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Farm Credit

Financing Rural America for More Than 95 Years

New faces of farming

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farm | land

4 Dark Horse Stables in Maryland: From city girl to experienced farm woman

6 Leadership leads to success for Liberty Mushrooms in Pennsylvania

8 Wisteria Farm and Vineyard: Providing an enjoyable ‘retirement’ for this Virginia couple

10 John and Sun Sann: Raising chickens with a personal touch on the Eastern Shore

community

12 Properties for sale

Leadervolume 18 | issue 3

MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACAJ. Robert Frazee, CEO

MidAtlantic Farm Credit Board of Directors

Fred N. West Chairman

M. Wayne Lambertson Vice Chairman

Paul D. BaumgardnerDeborah A. BennerBrian L. BoydGary L. GrossnickleDale R. HersheyWalter C. HopkinsT. Jeffery JenningsChristopher KurtzmanFred R. Moore, Jr.Dale J. OckelsJennifer L. RhodesRalph L. Robertson, Jr.Paul J. RockJoseph D. SnappLingan T. Spicer

Questions or Ideas If you have any questions or ideas for the editorial staff of the Leader, contact Donna Dawson at 800.333.7950, e-mail her at ddawson@mafc.com or write her at MidAtlantic Farm Credit, 680 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville, PA 17566. This publication is for you, our reader. We’d love to hear from you!

The Leader is published quarterly for stockholders, friends and business associates.If you wish to no longer receive this publication, please email: unsubscribe@mafc.com and by putting “Unsubscribe Leader” in the subject.

The Farm Credit Administration does not require the association to distribute its quarterly financial reports to shareholders. However, copies of its complete report are available upon request or see quarterly updates online at mafc.com. The share-holders’ investment in the association is materially affected by the financial condition and results of operations of AgFirst Farm Credit Bank and copies of its quarterly financial report are available upon request by writing: Susanne Caughman, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank P.O. Box 1499, Columbia, SC 29202-1499Address changes, questions or requests for the association’s quarterly financial report should be directed to: MidAtlantic Farm Credit, ACA by calling 800.333.7950 or writing: MidAtlantic Farm Credit 45 Aileron Court, Westminster MD 21157

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SEPT event place

2 Labor Day Offices Closed

13-21 The Great Frederick Fair Frederick MD

15 Deadline: apple & peach premium due

18 MAEF/MGGA Scholarship Golf Tournament Hampstead MD

22 First day of Fall

28 Winchester’s Main Street Agriculture Winchester VA

30 Deadline: sales closing for wheat & barley

OCT event place

2 Deadline: spring crop premiums due

8 FCAR Realtor Tradeshow Frederick MD

NOV event place

3 Daylight Savings Time Ends

14 Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry Banquet Willow Street PA

15 Deadline: fall acreage & production

20 Deadline: sales closing for apples & peaches

28-29 Thanksgiving Holiday Offices Closed

Sending out the welcome wagon

message from the president

I don’t get to visit our customers as much as I would like to, but when I do, it’s always fascinating to hear the story of how that person came to farm.

There are people who never planned to come back to their family farm, but found that they missed it when they moved away; there are those who knew from the time they could walk that they were where they were meant to be.

In this issue, we’ve focused on a different breed of farmer—those that came to farming from somewhere else entirely.

Like Sun and John Sanns of Hallwood, Virginia, who helped Sun’s sister research poultry farming as a possible career. Sun’s sister decided that poultry was not for her, but Sun was hooked. Today people call her the “chicken whisperer”—talk about a great student!

Speaking of students, native Manhattan-ite Janna Dyer knew from a young age that she loved horses—she rode in Central Park, and she took a horse with her to college! She’s now surrounded by the horses she loves at Dark Horse Stables, the farm she bought with her parents in 1999.

Moussa Ishak didn’t think much about his lifestyle when he was growing up with a vineyard in Lebanon. But after growing up, and coming to the United States, he found himself visiting

vineyards and wineries with his wife Suzanne, and missing his childhood rural lifestyle. In 2000, he remedied that when he and his wife bought Wisteria Farm in Virginia. Today, the couple produce 900 cases of wine a year.

Finally, you’ll read about Martin and Norma Ortiz of Liberty Mushrooms. Martin started in the industry when he was 16, and moved up from a mushroom picker to owning his own business. It’s a business that now grows over 2.5 million pounds of mushrooms annually!

I love hearing stories about people who dream of farming, and I love hearing that Farm Credit has helped them reach that goal. Earlier this year, we launched a new program—Farm Fresh Financing—created to help people who didn’t come from generations of farmers. This group of farmers—we call them New Generation farmers—make up for a lack of experience with a passion for agriculture, and they’re “cropping” up on small farms everywhere. Through our program, they can get access to training, support, and financing—three critical elements to succeeding these days.

Speaking of success, please know that I wish all of our members success this harvest season—I hope that it’s a great one!

For this city girl, It’s always been about horsesstory and photos by SuSan Walker

EvER SiNCE SHE WAS A vERy yOuNG GiRL, JANNA DyER, OWNER OF DARK HORSE STABLES AND DARK HORSE DRESSAGE iN ROCKy RiDGE, MARyLAND, HAS BEEN AN AviD EquESTRiAN. JANNA DiD NOT, HOWEvER, DEvELOP HER LOvE OF RiDiNG GROWiNG uP iN A RuRAL AREA ON A FARM. iN FACT, SHE WAS BORN AND RAiSED iN MANHATTAN AND JOKiNGLy SAyS THE Tv SHOW THAT BEST DESCRiBES HER LiFE WOuLD BE THE 1960s SiTCOM “GREEN ACRES.” THE DAuGHTER OF A SOuTH AFRiCAN FATHER AND CzECHOSLOvAKiAN MOTHER, JANNA RODE HER FiRST HORSE iN CENTRAL PARK AT THE AGE OF THREE AND HAS BEEN RiDiNG EvER SiNCE.

“My father and mother both worked at the U.N. and I attended the U.N. school,” she explains. “I’ve been riding all my life—in Central Park, at summer camps. I even took my horse with me when I went to college.”

After earning a degree in Animal Science at Cornell, Janna studied with some prominent trainers prior to moving to Europe on a grant from the U.S. Equestrian team to train in dressage at Olympic equestrian Dr. Reiner Klimke’s stable. While in Europe, she studied with a number of top notch trainers, including Georg Heyser, Jessica Ransehausen and Robert Dover. Over the years, she has competed nationally and interna-tionally and is a U.S. Dressage Federation gold medal-ist, as well as a very successful Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) competitor.

success from an unexpected placeIn 1999, Janna returned to the U.S. and bought what is now Dark Horse Stables with her parents, who passed away in 2007 and 2009. Her plan was to provide dressage training to riders and buy, sell and train the

warmbloods (middleweight horses bred for equestrian sport) she imports from Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

“The farm was in terrible shape when we bought it, but it was the only place with a big enough house for all of us and an indoor arena and stable in our price range,” says Janna. “Essentially everything had to be redone.”

Adding to that tremendous amount of work was the collapse of the indoor arena during a snowstorm and the demolition of the cow barn by a hurricane. Asked why she chose the name Dark Horse Stables, Janna explains, “Dark horse means success from an unexpected place, and that seemed to be a fitting name considering the state the farm was in when we first bought it.”

Janna put a great deal of sweat equity into the 54-acre farm to transform it into the successful operation that it is today. An area Mennonite crew rebuilt the indoor arena, now the centerpiece

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1 Loan officer Kelli Wilson

(right) has several of Janna Dyer’s clients as customers and says all of them have the highest praise for Janna and her training.

2 Dark Horse Stable’s spacious,

board-fenced paddocks give both Janna and her clients’ horses room to roam the lush fields.

3 The inspiration for the paintings

and drawings that Janna creates comes from the natural world around her and clearly reflects her deep connection with her horses.

4 Janna and Prezent have

competed against members of the U.S. Olympic Dressage team and placed seventh nationally. Photo provided by NC Photo.

5 The new indoor riding arena at

Dark Horse Stables is where much of what Janna calls reality-based training for dressage competition takes place.

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Additional information can be found by visiting: darkhorsestables.com

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of the farm, which features sand and permaflex footing. The stables are also located in the building that houses the indoor arena and they feature an elegant touch—a crystal chandelier in the entranceway. There is a full kitchen, shower and apartment for overnight guests in the facility as well. There is also a regu-lation outdoor dressage arena with sand over bluestone footing.

The stables are currently home to 20 horses, 12 of which Janna owns for competition riding and resale. She trains 15 clients, ranging in age from 11 to 65, some of whom are professional riders. The training follows the FEI Schoolmaster Program and prepares both horse and rider for dres-sage competition. Says Kelli Wilson, Janna’s loan officer at MidAtlantic Farm Credit, “Janna’s clients adore her. Riding is their release. What I find remarkable about Janna is her persistence. She has always had a vision for her operation and she never loses sight of it, even when she encounters huge obstacles. She’s a standout.”

Adds Janna, “For me, it’s all about service and helping others. The most satisfying thing I do is teaching. I love help-ing someone work through a problem so they are able to communicate with their horse and achieve their riding goals. I push my students out of their comfort zone so they keep learning. You don’t make progress if you keep doing the same thing and don’t stretch yourself.”

Janna applies that same rigorous approach to her own training. She trains every day, riding five to six horses, and regularly rides in international competitions. She and her horse Prezent, the only approved and licensed Ukrainian

Riding Horse stallion in the U.S., recently won both The FEI Musical Freestyle and Intermediare 1 at the VADA/Nova Dressage Show.

“I have the most fun when I’m on a horse,” she explains. “It’s a magical communication, and when you’re connected, they dance for you. My job is to keep my horses sound, healthy and happy, so they can retire here and grow old peacefully in the fields.”

A bright future for Dark Horse StablesOver the past 10 years, Janna has imported 15 warmbloods and plans to expand into importing more in the coming years. She has also started a new venture on the farm, Dark Star Kennel. She’s breeding and training pedigreed working German Shepherds. The dogs are trained to work with the police and military, but can also be what she calls “huggable security” for families or individuals.

When she’s not working with her horses and dogs, teach-ing, making hay or repairing farm equipment, Janna explores her artistic side. She has been painting for four years and has started to show her pastels and watercolors at a local gallery. Several of her works also hang in the Frederick office of MidAtlantic Farm Credit. “Painting is a kind of Zen relaxation for me,” she says. “Unlike all the other things I do, it isn’t physical.”

Looking at Dark Horse Stables today, you would never guess it was once the rundown farm Janna shows in a book of “before” pictures. “My motto is never, never, never give up,” Janna adds. And it’s clear from her success in the face of tremendous challenges that she never does. n

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MARTiN ORTiz MAKES MuSHROOM GROWiNG LOOK EASy. HiS MuSHROOM HOuSES ARE CLEAN AND PRODuCTivE, AND HiS EMPLOyEES ARE HARD-WORKiNG AND HAPPy. BuT CuLTivATiNG MuSHROOMS iS ANyTHiNG BuT EASy. A SuCCESSFuL AND PROFiTABLE HARvEST iNvOLvES A LOT OF HARD WORK ALONG WiTH KNOWLEDGE AND iNTuiTiON.

a new AmericanSpend just a little time with Martin and Norma Ortiz and their two sons, and it’s easy to see how they’ve turned an opportunity into the thriving businesses they call Ortiz Shiitake Mushrooms, Inc. and Liberty Mushrooms in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. When Martin came to the United States from Mexico as a 16-year old seek-ing work, his brother was already employed in Chester County’s mushroom growing industry. Martin quickly found work as a mushroom picker.

But Martin didn’t last as a picker. His employer recognized his leadership ability, and after just three months of working as part of a harvest crew, Martin became a team leader. Not long after that promotion, Martin became a truck driver, entrusted with delivering a highly perishable crop to packers.

Martin obtained permanent residency in 1987 and citizenship in 2001. During that time, his employer offered Martin another opportunity: to become an assistant grower. “That’s when I learned how to grow mush-rooms,” says Martin. “I used to do three jobs: delivery, take care of the guys (work crews) and head grower.”

The hours were long and hard, but Martin learned as he worked. He paid close attention to every aspect

of the business and developed the skills required to grow mushrooms.

a new ventureMartin says that he always wanted to have his own mushroom growing business, so when his employer at the time gave him 50 shiitake logs, Martin was quick to recognize the opportunity. In 1999 Martin and Norma established Ortiz Shiitake Mushrooms, Inc.

“I used to grow 5,000 or 6,000 logs a week,” says Martin, adding that his wife Norma helped him pick and pack the Shiitake mushrooms. “I had 20,000 logs in production at one time, and we picked three pounds from each log.”

Shiitake mushrooms are grown on logs that have been inoculated with 6

Proven leadership leads to success in mushroom industrystory and photos by Sally Scholle

1 The Ortiz family works together

to ensure the success of Liberty Mushrooms, LLC and Ortiz Shiitake Mushrooms, Inc. in Kennett Square, PA. Parents Norma and Martin (center) passed along a strong work ethic to their sons Johnathan (left) and Martino.

2 Shiitake were the first mushroom

crop Martin grew for himself. These flavorful mushrooms grow in pre-inoculated logs and are hand-harvested at the peak of flavor.

3 Farm Credit loan officer Jay

Shannon harvests mushrooms as Martin guides him through the process. Martin recognizes and appreciates the skill required to harvest mushrooms properly and efficiently.

4 In addition to helping

Martin with nearly all aspects of the family’s business, Norma manages the books for both Liberty Mushrooms and Ortiz Shiitake Mushrooms.

5 Martin demonstrates

how an experienced picker deftly plucks several mushrooms at one time, and then trims the stems to a certain length before gently placing them in a box.

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spores. Under the right conditions, shiitake are ready to pick in a week, and each pre-inoculated log yields three crops. At one point, Martin was harvesting his own 20,000 logs while holding a full-time job with a mushroom company.

With the help of Farm Credit loan officer Jay Shannon, the Ortizes started to purchase additional mushroom houses to grow Agaricus bisporus, the typical, white button mushroom. Norma recalls that the early days were extremely busy. She and Martin were raising their two young sons, and Norma was doing the accounting for both businesses in addition to holding a full-time job off the farm.

The hard work paid off. Today, Liberty Mushrooms, which was established in 2006, has 12.5 growing rooms and produces over 2.5 million pounds of mushrooms annually.

not a typical farmGrowing mushrooms might seem simple, but producing a healthy crop of creamy white mushrooms involves more than compos-ted horse manure and dark rooms. Growers must plan carefully for crops, which are grown in 11 or 12 week cycles, and have to balance sensitive growing conditions at precisely the right times for optimum results. Having mushrooms ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas markets is especially challenging because Martin must plan growing cycles that ensure a fresh product that’s ready to hit the shelves in time for holiday meals.

From the outside, mushroom houses look pretty much alike—cinderblock buildings that were constructed during the mid-1900s. Inside, rows of wooden beds are filled with specially prepared compost, which is sterilized with steam before spawn—the spores that will become mushrooms—is added. A layer of peat moss, known as casing, is added to promote growth and as a medium for fertilizer. After about 20 days, pins, tiny versions of what will become mushrooms, begin to appear on the surface.

While all of that is happening, it’s a matter of watching tempera-ture, humidity and being keenly aware of odors. Martin keeps intri-cate records on everything, from when the steam process started to the temperature and humidity in each room. Factors such as the time of year, air flow, moisture and pH all influence crop outcome.

“You have to go into the houses to know what is happening,” says Martin as he opened the door to a growing room in the process of being prepared for the next cycle of mushrooms. “You can see what the temperature is, but you also have to know what the smell is.” Martin is keenly aware of the growing stage in each room, and his experience helps him distinguish between a desirable sweet odor and undesirable mold.

busy days and nightsBecause the Ortiz family owns mushroom houses in several locations, Martin is constantly on the move, going from one house to another to check temperatures throughout the day and at night. “It depends on the weather,” he says. “We come in the evening and make sure everything is ok; that the temperature is right. Then the next day at about 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, we check again.”

Although some parts of the mushroom growing process are contracted, the owner oversees and keeps records on every stage of the process.

To keep the mushroom beds clean and free of disease, work-ers use a foot wash between plants, houses and rooms. “The pickers can’t move from a house that’s on the first picking from the third picking then back to the first,” says Martin. “We go from youngest to oldest.”

the labor issue Mushrooms are hand-harvested by pickers who lift them from the substrate, or compost, that has provided nourishment for the past several weeks. Both Martin and Norma agree that it takes practice to gently pluck the mushrooms, cut the stems and place them in box—all without bruising the tender flesh and without damaging the mushrooms that are still growing. Norma points out that mushrooms are harvested by size, and that Martin can influence the size of the mushrooms by controlling the tempera-ture in the room.

As is the case with most agricultural enterprises, one of Martin’s biggest challenges as a business owner is labor. Picking mushrooms is hard work, and it’s tough to keep employees. Norma says that they will place newly hired pickers with their best pickers—those who have been doing it for many years. “It’s a skill,” she says, adding that she’s still learning about the indus-try. “You have to know when to pick, how to pick and the stump has to be just the right size.”

Norma says that Martin’s crews are hard workers and enjoy working for her husband because he treats them well. The Ortizes’ two sons, Johnathan and Martin, work in the family’s mushroom houses, but don’t plan to stay in the industry. Johnathan is currently in law enforcement, and Martin is a sophomore at Penn State studying to become a veterinarian.

“I have to make everybody happy,” says Martin with a grin that reflects his personality. “I have to make the packer happy with mushrooms, and my workers happy with a paycheck.” n 7

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1 The relaxing atmosphere at

Wisteria Farm and Vineyard is the perfect setting to sit back and enjoy a glass of wine while snacking on some farm fresh table grapes. Photo provided by Suzanne Ishak.

2 Moussa and Suzanne Ishak find

happiness in running Wisteria Farm and Vineyard. From raising grapes, to making wine, to entertaining people, they could not be happier with their lifestyle. In addition to selling olive oil produced in Moussa’s homeland of Lebanon, they sell a few locally made items such as candles and wine accessories.

3 The layout of Wisteria Farm and

Vineyard is similar to that of a vineyard in Lebanon. Moussa utilized everything he could instead of buying materials.

4 Suzanne pours a glass of wine

for Karen Swecker, a MidAtlantic Farm Credit loan officer. “We’ve developed a personal relationship with Farm Credit. They showed us options that we didn’t know were available,” Suzanne says.

5 Moussa spends much of his time

in the vineyard taking care of the grapevines. After the leaves fall from the vines in the fall, Moussa spends about three months pruning. In the spring he pulls leaves from around clusters, ties up shoots, applies fungicides, and tries to keep grasses killed back from the bottom of the grape vines.

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Wisteria Farm and Vineyard: Providing an enjoyable retirement for this Virginia couplestory and photos by Jennifer ShoWalter

MANy PEOPLE SPEND THEiR WHOLE CAREER DREAMiNG OF REACHiNG RETiREMENT JuST SO WORK iS A THiNG OF THE PAST, BuT NOT MOuSSA AND SuzANNE iSHAK. RETiREMENT MEANS THAT THEy WERE READy TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE OF STARTiNG A NEW BuSiNESS. AFTER SPENDiNG yEARS WORKiNG iN THE CiTy, THEy WERE BOTH EAGER TO GET OuT, ENJOy RuRAL LiviNG, AND START A WHOLE NEW CAREER DOiNG SOMETHiNG THEy HAvE A LOvE FOR.

how it all came aboutMoussa served as an engineer for 25 years and Suzanne was involved with the computer industry. Enjoying both the outdoors and wine, they often spent their weekends visiting nearby vineyards and winer-ies. Moussa’s love for vineyards actually started much earlier in life. While growing up in Lebanon, his family had a vineyard and produced wine they informally

sold to friends and neighbors. Visiting local vineyards and wineries here in the states

reminded Moussa of home and just how much he really

enjoyed the rural life-style he once lived.

When Moussa left his homeland in 1979 to come

to the United States to get

an education and eventu-ally start

a career, he not only brought his love of agriculture with him but much of what he had been taught while growing up. His desire to get his hands back in the dirt only intensified as his professional career progressed, which encouraged him to attend numerous seminars and lectures on grape and wine production. Feeling that hands-on experience was the best for him, Moussa helped out at a few vineyards and wineries before investing the first dollar into developing his own business.

In 2000, Moussa and Suzanne bought Wisteria Farm, a 20 acre farm with an 1890s Victorian house on the western slope of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Stanley, Virginia. At the time, both Moussa and Suzanne still had their professional jobs, but they started to slowly clear their land of mature cedar trees with the intent of starting their own vineyard.

Moussa did the clearing himself and tried to save and utilize as much of the lumber and mulch as possible. Putting his woodworking skills to use, he used the wood he harvested to build trellises, fences,

8For more information on Wisteria Farm and vineyard, find them on Facebook or visit wisteriavineyard.com.

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doors, signs, and other décor around the vineyard and tast-ing room. Not wanting to jump into things too quickly, Moussa cleared about a half an acre a year and then allowed the land to rest for a year before planting.

Because it takes about four years for a vine to produce a desirable quantity and quality of grapes, Moussa and Suzanne decided to go ahead and plant their first 300 vines in 2002, and have continued to expand by about 500 vines each year.

In 2007, Moussa retired and was able to focus more on his new adventure. By 2008, Moussa and Suzanne had a large enough harvest to go commercial, so their next step was to open a tasting room in 2009. Suzanne retired in 2010 and started handling the tasting room and books while Moussa took care of the farm and vineyard. In addition to the two of them, they now have one part-time employee who helps around the grounds and a few weekend helpers who assist in the tasting room.

Wisteria Farm and Vineyard currently has about five and a half acres under vine and is producing around 900 cases of wine a year. Suzanne says their idea is not to get big but rather to stay small and use their farm and vineyard as a retirement type of income. They hope to eventually produce 1,300 to 1,500 cases of wine each year but do not have any intentions of getting much bigger than that. In order to meet their current wine production level, Moussa and Suzanne buy some off-farm locally grown grapes but intend to eventually sell 95% estate wines, those made from grapes grown at Wisteria Farm and Vineyard.

Moussa and Suzanne take pride in being as green and sustainable as possible when it comes to their farm and vineyard. They quickly found that with the disease pressures, insects, and high humidity they face in their area, it is just about impossible to be completely organic.

more than just a place to buy wineWith around ten varieties of grapes, harvest is staggered, making it easier for Moussa to handle. Even though Moussa and Suzanne do most of their own labor, they hold numerous events through-out the year that encourage customers to come out and help with such things as harvesting and planting. They even have a club referred to as “Friends of Wisteria” that rewards customers with wine purchase discounts in return for helping with such things

as planting, harvest, stomping, bottling, and pouring at festivals. “We wine and dine our volunteers very well,” says Suzanne.

In addition to events that allow customers to have a hand in helping produce the final product, Moussa and Suzanne hold numerous other social type events that encourage people to come out, listen to music, enjoy some wine, and relax. Their Pick ‘em and Stomp ‘em annual event tends to draw the biggest crowd, but on a normal weekend Suzanne estimates that a couple hundred people join them.

Visitors to Wisteria Farm and Vineyard will find more than just grapevines and wine. Moussa and Suzanne have cherry, apple, almond, chestnut, and ju ju berry trees spread through-out their vineyard. They also grow table grapes and tomatoes for customers to purchase. On top of all that, Suzanne has a small flock of Romeny sheep that are a big hit for visitors. Each spring a day is set aside for customers to come out and watch the sheep be shorn. Suzanne has the wool sent off and made into yarn and blankets that she sells in the tasting room. Guests will also find free-range chickens scratching around the vineyard and can buy farm fresh eggs while they are there.

A peaceful walking trail through the vineyard and down to a creek adds to the beauty of the setting at Wisteria Farm and Vineyard. “We are not here to have our visitors taste wine, buy it and go away. We like to encourage them to taste the wine, of course buy some, and then walk around, sit on one of our decks, and stay a while,” says Suzanne.

customers from near and farBeing located close to Washington, DC and near Luray, which has several visitor attractions itself, Wisteria Farm and Vineyard is ideally situated. Suzanne estimates that 20 to 30 percent of their business comes locally from the Shenandoah Valley, while 50 percent comes from northern Virginia and Washington, DC. “A big part of our customers have a second home in our area and can conveniently come by. We also get a lot of repeat annual customers that make a stop at our place each year while they are on vacation,” says Suzanne.

All in all these two individuals are keeping themselves busy in their retirement. n

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300,000 chickens with a personal touchstory and photos by nancy l. Smith

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THEy CALL HER THE CHiCKEN WHiSPERER. EvEN ExPERiENCED GROWERS WHO ADviSED HER NOT TO GET iNTO THE CHiCKEN BuSiNESS COME TO WALK THE CHiCKEN HOuSES WiTH SuN SANNS OF HALLWOOD, viRGiNiA TO LEARN HER SECRETS. THERE’S NO SECRET, JuST AN iNCREDiBLE EMPATHy WiTH THE CHiCKENS THAT PASS uNDER HER PROTECTiON FOR THEiR 49 TO 51 ALLOTTED DAyS.

Sun and her husband John did not plan to become poultry farmers. They moved to Virginia’s Eastern Shore when John was transferred to Wallops Island where he is a Network Engineer and IT Security Officer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Seven years ago they began to research chicken production for Sun’s sister, who thought it might be a career for her.

new to the business Sun and John had never seen a commercial chicken operation. Sun recalls when she was five or six years old, her mother kept a few chickens but that was the extent of her experience. Her sister’s interest waned but Sun was captivated, even though practically every grower they met told them chickens were too much work and the revenues were small.

The couple bought a 70-acre farm and Sun learned the chicken business by working without pay for one of the few growers who encouraged her to enter the business. The couple built four chicken houses with a loan from MidAtlantic Farm Credit and the Farm Service Agency. Sun was cautiously enthusiastic about the venture. “Was I excited? Yeah! Was I scared? Oh yeah!”

Sun’s empathy with her chickens runs deep. “I’m not a doctor, but I know when something is wrong with the chickens,” she says. “I don’t have to hear anything, I just look at them.”

John explains, “Her philosophy is: as long as they are here, they will have the best life they can have. If we are having dinner and the alarm goes off, she goes to the house right then. Occasionally, there has not been an alarm, but she feels something, gets up from the meal and goes to check.”

1 Sun and John Sanns pose

between two of their six broiler houses. They have planted switch grass in front of all their tunnel fans to filter nitrates and dust from the air exhausted by the fans.

2 A colorful entrance greets

visitors to Sun and John’s chicken farm. The couple was awarded the Delmarva Poultry Industry’s 2011 Outstanding Poultry Producer Award.

3 Sun and Lynn Thornton, MAFC

loan officer, admire one of Sun’s kiwi plants. Like all fruits and vegetables on the farm, they are organically grown.

4 Sun and John Sanns of

Hallwood, VA raise 300,000 broiler chickens at a time. “They have really figured out what works,” says their MAFC loan officer Lynn Thornton.

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“Every time I have done this, there has been some type of a problem in the house, and my babies needed me,” she says.

Sun explains, “I don’t go into the houses when I’m angry, I don’t want them to feel it. People think they’re stupid. They’re not stupid.” When the newly hatched chicks are delivered to the farm, Sun says, “I spend several hours a day just walking through the houses and they follow along like I’m their mother.”

Sun sees something in her chickens that most others do not. “All chicken faces look different,” she says. John voices a more common opinion, “To me, all chickens look the same.”

highly computerized operation Whether he is able to distinguish individual chickens or not, John’s electronics and computer expertise is crucial to the farm. “About 98 percent of farms have alarm systems that call out to a company and then the company calls you when an alarm is triggered,” he explains. Instead of a third-party system, John has installed a sophisticated in-house alarm system. Together with an extensive camera system, the Sanns are able to monitor their chickens at all times. “Chickens call me on the cell phone,” says Sun. She can even view live camera feeds from her cell phone.

The computerization allows Sun to manage 300,000 chickens with just one employee. She continually monitors environmental controls. “I am constantly tweaking the settings,” she says. “I may change them three or four times a day.”

“As long as she has a computer she can do her work,” John notes. Sun agrees, but adds, “It doesn’t mean I don’t go in. I still have to go inside. I have to take care of them.” Her empathy with the chickens does not end when they leave the farm. “I used to cry after every flock went out. I don’t cry now, I just feel sad,” she says.

The technology and dedication have paid off. When the chickens are delivered to the Processing plant, they are in competition with around 14 other farms that delivered in the same week. Growers who produce chickens at the lowest cost are ranked higher and paid more than those who are less efficient. Sun’s flocks have ranked first nine times and most of the other times she has been in second place; it is pretty rare to come in third place or lower for her.

Her success has been recognized. John reports, “Some farmers who have been doing this for 20 or 30 years come over to talk to her. A lot of them have never seen number one, two, or even three in their career.”

how sweet it is The couple’s latest project came about because John wanted honey that tastes of flowers. “You can taste the wildflowers in raw honey,” says John, who wants to produce such flavorful honey.

The Sanns planted six acres of wildflow-ers as native pollinator habitat. The pair says the Natural Resources Conservation Service is crucial to the project. John says, “NRCS sent a guy from North Carolina who walked the farm with local NRCS people and recommended a blend of wildflower seeds based on what would do best on our soil.”

There are also seven acres of new fruit trees and bushes. “We planted persimmons, peaches, pears, pecans, pomegranates, chest-nuts, plums, blueberries and grapes, to name a few,” John says, noting that a lot of the trees should begin to bear in the next two to three years. Sun adds that a lot of the fruit will be used as wildlife habitat, and will be given to local homeless shelters and food banks. “We may sell some to recoup our costs, but we will just give away most of it,” she explains.

future on and off the farm In 2012, the Sanns added two chicken houses to the original four and are hoping to purchase another area farm to expand further. They will install the first gasification system (type of incinerator) on the shore to burn the dead chickens and any contaminated litter.

“It provides destruction of 100% of all organics and micro-organisms down to the micron level, helping to protect the environ-ment with a dramatic reduction in weight and volume to be disposed of, as well as a signifi-cant reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus,” John explains.

“The unit has an 800 pound capacity, runs off of propane initially, then uses the birds as fuel. There is no odor, no smoke, no air pollution. The unit is very green and environmental friendly.”

Sun explains that with the farm, “Our goal is to provide a good food source, at a good price, with as little impact as possible on the environ-ment. We want to continue fishing and swim-ming in the Chesapeake Bay and we want our children to as well, for generations to come!” “We must strive to teach the youth of today, for the preservation of tomorrow,” says John.

Eventually the Sanns hope to see their sons—now 16 and 22—graduate from college and be debt-free, thanks to the chicken opera-tion. They’d then like to hire a farm manager and travel the U.S. as Christian missionaries. “This would really be a continuation of what we are already doing,” says John. n

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Properties for sale

5 bedrooms, 2 baths in Hockman Hall. 5 bay 2 ½ story 1803 stone dwelling on 33.76 acres above Little Antietam Creek. 5 fireplaces, original plank flooring, subterranean root cellar and modern bank barn with original stone foun-dation. $449,900.

Contact Charlie Angle, Mackintosh Realtors, 301.790.1700.

Opportunity to own 24 acres. House is only one year new, with many upgrades. Cook’s kitchen with stainless appliances, granite counters and a center island. Hardwood flooring throughout main level. Tons of

storage. For the hunters there is turkey and deer in abundance. $349,900.

Contact Chris Rosendale, Rosendale Realty, 410.490.0460.

Hagerstown, Maryland

Chestertown, Maryland

Chesapeake Bay waterfront lot with adjoining lot for sale to total over 30 acres and almost 500 ft. of waterfront. Boat, hunt, bring the horses, the possibilities are yours for the taking. Perked and ready to go. $750,000 for one lot or $1.5 for both.

Contact Tammy Rosendale, Rosendale Realty, 410.758.0333.

Stevensville, Maryland

Farmette offering 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths,

living room with hardwood floors and gas fireplace, new roof. 20x40 in-ground pool and deck. Custom bath just off the pool with shower. 5.25 acres, 30x60 barn with 10 ft. overhang, fenced pastures, run-in shed and manure build-ing. $549,900.

Contact Cindy Grimes, J&B Real Estate, Inc., 301.271.3487, Ext. 24.

Rocky Ridge, Maryland

127 acre farm with 82 tillable acres, 43 acres of pasture, free stall building, bank barn and stone farm-house built in 1800s. Farm is in ag preser-vation. $899,000.

Contact Pat Brunner, Mackintosh Inc., Realtors, 240.529.0104.

Mt. Airy/Libertytown, Maryland

This is the last available parcel in a 4 lot estate community. Beautiful views and deep water on over 6 acres of land. Extensive shoreline restoration to ensure many years of enjoyment. $675,000.

Contact Megan Rosendale, Rosendale Realty, 410.490.2567.

Centreville, Maryland

65+ acres with sweeping views of open pasture, rolling hills & a 2007 Amish built 11 stall bank barn. Home has pine flooring, 9 ft. ceilings and open floor plan – puts modern day spin on traditional MD farmhouse. $1,650,000.

Contact Frank H. Durkee, III, Oconor & Mooney, 410.409.5067.

White Hall, Maryland

Wye River views in a private setting. Home features all new windows & doors, new hardwood floors, and the appliances have been replaced. Also includes a 50’ barn with 14’ doors. $600,000.

Contact David Kaufmann, Exit Gold Realty, 443.223.3026.

Queenstown, Maryland

Ride to Fair Hill from 10+ acres, 7 stall center aisle barn, numerous paddocks, and 2 houses. Live in one, manage the barn and rent the other. Good for 3-day eventing, boarding, teaching. Formerly used for resting horses. Convenient to Elkton, Newark & Fair Hill. $459,900.

Contact Donna Planck, Patterson Schwartz Real Estate, 302.545.2500.

Elkton, Maryland

22.9 acres ready for you to build your private retreat. Includes woods, meadows and fields. One perc. MARC train minutes away. Antietam National Battlefield & Chestnut Grove Park nearby. You can bring your livestock too! $227,900.

Contact Frank Getz, Coldwell Banker Innovations, 301.992.9652.

Keedysville, Maryland

21+/- acres at the conflu-ence of the Tred Avon River & Plaindealing Creek. Renovated circa 1866 farmhouse with 5 bedrooms, cherry flooring, corian topped kitchen & 3 fireplaces. Also included: guest house, pool, pool house and boat house with two lifts and studio. $3,900,000.

Contact Skipper Marquess, Exit Latham Realty, 410.924.3212.

Easton, Maryland

Awaiting your personal touch is this beautifully restored home located close to the community dock on Elliott’s Island. The outside has been nicely restored with the interior wiring, plumbing & heating done. This spacious home is on 1.63 acres backed by woods. $179,500.

Contact Walt Trice, Exit Latham Realty, 410.463.0500.

Vienna, Maryland

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Need financing for any of these properties? Call your local Farm Credit office.All of the properties listed on these pages are offered for sale by local, licensed Realtors and Auctioneers. MidAtlantic Farm Credit is not affiliated with these properties, nor are we responsible for content or typographical errors. Please call the Realtor or Auctioneer listed for more information.

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Spectacular 54+/- acre Eastern Shore property on the Chesapeake Bay. Stunning home offering natural light, amazing stone & wood design. 4 master suites, gourmet kitchen, and custom Amish woodwork and ironwood balconies. Sandy beach, rip-rapped & substantial dock with 4+/- MLW and two boat lifts. $3,900,000.

Contact Traci Jordan, Exit Latham Realty, 410.310.8606.

Peaceful and perfect and backs to Fair Hill 500+ acres. Bring your horses. Home features 3-4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, gourmet kitchen, pool, hot tub, walk-out basement for additional in-law suite. Located at the end of a cul-de-sac with back property line joining Fair Hill. $379,000.

Contact Melinda Wimer, C. Williams, Co., REALTORS, 410.287.3691.

Elkton, Maryland

Elegant country living in this fully reno-vated 1800s Federal style brick home. Overlooks spectacular 2+ acre pond. 5 fire-places and gourmet kitchen. Bank barn, stable, groom’s apartment, riding ring and 30+ acres of pasture. 50+ tillable acres, 50+ acres of woods and extensive riding trails. $2,275,000.

Contact Denie Dulin, Prudential Homesale YWGC Realty, 410.804.7141.

28+/- waterfront acres. Build your dream home & enjoy the incredible sunrises over the Choptank River. The farm boasts easy access to the Chesapeake Bay, two non-tidal ponds, substantial barn with loft, 1,200+/- ft. of shoreline and abundant wildlife. $895,000.

Contact Renee Rishel, Exit Latham Realty, 410.310.7024.

Follow the winding driveway past the pond & your own private paradise awaits. 45 secluded acres with 7 clear land around the house, the rest in woods. The 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is immaculate with front porch & rear deck. Above the detached 2 car

garage is 2 finished rooms (presently a “man cave.”) $520,000.

Contact Anne M. Jones, Champion Realty, Inc., 410.310.1249.

Tilghman, Maryland

Sudlersville/Marydel, Maryland

Rare find – two for the price of one! 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath Cape Cod home & 2 bedroom, 2 bath rancher. Homes sit on approxi-mately 20 acres with subdivi-sion potential. 20x28 garage and in-ground pool. $489,925.

Contact April Heim, Rosendale Realty, 410.643.2166.

Greensboro, Maryland

Substantial barn situated on 26.96 rolling acres with stream, woods & building site for a future home. 3,000 sq. ft. barn could be converted into a 2nd floor apart-ment with barn access beneath. Goose, deer & turkey hunt-ing in the 7+/- wooded acres. Possibilities with no restrictions. $199,900.

Contact R. James Latham, Exit Latham Realty.

Hurlock, Maryland

16+/- acres with high visibility to Route 404. Currently being farmed but can be sold as four separate parcels. $2,717,800.

Contact Greg Gannon, Exit Latham Realty, 410.829.5430.

Denton, Maryland

4 bedroom, 2.5 bath country home. 2 car garage on 3 acres. Only 15 minutes to Bel Air. 2,584 sq. ft. living area plus basement. Roof replaced, heat/AC, huge family room with brick surround wood stove. No HOA restrictions, cattle, gardens, small business, etc. would be OK. $330,000.

Contact Mary Beth Archer, Long & Foster Real Estate, 410.459.3370.

Street, Maryland

Glyndon, Maryland

Private paradise! 3 bedroom, 2 bath home is in nice shape! 5 stall stable, tack room, 2 pastures with vinyl fencing, storage shed/hay barn, run-in shed and separate garage with office. Paved drive, gazebo, hot tub, pool and much more! $250,000.

Contact Rusty Perdue, Exit Shore Realty, 443.497.8482.

Pittsville, Maryland

Sherwood, Maryland

20 acre farm with 4 outbuildings, dairy barn & 120 long loafing shed. Dairy barn has office with heat & A/C. 2 wells on property (1 for irrigation & 1 for house). House has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 2 kitchens. Huge 14x38 living room, dining room combination. Sold “as is” – needs some work. $349,000.

Contact Wendy Friend, Remax Results, 301.644.5525 or 240.674.7675.

Knoxville, Maryland

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Properties for sale (continued)

Dorchester County, 117 acre farm in Woolford, 65 acres tillable. Market time in woods. Close to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Excellent hunting. Large farmhouse, garage/shop, machinery shed. Ideal for horses. Additional lot has boat dockage to Church Creek. $485,000.

Contact Carlton Nabb, Nabb Real Estate, Inc., 410.228.2014

Eastern Shore, Maryland

Eastern Shore home on 24.8 acres. Great hunting property and relaxing haven. Historic Chestertown on the Chester River is 90 minutes from Washington, DC and Philadelphia. Open floor plan with panoramic view of woods, pond and stream. Warm ambi-ance with wood, architectural details. Carriage house with studio. $697,000.

Contact Richard Budden, Coldwell Banker Chesapeake Real Estate. 443.480.1181.

Immaculate condition, 3 bedroom, 2 bath rancher on 1+ acre lot. Close to Preston, hardwood floors, 2-level deck and shed. $169,900.

Contact Mary Libick & Andy Beaven, Wright Real Estate, 443.786.6585 or 410.924.3111.

Chestertown, Maryland

Hurlock, Maryland

22 acre waterfront building site. Secluded & private on Elliott Creek just off Fishing Bay with easy access to Chesapeake Bay. Great fish-ing & hunting. Situated just a couple miles from Elliott’s Island with deep water for a future dock & community dock with slips available. $385,000.

Contact Becky Trice, Exit Latham Realty, 410.463.0077.

Equine training facility built in 2008 with 15 stalls, 2 tack rooms, office, feed room, view-ing/meeting room, hot & cold wash rack, bathroom, indoor arena, outdoor ring, separate 4 stall barn, several paddocks and access to trails. Also included is a 3 bedroom single family ranch style home. $870,000.

Contact Laura-Lee Jones, Long and Foster Real Estate, Inc., 800.409.7355.

Rare opportunity to own a circa 1703 estate home with 10 acres. Home was updated in the mid 1980s, exposed log walls and random width hardwood floors will take you back to a time gone by. Existing bank barn needs work, ag assessment can convey, good soils for grapes. $950,000.

Contact Tim McGrath, Mackintosh Inc. Realtors, 800.292.3547.

182 acres, ultimate property for farming & hunting. Nice home, sits back from the road, has in-ground pool, pond, and a trap range. Barn (42x75) has club room with bar & kitchen. About 62 acres tilled. Impoundments, food plots for wildlife. $1,199,000.

Contact Mickey Hayward, Sunset Properties, 410.479.9729, Ext, 21.

Well maintained rancher with open floor plan. Located on 2.2 acres, sets back from road. Garden, fruit trees, 2 sheds and more. Just reduced! $140,500.

Contact Diane Wenk, Wright Real Estate, 410.310.7399.

164 acres of beautiful farmland in Montgomery County Ag Preserve. Views of Sugarloaf & Blue Ridge. Close to DC MARC train & Woodstock Equestrian Park. Lots of trails. Secluded Manor house & tenant house. Excellent schools. $2,490,000.

Contact Pat Smith, PBS, Inc., 301.530.9152.

Vienna, MarylandWaldorf, Maryland Greensboro, Maryland Henderson, Maryland

Dickerson, Maryland

Need financing for any of these properties? Call your local Farm Credit office.All of the properties listed on these pages are offered for sale by local, licensed Realtors and Auctioneers. MidAtlantic Farm Credit is not affiliated with these properties, nor are we responsible for content or typographical errors. Please call the Realtor or Auctioneer listed for more information.

5 bedroom, 3.5 baths in this spacious custom built farmhouse with wrap-around porch. Front of property has been approved for a gravity septic system and land is sub dividable. All on 27.84 acres. Small hometown feel yet within 15 minutes of beaches and 5 minutes to shopping. $695,000.

Contact Carmen Brooks, Keller Williams Realty Central Delaware, 302.542.8914.

Frankford, Delaware

Germantown, Maryland

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6 acre farmette with 1,500’ road frontage on two roads. Subdivision possible. 2 bedroom bungalow goes with property plus 2 car block garage. Ideal for horse farm or subdivide, build new house and sell off other parcels. Plot plan & soils information available. $164,900.

Contact Gail Light, REMAX Horizons, Inc., 302.678.4304.

Truly outstand-ing describes this 56 acre East Hanover Twp., Lebanon Co, equestrian farm. An exceptional

home designed with entertaining in mind & a first-class stable and grounds. Plenty of privacy & just minutes from highways & Penn National Race Course. $1,180,000.

Contact Michael Yingling, Re/Max Delta Group, Inc., 717.652.8200.

107 acres with year round stream, springs & pond. Separate pastures with sturdy bank barn, hardwoods & pines, nature trails, meadows & a cave to explore. 200+ year old log home with 2 frame additions, long road frontage on a VA Scenic Byway. $699,500.

Contact Anita H. Rhodes, Johnston & Rhodes Real Estate, 540.459.9650.

104 acre farm, create your own paradise of beautiful views and cropland along with a set of buildings and home that will take you back to a simple way of life. $895,000.

Contact Christ W. Taylor, Beiler-Campbell Realtors, 888.786.8715.

40+ acre farm with 1700s homestead. Adjacent to site of 1864 Civil War Battle of Toms Brook. 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3 fire-places with original stonework, beamed ceilings, barn, stables, and old creamery. Home has been restored & remodeled with new kitchen & baths. $529,900.

Contact Cynthia Dellinger, United Country Shenandoah Valley Realty, 540.477.9791.

All brick Colonial with over 6,800 sq. ft. of living space. Sits on 42 acres with 3 board fencing around the entire perimeter. Large in-ground pool & great views of the countryside. Detached workshop & garage complete this property. $1,750,000.

Contact Bob Boden, Long & Foster/Webber & Associates, 540.662.3484, Ext. 146.

Marydel, Delaware

Grantville, Pennsylvania

Mt. Jackson, Virginia

Douglasville, Pennsylvania

Maurertown, Virginia

Winchester, Virginia

1853 brick manor house on 102 prime agricultural acres. Restored house is 4,700 sq. ft. and includes 7 bedrooms, 4 baths, and 5 fireplaces. Large 50x100 bank barn in excellent condi-tion. Spectacular pond, expan-sive flat fields, deep limestone soil & almost entirely irrigated. Currently used for nursery stock. $1,885,000.

Contact Gary & Jonathan Coles, New Pennsylvania Realty, Inc., 610.398.2559.

Open farmland with good soils just north of town on the eastern shore of VA. 4 parcels being sold together for a total acreage of 144.88. Parcel A: 11 ac; Parcel B: 51.4 ac; Parcel C: 20 ac; Parcel D: 62.48 ac. Irrigation pond on Parcel C. $660,000.

Contact Ralph W. Dodd, Ralph W. Dodd & Associates, LLC, 757.678.5377.

Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania

Cheriton, Virginia

Riverfront land, 26 acres can be subdivided into 2 parcels. Over 300 ft. of river frontage, easy canoe and kayak access. Mostly woods, some meadowland. Quiet, secluded and at end of paved country road. Minutes from town with public university. $425,000.

Contact Jackie Lewis, Greentree Realty of Shepherdstown, Inc., 304.876.2795.

Shepherdstown, West Virginia

100.37 acres fronting County Rd with 4,500 sq. ft. home. Last used as group home. Has sprinkler system, offices, classroom/computer room. Spectacular mountain & pastoral views with pond for fishing. $489,000.

Contact Teresa Seville, Coldwell Banker Premier Homes, 304.671.3514.

Berkeley Springs, WV

33.6 acres of mostly tillable farmland just east of Rt. 113 off Johnson Rd. Good farming ground with an operating irrigation well. Potential for subdivision, prior approvals have expired. Good soils for on-site well and septics. $240,000.

Contact Wes Cromer, Masten Realty LLC, 302.448.1032.

Lincoln, Delaware

45 Aileron CourtWestminster MD 21157

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PAIDBALTIMORE MD

PERMIT NO. 7175

Calling all Scholars.

MidAtlantic Farm Credit is offering over $18,000 in scholarships! Your field of study does

not matter, however, the program is only open to current customers or children of current

customers. If you are interested in applying, check out the details and full set of rules at

mafc.com. Applications can also be picked up at any of our offices after October 1, 2013.

The deadline to receive applications for the 2014 program is January 17, 2014 – so check it

out and apply today!

Immediate family members of MidAtlantic Farm Credit employees and directors are not eligible. Immediate family members include: children, spouse(s), siblings, grandchildren and parents. Graduate students, fellowships and post-secondary programs are not eligible.

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