Grant displays his electric G conversion at a PFI Field Day, fall 2012

**Note: The date for this event was changed after the original blog post. August 23, 24, 25 are the correct dates**

Grant Schultz is a beginning farmer in Practical Farmers’ Savings Incentive Program. Find out more about him and his farming efforts at his website Versaland.com

Despite years of successful commercial garlic growing and having an active role in the new food and farm movement Grant Schultz had a problem all too common to beginning farmers: land access. He was on a constant search for land both to produce the next year’s crop and to buy and finally put-down roots. Grant is not the type to sit idly by as seen by his previous projects including an electric tractor conversion, a home-made garlic separator, and more. Permanent access to land that would enable him to establish his big-picture ideas, however, remained elusive.

Some contacts at the 2013 Practical Farmers Annual Conference led to a permanent home for Grant’s farm. (The rest of that story is coming in a future blog.) Versaland Farm was established near Iowa City this spring and Grant hit the ground running. He set to work establishing a healthy managed ecosystem starting with crop-to-pasture conversion, perennial crop establishment, and keyline design, among others.

As a package the concepts are variously referred to as permaculture, restoration agriculture, regenerative farming, and whole systems design. Practices include multi-species grazing, alley cropping, and agro-forestry. Key terms are sustainability, resiliency, and on-farm integration.

Grant demonstrates his home-built garlic clove separator, fall 2012

Grant will host a workshop Aug 23, 24, and 25 called “Restoration Ag 101: Keyline Farm Design – Perennial Food and Forage.” Restoration agriculture guru and author Mark Shepard will bring his 20yrs of workshop experience to the event. Learn from an expert, see the systems hands-on at Grant’s Versaland Farm, and hear a beginning farmer success story.

Several dozen people braved the always cloudy skies to visit the 5^th annual Specialized Small-Farm Equipment Showcase held at Kymar Acres in Waukon. Kyle and Mari Holthaus opened their farm to guests looking to kick the tires on specialty production equipment from event co-host Windridge Implements. A diverse mix of flower, herb, and vegetable plants from Kymar’s greenhouse were available for sale. Wines from Empty Nest Winery and cheese from WW Homestead Dairy were on display and Bear Creek 4H had tables full of baked goods.

Nearly 30 people “got practical” at Kim Alexander’s hands-on poultry processing field day on June 5.  Blessed with good weather and good company, the crew learned how to humanely, quickly, and efficiently slaughter and butcher chickens for personal use or for small-scale on-farm sales.

Kim, an experienced grazier, spent years in Texas perfecting his methods of grass-finishing poultry and beef.  Finally back in his home state, he is increasing the size and scope of his farm each year, but took the time to show new chicken owners some excellent techniques.  Can’t do much better than learning from a guy who can by himself take 25 birds from pecking to packaged in an hour!

Kim’s setup is simple, yet effective.  A stand-alone garage with an overhanging roof off one side houses the process.  Under the overhang, kill cones set above a ‘trough’ to collect blood and keep it from dirtying the concrete.  The blood is diverted into tubs and then dumped around garden plots as a wildlife deterrent.  Birds are put headfirst into the kill cones and their jugular veins are cut.  Kim advises not slicing through the trachea, as allowing the bird to continue breathing reduces stress and keeps the heart beating – making for a better bleedout.

Proper slaughter technique - the jugular veins are cut, but not the trachea

Once the dead birds are past the “running with their heads cut off” stage of involuntary muscle spasms, they are scalded to loosen the feathers.  A large tank with a heating element and thermostat brings water to about 150oF – steaming, but not boiling.  A bit of dish detergent is added to break surface tension and help the water penetrate past the water-impermeable barriers of the feathers.  Four birds at a time are hung by the feet from what looks like a rake head hanging from a heavy bungee, and then all four can be dunked into the scalding water for about 45-50 seconds.

Four birds at a time are scalded

The sopping birds are pulled out of the water and placed into a plucker, a large drum with rubber fingers lining the inside.  At the push of a button, a rotating bottom piece spins and the birds are thrown against the side of the plucker, pulling the loosened feathers out.  Within half a minute, naked chickens are removed and passed to the inside of the shed through a trapdoor.

A freshly-plucked chicken

The trapdoor deposits the chickens directly onto a stainless steel table for further processing.  The group watched as Kim demonstrated some dexterous dismemberment, while he explained the process.  First the head is removed – the bird is laid on its keelbone on the table, neck hanging over the edge; the butcher then pushes down on the head to remove it and hopefully pull the trachea along with it.  While still breast-down, the oil gland at the base of the tail is cut off – or the whole tail, if there are a lot of feathers still hanging on.  Then the bird is flipped onto its back and the legs are removed at the joint where scales become skin.  A cut is made in the cavity between backbone and keel, and the evisceration begins.  Kim showed how to easily separate the internal organs from the body cavity wall by twisting the hand around.  The middle finger of the other hand is shoved down the bird’s neck, hooked, and used to separate the trachea (if present), crop, and esophagus from the front end.  This enables all the organs to be removed at once with a good strong pull.  A U-shaped cut is made around the anus, disconnecting the entire mass of organs.  If desired, the heart, gizzard, and liver are separated from the other organ.  The lungs are scraped from the back wall, where they lie close to the ribs.  All undesired organs are dumped into large tubs and will be composted later, along with the feathers; organs for consumption are kept in buckets of cold water.

The head is pulled off first

The legs are removed next

The viscera are pulled out of a cut in the bird's back end

What remains looks very much like a chicken one would buy in the store, except for some blood and the fact that really it’s much healthier.  A quick rinse cleans up the skin and removes any bits of viscera in the body cavity.  Kim then cuts a small slice in the skin right below the keel, and pushes the legbones through – creating a more compact bird and a great presentation.  Finished birds are put into one of several chill tanks, filled with gallons of cold water and a few ice blocks.  There they will cool for hours, while the process of rigor mortis completes.  Unlike in red meat species, poultry quality is best when the meat is chilled quickly.

Processed chickens in one of the chill tanks

The process explained and demonstrated, the crew got to work.  Anyone who wished was given an opportunity to slaughter, scald, pluck, and butcher chickens.  Over a hundred were done within the span of a few hours – not quite the ratio of Kim and his experienced crew, but a great start for first-timers!

After a cooperative clean-up, the group met back by the house to check out the chicken tractor that Kim had raised his birds in.  A variation of the Salatin-style pens, it was partially-shaded with an enclosed open area.  Twenty-five birds had lived in the pen, moved daily around the yard; as they got larger they were allowed free access to grass but were rounded up at night for safety.

And then the moment everyone waited for…lunch!  Kim’s wife Gloria and daughter Charity, along with some friends and neighbors, brought out a feast of spaghetti and meatballs, fresh asparagus, garlic bread, and iced tea.  The meat and sauce were totally of farm origin, as was the asparagus, and the mint in the tea.  Dessert was rhubarb cake (homegrown rhubarb that is – you know you’re jealous) and whipped cream.  The family is committed to being as self-sufficient as possible, and Kim elaborated on their basic farming and marketing idea: “Grow what you like” was the first rule – so if there’s extra, you’ll want to eat it!  Then: “Eat what you can, can what you can’t, and sell what you can’t can.”  Basically, start small and to sustain yourself.  Then start giving away samples of the surplus.  People will come back for more if they like it, and will tell you if they don’t.  This has been the basis of the Alexanders’ marketing and planning for years.

The afternoon concluided with a tour of the farm proper.  Kim showed off his other lawn mowers – a handful of Dorper hair sheep from the Wilson’s herd.  Meat aside, Kim says they’re worth it just for the lawn care and entertainment factor.  Everyone agreed, watching the lambs bounce around.

Kim’s cowherd is a mix of easy-keeping Hereford and heat-resistant Tuli.  The cattle are raised solely on grass and forage, rotated around the 160-acre farm as needed.  The land had been in CRP for years, so features a lot of bromegrass as well as some vetch as a legume.  Kim also showed off his energy-free watering system, an idea gleaned from a pasture walk at Jeremy Peake’s last year.  Except during very cold weather, it requires no de-icing, and cattle can access water at any time.

Hereford-Tuli cattle drink from an energy-free waterer

Past the cattle was the starting orchard.  Kim has planted several varieties of fruit trees over the past few years, apples, peaches, pears, and cherries of preferred varieties and hardy stock.  The trees are planted in rows along one of the farm’s highest hilltops, with pea-gravel and hay mulch to reduce weed and grass pressure.  Lanes between the rows of trees can be fenced off and grazed by the cattle, maximizing land usage.

From the top of the hill, one could appreciate why Kim regards the Loess hills of western Iowa as a hidden jewel.  His lush pastures and productive farm demonstrate what can be and what should be.  A stark contrast can be seen by looking around, though.  Bare soil covers most other hills as row crops are planted.  Right across the fenceline from Kim’s knee-high grass and slick cattle, thin cows and a lanky bull are being fed hay on a now-bare lot.

Like many other PFI farmers, Kim and his family regard themselves as stewards of the land, and consider it their responsibility to manage it in alignment with nature.  The land will work with farmers, if they work with the land.

Kim has made a DVD for poultry processing titled “Treasures of the Lost Art,” which is available for purchase.  Contact him at alexanderfamilyfarm@yahoo.com

Biodiversity is absolutely essential for a healthy ecosystem and some would argue it is vital for long-term productivity of the land. We need to better understand what farmers think about biodiversity and how that translates to their actions in the field. Biodiversity has many interpretations but generally is seen as diverse genetics, species and species interactions within ecosystems. Biodiversity is found in both cultivated and wild systems and is reliant on landscape-level ecosystem interactions. To enhance management practices that increase biodiversity, we must better understand the farmers’ perspectives. Therefore we wanted to answer the question: How do Iowa farmer members of Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) and Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN) perceive biodiversity on their farms? We explored this question through an online survey and conducted three in-depth interviews.

Most participants thought biodiversity included all species on the farm, including crops, livestock and wild species. One- quarter of participants see biodiversity primarily as diversity of crops and domestic animal breeds. The interview responses mirror the survey results. Seth Watkins, a farmer in southeast Iowa, defined biodiversity as “the opposite of a monoculture… finding the proper mix of plants and animals that complement, protect and improve the environment around them.”

The majority of respondents were already implementing various management practices that enhance biodiversity on their farms (see Table 1. Click to enlarge). Overall, respondents wanted to adopt more practices rather than simply increase what they already had. The practices with the biggest difference between what farmers currently implement and what they want to establish included limiting herbicide and pesticide applications, increasing cover crops and installing nesting boxes for birds and bats. On the whole, it appears that participants are very interested in managing their farming operations to encourage greater biodiversity.

Survey respondents were critical of issues in Iowa that they believed negatively impacted biodiversity (see Table 2. Click to enlarge). Monoculture, and specifically the emphasis on corn production, was identified as problematic, particularly the price of corn and beans driving people to plant more crops fencerow to fencerow. Interviewees echoed this idea about monoculture and Roundup Ready (GMO) crops being the antithesis of biodiversity. One PFI farmer from central Iowa said: “A lot more people should worry about what they are doing. The soybean and corn guys are going to kill the whole population. They are going to go until there is no soil left, so I think we need to change our practices. I can’t save the world, I’ve only got 500 acres.” A similar notion was expressed by PFI and WFAN farmer Chris Henning who said, “I think it is going to take something like Hurricane Sandy to convince people that nature means business and that we need to do what we can do.”

Farmers provided valuable information that can help pave the way for future research on biodiversity in Iowa. Our results show that participants perceive biodiversity as diversity of plant and animal species, but they are also aware of microorganisms, especially in the soil, that are essential for a healthy ecosystem. Participants indicated that the diversity on their farm has benefitted them, both financially and ethically. In addition, PFI and WFAN farmers appear to be very willing to improve their management strategies to increase biodiversity on their farms and to further develop habitat for wild species.

Outreach and education needs to emphasize specific species of concern in Iowa while promoting management strategies that could improve habitat for these species. Management practices or additions such as adding cover crops, increasing perennial systems, limiting herbicides and pesticides, and providing habitat additions (bird houses or woody debris) are likely to be received well by PFI and WFAN farmers while potentially having positive economic and environmental impacts.

The event started with a go-around where attendees named their favorite live and dead birds (some were bold enough to mention the Hawkeyes, and I won’t say in which category).  Dan described his operation, which focuses on perennial forage cover with limited crop acreage.  For years, he has grazed hairy vetch/winter rye cover crops, though this year it didn’t take too well.  His Red Devon cows calve in the fall, and calves of late have been sired by a grass-based Red Devon bull.  Calves spend their whole lives on grass, and rotated at least daily to fresh forage.

Cattle graze lush forages on Dan Specht's farm

Some questions centered around the choice of forages, and to the use of cover crops.  ISU Extension agent Denise Schwab pointed out that cover crops are important players in the emerging Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy – and that cattlemen can take advantage of that.  Cover crops are not the only nutrient reduction method effective for both nitrogen and phosphorus, they are also useful for livestock feed.  Putting more cover crops on fields is good for everyone.  Similarly, the issue of crop insurance, the timing of cover crop termination, and grazing cover crops arose.  Duane Voy, Regional Director for the Risk Management Authority in Minneapolis and St. Paul was kind enough to clarify the rules for 2013 – that grazing needed to be done by May 22, and cover crops terminated in another way (chemical or tillage) before cash crop planting. The rules for livestock use of cover crops prior to cash crop planting for 2014 have still not been decided. When in doubt, Duane reminded attendees to visit their crop insurance agents for the latest rules.

Other topics included marketing grass-fed beef.  Eric Klien of Hidden Stream Farms described his marketing, which takes advantage of emerging food co-ops in highly-populated urban areas, such as the Twin Cities.  Developing a standard of management and high quality product is essential to establishing a marketplace brand and useful for pooling product with other like-minded farms.

Jeff Segoe (NRCS) and Justin Pepper (Audubon Society) are among other participants at Dan Specht's field day

Justin Pepper from the Audubon Society also talked about a marketing strategy revolving around bird-friendly grazing, a practice Dan has been doing for years.  While in the past grazing and habitat for ground-nesting birds were seen as mutually exclusive, Audubon has looked at research showing that in fact proper grazing is an essential part of a healthy habitat for many species, including quail.  Different tiers of forage growth and maturity are needed for different life stages of the birds, so timely and considerate grazing provides them with areas to nest, forage, and feed.  Audubon now hopes to test different grazing strategies in regions across the country, developing plans sufficient for different ecosystems and bird populations.  In the future, this may lead to a certification system and premiums for bird-friendly beef.

Following the discussions and a trip to see the cattle and Dan’s innovative fence-building ideas, the group went back to the main farm for a lunch of Dan’s grass-finished beef, organic blue-corn tortilla chips, potato salad, baked beans, and cookies made from Iowa small grains.

Iowa has lost a tremendous amount of its black gold soil this week. A tragic loss, and the intense rains are forecasted to continue after the weekend.

One member reports: “There are ephemeral gullies everywhere, even in no-till fields. It is so hard to look at all the erosion. I think almost every river in Iowa is in flood stage. This is the most difficult spring I remember. I recall my Dad finishing planting corn on Memorial Day in about 1965, the latest he ever planted.”

Another member writes: “Easily the worst spring in history around here. 20 inches of rain since April first. All of Northern Iowa has had severe erosion.”

On Tuesday, the closer I got to the PFI offices in Ames, though, the more my resolve strengthened to continue the work at Practical Farmers to keep our black gold covered whenever possible. We need more farmers planting cover crops and third crops. We need to make sure that grass-based operations –where the land is permanently covered–prove profitable.

There is so much to do, and so many of you already doing it, and others ready to start!

Check out the accompanying photo here, of corn emerging in a rye cover crop from Mark and Melanie Peterson’s farm. A mat of living or dead cover crop or well managed pastures can absorb the raindrop’s energy, reducing the amount of force from heavy, intense rainfalls. Keeping the soil covered through the spring planting season, the time of the most intense rains, keeps that soil in place. “What happens on the farm needs to stay on the farm,” Mark says.

A couple of years ago, Practical Farmers started our very successful “don’t farm naked” campaign to call attention to the need for cover crops. Our campaign slogan is a light-hearted one, but the erosion problem it addresses is one that threatens our future. As David Montgomery points out in Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations: Our soil is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities.

Gail Hickenbottom, one of PFI's valuable supporters

Curious About Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Finances? Here’s what you should know:

We are financially strong. Our programming – and budget — has grown from just over $600,000 in Fiscal Year 2008 to just under $1.5 million this year.

Individual donations are the most important. Last fiscal year, about 8 percent of our funding came from individual contributions and another 8 percent from event fees and sponsorships. The more support we have from individuals, the more quickly we can respond to our members’ programming priorities.

Our funding is heavily from grants. Last year 84 percent of our operating budget came from grant sources. This grant funding is from a variety of sources (we are now managing 28 different grants!), so our funding is more stable than that of organizations that rely on just a few grants.

Practical Farmers will thrive in lean times. Practical Farmers is building reserves in order to help us through any big financial hits that might be coming. Unrestricted reserves as of September 30, 2012, were $351,000. We have two endowments with the Community Foundation for Greater Des Moines that totaled about $170,000 at the end of our last fiscal year.

We are committed to supporting our members. We pay stipends to members who conduct on-farm research and demonstration, lead field days, speak at workshops, and more. Last fiscal year, we paid out about $84,000 in these stipends. This level of financial support for members is unusual in the nonprofit world. PFI staff know that most of you who are members would be delighted to volunteer your expertise; our financial “nod” is another way to show that you are valued.

We will help the next generation of farmers succeed. We now have about $271,000 being held in Lincoln Savings Bank for our Savings Incentive Program, which matches beginning farmers’ savings, helps them hone a business plan and learn from experienced farmers and other beginners.

Do you have more financial questions? Contact me at Teresa@practicalfarmers.org. Or contact our dynamite Finance and Benefits Manager, Suzi Howk, at suzi@practicalfarmers.org

Thank you to all that were able to call, email, tweet, and fax our members of Congress. The best news for PFI in these committee bills is restored funding for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program for next year. As usual, the bills come with a mix of wins and losses. Both bills improve on support for beginning farmers and diversified crop/livestock farms. While working-land conservation programs, like CSP and EQIP, didn’t fare as well.

Now the Farm Bill has the full attention of the Senate – with floor debate happening now and continuing through roughly the end of this week. It’s almost certain that they won’t finish with the farm bill on Friday and will instead resume sometime after next week’s weeklong Memorial Day recess.

Many policy items we focus on aren’t in the spotlight currently, so Practical Farmers is watching from the sidelines as amendments are filed in the Senate. Amendments concerning CSP (Conservation Stewardship Program) are still possible, so we will be watching for these and ready to share more stories with our Senators about how these programs help Practical Farmers.

For more up-to-date information, I’d encourage you to follow our friends at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition here: http://sustainableagriculture.net/

Also, if you’d like to be added to our email list for Policy Action Alerts, please contact me at drake@practicalfarmers.org

As the Farm Bill progresses through the Senate and starts in the House – I’ll be in touch.

It is mid-May and many farms are working full steam ahead right now. Undoubtedly that means new laborers are getting those first few experiences that advance them along their beginning farmer path!

PFI members Julia Slocum of Ames, Iowa (Lacewing Acres) and Jill Beebout of Chariton, Iowa (Blue Gate Farm) delivered an incredible address earlier this spring during a Practical Farmers of Iowa online farm seminar (a.k.a. farminar) entitled “Network with other PFI Beginning Farmer Trainees and Trainers“. This farminar covered what beginning farmers need to know to get the most out of an on-the-job training farm experience. Julia shared the lessons learned during a couple years of working for other farmers as a trainee, while Jill shared more than a decade of farmer employer/trainer experience.

Watch this entire farminar recorded and available online at: https://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p5ntjnzo9n1/

More than 60 other farminars are available online so you can hear the word from farmers on a variety of production, marketing, regulations, and other topics of interest.

Here is to a safe and rewarding growing season! Enjoy!

Cover crop biomass samples were collected with a one square foot sampling quadrat. Many other sampling quadrats were distributed so farmers could mail their own biomass samples to Practical Farmers. Back in Ames PFI staffer Tomoko Ogawa is amassing the samples to be tested for total Nitrogen and Carbon at Iowa State University’s Soil and Plant Analysis Laboratory. Thanks to Tomoko for organizing the trips and sharing her office with mounds of forage sample bags. 

At some locations other testing was done as well, underground. Soil samples and bulk density cores were taken to gauge conditions below the surface. These also go to the lab to determine soil type, structure, and compaction.  Cornell University’s Sprinkle Infiltrometer was used to collect soil hydrology data. The infiltrometer simulates rain, in this case about ¼ inch per hour. The volume of runoff can be measured as well. At these sites “time to runoff” ranged from about a minute to almost an hour.

Some sites have been sampled for many years and others were sampled for the first time. The data collected will help gauge the long-term effects of cover crops and different management practices on various factors of soil quality. The combination of above ground biomass, below ground soil conditions, and overall hydrologic performance tells a complete story farmers can use to make their own decisions about cover crops. 

The results of this research will be analyzed then shared and distributed in typical Practical Farmers of Iowa and Iowa Learning Farms fashion. For more information contact Tomoko Ogawa at Practical Farmers of Iowa. 515.232.5661 & tomoko@practicalfarmers.org