Code,518022
Speaker,Ernie Ogrinc
Date,4-Apr-11
Interviewer,James Black
Abstract,"Ernie Ogrinc is a small time farmer, with just working a 13 acres plot of land by himself. Kind hearted gentleman, with open willingness and excite to spread his knowledge of farming and agriculture to us and our cause. Farming to him isn’t a “job,” but more of a hobby or way of passing the time in an enjoyable and productive manner. Ernie looks forward to the harvesting periods every week if nature allows. Also, it is quite evident that he thoroughly enjoys the aspect of growing something, and selling it to individuals who appreciate the quality of work that he produces."
Tags,"Wheat, Hay, Production of Wheat/Hay, Types of Hay, Curing."
Special Notes,"The only issue was that of background noises, Ernies movement along with a continuing phone going off within another part of the building."
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0,"Tells the listeners his full name, Ernest A. Ogrinc Jr., and gives his birth, Cleveland July 26th, 1941."
1,"Ernie says he moved into the city looking for work after high school, where he came into the trade of heating and cooling industry, as a pipe fitter. His family grew up as a farming household."
2,"Quotes ""It's in my blood to farm, ever since a boy."""
3,"his father was an organic farmer, so thechniques he acquired from him was that of crop rotations."
4,"never relied on commerical grade furtilizers, relied upon natural manuers. Cows and pot ash were his main. Moved into the Valley 1983, and built his own house. Owns 2 lots."
5,"roughly owns 13 acres of usuable fields. Uses his friends tractor/farm machinery, from Bob Musil. Began the production of hay in his life."
6,"with the help of Bob Musil, he later acquired all the machinery he would need for himself, so he may grow and harvest his own hay yields."
7,"would love to go back to growing sweet corn, but deer are an issue. They also take large parts of his wheat as well, he tends to get about 40% of his general yields after the deer are done."
8,"chose to go into farming because of the love for it, gives him something to do, and its more along the lines of just a hobby job."
9,Ernie basically just farms hays for the most part. Mother nature is the biggest challenge that he has to overcome for farming.
10,"the need for dry days is necessary for the drying of his wheat, or else its almost not even worth selling."
11,"he sells basically just to about 5 of his neighbors for their horses, but more recently hes been trying to sell it on craigs list, so he may pick up additional customers."
12,"His last years yield was the largest he's ever had in the past ten years. Doesn’t farm for the money, the investment really isnt worth the payback, but the real payoff is just farming itself."
13,talks about the expenses of a beginner farmer in the area.
14,"hes seeing this movement of people getting back to local gardening, and people making their own food to sustain themselves."
15,"Ernie mainly works alone, the only cooperative aspect to his living is from the aid of the National Park Serices."
16,"he really enjoys when people come out to watch and see whats going on, and see how the scenery is played out."
17,the naturally grown crops on these small farms are much more nutrient than the commerical grade crops you buy at the store.
18,"he has figured out how to avoid cross contamination of his crops, (such as garlic and cow milk for example)"
19,he appreciates that the Park Services must approve what type of pesticides you may or may not want to use.
20,the working relationship with the Park Services is great.
21,"wishes they could help with the deer control, but other than that, the Park Services regulations are relatively fair and minor."
22,"his fathers love for farming, is what really got him into his love for it as well."
23,"once he retired, he went into his farming habbits, and plans on doing this for as lnog as he can."
24,"never really thought of doing all this farming because of his fathers legacy, but however just creating his own so to speak."
25,doesn’t wish to see anymore residential development. Wishes for the area to stay as its value or a rural community.
26,"if he was younger, he would have pursed this path a long time ago."
27,talks about the issues of flooding and the havoc it may cause.
28,"how hay is an easy product to produce, and how it doesn’t need to be dried; however it needs to be curing."
29,"the process of curing, on top of the help of mother nature herself in the process."
30,"the aid of his neighbors barns to store his crops, because in the past few years, hes produced more than he can store himself."
31,"what actually ""hay"" is, not just wheat which may be mistaken. How weeds can be underrated, and how they are actually nutritious for people."
32,"proceeds to continue with the weeds, and how to use them to make very healthy and nutritious salads."
33,"the fine line of curing the hay, it cannot be overly dry, because then it lacks all of its nutritious value; however if its too wet, it is also not as good for the horses."
34,"grows orchid grass, timothy, and clover, which he adds into his feed for particular customers who ask for rich feed. However it may be too rich for some animals though."
35,"explains the richness value of first and second cut of harvesting, and how second cut it generally finer, and more rich than that of the first thick cut."
36,"how some particular animals need a specified blend of grasses in their hay, or else they may or may not even eat it willingly."
37,"you can spoil a horse, or llama by giving the second cut for a long time, and it will eventually get to the point where they will refuse to eat the less rich first cuts."
38,he gets his fertilizer and manuer from the same ladies that he sells his hay to. Basically this cycle of give and take.
39,"depending on what particular crop you wish to plan, there are specified seasonal times where certain crops are best suited to be planted. For ex: colder temperatures and warmer ones, etc."
40,"the biggest dilemma is being ready at all times for what mother nature throws at you, a farmer must plan ahead and find the particular opennings in the weather to do a certain task at hand."
41,"continuation of how to prepare for the weather. Small farm, only 13 acres and a typical house on the property."
42,"this year, with the help of neighbors, wishes to build his own barn so he doesn’t have to rely upon them for their storage."
43,"his property was almost sold to a residential company, however the Valley had its preestablished protection clauses against doing so. In the result, he purchased the property with his former wife."
44,"biggest changes in the Valley has been around the increasing number of housing being built, and a slow decline in farming property."
45,"the property itself, despite these factors still has that rural country feel to it with the wildlife and just the natural landscape itself."
46,"his biggest pleasure of farming is watching people, and animals alike enjoy good food that he watched grow and become a great stable crop."
47,he feels the appeal for locally grown crops are going to come back.
48,"speaks about how one can actually grow wheat in the winter, and only in the winter the wheat can sprout out and create even more plants surprisingly. Ends with how freezing rain can just utterly ruin your harvest."
49,"if you have a general freeze follwed by heavy snow fall is ok, but its just the freezing rain that breaks the stalks off and destroy the harvest."
50,"never really feels he could go into raising animals, he cant see himself slaughtering them. He just cant bring himself to do so, so he wishes to stick to just growing crops."
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