The Liberty Twp. Farm Bureau, a part of Porter County Farm Bureau Inc., has been meeting for 80 years and is the only township in Porter County to have meetings.

The first meetings were in members’ homes and later at the Liberty High School. Members now meet at Liberty Intermediate School.

A member recalled they met once a month and usually had some members do the entertainment and a lunch was served, while they caught up on local news. They had a picnic in the summer, in the fall after the harvest and in winter, they had a Christmas party.

The current group now meets eight months of the year. Besides Liberty Twp. members, Pine, Westchester, Jackson Center and Pleasant Twp. members attend. A potluck supper still follows a business meeting and usually, an informative speaker is on the agenda. An annual auction is held in November, with funds given to local charities.

While none of the original members are still around, several members remember going to the meetings when they were younger.

Currently about 35-40 members attend and enjoy each other’s company.

Officers include Jim Hineline, president; Pat Hineline, woman’s leader and Vee Gutt, secretary.

Posted 3/8/2005