HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen Agriculture, 2003-03-19, Page 30THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2003. PAGE A-5.
Busy farm couple back in pork business
All covered
The new Cover-All barn at Ray and Barb Storey’s doesn’t just keep the animals cool in
summer and warm in winter, but the free-flowing air cuts down odour, while the open concept
makes clean-out simpler.
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
When the Huron County Pork
Producers introduced their choice
for Pork Producer of the Year at the
annual banquet, the description, at
least in the beginning, didn’t really
give a lot away.
“They first said the couple built a
new bam this year, said Ray Storey
of McKillop, who with his Barb wife
were the recipients 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.”
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
(Photo submitted)
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
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‘When our building arrived, the heat was In
excess of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. We set it up
and immediately filled it with hogs. Their growth
was fantastic and the feed conversion was great
My vet is really impressed with the building and
we ordered a second one. ” ■ Mark Smith
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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.
The Cover-All has a steel frame
with cement walls and floor al)
covered by a tarp. It’s loose housing
with the pigs on straw. There are
four insulated water bowls and four
feeders running down the centre.
Barb stained bamboards to give
the structure an old-barn effect.
“And it looks attractive,” she said.
“People at Cover-All thought the
bamboard was a real neat idea and
we have had others come and
look.”
The open concept means less
work. “As Ray indicated because of
his back, he didn’t want to push a
wheelbarrow. Now he sits on a
tractor.”
“Used to be I cleaned out 200 pigs
one. hour a day. Now we have 300
pigs in the Cover-All and it takes an
hour a week. I just drive from one
end to the other.” says Ray.
The Cover-All is environmentally-
Veterinarian Approved
friendly as well. Barb says, “We’ve
had neighbours drive up the road and
see the pigs, but they can’t smell
anything. The straw eliminates
odour as does the natural
ventilation.”
Hydro costs are limited to the
lights and a feed auger.
The temperature is comfortable no
matter the season. Barb said that on
a recent night when the mercury
plummeted to -20°C it was almost
5°C inside the structure.. “The sun
had been shining that day which
warms it up considerably,” says
Ray.
The structure is also liveable in the
summer because two end doors and
panels on each side can be opened
for ventilation. “Air flows through
from any direction. It’s constantly
moving in there,” says Ray.
Being back in the pork business
has also enhanced the diversity of
products Barb sells at the farmer’s
market. In addition to sausage and
pork chops the Storeys have added
black forest ham, maple-flavoured
sausage, and smoked maple sausage
using their own syrup.
“We have tried to listen to what the
customer wants. It has worked well
for us.”
FARM SAFETY FACT
Did you know?
((NC) - Cows cause 33 per cent
of animal-related injuries and 16
per cent of animal-related fatali
ties on Canadian farms. The calv
ing season of January to June is
the primary times of incident
occurrence.
Canadian Agricultural Injury
Surveillance Program.
- News Canada
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A new twist on an old standard
Red barnboard gives the Cover-All at the Storeys’ an old-
barn effect which has garnered a lot of attention, (photo
submitted)