Farming has never been an easy way to make a living. Hard work, long hours (try 24/7), the vagaries of the marketplace—and then the possibility of seeing it all come to nothing due to the inconsistencies of Michigan’s weather. An early or late frost, a devastating storm or a lingering drought can wipe out crops, leaving the farmer with nothing to show for his or her best efforts.

It used to be that a strong back, a good tractor and lots of luck were the ingredients in successful farming. Today, while these elements still play a role, modern agriculturists rely also on technology; genetics; the economics of regional, national and global markets and the latest scientific advances. Our rural grandfathers would be astonished at the depth and breadth of knowledge that has become part of everyday life for farmers of the 21^st century.

For each of the men interviewed for this article, farming is more that just a way to make a living. It is part of a family heritage, passed down from their fathers and their fathers’ fathers. It is a heritage they are proud to pass down to their own children and generations yet to come.

Gary Haynes has been farming for all of his adult life—after a childhood spent helping his father and grandfather plow, plant and harvest. And today, his son Garrett is carrying on the tradition. A fifth generation farmer, Haynes plants 5,300 acres to soft red winter wheat, mostly used in the production of crackers, and corn. His primary customer is Monsanto. According to Haynes, “Monsanto provides education, enabling us to best use their latest advances in agriculture. They develop new products and new techniques, and we use these to increase both the quality and quantity of our crops. Agricultural science and technology are advancing at Mach speed. Things I used to think of as ‘toys’ are proving to be valuable tools in increasing yield and making sure that what I produce is the highest quality.

“When my great-grandfather and grandfather were working in these fields, 80 percent of the population farmed. Today, the number is 2 percent. And that 2 percent feeds the country. We’re able to do it because of the advances we’ve seen in the science of farming.

“But it’s not just science that you need to be a good farmer; you have to be a good businessman as well. I studied agriculture at Michigan State University, but I also have a business degree from Lansing Community College. I use both. A farmer needs to know not only about production but also about marketing and financial management. We are constantly learning. If we didn’t, we’d be left behind.

“We need to keep a close eye on the marketplace and think five years ahead in terms of what we are producing and how we are producing it.”

In addition to business and agriculture, Haynes’ role as a farmer involves him in politics. Currently, he is working with other advocates on the 2007 Farm Bill.

Much of the corn Haynes grows goes to support the increasingly important ethanol industry, which provides renewable fuel for consumers. According to the American Coalition for Ethanol, “This year, the U.S. ethanol industry will grow to provide more than six  billion gallons of clean burning fuel for our country's supply.”

About one-third of the corn grown on the Haynes farm goes to livestock feed. Haynes said, “One hundred percent of the corn I grow stays right here in Michigan.”

Looking out over his lush, green fields (complete with a couple of frolicking deer), Haynes said, “It’s been just about a perfect year. Our corn and wheat are right on schedule and look perfect!”

Pete Clark plants over 9,000 acres to corn, soybeans and wheat, much of which goes to ADM (Archer, Daniels, Midland) Grain in Grand Ledge. Like many other Michigan farmers, Clark sends some of the corn (about 20 to 30 percent in his case) to ethanol producers.

Clark’s farm has been in his family for close to 200 years; the oldest continuous family farming operation in Clinton County, it is the third oldest in Michigan. Partnering with his son, Jake, the farm also has five full-time and four part-time employees. In these days of quick job turnover, Clark’s farm is an exception; one of his employees has been with him for 31 years, one for 29 years and one for 26 years. Jake ventured into a construction job before he decided that farming was for him; two other sons chose other careers. As Clark explained, “If farming is a passion, you can deal with the ups and downs. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.”

Jake echoed his father’s sentiment and added, “I learned not only from my father but also from Dave Morris and Carl Huhn, who taught me so much about what it means to be a good farmer.”

Clark said that the ethanol industry, first pioneered in the mid-1970s, has taken off over the last three years. It has proved to be a boon not only to the environment but also to corn producers.

According to Clark, “Agriculture is changing at a rapid pace; it seems like new technologies come up overnight. These days, the yield per acre has skyrocketed. Our crops are engineered to be drought tolerant and immune from common pests.

“We are now able to plant without first tilling. Planting used to take eight weeks; now it takes 11 days. Our growing season is longer. We used to plant at the beginning of May, but due to improvements in seeds, we get our crops in at the beginning of April. This gives us a longer growing season and better yields.”

Jake aded, “Because there are fewer farmers, the seed companies and their agronomists spend more time with each client, educating us on advances in the field and helping us improve both quality and quantity.”

Clark was recently named Michigan Farmer of the Year for 2007 by the Michigan Agri-Business Association. Based on excellence in farming, the award also considers involvement in the community. Clark has been on the township board and has been active in youth sports.

Because farming is so seasonal and the equipment so expensive, Clark’s operation uses their equipment for snow plowing, excavation, grass cutting and other uses when it’s not in the fields.

Clark’s farm has been environmentally certified by the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). The program was designed to help farmers reduce their legal and environmental risks through education, risk assessment and on-farm verification that ensures the farmer is using environmentally sound practices.

Like Hanes, Clark emphasizes the value of planning ahead. He said, “I have to sell my product two or three years before I actually produce it. Weather, prices, demands—I have to predict that far in advance in order to succeed in this business.”

The future? Clark sees yields becoming even better with simultaneous improvements in quality. He points to global competition becoming more of an issue and singles out Brazil and Argentina as competitors in the production of soybeans.

Dave Cheney has been farming since 1997, a fifth-generation farmer whose great-great grandfather worked the same fields and pastures that Cheney does today. Cheney began helping his father and grandfather as a child and later attended MSU to study agricultural technology. An internship in Spring Green, Wisconsin added to his knowledge and experience. These days, Cheney raises 5,000 pigs a year, devoting about 500 of his total acreage of 1,700 to his hog operation. The remaining 1,100 acres is planted with corn, wheat and soybeans, much of which goes to feed his hogs. And, indeed, they do eat like pigs, consuming in excess of 45,000 bushels of corn a year. Cheney has two full-time employees, and his father continues to share his expertise and assistance.

Cheney’s is what is called a confinement facility. As he explained, “By keeping the hogs in a temperature controlled environment, they are comfortable year round. In the summer, it is cool and shady, and the feed stays fresher. In the winter, it’s warm. It’s a much cleaner environment for them, and we are better able to identify if any of our animals are sick. And an advantage to those of us who live and work on the farm is that there is no smell outside of the facility.”

Currently president of the Michigan Pork Producers, Cheney has been active in legislative matters, testifying before state officials on agricultural issues.

Like Clark’s, his facility is MAEAP verified. While the progress of becoming verified wasn’t easy, Cheney believes it was a valuable exercise. He said, “It gives us guidelines, protocols and a sense of direction. Only 400 other livestock operations in the state have this verification, so it is something we can be proud of.”

Like the other farmers, Cheney pointed to massive advances in the technology of farming. “Just within the last four or five years, there’s been a huge step up in the genetic development of our crops, contributing to a much greater yield per acre. And the equipment we use gets more advanced every year. Based on what I’ve seen in just the last 10 years, I can only imagine what will come next.”

All three of the farms are beautiful, fields thick with verdant green, barns and outbuildings meticulously kept. Like a picture postcard from a bucolic Michigan vacation, they typify what is best in our state’s agriculture: farmers who treat the land as a gift from their ancestors, used for the benefit of everyone, and held in trust for their children.