livestock Archives · Roger Blobaum

Iowa Farmer’s Transition to Organic Pays Dividends In Fertile Soil, Healthy Livestock, and Direct Markets

by Roger Blobaum Clarence Van Sant, who farms 135 acres of rolling land in central Iowa, has never put much stock in the advice of economists who insist farmers have to keep getting bigger to make it. Nor has he accepted the suggestions from his land grant university and others that you have to apply…

Organic Farmers in 17 States Market Commodities At Premium Prices Through New Marketing Agency 1972-1975

By Roger Blobaum Larry Eggen, like many Midwest organic producers, used to talk about getting state or local marketing setups organized to help farmers sell organically-grown production to buyers in big cities. That was when Eggen had a small vegetable and hog operation near Walnut Grove, Minn., and was active in signing up organic farmers…

European Soil Scientists Discuss Biological Farming at Summer Organic Farming Workshop at Boys Town 1972-1975

By Roger Blobaum A fascinating view of biological agriculture was presented by Dr. Herbert H. Koepf, a soil science professor from Europe, at an Omaha-area workshop for organic farmers and others from the Midwest. Also appearing at the all-day August session was Pierre Ott, a French agronomist now teaching at the University of California at…

South Dakota Organic Livestock Producers Tell Their Veterinarian: ‘We Didn’t Switch Veterinarians: We Just Don’t Need You Anymore’ 1972-1975

By Roger Blobaum A strong belief that caring for the land means farming without chemicals has maintained the high productivity of a South Dakota crop and livestock farm for the family that has operated it since it was homesteaded. Walter Hobbie, who now operates the original farm northwest of Flandreau, has lived on it since…

Minnesota Farmers Make History by Obtaining the Nation’s First Organic Farming Research Grant

By Roger Blobaum The attitude of big universities that grab all the agricultural research money and insist they should decide what needs to be investigated is stirring up some sharp competition from a group of organic farmers in Minnesota. Six months after setting up the Soil Association of Minnesota, they had landed a…