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Agriculture Careers, Commercial Production, History, Internships, Issues and Controversies, Livestock, Poultry, Production Agriculture, Tools of the Trade, Topics for Discussion

Understanding Today’s Agriculture, AGRI130 Guest Lecture #7- Livestock Industry

On October 21, 2019 Mr. Dan SEVERSON spoke to the class on Delaware’s Livestock Industry. He covers the large-scope of the industry and the varied number of animals that are cultivated in agriculture.

Less than 2% of the U.S. population is involved in agriculture- a farm is any family that makes $1, 000 a year from agriculture. 98% of farms are family-owned and account for 87% of all agricultural value generated.  In Delaware, more than half of the farms are less than 50acres. More than half of farms have sales that generate less than $50, 000 in profit.   $3.5 million is generated in  direct-to-consumers in products and Delaware is the #1 state in the U.S. for value of products per acre. Delaware is also the #1 producer of lima beans in the U.S.

In the U.S., the livestock industry occupies .5mil acres land, with 500, 000acres in farms accounting for 40% of the gross domestic product.  With an average of 200 acres per farm, the industry generates about $8 billion in profit for agriculture.

Before going into the specifics of the Delaware livestock industry, Mr. SEVERSON gave the class a quick history overview. In 1914 WW1 takes shape & so begins the birth of agricultural extensions. In the 1930s Depression & Dust Bowl hit. And in 1939 WW2 starts, encouraging farm hands go to war. When the farmers return, they bring training & technology. No young man is willing to work for $0.50/week when they might earn $7/day at a factory.  In1950, Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer increases crop yields, aiding in a 265% increase in production and decreasing inputs by 2%

As a result of the wars ‘advancements’ the average annual per capita consumption of meat has changed over the years- beef, pork, and lamb have decreased while poultry has increased. 29% of Delaware’s land area is planted in corn & soybeans, and most of that produce goes towards the poultry industry as chicken feed. Goat & veal consumption has not been tracked ‘til recently. In the U.S. family food costs on average represent just 9.7% of a households income, that food typically consisting of what is most affordable, safe, & abundant. Compare that percentage to Russia’s average family spending 14-15% of their income, or the average Ethiopia n family spending 45%.  Much of that reduction in cost is due to the way that the meat is produced.

In Delaware there are 235 beef farms with 14, 000 cows/calves between them. Many of the cows are fed a Total Mix Ration (TMR) for more efficient and tailored nutrition. An example of a Delaware cattle farm would be Power’s Farm in Townsend, Delaware. Cattle are often the topic of Animal Welfare discussions.

Pork is soon to be vertically integrated. Swine production, Mr. SEVERSON notes, is a subject taught by UD’s Dr. Lesa GRIFFITH. Hogs may be raised farrow to finish, farrow to feeders, or feeders to finish. When keeping pigs, it is important to note white pigs are prone to sunburn, making the black breed Berkshire better for bacon. Part of the processing of hogs involves a scalding trough to skin the pigs, which Mr. SEVERSON notes is very hard to do. A popular value-added product made from pork is, ‘Artisan Scrapple.’   Mr. SEVERSON interjects the lecture to pose a question to the class on why pork shoulders are referred to as, ‘Boston Butt’.  When no one is able to provide an answer, he moves on.  Conducting a quick search after the fact define the pork shoulder is the ‘skinless, boneless upper part of a pigs front shoulder’.  A common cut, a quick Google search notes the name came from barrels the pork was shipped in and the region that made the cut popular.

Sheep are typically raised for wool. He notes that ‘Hair sheep’ are a type of sheep with wool that falls out.  The upcoming Delaware Agricultural Week in January 2020, a Maryland farmer with a sheep milking operation is slated to come.

Goats are raised for three things- Angora, milk, and meat.  There is no certified meat & milk facility in Delaware. In New Holland PA, the 2nd largest goat auction in country is held- Texas hosts the biggest auction.  The U.S. cannot support it’s ethnic population’s demand for goat meat, namely Islamic, Jamaican, & Jewish where goats are used for celebration. Mr. SVERSON says that goats are browsers like deer which eat above their heads.  The reason for it’s lack of broad popularity might be because goat meat doesn’t marble. Mr. SEVERSON proudly mentions that he received $280 for small (60-80lbs) goat in New Holland, where the price is based on the amount of meat. While attending the National Goat Conference in Montgomery, AL, where ice cream and cheesecake are popular forms of value-added goat products for a niche market. Lotions & soaps are easier in Delaware without a certified dairy.

Dairy is dying in the U.S.  In Delaware there were once 80 dairies, which decreased to 50, and now just 21 dairy farms operate today with 4 creameries- Woodside, UDairy, Hopkins, & Vanderwende Creamery. Natural by Nature & Hy-Point are the remaining processors. Farm fresh, homemade ice-cream is a popular commodity. Mr. SEVERSON notes Amish youth prefer construction to milking with it’s regular hours and consistent work. Whole milk contains 3.25% milk fat, while skim milk contains just 1%, but there is no raw milk available in Delaware. To generate a profit, dairy cow numbers are increasing- it takes 1000 cows minimum to make profit. For farms that are struggling, the cows are either moved to farms or shipped to different states & countries.

Other livestock farmers may keep for commercial production include bees, bison, alpaca, llamas, rabbits, water buffalo, deer, chickens, turkey, & emu. Mr. SEVERSON informed that class that he was unwilling to raise alpaca or llamas because they look ‘strange’ to him…

Lastly, Mr. SEVERSON discussed growing agricultural trends in the livestock industry. The number of farms is increasing while overall farm size has been cut in half- total production covers 8, 000 acres in Newark. The industry is also seeing a growing number of young farmers.  Farms and CSA’s are becoming increasingly diversified and catering to niche markets.  Many of these smaller farms are selling value-added products to direct markets. 10 current GMO crops include, corn, soy beans, cotton, papaya, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, canola, alfalfa, & sugar beets

The future of the livestock industry depends on new technology like GMO’s and robotics for labor, and investment in the next generation to cater to the environment, government regulations and animal welfare. Mr. SEVERSON states he has seen an increase in young females without and agricultural background pursuing knowledge to enter the industry. It takers 3-4years to establish a farm working with grants for funding. Mr. SEVERSON often conducts experiments on his own farm first. With that, he informs us of the skills and traits needed to work for the Extension agency. The following soft skills are preferable- listening, compassion, working with others and reading them. Other skills include agricultural skills, professional skills, & education.

Ag Business, Agriculture Careers, Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Precision Ag, Production Agriculture, Tools of the Trade

Understanding Today’s Agriculture, AGRI130 Field Trip #3- Hoober Equipment

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On October 12, 2019, Mr. Dave WARRY led the class on a tour of Hoober Equipment.  Getting off to a slightly late start, the tour began with a brief outline and background of the business and the employees in the particular branch we visited.

Mr. WARRY began by introducing himself, saying he began working with Precision Agriculture at Hoober’s in 2005.  He followed this up, by stating how unusual it is to remain in the business so long, saying people usual spend about 18months in the industry.  He says this is due to many factors, but he says there are many potential sources of frustration doing the job, such a people calling at all hours, people forgetting how to use the equipment from season to season, and the vast amount of patience required to deal with a flustered farmer who can’t move their product because of broken and malfunctioning machinery whilst waiting on repairs.  Mr. WARRY graduated from Penn State after majoring in Agricultural Systems Management and technology, but after college he went to work on a farm for four years, an experience he viewed equally valuable as college.  Agricultural Systems Management was not his first choice however- initially he was studying pre-vet, but saw it as, ‘a lot of work’, only switching his major after taking an Introduction to Agriculture course where the Advisor for Agricultural Systems Management (ASM).

Mr. WARRY said that Hoober’s works with Mr. James ADKINS and his irrigation technology, but each employee specializes in different equipment.

Next, we were introduced to Mr. Charlie IRVIN, who’s been with Hoober’s for a similarly long stretch time, doing service installs and working as the shops tractor and shop repairman for 12.5years.

Hoober’s itself is a family business established in 1941 and has 9 locations throughout PA, MD, DE, and VA.  The third generation, Mr. Bud HOOBER is gradually being succeeded by the next generation.  Hoober’s values a strong skill set over any degree.  They are looking for employees with personality, ‘common sense’, ambition, accountability, and self-motivation.  There are opportunities to receive on-the-job training as well as being sent around the country. Mr. WARRY did say that they struggled to find interested potential recruits.  He advocates the work with electronics because it offers employees a chance to learn and advance, and is often easier on an aging body than, ‘turning a wrench’ and working solely on mechanics.

Part of the work done at Hoober’s includes troubleshooting, which according to Mr. WARRY, takes very little time, and is done with charts and by computer.  Other ventures include a technology field lab and class tours like ours.

Hoober’s deals in agricultural, lawn&garden equipment, and construction equipment with automated technology.  Much of Hoober’s competition strives to sell programing tools for whatever technology they’re promoting- Hoober’s programming works across brands, for any equipment they carry.  The Tractor Supply Co., while very close by, is not a source of competition, as they only sell small parts- like hitches & chains- and animal feed- products that compliment what Hoober’s sells.

Automated steering is one of the most popular feature and it is used to prevent operator fatigue that often sets in a different points of a farmers 18hour day- the technology will keep the equipment running straight down the rows of a field, working at peak efficiency. Heated cabs, stereos, heated seats, and raised seating are among some of the modern-day features in the latest pieces of automated machinery.  When the computerized technology was tested against a conventional, non-autonomous piece of equipment, the drivers were required to take eight hour time-outs, operating only 30minutes at a time, according to test regulations set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The equipment Hoober’s carries is expensive.  Some of that expense is simply due to the brand name. Mr. WARRY told use that John Deere is always expensive, even when purchasing the brands signature yellow and green paint.  He cautioned us that John Deere equipment purchased at stores like Lowes & Home Depot is cheaper than buying directly from a company dealership, and that those cheaper pieces of equipment are often made of cheaper materials that will not last as long.  Other brands we saw included Cub Cadet and CASE among others.  Regardless of the brand, when purchasing a $400, 000 tractor vs. a $1, 000 lawnmower, the cost of repairs can quickly exceed the original price.

A stop in the back office revealed multiple shelves packed with service manuals- some as much as 50 years old, and still used regularly.  Though the floor might have been pressure-washed before we arrive, the 25-year-old building is due for an update, with new lighting and shrubbery planned for the interior and exterior, respectively.  Even with the desire to do some, ‘sprucing up’, Mr. WARRY said one of the best upgrades to the building, was the addition of AC, which made the working environment much more pleasant.

In the shop and ‘Combine Productivity Clinic’ massive repair jobs are underway on equally massive piece of machinery.  Brand new tractors shipped to the Port of Delaware arrived with damage received in-transit- required $100, 000-worth of repairs incurred from a rough sea journey.

The expense is understandable when the sheer power of the equipment is compared with that of a ‘standard’ tractor- the first machine we looked at, with 20, 000lbs/ft of torque, a 50, 000gal load of manure, and capable of pulling 70, 000lbs all together, was still able to reach up to 42mph, when a factory-quality tractor may only go 38-40mph.  That said, the machine would have significantly less horsepower running with natural gas.  Mr. WARRY projects methane from digested animal waste and electric battery technology with hydrogen fuel cells will be the way of the future.

Even with some of the mechanics shortcoming, the data for agronomy and electronics is still making great strides.  Automated dairies that record the amount of milk gathered and don’t require farms to manually latch each pump to a cows udder. Center pivot irrigation systems can be calibrated to the unique needs of different cultivars or even different varieties like corn.  Every three days, satellite images come in with up to 3ft(1m.) resolution, 30-40ft wide in infrared, near infrared, and color- data that allows farmers to almost distinguish individual plants.  In addition to the aerial views supplies by satellites, drones- currently in-vogue for scouting real estate- are now being used to evaluate irrigation, weeds, and nutrient application.  Mr. WARRY assures us that drone don’t replace agronomists- people are still needed to use the information they provide- drones just help farmers know where to look and address problems.

Hoober’s own connectivity network includes way stations all the way out to Ohio, with 1-1.5in. horizontal and vertical GPS accuracy, allowing its autonomous software to autocorrect and re-calculate paths with great precision.

One of the machines we spent a great deal of time going over was the Quadtrac. This particular machine had been stuck in the Delaware River/ocean, submerged with water well over the cab.  While Mr. WARRY repeatedly reminded us this piece of equipment was not, in fact, a submarine, he did tout it’s capacity to do a large amount of work- more than a bulldozer and dump truck combined.  Initially running after being fished out of the drink, the saltwater burnt the Quadtrac’s starters and batteries.  When fully operation, the powerhouse machine can travel 24mph on it’s treads with horse power ranging from 470hp up to 620hp, making it a go-to for beach reclamation and recovery, pushing sand on the dunes.  They are favored by the Delaware Dept. of natural Resources and Environmental Control(DNREC). The Quadtrac cost about $480, 000, but will cost the customer $1mil for repairs and having ht mechanics re-tuned.

Certain costs of repairs can be mitigated if the customer chooses the right features and tools for the job and puts the proper care and maintenance into his/her equipment.  With the Quadtrac, the Rubber-on-rubber treads generates heat, so dirt and sand are a good lubricant for those moving parts.  If a customer decides to upgrade to chrome over steel, this upgrade can prevent significant wear that would usually occur in just 2-3years.  1 (relatively) small chrome part, can cost $8, 000.

Using all this precision machinery, it can cost a farmer over $1mil just to complete a harvest.  Hoober ‘s provides expertise & technical support- for a $120, 000 service fee.

Look up!
Head out

Next, after a brief safety-scare- while standing in the ‘Combine Clinic’ where the mere tires of the machinery dwarfed us, workers were servicing a machine off to the side, over our heads- we headed out of the shop to allow those employees to work.  Our next stop was a small field of grass where we would be able to drive three pieces of equipment- but not before learning a bit about them. A brief discussion before the highly anticipated interactive portion of the trip- almost like grace before a meal…

First there was the Sprayer– a 120ft. Class 4 vehicle costing around $430, 000.  It’s great width prevents greater damage to small grain crops like soybeans that aren’t planted in rows.  Equipped with 72 nozzles, each is powered by it’s own computer.  The droplets sizes emitted from the sprayer are adjusted through pulsing pressure changes from the nozzles.  Regulations are in place to keep the pressure, ‘on target’ to avoid spraying private property & gardens.  With the Sprayer’s electrified network, any application of nitrogen is prone to mess up any one of the 72 computers onboard.  Mr. WARRY said that due to the info.-input overload of having each computer sending it’s own date, Hoober’s is going to do an $18, 000 re-tool on a 12-row sprayer, using just seven computers for a batch of nozzles using a new company’s technology.

Next up, we saw the Planter.  This machine was not one we go to drive, but we went through a run-down of its features too.  It cost around $150, 000- $180, 000- one of the cheapest pieces of equipment we spoke on today.  The seed is sucked into numerous individual planters by a vacuum.  The Planter is able to change its seeding rate and use markers to mark the rows, via satellite imagery and overlaying maps.  Seeds are planted using hydraulic downforce– how hard the see is placed into the ground. This machine can plant and fertilize seed.  There is also a no-till setting with which the machine parts the organic matter in a V-shape before depositing a seed and packing the soil over top.

The talk concluded and, instead of unfolding our hands, the Sprayer was folded into a much more compact, easier-to-drive setting.  During this transition, Prof. ISAACS reminded us of the $150mil cost of taking an idea to the construction phase- all the changes and improvements to each iteration of the equipment that had to be tested and approved before making it to market. One student asked what type of equipment might cut costs for the farmer.  Mr. WARRY said it depends, but a $60-70, 000 piece of machinery could be combined with an $11, 000 planter, then stripped and fit with electronics and computers, an do an acceptable job when compared with a top-line model.

During my ride in the one of the machines- the older of two CASE tractors, I was able to have some of my questions answered too.  I learned that Hoober’s does rent some equipment and there are places to go for that, but usually a farmer will invest in their own.  I also learned that new farm equipment may also come with failsafes to prevent damage from improper use- for example, when the Sprayer was being folded, Prof. ISAACS mentioned that if the sections were folded out of sequence they could crumple the components or even come through the cab!  Lastly, in response to what Mr. WARRY had mentioned about the technology component of precision agriculture being easier on older bodies, I asked about accessibility for farm equipment- a thought that came to me simply because I am shorter and climbing into the cabs, though not impossible, was a bit daunting.  Mr. ISAACS told me such a program exists- it’s call AgrAbility.  He told me that they make entering the cab much easier, but unlike other services that make custom vans from the ground up, there are no, ‘custom cabs’ because tractors cannot deviate from there factory default specs like that.

The trip concluded with a class picture and free Hoober ball caps and snapbacks for everyone.

 

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Precision Ag, Production Agriculture, Tools of the Trade

Hoober Inc. Field Trip

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On Saturday, October 12th, the Understanding Agriculture class went to Hoober Inc. in Middletown, Delaware. Hoober Inc. is a well-renown farm equipment supplier across the east coast. They sell reliable equipment like Kubota, Case IH, and JCB Agriculture products, as well as many more! We were given a tour of the workshop where technicians and mechanics repair tractors, combines, sand-separators, etc. and were shown various parts that make the farming equipment viable for crop production. The class was also informed about the importance of precision agriculture and the up and coming technologies that are used for farming, like satellite mapping and aerial robotics that are already being used by Hoober. Once we were done in the workshop, the class was given the privilege of riding tractors that are used for planting, tilling, and covering acreage on a farm. I had no idea that these things were actually auto-steer, making it so much easier for farmers to finish their hard labor, especially when they are fatigued from working their fields all day. Companies such as Hoober Inc. are very crucial to the agriculture industry, and with developing technologies every day, this company is proving that agriculture is becoming more environmentally and technologically sustainable and much more convenient for farmers when they need this convenience the most, and they are always on the farmers side when they need repairs or advice on their farm equipment. The farm industry would be nothing without companies like Hoober!

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Precision Ag, Production Agriculture, Tools of the Trade

Field Trip: Hoober inc

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Hoober inc is a company working on selling, maintaining and fixing construction and agriculture equipment since 1941. They have other locations on Philadelphia, Maryland, Virginia and, of course, Delaware. We went to the Hoober inc shop in Middletown, Delaware. We visited their office, there are a whole wall of manual and document of equipment which can track back to 50s. It touches the bottom of me. When I look these files, it really shows their passion and love on this job. It matters to them. They want to supply the best service to their customers. Then we visited their workshops, we saw many staff working on their position. And there is some equipment took apart. When I look inside of an engine, I can’t imagine how hard to take it apart, find the problems, fix them, and put everything back. We also got opportunity to drive some of equipment. They are truly huge, like a tank, or bigger than a tank. And they cost a lot of money, some of them cost over half million dollars. I can figure that. They have so many technological equipment on one vehicle. For example, a sprayer with its 140-gallon fuel tank and 1,200-gallon product tank can keeps working in the field for a full day of spraying, and there are dozens of minicomputers, in its trailer for the each of the sprayers, which are complicated to monitor. They are trying to reduce the computer to 7 computers now.

It was a fascinating experience for me to learn about that the new equipment and technologies improve the precision agriculture in the modern agriculture.

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Production Agriculture, Tools of the Trade

Hoober and Precision Agriculture

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On Saturday October 12th, 2019 my Understanding Today’s Agriculture class took a field trip to Hoober Inc. in Middletown, Delaware. On this field trip we had the opportunity to witness precision agriculture firsthand. We spoke to employees at Hoober who informed us on the basic knowledge of precision agriculture and in the increase in technology in this industry. During the tour, our class got to experience drones and how they are used to manage fields. The class also had the chance to get behind the wheel of a self-driving tractor. These tractors use GPS to drive through the fields. They can drive up and down a field in a straight line without the operator having to focus on driving. This increase in technology allows the farmer to not over seed or spray in a field. This field trip really showed that agriculture is a very diverse industry.

 

Agriculture Careers, Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, History, Tools of the Trade

Hoobers

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Hoobers is a multi generational business that our class visited on the 11th of October. They have been a company since the mid 1900’s. There was a lecture about all of the equipment and a tour of the firm where we could see all the different types of machinery they use. Hoobers makes this machinery and sells it to to other farms so they can be successful in growing, planting crops, and maintaining crops.

Farming equipment is a big part of the agricultural industry. These machines are very useful but also expensive. Some of these pieces of technology are worth millions of dollars. Even though I was unable to make the trip, I enjoyed all of the pictures of students using the equipment and I wish I could have used them myself. Hoobers seems like a very successful business and is still doing well. They are doing so well because other farms need these pieces of equipment to be more productive in farming.

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Tools of the Trade

Hoober Inc

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Hoober inc has been around since 1941 with locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Delaware, their main focus is on maximizing their customer’s productivity. They do this by selling new and used farm equipment, providing part support and services and helping with growing precision agriculture technologies.  The Middletown Hoober Inc branch offers in-field services as well as an on-site shop for troubleshooting and repairs. Many of the technicians at Hoober are very skilled and love to work in the outdoors. The shop space still contains older work manual books for tractor models which the technicians say come in handy more than you would think. Out of recent technological improvements, Hoober’s popular item are technologies in automated steering for farm equipment. The main farming brand they support is CASE IH agriculture. This is what they feature because they believe the company has better durability, longevity and is cost-effective in parts replacement compared to other brands. Hoober has been there to support farmers and homeowners since 1941 and will continue to do so while keeping up to date on technological advances.

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Tools of the Trade

Hoobers

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October 12th, 2019 the class took a field trip to Hoobers Farm. At Hoobers we learned all about the technology they use with their equipment. They gave us an opportunity to try it out. When we were given the chance to take a spin at the wheel, we saw firsthand how they drive and set their tractors to do their job. Hoobers has been going since 1941 and have nine locations scattered throughout Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Delaware. They discussed how technology isn’t always dependent. Directing and setting a tractor is like using a cell phone. If the service is bad it is hard for the technology to want to operate. This can be a tremendous downfall on their work ethics. They put their customers first when it comes to productivity. They taught the class how to operate the tractors and the brands they use for all their equipment. They sell their equipment for construction purposes as well. They provide a lot. It was a very interesting field trip.

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Tools of the Trade

Hoober Field Trip

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Our field trip to Hoober Inc. in Middletown, Delaware was an amazing experience. Growing up, I have been to Hoober many times to get parts and I have witnessed their mechanics come to my farm to help us fix our equipment. We have lots of Case IH equipment so I felt as if I already knew a lot about Hoober, but boy was I wrong. This field trip gave me a better perspective of Hoober as a company and allowed me to learn about the various roles employees partake in. I really enjoyed going through their shop and getting an inside look on the jobs they perform. I always knew Hoober mechanics fixed tractors, but what I did not know was how much time and effort they take to just simply diagnose a problem and how sometimes it takes more than just a few screws and bolts to fix. With the new technology in the equipment, it takes a person that is very skilled with technology and troubleshooting to fix technological issues. Farmers call Hoober when they are having trouble with their equipment. If it is a simple fix, they will fix it right in the farmers shop. If it is a more difficult and strenuous process, they will take the tractor back to Middletown and have their team of highly skilled mechanics work together to solve the problem. Along with learning what they do, we also got to drive a tractor, sprayer, and steiger around. This was not anything new to me, but to my fellow classmates it was a really exciting experience.

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Precision Ag, Tools of the Trade

Hoobers

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On October 12th, at  Hoobers, we were able to see up close the technological side of Precision Ag. Not only does Hoobers sell tractors and other various precision Ag.  equipment, but they also help repair equipment that people bring in. Another part of their job is to go out in the community and help educate people on the correct way to use their equipment. For them, the most challenging part of precision Ag. is finding people who are interested in working there and know what they’re doing. In a job like Hoobers, each individual working there has to have the skills required for their job and also be able to be good at cooperating with the other sections of the company. As for new technological advancements that Hoober’s has, they have a connection with base station, which allows them to track and program all their equipment within the radius of the station.

Ag Business, Agriculture Careers, Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Tools of the Trade

Hoober Equipment Field Trip

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Hoober Equipment began its business in 1941 in Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Currently, they are a third generation family business with locations in throughout Delmarva, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Hoober carries agriculture equipment from many companies, especially Case IH, Kubota, and JCB. The responsibilities that the Hoober team have are quite extensive and are not taken lightly for each employee knows that the quality of their repairs and products impact their reputation heavily. They definitely uphold their core values of integrity, teamwork and service.

Their advanced precision agriculture technology is impressive to say the least. When we were informed of the 250 thousand to well over 400 thousand dollar price of the machinery, it wasn’t easy to understand how and why people were willing to pay so much for these vehicles. Initially, I believed the size of the vehicles had to be part of the high price but, when I was explained how much these vehicles do, it was much clearer as to the importance and contribution each vehicle makes to aid in the agriculture industry. As we were going through the facility, we encountered the many different workers and observed how each did their part. Just like the equipment they provide, they work together like a finely tuned machine.

 

Ag Business, Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Tools of the Trade

Field Trip 3: Hoober

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Although I wasn’t able to go on the field trip due to prior arrangements, I was still able to learn a bit about Hoober from friends in the class. Hoobers has multiple branches, but the one I will be focusing on is the one in Middletown, DE. From their website they say, “Since 1941, the focus at Hoober has been on maximizing our customers’ productivity. From new and used equipment from proven leaders like Case IH, Kubota, JCB and more, to delivering exceptional service and parts support to keep your equipment running at peak performance, Hoober is there for agricultural, light construction, excavation and rural homeowner customers throughout the mid-Atlantic region”. 

At Hoober, you can buy equipment, replacement parts, and get help from the people at Hoober. They also focus on precision agriculture, which is a topic that we have been discussing in class. They even provide support for those interested in starting to use precision agriculture. Hoober also sells equipment for construction purposes, but they mostly sell larger pieces of equipment like tractors.

Equipment & Engineering, Field Trips-Tours, Tools of the Trade

Field Trip to Hoober Equipment

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On Saturday October 12th the class took a trip to Hoober equipment in in Middletown, Delaware. We got a tour around the place starting with their office. in the office we see an entire wall of binders for manuals for different pieces of equipment dating all the way back to the 50’s. Then we got to go into the repair shop and see many different pieces of equipment up close and taken apart. we saw many different pieces of equipment such as combines and tractors. after touring around the repair shop we were taken outside where saw a large planter close up. later we were given the option to ride in three different large tractors. It was fun to get into such a large vehicle and drive it around. Finally we returned to the shop and were offered a free hat. In the end it was cool to see so many large pieces of equipment up close and learn about some of the mechanics of them.

Ag Literacy & Social Media, Agriculture Careers, Agriculture in the News, Delaware Agriculture, Guest Lecture, Issues and Controversies, Photos & Scenery, technology, Tools of the Trade, Topics for Discussion

Ms. Michele WALFRED on Professional Leadership for Agriculture in the Social Media Era

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On September 11, 2019 Ms. Michele Walfred spoke to us about managing social media.  She began with a bit of history about herself and her educational background. She was also a UD alum who wanted to major in art but switched to creative writing because the writing classes were offered later in the day and she felt she would be able to sleep.

Through a series of events that occurred while she was pursuing her education, she ended up altering her plans once again, pursuing a ‘real job’ instead of the Bohemian-style artist life she had envisioned.  She ended up at the UD Agricultural Extension office with no what the 4H program was, believing she might be working with children or seeing eye dogs.  She managed to land a position and earned her Associates and Masters, but along the way she stated, she always tried to take jobs for, ‘what she wanted to do, not what she was good at.’

It was at this point she mentioned Professor Isaacs, a professor who recognized her strengths and directed or recommended her to tasks accordingly.  Ms. Walfred also took the opportunity to go to weekend and evening events on her own volition, looking to increase her skills whenever possible.

After the brief bio, Ms. Walfred showed the class screenshots of the homepages of three of her own websites on different platforms. She noted that across all platforms, her image or headshot was the same.  She recommend we all try something similar to ‘brand ourselves’, expressing creativity through banners, but keeping our message clear on our own ‘search-able’ public sites.  She recommended any potentially controversial images or writings go on separate private accounts, but reminded us that the internet is forever and we must behave and conduct ourselves in a professional manner when putting information and images out into the great wide Web.

Ms. Walfred also stated that complete absence of any digital platform can hurt and then championed Twitter as the platform of choice. She told us that by sharing on our social media we can also champion causes and issues that we care about- an example she used was an article about the highest U.S. suicide rates occurring among veterinarians.  She then showed us a YouTube clip from a movie called, ‘A Bronx Tale’to illustrate a point about how all the ‘little’ actions matter and first impressions count.

Ms. Walfredconcluded by telling us how important social media can be for us in agriculture and to agriculture in general.  First, she stressed the importance of being an, ‘Ag-vocate’ helping the environment in different ways, such as participating in, ‘Meatless Mondays’.  She also mentioned ‘Delaware Ag Week’ and the impressive salaries of Social Media Managers at around ≈$75, 000.  She also touched on the controversy that farmers often face- citing back to Ms. Cartanza’s presentation, namely the damage farming causes to the environment.  A crowd of young males with SmartPhones will not post to their social media about how they are actively learning how not to pollute, the very thing a consumer might accuse them of.

Ms. Walfred ended on a quote that essentially said, ‘“To tell someone they’re wrong, 1st tell them how they’re right” – Blaise Pacal (Paraphrase)’She encourage us to stand up to mis-information while combatting misinformation with facts.

Ag Business, Agriculture Careers, Agriculture in the News, Field Trips-Tours, History, Issues and Controversies, Poultry, Production Agriculture, Tools of the Trade, Topics for Discussion

Field Trip #1- Ms. Georgie CARTANZA’s Organic Poultry Farm

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On September 7, 2019 the entire class took a trip to Dover, Delaware to visit a poultry farm.  Though I grew up not too far from this farm, I never new of it’s existence.  The farm is owned by a Ms. Georgie Cartanza, a Nuffield Scholar and the current University of DE Poultry Extension Agent.  Ms. Cartanza began the trip by introducing herself and sharing a bit of backstory.  She told this to us while we sat on a makeshift amphitheater of sorts made up of packages of pine shavings set up on the concrete heavy-use pad in the shadow of a barn used for storage.

The ‘amphitheatre’…

After the presentation, we were presented with Personal Protective Equipment- intended more for the chickens safety than our own- in the form of rubber booties, coveralls, and hairnets.

PPE in blue…
A ‘cute’ outfit…

Looking quite stylish and now rendered unable to sneak-up on anyone, we loudly rustled and awkwardly shuffled around the other side of the barn where we saw the EcoDrum and the product of it’s ‘in-vessel composting process’.

The EcoDrum!
Some compost remnants…

Opposite the barn, we could see behind up an identical structure with a manual composting drum.

The manual method…

After marveling at the innovative composting technology we walked over to the actual chicken houses themselves.  We got to hear about the technology used to run the chicken houses, namely the Environmental Controller- revolutionary device that allows a single farm to take care of 37, 000 chickens.   A prominent part of that technology, displayed broadly on the sides of all the houses, are the large fans to bring the temperature of the chicken house down when necessary.

Heading over to the poultry houses…
Two poultry houses

 

Large Fans!

We also learned about the pasture areas between the houses and the advantages and disadvantages of allowing chickens to roam in the yard.  Not yet in use with the young chickens were ramps, hanging water dispensers, bully boxes, ramps,  and shade structures. Along with the man-made shade structures were natural shade structures of cattails running down the center.

Pasture Area

The culmination of the trip was the experience of holding baby chickens- these particular chicks were a mere two days old, still bearing the pink streaks of the tinted spray vaccine they received before arriving.

Toys in the yard
Cattails
Smile everyone!…

The class, joined by Ms. Cartanza, didn’t leave Dover before stopping for lunch at Chik-fil-A- paid for by the Professor.  We parted ways with our host after lunch to return to the Newark campus.

Hello there…
Awww…

The Newark class section would see Ms. Cartanza again, albeit remotely, for Monday’s first class guest lecture.

Very cute!…