by Ethan
on October 21, 2011
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.
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by Ethan
on October 18, 2011
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 ::
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by Ethan
on October 17, 2011
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).
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by Ethan
on September 30, 2011
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
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by Ethan
on September 2, 2011
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 ::
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by Ethan
on June 28, 2011
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!
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by Ethan
on June 27, 2011
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 ::
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by Ethan
on June 24, 2011
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 …
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by Ethan
on June 21, 2011
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 …
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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 …
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