Lansing area Agriculture and Natural Resources Club celebrates 75th anniversary

The Lansing Area Agriculture and Natural Resources Club, formerly known as the Lansing Farmers Club, celebrated its 75th anniversary during the Oct. 3meeting at the Okemos Masonic Center.

by Maxine Ferris

The Lansing Area Agriculture and Natural Resources Club, formerly known as the Lansing Farmers’ Club, celebrated its 75th anniversary during the Oct. 3meeting at the Okemos Masonic Center. 

 

Organized on May 5, 1941 when 22 local businessmen — many of them land owners — and two professors from the Animal Science and Dairy Departments met to organize the local version of what was known throughout the country as “City Farmers’ Clubs.”  Based on census figures, in 1939 Ingham County had 2,999 farms with an average acreage of 101.1 and whose value of sales was $ 8,314,000.

 

In 2012, there were 944 farms in the county, whose average acreage was 212, and who reported the value of products sold to be $131,340,000. In 2015-16 the club has 99 individual          members from 62 families. Today’s members come from Ingham, Eaton, Clinton and Shiawassee Counties and represent a variety of professional backgrounds, many have connections with the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.  

 

One person attending the birthday celebration will be Dr. Al Rippen, retired professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. Al joined the Club in January 1980 and has been an active participant ever since. 

 

The thing that has changed the most he says is: “Today we have only a few active farmers in the group.”  What he enjoys most about the meetings is staying current through the excellent diverse programs and the on-going association with former colleagues and friends. In his words, “You always have a friend at your elbow!”

 

Both a previous club president, Dr. “Jake” Wamhoff (Department of Agriculture and Extension Education now Department of Community Sustainability), and current president, Sandy Clarkson Stuckman (MSU Extension), and her husband, Noel, were invited to join the club upon their retirements by Jack Barnes, retired Michigan Milk Producers’ executive director. 

 

Jake has rarely missed a meeting since he joined and was almost immediately recruited to serve on the Board; soon he became its leader when the President resigned for health reasons. He has also taken his turn as a “speaker.” 

 

“I was attracted to the Club,” Wamhoff said. “And as a new retiree I could stay connected to a whole lot of friends and learn of some ‘cutting edge’ information each month. That is still true today!” 

 

He currently is a member of the Club’s Membership Development Team.

 

Sandy also enjoys re-connecting with people she knew during her career and meeting new folks at club meetings where “members are friendly and warm and everyone learns from the educational programs and tours.”

 

Several programs and tours that stand out for her are:

  • The 2016 tour of the AgroLiquid Fertilizer’s world headquarters and research facility near St. Johns;
  • The June 2015 tour of FRIB;
  • Member Bohn Musgrove’s 100th Birthday Celebration in 2004;
  • A presentation about Michigan’s Economic Outlook and;
  • The annual performance by the Okemos Someko Singers.

 

“John Hannah, Michigan State University president, often talked about how people are what’s  most important in life,” she said. “As I reflect about why we enjoy the club so much, I realize what’s most important are our relationships with club members.”

 

The club also has attracted younger members such as Dr. John Dunn, who first attended meetings with his parents while enrolled in veterinary medicine at MSU.

 

“I enjoyed spending the evening with his parents and friends with similar interests,” John said. But the content of the diverse programs, often provided by campus experts, continuously has held his interest year after year.

 

“Having a diverse group of members from different backgrounds leads to diverse program suggestions and keeps me and others coming.”

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