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The Chaps of Chapman Equestrian

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This morning we explored Chapman Equestrian and their world of eventing. We toured the stables and watched a riding demonstration. The tour began in the tack room, where all the saddles hung neatly aligned on one wall with matching covers. The bridles were all cleaned and hanging on the opposite wall. The cleanliness of everything was the first indication that the farm was well managed and showed a professional environment. From the tack room we proceeded to the paddocks, where Jonathan explained that each horse is individually turned out. The 12-acre area was split into one half acre spaces for each horse. He also stated that he has eliminated the use of gates in the interest of safety so there was no longer a solid structure for the horses to injure themselves on. For most of the year, the horses are turned out as much as weather and scheduling allows. During the winter months, the horses are housed inside but let out for two hours each day for exercise. The stables ...
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A Senior's Farewell to the University of Minnesota

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Completing the Shires, Shorthorns, and Sheep: Exploring Livestock Production Systems in England marked the end of my undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota. Leaving for England two short days after my college graduation seemed to be a little daunting, but there's no doubt in my mind that it was worth it and a GREAT way to end my collegiate career! The highlights of my trip to England included visiting farms, such as Wimpole and Native Beef, to see how they are working to preserve the genetics of England's heritage breeds, seeing the racing industry in Newmarket, and experiencing several markets in London. Growing up in production agriculture has given me personal experiences with raising beef, sheep and crops, such as corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. I enjoyed observing the similarities and differences between agriculture in the United States and the United Kingdom. Heritage breed preservation seemed to be important to several of the farms we visited, and I di...
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Organic Dairy Farming at Woodhorn Group

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Today we toured The Woodhorn Group, which is an organic dairy farm with a composting site called Earth Cycle on the farm as well. They began farming in 1882 as a family run farm, and the current owner, John Pitts, is the fourth generation to run the farm. John diversified the farm in 1998 by adding a compost site that today recycles over 80,000 tons of garbage waste a year. The Woodhorn Group milks on average 250 cows twice a day in a sixteen cow parlor. This makes them a large farm in comparison to most organic dairy farms in England. However, they are currently only milking around 150 head as they are in their drying off period. They are different than a lot of farms in the United States that calve year round, as they calve in the fall. Cameron, one of the workers at Woodhorn Group, explained that this is because in England, milk prices are highest in the winter, so they try and increase their production starting in the fall to maximize their yearly income. The dairy indu...
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