Getting Closer

Its the beginning of June and the farms are a buzz with activity. Most farms a busy growing corn and soy, cutting and bailing hay and managing their livestock. As of right now I am trying to get our Rhubarb, blackberries, basil and flowers to grow on our tiny residential lot in town. While trying to grow a few plants I have been spending time reading and preparing for our farming future. I am trying to get a grasp on pigs, cattle and chickens through the only source currently available, books. I am currently reading "Everything I want to do is Illegal" and "Grass fed Cattle". Both books are informative and give me a heads up of what I need to be looking out for and some basic principals for pasture based farming.

Every step brings us closer to our goal of farming. About a week ago I laid out a 10 year plan broken down into two year groups expounding on different enterprises, costs, timelines and projected profit analysis. I set up a farming system with the overarching goal of starting and growing debt free. This means owning land may be a few years down the road. However, in the mean time I will start looking for a land owner who is willing to lease us land at a reasonable rate.

Our goal for beginning a land lease is March 2013.

If you happen to know someone who lives within about 15 minutes of Forest Lake, MN willing to lease land to a grass farmer, let me know.

A weekend at the Farm

A week ago my little family got to spend the weekend at my grandparents farm just outside Stewartville MN. We periodically go down there just to visit with family and get away for a day or so. This place was a second home to me as I was growing up. I would spend my summers working, playing and growing up. Now that I have a family of my own I love bringing them here and letting them experience some of the things from my childhood. 

Vienna's first ride on the old tractor

Regardless of the noise, Vienna loved riding on the tractor. She would just look around and all the new things while riding on her daddy's lap. As her mind took in all the new things, I was busy enjoying the time with my beautiful daughter. 

A funny thing happens when I start up the tractor, a peace comes over me as I pull the clutch and enter the fields. My mind races as I ponder my future farming endeavors. I'm constantly getting ideas, setting goals and just trying to figure out how to make it all happen. (more on this later)

There seems to be a common love in our family for farming and farm equipment. My beautiful bride already loves farm animals, most of all pigs, but now I think her love for farming is rapidly expanding. 

Why? you ask.

Thats right, she drove it. And looked hot doing it. 

Welcoming the New Year

Every year we have an opportunity for new beginnings. A chance to start over and do things differently. However, as I look at this past year and what I see coming, there's not a whole lot I want to do differently. Naturally I always find room for improvement. But the overall trajectory of our life is full of God's blessings, making it easy to find our joy in him.

My wife and I have gotten plugged into a great church this year and we intend to continue to grow with this community and the friends we've made there. I enjoy the spirit of leadership I've seen in the men of Grace Church and I believe the overall congregation has a heart for God's call on their lives and a willingness to submit to that call. So after almost a year of seeking a church that has a balance of both gospel and community, Elise and I agree that we have finally found "Home".

My job is moving in a positive direction and I plan to continue my employment there and see where it takes me. I am so grateful for this job because without it my family and I would not be where we are at today.

Regarding our farming ambitions, this year is going to be another small stepping year as we plan, plant and grow a garden in the back yard. More than anything I just want the experience. With every student loan payment I make to the bank, I see us taking one step closer to being legitimate farmers. So as things move slowly, I will continue to read everything I can get my hands on so I am mentally equipped for life on the farm.

So as we enter this new year, looking back on how far we have come, and the journey we still have ahead of us, our new beginnings of this year are simply a continuation of the year gone past, for everyday has its own new beginning.

My Gal

A few years ago my life didn't have much depth.  I would work a lot, go to church (awesome and deep), and every once in a while I would get outside of my self and hang out with friends. On a whim I made the trek I swore I would never take... entering the state of California. I guess if there were a reason to go to California it would have to be for the most amazing girl in the world. And that is exactly the reason I went. I sought her, found her and married her. I am the man I am today because of this amazing woman. Daily I learn to love more, protect better, lead with both my mind and my heart and worship Jesus more. 

Not only do I get the most amazing girl in the world, but I also get the most amazing cooking in the world. 

There are so many qualities about my Beautiful Bride that I will spend a life time enjoying and communicating them to those around me. 

 This says it all

The best part... She diggs me.

Minnesota

After living in Minnesota for a year, we have had a lot of things happen. Among them is buying a house in Forest Lake. We are still trying to plan a farm in the near future (about 5 years). But, before we venture into farming we want to make sure our finances are in order. We are not wanting to fail before we set out. Anyhow, this gives us some time to figure out what our farm ventures are going to include and devising ways to make a profit. I have found many books on the subject of marketing and running a business that will be a great help. Some I have read and some are on my list to read. There are additionally a lot of farm books that I have found, some I have read and there some I have on my shelf to read later. Farming is not simply farming but it is a business. Something I am keeping in mind is purchasing at a discount and selling retail. There are endless stories of farmers selling at wholesale and buying retail. Most of those farmers are now former farmers, or they work a town job.
I have spent 5 years working in management for a company called Chick-fil-A, learning the principals of leading a great business. This has given me some awesome insight into how to communicate with customers and guests. Although the business' are completely different, some of the principals are the same. How to treat and talk to people, have a quality product and market your business well.


Some books I need to read or have read:
Good to Great
Guerilla Marketing
Making Your Small Farm Profitable
Salad Bar Beef
You Can Farm
Pastured Poultry Profits
Quitter
QBQ
Raising Beef Cattle
Grass Fed Cattle
Entreleadreship
Small-Scale Livestock Farming
Comeback Farms
Family Friendly Farming
Getting Started With Beef and Dairy Cattle


Charlie “Tremendous” Jones once said that “You are the same today as you’ll be in five years except for two things: the books you read and the people you meet.”


I have spent the first 24 years of my life hating reading, but recently I have found that anything I want to know can be found in a book. There is a list of books about Jesus and theology that I can't put down. I now know my savior in a deeper, more personal way because of the Bible and books written by people who have dedicated their lives to the study of the Bible. 

Raising Capital

Acquiring capital for most small businesses and/or farms is as simple as going down to the bank and applying for a loan. However, in my desire for a farm, I will not put undue financial pressures on my family. I really enjoy the way things are right now. The one who brings home the bacon is me and the one who cares for our child is my amazing wife. I cannot find the sense in sending her to work and my daughter to school just to make a few extra bucks to pay off a loan. So I'm challenged with raising capital for my farm without financing everything. So, I will be keeping my family home and being creative about saving.

One idea I have is something I started doing while in Colorado, and now that I have a place to work it is even more convenient. Maintenance and small repairs on cars and light trucks can be a good source of additional income. I can charge 1/3 of what dealerships charge for the same work. I get closer to my goals,  and the person I am helping is pleased they got a great deal on their auto repairs. Since I am already doing this as a full time job at a dealership I already have the tools I need to complete most any job.

Another idea I have is creating a small woodworking shop in my garage making jewelry boxes, music boxes, humidors, mantel clocks, etc. Since I have a serious lack of wood tools I will need to find some tools for a reasonable price. Craigslist is a resource I can use for finding cheap used tools. And I also have Menards just down the road. I do still have the challenge of finding a marketing plan that will get things off to a good start. I believe I will be checking out "Gorilla Marketing" from the local library. And in the Spring/Summer months I will try to get connected to some farmers markets and arts and crafts shows. Until then I will try to get an inventory built up and check into some of the legal matters of what I am trying to do.

This will not make me rich overnight, or at all. My goals are simply to start a self sustaining farm in the Forest Lake area. The name of our farm will simply be Johnson Farm with many headings (example: Johnson Farm Woodworking or Johnson Farm Meats and Eggs). As we go along things will change and ideas will keep coming and going. The main goals however will stay the same.

Eating and Cooking Bison

If more people knew about my desire to raise bison they would ask questions. But since very few people know of this passion, I will ask myself these questions. I hope you enjoy.

Why should a family add bison to their diet?

As a man, my reply would simply be "for the taste". If you cooked any main dish involving meat (say lasagna) with bison, and another with beef or sausage, the bison lasagna would win the taste test every time. Even comparing cheeseburgers, bison will taste better and will have a lot more moisture when prepared correctly.

Not only does bison taste better but it is also better for your body than beef, chicken or fish. Bison has 76% less fat than Beef and 68% less fat than chicken. It also has 43% more protein than beef. According to readers digest magazine, (something I have never read) bison is in the top 5 foods women should be eating.Their reasoning is because of the iron content.

Can you cook bison in the same manner as beef?

This is my first experience with buffalo prime rib.
It was the best cut of meat I have ever eaten.

Preparing bison is similar to beef in many ways and can be substituted for beef in many recipes. However bison needs patience and low heat. Over cooked bison is just like any other meat that has been overcooked, dry and tough. The FDA recommends meat to be cooked medium. I recommend medium rare steaks and medium burgers. But remember, cook em' slower and NEVER press down on your burgers while cooking. With bison meat, there is very little shrinkage when cooking, what you see is what you get. There is almost no fat to be cooked away. Don't be afraid to use a little bit of oil when cooking steaks and roasts. I have never tried a bison roast! What is wrong with me? Just imagine a bison roast just falling apart into bite sized pieces... Yuummmmm

And with that thought, I will leave you.

Raising Bison

Lately I have been giving a lot of thought to raising Bison as a main enterprise. There are farmers that advise not to raise exotic breeds as a main income source, and with the advice from the old is usually the advice of the wise. So my pursuit of bison farming is definitely in the "lets think about it stage".

So, what am I thinking about?

I want to know how my animals are going to manage the cold Minnesota winters. With wind chills dipping down into the -50's to -100's I need to make sure cold weather will not be a problem. Before commercial hunting in the 19th century, Buffalo roamed from Canada's Great Bear Lake (in the Upper Northwest Territories) down to the center of Mexico. So the freezing cold winters and the sweltering hot and humid conditions we are currently experiencing will not slow the growth or production of this great animal. I also want to raise an animal that attracts attention from the public. I want to educate people about bison and how to responsibly steward God's beautiful creation in ways our ancestors never did.

The sad history of the bison. At one time there were bison herds as large as some of americas largest cities. They roamed across the land in such great number it literally made the ground shake. In the 19th century bison ware hunted commercially and endorsed by the US Army in order to force the indians onto reservations by depleting there food supply. Indians were hunting bison as they have for thousands of years. The indians alone were killing about 250,000 per year. Most indians would utilize the entire animal. Commercial hunters would strip the bison of there hides and leave the carcass in the field until all that remained were the bones.

Currently in america there are about 225,000 bison. Most are being raised by farmers that are trying to steward these animals well. This is considered an inspiring comeback from just a couple thousand in 1874 when President Ulysses S. Grant pocket vetoed and bill protecting the bison.

Bison are powerful, graceful, efficient, fast, beautiful and delicious. Far more nutritious than beef, the taste alone is truly amazing and will bring delight to any meal including breakfast.

On a later blog I will explore the special requirements for raising Bison as opposed to beef and how it will all fit together with my pigs, chickens and other enterprises.