All photos From the collection of Kathy Rupert Shultz d/o Donald Rupert. Identified in the book written by Donald Rupert "The Big White House on the HIll"
Photo circa 1916 identified by Don Rupert in his book
Great Granma Caldwell in rear seat, mother in jump seat. Aunt Blanch in front seat with Doris on her lap. Uncle Glenn at the wheel with Donald (narrator) to his right and Raymond barely visible through the steering wheel. Aunt Hattie (VanSkiver) is standing on the running board.
This car was a 7 passenger 1914 Overland touring car served the family well until 1926 spending the winters on blocks in the buggy shed. With the coming of the cement road in 1926 if was replaced with a 7 passenger Hudson Sedan.
SEBRING, Ohio — Donald Charles Rupert, 95, of 800 South 15th Street, Sebring, Ohio, died April 21, 2009, in the Crandall Medical Center of Copeland Oaks.
He was born to Willis and Emma Van Skiver Rupert Dec. 14, 1913, on the Rupert family farm outside of New Waterford, Ohio. (Born in house in photo)
After graduating from Fairfield Centralized High School in 1932, Mr. Rupert attended the College of Wooster and later transferred to The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1937. Returning to the family farm, he instituted new methods of seed production and also brought innovations related to its Jersey dairy herd.
Mr. Rupert was active in a number of agricultural associations: Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society for agriculture; Farm Bureau, which awarded him a Lifetime Distinguished Service Award; the American Jersey Cattle Association; the Ohio Jersey Breeders Association, which he served as board member and treasurer; Ohio Agriculture Services, which he also served as treasurer; and advisory committees for the OSU Extension Service in Columbiana County and the Columbiana Soil and Water Conservation District.
He is an emeritus member of the Ohio Seed Improvement Association.
Mr. Rupert had an active interest in education and is a past president of the Columbiana County School Board. His organizational leadership and monetary gifts helped establish the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.
He was also involved in other community organizations, including the New Waterford Lions Club; Fairfield Ruritan; and the Columbiana County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, for which he was treasurer.
He is a past president of the Columbiana County Historical Association and helped to establish and stock the Items of Yesteryear Museum at the county fairgrounds.
Mr. Rupert was a lifelong member of the New Waterford Presbyterian Church, where he was at various times elder, Sunday school teacher, and Sunday school superintendent.
Late in his life, Mr. Rupert worked on writing projects, including an essay published in the book My Midwest: Rural Writings from the Heartland, a travel article published in the Farm and Dairy, and personal projects for his family.
In 2004, he was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Grace Moore Rupert.
He is survived by four daughters, Jean Nickol of Wilmington, N.C., Doris Frederick of Springfield, Joyce Levine of Hudson and Kathleen Schulz of Santa Fe, N.M.; a son, Mark W. Rupert of Albuquerque, N.M.; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; three sisters, Elverda Baughman of New Waterford, Frances Beson of Houston, Texas; Lois Boyle of Sebring, and one brother, W. Ralph Rupert of Columbiana.
Two brothers, Raymond Rupert and Robert Rupert, preceded him in death.
The Rev. Jan Douglass will conduct a memorial service at 2 p.m. May 16 at the New Waterford Presbyterian Church. Family will receive friends after the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Waterford Presbyterian Church or to the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, c/o Elwood Woolman, Guidance Office, Crestview High School, 44100 Crestview Road, Columbiana, OH 44408.
Arrangements were made by Warrick-Kummer-Rettig Funeral Home, Columbiana, Ohio.
**********
Added Jan 8, 2013
(written 1957)
The Story of The Rupert Farm
HOW THE RUPERT FARM PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED
In April 1849 Benjamin Rupert, (Willis Rupert's Grandfather" bought the original farm and started clearing trees and stones from the land. He and his wife made a living for the family - but a living without automobiles, television, radio, electricity, furnace running water and many other of today's conveniences.
This farm now provides a modern living for third, fourth and fifth generation of descendents. In fact, this is one of the interesting features of the Rupert Farm.
As Willis Rupert's sons came to maturity their problem was one of profitability using the large amount of labor and management on the acres they had. The solution as they saw it was not one of doing the work by hand. It had to be done efficiently. so in the presence of a large labor supply they pioneered in reducing the labor required to do a unity of work. In 1938 the Ruperts installed a milking parlor and gradually bought tractors, motors, elevators, conveyors, manure loaders, harvesters, and large plows.
The thought the better way was to enlarge the business of the farm which has been done in several ways. First they bought more adjoining land. Benjamin Rupert, the original settler had bought 122 acres, his son Benjamin, Jr., added 18 more, then in 1940 when Donald was 26 and Raymond was 25, they with their father Willis as partners bought the Schubert farm of 85 acres. Finally in 1946 when Ralph was 16 the partnership bought the John Rupert farm of 70 acres. Thus, the farm grew to 296 acres, all adjoining, with about 220 acres of crop land.
There was still a large supply of man power and managerial capacity for the number of acres. So the Rupert partnership started expanding the returns per acres. They increased yields with larger applications of lime and fertilizer and more legumes, improved pastures and meadows, and grew hybrid seed corn and certified seed wheat and oats for sale, which require more labor per acre. They also increased the production of the dairy herd. They now average almost 500 pounds of butterfat and 8, 800 pounds of milk per cow, which would sell for about the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of 3/5% milk. All these changes added to the returns per acre of land. When Ralph finished school, he too entered the partnership, making four members; with father and three sons.
Thus the Ruperts have balanced the relationship of land, labor, capital and management. Farm accounting records show that the income of the partnership is similar to the combined income they could reasonably expect if each had his own farm. But they have accomplished a desire they all had of being able to farm together.
HOW THE RUPERT DAIRY HERD DEVELOPED
The story of the Rupert dairy herd is equally impressive. In 1910 Willis Rupert as a young man started farming with his father, purchased the first purebred Jerseys. he started testing for butterfat then and has tested continuously since then, probably longer than any other herd in Ohio. Average butterfat production per cow gradually increased from 258 lbs. for 14 cows the year before purchase of the purebreds to 508 lbs. with 38 cows in 1956. Use of ten carefully selected sires during those years was largely responsible along with good feeding and management.
Associated with this development is an outstanding feeding program. Ruperts were the first Columbiana County farmers to improve pastures and they now have a system of rotating the use of excellent seeding pastures. They make the highest quality hay with the aid of a hay crusher and heated air for drying. No silo is being used. The top quality hay and pasture largely replaces silage used on most dairy farms.
Ruperts installed the first milking parlor and pipe line milkers in Columbiana County and have been first in many other improved practices. They have made their her one of the outstanding Jersey herds in Ohio
Page 4 of 4
Source
Pamphlet - Program - Columbiana County Field Day -Farm of Willis R Rupert & Sons - New Waterford Ohio - August 7, 1957
*pamphlet in collection of Miss Lulu Bierman.
Photo circa 1916 identified by Don Rupert in his book
Great Granma Caldwell in rear seat, mother in jump seat. Aunt Blanch in front seat with Doris on her lap. Uncle Glenn at the wheel with Donald (narrator) to his right and Raymond barely visible through the steering wheel. Aunt Hattie (VanSkiver) is standing on the running board.
This car was a 7 passenger 1914 Overland touring car served the family well until 1926 spending the winters on blocks in the buggy shed. With the coming of the cement road in 1926 if was replaced with a 7 passenger Hudson Sedan.
SEBRING, Ohio — Donald Charles Rupert, 95, of 800 South 15th Street, Sebring, Ohio, died April 21, 2009, in the Crandall Medical Center of Copeland Oaks.
He was born to Willis and Emma Van Skiver Rupert Dec. 14, 1913, on the Rupert family farm outside of New Waterford, Ohio. (Born in house in photo)
After graduating from Fairfield Centralized High School in 1932, Mr. Rupert attended the College of Wooster and later transferred to The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1937. Returning to the family farm, he instituted new methods of seed production and also brought innovations related to its Jersey dairy herd.
Mr. Rupert was active in a number of agricultural associations: Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society for agriculture; Farm Bureau, which awarded him a Lifetime Distinguished Service Award; the American Jersey Cattle Association; the Ohio Jersey Breeders Association, which he served as board member and treasurer; Ohio Agriculture Services, which he also served as treasurer; and advisory committees for the OSU Extension Service in Columbiana County and the Columbiana Soil and Water Conservation District.
He is an emeritus member of the Ohio Seed Improvement Association.
Mr. Rupert had an active interest in education and is a past president of the Columbiana County School Board. His organizational leadership and monetary gifts helped establish the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.
He was also involved in other community organizations, including the New Waterford Lions Club; Fairfield Ruritan; and the Columbiana County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, for which he was treasurer.
He is a past president of the Columbiana County Historical Association and helped to establish and stock the Items of Yesteryear Museum at the county fairgrounds.
Mr. Rupert was a lifelong member of the New Waterford Presbyterian Church, where he was at various times elder, Sunday school teacher, and Sunday school superintendent.
Late in his life, Mr. Rupert worked on writing projects, including an essay published in the book My Midwest: Rural Writings from the Heartland, a travel article published in the Farm and Dairy, and personal projects for his family.
In 2004, he was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Grace Moore Rupert.
He is survived by four daughters, Jean Nickol of Wilmington, N.C., Doris Frederick of Springfield, Joyce Levine of Hudson and Kathleen Schulz of Santa Fe, N.M.; a son, Mark W. Rupert of Albuquerque, N.M.; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; three sisters, Elverda Baughman of New Waterford, Frances Beson of Houston, Texas; Lois Boyle of Sebring, and one brother, W. Ralph Rupert of Columbiana.
Two brothers, Raymond Rupert and Robert Rupert, preceded him in death.
The Rev. Jan Douglass will conduct a memorial service at 2 p.m. May 16 at the New Waterford Presbyterian Church. Family will receive friends after the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Waterford Presbyterian Church or to the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, c/o Elwood Woolman, Guidance Office, Crestview High School, 44100 Crestview Road, Columbiana, OH 44408.
Arrangements were made by Warrick-Kummer-Rettig Funeral Home, Columbiana, Ohio.
**********
Added Jan 8, 2013
(written 1957)
The Story of The Rupert Farm
HOW THE RUPERT FARM PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED
In April 1849 Benjamin Rupert, (Willis Rupert's Grandfather" bought the original farm and started clearing trees and stones from the land. He and his wife made a living for the family - but a living without automobiles, television, radio, electricity, furnace running water and many other of today's conveniences.
This farm now provides a modern living for third, fourth and fifth generation of descendents. In fact, this is one of the interesting features of the Rupert Farm.
As Willis Rupert's sons came to maturity their problem was one of profitability using the large amount of labor and management on the acres they had. The solution as they saw it was not one of doing the work by hand. It had to be done efficiently. so in the presence of a large labor supply they pioneered in reducing the labor required to do a unity of work. In 1938 the Ruperts installed a milking parlor and gradually bought tractors, motors, elevators, conveyors, manure loaders, harvesters, and large plows.
The thought the better way was to enlarge the business of the farm which has been done in several ways. First they bought more adjoining land. Benjamin Rupert, the original settler had bought 122 acres, his son Benjamin, Jr., added 18 more, then in 1940 when Donald was 26 and Raymond was 25, they with their father Willis as partners bought the Schubert farm of 85 acres. Finally in 1946 when Ralph was 16 the partnership bought the John Rupert farm of 70 acres. Thus, the farm grew to 296 acres, all adjoining, with about 220 acres of crop land.
There was still a large supply of man power and managerial capacity for the number of acres. So the Rupert partnership started expanding the returns per acres. They increased yields with larger applications of lime and fertilizer and more legumes, improved pastures and meadows, and grew hybrid seed corn and certified seed wheat and oats for sale, which require more labor per acre. They also increased the production of the dairy herd. They now average almost 500 pounds of butterfat and 8, 800 pounds of milk per cow, which would sell for about the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of 3/5% milk. All these changes added to the returns per acre of land. When Ralph finished school, he too entered the partnership, making four members; with father and three sons.
Thus the Ruperts have balanced the relationship of land, labor, capital and management. Farm accounting records show that the income of the partnership is similar to the combined income they could reasonably expect if each had his own farm. But they have accomplished a desire they all had of being able to farm together.
HOW THE RUPERT DAIRY HERD DEVELOPED
The story of the Rupert dairy herd is equally impressive. In 1910 Willis Rupert as a young man started farming with his father, purchased the first purebred Jerseys. he started testing for butterfat then and has tested continuously since then, probably longer than any other herd in Ohio. Average butterfat production per cow gradually increased from 258 lbs. for 14 cows the year before purchase of the purebreds to 508 lbs. with 38 cows in 1956. Use of ten carefully selected sires during those years was largely responsible along with good feeding and management.
Associated with this development is an outstanding feeding program. Ruperts were the first Columbiana County farmers to improve pastures and they now have a system of rotating the use of excellent seeding pastures. They make the highest quality hay with the aid of a hay crusher and heated air for drying. No silo is being used. The top quality hay and pasture largely replaces silage used on most dairy farms.
Ruperts installed the first milking parlor and pipe line milkers in Columbiana County and have been first in many other improved practices. They have made their her one of the outstanding Jersey herds in Ohio
Page 4 of 4
Source
Pamphlet - Program - Columbiana County Field Day -Farm of Willis R Rupert & Sons - New Waterford Ohio - August 7, 1957
*pamphlet in collection of Miss Lulu Bierman.
All photos From the collection of Kathy Rupert Shultz d/o Donald Rupert. Identified in the book written by Donald Rupert "The Big White House on the HIll"
Photo circa 1916 identified by Don Rupert in his book
Great Granma Caldwell in rear seat, mother in jump seat. Aunt Blanch in front seat with Doris on her lap. Uncle Glenn at the wheel with Donald (narrator) to his right and Raymond barely visible through the steering wheel. Aunt Hattie (VanSkiver) is standing on the running board.
This car was a 7 passenger 1914 Overland touring car served the family well until 1926 spending the winters on blocks in the buggy shed. With the coming of the cement road in 1926 if was replaced with a 7 passenger Hudson Sedan.
SEBRING, Ohio — Donald Charles Rupert, 95, of 800 South 15th Street, Sebring, Ohio, died April 21, 2009, in the Crandall Medical Center of Copeland Oaks.
He was born to Willis and Emma Van Skiver Rupert Dec. 14, 1913, on the Rupert family farm outside of New Waterford, Ohio. (Born in house in photo)
After graduating from Fairfield Centralized High School in 1932, Mr. Rupert attended the College of Wooster and later transferred to The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1937. Returning to the family farm, he instituted new methods of seed production and also brought innovations related to its Jersey dairy herd.
Mr. Rupert was active in a number of agricultural associations: Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society for agriculture; Farm Bureau, which awarded him a Lifetime Distinguished Service Award; the American Jersey Cattle Association; the Ohio Jersey Breeders Association, which he served as board member and treasurer; Ohio Agriculture Services, which he also served as treasurer; and advisory committees for the OSU Extension Service in Columbiana County and the Columbiana Soil and Water Conservation District.
He is an emeritus member of the Ohio Seed Improvement Association.
Mr. Rupert had an active interest in education and is a past president of the Columbiana County School Board. His organizational leadership and monetary gifts helped establish the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.
He was also involved in other community organizations, including the New Waterford Lions Club; Fairfield Ruritan; and the Columbiana County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, for which he was treasurer.
He is a past president of the Columbiana County Historical Association and helped to establish and stock the Items of Yesteryear Museum at the county fairgrounds.
Mr. Rupert was a lifelong member of the New Waterford Presbyterian Church, where he was at various times elder, Sunday school teacher, and Sunday school superintendent.
Late in his life, Mr. Rupert worked on writing projects, including an essay published in the book My Midwest: Rural Writings from the Heartland, a travel article published in the Farm and Dairy, and personal projects for his family.
In 2004, he was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Grace Moore Rupert.
He is survived by four daughters, Jean Nickol of Wilmington, N.C., Doris Frederick of Springfield, Joyce Levine of Hudson and Kathleen Schulz of Santa Fe, N.M.; a son, Mark W. Rupert of Albuquerque, N.M.; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; three sisters, Elverda Baughman of New Waterford, Frances Beson of Houston, Texas; Lois Boyle of Sebring, and one brother, W. Ralph Rupert of Columbiana.
Two brothers, Raymond Rupert and Robert Rupert, preceded him in death.
The Rev. Jan Douglass will conduct a memorial service at 2 p.m. May 16 at the New Waterford Presbyterian Church. Family will receive friends after the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Waterford Presbyterian Church or to the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, c/o Elwood Woolman, Guidance Office, Crestview High School, 44100 Crestview Road, Columbiana, OH 44408.
Arrangements were made by Warrick-Kummer-Rettig Funeral Home, Columbiana, Ohio.
**********
Added Jan 8, 2013
(written 1957)
The Story of The Rupert Farm
HOW THE RUPERT FARM PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED
In April 1849 Benjamin Rupert, (Willis Rupert's Grandfather" bought the original farm and started clearing trees and stones from the land. He and his wife made a living for the family - but a living without automobiles, television, radio, electricity, furnace running water and many other of today's conveniences.
This farm now provides a modern living for third, fourth and fifth generation of descendents. In fact, this is one of the interesting features of the Rupert Farm.
As Willis Rupert's sons came to maturity their problem was one of profitability using the large amount of labor and management on the acres they had. The solution as they saw it was not one of doing the work by hand. It had to be done efficiently. so in the presence of a large labor supply they pioneered in reducing the labor required to do a unity of work. In 1938 the Ruperts installed a milking parlor and gradually bought tractors, motors, elevators, conveyors, manure loaders, harvesters, and large plows.
The thought the better way was to enlarge the business of the farm which has been done in several ways. First they bought more adjoining land. Benjamin Rupert, the original settler had bought 122 acres, his son Benjamin, Jr., added 18 more, then in 1940 when Donald was 26 and Raymond was 25, they with their father Willis as partners bought the Schubert farm of 85 acres. Finally in 1946 when Ralph was 16 the partnership bought the John Rupert farm of 70 acres. Thus, the farm grew to 296 acres, all adjoining, with about 220 acres of crop land.
There was still a large supply of man power and managerial capacity for the number of acres. So the Rupert partnership started expanding the returns per acres. They increased yields with larger applications of lime and fertilizer and more legumes, improved pastures and meadows, and grew hybrid seed corn and certified seed wheat and oats for sale, which require more labor per acre. They also increased the production of the dairy herd. They now average almost 500 pounds of butterfat and 8, 800 pounds of milk per cow, which would sell for about the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of 3/5% milk. All these changes added to the returns per acre of land. When Ralph finished school, he too entered the partnership, making four members; with father and three sons.
Thus the Ruperts have balanced the relationship of land, labor, capital and management. Farm accounting records show that the income of the partnership is similar to the combined income they could reasonably expect if each had his own farm. But they have accomplished a desire they all had of being able to farm together.
HOW THE RUPERT DAIRY HERD DEVELOPED
The story of the Rupert dairy herd is equally impressive. In 1910 Willis Rupert as a young man started farming with his father, purchased the first purebred Jerseys. he started testing for butterfat then and has tested continuously since then, probably longer than any other herd in Ohio. Average butterfat production per cow gradually increased from 258 lbs. for 14 cows the year before purchase of the purebreds to 508 lbs. with 38 cows in 1956. Use of ten carefully selected sires during those years was largely responsible along with good feeding and management.
Associated with this development is an outstanding feeding program. Ruperts were the first Columbiana County farmers to improve pastures and they now have a system of rotating the use of excellent seeding pastures. They make the highest quality hay with the aid of a hay crusher and heated air for drying. No silo is being used. The top quality hay and pasture largely replaces silage used on most dairy farms.
Ruperts installed the first milking parlor and pipe line milkers in Columbiana County and have been first in many other improved practices. They have made their her one of the outstanding Jersey herds in Ohio
Page 4 of 4
Source
Pamphlet - Program - Columbiana County Field Day -Farm of Willis R Rupert & Sons - New Waterford Ohio - August 7, 1957
*pamphlet in collection of Miss Lulu Bierman.
Photo circa 1916 identified by Don Rupert in his book
Great Granma Caldwell in rear seat, mother in jump seat. Aunt Blanch in front seat with Doris on her lap. Uncle Glenn at the wheel with Donald (narrator) to his right and Raymond barely visible through the steering wheel. Aunt Hattie (VanSkiver) is standing on the running board.
This car was a 7 passenger 1914 Overland touring car served the family well until 1926 spending the winters on blocks in the buggy shed. With the coming of the cement road in 1926 if was replaced with a 7 passenger Hudson Sedan.
SEBRING, Ohio — Donald Charles Rupert, 95, of 800 South 15th Street, Sebring, Ohio, died April 21, 2009, in the Crandall Medical Center of Copeland Oaks.
He was born to Willis and Emma Van Skiver Rupert Dec. 14, 1913, on the Rupert family farm outside of New Waterford, Ohio. (Born in house in photo)
After graduating from Fairfield Centralized High School in 1932, Mr. Rupert attended the College of Wooster and later transferred to The Ohio State University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1937. Returning to the family farm, he instituted new methods of seed production and also brought innovations related to its Jersey dairy herd.
Mr. Rupert was active in a number of agricultural associations: Gamma Sigma Delta, the honor society for agriculture; Farm Bureau, which awarded him a Lifetime Distinguished Service Award; the American Jersey Cattle Association; the Ohio Jersey Breeders Association, which he served as board member and treasurer; Ohio Agriculture Services, which he also served as treasurer; and advisory committees for the OSU Extension Service in Columbiana County and the Columbiana Soil and Water Conservation District.
He is an emeritus member of the Ohio Seed Improvement Association.
Mr. Rupert had an active interest in education and is a past president of the Columbiana County School Board. His organizational leadership and monetary gifts helped establish the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.
He was also involved in other community organizations, including the New Waterford Lions Club; Fairfield Ruritan; and the Columbiana County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, for which he was treasurer.
He is a past president of the Columbiana County Historical Association and helped to establish and stock the Items of Yesteryear Museum at the county fairgrounds.
Mr. Rupert was a lifelong member of the New Waterford Presbyterian Church, where he was at various times elder, Sunday school teacher, and Sunday school superintendent.
Late in his life, Mr. Rupert worked on writing projects, including an essay published in the book My Midwest: Rural Writings from the Heartland, a travel article published in the Farm and Dairy, and personal projects for his family.
In 2004, he was predeceased by his wife of 65 years, Grace Moore Rupert.
He is survived by four daughters, Jean Nickol of Wilmington, N.C., Doris Frederick of Springfield, Joyce Levine of Hudson and Kathleen Schulz of Santa Fe, N.M.; a son, Mark W. Rupert of Albuquerque, N.M.; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; three sisters, Elverda Baughman of New Waterford, Frances Beson of Houston, Texas; Lois Boyle of Sebring, and one brother, W. Ralph Rupert of Columbiana.
Two brothers, Raymond Rupert and Robert Rupert, preceded him in death.
The Rev. Jan Douglass will conduct a memorial service at 2 p.m. May 16 at the New Waterford Presbyterian Church. Family will receive friends after the service.
Memorial contributions may be made to the New Waterford Presbyterian Church or to the Crestview Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, c/o Elwood Woolman, Guidance Office, Crestview High School, 44100 Crestview Road, Columbiana, OH 44408.
Arrangements were made by Warrick-Kummer-Rettig Funeral Home, Columbiana, Ohio.
**********
Added Jan 8, 2013
(written 1957)
The Story of The Rupert Farm
HOW THE RUPERT FARM PARTNERSHIP DEVELOPED
In April 1849 Benjamin Rupert, (Willis Rupert's Grandfather" bought the original farm and started clearing trees and stones from the land. He and his wife made a living for the family - but a living without automobiles, television, radio, electricity, furnace running water and many other of today's conveniences.
This farm now provides a modern living for third, fourth and fifth generation of descendents. In fact, this is one of the interesting features of the Rupert Farm.
As Willis Rupert's sons came to maturity their problem was one of profitability using the large amount of labor and management on the acres they had. The solution as they saw it was not one of doing the work by hand. It had to be done efficiently. so in the presence of a large labor supply they pioneered in reducing the labor required to do a unity of work. In 1938 the Ruperts installed a milking parlor and gradually bought tractors, motors, elevators, conveyors, manure loaders, harvesters, and large plows.
The thought the better way was to enlarge the business of the farm which has been done in several ways. First they bought more adjoining land. Benjamin Rupert, the original settler had bought 122 acres, his son Benjamin, Jr., added 18 more, then in 1940 when Donald was 26 and Raymond was 25, they with their father Willis as partners bought the Schubert farm of 85 acres. Finally in 1946 when Ralph was 16 the partnership bought the John Rupert farm of 70 acres. Thus, the farm grew to 296 acres, all adjoining, with about 220 acres of crop land.
There was still a large supply of man power and managerial capacity for the number of acres. So the Rupert partnership started expanding the returns per acres. They increased yields with larger applications of lime and fertilizer and more legumes, improved pastures and meadows, and grew hybrid seed corn and certified seed wheat and oats for sale, which require more labor per acre. They also increased the production of the dairy herd. They now average almost 500 pounds of butterfat and 8, 800 pounds of milk per cow, which would sell for about the equivalent of 12,000 pounds of 3/5% milk. All these changes added to the returns per acre of land. When Ralph finished school, he too entered the partnership, making four members; with father and three sons.
Thus the Ruperts have balanced the relationship of land, labor, capital and management. Farm accounting records show that the income of the partnership is similar to the combined income they could reasonably expect if each had his own farm. But they have accomplished a desire they all had of being able to farm together.
HOW THE RUPERT DAIRY HERD DEVELOPED
The story of the Rupert dairy herd is equally impressive. In 1910 Willis Rupert as a young man started farming with his father, purchased the first purebred Jerseys. he started testing for butterfat then and has tested continuously since then, probably longer than any other herd in Ohio. Average butterfat production per cow gradually increased from 258 lbs. for 14 cows the year before purchase of the purebreds to 508 lbs. with 38 cows in 1956. Use of ten carefully selected sires during those years was largely responsible along with good feeding and management.
Associated with this development is an outstanding feeding program. Ruperts were the first Columbiana County farmers to improve pastures and they now have a system of rotating the use of excellent seeding pastures. They make the highest quality hay with the aid of a hay crusher and heated air for drying. No silo is being used. The top quality hay and pasture largely replaces silage used on most dairy farms.
Ruperts installed the first milking parlor and pipe line milkers in Columbiana County and have been first in many other improved practices. They have made their her one of the outstanding Jersey herds in Ohio
Page 4 of 4
Source
Pamphlet - Program - Columbiana County Field Day -Farm of Willis R Rupert & Sons - New Waterford Ohio - August 7, 1957
*pamphlet in collection of Miss Lulu Bierman.
