Interview with Henry S. Hankla, August 5, 1992

Interview Summary

In his second interview, Henry Hankla follows up on questions asked in the previous interview. Hankla discusses the apple orchard , especially a variety of apple named "Early Harvest," sales of farm produce like eggs, butter and cream, and considers his mother's biscuits and meal patterns. He describes use of chemicals on the farm, tobacco and hay production, and farm buildings (smokehouses, machine shed, garage, barn, milk house, tobacco barn). Hankla also discusses family reunions. In addition, there is a relatively detailed description of sweet sorghum syrup production and processing. Hankla describes his change to a herd involving calves which were bought in the spring and then fed until fall. The calves were then sold to avoid the cost of feeding them over the winter while profiting by their weight gain over the summer. Hankla explains his preference of the Angus breed of cattle because of their growth characteristics and their lack of horns. As Hankla comments on photographs of the farm, he notes that a mill and distillery were sited on the farm in the past. He also explains silage production and on farm handling of silage which grew out of a photo with an image of a silo on it. The interview concludes with a discussion of changes in corn farming and bluegrass as forage.

Interview Keyword

Bluegrass Sheep Boyle County Disillery on Farm Electric Plant Fields Heritage farms plowing Rotating Crop Shovel Plow Soil Conservation Sowing Bluegrass in the Rough. Tractors water

Interview LC Subject

Agriculture--Kentucky Family farms Hankla, Henry S. Hankla, Henry S.--Interviews Agriculture

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.