American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-04-22
FIRST DRY FARM
STARTED IN 1889
TRIALS OF A PIONEER IN HAR.
VsSTlNG WHEAT WITH SCYTHE
AND THRESHlNG BY HAND-NO
MACHINERY TO HARVEST HIS
CROPS.
Mrs. Fred ]. kohlhepp Tells Of Early
Dry Farming Experiences Near AM
ericsn Fal,s-inabil!ty to Procure
Machinery Resulted In Developing
Inventive Genius Of Mr.. kohlhepp.
(By Mrs. f. ]. Kohlhepp)


Oh April 7th. 1889. Mr.. Fred ]. Kohl
hepp went on his dry farm situated
about five miles south OF American
Falls, He succeeded In getting In
few acres OF grain and proved to his
own satisfaction that dry land grain
could be raised here.
He could get no machinery to har-
vest his crop and had to cut II with q
scythe and thresh It by hand. This did
not pay, 30 after spending all the mon
ey he had on hand. building and fenc-
Ing. he returned to Pocatelio on De-
cember 18th and went to work again
In the car shops. The next two years
h spent in Pocatello trying to get
money to buy machinery to improve
his homestead. going on II only every
six months to comply with the law.
which was not as strict as the present
time.
On June l6, 1s93 he met with an
accident from which he never entirely
recovered. Being unable TO WORK Tor
wages he determined to make n sue
cess OF his dry farm and hired help to
break about fifty acres OF land
For several years he raised good
crops OF wheat but could get no ma
chinery to cut or thresh II. Once he
persuaded man with binder to
come and bind his grain and he was
filled with hope, when the team came
with the machine, but when the man
got on the grain field he decided the
soil was too soft IL would ruin his
binder. he said. 80 he drove away, leav-
ing Mr.. Kohlhepp In despair. But me-
cessity Is the mother of invention. lie
got an old moving machine and rigged
table behind to catch the grain which
was raked off by hand when enough
was cut to make a bundle, thus saving
several stacks.
Being unable to get It threshed he
constructed merry -go-round, using
the horses to tramp the grain and
thresh II with their feet lie raised
good wheat and corn In 1897 when
there was no rain from April to Oc-
tober.
In 1900 he decided to raise rye and
feed IL to cattle 30 he might have sue
cess even II the threshers failed him,
no he put In about fifty acres, which
yielded an excellent crop, the whole
field averaging six feet In height. This
drew the attention OF all who came
near Many made special trips TO see
the wonderful dry land crop and said !:
why cannot we do likewiseY' Some
OF them did and from that time dry
land farming has grown until Ameri-
can Falls IL one OF the largest grain
shipping points In the United States.
Mr.. kohlhepp had been laughed and
Jeered ut and told his land was not
worth five cents per acre, and asked
II he could raise enough TO feed the
rabbits, which indeed were great
pest, but he persisted and proved his
principle, not only In raising grain,
but potatoes, peas and other products
Had machinery been available Mr.
Kohlhepp would have proved hit the
ory twenty-three years ago, that
wherever grass will grow, grain will
grow, but pioneers must have patience
and It sometimes takes a life time tl
prove principle