FARM PROFILES
Neil Kentner banks on historic breeds to sustain Wynsmoor Manor
By Bonnie Bucqueroux
Sustainable Farmer Neil Kenter brings his enormous energy and creativity to the challenge of farm marketing. In addition to ancient apple varieties and heirloom vegetables, Neil raises historic sheep, chickens, ducks and pigeons on his eight-acre farm outside Mason, Michigan. While those enterprises bring him joy, they also provide an income.
Faced with transitioning from one day job to another in the midst of his home state's continuing economic turmoil, Neil looked to his farm to sustain him financially during that time. One key was to monetize everything he could.
"I sold duck eggs and chicken eggs and live birds," he said. Neil has even been known to sell feathers from his birds for decoration and for artists to use in their work. A poultry science graduate from Michigan State University, Neil raises Dark Brahma chickens, a stunning breed originally from China.
 Neil Kentner is the fourteenth owner of this historic brick farmstead, built in 1829, now called Winsmore Manor. |
Neil also raises the pigeons you can hear cooing alongside the chickens in the video above. "I have rollers, tumblers and homers," he said. For a number of years, Neil made extra money releasing white homing pigeons at wedding ceremonies. "They would usually beat me home," he said. The ducks you see in the video above include bottle-green/black Cayugas, as well as Dutch Hornbills (Kromnavelend) , Welsh Harlequins and one surviving Indian Runner female. The challenges of overwintering the ducks have persuaded him to phase them out for now. "But I know the good breeders -- not the puppy mill kind of places, so I can also start them up again later," he said.
Neil started raising sheep 30 years ago, and he become involved early on with the ancient Mesopotamian breed, the Jacob sheep. He has since expanded into Wensleydales and Blue-Faced Leicesters (see sidebar and movie). Handspun wool, primarily from his longwool Wensleydales, is another major staple of the operation. "I also do workshops and clinics," he said. "I enjoy getting out to talk to people, and many becomes long-term customers."
Finding the right niche
A city boy, Neil always wanted to be a farmer. "I would beg my parents to buy me one farm animal or another, but they would always tell me I could get whatever I wanted -- as soon as I had my own farm."
 Winston, the farm's Polish Tatra Sheepdog, recently became a little too exuberant with a gamboling lamb. Neil attached a brick on a chain to his collar, not as punishment (Wintson seems to like it) but to slow him down enough to give the lambs a head start |
After graduating from college, Neil achieved his dream. He purchased a farm outside White Pigeon, in southwest Michigan near the Indiana border, where he and his wife raised their family. After her death in 2003, Neil wanted to relocate. He moved to Mason, which is less than 30 miles from the state Capitol of Lansing, looking to buy a farm small enough to manage on top of a new full-time job.
Over the years, Neil has learned that success in farming means finding a way to remain true to your values while making money. Always personable, Neill builds his customer base by greeting everyone like a friend.
Michigan State University ag extension agent Ron Goldy says that each farm has a story and farmers who want to sell to the public need to learn how to tell the story. Neil's story focuses on his devotion to maintaining ancient animal breeds and fruit and vegetable varieties and his respect for the history of his farm. He takes advantage of every opportunity to share that story with people, such as when he opened his farmstead to the community, as part of a tour of historic homes in the area, welcoming more than 100 visitors at Christmastime.
Advice for newbies
 Wensleydale sheep come in both black and white, and you never know which you will get, Neil said. He has 53 mature sheep. This year they produced 45 babies, including eight sets of triplets. |
Neil says that the English taught us the benefits of developing numerous breeds of sheep, each one suited to the climate and conditions of a specific region. Michigan winters also persuaded him that it pays to explore breeds and varieties that suit the climate. Before plunging in, Neil advises newcomers to sustainable agriculture to do the research to find out which heirloom fruit and vegetable varieties and heritage breeds would work best for them.
"You can start small, such as an organic herb farm," he said. "Then maybe you can expand into chickens for yourself and then with enough to share with a Food Bank or sell. Or maybe you specialize in ancient apple varieties or maple syrup, then expand from there."
The goal is to build an enterprise that sustains you and your family, while producing agricultural products you can be proud of. "There's a lot of rich history here, and I want to maintain that," Neil said.
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