At the Stilson Family Farm, teamwork and family are two of the most important elements in sustaining their processes. Located at 21847 4 Mile Road in Morley, the farm focuses on regenerative agriculture and hay farming, and each chore involved has a unique role to play in the Stilson family’s goal of rebuilding the land and soil with nutrient-rich pastures.

Niki Stilson and her husband, Jeremy, manage the farm with the help of their three oldest sons Scott, Sawyer and Jerrad. Growing up on the farm, the boys gained unique hands-on experience in farming, repairing equipment, and caring for animals. The Stilons also have younger daughters and a newborn son, whom they introduced alongside farm life suitable for the younger generations.

In the practice of regenerative agriculture, farm animals each play an important role in maintaining and reworking the soil on the farm for usability and health. Scott Stilson, 15, is often devoted to his hobby of repairing farm equipment or old cars. He is often in charge of the large mobile chicken coop that houses vital poultry on the farm.

“I’m going to take care of the chickens and help rotate the cows,” Scott said. “My favorite thing about the farm is being outdoors and taking care of the cows to keep them happy and healthy. The chickens have a rain collection system. We use chicken nipples and PVC pipes to give them water and I give them just the right amount. They can get aggressive, but I like to take care of them.

Chickens play an important role in the rotating pasture that the farm uses with their cows, and they will often be moved around the pastures of the farm to spread the cow’s natural manure and soften the soil.

The three brothers help maintain the rotations of the cows in the pastures. Rotational grazing helps maintain specific grazing areas in which cows are settled. Cows graze and create manure. Once the grass and manure are ready to be tended by the chickens, the boys adjust the lines of the fence posts to create space for the cows to move to a new part of the pasture.

According to the family, cows are intelligent animals who have learned that when fence posts move, they have to move. The main purpose of rotational grazing is to maintain the health of the soil and to ensure that the growth of the pasture is healthy. The work chickens do to soften the soil helps infuse nitrogen into the soil, creating healthy, fertile, and usable soil.

As you walk around the farm, you can see the difference the chickens make in soil health through the darker patches of grass and loose soil that indicate its robust health.

Niki Stilson said this type of farming is beneficial in that it uses the natural ecology of the land and the farm does not need to use potentially harmful pesticides in its produce or land.

PRACTICAL LEARNING

Sawyer and Jerrad Stilson, aged 16 and 17 respectively, are both interested in mechanics and engineering. They are often found with their younger brother working on farm equipment or learning more about engineering at the local career center. Sawyer chose to focus on diesel mechanics, while Jarrad chose to focus on innovative engineering.

Jarrad said keeping the soil healthy and the animals healthy has been an educational experience for him.

“Keeping the cows happy and healthy is my favorite part of working on the farm,” Jarrad said. “The process we use helps maintain the soil, and growing up on a farm you learn a lot more about the farming process, and we know a lot about the equipment and mechanics by working on our own equipment here. I also learned a lot about animals and their breeding.

“At the career center, we’re taking an engineering course and we’re so far ahead of these other kids because of what we’ve already learned,” he added. “They start with what a wrench is and we already know how to fix a tractor because we worked on it ourselves. Maybe I hope to have my own machine shop someday.

Sawyer said growing up on a farm is a different experience than growing up in a big city or town and can have some practical education benefits.

“It’s definitely different from what other kids our age go through,” Sawyer said. “We go to the quarry center for about three hours a day and have noticed that we know a lot more about certain topics than some of the other kids because of the things we have learned working on the farm. We’re really good at problem-solving and getting our hands dirty fixing things, and a lot of kids our age won’t.

“I hope I can branch out and start my own farm,” he added. “It’s one of the benefits of learning on this farm, we can take what we know and use it in the future. I would like to do a similar type of farming, but maybe with fewer chickens and more focus on pigs and cows.

For the Stilson brothers, another big part of their life on the farm is being good role models for their younger sisters and newborn baby brother. While visiting the farm, you will often see the boys doing chores with one or more of their sisters in tow, or resting comfortably in their arms. According to Niki, the youngest girls love the cows on the farm and go to see them whenever they get the chance with their brothers.

The boys’ father, Jeremy, is often there to help and maintain the farm alongside his sons and said he was impressed with everything they learned.

“Our kids are geniuses compared to other kids, in my opinion,” Jeremy said. “They’re real problem solvers, and that’s really a big help to us and the farm.

Life on a family farm is hard and rewarding work, and Niki Stilson said having family to help out and make life good has been a major benefit for Stilson Farm.

“The way we farm is natural and good for the earth and it’s great that the boys can learn more about the processes we use while we do it,” said Niki. “We couldn’t do what we do without their help, and it’s amazing how much they learn just by helping out on the job.

The farm often offers grass-fed beef, chicken and pork for purchase, as well as hay and eggs. Those interested in purchasing products can contact Niki at 616-799-1246 or Jeremy at 231-414-4978.