News : Keith Elwick shares nearly one century of memories in new book

Keith Elwick's book includes many memories of his international agricultural impact.

Keith Elick and two of his sisters; the photo is one of many in his new book.

Long before the word “Viking” described an athlete who played for a Vinton school, or “manure management” was the term which described how to handle the most unpleasant by-product of livestock farming, Keith Elwick was making history that began locally and ended up impacting agriculture all over the world.

With much help from his family, Keith has finished compiling his memories in a 364-page book, which is now available to read at the Vinton Public Library or to buy at Nature’s Corner.

Entitled “That’s the Way It Was: Family, Faith, Farming and Hawk Bilt Farm Equipment Manufacturing in Rural Iowa,” Keith’s book covers nearly one century between his birth and the latest Elwick family photo.

Keith and his wife, Janet, who celebrated their 75th anniversary a year ago, had lots of help compiling their memories and photographs.

Keith also addresses the changes in society over the past century.

“When we were young, nothing was ever thrown away,” Keith begins on the cover page, which is a copy of a hand-written page of memoirs.

Daughter Kathy Blank, who helped with much of the writing, as well as transcribing some audio recordings that Keith had shared, said the book is about much more than history.

"It's about relationships," she said. "It's about relationships with family, the members of the community, and Keith's relationships with all of the people he worked with.

“Kathy worked her fingers to the bone on this,” said daughter-in-law Cindy Elwick.

Yet, says Kathy, it was a group project that began nearly 20 years ago when her aunt Nancy begin writing down some of Keith’s recollections.

The book includes some Viking history – Keith discusses Viking runestones which detail the history of settlers from Scandanavia who arrived centuries ago, along with the history of Keith’s Norwegian ancestors. It also includes Keith earliest farm memories, and the journey he began by looking for a more efficient way to handle livestock waste. Keith was also among the first inventors of machines that compile hay in large bales.

Keith, the first-ever Silos and Smokestacks Hero in Agriculture, shares much of the history of Hawk-Bilt, the inventions he created and the people he worked with.

The book contains many photographs of Keith on the farm, as well as his travels and many meetings with U.S. and international government leaders and even the British Monarchy. It also includes a variety of newspaper clippings and other documentation from the Hawk-Bilt era, when machinery made in Vinton ended up around the world.

As for her part in the book, Janet says she had both nothing and everything do to with it.

"Mom was dad's inspiration all the time," says Kathy. She was at his side, traveling with him."

Kathy's husband, Jerry was also an inspiration, encouraging Keith to write the book and supporting Kathy and all of the time she spent on her computer, putting the information into the book.

Keith will hold a book signing from 9:30 to 11:30 on Thursday at Nature’s Corner. The books are for sale for $35 (or $20 for former Hawk-Bilt employees).