Robert E Fink bought 120 acres of farm ground in 1948. He first added 80 acres that bordered him to the north in approximately 1964. Next he bought a 200 acre farm 2 miles south which was Cedar Creek bottom ground. Finally in the mid 1970s he bought 150 acres that bordered the original piece to the east. Then he had 550 acres which the family still owns today. Dad died in 1986 from cancer at age 60. His oldest son, Mike, moved back to the farm and took over operations at that time. After being away from the farm for 20 years most of the equipment in the shed looked quite different than what we used in the early 60s but he had to figure out what it was and how to use it. He figured it out and was quite successful until his death from a heart attack in 2009 also at age 60. At that time his 30 year old son Robert stepped in to continue operations. Bobby had to learn the whole operation without any guidance from his dad or grandpa but a handful of neighbors watched from a distance and just happened to show up at the times Bobby was needing some help just as they did when Mike first started.

That is the way it is in a farming community. He no longer needs help as often as he used to and maybe even gives some help to someone who needs it now and then. So after 77 years there is still a Robert Fink farming the ground. Sometime around 1977 or 1978 I asked my dad if he ever thought about retiring. He said he had been thinking about that and asked me if doing what you want to do when you want to do it is retired. I thought about it for a second and said that sure is part of it. My dad replied that as far as he was concerned he had been retired for 36 years! Obviously the man enjoyed his work as does his grandson, the second Robert Fink to work the farm.

Corn to Whiskey