Farm & Ranch
Hoffman’s Poultry: Passion and Production
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, the country experienced a major shift in food production as Americans began seeking natural, organic sources. This trend saw a major rise in the poultry industry, as many turned to raising chickens as a low-maintenance daily food source.
At the time, Justin Hoffman had just begun to return to the agricultural roots in which he was raised, founding Hoffman’s Poultry. Since that time, the business has grown exponentially as a family-run operation that offers chicks, started pullets, and ready-to-lay hens to customers primarily in North Texas and Southern Oklahoma.
Raising poultry has not been an easy task, as they have gotten a taste of just how hard the industry truly is, but it is a business and lifestyle that the Hoffmans have come to appreciate and love, with no plans of slowing down.
“Farmers and ranchers, especially those who have prevailed for years, are my heroes. In the five years since the founding of Hoffman’s Poultry, I am beginning to comprehend what a successful farmer is,” Hoffman pondered. “It’s a person with exceptional drive, self-motivated, jack-of-all-trades, but also an expert in all, with a salt-of-the-earth work mentality. A farmer is humble, a strategic partner with other farmers and local businesses, and who has values beyond themselves. Some say it’s a lifestyle that sounds miserable for all work and no play. I disagree. I love it. I love the challenge, the strain on your daily motivation to keep going, the building of relationships you must cultivate, and the reward in satisfying a customer and the financial compensation that we created ourselves. It’s an exhilarating experience that I want to pursue as long as I’m alive.”
From the Beginning
Hoffman was raised on 120 acres near the small town of Vashti, Texas, in the southeastern part of Clay County. His parents, Bryan and Janice Hoffman, showed their children a strong work ethic through their example as they both worked off-farm jobs but always maintained side hustles.
“My dad instilled in us that if there was daylight, there was a dollar to make. My parents instilled a great work ethic in my two brothers and me, and I am forever grateful,” Hoffman said.
To read more, pick up a copy of the June issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Rayford Pullen
Watching our pastures over the years, I have noticed our forages quit growing when nighttime temperatures begin hitting that 45-degree mark, and in North Texas, that will usually be around October 20.
While growth stops, our forages will still be high quality which allows our momma cows to gain weight for another 40 days or so.
Getting these cows in better condition is key to getting them through the winter and breeding after they calve.
Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.
By: Tony Dean
In volume 1 of “Old World Bluestems”, Tony Dean addressed issues surrounding the Old World Bluestem family, including the invasive nature of these grasses. In this issue, he examines OWBs as a forage for livestock.
OWBs were intially brought to the US as foragr for livestock and for erosion control capability. Ironically, some of the characteristics that make these species invasive also cause them to be desirable grass for grazing.
One of the primary survival characteristics of OWBs is their ability to withstand heavy grazing. OWBs are genetically prone to grow upright like our native bluestems; however, with heavy grazing pressure, plants begin to take a sod growth form.
To read more, pick up a copy of the September issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Tressa Lawrence
It has been a hot, dry summer across northeastern Wyoming. Many ranchers are weaning and shipping early due to the dry conditions and lack of grass.
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