Hogs help create room for the next generation

By Justin Quandt, Oakes, North Dakota Today at 7:20 AM Listen Comments Share Share this article Opinion Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. The Trust Project What is this? My dad and his four brothers farmed together. Growing up, we raised corn, soybeans, and cattle. Today, I farm alongside my youngest uncle, two brothers, and one cousin as part of KU Quandt Brothers. I have younger cousins who may also want to join the operation someday. As we think about growing, we have to consider how we can produce more with the same land base. Farmland today is selling for around three times what it did 20 years ago. And they aren’t making any more land. ADVERTISEMENT In 2020, we diversified by building two hog barns that house 4,800 finishing pigs. Producing more from our existing land was part of the decision, but access to manure was also a huge factor. Our ground is sandy, and manure has been a major benefit. It provides nutrients, adds organic matter, feeds helpful soil microbes, and can improve the soil’s ability to hold water. Our need for other nutrients and water has gone down considerably. The hogs also create a local market for grain. They consume about 220,000 bushels of corn each year, along with soybean meal and distiller’s grains. The barns allowed us to add a full-time employee and created another source of dependable income. For us, adding hogs was a way to take a relatively small amount of land and create enough economic activity to help support another family. Ultimately, I think about my sons. My goal is to build an operation with enough opportunities and diversification that everyone in the next generation who wants to farm can have a place here. My dad and his brothers created that opportunity for us. Now it’s our turn. Comments Share Share this article Opinion Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. The Trust Project What is this? Tags Tags READERS VIEW AGRICULTURE NORTH DAKOTA Listen to this article Conversation ADVERTISEMENT What To Read Next Letters CO2 levels in our atmosphere increasing 47m ago · By Ron Sadler, Jamestown Letters New Leaf solar project isn't right for Fried Township 55m ago · By Kari Orr Diop, Jamestown Letters Fund school meals, but not at the expense of certain areas 59m ago · By Bob Toso, Jamestown ADVERTISEMENT Get Local Must Reads North Dakota Voters in 2 North Dakota counties reject property tax increases 2d ago · By Jack Dura / North Dakota Monitor North Dakota North Dakota's Pembina Gorge State Park completes first season 4d ago · By Maxwell Marko Local The Jamestown Sun's Wednesday print edition expected to be delivered Thursday 16h ago Lifestyle What if this winter’s forecast holds true? 4d ago · By Don Kinzler