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Summer 2004
Volume 21, Issue 1
A Place in the Heart
Hertz Farm Management Continues the Schomberg Farm Legacy
The values of work, conservation and caring imparted by Geraldine and the late Ted Schomberg of Letts, IA, produced a lasting family legacy.
Thanks to their foresight, the 560-acre home farm is still in the family. Their values are continued by a spirit of teamwork between the family and Jim Rebhuhn, Accredited Farm Manager for Hertz.
Today, the Schomberg farm is owned by Geraldine Schomberg and her three children. Geraldine still lives on the home place, while son Steve lives in Urbana, IL, with his wife, Janie, and works for the University of Illinois. Daughter Judy Carlson and husband, Carl, are retired at Battle Lake, MN, while daughter Nancy Abney lives near Atlanta with husband, Glenn.
Planning to Pass on the Tradition
As Ted and Geraldine approached retirement, they asked their adult children what to do about the farm. All three had non-farm careers, but as Geraldine recalls, “They all said the same thing. They wanted to keep the farm in the family.”
After establishing a farm corporation, Ted and Geraldine farmed as a team until Ted could no longer do intensive field work. They then rented on a crop share basis to nephew Riley Padgett. Ted was involved in planting decisions and ran a cow-calf herd.
Then came a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, and again, Ted took steps to protect his family. “Dad was aware he wasn’t well. He knew he couldn’t manage by himself,” says Judy.
“The marketing decisions worried me,” adds Geraldine. “I figured between Riley and me, we could figure everything else out.”
That’s when Hertz Farm Management entered the picture. Steve, who knew Joel Hertz professionally and from their 4-H days, suggested the company come out for a meeting. Farm Manager Jim Rebhuhn and current Hertz President Loyd Brown visited with the Schombergs. Something clicked.
The family turned complete farm management over to Hertz in 1994. “It took a lot of pressure off Daddy,” says Nancy. “It makes me feel better having the farm professionally managed. I don’t know what we would have done if not for that.”
Ted passed away in July 1998, secure in the knowledge that his family’s farm was in good hands.
Carrying On A Legacy
Improving the land’s productivity was important to Ted, and it’s a concept Hertz understands well. “When we decided to move to a farm manager, the first thing they did was order GPS grid soil samples. I remember Dad was impressed with that,” says Steve.
Rebhuhn focused on improving the ground’s already good fertility. He says, “All of these farms are of excellent quality because that’s where Ted wanted them to be.”
Hertz also transformed the farm from a mix of crops, cattle and other livestock to exclusively row crops. The farm’s timber and pasture land provide rental income.
To augment yield and control erosion, Hertz installed additional drainage tile and reshaped waterways. They also built and modified the grain drying system. Every four years, Rebhuhn uses Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data to grid sample and enrich the soil using variable rate technology.
“Dad and Mom were always adopting new farm practices,” notes Steve. “That’s another reason we like Hertz. They do the research and know tillage and conservation practices. That tradition was an important value to Dad.”
Rebhuhn says, “This family is always open to new technologies. That includes the pricing of grain, so they’ve accepted some hedging.”
“We use a very simple marketing plan. Yet, there’s an elegance about it. Hertz taught me to not outguess the market’s ups and downs, but they focus on making a profit,” says Steve.
Keeping It in the Family
When Hertz began managing the farm, the biggest change involved a switch to a custom arrangement.
“Cash rent is a more passive approach,” says Steve. “We like the proactive business approach involved in custom operation arrangements.”
Riley Padgett still does the custom farming, providing a continuity that’s important to the tight-knit family.
“Riley grew up learning about farming from my dad. Jim understands Riley is very close to the farm,” says Steve. Day-to-day decisions are made by Riley and Jim, with occasional input from Steve and Geraldine. “We probably stick our noses in places they don’t belong,” says Steve, “but one of the things I like about Jim is that no question seems trivial.”
Major decisions are discussed at an annual family meeting, and they keep in contact via e-mail, phone and letters.
All family members appreciate the reports from Hertz and their relationship with Rebhuhn. “When I reflect on what I enjoy about Hertz, I immediately go to personal qualities. There’s no politics and no posturing," says Steve.
Rebhuhn and Steve discuss topics in depth annually, and Jim meets with Geraldine every three to four weeks during the growing season. Steve visits the farm regularly to unwind and walk the fields.
"My Lake Place"
For Steve, the farm is his equivalent of the “lake place” where his sister retired. As vice chancellor for public engagement and institutional relations, he oversees a commercial airport, endowment farms, continuing education, campus outreach programs and governmental relations, so it’s easy to see why he needs to get away. “This farm is my retirement activity, even though Mom thinks I’m coming to see her,” jokes Steve.
To maintain a legacy, the siblings are investigating a trust to keep the corporation in place for the next generation. It’s yet another area where professional advice is helping.
“Hertz does a great job of reflecting our wishes,” notes Steve. “Just recently, we voted to keep the barns because Mom wanted them. I’m sure that makes no sense to a farm manager, but as long as Mom wants the barns, Hertz is going to make sure they stay.”
So the barns stay. Maybe one of the great grandchildren will one day crawl up into the haymow, look out over the land and wonder of the stories it holds. That story will include the legacy of Ted and Geraldine, of Steve, Nancy and Judy...and how Hertz Farm Management helped keep that legacy in place.
