Cattle and calves, pork, and poultry top our state's commodity list in terms of production value. Over time, farms have evolved to incorporate new ways of managing herds but many still use windmill-pumped water for livestock, and our county, and the one next to us, make up the bulk of the state's windmills.
The most common application is to install a windmill over a drilled or dug well. A typical windmill with 8 diameter wheel can lift water 185 feet and pump about 150 gallons an hour in 15 to 20 mph winds when using a 1 ¾ “pump cylinder.
Earlier this month, we went to the Mid-America Windmill Museum to learn about wind power from its origination to the present day.
The day we arrived the visitor center was staffed by a volunteer who lead us to a seat where we could watch a short film about Windmills. Then, the volunteer gave us a tour of the indoor museum. She answered all our questions and kindly allowed us to use the demonstrations ( shown above) of how the windmills work.
We received a headset with an audio tour. We eventually returned outside to walk the path of windmills. Here, we were treated to their creaking and rhythmic sounds, some higher pitched than others.
We were informed, the replica of the Robertson Post Windmill, a single stone wooden grist mill with a 52-foot diameter wind wheel, was a must-see. (The original was erected on the James River near Jamestown, Virginia in the 1620s.
You may wish to view the more than 50 American, water-pumping windmills. There is no admission to the park but there was a small fee for the inside museum.
732 S Allen Chapel Road
P.O. Box 5048
Kendallville, IN 46755