GFP019: Two types of farm stories and how they can both be dangerous with Jeff and Laura Hamons of Synergistic Acres, Parker, KS
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Farming is an emotional roller coaster. I feel like sometimes there is a long climb to the top emotionally, then a sharp fall before you start the climb up again. In between you might go for a few loops, hit a few bumps, and maybe go through a tunnel and lose direction for a bit.
When you are riding the roller coaster you might look to other farms for advice, inspiration, and perspective. It is a natural thing to do, it can be a healthy thing to do, and I highly recommend that you do it. However, proceed with caution. Good or bad, not every farm story is what it is cracked up to be.
In this farm podcast episode I discuss the two types of stories you are likely to hear when you start to compare yourself to other farms. They both have their good and their bad elements. The trick is to take a story for what it is, know that your story is different, and make sure your realize that there is much more than the words on the page.
I want to reiterate that I am not saying the farmers who get articles printed wherever they get them printed are lying. Far from it. All I am saying is that they are doing the best to represent the best side(s) of their farm, as they should. My word of caution applies only if you are a farmer and you are comparing yourself to something you have read.
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In this farm podcast you will learn:
The appropriate distance from your customers based on their feedback.
The two types of farm stories you are likely to hear.
The benefits of marketing before you own the farm.
Common roadblocks for poultry producers.
Blogging to build an audience.
Farm research methods.
How and when to move the cow.
Interview with Jeff & Laura Hamons of Synergistic Acres, Parker, KS
Synergistic Acres is lovingly managed by Jeff and Laura Hamons along with the help of their beautiful daughters. The farm is located in Parker, KS a pleasant 45 minute drive from Kansas City.
Their journey to owning a farm was not what you might consider a normal path to farming. They did not grow up on a farm or even have any farmers in their known heritage. Instead, their path to farming comes from a strong belief in the importance of people having access to healthy food and wanting to make that more accessible to people living in the Kansas City Area.
One of the reasons they have chosen to focus our efforts on the farm in growing meat instead of vegetables or other farm produce is the belief they have that animals can be raised humanely and happily and that farming does not have to involve the cruel and thoughtless care that many farm animals live today. They ensure that their animals live their lives in as natural an environment as they can provide on the farm and that all of the necessities for a happy life are provided for them. This will not only grow happier animals, but also healthier animals. Animals that are healthier when they are living are healthier when we eat them. So cows are fed only grass and live their entire lives on pasture. Pigs are given a mixture of woods and pasture in large paddocks so they can live and breed in a natural environment. Their laying hens are allowed to free range in the pastures all day long filling up on nutritious and delicious insects and bugs.
Items mentioned in this farm podcast include:
Take aways:
Have you taken the time recently to stop and appreciate what you do?
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My skills are ever-evolving as an interviewer. Thanks for taking the time to listen in, and let me know what you think. You can leave a comment below, send me an e-mail, reach me on Facebook or Twitter, or leave a 5 star rating in iTunes if you liked the show.