Keith Reeves- 2761 190th St, Blairsburg, IA
The farm has been in the family for more than 100 years – since Harris Watson Stafford purchased 400 acres in 1888. Stafford drove cattle from Grundy County in the spring to pasture the land before moving to the farm. He and his wife, Cora, had three sons: H. Adelbert (Del), Ray and Clay. Later, Harris was involved in the hardware business and farm implement business in Blairsburg. In 1909 he and Cora moved to Ames. Their son Clay and grandson Robert followed him in this endeavor. Del and Ray farmed the divided farm three miles north of Blairsburg. Del married May McNee and their sons Harris and Cameron farmed the home farms upon their graduation from Iowa State University and from the armed services. The east part of the original Harris W. Stafford farm is still owned by Cameron and Peggy Stafford’s children and Keith Reeves farms the land. 

In 1925 Harris and Cameron, 10 years-old and 8 years-old respectively, were cleaning the original barn, raking the hay and straw up in the alley. Once piled up they decided to burn it. The fire got out of hand, and they tried to put it out with a Prince Albert can. The barn was destroyed along with some livestock, the hay stored there and an uncle’s model T ford. The current barn was constructed in 1925. The original barn was used for draft horses, milk cows and hay storage. Today it houses sheep and hay. The quilt was installed the summer of 2009.