From our Meat CSA Farmer
"Farming is a challenging business - but what isn’t today?? We ALL have good days and bad, stresses and triumphs; changes and challenges. However, several recent conversations with other livestock farmers in our area leave us concerned for the future of livestock farming in the northeast. Throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s many thousands of small and medium sized dairy farms were purchased and developed, still others simply sold the cattle and made hay or ran heavy equipment or chopped timber and sold firewood to make a living. It seemed as if corporate Ag, home of the super dairy, was going to be the future. These are the farms with a 1500 to 10,000 cows in three or four HUGE barns where the cattle move from feeding to milk parlor to rest in eight hour chunks of time so that they are actually milked three times a day; not twice. They produce tens of thousands of gallons of milk each day and the marginal cost in miniscule - especially compared to the single farmer who can milk 75 to 100 cows per day.
The resurgence of the local food movement seemingly reversed the downward trajectory of farming and the existence of small farms in New England. Many people began to really develop an understanding of how food is grown; the connection to farms and farmers became important as did supporting local food systems. In early 2000’s the CSA became a popular model allowing farmers and consumers to by-pass the big corporations and all the associated poor animal care, high marketing costs and ridiculous requirements. However, those of us immersed in farming often fail to see the challenges of perpetuating our lifestyle in today’s economic, legal and political climate.
Two years the Zimmermans went out of business. One day they closed shop and a few months later they held an auction. They were livestock truckers based in Leyden, MA who served all of New England for over 40 years. The business was founded by the father and carried on by two sons; they had three pot-belly trucks (large tractor trailers for moving a large number of animals) and a slew of smaller trailers. Increasing operating costs, insurance costs (significantly!) ever-expanding regulations, and decreasing revenue ultimately forced a painful decision. However, they were part of the fabric that wove small and medium farmers together all over both MA and all of New England. Animals and farm news traveled together on the Zimmermans trucks and they often knew generations of the same farm family for years. This kind of connection is NOT found on Facebook; it is born over a cup of coffee next to the kitchen woodstove after unloading a group of new cattle or a slew of swine. The loss of the Zimmermans was far more than simply having to find a new way to move animals or the purchase of a new livestock trailer - it was the connection of farmers to one another in ways that are NOT based in technology but rather in the conversations that sometimes spanned decades.
During January, there was a conclave of farmers in the local farm store one day. All of us are on the north side of middle age and all were lamenting winter and its effects on our livestock (but not of course ourselves!). We were comparing and contrasting the challenges secure in the knowledge that we understood three am flashlights, heating pads that are warm on one side and frozen on the other as we try desperately to save a lamb or kid or piglet that was born on the wrong side of the day in the wrong month -and always between midnight and five am.
A local goat farmer, who at 62 milks 226 goats by himself every day, noted that people are always asking why he doesn’t get some help. Simultaneously, we all hooted and laughed at the concept!! Help - in JANUARY! Who besides us (probably all certifiably insane) would voluntarily shovel poop, clean milk equipment in the 10 below weather and move animals?? A (cow) dairy farmer noted that his barn cats have more skill in the milk parlor than anyone who has tried to help him. Another man noted that he can sometimes get his son and his son’s friends to help cut and stack hay - but then they just want to go play video games. Still another farmer noted that he tried to hire a neighbor to burn brush, but that even offering $10 and hour to stand at the fire pit was too much work for the neighbor. The collective opinion of this conversation that there is a single person under the age of 45 who is raising livestock in our area and no one going into the business. According to the USDA Statistics - the local farm store conversation was correct: In 1945 the average age of a farmer was 39; in 1974 it was 45 By 2012 the average farmer is 57 years old.
Joel Salatin wrote a great article for Acres Magazine this month about the challenges of farm apprentices. Essentially he said it is not about anything other than trying to support the future of farming - apprentices offer little, cost a lot and have few skill sets for the first month or two. By the third month (of a five to six month commitment) the farmer should be breaking even (at a pay of $100 per week)- however, there is nothing to be gained, but a hope that the farmer is supporting others going into the business. He correctly noted there is a serious commitment in having apprentices on the farm and too many famers expect to have help moving forward, when a goal needs to be NOT to move backward too much each day. He said to expect to have EVERY aspect of your life questioned including how you vote, discipline your children and where and why you go to church. From a farming perspective, the article was spot-on; but from a sustainability perspective, it is very concerning.
The barriers to entry for livestock farming are significant (and that does not seem like a strong enough word). The cost of land, infrastructure, livestock and equipment is high. The knowledge base required to raise multiple species is extensive and the simple physical work hours are long - no nights or weekends off -animals need to be fed and watered seven days a week; 365 days a year. As we reflect this winter over our collective farm and business plan, Rich and I were struck by the conversation and are starting to think about long term sustainability in our planning. In January I “celebrated” my two year cancer-versary (I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in January of 2012- but feel great and am medically stable) and Rich has increasing pain in his hips from years of building, climbing and lifting. We are simply a part of an industry sustainability challenge.
We don’t have any epiphany or great solutions. Our children have all been raised on the farm but at this point none seem poised to step in and take over. Over the years, Rich and I have watched many people become interested in (and even passionate about) local foods, local farms and sustainable food systems. The vast majority have worked for a year or two at a vegetable farm and then moved into supporting roles, often in an office or at least clean environment. The daily, dirty, physical labor - the work that seems so foreign to so many - remains shockingly unappealing.
As your farm and farmers, we just want to put this out there - we know that you are not at the local farm feed store, but as supporters of local farming, it is a critical conversation - and one that transcends industries. Small software companies actually often strive to be bought by larger companies; small accounting firms, law firms and other professional services are often purchased by larger companies - farming is no different. How can we support and maintain small family farms??"
The resurgence of the local food movement seemingly reversed the downward trajectory of farming and the existence of small farms in New England. Many people began to really develop an understanding of how food is grown; the connection to farms and farmers became important as did supporting local food systems. In early 2000’s the CSA became a popular model allowing farmers and consumers to by-pass the big corporations and all the associated poor animal care, high marketing costs and ridiculous requirements. However, those of us immersed in farming often fail to see the challenges of perpetuating our lifestyle in today’s economic, legal and political climate.
Two years the Zimmermans went out of business. One day they closed shop and a few months later they held an auction. They were livestock truckers based in Leyden, MA who served all of New England for over 40 years. The business was founded by the father and carried on by two sons; they had three pot-belly trucks (large tractor trailers for moving a large number of animals) and a slew of smaller trailers. Increasing operating costs, insurance costs (significantly!) ever-expanding regulations, and decreasing revenue ultimately forced a painful decision. However, they were part of the fabric that wove small and medium farmers together all over both MA and all of New England. Animals and farm news traveled together on the Zimmermans trucks and they often knew generations of the same farm family for years. This kind of connection is NOT found on Facebook; it is born over a cup of coffee next to the kitchen woodstove after unloading a group of new cattle or a slew of swine. The loss of the Zimmermans was far more than simply having to find a new way to move animals or the purchase of a new livestock trailer - it was the connection of farmers to one another in ways that are NOT based in technology but rather in the conversations that sometimes spanned decades.
During January, there was a conclave of farmers in the local farm store one day. All of us are on the north side of middle age and all were lamenting winter and its effects on our livestock (but not of course ourselves!). We were comparing and contrasting the challenges secure in the knowledge that we understood three am flashlights, heating pads that are warm on one side and frozen on the other as we try desperately to save a lamb or kid or piglet that was born on the wrong side of the day in the wrong month -and always between midnight and five am.
A local goat farmer, who at 62 milks 226 goats by himself every day, noted that people are always asking why he doesn’t get some help. Simultaneously, we all hooted and laughed at the concept!! Help - in JANUARY! Who besides us (probably all certifiably insane) would voluntarily shovel poop, clean milk equipment in the 10 below weather and move animals?? A (cow) dairy farmer noted that his barn cats have more skill in the milk parlor than anyone who has tried to help him. Another man noted that he can sometimes get his son and his son’s friends to help cut and stack hay - but then they just want to go play video games. Still another farmer noted that he tried to hire a neighbor to burn brush, but that even offering $10 and hour to stand at the fire pit was too much work for the neighbor. The collective opinion of this conversation that there is a single person under the age of 45 who is raising livestock in our area and no one going into the business. According to the USDA Statistics - the local farm store conversation was correct: In 1945 the average age of a farmer was 39; in 1974 it was 45 By 2012 the average farmer is 57 years old.
Joel Salatin wrote a great article for Acres Magazine this month about the challenges of farm apprentices. Essentially he said it is not about anything other than trying to support the future of farming - apprentices offer little, cost a lot and have few skill sets for the first month or two. By the third month (of a five to six month commitment) the farmer should be breaking even (at a pay of $100 per week)- however, there is nothing to be gained, but a hope that the farmer is supporting others going into the business. He correctly noted there is a serious commitment in having apprentices on the farm and too many famers expect to have help moving forward, when a goal needs to be NOT to move backward too much each day. He said to expect to have EVERY aspect of your life questioned including how you vote, discipline your children and where and why you go to church. From a farming perspective, the article was spot-on; but from a sustainability perspective, it is very concerning.
The barriers to entry for livestock farming are significant (and that does not seem like a strong enough word). The cost of land, infrastructure, livestock and equipment is high. The knowledge base required to raise multiple species is extensive and the simple physical work hours are long - no nights or weekends off -animals need to be fed and watered seven days a week; 365 days a year. As we reflect this winter over our collective farm and business plan, Rich and I were struck by the conversation and are starting to think about long term sustainability in our planning. In January I “celebrated” my two year cancer-versary (I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in January of 2012- but feel great and am medically stable) and Rich has increasing pain in his hips from years of building, climbing and lifting. We are simply a part of an industry sustainability challenge.
We don’t have any epiphany or great solutions. Our children have all been raised on the farm but at this point none seem poised to step in and take over. Over the years, Rich and I have watched many people become interested in (and even passionate about) local foods, local farms and sustainable food systems. The vast majority have worked for a year or two at a vegetable farm and then moved into supporting roles, often in an office or at least clean environment. The daily, dirty, physical labor - the work that seems so foreign to so many - remains shockingly unappealing.
As your farm and farmers, we just want to put this out there - we know that you are not at the local farm feed store, but as supporters of local farming, it is a critical conversation - and one that transcends industries. Small software companies actually often strive to be bought by larger companies; small accounting firms, law firms and other professional services are often purchased by larger companies - farming is no different. How can we support and maintain small family farms??"