A Farm Service Agency program helped the Grandons recover from bee and hive losses in 2016.

By Lauren Moore, Public Affairs Specialist 

Eric Grandon is an Army veteran who never dreamed of being a farmer. Eric and his wife, Mary, now own and operate Sugar Bottom Farm in Clay County, West Virginia, where they produce honey, vegetables, fruit, and molasses.

Battlefields to Bees

After joining the Army at 19, Eric served in four peace-time missions in the Middle East and two combat missions, Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.

After retiring from his military service, he was introduced to the Veterans and Warriors Agriculture program, through the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, and eventually opened an agricultural operation of his own.

“When I retired from the National Guard, I had post-traumatic stress disorder and I didn’t do anything for two years,” Eric said. “I met James McCormick, the director of the Veterans and Warriors Agriculture program, and he recommended that I try agriculture. I loved it.” Continue reading →

Helen Huitink and her late husband, Dave, are affectionally known to the Orange City community as “Grandma and Grandpa Pumpkin.” Photo courtesy of Pumpkinland.

By Lauren Moore, Public Affairs Specialist 

Twenty-nine years ago, Helen Huitink and her late husband, Dave, started Pumpkinland, an annual event on their farm in Orange City, Iowa, where people can purchase autumn produce, take a turn through corn mazes, and visit farm animals. Known affectionately as “Grandma and Grandpa Pumpkin,” their farm has become a fall tradition for many in their community.

The 160-acre farm has been in the Huitink family since 1911.

“We have always grown corn and soybeans,” Helen said. “Back in the earlier days, we grew some alfalfa and oats. We also milked cows here for many years and raised hogs.” Continue reading →

Dirk McCormick has welcomed guests to Byrnside Branch Farm every fall for 15 years.

By Lauren Moore, Public Affairs Specialist

“It started with a six-acre corn maze and a few pumpkins,” said Dirk McCormick, a farmer who has welcomed guests to his Union, West Virginia, farm every fall for 15 years.

Adding a little more each year to his fall attraction, visitors to Byrnside Branch Farm can enjoy three mazes, a U-pick pumpkin patch, seasonal produce, bonfires, farm animals and farm tour by tractor.

“This is our 15th year, but it wasn’t very big when it first started,” he said. “A lot of locals and people from surrounding towns come out and visit.”

Dirk grows 18 acres of pumpkins, 14 types of winter squash and six varieties of gourds, which he sells directly to consumers during the autumn growing season.

“I worked on a neighboring dairy farm and my dad had a small farm, so I’ve been farming all my life,” he said. “I bought this farm in the early ‘80s and have been operating on my own ever since.” Continue reading →

Circle K Ranch is home to over 250 head of American plains and Canadian woods buffalo.

By Savannah Halleaux, Michigan Farm Service Agency

Orv Kabat is a rancher who raises bison in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In its 30th year of business, Orv’s Circle K Ranch provides meat to about 30 restaurants and health food stores across the state, while ensuring cleaner water flows downstream.

Growing the Herd

Circle K Ranch is home to over 250 head of American plains and Canadian woods bison, or commonly called buffalo.

“We’re not very big at all. We probably process 50-60 animals a year, but we are growing,” Orv said. “The market is there for it. It’s just growing the herd, which is what we’re doing right now.”

Initially, the location of the ranch posed a challenge to Orv’s hopes to increase buffalo production. Continue reading →

Bill’s family began farming in Meeteetse, Wyoming, in the 1800s.

By Grant Stumbough, Wyoming FSA Public Affairs & Outreach Specialist

Bill Schlenker’s family has been farming in Meeteetse, Wyoming, since the 1800s. Bill and his family are carrying on the family legacy, successfully farming the arid and productive land.

Irrigation and Innovation

In 1893, the Schlenker family filed for water rights on the Greybull River and are considered one of the pioneers of crop irrigation in the country. More than a century later, Bill runs the farm with his wife, Jennie, son, Richard, and brother, Neil.

“I love to farm, and I deeply care about the land. I have wanted to be a farmer since I was a small boy,” Bill said. “I like to watch my crops grow with my son standing by my side. Every year, we want to grow a better crop than the year before.”

The Schlenkers grow sugar beets, dry beans, corn, malting barley, wheat, and alfalfa. According to Bill, it’s essential to their operation to irrigate the crops during the growing season, as the area only receives around 14 inches of annual precipitation. Continue reading →

The Sandnesses’ SCORE mentors help with succession planning and discusses ways to transfer responsibilities of their operation, Buell’s Orchard, to the next generation.

By Dana Rogge, Public Affairs Specialist

From agronomist to meteorologist, farmers and ranchers wear many hats. It takes diverse skills and knowledge to care for the land, perfectly time crop planting and harvesting, market livestock, everything that impacts the farms bottom line.

USDA has many programs and services to help farmers build a strong and successful farm. For the past year USDA has partnered with SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer expert business mentors and resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide agricultural producers an additional resource and guidance.

In Connecticut, Sara Kubick, New London County’s county executive director for the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), worked with the local SCORE mentor, Michael Del Vecchio, to let local producers know about the services SCORE offers. At a recent meeting, producers learned more about marketing their products and grant writing, as well as guidance on managing their farm finances. Continue reading →

LeRoy and Marlene Buchholz enrolled acres of their farm in FSA’s CRP 17 years ago.

By Bobbie Kriz-Wickham, Nebraska FSA Public Affairs and Outreach Coordinator

LeRoy and Marlene Buchholz have been farming together in Creighton, Nebraska, for nearly 60 years. Over the last two decades, the couple has worked to turn their former crop and livestock operation into a wildlife oasis. Located among abundant corn and soybean fields, the farm provides healthy habitat for the broader landscape.

Creating a Refuge

LeRoy and Marlene once raised cattle for beef and dairy, hogs, sheep, and crops as part of their farming operation.

As the two approached retirement age and began renting out their cropland, they knew they wanted to create a refuge for wildlife near their home – a place they have farmed together since 1959 and where Marlene has lived her entire life.

About 17 years ago, the Buchholzes turned to the folks at their USDA Service Center to enroll part of their farm in the Conservation Reserve Program, a program offered by the USDA Farm Service Agency. Continue reading →

David Bosselman grows peanuts, cotton, soybeans, corn and wheat on his Suffolk, Virginia, farm.

By Melanie Lassiter, Virginia FSA County Executive Director and Lauren Moore, FSA Public Affairs Specialist

David Bosselman is a fourth-generation farmer. His sons, Brian and Hunter, are the fifth generation, growing peanuts, cotton, soybeans, corn and wheat on their family farm in Suffolk, Virginia.

“I started working with my daddy and granddaddy when I was about 10 years old. They started me out on a small tractor,” David said. “When I graduated from high school, I went to North Carolina State University for a semester and decided that I’d had enough of that. I came home, and I’ve been farming ever since.”

September 22 is the first day of fall, David’s favorite season. “I like to get out early, feel that air and start harvesting the crops.”

With harvest, comes the annual decision of where to take the crops – a decision driven in part by market prices and yield.  Farmers are faced with the dilemma of selling at harvest or storing in anticipation of improved prices. Many producers, like David, opt to invest in on-farm storage. Continue reading →

Debra Jantzi and her nine children own and operate Treasured Sunrise Acres, a raw goat dairy, in Parma, Idaho.

By: Kaylyn Franks, Idaho FSA

Debra Jantzi owns a raw and pasteurized goat dairy in the Treasure Valley of western Idaho. With faith and determination, she and her nine children established Treasured Sunrise Acres from the ground up.

From 4-H to Farming

Before the dairy, the Jantzi kids were involved with their local 4-H, where they learned first-hand about raising and marketing goats. Each one had their own small goat herd and were responsible for keeping the records on feeding, breeding, and marketing.

The oldest daughter came up with the idea to open their own certified raw goat dairy. To get them started, a retired dairyman leased his farm to the Jantzi family and took them under his wing. Treasured Sunrise Acres soon became the first certified Grade A raw goat dairy in Idaho. Continue reading →