CLINTON — A hundred years ago, a sleepy farm nestled in the hills of southwestern Indiana, its pastures dotted with sheep and cattle, would have been unremarkable.
Today, however, that same farm has become an innovative, educational destination where one small family raises sheep, pigs and cattle for meat.
Welcome to the 21st century of small-scale, sustainable family farming, where the old chores of gathering eggs and putting up hay have been amended to include updating the farm’s Web site, filling online orders and writing a monthly newsletter.
During the third of nine stops on Purdue University’s 2008 Indiana Farm Sustainability Tour, agriculture educators and small-scale producers toured the Royer Family Fresh Beef, Lamb and Pork farm in Clinton on Thursday. Additional tours are scheduled for each month through November.
Nikki and Scott Royer, both 37, along with twin sons Cale and Knic (who will be 4 in a few weeks), tromped around a small part of their 130-acre farm, followed by a dozen visitors, pointing out the various aspects of their operation: the automated waterer for both sheep and cattle, the cow herd, an empty pasture that is recovering from its use the prior season for gestating ewes, and almost 50 free-range chickens.
The Royers are the fifth generation to farm the land. They sell their meat products online, at area farmers’ markets and to local restaurants.
Their stated mission is to “raise family-farm grown meats in a healthy and natural environment.”
“This is not a hobby for us,” the Royers proclaim on their Web site, www.royerfarmfresh.com.
“Our farm has been in business for over a century and we are working diligently to build sustainable practices to last another 100 years and more. It is of the utmost importance to us to treat our land, our animals, our community and our customers with respect and care,” the site says.
The sustainability tours were developed as part of a grant from the North Central Region section of the Sustainable Agriculture, Research and Education program to provide information and resources for farmers and other rural residents interested in diversifying their operations, as well as opportunities to learn from other diversified Hoosier farmers.
Sustainability is not a new term in agriculture, but it is becoming a more talked-about concept, especially in the face of growing food prices, and environmental and fuel concerns.
“Sustainable agriculture” was addressed by Congress in the 1990 Farm Bill. Under that law, “The term ‘sustainable agriculture’ means an integrated system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long term: satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.”
In the January-February 1990 issue of the Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, John Ikerd described sustainable farm systems as those that are “capable of maintaining their productivity and usefulness to society indefinitely. Such systems … must be resource-conserving, socially supportive, commercially competitive and environmentally sound.”
Jerry Nelson, the New Ventures Extension Educator for the Purdue Southwest District Office in Vincennes, said the highlight for Thursday’s tour was e-marketing of local foods.
“What I found about the Royers was that they have a neat Web site,” Nelson said. “They maintain it, they developed it, so I wanted them to tell other producers how they do it.”
The Royers presented information on developing a Web site for marketing local products.
Nikki Royer said the best reasons for having a Web site include increasing sales, improving credibility, increasing media coverage and maintaining business history and accomplishments.
She said it is helpful to identify when a business needs a site by asking whether the business has a consistent supply of products, whether the business is capable of maintaining a professional page and whether the business can quickly fill orders requested online.
With their site, the Royers market their meat products and develop ongoing relationships with their customers. In addition, they operate a livestock Web site where they sell their live sheep nationwide.
After the tour of the Royers’ farm, local chef Kris Kraut from Buttonwoods Restaurant at Sycamore Farm (www.thesycamorefarm.com) prepared a lunch using only local ingredients, and featuring the Royers’ lamb, beef and pork.
Kraut, whose restaurant is on the east side of Terre Haute, said his culinary philosophy is to seek out locally grown products.
“Our menu really reflects what people can find in this area, maybe within 100 or 200 miles,” Kraut said.
“We do as much as we can to buy locally, to practice sustainable and eco-friendly farming practices.”
Kraut said his efforts to establish relationships with local small farmers allows him to customize his menus.
“Nikki [Royer] and I work hand in hand sometimes,” Kraut said. “I will customize each week the menu according to what she has and doesn’t have.”
He added that he works the way he does because “if we don’t support farmers, farmers can’t do their job, and if the farmers can’t do their job, there’s no good food to be had.”
Deb Kelly can be reached at (812) 231-4254 or deb.kelly@tribstar.com.
Upcoming tours
• June 19 — The Chef’s Connection to Local Foods (Morgan and Hendricks counties)
• July 24 — Organic Production & Processing – Transitioning to Organic (Decatur County)
• Aug. 23 — Direct Marketing to Consumers (Monroe County)
• Sept. 25 — Agritourism (Noble County)
• Oct. 18 — Woodland Products (Perry County)
• Nov. 20 — Christmas Trees and Floriculture (Tippecanoe County)
For more information, contact Lynn Stocksick by e-mail at lastocksick@purdue.edu or by phone at 1-800-359-2968.
For more information
• For more information about Royer Farm Fresh Beef, Lamb, and Pork, contact Scott and Nikki Royer at (765) 832-7104 during the day, e-mail royerlivestock@joink.com or go to www.royerfarmfresh.com and www.royerlivestock.com.
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