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January 14,2014 <br /> Statement of Land Use for Township of Christiana, WI <br /> My name is John Barnes, and I am proposing to buy property from Scott Polster at 27-6N-12E in <br /> Christiana Township for the purposes of building a residence, and for farming approximately 7± <br /> acres. Farming on a small plot has been a dream of mine for most of my life. Although I was <br /> not raised on a farm, both of my parents and their parents were, and my father was the County <br /> Agricultural Extension Director for Harvey County, Kansas,for 35 years. From the age of 10 or <br /> 12, I've worked on farms including 2 dairies and 3 different wheat/cattle farms in Kansas. I was <br /> also a 4-H member, and helped my father run the Harvey County 4-H Fair, as well as harvesting <br /> his experimental wheat crops for years. From 16-18 years old I also worked for my father <br /> running the county soil testing laboratory in Newton, KS, and continued to do that work into my <br /> freshman year at Kansas State University at the agronomy soil lab. <br /> After graduation with my B.S. degree in engineering, I worked for two years for Deere and <br /> Company in Iowa designing farm equipment. (I left that job only for the opportunity to work on <br /> the Space Shuttle project at Martin Marietta Astronautics) <br /> My plan for the 7 acres of farmland for the first 2-3 years of ownership is to lease it to a local <br /> farmer(for example, Duane Hinchley) until I am ready with equipment to take it over. During <br /> that period of time, I will assess the soil chemistry and determine what is necessary to prepare <br /> the land for hay(either alfalfa or an alfalfa/grass mixture). Almost certainly, that will Involve at <br /> least an annual application of lime to raise pH, but also perhaps replacement of some other <br /> nutrients as well. <br /> Knowing that this particular 7±acres lies on a slope, and has experienced some erosion <br /> problems with row crops, such as corn and soybeans, it would seem an improvement to move it <br /> into a forage crop. I would like to keep this small acreage in a hay crop once I start farming it, <br /> and work to optimize the yields I can achieve over the years through proper management and <br /> staying in touch with the latest UW research. This will be a hobby for me (I don't expect to <br /> make significant income from it), and being a technical professional I will approach this as a <br /> challenge to see how successful I can be with it. <br /> ip, ,,, ,,,,,A.,,,,— <br /> lank You, <br /> John Barnes <br />