Tag Archives: farm

Going back to Gully

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My daytrips usually involve exotic locales such as Carrington, North
Dakota to visit my brother or even so far-flung a location as Austin,
Minnesota to pick-up something I purchased on eBay. This week I made
a ½ daytrip and discovered a nice little town I used to know pretty
well.

1985 was an exciting time for me. I had my first job in radio at the
Fosston station. I sold advertising during the day and one of my most
productive stops was the little town of Gully, Minnesota. Although tiny, Gullyhad several productive businesses that purchased regular radio
advertising and so I stopped pretty often. One of my visits was the
Gully Elevator where Vern Iverson and Vern Wold (“the Verns” music group)played a very good, old-time music show in the break room. I drank coffee and listened a couple of times and really enjoyed their hospitality. I also liked the café back then but made so little money from my work that I
rarely purchased more than pie.

This week I came to Gully to rent the cooperative’s “Gopher Getter.”
The ‘getter is a machine which plows a tunnel into the ground for
pesky gophers and at the same time leaves tasty treats for them
suitable for a last supper. I arrived from the North and could
clearly see Gully a few miles towards the horizon under a light mist
floating above the peat fields. There is a definite transition from
prairie to pine which culminates at West St Paul Avenue and Main
Street on Gully’s north side. When I returned the implement to the
co-op, I came in from south of Gully which meant I rode the hills
along State Highway 92. This is the land I always imagine when I think of
good cattle ground; rolling and grassy with little ravines for
watering and a corral.

I was impressed by business in Gully. There was an elevator,
lumberyard, hardware store, c-store and even a little bar. My left
elbow is permanently crooked from constant coffee drinking so I
stopped at the c-store for something to bolster my trip home. They
offered me free coffee but I always feel free coffee is for regulars
so I left them a dollar. The coffee was good, way better than the
quality suggested by its price. I walked around the hardware store
for a little while and found it equipped well-enough that I could
imagine no household emergency in which I wouldn’t be able to find
supplies for repair. It should also be mentioned that this tiny
little town was the only place I could find a “gopher getter” and the
manager said they’ve had people from as far away as Argyle come to
rent the machine.

I’m safely at home now and having sown my wild oats on another
daytrip that was about as unlike anything Hunter S Thompson ever
tried, I feel no more need to roam. Should I ever again need mild
adventure, or a gopher getter, I shall return to the nice little
productive town of Gully.

A Danie Day II

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“I had a Danie day,” this is a phrase that sounds innocent and maybe
even enjoyable. However, I am like the little boy who sees dead people
in the movie, “the Sixth Sense” in that I know the truth. Today I
have the far-off look of a man who’s seen too much; today I
had a “Danie Day.”

Danie Packard is my farm business management instructor through the Thief River Falls (Minnesota) Technical College and a wonderful guy. He
does the work of an interpreter as he takes the story of our farm and
translates it into a language which is international, the language of
numbers and totals. Danie takes all of my book work and condenses it
into a report which explains where we spend money and earn money on our
little farm. I would be unable to be innovative and creative without
Danie to explain my method to those who finance me. Danie is
important to me and a very talented person.

Okay, that was the disclaimer, gird your loins Packard-here it comes.
Sisyphus was a King in Greek mythology condemned to roll a mammoth
boulder up a hill, only to see it roll back down after each effort.
Sisyphus had to do this for all eternity. This is similar to a day
spent gathering financial information and completing my taxes with
Danie; it is a “Danie Day.”
It is painful, you fail just at the point of success and it lasts
eternally. I always arrive confident that my ducks are correctly
arranged. Under constant questioning, my confidence dissolves
as I forget data such as the last four digits of my social security
number and even my own middle name. It’s just that my understanding
of our farm is very concrete and real whereas putting it on paper is
very abstract. I have even felt a little sorry for myself after a
good, thorough “Danie Day;” after which, I will sometimes watch a
movie such as,
“the Grapes of Wrath,” just to remind me how good I really have it.

About noon we broke for lunch. I noticed my hands were shaking and
very nearly vibrated the contents of my sandwich onto the tray in
front of me. It was obvious that my nervous system was under a great
deal of stress. I called Lisa and got a little dose of her calm,
soothing voice which helped. There is no aspect of what I do on our
farm that is nearly as painfully boring or stressful as documenting
the act in Danie’s little office of pain. If one day of my year has
to be spent there being waterboarded with paper work, then the only
way to make up for it is that all of the rest of the days of the year
must be Christmas; complete with an endless supply of Kolache and
chocolate beer. It is the only just remedy of which I can think.

We eventually reached a completed stack of paperwork three inches
high as I felt the animation drain from my body. As I drove home, I
could see the multiple colors of the setting sun as they refracted
through the tears of my exhaustion. My shoulders ached and the inner
workings of my body were the consistency of old concrete. I had just
experienced, a “Danie Day.”

Temple Grandin

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Showing animals some kindness and understanding life from their
perspective has been a concern for good farmers for a long time, it
became fashionable January 16th, 2011-more on that later.

Temple Grandin is a professor at Colorado State University who holds
a doctorate in animal science. She has written several bestsellers on
both animal and human behavior and is responsible for the humane
design of livestock handling facilities in better than half of all
meat processing plants in the United States. Oh yeah, she also has
autism.

I have read Temple Grandin’s articles in the past and use some of her
techniques for handling cattle. Her studies on cattle handling are
basically how to use a cows tendencies to the handler’s best benefit.
Cows like good footing, enjoy walking up a slope better than down,
hate loud noises, enjoy being in a herd and find shiny dangling items
to be suspect. They also like to walk in circles and enjoy almost 360
degree vision. After I’ve read an article by Grandin, I always feel
fired up about cattle and inspired to do a better job in their
handling.

Temple Grandin is not a vegetarian. She feels cattle are there to
provide meat but also wishes that they be treated in a humane matter.
Cattle that are calm cause less trouble, normally do not injure
humans and they taste better. If we are to be good stewards of what
we are in charge of then giving cattle a good life prior to their end
on a plate is the right thing to do. Grandin sums it up best, “I
think using animals for food is an ethical thing to do, but we’ve got
to do it right. We’ve got to give those animals a decent life and
we’ve got to give them a painless death. We owe the animal respect.”

Claire Danes stars in the movie “Temple Grandin.” It tells the story
of a woman who sees conversation in pictures and finds spoken
language to be of only secondary importance. She does not speak until
the age of four and would have been destined to an institutionalized
life had it not been for a determined and innovative mother. Although
Grandin cannot even see the signs of human happiness or sadness, she
can read the face of a cow without trouble. She is able to step into
their lives and therefore design handling facilities that make their
contact with humans much less stressful. Lisa and I loved the movie;
it’s about as far from removed from status as a romantic-comedy as
possible but the movie touched our emotions. You’d have to love
animals to understand. The only location I could find the movie to
buy or rent was “Mr. Movies,” however the large internet outlets all
have the show for sale. It would be excellent in the classroom.

If you think the movie “Temple Grandin” was something no one ever
heard of or saw, you would be incorrect. January 16th, at the Golden
Globe awards, Clair Danes received the best actress award for her
portrayal of Temple Grandin in a movie of the same name. The show
also garnered seven awards at last fall’s Primetime Emmy awards. It
seems a little compassion for animals is not only ethical; it is
popular-maybe even fashionable. That’s just fine; what’s really more
important is it is right thing to do, as it’s been always.

Grass Farming

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  cattle grazing corn

I haven’t written about farming for quite some time, at least my kind of farming so that is this week’s topic. I am a grass farmer.

I think most people who raise cattle are considered cattle farmers. I think that cattle can pretty much farm themselves as long as I create an environment in which they can work. Sturdy fence, subdivided pastures, fresh water and something good to eat are a decent field upon which to play. My primary job is to manage our grass paddocks in such a way that the cattle are always eating fresh, growing, highly-nutritious forage.

Spring is difficult because the cattle have been on hay all winter and both they and I want them on pasture. Eating early spring grass is like enrolling a highly-intelligent ten year-old in high school; both may be qualified both neither have the needed maturity. I do have a paddock along the river that includes grass that has acclimated itself over decades of time. This paddock seems to be able to withstand any amount of abuse and so I will use it for early spring pasture at times. Developing good pasture takes time and money so I try to treat my other paddocks to consistent periods of rest so that they are always in a growing stage.

Grass-fed cattle eat corn; sounds like a contradiction-doesn’t it? Corn is a type of grass but we graze the whole plant instead of just the shelled corn. I let the cattle graze corn while I rest all of my other perennial grass paddocks prior to a killing frost each fall. The perennials plants are now sending nutrients to the roots to become strong and ready for the change in seasons. After a killing frost, the plants will be dead and ready to be grazed without damage to the roots. I am grazing the corn right now and the best metaphor for the practice is that it’s similar to feeding ice cream, only you have to eat some of the box with the ice cream. The cattle eat the leaves and immature cobs (ice cream) like crazy but they must also then clean-up some portion of stalks (ice cream box) to get fiber. I also give a little hay in order to balance the blast of carbohydrates they receive from the corn with some decent alfalfa protein. I have also planted soybeans with the corn in the past to accomplish the same goal.

I like grazing the corn because I see the cattle each day. The paddock is about five acres but the cattle only get a small portion each time. I walk into the corn about 50 feet and trample a path across the paddock then run fence wire from side to side in the area of the path. If I just let the cattle run loose they would eat all of the ice cream leave me the box. This way I can control the process and make the most of the paddock. Grazing the corn occurs at a good time of the year as it provide lots of carbohydrates at the very end of my finishing process. It ensures a nice cut of beef and is one plant in a diverse diet that contributes to great taste.

I really like my cattle and providing a decent way for them to live. I like feeding them a little ice cream (and the box) as a treat at the end of their time. Considering most of them are heading for the plate, it’s seems like the least I can do.

Simple Technology

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Hay stacks once dotted the countryside. Stacking hay was a simple method to stockpile cattle forage for the winter up until the advent of the square baler, and later, the round baler. To most, this method of harvesting excess grass and alfalfa is a nice memory; at our farm, it passes for current technology.

I don’t buck hay nor do I use horses to make it, I have seen this process at demonstrations but I am not ambitious enough for that type of labor. My hay is stacked using a method that is post-primitive but pre-modern; I use a hay stacker-a good marriage of convenience and simplicity.

My Hesston 30 stacker is a simple machine. Not including the power take off, there are only eight bearings on the whole machine and very few moving parts. The stacker is basically a box within a box, on wheels. The first box has no ceiling and forms the bottom of the stacker. The second box has no floor and forms the ceiling of the stacker and can nestle inside the bottom box. When I fill the machine with hay, the top box is elevated about 18 feet into the air while a blower picks up hay and shoots it into the space formed by these two boxes. When that space is full, the top box is brought down inside the bottom and crushes the hay into a loaf. I follow this process three to five times and then disgorge the full stack using the apron chains on the floor of the bottom box.

I enjoy baling hay right up until something breaks, then the process is something less than enjoyable. Small square balers typically work fine until the knotters get old and round balers are good until the belts wear down which is why I like my stacker-it doesn’t break down very often. The technology of a hay stacker is simple so when I do need to make a repair it is more like re-assembling Lego blocks than repairing the space shuttle.

Here’s the real news, I like old things. I find myself rejecting the ease of technology for the labor of simplicity. The hay stacker is a mechanical system for collecting forage however the only automation is that which the operator provides. Last year, I injected technology into the simple, effective machine by adding a video camera to monitor the stacking chamber and shame on me for it. The camera was an added complication which I felt I needed to better monitor the stacker. This year I just washed the windows of my tractor cab a little better which made it easy to watch my own progress and was decidedly low-tech.

Many people are a little removed from farm life and farm practices. Occasionally a visitor will ask me, “how do you make those hay stacks that look like bread loaves?” After careful consideration, from now on my answer will be, “Simply.”
 

A Danie Day

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This morning I watched a television show on the deadly Civil War battle at that occurred at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While I watched, I prepared myself for myself for the drudgery of year-end bookkeeping and taxes; an act which in comparison makes Gettysburg seem not so bad, at least I’d be outdoors.

Danie Packard is my Farm Business Management instructor, an excellent guy. Danie and I have known each for about 12 years and so have gone completed my paperwork at least 12 times. I would have to say that each time is more painful than the last no matter what order in which they’re arranged.

The whole process involves taking a year’s worth of bookkeeping and trying to make an easily understood story of my year in farming. Danie and I prepare a financial statement, a cash flow statement and a financial analysis which we then use to prepare my taxes. The numbers at the bottom of the page tell me whether I’m doing well or not; I typically ask Danie to scroll the computer image down to the bottom at intervals prior to the completion of each form; it’s almost like peering into the future.

There are times during the process when Danie will take a big sigh and say, “oh, boy.” He doesn’t realize this, but this simple act makes my heart jump and creates a taste of metal in my mouth. I don’t have nor need any death-defying hobbies because I have Danie and face the fear of death each time he sighs. Typically these little releases of wind originate when Danie realizes he’s forgotten his lunch or to take out the garbage. However, I am so present in the moment that these statements tighten my stomach and are excellent reason for me to get-up and walk tiny, nervous circles in the Packard office.

Taxes with Danie are fun, just like getting the tip of your finger slammed into the door of a car that has particularly close tolerances between the door and jam is fun. My taxes are prepared using a computer program that keeps a running total of what I owe or the amount of my return which really amplifies the tension. I perch over Danie’s shoulder and growl words of encouragement in an effort for some sort of refund. I am not a math person; as such this whole process is like fumbling around in the dark of an unfamiliar hotel room. I like to be in control and paperwork seems beyond my reach. Danie knows he is my only lifeline and so entertains himself with plenty of anxiety-inducing sighs and emphatic use of the phrase, “oh, boy” during my time of need.

I like Danie Packard, I don’t like paperwork. He first graphs the numbers of our financial life then paints a story using those numbers for which I am thankful. Although he makes everything as easy as possible, he is the only element of the meeting which I enjoy; the rest is a study in pain . I stopped by yesterday to make an appointment and I notice Braille lettering at the top of the name plate outside his door. I wondered if the lettering describe his office number or his name. After careful thought, it is quite clear that if I were to read Braille, it would clearly state, “abandon hope all ye who enter here.”
 

Project Warming House

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I need an indoor project when its cold outside. Last year, my indoor project was a pump house so large that I was barely able to extract it from my shop. I set my sites at a lower multiplier this year and went for what is basically a bird house, but for multiple birds. This is project warming house.

First off, a bird house should probably be installed prior to winter so the birds can locate it and set up shop. However, I wouldn’t let that stop me from setting up some low-income aviary housing even if it was mid-winter. The house I made is designed especially to provide quick shelter for chickadees. I always figure the smaller an animal is, the more protection it needs; this would be a worthwhile project.

The warming house is just a box, so I won’t drown this column in endless detail. I believe the plans were something I used from 4-H when I was young. The house is six inches wide square and nine inches tall, however make one side a little longer so you have something to drive a nail through and into a post or tree. My research has shown me that the size of the hole is pretty important; it keeps big birds out yet is inviting to the chickadees. That said, the hole was supposed to be 1 ¾ inches in diameter but the nearest hole bit I had was 1 5/8 so I allowed myself this much. This isn’t a house made for permanent residence so drill the hole at the bottom of the front façade. The purpose of a warming house is that several birds may gather and perch away from the wind. I made three internal perches by drilling holes about every two inches on each sidewall and offset the middle set to take advantage of every bit of space. I then used a small wooden dowel to span the area between the holes to create internal seating space. I used pine because redwood is expensive and protected the exterior with a little spray-on sealant.

Warming house in place, I believe a person should make a nice environment for it’s visitors. Lisa saves any fat drippings in a bowl which we then leave outside for suet. Uncle Larry made a simple feeder for us by drilling large holes into a branch which we fill with peanut butter. I clean corn for our stove and spread the gleanings for the pigeons and squirrels. We don’t own any expensive feeders as the three dollar plastic ones work great and leave us more money to purchase bird food. Thistle seed is horribly expensive but I’ve found the wreaths that are made from pressed thistle seed last a long time plus they include a hanger and so serve as their own feeder. They seem to be a much better deal than the long plastic tubes.

So there’s a good project that does good for others. I used to build so many of these when I was a kid that my brother thought I was doing it for therapy. You don’t have to be crazy to build a warming house, just crazy about birds.

Letter to Dave

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I have to tidy up one loose end prior to making correspondence with
you, Dave. Last week, my friend Al Melbye asked me if I wrote about
what was happening on the farm because I couldn’t think of anything
else about which to write. I was shocked when he told me that his area of interest was not covered during the column. Now, Al’s main hobby is
washing his car, which may be too narrow a subject upon which to
build a column; however I bet I held his interest during this opening paragraph. See, I always listen, Al.

Farmers have fields around here looking pretty good, Dave. Most of
the ruts from last falls’ harvest are gone although there’s still
some corn that’s yet to be combined. The farmers who waited until now
to harvest are finding corn that’s much drier than last fall.
Unfortunately, the fields are still pretty wet-nothing holds water like corn ground.
I’ve seen several fields with combine tracks that start at one corner of the field and
aim desperately for the nearest field crossing to gain escape from
the mud.

I spoke recently to Mike Anderson from Viking. He and his brother only have a couple
hundred acres of corn left but harvest was halted by rain last
Friday. As young men, Mike and I used to talk about beer and women;
however age has narrowed our subject matter to crops and coffee. I
guess Hank Williams Junior was right about rowdy friends settling
down with age.

The guys with alfalfa finally have just enough dry weather to lure
them out into the field. The alfalfa is thick and has even lodged in
some cases. Lyle Swanson came out to cut our place to cut hay last
year and managed to harvest some black water pipe at the same time.
This year I removed all the water pipe so Lyle’s targets were few
although he did manage to hit a T-post. I like to tease Lyle a
little, but the truth is God never made a more conscientious man. I
just like to needle him a little to keep hay cutting prices low.

We are finally getting indoor plumbing in our section of Bray
Township, Dave. That’s the comparison I make when I explain why we
will soon bury the pipe that we use to water the cattle. I think it’s
a good metaphor as both acts create greater convenience and general
health. Anyone who questions the importance of fresh water to cattle
should go sit in the sun, without a cap and try to chug a little
green pond water. It will make the matter as clear as the pond water
is cloudy.

The last time we spoke on the phone, you were restoring your Farmall
450 tractor. I saw it the last time Jamie and I blew through
Carrington to get my manure spreader. That model of tractor was an
athletic, hard-working beast and we grew up using something similar
on the farm. You said you still have a little work on it but I would
like a picture if you get a chance. I will share it with those who
are reading along with you right now.

One more thing, remember “Ice Road Truckers” is on the History Channel on Sunday nights again. Nothing like watching people drive trucks at forty below to make you appreciate the heat and humidity.

Until next time, Dave-stay like the other side of the pillow. You know, cool.

Summer Project-Cattle on Grass

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I like to occasionally take on a project . If I feel the project is interesting, I will write about it and sometimes, even recommend others try it. This week I want to deliver the first installment about a project I recently began.

I like cattle on pasture, they look great and make our farm come alive. I purchased our farm from Lloyd Noreen, who told me that while he felt that while our land was too nice for pasture, I should follow my dreams. This summer we will follow that dream.

First off, I fenced off some of our land several years ago. I did a little at a time so that we could still rent out the land that wasn’t fenced. I have fenced a little more every year and completed fencing last year. That should have been the end of it but I graze cattle a little more intensely which requires more than just a perimeter fence. I laid out fences within the pasture so that I could let the cattle eat in one section then move them to the next paddock while the first one rests.

Two years ago, I laid out our first water pipeline. When you graze cattle intensively, you need to have water close to where the cattle graze. If the cattle have to walk a quarter mile for water, they are burning off their gains plus they’re walking when they should be resting. Our first pipeline was mostly above-ground and consisted of a mad grouping of black water pipe and garden hose.

I have always grazed pasture that consists of quite a bit of alfalfa, along with orchard grass. Alfalfa sometimes causes bloat which can kill quickly so I put out blocks of “Bloat gard.” These blocks are basically molasses with a some soap mixed into it when it’s pressed. The soap reduces causes the gas created by alfalfa, which causes bloat, to dissipate until the animal’s stomach becomes accustomed to the pasture.

I had all of the elements for cattle on grass, right? I had; cattle, pasture, water and fence so that should about take care of it. When you raise cattle strictly on grass, the greatest commodity you must earn is knowledge. It’s called “management-intensive” grazing, and the skills you need to manage are in books, magazines and in conversations with those who’ve already done it. I have been working to be a good manager for the last several years and it’s a process that will continue as long as I have cattle.

It would seem I am done with my project. The truth is, I have just started. This summer, with mammoth help from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, I plan to re-do much of the work I’ve already completed. I plan to bury all of our water lines and replace the garden hose with something better. I will remove our poly interior fences and replace them with fence that should last the rest of my life. We’ve already re-planted pasture that combines grass with legume to make a nice mix. Some of my old pasture looks it’s age and I recently no-tilled corn and soybeans into the sod which will be eaten green during the summer slump.

There is much work to do, however I have good help. I wanted you to know what we have we’ve done in the past so you have some perspective as I tell you about the new projects on our farm. I plan to get some pictures, explain each process and how it will help us raise cattle and do it better. I hope you enjoy it.

Gopher Trapping

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Typically, we save our thankfulness for the holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I found a reason to be thankful in spring as I was walking the cattle pasture this week. I considered the new piles of dirt courtesy of the local gophers and how their success as gophers belies my success, effort and interest as a trapper. I think spring is a good time to be
thankful; thankful that I no longer have to trap gophers.

Gopher trapping was like entering a family business for kids when I
was young. Kids would spread out across alfalfa fields to set
traps, and if successful, give the gopher a quick demise at the end of a stick. I hated the whole process, however the bounty for one gopher was at least a dollar
which would give me the money I needed to purchase my model
rockets and eventually a gyrocopter (yeah, I really planned to by a
gyrocopter) so I was willing at first.

The truth of gopher trapping is that it lacks the glamour associated
with trappers of the old frontier. Locating a gopher pile was easy,
but finding the entrance was difficult. I would stab around like a
blind nurse looking for a vein until the stick I used finally plunged
into a small cavern. I then opened the hole, placed a little alfalfa
on the trap release to attract the gopher, then set the trap. My
hands shook after I set the trap as I was sure it was going to snap
on my hands. It was the kind of tension that typically follows the
question, “do I cut the red wire or the yellow wire?’ That horrible sense of
impending doom absorbed my focus until I finally had it set
underground after which I covered everything with newspaper and dirt
to make things seem normal in the gopher’s house.

It didn’t take me long to realize I was not a gopher trapper. I never wanted to catch a gopher and was highly successful in that endeavor. I didn’t want to find a gopher in the trap, I didn’t want
to have to kill it and I certainly didn’t want to cut off whatever
proof I needed to collect the $1.25 reward. Even bounty hunters have
better work conditions than a gopher trapper and their prisoners
certainly enjoy better treatment. I love animals; even hissing pocket
gophers, with barred fangs and long claws. Their bodies always
reminded me of a potato and my own shape me feel that made us kindred
spirits. I can’t remember how many gophers I ever trapped (very few)
and I think brother Darrel did most of the post-trap, pre-bounty
taking stuff. Darrel enjoyed a moral flexibility about gophers, was not shaped like a gopher and so lacked my empathy for them and consequently; he made pretty good coin in the gopher-trapping business.

If you are a gopher trapper, please do not take offense in my words.
You do good work that extends the life of alfalfa fields by several
years; gopher trapping is simply not my bag. I instead have opted for the sort of urban renewal that occurs when we cut hay as the cutter bar absolutely levels the piles. It doesn’t really affect the gophers but it does make the field look better, plus you don’t have to produce any proof to collect a bounty.