NAPPANEE, Ind. (November 12, 2026) - 1,803.33 acres of farmland in Kosciusko and Elkhart County, Indiana, sold November 11 for $36,020,000, with Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company conducting the event.
"An irrigated portfolio of this scale, with roughly 1,163 acres under pivot and seed corn production history, has not come to market in this part of Indiana in a very long time," said R.D. Schrader, president of the auction company. "The land sits between Warsaw and Elkhart, and bidders weighed that location alongside the farming. The sellers were pleased with the outcome."
“The Polk family has had an incredible history and impact in agriculture,” R.D. Schrader added. “The family has been one of the most respected and recognized names in the used agricultural equipment market for multiple generations. The family name is known nationwide for its incredible influence.”
The auction drew 74 registered bidders from six states - Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and South Dakota - and three emerged as buyers, according to Arden Schrader, who managed the auction. All bidding took place in person at Sammlung Platz in Nappanee.
Tracts 1 through 3, totaling 188.4 acres with frontage on US 30 and a Productivity Index of 147, sold together for $2,620,000, or $13,908 per acre. The largest purchase covered Tracts 4 through 8 and 10 through 18 - 1,599.5 acres carrying the bulk of the irrigation equipment and the 250,000-bushel grain storage facility on Tract 11 - and sold for $33,150,000. Tract 9, 15.4 acres of Shipshe and Bronson sandy loam, sold separately for $250,000.
"Most notably was the 1,599 acre package averaging $20,725/acre" added Arden Schrader. "Even if the value of the bins of $300,000 were removed, the price per acre was still $20,569/acre. Although we have seen some smaller land packages hit $20,000/acre, this is the first time we have seen that mark hit across this kind of volume of acres."
Individuals seeking additional information about buying or selling in Schrader auctions may visit www.schraderauction.com or call 800-451-2709.
Schrader Real Estate and Auction Company, based in Columbia City, Indiana, is a leading auctioneer of agricultural land and equipment, conducting auctions throughout the United States for farm families, landowners and investors.