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OCR for page 253
CASE STUDY
1
Crop and Livestock Farming in Ohio:
The Spray Brothers
THE FARM OF THE SPRAY BROTHERS Glen and Rex, is located in Morgan
Township, Knox County, which is nearly in the geographic center of
Ohio. The farm homes and some of the land are adjacent to State Highway
586 approximately 3 miles north of Martinsburg and 11 miles south of Mt.
Vernon, the county seat of Knox County. The Sprays currently own 650
acres and cash-rent an additional 70 acres. They have farmed the rental
acreage in the same manner as their own land for 15 years. They currently
have 400 acres of cropland; the rest of the land is in permanent pasture
flow depressional areas or steep sloped uplands) and woodland (7 to 10
acres). A 4-year rotation of 100 acres each of corn-soybeans-small grain-red
clover hay is currently followed on the tillable cropland. The Spray brothers'
farming operation is a full, equal partnership (Table 1~.
Most other farms in the immediate vicinity are about 200 to 250 acres,
although the average farm size in Knox County is 177 acres and one neigh-
boring farm comprises 600 acres. The dominant farming system in the area
is row-crop farming with continuous corn or a corn-soybeans rotation. Knox
County has a high percentage of row crops planted with no-tillage equip-
ment, a practice that markedly reduces the erosion potential for these soils.
Dairy farmers in the area generally follow a corn-corn-soybeans-hay-hay-
hay 6-year rotation. Beef farmers use a corn-soybean-hay-hay 4-year rota-
tion.
The Sprays do not participate in any government programs except for the
dairy diversion program.
253
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254
ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE
GENERAL DATA
The Sprays operate a diversified animal and cash grain farm, as follows:
Milk cows*: The farm has 32 Holstein cows and 10 replacement heifers. Milk
is sold to a local grade A market. Dairy cattle are bred using artificial
· . .
Insemination.
Beef cows: The Sprays have 40 to 50 Herefords; their calves are finished by
feeding out in a 90-day finishing regime. Cattle are marketed at about 15 to
16 months of age. Some finished cattle are sold locally while the remainder
are marketed through National Farmers Organization (NFO) markets as far
away as Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Soybeans: Soybeans are a major cash crop, occupying 100 acres of cropland
per year. The Sprays clean, bag, and market the entire crop of soybeans and
sell it to organic tofu specialty markets at a premium price. In 1985 they
marketed to tofu manufacturers in Cleveland and Worthington, Ohio, and
in West Virginia at a price of $9.00 per bushel including transportation
costs. The Sprays use a soybean cultivar with a white hilum that is desirable
for tofu production. The soybean screenings, which contain cracked and
broken beans and weed seeds, are fed to the dairy cattle and to beef cattle
being finished for market.
Adzuki beans (PhaseoZus anguZaris, wild): This crop was a new enterprise,
occupying about 12 acres in 1985. These beans are sold to specialty health
food companies for $42.00 per bushed and yield about 20 to 25 bushels per
acre on this farm. The adzuki beans replaced 12 acres that would normally
have been planted with soybeans.
Corn: A major cash crop as well as a cattle feed for on-farm consumption,
corn acreage on the farm is 100 acres each year. Of this total, 40 percent is
sold off the farm and 60 percent is fed to animals. The Sprays developed a
specialty market for shelled corn as poultry feed for an Amish farm in
Pennsylvania at a $0.50 per bushed premium price in 1985. The corn used
for dairy and beef feeding on the farm is harvested with a picker because
the cob is considered an important carbohydrate constituent for the cattle.
The Sprays grind and mix the corn for animal rations directly on the farm.
The seed corn used by the Sprays is a triple-cross hybrid instead of the
more common single crosses. The advantages of the triple-cross hybrid are
some prolificacy (multiears) and a savings of about 33 percent in the cost of
seed.
Small grains: Wheat (50 to 70 acres) and oats (30 to 50 acres) occupy about
100 acres annually and serve as a nurse crop for the red clover used in the
*This enterprise was scheduled to be terminated by the U.S. Department of Agricul-
ture Milk Production Termination Program in August 1987. This case study does not
reflect that termination.
OCR for page 255
THE SPRAY BROTHERS
TABLE l
Category
Z55
Summary of Enterprise Data for the Spray Brothers Farm
Description
Farm size 720 acres, 32 dairy cows, 40-50 beef cows
Labor and All enterprises are managed by the two brothers, Rex and Glen
management Spray. Glen Spray's son is a salaried employee. Student labor is
practices hired during the growing season to help with haying and weed
control. Hired labor costs are about $1,200/year for 300 man-
hours.
Livestock management Dairy cows are kept on pasture and fed roughages and
practices supplements. Beef replacements are produced on the farm and
marketed at 15-16 months of age.
Marketing strategies Premium prices are received for corn, soybeans, wheat, oats,
adzuki beans, and some of the beef because the farm is a
certified organic farm. On-farm facilities are available for seed
cleaning, bagging, and storage.
Weed control practices No herbicide has been applied in 15 years. The farmers rotate
corn, soybeans, small grain, and red clover. Two dishings in the
early spring control weeds; late planting of corn and soybeans
again uproots weeds; and corn and soybeans are rotary-hoed at
emergence. Frequent cultivations (2-4 per season) also control
weeds. Hand weeding of limson weed is performed in adzuki
bean fields.
Insect and nematode No problems with insects or nematodes are apparent.
control
Disease control Rotation and the use of disease-resistant varieties are cited as the
practices reason for the absence of disease problems in farm crops. Soil
microbial populations are also cited by the farmers as a disease-
inhibiting factor.
Soil fertility The farmers use a corn-soybeans-small grain-red clover hay
management rotation. No lime or fertilizer has been purchased since 1971.
Microbial fertilizer is applied once per 4-year rotation; the
fertility benefits are not yet proven. Manure is applied to 100
acres/year.
Irrigation practices None
Crop and livestock Yields of corn exceed the county average by 32 percent, soybeans
yields by 40 percent, wheat by 5 percent, and oats by 22 percent.
(There is no county yield comparison for clover hay; the farm
averages 6 tons/acre.)
Financial performance The farm's overall economic viability is good. The value or sale of
crops, livestock, and livestock products was $188,000 in 1985.
fourth year of the rotation. The wheat is aD sold off-farm through normal
marketing channels as grain or as seed wheat. (The availability of marketa-
ble seed wheat is another advantage of the farm's seed cleaning, bagging,
and storing facility.) In 1985 some of the oats were sold for a premium price
($3.20 per bushel) to an organic market in Pennsylvania for processing into
rolled oats.
Pasture: Almost 300 acres are unimproved permanent pastures made up of
timothy, white clover, and blue grass.
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256
ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE
TABLE 2 Normal Monthly Precipitation at Fredricktown Observation Station,
Knox County, Ohio
Month
Normal Precipitation
(inches)
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Average annual total
2.8
2.2
3.4
3.7
4.2
4.2
4.3
3.1
3.0
2.3
2.8
2.4
38.4
NOTE: Lee normal monthly precipitation is the average of the inches of precipitation for that
month from 1941 to 1970.
SOURCE: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 1980. Climates of the States, 2d ed.
Detroit: Gale Research Co., Book Tower.
Red clover: This crop occupies 100 acres of tillable land annually and is used
as a hay crop as wed as a green manure crop when incorporated in the fan.
In some years the second crop is aDowed to mature, and clover seed is
harvested and sold. In 1986 the Sprays sold 100 pounds of clover seed at
$0.65 per pound.
CIlmate
The climate in Knox County is typical of central Ohio, with warm and
moderately humid days in summer and cold and cloudy winters. On the
average there win be 15 days per year with temperatures above 90°F and 7
days per year with temperatures below 0°F. The growing season at the
Fredericktown Observation Station (about 24 miles northwest of the Spray
Brothers Farm) is 147 days. The growing season is longer than 170 days 10
percent of the time and shorter than 123 days 10 percent of the time.
Showers and thunderstorms account for most of the precipitation during
the growing season (Table 2~. Snowfall averages 30 inches per year but varies
greatly from year to year.
PHYSICAL AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Soll
Knox County is on the outer edge of the glaciated region of Ohio. The
last glaciation of the Wisconsin age completely covered western Knox
OCR for page 257
THE SPRAY BROTHERS
TABLE 3 Erosion Potential of Selected Soils Under Different Tillage
and Rotations
Annual Soil Loss (tons/acre)
257
Spray Brothers'
Rotation Corn-Soybeans
(Reduced Tillage- Continuous Corn-Soybeans Conventional
Soil Chisel Plowing No Tillagea No Tillage Tillageb
Luray clay loam 0.62 0.14 0.36 1.7
(0.2% slope)
Titusville silt loam 6.85 1.58 3.95 18.5
(6.0% slope)
NOTE: All figures are based on an assumed 200-foot slope land. Figures are calculated using the
Universal Soil Loss Equation.
aThe rotation is corn-soybeans-small grain-red clover hay.
Conventional tillage represents spring dishing and normal field harrowing.
SOURCES: R. Adamski, communication, 1989. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1984. Universal Soil
Loss Equation Charts. Soil Conservation Service. Washington, D.C.
County. The soils map of the Sprays' farm is quite complex, with approxi-
mately 20 soil types or phases. The farm is founded on deep, well-drained
to very poorly drained soils. These soils were formed in glacial outwash,
alluvium and lacustrine deposits on terraces, floodplains, and glacial lake-
beds. The farm land of the main farm (along Martinsburg Road, State
Highway 586) fits this description closely.
The tilled land is in a flat basin, with rolling topography on the edges
and rolling hills interspersed in the flat basin. AD of the arable land on the
farm has been tired, and neither drainage nor wetness is a problem. The
soil surface texture ranges from silt loam to silty clay loam. Some of the
soils are underlain with sand and grave! and can be excessively well drained
and slightly droughty. Although the soils are complex, four soil associations
dominate the farm: (1) flat to nearly flat Fitchburg-Luray soils formed on
lacustrine materials; (2) Chili-Crane-Homewood soils formed on glacial out-
wash; (3) Centerburg-Bennington soils formed on glacial till; and (4) Home-
wood-Loudonville-Titusville soils formed in loamy glacial till and residuum
from sandstone.
The soils making up the tired land are good soils for the region and,
because of tile drainage, are reasonably easy to manage. The Homewood-
LoudonviDe-Titusville soils on steep slopes could present a serious erosion
problem if they are not properly managed. Problems could occur if the soils
were tilled in an excessively wet state (Table 3~.
Builttings and Facilities
The homes of both brothers are modern, substantial houses. Farm build-
ings are located at three locations and are modest but adequate. Farm
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258
ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE
building locations are neat and well managed. Primary and special facilities
include a milking barn with a pipeline milking system and bulk tank, a new
grain cleaning and storage facility for bagging and storing grains for off-
farm sale (a $45,000 investment), storage bins for dried grain and shelled
corn, an ear corn storage building, and a grain drying facility.
Machinery
The Spray brothers currently have nine tractors of varying ages and sizes.
The largest is a 125-horsepower tractor mainly used for soil tillage with the
farm's primary tillage tool, an offset disk. Other tractors are dedicated to
specific tasks such as row-crop cultivation, manure loading, mowing and
baling hay, and the like. None of the tractors was purchased new. All were
purchased after being deafer demonstrators or otherwise used.
Other farm equipment includes a self-propelled combine with grain and
corn headers, a four-row planter for corn and beans (36-inch row width), a
grain drill, a two-row corn picker, two manure spreaders, a four-row field
cultivator, two harrows, a rotary hoe, a sickle bar mower, a mower-condi-
tioner for hay, a hay rake, and a square baler. Because grain handling is an
important part of the farming operation, the Sprays own four gravity-feed
grain wagons, two grain elevators (the auger type), and a portable hammer
mill for grinding their cattle feed. Their estimate of total machinery inven-
tory is $100,000.
MANAGEMENT FEATURES
Soil Fertility
The Spray brothers have not purchased any lime or chemical fertilizers
since 1971. However, they do use microbial fertilizers that are applied one
time in the rotation on those fields being planted with corn.
The Sprays use the manure that is available from their dairy and beef
herds but do not consider this contribution of nutrients to be particularly
important because fewer than 100 acres of their tillable land receive manure
each year. They apply the manure to the clover fields in the fall and winter
months because these are the fields to be planted with corn the next year.
Thus, manure is applied only once in a 4-year rotation and then not to all
the soils.
The committee engaged consultants to provide an estimate of nutrients
supplied by the manure to the soil. The estimate assumed an application of
4 to 6 wet tons of manure per acre by a single pass. The average nutrient
composition of beef manure is 18 pounds of nitrogen (N), 7 pounds of
phosphorus (P205), and 9 pounds of potassium (K2O) per ton; dairy manure
is composed of 12 pounds N. 3 pounds P2O5, and 11 pounds K2O per ton.
Using an average of the two values and assuming 50 percent N mineraliza-
tion from the manure in the first year, the 4-ton application rate would
OCR for page 259
THE SPRAY BROTHERS
259
supply 30 pounds available N. 20 pounds P2O5, and 40 pounds K2O in the
first year after application and lesser amounts in subsequent years. These
are not insignificant concentrations of nutrients.
The primary source of nitrogen for the rotation is the nitrogen provided
by the incorporation and decomposition of the red clover green manure
crop. This crop is generally harvested for hay in late spring or early summer.
(A second hay crop may be harvested if needed or allowed to mature for
clover seed.) The clover is then allowed to grow back and is partially incor-
porated by a late dishing in October. The fall incorporation allows some
decomposition and mineralization to occur before cold weather. In the spring
the fields are dished twice more and harrowed before planting the corn in
mid-May. The brothers estimate that incorporation of the red clover will
provide about 125 pounds of nitrogen per acre with about 75 pounds or 60
percent available to the corn crop.
The Spray brothers do not believe in soil testing, and therefore only
limited soil test data were available. The results indicated a soil pH of 6.2 to
7.2, 53 to 74 pounds per acre of available phosphorus, and 80 to 120 pounds
per acre of available potassium. These data are insufficient to determine the
pH, phosphorus, or potassium status of the entire farm; however, the yields
obtained would seem to indicate that currently there is no soil fertility
problem on the farm. A detailed and complete soil testing program over
time would be required to determine if this fertility status can be maintained
indefinitely. The Spray brothers attribute the favorable nutrient status to
organic matter and microbial activity.
Tillage
The Spray brothers use chisel plowing as a form of reduced tiliage. The
primary tilIage implement is the 12-foot offset disk. As indicated earlier the
clover crop is disked once in October and then twice in the spring before
once in October or
November before frost and again once or twice in the spring before planting
soybeans. The fields are harrowed before planting corn or soybeans. Soy-
bean residues are also incorporated by dishing, and wheat is planted im-
mediately after tilIage. The Spray brothers told the interviewer that they do
not till deeper than 4 to 6 inches with the disk.
planting corn. Likewise, the corn residues are dished
~ ~ . . ~ ~ ~ .
Weed Control
The Spray brothers have not used any herbicide for 15 years. They attri-
bute the success of their weed control program to five factors: (1) the
rotation they use, which includes a red clover hay crop; (2) the two dishings
in early spring that kill off the sod as well as successive flushes of weed
seeds; (3) a relatively late planting date for corn (near the middle of May)
and for soybeans (in late May or early June); (4) the use of a rotary hoe at
corn and soybean emergence; and (5) frequent cultivations during the grow-
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260
ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE
ing season (two to four times as needed). In discussion, the brothers also
noted that hired labor is used for cleaning up corn, soybean, and adzuki
bean fields. limson weed is the major weed in the bean fields, and it is
removed by hand. The soybean fields and corn fields were relatively free of
weeds during the farm visit in September 1986. Weeds in the small grains
on the Sprays' farm are not a problem because of the rotation.
Insect, Nematode, and Disease Control
Insecticides, nematocides, and fungicides have not been used on the
Spray Brothers Farm in 15 years. The brothers stated emphatically that they
did not have serious infestations of insects or diseases. The current and
consistently high yields they obtain suggest that they are correct in their
assumption. Field observation of mature or nearly mature soybeans and
corn confirmed this point; there was no evidence of a disease or insect
problem in September 1986.
The fields of small grain were not observed during the farm visit. The
Sprays reported that they use an oat variety with a high test weight per
bushel, an attractive feature in the marketplace. In 1986 this oat variety was
not on the recommended list for Knox County, although it was on the
recommended list in 1985. The loss of its earlier recommendation suggests
that these oats may currently be susceptible to the fungus disease races
prevalent in Ohio. The wheat variety used by the Sprays has good resis-
tance to rusts, smuts, viruses, and powdery mildew and was on the rec-
ommended variety listing in 1986. In general, the Spray brothers did not
feel that their small grain acreage was adversely affected by diseases or
insects. They cited the benefits of rotation, an active soil microbial popula-
tion, and good soil health as the reasons for reduced disease and insect
occurrence, although there may be other factors that are important as wed.
The Sprays were asked why alfalfa was not used in the rotation instead of
red clover. Their answer is significant with respect to pesticide use; they do
not use alfalfa because they believe that it would be necessary to use insec-
ticides to control alfalfa weevil. Clover, on the other hand, does not have
such an endemic insect problem and thus is a successful alternative legume
whose use eliminates the need for insecticide. Also clover seed costs less
than alfalfa seed and is a better leguminous crop for biomass production in
the first year than the locally popular cultivars of alfalfa, a significant attrib-
ute for a legume that is used for only a single year in a rotation.
Labor
The farm's 720 acres and its multiple enterprises are operated by Glen
and Rex Spray and Glen's son, who is paid a cash salary. During haying
season and for weed control, the farm employs additional student labor.
The Sprays hire about 300 man-hours of labor each year at a cost of about
$1,200.
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THE SPRAY BROTHERS
261
ANIMAL ENTERPRISES
Dairy Operations
The 32-cow dairy herd is kept on pasture near the milking barn and fed
roughage (clover hay) in bunks near the barn. Ground concentrate is pre-
pared on the farm, using farm-grown ear corn, soybeans, and the following
supplements: vitamins, minerals, LactobaciZZus acidophiZus fermentation
product, and corn germ meal (18 percent crude protein).
Replacement heifers are kept on pasture until they are ready to calve.
Winter housing without stanchions is available.
Beef Operations
The Spray Brothers Farm currently has 40 to 50 beef cows, and the Sprays
plan to add 25 more after the dairy herd is sold. They raise their own
Hereford calves and grow them to market weight at about 15 to 16 months
of age. The cows are pastured most of the year and are returned to the
~ , ,
,. . . . ~ . ~ .. . . . .
ilnlsnmg area tor concentrated feeding (mostly ground ear corn and a non-
medicinal supplement) about 90 days before marketing. All cattle have free-
choice minerals and salt. The beef animals being fattened are fed inside but
are not confined.
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Crop Yields
The farm visit and additional discussions with the Knox County extension
agent, Soil Conservation Service personnel, and some Ohio State Univer-
sity faculty members (from the departments of agronomy, agricultural en-
gineering, and agricultural economics) confirm that the Spray brothers have
a highly productive, well-manazed farming operation. Their farm has a
`_ J ~ ' I_ ~ 1
~ . ~ . . - · .' ~ ~.~ ~ .~ . .
proven and accepted reputation in the area; and, although the outstanding
yield data (Table 4) are not completely verified, the enterprise returns for
1985 (Table 5) are consistent with the Spray brothers' yield estimates.
Soil Fertility
It would seem that a crop rotation that includes clover and small grain for
2 out of 4 years would be a soil-conserving management system as com-
pared with the production of only corn and soybeans. Yet, estimates made
by the Soil Conservation Service computer program using soil loss equa-
tions and rainfall patterns in Knox County indicate that, although the Spray
system is a better system than conventional (plowing) tillage, it is not as
effective as a no-till system, which is used on 11.2 percent of the corn and
1.4 percent of the soybean acreage in Knox County. Erosion was not evident
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262
ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE
TABLE 4 Yield Comparisons of Spray Brothers Farm and Knox County
Averages, 1981-1985
Location or
Soil Type
Corn Soybeans Wheat Oats Clover Hay
(bushels/acre) (bushels/acre) (bushels/acre) (bushels/ acre) (tons/ acre)
Spray Brothersa 145-150 48.0 45.0 80.0 6.0
Knox Countyb 111.5 34.4 42.8 65.5
Soils inventory
Luray silty clay 125.0 40.0 45.0 80.0
loam
Bennington 102.0 30.0 40.0 65.0 6.0
silt loam
Homewood 110.0 30.0 45.0 90.0 6.0
silt loam
aYield estimates obtained from Glen and Rex Spray. Data based primarily on field harvest, with
limited hand harvest data. The 1986 yields for corn, soybeans, wheat, and oats were 140, 48, 45,
and 75 bushels per acre, respectively.
bData obtained from Joseph Brown, Knox County Agricultural Extension Service, Mount
Vernon, Ohio.
CData from An Inventory of Ohio Soils, Knox County, Table 1, Report No. 70 (Ohio Department
of Natural Resources, 1984). This is an estimate of yield by soil map unit when optimum level of
management is imposed.
TABLE 5 Spray Brothers Partnership Income, 1985
Income Source
Amount (dollars)
Sale of animals and animal products
Beef cattle
Dairy products
Government payment (milk diversion)
Cull dairy cows
Subtotal
Sale of agronomic crops
Soybeans
Corn
Other grains (for example, wheat, oats)
Feed
Subtotal
Miscellaneous
Custom machinery work
State gas tax refund
Sale of microbial fertilizer
Subtotal
Total
18,382.48
49,216.02
5,669.80
5,243.45
78,511.75
56,726.34
14,791.59
23,084.78
14,725.83
109,328.54
2,653.90
695.16
15 461.27
18,810.33
206,650.62
OCR for page 263
THE SPRAY BROTHERS
263
in the corn and soybean fields observed during the farm visit; fall disking
and frequent cultivation of row crops on the sloping fields, however, could
present an erosion hazard.
The Sprays' ability to supply all the nutrients needed for high yields of
corn, wheat, soybeans, and oats using minimal off-farm inputs is a real
accomplishment. The manure applications (once in the 4-year rotation) and
the red clover green manure crop supply, at least for now, the nitrogen
necessary to grow corn and small grains. How the Sprays manage to main-
tain an adequate pH balance and enough phosphorus and potassium in the
soil- despite the fact that they have not added lime, phosphorus, or potas-
sium in 15 years cannot be readily explained. It may be due in part to
previous additions of high concentrations of phosphorus and lime by the
Sprays' father prior to 1972 and to the natural fertility of the soils. Detailed
soil nutrient evaluations and further study of nutrient cycling on the farm
would be useful and informative.
Both Glen and Rex Spray attribute much of their success in maintaining
adequate soil fertility to the use of microbial fertilizers at least once in 4
years on all of their tillable acreage. On-farm research or comparisons have
not been performed, however, and so no definite statement can be made
about the reasons why the soil on the Spray Brothers Farm remains fertile.
Weed, Disease, and Insect Control
For the past 15 years the Spray brothers have been producing high yields
of agronomic crops without the use of chemical pesticides, a considerable
achievement that deserves further study. The clover in the rotation, later-
than-normal planting dates for corn and soybeans, the tilIage system, fre-
quent cultivation, and some hand weeding are certainly factors in their
success. Field observations in September 1986 confirmed that this alterna-
tive system is still working for them.
The Spray brothers did not stop using chemical herbicides because they
were worried about the health and environmental risks associated with
pesticide use. They stopped because herbicides were altering weed popula-
tions in such a way that weeds that had never been seen before were
becoming problems. When this occurred, they stopped using herbicides
and began to explore other weed control methods. The Sprays do not use
chemical insecticides or fungicides because as a certified organic farm their
products must be pesticide free to retain their organic designation.
Marketing Strategies
An important component of the financial performance of this operation
is the farm's ability to market its corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, and adzuki
beans, as well as some of its beef cattle, at higher-than-normal market
prices. This kind of marketing is possible because the Spray Brothers Farm
is an Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association certified organic farm.
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264
ALTERNATIVE AGRICULTURE
TABLE 6 Per Acre Costs of Field Operations Reported by Spray Brothers, 1982
Field Operations
Amount (dollars)
Corn After Sod
Unit Cost Cost/Acre
Offset disk (3 times) 9.00 27.00
Field cultivate (3 times) 6.00 18.00
Spread fertilizer 1.75 1.75
Plant corn 7.50 7.50
Rotary hoe (1 time) 4.00 4.00
Cultivate (2 times) 5.00 10.00
Harvest 17.00 17.00
Total costs/acre 85.25
Soybeans After Corn
Unit Cost Cost/Acre
Chop stalks 6.50 6.50
Offset disk (2 times) 9.00 18.00
Field cultivate (3 times) 6.00 18.00
Plant beans 7.50 7.50
Rotary hoe (2 times) 4.00 8.00
Cultivate (2 times) 5.00 10.00
Harvest 18.00 18.00
Total costs/acre 86.00
Wheat After Soybeans
Unit Cost Cost/Acre
Spread fertilizer (1 time) 1.75 1.75
Disk (1 time) 6.00 6.00
Drill seed 5.50 5.50
Total costs/acre 13.25
TABLE 7 Reported per Acre and per Bushel Costs of Production for Corn and
Soybeans in Ohio, 1982-1983a
Category Corn (dollars) Soybeans (dollars)
Variable costs
Seed 15.00 7.00
Fertilizers 8.50 8.50
Other 85.25 86.00
Land charges 125.00 125.00
Total costs/acrea 233.75 226.50
Per bushel costs
Low yields 2.33 5.66
High yields 1.94 4.53
aCosts reported by Spray brothers are not directly comparable to enterprise budgets from The
Ohio State University Extension. The Sprays did not assess costs for labor. Procedures used for
estimating equipment costs and land charges are not available.
bForty bushels of soybeans and 100 bushels of corn.
Fifty bushels of soybeans and 120 bushels of corn.
OCR for page 265
THE SPRAY BROTHERS
265
With this certification and judicious advertising in appropriate journals and
meetings, the Sprays have achieved firm and regular specialty markets that
add greatly to their profitability. It is clear, however, that not aD midwestern
farms could exploit such markets; if even a small percentage of farms shifted
to organic methods, the market would become saturated and its premium
prices would be greatly reduced.
The Spray brothers' recent investment in a seed cleaning, bagging, and
storage facility complements this marketing strategy. The facility ensures a
quality product and provides savings in cleaning and handling, some mar-
ketable wheat and clover seed sales, and a usable by-product (screenings
for cattle feed). The facility also removes fines from shelled corn, wheat,
oats, and beans, a capability that improves air flow and allows the Sprays
to run an effective grain drying operation without supplementary heat.
Financial Performance
Table 4~.
The overall economic viability of the Spray brothers' enterprise is strong
at this time (see Table 51. Direct comparisons with the performance of
similar farms using conventional methods would require whole-farm anal-
ysis of entire rotations, which is beyond the scope of the present study.
However, per acre production costs for the Spray brothers are below the
county averages (Tables 6 and 71. Yields are above the county averages (see
~ _ ~ O
The farm's effective management and the distribution of labor over the
entire year is impressive. The brothers are obviously busy, yet they partici-
pate in community activities, host numerous visitors to their farm, give
lectures to student groups at The Ohio State University, assist other farmers
in establishing organic farms, and provide leadership for the Ohio Ecologi-
cal Food and Farm Association. They also host a farm field day each year;
on September 19, 1986, about 80 people attended this annual event. The
Sprays are obviously proud of their operation and convinced that their
system of farming is appropriate for them.
The Sprays and their methods are gaining some acceptance by certain
faculty at The Ohio State University and by U.S. Department of Agriculture-
Agricultural Research Service faculty at the nearby Coshocton station. The
Sprays' immediate neighbors are not particularly supportive or enthusiastic
about their operation, but the brothers are given credit for being good
farmers by the Knox County extension agent. They are also willing to open
their farm for further research and evaluation by The Ohio State University
faculty, and there is currently some hope that this will occur.
Finally, the Spray brothers' response to inquiries about what, if anything,
limits further acceptance of their farming system was enlightening. They
felt strongly that, despite acknowledgment of their achievements, the major
hurdle that their system faces is the reluctance of the state's Cooperative
Extension Service to accept their methods and educate other farmers on
crop rotations and alternatives to chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
Representative terms from entire chapter:
knox county
