Since their feet are a lot daintier than cows’ and other livestock, geese were used by mint farmers — they ate the weeds and left the mint behind. (Photo provided; click to enlarge)
By Fern Eddy Schultz, La Porte County Historian
In June 1897, Sylvanus Milton Closser decided to try his hand at raising peppermint. He owned some
La Porte County Historian Fern Eddy Schultz
acreage in Kankakee Township that he thought was conducive to this purpose. He was currently in the boot and shoe business in downtown La Porte and had been engaged in the buying and selling of grain for 14 years. Peppermint farming and the production of peppermint oil was a comparatively new industry here. His was the only peppermint farm in the county and one of very few in northern Indiana.
Mr. Closser’s plan was to devote about 15 acres initially to the herb but as the plants spread, he would increase this acreage and would devote 100 to 150 acres to the business. He obtained the mint roots from Burr Oak, Michigan, where several farms were already in existence. The job of “setting them out” had begun by some men from Burr Oak as they were familiar with how to do this. It was reported that the roots that were used to start the Burr Oak business about five years prior had been obtained from plants raised in Japan.
Mint and the oil it produces are used in gum, candies, medicines, toothpaste, cooking/baking, and more. (Photo provided)
The method of planting was quite different from other farm crops. Trenches about 6 inches deep and 30 inches apart were plowed and the roots, which were from 1 to 8 inches long, were placed in a horizontal position in these furrows and then covered with ground. When the plants reached a certain height, they were cut and gathered and converted into peppermint oil by means of distillation.
At the time of the start of Mr. Closser’s adventure, a peppermint farm at Three Oaks, Michigan, was producing about 75 pounds of oil per acre. The market price for the oil was from 75 cents to $1.25 per pound depending on the quality. The soil for his “experiment” was considered exceptionally fine for this purpose but since this was the first peppermint farm in the county, the outcome was not predictable. The erection of a still to produce the oil was also in the plan.
In the Walkerton area, it was reported that growing peppermint for Wrigley’s Gum was once very popular but because of the cost to produce, it became a rarity. In 1915, the only still in the area was shared with neighbors. They were able to produce about 50 pounds per acre and 30 to 40 pounds on the second cutting. The highest price they received was $30 a pound during World War I. During World War II, the importance of mint oil placed mint on the list of essential crops and led the War Manpower Commission to recommend that growers be given draft deferments.
One of the unusual features of mint growing in Michigan was the use of geese to remove weeds from the fields. Weeding is an important part of good production as weeds tend to be the cause for inferior oil. The weeding operation was generally done by hand and even after mechanization, it continued to be a manual chore as the delicate mint plants were easily injured by tractors and other implements. Although livestock will not eat the leaves, they were sometimes used to consume the unwanted vegetation. Their hooves would damage the crop while geese did not adversely affect the crop.
There are many usages for peppermint oil besides gum making. Much is used for medicinal purposes, candy making, toothpaste and flavoring for other items. The Crosby Mint Farm in St. Johns, Michigan, which is about 15 miles north of Lansing, was established in 1912. It is the oldest continuously family-operated mint farm in the United States. It is known for its high quality mint soaps and peppermint and spearmint oils. Open tours are offered in August to individuals and groups during the St. Johns Mint Festival.
Mr. Closser was active in community efforts and was known as a “public spirited man.” No report has been found of the outcome of his venture, but he still had his boot and shoe business at 816 Lincoln Way, the location of the later Samuel M. Smith business, which was also a shoe business. Mr. Closser died in 1910 with no mention of him having been involved in the peppermint business. It evidently did not become a noteworthy business for him. But mint is still grown on some farms in LaPorte County and nearby counties.
FERN EDDY SCHULTZ is La Porte County’s official Historian. To learn more about the La Porte County Historical Society and its museum, visit www.laportecountyhistory.org.