Casey Turner - Week 4

     Week four was a week full of fun, even if I was only "on the clock" for the first half of the week!

    Monday and Tuesday were my only two days being in the office. I spent these days in Kent County, working on a google form for animals to be volunteered for the fairs Master Showman Competition, and reaching out to local processing plants to do any pricing updates if needed for livestock sale buyers. I was also able to do some more graphics work for the Talbot County Fair, making graphics for the dinners at the fair (I'm already hungry just thinking about it), daily schedules, and livestock exhibitor schedules.

    On Wednesday, I was able to attend the Maryland Association of Agricultural Agents (MACAA) Tour, which took place right in my backyard in Kent and Queen Anne's County! You may think I was exaggerating with the "right in my backyard" statement, but the first farm we visited was the organic dairy operation run by the Fry family at Fair Hill Farms, and they are in fact our neighbors bordering the back half of our property. Following the stop at Fair Hill Farms, we headed out to Red Acres Hydroponics, who are only a couple minutes from our farm, and are stationed across from us at the Chestertown Farmers Market. Seeing what goes into using hydroponics to grow lettuce was extremely interesting, as I had never been able to see what happens behind the scenes in their operation. Next up, still in Kent County, was Angelica Nursery, without a doubt the most stunning tour spot of the day. I have driven by Angelica Nursery countless times living in the area, and knew it was an extremely large property, but being able to see their entire operation showed how much I still somehow underestimated the scale of their nursery! Our final stop of the day was in Kent Narrows at the Harris' Seafood Oyster Shucking Plant, one of the few left in Maryland. While at this stop, we got to see the amazing filtration provided by oysters they had kept in a tank, no need for cleaning, the oyster took care of keeping the water clear. Living on the Eastern Shore, right along the Chesapeake Bay, maritime culture was something incorporated into my education early on, from field trips to the Maritime Museum, to elementary schools taking days to spotlight the Bay and our local ecosystem. Seeing the work oysters do to help us improve the bay made me hopeful for the continued improvement in the Bay's water quality. 

The intern crew visiting Fair Hill Farms Organic Dairy Operation during the MACAA Tour.

    On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I actually went out of town to attend the 76th Annual American Highland Cattle Association National Gathering at Sheppard Farms in Hanover, Pennsylvania. This was the first time in a decade the gathering had been on the East Coast, it was hosted by Sheppard Farms since they were celebrating 50 years of raising Highland Cattle! My grandparents and I went a day before the gathering to help get everything set up and ready for the big event which has been in the works for over a year. While at the gathering, I was able to work alongside Carys Lunn, third generation Highland Steward at Sheppard Farms, to interview speakers, tour guides, and event attendees. I soaked in all of the information from speakers Joel Salatin, Michelle Miller, and Toni Fillipone on their topics of regenerative agriculture, cultivating connections through social media, and navigating grief in agriculture. On our Saturday tours, we toured the pastures of Sheppard Farms, where I got a reunion with Apple Hill Arwen, a heifer I showed for the Sheppards in South Carolina last year, and saw their incredible herd of over 175 Highlands! We then drove to Hanover Shoe Farms, the worlds largest Standardbred breeding operation, managing 900 horses, with their largest foaling day this year being 21 foals born in one day! Our final tour stop was the R.H. Sheppard Museum, showing the R.H. Sheppard legacy that specialized in diesel engines for tractors and steering mechanisms. All three tour stops were owned and operated by parts of the Sheppard Family, and all of the land at the Hanover Shoe Farms and Sheppard Farms were preserved with Adams County to forever remain farmland!

The stunning main barn at Sheppard Farms, which will soon be turning 100 years old!

    Of course, there was plenty of time spent with our fellow Highland Breeders. This event is unique bringing so many Highland Enthusiasts together without the competitive nature of a show. I was able to reconnect with previous buyers of our farms calves, and got to meet some incredible breeders! We created a great connection volunteering with Lydia Ingram from Noble Bear Highlands and Veronica Minnear of Weeping Willow Highlands, and are already talking about a trip to head down to Tennessee and spend time at both of their farms! 

Banquet photo at the end of the gathering. Left to right, me, Veronica of Weeping Willow Highlands, Carys of Sheppard Farms, my grandmother Bert Lindauer, and Lydia of Noble Bear Highlands.