Winter at Stoneyfield

As I mentioned yesterday I needed to make a trip down to the farm yesterday to do a couple of things for my dad. I was more than excited to have a reason to go down, even if it meant getting behind on my work, because it had been so long since I had a chance to see the herd. As you can see from this picture there is plenty of snow in Southern Iowa right now and even though we had grass stockpiled it is under snow and ice at the moment. So, it seems they spend much of their time up in the front lot where we feed them and where they have water.

Speaking of water ... along with lots of snow it has been really cold lately and we don't have any tank heaters in the cattle pen. So, when I arrived the tanks were solid ice from top to bottom (guess you can't always trust the Amish to do your chores the way you would do them). I spent a while hacking out the ice with an axe, and constantly pushing my cows out of the way so I had room to swing the axe! They were rather friendly today and I was able to get my hands all over them. As you can see from the picture they were also rather thirsty.

The picture on the left is of one of our heifers, Billie of K&K. She came to us from the Anderson farm in Missouri and I think she is shaping up rather nicely under that heavy winter coat. This coming year she will be bred to our incoming herd sire, SGF SANT Hershey, who is also dun. Of course we are hoping that she will throw us a nice little dun heifer calf in 2009, but we will just have to wait and see!

Now, this last picture is ... well, it is of my confusion bull! I call him that because I'm just not sure what to do with this little guy. He is around six or seven months right now and is smaller than everyone else that is younger than him. Because of his lineage there is a possibility that he carries the chondrodysplasia gene, which isn't the best thing if you would like to use him as a sie. So, he will probably end up in someone's freezer. Unless... someone has some non-carrier cows and they would like to use him to bring down their size? I think he has a good look to him for his size and age, but he is just so darn small. Either way, I'm not sure he will be ready to finish next fall!

So, there are some shots of the Stoneyfield herd in the snow. I was very pleased with the way the are looking this winter and I can't wait to see them in the coming spring!

Make sure you check out the blog on Monday because I'm having another farmer question and answer series...

Land Values on the Rise = Bummer for the Beginning Farmer

Today I had to make the drive down to the family farm to do a couple things for my dad and check out the cows (more on the cows tomorrow). As part of the trip I picked up their mail, because they are out of town, and started looking through an issue of the Iowa Farm Bureau Spokesman. In the middle of the front page is a big headline, "Iowa farmland values increasing at record pace." Good news for some ... not so good news for a beginning farmer!

Here are some farmland average prices from around the state. In Marion county, where I live and would like to buy, the average price for acre is $3,555 which is an increase of 21.5% over last year. Up in Black Hawk county, where I'm from originally, land is a whopping $5,083 per acre (average). That Black Hawk county number is up 28.6%. The highest priced farmland in the state ... Sioux county at $5,204 per acre! Just let these numbers sink in:

• The average increase of $704 per acre is the highest in the 66-year history of the survey.



• The state average is $3,908 per acre, 22% more than last year.



• Since 2000 Iowa's average acre of land has increased by $2,051.



• There are 99 counties in Iowa ... in 2007 51 of those counties had average land prices between $4,000 and $5,000.

Do you want to know why these land prices are going up at such drastic rates? In one word ... CORN! Iowa has seen it's share of land price spikes ... and large falls (the farm crisis of the 80's), but this seems to be different. Most analysts tell us that the current increases are not tied to an increase in farm debt like in the 70's and 80's. Also, those who study these things believe we haven't hit the top yet!

So, what does this mean? As I mentioned earlier this is a good thing for those that are selling land I guess, but for a guy like me that would like to buy some land in the future it is sobering news to say the least.

As I read the article I was reminded of all the advice I had read in books over the past year. Joel Salatin, Allan Nation, Gene Logsdon, and others always tell you to rent land if you can't buy land to get your start ... that advice has never been more correct at a time like this ... except for one thing. One thing that they weren't able to factor in because their books were written years ago is that rent prices are on the rise. Mike Duffy, who works for the ISU Extension, expects cash rent prices to go up 25% in the coming year.

So, what is a beginning farmer to do ... especially if they don't want to raise corn in a corn crazy state? Well, I'll just keep on doing what we are doing now and see how the chips fall. The increasing land prices will make it more difficult for young beginning farmers to get a start, but I don't think it is the end all. In reality, I can hope for the bubble to burst or for a market correction, but I'm not sure if that will happen anytime soon!

Just some sobering news for the day ... but, to keep things in perspective I'm sure that land has crazy prices elsewhere too. If you know what average land prices are for farmland in your area let us know!

The Story of Stuff ... And Farming

Over the last week I have seen blog posts on the various blogs that I read about a new short movie out called the "Story of Stuff". Tim over at Nature's Harmony Farm blogged about just the other day and I finally had a chance to watch it yesterday. I'm not going to comment on the first ten minutes of the movie. It deals with production, pollution, the theory of why we have disposable stuff, and all those kinds of things. That isn't a battle that I want to fight, or something I want to promote on this blog which is about beginning farming ... but, at the 10 minute and 12 second mark I think it gets pretty interesting. In fact I believe it speaks to the core of what makes a small-scale farm work ... and work full-time.

So, if you want you can watch the entire thing ... or you can download by clicking on THIS LINK and find the download button (then start watching at the 10:12 mark ... or you can go straight to the "Story of Stuff" website and wait for the movie to load at the top of the page, then click the chapter marker for "consumption". The "consumption section lasts for about five minutes, but I won't stop you from watching the rest...

Okay, that is how you get to the movie ... now, what does it have to do with farming? I believe one of the biggest road blocks to becoming a full-time small-scale farmer is consumerism. And, that one of the things that will make beginning small-scale farmers succeed is for people to jump off the consumerism bandwagon and slow their lives down.

Consumerism is the exact opposite of living the small farm life. Small-scale family farming is not about having the biggest green or red tractor, the largest truck, the whitest fences, the biggest house, the most involved in extra-curricular activities kids, or about keeping up with the Jones'. Small-scale family farming is about interacting with your family, with your livestock, with your crops, with your consumers/customers, and with your family some more. One image I loved from the movie was their illustration of the consumerism circle ... we watch TV find that we need more stuff to fit in, so we go to the store and buy more stuff to fit in, but since we bought more stuff we need more money ... after spending the money we need more so we go to work, get tired from working so much, come home and turn on the TV ... and then the cycle repeats! If I am going to live out my faith, spend time with my family, and become a small-scale full-time farmer I'm going to have to opt out of this broken consumerism cycle. It is dangerous, it is painful, it is un-Biblical, and it is just plan wrong! Yep, consumerism is the opposite of the small farm life ... small farmers need to produce things that last (I understand that food goes away, but quality sustainable food does have lasting benefits), they need to produce stuff that is quality, and they need to produce stuff that contributes to their surrounding community.

Also, as I mentioned, I think as people jump off this consumerism bandwagon they will be seeking out these small-scale family farms to purchase their food from. And I see people jumping off the consumerism bandwagon left and right. Not just back to the land hippies (no offense if that describes you) or environmental wackos (again, no offense intended), but also conservative Bible believing suburban people who work as teachers, lawyers, church employees, business people, and so much more. There is a counter-culture out there when it comes to consumerism ... and it is growing. As a small-scale beginning farmer I think it is important to catch these people as they try to opt-out of the cultural norm and connect them to their food and the countryside that surrounds them. In fact I would say that this short section of the "Story of Stuff" movie really energized me in our journey towards farming.

Like I said, watch the whole thing if you would like and take anything away from it that you want. Agree with it, disagree with it, yell at it! I don't really care, but I was most interested in the section on consumerism ... or maybe we should call it greed (which is another word that doesn't fit with small-scale family farming).

**The website doesn't appear to be working this morning ... I'll put up the links that I can and you can just check back throughout the day. Sorry about that, but I do hope you check it out.**

Making Your Small Farm Profitable :: Chapter 1 Book Report

Earlier I gave you a little preview of the first chapter in Ron Macher's book "Making Your Small Farm Profitable" on this post. Today I'm going to give my full on chapter book report. As I mentioned in another post I have heard mixed reviews of this book, but I must admit that after reading the first chapter and browsing through the table of contents I'm pretty interested to see what I will find.

The title of chapter one is, "Deciding to Farm". On one had I have already "decided" to farm, but on the other hand it is never to late to change my mind! Really, this is a good overview of some things you need to think about as you make the decision to farm, and why people want to farm.

One interesting nugget from this chapter is a report on why people chose to farm. In the 1950's the top three reasons were: 1.) I like to work outdoors; 2.) It's a good place to raise my children; 3.) I'll always have a place to life and food to eat (Mr. Macher points out that isn't true if you have a mortgage). At the time the 14th of the 15 answers provided by most farmers was because, "it provides a good income". Fast forward about 40 years and you will find that the first three answers were similar as the 1950's survey because they were all about lifestyle, but you will also find that a "good income" moved up to seventh place. Mr. Macher writes that income should be your number one goal ... but probably that isn't why you farm.

The chapter also gives some definitions from the USDA, IRS, and the author himself as to what a "small farm" really is. According to the definitions small farms make up 79% of all the farms in the US today, so small farmers are not alone. In fact small farm numbers are one the rise (possibly because big farmers are having to become small farmers due to the rising costs of farming?). Mr. Macher also throws out some definitions for "family farms" and "sustainable agriculture". I think almost everyone has different view points on these terms ... so, I'm not even going to touch this!

Another interesting section of the chapter was the pros and cons of full-time versus part-time farming. Let me sum it up for you... starting out as a full-time farmer (no off farm job) is really hard and starting out as a part-time farmer gives you a little bit of both. Jumping in whole hog to full-time farming is especially difficult (put totally possible) if you don't have much experience or capital. And, I would say that having capital is really the key because you need money to begin things, pay for mistakes, and buy food for yourself as you get things going. If I had capital I would be all over it ... But, there is something to be said for part-time farming. In the words of the author you can, "have your cake and eat it too." Of course when you are part-time farming you often have to tailor your farming schedule around your "town job" schedule. Oh ... so much to think about!

Overall, I think the best thing about this chapter is that it makes you think. I have been doing a lot of reading lately about the process of farming. Things like raising livestock, managing pastures, choosing forages, and raising crops are really good to help get a sense of the practical knowledge needed, but really it is good to take a reality check from time to time and take off the romantic farming glasses. Mr. Macher throws out some good things to think about without trying to spell out a step-by-step process. It is important that beginning farmers work things out for their specific passions, desires, and reality ... I think this book will be a good reality check.

Remember to check back regularly as I will be posting a book report for each chapter!

The Beginning Farmer ... 2008 Goals

I've never been that much into resolutions. Maybe it is just because they seem so cliche or because most people end up breaking their resolutions, whatever the reason is I've haven't ever been one to make resolutions. Goals on the other hand... I'm all about goals (don't ask what the difference is). I believe it is important to have a vision of where you want to be and how you want to get there. I have goals in my personal life, in my ministry, and now I have a few farming related goals ... of course these goals are subject to change depending on how the year develops.

1. Read six farming related books ... Knowledge is power, or at least I heard that once. I realize that doing is the key, but I also know that learning is important. I already have three books ready to start reading (see this post) and then I would like to pick out a few more that provide various viewpoints. Along with the reading I will continue to blog about each chapter ... it helps me retain the information and hopefully provides information to others that is helpful.



2. Begin rotational grazing ... It is important to set goals that make you stretch, but that are also obtainable. I'm not sure if we will be living on farm with our cattle this coming year so we probably won't be ready to do a management intensive grazing system, but we can begin rotating every few days. To begin a rotational system we will have to work on permanent fencing and begin experimenting with the temporary electric fencing.



3. Add another dimension to the Stoneyfield livestock operation ... We are hoping that we can diversify a bit this coming year. As I have mentioned lately we have been thinking about sheep and hogs. Who knows maybe we will end up with both, but I know that I want to expand somehow. Sheep sounds good because of their pasture management benefits, but pigs sound good because pork is tasty! In order to do this we'll need to do some more research, building, and fencing. Also, we need to think about whether or not we are going to raise grade animals or possibly heritage breeds



4. Expand our backyard laying operation ... This past year has been a good year of learning with our backyard movable laying hens. I think I would like to redesign our pen this year (make it lighter and slightly larger) and add one or two more hens. Also, we are going to get new layers this year so hopefully we can experiment with a couple different breeds and begin selling a dozen or two eggs. Also, we are going to continue trying out different feeds.



5. Build a Stoneyfield website and expand the blog ... We are going to begin having animals ready to be marketed in the coming year and plenty more in the years to come so I would like to continue to build a presence on the web. This will not be a main marketing tool (beef and eggs will be sold local), but it will help with our purebred Dexters. Also, I think it can be a great communication devise for potential customers and those interested in learning. As I began my quest to become a farming I specifically started looking for accounts of people who went through what I wanted to do ... I didn't come by many. So, this blog has become an account for those that would like to see the journey from not farming to farming. Not just day to day activities, but also my research, thoughts, and plans. I hope that it is helpful and that others continue to stumble on and comment. The comments that people have shared since I began blogging regularly have been better than any research I could have done because many of them come from real life experience.

So, those are a few of my 2008 farming goals. I'm sure that I will add more as I have time to think about it and as the year unfolds, but these are a good starting point. I pray that you have a wonderful day and a blessed 2008!

WTB: Livestock Trailer

Well, if you have been following the blog for awhile now you may recognize this picture. It was taken on our trip to Missouri to pick up some Dexters. On that trip we lost a bearing (which we fixed), but Grandpa's Trailer has a little more wrong with it this time! The trailer will need two new axles before we take it out on the road!

That is a pretty big problem ... but, it is magnified by the fact that we have a bull to go pick up in Missouri. So, I'm taking a shot in the dark here.

Do you have, or do you know somebody, or do you know somebody that knows somebody that has a livestock trailer for sale? We need a bumper pull trailer in the 12 foot to 14 foot range (I guess we could deal with a 16 footer, but we would like something smaller). Something that can haul two or three Dexters would be right up our alley! As far as height goes ... well, something between five feet or six feet on the inside would do, but I would consider something a little taller if the price was right.

I'm sorry to post such a boring want ad today, but this is something that we need right now. So, if you are in Iowa (or Missouri) or you know somebody that is with a trailer for sale just let me know! Oh, I guess a rental might work also...

Something to Think About This Weekend

Last night I started reading "Making Your Small Farm Profitable" by Ron Macher. This isn't going to be a full on chapter one book report, but there was one little section of questions that I thought would be good food for thought for the long weekend. These are questions that I have thought about before in different ways, but having them laid out before me really made me think. Over the next few weeks I am going to be thinking through them ... then maybe I'll share some answers!

1. How much money do I need in order to live comfortably and support my family? $15,000? $20,000? $50,000?


2. How long will it take to achieve this level of income, and will I be happy when I achieve it?


3. Do I want to farm part time? Full time? Start part time and grow from there?


4. How much money do I already have in order to start farming, and how much do I wish to borrow?


5. What skills and resources do I have? Am I good wit livestock, or can I learn to be? Am I good with machinery, or maybe carpentry - to build hog houses or poultry houses? What skills do I have that I really enjoy? What skills am I weak in or do I really dislike?

Some of these questions are pretty straight forward ... how much is in the bank account ... while others get down to what you are willing to have and sacrifice and how much you really know. But, I think they are very good foundation questions as I work my way towards farming. It is important to put things into the proper prospective and not just look at farming from the "romantic" point of view. Farming will influence every part of your life so you need to look at it from every angle.

Just some food for thought this weekend...

The Contrary Farmer :: Chapter 10 Book Report

"Winter Wheat, Spring Oats, Summer Clover, Fall Pasture" ... that is the title of the final chapter in Gene Logsdon's book, "The Contrary Farmer". The main topic of this chapter is the role that small grains can play on the "cottage farm". As I have mentioned in other posts about Mr. Logsdon's book her runs a very diverse farm that includes livestock and a rotation of pastures and grains. Just as with the corn he isn't talking about large plots, but rather he plants smaller areas that he uses for hay and grains for his livestock.

Mr. Logsdon sees small grains as an important part of the contrary farm because they provide different sources of feed and bedding. If one crop doesn't work out then he likes to have back-ups ... that is the beauty of diversification. He spends extra time talking about wheat, oats, and hay in this chapter, but also touches on a few other small grains such as soybeans and rye. Each of these small grain crops has its benefits for the small cottage farmer that helps the farm ... if you have the right equipment (see last chapters report).

He likes the wheat because it can be planted in the fall which spreads out his work load and gives him the possibility of grazing for a short time in the fall on the new wheat field. While wheat is good Mr. Logsdon believes that oats is more important to the small farmer because it is higher in protein and other minerals and mixes well with corn for feeding. Also, the oats will provide you with straw that you can use as bedding. One interesting method for harvesting oats that he explains in this chapter comes Karl Kuerner, Jr. Mr. Kuerner lets his oat grains ripen just a little more than when you would regularly when making oat hay and then bales the oats. The result is bales that can be feed in the winter that includes oat grains ... either then animals eat the whole thing or they munch out the grains and the rest can be pushed in to their area for bedding (that sounds like something I would try for horses).

My Final Thoughts... All in all these last few of chapters on grain and farm equipment have really made me think about how I want to farm. While I'm not sure if I will be adding them all to my farming plan I believe it was good to look at things from the other side of the fence. Mr. Logsdon is really a "contrary farmer" ... he doesn't line up with the organics ... he leaves the pasture only stuff to the guys with more land ... and he is not anywhere near the conventional farmers. The reality of it is that if you are going to farm for a full-time living I think you need to think differently and this book has helped me do that. I would encourage you to check this "The Contrary Farmer," by Gene Logsdon ... especially if you are a "cottage farmer" who has other sources of income, but also is a farmer.

Christmas Gifts for the Beginning Farmer...

I realize that doing is much better than reading ... but, you can't put doing on a Christmas list (at least yet, maybe we have our own place then we can ask people to do stuff!). So, this year my Christmas wish list was littered with what I hope will be some good reading material. I only have one chapter left in "The Contrary Farmer", so these books arrived at the right time.

Here are three books I received this year:

• Harris on the Pig :: Practical Hints for the Pig Farmer :: This book was written by Joseph Harris and first published in 1883. Some would look at the date and think the book was out dated, but I see that date and know that the book will be full of useful information. Mr. Harris writes about selecting breeds, building pens and buildings, feeding, and other interesting tidbits. The farmers of yesteryear knew what was going on and they raised their pigs on a diverse farm much like we intend building so I think this will be a helpful resource.



• Dirt Hog :: A Hands-On Guide to Raising Pigs Outdoors ... Naturally :: You may be noticing a pattern here! I have read good things about this book and mediocre things about this book, so I will just have to see for myself. Just with all things in life I'm sure I can learn from it even if it isn't the most helpful thing ever written. It contains many of the how-to's that the Harris book does, but it also attacks pig raising specifically from the pasture based angle. It also includes information on marketing (which is helpful) and on selection and breeding. This book by Kelly Klober looks pretty interesting so I'm not sure which pig book I will read first!



• Making Your Small Farm Profitable :: Here is a book by Ron Macher, the publisher of Small Farm Today magazine, about some of the nuts and bolts involved in making a profit on your farm. Of course it talks about marketing and developing markets, but it also talks about maximizing your net profit per acre and Mr. Macher throws out 25 principles he believes you should follow (you gotta have principles if you are doing a how-to book). I'm not looking for practical working farm knowledge from this book, but I do hope it adds to my knowledge base when it comes to the "business" of a small farm.

As with other books that I have read I will be giving a little book report after each chapter. I find this helps me retain more information and provides a resource for others who are thinking about adding these books to their libraries.

Oh, I guess I did receive one more farming related gift... a nice straw hat so I don't come home with many more sunburns on the neck. It's alway nice to try and keep the skin cancer at bay!

The Contrary Farmer :: Chapter 9 Book Report

Okay, it is safe to say that I had slight problems with this chapter. But, I'm sure it is just a difference of view. Gene Logsdon is writing to the "cottage farmers" who have off farm jobs or other work from home jobs that aren't part of the "farm". Also, he does not favor a total grassfed approach or totally pastured system, but I think he agrees they can work. Basically, it comes down to this ... he is writing for people who are farming as a second job or farming as a first job and doing something else as a second job. With that type of set-up there is more money for the mechanical things ... by the way, this chapter is titled, "Cottage Mechanics."

He begins the chapter writing about farming ingenuity and the importance of the farm tractor and such. Pretty good stuff ... stuff that I generally enjoyed and agreed with. That being said, let me list the problems in had with this chapter:

• A Pickup Truck


• Hydraulically-Powered Bucket or Manure Scoop


• Cultivating Tools : plow, disk, spike tooth harrow, and a spring tooth harrow


• A Cultipacker


• Weed Cultivator (tractor type or tiller)


• Broadcast Seeder


• Sickle Bar Mower


• Hay Rake


• Baler


• Manure Spreader


• Some sort of Grain Harvester (AC All-Crop pull behind)


• Fencing Tools (stretchers and such)


• Chain Saw, an axe, a peavey, two wedges, and a steel splitting maul


• Tile Trenching Spade


• Shovel and or Spade for weeding


• Pitch Forks


• Grain Scoop Shovel and Bushel Baskets


• Lawn Mower


• Heated Repair Shop


• Pair of Pliers and Pocketknife


• Grease Gun and Oil Can

I must say this chapter ... which includes a very long list (with explanations) of tools and implements needed to be a contrary farmer ... was very overwhelming to me. I looked at the list (which is what you see above) and felt like there is no way that I could ever get into farming full-time and make a profit. I realize that he isn't talking about getting these things all at once, but even acquiring them over time takes an outlay of cash that cuts into the bottom line. So, I took a second look at the list and thought a little...

I see where he is coming from on everything Mr. Logsdon puts on the list, but I think I'm going to work with less! He is thinking that many of these items can be purchased inexpensively at farm auctions (which they can) and that the can be used to do various farming activities (which is true). But, I think you can cut out quite a bit if you leave out a few things, which may be inexpensive by themselves but add up eventually. I think I would cut out anything related to growing grains ... except the broadcast seeder and maybe a plow. Also, think more about what you can get other people in your area to do for you. Besides the money aspect the thing that scared me about the list was, where do I put all that and how do I fix all that!

As I said, I understand where he is going with all of those things and totally agree with their viability for the "contrary farmer". I just think I need to look at more inexpensive and less tractor related methods as I work at being a beginning farmer.

One thing for sure ... this book does make me think and is inspiring. That is a good thing!

The Christmas Pony by Clarence Hill (Iowa Farmer)

In my neck of the woods there is a "50,000 watt blow torch" of a radio station called 1040 WHO. Well, at least that is what their commercials say! You can here this station beyond the boundaries of Iowa and it carries local programming that I can only call, "pure Iowan" (and I say that with pride). One of the shows on that station that I grew up listening to is "The Big Show" which is the 90 minute farm show on from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM and is hosted by Mark Pearson, Ken Root, and sometimes others ... but, on Friday is the real treat. On Fridays farm broadcaster emeritus, Lee Kline, makes an appearance at the end of the show to tell a story. Mr. Kline has one of those voices that just seems to sooth the soul and his stories often remind us of the days on the farm from years ago.

This past Friday he read a story by Clarence Hill who was a farmer from Minburn, IA. The story, titled "The Christmas Pony", was submitted to Farm Journal Magazine and was printed in December, 1954. It is a great Christmas story that really tugs on the heart. You must click on the title above to hear the story ... or CLICK HERE.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas.

A Christmas Poem for Your Christmas Eve...

It is always a good idea to take a break from things and focus on what is most important. What is most important to me is my faith, my family, and my relationships. So, for the next couple of days I wanted to share a couple of somewhat agriculturally related Christmas things. I hope that you enjoy them and have a Merry Christmas!

The Cowboys' Christmas Ball
by Larry Chittenden

'Way out in Western Texas, where the Clear Fork's waters flow,
Where the cattle are "a-browzin'," an' the Spanish ponies grow;
Where the Northers "come a-whistlin'" from beyond the Neutral Strip;
And the prairie dogs are sneezin', as if they had "The Grip";
Where the cayotes come a-howlin' 'round the ranches after dark,
And the mocking-birds are singin' to the lovely "medder lark";
Where the 'possum and the badger, and rattlesnakes abound,
And the monstrous stars are winkin' o'er a wilderness profound;
Where lonesome, tawny prairies melt into airy streams,
While the Double Mountains slumber, in heavenly kinds of dreams;
Where the antelope is grazin' and the lonely plovers call--
It was there that I attended "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball."

The town was Anson City, old Jones's county seat,
Where they raised Polled Angus cattle, and waving whiskered wheat;
Where the air is soft and "bammy," an' dry an' full of health,
And the prairies is explodin' with agricultural wealth;
Where they print the Texas Western, that Hec. McCann supplies
With news and yarns and stories, uv most amazin' size;
Where Frank Smith "pulls the badger," on knowin' tenderfeet,
And Democracy's triumphant, and might hard to beat;
Where lives that good old hunter, John Milsap, from Lamar,
Who "used to be the Sheriff, back East, in Paris sah!"
'T was there, I say, at Anson with the lovely "widder Wall,"
That I went to that reception, "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball."

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE...

If you would like to watch a reading of this poem make sure you click on THIS LINK.

King Corn ... No, Not That King Corn ... The Contrary Farmer

Yes, this post is about King Corn, but no it is not about the documentary that I have discussed so much lately title, "King Corn". Todays post happens to be about chapter eight in Gene Logsdon's book, "The Contrary Farmer." That chapter just happens to be called "King Corn" ... are you throughly confused yet? Well, this was actually probably one of my favorite chapters in the book yet ... and, Mr. Logsdon is talking about corn being king because it is a good thing! I should note, that this is a chapter that my dad would really resonate with. Since we have brought the cows to the farm he has mentioned a few times that it just seems unnatural to not be feeding them any grain ... almost un-American.

Well, Mr. Logsdon actually speaks highly of corn in this rather informational and practical chapter. I don't know where he lands on the idea of large-scale grain farming, but for the "cottage" farmer he loves the idea of having a small (1-5 acres) plot of corn. He loves the corn because it is reliable and in his own woods, "even a fool can grow it." Corn also has earned a place on his farm because it can easily be harvested by hand (no need for big machinery) when it is done in small amounts. But, his love of corn for the farm is best summed up by these words from the chapter,

"If nature, in her contrariness, dries up the pasture grass, I will feed corn. If she hurls hail on the corn, I will feed oats. If she blows down the oats, I will feed wheat. If she floods out the wheat, the grass will be lush."

Basically, he sees corn as a piece of the bigger picture on his diverse farm where everything needs to earn is keep whether through monetary value or plain aesthetics.

As I mentioned just a moment ago this is one of the more practical chapters in the book. Mr. Logsdon talks about how he prepares the land for corn, plants it, cares for it, and harvests it. In each of those little sections of they chapter I learned interesting little tidbits about how he still has a place for the mold board plow, how open pollinated corn can be used, how to harvest by hand, and so much more.

I must admit that after reading this chapter I'm thinking a little more about the place corn could have on a farm that we have. I'm not so sure that I will go so far as to say that I'm ready to feed it to my cattle, but on a small-scale it could be something useful for any hogs or chickens that we had on the farm ... and we plan on having both. Plus, I must admit the open invitation to use a plow (with a proper field rotation of course) and the opportunity to hand husk corn is almost a little to enticing to pass up.

I'm going to look into some open pollinated corn for this springs planting season. I know that I could get my dad to plow up some ground and put some corn in. I bet I could even get him to cultivate it if I let him drive his prairie gold tractor! But, more importantly I would like to experiment with it a little bit. Hey, if we could get any that would just be that much less that we needed to buy to feed the chickens.

I'll let you know when the corn picking party is!

**Greenfield Farms is a place that sells open pollinated corn if you are interested in ordering online ... Reid's Yellow Dent is what Mr. Logsdon mentioned ... I'm going to check around my area**

Gerald Fry on Bulls

The whole process surrounding our search for a bull has been very interesting and informational. I have learned quite a bit about what to look for and the signs and measurements that you can use to help choose your bull. I have really taken the old adage that the bull is half your herd to heart and I tried to find something that was more than just male. To that end I have had a lot of help from people in the Dexter community and folks that just plain know cattle.

One guy that I was pointed to quite often was Gerald Fry. He has a website called, Bovine Engineering, that has a lot of information about grassfed beef, selecting genetics, choosing a bull, and so much more. One article that John Potter recently pointed me to is this one titled, "A Well Balanced Bull and the Benefits of Masculinity". It is just a short article, but it is full of great information on selecting a bull.

Mr. Fry describes a well balanced bull with this sentence, "The objective for a well-balanced and functional bull is to get 85% of his cow's settled on first service and do that job on grass and or hay and maintain his body weight." This is something that I couldn't really judge as we picked out our bull, but it is something that I'm going to pay attention to in our future breeding. Mr. Fry also places a lot of emphasis on selecting a bull that is masculine. As I have mentioned in the past this is one thing that has been difficult as we looked for Dexter bulls.

According to the article a good bull will show its masculinity in its head, neck and shoulders. Look at things like the amount of muscle, the thickness of the skin, coarseness of the head hair, position of the legs, and more. A well balanced bull as described in the article will be a benefit to any beef herd.

I look forward to continuing to learn about selecting a herd bull so we can begin improving our herd through our breeding. Do you have any other links or thoughts on selecting bulls? Let me know if you do!

It's Time to Think Outside the Box

Yesterday I mentioned in my post, almost in passing, the importance of "thinking outside of the box". Well, it is fitting that I did because this afternoon I was checking out the New Farm front page again and I stumbled across this ARTICLE titled, "On the Plains, there’s room outside the box" by Pete Letheby. It is a short little OP/ED article that gives a short summary of what the Switzer family from Nebraska has done.

When Adam Switzer returned to the family ranch they thought that the conventional cattle ranching of the area wouldn't pay the bills like in the past. Long story short, they looked at their land and tried to think of ways that they could use it to work for them. While they still run a cattle operation on their ranch they have built added an extra source of income ... a source that has become their largest. What started out as a couple of cabins has turned into 70 lodging units that is often full. They realized that they had more than just acres of range for cattle, they also had things that others would come and enjoy. They had prairie chickens (people like to watch them), they had spring-fed streams for canoing, they had wide open spaces for horse riding, and they had hunting opportunities. They thought out of the box ... beyond what their neighbors were doing.

So, what other "outside of the box" opportunities are there out there for farmers to boost their income. Agri-tourism is something that has been thrown out there a lot, but there can only be so many B&B's on the farm ... hunting places are starting to pop up around our area, but they don't always mesh with a livestock operation if you have limited amounts of land ... grassfed beef/pork/poultry is something that is growing and I see that as a great thing ... I think that capitalizing on new ideas is going to be the key of successful small-scale farmers in the time to come. Yes, grassfed and naturally raised is here to stay, and allowing people to come to the farm and experience where their food comes from is great ... but, what else can we do?

That is one thing that I'm thinking about a lot these days. In any future farming venture we do I would like our pastured animals to be the centerpiece, but we are beginning to think of other ideas. Maybe we could add Christmas trees, not open to the public, but as a bonus opportunity for our customers. Possibly an Amish market ... more than just a farmers market, but a place where multiple Amish gather together to sell their goods. How about becoming a respected breeder of purebred cattle (that is one direction I would like to go)?

There are a lot of "outside the box" ideas out there that are being done and that haven't even been tried yet. It is time to be creative and build on those ideas! Do you have any ideas...?

"Good Farming is Like an Evolving Dance..."

I just have time for a short post today because the week leading up to Christmas is a busy time for me with Sunday service and Christmas Eve service and all the things that go along with it. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have a chance to share a little more. But, I did want to point you to an interesting article that I found over at the New Farm website.

"Striking a Balance" is the title of the article by Deborah A. Hyk and the subtitle is, "Family learns that good farming is like an evolving dance." There are a couple of reasons that I found this article especially interesting.

First of all the VanDerPol family is farming together as a family. Their son and his wife joined the farm in the 90's and they have been able to create enough income for them without buying up all the available land around them. These kinds of examples are especially interesting to me because the common thought in Iowa is that the family farm only can produce enough income to support one family so the kids have to leave the farm. With the kids gone and starting new lives without the farm when the parents retire there is nobody to take over ... what used to be a circle of land passing on to generation after generation has become a dead end.

The second reason I enjoyed the article is because they have made a transition from conventional farming methods to more pasture based methods and they have succeeded. I wonder what they would think of my post below and the idea that we can't produce enough on pastures. These success stories are not only great resources for finding farms that are doing things right, but they are an encouragement to me because it shows that it can be done.

Here are a few quotes from the article to pique your interest:

Initially, the VanDerPols decided to put pigs and sheep on pasture. Although Minnesota does not have a climate suited to raising hogs on pasture year-round, Jim noticed that even Minnesota pigs benefited from the seasonal pasture time. Weaned litter sizes were larger when the sows farrowed outdoors, he said; the sows were generally healthier, as well.

This was the first significant step away from a cropping system as a way to support livestock. The farm still includes crops as part of the rotation—alfalfa and orchard grass hay for two years between small-grain crops, with corn or soybeans as occasional visitors to the mix.

They also knew they wanted to keep the farm an intergenerational success. “I grew up here,” says Jim. “But I’m one of the last few still farming the family farmstead from the years when I was growing up.” Across Minnesota and across the country, farmers with large-sized acreage have acquired farms but haven't had an opportunity to pass them onto the next generation. Jim and LeeAnn wanted their farm to be one of the exceptions.

To make that happen, they needed to make certain their acreage was as productive as possible. Maximizing pasture clearly seemed to be the key.

“Our customers are people who appreciate the locally grown, environmental sustainability of our products—and they are folks who like the taste, as well,” says Jim.

A Little More on "King Corn"

Ever since I found out about the documentary "King Corn" and posted THIS POST with some of thoughts I have been following the reviews and screenings of the movie as closely as I can. Recently they made a swing through Iowa and had a bunch of screenings in small and larger towns across Iowa. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend any of the screenings because they didn't venture far enough South in my part of the state on the right days, but I'm glad they had a chance to screen the movie in the "corn belt" itself.

One of the most interesting things is that they have been posting VIDEO BLOGS from their screenings with comments from audience members. I have had a chance to watch the videos posted and was pretty intrigued by some of the comments. I don't know if this is just because they selected certain comments, but it seems as they worked their way East from Sioux City and Algona to some of the prime farm land in the state (Black Hawk, Hardin, and near Grundy Counties) they encountered a little more resistance from the farmers. Of course they also made a stop in Cedar Rapids, IA which is home to some big (and really smelly) corn processing plants!

For some reason the comments from the people in Eldora really stuck with me. Eldora is somewhat my old stomping grounds and I still go up there quite a few times a year to visit our camp, the lake, and for meetings. But for whatever reason the folks there were a bit skeptical ... especially of the idea of grassfed beef. Here is a paraphrase of one quote from the video: "(Addressed to some guy off camera) could we feed enough cattle on pasture to feed the country without corn?" ... (guy off of camera answers) "No, not in this day and age."

That little exchange really got me thinking. Now I realize that I have no practical knowledge and that quite a few people will discount what I say because it comes from articles and books ... but, is that a true statement? I guess I don't really know ... maybe the "in this day and age" part of the answer is the qualifier because maybe it would be possible if there weren't people so entrenched in feeding and eating grain fed beef? You may recall my FIRST POST on Ultra High Density Grazing and then my FOLLOW-UP POST on the same subject. In the world of Ultra High Density Grazing there are people regularly grazing 8,000 pounds per acre and I have read reports of people doing up to 150,000 pounds per acre!!! Now this is some extreme rotational and managed grazing, but it is all being done on pasture and without grains.

So, is it currently possible to provide enough cattle for our nation solely using pasture? Maybe it is...

One more thought... One person mentions using grain towards the end to get the flavor and marbling. I will not comment on the flavor part, because grainfed and grassfed do have different tastes and I know that people will debate which is better, but about the marbling thing. I believe there is research out there now which is telling us that the tenderness (and that is one big reason people want marbling) doesn't have as much to do with grain feeding or fat content as it does with genetics and such. So, maybe that isn't a valid argument...

There is lots to think about when it comes to corn and all of its uses, benefits, problems, and so much more. I would love to hear what you think on this subject. Maybe we can draw Aaron in (who worked on the film) to give us some more insight from these Iowa screenings.

If you haven't heard about "King Corn" yet make sure you go to the website and check out the entire movie if you get the chance!

**Okay, I did have one more thing ... maybe this will balance out my take. I'm not sure if the lady at the end of the Eldora clip has everything straight either. I do think the government has too many regulations that tie the hands of great farmers who would like to market, but the selling the chicken to a neighbor thing and getting in trouble might be a stretch. I'm pretty sure with chicken you can actually butcher on farm a certain number of birds and sell them...**

We Found Our Bull!?!

Well, I think it is safe to let the cat out of the bag finally since I have signed a contract and sent out the deposit! After much searching, learning, discussing, and all of that good stuff I think we have settled on a bull for our herd. Finding a Dexter Bull that I was at least partially satisfied with has proven more difficult that I thought it would be. If you remember back in October I wrote THIS POST and THIS POST about selecting a bull. Both of those posts linked to articles and forum posts discussing the qualities and traits you should look for when picking out your bull. Things were more difficult because it just doesn't seem like there are a lot of good Dexter bulls out there ... I have a couple theories on why that is, but I won't get into that now.

So, here are a few requirements that were on my short list ... He had to look like a bull, not an old cow or plain steer ... He needed to be dun or carry dun genes ... He needed a decent background ... He needed to be old enough to work next summer and old enough to get a better idea of his looks ... And, he needed to be horned or dehorned. Well, I think I did pretty goods fulfilling those requirements and I may have even ended up a little better.

With out further ado let me introduce to you, SGF SANT Hershey! Here are the details ... The "SGF" stands for Spruce Grove Farms which is John Potter's farm in Michigan. Mr. Potter is a well respected breeder of Dexters and Dexter bulls and I had a chance to have a great conversation with him as I was learning about bull selection. In fact I would have loved to get a bull directly from him, but at the time I talked with him he didn't have anything that fit my bill. The "SANT" speaks to the year he was born and his sire who is Antares. Antares seems to be a pretty popular bull as evidenced by the 52 Dexters that he has sired! His dam is also out of Spruce Grove Farm's breeding so that is a plus. He is horned as you can see ... he is dun as you can see ... but, one little bonus that you can't see is that he carries a gene for red. So, if we had a cow that carried the red gene we would have the possibility of a red calf!

Hershey is about 20 months old so he will be plenty ready by next summer and we also have a decent idea of how he is going to turn out based on his looks right now. He has a nice set of horns on him so we will have to give him respect, but he also can be gentle and I have pictures of his former owners with their arms around his neck. Gentleness is one of the traits in Dexters that led us to bring them to our farm. All in all we are pretty excited about bringing him home and I'm really looking forward to the 2009 calving season!

He will be coming from Marian and Erik at Five Ponds Farm in Southern Missouri. They have be a joy to work with as we have gone through the whole process and I'm looking forward to meeting them in person when we get a chance to pick Hershey up (not sure when yet). If you are interested in Dexters, Navajo-Churro sheep, Red Wattle hogs, or even daylilies and hostas I encourage you to check out their website. They have a lot of neat things going on at there farm.

Hopefully in the next month or so I will be able to post pictures of Hershey at Stoneyfield!

The Contrary Farmer :: Chapter 7 Book Report

Seven chapters down and only three to go. "Groves of Trees to Live In," is the title of this chapter in Gene Logsdon's book "The Contrary Farmer." I was really pretty excited to read this chapter because the forest areas are some of the places I love most on the families farm. Much of this book is about living a lifestyle and about enjoying the "farm" and our forested areas are they place that I enjoy going to in the fall and winter just to sit and listen and enjoy... I don't even know if I can put into words the enjoyment I have when I get a chance to spend some time in the woods.

But, Mr. Logsdon didn't only speak of the poetic beauty and wonders of the woods in this chapter ... He also spends time talking about how to manage your woodlot, start a tree grove, and cutting wood (or the art of cutting wood). It was actually a pretty good chapter and I will try to give you a brief overview in case you are interested in the book or in woodlots in general.

Managing woodlots is something that I have been thinking about lately. When we got to our farm around 15 years ago we had (and still have) two distinct wooded areas. We called them, "The Wilderness," and "The South Woods". At the time they were similar in that they both were overgrown on the edges with multiflora rose but were fairly clear on the inside. But, the Wilderness seemed to have older trees than the South Woods. Now after 15 years (and no cattle) the South Woods have become overgrown the entire way through and the Wilderness is still fairly clear. I don't have any well founded ideas, but we have wondered if the South Woods was clear when we got there because the neighbors cows had been running in them because of the poor fencing. Well, that is why I have been thinking about management, because it is something we need to think about doing.

Mr. Logsdon writes about a couple different pruning "programs". You can get a state forester to come out to your woodlot and they will give you a good plan to prune you trees so that you can possibly harvest a little bit sooner for financial gain, but Mr. Logsdon himself mentioned using a "leave it alone" method. On his farm we pruned one section according to the state forester and just left on area to its own devices. He says that after 15 years he can't tell a difference! By managing your woodlot you can find an extra source of income, food, and eat. I think this section of the chapter was a good introduction to woodlot managing ideas and I'm looking forward to researching a bit more on the topic ... oh, and using pigs in the woodlots from time to time!

The second topic Mr. Logsdon really hits on in this chapter is the idea of starting a grove of trees on bare ground. I must admit this is something that has never really crossed my mind, probably because in today's culture are about the here and now and starting a woodlot is about time. But, it is interesting that he advocates just letting the area go so that it can go through it's own natural progression. Of course planting some seedlings will help seed it up, but it is possible to have the beginnings of a nice woodlot after fifteen years. The majesty and overpoweringly big tress will have to be for future generations though! I think this sums up a lot of Mr. Logsdon's idea of "Contrary Farming" ... we need to let nature work for us and for itself in it's own progression. God did design things to take care of themselves in our woods and pastures!

I would say the last major section of this chapter is all about the simple joy of the woods ... specifically cutting wood! Not everyone would see cutting and splitting wood as a relaxing, peaceful, and joyous occasion, but really it is that and so much more. Mr. Logsdon doesn't give any revolutionary how-to tips or step-by-step instructions in this section on cutting firewood, but he does give a wonderful example of how to slow down and be impressed by your work and your surroundings. In fact I might even go out and split some wood today...

Sheep on the Mind...

Lately I have had sheep on my mind and I've been trying to read and research a little bit about them. I don't know if my sudden interest has to do with my lack of knowledge on the subject or if it is because I have been reading "The Contrary Farmer" by Gene Logsdon who happens to raise sheep. But, whatever the reason is they have been on my mind as I think about ways to expand the farm, clean up some areas around fences, and control parasites in the cattle. My basic knowledge of sheep tells me that they can lend a hand in all of those areas.

The other day I went over to the ATTRA website to see if I could find some basic introductory information on sheep. What I found was an article titled, "Sustainable Sheep Production" (you can access and html version of the article by clicking on the title). As I said I was looking for a very basic overview and this short article is just that, but it did give me a few things to think about and process.

The first paragraph holds a couple of sentences that really support my current interest in sheep. The authors write, "Integrating sheep into a farming operation can contribute to the economic and environmental sustainability of the whole farm." And they continue a couple of sentences later, "The relatively small investment required, and the gradually increasing size of the flock, make sheep production a good choice for the beginning small-scale or part-time farmer." This really got my attention because I keep reading about the environmental impact that sheep can have on the farm, whether it is by helping to break parasite cycles or by managing pastures. But, the second sentence was pretty interesting also ... after buying our Dexters (and soon a bull, but more on that later) I'm ready for something that is less expensive and perfect for the "beginning small-scale" farmer. One think that I would really like to learn more about is the market for sheep, whether it be the conventional or niche market. I have been told my family and neighbors that the sheep market is pretty good now, but what exactly does pretty good mean?

On the subject of grazing sheep and cattle together the article through out this tasty nugget of information, "...multi-species grazing with sheep, cattle, and goats is useful in increasing pasture efficiency. It has been demonstrated that grazing sheep with cattle can increase meat production by 24% compared to cattle alone, and by 9% compared to sheep alone." Those are pretty drastic increases when you also factor in the possibility of more income with the added livestock. Also, I remember reading recently in Mr. Logsdon's book that you can keep one you and her lamb(s) for each cow/steer/bull you currently have without increasing your acreage. If you can sell for a profit I don't see why you wouldn't add sheep? Or, if you can sell and break even it may even be worth it when you combine the pasture management and parasite control benefits...

The rest of the article is pretty informational also from the basic, "I don't know anything about sheep," point of view. It briefly mentions the use of three strands of electric wire for fencing and the benefits and possibilities of pasture lambing and culling for good lambing ewes. One thing that I would like to research more deeply is breed/cross selection (besides how to raise them of course). The article has a short section on breeds and the authors state that in the U.S. four breeds make up two-thirds of the sheep. But, are those sheep well suited to pasture lambing and pasture living? I don't really know ... I do know that a large amount of the sheep raised in the U.S. come from rangelands in the West, so maybe those would have traits that are more adapted to living in the regions with less precipitation. That being said, as I have mentioned before I'm not ready to add any other purebred livestock as much as I would love to have heritage breeds. One breed association is enough to deal with!

I would love to hear from anyone with experience raising sheep ... especially if you are in the Midwest. Also, below are a couple of links to threads on Homesteading Today dealing with books about sheep and shepherding.

Good Sheep Books For a Beginner

Sheep Book Recommendations and Reviews