Over the last few years, we have been amazed by the variety of bird species we see at the farm. Today, I watched a hen turkey strut around one of the hay fields I was tedding. Tonight, Jon and I saw a yellow-headed blackbird by the pool. Seeing all things great and small never gets old. -Leo
We are always working to improve the quality of the forage for our pigs. Recently, the team members have started wondering whether the pigs liked the cereal grains in the fall seed mix. That question has been answered this week. Since last Sunday, this group of eight women has cleaned up this paddock in three days. It is interesting to see them grab a mouthful of forage and go off by themselves to eat it. As Andrea said in her recent TikTok video (https://www.tiktok.com/@staples.farm/video/7635782764486348063), our pigs aren’t looking for anything. -Leo
In January, I spoke with a potential supplier who, to my surprise, described our operation as a research farm. Although I hadn’t considered it in those terms, our family has spent the last 55 years experimenting with alternative farming methods and testing new plant varieties. We strive to reduce risks through soil testing and investing in high-quality seeds. However, weather remains our greatest challenge, and 2025 put us to the test. We received a year’s worth of rain between January and May, only for the pattern to shift drastically, leaving us with very little rainfall for the remainder of the year. In September, we planted fall cover crops across our hay fields and pig pasture. As an experiment, we introduced alfalfa into two Bermuda grass hay fields. Unfortunately, dry conditions, improper planting depth, and an early autumn cold snap took a toll on the cereal grains. In an effort to recover, we sowed forage oats in February, but these too struggled under continued drought. This left us anxious about the quality and yield of our first hay cutting. Fortunately, our cover crop mix included Patagonia INTA Hairy Vetch—a Southern Argentinian variety prized for its winter hardiness, high yields, and nitrogen-fixing properties. As hay, its protein content rivals that of alfalfa. Yesterday, we cut hay. Most fields were dominated by Patagonia Vetch and Winter Peas, with some forage oats and other plants mixed in. The volume of forage is so high that we’ll use a hay tedder to fluff and spread it out today. This speeds up drying and allows us to form windrows that the baler can manage. We’ll test hay from each field and, as always, set pricing based on quality. Of course, cutting is just the first step, and there’s still plenty that can happen before the hay is safely baled. -Leo
We are excited to share that Staples Farm has been chosen for the Oklahoma Soil Health Implementation Program (SHIP). Over the next three years, we will collaborate with the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to create and execute a tailored conservation plan. This plan will feature comprehensive soil testing and carbon tracking to support our ongoing commitment to soil health. Additionally, we were selected to join the Ecdysis Foundation's Project Avalanche, which helps farmers assess and observe the impact of their land management practices on ecosystem health. We already conduct annual soil tests, but this program uses advanced, in-depth testing methods to establish reliable baselines and track improvements in our soil's health. An Ecdysis team of nine experts will travel to Oklahoma in June to train farmers in proper sampling techniques. Later in the year, the team and the program's farmers will meet to review the findings. I have agreed to serve as the Cohort representative for this region in 2027, which will require some additional training. The Ecdysis Foundation is a research-focused non-profit and working farm based in rural South Dakota. Devoted to transforming agriculture, they aim to create positive change for farmers, rural communities, and the environment. Ecdysis offers free research findings to farmers, sells no products or services, and operates independently from government organizations. To learn more, visit their website: https://www.ecdysis.bio/. When my parents bought the farm in 1971, years of improper farming and overgrazing had cut deep ditches into much of the land. Although most of the property was eventually restored, about seven acres at the back remained unaddressed. In 2017, during the reconstruction of Highway 62 along our southern boundary, the State of Oklahoma's construction team asked if they could deposit excess dirt on our land. We agreed, and in 2019, we planted a cover crop on the reclaimed field—a practice we've continued annually since. The soil has steadily improved, and today the field is covered with clovers. The final step is introducing grazing livestock, which we plan to do later this year. Please feel free to send any questions about what we are doing to [email protected]. -Leo
We send our love to Emma and all the children who have DDX3X.