Production
Production Methods
The diversity of Cindy and Jeff’s enterprise means that many details are involved in their production methods. But what underlies and unifies these methods are four key words or phrases that come up repeatedly when you talk to Cindy and Jeff about their farming philosophy.
- Small-scale: As discussed under Assessing & Planning > Equipment & Infrastructure, Jeff and Cindy intentionally limit their acquisition of heavy equipment. They believe their key to profitability is diversity rather than scale.
- Integrated: The integrated nature of their farm (and home) is touched on throughout the case study. The ways they combine their production of plants and animals and intertwine their farming practices with their lifestyle are described in more detail below.
- Subsistence: As discussed under Assessing & Planning > Getting Started, Cindy and Jeff adhere to a “homestead model” of farming, in which they combine food production for themselves – or family subsistence – with community subsistence. In other words, they model their farm after what was often done historically – producing for themselves plus extra for sale within the local community.
- No waste: Jeff and Cindy are proud of the fact that no organic waste has left the farm in 10 years – whether it’s the way that hog and poultry manure get worked into the pastures, composted deep bedding from the hen coop is applied to the orchards, or any of a myriad of other synergies that result from their emphasis on integration.
Farmer’s Perspective: On The Bookshelf Storey Publishing offers guides to production of various animals, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and pigs. Cindy and Jeff have found the series to be a useful source of information. |
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