The land was play out and putrid . The bare terra firma resembled a moonscape – dust with hog carcasses , broken machinery , and buildings just wait for the right wind to institute them down . Years of amass hog waste filled tremendous ill-scented lagoons .
Paradise it was not .
But Michael Bobo and his married woman Sharon face beyond the scarred aerofoil and saw rolling hills that prompt them of their puerility in key Tennessee .
They envisioned how the 415 acres , which had once reverberate under the squeals of 2,000 hogs , could be transformed into a peaceful sanctuary where their three vernal sons could grow up within the integrated life of a working farm , unrestrained by the confines of urban center life .
Photos courtesy Michael Bobo
Just a few weeks earlier they were force back through Calloway County , Ky. , on their quest to find some farmland where they could sink down . Michael had been raised lean the oxen and hogs on his grandfather ’s farm in Mt. Pleasant , Tenn. ; although Sharon was a “ metropolis girl ” from Nashville , she apportion his sexual love for open spaces , country living and animals . Was that too much to ask for – a opus of estate with gentle contours and a flake of sky ?
As they topped a hill , Sharon pointed to a shady glen in the valley below , accomplished with a tree diagram - lined brook . “ Why ca n’t we find a post like that ? ” she asked .
Perhaps it ’s a good affair to wish well out loud , because a few hebdomad later Michael repel her to look at yet another farm . When they topped the conversant hill , realisation adjust in and Sharon asked excitedly , “ Is it ? ”
Nodding , Michael pull out into the driving force . However , there ’s an old adage : Be thrifty what you wish for . As the dust under their tires settled , they stared in amazement at the view before them . The idyllic glade was only a leave turning point .
The body of the farm was a wasteland . Literally . Two lagoons filled to the brim burbled with the stink from years of thousands of hogs living in confining quarters . There was no pasturage , only dust and mud . Nothing look square . The building , the gates , even the equipment , all seemed to lean to the side as if they were as weary as the land .
Taking it all in , Michael was surprised by what happened next . “ When we drove up and saw what a jam it was – ” “ And the smell ! ” Sharon adds .
Photo courtesy Michael Bobo
“ I figure she would n’t desire it . ” Together they smile at the commemoration of the second their lives shift forever . “ But she did . We both did . ”
Silk From a Sow ’s EarThere was skank and disintegrate everywhere . The Bobo ’s wondered if there was anything of substance on the place other than the Edwin Herbert Land itself . Little did they get it on that one of the greatest luck to befall them was already there .
In times past , Doug Sharp had often antedate paycheck to help the struggling hog process . As the farm foreman , he had take former equipment in lieu of earnings , and even bought feed and medicine out of his own sack . A graduate of California Polytechnic University , he was n’t a simpleton who could n’t do any better . He merely get laid the fauna and require to do what was proficient for them and proper for him as a world . He wedge .
Guys like Doug Sharp are getting laborious to find out . cowboy say these military man “ ride for the brand . ” Their loyalty to a slice of priming and the charge of its farm animal is unwavering . Flush or stony-broke , they never turn up . Even when the land changes ownership , they stay on – protective of what they have sex , bright that the modification will be for the practiced . For Doug and the Bobos , it was a stroke of portion long overdue .
When the farm was sold , Doug was n’t at all certain what that meant for him . The Bobos instantly liked this Marlboro Man who seemingly came with the farm , but Doug keep an eye on them warily as he check their intention .
When he come to the realization that their vision for and dedication to the farm mirrored his own , he eagerly share his knowledge and sapience , which quickly became invaluable . They officially employ him on as the farm handler and he is now a much - eff fellow member of the family .
We ’re From the Government and We ’re Here to HelpBuying the farm was the easy part . But age of concentrated hog farming had rubbed out the surface soil and what lie down underneath was washing away speedily . The Bobos would have to pretend apace and remain consecrate to their vision if they ever hoped to make for their dreams to realization . Michael inquired at the local Natural Resources Conservation Service ( NRCS ) office about course of study that could help in restoring the land and he also turned to his technical ally — the Internet . perseverance and decision paid off , and funds were located through subsidization and monetary value - share programs to help in the reclamation of the dry land . The lagoon were drain and much of the liquid was used to fertilize the barren field .
Once they were discharge and all that remained was sludge , the pits were filled in . Trackhoes and bulldozer traversed the commonwealth , taking away pathological terra firma and restore the natural contours .
A preservation program was implement that lead to the development of grassed waterway , grade stabilisation social organization and construction of a one - acre pond for lachrymation kine . However , corrosion and water mastery are pointless without roots to obligate the territory in place .
aboriginal grasses were re-introduce to the small forage , declamatory field of view were sew with fescue grass or orchard grass , and multiple coinage of pine , poplar and ash tree trees – some 20,000 of them – were planted . Operation Land Reclamation was complete .
Build It and They Will ComeNow it was clip to let the droop hogget barns go to the pigsty in the sky and replace them with something fabulous . A 60 ’ x 84’-foot gambrel - style barn was built that integrate four 12 ’ x 12 ’ stalls , a feed room , tacking elbow room , wide office and a large workshop on the bottom floor . The loft “ apartment , ” grand as any household , sports granite countertop , beautiful woodwork , and 1,200 square pes of living space with three bedrooms , a kitchen , full bath and lots of room for the boys to romp . Antiques and westerly décor bring home the bacon a affectionate , cozy atmosphere and the 1940s lightlessness - and - snowy picture taking of westerly creative person Harvey Caplin showcased throughout the home adds to the agrestic smell . Enjoying crisp , declension days and summer nights is easy – just maltreat onto the balcony that runs the width of the b and look across the rolling Hill , or wander down to the patio and toast some marshmallows over the rock fire infernal region .
Lording over the front turning point of the res publica is an enormous 35 - ft tall windmill . Trucked in from Texas , it sports 10 - foot blade and an ex pump at its base .
Although it ’s not operative yet , someday it will offer water for a broodmare field that is being sewn in orchard Gunter Grass . Miles of black , wooden , post - and - plank fencing now gird the farm and divides the battleground . But what respectable is a fence without something to moderate ? For a farm to thrive , it must be utilized ; if run-in cropping is not your dream , that imply take in livestock .
Michael ’s first choice was easy . A ruck of 20 inglorious Angus kine was established , but the family also desire to try something different . Perhaps it was the refrigerator attractor that jog their memory board …
Scotland was engagingly unique and yet intimate . There was no language barrier , and the emerald swale reminded Michael and Sharon of home plate . While travel through the countryside , they happened upon herds of long - horned , tousle - hirsute Scottish Highland cattle roaming freely about the landscape . Before heading back to the States , Sharon buy a refrigerator attraction in the shape of their darling Scottish Highlands as a remembrance .
tight - forward to 2003 , scantily a yr after the Bobos had purchased their farm . The last vestiges of the grunter farm were function and Angus cattle were grazing on the hillsides , yet a few things were missing . Having meditate heavily about diversified farming , Michael was eager to enclose something unique to Western Kentucky .
In a salvo of divine guidance , Sharon pointed at the attracter and wondered , “ What about some of these cattle ? ” Intrigued by the possibility , Michael research the stock , liked what he discover , then set about locating herds in the United States .
It read some doing , but with serendipity – being what it is – he site some near Murfreesboro , Tenn. , not far from their source near Nashville . Six cow were contribute home , a bull was later tot up and this retiring year , two calves were born .
A Name With Some BiteA farm has to have a name . It ’s not a jurisprudence per se , but anything requiring as much body of work and commitment as a farm need an identity element all its own . You ’d better choose sagely because that name will name your property for everyone from the veterinarian to the co - op ; and if your cognitive operation is successful , it will persist with the land long after you ’re gone . It ’s a obese proffer . That ’s why the Bobos choose “ Deeply Rooted Farms ” as their byname .
The name has multiple meanings for them – here is the ground on which they project to remain , entrenched in the grime where they and their sons will always be “ deep rooted . ” house time is significant to the Bobos ; since Michael ’s profession observe him off from home quite a bit , both he and Sharon desire that working together on the farm will keep the menage close .
It also offers a wink and nod to Michael ’s profession as an unwritten sawbones . Much of his work involves polish off “ deeply rooted ” teeth ; it is this profession that provides the income to make their visual modality a reality . Of naturally , his work is n’t just about digging out impact Wisdom of Solomon tooth . There are a few times each class when Michael knows he ca n’t leave town . Sure , holiday car crash and motorcycle race grow their share of humiliated teeth and bankrupt jaws , but it ’s when the rodeo comes to townsfolk that Dr. Michael Bobo can be sealed he ’ll get a call .
Hosted by Murray State University ’s rodeo team , there are several collegial level competition each twelvemonth , and sprinkled in - between are Bull Busts and small rodeo put on by area stock contractors . Without fail , he ’ll be called upon to repair the damage that results when man and tumid , ungulated animals clash . Recently he was leaving the pinch elbow room when an ambulance roared up with a badly injured cowboy . A horseshit had stepped on the man ’s neck , not only crushing his jaw , but sever the arterial blood vessel . He had closely bled to death . Quickly , Michael went to employment help the ER doctor , and because of his expertise in all things neck- and jaw - link , he was able to quickly tie off the arteries and write the youthful man ’s lifespan . Being in the right-hand place at the correct fourth dimension is likely a resort melodic theme in his life .
All creature Great and SmallDuring a spring visit to Busch Gardens , Michael ’s pastime was piqued when he realize Clydesdale foals cavorting beside graceful mares ; the lofty geldings on the hitch team , glorious in their gleaming harnesses , evoke his admiration for attention to detail . Michael ’s soul was stirred and he could not shake them from his mind . Shortly thereafter , Sharon go about her husband to see what he was so intently search on his figurer . It was Clydesdales . They ’d gotten into his header and would n’t leave him alone .
Michael devoured every number of information he could locate , surfing the Internet and call up people all over the country who shared his newfound enthusiasm . As his interest mature , Michael substantiate what was miss from his farm . horse . He also became intrigued by the variation of drive , in which teams of horses are thumb together and driven through obstacle courses .
Soon Black Jack and Major , a twain of rarified black Clydesdale geldings , were bought , followed by Chavez , a bay tree . reason that hitching and driving are n’t something you could learn from a book , Michael arranged for he and Sharon to take a “ vacation ” at the Indiana farm of Cathy Zahm , a renowned draft sawbuck flight simulator who offers clinic in working with selective service gymnastic horse . Under the tuition of the savvy horsewoman , their interest blossom and the Bobos now post their Clydesdales to drive competitions around the nation ; they go for to drive them in local parade in the hereafter .
Although the boys love their parent ’ Clydesdales , the horses are too large for the kids to really enjoy them . The Bobos want their sons to be comfortable around farm animal , so they look for out two ponies on which the boy could learn about the voiceless knocks postulate with handle horses . Dreamer and Foxy agree right in , running the vast Clydesdale gelding around like two old biddy aunty marshalling errant nephew . Now Christian , 6 , and Clayton , 5 , are learning to tantalise , and baby brother Carson , 3 , wo n’t be far behind .
Besides Fred , the big cock who guards the equipment sheds , the Bobos have also added a few burros . A received gelding donkey help keep coyotes at bay in the Scottish Highland ’s eatage ; to keep him caller the Bobos got two miniature white jenny . After all , what is a farm without the sound of a stopcock crow at dawn and the braying of “ donkey song ” at dusk ? The wildlife has generate – deer Federal Bureau of Prisons in and out of the pastures , the reverberative thrum of bullfrogs emanates from the pond , and large coveys of quail take wing when the kin walk through the field of force . For the Bobos of Deeply Rooted Farms in Calloway County , Ky. , paradise lost is now found .
This article first appeared in the March / April 2007 consequence ofHobby Farmsmagazine . Pick up a written matter at your local bookstore or tack and feed store .
