Barlass family keeps holding on as Janesville creeps toward Henke Road
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Bill and Marion Barlass, center, farm nearly 600 acres along County A just east of Janesville with the help of their children Kristin Paul and Brian. The family has seen the city steadily creep toward their door and wonder how long it will be before their livelihood is directly threatened.
JANESVILLE — The bustle of the big city is about 1 1/2 miles from the quiet rural setting of the Barlass farm in Harmony Township.
Crops surround the home. Jersey cows lounge in a barn 35 feet from the back door.
Bill Barlass and his wife, Marion, own 575 acres—they grow corn, soybeans and wheat—and also raise cows about a half-mile east of Henke Road.
Bill Barlass's parents bought the land in 1969.
Contrary to the idyllic scene, the family lives on the edge. It's a ground zero of sorts for people who never thought development would hop Highway 14.
The Barlass land tells the story of fertile soil in the path of development and in danger of being covered in concrete.
In 2006, developer Bill Bohn proposed building 1,000 homes on 360 acres at the northeast corner of County A and Highway 14.
The land's owners, the Metcalf family, asked Janesville to annex the land and change its zoning to residential. The development eventually failed, but the land remains in the city and is zoned residential. It is being farmed for now.
The parcel ends just west of Henke Road.
It was the first real chunk of land on the Rock Prairie east of Highway 14 to fall.
Many people were shocked. Now, some are digging in their heels and want to draw a line at Henke Road.
"It concerns our township," said Barlass, who is on the town board. "Once that farmland goes into development for homes, or commercial … it's pretty much gone forever."
In addition, the Janesville City Council this year approved a 20-year comprehensive growth plan that shows the Barlass family farm as being in the city's "urban reserve."
Janesville's own sustainability committee called the designation a land grab. The committee said the plan unnecessarily charted 50 years out and didn't protect farmland.
The members of the Barlass family are not happy about suddenly finding themselves in an area described as urban reserve. They want to keep farming.
Both of Barlass's grandfathers farmed, as did his father.
Barlass, 57, has farmed his whole life. Two of his three children work on the farm, and a third, who manages a dairy farm in California, would like to return.
Barlass said people have contacted him through the years about buying five or 10 acres.
"We didn't because we wanted to keep the parcel that we've got as a working unit. It's pretty hard to do that if you start selling, even small lots," he said.
"I've always wanted to try to increase our land base," he added.
Something like 1,500 acres would give the family more stability financially and be a better buffer from development, Barlass said. But the family knows the closer the city gets, the harder farming will be.
"They tell you they don't force you," Marion Barlass said. "But in essence, they do. Because if you're surrounded by the city, you can't farm."
Logistically, operating equipment in the city is difficult and costs more money. Neighbors complain about the operation and equipment on the road.
As the city gets closer, farmers often opt against making the expensive investments necessary to keep farming.
The Barlass family, though, continues to invest.
"If you have family members that want to be involved, you want to make improvements that are going to be effective and efficient for them to continue farming," Bill Barlass said.
The family would consider a purchase rights development agreement if the farm would qualify under criteria being developed by a county committee. Barlass, a representative of the Harmony Town Board, is on the committee.
A conservation easement under the program would require that the land remain in agriculture. That certainty allows farmers to make investments, and it allows developers and cities to know where to grow—and where not to grow.
Barlass said his father instilled in him the necessity of preserving farmland.
"I don't think we should be losing some of the best farmland, not only in Rock County, the state of Wisconsin and the Midwest, but the whole country," he said. "Once you plant concrete and homes, it's pretty hard to get that back into ag production."
Feb 16, 2010 at 9:56 a.m.
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Thanks tracymi!! From a former farmgirl to all farmers out there - Thank you!!!
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Also thanks for putting it to Hank, although he'll come back with a redundent statement again. He just doesn't get it.
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I may be a "former" farmgirl, but you know what they say, you can take the girl out of the farm, but ya can't take the farm out of the girl.
Feb 16, 2010 at 9:45 a.m.
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Its funny how the Barlasses say they want to increase there land base but forget to mention the 100 plus acres across from harmony school they sold to the city of janseville. Which now is a sub-division...
Feb 16, 2010 at 8:29 a.m.
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Maybe our city is growing despite all of the 'gloom and doom' comments after GM pulled-out.
Feb 16, 2010 at 7:48 a.m.
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Well said Purrmaid.
Hank- I did a little checking with a tax professional who has been filing tax returns for farmers for 30 years. It sounds like you are referring to the homestead credit that the state of Wisconsin offers. If that is what you are referring to, here's how it works. Individuals, not only farmers, who make less than $24,000 per year are allowed this credit only on their state refunds. So this would cancel out most farmers because of the income level due to commodities they sell. According to this tax preparer, most of her clients are the elderly which makes sense due to their limited incomes. Or as an example- when I was in college I made roughly $7,000 per year while going to school full-time. If I had not lived at home and paid rent, I would qualify for this credit.
If you are talking about something else, say on the federal level, I would be more than happy to check into this for you. I want to make SURE the CORRECT information is being shared.
Feb 15, 2010 at 11:46 p.m.
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A special thanks to the Barlasses and all farmers who work long hours in all kinds of weather, worry about market ups and downs, seed prices, astronomical price tags for equipment, lack of vacations, inordinate amount of manual labor....etc. You aren't thanked often enough for the job you do.
Feb 15, 2010 at 9:19 p.m.
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good one justme46. I know each of the farmers in the article and they are all good hard working people. I will continue to farm and hope to pass that on to my son. P.S. Hank- if you own over 200 acres today you are a millionaire on paper. We own and farm over 2300 acres and have owned that ground for over 70 years, 4th generation and proud of it.
Feb 15, 2010 at 9:12 p.m.
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Hank- I usually don't label people as ignorant but the shoe fits in this case! Our family would not sell to anyone. We have a 4th generation run family farm.farming is not only my husband's passion but our family's.
And I'm sure the Barlass's would be insulted by your comments. They are a hard working farm family that deserves respect!
Feb 15, 2010 at 8:42 p.m.
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What Hank does for a living is to post on the Gazette blogs! He hates farmers and he hates the city and he hates Eric Levitts and he hates......!! JMO
Feb 15, 2010 at 8:40 p.m.
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Hank- rarely do I call a person ignorant but in this case the shoe fits. Our farm has been family run for 4 generations and will continue to do so no matter what a developer or other individual may offer. No land means no income for our family. It is our goal, as well as most family farms, to pass on the tradition of farming.
I work off the farm but my customers are farmers. You obviously don't understand the "motto" of farmers. They have a passion for what they do- I know because I hear it everyday in the way they speak about their farm. It's something in their blood!
Feb 15, 2010 at 8:31 p.m.
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Hank- You never did answer why you have a chip on your should towards the farmer? Kind of curious what you do for a living?
Feb 15, 2010 at 8:29 p.m.
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Cap gains comes in because most farms are incorporated in some form or another. Pretty sure most farms would not qualify for a homestead tax exemption. At least not many of the farm sales I have seen.
Feb 15, 2010 at 8:23 p.m.
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Hank- You really don't understand a lot of things dealing with land sales, much less farming. If a farmer sells land for $8.6 mil but bought the land 60 years ago for $600,000. He has to pay cap gains tax on $8 mil. So in most cases it is better to do a 1031 exchange for other land and not cash in. Making your farmer rich on paper but only on paper.
Feb 15, 2010 at 7:23 p.m.
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Hank- why must you have a chip on your shoulder against your local farmers??? These are the hands that feed you as well as the rest of us. I am married to a farmer and I know the struggles our fellow farmers have with issues like these as well as other things. They have pride and true devotation to their occupations, something I wish all members of the work force would have.
Feb 15, 2010 at 5:19 p.m.
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Hank,
You truly are pathetic.
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Can you make any comment without blaming or criticizing YOUR president?
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