Heartland Farmer enjoys doing things the "old fashioned" way - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

Glenn James Schlimpert has farming in his blood, and throughout his family tree.

"As far as I know the Schlimpert ancestors have farmed back into Germany," said Schlimpert. "We have family records that go back to the 1600's."

As far back as the 1880's Schlimperts have been farming in Jacob on the same patch of ground.

"My great grandfather used an ox when most people used horses or mules," said Schlimpert. "I guess he was kind of old fashioned, even for back then."

Apparently - old fashioned runs in the family. Schlimpert farms 700 acres using only antique tractors.

"I grew up on the left fender of an Allis Chalmers tractor," Schlimpert said.

Not only does he use old equipment, Schlimpert farms 700 acres all by himself. He says if he hired someone else, they might not know when the aged tractors were having engine trouble.

Schlimpert's love of farming started early, and at age nine his father rewarded his hard work with a small share of the soybean profits.

"Let me sell them in my name and I ended up with $20," said Schlimpert. "This was 1964 - the Beatles had just come to America and there was nothing I wanted worse than a guitar."

He used his first farming "fortune" to buy a $19 Sears-Roebuck guitar that still hangs on his wall to this day.

Decades after his first strum, he still calls guitar playing a "favorite hobby" that ranks right up there with his favorite pastime - farming. It's a more than full-time job and labor of love for a Heartland farmer with roots as rich as the soil he plants and a flair for doing things the old fashioned way.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.