The Emmert Family Tradition

emmert family history

The Emmert Family settled the west central area of Indiana in the early 1800s, being some of the first settlers of the Jamestown vicinity of western Boone County.  For more than 175 years the Emmert family has prided themselves in their production of livestock.

            The most recent generations of the family, John and Vicki Emmert and daughters, Miranda, Julie, and Janell, have been actively involved in the purebred Hampshire hog business for more 30 years.

            John was inspired by his grandfather Austin Emmert, who started the purebred Hampshire hog business in 1941.  John loved listening to his grandpa’s stories about the horses, cattle, and hogs and developed a love for the livestock industry.   

livestock awards

John graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Animal Science and returned to the farm to expand the purebred Hampshire seedstock business.  With his knowledge of production, nutrition, and genetics, he developed the herd into a highly competitive breeding stock supplier selling their hogs into 20 states and 6 foreign countries, winning numerous awards, including:            

         •        National Hog College Boar

         •        National Top Indexing Test Station Boar

         •        3 National Brood Sow Hall of Fame Members

         •        3 Top Indexing Boar Pens in Iowa, Indiana & Ohio

         •        Indiana Boar of the Year

         •        Numerous local, state & national show winnings

 The Emmert’s also held a production hog sale in the fall and a 4-H show pig sale in the spring for 26 years.

involvement in livestock industry & 4-H

John and Vicki had been actively involved in the swine industry for nearly 30 years.  Currently, John and Vicki are 4-H leaders in Boone County with John carrying 23 years of service and Vicki with 20, respectively.  John presently serves, as a 4-H swine superintendent for Boone County.   Vicki has been a photography project leader for the past five years.

 In addition to John’s involvement in the 4-H swine project, he was instrumental in developing the Hoosier Classic, an open market hog show conducted every June at the Boone County Fairgrounds in Lebanon.  In recent years, John and Vicki held the office of Secretary/Treasurer for the Hoosier Hampshire Association.  Prior to this, Vicki was on the State Board of the Indiana Porkettes, a women’s organization that promoted pork through out the state.

  Throughout the years, John has held several offices in various agricultural organizations.  Recently, he served as a national director of the National Hampshire Swine Registry.  He has also served as president and vice president of the Indiana Livestock Breeders, as well as the Hoosier Hampshire Swine Association.  Additionally, he has served on the board of directors of the Indiana Boar Evaluation Station.   

Daughters Miranda, Julie, and Janell have also been involved with the swine project through 4-H.  All three sisters had opportunities as Indiana Hampshire and Duroc queens.  All three daughters continue to be involved with the livestock operation in some way. 

photography

 Vicki, Janell and Julie have been photography project leaders for the past five years.  This passion for photography started out with taking photos for the many livestock production sales and 4-H pig flyers that the family put together throughout the years combined with all three daughters each completing 10 years of 4-H photography.  This project took its own direction as Vicki and the daughters started expanding this passion for photography 10 years ago by taking wedding, senior pictures, anniversary, livestock, and family portraits.

boer show goats

In 2005 John and Vicki started raising Boer Show Goats.  They purchased a top-quality group of percentage bred, solid red and traditional does from the Miller and Mitchell herds.  These does were bred to five different proven stud bucks from some of the top herds in Texas and Indiana.  John and Vicki enjoyed kidding the goats and decided to expand into full-blood Boer goats concentrating on high quality show goats in the reds and paints.  John, Vicki and their daughters have experience raising another herbivorous and hoofed animal, the sheep. They raised sheep for 15 years for 4-H and also sold them in their annual 4-H livestock sale.  Throughout the years, they produced, exhibited and sold several winners.  Being livestock breeders, John and Vicki wanted to get involved with another species and the Boer goats filled the bill.  As with the other species, the same livestock principles will be applied starting with structural correctness and building the animals from the ground up---heavy boned, wide-based, long and muscular.

A New Direction

 In March 2007 the other partners in the family farm corporation wanted to eliminate the livestock enterprise of the family farm corporation and concentrate on grain production.  Since John and Vicki still enjoyed the livestock business they purchased a beautiful 147-acre historic farm near Darlington, Indiana and settled into their new place at the end of December 2007, so they could continue in the business they love. 

After much discussion John and Vicki decided that their new acreage was best suited for crops, goats, photography, and possibly cattle in their future too.  They have sold off most of the percentage goats and have only kept the best full bloods.  John and Vicki are excited with the opportunities that the meat goat industry has to offer and feel they have put together a powerful set of full blood does and bucks with some of the best bloodlines available.  They love to talk livestock, and show folks their stock so feel free to stop by and visit. 

Emmert Honey Creek Farms

5080 N. S.R. 47▪  Darlington, IN 47940 ▪ (765) 794-0481

pork@emmertfarms.com

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