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Please Click Here for Pigeon River Farm History 2011 - 2015

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

    

 

  

  

  

  

  

A Rags to Rich-S Story

  

Of course, "Rags to Riches” is a catch phrase for the great American success stories.  At Pigeon River Farm, we have our own version of this classic story.  We started with 50 acres of Rag-weed, and we turned it into Rich Soil.  Our Rich Soil is the foundation for Pigeon River Farm's wholesome, incredibly flavorful and nutritious family farm products for your table.

  

2003

In July 2003 a family member informed us about some farm-land for sale in Northern Waupaca County, WI. We were told that this land had not been farmed for a year and a half. When we went to look at the land there was no question it had not been farmed for a while. What we found was a field of Ragweed as far as the eye could see.  This was just what we needed if we wanted to build an organic farm - land that had been untouched for some time. After much discussion and knowledge from friends who knew about the organic process, we decided we would put in an offer. In October we bought the 50-acre property.

  

2004

The following year, the real work began. We were (and still are) using six tractors, plus dozens of implements. We chose smaller equipment to minimize compaction problems. Farmall A, Farmall H, 2 Farmall M, Farmall 450, and IH 766. Many of the implements we are using are the ones used years ago. They have served us well. 

In 2004 we worked up twenty acres and planted barley and sorghum as a cover  crop. As it grew, it was chopped back in to help give nutrients to the soil. After the last cutting we left it in over the winter to prevent soil erosion from the winds. The soil is prepared for planting our Hazelnuts which were also ready to plant. String was strung out for the rows of Hazelnut and Chestnut trees. Planting of the seedlings was done by using a large bulb digger. Watering was done by hand. This was our first attempt at irrigation. Later we started using a much more efficient and effective drip system.

  

2005

The following spring we began working up the soil from the previous fall. Soon it would be planting time. We continued working up some sections that needed a little more TLC, and soon the Barley started coming up. 

Using our Farmall A with a Cultivator, we began cultivating another field which had been worked up the previous year. 

We then planted Alfalfa with a Barley cover. We planted corn in-between the Hazelnut and Chestnut trees. This was planted as a wind breaker for the seedlings. We also planted an additional five acres of corn. We then began working up a new field that had a cover crop of winter wheat from 2004.  We worked it wth a cultivator with added green manure to help feed the soil and assist in weed control.

Our first chopping of Barley was put back into the field as green manure. We then moved on to harvesting the Winter Wheat. 

Later that fall we did our second planting of Hazelnut and Chestnut trees.

  

2006

During the winter months it is time to do maintenance and prepare tractors and implements for spring. Come spring, it is time to prepare fields by disking and rotor-tilling. Then the planting begins. Weed control is very important early on. We use a rotary hoe which knocks the weeds back. Mid June it's time for the first cutting of hay. When that is finished, it is time to start shucking last years corn. End of June it is time to start combining winter wheat. Also it's time to cut the second crop of hay. When all that is done, we start plowing for winter wheat stubble. End of November and time to get ready to cut the corn down!

  

2007

In April we prepared a Field which had been planted in corn the previous year. The ground was worked up by plowing and then using a rotary hoe and drag. This year we are planting the field in alfalfa.

In May we tilled up between the rows of Hazelnut trees and planted the area with soybeans.

Early June it was time to cultivate the corn, as the weeds were beginning to show themselves. By mid-June the soybeans were coming up nicely. 

In early July we green chopped some of the alfalfa to be used for mulch around the Hazelnut trees. 

In July the alfalfa was cut and baled. We also had cow manure brought in and spread in one area where we would leave it sit for two years before it was used. 

In October we started working up a new field. Later that month we used a rotary hoe and drag on a newly worked up field. We were also transporting equipment up to our farm from our place in Kenosha, Wisconsin. We also started cutting the corn we had planted that year. Then it was time to start working up another new field. 

Come November, the soybeans had been cut and it was time to work up the field.

It is now December and time to start working on tractors and upgrading by installing a 3-point hitch and other accessories.

  

2008

When the tractors are not working in the field, they are moving snow. After the snow is put into piles, it is time to have some fun! 

In May we installed a 3-point hitch on our Allis Chalmers. We also started spreading aged manure around our Hazelnut trees.

The alfalfa and winter wheat were doing great.

In August we purchased our newest family member, her name is Candy. She is a Halflinger horse. She was raised by a good Amish friend and neighbor. She is very gentle and hard working. It was also time to bale the third hay cutting.

2009

We planted corn and sorghum this year and by July everything was going just fine! Alfalfa was also looking good and must have tasted terrific. In August we planted a new field of alfalfa and when that was done we started combining the winter wheat.We cut and bailed third cutting of hay.In September we worked up the winter wheat field.Our corn did exceptional this year.Well, it looked like we didn't do too much this year. Actually we did, but we were in the process of building our new house and this year sort of became a blur with all that was going on!

2010

2010 was a good year. We could see a lot of the work done in the past was really paying off. It felt as if we could start getting our arms wrapped around all of the learning experiences and run with them. It's mid-March and we are able to get into the fields already. We loaded the aged manure and started spreading it on the fields that we were going to disk and till for planting. We tilled up a section to plant asparagus. While the guys were in the fields, Kim was was grinding a mixture of corn, barley, and soybeans for chicken and peacock feed. 

In May we started working up the west end (at the wet end) of the the field. We learned the rule of "never get your biggest tractor stuck." Since we couldn't till for the time being we planted the squash. Early June we started planting corn, and we did our first hay cutting. We also had bee hives brought in to help pollinate the squash.

Early April we prepared two sections to plant rows of squash along with rows of corn. This technique is nothing new, and it worked fairly well. The vines of the squash were able to climb the stalks of corn. With the squash not laying on the ground there was no marring, unlike a lot of squash that does sit on the ground. We had a great year and we are looking forward to next years crop.

By mid June the squash and corn were growing great!In early August we had cut the hay, and this time we're round-baling it for haylage. In late August we acquired three goat bucklings. Mid September we started picking the squash and pumpkins. We had a very successful year. 

In October Mark acquired three young steers.In December the goats were sent off for butchering and sold to a Greek restaurant in Racine, WI.  We then got two more goats.  We decided to keep one of them as a pet because he's so unique! We named him Bernard, and he weighs about one hundred and fifty pounds.  Bernard loves to be around the dogs and people!

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