, along with his father, cousin and nephew, grow 3,200 acres of soybeans, white corn and wheat. A graduate of Purdue University, he is environmentally conscious and uses modern farm tools and technology to preserve the land for future generations. Joe stays physically fit by competing in summer swim meets on a team with his daughters. He’s also active in his church and his community’s fall festival.

Learn more about Steinkamp Farms here

Twitter: @JESteinkamp

Joe Tuholski

Regal Movie Theaters pop every kernel of popcorn his family grows – Joe is a soybean and corn farmer in Mill Creek, Indiana, where he also grows alfalfa and wheat. In addition, he raises feeder steers and 500 dairy cows. Joe is a third generation farmer and works the land with his dad, two uncles and a cousin. Maintaining their land is important to Joe and his family so they employ many different conservation practices. In fact, the Tuholski family was awarded the prestigious Conservation Farmer of the Year award by the State of Indiana in 2008. An interesting fact about the farm is that Joe’s grandfather bought the land from Peter Scholl, the founder of Dr. Scholl’s,^® the footwear products company. Joe lives on the farm with his wife Cheryl and two sons. When he’s not farming, Joe likes camping, canoeing and riding four wheelers.