Beef Producer Interview/Telling Your Story
Farm: Drover Hill Farms/William & Stephanie Lipsey
Q1: How long have you been a beef farmer/producer?
I started farming in 1982/33 years ago. We currently have approximately
100 head of cattle and have 250 acres of land for combination hay and pasture.
Q2: How many generations has been part of your cattle operation?
I am a 1st generation farmer. I moved from Garden City, my family wanted
to move to this area when I was in high school; my family bought a dairy farm, that
had retired, back in the 60’s.
Q3: What is the importance of family ties past and present to your
operation?
After we bought the farm we had an opportunity to buy 6(six) cows, we
started out with Angus and soon afterword purchased some Highlands. We have
raised both breeds now for over 30 years.
I bought a Highlander bull for my mother for Mother’s Day, it was basically
myself and my mother who started the farm. (William and Stephanie do not have
children, so the farm most likely will stop when he decides to retire.)
When I first started I focused on breeding stock and then transitioned into
raising beef to sell.
William and Stephanie work together on the farm. William takes care of the
animals, Stephanie takes care of all the sales and marketing, they just recently
hired an additional hand to help out on the farm.
Q4: What do you find most exciting about farming and raising cattle?
We love the constant change.
Calving brings great excitement and challenges – we are always striving to
“create that next great bull!” We love watching the calves play and grow.
And we love our customers, we love the idea that they are surviving off what
we grow. We appreciate their feedback and insights.
Q5: How do you juggle your everyday farm duties? Do you have another job?
My day (William) starts at sun up and pretty much ends after sun down. I
typically work a 12 hour day. My day (Stephanie) consists of more than just
“chores”, I manage the marketing, farmers markets, the financials and our
customers. We are both working all year round, 7 days a week to ensure we have a
consistent supply of meat year round. We have our seasonal highs and lows, as far
as calving (Jan – July) and the Farmer’s Markets (Summer and Winter), we also sell
our beef to a retail supplier and food service supplier.
Q6: How do you use technology on your farm?
We utilize technology as much as we can in two different ways. For our
marketing we have Facebook, our website and we send out Constant Contact emails
to let our customers know where we will be and what we have available.
As for the cattle, we utilize technology with embryo transplant/AI –
Artificial Insemination; we are more focused on our customer needs vs. DNA and
breeding stock. This way we can concentrate on our herd to fit our customers’
needs. That doesn’t mean we don’t pay attention to quality genetics, we do to
ensure the consistency and quality of our meat.
Q7: How do you play a role in raising safe beef for the consumer?
We follow NYCHAP (NYS Cattle Health Assurance Program) run by Cornell
University. We follow BQA (Beef Quality Assurance) Guidelines; we have a great
relationship with our vet. We have a relationship with our butcher to ensure
quality and clean processing. And we have good farm management practices
through record keeping (vaccines etc.)
Q8: What makes your operation unique?
We focus on quality pure bred cattle like the Highlanders and Angus. We
pasture raise our cattle and utilize local grains (purchased from a local farmer
down the road) to feed out our cattle. Our processor uses a “flash freeze” method
to ensure freshness for our customers.
Q9: What is a “typical” day like for you?
Sun up to Sun down – 12 hour days or more depending on what time of year it
is, it could be 24/7 during calving season!
I (William) start the day feeding cattle (it takes 30 min in the summer 2-4
hours in the winter), I usually check them 3 times/day. I clean the stall daily,
replace with hay, in the summer I’m making hay. I am responsible for the
maintenance of all the equipment/tractor, moving cattle for rotational grazing,
calving, feeding chickens (usually takes 2 hours of care/day). I run a load of cattle
for harvesting every 3 weeks (6 hour round trip). Maintain coolers and sort meat
for markets, work farmers markets.
(Stephanie) maintains the website, phone orders, emails, customer
connections (retail/food service/ markets) social media, help with training of show
cattle and creating a new Farmer’s Market venture.
Q10: What breed of cattle do you raise?
We raise Highlands and Angus. Like many producers we raise a breed based
on personal preferences of what we think is best. Cattle can be chosen by
temperament, color, production etc.
Q11: Why type of cattle do you raise? “Conventional”/Natural – what does
this mean and why this type vs. other types
We raise Natural Beef. We do not use sub-therapeutic antibiotics. If an animal is
sick we will treat it. We do not utilize growth promotants.
Q12: What role do you play in protecting the environment?
We work with NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA). We
received a barn yard grant for run-off, we feed up on the hay fields during winter
to assist in the spread of manure. And, we fence off water ways to ensure cattle
have an opportunity to drink but not contaminate the water source.
Q13: How important is animal welfare on your ranch, how do you ensure this.
Animal welfare is just good business sense, plain and simple. There is just
the two of us, plus the addition of a new hire that has worked with us in the past.
Our hired man has the same passion for the animals and same values we have when
it comes to the farm and our farming practices.
Q14: How have you made changes to further your operations sustainability?
We’ve maintained our sustainability by going into the meat business, when
the economy changed. We moved into the direct marketing our beef (Farmer’s
Markets, Retail and Food Service sales) which allowed us to stay in business and
expand our production. We work at 4 Markets per week during the summer. We
have also diversified into other animal proteins as well.
Q15: Do you use antibiotics? Why?
Yes, for therapeutic reasons only. If our calves/cows are sick we treat
them accordingly. It’s the humane thing to do, its proper business practices.
Q16: Do you use growth promotants? Why? Why not?
We do not utilize growth promotants.
Q17: Do you raise crops? For your animals or human consumption?
We farm/own around 270 acres. We pasture much of it, we also raise our
own hay for winter feed. In addition about 10 acres of corn silage is grown for
feed as well.
Q18: What are some of the biggest challenges in managing your farm?
Time.
Finances.
It’s challenging to get animals ready for harvest on time. We try and
maintain supply year round which is challenging with our consumer base. We adapt
cuts and educate on cooking to ensure we sell the whole carcass. Marketing is
challenging, as well as production, you have to raise a saleable product on a
consistent basis. It’s a combination of skill and luck.
Q19: What is the best part about being a beef producer/farmer?
We improved a nonexistent/retired farm, we brought the land back to life.
We create quality meet, we improved the breeding of Highland cattle in NY State,
we started and ran the only Highland bull test in the country. We have made an
impact with the Highland breed. We have hosted a Highland sale and have brought
a focus and spot light onto the breed.
Q20: What will your legacy as a cattle farmer be?
We like to think we are Beef Ambassadors for the industry, which we
achieve with our Farmer’s Markets. And, our work with the Highland breed.
Q21: What does being a cattle farmer mean to you?
Passion. The love of the land and animals and the responsibility of taking
care of the animals, having them prosper and grow and feed people. The
connection to people at the markets, it’s a very humbling experience to think we
make a difference in people’s lives.
Q22: What is your greatest fear?
Somebody getting hurt (William). We are a team of two,( with some help),
we share the business according to our strengths and knowledge, if one of us gets
hurt, the fear would be that it would have to end and when you have a passion and
love for what you do, you don’t want there to be an end, much less a premature end
because someone got hurt.
Q23: What one thing do you want to share about animal agriculture that
consumers don’t know or don’t understand?
What the consumer doesn’t understand is that people that work in animal
agriculture really do care about the animals; we are not “Big Ag”. We raise animals
with passion, love and awe. It’s hard work, risky, but we wouldn’t want to do
anything else.
We want to share our lives with our consumer, however we are busy, 24/7
both “on” and “off” season, our lifestyle prevents us from being more involved with
the consumer outside Farmer’s Markets, time is a valuable commodity to us. We
host a “Farm Day” once a year to allow our customers an up close look at our
business, we love to do more but the demands of the farm make it difficult.
Q24: If you had to do it all over again, would you?
Yes, without a doubt. I enjoy what I am able to do.
Q25: What is your favorite cut of beef and preparation method?
William – Ribeye on the grill (I do the cooking!)
Stephanie – Filet (William is a better cook than me!)