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Without a buyer for milk after August 31, Farmington's Bussie York struggles to save Sandy River Farms
A well-known farmer is hoping for community support and ideas – bringing back the slag? Stock his milk in more local shops? – where the cows must leave.
FARMINGTON – Lightning struck the dome of Sandy River Farms 23 years ago today, setting the roof of the dairy barn on fire, then consuming it and the neighboring house.
Bussie York remembers young cows outside as sparks rained on their heads.
"We were trying to move the heifers away because all they wanted to do was go back to the barn," says 80-year-old York.
The devastating loss would easily have meant the end of the farm. Over three hundred people made sure that was not the case.
That fall, they showed up at a barn and did the job on two weekends. Instead of packing it, Sandy River Farms continued:
York is still choking on it.
"We thought about giving up a lot of time," he said. "So many people from the city came down – we just – one of those things, you could not cope with all these reactions." Lawyers – they did not know how to drive a nail, but they knew how to do the job of the law – they said: "Every time you need a lawyer …"
In February, without anyone noticing it. This time, it was in the form of a letter from York's longtime commercial milk buyer. He did not need his milk anymore. After months of calls to other buyers, no one else needs them either.
This slow burn could consume the farm once and for all.
After cultivating all his life, York has until August 31 to dramatically increase customer sales of milk, cream, yogurt, butter and ice cream and find others. new outlets for his milk or cows have disappeared.
"We are faced with the worst dilemma we have ever faced. I said. "After losing the barn, it was rebuildable.When you lose your market, it's essential for survival."
After three years of relative industrial stability – a handful of dairy farms opening each year , a handful of closures – Maine has lost 10 dairy farms since December According to Tim Drake, executive director of the Maine Milk Commission, six or seven other people with the same buyer as York were informed of a coup
This is something he has heard about in other states., Maine.
"They must all make a choice like this one and they l & 39. "Attack differently depending on farm situations and demographics: how old they are, if they have children to take over and what general morale is," said Drake.
York's daughter, Trudy Johnson, is sad, nervous, a little resigned. Her husband, Erik, the long-time general manager of the farm, says you'll always find his cup half full.
"I'm more optimistic," he said. "The reality is probably more of it, but I'm just not a quitter, I suppose, so we'll try until we can not."
# COME HELL OR HIGH WATER & # 39;
Bussie York grew up in a family of farmers on the other side of the city and determined his career path in third grade
"Many children want to be firefighters, they want to be doctors, they want to be lawyers ". he said. "My goal, I was going to be a farmer, that hell or living water, I was going to become a farmer."
His father, Linwood "LJ" York, bought what is now Sandy River Farms in 1952, when York was a high school freshman, attracted by all "We had five sweet corn plants right here in this little town; it was a big deal", has declared York. "It was a rock-free land, which is why we wanted to move to an easier place to plant and harvest."
Ten years later, York and his wife, Brenda, began dating buy properties from neighbors when they were put up for sale.In the decades this has happened a bit.
"There were 19 farms for which we acquired the land," he said. Mr. York said, "We were young and stupid. My father was rather conservative. he did not think much about that. Anyway, we did it. "
Sixty years ago they grew 250 acres. Now they are operating 600 and the property is 1,400 acres in all. Starting next year, part of the production will be devoted to one of the major solar energy projects of NextEra Energy. He leased 700 acres to the company
At 80, he no longer deals, but York is barely retired.
"I just finished planting 300 acres, that was my job". "I'm busy every day, seven days a week."
The farm treats about half of 200 cows, a mixture of Shorthorns and Holsteins that produce about 3,000 gallons a week. Seven years ago, the farm opened a market on the other side of Highway 2, which uses about 1% of this milk, sells pasteurized and unpasteurized gallons and food like butter, yogurt and ice cream.
Cynthia Stancioff of Chesterville, a regular three to four times a month, said by visiting this week that she would like to see more people spend at least $ 20 a week for local food.
"They make the best yogurt I have" I've had forever, "said Stancioff." He has the right balance of textures. "
The store sells raw milk for $ 5 a gallon and processed milk for $ 4.30 a gallon for the whole, 2 percent, 1.5 percent and skim.For the whole milk, it's 57 cents more than the retail price, the lowest price that can be found in the stores, established by the Maine Milk Commission in July 1965
such as ginger, grape, lemon and pecan butter, all what they do themselves
Sandy River Farms has had the same bulk milk buyer for 18 years, a company that has been purchased in recent years by a foreign conglomerate York does not want to publicly name it On the one hand, he wants the company to continue buying his milk until the end of August, and second, he heard rumors according to the which he will pursue the farmers who denigrate them, and no thanks
. a shock.
"We had a big producer meeting in November and they said," Do not worry at all, your contracts will be replaced, everything will be fine, no problem. "York said," In February , they said, "You're no longer one of our producers." "
The conglomerate had a new policy: farms could not sell their milk to anyone else and Sandy River Farms had it. shop on the farm.
"We told them," If that's what you want, we can stop all of our sales, "Mr. York said. "But they did not give us that option, it was just," You are done. "
250 DOWN AND COUNTING
Nationally, there is has too much milk, and the trade war does not help, says Drake at the Maine Milk Commission.
"None of the co-ops are getting new milk," he said, not surprised that York's n & # 39; He has not found a new buyer. "Consumption has fallen and production has increased;
Estimated sales of fluid milk decreased by just over 1% over the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture 's Agricultural Marketing Service. United States agriculture. Meanwhile, nationally, the number of cows and gallons milked per cow has increased steadily over the past four years.
Prices are so low that the Maine Milk Commission paid $ 16.2 million to dairy farmers in the last 12 months. "Price forecasts tended to rise, but for the moment everything is in the air with the trade wars that have taken place," said Drake. 19659004] The United States exported 18 percent of its milk last year, said an economist at the large dairy cooperative Agri-Mark in a press release this week. Mexico, China and Canada were among the top five. In comments in recent weeks, President Donald Trump has triggered trade war threats with China.
Drake sees the loss of dairy farms in Maine continue. In May, there were 233.
In 2010, the state had 310. In 2000, 483.
"Many farms are aging and there is no one to take them in load, "he said. "They do not have options.If you are facing low prices, what better time to go out, stop the bleeding, so to speak."
When York started in the Company, the farm sent all his milk to Titcomb Hill Dairy in Farmington. When that closed, he went a little further. And further. His bulk milk is now trucked thousands of miles away.
"You lose that personal touch when that happens, like anything else," he said. "The further we go, the less we are interested in personal growth."
Instead of competing with the farm at the end of the street, "we are competing with milk at 3,000 miles". "They ship California milk to our markets at a price of a few hundred dollars. Last spring, more than 100 Mid-Atlantic dairy farmers who sold to Dean Foods, one of Walmart's suppliers, suddenly lost their contracts after Walmart opened its own processing plant to supply milk to 600 Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs. (Dean was not the York buyer.)
York sees a day when Walmart will not only have its own cure, but its own cows.
"It's the trend that's happening," he said. Sandy River Farms, what to do?
DECISION
Erik Johnson recently went to Ohio to purchase a Walmart refrigerated truck. It could provide milk and ice cream to city customers, which could be a partial solution; Even with a truck and a farm shop, it would be a supreme challenge to carry 3,200 gallons of milk a week
Sandy River Farms' products are stocked locally in Tranten's grocery store and in Better Living Center. Johnson talks to a chain with a significant presence in Maine, a store where they already sell vegetables, about York milk transportation.
Trisha Mosher, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, heard a number of companies they would like to stock Sandy River Farms' products to help them after Yorks and Johnsons sent an open letter to the community in a local newspaper describing his plight.
"They hate seeing a local farmer get kicked out," she says. "It's just unfair."
Mosher's grandparents live by the Yorks.
"They have is part of the community all my life, as far as I can remember, "she said.In addition to securing more outlets, the flock could be reduced, said Erik Johnson, but it's a balance You need enough income to cover the expenses, including $ 52,000 in property taxes and $ 24,000 in insurance.Be too small and he could not keep up.He estimates that 2,500 gallons per week is probably this number sustainable.
The farm also spends money in the city for fuel, supplies, food and building materials, said Trudy Johnson. they go away, that's okay too.
This open letter in the paper became viral with shares on Facebook, she said, and people often stop to ask, "What can we do to help?" [19659004"Doyouwanttobuyandbuy"said"LocalSupport"
a deadline closes on August 31 to decide the future of the farm. This is the date when organic certification of cows is exhausted, said Erik Johnson. Without it, cows, worth less, would probably have more value at slaughter.
"That would be option D," Johnson said.
Interested foreign buyers have been calling since the arrival of this fateful letter. February.
"They'll be arriving on the 31st and if we have not grown it enough by then," these farmers want their cows, said Trudy Johnson. "They have the right to grow. (The conglomerate is) shutting us down and they can get bigger. We are trying to do everything we can to make people aware and grow, and that's all we can do. "
Their daughters, 11 and 23, showed an early interest in farming. It's not just his dilemma, not just his farm. He worries about every farm in Maine.
"In all my 60 odd years, I have never been confronted with the fact that we had no alternative," he said. "There was always something else we could do with the land, we raised sugar beets, grew turnips, raised dried beans, sweet corn, and other small vegetables. We have always had another option, but now the options have decreased to the point where there is more than just dairy, and now the dairy option is decreasing. "
He keeps pictures on the wall in his office and his dining room. complex before and after this July 1, 1995, fire. There is even a framed picture of the barn in flames.
There is now one silo less than before the fire. The house, when it was rebuilt, was built separately from the barn this time. Fortunately, no cow was lost that day. Local farmers volunteered to house and milk the herd while the Yorks and Johnsons picked up the pieces. The cows came back after the big community had bred in November
"We had nothing left but the people of the city," York says.
Twenty-three years later, they dodge sparks again.
A farm worker feeds cows in the barn of Sandy River Farms in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
A farm worker attaches a teat cup to a cow during the milking session on Monday afternoon at Sandy River Farms in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
After hearing something that did not sound good, Mariah Johnson, the granddaughter of Bussie York, looks for the source. It turned out that one of the teat cups was not making a good connection. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
Farm worker brings cows to Sandy River Farms' farm in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
Mariah Johnson, 11, granddaughter of the owner of the Bussie York Farm, snuggles up against one of the cows of Sandy River Farm in Farmington. . (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
One of about 200 cows that live at Sandy River Farms in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
Bussie York talks about the difficulties encountered at Sandy River Farms in Farmington during a recent interview. He lost his longtime commercial milk buyer and farm until August 31 to decide if this will continue and how. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
An agricultural worker feeds cows at Sandy River Farms in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
Some of the dairy products available at the Sandy River Agricultural Market in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
An agricultural worker ships cows on the farm of Sandy River Farms in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
Locally grown garlic cloves for sale at the Sandy River Farm Market in Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
Trudy Johnson holds the cooler at the Sandy River Farm Market in front of Farmington Farm. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
Aerial view of Sandy River Farms in Farmington after its rebuilding following a fire on July 1, 1995, which destroys the sheepfold and closes. The picture is hanging on the wall of the new farm. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
A photograph hanging on the wall of the new farmhouse shows what it looked like before a crush set off a fire that destroyed the house and the barns on July 1, 1995. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
The surrounding fields and farmland are visible from the second floor of the agricultural market from Sandy River to Farmington. (Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal)
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