Stewards of the Land
Meet Roger Hatcher Allendale Farm, Cumberland County BY KATHY DIXON
T
he farm: Roger and Evelyn Hatcher bought the property in 1989; the former tobacco farm was established circa 1777. They raise Brittany spaniels, and the land was perfect for bird hunting. Eventually the Hatchers started farming and raised black Angus cattle until five years ago. They currently maintain 150 acres of fenced pastureland, which they have leased, and they grow hay and small grains. Additionally, they run a re-baling business in which they take large bales of hay and make them into smaller bales for easier handling, primarily for horse and alpaca owners. Until 2011, the Hatchers grew a variety of grasses on 300 acres of owned and leased land. They also purchased loads of hay and straw from other U.S. and Canadian farms. Most of their current hay suppliers are local farmers. Many customers pick up their bales at the farm, but the Hatchers also provide full-service delivery and stacking.
KATHY DIXON
Community involvement: Roger is a past president of Cumberland County Farm Bureau. He currently serves as chairman of the Cumberland County water and sewer committee and is a past chairman of the county’s landfill committee. He and Evelyn are both active members of the Guinea Presbyterian Church. Stewardship practice: The Hatchers have been creating wildlife habitat since they bought their farm. When they first started, overgrown fields offered natural vegetation in which wildlife could live. Although Roger eventually cleared some of the land for growing crops, he made a conscious decision to leave corners and field
edges alone to provide additional housing for birds, deer, rabbits and other wildlife. Additionally, the couple planted native grasses in one field to attract small animals. “There’s a covey of quail that live here, and you can often see more than a dozen deer coming out of this field,” Roger said. The native gamagrass, bluestem and switchgrass attract the wildlife and provide plenty of cover from predators. “We’re trying to get as many animals as we can on the farm,” Roger said. He noted that farmers don’t have to spend much money on creating wildlife habitats. In fact, they can actually save money by not mowing field edges and not applying herbicides to kill the weeds in some areas. An additional bonus is that any natural grasses growing near waterways provide erosion control. Three creeks that flow through the property are fenced to keep cattle and horses out of the water and off the banks. That effort was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. The program required the Hatchers to plant a variety of oak and cypress trees that provide feed for deer, turkeys, squirrels and other small game. Biggest source of pride: “Leaving the edges of fields uncut provides productive wildlife habitat, and it’s a low-cost option anyone can do,” Roger said. “You just take nonproductive land against a fence or stream and either plant things or just let native plants like weeds grow. Weeds provide seeds, which are excellent feed for the songbirds that overwinter the area.”
The Hatchers maintain pastureland and grow hay and small grains; they also re-bale hay (center). Native grasses and areas that have intentionally been left uncleared provide forage and cover for deer, rabbits and other wildlife. VaFarmBureau.org / WINTER 2016
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