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About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 3, 2016)
16 CapitalPress.com June 3, 2016 Fifth-generation Tillamook farmer carries on tradition By MARGARETT WATERBURY For the Capital Press Courtesy of Seymour Dairy Seymour Dairy’s calves are still raised on the original parcel their family purchased in 1876. “I’ve worked 9-to-5 type jobs — banking, offices — but I really enjoy my life now. I don’t have days off, but I don’t really have bad days, either,” said fifth-gener- ation farmer John Seymour. “I work every day, but there’s no defined boundary between my work and my life, and I like that.” For John Seymour, rais- ing calves and making si- lage beats working in an office any day. “I’ve worked 9-to-5 type jobs — banking, of- fices — but I really enjoy my life now. I don’t have days off, but I don’t real- ly have bad days, either,” he said. “I work every day, but there’s no defined boundary between my work and my life, and I like that.” John, 27, is a fifth-gen- eration dairy farmer and the dairy manager at Seymour Dairy. His family arrived in southern Tillamook County in 1876, just 17 years af- ter Oregon became a state. Today, their original parcel is still part of the 200-acre farm. Currently milking about 300 cows, Seymour Dairy sells exclusively to the Til- lamook County Creamery Association, where John’s mother, Amy Seymour, is • • • • AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIAL SEPTIC Call for Specials DRINKING WATER • RAIN WATER NEW LOCATION! 33935 Hwy 99E, Tangent, OR A half-mile north of Hwy 34 Authorized BANJO Dealer ALSO AVAILABLE! HYPRO Pumps and TeeJet spray system parts. We Deliver Anywhere! Storage Solutions (541) 928-2937 1-800-982-1099 D16-4/#5 D16-2/#5 See our full inventory at: www.jtisupply.com “We’re a little different because we calve seasonally. We get a huge flush of calves right at the beginning of March, and then it trails off towards the end of April.” John Seymour, fifth-generation dairy farmer on the board of directors. John runs all of the day- to-day operations: mak- ing decisions about where cows will go, scheduling employees, managing herd health and nutrition, treat- ing sick cows, measur- ing pasture and mending fences. “That’s what you get when you’re the man- ager, and also the boss- es’ son,” he said with a smile. Seymour Dairy takes advantage of the Oregon Coast’s relatively mild climate by keeping cows in the pasture as long as possible, typically from the beginning of March all the way through mid- November. “As long as there’s grass outside for them to eat, they’re outside,” he said. John’s maternal grandfa- ther introduced the rotation- al grazing system they still use today. He established 22 separate pastures, a careful- ly chosen number that en- sures cows can be moved to fresh pasture each day. Rye grass, Seymour Dairy’s pri- mary fodder crop, has three leaves. It takes seven days for the plant to grow each leaf, which means it takes 21 days for a pasture to fully regrow after grazing. That seasonal approach also extends to calving and breeding. “We’re a little different because we calve seasonal- ly,” he said. “We get a huge flush of calves right at the beginning of March, and then it trails off towards the end of April.” In addition to his re- sponsibilities as the dairy manager, John is also a participant in the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association Young Dairy Leaders pro- gram. Alongside three other young dairy farmers, John has traveled to Salem and Washington, D.C., to lobby lawmakers on behalf of the dairy industry. “We’ve been able to build connections with members of the Oregon delegation,” John said, “and I think that’s important. There’s a big disconnect now where people don’t really know where their food comes from, or even a lot about farms. It’s hard for dairy farmers to find the time to talk to people about what they do, but it’s good to get out there and share our stories, to let people know we’re here for the right reasons. “Getting to turn grass into milk and cheese is pretty rewarding, and it’s not something very many people get to do anymore. It’s really hard to get into the industry for a person my age who doesn’t have a family farm or financial backing. I’m really lucky I have a farm I can come back to and keep those traditions going.”
