SYRACUSE, Ind. — With nearly 7 inches of snow and ice recently covering each of the fields belonging to Bobeck Farms, Arlen Bobeck of Syracuse had plenty of time to reflect — not only on the farm life his great-grandfather passed down, but the future he leaves to his two sons and their families.

Six generations of Bobecks have worked the fields in the southeastern corner of Elkhart County since the 1880s, and today, few similarities in practice or product remain.

Arlen’s great-grandfather Nels immigrated from Sweden, purchased land and cleared it before sending for his family. Arlen’s grandfather was 7 when he arrived in Indiana, and the operation has expanded since then.

“I can’t imagine what my great-grandfather would think of farming today,” Arlen said. “His farm was 120 acres. We don’t know for sure if he started with all that or not, but his operation was very different than what we do now.”

The practice of “family farming” Arlen described — where every home had livestock and crops to sustain the family as well as product left over to sell for profit — has all but disappeared.

“When I was young, we milked cows, had farrow to finish hogs, sheep, horses and chickens,” Arlen said. “Crop rotation was important with corn, wheat, hay, and we put the animal manure on the fields as fertilizer. That’s the way everyone did it.”

The value of the era Arlen’s father Virgil raised him in, as well as the era of his grandfather and great-grandfather, was the value of community and helping one’s neighbors.

“When I look back, one thing that meant a lot to me and formed my life was that we worked as neighbors. Today, you hardly know your neighbors,” Arlen said. Farming communities were much like extended families years ago.

“We’d all help each other bale hay or straw or whatever else needed done,” Arlen said. “It was hard work but it kept us healthy and strong. I also remember that about twice a year all the families would get together on a Sunday and have a celebration where we’d socialize, eat a meal and just enjoy the company. It’s so drastically different now.”

Today the Bobecks farm 1,800 acres in three different counties — Noble, Elkhart and Kosciusko. The farm’s expansion has happened over time, with some practices added and others eliminated.

“I went to the Air Force one day, and my dad sold the milking herd the next,” Arlen recalled with a laugh. “I guess you know who the labor for that was!”

On their farm, livestock has been replaced with two staple crops, seed corn and soybeans. As they specialized, former and current Bobeck farmers always looked ahead for the best opportunities to be successful, either through equipment or practices — irrigation, fertilizer, pest control, implements or seed.

After taking over the farm practice from his father Virgil, Arlen and his two sons, Brent and Brad, set to work making their own way as other family members had.

While the boys were still in high school, Arlen was given the opportunity to join Pioneer Hi-Bred as a district manager. He said he and his wife Shirley thought long and hard about whether he should take the job.

“The boys weren’t really old enough to run the farm, we didn’t think. Brent was 17 and Brad was 16,” Arlen said.

As it turned out, they were.

Arlen retired from Pioneer 20 years later as a field sales representative, covering Michigan, northern Ohio and northern Indiana.

“The boys ran the farm while I was on the road 150 nights a year. They worked awful hard,” Arlen said.

“We knew it was now or never. We had the labor but he kept the checkbook,” Brad joked.

Working together is something that came naturally for Brent and Brad, as each have his own special interests in farming.

“Brent is the manager of the seed business and he can fix anything,” Arlen said. “Brad’s expertise is the crops, fertilizing and chemicals. He also does most of the marketing. They’re both very strong in their own fields.”

On occasion, one might have to do the other’s job.

“We can do it,” Brent said.

“But it won’t be perfect,” Brad laughed.

Farming isn’t the only thing Brent and Brad have known. Each has held other jobs, but ultimately came back to farming.

“I’ve had several jobs other places — trailer factory, dairy farms — but I liked it here best,” Brad said.

“It’s nice not to drive to work, but everyone knows where to find us,” Brent joked.

“We’ve got the same phone number, home or work,” Brad added.

The value of farming doesn’t only translate into dollars and cents for the Bobecks, but into family time together as each member lives less than a quarter-mile away from the original homestead.

“It’s such a good place to raise kids,” Arlen said. “Outdoor life, chores, responsibility ...”

Brent and Brad enjoy the limited flexibility that allows them to tend to personal activities as well.

“You can adjust your day to an extent,” Brent said. “Self-employment can be nice, but it does require a lot of extra hours. Day to day we don’t know what our schedule will be. There is no summer vacation longer than about a half a day!”

Brent’s oldest son Aaron and daughter April are students at Purdue university. Aaron is pursuing a degree in agriculture, but is undecided what field will capture his life’s work. For now, he’s the go-to guy for everything electronic and is the resident computer expert.

“I’m not coming straight back to the farm, but someday I’d like to have my own,” Aaron said.

Brent’s younger son Andrew, a fifth-grade student, enjoys farm life but currently stays active playing sports.

Considering the innovations and improvements made over the past six generations, the Bobecks have embraced most of them and look forward to the future.

Brad remembers using a six-row planter, which has been replaced with their 16-row machine today.

“Today you’ve traded a lot of the physical labor for more acres, more hours and more mental work,” Brent said. “In the old days, they couldn’t hit 100 acres a day. Now we’re planting 200.”

Arlen also remembers the first time his crops reached the 100 bushel per acre yield. “Now we’re disappointed if we’re not over 200,” he said.

Improvements in equipment make planting and harvesting crops more precise and profitable. Global positioning systems and Auto Steer have revolutionized the way farmers do their jobs.

“If you’re going to the expense of putting out a crop, you want to get all the yield you can get,” Arlen said.

All the Bobecks see the trends of farms continuing to gain size.

“You used to be able to raise a family on 80 acres. Now we’ve got 1,800 acres, two families and other jobs besides,” Arlen said.

From his courses at Purdue, Aaron shared that farmers who found a niche market for their crops or did something “extra” like his uncle and father’s seed business, B&B; Seed, helped to ensure the overall success of the farm.

“Being efficient at what you do makes the difference. Either we all work together or it ends,” Brad added.

Work ethics in farming can translate universally.

“You have to do a professional job in whatever you do,” Brent said.