The Beginning Farmer

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 **

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.

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

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.

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 …

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.