Rusted Rooster Farm honored for innovation and commitment

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    PARKMAN — Sean O’Donnell wasn’t exactly sure how he came up with the name Rusted Rooster for his farm. “We wanted something that combined machinery and animals,” he said with a grin. “I think we represent a pretty broad scope of farming.”
    The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWDC) obviously agreed.

Observer photo/Mike Lang

    GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY — Participants at Friday’s PCSWCD tour of the Rusted Rooster Farm in Parkman are framed in a field of sunflowers.

    On Friday, O’Donnell and his wife, Sandra, were presented with the 2014 Cooperators of the Year award by the organization. “This has truly been a community effort,” said Cindy O’Donnell, Sean’s mother. “They can always count on the district for the right information they need at the right time.”
    Mrs. O’Donnell recalled that Sean and his siblings were home-schooled “and I was hoping that he would grow up with some marketable skills.” She credited family friend Frank “Spook” Spizuoco for nurturing her son’s interest in mechanics. “One of his first jobs was fixing Frank’s weed-whacker,” she quipped.
    District board members presented the O’Donnells with a sign reading “Rusted Rooster: Where humans, animals, crops and machinery live in Harmony.”

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    SIGN OF SUCCESS — Sean and Sandra O’Donnell of Rusted Rooster Farm were presented with a sign from the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District in honor of their selection as Cooperators of the Year. Pictured, from left, are  Lynn Lubas and Kacey Weber of PCSWCD; the O’Donnells; District treasurer Janet Sawyer; Joanne Tarrazi of PCSWCD; and District board members Toby Hall, Sam Brown and Bruce Talley.

    More than 40 people also toured the farm where O’Donnell and Ellen Mallory and Tom Molloy of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service discussed and explained some of the techniques used at the Rusted Rooster.
    Crops grown on the farm include hay, grains, beans, sunflowers and corn in the fields and a variety of vegetables in a high-tunnel greenhouse. Sean O’Donnell explained that it was bigger than the normal greenhouse and he added some modifications, like “wind-up” sides and end walls. “Now I can drive right through it with a tractor and manure spreader,” he said.
    In addition to a bumper crop of tomatoes, beans and other vegetables, O’Donnell is also growing sweet potatoes for the first time. “Many crops we use ourselves and sell on the side are considered low-value,” he explained. “But not many farms grow sweet potatoes.”
    Thanks to a grant from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, the Rusted Rooster is also growing a variety of grains. “There are lots of opportunities in the county to grow crops such as barley and rye,” said Lynn Lubas of PCSWDC. “The market for grain is growing.”

Observer photo/Mike Lang

    SWEET — Sean O’Donnell is hoping to turn his crop of sweet potatoes into some cash this fall. Not many farmers in the Penquis region grow the tubers.

    O’Donnell agreed, but said it’s also a challenge. “You have to invest in some equipment, and know how to keep it running,” he said. “If you buy cheap machinery, you get what you pay for.”
    Rusted Rooster also has chickens, goats, sheep and a few cows. The animal waste is piled in a huge compost pile in back in the barn to be used for fertilizer. “It not only recycles the waste, but cuts down on the volume,” said David Power, the USDA Piscataquis County District Conservationist. “I would like to see more farms do this.”
    The O’Donnells were also praised for hosting PCSWDC summer campers this year where the youngsters learned about the basics of farming and the advantages of eating healthy foods.
    “Sean and Sandra (O’Donnell) represent the farmers of the future,” said Joanna Tarrazi, the executive director of the PCSWDC. “We need a lot more of them.”

Observer photo/Mike Lange

   PICKING TIME — Toby Hall (left) and Sam Brown entertained the crowd during lunch at the PCSWCD Annual Farm Tour.

Observer photo/Mike Lange

    FARM FRESH — The PCSWCD Annual Farm Tour also included a luncheon with farm-fresh salads, vegetables and homemade ice cream.