Family owned and operated by second, third, and fourth generation family farmers, the 4-M’s Farm LLC - a row crop farming operation located in the small town of Kennedyville, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, produces and sells corn, wheat, soybeans, barley, hay and straw commodities, and offers custom farming services revolving around the production of these commodities. Working for a large-scale farming operation that produces multiple commodities and offers custom farming services has provided me with a multitude of different agricultural-related jobs, experiences, and skills over the course of my summer internship experience.
Some of my favorite jobs this summer at the 4-M’s Farm LLC included operating a combine during the summer wheat harvest, driving a tractor and trailer hauling wheat and chicken manure, as well as aiding in the completion of "bookwork" that revolved around the operations of the farm.
I started my internship at the 4-M’s Farm bouncing back and forth between a John Deere combine and a Mack road tractor and trailer. Mornings consisted of hauling wheat to the local grain mill and servicing the combine which included fueling and greasing of the machine. As soon as the morning dew burned off, it would be time to jump in the combine and begin harvesting. My machine fulfilled two roles during the wheat harvest, the first being separating the grain from the wheat straw and the second being windrowing the threshed straw. The harvested grain would be loaded onto a semi-truck and hauled away to the local grain mill for poultry feed, and the windrowed straw would be baled for livestock bedding. This experience was very rewarding, from operating a combine and understanding how to precisely set the machine to changing conditions, to hauling wheat in a semi-truck where the commodity turns
into cash for the 4-M’s Farm.
Aside from hauling grain this summer, I also drove a tractor and trailer hauling chicken manure. The Eastern Shore is plentiful with commercial chicken houses, consisting of both laying and meat birds that leave behind a highly sought-after product - manure. Chicken manure is utilized as a fertilizer for crops, being spread and incorporated into the soil boosting overall soil fertility. While chicken manure is primarily spread in the spring and some in the fall, chickens produce manure year-round and therefore it must constantly be handled. Chicken manure is hauled away from chicken farms and stockpiled in farmers' manure barns or fields where they will later spread the manure onto their fields. Hauling chicken manure is a stinky job, to say the least, but farmers will tell you that it “smells like money.”
While most of my jobs this summer included physical labor and or operating large machinery, one of the most interesting jobs I was able to partake in during my internship was helping out with the ever-so-dreaded "bookwork". Bookwork is tedious, repetitive, and honestly quite boring, however, I truly enjoyed the behind-the-scenes experiences of what takes place to keep an agricultural business up and running from year to year. What I found most fascinating is how farmers contract and market their commodities. Throughout the year, farmers keep an eye on the commodity grain market and watch for rising and falling prices. When prices rise to a point where farmers believe they can profit or at least break even, they will contract grain by the bushel. This grain can be contracted to lock in a price on a certain amount of bushels at an exact moment in time, or more commonly, the future grain will be contracted to be delivered at a future date. Over the summer, the 4-M’s were contracting corn to be delivered in January, February, and March of 2024. Mind you, this is contracting grain that has yet to be harvested. It is truly like gambling and takes an experienced farmer to contract the right amount of grain at the right price to ensure that overcontracting does not take place and that the yielded cash will allow for a profit to the operation. This experience of marketing and contracting grain is extremely fascinating to me and is something that I hope I get the chance to partake in when it comes to my future career.
As rewarding as farming is watching a seed grow into a profitable commodity and being able to operate millions of dollars worth of equipment for a living, the unfortunate reality is that farmers are single-handedly controlled by Mother Nature. This past spring, when the 4-M’s Farm began planting their corn and soybean crops, the temperatures were below average and soil conditions were subpar for planting ultimately resulting in a dreary start for the crops. As time progressed into the spring, it quit raining and crops began to expire running short on water - until the wheat crop had matured and became ready for harvest. The rain became a double-edged sword, and corn and soybean crops were finally receiving the drink that they needed in order to survive, however, wheat quality degraded significantly and became nearly impossible to harvest in a timely manner. The wheat harvest ran about a month later than usual, prolonging the planting of double-crop beans and resulting in significant quality deterioration of the wheat crop. Though the rain was less than ideal for wheat harvest, corn, and full-season beans were saved and are projected to have exceptional yields this fall. At times it was frustrating trying to harvest and continuously being rained out, but I had to keep my head high and remind myself that in the long run, rain was best for the future of the corn and soybean crops. Simply put, one of the owners at the 4-M’s Farm exclaimed to me, “That’s farming.”
My internship at the 4-M’s Farm LLC was a great experience that I will never forget. With new experiences and skills obtained, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to pursue my internship at the 4-M’s Farm, LLC.
