2009 Organic Farmers of the Year - Tom and Irene Frantzen
New Hampton, Iowa
Interview with Tom Frantzen at the
2009 Organic Farming
Conference.
2009 MOSES Organic Farmer of the Year:
"Diversity Leads to Stability"
This article was first printed in the February 2009 issue of the Organic Broadcaster, published by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service.
The MOSES Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Tom and Irene Frantzen, New Hampton, Iowa have been named MOSES 2009 Organic Farmer of the Year.
The Frantzens own 300 tillable acres and rent an additional 85 acres. All crops grown are used on farm for animal feed except for soybeans, which are sold as a cash crop. Their farrow to finish hog operation produces 600 head for market with 40 brood sows. They also keep 50 beef brood cows. All beef and hog slaughter animals are certified organic and marketed through Organic Prairie Meat Company.
In order to assure consistent access to organic soy protein feeds needed for their hog production, Tom and Irene started an organic feed business, Frantzen Farm Feeds LLC, in 2001. They now supply certified organic hog, poultry and dairy feeds to organic farmers in the Midwest.
Their farm and feed business is certified organic by International Certification Services. Tom is occasionally assisted on the farm by two high school students, while Irene, recently retired from her off -farm job, keeps track of the record keeping and helps with sorting and marketing the hogs. She also tends to the family organic garden, which provides much of the food for their table. The Frantzens were proud to serve organic and local food at their daughter's wedding this last summer!...go to full Organic Broadcaster article.
