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Otterbein’s Alumni Farmers by Kim Schomburg Nagorski ’89
he old adage that every day is Earth Day to a farmer is certainly true for Otterbein’s family farmers, who strive to be stewards of natural resources while producing much-needed crops and livestock. Read on to learn more about how these alumni are incorporating sustainable practices into the operations of their farms.
Leatherwood Stock Farm In 2000, Judy Ackerman Henry ’70 and her husband, Jim, “retired” full time to their 500-acre cattle ranch in Clarion, PA. They now raise 300 Angus beef cows naturally, without growth hormones. According to the Global Action Network, the European Union has banned the use of growth hormones in cattle and has prohibited the import of hormone-treated beef since 1988, citing concerns for human health and the environment. It takes more time and care to raise them this way, but the Henrys prefer the cycle of “following the grass,” allowing the cattle to graze, breed and birth on a natural schedule. While steroid implants enhance the growth of the cow and reduce costs, they also “have a tendency to reduce the grade of beef,” Jim explained. The USDA grades of beef run from prime — the highest grade — to choice, then select and standard. Most naturally fed cows will be “93 to 97 percent choice, two to three percent prime,” he noted. “If you ear implant those same types of cattle with steroids, you’ll get 86 to 87 percent choice, one percent prime. Ten percent slips into the standard category.” Their calves are born mainly between mid-April and mid-June. They are weaned in October or November, then normally sold in January at about seven months of age. A few years ago, the Henrys joined forces with other cattle ranchers to form the nonprofit Keystone Beef Marketing Network. The group’s primary objective is to sell their calves first to Pennsylvania buyers, decreasing their carbon footprint and benefitting the local economy. In addition, they’ll hear soon if they’ve received a grant from the USDA that will allow them to get Pennsylvania beef into most of the state’s supermarkets. Currently president of the network, Jim has been operating their cattle ranch since the 1980s. At that time, he took over his family’s dairy farm, which has been in business for more than 200 years, then bought two adjacent properties to convert the dairy farm into a cattle ranch. Although Jim has been operating the ranch since then, both he and Judy commuted between other jobs in Ohio and the farm until 2000, when they moved to the property full time. “We like living in the country. It’s a way of life,” Judy commented. “Every day is different—that’s why we enjoy it.”
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| O t t e r be i n To w e r s | Spring 2013