The Beginning Farmer

Individual Cuts vs. The Whole/Half Hog

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

I thought I would expand a little on the cuts vs. whole/half animals post a little since there were a couple of comments on my previous post. First of all I don't believe I'll ever get to a point where I don't do any individual cuts (although I could be wrong), but I would like to get a point where it is a very small portion of the sales. As I detailed in the last post I strongly believe that a whole/half is the most sustainable for all involved, but I also understand that there will always be a majority of customers/potential customers who like the convenience of only buying pork chops and bacon.

In our case we sell the individual cuts through multiple sources ... at a farmers' market, through an on-line order food cooperative, monthly deliveries to a group of customers in the Des Moines area, and off the farm. With all of those various methods of selling (some of which overlap) keeping an inventory is a requirement. That inventory takes quite a bit of time as we keep track not only of quantity, but also of weights (we use a spread sheet at the farmers' market with weights to make selling easier). When we process a hog (or anything else) that will be for sale as individual cuts there is also an extra charge at the locker to make it an "official" animal and have labels with weights. On top of all of that time there is also the expense of running freezers, or in my case of never having enough freezers!

As you might imagine all of that adds up to quite a bit of extra time and money spent in order to offer the convenience of individual cuts. I can see the benefit of individual cuts if you were just doing it for a few cuts (burger and steaks as mentioned in one of the comments), but if I could get away from it I would. We do try to keep everything that we can get a label for. That means we have plenty of lard, leaf lard, and pork soup bones. And, at certain times of the year we really get overloaded on things like ham, ham hocks, and roast.

On the flip side when we sell a whole there is no need for freezer space, there is no inventory, and there is not as much time spent in selling it. This was our first year doing a pay-as-it-grows program on the pigs and it seems like there was a decent amount of interest in that. It is something that takes a bit more paper work and time, but if you compare it to the individual cuts you realize it isn't so bad I think. Plus, when the whole hog is sold there isn't any "tough sell" cuts left over and with a little education I think our customers will really come to appreciate getting those cuts!

Like a said ... just a few more thoughts on the cuts vs. whole animal discussion ...

:: Farm Rock :: This Too Shall Pass ... by OK Go ... watch here ... buy here ::

Sustainability :: The Whole Hog

2011-10-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sustainability is a word that gets thrown around a lot these days. Every sort of agriculture from large-scale row crop operations to confinement agriculture to the smallest market garden farms use the word sustainable. So, if feel that it is always necessary for me to define the word when I'm using it. In my case i would simply sum sustainability up as the sort of farming that lets me survive physically and emotionally ... adds to the health and well-being of friends and neighbors ... takes into account the created purpose of the livestock ... takes stewardship of the land seriously ... and has fun doing it. Of course now that I've written that out I realize it's not quite as simple as it seems on the surface ... nevertheless I'm always striving for sustainability along those lines!

With that in mind I think I've come to the conclusion that selling halves and wholes is the most sustainable option for the farm. I'm not completely sure that I will ever make it to the point where I'm only selling wholes and halves, but I do believe it is a very sustainable goal to work towards on every level. Let me take some of the above definition of sustainability and explain what I mean ...

Simply said ... going to the market every week (while working a full-time town job) takes up precious time and energy. I love the interaction with customers and the opportunity to share the reasons for the farm and the way the farm works. The sale of wholes and halves still takes time marketing and communicating with customers, but in the end it is much less time consuming and stressful.
I think most would readily agree with me that wholes and halves is most sustainable for the farm, but I believe it is equally sustainable for the customer (friends and neighbors). When a family purchases a whole or half hog (since that is all we're selling now) they get all the cuts. I agree that it is easier to just get the things you want (chops, bacon, etc.), but when you get a whole hog you get all the good out of the animal. This type of purchase encourages the customer to make use of everything ... including some of the most healthy things that many people would skip. Lard is the perfect example ... and it is not as difficult to make and use as you think!
Crooked Gap Farm is a place where a pig is a pig. That means that the pigs are allowed to fill their created pigginess, but also that the whole pig is used just as it was created to be. I strive to make sure that all that can be used or sold is used or sold and when dealing with wholes and halves it is just that much easier.
On the surface it seems that the way you sell an animal wouldn't have much to do with land stewardship. But, I think it does! Just think of it this way ... when you are selling the majority of your livestock as wholes and halves you are able to really align the animals with the seasons that work best for them and the land. This allows the farm to maintain a high level of ecological sustainability and to tap into the natural instincts of the animals. I love it!
Finally ... I just want to have fun farming because that is one of my key components of sustainability! When I was a kid I played with my toy tractors for fun ... I ran through manure piles for fun ... I pretended to farm for fun! Now that I'm an adult I want to keep the fun around ... too many farms forget the fun and I refuse to be one of them.

:: Farm Rock :: Deer in the Headlights by Owl City ... watch here ... buy here ::

The Pigs :: The Good

2011-10-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

A farm is a constant lesson in humility ... or at least my farm is. When one thing is going well that usually means that ten things aren't. But, one (faintly) bright spot this year has been the pigs. I still feel like I have a lot to learn when it comes to farrowing, handling, feeding, selecting, sorting, etc ... But, on the whole I would say that the pigs are the highlight of the farm for me. Despite all the things that still need to be learned or figured out the pigs are still doing well as the center piece of the farm and at least continue to provide a cash flow.

This is the first year that I've had a somewhat organized plan for getting them to the woods and on pasture. I was able to make a five or six acre semi-permanent paddock for the growers that was a good mix of pasture. Although I did not get it divided up for rotation like I wanted to the area was large enough to give them plenty of room to forage through the woods and the grass. They truly were happy pigs (and still are) out there.

The downside of course to pigs on five or six acres is that when it comes to loading up three of the forty odd pigs out there things aren't as easy as in a confinement operation. Let's just say that I have spent "a while" loading up pigs ... even when I thought I was taking the time to do it right! What I did do is build a "sorting/loading" area around their water. The idea being that if they are used to coming into an area at least they may give it a chance when it comes time to loading. I also tried to strategically let the feeder empty when it was time to load them so I could feed them by hand in the "sorting/loading" area.

Sometimes it has worked ... sometimes it has not. One of my major problems is that my small livestock trailer has no center divider so there has been times when one pig has escaped while trying to load the second or third pig. I'm getting better at it, but it is not a perfect system. What has happened though is that each time I've had to load pigs my loading system has grown ... my most recent (and successful) method had me putting up an electric netting fence all the way to their feeder to corral them ... it worked!

Raising the pigs to market weight isn't the only issue though ... sometimes I think marketing is even more important than any sorting system or rotational grazing. This year we have been marketing through our usual channels like the Iowa Food Coop and by selling wholes and halves, but have also added the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market (for twelve Saturdays). All of the time marketing has led to my deep belief that selling wholes and halves is the most financially and ecologically sustainable thing for the farm, the heritage breeds, and our customers! More on that later...

:: Farm Rock :: Able by NEEDTOBREATHE ... listen here ... buy here ::

Where Have I Been?

2011-10-17T07:00:00.008-05:00

Have you ever had one of those moments where you wonder where you have been ... only to realize that you have no idea where you have been! That is kind of what I feel like. I know that I have been somewhere and I know that I've been doing something, but I don't really know where or what. Now I am back though ... and I really mean it though ... at least for a little while that is because I have the posts started already. I do know a few things for sure though :: I am still farming ... somehow, I am still a beginning farmer, and Blogger has changed a lot and I'm confused!

If I were to step back and look with a totally objective prospective I think I would say that the farm is actually moving along as well as could be expected ... considering the circumstances. I always need to keep reminding myself that when the farm started it started with nothing and now it at least has something! Here is the nickel tour of what has been happening ::

The pigs remain the centerpiece of the farm and they are being raised with some degree of success in the woods and on the pasture.
The cows are doing their thing, but the jury is still out on how well the beef side of the farm is working (maybe more on that later).
I love the sheep ... although they have caused innumerable problems and I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to them.
The laying hens are still the rescue chickens and have the run of the farm. There is one small batch of pullets in the "egg-mobile" following the cows, but something bigger needs to happen next year so that the layers are pulling their weight on the farm.
This fall the first small batch of meat birds will be going to the processor. This was the trial run and I believe I'm ready to really ramp things up next year.
Ten weeks down at the Downtown Des Moines Farmers' Market and two to go. It has been a good learning experience and I have lots of ideas for next year if I'm able to make it full time.

On the downside I am still off of the farm from 7:30 AM until 5:30 PM every day. Now that the daylight hours are getting fewer that is making things more difficult and in my mind I'm rushing to get things prepared for winter ... the reality is though that I'm just hustling to get each days chores done. Keeping the head up though.

So ... I'm back ... at least until I run out of my posts (I do have a few written ahead).

:: Farm Rock :: Dark Horses by Switchfoot ... watch here ... buy here ::

An Invite to our Farm

2011-09-30T08:31:00.001-05:00

This is the Beginning Farmer's Wife taking over a post since the Beginning Farmer is crazy busy! :) This Sunday, October 2nd, you're all invited to our farm. Check out my blog for details!

http://thebeginningfarmerswife.blogspot.com/2011/09/2011-farm-crawl.html

Farm Blogging

2011-09-02T04:31:00.000-05:00

It's been months since I have sat down to write a blog post and actually accomplished something, but the video below (and the thoughts that are screaming to get out of my brain) reminded of one of the reasons I liked blogging. I like stumbling across things like this and then sharing and interacting with the feedback.

Here is what I think of the video ... I like Coldplay ... I like this song ... Willie Nelson does an interesting cover of it ... the animation is fun ... the subject matter is cool ... and maybe it is a little bit of a commercial for Chipotle. Also, I've been reworking my blog in my head ... which may mean a bit of a relaunch if anyone is interested ...

Without further ado ... Willie Nelson singing "The Scientist"and a farming video all wrapped into one ::

A Diverse Farm ...

2011-06-28T07:00:00.000-05:00

As you can see from the picture above there was a new litter of pigs born Sunday night in the storm and things seem to be going well. But, if you look closely at the picture you will also notice a chicken in the foreground. I think it's a perfect example of the diverse farm and also helps remind me that the chickens are out doing their job in the pig lot, the pasture, and all around the farm. Plus, they are laying eggs ... although I wouldn't mind having some more egg layers around!

Need a Sign :: Need Your Help

2011-06-27T07:00:00.008-05:00

Okay ... the first farmer's market is coming up very quickly and I need some serious help on a sign for the tent. I am feeling sort of uncreative at the moment which is why I have seven sign ideas instead of just one. I feel like I've tried to cram too much information onto the signs, but here they are anyways. You may have noticed that I'm focusing on the "heritage breed meats" thing a lot instead of the farm name. Part of that is because the heritage breeds are something important to the farm and I'm new to the market so it helps differentiate me from the other livestock farms there. And part of it is ... well it is because I got stuck on that phrase. Please let me know if there is one You particularly like ... or if I should just go with a simple "Crooked Gap Farm" sign. Just place your vote in the comments, and as always ... thanks for the help!

Sign #1 ::

Sign #2 ::

Sign #3 ::

Sign #4 ::

Sign #5 ::

Sign #6 ::

Sign #7 ::

More Thoughts on D.C.

2011-06-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

The biggest most recurring thought I had while I was in Washington D.C. meeting with congressional leaders and their aides ... the fact that ever meeting I had with someone was a meeting that was preceded by another meeting. That's just how Washington D.C. works I guess. I was there to speak on behalf of some beginning farmers and talk about how the current governmental programs do or don't help a beginning farmer and what could be done to level the playing field (or at least allow me on the scale) slightly. But, while I was out there I realized I was a small fish in a rather vast ocean. One meeting before mine included six very well dressed men with briefcases and fancy charts ... they were with a road construction company and I'm fairly certain they were there for a similar reason as mine ... to share their story and ask for support (which in governmental terms usually means money).

All of that made me wonder what I was doing there ... was my voice going to be a voice or a murmur ... did it matter if I shared my story ... where those "asks" I was asking for even worth the time? There was always a thought in the back of my mind that was a little cynical about the system. But, at the same time I will admit that I was slightly intrigued by the process.

The main reason that the our group was out there was to paint a picture of beginning farmers across the country and speak with congressional leaders about the upcoming farm bill ... which I learned may happen anywhere between 2011 and 2013 ... although it is scheduled for 2012. In fact the thing that we were sharing with people was what is considered a "marker bill" for the next farm bill. In this case it was probably one of the first "marker bills".

As I looked at the bill there were things that really intrigued me and things that I questioned. Some of the ideas for allow beginning farmers microloans through the FSA were interesting, but I was always wondering where so much money comes from! As I mentioned last time and will mention time and time again the biggest thing I shared with the people I met with was that I just wanted to be able to compete in the market without having to always fight an uphill battle against my bigger farm neighbors ... there is room for all kinds of farms as long as one of the farming kind doesn't get pushed off the cliff in favor of the other (and I know both sides probably feel like they're the ones headed for the cliff at times).

Just some more of my thoughts ... oh and the picture above is of my (blurry me) and Tom Latham a representative from Iowa ...

Mr. Smith (Book) Returns from Washington

2011-06-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

Somehow I accomplished it ... my first plane ride ... the D.C. Metro by myself ... hailing a cab ... wandering the halls of the U.S. Congressional offices ... and roaming the streets of the nations capital. And as you can see from the picture on the right I have proof that I was actually there (picture lifted from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition blog ... check it out). Before I say anything else let me just say that I really enjoyed myself. The planes, trains, and cabs were no big deal and even though I was nervous and spoke without thinking once or twice I loved the experience and would jump at again if given the chance. As some of you may know I'm a talker ... so I was really in my element with the meetings where I was able to talk about my passions and the issues that face a beginning farmer. I'm not sure if I made a lasting difference, but I was able to speak my mind and that is all part of the process.

I hope to share more in the coming days (or weeks considering my recent blog activity), but thought I would just give a brief overview this morning. As I mentioned just a moment ago my "fly-in" was sponsored/put together in part by the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), the Land Stewardship Project (LSP), and the Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) ... acronyms are big in the District of Columbia (DC). But, the trip included beginning farmers from all over the country representing different areas, types of farming, and other organizations. There were farmers from New York, Michigan, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, California, and even more states. What was really exciting about the group was to see that even though people were coming from different types of farms (CSA's to cattle ranches to dairies to transplant farms) they came together on many of the issues that effect beginning farmers.

Over time I will share some of the neat things I learned about and spoke about, but the biggest thing that all of the beginning farmers (and myself) talked about and wanted was a more level playing field. One congressman I talked to said that everyone wants "a level playing field as long as it is tipped slightly in their favor". I had to disagree with him because I felt (and believe the others felt the same way) that level would be okay, but more than anything as a beginning farmer I'd just like to have the chance to get on the scale with the bigger agricultural industry. I'm not saying my way is the only way, but rather don't exclude my way or shut me out because it's not your way ... if that's what happens then I think you would be missing out on a lot of great young farmers!

More to come later ...

Price Taker or Price Maker?

2011-06-07T07:00:00.002-05:00

From page 83 of Success on the Small Farm by Haydn Pearson ::

For every hundred men who are good producers of the scores of products that come from America's farms, only a few are good salesmen.

The profit made on a farm depends upon the marketing ability of the farmer. For about a century now, farmers in general have labored under an economic handicap that no business except farming could survive. That is, farmers have sold their products at wholesale-price level; they have bought their equipment, grain and, in most instances, from 75 to 90 per cent of their food at retail-price level.

An interesting quote from 1946 ... something to think about at least ...

Rock Stars and Professional Bass Fishing ...

2011-06-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

There was a time when I saved up all my extra money and bought rock star gear. I had electric guitars (still have one for sale if anyone is interested), I had multiple bass guitars, I had amps, I had heavy speaker cabinets, and I even was putting together a modest set of recording gear so that I could record the next great song. I played shows for 10's of people and for 1,000's of people (at least once or twice) and I thought about taking the whole music thing to the next level ... at least I wanted to ...

But, I just don't think I was cool enough for the rock star gig. So I thought to myself ... surely I'm cool enough for the professional bass fishing gig! I started trading out some of those bass guitars and amps for fishing poles, lures, reels, more lures, more poles, and more and more and more lures. I began reading Bassmaster Magazine and clipping out the articles ... I knew what all the hot lures were just as the were becoming popular ... I wanted to be a professional bass fisherman! I wanted to fish and talk fishing and sell fishing and be outdoors ... at least that was the plan ...

Then came the farm ... my guitars are out of tune and tucked away in a closet ... the only two amps I had left are at my mom's for storage ... my stash of lures and rods and reels sit about ten feet away from me collecting dust and catching spider webs ... none of those things are relevant for what I'm doing right now and what I want to be able to do. But, there are times that I wonder ...

Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just give up on the farming dream. I know the statistics for new business start-ups are very dismal (and that is what this farm is), so sometimes I wonder if I'm just one of those many businesses that are just prone to fail for whatever reason. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to come back after work and sit down for a leisurely meal or a quick bit of yard work. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just sell it all ... get a small house in a small town near a lake and just work for the weekends ...

Please don't think I'm complaining ... I'm just wondering ... But, the reality is that I want to farm. I want to make the farm go and be as profitable and sustainable as possible and I want to throw myself behind it one hundred percent. Maybe someday I'll look back at the farm as one of those phases or dreams that just never materialized (like music or fishing), but right now I feel that if I look back at the farm and see it had failed it won't be because of lack of effort.

:: A Positive Note :: As I read over what I just wrote I realized it was kind of a downer ... so let me just end with this thought ... if I'm going to be a farmer I'd like to bring a little rock star influence into the world of farming!!

Mechanical...

2011-06-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

I think (or at least I hope) that everyone has their "thing". You know ... the "thing" that they are passionate about, that they enjoy doing no matter how challenging, and that they can really wrap their minds around. For some people it is art (music, painting, sculpting, video, etc.), for some people it could be baking/cooking, for others it may be writing, some will find communication to be their thing, and some people have the mechanical "thing" down. Of course there are many, many, many other "things" that people are passionate ... knowledgeable ... and skilled at, but that is a sampling at least.

Me ... I think my "thing" is talking. Ever since I was a preschooler my "thing" has been talking (I had the time-outs and detentions to prove it). Now, I'm not saying that being a talker is a bad thing and it surely has a place in the type of farming and selling that I do ... But, sometimes I REALLY WISH my "thing" was being mechanical! Because with the type of farming that I do and the type of money I have to invest in infrastructure it would be nice if I could do a little work for myself every now and then. There are to many times I find myself just standing and looking (trying to figure out how to do something) instead of actually doing ... and too many times what I'm trying to figure out how to do is rather simple!

Case-in-point ... right now my tractor is absolutely giving me fits. I understand that this is just all part of owning a 50 plus year old tractor, but at the same time I wish it was working like a charm! Currently my starting is going bad (and has been for over a year) ... my PTO (which was fixed last summer ... for a few months at least) is not functional ... and just recently a cylinder went to pot on my loader rendering the tractor immovable until I get the loader off (which had me standing and looking last night). Eventually ... hopefully ... I will get it all straightened out, but in the meantime I'm standing and looking and wishing I could find a great mechanically minded person willing to barter with a guy that is very talkative ...

That's life at the Crooked Gap ...

Doing it Right ...

2011-06-01T07:00:00.000-05:00

Blogging has unfortunately been pushed towards the back of my work load lately, but I have been bouncing around a lot of things that I would like to write about ... one of those things was this topic ...

From the beginning of the farm (and to be honest even before the farm was owned) I have been going and going and going and trying to attain my perfect farm. Often that has meant that I just head out and get what I ... only to fully realize that I am not quite ready yet for that particular animal or venture yet. Actually, now that I think about it ... it's not that I don't realize I'm not ready, but rather that I don't care that I'm not ready and that I think I can just push on through it anyways.

It was that kind of thinking that had me start out with a cow and a calf over an hour away at my dad's and then eventually end up with over a dozen cows and calves at my dad's and then eventually bring that whole bustling herd to the farm before I even had a perimeter fence up yet. It was that kind of thinking that saw me bring up a load of sows that actually had one farrow in the trailer ... and ... well ... you get the idea. Sometimes I get ahead of myself and sometimes I just think I can do more than I really can.

This spring I have actually been doing a good job though. I don't have things set up nearly like I would like them to be and I'm not close to as far along as I thought I would be. But, I'm not doing things half way. I'm not running the pigs out into the woods in a paddock that will only keep me from doing it right ... I'm not just turning the cows out all willy nilly with out a plan ... I'm not raising meat chickens yet (which is something I very much wanted to do).

No, this spring I'm doing things the right way. It is taking more time, but hopefully in the long run I will see a difference for the better ... that is the idea at least ... I'll let you know how it works out.

Out To Pasture ...

2011-05-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

If you follow my Twitter you will know that I finally got the cattle out on pasture the other day. Obviously I would have loved to make it happen sooner, and plenty (or all) of my neighbors have had their cattle out of the winter lots for quite some time ... But, I didn't want to sacrifice my pastures just for the sake of getting them out on the grass. The fact of the matter is that at this point my pastures don't take off like the ones around me, but they are beginning to turn around and with careful management they will be where I want them to be ... careful management just takes patience sometimes.

My greatest fear was getting them out on the grass before it had a chance to get going and then just running spots as I worked my cattle through the rotation. Because I held off (and because we have had some good growing weather recently) I think I will have a better summer and hopefully a long fall of grazing. I started the cows off down in the bottom where the grass is growing the best and then I am going to work them along the edge of the woods next, which is actually outside of my perimeter fence. As you can see from the blurry picture above it is green and they seem to be enjoying themselves.

After just a few movements though (four to be exact) I am so glad to see things working out just like it does in my mind. When I move them into the next paddock and look back at the one they were previously in it looks like it was bombed with manure and there practically isn't a piece of grass or clover that hasn't been pooped on ... eaten ... or trampled. Now I just need to get the chickens following behind ... oh ... and figure out what to do with the sheep ...

My Pasture ...

2011-05-18T07:00:00.000-05:00

Whew ... first of all let me say that it's been awhile since I have taken/had the time to sit down and write ... even for a few minutes. A couple of weeks ago I started getting busy and then last week up until yesterday I was doing my civic duty ... jury duty ... and it was very time consuming because on top of jury duty I was also continuing to work at the town job to help keep the finances from taking a hit. Thankfully everything finished up yesterday and I'm hoping I can somewhat return to a normal schedule.

I just wanted to take a moment though and give an update on my pasture because a question about it popped up in the comments awhile back. First of all let me share the background ... This will be summer number three of grazing the pasture and hopefully the first with a whole seasons worth of multiple moves per day. The first season was what I would call "unmanaged grazing". At that time I had no perimeter fences so I just moved the cows around in large areas as there was need and as I could put up fence. The second year I did finally get the fence up and I rotated daily (for the most part), but not as many moves per day as I would like. Now I'm into year three and hopefully I'll be apply some changes based on what I've learned ... hopefully ...

The thing is though ... generally speaking the pasture has not improved as much as I would have hoped. As I've mentioned before this land spent at least 14 years in the Conservation Reserve Program and had a pretty weak stand of native grasses along with plenty of brush and bare spots. The warm season grasses that were growing are tough to graze early in the season so I haven't been able to get my cattle on grass as soon as I would like (such as this year ... they still are eating hay). Last year I no-till drilled seed on about 10 acres, but the spring was so wet that I could never get out and mow down the weeds that were taking over my new seeding. The result is that my alice white clover seems to have taken hold fairly well, but the grasses really did nothing!

So, that is where I stand now. Things are not at all where I had expected or hoped they would be, but I can see small changes here and there and I do have hopes for the future. One thing that I will continue thinking about though is some seeding in hopes of jump starting things a little. I was just disappointed with my last seeding try ...

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

2011-05-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

If you've never seen Mr. Smith Goes to Washington I suggest you check it out. Me ... well, I've seen it but I believe I may need to give it another look because I'm headed to Washington D.C. early this summer on behalf of Practical Farmers of Iowa. I will be going as part of a group of beginning farmers from at least ten other states to speak with members of the House and the Senate about the issues faced by beginning farmers. I believe my focus will be with the politicians from Iowa. I'm very excited about the opportunity if for no other reason than to share the story of the farm and how my farm has all come together.

But ... I am nervous. Obviously I've never been around this sort of thing, but also I've never even flown! So, it will be a whirlwind three days of nerves, fun, and I'm sure tons of education. I will share more as the big trip comes closer and I learn more. But, if you have any Washington D.C. travel tips or other ideas I am always thankful for them!

Grass Farmer?

2011-05-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

As I was driving the tractor across the freshly turned (somewhat) black dirt spreading manure all I could think about was ... what kind of grass farmer do I look like now! I was in the process of taking my pasture back to bare dirt in order to plant "king corn" ... and I was enjoying it and getting excited about it! And, part of the reason I was doing it was because I just am not quite ready to kick the corn habit just yet. My cattle and sheep are grassfed only, but my pigs are still feed plenty grain and I don't see myself ready or able to change that in the near future (all though I know there are farmers out there not feeding or limiting their grain fed to hogs). My pigs will be on the pasture and in the woods foraging for part of the diet, but they will also have my custom ration available to them and that is why the corn experiment is happening.

The other reason I'm pretty excited about the corn is because of my ditches. Yes, the ditches have me envious because there is much better forage in them than there is in my pastures. In my opinion 14 years of life in the Conservation Reserve Program did these fields more harm than they did good. After the field was entered into the CRP program it was seeded down with native prairie grasses and then left to nature ... the problem is that 21st century "nature" isn't like 19th century "nature"! Years and years ago when this land was originally in native grasses there were fires and large herds of animals doing their work ... for the past 14 years this land just sat. The result was a lot of scrubby wood bushes that grew, lots of bare patches, and a dwindling stand of those native grasses that were seeded. Nature was not actually allowed to work and I think my pastures suffer because of that ... but, that is a long discussion and I'm not ready to get into it yet.

No ... what I am excited about is eventually seeding these areas back to pasture and watching them take off and see what happens when the cows and sheep and chickens are allowed to let nature work. That is what I'm looking forward too ... and I'm sure my animals will be equally excited about it! Right now they are still in the winter area because my grasses have not started to take off yet ... time and the livestock management will help heal the land ... I need to find patience!

Corn(y) Plans ...

2011-05-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

I think the corn plans are coming together ... better than expected actually. Now I'm actually finding myself wishing that I had more room to plant, but I will just stop with the two small areas I have planned! I must think small right now and keep plenty of grazing areas, but in the future I hope growing some more of my own feed can become a real possibility. This season the corn will just be an experiment and an opportunity to do a little "play farming" with my cousin, uncles, and my grandfathers equipment. Here are the plans as they stand right now ...

It looks like I'm going to be plowing up two areas totally around 4-5 acres. One section is a former winter lot, and the other section is kind of out in the pasture. Initially I wanted to use my current winter lot, but I just don't think that will work out this year ... I may end up seeding it and eventually using it for some sows.
As of this moment the smaller section is plowed and has been disked once. It will get another disking and probably hit with a harrow before planting. The larger section is in the process of being plowed and then it will go through a similar plan. I will be spreading some homegrown fertilizer on the larger section though since it will not be in the winter lot like I had planned.
Thanks to my cousin all of the equipment is here ore coming here. As I mentioned some of it actually originated on my grandpa's farm years ago, so this is the third generation to be using it. The plow, the disk, and the planter are all here and ready to roll!
I have e-mailed back-and-forth with Laura from Abbe Hills about open pollinated corn. I think this may be my best bet for now because it isn't too far away from me and sounds good. She has been helpful and suggested they shoot for 55º to 60º soil temperatures before planting (usually after May 15th). That is a good thing to know and gives me time to get everything done!
Cultivating after the crop is planted ... Well, that is still in the planning stages but if all else fails my cousin will bring up his tractor and a three-point mounted cultivator.
Harvest and storage ... yeah ... let me get back to you on that one ...

What am I Doing?

2011-05-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

I always want to take the time to write and I always have things that I would like to share, but I'm not always able to put pen to paper (as it were) and get my thoughts down. That was what has been going on over the last week ... thus there have been no posts. It has been an eventful time though for me on the farm. The first lambing season is in full swing ... a calf was born ... the open-pollinated experiment is possibly coming together ... and I'm beginning to look at different options and methods of feeding the pigs.

But, the thought that has been on my mind the most lately is this one ... "What am I doing?" There are so many times throughout my farming day that I'm not sure what in the world I'm doing! I know that there was a point where I just needed to start "doing" instead of just reading all of the time, but sometimes I wish I was just still reading about farming and then sharing my opinions ... the doing always has me more confused, confounded, and oftentimes frustrated. And even when I feel like I've made a major accomplishment I realize that in "farming reality" what I just did was basically just another ho-hum part of farming, not a major accomplishment.

You see ... catching the calf to ear tag it, milking a sheep and helping her lamb figure it all out, disking and prepping the field for planting, making small repairs on the tractor, looking over and purchasing farm equipment, or wrestling a pig to the ground for a little doctoring ... those are all pretty much normal things for most farmers. In many cases they are things they've been around their entire lives. For me ... well for me each one of those things are a major accomplishment and at some point while I'm doing them I wonder to myself ... "what am I doing!?!"

The Six-Month Farming Plan (circa 1946)

2011-04-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

While I believe a six-month farming plan (using the "off" months to still work, but at a slower pace) may not be quite as possible now as it was in 1946 I think there is some wisdom in the plan found in Success on the Small Farm. I know quite a few market garden/CSA's in the area and the surely do have their SUPER BUSY seasons, but I also know that they are beginning to do more and more with season extension that may take those six months and turn them into eight months or more. Nevertheless here is the plan ::

"The plan offers six months of leisurely living and six months of hustle.

Basically, the Plan is this. The corp program is laid out so that cash comes in from early May through October. The program is also laid out so that the peak demands of the farmer's own efforts are spread over the same season.

The best plan which the writer knows comprises a crop schedule of the following type: asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, sweet corn, melons, tomatoes, and squash. The asparagus starts in May; the last of the squashes should be sold in October. In between May and November are days of hustle, long hours of labor, perhaps surpluses for which a market has to be found, bad weather days when you'll watch dollars disappear. But all this is part of farming. There'll be rainy days when you'll bless the Weather Man for giving you a day or two to rest tired muscles. There will be days when you'll have to work 16 or 18 hours -- but not too many of them."

Thoughts?

The Annual Mud Post ...

2011-04-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

It seems like every year I have to site down and vent my "mud frustrations" on the blog. If nothing else it gets them off my chest! But, this year seems to be extra frustrating ... I'm sure there are many factors that have contributed to that fact. For whatever reason the winter had me frustrated and now the cool weather and the recent mud (and the 10-day forecast doesn't look promising) just seems to be continuing that trend. Maybe it is the "beginning" nature of my farm, but mud just makes me want to throw in the towel sometimes.

The wild combination of the normal spring mud, more feeder pigs than ever on the farm, the rising feed prices, lack of gravel on the drives, lambing season (for the first time), and the fact that I have no completely weather proof buildings (besides the house) has me wishing that I had more. Every morning and evening as I drive to and from town I find myself envying the buildings I drive past. Especially the abandoned ones or the buildings that are just part of a homestead where no active farming occurs. I would love to have the time to just tear them down and place them at my farm!

For now I just need to take the steps that I can. I need to remind myself that I can only advance slowly and that I can't have everything at once! I do believe that I need to figure out something for these muddy spring months though. I'm not overly concerned about the cattle and the sheep seem to be doing okay, but I would love to figure out a better solution for the pigs. A place for feeding and watering that doesn't become a bog (I do try to get those spots off of the ground). I'm beginning to wonder if a hoop house wouldn't be a good idea for these winter/spring months where they can't be on the pasture/woods.

Lots to think about ... major financial choices to make ... and plenty of mud to deal with. As I was quoted in the Des Moines Register a few weeks ago, "I get stuck getting things unstuck."

Money Savings on the Farm ...

2011-04-20T07:00:00.002-05:00

Building advice from a 1946 farming book ...

"Many farms do not have running water. Naturally this will be one of the first major improvements a farmer will make; but until running water is available, here's the way to construct a practical shower bath for less than a five-dollar bill.

Choose a corner of the shed, ell, or a back room. Have a sheet metal pan made at the local tinsmith's. It should be 4 feet long, 3 feet wide, and the sides should be 6 inches high. At one end, flush with the bottom, have an inch hole. Have a pipe from the hole go through the side of the shed or house.

Set the pan on a sufficient slant so the water will drain out and carry most of the dirt with it. Then at the high end of the pan, set a two-by-four or a peeled oak post three inches in diameter. The post must be firmly nailed at the top and fit tightly against the bottom of the pan. At about 5 3/4 feet from the floor of the pan, drive a spike into the side of the post. On this spike hang a 12-quart garden watering can with the spray-type nozzle. Twelve quarts will give a person an ample bath. as the water runs out, the can turns slowly downward so the shower keeps going.

Around the whole thing hang a regular shower curtain or oil cloth. The writer has been using this type of shower for 13 years and knows how it works. When one comes in sweaty and dirty from the field, there's nothing so refreshing as a good shower. The water necessary for tempering cold water is heated on the kitchen oil stove. In very hot weather an extra pail of cold water may be appreciated.

If one has this shower in a small room or a section closed in by canvas, it would be possible to use it the year round by warming the nook with a portable oil heater or an electric sunbowl."

I bet you are wishing you hadn't gone to the expense of installing that fancy shower in your house. All you needed was a 12-quart garden watering can! Of course it's only funny now because of the advancements we have made ... I'm sure in 1946 it was helpful!

Four "Don'ts" for the Beginning Farmer

2011-04-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still working my way through Success on the Small Farm by Haydn S. Pearson. I can only imagine that all of you reading this are searching the book sites for your own copy of this classic (it's out there and it is relatively inexpensive). Last night as I was reading I came across a lot of interesting quotes, but I thought I would focus on a fairly informational one list of "don'ts" now ... as long as I can share a great section tomorrow that makes me completely rethink home construction!

Here is an interesting little list from chapter four ::

Don't go into poultry as the major line -- hens or turkeys.
Don't specialize at first on one or two crops.
Don't try to do too much and neglect everything.
Don't think you can run a real farm and hold down a part-time job.

Like I said ... a very interesting list of don'ts. Obviously we could argue whether or not these are valid "don'ts" for the beginning farmer, but for the moment I just want to see how I've done with the list and think about how that impacts the farm.

Luckily I didn't get in to poultry as my major line ... although I know quite a few that have and that Joel Salatin's book Pastured Poultry Profits makes a case for poultry being the centerpiece of a farm. Unfortunately in this chapter Mr. Pearson does not share why he includes each item on the list. Maybe the reasons will show up later in the book. So far so good though ... I did not start out with poultry as my major line!

The second point is a little iffy ... On one hand I didn't do that because I'm not working with a market garden (which is the main focus of the book), but I did kind of focus just on my cattle and hogs. In my mind livestock is partially exempt from this "don't" though because it is a whole different animal for the beginner (pun kind of intended). There is a possibility though that in the 21st century Mr. Pearson would include "Don't begin a livestock based farm ... period!"

Don't try to do to much ... guilty. Don't neglect everything while trying to do to much ... guilty. I think this is actually a great point and wonderful advice for the beginner. It is important to rein yourself in from time to time in order to let your physical surroundings catch up with your mind. I'm working on that one ... and failing from time to time.

Finally the last "don't". Yes, that is very true. Don't think that you can work part-time/full-time in town and make the farm go ... or at least go very quickly. I'm not saying that trying to do both is a bad idea, I'm just saying that it will take time and you need to be prepared for it to take time. In some senses I think working in town and on the farm has benefits for the beginner ... just take your time commitments into mind when you are planning your goals and thinking about farming ventures.

Overall I don't think I pass the Haydn S. Pearson "Successful Farming Test". But, it's my first time through the book, so give me some time to work on things ...

1946 Farm Statistics ...

2011-04-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

I may or may not be addicted to my new book, Success on the Small Farm, but one thing is for sure ... there are a lot of quotes from this book that jump out at me and just scream that they want to be shared and commented on. Here are a couple I came across last night ::

"Statistics tell the story. Only 25 per cent of the farms of the United States have telephones; 40 per cent have no bathtubs; 56 per cent have no mechanical refrigerators; 83 per cent have no running water; 69 per cent have no electric lights."

It is mind boggling how much can change in about 60 years. Now the statistics would have to be about high-speed internet connections, smart phones, satellite television, and iPads! The point though that Mr. Pearson (that's the author) is getting at is that farmers don't have to live without those "luxuries" just because they are farmers. Of course I can't ever think of time when I thought of electric lights as a luxury!

That quote was just for fun though. It shows how much things have progressed and gives an interesting historical glimpse into the farming of six decades ago. This next quote hit much closer to home and should probably be included in every book, article, blog, tweet, or anything else directed at a beginning farmer!

"It's an odd quirk of human nature that once a man has made up his mind to be a farmer, he wants to get into action quickly, irrespective of the doze and one factors involved."

Yes. That is an odd "quirk". And, for my experience it is completely and totally true. At least for me it was and is true and I'm constantly have to try and hold myself back and slow down in order to make intelligent decisions instead of hasty excited decisions. I've written about this subject before, but it is always nice to get a pleasant reminder of the realities of farming and of starting a farm.

Quotes for the Beginning Farmer ...

2011-04-16T07:00:00.002-05:00

From Success on the Small Farm by Haydn S. Pearson (published in 1946).

"Farming is a business. Its success depends upon an adequate cash profit. In recent years there has been undue emphasis on farming as 'a way of living.' If one likes farming, it is a satisfying way of life -- provided there is sufficient income to enjoy the comforts that modern science has made possible."

"Never was the opportunity brighter to make a good living on a small farm. The opportunity is especially great for a one-man farm based on diversified crops. A small acreage with several high-priced specialty crops sold at retail through a roadside stand or through a high-class wholesale market can provide a cash profit income of between $2,000 and $3,000 a year. This amount of money, plus the home raised food program outlined, will allow a family to live in comfort."

Just some pearls for your weekend from nearly 65 years ago ...

Poetry :: For the Farm and Ranch ...

2011-04-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

I heard this poem last night on the radio as I was driving up and down the slightly rolling hills of Southern Iowa. It resonated with me ... Plus, it made me wish that I could write poetry and have a cool poetry reading voice! You can follow this link to listen to a little background of the poem and then hear the reading.

Oh ... the poem is titled ... "Things of Intrinsic Worth" by Wallace McRae. I think it is great stuff ... great stuff! The poem speaks of something that is missing ... at least that is how I heard it.

The Time/Money Conundrum

2011-04-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday as I was tackling the days chores and trying to get things ready for the summer growing season (getting the pigs in woods and cows in the pasture) I was thinking about the conundrum facing the beginning farmer. When you are beginning (even though I'm over three years in I still am very much a beginner) like I am without the benefit of family/shared land, facilities, or equipment everything has to come from somewhere. Many of the things I have acquired through extended family or borrowing, but there are other things that I have just needed to buy ... or at least felt the need to buy.

Let me give you an example ... If you are a regular reader of the blog you will know that I purchase my pig feed two tons at a time and it is bagged. This is a time consuming process which includes a stop at the feed store to load 80 bags of feed into my trailer and then a trip back to the farm where I either load each bag one-by-one in to the bulk feeder or feed by hand each day taking the feed to the pigs. I don't mind doing the manual labor ... even when I didn't have a working tractor and I filled the bulk feeder one bag time climbing up and down the ladder. The labor isn't a big deal, but the time can be an issue. If I only have a limited amount of time to get the work done I sometimes feel the need to use/purchase labor saving devices ... that is where the time/money conundrum comes into play.

In the ideal farming world I would have the feed store deliver to the farm in bulk purchasing about 5 tons at a time. I could have them fill up my bulk bin and then fill up the feeder. If I had the bulk bin filled the next obvious piece of equipment would be an auger wagon to use when refilling the feeder. This would be a huge time saving method of doing things, but it is also a little spendy and if I'm going to make the farm work I need to be able to cut every corner I can and substitute my labor for equipment.

I think the solution is to ... well, I guess I'm not sure what the solution is. But, what I'm going to do is continue to try and grow slow and use my labor as much as I can. From there I think I can just keep my eye open for the types of things that will help the farm now and in the future. What I really need to do is be able to go slow ... even though I just want to race ahead!

Encouragement & Hope

2011-04-08T07:00:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I need encouragement and hope on the farm. One of the places I like to go for that is the book A Bountiful Harvest: The Midwestern Farm Photographs of Pete Wettach, 1925-1965. For whatever reason those pictures just offer up some of what my heart and mind needs from time to time. I was looking at that book tonight and that led me to looking up a few things on-line, which is how I found the picture above. Those are some pigs at the Iowa State University research farm circa 1940 (I believe). I liked the picture ...

If you're looking for some encouragement I suggest the book below ... you can click on the link to find it on Amazon.

I Went for a Walk ...

2011-04-06T07:00:00.002-05:00

I worked late in town last night, but it was still beautiful when I made it back to the farm. So beautiful in fact that I decided to just leave the evening chores for after dark and go for a walk ... or should I say that I decided to go for a hunt ... Yes, hunt is the better description because what I was really doing is trying to hunt down my wayward sheep. And, by the wayward sheep I mean all of the sheep! Lately they have decided that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, and in their defense it is, so they have been taking off. I should also point out that it really is my fault that they have a wandering eye because I don't have my hi-tensile perimeter fence on yet.

This past winter was a little more rough on the fence than I had hoped. Not that anything major happened, but the deer popped the fence staples out of the wood posts and there are a few shorts along the line that I need to take care of. When the snow was on the ground nobody was really interested in leaving the comfortable confines of the winter lot, but now things are a little different and the sheep are ready to go (even if the pastures aren't ready for them yet).

I thought I had solved the problem by adding some Gallagher electric netting around the perimeter, but I guess the sheep aren't to impressed by the non-electrified netting. You have to get up pretty early in the morning to put one past them! So, tonight after my evening stroll through the neighboring fields I decided it was time to get electricity to the fence ... even if it was only a little bit of electricity.

One of the major "problems" that occurred this winter was that the pigs got ahold of the electrical cord on my good Stafix fencer. Luckily it wasn't a major breakdown and I'm in the process of ordering a replacement now. But, my back up fencer is much less than half as powerful. Right now though it will have to try and do the trick. I fixed the perimeter in the most needed places and threw on the back up fencer ... it's going ... kind of ...

Now it is time to get the real fixes done. Part of the reason that I hadn't attacked the fence yet is that I was hoping to take care of a few things on the fence that just weren't quite up to par. When I put up the fence I was trying to rush and save money ... both of which didn't really work out. This spring I'm going to have to add some extra support posts in the corners especially to help shore everything up and try and reduce the pull on the corners. Since I need to do this I hadn't gone around yet this spring to tighten up the fence and fix a few of the insulators. I realize now that I just need to find the time and the money and get it done!

Or I could always just learn to enjoy the evening walks ...

A Beginning Corn Farmer's Shopping List?

2011-04-04T07:00:00.001-05:00

If I'm going to do this whole open-pollinated corn experiment I need to start getting serious ... and fast! Of course I'm going to need to get some corn (if I can even find any this late in the game ... I remember some suggestions in previous comments), but I've also been thinking about the "shopping" list of equipment that I'm going to need in order to pull of this feat. As I build my shopping list it becomes very evident that there are really two lists that I could build. A list based on my labor/patience/time and a list based on a more mechanized approach. I thought I would share both lists and see if anyone had any suggestions. Before I get to the lists though I thought I should share what I'm working with. I'm thinking of planting in two areas that will total roughly five acres of ground I believe. Both areas have been winter lots or "sacrificial areas in the past and don't have very much grass covering the ground right now. But, they both should have some good nutrients to work with. Now for the lists ...

Small-Scale :: More Labor

Soil Preparation ~ Rear-tine garden tiller (I have one, but it would require lots of time/patience)
Planting ~ Simple one row garden planter (Again, I have this one ... see above for requirements)
Cultivating/Weed Control ~ Rear-tine garden tiller
Harvesting ~ I've got two hands right and a wagon right?
Storage ~ Haven't quite figured that one out yet ... open for suggestions ...

Small-Scale :: More Machinery (less time needed)

Soil Preparation ~ 2-bottom plow (I have this one and plowing might not be a bad idea to take care of some of the brush) ... and then disc/harrow (I don't have a disc ... probably can get a harrow without much trouble)
Planting ~ 2/4-row planter (Don't have and would need to do some shopping or asking around)
Cultivating/Weed Control ~ Cultivator (Again, I don't have one ... I would think if I could locate a smaller three-point cultivator it wouldn't cost too much)
Harvesting ~ Two hands and a wagon still sounds fun, but I know a guy with a two-row picker ... maybe I could work something out
Storage ~ See above list ...

As you can see the "more machinery" list is also going to be the "more money" list, but is it also the "more practical" list considering a town job and all the other demands of life? I would love some input ... or even leads on equipment ;)

Wikipedia :: The French Revolution :: Farming

2011-04-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I find it amazing when I see mentions of farming in "out of the way" places, but then I need to take a second and step back realizing that farming has to be one of the main pieces of our foundation. Without farming our food would have to come from hunting and gathering (or something like that) ... and that might not be very sustainable for everyone ... at least not these days. But, just the other day the crazy thing that is my mind found farming at the totally logical intersection of 18th century naval warfare, the French Revolution, and of course Wikipedia (it's completely believable because it's on the internet right?).

Please allow me to explain how I ended up at farming the other night. As I mentioned in a previous post I'm currently reading The Line Upon a Wind: The Great War at Sea, 1793-1815. This book details the naval engagements and background surrounding the late 18th century and early 19th century. Obviously this meant that I needed to find out more about that time period and the events that were shaping the European navies. That is how I landed on the Wikipedia entry for the French Revolution ... more specifically the "Causes" section of that page. Within that section I read this ::

Economic factors included hunger and malnutrition in the most destitute segments of the population, due to rising bread prices (from a normal eight sous for a four-pound loaf to 12 sous by the end of 1789), after several years of poor grain harvests. The combination of bad harvests (due to abnormal/severe weather fluctuations) and rising food prices was further aggravated by an inadequate transportation system which hindered the shipment of bulk foods from rural areas to large population centers, contributing greatly to the destabilization of French society in the years leading up to the Revolution.

Of course I had to ask myself after reading that ... how does this relate to the 21st century world and what can we learn? Does this mean that if food prices begin to rise in the United States (which they are and they are predicted to keep rising) we will have a revolution on our hands (and heads rolling everywhere ... literally)? Does it mean that Earl Butz and his high-production ideas are the best way possible to farm in order to keep us from experiencing hunger and malnutrition? Does it mean that a food system based on import/export is ideal because it helps us deal with weather fluctuations? Does it mean that maybe a system based on transportation and centralized areas of agriculture is a system that in some senses is destabilizing for a country?

I don't really know what it means, but I do know that it is part of history and that there is something we can learn from it. I am also glad that Wikipedia (and a book about really cool sailing ships) helped remind me just how important farming is in the big picture. And, I am thankful for my mind that never misses an opportunity to head down a rabbit trail ... sometimes there are big things at the end of those fun little side tracks!

Are Dexters the Right Breed for Me?

2011-03-31T09:05:00.000-05:00

A few posts ago when I was writing my chapter review for Tim Young's book, "The Accidental Farmers," I mentioned in passing that I was questioning whether or not the Dexter breed was for me. It's something I've been thinking about lately and just this morning someone posted a comment asking why I was thinking that way. So, I figured it was time for me to try and articulate some of my thoughts on the subject. First of all let me say that at this point I'm still keeping the Dexters and trying to work with them, but knowing what I know now if I was starting over with the same goals in mind I'm not sure that I would go with the Dexters.

I don't remember exactly which book it was, although I'm pretty sure it was by Joel Salatin, but early on I remember reading that "seed stock" anything was not a good idea. What that meant was that going with pure breed animals for meat sales based farm probably wasn't a good idea. I tried to think my way around that by telling myself that I wasn't really interested in selling seed stock, so the ability to sell a heifer every now and then was just a bonus. I loved the historical aspect of the Dexter, I loved the small size, and I loved what I read about their qualities as a historical tri-purpose breed (meat, milk, and draft animals).

Here is my totally uneducated thinking of why I may not be sold on them for my farm right now ... The Dexters are listed as a recovering breed by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy and at one time their numbers here in the U.S. were pretty low. I think as they began to recover some marginal animals were kept for breeding stock (both cows and in my opinion especially bulls) that helped grow the numbers within the breed, but didn't really emphasize the strongest qualities of the breed. On top of that I'm not sure there is a very large number of people raising Dexters in the same type of all grass and no antibiotic system that I'm using right now.

That's all to say that while I still think Dexters are a great breed and that they would work in many situations (including mine) they may not work perfectly in my system. Or more specifically the particular Dexters I have weren't the perfect ones for me. When I decided on Dexters over three years ago what I was doing was choosing a breed based on their general historical background. What I should have been doing is choosing cows (not a breed) based on how I want to raise them. I honestly believe I would have been better served spending the money to get cows from a rotationally grazed farm that was grass based only. This may have meant I bought Dexters or it may have meant I bought cows ... just great cows ...

I think Dexters can still work and I hope to make them work on the farm. Above all I still think they are perfect breed for the small land holder because of their size and relatively calm disposition (although there are exceptions. I would like to add a couple other cows at some time though ... just to see ...

The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer :: Chapter 3 Book Report

2011-03-30T10:43:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm a book bouncer! My reading is dictated by my whim of the moment and last night my whim was pushing me to Joel Salatin's latest book, "The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer". Chapter three is titled, "Small is Okay" and it was an interesting contrast to the article I just read about the importance of beef and pork exports in the coming year. The article talked about how the rising feed costs were going to make things difficult for farmers in the coming year, but that they could find some financial security if the export of meat remained strong. As I read through Mr. Salatin's chapter on small farms I saw a very different picture of financial security for farmers. In fact he strongly suggested that exportation was the wrong direction for the farmers and the countries involved!

I think that this is the first chapter in the book where the "lunatic" part of the title really starts to come out. Just think about how often you hear someone say that it is not the job of the United States to feed the world ... that doesn't happen very often! He is not saying that because of some sort of U.S. first mentality, but rather from the point-of-view that other countries (even developing countries) can produce the food that they need to feed the people in their own country. That is a pretty huge departure from the commonly held beliefs of the farmers, consumers, and politicians here in the U.S.

Here is a quote from the book that helps him express his point-of-view (this is something that a governmental official from Belarussia shared with Mr. Salatin) ::

"The day the foreign aid was deposited in our bank, every hotel filled up with U.S. corporate salesmen from machinery companies to seed to chemical companies. All that money was spent on things we did not need, things we could not fix, things we could not afford to put fuel in. If we had know about your kind of farming, we could have put in water systems, fence systems, and gone to a pasture-based system and fed our people and had enough left over for export."

It is an interesting quote and very interesting topic to consider. Often times I think Iowans (myself included) see ourselves and our farms as necessary for the survival of the world. I mean we play a huge role in feeding the world right? Our farms are some of the most efficient and highest producing ever seen right (my farm is not included in that)? But, Mr. Salatin sees things from a different angle ... he sees the possibility of farmers all of the world producing food for their local communities ... and he sees lots and lots of farmers!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject. It is a topic that seems to boggle my mind!

Agonizing & Pork for Sale & Farm Updates

2011-03-29T07:00:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I just think and think and think and agonize and agonize and agonize ... and well ... you get the idea. There are just some decisions that I have a difficult time making as I try to process the information and come to the best conclusion. One of those decisions that I'm agonizing over right now is pricing. I know that I need to adjust my prices and I'm not ashamed of that (because if I don't the feed prices might drive me mad). But, what I do agonize over is just how much to raise them and how exactly to land on that perfect price!

Without a doubt I am not very prepared to figure out the exact amount that I need to charge because I'm not doing a very good job of tracking feed conversion and feed consumption of my growers and sow herd. That's not to say that I don't know how much they are eating and about how much per day that they are eating, but rather I'm just not sure how well that feed is working and at what rate it's turning into pig pounds! I've read quite a few research papers on the topic and I know that I need to do a good job keep the feeders adjusted and things like that to get just the right feed-to-weight conversion, but I'm not there yet.

So, I just toss the figures that I have around in my head throughout the day and then try to land on a price that I think is fair for the farm. I'm getting close to having it nailed down and when I do then I'll be sharing more information about the pay-as-it-grows program. If you are interested in a pork whole or half feel free to send an e-mail and I'll add you to the list!

Even though the weather has taken a step back from the 60º and 70º temperatures that were so much fun I have been making my way around the farm and taking stock of the projects that need the most attention as spring comes. There are some repairs that need to be done on the hi-tensile fence, along with some fencing issues that just never were finished. I really want to get out and mow down some tall grass and bushes, but the PTO isn't working on the tractor (again). Of course I need to get thinking about prepping the garden ... thankfully there is a rear-tine tiller to help me this year! And, if I wanted to save myself some headaches later this year I should really be out in the woods cutting paths for the pig paddock fences!

We'll see how the spring goes ...

Downs and Ups ...

2011-03-26T07:00:00.003-05:00

Normally you hear people talking about the "ups and downs," but today was a day of downs and ups on the farm ... or at least a slight bummer, then a very nice up, and finally a slight bummer that was really forgetable because of the up. I worked a long day at Farm & Home/NAPA, but was excited because I had found a nice looking little gas saving pickup that I was planning on looking at. So, as soon as I could sneak out the side door of work I called the guy selling the pickup ... and found out that he had just sold it. I guess it was an okay deal! Later in the evening I did go look at a different little pickup very similar to the first one only to find out it wasn't very much like it was represented to be. That was a second slight bummer that helped sandwich so completely great news ...

After the slight bummer of the truck being sold I checked my e-mail and found that ... Crooked Gap Farm is headed to the Downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market! Of course this will not be on a full-time basis because they have a "probationary" period for new vendors, but it does look like I was able to get a nice selection of dates that will fit in with when I will have the most available. Plus, most of the dates are fairly close together or every other week which will be great for helping customers remember the farm. I'm very excited ... and nervous (even though the first date isn't until July).

Now comes the important work. I need to get together some brochures and better business cards, work on some displays, make sure I'm comfortable with the coolers from last year, figure out the best way to handle transactions, and maybe even start figuring out some processing dates for the hogs. There is so much to think about, but I'm very excited!

"The Accidental Farmers" :: Chapter 7 Book Report

2011-03-25T07:00:00.002-05:00

This chapter, titled "Farming's Dark Side," is in my opinion probably the best and most important chapter of Tim Young's new book. Not that I haven't found nuggets in the other chapters, but rather that this is the most unique chapter (I feel) in the book. There are other books out there that will tell you about management intensive grazing, the benefits of chickens following cows, and even the values behind certain farm choices. But, I'm not sure that I've read a farming book yet (and I've read quite a few) that takes such an open and honest look at the "dark side" of farming. Mr. Young holds nothing back and writes about the realities he has had to face on the farm. You may disagree with his practices or think you would have done something differently, but I think you should respect his honesty, openness, and they way he sticks with his values.

As I have mentioned I think that this side of the farming life is one that has been missing from the books that I've read ... although I don't think it would fit in every book. Most of the time the "dark side" you read about in books, articles, or from the mouths of other farmers is that it just isn't possible to make a living on the farm. I guess I should say that more specifically it is very difficult to make a living on the farm unless you can hit on the right factors (rented land, owned land, right markets, marketing ability, etc.). But, what Mr. Young has done is opened up his farm I guess you could say to the daily reality of making the transition to the farm ... or just farming in general.

The "dark side" of farming has been one of the most difficult things for me. I have a bad tendency to get easily frustrated over a situation and just feel absolutely defeated. And, I'm sure I don't even want people to tell me how many times I have said that I was going to or had to quit the farm. I'll never forget the walk back to the house after the tractor just died (stuck motor because of lack of lubrication due to a clogged oil sump and a non-working oil gauge/light) and the conversation with my dad. I just wanted to be done! The frustration and realization that I just lost a substantial amount of money in a now dead tractor was just crippling! And that is just one of the stories ...

I think it is a great thing that Mr. Young has decided to pull back the curtain as it were (as he has done on his blog/podcast) and show the whole picture. If nothing else ... it's worth getting the book to read this chapter. Just to know what it's like and that the troubles happen to other people too!

"The Accidental Farmers" :: Chapter 6 Book Report

2011-03-22T07:00:00.000-05:00

I feel fairly confident in saying that I'm a big picture sort of thinker. I am much better at looking at things from the wide angle view instead of focusing in on the details ... although I do need to get better at the details because they are just as important as the big picture! But, that is all to say that I completely understand what Tim Young is writing about in chapter six, "Reviving the Prairie". When I walked over what is now Crooked Gap Farm for the very first time it was covered with tall prairie grasses and just seemed too good to be true ... once I had been on the farm for one season and the tall grasses had disappeared thanks to grazing and hay making I saw the reality of what I was working with. I saw that the farm needed some reviving!

Mr. Young shares his personal experiences and mistakes (I appreciate knowing others make mistakes!) with building a diversified livestock where the animals do the work of restoring the soil and ultimately the farm. In this chapter I think you'll find a very brief overview of management intensive grazing, and plenty of proof that it can be done. I do wonder though if Mr. Young has considered changing to multiple moves each day instead of just once a day? I've written about ultra high stock density grazing before and it is something that really intrigues me. For part of last summer I was making at least two moves a day I thought it was very beneficial. One downside for them at Nature's Harmony Farm though I think is the fact that their perimeter fence is not electric. That means they have to set up an independent paddock for each move where I have a little easier time with it because my entire perimeter is electric and I can easily tie into it.

As far as my use of high density grazing this coming season I think I'm going to be doing two moves again. My current job situation makes any more than that impossible, but a move before work in the morning and then again when I get off well give me two moves and should provide some of the benefits of a "mob". I'll just try to get all my paddocks set up in the evening. The rub of course will be the sheep ... I still haven't figured out how I'm going to graze them yet (with the cows or separately).

All in all this was a good chapter with lots to think about, but it is the next chapter that I'm really looking forward to ... "Farming's Dark Side".

Percolating ...

2011-03-21T07:00:00.003-05:00

I don't especially care for coffee. In fact I can remember the exact time that I tried coffee for the first time ... I was out cross country skiing and Craig offered me a cup of coffee because it was so cold outside. I was cold and it smelled good, so I took a taste ... and then spit it on the snow! I distinctly remember not being able to get that coffee taste out of my mouth. I still do not like coffee (I'm a hot chocolate guy), but I do love the smell of good coffee and I do enjoy using words that I associate with coffee ... words like "percolating" Right now percolating seems like the best word to describe my mind. One of the definitions for percolate (according to M-W.com) is :: "to spread gradually". That is what all the ideas in my mind are doing right now ... they are starting to seep and ooze and spread and well ... they are starting to percolate. The only probably is that percolating is a slower process.

What I'm trying to say (see I'm having trouble getting the thoughts out) is that I have the farm and farming on the mind a lot. I'm continually trying to figure out exactly how to do the project that I envision. I'm always thinking of the next thing that can be added to the farm. I'm constantly fretting and worrying about jobs and how everything will keep going on the farm. And, I often find myself stumped and perplexed by farm issues. That is why I think it is good to have mind breaks from time to time. Lately I haven't been doing a very good job of giving my mind breaks, but tonight as I was trying to compose a post/information sheet for a "pay-as-it-grows" program (more on that coming) I was distracted by the music I was listening to ... and it was a good thing!

Outside of the farming world here is what I'm reading, listening to, and watching right now...

Get Low :: I rented this the other day because I loved the preview so much ... and I'm a Robert Duvall fan. It was a pretty good movie with an interesting plot. I mean it's about a hermit who built his own log house ... what's not to love!
Travel III :: This is a short album (there is also a I and a II) from the band Future of Forestry which gets their name from the C.S. Lewis poem I have mentioned on this blog a couple of times.
The Line Upon a Wind: The Great War at Sea, 1793-1815 :: Ever since the movie Master and Commander: Far Side of the World came out I have been enthralled by the tall sailing ships of the 18th and early 19th century. This is a big book that covers the Napoleonic Wars from the naval perspective. So far so good!
Sigh No More :: Music I just like ... that's it ... I think I found them last spring and I remember listening to this album as I was drilling seed in the pasture!
48 Days to the Work You Love: Preparing for the New Normal :: Did I mention I was looking for a job ... still reading and still looking ...

What are you reading, listening to, or watching these days? I am always amazed how reading a book about Horatio Lord Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar can inspire me to farm ... but it does!

Saturation Point ...

2011-03-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

No not the ground ... in fact the ground is actually starting to dry up rather nicely and I have been able to move around without getting sucked into knee deep puddles of mud! What I'm talking about is more of a business saturation point. As I look at expanding the farm and adding new enterprises I often wonder just how many small-scale ... pasture based ... direct market ... meat farms that the local area can support. I will readily admit that my meat costs more than pretty much anything the local grocery store is selling, but I'm not ashamed of that because I know how much it costs me to produce it and I know how much I need to get in return. Also, I'm confident in the product that I have ... not propaganda ... I just really am proud of it.

Regardless of how proud I am though of the meat I'm raising I still wonder if there is a point of saturation for this local food market. Is there a point when you will hit the top of the ceiling when it comes to the group of people willing to pay for a quality pasture raised product from a local farm? While at the INCA conference a couple weekends ago someone mentioned that for the first time in a while some local CSA farmers were finding it more difficult to sell all of their shares. They had been used to a waiting list in the past, but now they were even going into the season with some open. Does that mean that the market is hitting a saturation point or that marketing and customer education needs to change?

I'm not exactly sure what I think on this topic, but I would love to hear your thoughts on whether or not we are hitting a saturation point? If nothing else the idea of hitting a saturation point reminds me that I need to have a niche for my farm and I need know my story in and out so that I can share it with everyone I meet. I need to know why I'm doing what I'm doing and I need to convey that in all of my farm conversations.

"The Accidental Farmers" :: Chapter 5 Book Report

2011-03-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Because the city of Knoxville kindly suggested (through a phone call and letter) that I remove my chickens from town (I sent them down to my dad's farm) they were not the first farm animals to make an appearance on the farm. It was in fact a group of pigs that showed up on the land and began "the farm" three years ago so I can easily relate to the experiences of Tim and Liz Young and their pig fun. In fact their runaway pig story hits a little too close to home for me. Except in my case it was a full grown sow and it took me weeks to catch her (on the neighbors farm)! Yep ... the pigs have provided plenty of learning opportunities for me ... and I think I almost love them the most of all the livestock on the farm!

As you may expect Mr. Young covers all the basics in this chapter about how pigs just love to be pigs and get out in the pastures and woods rooting to their little hearts content. He writes about the difficulties and set-backs experienced by farrowing outdoors and trusting a pig to do their pig-level best to farrow and raise a great litter (as an aside ... Walter Jeffries of Sugar Mountain Farm always has a lot of good things to say on this topic). And, of course he hits on the topic of castration and why they don't do castration on their farm. I believe I mentioned in a previous comment or post that I'm on the fence when it comes to the castration camp. On one had I can see where they are coming from, on another hand I have the hog farmers in my family talking about boar taint, and then on yet another hand I question my ability right now to have separate paddocks for the boar growers and the gilt growers. Needless to say I think I have a lot of reading and researching to do on that subject.

But, the thing from this chapter that really hit home with me the most is their progression through the various breeds of swine on their farm. I believe they started out with Berkshire and then added the Ossabaw Island pigs (which I REALLY would like to have if anyone nearby would like to share) and have now even moved to Large Blacks. What I can appreciate about Mr. Young's discussion of this topic is that I've experienced the exact same thing as I search for the perfect pigs (and cattle, chickens, sheep, etc.) for the farm. Right now I have a Hereford sow, two Tamworth sows, two Berkshire sows, and two Berkshire/Tamworth sows. My current boar is also a Hereford even though I only have one Hereford sow. I guess you could say that I'm in the experimenting stage!

It is not only with the pigs thought that I'm considering and reconsidering the breeds that I have chosen. Lately I've been wondering if the Dexter is the right direction for me to go with the cattle ... But, I think that is a post for another day!

If you would like a taste of "The Accidental Farmers" and specifically this chapter you can read a sample here (you'll see a link for chapter five).

How Much Meat ...

2011-03-15T07:00:00.000-05:00

My post from yesterday, a couple of the comments, and some things I've been reading lately (Accidental Farmer's, Omnivore's Dilemma, etc.) have me wondering just how much meat one family could be expected to eat in a year ... or as some would pose the question ... how much meat should a family eat in a year. As I think about a farming model based more around the sale of wholes and halves rather than individual cuts I can't help but find myself thinking about how much a family (let's say of four) would need in one year. The profit watching side of me says that they need to buy a lot, but I want to be realistic as well.

Right now I'm raising beef (although I'm not to the point of doing wholes and halves yet), pork, lamb, and hopefully this summer meat chickens and a small amount of turkeys for the fall. On top of that there will be eggs available for sale and there is always the potential for fresh produce (not this year tough). If there were a solid base of customer families or couples committed to the farm and purchasing meat seasonally throughout the year I wonder how much a family/couple would want.

In my mind if I wasn't farming this would be the best way to purchase the meat my family would have throughout the year. I could have a freezer and just pick up different things at different times of the year. Maybe in early fall or late summer I could pick up a half of beef (remember I have small cows) and a turkey for Thanksgiving, maybe a little later a lamb, possibly a hog over the winter or sometime before Easter, and then throughout the summer some chickens until the cycle is started again. Of course this would take a little sacrifice/saving when it comes to meal planning throughout the year, but it would also give someone a lot of choices when it came to meat.

Of course that may be a little (or a lot) too much meat for some folks, so it could be altered a little. Maybe you still get a whole hog, but only a 1/4 of a beef (which wouldn't be a lot of Dexter beef), and then some poultry in the summer. I think there are lots of ways to attack this type of marketing and I think it has huge benefits for both the farmer and the consumer.

What do you think? How much meat would you be comfortable having throughout the year if you were buying in bulk (think wholes and halves)? Is that something you would even consider doing or does it seem inconvenient and possibly restricting when it comes to the meals you can eat throughout the year? I'd love to hear your thoughts

Farm Customers ...

2011-03-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Over the past 12 months I have marketed Crooked Gap Farm products online through The Iowa Food Coop, Facebook, Twitter, the Crooked Gap Farm website, e-mail lists, on farm, word-of-mouth, and of course a season at a farmer's market. Some of those methods have been very successful for the farm (especially considering the small-scale that the farm is at now) and others have been great learning experiences for the future. Without a doubt though I would say that each one as been an important part of the my farm marketing education.

In this coming year I see more of the same for marketing with two (hopefully) major exceptions. First of all I'm hoping that this year will see a move to a bigger and potentially more profitable market (even if only on an eight week probationary level). I've sent in the application for the Downtown Des Moines Farmer's Market and now I'm just awaiting the reply. I'm also looking at the possibility of a Thursday evening market in Des Moines as well, but I need to do a bit more research on that one (if anyone has any experiences with it I'd love to hear them). The nice thing about the farmer's market is that it gives me a chance to tell the story and talk to a lot of people ... it's a game of numbers ... the more people I can talk to at the booth the more product I can sell.

But, I'm also hoping to see an expansion of those "on farm" or word of mouth sales. Specifically I'm talking about more sales of whole and half animals such as lamb, pork, and poultry. It is these types of sales that I'm most interested in making and working towards in my marketing. Not because I don't like the other methods or those types of interaction, but rather I think that the sales of wholes and halves gives the consumers and farmers greater interaction. I know I've heard Tim and Liz Young of Nature's Harmony Farm talk about it before, but a customer farmer relationship like this seems like it could be very (or even most) sustainable.

My question then is this ... how many customers do you need to make the farm financially, emotionally, and physically sustainable. Of course these customers would need to be committed to the farm and buying in bulk (and have a freezer), but if they were how many would you need. I thinking a family that throughout the year could buy a half or whole hog, a half of beef (remember I have small cows), a lamb, a few chickens, a turkey, some eggs, and maybe even overflow from the garden. If there was a family of four or five and they were doing something like that spread though out the year how many customers do you think you would need?

Just an interesting question to think about ... at least it is for me ;)

"The Accidental Farmers" :: Chapter 4 Book Report

2011-03-11T07:00:00.000-06:00

If you would allow me to use a bit of a pun right now I would like to say that chapter four of Tim Young's new book really gets to the "meat" of the values behind their farm. I thought of that one right away ... I promise! But, really this chapter is about why they have decided to focus on meats at Nature's Harmony Farm instead of going with a CSA or market garden and I would have to say that I agree with at least one of their most basic premises ... that eating meat is just part of who they are and they like it! That is probably one of the biggest reasons I went the route of a livestock farm. Because I just love to eat meat ... especially more than vegetables, but I realize I need to work on that.

This chapter is an interesting one to read though especially after Monday's post on the topic of "propaganda". I think (according to the dictionary definition of the word propaganda) that this chapter could be labeled propaganda. Now as I say that please don't think I disagree with the way they are choosing to raise their animals, just understand that I'm just looking at the definitions of propaganda and seeing that Mr. Young is using ideas, facts, and information to promote his cause. At the same time I'm sure there are other farmers out there that would read this chapter and say that he is focusing on rumor and allegations. I don't think that is necessarily the case ... I'm just saying it that if some conventional farming advocates got their hands on this chapter they may like to disagree with Mr. Young. Which I think he would have no problem with ... at least that is what I think.

What I can appreciate about a chapter like this one is that it allows you to see the thought process that formed their values and farming purpose. But, what really jumped out at me is the real disconnect that he writes about having with his food prior to beginning the farm. Obviously I grew up in very agriculturally minded state and had family members out on the farm, so even though I wasn't a "farm kid" I had a connection. Even as a young boy I knew about confinement houses, feed lots, and things of that nature. Although I did not wonder whether it was a good idea to raise pigs inside on cement I at least knew where the pork on the grill was coming from.

I what a deeper look at this chapter does for me is make me realize how important my individual farm story is ... and how important the story is of Nature's Harmony Farm ... and every other farm out there. And that is truly what I love about my farm. I love the fact that because of the farm I have a chance to tell the story and share with other people the beauty of cows and pigs and chickens and sheep and people out living and enjoying and soaking it all in (I like to use the word and)!!!

While I may not agree with everything in this chapter (and others may not even agree with this chapter existing in book like this), I do appreciate the way that it makes me think and remember the story that I and other farmers have to tell. I love to tell a story ... any story actually ... especially ones I'm passionate about!

Alternative Feeds?

2011-03-10T14:53:00.001-06:00

If you've read my blog lately I'm sure you've noticed that the price of feed is something that has been on my mind a lot lately. When spring and summer gets here I'm hoping and expecting that my pigs will be getting a portion of their feed from the woods and pasture, but even then the prices (which may even keep rising) will have a huge impact on the farm.

A few posts ago I mentioned that I'm hoping to try some open-pollinated corn this year, but I'm interested in other options as well. I've been reading articles about feeding dried distillers grains ... I've been looking for alternative protein sources ... and I've been going back through some of the "pig" books that I have looking for ideas. But, I don't feel like I've come up with the right option.

I'm still looking for ideas though. If you have any tips or suggestions I would love to hear them ... and I'm sure others would as well!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.5.9

Muddy Hole Farm

2011-03-09T10:03:00.002-06:00

life in the muddy hole

There was a time last year when I was searching for a new farm name that I wanted to call the farm "Muddy Hole Farm". I thought it was a fitting name because there always seems to be mud on the farm somewhere and because it works with the whole pig being a pig thing. Of course there was also the historical aspect of the name because "Muddy Hole" was the name of one of George Washington's farms. But, after careful though and input from others I decided maybe it just didn't convey that picture of a beautiful pasture based farm! I still say the name would fit though ... I mean just take a look at this picture on the right.

Mud is always going to be an issue on any farm, but it is compounded a little on this farm because I don't have gravel in some of the areas that are highly traveled by the tractor or even in the shed. This of course leads to some major ruts, the possibility of getting stuck, and some major muddy holes in the shed. If I can work it out this year I'm going to try and get some more gravel on the farm so that I can still function in these muddy times. For example if I needed to get to my livestock trailer today I don't think I would be able to get it out of the shed or even to a place where I could load pigs.

Of course I need to remember that getting all worked up about the mud right now will probably mean that later this summer there will be no mud in sight and I'll be wishing for some mud puddles!

In a completely unrelated note I've been working on creating a new résumé for my job search and I would love some help. In the past my résumés have been fairly bland and just a listing of places where I've worked and then things that I've done. Since I'm looking to move to a job that is different than all the others I've had in the past I've decided to create a more functional résumé that shares my skills and abilities. If you have any experience with résumés I would love to share mine with you and get some advice. Please just shoot me an e-mail and I send one to you. Thanks again for all the help and encouragement you all have been giving me.

"The Accidental Farmers" :: Chapter 3 Book Report

2011-03-08T07:00:00.002-06:00

Chapter three in Tim Young's new book is titled "The Accidental Farmers", but I think it could easily have been titled "Why We Farm". As you make your way through this chapter (and the previous ones) you begin to see the picture behind Nature's Harmony Farm and how the ended up in the place they did ... which is with a farm out in the country raising animals exactly how they believe they should be raised. But, this chapter specifically, more so than the previous three, gets into a lot of the reasoning behind their farming values and goals. I think you can almost see the wheels turning in Mr. and Mrs. Young's heads as you read through this chapter! In fact when you make it to page 59 you will find a list that details some of their "reasons" for the farm (I'll let you pick up a copy to check out that list if you'd like).

The one recurring thought that I had though as I read this chapter is how does a farmer balance the financial needs of the farm/family with the vital farm values and goals that they have. On one hand this chapter is about the realization that the farm is not a way to profit (in the way that someone coming from a corporate background would see it), but also that the farm needs to make a profit and not wear everyone out along the way. It seems like a tight wire act to balance those to needs ... the need to have a farm that is built around your values and the need to make a living. I am not suggesting that the two don't go together, but I am suggesting that there is a fine line and you have to keep that all in mind as you work through your farm life.

I will also say that as I read through this book it seems like I have a hundred questions after finishing each chapter. I think that is a good thing because it makes me think about my values, my farm, and the way I go about everything, but at the same time it makes me wish I could have a couple days with Mr. Young to swap stories and gather information from a more business oriented mind than I have! I do appreciate that about a book though ... I think it is a good thing when a book makes you have more questions than when you started with because that means it is causing you to think and look at things from different angles. I know things like that help me on my farm!

Farming Propaganda ...

2011-03-07T07:00:00.002-06:00

The other day I happened to be making a delivery during 1040 WHO's "Big Show" (that's the agricultural show if you're scoring at home). It was a rare occurrence because usually I'm safe and sound inside the store or eating lunch during that show, but the other day I was able to catch just a tiny tidbit of it while they were broadcasting from the "Commodity Classic" or something like that and using it as an opportunity to share their disagreement and possible dislike of Michael Pollan, Food, Inc., and other things along those lines. I would consider myself a fan of the "Big Show" even though I may disagree with them from time to time. And, I really have no problem with them refuting things from Food Inc. or Mr. Pollan ... I mean that is the beauty of our country right ... opinions ...

What really struck me though is that each side of the "battle" is accusing the other of spreading propaganda. Which lead me to the definition of propaganda ... according to Merriam-Webster ::

the spreading of ideas, information, or rumor for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person
ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one's cause or to damage an opposing cause; also : a public action having such an effect

The crazy thing about that definition is that whether or not something is truth is not a part of propaganda. It is all about using a certain set of facts or information in order to sway people to your way of think. With that definition of propaganda one could say that every issue in the world right now has propaganda on both sides of that issue. That is why the Corn Refiners Association is putting out this commercial and my King Corn friends have made this spoof. It is why Mr. Pollan has written The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals and The Center for Consumer Freedom has published articles like this, this, and this.

Do you know what I think of all that? I think I enjoy reading Mr. Pollan's books and articles. I think I enjoy listening to "The Big Show" even when I disagree with them ... even when I disagree strongly with them. I think that there is probably some problem with High Fructose Corn Syrup and that I probably eat too much of it with out thinking about it. At the same time I think it's funny that the spoof by my "King Corn" friends uses tobacco to prove their point ... some would say that their commercial was also an anti-tobacco spoof (I think that is ironic). I think that we should be paying more for food and I think that those that argue for the need of industrial agriculture because of starvation worldwide should be spending more time overseas helping feed people instead of writing about it or fighting for a system that may or may not be helping those really in need ... (I think a lot as you can see) ...

But, do you really want to know what I think? I think I raise great pork chops, bacon, roasts, burgers, and all sorts of other goodies. I think I raise food that has a taste that you won't find at your local box store. I think I love when I hear former conventional confinement hog farmers lament that the pork chops that they were raising tasted nothing like the beauties they ate when they were a kid ... his honest to goodness description of the pork chops he was raising ... "cardboard" ... that's what he said! Basically I think I raise some great tasting pork and beef (and eventually lamb and poultry) and I think everyone should buy some because they will love the way it tastes and will find out that meat does have taste that makes your mouth water.

How about that for your daily dose of propaganda. What do You think? Does this farm propaganda frustrate you? Make you think? Or maybe make you tune it out? I know that I just want to continue raising great food in a great way as long as there are people that appreciate it and love it!

I Want to Feel Corny ...

2011-03-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

The combination of rising feed costs, my current job changes/situation, and my desire to make the farm work has me thinking a lot about corn lately. Specifically I'm thinking of growing some of my own corn this year for livestock feed ... at least enough to experiment with that is. I currently have a couple of areas that I'm thinking of planting. One of the areas is where the pigs lived a couple of years ago and where the cows wintered last year. The other area is where the sheep and cows wintered this year. I figured that both of those areas would have a few extra nutrients that might help things along a little bit. Also, both areas have both been "sacrifice" areas that would need to be replanted anyways so I think it makes sense to try my hand at growing corn.

Like everything else on the farm my corn growing knowledge is limited ... very limited actually! Of course I have raised small amount of seed corn in the past, but I've never done anything beyond that. As soon as it is possible in the spring I will need to plow up those areas and disc it all (a few times I'm sure). From there I'll need to get some seed into the ground ... which I haven't quite figured out yet. I do have a single row garden seeder around, but I need to get a belt for it and see if it will work. If that doesn't work out I guess I can always do it by hand. If I'm really good this summer maybe I could even talk my uncle into bringing down one of his Minneapolis Molines with a cultivator.

As you can see I don't have my mind fully around this idea yet other than knowing that I want to do it. I'm very interested in all of the suggestions that you may have. I'm looking for some ideas on finding some good open-pollinated corn, help with planting and cultivating, harvesting ideas (I'm thinking hand picking it), storage (on the cheap), and anything else. This would be a totally new direction for me and one that I didn't really expect to make at this point, but I'm interested in trying it out on an experimental level at least and seeing if I could come up with something in the future.

"The Accidental Farmers" :: Chapter 2 Book Report

2011-03-01T12:23:00.001-06:00

Chapter two of Tim Young's new book, "The Accidental Farmers" delves deeper into their transition from the crazy city life that they lived before to the new life on the farm. In most ways I cannot relate to their experiences because even though I have for the most part only lived in town or at least within a community of people (I did spend two years working at a boarding school in the country), I have always been fairly connected to the country and in some small way the farming life. For me the move to the country was really just a culmination of my life dreams. Ever since I was a young kind I've always wanted to live in the country or out in wild as it were (there was a time when I wanted to be a park ranger). Even though I couldn't relate on many levels I did appreciate Mr. Young's honesty about just where they were coming from and why they felt led to leave.

What I can relate to is the optimistic picture he had of the farm when he was looking at it for the first time. Even though it was really just 70 plus acres of weeds and brush he looked at it and pictured what was possible. I often (even in the midst of frustration and doubt) look out over my farm and picture just what it could be. I picture the pastures thriving, the set-up perfect, the woods teeming with life, and me out there taking care of it all. I suppose if you can't see that then you shouldn't be out there trying to heal the land.

That's just my 20 second review ...for what it's worth

"The Accidental Farmers" :: Chapter 1 Book Report

2011-02-28T12:21:00.000-06:00

When I heard that Tim Young of Nature's Harmony Farm was writing a book I knew with out a doubt that it would be reading it and I was fairly certain that I would enjoy it. I was able to be pretty confident of those two points because I have been following along with his farm since the beginning and I've enjoyed and appreciated his blog posts, e-mails, and podcasts. So, now that I have my hands on a copy I'm beginning to make my way through the book. The first section of the book deals with the "Birth of a Farm" ... their farm specifically ... while the second section is more about their values, methods, and farm in general. If your interested in a copy of the book for yourself be sure to click through to Amazon.com from the picture to the right.

Chapter one of "The Accidental Farmers" deals with the awaking that Tim and Liz Young had that eventually (and by eventually I mean fairly quickly) to the farm. The Young's were living the typical "American Dream" life in suburban America when a trip to the country changed their outlook on life and on their values and goals ... at least that is what I'm taking away from this first chapter. I really appreciate the honesty and picture that Mr. Young paints in this chapter as he shows how they made the decision to transition to the farm.

I think it is a good reminder to follow our passions and look for ways to make them happen. Thanks to a few suggestions on one of my previous blog posts I'm also reading 48 Days to the Work You Love: Preparing for the New Normal by Dan Miller and I appreciate the idea of making your work your passion. If nothing else this first chapter may give you some encouragement to to form your values and think outside of the box.

My Kingdom for a Horse ...

2011-02-24T07:00:00.003-06:00

"A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse." At least that is what King Richard III says in Shakespeare's Richard III (this blog has really gone high brow if I quote Shakespeare). Lately though I've been thinking ... "A job! A job! My kingdom (or farm) for a job!" The cold hard reality is that the farm is not ready to carry itself quite yet and it might not be ready for some time. As much as I would love to just throw myself into it and give it a go there just isn't enough money in the back to tide it over until things get up and going to the level it would need to be at. So I need a job ... a decent job ... in the area where the farm is ... that will allow me to keep farming at least on some level (if I want to keep the farm going).

Right now that seems like the tallest order possible. Obviously it is not the best job market out there right now, and finding a job that is in my area and provides enough financial stability with my Associate of Arts degree is proving more difficult than I had hoped. For the previous ten-and-a-half years I have done basically the same job ... working in ministry with students (both in church's and at a boarding school). To be completely honest though my biggest struggle is trying to figure out how my past experience translates into a job in the secular world.

There is me ... being brutally honest. I guess what I'm saying is if you have any tips, suggestions, job searching ideas, leads, snide remarks, or help of any sort I'm open and willing to take it all! This is something that I've never experienced before (and yes I understand that so many are having to deal with it ... and probably worse than I am) so I'm humbly asking for help.

Thank you all for your support ...

Dirty Coveralls

2011-02-23T07:00:00.003-06:00

The other day as I was throwing on my coveralls and boots in the mud room I became acutely aware of just how dirty, smelly, and blown out those poor coveralls were. That of course makes perfect sense because I wear them every day throughout the winter and I put them through a lot of abuse and of course they never fail to snag on any little sharp edge that I cross paths with. But, the reason that it really hit home with me is because it wasn't that long ago that I was at my uncle's plow day and he and my cousin were commenting on just how clean and nice looking my coveralls were ... they looked like I didn't even do any work (and to be fair to them the only thing I used them for at the time was shoveling snow).

But now ... well now they are just pretty nasty and worn and ... and ... and I love them! I love the fact that I have dirty, smelly, and blown out coveralls. I love the fact that I haven't taken the time to wash them yet this winter (in hindsight I should probably make time) because they are just such an important part of my "winter on the farm" arsenal. These coveralls have protected me from the cold and wind on the bitter winter days, they've protected my "good clothes" from the mud and yuck and other farm related goop, they've provided they perfect place to wipe my dirty goods, and they have become a visible reminder of what I'm doing.

It amazes me that such a little comment about the lack of dirt and wear on my coveralls is a comment that would stick with me, but if I'm honest with myself it amazes me even more that they are dirty, smelly, and blown out. Five years ago if you would have painted me a picture of the farm that is now a part of me I would have never believed it. I would have wanted it, but I would have never believed it! Despite all of the limiting factors (see yesterday's post) and the things that continually get me down and make me feel defeated on the farm I know that I've come a long ways and that I'm making progress.

I think that is what makes things so difficult. The fact that I've made progress and I'm seeing things come together (in there very slow way) makes me see and believe that the farm is possible. At the same time though the changing landscape of my life sometimes has me doubting the possibility of moving the farm to another level. If nothing else though I now have some dirty, smelly, and blown out coveralls ... and a stack of worn out mud boots ...

**That's my philosophical and introspective post for the week ;) Check back tomorrow and I'll try to be a bit more normal **

Limiting Factors ...

2011-02-22T07:00:00.002-06:00

Sometimes when I think about the farm I think about what I've done and what could have been done differently. Or more specifically, how I would do things differently if I started over again. All of those thoughts lead me to what I consider the limiting factors are for my farm ... not that they spell the end, but just that they are factors that limit my growth and that to succeed at a greater level I need to get past these factors. I also think they are good things for other beginning farmers like myself to consider. So ... here a four of my major limiting factors (as far as I see it) ::

Knowledge :: As has been discussed numerous times on this blog my farming background prior to starting consisted of weekends as a child at my dad's and uncle's where I was just there to tag along. This has meant that there has been a huge learning curve as I try to learn everything from books, questions, phone calls, and of course trial and error. Learning on the fly is wonderful in some ways because it causes you to really grasp something fully and think about the why's and how's of what you are actually doing. But, it can also mean that there are consequences for the lack of knowledge and there have been plenty of times that I've had to pay the consequences for not knowing enough in certain situations.

Time :: This is an interesting limiting factor and I think in some beginning farms it would be less of a factor than it is in my farm. With my desire to start a pasture based livestock farm and my lack of large amounts of cash (see the next two limiting factors below) I needed to continue working a full-time job in town to help pay the farm mortgage. Because my time is always limited the amount of time I have to spend on marketing or other things important to a direct marketing farm is much less than I would like, especially after taking time to do chores and other farm jobs. It also means that I have less time to do projects that would make the farm more efficient or help the farm grow more quickly. Time is one of the limiting factors that I butt my head up against the most it seems.

Land :: From the outset of my farm thoughts and adventure it was obvious to me that I wanted to have a pasture based livestock farm. That is just where my passions were and it is what got my juices really flowing. The thing about livestock though is that they take much more land than rows of carrots, beans, lettuce, and other garden fare. So, I ended up with 40 acres (even though that is very small in the livestock farm realm). At some point land becomes a limiting factor to my growth because even a great pasture has a limit to what it can carry. There is also the whole factor of the land payment (which also connects to the next limiting factor). With my still owned by the wonderful lending institutions I have to make payments and even on a relatively small 40 acre farm those are big enough payments. If I was farming this land and it was owned free and clear ... well, let's just say that I would have to be making a lot less money! One other factor with the land though that I know some will think about is the fact that there are other farmers out there doing stocker cattle or grassfed livestock on rented ground. I think that can be a very profitable venture and a great thing for a beginner ... if you have experience ... which I do not have.

Money :: Of course this is the obvious one, so I won't spend much time on it. But, if I had begun my farm with a decent amount of capital and I was able to pay for the farm or at least pay enough that the land payments weren't a huge factor then other things would fall into place. Or, if I was making more money in town that allowed me to hire work done (things like fence, water systems, electricity to my shed, structures, etc.) my time could be spent in other areas of growth. I'm not going to lament the money issue though. It is what it is and everyone has to deal with it in some way. I'm just saying it is one of those limiting factors that one should think about when they are diving in head first to a farm.

This is the end all list of limiting factors and points to consider when beginning a farm (or continuing a farm), but these four are the ones that pop up most in my mind as I drive around the Iowa country side and ponder the Crooked Gap. I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject and what some of your limiting factors are, and if I get really ambitious I'll try to share (it will take a while) what I would have done different if I knew what I know now.

Pricing ...

2011-02-19T17:34:00.001-06:00

When the first pigs were ready on the farm pricing was a big deal and something that was difficult to figure out. Then when the first individual cuts were ready for sale pricing became even more confusing ... at least trying to figure out what price to give each cut was confusing. Pricing is an interesting thing though because when the first prices were made my custom pig ration was running about $3.50 on average per 50 lb. bag. Now here I am over a year later (corn is now over $7 a bushel soybeans are over $13 per bushel) and the same feed is running around $8 plus per bag (unfortunately the bags are still 50 lbs.). Obviously that means that it will cost twice as much to finish a pig on the farm and that doesn't even include the rising prices of other things (fuel, materials, etc.).

One of the major upsides of direct marketing (besides getting to know the consumers) is that you can become a price maker instead of a price taker. One of the major downsides of direct marketing is that being a price maker means that sometimes I need to raise my prices to make the farm financially sustainable. Right now the live hog market seems to generally be trending up with feed prices (I realize that always/usually isn't the case), but I haven't raised my prices.

I understand that price change ... an upward price change ... might be hard to handle for some customers. With my current job changes and situations, farm mortgage, and the inputs it takes to run the farm I'm acutely aware of the fact that we need to watch every penny and squeeze them even tighter. But, on the flip side if I don't work to make the farm financially sustainable then there will be no farm for consumers like ours to visit and purchase from

I feel very strongly about the importance of farms like Crooked Gap Farm. I believe it is important to be able to get great, clean, healthy meat from your own area. I know that we need strong local business (including farms) to help sustain a community. I'm very passionate about the farm and what it's all about ... but, I hate the idea of raising prices ... even if it's what needs to happen.

A Friendly Reminder ...

2011-02-18T07:00:00.002-06:00

Sometimes I just need to give myself friendly little reminders. Today's reminder has to do with the image above ... yesterday it touched the lower 70's on the farm and it was just wonderful. All the snow is gone up around the house and the buildings and I would say that the ground was even beginning to dry up and the puddles were disappearing. But, as you can see above the weather is about to change a bit and I think I'm going to be reminded that it's still February (although I'm never going to get upset about temps in the 30's as long as everything keeps drying).

Even though there hasn't been as much snow as last year I feel like this has been a long winer and I'm ready to move on and start getting projects done on the farm instead of just keeping up with things. It's not that I think I will have much more time when the weather gets warmer, but that the sun will stay out to play longer so that I will be more efficient with the time that I have.

Like I say ... sometimes I need a friendly little reminder on the farm. Today I need to be reminded that spring is not here yet (but it's coming) and that today's mud will eventually turn into summer's green grass. That will happen right ...

Bar the Doors and Lock up Your Pigs

2011-02-17T11:59:00.000-06:00

With live hog prices hitting $60 plus dollars per hundred weight and feeder pig prices going through the roof I have a feeling stories like this won't be completely out of the ordinary. That's right ... in my own little Iowa county a couple of hog rustlers have been caught trying to take 13 stolen hogs to the sale barn. I guess they decided that with feed prices going through the roof it would be easier and more profitable to steal the pigs instead of raise them and feed them out ... of course I don't think they factored in the possibility of getting caught!

The pigs were valued at $2408 (which breaks down to $185.23 per pig). Let's just say that I'm going to keep eye on my pigs from now on ... of course someone stealing my pigs would entail them actually penning them back up (yes they like to get out) and then loading them into a trailer. I think I'll be safe ...

Mud and Farrowing Fun ...

2011-02-16T11:49:00.000-06:00

It has been unseasonably warm lately. The kind of warm that has me thinking about spring and green grass, but I'm trying to keep myself grounded and remember that it is still the middle of February. Obviously the frost hasn't left the ground yet, but the top couple of inches are thawing and making everything nice and muddy ... which I'm not going to complain about! The warm weather though came at just the perfect time though because yesterday my second Tamworth sow farrowed in the lean-to off the back of the shed. You can check out my Twitter feed to see the new picture.

This sow was the last of the group of four I purchased a few weeks ago and so far so good with her. Well I guess I should say ... so far so okay. She, like the others, would not farrow in the huts and I'm a little disappointed that the instinct of building a nest in them did not come out like I've experienced with some of my other sows (the Hereford and the crosses). She did only lose one so far (it was dead when I found it) and after a few hours I was able to get her calmed down and in the hut with her pigs. I checked her throughout the night and then again this morning and the only problem was that one little pig had found its way out. I nailed a board up on the door hoping to keep them in, but I did that last night as well and the sow wouldn't go in ... I'm hoping that her spending the night in the hut will take care of that problem.

It's during these farrowing times and other times like this that I realize just how much I have to learn! Don't get me wrong, I do feel like I've come a long way, but there are plenty of times when I feel like things aren't going well and I don't know what I'm doing! You just have to keep your chin up and keep pressing on though ...

2011 Farmer's Markets Season

2011-02-11T07:00:00.002-06:00

Either it is the seven day forecast that includes above freezing temperatures that has me thinking about the upcoming market season or the e-mail that I received from the Des Moines Downtown Farmer's Market, either way it's really on my mind. This year I'm really hoping to up my market involvement and the farm's visibility to consumers. I think it is just the next natural step in the process of a beginning farm.

Last summer I did a Wednesday evening market that was more small than it was large. It would have been nice to have a slightly more successful market season, but in all honestly it was a perfect start for me. Since I had no background in marketing or setting up a booth it was good to have a chance to get things going at a market that was a little less stressful. I took away a lot of things ... things that I need to change and things that I need to improve in order to make more sales and to be more efficient. For example, I feel like I need to come up with a better system for checking out customers ... it just seemed slow!

But, the one thing I really need help with is my farmer's market booth/space/tent thing. I feel like all those fruit and vegetable farmers have it easy because they can cover their tables with their beautiful produce each week. On the other hand when I show up at the farmer's market I have coolers full of frozen meat. That is not exactly something you want to put out on the table for customers to look at ... the rancid meat isn't a super draw! So, I have to come up with a super duper market table that catches the eye of all the customers walking by and draws them in.

If anyone has any ideas or examples of what you've done in the past please let me know. I'm always on the lookout for some creative help and great ideas! Also, if there are any books or publications please let me know. I did come across this book on Amazon though ... it has some decent reviews, so I might check it out.

Little Things and a Thank You ...

2011-02-10T07:00:00.004-06:00

Sometimes it's the little things on the farm that amaze me. Or more specifically the little things that have become routine parts of my life since taking on the farm. Here are just a few mundane and not so mundane things that have become part of my farming life. For someone who grew up on the farm these things are just things that happen in the course of the life of a farm ... for me ... well, let's just say I didn't grow up on the farm!

I am working on perfecting the art of the hose drain. After stretching out the 300 feet of hose to water the hogs/cattle/sheep I need to drain all of the water out in order to keep the hose from freezing shut. I've worked out a great system ... I hold the hose above my head and count to fifteen (my unscientific research tells me that 15 is the perfect number). After my fifteen count I reach ahead a couple of feet and repeat the process. I do this every day ...
In the past week I've had to lance an infection on a baby pig not once, but twice. Many people that have known me my whole life might be surprised that I just take this as part of the farm and that I can do it without losing my cookies. Let's just say that most of the time I don't have a stomach for most things, but for some reason when it comes to the farm I can just dig in and do it. Even when there was that rectal prolapse that one time ...
Circumstances that I have had no control over this winter have led to my arms being completely submerged in water ... while the temperature is hovering around zero and the water temperature was struggling to stay above freezing. It's just one of those things that you have to do on the farm.
A few weeks ago I spent an hour laying in deep bedding in the pig shed trying to introduce some baby pigs back to their mother who had decided to have them in the alleyway instead of in the hut. Of course prior to me laying in the deep bedding I was in the house feeding the little pigs some electrolytes and warming them up while their mother was trying to tear apart the hut I had put her in ... in the end things kinda worked out.

Those things may seem simple or common place for those with more experience than me, but at the end of the day I'm proud that I can accomplish something! Sometimes it's just important to find comfort and strength in the simple things of the farm ... even if they are a little out of the ordinary.

There is one more thing though. I just want to send out a big thank You for the surprise gift that I received this week. Let's just say someone really knows me and I'm thankful to have them in my life. I can't even begin to express my gratitude and I hope this gets to You! Thank You ...

"Accidental Farmers" :: A New Book

2011-02-09T07:00:00.000-06:00

Way back in December of 2007 I had the opportunity to interview Tim Young of Nature's Harmony Farm (you can read the four part interview HERE ... HERE ... HERE ... HERE). I'm not positive, but I'm fairly sure that at the time of the Q & A interview the farm was in it's very beginning stages and they were just beginning to get their feet wet. One thing that I noticed as I read through the interviews again is that they have remained true to their values as their farm has grown and as they have grown as farmers. I'm sure you'll noticed that they have learned along the way, but it's also obvious that they have worked things through in their minds and they have a focused vision.

What is exciting now is that Mr. Young now has a book available titled "Accidental Farmers" that is hot off the presses. You can order your paperback copy here, if you have a Kindle it will be available soon from Amazon (ordering through Amazon also helps support Crooked Gap Farm), and I believe it will be on the iTunes store soon as well. If you would like to check out a sample chapter head to the "Accidental Farmers" website or check out this link.

Last night I took some time to read through the preview chapter titled, "Pig Tales". I think my best one sentence summation would be :: Mr. Young gives you a great inside look at the happenings and thoughts of a couple beginning farmers ... and he holds nothing back! Really it was great to see his honesty and transparency in his writing because it gave a great glimpse of exactly what it was like starting from the very beginning (and pigs were the first animals to come to their farm). In this chapter, and probably throughout the rest of the book, Mr. Young shares experiences from the farm ... insight into their values and methods ... and honest descriptions of beginning farmer experiences (really honest!).

If you know anything about Nature's Harmony Farm I suggest you check this book out. If you don't know anything about Nature's Harmony Farm I suggest you check this book out! No matter what your farming methods are you I think you will be able to take something away from each chapter, and if nothing else you have to respect the work and passion that they have put into their farm and the animals they raise.

A Thriving Local Food System :: Joel Salatin

2011-02-08T07:00:00.004-06:00

Sometimes I feel like I'm pretty tech savvy farmer who understands the world of social media. Other times I feel like a farmer who kind of understands Blogger, but not much else. Either way ... I was excited to see that @chelseagreen (the book publisher) was following me on Twitter. To be completely honest I'm always a bit excited when I have a new follower, but I was especially happy about this one because it lead me to their own Twitter account and quite a few neat links.

One that I found really interesting is a link to an older article from Australia that features Joel Salatin talking about how to have a thriving local food system. Mr. Salatin lists six areas of need for a local food system :: Producer, Young People on the Farm, Accounting, Marketing, Distribution, and a Buyer/Patron. Under each one of those areas he hits a few bullet points in greater detail. Plus if you're interested there is a link at the bottom of the article for a radio interview.

A few things that stuck in my mind after reading through his talking points were the importance of having "a Jeffersonian intellectual agrarian concept" (I wonder how that played in Australia), that the farm needs a "gregarious story teller," his break down of the Polyface Farm sales, and of course the importance of the customer. I really appreciate the way that Mr. Salatin likes to pull out things from history so that we can recognize the importance of our past and how things worked out before our agricultural systems started the major changes. Of course I'm not suggesting we make the change back to 18th century agriculture (although it would be right up my alley), but I do think it's important for us to remember and learn from our history!

The Beginning Farmer on the Kindle (and more)

2011-02-07T07:00:00.008-06:00

Sometimes you just need to try new things, and right now I'm thinking about trying some new things. I've been blogging on this site for nearly four-and-a-half years now and I've amassed nearly 750 blog posts in that time and I have gained a lot! I have learned a lot of things from all of the readers and lately I have been encouraged as the farm and I go though some changes. One thing that I've always be scared of doing though is throwing a lot of ads up on the site. You may have noticed a few from time to time, but for the most part I figured that I was receiving more than I could ever possibly hope to give just from the comments left by everyone.

Of course all that is just a lot of fancy talk to say that I'm now going to have some advertisements up on the blog ;) At least I'm going to try some out for now. I've added some ads and I'm going to try it for a while. I'm also going to be adding some Amazon advertisements (mostly for the books that I really appreciate and talk about). They way the Amazon deal works is that the blog gets a cut if you click through and make your purchases by going through the links on my site.

Which brings me to one other thing that I'm trying right now. If you are a Kindle user (which I'm not ... yet ... I think they are pretty neat though and with my book obsession one might come in handy) you can now subscribe to The Beginning Farmer blog for a monthly rate and have each post delivered directly to your Kindle. It may seem like a frivolous thing, but I'm just throwing it out there for anyone that wants to keep up-to-date on the blog.

As I've mentioned in previous posts lately I've mentioned trying to think outside of the box and come up with ways to work more creatively and at the same time in my areas of passion. Besides farming itself one of the things that I'm passionate about is sharing my farm story and encouraging and helping others along a similar path. As I try to think of these outside of the box ideas I keep coming back in my mind to "The Contrary Farmer" by Gene Logsdon. He wrote about the diverse farm that not only had a large variety of farm income sources (livestock, produce, etc.), but also other ways of making income (repair, wood sales, anything along those lines). I love that idea!

The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer :: Chapter 2 Book Report

2011-02-04T07:00:00.000-06:00

The second chapter of Joel Salatin's latest book is titled, "Grass Farmer" and it is another one of those passion topics for him. It's easy to understand why because the soil and the grass (and the sun) are the basis of any farm like Mr. Salatin's. In this chapter he gives a great overview of the importance of grass and the basics of grass farming. You can tell that he has changed his grazing management over time and has now moved to more of tall grass mob grazing system as opposed to the managed intensive grazing he practiced when he wrote "Salad Bar Beef". Of course it's all some sort of managed grazing.

If you've read anything on the subject of mob grazing before he hits all the main points in an overview sort of way ... grass being a mirror image above and below ground, the use of grazing management that mimics nature, the importance of keeping your nutrients and water on your farm, and things like that. But, the thing that I really took away from this chapter is fact that I love the location of my house.

I used to drive around the Iowa countryside and wonder what exactly got into a person's head that they decided to build a nice house in the middle of a corn field ... with no trees in sight. It just seemed like it would be so awful to live out in the middle of the corn field with nothing exciting to look at except for the dirt and the corn/soybeans. I just thought it seemed weird to have a beautiful and expensive new house in the middle of nothing.

Then of course I chose the top of a hill with no trees for the location for my house! When the house was being built I always envisioned where the trees would be and what they would look like when the were mature shade trees all around the house and barnyard. Then I lived here for awhile and something crazy happened ... I decided I wasn't crazy about a ton of trees. In fact I really liked not having them blocking my view of the pasture! There was just something beautiful about looking out at the grass and the livestock doing their thing.

As I said yesterday my soil is not where I want it to be or need it to be and my grass is the same way. But, this encourages me. It encourages me that eventually I'll be able to look out (with a couple trees around the yard ... not blocking my view) to a grass land that sustains a variety of livestock and wildlife ... just like a few hundred years ago in this same location.

The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer :: Chapter 1 Book Report

2011-02-03T08:00:00.001-06:00

It's been awhile since I've taken the time to do a book report, but I've been wanting to make the time as I pick my way through Joel Salatin's latest book, "The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer". I know that you're not supposed to judge a book by the cover (or the title in this case), but if you were going to do that I think the title alone would be enough to interest you in this book. Really ... who wouldn't want to enjoy the life of a "Lunatic Farmer"!

Before I get to the first chapter let me just quickly mention something from the introduction. Mr. Salatin shares a little story about a time where he was trying to get a load of sawdust for the farm. He relates that all was well until the man delivering the load realized just who he would be delivering to and then he backed out because he said that Polyface Farm was cruel to it's animals by not giving hormones or grain and making them live outside. I have no reason to doubt this really happened and all I can say is ... WOW!!! Now, one to chapter one ...

The first chapter of this book is titled, "Growing Soil". If you have read any other books by Mr. Salatin you will recognize some of the same stories, but I think there is a reason for this. He is passionate about the soil being the basis for all that a farm is and can be so we expresses that every chance he gets. At least that is what I take away from it.

It's always encouraging for me to read success stories like this when it comes to rehabilitating the ground. From the stories Mr. Salatin relates his ground was very bad when the family purchased it and now it is like a completely different farm. I don't think my farm is anywhere near what he had to deal with (and that's good because he had a head start from the help of his dad's farming practices), but I know that my soil is not where I want it to be so it is always good to read about the possibilities.

As always his keys are adding carbons to your soil, keeping your nutrients (manure) on your farm, letting the animals work for you, using perennials to grow soil health, and recognizing what soil really is. Healthy soil is packed full of living and moving and breathing organisms that all play a part in creating a healthy farm. If we take the time to key in on the importance of this then we will understand just how important a farm full of living and breathing dirt really is!

2011 INCA Conference

2011-02-02T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Iowa Network for Community Agriculture (INCA) is an organization that honestly I didn't know much about until recently. But, it is an organization that I should know more about ... especially after I realized that three of the members on the leadership are (somewhat) neighbors or people that I have had a chance to meet quite a few times. After bumping around their website a little I think it sounds like a pretty cool organization with goals and values that are very similar to mine. I encourage you to check out their website and see what they are all about (even if you're not from Iowa).

But, the real reason I'm brining up INCA today is because on Saturday, March 5th I'll have the opportunity to share at one of their afternoon workshops. The workshop that I will be a part of (along with an organic grain/meat goat farmer) will be about marketing and the various venues that you can seek out to market your products. I'm always excited about opportunities like this because I love to talk about the farm, but more importantly because I always seem to learn so much through the connections that I make at these events.

All to often I find myself isolating myself from others that can help me shape my vision and goals for the farm and it takes things like this for me to break out of my shell and get plugged in. If you're farming now (or interested in farming in the future) I really want to encourage you to attend as many conferences, field days, meetings, or other gatherings of farmers that you can. It's opportunities like those where you can really learn and be encouraged. I know I need it as often as I can get it!

Living on the Crooked Road ...

2011-02-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

The name "Crooked Gap Farm" comes from the fact that the farm is located just off the "Crooked Road to Melcher". Unless you live in my area or have traveled this slightly winding road though the idea of the "Crooked Road to Melcher" is pretty much meaningless ... although I do think it helps create a great farm name! One thing that I think we can all relate to though is the fact that life sometimes is a "crooked road". Like traveling on a crooked road ... we can't always see what is coming ahead of us or even what is around the next bend.

Life is full of bends and turns on the crooked road and my life has been no exception. Just recently I found myself no longer working at the church where I have served for the last six plus years. It was one of those crooked road moments where they road in front of me just took a big swinging bend and I was faced with a new road ahead. I know that the road ahead has something laid out for me though and I'm impatiently nervous to see what is ahead.

Of course one big question floating around in my head right now is how the farm will fit into this new section of road that lays before me. I think beginning a farm enterprise (or any business for that matter) from scratch will always have a large uphill climb at the beginning, but that at some point you will feel like you are starting to climb and make progress. While I don't feel like I had completely made it up this first hill yet I do think that farm was and is just starting to take off. I feel like I'm starting to gain on the learning curve a little, that some of the marketing things are coming together, and that I see that success is possible for this farm and this place.

One thing I do know is that I'm passionate about the farm. Even though sometimes I feel like there have been more trials than success stories in the beginning I am excited about the possibilities of creating a farm that can provide a great product to the surrounding communities and a sustainable living. I love working with the customers ... I love seeing the animals do their thing out on pasture ... I love being part of the farm and I think that Crooked Gap Farm can work!

But, there is always a but ... But, I can only continue the farm here (and in some ways I feel like I can only continue it here or no where else) if I can figure out a work situation that allows me to get the farm going the rest of the way. The reality is that it takes quite a bit to start from nothing and build it to something ... especially when there is a mortgage and other start up costs involved. And, I haven't quite reached the point yet where the farm is supporting itself all the way and helping pay for the farm.

So, that is where the crooked road is leading right now. I'm working to keep my chin up and figure out ways that the farm can continue on. I'm searching for jobs around the area that would allow me to keep it all together, and I'm really trying to come up with those outside of the box ideas that will really allow me to throw myself into the farm!

**Insert Awkwardness Here** I know that there are quite a few readers of this blog and I'm always surprised by the number of people that pop in from time to time. I also know that I've been blessed by so many of the suggestions, comments, and encouragements posted on the blog or e-mailed to me. Right now though the farm is kind of in a tight spot as I look to find the next move on the road ahead. If you would have any job suggestions (creative or mundane) I would be truly grateful. And, I'll do my best to keep everyone updated with the farm in the meantime ...

The Cost of Farming ...

2011-01-17T22:29:00.002-06:00

I've been thinking a lot about the cost of farming lately. Today it was on the front of my mind because I placed another feed order and picked up some cracked corn while I was there ... a 50 lb bag of cracked corn is now up to $6.30. That is a considerable amount more than the $4.25 or so that I was paying the the middle of 2010. Of course that is only one part of the cost of farming. Besides feed there is water, electricity, mineral or other supplements, and on and on and on!

But, the costs don't stop with just the livestock care on the farm. It seems like everywhere I turn I am buying something. Part of that is because everything on my farm is here for the very first time ... that means that I have a lot of first time expenses. For example I just went and purchased a bunch of heat lamps. There will be times that I need to replace one or two at a time in the future, but I won't need to buy a bunch at once until I expand or add to the farm in some way. The reality of it is though that having a farm means having an inventory of certain things on the farm ... no matter how low input your farm is. You'll always need bolts, nuts, screws, nails, fence staples, tools, wire, twine, water tank plugs, hoses, extension cords, and of course the list is endless!

The one cost though that I've been thinking about the most though lately is the intangiable cost of my labor. Running a farm, beginning a farm, or just working on someone else's farm can be mentally and emotionally exhausting (as can about any other job). But, when I combine my farm work with 60 hours (or more usually) in town and special weekend youth events that pop up fairly regularly my time becomes more precious.

It's the intangiable's like time and when that time takes place (meaning I do a lot of work after 10:00 PM that really starts to add up. But, I'm committed to the farm. I'm committed to the idea that something special can happen on 40 acres ... I think that I can work out a system that produces great meat and restores the pastures and the soils ... I think that it will work. But, there is and will always be a lot of "costs" associated with farming.

If I ever wrote a book for beginning farmers I think some of the "costs" is something I would cover. What are some of the "costs" you experience that sometimes get overlooked?

Crazy Times ...

2011-01-10T00:14:00.002-06:00

It has been a little crazy on the farm lately and it doesn't seem like it will be slowing down much this week. In fact I would say that it has even been crazier than normal (if there is a normal). Because of that I haven't had a time to sit down and update the blog much lately, so I thought I would just hit some bullet points of farm happenings ...

Since I need to keep my chin up I just thought I would be positive and mention that I'm really loving the sheep. They are all staying in their home now and they are a nice hardy flock willing to eat whatever hay I give them and do well on it! This past week I put two big bales in on the same day and all the cows and sheep attacked one bale until it was gone. The cows wouldn't go over to the other, but the sheep were going to town on it. I put a new bale in for the cows and the sheep still kept working on the other bale ... I love the sheep now!
It seems like winter has really set in now. We don't have much snow (yet), but the ground is frozen pretty solid and I was having a hard time putting in steel posts this past week (see next point on why I was doing that).
About two weeks ago now I was able to find some bred sows for sale. That was just the motivation I needed to finish up the different pig areas and clean out the lean-to in order to use it for farrowing. Needless to say I needed to pound in some posts ... see the post above for how well that worked ...
I realized I would like to drive in about 20 more posts. I'm not so sure it will happen (see previous two points).
I picked up two Tamworth sows and two Berkshire sows. They are all bred to a Tamworth boar and should be farrowing soon. By that I mean the three others that didn't farrow in the trailer will be farrowing soon! Yes ... that's right ... my pigs farrow in the trailer ... I guess I should try to figure out a better system than that! So far it is working out though and she has eight pigs. The funny thing though is that since there were four sows in there I had to figure out exactly which one the pigs belonged to. There were no visible signs, so I did the next best thing ... I milked all four of them and only found one that would give any milk. That's who the pigs are with now ...
Oh ... and tomorrow I'm hiring one of my past youth group kids to build some hog huts with me ... outside in the cold ... late into the night. It's okay though, he is a tough kid!

Second Shift Farming

2011-01-04T22:46:00.003-06:00

I've decided that for the time being I'm going to call myself a second shift farmer. Although lately things have be running dangerously close (and fully into) the third shift. But, I will feel better about myself if I just keep thinking that I get it all done in the second shift ;) Of course I realize there are many second shift farmers out there, but it does really become more noticeable in the winter because of the ... DARKNESS!

This week I've been using my late nights to work on winter farrowing set up for some sows. I was able to use the tractor the past couple of nights to clean out the old deep bedding from the shed. Then I put up some panels in front of my hay feeder for the cattle (I'm feeding all round bales this year so it wasn't being used). I did this because I didn't want them crawling in there getting stuck. I will say though, that the most fun part of the project was pounding in some posts into the frozen ground ... but, it needed to be done.

Once I had that all done I spread an entire straw round bale around in the area and took in my first a-frame hut. The idea is to have the huts lined up against one wall with deep bedding in them and around them. With this set up I'll be able to put a heat lamp in each hut and with the deep bedding I think it will provide a nice farrowing environment for the sows. I know one thing for sure ... it will be better than they've had the past couple winters here!

I work about the same amount of time outside each night, but tonight was one of those nights were I could look out and see my accomplishment. Those kind of nights don't happen very often, but I'm always glad when they do.

January 2, 2011

2011-01-02T20:12:00.002-06:00

Dear Diary,

Today was not so bad outside. The sun was shining for the most part and although there was a little more wind than I would say is ideal the temperature was nicely hovering around the freezing mark. I am glad to report that today ... finally ... just in time I'm sure ... I moved the pigs outside to their new hut and winter area. Plus, I filled up that new house on skids with lots and lots of fluffy straw so they could burrow in for a nice winter sleep. Now ... if I could just get a good water solution figured out ...

Yep, that's what I did this afternoon. The grower pigs are moved outside and the shed lean-to is ready to be cleaned out ... hopefully with the skid loader from work. As I said not everything is done. I still need to get a better water system figured out and I want to make a platform for the bulk feeder, but it is a start ... a much needed start! Hopefully this week I can bring home a couple 4x6's and build my platform to put the feeder on. Having the feeder on skids means that I will be able to drag it around easily and the area right around the feeder won't get bombed out. I'm not exactly sure if I need it or if it will work, but I want to give it a try.

One thing I did notice tonight as I surveyed the farm while draining the hose is just how portable my farm is. I have four permanent structures on the farm :: the house, the perimeter fence, the shed, and my loading corral. I will say though that my loading corral could easily be dismantled with the tractor and loader so I'm not sure if I would count that one. I like the ability to move and change things as the farm grows or changes. Of course there will always be a need for larger structures (like the shed), but the ability to move things around sure is nice.

Right now I'm trying to figure out how to make a movable brooding house. I'm thinking of doing something along the lines of my hog shed on skids except that I would put in a plywood floor in the brooder. Does anyone have any thoughts on the brooder? Should I think about insulating the floor and possibly the the whole thing? Lots to think about these days ...

Frozen Stuff ...

2011-01-01T20:41:00.003-06:00

Marion County's largest NAPA and Knoxville's best Farm and Home store were closed for the holiday today (it's the only NAPA and only Farm store ... and I work there). That meant I had the whole windy day to work outside on the farm and hopefully catch up on projects that I have been slow to finish. I had a rather long list, but realistically I had a couple of things that I wanted/needed to finish up today. But, most of all I was excited to do chores in the daylight because I was beginning to forget what that was like.

So, as soon as I went out I started feeding pigs and getting ready to water the cows and then everyone else. Yesterday I had brought the hoses in to thaw (after breaking the plastic threads off of one) so I was set ... or at least I thought I was set. I hooked up the one good hose to the hydrant and then hooked up my "back-up" hose to the good hose. I went and put the end into the cattle tank and turned on the hydrant ... nothing! After some investigation I found that for the first time ever my hydrant was frozen ... crazy!

I brought both hoses back inside just to be safe and then attacked the hydrant with boiling water. It worked right away and I ran in (literally) to get the hoses and set everything back up. This time when I turned on the water I could hear it flowing, but my heart sank as I also saw the water flowing out of my "back-up" hose like a sprinkler all the way down the line. On a positive note if I need a soaker hose for the garden next year I have one ...

Did I mention that Knoxville's best Farm and Home store was closed for the holiday? Well ... it was! And, Walmart didn't have any hoses out (not a surprise). All of this led me to the church to borrow a hose which I promptly took back to the farm and hooked up ready to go ... oh wait ... that hose is frozen as well. I guess that shouldn't surprise me because I'm pretty sure I was the last one to use the hose way back in August when I was filling up water balloons.

Anyways ... to close up this long story ... I took that hose inside and let it thaw out (there was a lot of ice in there). And, instead of finishing up the chores in daylight ... I watered the livestock in the dark just as usual. Moral of the story? Have good hoses ... nice ... thick ... metal ended hoses! Drain them very well, and if your water hydrant is frozen try boiling water first. If that doesn't work, my all knowing (I'm serious he knows everything!) uncle told me to pile up straw around it and light it on fire. That would have been so cool ... but it was a bit windy ;)

Mistakes ...

2010-12-31T22:29:00.003-06:00

Tomorrow is the first day of 2011 which means that I've had this blog floating around for the past four plus years. In those years I have transitioned from book reading to farm buying and finally to kinda farming. But, one thing that has been consistent over all of those years is the fact that I have made mistakes. I made mistakes in my planning, I made mistakes in my early decisions, I made mistakes in my initial farm ventures, and I've made plenty of mistakes after moving to the farm and trying to ramp things up.

They say you are supposed to learn from your mistakes and I guess that is what I've been trying today. I'm beginning to feel like I should write a book about my mistakes and the lessons I've learned because it seems like the mistakes/lessons grow by multiples of ten! And, I'm beginning to think that sometimes it takes a few repeat mistakes before I figure the lesson out ... Here are some lessons that I've learned that were in my mind tonight as I was working outside ::

When you've never farmed before there are lots of little things that you would never think about. After a couple years in I'm still finding those little things and I count on finding them as long as I farm ... it's an unpredictable game.
You have to have shoulders like a rain coat so that things will just roll off of you. There are ups and there are downs ... and when you start from scratch there will be plenty of downs.
Slow down. I don't like slow, but you need to slow down regardless ... unless you have enough capital to just force things along.
Cold weather just plain stinks ... period ... end of story.
Don't paint yourself in a corner ... that means a lot of things at different times, but I think it's an important lesson!

So, there are just a few of the lessons that I was thinking about tonight as I was outside in the wind (those 60º temps are long gone by the way). One of these days I should write down all of those lessons ... all of those little things that never even crossed my mind as I was reading all my farming books and dreaming. Maybe ... maybe I'll just write a book ... I always wanted to be a writer when I was a kid, just like I always wanted to be a farmer ...

Make Hay When the Sun Shines ...

2010-12-30T23:34:00.005-06:00

The old saying says that you have to make hay when the sun shines. I've decided that another good saying would be, "When January is coming, pound in fence posts when the temperature hits 60º and the ground is soft!" So ... since the all of those factors were the case this evening I spent the night outside with my headlamp and post driver. Here it is almost January and I find myself still preparing for winter ... it's not something I'm happy about, but it is reality so I'm taking it as it comes.

What I'm trying to finish up is the winter area for the pigs. I have the hut for them ... I have the straw for them ... I have the spot picked out ... I don't have the fence done quite yet. But, I will have it done soon and then hopefully everything will come together quickly. The place I have for them is north of my shed and I'm going to place some tin along the west and north sides of the fence and of course they will have the hut to go inside that will have straw bedding. It should work out this year for the few pigs I have and then I'll see what happens next year.

Not much on the farm is very permanent and this new pen I'm building fits into that "not very" category. I'm just finding that most of the time I'm not quite sure exactly where I want something on the farm, so it is best to keep things simple and then just change it up if I don't like it. It may take a little more work in the beginning because I'm always putting up ... tearing down ... and putting up again, but I think in the future it will make the farm better suited for me and the way I want to farm.

For the time being though ... I'll just take all the 50º plus days I can get!

Snow :: Mush :: Ice

2010-12-29T20:51:00.002-06:00

The title says it all. Before Christmas the snow came. It wasn't a lot of snow, but it was enough to give the state a white Christmas and frustrate me (I really was hoping for a no snow winter). Now there are warmer temperatures and there is rain in the forecast (that will create the always exciting mush). And then by this weekend things are forecasted to cool down again and that will turn the mush back into ice (actually ... of the three choices I prefer this one the most). All of this is rather irrelevant in the whole scheme of the farm, but it does keep chores interesting and makes me wish that I would have made it a bigger priority to get chains for the tractor this year!

Last winter I pretty much got anything stuck that could get stuck and I decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to head into another winter without tractor chains. But, as the summer went along and I was never able to find any in the sweet spot of my price range (read inexpensive, but still high quality) I now find myself in a sloppy position with no chains. This isn't the end of the world though and just means I need to take precautions. One thing I do in if I have want to take the tractor down to the woods or something like that is put a bale on the 3-point spear so that I bit more weight on the back end. It's not the best solution, but it does help some.

The big thing that is going through my mind right now though is the farmer's market season. Last year I did my first market and while it was a good experience for learning it didn't quite make enough sales wise because it was not very well attended. This year I won't have much more product during the market season than I did last year, but by the time fall comes around I should have more hogs ready to go, a crop of lamb, and maybe a steer (possibly poultry as well). That could mean as many as 18 hogs that would need to be sold, potentially 30 lambs, and some beef. I'm afraid that without making any more customer contacts at a market this summer I will have a tough time selling out in the fall/winter.

Any thoughts on the upcoming market season? I'm open for suggestions ...

Forcefully Positive ...

2010-12-21T22:49:00.002-06:00

When I was a kid my farm was the hardwood floor of my bedroom floor in town. The boards made the perfect rows for my tractors and harvesting equipment and the bottom track for the closet door always became the cattle feed trough. It was a ready made farm and I think I was a pretty good bedroom farmer. I'm pretty sure that I spent countless hours with the rug rolled up in my bedroom farming and dreaming! But, now that I'm a grown up farmer the reality of the farm isn't quite as romantic as that farm on my bedroom floor ... for one thing I don't have box full of tractors and implements!

When things got tough on my bedroom farm I could just box everything up and call it a day. On my grown up farm I'm not able to pack up and move on to the next game ... and sometimes I dwell on that. So tonight I'm forcing myself to come up with three positive things on the farm right now. Three things that I can look at and feel good about ... hopefully I'm not up all night thinking!

Even though the days are going to get colder and I'm pretty sure there will be more snow there is one positive that I can hold onto. Since it is now officially winter the days will begin growing instead of shrinking! According to this calendar I should gain 45 minutes of daylight between the January 1st and 31st. Despite the cold and snow that I know will come over the next month the extra daylight is something I can get excited about! If I'm wrong about this ... well just don't tell me and let me live in my dream ...
Despite the rogue sheep that keep getting out (although with some extra posts they seem to be staying closer to home) I'm pretty pleased with the way they have been adjusting to the farm and handling the winter weather. There haven't been any super snow storms yet or week long cold snaps, but the wind has blown and it has gotten pretty frigid. It just seems like they sheep flock up and hang-out when the weather gets bad ... and they are doing well. I'm hoping this apparent hardiness is something that sticks with them throughout the winter and carries on into the lambing season. That would be just very nice thank you very much ...
I have hay and straw and I think maybe ... possibly ... hopefully I have enough. I know that I have enough straw on the farm now to last the winter (although I'm not really set-up to use it yet) and with 47 plus bales of hay on the farm I'm thinking it might be enough. Honestly I'm not quite sure how much hay I will need, but I have enough hay for the initial bales I purchased to get through December and then the 47 bales I just purchased to make it until grass shows up. They're heavy and tightly wrapped bales and I think they will be enough, but with the sheep now and the uncertainties of winter weather I guess I'll just have to see how it lasts. On the whole though I'm glad to have it and relieved. Last winter it was a constant search and battle for hay ... hopefully that will not be the case this year.

There ... I did it ... three positives from the farm! Now I just need to keep those in the front of my mind and just tackle everything else as it comes ...

The Future of Forestry ... Or Farming

2010-12-20T22:28:00.000-06:00

"How will the legend of the age of trees

Feel, when the last tree falls in England?

When the concrete spreads and the town conquers

The country’s heart..."

Oddly enough this is not the first time that I have mentioned a poem on my blog (I actually love poetry when my mood is right). In fact not only have I shared poetry more than once, but this is even the second time I've referenced "The Future of Forestry" by C.S. Lewis. I encourage you to read the poem ... and then read it again ... and maybe one more time for posterity, because I'm not sure if a poem can sink in the first or second time through. For some reason this poem has been on my mind lately and I'm not exactly sure why, but I do have a few thoughts ::

While I'm not very convinced that the last tree will ever fall in England (or anywhere for that matter), or that the country will be covered with concrete from shore to shore I do get the concept. I understand what Mr. Lewis was getting at. I think I've mentioned this before, but my mom spent 36 years teaching grade school in Waterloo, IA. The same Waterloo, IA that is surrounded by farms in every direction, is the home of multiple John Deere factories, and holds a yearly event called Cattle Congress! But, as the years progressed in her teaching career her students lost the connection to the farm, and even basic knowledge of the farm. My old toy tractors became her teaching tools! It isn't so much the reality of farms going away that is scary, but rather the connection with them.
In the middle of the poem the students are asking, "What was a chestnut?" and "What was Autumn?" Think of those questions in farm terms ... Is it possible that we could get to a point where children would ask, "Where does bacon come from?" or "What is a farm?" The story of the farm needs to be told. The Farm Bureau is saying that the farm story is needs to be told and local farmers all over the country are saying the story needs to be told. That is probably one major thing both the small-scale/local/natural/direct-marketing farmers and the large-scale industrial agriculture farmers can agree on.
But really, I think the reason I ended up on this poem again is because the farm kind of has me down lately. I feel like I'm getting knocked backwards more than I am even taking baby steps forwards and it frustrates me. And so with my farming heart in that state I ended up on a poem about forests and concrete and England ... and for some reason I was a little renewed and a little more excited about the farm. But, I still don't know what it's all going to look like in six months ...

I guess what I'm really trying to say is that you should read the poem. I don't know if I understand it very well (I think I know what I get out of it at this moment though), but I really enjoy it and I've been reading it a lot. And, I'll ask a similar question to the one I asked after I mentioned this poem for the first time back in February of 2009. What are you reading now? More specifically, are you reading anything that is energizing your passion for the farm?

(As for a farm update ... I'm still messing around with my tractor that has battery/generator/shorting issues ... hopefully sometime I can tell you what the real problem is)

Different Day :: Same Story

2010-12-19T23:45:00.002-06:00

Saturday and Sunday were both very similar days. Both days included work at my town job (Saturday at NAPA and Sunday at church), and both days included trips down the road to pick up straw and unloading hay at the farm. The good news is that I now have 47 more bales of hay sitting out in front of the winter lot and that makes me very much relieved! Also, in between unloading the hay I was able to make three trips to bring back the large round bales of straw ... only 5 more to go! I have a sneaky suspicion that I'll have more straw than I need, but I'm not going to complain about that because I'm sure I'll find a use for it. It wasn't all perfect though ... I seem to be having some battery issues with the tractor. Meaning ... the battery died while the tractor was running ... which kind of was no fun! I'll have to look into it ...

All my time on the tractor and doing chores outside did give me plenty of time to think, and today I thought about trucks. Just in my 1.5 mile trips back and forth to get the straw I saw a lot of pick-up trucks sitting in driveways and along the road (deer season). I've decided that I live in some sort of epi-center of trucks. The farmers have them, high school kids have them, and even guys in town that use the truck bed of their truck twice a year have them! I ... I have no truck, but that doesn't mean I'm not trying to find one!

With all the trucks around here you'd think I would be able to get my hands on one that meets all my requirements, but alas I've had no luck. I have an app on my phone that alerts me anytime a 3/4 ton truck is posted on Craigslist in the area (the good ones are always a long ways away) and I check the classifieds for the area all the time. But, I'm just not able to find the right one. I guess I'll just have to be patient ... and wait ... for the right truck ;) But, patience isn't always one of my strong points.

Tractors With Cabs ...

2010-12-18T20:34:00.002-06:00

Some tractors have climate controlled cabs (heat, a/c, radio, and all that good stuff). My tractor as the beautiful winter air for cab. But, I'm not complaining because I'm just plain glad to have a working tractor at all (even though my PTO is out ... AGAIN!). This morning I was making 1.5 mile trips to pick up some big round bales of straw that I bought. The temperature wasn't very bad and the trip there was actually pretty comfortable, but the return trip with the west wind blowing caused me to hunch up and retreat into my hood like a turtle. My toes were cold though because I wasn't smart enough to put on warm socks!

The good news is that I was able to bring over some more of the straw bales that I purchased for deep bedding (although the deep bedding areas aren't exactly ready yet) and there are now 29 more big round bales of hay on the farm. I'm expecting a few more loads of hay tomorrow and then I think (and hope) there will be enough hay for the winter. I have purchased a lot more hay than I did last year and with all the money I've spent I really really really hope I don't have to buy any more.

My hay purchases this year bring into extreme focus the high costs of starting a grass-fed beef herd. With about a two year turn-around from the time a calf is born until it is processed there is a lot of purchased feed that is needed for both the calf and the cow of course ... and the bull has to be factored in as well because he likes to eat in the winter I'm finding. In the future I would like to be able to make my own hay on farm, but that wasn't possible this year and even if I put up my own hay I have to factor in my labor and equipment prices. In hindsight I'm thinking buying the cattle right at the beginning of the farm wasn't the best plan of attack ...

Another Wednesday ...

2010-12-15T23:23:00.002-06:00

Today was another Wednesday ... which means another very busy day. Although, this morning when I was dropping off some parts at one of my favorite stops, the woman who works in the office asked me how I was doing. I responded, "Oh you know ... just another Tuesday". After I said that she informed me that it was actually Wednesday ... the busy day. I don't know if I walked out of the shop glad that it was another day further along in the week than I thought it was, or if I was a little depressed because I really had no clue what day it was. Honestly though, with the new job in town and chores in the dark all the days really seem to blend together.

On the farm things are not going exactly as pleased. I might have 11 Katahdin sheep available if you're interested (and that includes the ram). One thing You should know ... five wires of electric won't keep these rogue sheep in :( I think I'm going to have to order some electric netting from the farm store where I work. I was planning on getting some next spring anyways, but was really hoping to hold off until then. Does anyone have any experience with the electric netting? Any tips or thoughts? I'm almost 100% sure I'll be going with the Gallagher because of the store discount I receive, but I'm open to all thoughts!

I'm hoping everything will come together this week and on Saturday and Sunday I will receive 4 loads of hay totaling 44 large round bales. I was supposed to be getting them about three weeks ago, but it would just never work out. Hopefully this will be the weekend. It will be such a relief to have them here, because I can't tell You how often I think about the fact that I need them while I'm out driving around and seeing hay on other people's farms. I would love to be able to make a little of my own hay next year, but we will have to see how things shake out.

As you can see it is just a little disjointed around the farm right now. I don't expect that to change anytime soon though ;) So, I'll just keep pressing on! It was nice to drop-off a nice load of pork and beef though at the Iowa Food Coop on Monday. Even though I'm not able to make a drop-off at the normal time and talk to other producers and customers it is nice to see some fruit from my labor!

The Blizzard Wins ...

2010-12-12T22:46:00.000-06:00

I hate to say it, but the blizzard beat me this time and now the cold is trying to rub it in my face. This wasn't a super duper blizzard with an impact that lasts for days, but it was enough snow and wind and drifting to throughly beat me and catch me close to totally unprepared. And now, as if to add insult to injury, the cold is coming behind it with lows expected below zero overnight tonight before it warms up again as the week goes on.

If you have been following the resurgence of my blog lately you will recall that in my last post I was writing about the first official day of winter and how I still had time to get my winter pig area finished up. Well, I had the cold temperatures part correct, but I guess I failed to account for snow and more before the cold arrived. Honestly I haven't been keeping up on the weather much, and with a limited internet connection at the farm and no TV I wasn't really expecting that kind of storm ... everyone else probably was ;)

It does make me think though ... about those first settlers coming to Iowa to start out from scratch. The pioneers! How crazy is it to think of the lives the lived here and the weather that they had to deal with on a day to day business. I've been calling my farming style "Pioneer Farming" because of the way I'm trying to work this farm out of the blank slate that was this 40 acres when I bought it and because of my interest in heritage breeds. But, when it comes to the true pioneer adventure ... well, my adventure pales in comparison ... I mean I at least have a five day forecast ;)

Winter Pig Area ...

2010-12-09T22:15:00.000-06:00

Technically it is not winter until December, 21st. Which means I still have plenty of time to get my "winter" pig area done! The only problem of course is that technical winter and the realities of winter don't always meet up on the same day. The forecast that has lows at -2ºF this coming week means that winter is probably already here no matter what the calendar says. But, I'm sticking with the 21st and hoping to have everything squared away by then ... at least that is the plan for now.

There is good news though. The good news is that I think I finally have a plan for my winter pig area. In fact it is a plan for now and a plan for growth in the future. One thing that I have learned over the past two winters on the farm with pigs is that they aren't particularly interested in roaming around a lot in the winter. Basically they like to huddle up somewhere warm, eat, and drink. With that knowledge in hand I realized that the winter area did not need to be an extravagantly large area, but rather a nice place for them to stay warm and dry.

So, what I've come up with is a location on the north side of my shed. I have moved in my 8'x16' portable hut for the grower pigs and I'm starting to get the fence up on the outside (subscribe to my Twitter account if you want a glimpse into my farming life). I chose this location because it is a high point and will stay drain well in the freeze and thaw of a southern Iowa winter and because it fits in with a larger idea that I had today.

There is a part of me that would like to experiment with a yearly paddock rotation with some of the breeding stock instead of having them in the woods. Basically I'd like to include a crop rotation into the paddock rotation. It's something to try at least, and with that in mind I decided that this was a good area to build some smaller winter pig lots where I can eventually put an automatic waterer. I'll have two separate winter pens with the water in the fence line. Then in the summer I can open a gate to the larger pasture area and the pigs will have access to those same waterers I use in the winter.

That's my idea at least ... right now I'm just focusing on putting in fence posts and making a secure area for the pigs. Remember ... I only need to have it done by December, 21st in order to beat winter ;)

Fighting (For?) the Farm ...

2010-12-08T23:00:00.001-06:00

I came to a realization today as I was driving around in my little NAPA minivan delivering parts to fix the broken cars of the world. That realization was that sometimes I get frustrated and most often it is the farm that frustrates me. When I get back to the farm after 6:15 PM on most nights (and much later each Sunday, Wednesday, and some Tuesdays) I often feel overwhelmed by the chores that need to be done ... let alone the things that I would like or need to do in order to keep the farm running somewhat smoothly (things like fixing fence, adding water systems, finding a place for the pigs to live this winter). Please understand that I don't say this to complain because I realize my plate is no more full than the next person and I have so much more to be thankful for, but I do often wonder if I'm "Fighting the Farm" or "Fighting For the Farm" if you get what I mean.

There are many times when I look around the farm (lately it's pretty dark when that happens) and the thought pops into my mind, "I could sell the pigs, sell the cattle, sell the sheep, sell most of the equipment, and just keep a few chickens to laugh at (and a pig to kick ... name that movie). Then when I came home from town I could walk into the house and "relax". It all seems very easy actually ... just liquidate it all and chalk it up to one of my grand adventures and passing fancies. Then I would no longer have to be "Fighting the Farm". And I wonder, should I even be "Fighting the Farm"? Is it worth it? Is it the right course for me? Is it even worth doing?

On the other hand there are times when I realize that I am "Fighting For the Farm". Most of these times don't happen while I'm outside in my cold weather clothes and a headlamp fixing an electric fence that the sheep decided wasn't good enough and feeding the pigs in the dark. My "Fighting For the Farm" moments usually happen when I'm making a delivery to customers in Des Moines, taking a couple hogs to the processor, or thinking about the future of the farm.

The difficulty and the goal is to have more "Fighting For" moments than "Fighting" moments. I've decided this can happen in a couple of different ways. The most obvious way is to focus on what is possible and what I can accomplish ...

**I started writing this post a couple weeks ago and never finished it. As I was working on a post for today I came across this one and as I read over it I thought it would be a good idea to just post it as is ... I'm not sure that I really completed my thoughts on it or that I can draw them to a close right now, but it is a fairly accurate snapshot of my mind ... at least on that particular night. So ... I'll post it ... it's kind of like my full disclosure post ... to show that I get frustrated with the farm, and still press on ;)

Frozen ...

2010-12-07T22:58:00.002-06:00

Last night was one of the coldest on the farm this season. I'm not sure exactly how cold it was, but I know it was in the single digits ... And, I know it was cold because the hose was frozen tonight when I went to water the animals! I thought I had done a good enough job draining the hose last night, but I guess that I either had a pocket of water in the second hose (because the first in the chain of hoses was flowing fine) or I was a little too slow in draining it and it froze up around the end before I got that far. I guess it doesn't really matter why it froze ... because it was froze and I had to work around that issue!

Since the hose was frozen I had to go with the back-up plan which included a couple of 5 gallon buckets and a walking back and forth me! Even by brining the hose into the house it wouldn't thaw out in time and I needed to get water to the animals so buckets it was. The thing about using buckets is that roughly ten gallons at a time isn't enough for the cows. They can have that all gone by the time I get back so for the first 10 or 20 trips (I made a lot of trips) it was just getting enough there for them to drink. It is nice to see that they have a nice system worked out for getting water though. Basically it goes from biggest to smallest with the sheep all hanging out together until it is just the littlest calves at the water tank.

The good news on the frozen hose front is that it is supposed to warm up the next couple of days, so I'll get that all taken care of and be back in business! I just need to make sure I'm staying on top of things and getting it all drained out. In completely and totally unrelated news I think I am finally ready to make the jump into the world of trucks!

In the past I have written about wanting or thinking about getting a truck many times, and each time there is usually someone who is surprised that I've been farming without a truck for this long. Well, I'm not sure if I want to farm without one any longer and I'm ready to get rid of the Expedition and step into a truck ... a cheap truck ... an inexpensive truck ... a reasonably priced truck ... You know ... one closer to $3,000 than $5,000!

I do have a couple requirements though. It needs to be a 3/4 ton truck and it needs to be four wheel drive. Other than that I'm pretty open. Ideally it would be a long bed and an extended cab, but I don't think that is going to happen in my price range. So, what are your thoughts on a truck that will be for the farm and for my daily driver. If you could only have one (long bed or extended cab) what would you choose? I would love your input ... and if you have one for sale let me know ;)

The Best Case vs. The Reality

2010-12-03T23:24:00.003-06:00

It's interesting ... last night when I was watering the cows they were just going nuts jostling each other and trying to get at the water. Tonight ... I called them over ... they looked at the water and then walked away! Oh well, I filled them up and it's not super cold so hopefully I just have to break a skim of ice in the morning and then they'll get their fill for the day. The pigs on the other hand are being a bit more difficult ... they like to tip over anything that isn't attached to the ground or a post and then they'll try to tip those things over too!

The comments in yesterdays post had me thinking today. They had me thinking about the best case scenario versus the reality of the farm. The suggestions in the comments are the best case scenario. It would be the absolute best to install an energy frost free waterer. In fact I have even been researching it and have picked out a Cobett waterer. In order to install that waterer I would need to trench in a line and tie it in to the main water line from the road. Of course to do that I would need to dig a deep hole for the waterer and a bigger hole where the connection to the main line would be. I would also need to have some gravel delivered or pick some up to put around the waterer ... and I'd need to get a plumber out here to help me because I have a lot to learn along those lines!

In order to do all that I would have to order the waterer (not a big deal because they are made relatively close by). Then I would need to get a trencher out here (also not a major deal because I can borrow one from the farm store where I work for no charge). After that I would need to dig the big holes (I could dig them by hand or go through the expense of renting or hiring an excavator). Finally it would all need to be hooked up, installed, and the gravel placed around the waterer.

The waterer would cost around $650 or so I'm thinking. I have no idea how much the gravel and 200 feet or so of water line would cost, but I know that it wouldn't be a deal breaker. Things do get tricky though once I start thinking about the cost of the excavator, but even that isn't insurmountable. Nope ... the real problem is time! My time is very limited and that's why I don't see the installation of the waterer a real possibility now even if it's what I want and it is the best solution.

I had also hoped to install an heated pig drink at the same time which would require some concrete, more trenching, more water line, and of course electricity out to the location (and the shed because it's along the way). On the flip side ... if I go with my temporary plan for the cattle, sheep, and pigs it would entail one galvanized tank with drinks for the pigs, one bigger tank for the cattle and sheep, and of course the heaters and extension cords. That will probably cost over $500 as well! And, after this winter it would still be my hope to do the more permanent option.

So, there is the dilemma ... the best case is obvious and even not a ton more in the expense department when you compare the two. But, the reality is that doing that job takes time and time is something that must be prioritized on my farm. The general chores need to come first and sometimes (especially with a couple of town jobs and short days) that doesn't leave time for the best case. I'm going to try to make the reality work out as best as possible though!

Winter :: Livestock :: Water

2010-12-02T21:13:00.002-06:00

Today wasn't so bad weather wise (it would have been great if I would have had the day off of the farm). The temps got up near 40ºF and there wasn't much wind to speak of. It appears that the 10 rogue sheep decided to enjoy the fine day as well ... I can tell by the nice white hair they leave behind on the wires as the make their way back and forth! Oh well, I'll have to figure out something with them ... but right now it is not one of my top priorities.

This evenings chores were pretty uneventful, although the cattle were a little pushy around the water tanks as I was filling them. The pigs were as well and it brought into clear focus that I need to figure out something for winter watering now that I have a greater number of livestock on the farm. I had grand dreams of installing an energy free water system for the cattle and the sheep as well as a permanent heated waterer for the pigs. But, it is December 2nd and I don't see that happening this year even though I want it very badly!

So, now I'm onto plan B ... or C ... or D ... or whatever I'm at! I have an idea for the pigs ... I could get a galvanized tank waterer with a hog drink on each side and put a heater (or two because the only two drink ones at work are 6 or 8 feet long) in it. Then I could put it on the dividing fence between my sows/boar and the growers. I would still have to stretch a hose out a long ways to fill it, but I wouldn't have to do that as often. The downsides of course are the expense of buying the tank and heaters and the electricity needed to run it! But, the upside is the time savings ... I'm seriously considering this option.

The cattle and sheep ... I guess that option is similar as well. Like I said, going this route wasn't my first option, but for the time available to get things set-up and considering the time savings throughout the winter I think it is my best option.

First Day of December

2010-12-02T00:14:00.002-06:00

Today was Wednesday, which means it was one of my busier days of the week because I have both town jobs in full force on Wednesdays and I don't make it back to the farm until very late ... which means late night chores. I will say that there is a little something I enjoy about the crisp air of a dark December night even if it makes chores a little more interesting. Tonight included the basics of taking care of the animals and checking up on them. Since I'm not around very much during the daylight I do try to take the four-wheeler out each not and get a good idea of how everyone is faring. Tonight that meant waking the sheep up ;)

Speaking of the sheep, there was a question about what my thoughts are now that they have been on the farm for a while. While I wish I had a better answer I think I have to be honest and just say I'm not quite sure yet. They came onto the farm late in the growing season for my mostly warm season grasses so I didn't get to graze them very long and see how they would fit into the rotation. Also, there are about 10 of them that don't mind disregarding my interior (portable or semi-permanent) fences. They never really caused a problem getting out, but I can see where some electric netting may come in handy next year. On the plus side they are fun to watch and I love the flocking instincts of the Katahadins! I'm hoping their addition will also be a plus in marketing and adding diversity to the products.

As I mentioned on Twitter today (check out my Twitter feed) I was listening to the Nature's Harmony Farm podcast again today ... specifically the one about "The Death of a Farm" (I blogged about it awhile ago). This is the second or third time I've listened to this interview and I believe it is both discouraging and encouraging at the same time. It is always hard to hear about someone having to quit almost exactly what you're trying to start, but I think you can also learn and grow from those experiences as well. I'm hoping to grow and not be discouraged!

Don't forget ... You too can support Crooked Gap Farm no matter where you are in the country (or world) by ordering a Crooked Gap Farm t-shirt. There are two options available and I hear they make great Christmas gifts ;) Just drop me an e-mail if you would like to place an order.

Flurries ...

2010-11-30T22:35:00.002-06:00

Today was the first hint of snow in on Crooked Gap Farm. In this case it was just flurries, but as I drove around delivery parts and then doing chores in the evening they were a constant reminder of what is coming. I will say though that I have voted for only a small amount of snow this winter! We have been pretty hard the past couple of years on the farm and I could go for a little less winter trouble .... It would be nice not to get trucks and tractors stuck ... It would be nice to ease up on the cold and wind ... It would be nice to not make huge piles of snow ... It would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath

On my lunch break today I headed to pick up 2 tons of pig feed. It's great that there is a feed store willing to grind and mix the ration that we want without any animal byproducts or antibiotics, but it sure is getting difficult to hand over the money. Todays bill was about $7.21 per bag! That is almost $2 a bag higher than in the early summer and it causes me to pause a bit every time I feed the pigs. Picking up the feed means hooking up the stock trailer and loading in the feed bag by bag ... then back at the farm I have to unload it. Tonight I just backed the trailer into the shed I'll unload it into the bulk feeder when I have more time.

In the evening (in the dark) I had the usual chores. I fed and watered the pigs. I watered and checked on the sheep and cattle, and then after I had the tractor plugged in for a couple hours I took a big round bale of hay in for them. I have to say that the hay is getting eaten up faster than I had hoped. Thankfully I have 44 more bales coming later this week and next. It will be a chore to unload, but it will be great to have!

As I drive around I have a lot of time to think and listen to podcasts. I'm making my way through all the Nature's Harmony Farm podcasts again and looking for other things that interest me (6 hours in minivan can wear on you). And, as I mentioned, I've been thinking. Today it was about trucks (probably because I had to pull the trailer to get feed). I'm getting closer and closer to the point where I think I want to ditch the SUV and get a truck. There are so many times when it would come on handy ... I can't even count them there are so many!

Until next time ...

Crooked Gap Farm Becomes Fashionable

2010-11-18T20:34:00.006-06:00

As you may know (if you read the sparse postings on this blog lately) I'm looking at taking some big steps trying to expand both the size and marketing of the farm. So many of you were very supportive and threw out a lot of ideas on how to expand and raise a little capital going forward for the expansion, and I'm making my way through those e-mails now! One suggestion (and something I've wanted to do for awhile) was some Crooked Gap Farm t-shirts. This is a way for our customers (thank you all so much!!!) to show their Crooked Gap pride and for those of you who aren't close enough to be a customer it is an opportunity to support the farm ... and add a cool t-shirt to your wardrobe if I do say so myself ;)

Right now there will be two t-shirt options available. The first choice is the "Pioneer Farming" t-shirt. This shirt is "smoke" in color and has the phrase "Pioneer Farming" on the front with the pronunciation and a definition stating :: "See Crooked Gap Farm". "Pioneer Farming" is a fun little phrase that I started to use when describing the farm because of the way this farm was started from scratch ... plus it's a good conversation starter.

The second shirt available is the Crooked Gap Farm "Where a Pig is a Pig" shirt. This t-shirt comes in a color called "Caribbean Blue" and has the state of Iowa with the farm location along with the phrase "Where a Pig is a Pig". This fun shirt states the plain fact ... on this farm a pig is allowed to be a pig in the pasture, in the mud, and all around!

Both shirts will cost $20 each plus shipping and handling. I will be ordering them soon and keeping them "in stock" as it were, but I would love to have an idea of interest and a general amount of sizes I should order. If you would like to place an order just send me an
e-mail with the shirt(s) you would like and the sizes.

**FYI :: The dotted lines are not part of the shirt, just part of the design site ... And, you can click on the pictures for a larger image of the design.**

NHF Podcast ... "Death of a Farm"

2010-10-14T21:22:00.003-05:00

Thank you to all of you have taken time to comment and e-mail over the past couple weeks. I am taking time to filter everything through my mind, but want to say that I'm thankful for the encouragement and ideas. Hopefully I'll find the time to respond and share some of the things that are processing through my head soon! In the meantime though here is something interesting ...

Many of you may already know that Nature's Harmony Farm has stopped doing their blog, but have begun doing podcasts. I have been listening to them lately when there is time while I'm driving around and they have been pretty interesting. But, for me their latest podcast was very interesting ... especially in light of my latest post and thoughts about the farm. You can find it on iTunes or download it from this link.

In the latest podcast Tim and Liz interview Rebecca Thistlethwaite of TLC Ranch in California about her farm experiences and the end of the farm (after 6 years of life). In some ways it was almost depressing to listen to the interview and hear about the struggles and realities they faced as they tried to make the farm go and grow. On the other hand it is important to hear all the sides of the story ... especially when you're thinking about pushing forward. It will eat up a bit more than an hour of your time, but I think it is worth a listen.

I would love to hear your thoughts!

Help! :: Crooked Gap Farm

2010-10-04T00:11:00.004-05:00

Dear Crooked Gap Farm Friend,

One of the major commitments of Crooked Gap Farm is to the customers and the people that have been an encouragement along the way. Because of that, we are looking for your advice and input. We are passionate about providing healthy and delicious meats by raising animals the way they were created to be made. This means that the cattle are grassfed and raised on pasture. It means that the pigs have their babies outdoors, and that they have a chance to root and be a pig. It means that the chickens can roam the pastures and clean-up after the cattle. I am very appreciative of our customers and friends who value these commitments and ideals!

Late this summer, however, we encountered a change that made the things that were starting to seem known about our farm unknown. My full time job of 6+ years at the church became a 20 hour a week job. In order to fill in some of the financial gap, I took on an additional 40 hours in the NAPA department at the farm store. This gave me 60 hours of town work plus the work on the farm.

Because of the changes in my job, not only are finances tighter than they were before, but I also have less time to take care of the livestock, maintain the farm, and cut firewood for the house. Plus, it is important to keep the family sane as well! Finding time to take care of everything has already become a challenge, and I know those challenges will continue as winter comes on and the days become shorter.

The first thought is that this is the time to back away from the farm and sell off the livestock. To maintain at the level we are at is not profitable enough considering the limited time that I have on the farm right now.

On the other hand, having my job at church cut to 20 hours gives me an opportunity to take a risk that might sound a bit crazy considering our situation ... to jump in to the farm completely and to grow and expand it. That expansion would mean buying in more animals over the winter and spring to have more available during the market season, including pork, beef, lamb, and poultry.

If that is going to happen though I’m going to have to think outside of the box. I’m going to have to be more creative and try and build some operating capital to fund the expansion and the extra feed and facility costs over the winter.

This all leads of course to my “big ask”. In one sense, I’m asking for your thoughts as customers on the direction of Crooked Gap Farm at this time. If the farm is going to continue, it is going to need the support of all of you who have supported it through its beginning stages. Would you like to see us stick around and grow? Would you like to purchase grassfed lamb and pastured chicken along with the pork and beef you may have already purchased from us? If that is the case, let me know.

And, another part of the “big ask” is would you help me think of ways to raise some of the capital needed to grow? Maybe you would be interested putting a down payment on a half hog, lamb, or chickens. Maybe you would like to reserve first crack at the limited amount of grassfed Dexter beef that will be available later this fall and next year. Maybe you have an outside of the box idea that could help the farm. Whatever it is, I would love to hear your thoughts!

One thing that you could do right now though is spread the word about Crooked Gap Farm if you have enjoyed our heritage breed meats. Please feel free to share this letter or our contact information with any friends or family that may be interested in our farm. We will have more pork and eggs available this fall and hopefully some ground beef if we can clear out some of our very limited freezer space (hint, hint). Our customers are the best advertisement we could have, and we would greatly appreciate your help.

So, there it is ... the current situation of Crooked Gap Farm in a very small nutshell. I want to thank you all for the support you have given over the past couple of years and all the encouragement that I have heard. This past summer was a summer of learning and growth on the farm. Even with all of the challenges I can look back and see progress, and that would not have been possible without you. If you would like to come out to the farm and see what is going on, please feel free to contact me and set up a visit. I would love to share our passion and vision with you in person!

Ethan Book

Crooked Gap Farm

Expanding What's Working

2010-09-30T23:51:00.002-05:00

As I think about expanding on the farm and adding more livestock the most obvious enterprise for me to grow is the one that is working the best. Right now there is no doubt in my mind that my most successful venture has been the hogs. When the first thoughts of farming started flying through my mind I always envisioned grass-fed beef being the centerpiece of the farm. The realities of growing a herd of grass-fed beef and getting everything up and running have made me realize that maybe that my Dexters will have to take the back burner for the time being. The pigs (and the pork the provide) have been filling their traditional role as the "mortgage lifter" on the farm, and to tell you the truth I really enjoy raising them!

As I work through the process of adding more pigs to the farm I have decided that I want to attack it from two different angles. I would like to add more breeding stock (sows), but also add some feeder pigs so that I can have more finished product when the next farmer's market season roles around. Doing both of these things helps me build not only for the near future, but also for seasons down the road. Of course there is always the option to just buy feeder pigs and finish them, but I like the idea of having control of my livestock from farrow to finish and I think my customers appreciate that as well.

This past year I sort of committed myself to the Hereford breed. Right now I only have one Hereford sow, but my boar is a Hereford and he will share the benefits of the Hereford breed (good mothers, great taste, easy going, etc.) with the entire swine herd. I would like to add a couple of more Hereford sows, but I'm also interested in exploring other breeds and trying different crosses. That is where the above picture comes in to the equation ...

Those three are Tamworth gilts and I will be bringing at least one to the farm in the near future. The Tamworth is a lean bacon-type of hog that I have been wanting on the farm since I started, so to say that I'm excited about bringing a gilt to the farm is a bit of an understatement. I plan on experimenting with some Tamworth x Hereford crosses and also using AI to add a few more purebred Tamworths to the farm.

Plus ... don't they just look extra cool with those "stand-up" ears!?!

Expanding on Expansion

2010-09-29T22:21:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I wrote about my desire to see the farm grow and expand in the near future. Right now I'm in super planning and thinking and figuring mode. I'm trying to plan what needs to happen on the farm in a physical sense as far as structures and fencing goes. I'm trying to think of ways to expand the farm and what I feel comfortable adding in a short while. And, I'm trying to figure and pencil out what this all looks like on paper financially as I build up and then what sort of sales can and need to happen if I do build up. On one had it is very exciting and I'm kind of just having fun with the idea of throwing myself in a little deeper. On the other hand though the task seems nearly impossible and completely daunting!

One of the ways that I'm trying to contradict that is to try and rekindle some of the early passion I had for the farm. It is not so much that the passion has dwindled recently, but rather it has been pushed to the back of my mind with my new and improved busy work schedule (at least 60 hours of town jobs per week). I'm still passionate about raising animals on grass and connecting with customers how are also passionate about the food the use to fuel their lives. But, that passion has been pushed to the back burner for a while now.

The field day that I hosted back in August (you can read about it here) was one of the first things that helped bring that passion back to the front of my mind. Having others here on the farm that are farming or are thinking about farming really got me excited, and telling them about my farm helped me remember some of the reasons that I started in the first place. It was encouraging to talk to others and hear what they thought of the progress the farm has made up to this point. It helped me focus on what has been accomplished rather than on what hasn't been done.

Reading and blogging (and tweeting) are things that I'm doing again to help me keep that focused passion for farming. About the same time that I stopped blogging is about the same time I stopped reading about farming. I don't know how much those two are related, but I do realize that it was probably about the same time that I began to feel a little overwhelmed by what wasn't done ... and sometimes overwhelming feelings paralyze me!

But, I'm reading again and I thought it would be a good idea to start out with the first farming book I read ... one of the ones that really made me think that a farm was a realistic possibility. So, I grabbed "You Can Farm" by Joel Salatin off the shelf the other night and started in. It is good to go over some of the ideas that I had one I was just starting to think and dream about a farm and also evaluate whether or not I've strayed from some of those original thoughts and ideas.

Of course all the passion, dreams, and excitement don't add up to a successful business. That is why I'm trying to look at things from every angle I can possible think of as I look at the ins and outs of expanding Crooked Gap Farm. Oh ... and I'm praying ;)

Expansion ...

2010-09-28T22:14:00.003-05:00

When I first had the farming dream I began the best way that I knew how ... by reading! And I tried to read as much as I could ... books, magazines, online articles, research papers, and internet forums. I tried to gather as much information as I could and I started to plan and dream and dream and plan! As I look back on this farming adventure I realize that was an important step ... not only to help me gain a little bit of "book knowledge", but also to help give me the courage to jump in. Eventually though I just needed to jump in and start instead of talking about it and writing about it ... that is how I ended up on the farm. I just jumped in!

Now, I feel like I'm getting to the point where I need to jump again. I pleased with the progress that I've made and I like the direction the farm is going, but I'm beginning to feel that I'm at a place where I just need to jump again. Either jump back from the farm a little bit (do more homesteading rather than "for sale" farming) or jump a little deeper in and up the ante. I've spent much of the past year or two writing about and thinking about the "next thing" for the farm and now might be the time to take those steps ... to jump in like I did a few years ago.

With that in mind I'm looking at expanding the livestock operation on the farm by adding more pigs and hopefully hair sheep in the very near future. I would like to stick with the Hereford pigs for the most part so I'm looking along those lines, but with the sheep I'm going to have to really look and see what is available (Katahdin, St. Croix, etc.). More livestock will also mean that I will need to make more sales, so I'm beginning to plan for that as well.

Just as there was a lot of work to do when I jumped in there is a lot of work to do if I want to take the next step. I'm in the process of putting together my new work list and getting the farm ready for an infusion of more ... more everything! I'll take some time over the next few weeks (as time allows) to detail some of those steps that I'm working on. One thing is for sure though ... I'm not going to bring anything to the farm unless I'm ready to have it at the farm! That is one lesson that has come through loud and clear.

Okay, I'm sort of back to blogging again (on an "as possible" basis), but if you would like to keep up-to-date on the farm and my farming misadventures be sure to follow me on Twitter @crookedgapfarm. As for the blog ... make sure to subscribe on the right to receive the latest post in your e-mail inbox.

A New Worker ...

2010-09-19T22:35:00.001-05:00

Last Friday I picked up a new worker for the farm ... she's a hard worker and goes most places that I ask her to go. And, on top of that she is my favorite color! I call her the 425 ... and she's a Polaris four-wheeler. She's a bit older, but is a huge help getting around and getting things done quickly (which means a lot with my new schedule).

So far I've only had her four a couple days, but I've used her to build fence, move the water wagon, feed hogs, move the chicken trailer, check for shorts on the fence, and even ride around for fun! I'm thinking this will be one of those things that I'll wonder how I ever lived without! Plus ... did I mention the 425 is blue!

Now, if You didn't know that I bought this four-wheeler then you should subscribe to me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/crookedgapfarm

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Big Day :: New Chainsaw

2010-09-10T22:05:00.001-05:00

To say I've had bad luck in the chainsaw department is a bit of an understatement. So far I've had two auction special saws die on me and now fall/winter is coming. So today at work I bought a saw ... a Stihl MS260 with a 20 inch bar to be exact. As you can see from the video below it really does work! It just took a little to get it going for the first time.

Captain, who works on the Stihl side of the store, was nice enough to take the video for me. As I mentioned in the video, I think this saw will get me through the winter, and many more to come.

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What Can I Say?

2010-09-09T22:14:00.003-05:00

Things will always change. Sometimes they will change because you want them to and sometimes they will change even if you don't want them to. In the end the consistent reality is that things will change. Lately my life and the life of this farm have been changing and because of this my drive and passion for writing (and in some senses the farm itself) has waned a bit. Now though I'm beginning to feel that the writing aspect of the farm needs to and can begin to make a reappearance again. Since the beginning of my blogging experience the writing has a done a lot to help fuel my passion and creativity on the farm and that is something that I would like to recapture a little. So ... we will see what happens next.

A good place to start though is to catch up a little with the on farm activities and life changes ::

Throughout the summer Crooked Gap Farm was represented at the Living History Farms Farmer's Market. Although the market didn't quite have the numbers I would have hoped for it did provide a great place to learn about selling and working with customers at a farmer's market. I was able to meet a lot of great new customers and learn what does and doesn't work when you are running a frozen meat stand outside. I'm not sure what is in store for the farm next year when it comes to farmer's market, but I think it's safe to say that I will have some sort of presence at a market in Des Moines ... at least part time.
Rotationally grazing the Dexter cattle has been wonderful and having the chickens follow behind has been really cool to watch. I still have a lot to learn about rotational grazing and because of some of the life changes I'm not able to do it exactly as I'd like to, but the results so far have been great. The herd (small herd) is being moved at least once per day and I can already tell a slight improvement in the pasture as the grass grows back. The overabundance of rain though this summer did hurt things a little and make it difficult on the ground that I seeded in the spring, but all in all I'd call it a success.
I'm loving the pigs. When I started out a few years ago I pictured the Dexter cattle as the centerpiece of the farm, but now after living it out for a couple years I really love the idea of having the pigs be the focal point of Crooked Gap Farm. I like working with the pigs and am really excited about the possibilities that are out there for pasture/wood lot pork. Right now there are three sows and a boar and I think there is room for some slow growth as the demand grows (and it is growing faster than I can keep up with).
Changes are happening. Recently I began working only part-time (20 hours) at the church that I have been working at for the past six plus years. This was a huge change in my life and it required some big changes on the farm and more. The biggest thing is that I now have a 2nd "town" job working on the NAPA side of the local farm store in town. So now I'm working 20 hours at the church and roughly 40 hours a week at NAPA. I'm still fleshing out how all this can work with the farm as well, but I'm confident we can survive the changes.

Those are just some quick hits from the farm lately. Of course a lot more has happened in my absence from the blog and I'm sure more will come out as I continue to get back into the writing swing of things. But, there are also some farm ideas and thoughts that I'm looking forward to fleshing out in thought and words ... and hopefully if anyone is still out there reading ... in interaction with you!

Thanks for your patience if you wander across this post ;)

The Living History Farms Farmer's Market

2010-06-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Another big development since I last blogged as that we have begun the Wednesday night market at the Living History Farms in earnest. As a side bar ... if you are not aware of what the Living History Farms is then I encourage you to check out the link ... it is a really cool place! So far we have set up for the "Market Preview" on the opening and and three Wednesday evenings (two of which had great weather and one that had some serious storm action going on so we were inside). Here are some of my thoughts after just a few weeks ...

Probably the thing I love most about setting up at the market is the chance to interact with people. Not everybody I talk to purchases something (it seems like I chat with a few vegetarians each time), but it does give me the opportunity to share the farm and the reasons behind the way I farm. Plus I figure that each person I talk to gives me just that much more experience.
Setting up a display that catches peoples eye when all you are selling is frozen meat (that is hidden away in coolers) is a bit difficult. I think that we have a nice table with plenty of pictures and information, but we have a lot of people just wander by or others that stop but don't realize we have pork for sale! Hopefully some of that will be remedied by a new ten foot long vinyl sign that I'm having made. I am open for suggestions though!
Farmer's Markets have a lot more crafts than I would have guessed. Our market is small and in only it's second year, but there are a couple knit/sewing vendors and sometimes even three jewelry vendors. Plus, you have to remember there are only 17'ish vendors set up now. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just something I didn't realize.
I think I'm coming to realize that garden produce is important. So far there hasn't been much available at the market and I think that keeps some people away ... even though I have great pork for sale each week! It will be interesting to see how things shake out as the garden harvest begins.
The Living History Farms is a very cool place featuring the agricultural history of Iowa in a hands on sort of way and with small-scale working farms. With that in mind I think this market has the potential to be equally as cool. Because they have staff on site they are able to offer pretty cool demonstrations and there has even been live music on two different Wednesdays. One thing to look forward to that I believe the blacksmith will be making an appearance this summer.
The biggest thing that I've come to learn so far is that I have a lot to learn! A lot to learn about marketing and setting up, but also just about the best way to go about things at the market. The best way to fill the coolers ... the best way to add up the purchases ... the best way to handle the transactions quickly ... and so much more. Plus, I've also learned it's nice if you don't forget stuff :: I'll work on that ;)

Hello My Friends ...

2010-05-30T20:54:00.004-05:00

This morning some one said to me, "May 7th!" With a look of confusion on my face I admitted that meant nothing to me, but then they were quick to point out that was the last time I made a blog post. (Oddly enough it was about me wanting a truck and wanting to sell my Expedition ... I still want a truck, but haven't sold the Expedition yet.) I wish that there were just tons and tons of things that I needed to catch people up on, but really things have been rather mundane ... and very busy all at the same time. I will try to take some time this week to share some of the changes that have been happening. The most exciting one though is probably the fact that I'm now making three moves per day with the cattle.

I'm not sure what to call it because it really isn't Mob Grazing because of the limiting factors of the pastures, but it is at least spreading out some nutrients and getting the cows on fresh grass often. The limiting factors that I'm talking about are the very thin and not super lush stand of grass that I have right now. After 14 years of no management and plenty of weeds and brush taking over the stand of warm season grasses is not very thick and it doesn't take off very quickly in the spring. Because of that I end up putting the cows in smallish areas, but they eat off the grass very quickly and then need to be moved. Also, as you can see in the picture above I started off feeding a little hay to keep them in a small area longer, but I just found it was too much hassle and didn't help the way I wanted it to. There isn't a large concentration of manure being put down ... but, it is a start!

I'm also beginning to get an idea of just how much grazing is possible on the farm and I'm liking what I'm seeing especially as the pastures begin to improve ... which has to happen at some point. Tomorrow I'll try to post a picture of what the ground looks like after the cows have been moved and then what it looks like a couple weeks later. Like I said, the warm season grasses don't take off, but there is some regrowth happening and I think over time the clovers will come back and more.

So far the down side has (besides the thin pastures) has been the watering. I have a large tank on a hay rack that I move around with them and a waterer that I drag to each paddock, but I don't like how it's working out so far. I do have some plans though and I'll share them as I think through them.

Hope this counts as a post :) And, I'll share a little more as the week goes on.

Selling and Buying ...

2010-05-07T14:07:00.003-05:00

It's been busy lately around the farm, the church, and with the family. Because of that I've fallen off the blog map. But, while I was gone I was keeping up with the good discussion going on in my post about farm decisions and purchasing a truck. I've been wanting to jump in on the discussion, but just haven't had the chance until now, so I decided a whole new post would be a good idea since I think there has been a lot said ... and I've had a lot on my mind. If you want to catch up on the original post and the discussion thereafter just check out this link.

The general consensus is that I need a truck ... in fact some people are surprised to hear that I've been farming without a truck for the past few years. But, sometimes reality is that you can't have everything that would be nice to have and that you certainly can't have it at once. That has been the case with a truck, and I've been making do. Instead of a truck I've been using a variety of trailers ... borrowed from family and friends. Now I'm ready to make the plunge though ... if I can make everything work out.

But, there are some realities that I need to face if I'm going to get a truck. Right now I have a 2000 Ford Expedition with about 140,000 miles on it. I've had it for about 5 years and during that time have had some work done on it that should help it keep going for some time to come. This vehicle can pull the stock trailer with no problem and I've used it to haul as many as three large bales (round and square). On top of all of that everyone in the family can fit in it and it is paid for of course.

With that in mind I need to purchase a truck that will replace the Expedition and still work out for my needs. It will need to be an extended cab with a bench set up front and in back if possible. Since I'm selling the Expedition it's going to need to be 4x4 (it just makes sense). A long box would be a plus and I'll even admit that I wouldn't mind a topper (even though I hate the looks of them).

The issue (as always) is finances. I believe I mentioned that I wasn't going to buy a truck until I sold my Expedition. I think that just makes sense not to have two big vehicles sitting around and have money tied up on both of them (one of which I won't be using). I also have to look at other priorities on the farm and look at where to spend the limited resources I have. With that in mind I want to sell the Expedition and purchase a truck for pretty much the same amount ...

I realize that won't get me the biggest and baddest and that it means I may have to compromise in some areas, but this farm is only a working farm it it can not break me financially! If I went out and got a new truck ... okay that won't happen! Let's just say that if I went out and got a $12,000 truck I would have to eat into money that could be used for other things on the farm ... like buying hay, putting in more fence, getting temporary fencing supplies, adding sheep, installing water and electricity to the shed, and so much more. That truck might be nice and wonderful and be able to do a lot, but I might not be able to afford to do the things I could use it to do ;)

So ... sell the Expedition and then get the best truck that I can with the money I have in hand. It won't work out perfectly, but not much else has so why would I expect this to? That's just the way it works on the farm sometimes ;)