Hunger in America

 

I have so much to be thankful for as do all of you! No matter where in life you are, there is always something or someone to be thankful. I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to raise my children knowing where their food comes from, the farm. When my children say mom "I am hungry" it is the perfect time to share with them that fortunately they do not really know what being hungry feels like and I hope they never do. As a mom it truly breaks my heart to know that there are little children here in America that go to bed hungry each night.

 

46 million adults and children are truly going hungry in America. That is 1 in 6 people struggling  with some type of hunger. We are fast approaching the holidays and I would love it if you would help me and my farm community across America partner with +Bayer CropScience US and +Feeding America fight hunger on a big scale.

To take part all you have to do is visit www.thankful4ag.com and create a digital meal with your 4 favorite Thanksgiving meal foods and share it on Social Media.  Each time this is done +Bayer CropScience US  will donate $1 to +Feeding America. $1 provides 10 meals to people who are struggling with hunger.  When you make the fastest Thanksgiving meal ever, it will even share some fun farm facts with you about your meal.  If only fixing the perfect Thanksgiving meal was this easy!

 

 

All it costs is a minute of your time to help those who need a little extra assistance. NOW through December 19th we hope to have 200,000 meals donated to +Feeding America.

As if providing those in need with a warm meal is not enough, when you share your virtual meal on social media and use the #T4AgGrant to your post (must be a teacher or student) +Bayer CropScience US will enter your post for a chance to win a $5,000 grant for your school. 

 

Just like that...They are off!

 

After  6 months of watching this amazing little seed be planted, germinating, growing into a beautiful green plants and then dry and die down, the soybeans have been harvested. Rain is coming the guys worked near round the clock to get these beans harvested and in the grain bins.

So we watched these plants grow what now?

This particular field of soybeans yielded around 70 bushels per acre.  (this is pretty good)

They had around an 11% moisture level. This is important because the bean has to be dry enough to store in the grain bin on the farm or be taken to town and sold at the grain elevator. You will get docked on price for too high moisture or the beans will rot if you put them in the bin too wet.

The price of soybeans now is around $10 per bushel.

Each semi can hold approx. 1,000 bushel of beans that is about $10,000. Talk about a precious load that semi is carrying down the road.

Now that $10,000 is not a profit, in fact with commodity prices being as low as they are and the cost of fertilizer, seed and fuel prices being so high, farmers are seeing a much smaller profit margin than would be liked.
Farmers have lots of overhead to take into consideration and lots of risks too. Project #watchthemgrow

 

High Fructose CORN Sryup Facts

 

A bushel is measured by pounds, that is 56 pounds of shelled corn. There are approximately 72, 800 kernels of corn in a bushel.

That is around 40-60 ears depending on ear size.

The U.S. is the largest producer of corn.

123.4 bu/acre is the average bushels harvest in 2012.

 

 Things you may not realize that are made with corn

paints

candles

fireworks

drywall

plastics

adhesives

antibiotics

 textiles

soaps

shoe polish

sandpaper

dyes

rubber tires

carpeting

fiberglass

High Fructose Corn Syrup us also made from corn. There is lots of mis information out there about HFCS. Here are some common myths.

 

Myth: Sugar is healthier than high fructose corn syrup.

Reality: Afraid not. High fructose corn syrup is basically the same as sugar—both in terms of composition and in the number of calories they contain. Since high fructose corn syrup and sugar are so similar, the human body absorbs them the same way.

Myth: High fructose corn syrup is to blame for obesity and diabetes.

Reality: Nope. There is no scientific evidence that high fructose corn syrup is to blame for obesity and diabetes. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows that consumption of high fructose corn syrup has actually been declining while obesity and diabetes rates continued to rise (see chart). Around the world, obesity levels are also rising even though HFCS consumption is limited outside of the U.S. Many other factors contribute to rising obesity levels including changes in lifestyle, diet and exercise and are unrelated to HFCS.

 

 

 

National Honey Bee Day Get the Real Bzzz

I don't know about you, but I am not a fan of bees. I am actually terrified by them. I swell up like a balloon and itch at the sting of one of those little boogers. I do however realize that the honey bee is very important not just to make pollinate flowers but to allow us to enjoy many of our favorite foods.

Bees play a vital role in our agricultural system, making the care and protection of bees critical to the future of our planet’s food security. In fact, more than a quarter of all plants consumed in the U.S. are dependent upon honey bee pollination for their very existence. That’s how important bees are to our food supply. 

Bayer Crop Science has put together a really neat  Bee Care Program to ensure the protection of quite possibly the most important piece of our food system.
Want to get more information on the honey Bee Care Bzzz? Sign up for the e-news letter.

Project #Watchthemgrow Week 8

This is what the beans looked like two weeks after being planted.  

This is what the soybeans  look like 8 weeks after being drilled (planted) into the dirt. 

Happy 4th of July!

My Stitch Fix

Getting to do some traveling and meeting other women from across the country in agriculture is a lot of fun. When you put a bunch of farm women together, yes we talk about livestock and crops, but we also talk about the usual girl stuff. We enjoy a great meal, an occasional Moscow Mule, talk about the kids and of course discuss what we are wearing. When we farm woman are out in a big group, people always wonder what conference we are in town attending. Someone in the group always says, “We are a bunch of farm ladies sharing about agriculture.” The next comment is always, “Well you don’t look like farmers.”  I am still trying to figure out what a farmer is supposed to look like, but my guess is that people generally do not think farmers clothes come in a box labeled “Stitch Fix.”

 My friend Sara, from Sara’s House HD, is a very stylish gal. We were talking about what we were going to pack for an upcoming event and she asked if I had heard of Stitch Fix. I had never heard of such a thing, but I quickly checked it out and signed up for my first fix right away.

It is a great concept for a busy person who loves fashion, but doesn’t necessarily have time to make trips to all the trendy shopping hot spots to get the perfect look.  As I get a little older I find I am becoming more out of touch with what the younger generation believes to be stylish. I must admit that, in my 30s, I am quite OK with that. I want my own style that looks like me. With that said, though, I also want to look semi fashionable and follow some trends.

This Stitch Fix concept works well with my busy lifestyle. I filled out my profile answered all the questions and they assigned me to a personal stylist who selects what will come to me each month or as often as I determine. The Stitch Fix arrives via Fed Ex on your front porch.  Each fix will have 5 items — a mix of what ever you tell them you would like. You can choose to keep all 5 items, keep a few or send them all back. You only pay for what you keep. If you keep all 5 items you get 25% off the price.  Each item comes with a style card with ideas of how to wear and style each piece that you are sent.

If you give it a try, I can’t guarantee that you will like everything you get, but I am pretty sure that no one will think you look like a farmer.

If you think you want to give Stitch Fix a try, be sure to use this link: https://www.stitchfix.com/referral/3411380.



This is what came in my box.

A Powerful Program in Agriculture: AgriPower

It was 2011 and I had a lot going on in my life. I worked full time, was starting up a new business, raising two kids and then you add in what I call “Farm Crossfit”  — the farm chores.  At the time, Sandy Kuhn was in charge of AgriPower Institute and we began to chat about the AgriPower program. It sounded like a very exciting learning opportunity, but I was so busy, I was not sure I could add one more thing to my plate. I decided to bite the bullet and apply.

I was selected and received a tuition scholarship from several commodity organizations that covered my participation costs. In the program, I met some of the most amazing people in Ohio agriculture. Our class was diverse in age and in their involvement in agriculture. Some worked in agribusiness, some were full time farmers and others just had an interest in agriculture and politics. When I began the program, I did not know one person in my class. By the end of the first morning session, I had an entirely new group of friends in agriculture.

I not only learned about our government, business practices and agriculture, but I learned about myself and how to better contribute to Ohio agriculture and explore other farming operations. During this class I developed the network and skills to set out on my own personal agricultural journey. I truly believe that AgriPower laid the groundwork for me to start conversations with people about food and farming. As a result, I have had unbelievable opportunities to attend USFRA events and CommonGround media events all over the country and share my story with hundreds of thousands of people through my blog, TV, radio and speaking engagements.

I had the opportunity to participate in a National TV and Radio
media tour sharing about Agriculture. I met LaVell Winsor
a farmer from Kansas. Check out her blog
 http://growingfortomorrow.wordpress.com/

I strongly encourage you to take the time out of your already busy life to not only learn how you can benefit from this program, but how others can benefit from you and your story. We all have so much to offer in our own unique way. Our class was fun and we became a close group of friends. We are spread out all over the state yet we are always there as a resource, reference and a support system for each other. I am so proud to know my classmates in AgriPower IV. Some of my classmates have gone on to serve on state and national commodity boards, major job advancements, Township Trustees and work on political campaigns. It was an honor to be selected as a participant in this program and I encourage you to take the time and accept the challenge to be an AgriPower participant!

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. —Jack Welch

Blooms in the Hilltop Dessert

Lessons from a little Hilltop farm

When I hear the word "Hilltop" I think of a gassy pasture that has animals grazing on a hill. This is hardly what the Hilltop community actually looks like located south of West Broad Street at the corner of Highland Avenue and Floral Avenue in a struggling part of the Columbus. I recently got to visit the Hilltop to speak at the Highland Elementary and the J. Ashburn Jr. Youth Center.

Back in 2009, many community centers were being closed across Columbus due to lack of funding. These centers served as after school programs for many youth, a safe place to grow and learn and a common place for community members to go and feel safe. Columbus is a great city, but let’s face it, in every large city there is crime and poverty. In a meeting at the Hilltop Lutheran Church, a group of concerned citizens gathered to discuss what could be done to promote growth of the youth in the Hilltop community, since the community centers were no longer available for the children. Out of this meeting the dream of the Highland Youth Garden was put into action. This large garden area includes areas of irrigated crop production, raised beds where crops are planted “by color,” a high tunnel (green house), an herb garden, a butterfly garden, and a native plant area. Each provides special teaching and learning opportunities.

The majority of children in the nearby schools and in the community live in poverty. Most of the youth receive free or reduced lunches. For many, English is a second language. This area is also referred to as a food desert due to the lack of grocery stores in the community. Fresh vegetables and fruit simply are not available unless the children receive them in their school lunches or their parents or guardians have access to transportation to travel outside the neighborhood to shop in grocery stores.

In 2013, the youth planted vegetables, herbs, flowers, and six fruit trees. The crops included corn, mustard greens, beets, onions, cucumbers, potatoes, turnips, eggplant, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, potatoes, sweet potatoes, a wide variety of tomatoes and peppers, and several other vegetables. Approximately 25 percent of the garden is dedicated to raising food for the local food pantry and for residents that are not able to do the physical work in the garden. The children and volunteers have delivered the produce to the pantry to share what they have grown with people in their community. Two canning classes have been offered each year to help families learn how to preserve food from the garden. With the help of Strader’s Nursery, the Highland Youth Garden also assisted the broader community by sharing over 3,000 flats of vegetables, fruit plants, herbs and flowers with other community gardens, with neighbors for their own gardens, and with youth who are participating in the garden. The garden is now recognized as one of Franklin County’s 12 Hub Gardens, each of which is a resource that is being leveraged to teach and start other gardens in the city.

I was invited to visit with many of the school students who have teachers and a principle who value a hands-on approach to gardening and food. I was more than excited to see how the teachers and staff really value this garden and allow class time for their students to participate. I have always said almost every life lesson can be learned on a farm. For these children, this is about as close to a farm as they will ever get. This outdoor garden and learning center not only teaches them about science and food but about respect, responsibility and rewards.

The children that I met had so many questions for me about food and farming. They had no idea what agriculture was and seemed very excited to meet a farmer. Kids say the darndest things! Some of my favorites were:

“I didn't know that there were girl farmers.”

“You are too pretty to be a farmer.”

“Can you drive a tractor?” 

“Where are your bib overalls?”

My take home message in a nutshell was that there are children living with very little close to our farms that have no idea where their food comes from or what agriculture is about. There are volunteers who are willing to donate countless hours for children and create gardens to help educate the youth about food and making healthy food choices. They need help from people in agriculture to share what we do on the farm and how they too are a part of the food production cycle. It was such an honor to be invited to their garden and listen and watch the children. Their eyes are so full of hope and excitement. They seemed eager to learn and content, yet they have so little. Visiting the garden for just a few hours really got me excited and charged up to go out and do great things. I think that every adult (rural or urban) can learn from these children, and their little farm on the Hilltop.

  

In the District

Last week I traveled to our Nation’sCapital with the American Sheep Industry on the Spring Legislative trip. I left Columbus with Roger High, the Executive Director of the Ohio Sheep Improvement and sightseer extraordinaire. We also met up with Susan Schultz, an Ohio Sheep producer who serves as a District representative on the American Sheep Industry Board.

Roger High is making sure we know
we are picking the right Metro line!

When Roger and I flew in to D.C., we bought our metro pass and set out on a day full of site seeing. We walked at least 10 miles and at the end of the day my feet were a disaster. I wore good shoes for the trek, but those shoes simply were not meant to keep up with Roger High and his tour of the District. I have run a marathon and my feet looked nothing like they did after a day hitting the pavement with Roger.

The rest of the week was spent with Sheep producers from across the country and our legislators on the Hill. Meeting with the staffers, Congressmen and Senators was very exciting. We talked about Immigration, the farm bill, scrapie program and Roger High's favorite — Wildlife services! We had over 13 appointments to talk about what we do here in Ohio and how important their support is of Ohio’s #1 industry, agriculture.

I learned so much on this trip, but it was not on the Hill that I gained so much insight on our sheep industry. After our hectic days, we met up with sheep producers from across the country and talked sheep shop. I made new friends from Maine to Oregon and many western states in between.  Ohio is the largest sheep state east of the Mississippi River but we are a small sheep state compared to the states out West. They run multiple bands of sheep across their land and BLM ground (bureau of land management). A band consists of around 1,000 sheep. Western  practices are so different from ours and what real sheep production is all about.  Without these families, our sheep industry would cease to exist. 

Myself, Roger High, Bob Gibbs and Susan Schultz in
Rep. Gibbs office.

We do not deal too much in Ohio with immigration in the sheep business, but out west their livelihood depends on immigrants (mainly from Peru) as herders or real life shepherds living in the mountains protecting and caring for the sheep. Wildlife Services is also another crucial component. In Ohio, we have coyotes which need to be controlled and we need the help of WLS to help us keep our loses minimal. Out west, WLF conducts Spring Cleans where they fly overhead in an airplane to eliminate the coyotes. Not only do the coyotes kill the ewes but they kill off the lambs and in the thousands of head (1 sheep is a head) in one year's time. These western farmers and ranchers have to factor in loss to predation in their production practices which must to be a horrible feeling but reality. In Ohio the loss of one animal is devastating, but to the guys out west that would be a blessing. 

Due to legislation like the farm bill, we are able to fund research centers to work on eliminating sheep diseases such as scrapie. While this disease is near eradication, we as producers want to see this disease eliminated for the betterment of our industry. USDA researchers and veterinarians are working diligently to put programs in place to track and eliminate this from the United States. In Ohio, we are very fortunate to have one of the best plans of action in place to stop the spread of scrapie.

Under Secretary Avalos and Elvis his right hand man were kind
enough to allow us a photo op.

One of the highlights of the trip for me was attending a lamb BBQ with many people in the sheep industry and our legislators. This was held at a boat club on the Potomac River. I had the opportunity to talk with Edward Avalos, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at USDA, and his head staff member Elvis about what involvement I have to agriculture. I also met Dr. John Clifford, Deputy Administrator for Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. He has family ties to Ohio just a few miles from where I live.

 I was very impressed with their actual interest in what we as farmers and people in agriculture are encountering on a daily basis. While I do not agree with some things that go on in Washington, I was reminded how important it is for us to communicate and voice our concerns about important issues. In each appointment, it was reinforced how much an e-mail or letter means to your Congressman or Senator. Let them know your thoughts and concerns they are to represent we the people and if we stand idle they may make a decision based on lack of information.

We were able to leave a pair of woolsocks made with wool from U.S. sheep producers and made in the USA with each of our legislative visits. Of course, we got this approved by the Ethics committee and apparently wool socks are allowed.  At the Lamb BBQ they had some extra socks so Roger Susan and I were more than excited to bring back to Ohio some comfy wool socks. I was about to break out the black wool socks and wear them on the Hill with my heels due to my aching blistered feet. Next time, I will be prepared. 

Also met with the Senate Ag committee staff. If you notice a familiar Ohio
face you would be correct. Center right is Joe Schultz economist for the Ag Committee.
 

 

 

 

Corn and Beans



JD tractor and a Kinze 32 row planter

I have a list of things that I want to do each year. If you saw my list you would probably think I was a bit strange. A few of the things I want to do this year revolve around row crop farming:

1. Learn to drive a Semi (I hope to do this in the fall)

2. Run the Turbo till tillage implement (completed this spring)

3. Plant Corn and Soybeans (I planted beans late last month)

Close up of the soybean planter, this can also be adjusted for corn as well.

I have been in many tractors, but there is something about planting and harvesting a crop that is really fascinating. I could do it full time if I could find a sucker to let me drive their tractors, but I think they would have to be pretty desperate.  Working the soil, treating the weeds and planting the crop seems pretty simple, but there is an art to driving equipment with all this great technology.

This hopper wagon is full of Becks Liberty Link  beans to refill planter.

Driving a tractor is one thing, but when you add in auto steer, irregular field shapes, night tilling, waterways and lining up your rows perfectly, there are a lot of things to remember. When you see those guys out in the field rolling right along, let me tell you, it is harder than it looks. They really know what they are doing and I am pretty sure I am not going to get hired to work ground or plant beans any time soon. It would take me 20 times longer to do the job and probably not to their perfection either. I’d better stick with occasionally making a meal for the local farmers so they will let me drive the tractor every once in a while. I think I have that pretty down pat.

Planting corn, view from the tractor cab. Big tank holds Nitrogen
that is released when seed is planted.

Even though we do not plant corn or soybeans on our small farm, our animals consume a lot of corn and beans. Animal production in Ohio has a direct link to what row crop farmers are doing. The production of their product affects the price and supply of what I feed to my animals.

Just like with anything you do in life, practice makes perfect when planting soybeans. I think that farmers are always learning how to do their jobs better and more efficiently, but I also think farmers are born with the drive, passion and know-how to do what they do. Farmers work round the clock to get the work done, some working 20-hour days to get ahead of the weather. I know when I spend a little time talking with my crop farmer friends I am extremely grateful that they do what they do! Please remember to be careful when you see equipment on the roads and instead of passing them in a hurry give them a beep and a friendly wave to show them how much you appreciate what they are doing.

Just another day on the farm with ET

Our friends raise cattle and this is prime-time calving season. We took a trip out to their farm not only to see the baby calves but to watch some of next year’s baby calves get their start. Dr. Thompson, an area Embryologist, was at the farm and flushing embryos out of several of their cows while we were visiting. I am always up for a learning experience and this was a fascinating one.

kids and a shorthorn cow having embryos flushed

On our farm, all of our sheep are bred the old fashioned way. In fact we just turned our three rams out into the field for fall lambing. In the cattle business things are a bit more high tech using AI (artificial insemination) and ET (embryo transfer). ET is not a new practice. In fact, it dates back to the 1890s in rabbits, sheep and goats in the 1930s and cattle in the 1950s. The practice in beef cattle really took off in the 1970s in the U.S. and has been an increasing part of cattle operations ever since.

Why ET? It is pretty basic — to improve genetic selection by increasing the number of progeny from females that are either proven or perceived to be of great quality. ET also allows a breeder to generate more offspring from rare and valuable semen.

Dr. Thompson, a local embryologist, has been working in this field for a long time. This is not an easy or glamorous profession, but it is something he has mastered by developing a great success rate of retrieving quality eggs. Retrieving quality eggs is all about cow maintenance and making sure she has the proper nutrition and care to ensure the best success rate. This process is expensive and time consuming, but can lead to great genetics to better the breed even after the cow is past her ovulating prime.

Between days 6 and 8 after the cow has been inseminated, the embryo recovery is done. The cow is placed in the cattle shoot for her protection and the safety of Dr. Thompson. This entire process is done quietly and without stress to the cow. In fact, these cows knew just what to do. They even posed for photos with the children during the process and walked right out of the shoot and into the pasture. The cow receives an epidural block at the tail head to prevent straining and to make the job a little easier.



epidural

A flexible rubber tube catheter is passed through the cervix and into the uterus. The cuff is inflated with a saline solution to hold the catheter in place and to prevent back flow of fluids. Saline solution is flushed-filled and the uterine horn is gently massaged and the fluid containing the embryos is drawn back out through the catheter. This solution is collected through a filter and into a cylinder or dish.

rubber tube catheter

saline solution and collection dish

You cannot see with the naked eye any of the eggs. They are microscopic. This process takes about 20 minutes and the eggs must be kept at room temperature. This can be particularly tricky on a 30-degree day in March. The dish with (hopefully) quality embryos is placed in the truck to be kept warm until we made it in the house to set up the mini laboratory.

The egg dish is looked at under the microscope and all the eggs are removed and placed into a separate dish. At this point, Dr. Thompson is evaluating the eggs and giving them each a rating of 1, 2 or 3. The embryos are then placed into straws, with each egg in a separate straw. Under the microscope you could see the little placenta already beginning to form. Eggs rated 1 or 2 (excellent and good) will be frozen and eggs with a 3 rating would be implanted in donor cows (cows on the farm not for their great breed quality but because they are good mothers to carry and raise the baby calves) immediately. Grade 3 embryos are still good, but they just would not survive the freezing process.

Dr. Thompson rating embryos

embryos freezing

canes straws with embryos will be placed in

Each straw is then placed in an embryo freezer using ethylene glycol to freeze. This process takes about an hour to completely freeze the eggs. It’s a gradual process that has to be done just right to ensure the best egg quality and longevity. The eggs are placed in a cane that is labeled with the cow and bull’s information and are ready for the storage tank. The eggs will remain there until it is time to implant them in the next round of cows.  In this case some of the embryos will be implanted in May for next year’s baby calves. Some of the embryos will be sold in sales and other will be kept for a long time to use when desired. If stored and collected properly embryos can be kept indefinitely.

embryo storage tank

While this process was fascinating to watch and learn about, it really is just another day on the farm for the cattle producers and Dr. Thompson.

My double life

I had the privilege to introduce our Governor John Kasich on a trip to our state’s Capitol as part of AgriPOWER last year. As I stood in front of our group, Governor Kasich asked me “Are you a Farmer?” It took me a second in my head to think and say “Yes, I am a farmer.” I said that with great pride and I think that was the first time I had ever said it out loud.  Was I a closet farmer? I outed myself and in front of the Governor of Ohio. Do others really think of me as a farmer? After all, I kind of lead a double life.

On one hand, I am a farmer. My dad was a farmer we have raised livestock my entire life. But while agriculture is in my blood I never really considered myself a “farmer.” Farmers wear bib overalls and hold a pitch fork right? I surely hope that is not your image of a farmer, but I also think I am not the typical farmer image either. I do not drive big equipment or even raise row crops. Those who know me when I am at home working in coveralls with our sheep or in the hay field sometimes have a hard time thinking of me in a suit and heels. 

On the other hand, I work off the farm in a professional capacity, too. I spend a lot of my time with people who are 4 and 5 generations removed from agriculture. Most are shocked to think that I go home to a barn, bale hay, deliver lambs and haul manure. I have had some pretty interesting conversations with clients and coworkers about country life. People want to know what it is like to live a rural life.  I have found that when I take time to develop a professional relationship with people they feel comfortable asking questions and seeking you out when they hear things that go against what you have told them.

In my double life, I have had some pretty amazing opportunities and have lifelong friendships with some one of a kind people because of agriculture. During the Superbowl, I am sure you either saw it live or on the Internet, the Dodge commercial “So God made a Farmer.” This commercial was great for many reasons, which I will not go into, but you can read my husbands thoughts on his blog.  Once this aired, I got many messages from people saying they thought of me when they saw this ad. I kind of chuckled because when I saw this ad I thought of all my friends who are farmers.

We live in a society where people are increasingly becoming more interested in farming and food. This is fantastic and I am so excited that people are engaged in what they are putting in their bodies and in our earth. Farmers come in all shapes and sizes. There no longer is a typical farmer. Farmers can wear a suit under their coveralls, deliver lambs and then go back to work. Farmers can have grease under their fingernails and go to a board meeting. Farmers in the middle of harvest get a call that the neighbor’s cattle are out and they stop to help a friend. There are no limits to what one can accomplish in agriculture and this is a concept I am so excited to be instilling in my children. We farmers get to do what we love because everyone needs to eat. Everyone can eat because of farmers and all those who are involved in the agricultural community. In Ohio, Agriculture is our #1 industry.

What makes a farmer a farmer? A hardworking, dedicated, caring individual who will make personal sacrifices to better whatever situation it may be. A farmer believes in the future of agriculture and will let nothing stand in their way to make what we have now better for future generations.

This may sound a little familiar because it is for the farmer in everyone, even those of us leading double lives.    

Tuesday EWEsday: Lambing Time

You are my Shepherd, and I am your lamb. and You will be with me wherever I am...

We do most of our lambing in the fall. Our breed the Horned Dorset  is very versatile so they can even lamb two times each year. This is a photo of a ewe (girl) lamb born a few days ago.

Who could not smile when this little lamb is looking at you. She has a terrific mom and a buck (boy) for a  brother. She weighed in at about 15lbs and her brother was about the same size. This is a great size lamb to have and even better that it was a set of twins. It is our goal to get two lambs at least out of of our ewes each year.

Tuesday EWESday: Happy New Year to Ewe!

Tuesday EWESday: Ohio State Fair Edition

Ruby one of our fall ewe lambs is getting a bath at the Ohio
State Fair. She did not mind the water but the band marching
by did make her a little nervous. We do not have many
marching bands going down our road out in the country.

When you take livestock to the fair you are bound to get good questions. Here are a few oft the most common questions we fielded this year. The best part is that Campbell and Parker are getting old enough to talk to people and answer these questions on their own.

Why do the sheep wear covers? To help keep them clean after being washed. It does not hurt them or affect them from doing normal behaviors. We in the sheep business call them blankets.

Does it hurt them to get their haircut? First off sheep have wool not hair. It is just like getting your head shaved or cut. Most sheep farmers shear their sheep 1 time each year.

Are these goats or sheep? Our breed are Horned Dorsets. Both rams (males) and ewes (females) have horns. This is a breed characteristic. The Rams have larger thicker horns than the ewes.

What do sheep eat? They eat grass or hay when there is not grass to eat like right now. Our lambs also get pellets when they are young and then a grain mix when they are in their growing stages birth-7 or so months. We want them to get the best start as possible from birth so they can be a quality meat protein or a ewe or ram to reproduce healthy quality lambs.

Do we eat our sheep? Yes we do eat our sheep. We keep the best sheep in our flock to produce new lambs. By best I mean sheep that will make our breed of sheep better. We want to continue to better our breed of sheep so we can provide an even better end product. We raise sheep to eat them. It is a fantastic healthy and tasty protein. We take our jobs a livestock stewards very seriously. We want to raise the best lambs to feed to our family and our customers.

Where do we buy lamb? Most every grocery store will have lamb. If you do not see it out in the meat case ask the butcher and they may have it in the cooler or will be happy to special order it. You can also buy straight from the farmer like us. We do sell off the farm as do many farmers.

How do I prepare the lamb? You should not stress about cooking with lamb it is easy. Do not over think it. Lamb can be substituted for many recipes that call for beef. Try making meatloaf or meatballs out of your own family favorite recipe. Lamb is best when not over cooked and feel free to use chicken or beef broths to add even more flavor to your dishes. Visit www.americanlamb.com for some great recipes.

The Great Ohio State Fair

Ever since I was a little girl the Ohio State Fair has been something to look forward to. It also marked the end of the summer. It was a time to reconnect with friends you only see a few times a year, eat some good fair food and of course take in some livestock shows. This fair we were very busy and the kids had a ton of fun too. Their favorite has been showing their sheep. I have had to drag them out of the sheep barn each evening. At times they have looked like little dirt balls but dirt balls who are having a blast learning so many important life lessons in agriculture. Here are some highlights of our 2012 Ohio State Fair! We had a fantastic run. If only life slowed down after the fair! We are one tired family.

Reserve Grand Champion Christmas Tree
Overall. Champion Spruce and Fir trees as well.

The kids cleaned up in the Jr, Show. We have worked hard
to maintain a good and true to the breed Horned Dorset.

Campbell Miriam wearing wool and showing off one of her ewe lambs "Ruby."

The star of the cooking demo Campbell is missing from this photo. She did a
great job making meatballs. We had a fun time and answered some great questions.
I think people thought it was fun that a farmer was cooking.  Cooking show in my future? That would be a dream come true. I have been doing demos since I was 4 in my parents kitchen.

Sheep do not get this white on their own. Campbell and Parker are pros at
washing sheep. They like to scrub the hooves and horns with a tooth brush. I just hope they
know we use old tooth brushes not current toothbrushes!



This was something we had never done before. You showcase what you raise in your garden. We tied in our livestock as well. Bridging the Gap between the farmer and the consumer. I guess we had beginners luck!