Video Transcript: Ohio Organic Dairy Truly a Family Farm

Updated 05/16/2008

Intro: A dairy farm in Ohio is a showcase for two concepts: conservation and family farming. The US Department of Agriculture’s Bob Ellison explains.

ON THE SCOTT STOLER FARM IN NORTHERN OHIO, THE WHOLE FAMILY PITCHES IN. THAT INCLUDES SCOTT AND CHARLENE - AND THEIR SEVEN YOUNGSTERS, ALL SHARING THE WORKLOAD. THE STOLLERS BELIEVE IN TEACHING RESPONSIBITY ON THEIR 90-HEAD, 250-ACRE CERTIFIED ORGANIC OPERATION.

Scott Stoller, Wayne Co., Ohio Farmer: It leaves a legacy if you can have a nice farm and children that enjoy the farm and make use of it. A family farm that doesn’t make use of children, if it becomes too big and becomes a corporation, I think it loses a lot. If you can have a family farm and one family can do it, it’s just a positive.

THE STOLLERS USE AN INTENSIVE ROTATIONAL GRAZING SYSTEM AND OTHER CONSERVATION MEASURES TO ENSURE THEIR LAND WILL BE PRODUCTIVE WELL INTO THE FUTURE. THE U.S. DEPARTMEN OF AGRICULTURE’S NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE IS A PARTNER IN THE PROCESS.

Scott Stoller: Waterways, we’ve done some spring developments for cattle watering, we’ve done liquid manure storage that’s very helpful, a heavy use cow lane, it’s nice to be able to put the cows out a little earlier in the spring and not have a muddy lane that erodes.

THE STOLLERS ARE STICKLERS FOR CONTROLLING EROSION.

Scott Stoller: Well, any time you see soil moving or any dirt leaving the farm, you’d better work a little harder. If there are areas that needed improvement, you’d better keep going.

THE STOLLERS BELIEVE HARD WORK AND CARING FOR THE LAND ARE GOOD FOR BUSINESS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO FIND TIME FOR OLD FASHIONED FAMILY FUN ON THE FARM. FOR THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, I’M BOB ELLISON.

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