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A Sneak Peak Into the Mind of A SUFCo Farmer

Colin McCrate

Always wanted to ask your favorite farmer random questions?

Well Barnraiser did! They wanted to know more a little more about us so they caught up with a few of our famers and asked them the following questions! You'll laugh, you'll cry or at least you'll see that farming is never far from our minds!

First thing you thought of when you woke up yesterday?
Colin: Microgreens
Brad: Did I shut the main valve for the irrigation system off? (I still have recurring nightmares of a night I left it on too long and it exploded this past summer)
Skip: I hope I have a clean SUFCO shirt. 

Weirdest thing that's ever happened on the farm?
Colin: The day GQ showed up to do a photo shoot
Ethan: I was weeding and when I looked up there was a coyote roughly fifteen yards away looking at me. A little unnerving but it seems harmless

Favorite farm related word? 
Colin: Acre-Inch - A volume measurement typically associated with irrigation operations on cropland. An acre-inch is equivalent to 27,154 gallons. When an inch of water is applied to cropland via irrigation, each acre receives 27,154 gallons. (Alternatively, a measure of the volume of water applied to the soil/growing crop using irrigation - approximately equivalent to 27,154 gallons.)
Skip: Hapludalf- It is a soil taxonomical name and it is fun to say.

The best farming hack you've come up with?
Brad: I made a makeshift spoon from a carrot so I could eat my lunch.
Ethan: I built a foot pedal valve for our wash pack area so that we could control a spray arm with our foot and have both hands free while cleaning vegetables.

Brad Halm 

If Mike from Dirty Jobs were to show up what would you have him do?
Colin: Brad's laundry

Guiltiest food pleasure?
Colin: macaroni and cheese with beets
Skip: Bacon grease and brussel sprouts
Brad: French fries with sausage gravy.

If you didn't farm what would you do?
Colin: South Florida helicopter pilot
Brad: Live in a state of withdrawal because I wasn’t farming
Ethan: Work in soil remediation

Skip Mackintosh

What is the best thought about farming you've ever heard of?
Brad: Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
          from Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front by Wendell Berry

If you could be any plant what would you be and why?
Skip: A leek. They make a good soup.
Brad: A strawberry plant: it has amazing fruit, and they’re so tough you can drive a tractor over the plant without fazing it.
Ethan: A bonsai tree because they are usually well taken care of and last longer than most plants

Favorite beverage to enjoy after a long day working?
Brad: Yuengling Lager- refreshing and still family owned!

Ethan Bahe