< PreviousHORSE PROGRESS DAYS 202328 LZimmerman www.zabscars.com Auto Body Supplies Inc. Cabinet, Woodworking & Manufacturing Shop Supplies, Tools, Spray Equipment, Disposable Cups, Sandpaper, Personal Protection & Safety Materials, Paint Supplies & Industrial Solvents, Spray Booth Filters, Custom Cut Air & Fluid Lines Zimmerman www.zabscars.com Auto Body Supplies Inc. Cabinet, Woodworking & Manufacturing Shop Supplies, Tools, Spray Equipment, Disposable Cups, Sandpaper, Personal Protection & Safety Materials, Paint Supplies & Industrial Solvents, Spray Booth Filters, Custom Cut Air & Fluid Lines HORSE PROGRESS DAYS 2023 29 RStori Enterprises – Featured Manufacturer (continued from page 27) their two names; Steven and Lori: Stori Enterprises. Talk about dreaming! When his girlfriend didn’t object, he decided it must be alright, and she would likely be willing to “keep him around.” Today they are a family of six with two girls 19 and 15, and two boys 13 and 9. The work of Stori Enterprises There are two different endeavors under the banner of Stori Enterprises. One is Stori Rotational Molding, and the other is Farm Boy Equipment. Farm Boy was sort of an informal inheritance from his father Floyd, and the molding side came out of his own interests. Steven and Floyd are both lovers of horseflesh. Floyd’s breed was Belgians and Steven’s is Morgans. Farm Boy makes motorized forecarts; small 35 HP, medium and large 50 to 160 HP. This activity started in the Bontrager farm shop before it moved down the road to its current location. The 35 HP cart equipped with a Vanguard engine was introduced as a prototype at HPD 2021 and introduced as available for purchase in 2022. It has a 12 volt battery to power the hydraulics when the motor is not running, and the PTO is not needed. The large Farm Boy units are distinct, with their teamster platform that goes all the way around the outside with the motor mounted in the middle. While the small unit doesn’t have the surrounding platform, it can still be accessed from either side for safety and convenience. Farm Boy also makes a tiller chassis that hooks to their forecarts to raise and lower the Maschio roto-tillers they import and sell. And, they are distributors for the Maschio round baler. The latest piece of equipment Steven is experimenting with is a mulcher that cuts up heavy weeds and brush, leaving the residue to break down on the ground, finely chopped. One example he gave of using it was to chop heavy stalks in one of his fields, leaving the mulch to decompose, then roto-tilling it and then planting a new seeding of alfalfa. He had good results with this approach, he says. This seems like it could be an option for dealing with those difficult dried-up vines left from vine crops. Also, the mulcher is powerful enough to make a fine chop out of pruned orchard branches. This seems like a piece that could be purchased and rented out. It might work well, he thinks, for organic farmers. Stori Rotational Molding Some years ago Steven’s horse interests and entrepreneurial spirit drew him into poly molding. It began with horse troughs and feeders, an insulated water bucket, and a flip out feeder of his own design; anything to augment the durable and attractive horse box stalls the company had begun to manufacture. They also make more conventional tie stalls for horses, with feeders. Today the poly business includes a four-foot ridgeline roof vent for the many duck houses in Northern Indiana and (continued on page 31)HORSE PROGRESS DAYS 202330 LRolling Delight Wa go ns 27 03 Stump town R oad Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505 – Stumptown Mfg, LL C – La rg e Se le ct io n of Q ua lit y B ui lt W ag on s W ag on s Tr ikes & Tr ai le rs La zy Su san R ound Bal e W agon s Nu rse ry Min ia tu re H or se & Po ny W agon s 2 W he el Ca rt s New Deal ers W el come • Ca ll for a Free Bro chur e 34 "x 64 " Wa gons 30 "x 60 " 1 30 0 W ag on Minia ture Ho rse & Po ny 2 Wheel Carts All Metal Powder Coated w/ cargo basket Available in 3 sizes (Mini- Small Pony Large Pony) 3270-EX Classi c Cruiser A smooth ride for the serious driver. Call us for info on horse size cruisers. 3464-EX All metal with springs under the seat 71 7-6 5 6-4 2 6 2HORSE PROGRESS DAYS 2023 31 RStori Enterprises – Featured Manufacturer (continued from page 29) beyond, as well as chicken feeders and waterers. They also make a storage barn ramp that bolts and clips on for stability. And then there are the Hoosier carts made by the company. Steven and his 13 full-time workers were busy, so instead of building bigger and hiring more people, he wisely set up one of his neighbors to do the assembly and marketing while the home shop does the welding. Another new endeavor is a feeder for big hay bales. It has a galvanized steel frame and the hay is held by a net made of material imported from India, by the shipping container load. A separately owned shop has been set up to assemble the water-re- sistant nets that work as hay savers. Diversification and brainstorming for new things to try out on the market, these are the things that seem to stimulate this young Amish man with a broad smile and friendly face. Steven’s first memory of Horse Progress Days is of when he was 17 years old and it came to his neighborhood in 1995. And then it wasn’t until it came back in 2004 that he attended again. The Bontrager farm in those days was an active dairy farm, and the boys dutifully stayed home so Dad could take some time for the Horse Progress Days project. He remembers when all the equipment demonstrations could be done on a seven acre field, and as a 17 year old, he remembers the Shaeffer Belgians from South Dakota showing up. This was a highlight for him. From 17 years of age on, he hasn’t missed. Steven has no regrets for leaving his factory job so many years ago to come home and work on the farm with his dad. Those were good years, as they toiled together in the fields and among the cows. In fact, he is determined to find ways to replicate that kind of work with his own children, as they together hook the Morgans to various types of equipment to do fieldwork. A connection to the land, he says, is vital to the connection of the family and also of the community. ✸ A moveable Stori box stall A configuration of Stori box stalls5690 TR 606 • Fredericksburg, OH 44627 Phone: 330-695-2119 • Fax: 330-695-2166 THE NO. 1 CHOICE OF PULLERS AND LOGGERS! Also manufacturing: * Farm Collars * Driving Collars * Pony Collars * All Purpose Collars * Adjustable Collars * Synthetic Collars We have a large inventory of collars, pads and hames in stock Call or write for our free color catalog. Dealers write for our wholesale catalog. SUGAR VALLEY COLLAR SHOP 18 Wagon Wheel Lane, Loganton, PA 17747 570-725-3499 (9:00-9:30 a.m. or leave a message) NO. 96T PULLING COLLAR write or leave message to receive a full listing catalog • QUALITY SEEDS organic and conventional SEED LLC 1356 E 200 S Monroe, IN 46772 • GREENHOUSE SUPPLIES including covers and irrigation 1356 E 200 S • Monroe, IN 46772 • 260-692-6827 The ONE STOP SHOP for All Your Lawn & Garden Needs over 1500 seed varietiesavailable flowers Non GMO vegetables HORSE PROGRESS DAYS 202332 LHORSE PROGRESS DAYS 2023 33 R33 The Land, There Is Always the Land By Dale K. Stoltzfus Marlin Yoder and his wife Alta live on the 35 acre farm in Shipshewana, Indiana that was her home growing up. Their six children, three girls and three boys, all grew up understanding that they were a vital part of this produce farming operation. The oldest four are now married and have started their own families. The program was modified just a bit for the 2022 season since, with only two of the six still living at home the labor pool has diminished, but one of the next generation families lives one mile down the road, and the grandchildren are often at the farm helping. There’s lots of work on a fulltime produce farm with a 5,000 bird duck house contracted to Maple Leaf Farms. The duck houses have provided steady income for the family for many years. (continued on page 35)HORSE PROGRESS DAYS 202334 LPropane Tanks • Hookup Supplies Air, Diesel & Gasoline • Heavy, Single & Double Wall Tanks STORAGE IT'S WHAT WE DO 717-354-5691 noltspc@emypeople.net 676 N. Shirk Road | New Holland, PA 17557 Mon-Fri 7am to 5pm Sat 7am to 11am Closed Sunday to Rest and Worship God We do complete hookup and maintenance services! PA HIC125177 We Sell & Deliver Sea Containers & PSUs Portable Storage Units in Stock Highland Skid Tanks in Stock PROPANE CLEAN AMERICAN ENERGYHORSE PROGRESS DAYS 2023 35 RMarlin grew up on a dairy farm. By 1993 he was working in a local factory and farming as he was able. This he did for about five or six years. But he always had in mind staying home with his wife and children to farm. In 1999 he attended a local meeting that was a discussion about starting a produce auction. The thought of a system that would market the things that could be grown on this farm seems to have encouraged Marlin to take the plunge into using the 25 acres of tillable land on the farm for farming. It has not always been easy. In fact, there were times when some of the children wondered why he wouldn’t just go and get a regular job. What does it take to make a go of it? The metaphoric saying “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket” seems to be at work on this farm. But then again, there is one crop that outshines the rest. It is tomatoes. By 2008 enough had been learned about growing produce that the idea of making a major investment in tomato-growing greenhouses began attracting attention and sure enough, that was the year that two went up. There was, however, a big question; will it work or will it not? Looking back, it is apparent that the will to “stick at it” in order to weather the ups and downs is really important. It has worked. Anything a producer can do to lengthen the season of a crop like tomatoes is a big advantage to wholesale customers, and then ultimately to the producer. So on the Yoder farm there are two 20x250 foot heated greenhouses for tomatoes. And there is also a 20x8 foot heated greenhouse for starting young tomato and other plants as needed. And then for mid-season growing there is an unheated 32x140 foot high tunnel. The tomato planting time begins the first week in April. The second planting takes place the third week of April, and the third planting the middle of May. This results in Yoder tomatoes appearing at the auction from mid-June through October. A harvest of 3,500 boxes at $12.50 per box (a fairly conservative number), means that the gross revenue from the tomatoes is in the $45,000 range. All of this production is done on about 15,000 square feet of land which is about 1 ⁄3 of an acre. And incidentally, for many years there The Land (continued from page 33) (continued on page 37)HORSE PROGRESS DAYS 202336 LEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENTEQUIPMENT & REPAIR 3589 State Route 643 · Baltic, Ohio 43804 | P. 330-897-1106 Parts For: · NH Hay Balers (Sq & Rd) · J-D Hay Balers (Sq & Rd) · NH Rake & Mowers · NH Grinders & Mixers · NI Spreaders & Corn Pickers · McD & JD Mower · Plow Parts & Rd Baler Belts, etc. MFG Of: · Small Manure Spreader · Hay Mowers (1 or 2 horse) · Small PTO Units Dealer For · Hay Tedder · Cultimulcher · PTO Carts · ICM Hay Rakes · E-Z Trail Cornplanters Specializing in Aftermarket Parts & General Farm Equipment Repair & MFG. Request FREE Catalog J&E Grill Mfg. llc 127 Meadow Creek Road New Holland, PA 17557 Phone: 717-354-7862 Custom Powder Coated Steel & Aluminum Mfg. of Horse Stall Components, Doors & WindowsHORSE PROGRESS DAYS 2023 37 Rwere tomatoes grown in the fields too. And then for the 2022 season, because of fewer family members available to help, all tomato production was done in the houses. It turns out the harvest was up by about one third; 2,000 pounds vs. 760 pounds from the same number of plants. The goal for tomatoes each year is 20-25 tons generated. In keeping with the wise more-than-one-egg basket saying, there are other crops grown on the Yoder farm. There’s 1½ acre of watermelons, three acres of pumpkins, 15,000 candy onions and fall cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. The local produce auction Some people like marketing the things they grow and others do not. Many farmers, Marlin included, prefer keeping close to the dirt and the plants rather than selling/ marketing. This is the approach that has worked so well in the dairy industry for the past 100 years or so. Milk the cows morning and evening, plant the crops in the spring and harvest them in the fall, send the milk out the driveway in the milk pick-up truck and check the mailbox every two weeks to see if the milk check has come. And don’t forget to sharpen your pencil to keep track of what works and what doesn’t, and keep all of your management skills sharp, but leave the marketing up to the experts who are part of the system. The produce auction got started in 2000 and has been just what was needed to make this family farm that began with 1½ acres and has now grown to six or seven acres, work. Marlin got in on the ground floor of the auction. Until recently he served on the auction house board of directors that is made up of four or five people. One of the essentials for growing the auction house volume successfully has been the monthly information-sharing field walks the board sponsors, as well as an astute packing system that standardizes boxes and pallets that all growers use to benefit the wholesale customers that show up every week to fill their trucks and trailers with locally grown, top quality produce. Some growers use the auction for things their primary buyers don’t want or can’t use. This means that they are doing at least some marketing on their own, and this means that their reputation with auction buyers might suffer. Marlin has been very pleased with the auction as a place where he can take all of his produce, present it in the best possible way, make sure it is diligently sorted with only top quality consistent from the top of the box to the bottom, and leave the rest up to the buyers who come from as far west as Wisconsin, from Chicago, Fort Wayne, small towns in lower Michigan as well as in the northern half of Indiana and maybe as far east as Toledo, Ohio. And then there are growers in a rather large region who buy things to supplement their own on-site markets. They may specialize in one or two crops, but like to attend the produce auction to buy things that supplement what they have to offer. And then The Land (continued from page 35) (continued on page 39)Next >