What was a rather unique LaPorte County agricultural crop grown in the early 1900s? Celery.

   At least during the years of 1910 and 1912, this was a crop grown in two locations in the county.

   Celery is grown from seed planted in hotbeds to obtain an early crop, and directly in the open for a late crop. It requires fertile soil and plenty of moisture. Probably the most difficult part of its culture is the blanching, or whitening, process. The method used for a summer crop is to place boards around the stalks to shut out the light, which destroys the coloring matter in the tissue, causing the stalks to whiten. To accomplish this for winter usage, dirt is heaped around the stalks.

   According to newspaper accounts, in 1910, on the 40-acre farm of Oscar L. Niemer south of Michigan City, there was a celery farm known as Niemer’s Crystal Springs Superb Celery Farm. Niemer had come to LaPorte County from Michigan. Although Kalamazoo was known as the “Celery City,” he boasted that his Indiana celery was far superior.

   The water system used was unique — there were three 60-foot wells from which sparkling water flowed by the barrel. This water was used to wash the celery and irrigate the land. Admittedly, no irrigation system is as good as genuine rain, but the Niemer system was said to surpass all systems known at that time. By mid-May, planting had already occurred and reached a height of six to nine inches. This crop was expected to be ready for market about July and to supply the wants of Michigan City until cold weather.

   Niemer’s celery had already established quite a name, and although dealers in Chicago wanted to contract for his entire crop, Niemer supplied the towns of Michigan City and LaPorte before shipments were made outside the county.

   During the same time period, a clipping from a county newspaper contained a story about plans further south in LaPorte County where the growing of celery on an extensive scale was started in the Kankakee marshes. It was believed that much of the wasteland of the Kankakee marsh could be used for this crop. Soil experts said this land was the best for celery raising, and so the “permanency of the industry” was practically assured.

   One enterprising gentleman, W.R. Calvert, owned 600 acres, which he was going to use for the first celery fields in that area. Hollanders from near Kalamazoo came to the area to oversee the work. It was noted that a five-acre tract was about all one man and his family could farm. Consequently, the plan was to divide the land into farms of this size and sublet them to the Hollanders. Work was to start in the near future on a number of houses for the celery farmers.

   The method of planting at the southern location was to place the plants three inches apart with three feet between the rows. The summer crops were placed in the center of the fields, with the fall and winter plants on each side.

   With Mr. Niemer’s plan using his system of irrigation and Mr. Calvert’s plan to colonize his entire property, you might think celery farming would have grown to rule LaPorte County. However, no further record has been discovered of the results of these two endeavors.