Farmers combine efforts

Purlee Farm will share 4 machines among 7 men to speed harvest

Monday, April 16, 2007

By JOANIE STIERS

The Register-Mail

A single farm west of Galesburg will use four combines to harvest this year's crop.

But the story isn't about the combines. It's the reason behind them.

Seven farmers work together in the Purlee Farm operation of rural Galesburg and will share the four harvest machines.

"If you divide everything by seven, it's not a real big farming operation," said Ron Noble, one of seven men at the nearly 10,000-acre Purlee Farm.

Most traditional farms in this part of the Midwest have only one combine and fewer than 2,000 acres. The Purlee Farm is upgrading to four machines this year after owning two and paying to use a third last fall. The farm operators have a goal of harvesting nearly 10,000 acres of corn and soybeans in 30 days as opposed to 40 days last year.

"A lot of the guys have young children and families," said Jim Purlee, the farm's namesake. "We'll take Sundays off and go home earlier in the evening."

Purlee started farming nearly 30 years ago. Nephew Sam Purlee joined the operation in 1990. Ron Noble, Robert Lee, Mike DeMott, Jeff Ryner and John Ryner also have joined the farm but are no relation to Purlee. This is an unusual combination as most operations in this area include fathers, sons and brothers.

The farmers share labor, management and machinery. Several have their own land, whether owned or rented, in the areas of Rio, North Henderson, Alexis and Galesburg. The farm is unique in that it offers the opportunity to farm in the operation as opposed to just an hourly wage as hired help.

"I offered to help Jim with a crop the first year and I wasn't planning on staying," said Noble, who in 1990 worked as a hired man for the farm between town jobs. "I talked to Jim one day and told him, 'I know you won't be able to pay what others pay.' I told him I wanted to farm and not be a hired hand all my life."

Soon after, he owned part of the farm. He bought his first tract of land in 1991 and now has about 700 acres that he owns or rents to grow corn and soybeans.

"Traditionally farmers would hire a hired man and give him a house and half a beef and they kept all the profits for themselves," Noble said. "This way we're all sharing the profits."

Purlee's approach is to help people farm, become financially secure and raise their families with a farm lifestyle. This innovative approach led Purlee Farm to win the Innovation of Agriculture Award in 2002, an honor given to four farms nationwide. The farm also has placed as high as fourth in the national Best Managed Farms Contest sponsored by Farm Progress Companies.

"After college I worked for people," said Purlee, who worked in education and construction until age 33. "What you wanted was to own part of it. Agriculture lends itself to that."

The result is a satisfied workforce with no turnover.

"When I was a kid and you asked what I wanted to do, I wanted to be a farmer," said nephew Sam Purlee, who now farms 900 acres of his own.

"If it wasn't for Jim, I wouldn't have started farming."