Gasper Farms, located in Rooks County, Kansas is owned and operated by Dan and Lois Gasper. The diversified operation consists of 3,000 acres of cropland and pasture along with 110 red angus cow-calf pairs. Gasper Farms has always been a family business with their 3 children helping out when they lived at home. Today, their son, Joe assists with taking more responsibility managing the cattle herd. During harvest the entire family joins in to gather the bounty of the season.
Incorporated in 1983 with conventional tillage methods: summer fallow, wheat, and grain sorghum. In 1995, Dan took a leap to start no-till practices with one field being converted. Now Gasper Farms is 100% no-till and any newly acquired land is converted to no-till. …show more content…
The calves are typically backgrounded on the farm and replacement heifers are pen fed throughout the winter months and then moved to pasture in the spring. The steers and non-replacement heifers are sold at the local sale barn after being backgrounded. Wind breaks provide shelter from the various weather elements. This year Gasper Farms began to experiment with intensive grazing on a portion of its pasture. The paddocks are created with electric fencing and the cattle will be moved between paddocks as they graze the area. It is hoped that this intensive grazing will stimulate grass growth and control weeds.
Honeybee hives were introduced to the farm 2 years ago, to improve pollination of crops, diversification and habitat development. Sainfoin and specialty flowers are planted by the hives to provide an adequate supply of food. After blooming the sainfoin is baled to feed to the cattle over the winter months. The family receives the added value of fresh, local honey.
Gasper Farms is worthy of the KFB Natural Resources Award due to their continued improvement of the land and resources they have been blessed to care for the past 34 year. Natural resources need to be conserved and not misused, robbed or wasted for the gain of others. In order preserve the family farm and legacy for future generations Gasper Farms intends to
Incorporated in 1983 with conventional tillage methods: summer fallow, wheat, and grain sorghum. In 1995, Dan took a leap to start no-till practices with one field being converted. Now Gasper Farms is 100% no-till and any newly acquired land is converted to no-till. …show more content…
The calves are typically backgrounded on the farm and replacement heifers are pen fed throughout the winter months and then moved to pasture in the spring. The steers and non-replacement heifers are sold at the local sale barn after being backgrounded. Wind breaks provide shelter from the various weather elements. This year Gasper Farms began to experiment with intensive grazing on a portion of its pasture. The paddocks are created with electric fencing and the cattle will be moved between paddocks as they graze the area. It is hoped that this intensive grazing will stimulate grass growth and control weeds.
Honeybee hives were introduced to the farm 2 years ago, to improve pollination of crops, diversification and habitat development. Sainfoin and specialty flowers are planted by the hives to provide an adequate supply of food. After blooming the sainfoin is baled to feed to the cattle over the winter months. The family receives the added value of fresh, local honey.
Gasper Farms is worthy of the KFB Natural Resources Award due to their continued improvement of the land and resources they have been blessed to care for the past 34 year. Natural resources need to be conserved and not misused, robbed or wasted for the gain of others. In order preserve the family farm and legacy for future generations Gasper Farms intends to