A Day In The Life

The next installment to our weekly series, A Day In The Life, finds us with Oakview Farm Meats! You know Mark as the assistant manager to this market, and he is also my assistant manager at the Mechanicsburg Farmers and Artisans Market. He is active in your local foods movement, and along with me, is part of the local foods council.

I met up with Mark as he entered the local farmer’s market circuit, four seasons ago. In season one, he promoted and sold the Oakview products, and became a vendor in this online market. In season two, he hit the scene in the now familiar green promotional trailer that is Oakview Farm Meats of the market and festival circuit.

We began cross promotions with Cosmic Charlie/Oakview Farm Meats/various vendors. We made famous a little sandwich called the Locally Sourced Oakview sandwich. He and his family have become a major part of this whole local foods scene. He has taught this West End girl many things about their business, about promotions, about hogs, about the breeding and raising of their hogs, and about planting, and crops.

His family is also heavily involved in the pork council, the Champaign County Fair, 4H, and various other organizations in the county. We, at the markets, appreciate Mark and his hard work in our markets.

And now…A Day In The Life…as captured by Mark’s mom, Ruth Runyan. The woman behind it all…enjoy the read…

There is no typical day in the life of Oakview Farm. Plans can be laid out but there are always changes made as needed. Oakview Farm, a local family farm which takes the cooperation of 7 family members is the basis for Oakview Farm Meats. Oakview Farm has evolved over many years through several generations. Mark and his sister, Melissa, who lives in Michigan are the 4th with Myer and Emmy the 5th generation of farmers. Each family member contributes their talents to further the Oakview ventures. Each season brings different activities: Spring – ground preparation and planting of oats, corn and soybeans, Summer – landscaping and mowing, irrigating corn and soybeans, harvesting wheat, oats and baling straw, along with Farmers Markets and Festivals with the Promotion Trailer, Fall – harvesting corn and soybeans and serving Agronomy Field Days with the trailer. Finally, Winter -machinery and building maintenance, catch-up in general. The one thing that is done during every season, every day includes is hog production. The hogs must be fed, waterers checked and pens kept clean by scraping and/or bedded. Hogs must be health checke d, treated, if sick and marked so they are not used for Oakview Meats. Hog feed must also be ground and mixed for 4 different age groups. As hogs grow they must be sorted into different groups, such as breeding gilts, boars, and market hogs. Biosecurity is a high priority at Oakview which means keeping the hogs healthy and comfortable. The hogs are in temperature controlled buildings – warm in winter and cool in summer with fans and sprinklers, secure from wild animals which often carry diseases. Along with the actual farming, there are also the Meat Shop open Tues. and Thurs, 2 – 6 pm and Sat. 10 am – 4 pm. with Bud in charge, Mechanicsburg Farmers and Artisians Market on Tues. 4:30 – 7 pm with Mark in charge, Springfield Farmers Market Sat. 9 am – 1 pm with Mark in charge and various Festivals. All family members help in various ways at various times as needed. It is definitely a local family adventure!