Alderland Farms
New Providence, IA 50206
pabrown@heartofiowa.net
Welcome to the Brown family web page.
Our family(from back) Paul, Derek,
Allison(in pink), Andrea, Landon
About Us
Alderland Farms practices sustainable agriculture in a farming rich area of Hardin County in central Iowa.
A family farm, Alderland Farms raises corn and soybeans, but the central enterprise is traditional hog production.
Our farm name, Alderland Farms, is derived from the children's names. The Al in Alderland stands for the first two letters in Allison's name.
The der in Alderland stands for the first three letters in Derek's name and the land in Alderland stands for the first four letters of Landon's name.
Pasture Farrowing
The Brown children are the fourth generation to pasture farrow hogs in the New Providence area.
The sows and gilts (mother hogs) are farrowed (the process of giving birth to their young)
in lush pastures during the temperate times of the year – April, June, and September.
These pigs raised on the pasture are free to indulge their natural instincts by roaming, foraging, and rooting in this environment.
Alderland Farms appreciates the advantages for the pigs’ well-being,
but also recognizes the increased health benefits of the outdoor operation to our family.
At Alderland Farms we attempt to farm in harmony with the changing seasons. We try to make management decisions with regard for their effects on our family and community. We enjoy giving tours of our farm to visitors and are available throughout the summer.
Crops
Although corn production is somewhat typical for the state of Iowa, the types of soybeans we raise are unique for this area. Our soybean acres have been split between tofu soybeans for export to Japan, and non-genetically modified soybeans grown for human consumption here in the U.S. The vast majority of soybeans grown in the U.S. are genetically modified to be resistant to glyphosate herbicide. As a result, a premium has been offered for production of traditional soybeans.
Cattle
Derek, Allison and Landon own ten beef cows between the the three of them. We calve from late April through late June and we wean in November. During the winter the cows are fed small square bales of alfalfa hay. The calves are fed a basic cracked corn and oats ration along with hay. Once the grass comes up in the spring the calves are turned out on pasture and have free choice grass instead of hay. We use rotational grazing during the summer to help improve grass efficiency. Rotational grazing splits up a big pasture into four or five small pastures, or paddocks. This way the cows only graze one paddock while the grass in other paddocks can continue to grow without being eaten.
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