Yellow Tree Farm

Pigs, Pumpkins and Drones Give Yellow Tree Farm Diversity

Growing up on the Glenwood, Indiana, homestead established by his great grandfather in 1930, Dustin Ripberger has always been drawn to farm life. Yet farming today is much different than 100 years ago, with Dustin and his family having to explore and develop new ways to spread the risk inherent to farming. “In the past, we had always raised hogs, farrow to finish, that was our identity,” Dustin shares.

The family was building more hog facilities in the late 1990s when the market crashed, forcing changes. Combine the economics with disease pressures, and raising both the mother pigs and market pigs became unfeasible. In 2007, the family pivoted to contract raising pigs for companies that have evolved into Keystone Cooperative. In 2014, Dustin was finishing the John Deere Tech program at Vincennes University and knew that he wanted to follow the farming path. “I got engaged while I was finishing college, we got married, and then I got permits done for my own hog building,” Dustin shares. Dustin and wife Breanne eventually established the Yellow Tree Farm as their enterprise and live in Lewisville.

The contract arrangement means that the pigs are owned by Keystone and delivered to farm when they are freshly weaned at 10 to 11 pounds. Dustin and his family care for the pigs, and six months later the pigs are over 300 pounds and ready to go to market. The family raises 8,000 pigs each year.

“We are focused on animal health and the environment in the barn, like being sure that the ventilation is always working properly,” Dustin says, pointing out that by getting newly weaned pigs, he is especially focused on individual pig care. “During the first several weeks, I’m always sorting the pens to see if any of the pigs are falling behind so we can give them extra care,” he says. Breanne and the couple’s daughters,

Caylie (11), Emarie (8) and Andie (6), enjoy helping with the pigs. “The girls love the pigs, when are we getting new pigs it is one of their favorite days of the year,” Dustin says. The family grows Pioneer corn and soybeans with the same type of focus on health and the environment. “My dad always talked about how the soil is the most important thing that pays the bills,” Dustin says. “We take care of it and it will take care of us.”

While the pigs and row crops have been part of the farm for decades, Dustin wanted to explore other revenue streams. “I definitely think diversification is important, the older I get the more value I see in doing several things as the corn and soy commodity markets can be tough and takes more capital,” Dustin says.

That approach had Dustin looking for other ways to utilize the family’s land. He had a friend in the next county who had started a large vegetable farm and needed more acres in his pumpkin planting rotation. “The best way to keep disease at bay for pumpkins is crop rotation, so you need three acres to rotate with for every acre planted,” Dustin explains. “I reached out about contract growing and we gave it a go. The timing is good in that you plant pumpkins after you get corn and soybeans planted in mid to late May and early June, so I can use the same planter with a few adjustments.” Dustin takes care of the pumpkins through the growing season, with his fellow farmer handling harvest.

Technology is essential on the farm today, which has led to another revenue stream: drones. In 2023, Dustin had hired a drone business to spray fungicide and realized this could be an opportunity. “I felt like I could work with drones, and guys who get in early to tend to do the best,” he says. He thought about selling drones but it penciled out better to buy one and do the custom spraying work by starting his own drone spraying company, Ace Arial Applications.

Intrigued by this cutting‑edge tool, Dustin points out the precision needed to work with drones. “We are limited by the FAA to flying no more than 400 feet above the ground to avoid aircraft, and we also have to pay attention to obstacles like lower tree branches that hang over fields.” He shares that his drones don’t go nearly as high as the maximum height, flying at approximately 50 to 60 feet to clear power lines while entering/exiting a field.

Managing pigs, crops, pumpkins, and drones — all while keeping up with three active kids — means the Ripbergers are always in motion. While the tools and technology of farming evolve, the family’s vision stays steady: working together and shaping a farm that’s ready for the next century while staying rooted in the values that built it.

In looking to the future, Schrock hopes his family continues to stay positive and look at all aspects of farming including perhaps farm to table concepts. “Farming is a complete circle and you have to push forward.”