Ramblin'
Rose Farm
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Well where to start???
Well, I guess the chronicles should start where the bio ends. So here goes.
In addition to getting educated about farming, I spent the first two years (1999-2000) evaluating what type of farming I would like to do. So, where am I on that? After running thousands of financial simulations and a self assessment of what I like about farms, farming, etc. I decided on dairying (cow not goat). I've visited a number of dairy farms and as I always felt...I like the cows. I also like to grow vegetables, but to make any money at that one needs to establish a market. Starting later in life this just does not appear to be a choice for the only enterprise. I expect I'll do some vegetables, but perhaps just for family, friends and a drive by stand. I also developed a fondness for being in a greenhouse in the cold of winter (a carry over from visiting and working at a former business client's greenhouse floral operation). So, I'll be trying to have a greenhouse or two at some point. Well I digress, why dairy?
I've always had a fascination with animals - dogs, horses, and cows in particular. In my childhood years I occasionally helped take care of some horses which were boarded in my city nationhood (yes, really inside the city of Pittsburgh) although I don't think one could get away with in-city horses now. Unfortunately, a few did not take to me and I got bit a couple times. The last one left me with a lasting impression and I never went back. Now I get too nervous when close to horses, so I keep a distance. Someday, perhaps I'll get the cure?? Cows don't have that impact and so far we seem to take to each other, it seems I must me tasty, at each farm visit I go to some cow or cows will come up to me and start licking. Hopefully, this dose not indicate a taste before a bite.
If you've read through the table below you've seen an entry about milking and heifer ownership, yes it is true - I took the plunge!! Since the early spring of 2002 I've been a occasional milker and helper at a seasonal grass based dairy farm that was about 20 minutes from my home. I thought that once I had decided what type of farm I wanted, but before I took the financial plunge and expended an excessive amount of time planning for it, I should walk-a-mile in the shoes of someone doing it. I was lucky to meet a very accommodating lifetime dairy farmer who tolerates my availability schedule, inexperience and I'm certain "stupid questions and uninformed opinions" with his dairy herd. He was also nice enough to sell me three of his heifers (Heifer: A bovine female less than three years of age who has not borne a calf.). They will provided me with two female calves in Feb.-March 2003 to start building my dairy herd. I've also spent the better part of Nov. 2002 - Jan. 2003 assisting in the installation of a Surge Auto-Flow milking parlor at the new farm where the above combined herd (his and my 2 heifers) are now located. The herd is now only 12 minutes from my home.
With the milking parlor completed and the cows moved, I've jumped head-long into developing a business plan. I've attended a farm business plan writing class being given by Pennsylvania State University Adams County Extension Office which follows the NxLevel agricultural entrepreneurs guide. This class started in January 2002 and concluded in March. I had hoped, shortly after its conclusion I'd have a formal business plan completed and posted to this web site, but too many variables yet to iron out.
February 22, 2003 was official start of my having a "Milking Herd" because this was the day one of my first Heifers (Faith) gave birth to my new heifer calf (Hope). She's an all black Holstein cross with a single stripe of white on the forehead As such, her mommy started producing milking today.
March 5, 2003, my second two year old Heifer (Charity) gave birth today, unfortunately the calf was a bullock (Adam) and he will be sold off in the next couple of days. (Photo's soon)
March 7, 2003, sold Adam today.
March 13, 2003, acquired a new born heifer calf (Joy) today, she was born yesterday, sort of a replacement for Adam. (Photo soon)
March 18, 2003, acquired a new two year old heifer today (Patients).
March 19, 2003, patients gave birth to a heifer calf (Gloria) today. Both are predominately Ayrshire.
Additional details and chronicles continue below:
|
Date |
Event/Activity |
|
August 16, 1999 |
Attended Pennsylvania State University's Ag Progress Days at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, Rock Springs, PA |
| August - October 1999 | Attended "Small and Beginning Farmer" class (Part 2) at the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| January 4, 2000 |
Lee Publications' Country Folks Group's Keystone Farm Show, York Fairgrounds, York, PA |
| January 6, 2000 | Pennsylvania State Farm Show, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA |
| January 28, 2000 | Attended Penn State University's "Pork Producers Seminar", Country Cupboard restaurant, Lewisburg, PA |
| February 1 - 3, 2000 | National Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service's "Dairy Housing and Equipment Systems, Managing and Planning for Profitability", Radisson Penn Harris Hotel and Convention Center, Camp Hill, PA (Note: NRAES: Formerly the Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service) Farm Tours |
| February 4 & 5, 2000 | Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's Ninth Annual Farming for the Future Conference, "The Next Agricultural Revolution: Reclaiming the PASAbilities" Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA |
| March 1 & 2, 2000 | Pennsylvania Grazing Conference, Grantville, PA |
| March 20, 2000 | Berks-Lehigh Organic Agriculture Advisory Committee Meeting, Lehigh County Ag Center, PA |
| March 22, 2000 | TAM Systems Inc., open house at the Inn Dillsburg, Dillsburg, PA. Educational presentations on grain storage including drying systems by personnel of: ffi corporation and Brock Manufacturing a division of CTB Inc with TAM personnel presenting information on storage maintenance, dangers, and Honeyville Metal, Inc. materials handling equipment. |
| July 7, 2000 | Frederick County Pasture Walk - University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD at the Holterholm Farm Jefferson, MD. A 100+ cow seasonal rotational grazing dairy and fifth generation 200 acre century farm. |
| July 15, 2000 | Private Applicator's Test - Pennsylvania State University Adams County Extension Office, Gettysburg, PA (Passed and got it.) |
| July 31, 2000 | American Jersey cattle Association, Field Day at Pleasant Valley Jerseys, Chambersburg, PA; Bryncoed Jerseys, Middletown PA; Long Meadows Farm, Hamburg, PA |
| Sept. 14-21, 2000 | Beginning a Successful Small Farm Operation - Part IV University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| Sept. 8, 2000 | AgDay Breakfast with Al Pell. York Fairgrounds, York, PA Sponsored by: WGAL TV |
| Sept. 24-28, 2000 | All-American Dairy Show, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA |
| Oct. - Dec. 2000 | Beginning a Successful Small Farm Operation - Part I University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| Jan. 2001 | Pennsylvania State Farm Show, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA |
| Jan. 2001 | Lee Publications' Country Folks Group's Keystone Farm Show, York Fairgrounds, York, PA |
| Feb. 9-10, 2001 | Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's Ninth Annual Farming for the Future Conference, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA |
| Feb. 28 - March 1, 2001 | 2001 Pennsylvania Grazing Conference, Grantville, PA |
| March 7, 2001 | Capital Region - Row Crop Herbicide & Insecticide Update, Pennsylvania State University Extension Office, Adams County, Gettysburg, PA |
| March 8, 2001 | 2001 Mid-Atlantic No-Till Conference, Penn-Del Conference Center, 430 Union hall Road, Carlisle, PA |
| April 5, 2001 - May 17, 2001 | Attending "Small and Beginning Farmer" class (Part 2) at the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| June 7, 2001 | Pasture Walk at Montpelier Farm, Clear Spring, MD through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| June 28, 2001 | Pasture Walk at Cove Mountain Farm, an American Farmland Trust farm, Mercersburg, PA through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| July 19, 2001 | Pasture Walk at Wet Meadows Farm, Emmitsburg, MD through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| July 25, 2001 | Field Day at Cedar Meadow Farm, Holtwood, PA. through PASA, USDA SARE Program, The Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce & Industry, The Lancaster Conservation District's Expo. |
| August 1, 2001 | Agronomy Field Day at Winters Farm, Hanover, PA. through the Pennsylvania State University Adams County Extension Office, Gettysburg, PA and Gettysburg Area Young Farmers |
| Sept. 20, 2001 | Pasture Walk at Coblentz Farm, Jefferson, MD through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| October 18, 2001 | Pasture Walk at Harding Farm, Creagerstown, MD through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| October 31, 2001 | Managing Price Volatility Workshop, Lighthouse Restaurant, Chambersburg, PA through the Capital Region Dairy Team, Pennsylvania State University |
| Nov. 29, 2001 | Maryland Dairy Industry Association, Annual Meeting, Wilhelm's Conference Center, Westminster, MD |
| January 4, 2002 | Franklin County Dairy Day, Kauffman Community Center, Kauffman Station, PA, through the Capital Region Dairy Team, Pennsylvania State University |
| January 8, 2002 | Attended Pennsylvania State Farm Show, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA |
| January 9, 2002 | Attended Lee Publications' Country Folks Group's Keystone Farm Show, York Fairgrounds, York, PA |
| January 17, 2002 | Carroll County Mid-Winter Dairy Meeting, University of Maryland Extension Office for Carroll County, Westminster, MD |
| January 23, 2002 | Messick's, Inc. Abbottstown, PA, open house and pesticide license update training |
| January 31, 2002 | Robotic Milking in Pennsylvania at H.E.Heindel & Sons Farm and the Brown Cow Dairy Country Market, through the Capital Region Dairy Team, Pennsylvania State University |
| February 5, 2002 | Calf and Heifer Workshop, Mason-Dixon Farm, Gettysburg, PA through the Capital Region Dairy Team, Pennsylvania State University |
| February 8-9, 2002 | Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture's Tenth Annual Farming for the Future Conference, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA |
| February 11-12, 2002 | Southeast PA Grazing Conference, Solanco Fairgrounds, Quarryville, PA, sponsored by Lancaster County Grazers |
| February 27, 2002 | Farm Management Forum, Lighthouse Restaurant, 4301 Philadelphia Ave, Chambersburg, PA by Franklin County Extension Office, Pennsylvania State University Extension |
| March, 2002 | Started occasional milking at Grass Haven Farms |
| March 5, 2002 | Comprehensive Herd Health Program, Farm & Home Center, Lancaster, PA through the Capital Region Dairy Team, Pennsylvania State University |
| March 6-7, 2002 | Pennsylvania Grazing and Forage Conference, Holiday Inn, Grantville, PA, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council and Grazing Research and Education Center |
| March 21, 2002 | Frederick County Pasture Walk - University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD at the Holterholm Farm Jefferson, MD. |
| March 29, 2002 | Milker Training, Two-Top Holsteins, Mercersburg, PA |
| April 24, 2003 | O'Brien Farm Open House, Summerset County, PA a complete Dairy Master installation in new milk house. |
| April 27, 2002 | Pennsylvania Ayrshire Association Sale, Rushing Springs Farm, Texas Corner Road, Loysburg, PA |
| May 23, 2002 | Pasture Walk, Charles and Cindy Goetz Dairy, Mercersburg, PA, sponsored by Franklin County Graziers & Phil Wagner, Extension Agent - Dairy, Capital Region Dairy Team, Pennsylvania State University |
| May 31, 2002 | Visited Bloomin' Rock Homestead, Mount Joy, PA |
| June 6, 2002 | Pasture Walk, Brookside Dairy, Fairplay, MD through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| July 5, 2002 | Pasture Walk, Rick Reid Farm, Sharpsburg, MD through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| July 18,2002 | Frederick County Pasture Walk - University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD at the Holterholm Farm Jefferson, MD. A 100+ cow seasonal rotational grazing dairy and fifth generation 200 acre century farm. |
| August 1, 2002 | Growers Nutritional Solutions Field Day at Ivan Shank Farm, East Berlin, PA. |
| August 17, 2002 | Annual Ayrshire Sale at Plum Bottom Farm, Reedsville, PA |
| August 19,2002 | Attended Pennsylvania State University's Vegetable Field Day at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, Rock Springs, PA |
| August 20, 2002 | Attended Pennsylvania State University's Ag Progress Days at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, Rock Springs, PA |
| August 29, 2002 | Pasture Walk, Peace Hollow Farm, Myron & Janet Martin, Knoxville, MD through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD |
| September, 19, 2002 | Attended Keswick Creamery at Carrock Farm, Newburg, PA open house, American Farmland Trust and PASA. |
| October 3, 2002 | Leggett Farms, Craig & Brenda Leggett, 19933 Lemuel Lane, Boonsboro, MD From Alt. Rte 40, three miles north of Boonsboro. Turn right onto Toms Road. Go 1/4 mile and continue straight onto Lemuel Lane to the last farm on the road. Through the University of Maryland Extension Office for Washington County, Frederick, MD |
| November 21, 2002 | Frederick County Pasture Walk - University of Maryland Extension Office for Frederick County, Frederick, MD at the Holterholm Farm Jefferson, MD. |
| November 21, 2002 | Visited Joseph Devilbiss Farm, 7730 Sundays Lane, Frederick, MD 150+ acre beef farm with 100+ cow/calf pairs. Stopped by to see new manure handling system and new feed yard. |
| December 12, 2002 | PA Dairy Stakeholders Conference, Holiday Inn - Harrisburg East, Harrisburg, PA |
| January 8, 2003 | Attending "Tilling the Soil of Opportunity" classes at Adams County Extension Office, Gettysburg, PA (Farm business plan writing 12 one-day-a-week classes through March.) |
| January 8 - 9, 2003 | Attended Lee Publications' Country Folks Group's Keystone Farm Show, York Fairgrounds, York, PA |
| January 9, 2003 | Purchased my first two dairy heifers. (Faith & Charity) (A really BIG day.) |
| January 14, 2003 | Attended Pennsylvania State Farm Show, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA |
| January 21, 2003 | Attended Tri-County Vegetable Meeting, Shippensburg, PA by Franklin County Extension Office, Pennsylvania State University Extension and Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association. |
| February 3, 2003 | Attended Adams County Corn Clinic, Adams County Extension Office, Gettysburg, PA through the Agronomy Team, Pennsylvania State University Extension |
| February 10-11, 2003 | Southeast PA Grazing Conference, Solanco Fairgrounds, Quarryville, PA, sponsored by Lancaster County Grazers |
| February 22, 2003 | My first heifer calf (Hope) is born. Milking of my herd begins. (Another really BIG day.) |
| March 5, 2003 | My first bull calf (Adam) is born. (Another really BIG day - he will provide my first farm income when he is sold in a few days.) |
| March 5 - 6, 2003 | Pennsylvania Grazing and Forage Conference, Holiday Inn, Grantville, PA, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council and Grazing Research and Education Center. |
| September 20, 2003 | Attended Tera Hill Farm, Woodsboro, MD, Holstein and Brown Swiss Complete Dispersal |
| October 1 - 4, 2003 | World Dairy Expo, Madison, WI & Farm Tours at Walnut Grove Dairy, Fremont, IN, & Vreba-Hoff Dairy, Hudson, MI, sponsored by AgChoice Farm Credit, ACA |
| November 12, 2003 | Pasture walk: Martin Farm, Fayetteville, PA, sponsored by: Franklin County Grazers and Franklin County Extension Office, Pennsylvania State University Extension |
| November 13, 2003 | Professional Dairy Mangers of Pennsylvania meeting "Growing Forages for Milk and Money" at Paul Dotterer and Sons, Inc., Mill Hall, PA. |
| December 9, 2003 | Completed University of Illinois AnSci 201: Principles of Dairy Production internet class. |
| December 10, 2003 | PA Dairy Stakeholders Conference, Holiday Inn - Harrisburg East, Harrisburg, PA |
| December 24, 2003 | Dried-off my first calf heifers for the season. (i.e., Stopped milking them till they calve again in Feb - March.) |
| January x, 2004 | Attended Pennsylvania State Farm Show, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA |
| January x, 2004 | Attended Lee Publications' Country Folks Group's Keystone Farm Show, York Fairgrounds, York, PA |
| January 26, 2004 | Started University of Illinois AnSci 373: Advanced Dairy Nutrition internet class. |
| January 27 - 29, 2004 | Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, PA |
| February 9 -10, 2004 | Attended: Lancaster County Grazer's Southeast Pennsylvania Grazing Conference, Solanco Fairgrounds, Quarryville, PA |
| February 11, 2004 | Attended: Professional Dairy Managers of PA Annual Meeting, Celebration Hall, State College, PA |
| February 23, 2004 | My Forth heifer calf (Truth) is born. |
| March 3, 2004 | Agri-King Dairy Feed Symposium, Plain & Fancy Farm Restaurant, Bird-in-Hand, PA |
| February 28, 2005 | Ramblin' Rose Farm no longer exists only on this web site - it now also exists physically. |
| March 9, 2005 | Attended Adams County Ag Innovations Summit: Securing a Strong Future for Adams County Agriculture, Gettysburg, PA |
| April 14, 2005 | Completed acquisition of farmland for Ramblin' Rose Farm. |
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