Bartels turning trailers into harvest homes

Written by Don Ratzlaff Tuesday, 13 March 2012 15:32

Kevin Bartel (left) and Larry Bartel have been preparing the interior of the crew trailer behind them and a second one in the machine shed in time for the harvest season. The trailers will be used to house workers who have signed on with Wright’s Trucking & Harvesting, based in Sidney, Neb. Larry Bartel, a longtime house contractor from Hillsboro, has been a member of the crew for 10 years now. A former longtime Hillsboro house contractor has turned his attention and considerable skills to a more mobile and temporary form of living arrange­ments.

Larry Bartel, working alongside his son, Kevin, is spearheading the interior work for two huge trailers that will provide lodging for up to 20 harvest-crew workers this summer—and hopefully for several summers to come.

The project was initiated by Kent Wright, owner of Wright’s Trucking & Harvesting LLC based in Sidney, Neb. Bartel has worked with that company each harvest season for the past 10 years after completing 31 years as a local housing contractor.

“We’ve been wanting to do something like this for a long time and now we’re finally doing,” Bartel said...

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Sorghum, pesticides focus of area meetings

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 07 February 2012 18:36

The Marion County Exten­sion Office is promoting two educational meetings for area producers this month.

Sorghum production will be the focus Wednesday, Feb. 15, as K-State Research and Extension hosts an in-depth sorghum school at the Burns Community Center.

This one-day school will cover a number of issues facing sorghum growers: profit potential; weed control strategies; and planting, fertility, insect and disease management.

The school, sponsored by the Kansas Grain Sorghum Commission, will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. and the program at 9:45 a.m. Lunch is included. The program will wrap up by mid-afternoon.

A private pesticide school is planned for Feb. 27 at the Hills­boro Civic Center. The program will begin at 10...

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At 151, this state still great

Written by John Schlageck Tuesday, 17 January 2012 15:58

This Jan. 29, our state will be 151 years old. Kansas was admitted to the Union two and a half months before the beginning of the Civil War—one of our nation’s most terrible times.

It’s important to recall our heritage, our roots and a bit of our state’s history, especially in celebration of another Kansas birthday.

The war between the northern and southern states officially began April 12, 1861, after the shelling of Fort Sumter. The Kansas territory had been at war for years before it was officially admitted on Jan. 29, 1861, one year after Abraham Lincoln was elected president.

As a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, the Missouri Compromise was overturned. That meant Kansas did not have to enter the Union as a slave...

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Drought hits farmers, but business activity still strong

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 27 December 2011 15:36

Impacted by drought conditions for much of the year, Marion County businesses experienced ups and downs in 2011, with new businesses opening and some older businesses closing. But change was particularly noticeable among health-services providers in Hillsboro.

JANUARY

After more than 50 years of selling televisions behind his home on South Cedar Street in Marion, Gary Carlson, 74, moved his business, Carlson’s TV & Satellite, to Main Street.

Cynthia Fleming was welcomed as the new president of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce at its annual meeting.

FEBRUARY

This year’s Marion County Conservation District award winners were Ervin and Carrol Ediger of Hillsboro; Duane and Linda Kaiser of Durham; Tyler Diepenbrock of Durham...

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