Inside Ag MINOT DAILY NEWS
PAGE 2
JANUARY 2017
SOURIS -
The Lyle Gravseth farm is located near here just a quarter mile from the Canadian border. Iver Gravseth, Lyle’s grandfather, homesteaded the property in 1898 and the land has passed from one generation to another. Iver Gravseth’s story is an intriguing one, but perhaps more typical of early day farmers than generally realized. Gravseth was born in Lesjeskagen, Norway in 1877. In 1895, still several months shy of his 18th birthday, he emigrated to the United States and settled in Minnesota. Three years later he made the decision to homestead in Scandia Township in Bottineau County. Gravseth obtained his U.S. citizenship in 1902. The title to his homestead bears the signature of President Theodore Roosevelt. Iver Gravseth worked and improved the homestead until his death in 1946. It was then that his son, Harold, took over the farm. Harold and his father had been working the farm together since Harold returned home from the Army in late 1945. That Harold Gravseth even had a chance to work the farm was remarkable. He had survived some harrowing moments in World War II. He served in the 95th Infantry Division, known as the “Iron Men of Metz” for their role in fighting back fierce German counterattacks and liberating the French town. In a family scrapbook he detailed his narrow escape from death. “I carried a bazooka. I shot three times with the bazooka before I was hit with a 50 cal. German machine gun. I was hit three times in my chest,
LEFT: This aerial view of the Gravseth farm was taken in 1946. Although the barn is gone, the main home is still in use today. BELOW: Three generations of Gravseths have operated this Centennial Farm located a quarter mile from the Canadian border in Bottineau County. Photos by Kim Fundingsland/MDN
Cows on the bottom, chickens on the top By KIM FUNDINGSLAND Staff Writer • kfundingsland@minotdailynews.com one missing my heart by an inch, just missing my spine and one through my spleen, one shot went through my shoulder and lodged between my helmet and helmet liner. I remained conscious the whole time.” Harold Gravseth was taken to a Catholic Convent that had been turned into a field hospital. Incredibly, one
of the doctors assigned to him was a Dr. Stone. Stone was a former Westhope resident. Westhope is located a few miles west of Souris. “Two days following surgery General Patton came through the hospital to see his troops. I was quite dazed but conscious enough to know what was going on,” wrote Harold Gravseth. “I
was in a dark corner but Patton ordered that I be moved to the brightest part of the room right away. Within one hour I was moved.” According to Lyle Gravseth, Harold’s son, his father didn’t tell of his experiences in World War II until very late in life. Harold Gravseth worked the Gravseth acres from 1946
possible,” said Gravseth, his voice breaking slightly. “I want to be a good steward of the land. Of course, family is important to me even if I don’t have any immediate family anymore.” Gravseth never married and has no children to follow in his footsteps. He does have a sister who has expressed interest in living on the farm should her brother ever need to vacate the old home. “We’ve made up some estate plans. In dad’s family there was five kids so it’ll be divided up a little more than it is now,” speculated Gravseth. One of Gravseth’s earliest memories of working on the farm, he was born in 1948, involves an old Jeep. Gravseth thought he was about six years old at the time.
until his passing in 1996. It was then that Lyle was given the responsibility of keeping up the family tradition of operating the homestead. Lyle Gravseth farmed the original homestead until 2011. He still resides in the farm house built in 1915. “I’m really proud to be living on the land and I’ve tried to take care of it as much as See GRAVSETH — Page 4
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Inside Ag PAGE 4
MINOT DAILY NEWS
Gravseth Continued from Page 2
Kim Fundingsland/MDN
Lyle Gravseth pages through a scrapbook detailing his family’s history. Gravseth took over sole operation of the family farm following the death of his father in 1996.
“We had a John Deere tractor that they seeded with and it would not run all day on a tank of gas. We’d park the Jeep, no top, by the pump in the yard. I’d fill all the gas cans and when it was time to go out to add gas I’d drive the Jeep. I couldn’t reach the pedals and shift gears, but I could put the key on and press the starter button,” laughed Gravseth. “Then I’d drive out to the field. I did that for about two years before we got a bigger tractor.” In one of the storage buildings located on the farm today Gravseth can sometimes be found admiring a reminder from the past – a 1946 Jeep. It is not the one he originally drove on the farm. This one he pur-
JANUARY 2017 chased and, using some ingenious mechanical skills learned while working on farm machinery, brought back to life. Not far from the Jeep is a 1934 W-30 McCormick-Deering tractor. Gravseth saw the tractor at an auction sale and made the purchase. He recalled the days his father drove a W30 on the farm. “Dad bought a new one and wore it out,” said Gravseth. “This one needed some work. We monkeyed around with it and pulled it and got it to run. It needed tires and a radiator. I guess we had it pretty much done when my dad died. I’ve had it in a parade or two.” Among the old black and white photographs in a family scrapbook are pictures of a W30 on the Gravseth homestead. Today, literally in the shadow of much bigger equipment, the
restored tractor serves as a vivid reminder of the early days on the farm. Another “relic of the past” sits underneath a shelter on the Gravseth farm, an old International truck that remains in service. “This one was bought new in 1948 by my dad and it still runs,” said Gravseth. “I drove it out and hauled a whole load of junk this past summer. This is the one I probably drove a lot on this farm.” Several buildings on the farmstead have been removed and replaced throughout the years. Some, like the farmhouse and garage, remain courtesy of renovation and upkeep. Gone is the old barn, a 36-foot by 70-foot structure that was once a center of activity. See GRAVSETH — Page 7
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Inside Ag JANUARY 2017
Gravseth Continued from Page 4
“It got moved off in 1982,” recalled Gravseth. The barn had a colorful history. During its peak use milk cows were at ground level and chickens occupied the loft above. “In 1964 or so mom said we had to have chickens, so she ordered a hundred,” said Gravseth. “Dad said if we are going to have chickens we may as well have a lot of them. He changed the order to a thousand, so we had cows on the bottom and chickens on the top.” The Gravseth’s had about a dozen milk cows, twice that in beef cattle and, at the peak, 5,000 chickens. The laying hens supplied fresh eggs to customers throughout the Souris region. “We delivered them to Metigoshe, Mohall, Lansford, Westhope and Souris I suppose,” remarked
MINOT DAILY NEWS Gravseth. “We had enough of a reputation that sometimes we had to go to Minnesota for more eggs!” The growing work load and increasing regulations eventually led to the abandonment of milk cows and laying hens. “My dad said it was a luxury we couldn’t afford any more,” laughed Gravseth. Gravseth has witnessed numerous other changes on the farm throughout the years. One of the biggest changes, he says, is in the size of farm equipment today and the implementation of technology such as use of Global Positioning Systems, or GPS. “It changes things. New combines, if you get all the headers and stuff you need, could be a million dollars,” remarked Gravseth. “I sometimes wonder if farming is a goofy way to make a living, but I like it. It’s fun.” See GRAVSETH — Page 8
PAGE 7
Kim Fundingsland/MDN
Iver Gravseth homesteaded in Bottineau County in 1898 at age 20. The farm remains in the Gravseth family today.
Inside Ag PAGE 8
MINOT DAILY NEWS
JANUARY 2017
Gravseth Lyle Gravseth stands next to a 1948 International truck that his father purchased new. The truck is a reminder of earlier days on the Gravseth farm. Kim Fundingsland/MDN
Continued from Page 7
Gravseth leases out much of his land today but still takes advantage of the opportunity to work it when he can. Machinery, some of it from days long gone, is neatly positioned in rows a about 50 yards from the farmhouse. Included is a 1947 International truck similar to what would have been used on the farm when Gravseth was growing up. It reminds him of his family’s attachment to the land. About two miles from the Gravseth farm is another reminder of the stature of those who settled the area – the Lesje Lutheran Church. Down to about a dozen or so regular members, the impressive church closed its doors about three years ago. Gravseth had the honor of ringing the bell to announce the final
service. “It’s a Norwegian-style church. The roof is leaking a little so we’re putting a new roof on it,” said Gravseth. A monument at the entrance to the church cemetery reads: “We declared this monument in honor of the pioneers in this community who believed in the freedom of speech and religion and remembering the veterans who served to keep us free.” Earlier this fall, across the dirt road from the church entrance, several farm trucks, a tractor and a combine sat quietly in a stubble field. “I’ve only been away from here three winters when I went to college,” said Gravseth. “Some days it gets kind of lonesome but it’s kind of peaceful out here. I just really like it.” Somewhere Iver Gravseth must be pleased to hear those words.
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Inside Ag JANUARY 2017
MINOT DAILY NEWS
Farm/ranch women are decision makers – Annie’s Project prepares them well Farm and ranch women are generating a cultural tide in American agriculture that is moving management, assets and opportunities to a new wave of farmers across the country. At Annie’s Project courses, farm women become empowered to be better business partners or sole operators through networks and by managing and organizing critical information. Annie’s Project is a six-week course that is a discussion-based workshop bringing women together to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing and the legal field. There’s plenty of time for questions, sharing, reacting and connecting with presenters and fellow participants. It’s a relaxed, fun and dynamic way to learn, grow and meet other farm/ranch women. Whether new or experienced, understanding the five areas of agricultural risk, knowing how to analyze agricultural spreadsheets and other necessary skills are vital. Learning them in a friendly environment where questions and discussion are welcomed, allow the learning process to flourish.
Annie’s Project courses have successfully reached more than 9,000 farm and ranch women in 33 states. The next one in this area begins on Feb. 23 in Minot. The cost for the course is $125 per person, which includes a workbook and support materials for all sessions. A light supper will be served before each class at 6 p.m. Course size is limited, so people who are interested are advised to register soon. Linda, an Annie’s Project alumna said, “I took the class to gain a better understanding about agribusiness and how financial decisions impact our farm operation. I have a better understanding of balance sheets and the futures market…this class has improved communication with my spouse about concerns he works with on a daily basis.” For more information, contact Paige Brummund at 857-6444 or paige.f.brummund@ndsu.edu or Ellen Bjelland at 8576450 or ellen.bjelland@ndsu.edu. More information can also be found on the Annie’s Project website at www.AnniesProject.org.
PAGE 11
Farm/ranch succession planning workshops set Many North Dakota farmers and ranchers are approaching retirement age but aren’t sure how to transition their operation to the next generation, while beginning farmers and ranchers want to secure their future in agriculture. In many cases, generations of farmers or ranchers are working together but have yet to take the needed steps toward succession planning. To help all of them develop a plan, the North Dakota State University Extension Service is offering Design Your Succession Plan workshops at several locations throughout the state in the next six months. The workshop will help farm and ranch families explore what they want for their business, whether that’s transferring a viable business to the next generation or deciding how to divide the farm or ranch assets. The workshop also gives the owner and identified successor generation an opportunity to begin shaping the
future ownership of the family farm or ranch the family legacy. Participants also will learn how to discuss the succession issue with the family, get started on developing a succession plan, and choose and work with legal and financial professionals who will help ensure the plan is workable. By beginning the planning process at this workshop and continuing it at home, families could save money by being more prepared to visit with professionals. Here is the location, date, and time of the workshop, along with contact information for the Extension agent who can provide more details: Minot - Feb. 7 and 9, 5:30 p.m., Ward County Administration Building; contact Paige Brummund, 857-6444 or paige.f.brummund@ndsu.edu. Visit https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/succession for more information about the program.
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Inside Ag MINOT DAILY NEWS
LEFT: Paul Kukach used his team of eight or nine horses to break sod and dig rocks out of the ground for himself and his neighbors in Anna Township, Ward County, where he settled in 1906. BELOW: Paul Kukach, who came to the United States from Poland in the early 1900s, settled on land near Ryder in 1906, the same year the town was incorporated.
Paul Kukach never looked back but made ND his home
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By ELOISE OGDEN Regional Editor • eogden@minotdailynews.com North Dakota was still in its infancy as a state when Paul Kukach arrived in America in the early 1900s. He had never heard of a place called North Dakota where he eventually would spend the rest of his life. Born in Kolo in Poland, he left his homeland like countless others to find a new and better life in the United States. He hoped it would bring him good job opportunities. One version of how he got out of Poland is by rolling logs into Russia, eventually traveling to Germany to board a ship to travel to the U.S. When he landed in New York, this fair-haired young man intended to go to Chicago to work but immigration officials in New York advised him and two families to go to North Dakota because there were labor strikes in Chicago. When he got to Minot, a city in the valley of the rolling plains in North Dakota, he went to work for Peter Ehr who was building blocks of buildings. "I remember he said he helped build sidewalks in Minot," said Elinor West, Paul and his wife Ida's niece, of Woodburn, Ore., originally from Ryder. He also worked for the Scofields making hay for
JANUARY 2017
their livery stables in Minot. He bought a farm at Logan, east of Minot, in 1902, where he raised flax but later sold the farm when he decided to take up a homestead at Ryder, He moved to Ryder in 1906, the same year Ryder was incorporated as a city. There, he settled northeast of the city in what is now Anna Township in southwest Ward County. According to North Dakota State Archives information, he applied for a homestead but opted not to use his homestead rights and instead purchased the land – 160 acres for $1.25 per acre. Congress passed the Homestead Act in 1862. The law permitted anyone 21 years old who was a U.S. citizen or immigrant with the intentions of becoming a U.S. citizen to lay claim to 160 acres of prairie land. After living on the land and farming it for five years plus paying a filing fee, the homesteader became owner of the land. Paul Kukach worked hard, breaking sod and digging "tons" of rocks out of the ground for himself and his neighbors, using his team of eight or See KUKACH — Page 15
Inside Ag JANUARY 2017
Kukach Continued from Page 14
nine horses. He and his neighbors plowed the section lines to mark Anna Township. Although most of his time was spent developing his farm, he was one of the original members of Immanuel Lutheran Church, the German Lutheran church which operated in Ryder for many years. He became a U.S. citizen as soon as he could. Electricity, thanks to the Rural Farm Electrification Administration and Verendrye Electric Cooperative, came to the farm around 1948. At some time in the earlier years he purchased a Thomas A. Edison Amberola photograph for listening to music when not working outside on the farm. The Amberola had a handle to wind it, cylinder recordings of music slid
MINOT DAILY NEWS onto a circular stem, and the needle would be dropped down to play the music. It gave him great pleasure to relax and listen to the instrumental and vocal songs on the cylinders. Running water was added to the farm house at some time. Eleven years after his arrival at Ryder, he was married. His wife, the former Ida Pflugradt, came to Ryder from Crookston, Minn., with her sister, Martha, working in a cook car for a threshing unit. Paul and Ida Kukach lived on the farm where they raised livestock and grain, chickens, sheep and goats while continuing to develop their farm. "Your grandpa raised goats for awhile," Elinor West recalled in a letter to a relative. "He kept the nanny goats and your grandma and your mother milked them. In those days sometimes the doctors would tell patients to use goat milk instead
of cow's milk. I suppose it was for people's allergies to cow's milk. Your grandma sold it along with her cream, eggs and butter to the stores in Ryder." She also recalled they had a sleigh pulled by their horses. "They used to go to Ryder to shop, church, visit, haul grain, etc. In the summer it had wheels." Paul and Ida had two daughters, Regina and Lila, but Lila lived for only three months. Through the years Regina helped with much of the farm work. In later years, Regina purchased one of the first cars for the farm - a 1929 four-cylinder Model A Ford Tudor. Originally costing $500, she bought it in December 1937 for $179.10 from Westle Motor Co. in Minot. When applying for insurance for the car, she listed her occupation or business as "farming" and the reason for purchase as "pleasure and business." The insur-
ance for the car cost her about $125 a year. Times were tough on the farm during the Great Depression in the 1930s, but the family worked hard and were able to make it through those years. Soon another generation became part of the Kukach farm when Regina married Eugene "Gene" Dustin from southwest of Minot. His uncle and aunt, George and Dena Bowman, were neighbors to the Kukach family and George Bowman was another early settler in Anna Township. More land was added to the farm over the years. Both Gene and Regina spent much time working on the farm raising grain and cattle, and also were active in the local community. The farm though always had a lot of activity. Neighbors frequently stopped by the farm to visit. Whenever someone stopped by usually
PAGE 15 there was time for some lunch coffee and whatever was home baked from pie, cake, cookies to fresh bread for sandwiches. If it was close to dinner time, neighbors and others were invited to join in. Neighbors also would help each other with farm work or whatever else needed to be done. Paul Kukach died in 1959 and Ida Kukach in 1966. Regina Dustin died in 1965 and Eugene Dustin in 1989. Eugene and Regina Dustin's daughter, Eloise, has owned the farm near Ryder since 1989. The farm includes the land that Paul Kukach settled on more than a century ago. In 2012, the farm received the North Dakota Centennial Farm certification as a farm operated by the same family for more than 100 years. This story includes information written for the Ryder Centennial Celebration book in 2006.
Cold start to calving season Inside Ag
PAGE 18
MINOT DAILY NEWS
JANUARY 2017
BY ALLAN BLANKS
Staff Writer ablanks@minotdailynews.com
Sub-zero temperatures and snow covered fields have fostered calving concerns from Minot area cattle producers. After experiencing the warmest winter in 14 years, 2016 has become a distant memory as farmers and ranchers recover from back-to-back blizzards entering the 2017 calving season. Zack Hargrove, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Bismarck revealed that Minot’s average temperature for 2017 is zero degrees. According to Hargrove, Minot’s mean temperature is 12 degrees lower than normal. Aside from the ice cold facts, both cattle producers and their livestock are feeling the frigid pinch provided by North Dakota’s cruel winter. As the freezing temperatures linger on, farmers and ranchers increase their efforts to care for their cattle. “The farmers and ranchers take great pride in the things that they do,”said Julie Schaff Ellingson, the executive vice president of the North Dakota Stockman’s Association. “During these blizzard days, caring
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for livestock peaks. The time, energy and money to care for livestock takes a great amount of effort, especially with the kind of winter we’re having. My hope is that we get a reprieve from the challenging weather so everyone can catch their breath and get rejuvenated for the intense calving season coming up.”
To maintain favorable conditions during an unfavorable stretch of weather, cattle producers are setting up nurseries, preparing feed and remaining vigilant watching weather conditions. “When the weather is extra tricky, a lot of labor intensive efforts will be required,” Ellingson said. “Calving is
usually an intense time because there are a lot of babies produced in such a short amount of time.” Arlen Frey, the owner of the Frey Angus Ranch in Granville, maintains a cool demeanor while facing a cold start to the calving season. Arlen, the son of the late Allen Frey, intends to carry on the calving
traditions and techniques that have sustained the Freys for more than 60 years. With a reputation for producing award winning bulls and highly sought after cows, Frey is motivated to generate a hot start during an extremely cold winter. “We haven’t started calving yet,” Frey said. “It will probably be a week or so, we’re just waiting for it to warm up a little.” In an effort to provide warm conditions for his herd, Frey keeps a close eye on his cows while applying traditional practices to create heat and food for the herd. “We’ve been feeding the cows really good and keeping them well bedded,” Frey said. “A lot of feed helps to keep the cows in decent shape. We’re putting the cows in at night and the bedding has created enough heat where they’re not affected too much by the cold.” Despite the adverse cold and early onslaught of snow, Frey is confident that the experience and work ethic of fellow ranchers will overcome the challenging start to the harsh winter. “I think most of the ranchers pretty much know how to handle these conditions,” Frey said. “You don’t make it through a North Dakota winter without knowing what to do.”
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RECOGNIZING FAMILY FARMS JANUARY 2017
MINOT DAILY NEWS
PAGE 21
ND Centennial Farm program honors agriculture & families By ELOISE OGDEN Regional Editor eogden@minotdailynews.com Paul Kukach settled on land in southwest Ward County more than 100 years ago during the homestead era. Today, the farm is one of many farms and ranches in the North Dakota Centennial Farm program. Started by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture in 1988 as part of North Dakota's centennial observance the following year, the program honors those families who have owned their farm or ranch for 100 years or more. The program celebrates North Dakota's rich agriculture heritage by recognizing families who
have lived on and/or owned their farms or ranches for more than a century. The Homestead Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on May 20, 1862. Daniel Freeman became the first person to file a claim under the new act. Between 1862 and 1934, the federal government granted 1.6 million homesteads and distributed 270,000,000 acres of federal land for private ownership. The Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation took over the N.D. Centennial Farm program from the North Dakota Department of AgriculSubmitted Photo ture several years ago. An interactive display about the North Dakota Centennial Farm pro"The program is administered by the Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation, with an inter- gram is located in the "Our Agrarian Heritage" area in the Lewis & Clark active display at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Interpretive Center at Washburn. The program is administered by the See FARMS — Page 22
Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation.
Inside Ag MINOT DAILY NEWS
PAGE 22
Farms Continued from Page 21
Center. We took over in 2008," said David Borlaug, Foundation president. The interpretive center is located off U.S. Highway 83 at Washburn. "Just under 1,000 farms are currently in the system, with may more eligible and coming in regularly," Borlaug said. "Estimates are that there are 2,000 or more additional farms that qualify at this time." Borlaug said they are working with their partners to create an online presence. To be eligible for Centennial Farm status, applicants must show that their family has continuously owned or lived on the farm or ranch for 100 years or more.
The nomination form is available at www.fortmandan.com. When filling out the application, a farm family member is asked to provide ownership information including names of the farm's present owner(s), farm address, county and township, number of acres in present farm, name of person who farms the land (if different from owner), relationship to owner, and major crops or livestock produced. Historical information also is requested including year of original acquisition of farm by member of the family, how was the farm acquired (homestead, date of application and date of patent and/or purchase and if purchased, from who, number of acres in original acquisition, number of acres still retained and original cost per acre, and legal de-
scription of the land. A list of all family owners, to present, beginning with the original owner also is requested. Applicants are also asked to include additional information available about the original owner and their descendants as well as information on the farm such as houses, buildings and improvements, etc., plus include non-returnable copies of documents or photos, preferably digital images or scans of documents. There is no charge to become a Centennial Farm. The application goes to the ND Centennial Farm Program at the Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation in Washburn. For more information, contact David Borlaug, president, PO Box 607, Washburn, ND 58577.
JANUARY 2017
Submitted Photo
An interactive display about the North Dakota Centennial Farm program is located in the "Our Agrarian Heritage" area in the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center at Washburn. The program is administered by the Lewis & Clark Fort Mandan Foundation.
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MINOT DAILY NEWS
JANUARY 2017
PAGE 23
Crickets make leap in demand as a protein
WILLISTON, Vt. (AP) — At Tomorrow's Harvest farm, you won't find acres of land on which animals graze, or rows of corn, or bales of hay. Just stacks of boxes in a basement and the summery song of thousands of chirping crickets. It's one of a growing number of operations raising crickets for human consumption that these farmers say is more ecologically sound than meat but acknowledge is sure to bug some people out. Once consumers get beyond the ick factor, they say, there are a lot of benefits to consuming bugs. "We don't need everybody to eat insects," said Robert Nathan Allen, founder and director of Little Herds, an educational nonprofit in Austin, Texas, that promotes the use of insects for human food and animal feed. "The point we really like to highlight with the education is that if only a small percent of people add this to their diet, there's a huge environmental impact." Cricket fans say if only 1 percent of the U.S. population substituted even just 1 percent of their meat consumption with insects, millions of gallons of water in drinking and irrigation would be saved, along with thousands of metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions from machinery and animals. At least one study finds the claims overstated that crickets are a viable protein source to supplement or replace meat, but bottom line, it generally takes fewer resources to raise and harvest crickets than, say, cattle. Interest in entomophagy — the consumption of insects — was fueled in part by a 2013 report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on the viability of edible insects to help curb world hunger. Since then, the number of producers of food containing crickets, from protein bars to chip, has
AP Photo
In this Nov. 30, 2016, photo, Stephen Swanson shows a bowl of frozen crickets at Tomorrow's Harvest cricket farm in Williston, Vt. Farmers are raising the alternative livestock they claim is more ecologically sound than meat, but is sure to bug some people out: crickets. jumped from zero to about 20, and cricket farms for human food have grown to about half a dozen in the United States, Allen said. The protein-packed food can be ground into powder and added to other foods or eaten whole, dried, sauteed and spiced. Crickets have a nutty or earthy flavor that's masked by other flavors in protein bars. Self-described adventurous eater Matthew Monroe, 53, of Portland, Oregon, said he's fond of blueberryvanilla Exo bars containing cricket flour and dines on them when he gets that "protein bar jonesing feeling." They also taste better than other protein bars, he said.
There's no problem selling crickets as long as manufacturers ensure the food they produce for the U.S. market is safe and complies with all relevant laws and Food and Drug Administration regulations, including proper labeling. Raising crickets doesn't take much space, but there are complexities. Stephen Swanson, proprietor of Tomorrow's Harvest, said he constantly checks conditions — water, food, temperature, air flow and humidity — in the basement where he's raising roughly half a million crickets. Swanson, who just started selling cricket protein powder online,
hopes to get into a warehouse where some of the work could be automated. "The sky's the limit. This is the stone age right now as far as insect farming," he said. "So we have nowhere to go but up." Kevin Bachhuber knows that firsthand. He started the first U.S. cricket farm for human food in the Youngstown, Ohio, area, according to Allen. It operated until lead in his water supply prompted him to close it, Bachhuber said. Now, Bachhuber said, he is helping new cricket farmers get started or existing farms that raise crickets for reptile feed and fish bait get up to food grade standards.
"For the first couple years, you know, we always struggled with having enough supply. Now that we're starting to be able to add some of these older farmers into our supply chain. ... It's not quite so heavy pressure," Bachhuber said. The first U.S. academic conference devoted to insects for food and feed was held in Detroit in May. Now the young industry is forming The North American Edible Insect Coalition , a trade group, with the priorities being research and public education. "Half the battle if not more is educating people why. You can't just say, 'Eat crickets, please.' You have to tell them why," Swanson said.