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Farming Beyond Me

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Farming Beyond Me

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    1. Farming Beyond “Me” By Eric Zakarison Zakarison Partnership Pullman, WA

    2. Zakarison Partnership

    3. Eric Graduated with BS in Agronomy from WSU in 1981 Farmed with father fulltime until 1998. From ’98 through ’07, worked for USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, WSU College of Ag, WA Wheat Commission, and the USDA.

    4. Sheryl BS in Agronomy WSU, 1983; BA in Accounting, WSU, 1991; and Masters in Public Administration, U. of Idaho, 1999. Sheryl is currently Area Finance Officer for International Programs, WSU, and skilled turkey wrangler

    5. Goals Live well Move sustainable side of farm away from dependence on fossil fuels and oil-derived inputs Reduce industrial farming inputs – anhydrous ammonia fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides (eliminate on organic side) Develop systems for producing food that not only work now, but also long into the future

    6. Zakarison Partnership – Industrial Crops

    7. Zakarison Partnership - Livestock Cow/calf operation 1950-2000 Commercial White Dorper sheep flock – currently 50 ewes Pastured broiler chickens Pastured turkeys

    8. Organic Crops 10 acres certified organic alfalfa/grass hay Small grains follow hay, including wheat and barley Austrian winter peas for green manure Experimenting with oilseed crops – camelina Develop system for raising organic pulse crops Increase organic acreage while shrinking industrial, export crop acreage.

    9. Draft Animals - mules Belgian mule team including: Jay – 10 yr. old “John” mule Rhodie – 16 yr. old “Molly” mule Katie – 16 yr. old “Molly” mule Drive 3 abreast Use for raking and hauling hay, light tillage, spreading manure, and planting

    10. Draft Animals - oxen ‘Babe’ and ‘Ben’ 10 months old Purchased as day old calves from WSU Dairy Use for winter hay feeding, log skidding, and moving portable poultry pens on pasture

    11. Economics – industrial crops Cost of producing industrial small grains and pulses is outstripping the market returns for these crops (e.g., high fertilizer and diesel costs) Zak Partnership is virtually debt free, so interest is not a factor We operate on a cash basis Breakeven cost of winter wheat (assuming an average crop: 80-90 bu/A) is somewhere between $5 and $5.50/bu. Breakeven cost of spring barley is around $120/ton.

    12. Economics – organic/sustainable production Organic small grain farming cash inputs generally lower than industrial side. Cash inputs swapped for increased labor to produce organic crops (mechanical weeding, hand weeding, sheep weeding). Direct marketing to small mills and individual consumers takes time! Alternative motive animal power takes LOTS of time.

    13. Economics – 2008 broiler chickens

    14. Farming Beyond “Me” Get past notion that stewardship concerns end when we retire or pass on Leaving some of earth’s resources untapped for future generations Best time to try new sustainable farming techniques is when we are fully backed up by petroleum (currently, oil food) Initiate food systems and farming opportunities that transcend current farmers

    15. Fine Eric, but how long does it take? Years 1-3: Experimentation phase (also known as the “mistake” phase) Years 4-8: Implementation phase Years 9-10: Refinement phase (are we making money and producing local food in meaningful quantities?) Second decade: “Bridge” phase – ensuring that people are in place to continue sustainable production, and that they have the resources to succeed.

    16. What if … Eric is WRONG about what’s about to transpire over next 15 to 20 years? Eric has a nice hobby that is lots of hard work, but which he enjoys doing. Eric is RIGHT about energy, food systems, and need for sustainable farming? Glad you started it back in 2006, but you are almost a little late!

    17. Quote from Lynn Miller, editor & publisher of the Small Farmer’s Journal, Fall 2008 edition “Farming may be enough for a lifetime, but is a lifetime enough for farming?”

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