Join us for an afternoon at the Franklin farm as Tom shares the lessons from his early years of farming.

Located just five minutes from Lake Huron, the 100-acre Franklin Farm consists of 50 arable acres, 25 acres of pasture, and a 25-acre riparian zone surrounding a creek and small waterways. Tom and Christine focus on managing the property’s diverse ecology with the help of a small cow calf herd and a 12-paddocks rotational grazing system. The arable acres are dedicated to growing organic grains and cover crops that continue to build the soil health across soil types that vary from heavy clay to sand.

This is a splendid opportunity to share insights into balancing a steep learning curve and a tight budget with a steadfast commitment to ecological health.

Come dig into the nitty-gritty of small-scale farming, including:

• The Organic Transition: Navigating the organic certification process.
• Rotational Grazing: Managing systems for cow-calf herds, including fencing, and water logistics.
• Lessons in Cover Cropping: Discover what’s worked for soil health and what didn’t work for logistically.
• Small-Scale Grains: Practical advice on marketing, storage, and choosing the right equipment without breaking the bank.
• Kernza (Perennial wheat): Looking towards seed bulking for a future farmer-led research trial.
• Organic No-Till soybeans: Find out how the first time planting soybeans into cereal rye is going.
• Farming for Biodiversity: Practical strategies for protecting Bobolink and Meadowlark nesting sites while maintaining a grazing rotation.

In the field: We’ll walk the fields to see the newly planted no-till organic soybeans, check in on the winter wheat, and observe the cow-calf herd during their early pasture rotation.

Get a preview: Can’t wait for the field day? Hear more about Tom’s journey through his audio journal, Great Big Farmer, available on all major podcast platforms.