Progress report for FNC24-1422
Project Information
Gina and Joshua Kerr with Whispering Wild Market Farm have been growing professionally for 5 years. They run a successful CSA, vend at several local farmer's markets, deliver and host on-farm sales, and deliver to a variety of wholesale accounts including 6 local schools through the Farm to School program. They participate in SNAP and Farm to Family CSA funded in part through Mi Fitness Foundation. They also participate in Copper Shores Collective CSA which provides 35 food-insecure families with free produce weekly and recently began working with Calumet Community Free Fridge to give food to anyone in need. Recently the local Meals on Wheels program was just awarded $1.2mil to purchase local food and WWMF plan to participate in their needs.
Josh is a "jack-of-all-trades" type. He can fix and build just about anything. Josh will be making final decisions about implements, cost analysis, and will be the guy to hook up and run the machinery on the farm as well as delivering and supporting the other farmers with the implements.
Gina has gardened her whole life. After moving to Michigan in 2017 she went to work regenerating the overworked soil and raising animals (chickens, rabbits, pigs) to supply a large amount of compost to add organic material. She has been solely responsible for starting, planting, maintaining, and harvesting a large variety of crops. As well as marketing, administration, managing labor, and grant writing. Gina will be advising the purchase of implements for usability and production. She'll set schedules and ensure the implements will be on the farms when needed. They have a Kabota L3400 34hp 29hp at pto.
Drew and Allison Cramer own Ghost House Farm and have been farming professionally for 2 years. They focus on early summer crops and year-round salad mix. Drew worked for construction companies, including heavy machinery, and installed solar arrays before becoming a full-time farmer. Allison teaches and works part-time on the farm. Drew will be running the machinery and making decisions for their farm. They have a Kabota 24 hp 20hp at pto.
Ashley and Jake TenHarmsel own North Harvest CSA and Farm and have been market farming for 10 years. They recently purchased a cultivation tractor, but do not have the funds to purchase the implements to maximize production. They have a Kabota 17hp
All participating farms work with all or most of the above-listed programs.
Our little community is rooted in the small, family farm. There
is great demand for the produce small farms grow in our area.
However, our season is short and our winters are long with 300+
inches of snowfall on average. Farming vegetables here is hard,
with only a handful of farmers to meet the demand. Our area is
surrounded by water in three directions on the Keweenaw
Peninusula with no major freeways or ports. After the pandemic,
the demand has only increased. Given rise to many programs to
feed those in need and to support local farms. The biggest issue
is our ability to produce enough. All of the farms in the area
have been working tirelessly to grow their production, but we are
meeting the threshold of physical ability. Hiring farm labor is
expensive and very difficult to keep folks for more than a few
months. To make our farms work, we are moving towards
mechanization. Our extension has very limited equipment to use
and it is a 2.5 hour drive to retrieve it. We want to demonstrate
to the community, the children, and the region that small-scale
farming can meet these needs with a shared equipment model.
The solution to more production in our small community is either
a lot more labor (hard to come by and very expensive), more
farmers (we encourage any that want to start), or we can
mechanize in an environmentally responsible way with farmers we
already have, using the land we already own. Tractor
implementation will allow us to plant large plots of crops such
as potatoes, sweet corn, winter squash, onions, and garlic
quickly and easily without sacrificing our health and safety.
We'll be able to spread compost and amendments without breaking
our backs, and plant, weed, and harvest without creating
repetitive use injuries. We plan to open up a large fallow field
of about 1.5 acres to increase the production of the crops above.
This will free up existing garden space for more intensive crops
such as lettuce, peas, beans, carrots, greens etc. that will be
cultivated using some of the equipment purchased with the grant,
but more focused on hand tools and walk-behind equipment as the
plots are smaller.
We plan to share these expensive tools with the other farmers in
our area. We do not need to compete. There are plenty of
customers and opportunities for us all. We want to see our farm
community grow into the shoes of our market share. Gina Kerr will
facilitate the equipment schedule and Josh will trailer the
needed implement to other farms with our flatbed trailer for
their use with their tractors. Or, if needed we'll trailer our
tractor with the implement for their use. We plan to educate the
next generation by hosting farm tours and demonstrating
sustainable, low-impact farming using machinery. Presenting the
equipment sharing model as outreach to regional farms will
encourage the same and similar practices and encourage our
extension to make bigger purchases of equipment to lend.
In using this equipment, we intend to demonstrate the
effectiveness of small-scale, sustainable farming when hand tools
are combined with mechanical equipment. These demonstrations will
be offered to the public through farm tours, presentations,
social media, and YouTube.
Objectives:
- Purchase tractor implements and equipment.
- Plant 1.5 acres of vegetables.
- Document soil changes/improvement through observation and
soil tests. - Share this equipment with other farmers.
- Meet the needs of our local market share with improved
profitability, productivity, and time flexibility while reducing
injury, fatigue, and burnout and maintaining a low impact on the
land. - Host farm tours with children from local schools (CAPE
program farm tours and the Farm-to-School program). - Host farm tours to the public through Keweenaw Food Co-op.
- Present the equipment-sharing model to regional farms and
extension through a regional food systems conference and in
classrooms to children via Farm to School.
Cooperators
- - Producer
- - Producer
Research
The 2024 farming season was a challenging year. We planned to incorporate some of the grant-funded implements to speed up and expand our production, but ordering and receiving the pieces took more time than expected. Then, once the equipment was here, the ground was saturated from days and weeks of rain. We crossed our fingers and got it done, but late. The resulting outcomes reflect the poor weather conditions, the untimely use of the equipment, and the unperceived shortcomings of our existing fencing to keep deer out of the new fields.
We prepped our new field first with the subsoiler. This creates channels to drain the surface water and encourages water to remain in the soil as opposed to draining off; keeping the soil from eroding, and nutrients from leaching. We then used our existing tiller to deal with the sod that hadn't been completely destroyed by overwintered pig livestock. 3 passes with the tiller and then we planted. 1000 bed feet of potatoes, 1000 bed feet of winter squash, and 1000 row feet of corn with sunflowers interplanted between varieties for extra pollination control. We use a method resembling the Ruth Stout method for potatoes, we bury them shallow and cover heavily with compost to make harvest easy. This required the compost spreader that came much later than anticipated (June) and the compost was spread after the potatoes had been growing for some time. This was also due to the heavy rainfall that persisted for 3 weeks in June. However, the previous subsoiling made drainage possible. We were able to cover the potatoes before it was too late, thus the desired effect of keeping sun exposure to a minimum on the developing potatoes was still achieved. After using the undercutter to loosen soil, we easily harvested a crop of approximately 800lbs of new potatoes (to 600lbs of seed potatoes). This is not an impressive yield, but soggy conditions and unexpected deer pressure kept the yield low.
Deer pressure also destroyed the corn, winter squash, and even the sunflower crops, resulting in zero yield. However, we did obtain nuisance tags for the season and will at least be filling the freezers for ourselves and our neighbors with farm-finished venison.
The (2) Rohand IIs were delivered just after spring onion planting, so we couldn't put it to use right away, but eventually it was very successful at getting us off our feet to weed, harvest, and plant garlic. Our young field-hands thought of the machine as more fun than as a physical enabler. They preferred continuing these activities without the new tool as they thought it slowed them down. On the other hand, the older folks relished the ease and lack of aching backs and feet using the Rohand. It did speed up some jobs around the farm, for instance, harvesting 1200 row feet of garlic took approx 2 hours total using the undercutter to loosen the soil and then the rohand to pull up the plants. Compare this to 16 hours using a broadfork (2 hrs per 50' bed) in past years. Then again in the fall planting garlic, the Rohand was invaluable in helping us expand to 2500 row feet planted in 9 hours (simultaneously removing grass roots from the still young field). Being able to do these jobs without suffering pain, and in fact, allowing former injuries to heal without reinjuring is all the justification we need. The Rohand was also used for harvesting bush beans, peas, and spinach with ease.
We have used the forks for the tractor bucket for lifting and moving the materials for our new hoop house, for lifting and moving large tarps, and lifting and moving large round hay bales for the pigs to tear up and help incorporate into the soil as yet another way to add organic material that was not available in past years. Saving backs for days.
These new techniques have enabled Gina to continue working through former injury and reducing the time it takes to do strenuous projects. No more bucket brigade moving compost. We got 100 cubic yards of compost spread on all the plots, hoop houses, and on fall planted garlic for the 2025 season. This has freed up more time to spend with the children and we not only took a trip downstate for a week in June, we spent many days fishing and beach going. Gina's feet are finally healing and no other repetitious injuries have been reported by the cohort farmers.
Sharing these materials with the other farms this year was very relaxed. We worked together to get the equipment to and from. Josh designated a cargo trailer for the second Rohand to go with it to the other farms. They retro-fitted the front end of the Rohand to fit their row size as their tractors did not have a 30" tire spread. This works well as now we have a Rohand with a smaller row width of 24" and one for the 30" standard. They reported enjoying using it for weeding and are grateful to save their backs from injury and ache. They also used the undercutter for potato harvest and were impressed with how easy it was and the time it saved.
We look forward to year 2 of this project. We'll be purchasing the rest of the materials, the power harrow that comes with a weeding attachment, and the PTO powered fence trimmer. We have also obtained a strawberry planter that could also be used for brassica transplants and we'll be adding that and other pieces of equipment to the shared equipment list. The pigs are working on opening up more space in the new field. We reinforced our fencing and are working to thin the local deer herd. We're setting it up for a great 2025 season.
Please view our YouTube video we produced to demonstrate our project so far.
- We have purchased the Compost Spreader, subsoiler, undercutter, pallet forks, and the 2 Rohand IIs.
- Year 1 we planted apprx half an acre of new garden outlined in the first photo. The second photo outlines 1.6 acres that will be in production in 2025.
Year 1 Soil Testing resulted in Higher than needed Potassium and Phosphorus. We tilled in the compost from the potato field and added a top layer as that is where the garlic is now planted.
Potatoes - Year 1 - Planted 600lbs, doubled the planting from 2023 - Yield 800lbs (about the same yield as 2023) with an income of $2100 for both years. Hours to plant, compost, and harvest were dramatically less in 2024. 2023 - appx 50 labor hours for 450 bed feet for a profit of $1390. 2024 - appx 21 labor hours for 900 bed feet for a profit of $1390. Income, minus paid labor, minus the cost of seed potatoes, equals profit.
Garlic - 2023 - appx 35 labor hours for 1200 row feet with an income of $2600 plus $900 worth of saved seed for a profit of $2430. 2024 appx 13 labor hours for 2500 row feet planted, an estimated total of 17-20 hours labor and value of $7200 in 2025 for a projected profit of $6300.
Winter squash - 0 yield. Failure due to deer pressure.
Corn - 0 yield. Failure due to deer pressure
Onions - due to start in 2025
All cohorts report no new injuries in 2024 and healing former injuries from previous years.
The implements and equipment allowed for increased time spent with family and down time. Our limited labor resources were not strained and for the first time ever, we were able to keep up on the to-do list and get everything done in a timely manner, even with the expansion projects.
Educational & Outreach Activities
Participation Summary:
Learning Outcomes
The funds to purchase tractor implements and the Rohands have enabled us to continue farming and expanding without pain and injury. We learned how to make rows we can cultivate with the tractor and use the Rohand to plant, weed, and harvest. We increased our knowledge of implements and how to attach and detach the implements in a timely manner. We gained valuable time using the tractor to move compost. We also got another grant knowing we could expand the farm by using these implements. The cohort farm, Ghost House learned how to re-engineer the front end of the Rohand to fit their isle spacing. We learned how easy it is to cooperate to get the implements and equipment to each farm. We decided a formal agreement would be unnecessary at this time unless we made the equipment sharing into a non-profit business for the purposes of continuing to grow the implements offered by way of grant writing. We would need a large equipment shed before we could make these arrangements.
Our identified barrier was Josh's time. He is the mechanic and tractor operator on our farm. We overcame this barrier by thinking ahead and prioritizing tractor work on days/hours he had available. Also, once the implements were attached, Gina was able to use the tractor for field work. Drew was instrumental in reworking the Rohand for narrower beds and only consulted with Josh for specs and ideas.
The advantages of this project have been a renewed sense of hope. Healing injury and preventing new injuries as well as speeding up our production has given us hope that we will be able to continue farming for years to come and provide for our community and our families. Expanding the farm while also having more time to spend with our kids. Time and energy to cook real meals, earlier evenings, beach/fishing days, and summer vacation (the first in 8 years) have all been a blessing to us because of this project.
The only disadvantage I can think of is that we had to hold back on offering the implements and Rohand to other farmers outside of the project to be sure we had them available to meet the needs of the grant. Now that we have a season under our belt, we can make predictions and a loose schedule to open the equipment sharing to more area farms which is the ultimate goal.
If asked for a recommendation..
The Rohand is invaluable if you have physical limitations. It will not speed up a young/abled person doing the same job on foot. These machines are fragile and unfortunately were damaged on shipping. We worked with the distributor (and manufacturer) to rethink how they shipped the items to keep them from being damaged. I would recommend asking about how they are shipped. We believe they should be fully encased in a crate.
Project Outcomes
We are interested in continuing to expand our shared implements. We are currently looking into a potato planter, strawberry/starts planter, and shared pick up/delivery for wholesale orders in the area. As well as shared labor.