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For most of the 20th century, the Birky farm in Porter County, Ind., supported the family. But by the 1990s, it was evident that the farm might no longer support future generations.
“I started noticing some trends,” says 40-year-old Chris Birky, whose grandparents Jake and Emma started the farm in 1919. “The facilities were getting older, my brother and I were getting older, and our once-rural community was becoming a suburb of Chicago.” Birky could not see a successful future in expanding his family’s operation—1,500 acres of traditional row crops and a farrow-to-finish hog operation. But he wasn’t ready to forfeit the family’s way of life. “Farming has been a Birky family calling for generations,” he says.
Birky realized that making a successful transition into the 21st century would require a change in the farm’s business structure. He and his wife Melissa made the first of many adjustments in 1995, when they opened Birky Country Market, a quaint country store, and marketed their products to the local community. “We sell high-quality pork products and a range of grains and vegetables,” Birky says. “Our pigs are not fed antibiotics, steroids, hormones or growth promotants. We don’t sell anything that we wouldn’t feed our family.”
Birky credits Dave Yeager, Purdue Extension educator in Porter County (now retired), with helping make the country market a success. “Dave was very knowledgeable about produce and marketing, and he introduced us to key people like Liz Maynard (Purdue Extension vegetable specialist) who helped us get through the challenges of growing a variety of vegetables,” he says.
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Melissa and Chris Birky made a successful transition from a traditional row crop and livestock operation to marketing pork products, grains and vegetables for a growing consumer market in Northwest Indiana. The Birky Pork Patty Wagon, a mobile concession stand, is popular at community events. The Birkys are among many area producers who are using innovative marketing strategies to keep farming profitable and maintain their rural lifestyle. (Photo by Tom Campbell) |
Another change came through their involvement in the pork industry. “We did a lot of grilling out with the Pork Producers Association at local events. Over time, the organization dissolved,” Birky says, “but we continued, and it became a business for us.” On Fridays during the summer, Birky serves a lunch of grilled porkburgers and watermelon at the country market. He also grills at fundraisers for FFA, 4-H and youth groups, among other functions. A novel part of the catering service is the Birky Pork Patty Wagon, a camper transformed into a mobile concession wagon. A Birky porkburger is a staple for many Porter County fair goers. “If we stopped catering at the fair, we would hear complaints,” Birky says. “People expect us to be there.”
These adjustments have helped keep the family enterprise profitable. “I’m more flexible now so that we can adapt to change,” he says. “Land is a valuable commodity here, and I don’t know how long production agriculture will be in Northwest Indiana. It’s important for us to be aware of the urban sprawl and be open-minded as new opportunities come along.”
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