The Rural Voice, 2003-11, Page 26Back in the business
The new technologg of shelters helps
a busg couple get back
into hog production
By Bonnie Gropp
The simple setup of the new barn
reduces the Storeys' labour. The
couple (on the right at right) won
the Producers of the Year Award
from the Huron County Pork
Producers Association.
When the Huron County
Pork Producers introduced
their choice for Pork
Producer of the Year at the annual
banquet last January, the description,
at least in the beginning, didn't really
give a lot away.
"They first said the couple built a
new barn this year", said Ray Storey
of McKillop, who with his wife Barb
was recipient of the honour. "Well,
that could have been a lot of people.
Then they said they sold pork out of
their own place. Well again that's a
lot of people. When they said they
went to the Goderich market, that
pretty much narrowed it down."
22 THE RURAL VOICE
Barb adds that she believes the
selection criteria considers people
who are community -minded, and
somewhat pro -active. "I guess they
thought we were worthy. There are
others deserving, but they chose us
this year."
To call the Storeys pro -active is
perhaps a bit of an understatement.
Actually, tireless might be a more apt
adjective. In addition to both working
full-time off the farm, they raise
chinchillas, make maple syrup, cash
crop (adding red clover to the mix to
support son John's honey business),
and ship 1,200 pigs a year. They are
4-H leaders and market their
homemade pork, maple syrup and
honey products at the Goderich
Farmers Market.
"Someone once asked me how we
do it," says Barb. "I told him time
management. We work eight hours
away, eight hours at home, then
sleep for eight."
Though the couple was involved in
pork production many years ago,
adding this to their list of "jobs" is a
relatively new venture — but, as is
their way, one they have approached
a little differently than the norm.
Ray first began as a pig farmer
when he was a teenager, roughly 40
years ago. Then sometime around the
early 1990s, Barb took over after her
husband sustained a serious back
injury.
Then five years ago when the
bottom fell out of the market she
switched from an outside part-time
job to full-time. That was in March.
By the final months of 1998 the pork
price crashed and Ray shipped out all
the pigs.
"We were buying for $65 and
selling for $35. And we were feeding
them. It wasn't making any sense."
Recently, they began looking ahead
to the future and to setting things up
for their sons, John, 20, and Allan,
16. In 2001 they started their
homework, studying several Cover -
All set-ups before deciding this is the
way to go.
Construction began at the end of
May. The 40x100 foot building was
done and the pigs were in on July 12.
Storeys buy their pigs from Allied
Pork. "Finishers aren't under
contracts which allows the producer
to be independent," says Ray. "If we
feel it's not profitable to buy that
month we can just let it sit."
Four hundred come in to be
finished. This is done three times a
year. "We are shipping 1,200 a year.
Before that we were lucky if we
shipped 500 a year," says Barb.
Son Allan has a vested interest as
well. "He has 50 pigs in the Cover -
All and helps out with the chores.
Under the Cover -All's tarpaulin -
covered steel frame, the barn has