What Will You Spend on Groceries After the Floods?

We are rapidly approaching the end of May, and the corn is STILL not planted on Harrison Farm. Even though I am a livestock farmer -- and the crops are Grandmother's farm enterprise -- I worry about the impact that this will have on feed prices for my goats, on food prices at the grocery store, and on America's food security. We continue to have strong rainstorms and tornado warnings on a frequent basis in central Ohio. The local news recently featured my friend the Hay Farmer in a segment on the weather's impact on agriculture. With each day that passes, the situation looks increasingly dire for farmers. And what impacts the farmer will eventually affect the consumer!

The negative outlook for an Ohio corn crop makes me feel even worse about the flooded farmland and the tornado damage to the west of us. While the tornado in Missouri was an act of God, it was the decision of our government to open the levees along the Mississippi River -- thus imperiling so many farms. This happened during the week that I was in Washington DC for the American Sheep Industry trip. I spent a lot of time talking about it with my fellow farmer, Leslie. It was heartbreaking for us to imagine the fears that would grip a farm family when they suddenly realized that they had only a short time to evacuate their land, that there land was about to be ravaged by a decision of the government. It makes one wonder why the government felt that the homes of urban dwellers were more important to protect than the homes of farm families.

More than 200 square miles of farmland in Missouri was destroyed when the levee was opened to protect the town of Cairo, Illinois. This was farmland that was already planted; these were crops that would have fed Americans. Now these crops have been destroyed by an act of our government, and it will take the land a long time to regain its fertility. The affected farmers will face extreme financial difficulties to rebuild. Flooded farmland, unplanted crops in the East, tornado destruction . . . all of this could led to surging food prices. For America to maintain her independence and security, our country must have a stable food supply! We must continually work to educate our political leadership. We cannot control acts of God, so we must not make foolish decisions that imperil our food supply!

I am just one goatherd, but I do see the impact that market instability has on agriculture. When there is a limited supply of corn, feed prices go up. This takes more of my available dollars. It means I need to work more days at my part-time job, which results in higher fuel consumption for my vehicle. Surging fuel prices also impact my finances. Admittedly, prices for goats and lambs are at an all-time high, but my input costs have likewise risen. And even though those prices are high, they are too high for slaughterhouse operators to be able to make a strong profit without out-pricing the consumer. The result is that businesses that are a part of the farm infrastructure start to shut down.

We saw evidence of this recently when Iowa Lamb closed. My mother & I toured this amazing slaughterhouse in 2007 as part of the Wyman Sheep Leadership School. It was a great adventure for us to see a large-scale operation, as compared to our small business. Unfortunately, the low supply of lambs and resulting higher prices impacted the ability of the business to succeed. It was sold to another packer, that closed the facility. This will have a huge economic impact of the small town where Iowa Lamb was located. Many of the town residents worked at the slaughterhouse, or the pelt company that used its hides, or the dog treat plant that used the internal organs from the lambs. This contraction in the industry creates more market instability for farmers.

So, what can we do to make sure farmers succeed and Americans have a secure food supply? As consumers, we can "vote" with our dollars, spending our money on farm products we support. As citizens, we can contact our elected & appointed officials. When Leslie & I went to Washington, we took time away from our families, our farms, and our work. Despite this, we knew how important it was to step up and speak out for the industry. Despite the economic difficulties our state has faced, agriculture could serve to lead Ohio out of its financial slump. There is a great potential for growth, but we need our leaders to understand the difficulties we face and respond with appropriate measure. After all, if we want to put money into the economy, all we need to do is improve regulations & tax laws for agriculture . . . farmers always immediately spend money on new equipment and better facilities!

Photo Caption: My friends are having a hard time planting their crops due to the massive rainfall in central Ohio.

Ohioans & Kiwis: We Love Lamb (and Goat)!

It has been a whirlwind on the farm of late . . . literally, in terms of the tornado! Figuratively as well, in consideration of all the activity! Along with cleaning up from the storms(!), there are baby goats arriving, pigs to fatten up, a baby calf to bottle-fed, and angry chickens to wrangle. It has been incredibly wet on the farm, which has prevented any corn from being planted as of yet on Harrison Farm. While the crops are a venture between The Grandmother & my aunt, it does impact me. If Ohioans cannot get their corn planted, the demand will sky-rocket thanks to a limited harvest, and prices for the locally made feed that I use will go up. Agriculture is very diverse, but all farmers are connected.

Despite all this activity, I managed to sneak away for a few days to Washington. The American Sheep Industry holds its annual lobbying trip the first week of May. This year, I joined them to represent the American Goat Federation. It was a fantastic experience! I travelled with Roger High (Executive Director of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association) and Leslie (a shepherd & fellow AgriPower graduate). On our first day, we had a briefing on federal issues that impact the sheep industry and then we headed to a wonderful dinner at the New Zealand Embassy.

We were absolutely charmed by the Kiwis! They were wonderful hosts! We enjoyed delicious wines from New Zealand, along with an amazing meal of lamb chops & beef roast. At dinner, our Ohio delegation sat with the Ambassador's Chief of Staff, who was most charming. We enjoyed learning more about the country of New Zealand. The Ambassador himself gave a wonderful presentation to us, and was very hospitable. It definitely made us want to travel to see New Zealand!

I absolutely agreed with the Ambassador's statement that we gain a lot if our countries work together. For so long, American shepherds tried to position their product as being better than imported lamb. While I personally prefer American lamb, it makes more sense if we work with the Kiwis & the Australians. Demand for lamb & goat is VERY high, while supply is low. If we have a proactive attitude, we can capitalize on this opportunity. To do so, we need to recognize that Americans cannot produce enough currently to meet even our country's demand. Thus, we need imports to help meet the existing demand for our products.

Farmers are all connected. I need the Australian lamb producers and New Zealand goat farmers to succeed, so that consumers world-wide continue to have lamb & goat available. I need large ranches out West to continue to raise thousands of animals, so that the supporting businesses (slaughterhouses, woolen mills, feed stores) are there to help my little farm. I need grain farmers to flourish, so I can find quality feeds for my animals. Agriculture is very diverse, but quite connected. This is a challenge, but also a blessing!

Photo Caption: Katherine, Roger, and Leslie with the Ambassador and his Chief of Staff.

Grandmother, her Yippy Dog, & a Goatmobile Full of Hot Chicks!

Life on a farm is ALWAYS an adventure! Last week, a tornado struck just south of Groveport, Ohio . . . which also happens to be where Harrison Farm is located! When I went to bed that night, I knew there was a possibility of severe storms. At 2:27am on Tuesday morning, I awoke to tremendous noise (and it had to be astoundingly loud to awaken me!) I noted we had lost power, and went to check on Grandmother. Before I could get her bundled down to the sorm cellar, the tornado sirens ceased. The house appeared solid, and there was little I could do in the dark, so I went back to sleep. Poor Grandmother was incredibly stressed and didn't sleep that night.

The next morning I began to ascertain the amount of destruction. This was only two weeks after we had been struck by straight-line winds that took part of the roof off the big barn. The good news was that the insurance claim was already moving forward and the roofer was ready to begin repairs from that storm. There was some additional damage to the big barn from the tornado, but within 48 hours it was repaired since we were already next in line for the roofing crew! Unfortunately, there was enough additional damage that another insurance claim had to be filed. There was roof damage to the long shed, chicken house, and airplane hanger. Some barn doors and windows were damaged, and several trees wereaffected. All in all, though, we were VERY fortunate. All the animals were safe and none of the destruction was catastrophic. We were especially fortunate compared to some of our neighbors, who lost entire buildings.

Power was restored to the farm within 24 hours after the tornado -- thankfully! It was quite a bit of stress, however, on The Grandmother. Life carried on as we dealt with clean-up over the next few days. I was most delighted that my new chicks arrived on Monday! As I rushed around that day, I quickly set up a heat lamb for them in a corner of the kitchen, expecting to get them housed in the basement as soon as I had time that evening. Much of that day was spent working in the barn -- leaving me covered in manure & mud! The farm has become an extremely muddy mess, due to central Ohio experiencing its wettest April on record. The sun eventually came out that afternoon . . . and then the power went out yet again!

Grandmother began to panic with the loss of electric, and I was very concerned when I came in from the barn and realized she was lighting kerosene lamps in the house! I finished the chores while it was still daylight, and then consulted with Auntie about what was best to do for Grandmother. As it happened, Auntie's sump pump stopped working when the electric went out and volumes of water were rushing into her basement! Noting that Grandmother was on the verge of an anxiety attack, I decided I needed to get her somewhere warm that had electricity. She decided she wanted to go to the local motel. Shortly thereafter, I found myself (still covered in manure & mud) driving Grandmother & Buffy the Maltese to the Best Western, with my chicks in the back of my SUV! Remember those baby chicks? Baby chicks that cannot get cold when they are so young? I knew the Goatmobile was at least warmer than the powerless house!

In that state, I arrived at the Best Western! Thankfully, the Bahamian desk clerk was most understanding! I checked Grandmother in, and learned that pets were not welcome. Thus, Buffy accompanied me into Canal Winchester, where I was optimistic that I could leave the baby chicks with my friend Christopher. After all, what man doesn't want to say he has an apartment full of hot chicks?!? Of course, I wasn't expecting Christopher's neighbor to be out with his pit bull when I arrived with Buffy the Maltese . . . imagine the Goatherd trying to carry a tub of peeping chicks and a yipping lapdog past a curious pit bull! Buffy & I then returned to the Farm to check on Auntie and her basement. Thanks be to God, power was restored! The sump pump kicked back on and the water rushed outward. I then began the reverse journey to retrieve the chicks and then pick up Grandmother. And yes, it was absolutely worth the $88 room fee for Grandmother to have a warm shower and be able to watch Pat Sajak in comfort!

So life moves on, always full of adventures! Buffy & Grandmother are both bonded to the chicks (who continue to be in the kitchen on Grandmother's request!) We have not lost power any more this week. The roofer will soon begin repairing the outbuildings. More baby goats continue to arrive. And the Goatherd has even more amusing stories about farm life!

Politics & Farming . . . Is this a joke about manure?

It has been pouring down rain on the farm for most of the day. I enjoyed listening to the weather report on the radio indicate that there was a possibility of showers, as I looked at the kitchen window and watched the rain falling with great force! It was definitely a good day to stay inside, drink tea, and read a favorite book. Instead, however, I headed out to the barn to feed the animals. No matter what the weather may be, the goats still expect to be fed! Some of the highlights of the day included Rosie the Rooster flying into my face while trying to run away from Charlie Parker, chief rooster of the hen house. The new piggies rolling with joy in the mud, thanks to the pouring rain. The goats "yelling" at me to hurry up with their bale of hay -- while they stood in the dry comfort of the barn and I struggled to navigate the mud without dropping a massive bale. D Calf (my adorable new little angus) refusing to eat in the barn with the heathen goats, instead prefering to take his bottle in the soaking rain!

As I stood in the pouring rain, watching the goats eating inside the barn & enjoying time with the new calf, I was overwhelmed with such a sense of joy! Yes, I was soaking wet. Yes, I was covered in mud & manure. Yes, my back was ouchy from having to carry extra bales of hay. I was, however, quite filled with happiness at my life on the farm. So few people get to experience the sincere joy that comes from honest labor on the farm. I know how blessed I am to have my life! At the same time, I realize the precarious position of farmers. We work to feed everyone, yet very few people understand our work. A lack of understanding can yield criticism without knowledge. A lack of understanding can also allow for well-intentioned efforts to fail -- especially on the part of our political leaders.

Over the years, as I have become more politically active, I have tried to include political awareness as a part of almost any speech I give. Whether I am discussing ethnic markets or careers in agriculture or usage of animals by humans, I always include my encouragement for farmers to become politically active. Our political leaders rarely have a strong background in agriculture. I often joke in my speeches that few of them have had the pleasure of being in a barn at 2am, kneeling down in the manure, covered in blood & placental fluid, with their hand shoved up inside a mother sheep as they struggle to deliver a baby lamb! Thus, we farmers need to be able to convey to our political leaders what we need to be able to continue providing a safe, healthy food supply for our country. This is truly a national security issue.

Last night I watched a documentary about the Great Famine in Russia in the early 1920s. I never recall learning about this tragic chapter in Soviet history, and I was absolutely astounded by it. Following the Russian Civil War, the Leninist government took grain supplies from the farmers to "redistribute" food. Not only did this mean that the farmers lost much of their own food supply, they also lost their seeds for the next growing season. Following this move by the government, a terrible drought affected Russia's agricultural lands. Famine spread throughout the nation and absolutely devastated the population, largely due to ignorant agricultural policies on the part of the Soviet regime.

Herbert Hoover, a much-maligned president, ended up being the salvation of the Russian people. Hoover was serving as Secretary of Commerce under President Harding at this point. He was known as a well-organized businessman and true humanitarian. At the height of the Great Famine, 25,000 Russians were starving to death EVERY WEEK. Cemeteries were being robbed for meat sources, straw roofs were devoured. Hoover worked to convince Congress to authorize the purchase of American corn to send to feed the Russian people. It was a vast undertaking -- jeopardized by anti-Soviet sentiment in America and the interference of the Soviet government (which was quite willing to let undesirables starve to death). Thanks to Hoover's efforts, shipments of food helped to stave off hunger and provisions of wheat provided seed for the next harvest.

I have a completely new respect for Hoover after seeing this documentary. The pictures from Russia of the starving children, the butchered dogs & cats, and the stacks of corpses will always haunt me. This humanitarian undertaking by Hoover was emblematic of the American drive to help others. It also allowed for the Russian people to develop a new perspective toward Americans. It is unfortunate that Hoover is too often portrayed as an uncaring Republican who allowed the Depression to rage while doing nothing. This documentary led me to do some reading on Hoover. I am now quite impressed by this gentleman who worked to help others. Of note, as an experienced businessman, he realized that the American economy would eventually right itself as part of the cycle of expansion & contraction. He knew that throwing vast amounts of taxpayer dollars would only serve to create an overbearing national debt.

The fact that much of the suffering in Russia from the Great Famine stemmed from ignorant agricultural policies, underscores that farmers must continually connect with governmental leaders to promote sound policies. Farmers are so busy working in the fields and laboring in the barn that it is difficult to allocate time to write letters to our leaders, make Congressional visits, and reach out to state lawmakers. For the success of our livelihood and our way of life, however, we must make this a priority. I had the pleasure of attending a legislative reception last week for state lawmakers. There, I was delighted to see Representative Michael Stinziano, who is a freshman in the Ohio House. Rep. Stinziano has made an effort to connect with local farmers to learn about our issues, and this is greatly appreciated! It is very important for farmers to take time to meet with our political leaders and discuss such things.

Last month, I had the pleasure of joining the presidents of Union County Farm Bureau and Madison County Farm Bureau to meet with Congressman Steve Stivers in Washington DC. We had a very productive session discussing issues that face our area farmers. It was refreshing to note the interest of Congressman Stivers & his staff in learning about the farm community! I recognize, however, that farmers are just one of many groups that ask to meet with Congressman Stivers and Representative Stinziano. We are fortunate that both of these gentlemen have been very responsive to learn about farming. As farmers, it is our responsibility to continue this dialogue -- to educate our leaders and to promote our products. It is our responsibility to help guide American farm policy. Without our experienced input, our leaders cannot make informed decisions. If we do not engage our leaders, we risk creating the same ignorant policies that led to massive suffering in Russia during the Great Famine . . . and there may not be another Hoover to help save our people!

Photo Captions: A great meeting in Washington DC with the Farm Bureau State Women's Trustee, the President of Union County, Congressman Stivers, the Goatherd, and the President of Madison County!

Baby Goats!

The venture between Middle E Performance Horses & Goats and Harrison Farm has been a wonderful experience! Last fall, ten lovely ladies from Middle E came to Harrison Farm to spend time with Boyo K. Manley of Harrison Farm. With a few minor bumps in the road (typical of goats!) the ladies are doing splendidly! As of this date, we are delighted to announce that Hen has beautiful twins, Georgia and Mustard both have single boys, Hilda is the proud mother of an adorable daughter, and Beefy Junior just gave birth to handsome twin sons. Boyo is proudly strutting around the farm with delight at these arrivals! We look forward to the imminent arrival of more babies!

Photo Caption: The lovely Angela of Middle E Performance Horses & Goats holds little "Two Sock", son of Hen & Boyo. Note his darling white stockings on his front legs!

A Visit to the Goats -- and Goatherds -- of Knox County

I had a great time today with the 4-Hers of Knox County! The Knox County Goat Improvement Association sponsors an annual fair goat sale, and hosts an educational clinic prior to the sale. I was honored to be asked to be the speaker for the clinic this year! There was a great turn out of 4-Hers and parents at the event, and the goats that were lined up for auction were lovely! What makes a goat a fair goat? Fair goats, or "club" goats, are raised specially to be show goats. They are typically from the Boer breed, or are a Boer-cross goat. Boers tend to have excellent meat, but are rather high maintenance -- thus they are perfect for market goat shows since they flourish under the devoted attention of 4-H members! As a contrast, my goats are "commercial goats". They are not as pretty, but they are low maintenance.

The Knox County Fairgrounds is a lovely site, set on rolling hills. The event was held in the beef barn, and I even had a beautiful "model" goat to use for demonstration purposes! (Her ear tage number? 1013, my birthday!) I shared with the audience of 4-Hers and parents some ideas on goat care, preparation for show, and what a judge looks for in a market goat. To establish my credentials, I opened by explaining to the kids that every animal I ever showed at the fair won grand champion. Every animal! Of course, I only showed one animal at the fair. And it was a rat. But Generallisimo Francisco Franco triumphantly trounced 41 other hamsters, guinea pigs, and ferrets to win the title of 1994 Fairfield County Grand Champion Pocket Pet! I can only imagine how impressed these young 4-Hers were!

We discussed appropriate housing (it's pretty embarrassing when your goat escapes and eats your neighbor's flowers), the importance of nutrition (you'd feel like junk if you ate junk food all the time and so would a goat), and medical treatment of goats (internal parasites = weak intestines that tear = angry Ethiopian customers when intestine-cleaning takes too long). The story of my little goat with lung problems got a good laugh. Last fall Isabelle was suffering from lung issues, probably pneumonia. I began a 3 day regimen of penicillin to treat her. On the first day she did not feel well, so she sat quite still for the shot. On the second day she was better, but still to weak to protest much. On the third day, however, Isabelle was greatly recovered. While I tried to hold her and medicate her properly, she squirmed & squirmed. The next thing I knew, I had given myself a shot of penicillin in the finger . . . OW! The good news: I never got sick this winter!

I encouraged the 4-Hers to PRACTICE and PRACTICE with their goats. Goats are crazy, this is a fact. In the show ring, goats will jump and tug and run. What makes a difference is if the young person has spent time with the goat and knows how to handle this situation! Also -- as my mother always ingrained in me during my 4-H competitions -- it is sooo important to smile. If a 4-Her looks worried or miserable, the judge can tell. If the 4-Her smiles and appears confident, the judge is much more likely to be impressed during a showmanship competition. Goats are incredibly awesome and a show is a wonderful opportunity for a young person to show off their skills. It should always be fun!

Finally, I shared with the 4-Hers what I look for in a market goat. In a show that focuses on a certain breed, I judge based on breed standards. In a market show, however, I judge on what the carcass will be. The goat market rewards a higher price per pound for 50-70 pound goats, so I feel that is the size range which should be encouraged. These shows are to teach young people skills to compete as successful goatherds. Thus, they should not be encouraged to raise 100-120 pound market goats -- these animals eat more feed, which costs more money, and thus creates a smaller profit for the goatherd. Market classes should not be beauty contests. In a breed class I consider such things as the grace of a feminine head, the pigmentation of the goat, and the attachment of teats, but these things have no impact on the carcass & should not impact a market class. While I dislike more than two teats on a breeding goat, as a butcher I don't care how many teats a goat has when I cut up the chops & roasts!

It was a great pleasure to speak to the young goatherds of Knox County today! I sincerely appreciated their hospitality and hope they will come to love the goat industry as much as I do!

Penguin the Chicken Wants YOU to Buy Her Eggs!

With the arrival of spring on the Farm, the chickens are back to production! For so many weeks, I was gathering just a few eggs each week -- not nearly enough to satisfy my own use! The good news is that the hens are happily clucking away and laying numerous delicious eggs once more! My chickens wander about the pasture in the daytime and spend their nights inside the henhouse that my great-grandfather built in 1928. They are fed a specially made chicken mash that my local feed store produces. This provides them with excellent nutrition! Plus, my chickens enjoy lots of leftovers: vegetables & breads are their favorites, and they have a special love of spinach artichoke dip! I sell fresh eggs from the farm for $3/dozen. I take pride in the eggs that my chickens lay -- the yolks are a vivid golden color! According to my friend Frau Bricker, the eggs that my chickens lay are superior for her use when cooking & baking traditional German recipes! Please feel free to contact me with egg orders at 614.271.0304! The chickens thank you!