It takes a family: On the Farm with Courtney Henderson

Starting in August and ending around November, you will typically see tractors or trucks pulling wagons up and down the roads all around Botetourt County. The reasoning for this phenomenon, is that from August to November, farmers are chopping corn to make cow feed. As early as late November, the previous year, farmers sit down and decide what seed to purchase, how much to purchase and which fields are currently going to be used for corn. Most farmers use a field rotation on their farm, which means that some crops will be planted in a field for x amount of years and then a different crop will take its place. This allows for us to preserve the topsoil and to ensure the ground is nutrient rich and not depleted.

In May, we start the planting process to ensure the corn will be mature enough to bag up for cow feed. On our farm, we store our corn in long white tubes known as, “silage bag”. The silage bag ensiles (ferments) the corn turning it from corn to silage. The ensiling (fermentation) process traps the nutrients in the feed so when we feed it later to the cows, the cows will receive all the nutrients that were originally there when it was first cut.

Harvest season is incredibly stressful, and it takes a family to make everything run smoothly. We each have our own responsibilities during harvest. During this time of year, my dad, granddad, and one of the managers, are responsible for chopping corn and storing the feed.  Dad runs the chopper, granddad stays on the road to ensure that my dad always has a wagon ready to go, and our manager empties the wagon into the bagger to fill the bag. I am the runner and the barn maintenance specialist. I make sure all the grain bins are full, the cattle have hay and access to clean water, I move calves, treat sick ones, clean barns and lots, and make sure everything is running smoothly to avoid any interruptions. My brothers make feed store and vet office runs for us whenever we need them to. This allows me to stay close to the home farm in case of a break down and emergency. My mother and grandmother take turns fixing lunch for the guys and me. Each day we are chopping, my mom and grandma make the food and I take it to the fields. We sit around the truck and eat and catch up on all that needs done and has been done.

Corn harvest is the most stressful time of year. The window for harvest is short, but when a family stands together, we make it happen. We are truly still a FAMILY farm. When we need help the most, we can always count on each other to be there. Even if the jobs seem simple and small, they matter the most. It takes a family to move a mountain, and we sure have a great one!

Pictured: My dad with the harvester. My granddad with the tractor and wagon. Our main manager, Jeremy, on the other tractor. I am in the truck and we are on our way to a new field.

–Courtney Henderson, special to the Botetourt Bee. Story and photo