By By JOHN EBY / Cassopolis Vigilant
CASSOPOLIS -- Nate and Lou Ann Robinson's rolling farms between Cassopolis and Marcellus are more diverse than suggested by hundreds of hog huts strewn over the hillsides.
The farm Miss Blossomtime Kerri Hazel of Bloomingdale, area queens, including Miss Cassopolis Ashley Smego and her twin brother, Mr. Blossomtime Adam Smego, visited Saturday -- about an hour late after their bus broke down after lunch in Paw Paw on Farm Bureau's annual agricultural tour -- is at 55721 Decatur Road in Volinia Township.
Although a swine farm "in general," sheep are also raised on some of the pastureland.
The farm produces about 7,000 animals. After farrowing outdoors, they are taken back to the woods to be housed until slaughter.
Lou Ann promoted opportunities available to women in agriculture, "not just out here working, which is what I prefer to do," but also in fields like agronomy.
Robinson's hog farm butts up against Russ Forest, the 700-acre Michigan State University property. "The biggest tree in Michigan lays right over there about a quarter of a mile. It's so big it would build 20 homes. There's a walking trail to get to it. Our other farm, our generational farm, is on the other side of the valley. That's where our crops are raised. We raise corn, soybeans, wheat and sheep with turnips and rye. This farm is only 200 acres. We farm 1,500 acres on the other side," Nate said.
Robinson also belongs to a cooperative which gives retail opportunities for its products in Detroit, Lansing, Flint and Chicago.
He gestures to the woods and its horse trails. "We're putting in campgrounds. What happened to the hog industry makes you change your mind in a hurry. With bigger companies producing pork with which I can't compete, you diversify so all your money isn't in those animals so we can ride this through. What we've lost in the hog market, 30 years of equity is starting to be eaten. I sure need a good accountant and lawyers," he laughed.
He catches the chilled queens admiring the view in 52-degree sunshine from Cass County's highest natural elevation and asks, "Wouldn't this be a good place to put a house if you had some trees? There's always (a breeze) up here, even on a still day, if you want to get cooled off."