The Rural Voice, 1982-03, Page 16Managing a big farm
U of G does ag research for all of us on 2,900 acres
by Sheila Gunby
You could call it a big farm. Twenty-nine hundred acres,
employing thirty people at peak season. Four hundred sows and
boars, 800 feeder pigs. 500 head of cattle and capacity for 192
milking cows. Not to mention sheep, chickens and turkeys.
George Robinson, operations manager says you could call it a
big farm, but don't call it a model farm. The big farm is a research
farm, really five research stations managed under contract by the
University of Guelph for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food.
Robinson is reponsible for the men, machinery and day-to-day
operations at Research Station Services. He answers directly to
the co-ordinators of each area - swine, beef, dairy etc. "Each
co-ordinator presents his requirements and we meet those
requirements," he says. "If he wants 60 ton of corn, then we
provide it."
Robinson visits each research station working with two
foremen and at this time of year. twelve other people to move hay
and straw, do repairs and handle manure(" we never put manure
on snow, right now we're storing it").
"The number of tractors we use is not the number of tractors
used on a normal farm," he says. "We're over -populated in
equipment because with research, so much is happening at once.
Each group has their own. Some things we do are not practical
because it's on a research basis."
Robinson finds machinery costs dramatically changed over the
years. A 100 hp tractor used to cost $100. a horsepower, now it's
around $345. a horsepower. "And basically, a tractor still does
just the same job," he says.
Buying equipment, Robinson first submits specifications to the
machinery dealers for tender, dealing with six major companies:
(listed alphabetically) Allis-Chalmers, Ford, Massey Ferguson,
International, John Deere and White, but also with others.
Business is transacted with local dealers, price being the deciding
factor once the specifications are met. Personal preference does
not enter into it.
George Robinson has been managing the research farm
operations for fourteen years. Presently, he teaches a course for
novice farmers on farm machinery and field work, covering the
whys and hows of cultivating, planting and harvesting.
Over the years, he has seen many changes and trends in
farming practises -- increased use of haylage and its particular
handling technique; increased importance of herbicides and
insecticides and the need for its proper application.
1 riaztne resistant weeds or weed escape is a major problem
and crop rotation is one of the directions taken to counteract this.
George Robinson [right], has a lot of information to impart
after 14 years as operations manager at Research Station
Services. University of Guelph.
Irrigation of farmland is another significant direction for the
future. Methods of impregnating fertilizer -- mixing herbicide and
fertilizer to-gether, spreading it on the field and incorporating in
one operation, saves an extra trip over the field, resulting in time
and cash savings.
Robinson says farming requires more and more management.
"Everything is up in price." he says. "Machinery is extremely
complicated and we rely heavily on "magic monitors".
Equipment needs more care. for example. corn planters have to
be cleaned properly.
Record keeping is important. He advises farmers to "write it all
down". At the research station, everything is weighed as it comes
off the field, the amount and condition is recorded. All soil is
tested and the manure is analysed. Manure is not just something
you get rid of anymore, he says. Now it's a real asset.
Farmers are always making arrangements and coming to the
research stations and asking questions. Robinson says and he'll
be happy to talk to them.
U of G research stations: what, where and why?
Five research stations, managed by the
University of Guelph for OMAF test ideas
and systems which could prove useful to
PG. 14 THE RURAL VOICE/MARCH 1982
farmers and each station covers specific
areas of research.
Arkell Research Station covers poultry,
swine and bull testing, researches plant
pathology, waste treatment, solar energy
and agricultural engineering. Land not