BUSINESS: Harken Farm families reunite

A reunion for the 'kids” of the Karl and Hildred Harken employee family was held July 3 at the Best Western Fairfield Inn.

The 'kids'” parents were former employees of Harken Meats, which was a noted Jefferson County business from the 1930s until 1968.

The group shared memories and watched videos and films and viewed photos of their time growing up on the Harken Farm 10 miles north of Fairfield. Most of the films and photos were taken by Karl Harken in the late 1930s through September 1960. The presentation ended with pictures of the sale day auction of the entire farm operation in February 1965.

Karl Harken started Harken Meat Processing in 1930 by butchering only in the winter months and selling out of his pickup on the town square in Richland. He would receive calls from customers who wanted more of his excellent quality meat. In the early 1940s, with the arrival of electricity at the farm, Karl bought coolers and freezers and started butchering cattle and hogs year-round. He bought farm ground and grew feed to raise animals for his meat processing business. He built buildings at the farm to support the growing business. He hired many employees and provided them housing. Often many members of a family worked at the Harken business.

Present were Nick McIntire of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and Connie McIntire of Ankeny. Their parents were Kenneth and Helen McIntire. Kenneth drove the meat delivery truck, and Helen worked in the meat processing facility. She is the only living parent of any of the Harken 'kids.” She resides in a care center in Ankeny.

Also present were Marjorie Mullikin, Charlene Fairchild and Gene Crawford, all of Fairfield, Melvin 'Pete” Crawford of Fort Worth, Texas, and Linda Morgan of Cairo, Missouri. They are children of Chuck and Dorothy Crawford. Chuck started working for Harken in 1945.

Nancy Hogan Swaim attended. Her parents were Leonard and Morine Hogan. Leonard worked in the meat processing area.

The Roberts family was represented by Donald Roberts of Milton, Wisconsin, whose parents were Joe and Margaret Roberts. Joe started working at Harken in 1937. Margaret worked in the meat house in later years.

Steve Roberts of Richland, nephew of Donald Roberts, also was present. Steve was instrumental in planning and organizing the reunion.

Karl Henderson of West Burlington attended and moderated the visual presentation. He is a great-nephew of Karl and Hildred Harken and is named after Karl Harken. Karl Henderson worked many hours organizing the reunion and creating the presentations. His wife, Marilyn, who assisted in the planning, was also present.

Also attending were spouses, relatives and friends of the Harken kids.

During the Richland Homecoming celebration July Fourth, a video presentation about Harken Meats was shown, with over 100 in attendance.

'A lot of stories and memories were shared on the third [of July] in Fairfield and certainly on the Fourth in Richland, about seeing Brownie the Bear,” said Karl Henderson. 'It was simply amazing how many people still remember going out to Harken's for meat and seeing the bear right alongside the meat processing plant.”

In May 1940, Des Moines resident Paul Dean went bear hunting in Canada. He killed a mother bear that had three cubs. He gave one cub to the guide of the hunting party and took the other two to Des Moines. May 30, 1940, Karl, Hildred, Hildred's twin sister Mildred and nephew, T.L. Henderson, drove to Des Moines to see the little bears.

The bears were very cute. Hildred fell in love with them immediately; Karl showed no special interest in them. Because Hildred was so enthralled, Karl purchased the bears.

Transporting the bears was a problem. Karl found a small discarded wash tub and loaded the bears in the tub. He put them in the trunk of his car, propped the trunk lid open and had an interesting trip to Richland.

The bears were named Blackie and Brownie. Blackie kept getting loose and they decided it was best to part with her. They built a new cage for Brownie in 1948, where she remained until her death in 1968.

Brownie was very special to Connie and Nick McIntire as they lived in the same yard as Brownie and could see her from their kitchen window.

Karl Harken died Oct. 5, 1960. Hildred ran the business until Feb. 11, 1965, when she sold the farms and farm equipment.

Kenneth and Helen McIntire and Glen Baumert bought the meat business and operated it until February 1968. The State of Iowa specified that a complete remodeling of the meat processing area with stainless steel walls, ceiling and tables was needed. It was decided the cost was too demanding and not economical, so the business closed.