We're Winning the War on Ag!
We've gotten a lot of new calves in the past month!
We're Back!
Hello everyone! We've been taking a blog-cation due to sheer lack of time the past month. Between the general increased business of summer, moving into a new house, and starting our new farmer's market endeavor we haven't had a lot of extra writing time but hopefully, that's changing now! This week we hope to share with you some of the amazing (and surprising) insights we've made by participating in the Downtown Owosso Farmer's Market.
We were nervous about taking the final step to officially be a farmer's market vendor. Though we naturally worried about seeing a return on the money we knew we would be investing, the biggest fear was the people we would encounter. That may seem strange but let us try to explain why we are always a bit nervous talking to potential new customers
The Media
We wouldn't be out checking calves every day if we didn't care about them.
The media has often attempted to paint farmers (whether they be crop or livestock farmers) as terrible people who only care about the bottom line. Of course, money matters but it always matters, no matter what business you're in and especially if you want to stay in that business for a long time! The truth of the matter is, without making sure our animals have the very best living environment, nutritionally correct feed, and fantastic health management, there would be no money to make!
You don't have nice cattle if you don't give them the best care possible.
Beyond portraying farmers as money hungry, heartless people our biggest hurdle is fear-based marketing. You've definitely seen an add where these happy cows are frolicking in a meadow living their long lives with buzzwords like "antibiotic-free", "hormone-free", "pasture-raised", "cruelty-free", "non-GMO", etc.. Not that the farms that choose to raise their meat like that are bad but the way these commercials show these products makes the general consumer think these products are superior in every way. That's just not the truth! If you picked up a package of beef in the store that contained every single buzzword you could think of, and one that was devoid of any fear-based marketing you would be holding two, nearly identical products. Never feel guilty about buying your family meat or vegetables that don't contain the hottest label because when you get down to the nitty-gritty, everything is pretty much on the same nutritional level.
Our Customers
New Holsteins get hay to keep them healthy.
What our customers at the farmer's market have shown us is that the media is losing their grip on their target audience. People are worried less about how many categories our meat fits into and concerned more with knowing where it came from and how it was raised. That's amazing to us! We love it when customers ask questions and we get to provide knowledgeable answers. We can tell people that while we use antibiotics, they are only used when an animal gets sick. We explain that our cattle are grain-fed and provided with a ration full of roughage and all the nutrients they need to stay happy and healthy. Nothing makes us happier than explaining that GMO crops are 1000% safe and actually allow farmers to use fewer chemicals for weed and pest control. To see someone understand that all meat has hormones in it and, by adding a few more nanograms (nanogram= .000000001 gram) we can increase feed efficiency which increases our overall efficiency makes our entire day!
We're Not Giving Up!
We can finish more calves on a smaller footprint because of advancements in technology.
Sometimes in this industry, it can feel like we're paddling upstream against a current that's too strong. It's easy to feel bogged down by all the negative images out there and feel like whatever we do it's never going to be enough. Times are changing though, people are listening to the people who are responsible for raising and growing their food. Consumers want to know where their food comes from and support their local economy. So, if you're a producer don't feel defeated at the end of the day. Keep reaching out, keep talking to people, keep spreading the news that farmers are the first stewards of the environment. It may feel like you're yelling into a crowd where no one is listening but you're not, people are starting to listen and learn and reconnect with our profession. If you're a consumer, keep asking questions, keep learning, don't believe everything the media tells. Reach out to your local farmers, buy vegetables, grains, flowers, and meat directly from the farm. You won't be disappointed by the increase in quality by shopping from the producer. The war isn't won yet, but the agricultural industry is fighting hard and won't stop until the truth is spread far and wide about how we really feed the world.
Thanks for reading!
John and Emily Crain