2022
Family
& Farm
Magazine Special supplement to the Pioneer, Herald Review, River Valley Shopper and Pioneer East Shopper
The cutoff of Russia and Ukraine's wheat exports affects both consumers and farmers. (File Photo)
What do rising wheat prices mean for farmers, consumers? By: Connor Veenstra Staff Writer
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, two of the worlds biggest wheat providers have been cut off from the rest of the world.
The two countries make up 25% or more of the global wheat trade, according to Industry Relation Specialist for the Michigan Farm Bureau Theresa Sisung. "They're huge players, not
just in production, but in the wheat that's shipped around the world," she said. This has caused record high wheat prices in the United States, as well as the rest of the world. With this hike
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in the wheat market, what does this mean for wheat farmers and those buying wheat-based products? For farmers, the situation is entirely dependent on how much forethought they had. Farmers have to pay close attention to the prices of what they sell, as well as what experts are projecting for that price in the future. This is usually done by consulting the Chicago Board of Trade, a sort of exchange where farmers can consult world-wide prices. From there, farmers can make contract purchases with a buyer, meaning that the product is already bought months in advance of when it will actually be harvested. For crop farmers, who can only harvest at a certain time of year, this can be just the arrangement they need, especially during winter. With the absence of the world's two major suppliers for wheat, Michigan farmers should be looking at a good pay day, though according to Cover Crop and Soil Health educator Christina Curell, the paycheck number might not reflect the overall profits. "We're going to get good commodity prices, but you've got to look at the production cost, which is going to go up also," she said. "They might be making more money in the paycheck, but they may not get as much in the end because the cost in production is going up, along with the fuel prices, which are important, too." She also points out that the weather will have a big
effect on the bottom line. "Is there going to be a wet spring?" she said, as an example. "Are we going to have issues with mold and mildew and diseases because of weather? That'll play into the economic side of it." As for consumers, there's unfortunately not much that can be done about the prices of bread, cereal, and other wheat-based food. While it's possible to find bread makers using locally sourced wheat, the international price of wheat means it likely won't be any cheaper than wheat from Europe. According to Sisung, country-wide predictions before the Ukraine invasion said that wheat production would be up in 2022 and that prices would decline. With Ukraine and Russia cut off from the global market, however, the market has become a lot more chaotic and is reliant on the situation. "I predict we'll see increases, but we'll also see big price swings up or down, depending on what the news of the day is," she said. The issue, according to Curell, is that the market is so interconnected globally, with every country relying on another for something, that any kind of change has wide-reaching consequences. "We're world economy, so therefore we rely on other countries for fertilizers on market," she said. "Whatever happens in other parts of the world effects us greatly and vice versa."
Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
More than 85 Mecosta County farms certified in centennial program by Michigan electrical utility companies to commemorate the dramatic changes electricity Families operating a working brought to farm operation and farm in Mecosta and Osceola family life. counties are often a tradition Wollensak said it is surprising that is handed down from one how many farms in Michigan generation to the next. Many times, several generations have remained in the same family for more than 100 years. of the same family have tilled the land on that property dating “It is amazing and we usually get two or three requests a week back to the late 1800s. What started with a process of a simple from farm owners,” she said. “We are always seeing farms that horse and plow has evolved as modern technology changes over have been in the same family for many generations. Farms seem time. to stay in the same family more The Historical Society of so than other property.” Michigan, DTE Energy This Centennial Farm program Foundation and Consumers has been in existence for the Energy teamed up to create the past 73 years and during that Centennial Farm Program to time has honored thousands of honor those generations of the Michigan Farms including 86 same family who have a farm certified in Mecosta County and they have worked for 100 years 92 in Osceola County. or more. The Historical Society To have a farm remain in the of Michigan has coordinated same family for 100 years is and operated the program since quite a feat, but what is amazing 2008 with financial support is some Michigan Farms have from the utility companies. been operating under the same The program was designed to family for many generations honor the families who have over a span of 150 to 200 been the backbone of America years. The Historical Society since its early days in creating of Michigan also has a special the food products necessary to programs to honor those farms feed the country. called the Sesquicentennial and Kathy Wollensak, historical Bicentennial Farm Programs. society awards coordinator, said Of the number of centennial current owners must first fill farms in Mecosta County, three out the appropriate paperwork are sesquicentennial farms, while to qualify for the honor. The six have achieved that feat in process is simple to complete Osceola County. for farm owners and then they Centennial Farm families are receive the distinction of being also given the opportunity to join named a centennial farm. the Michigan Centennial Farm “Once a farm is certified through Association and the Historical Once a farm is certified by the Historical Society of Michigan through the Michigan Centennial Farm Program, the the Michigan Centennial Farm Society of Michigan when they owners will receive a certificate as well as a display marker for their farm similar to this one. Program, the owners receive (Courtesy photo/Historical Society of Michigan) qualify for the program. The a certificate marking that association began in 1955 and accomplishment and receive a comprises a group of farmers display marker for their farm,” who have qualified for centennial Wollensak said. and sesquicentennial farm To be designated as a centennial status. farm, a property must be a Consumers Energy Director working farm of 10 or more of Corporate Giving Carolyn acres that has been continuously Bloodworth said they have been owned by the same family for pleased to be associated as a at least 100 years. In the past 13 sponsor of the program. years the Historical Society of “We are honored to help Michigan has stepped up in a recognize the work of these leadership role in the program. family farms because they "The Historical Society of continue a distinguished and Michigan is delighted to work important role in helping shape with our partners to honor our state’s history and economy,” centennial farms," said Larry she said. Wagnaar, society executive Farm owners who feel their farm director. “We recognize the qualifies for centennial farm longevity and important status should visit the Historical contributions that centennial Society of Michigan website, farms and their families bring to hsmichigan.org, to find out more Michigan’s cultural heritage and on how to apply for the status. the ongoing vitality of agriculture Details can also be obtained by in our state." calling the society at 517-324The markers are sponsored 1828. By: Ken Grabowski Special to the Pioneer
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Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
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All wine sold at Young's Farm is barreled and aged for 18 months before it's bottled and sold to customers. (Pioneer photo/Joe Judd)
Young couple share history of Mecosta County vineyard Avenue, they will be greeted with a one-of-a-kind experience having visited what could be considered one of the best wineries in the state. Owned and operated by the husband and wife tandem of Mark and Abby Young since 2003, Young Farms wasn’t always a winery. The farm went through a handful of different iterations before a number of nudges from what can only be described as some kind of guiding hand set the Youngs on a path to their current and most successful venture. “We bought this property in 2003, and we started as
By: Joe Judd joe.judd@pioneergroup.com
This article is part of Business Buzz, a series designed to feature small businesses that make a big impact on the community. Participants featured will include the locally-owned businesses that make up the fabric of Big Rapids and the surrounding area. MECOSTA — Going on a peaceful country drive deep within the confines of the village of Mecosta, the sight of The Winery at Young Farms will make most feel compelled to stop. If they do choose to stop and pull in, rather than continuing down 70th
a Christmas tree operation shortly after that,” Mark Young said. The Youngs soon moved on from Christmas trees and had their sights set on growing corn, but a serendipitous soil-test result in 2010 steered the couple in a completely different direction. In the end, it was always the direction they were destined for, even if they didn’t realize it at the time. “What we wanted to do is just grow some corn and sell it by the road,” Young said. “We had a soil test and our soil was terrible for (corn), but the extension officer wrote on there: ‘Good
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blueberry soil.’” Three years after the soil test, grapes were added into the mix, and the Youngs’ first vineyard was taking shape. Throughout all of this, Mark’s longtime side hobby of making wine steadily crept into the picture, and in 2017, the Youngs opened their first wine-tasting room. Young said he made his first bottle of wine in his Ferris State University dorm room and has remained fascinated with the drink ever since. “I’m a pharmacist by trade, so chemistry, biology and wine-making are all kind of intertwined,” Young said. “It’s just always intrigued me; it’s the perfect beverage, I say. It’s stable at room temperature, tastes good and it’s intoxicating, so it’s really the perfect beverage.” Meanwhile, Abby would have her girlfriends over to their home from timeto-time to unwind to enjoy some wine and conversation, sparking another idea that led to something big and somewhat unexpected. “We just kept getting these opportunities, and we just decided to go for it, I guess,” Abby Young said. “I call it the magic little winery, because things that don’t normally happen just tend to work out here; it’s really odd.” A prime example of this is when Young was able to establish contact with Brian Vander Ark, front man for the band The Verve Pipe, and invite him out to the farm for a live acoustic show. Vander Ark originally hails from Grand Rapids, while The Verve Pipe, perhaps most noticeable for its 1997 song “The Freshmen,” traces its roots to East Lansing. Initially hesitant to reach out, Abby was convinced by her husband to do so, and the result was another memorable experience at the farm. “Mark’s like, ‘Just call him and see; he’s from Grand Rapids,’ and then,
of course, I’m on the phone with (Vander Ark’s) agent,” Young said. “He came out here and he sang, and he was great,” Abby Young said. As some years have passed since Mark and Abby took the deep dive into the world of wine creation, Abby said she’s started to notice the impact their farm has each season. Similar to Times Square on New Year’s Day, the farm in the offseason still shows remnants of the successful, fun summer which preceded it. “When we’re all closed down in the winter and I come out here and there’s nobody here, you look around and go: ‘Did that really happen?’” Young said. Mark said he and his wife were wary of producing such a vast quantity of wine and feared they would not be able to sell it all. They quickly discovered this would likely not be an issue any time soon. “We’ve been incredibly fortunate — when we first started, we were worried that we weren’t going to be able to sell this wine,” Mark Young said. “We sold out almost within a month.” Each season, the Youngs are open as long as their supplies last and when they sell their final bottle, the season comes to a close. Everything that’s sold at the winery is aged a minimum of 18 months, to ensure customers are drinking the freshest, best-tasting product available. For more information on The Winery at Young farms, including menus, materials used for the creation of their wine and a COVIDfriendly virtual tasting portal, feel free to visit: thewineryatyoungfarms.com Location 8396 70th Ave., Mecosta Hours 1-9 p.m. Wednesday-
Saturday Contact 989-506-5142
Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
Morley turkey farm receives $100,000 grant to the farm and to the power grid. “The solar panel will collect MORLEY — Michigan Select Farms, LLC, a family energy from the sun and put it through a reverse owned business that has transformer and bring it agricultural enterprises throughout West Michigan, up to grid level power,” Seitsema said. “What was awarded $100,000 doesn’t go through our from the Michigan meter on the farm and get Department of Agriculture used, back feeds across and Rural Development the wires that come into grant program. the farm and goes to the MDARD recently awarded next nearest draw, whether 21 Rural Development that is the neighbors house Fund Grants designed to Michigan Select Farms, LLC, owners and operators of a turkey farm off of Old State Road in Morley, was awarded or Brower Park down the promote the sustainability a grant from MDARD to help fund the installation of a solar panel project. (Photo courtesy of Google Maps) of land-based industries and road.” The project will support infrastructure that benefits rural communities. involve excavation, site work, construction “The location in Mecosta and interconnection County was selected as a infrastructure, including solar energy project for expensive transformers, rural power needs,” said as well as requiring Rick Seitsema of Michigan professional electricians Select Farms. “Our turkey on site for the installation, farm is fairly rural up in the Seitsema said. The total cost Morley area, so to facilitate of the project will be over community power needs $500,000. in that rural community, The project is planned we have developed a solar for this summer, and program where we will be groundbreaking is expected offsetting approximately to take place in late April 80% to 85% of our power with the facility being needs for the farm.” operational by late June, he Seitsema went on to explain said. that although the energy Michigan Select Farms, produce by the solar panels LLC., has over a dozen will be used for the farm, locations, including it will produce much more livestock operations and than needed and the unused crop production sites. The energy will revert back to Morley location raises the power grid to provide and processes turkeys for additional energy for the commercial sale. Aroma FREE! surrounding community. The MDARD grant funds All you’ll “The solar panel will exceed are aimed to promote the our needs and will back smell are the sustainability of landfeed onto the grid to help based industries, including flowers! the community,” he said. food and agriculture; “It will go through the local forestry; mining, oil and gas power companies, so to production; and tourism; some extent, they will be the in addition to supporting beneficiaries of it because workforce training, they will then charge the rural capacity building, consumer for it.” business development and The $100,000 grant infrastructure that benefits funding will help support rural communities. the cost of installation of Eligible counties include the solar panels and the those with a population no greater than 70,000 infrastructure necessary to connect the solar system up residents. By: Cathie Crew Staff writer
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Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
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Lloyd Honey Farm in Sears works with honeybees all year round storing and moving bee hives for in and out of state pollination jobs, as well as extracting and selling honey produced by the bees in the farms' various hive locations. (Courtesy/Rachel Brewer)
Find out how Lloyd Honey Farms winterizes honey bees By: Olivia Fellows Staff Writer
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SEARS – Honey bees are an integral part of the agricultural processes on many farms across the state, and for two local brothers beekeeping is not only a job but a passion. Seth and Evan Lloyd, owners and operators of Lloyd Honey Farm in Sears, have worked all summer and into the fall, storing and transporting the bees across the country. Seth Lloyd first got into beekeeping as a younger kid when his dad did some beekeeping as a hobby. When he was 16, Seth got a summer job working for a commercial beekeeper and spent seven years helping him run and manage his hives. During that time, Seth also worked on growing his own business and now works full time for himself. “We’ve been around honey bees since we were really little and had hobby hives,” Seth Lloyd said. “Just a couple to play with just like any hobbyist, and I saw anå ad for a beekeeping position when I was a teen over in Big Rapids handling around 25,000 colonies. I had already learned a lot about the bees from working with my dad and I started working, and that’s where I learned the commercial aspect of it.” “I worked for a couple of years and then started managing it and my boss’s crews,”
he added. “I’d go Florida, California, and Wisconsin with them shipping bees. Since then, I’ve been building up my own colonies the last few years I’ve worked, and then when my boss retired, I brought on my own hives and have been taking care of them and marketing our honey with Evan’s help.” A big part of the farm’s beekeeping operation pollination contracts for almond and blueberry growers. In January, the farm ships colonies out to California, and the bees will stay there until March and then get transported back. The farm produces different kinds of honey, including blueberry blossom. Seth Lloyd’s partner, Rachel Brewer, often helps out with farm tasks and will often take photographs for the farm’s social media. “When we bring the hives back from blueberry pollination, we normally hire a couple of extra people to help pull the boxes of honey off; we then stack everything up and load it on our trail to take it downstate to have it extracted,” Brewer said. “Honey from blueberry pollination has a different taste than the honey we make during the summers. The blueberry blossom and the summer honey get sent back in 55-gallon barrels. We then put the honey in our bottler and are able to fill our one-pound
Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
bottles, our five-gallon buckets, and everything in between.” Honey bees are a necessity in many large-scale agriculture operations for pollination. For most crops, honey bee pollination can increase the yield considerably. Understanding the basics of colony inspection and manipulation, monitoring for pests and diseases, producing honey, and preparing for winter are crucial to success with beekeeping. Lloyd Honey Farm utilizes insulated barns to store bees during the winter. The bees cluster in their hives and can keep the barn at 40 degrees. The barn also utilizes red light as bees cannot see red, and it keeps them calmer along with the insulation and quiet. Seth Lloyd said storing can be a tricky process and making sure the bees are comfortable is paramount. “We keep a couple of thermometers in the barn to make sure they are not getting the barn too hot,” Seth Lloyd said. “This is bad because if they get too warm, they will start coming out of their hives. If this starts to happen, we have a big fan in the back of the barn that we can turn on to help bring the temperature back down. For the most part, they like it quiet when they’re in the barn.” TOOLS OF THE TRADE During the summer when caring for the bees outdoors and collecting honey from the hives, there are a number of tools involved in safely obtaining the honey. Seth Lloyd has several locations that he keeps his hives in the area, and regularly goes out to check them. One of the primary instruments is the hive tool, which looks somewhat like a sharp steel one-sided crowbar. The primary purpose for using it is to keep your hands out of the hive, thus reducing any perceived threat by your bees. The hive tool has two primary functions, the first function is to help you pry the lids off your hives. The second function of the hive tool is to make it easier to dislodge the honeycomb structure from the side of the box. Seth Lloyd said he sees the hive tool as the most important, as you couldn’t gain access to hives or honey without one. “I have to have a hive tool when I go out with my bees,” Seth Lloyd said. “You can’t get them open because they’re glued shut, and it can be a huge effort to get them open. I’ve even snapped a few of the hive tools trying to open hives because they were so glued.” Another important tool is the bee suit, a ventilated suit that covers an individual from the
ankles to the crown of the head. The suit also includes a hat and netting to keep bees away from your head and face while you are working, and there are gathers at the ankles, wrists, and neck to prevent bees from getting in. A very well-known beekeeping tool is the smoker. Smokers are a controversial tool within the beekeeping community. Some beekeepers love them because smoke makes the bees more docile. Those who don’t like the smoker site the bees’ natural biology as the reason why. Smoke doesn’t make bees more docile by sedating them. Rather, smoke actually irritates bees and makes them anxious. The bees assume the smoke is from a fire, causing them to gorge on honey in anticipation of having to flee, and thus they are docile because their bellies are full. Seth Lloyd also utilizes a trailer to haul the bees and their hives on pallets from location to location during the summer. “When it gets colder the bees usually get a bit angrier when you’re working with them than in the summer when it’s hotter and they’re able to be more active,” Seth Lloyd said. “The worse the weather is the more useful tools like the smoker are. It’s always really interesting watching the bees grow throughout the summer and seeing their population go from 10,000 to somewhere near 70,000 when they’re ready to go into the barn.” “The honey that they can produce is amazing as a colony, but one bee will only produce one tablespoon of honey in its lifetime,” he added. “Watching them come in with their full set of saddlebags full of pollen is always fun. They aren’t great flyers when they’re all covered in pollen and they’re very derpy when they fly. "It gives me a sense of pride watching them grow as a colony, and I’ve learned as I do this that there’s nothing more important than colony health and maintaining the nutrients and proteins that they need to survive.” This year’s harvest was not as good at the farm, and Seth Lloyd said they didn’t produce as much honey as the brothers would have liked, but that the bees are still healthy which is a positive. Outside of beekeeping, Seth Lloyd also works for an area deer processing station. He attended Ferris State University and got his associate's degree in HVAC but found that beekeeping was something he wanted to focus on. He said working with the bees on the farm can be rewarding work. During the summer in the past, he has enjoyed
Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
Lloyd Honey Farm in Sears works with honeybees all year round storing and moving bee hives for in and out of state pollination jobs, as well as extracting and selling honey produced by the bees in the farms' various hive locations. (Pioneer photo/Olivia Fellows)
inviting kids to the farm to learn about the hives and the bees. Looking ahead, Seth Lloyd and his brother are looking into avenues to sell their honey online and continuing to expand the business and find more opportunities for growth. “I love being outdoors and I was never one to sit in an office all day long,” Seth Lloyd said. “Watching the bees work and build from a small hive in the spring and into a massive hive in the fall makes me feel a true sense of accomplishment. I take great pride in having
strong healthy honeybees. It can be extremely difficult sometimes to keep bees alive and healthy, and it takes a lot of work for me and my brother to accomplish that.” “Pollination is my main business, and we have had a tough year with honey production being down, but we’re still hoping to pick things back up,” he added. “We’re always looking for new ways to improve, and our next hope is to be able to sell online and get our honey out to more people and our name in more places.” The farm works with several
area businesses to sell their honey in the area and in Barryton. Lloyd Honey Farm’s products can be found at Mackersie Brothers in Barryton, Rusty Gold in Evart, Morgan’s Compost, Elm Creek in Farwell, and Tice’s Farm Market in Clare. Lloyd Honey Farm currently has honey available for purchase as well as merchandise. For more information on prices and the farm, visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ lloydhoneyfarm.
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This Remus family farm specializes in meats all winter By: Olivia Fellows Staff Writer REMUS — Many farms across the state of Michigan produce meat, and one family farm in Remus has been focused on providing quality products for meat-lovers since 2006. D & J Cattle Farms, at 5286 10 Mile Road in Remus, has been raising cattle since 1978. Originally a family farm first established by John and Deb Niedzielski, their children are carrying on their tradition after returning to the farm following their graduation from university. Today, the farm’s main operations are run by their grown kids, Brooke Steiner and Heather Geer. Brooke Steiner, who works on the farm doing day-to-day activities including bookkeeping, scheduling, processing and beef sales, said the farm has a lot of history. “The farm started back in 1978 with my parents when they moved up from Lansing and started this farm where we're
at right now,” Steiner said. “Initially, it was a farrow to finish operation, and then in 1984, the pig market fell through, and we ended up going into dairy cows. We milked dairy cows from 1984 to 2000, and when we sold out the milk cows, both of us ended up going off to college. "We thought we wanted to go in a different direction, and then in 2006, we decided to come back home when Heather and I started having children,” she added. “We started up the operation again through hay sales, and then we decided to go into beef sales, and that's where we are now.” Today, the farm currently raises around 200 head of all-natural, grain-fed dairy beef and farm about 400 acres of corn, oats, wheat and hay. Geer works the farm by designing the rations for the animals, as well as taking on fieldwork and keeping track of their animals’ health and care. “We raise Holstein steers from about 650 to finish,” Geer said.
“We get 20 and 20 out every month. So basically, we'll get 20 in, and we'll rotate the pens around, and then we'll have 20 head going out. We supply Ebels with some meat, they will sell quarters and halves. Those are cattle that they get from us, and some of them are from other Michigan farmers, too. We also have freezers here on the farm, we take the Ebels and we have that cut up to bring back and sell as individual cuts. We also sell quarters, halves, and wholes from Ebels of our beef. So, we kind of do a little bit of everything on the meat side.” Both Geer and Steiner agreed that one of the major benefits of working on the farm is being able to be their own bosses, and spend the majority of their time not having to deal with face-toface interaction regularly. 'WE'RE OUT HERE EVERY DAY' Geer said the winter weather brings some challenges to the farm’s normal processes. “We're out here every day
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Heather Geer (left) and Brooke Steiner (right) of D & J Cattle Farms produces high quality meats throughout the winter while overcoming the challenges that the cold weather brings.(Courtesy/Brooke Steiner)
feeding them rain, shine, snowstorms, it doesn't matter,” Geer said. “We have to feed them every single day, so we're out on tractors or busting ice out of water or busting out frozen manure. The wintertime adds a lot more challenges, tractors don't start when water freezes, so there are a lot of different challenges in the winter with keeping our animals warm and dry. "The cold and trying to keep tractors from starting and not breaking, the frozen ice which in the summer you don't have those challenges,” she added, “(Equipment) starts and the down spreaders don't freeze down when you're trying to spread the manure. "Ice is another big challenge; you can have animals go down on the ice and split hips and break legs. That's why we are so adamant about keeping our barns clean because those freeze down, and they slip and fall. We have had one break a leg once, and that's not something we like to see. We don't like our animals suffering like that at all.” Despite the challenges winter brings, Geer and Steiner are able to adapt to maintain their farm and produce regular quality meats for Ebels and other businesses around the area. According to the farm’s website, Holstein steers cannot handle the cold, wet weather like other breeds, so Geer and Steiner chose to purchase their steers from another farm at about 650 pounds on average and raise them in the farm’s two barns that have nine pens total. There are 21 steers in each pen, and the cattle are fed daily with a total mixed ration that consists of corn silage, high moisture corn, distillers and a mineral pack. Each barn gets cleaned all the way out every two weeks and fresh sawdust is put back in. Steiner said the feedback they’ve received from customers throughout the years has been positive, which helps keep them positive about the quality of their products. “People love our meat," Steiner said. "They say they've never had beef so tender and juicy, and that you can cut your steaks with a fork, the roasts fall apart. Our
burgers are juicy, and when they cook a pound of the burger they still have a pound left when it’s done. A lot of just the tenderness and juiciness of the steaks and everything that people have purchased from us. "Watching us take some taking something out of nothing and turn it into a nice, beautiful product that people can enjoy on their tables is great,” she added, “It gives us great satisfaction hearing feedback from people that enjoy our meat and all our hard work that goes into it.” 'OUR MAIN PRIORITY' Geer said the farm’s main focus is ensuring the safety and health of the animals, as well as being as health-forward as possible. “Animal health and welfare is our main priority,” Geer said. “Making sure that our animals are safe and healthy. We don't use hormones on them, all of our feed we raise in-house, and all of our corn that they're fed is raised in-house by us. We try to use as minimal chemicals in our fields as possible. We also try to steer away from a lot of those GMOs, we try to keep as much corn as conventional as possible. Going forward, our biggest main priority is just trying to improve on our animal husbandry.” Steiner said they are looking forward to the warm weather, and fewer challenges. “I’m looking forward to getting back in the fields,” Steiner said. “Turning the dirt, watching our corn grow, watching it pop up in rows. As I like to say, like the old Tim McGraw song, it’s just watching life come back. We're looking forward to warmer weather and getting back in the fields, keeping our product out there, getting it out to more customers, spreading the word, and keeping our meat tasty and juicy.” Geer and Steiner agreed that the best way to support the farm throughout the rest of winter and into summer is to purchase their products directly through them or find their products at Ebels General Store locations. “We do have limited pork available,” Steiner said. “It is pretty limited, so we encourage people to go buy meats from our sellers, or contact us directly.”
Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
Jarrad Stilson often helps with work on their family farm which includes upkeep of the farm's cows and utilizing a rotational grazing technique. (Pioneer photo/Olivia Fellows)
A day in the life: Growing up on the Stilson Family Farm By: Olivia Fellows Staff Writer
MORLEY — Agricultural farm work in its many forms can be hard work on a daily basis, but for one farm the workload is helped with the assistance of some determined kids. On the Stilson Family Farm, teamwork and family are two of the most important parts of maintaining their processes. Located at 21847 4 Mile Road in Morley, the farm focuses on regenerative agriculture and farming hay, and each chore involved has a unique role to play in the Stilson family’s aim to rebuild the land and soil with nutrient-dense pastured farming. Niki Stilson and her husband, Jeremy, run the farm with the help of their three older sons Scott, Sawyer, and Jerrad. Growing up on the farm, the boys have gained unique hands-on experience in farming, equipment repair, and tending to animals. The Stilsons also have younger daughters and a newborn son, whom they have been introducing to the sides of farm life fit for younger generations. In practicing regenerative agriculture, the animals on the farm each play an important role in maintaining and reworking the farm’s soil for usability and health. Scott Stilson, 15, can often be found working on his hobby of fixing farm equipment or old cars. He is often in charge of the large movable chicken coop that houses poultry vital to the farm. “I’ll take care of the chickens and help with the rotation of the cows,” Scott said. “My favorite part about the farm is
just being in the open air and taking care of the cows to keep them happy and healthy. The chickens have a rain collection system. We use chicken nipples and PVC piping to give them water and I feed them just the proper amount. They can get kind of aggressive, but I like taking care of them.” The chickens play an important role in the rotational grazing the farm utilizes with their cows, and they will often be moved around the farm’s pastures to spread the cow’s natural fertilizer and soften the ground. All three brothers help with maintaining the rotations of the cows in the pastures. Rotational grazing helps to maintain the specific grazing areas that the cows are set in. The cows graze and create fertilizer. Once the grass and fertilizer are ready to be tended on by the chickens, the boys adjust fence post lines to create space for the cows to move into a new part of the pasture. According to the family, the cows are intelligent animals who have learned that when the fence posts move, they are to move. The main goal of rotational grazing is to retain the health of the soil and ensure that the growth of the pasture is healthy. The work that the chickens do to soften the ground helps nitrogen infuse into the ground, creating healthy, fertile and usable soil. Walking around the farm, you can see the difference the chickens make in the health of the soil through the darker Continued on Page 10.
Pioneer Farm and Family 2022
patches of grass and the soft ground that indicate its robust health. Niki Stilson said this type of farming is beneficial in that it utilizes the natural ecology of the land and the farm doesn’t need to utilize potentially harmful pesticides in their
produce or land. HANDS-ON LEARNING Sawyer and Jerrad Stilson, ages 16 and 17, respectively, both have an interest in mechanics and engineering. They can often be found with their younger brother working on farm equipment or learning
more about engineering at the local career center. Sawyer chose to focus on diesel mechanics, while Jarrad chose to focus on innovative engineering. Jarrad said keeping soil healthy and animals healthy has been an educational
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farming, but maybe with fewer chickens and more focus on experience for him. pigs and cows.” “Keeping the cows happy and For the Stilson brothers, healthy is my favorite part another big part of their lives about working on the farm,” on the farm is being good role Jarrad said. “The process we models to their younger sisters use helps maintain the ground, and newborn baby brother. and growing up on a farm you Visiting the farm, you’ll learn a lot more about the often see the boys out doing farming process, and we know chores with one or more of a lot about equipment and their sisters in tow, or resting mechanics from working on comfortably in their arms. our own equipment here. I’ve According to Niki, the younger also learned a lot more about girls love the cows on the farm animals and farming them. and go to see them whenever “At the career center, we’re they get the chance with their taking an engineering class brothers. and we’re so far ahead of The boys’ father Jeremy these other kids because of is often around helping what we’ve learned already,” and maintaining the farm he added. “They’re starting alongside his sons and said he with what a wrench is and has been impressed with all we already know how to they have learned. fix a tractor because we’ve worked on them ourselves. I’m “Our kids are geniuses hoping to maybe have my own compared to other kids, in my Brothers Sawyer, Scott and Jarrad Stilson help with work on their family farm which often includes upkeep of the opinion,” Jeremy said. “They machine shop one day.” farm's movable chicken coop. are real problem solvers, and (Pioneer photo/Olivia Fellows) Sawyer said growing up on a it's really a big help to us and farm is a different experience the farm.” than growing up in a larger Life on a family farm is town or a city and can have hard, rewarding work, and some benefits in hands-on Niki Stilson said that having education. family to help and make life “It’s definitely different than enjoyable has been a major what other kids our age experience,” Sawyer said. “We benefit to the Stilson Farm. “The way we farm is natural go to the career center for and good for the earth and it’s about three hours a day and great that the boys can learn we’ve noticed that we know a about the processes we use lot more about certain topics as we’re doing it,” Niki said. than some of the other kids “We couldn’t do what we do because of the things we’ve without their help, and it's learned working on the farm. We’re really good at problem- amazing how much they learn solving and getting our hands just by helping with the work.” dirty fixing things, and a lot of The farm often has grassfed beef, chicken, and pork kids our age won’t do that.” available for purchase, “I’m hoping to be able to and also has hay and eggs branch out and start my own available. Individuals farm,” he added. “It’s one of the benefits of learning on this interested in purchasing produce can contact Niki at farm, we can take what we 616-799-1246 or Jeremy at know and use it in the future. I’d want to do a similar type of 231-414-4978. Brothers Sawyer, Scott and Jarrad Stilson help with work on their family farm which often includes upkeep of the farm's cows and being good role models for their younger sister Ina May. (Pioneer photo/Olivia Fellows)
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Morley family utilizes automation for farm processes By: Olivia Fellows Staff Writer
MORLEY — Taking care of 180 cows can take a village, and one Morley farm family does it with just a few members. Less than four years ago, in an effort to make farm tasks easier and faster, Amanda Carey Goodfellow and her family began using automated machines around the farm. Goodfellow grew up on her family farm — at 3333 205th Ave. in Morley — helping with chores around the property and with the animals, and decided to come back home and continue that work with her own family. “I always liked helping out on the farm, and I love the animals, so I knew it was something I wanted to keep doing,” Goodfellow said. “I’m a fifth-generation farmer, so our family has been doing this for a while now.” The farm has equipment that monitors and completes various tasks throughout the day. One of them is a collar that the cows wear, which Goodfellow likened to a human’s Fitbit, which monitors their activity. It also lets them into the robot that does the milking, and tracks how many times a cow has been milked, and allows them to receive grain from the machines. Another machine the farm uses rotates and spreads hay along feeding troughs for the cows in the barns, as well as one that can monitor the gain in the farm's silos. Goodfellow said the machines haven’t increased the production of the cows or the farm, but it has made the processes of getting milk and feeding the cows exponentially easier. “We haven’t seen an increase, but the cows are certainly happier,” Goodfellows said. The Goodfellows work with a number of people in order to manage the farm, such as a company to tend to the machines, repairmen for the tractors, a company that hauls the farm’s milk, and a feed nutritionist. The farm’s tractors even utilize an automated steering system when working in the fields, and the farm’s fertilizer is based on a grid system and created by technology. “We work a lot with other companies and people for upkeep on the farm, but
most of it is done by us,” Goodfellow said. “We’re always trying to improve and looking at utilizing new technology when it becomes available. "The machines we have right now have been incredibly beneficial for the past few years. They’ve become a regular part of our day around here, it’s hard to think of what’s different right now.” In addition to making the work easier on Goodfellow and her family, the machines allows the cows to have some freedom to choose when they want to be milked, and does the process comfortably and
efficiently. Goodfellow said she enjoys the ease the machines bring to the farm, but her favorite part about working on the farm is the animals themselves. “I really love working with the animals themselves, that’s why I took over this side of the operation from my dad,” Goodfellow said. “He still runs most of the cash cropping side of the farm, but I enjoy getting up in the morning and working with the cows and my dad and family. It’s pretty cool to walk into a barn and see four generations of family working together.”
Amanda Carey Goodfellow and her family utilize automated machines on their farm in Morley for tasks such as milking cows, feeding, and tractor work. (Pioneer photo/Olivia Fellows)
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