Grazers Around Our State

Take This Ring The marriage of raising grass-fed products and retailing too!

By Nicolas Hawley Hawley-Farms, 19 Hawley Road RR 4 Box 19 Montrose, PA 18801 Phone: (570)278-6969 Email to: sales@hawley-farms.com   As the youngest of three brothers on a family farm in Montrose, Pennsylvania, I manage our on-farm meat market. Product offerings include beef, pork, lamb and veal. Eggs and vegetables produced by neighboring farmers are also offered to my customers. We started the store on July 4th 2005 in my parents' garage.   To date in 6 months, one veal calf, six hogs, eleven lambs, and twelve beef have been marketed through the store. Marketing avenues have included health food stores, restaurants, farmers markets, gift boxes, and farm store sales.   In mid December I was approached to write an article about our "successful start-up." Our farm has transformed over the years from a traditional tie-stall to a combination of loose housing,  pasture and milking parlor, a nice mix similar to a mongrel dog. Dairy and beef are the mainstays. Farming operations are centered on two key parcels. Four smaller parcels are used for summer grazing and nearly ten other parcels are used for the production of winter feeds. Rent is paid on four of the largest parcels but normally little to no rent is offered. Hay for half stopped about ten years ago. We will maintain properties free of charge or they can pay someone else to do it for them.   The pasture dairy started about fifteen years ago when a feed bill was past due. The balance was requested, and when my father paid it in full he was promptly asked when to deliver the next load. His answer was "thanks, but no thanks". Milk production dropped to about half and our pasture dairy was born.   Crossbred cows are milked in a homemade New Zealand style parlor, with ten units swinging. Seasonal breeding starts the milking year around April 1st with 2x milking until November 1st when only a morning milking is performed. The entire herd is dried off on or before February 1st. Bunked forages are fed in early spring and late fall. Dry hay and bale age are offered for winter-feeds. As our herd turns into a large close-up group, bunked forages will replace the dry hay. A salt, mineral, and kelp combination is offered free choice all year. Little to no grain is offered.   Paddocks stretch as far as one mile from the dairy. Drain tile has been laid over most of the farm with water tubs everywhere elevation allows. In most years small plots or edge paddocks are planted for dry periods or extended grazing. Plantings have included corn, sorghum, turnips, Swedes and stock piled grasses. Paddocks are divided with four to five strand hi-tensile fences. Some fresh seed is planted with a no till drill every year. Chicken manure is applied in accordance to our Phosphorus Index Plan. Penn State University has planted some test plots in one of our paddocks. Information about their findings is available by contacting Ron Hoover Penn State.   This year was the first time we raised our calves on the cow. I think all would agree the process was easier than first anticipated. Daily weight gain far exceeded penned animals. After weaning, a non-medicated grain was offered to prevent shrinkage. Overall, this was a pricey start but worthwhile due to the labor savings. It was clear some of the cows fed more than one calf. Consequently, they were moved to the beef farm with two calves.

Using between five to fifteen bulls controls days in milk. If you don't like bulls because you had a mean one, that's the problem. One bull in a pasture has all day to get annoyed with you. But when five bulls are in the group, they spend more time watching each other and don't bother with you as much. Our bulls are very much like a small independent beef operation. We buy two-year-old bulls people think are getting big and problematic. These bulls breed the cows and then rest over on one of our smaller grazing parcels. The bulls are good size when they arrive and grow well. Most of our big bulls bring over one thousand dollars in the commodity market. The bulls on our farm do their job, keep quiet, and play nice or they go. Generally, the cows are bred and enough weight gain is made to cover the cost of winter-feed. This results in a cost-free breeding program.   Manure solids are composted from one week dry down piles to yearly no turn piles. Those yearly piles work great for composting dead animals. Yes, we have dead animals. Guess what? You do too. With between three and four hundred head running around some of them get stressed more than they should. We do our best but we're not perfect.   One thing that has helped reduce fatalities is culling hard off the bottom. I'll offer an example of 5% out of four hundred. Shoot the worst one every year. This will not only help with frustrations, but the bullet has an excellent return on investment. The animal was going to die anyway and you just saved on feed, minerals and slowed the spread of disease. While sorting groups for pasture in the spring sell the worst eight. They will always be second best, and that's not good enough for my customers. Send one fat dairy animal to the beef herd, her production is low, but she will raise one of your nicest steers. Send that "good old milk cow" to the sale. Better yet send the cow with the lowest udder with her. Your cell counts will go down resulting in a premium, and trucking two is more cost effective. When you move cows home for winter sell off the worst eight again. Removing those twenty animals will provide some much-needed cash flow, improve herd health, and the farm will look nicer from the road. I have seen these benefits first hand. Good animals will make money.   If you sell your good cows for money all you have left is an unprofitable eyesore.   Our beef operation is managed in the same fashion with a few small differences. Paddocks are larger for weekly changes because of the fact that this farm is the second key parcel located nine miles from the dairy. The beef cows are crosses as well, with about ten percent of them coming from our dairy herd. In the past, feeders were sold to the commodity market and only enough to satisfy personal needs were finished. This was more of a forced savings account thanď‚® ď‚® a for-profit endeavor. Now that the store has started, all steers will be finished. USDA Select steers will be used for items such as stew meat, minute steaks and ground chuck.   Hi-tensile fences were built here as well to limit the need to chase animals. More than likely as you read this a car will crash into the fence proving me wrong. In the past we have billed insurance companies a flat fee of three hundred dollars for the damages. One thing that also works is to offer the local yokel the chance to work off the damages. Believe it or not, they will take you up on the offer, and learn to appreciate fences for a long time.

The first thing grazers need to do is learn how to spend money. Don't be cheap! You are managing a for-profit business. That off brand equipment you bought last fall because of low price will end up being the most expensive piece you own. Buying cheap gates are only good for the company that sells them. The nasty bent gates may be the first thing your customer will see on the farm. Secondly, forget about this whole "Quality of life" bit. If you are farming with a dream of sitting on the porch watching the sunset - go into town and get a job. A homesteader can do as little as they see fit, until they starve that is, but food producers need to take into consideration the customer.   By starting to clean up one corner every week during the summer the farm will appeared more organized and it didn't take over any ones schedule. Customers did not know why they enjoyed their visit, they just did. The little things generally go unnoticed, but the bad things stick out. Take roadsides for instance. If you're waiting for the township to impress your visitors don't hold your breath. If you're lazy, pay the neighbor kid to do it. If you can't afford that, offer to help a local 4Her solve their facility needs. You can be creative, but please keep in mind that the broom is in the stable for a reason. Selling top quality, farm fresh, locally raised meats on a nice clean farm can be profitable. But remember, selling meat is the easy part.     My name is Nicholas Hawley and I am a food producer. Please feel free to visit us on-line at: www.hawley-farms.com. Hawley-Farms, 19 Hawley Road RR 4 Box 19 Montrose, PA 18801 Phone: (570)278-6969 Email to: sales@hawley-farms.com

Project Grass:  A Success Story in Union County PA

By Greg Bonsall Agricultural Conservation Technician Union County Conservation District 155 North 15th Street Lewisburg, PA  17837   On October 25, 2002, a project agreement, "promoting the use of proper pasture management through Project Grass", was signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Union County Conservation District.  The signing of this agreement represented the District's initial step in promoting rotational grazing.   "Phase I" of Project Grass was initiated through a joint agreement between Mid-State Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D), Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and 13 South Central Project Grass Counties.  For their participation in the project, each of the 13 Counties serving on the South Central Project Grass Council were awarded $12,696.30.   "Phase I" of Project Grass took three years to complete.  During this period, three projects were completed in Union County.  Two of the project participants were grazing cattle while the third participant was looking to expand his sheep herd.   The first project completed under "Phase I" consisted of the installation of over 4,000 feet of perimeter fence and approximately 1,000 feet of internal divisional fencing.  850 feet of subsurface waterline was installed to provide each paddock with enough water to meet the cattle's needs.   The landowners' goal throughout this project was to create an intensive grazing system on 12 acres of pasture.  Upon completion of fencing and waterline excavation, the pasture was divided into 8 paddocks, approximately 1.5 acres each.

The landowner is currently grazing 10 Hereford cattle.  The system is working well and the owner is doing a splendid job of maintaining the paddocks.  In fact, he is doing so well, that he plans on expanding his pasture to include 16 additional acres!   One benefit of Project Grass is that a landowner is not confined to a few best management practices.  The second participant in the "Phase I" project utilized the flexibility allotted under the Project.  The goal of this participant was to divide a 7 acre  pasture with internal subdivision fencing and, renovate the entire 19 acres of pasture with fertility improvements.  To accomplish this goal, the second participant installed 900 feet of internal subdivision fencing.   The landowner then went on to lime and fertilize 19 acres of his pasture, receiving a 75% cost share.   It did not take us long to realize that no matter what a landowner is interested in doing with his/her pasture, the outcome is always the same:  A Happy Landowner.  The second participant was glad to receive help from the district through Project Grass to renovate his pasture, rather than install fence and create new pasture.   After the completion of two projects, the funds which were allocated through "Phase I" were almost gone.  It was calculated that one more project could be funded with the balance of money.   On February 2, 2004 Project Grass "Phase II" was official.  We were happy that the second phase was final and overjoyed that we would receive another $18,000!  There were many more interested grazing candidates, which would mean that it would not be a  problem using another allocation of money.   With the balance of "Phase I" money and the newly acquired "Phase II" money, a third participant signed-up for the program in March 2004.  The landowner expressed concern that he was not ready to start immediately, so we delayed the start of construction for one year.

By April 2005, the third project was started.  Again this project differed from the previous two.  The goal of the project was to install perimeter fence on 12 acres adjacent to 6 acres of existing pasture.  The goal was accomplished by installing 2600 feet of perimeter fence and 2,100 feet of semi-permanent fence.    The entire 18 acres was supplied with water by the installation of 3,000 feet of waterline.  The landowner chose to place the waterline above ground, rather than a traditional buried waterline.  Portable water tubs, hook-up connections and hook-up valves were installed   to provide water to each paddock.   The third project was completed by May 4, 2005.  We were relieved that we had finished construction of the project before the deadline of May 25, 2005.  The landowner was pleased with all facets of the system and hopes to expand his ewe herd to 60 head.   Upon completion of the third phase, all "Phase I" monies had been spent and we even used a small portion of "Phase II" money.  We knew we would have no problem getting participants for "Phase II", utilizing the available funds.   I am happy to report that I just finished my first project that is funded solely through "Phase II" money.  The landowner in this situation desired to graze dairy heifers after the installation of high tensile exterior fence and a pressurized water system.  Over 3,000 feet of exterior fence was installed, with an additional 1,200 feet of waterline to fill the strategically located troughs in the paddocks.   This project also included the installation of a reinforced cattle walkway and fence to exclude livestock from critical areas.  These are two more examples of best management practices that can be funded though Project Grass.   With the completion of the most recent project, Union County now boasts four pastures that have been improved through Project Grass.  There is a remaining balance of money in the "Phase II" fund, which will be used by this Fall.   In addition, Project Grass "Phase III" has now begun.  I have been in contact with one individual who would like to expand his pasture via Project Grass "Phase III".  We are confident that participants will continue to contact us and that we will be able to keep promoting rotational grazing.   After conducting site inspections on all four farms earlier this month, I am happy to say that the participants are still making prudent decisions in pasture management.  I feel that we have gained this success in Project Grass due to the respect that we show the landowners.  Each and every time we go out, we always tell the landowner that we want to  "keep your goals in mind". §

Waterers? Waterers? Waterers? Which One To Use???

By Larry Stokum NRCS Greensburg Field Office, Westmoreland County Phone: 724-832-3970   Which trough you use depends on the type of water supply and amount of water available.   If water is in short supply, usually a cistern or reservoir is needed for storage.  Cisterns and reservoirs should be suitable for drinking water.  Float fed troughs or frost-free hydrants with portable troughs would also be needed.  Also the type of animal determines which trough to use.  Sheep usually need a shallow trough.  Dairy cattle usually require a large capacity trough and large herds may need two 500-gallon troughs to provide enough water.   Water troughs have always been an important part of pasture management.  For many years the Soil Conservation Service, now known as the Natural Resources Conservation Service, has used the concrete water trough.  These troughs were either precast concrete or site cast concrete using portable metal forms.    The concrete trough is still an important part of pasture management and rotation grazing.  There are many manufactures and suppliers of concrete troughs.  Precast concrete troughs usually come with fittings in the bottom or a large hole that can accommodate 4" diameter pipes.   Precast concrete troughs usually are rectangular or circular.   Site cast troughs are still available in some locations.  One advantage of site cast troughs is that they can be poured half high (18 inches) for sheep.   Today many other options of water troughs are available.  Many of these water troughs can be used with municipal water supply, well water or water supplied from cisterns.  Some of these troughs are constructed for cold weather use.   Some of these troughs are made of metal, some are made of plastic.  Some troughs are made for permanent installation and some are portable and can be moved from paddock to paddock.       · For more information see your local NRCS office, County Conservation District office or Cooperative Extension office.  Many times these offices have lists of local suppliers.  These offices also have publications on livestock water systems.  Most farm publications have advertisements for water troughs and livestock waterers. §

GRAZING IS ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY AND HUMANE

Research proves: SPRING DEVELOPMENTS Provides clean water sources and benefit Livestock health - versus the animal drinking directly from a stream.  INSTALLING STREAMBACK FENCING, Reduces sediment, nutrients, and bacteria from washing into surface waters, and improves stream bank habitat. These are key water quality benefits that improves water quality for humans, livestock, and aquatic life as part of a grazing system. LIVESTOCK are healtier, and happier grazing through grassy paddocks.

A GOOD FENCE IS ESSESENTIAL

A minimum of one strand for dairy, two strands for beef and three - four strands for sheep and goats. A GOOD FENCE CHARGER IS THE HEART OF THE SYSTEM.