Raising a 5th Generation on the Farm: The Sanderson Family

The Sandersons have farmed land in Eastern North Carolina as far back as the 1850’s growing crops and hogs.  The family has been farming the current land in Southwestern Wayne County for 4 generations, and now, another generation is coming up on the farm. The 5th generation already has a passion for pigs, tractors, and the land.

Matt and Andrea Sanderson live in Wayne County where they tend 950 acres of land with Matt’s dad. They currently grow, corn, soybeans, peanuts, and wheat on the farm. In addition to the crops, Matt and Andrea have 10 hog houses that they own together. They are also raising their two children, Spate who is 6, and Tessa who is 2, on the farm.

Both Matt and Andrea grew up around agriculture. Andrea’s grandfather had a small farm where she would help him and his brother in the summers with tobacco.

“I always admired my grandad and always wanted to ride with him on his tractor,” Andrea said.

In high school she got involved in FFA where her love of agriculture grew. She would later become an FFA teacher, and it was actually through FFA that Matt and Andrea met. They recall some of their first dates being on Matt’s farm where Andrea would help Matt work and wash his show steer for the spring show.

As the fourth generation on the current farm, Matt always knew what he wanted to be when he grew up.

“Ever since I knew what farming was, I knew it was what I wanted to do,” Matt said.

Andrea added that when Matt was little, he could be found under the bleachers playing tractors instead of on the baseball field during t-ball games. You could say that for Matt, it was a true calling and in his blood.

“I saw my dad and grandad and uncle do it. My uncle influenced me a lot when it came to hogs. He was a hog farmer, and my dad was a row crop farmer…now we grow both,” Matt said.

Eight years ago, the couple decided to diversify the farm and purchase a finishing hog farm. They just purchased a second hog farm the past year. Growers for Goldsboro Milling, they’ve really enjoyed working with the pigs. Not only does it help diversify their farm but being able to partner with an integrator takes a lot of the risk out for the Sandersons. Goldsboro Milling provides resources, and for the Sandersons, the partnership fits their operation very well.

They appreciate how hog farming can work well with row crops on their farm too. Because of their long history as row crop farmers, they have a deep appreciation for the land and know the importance of taking care of the land.

“They soil sample annually, so they know exactly what the land needs. They do tissue samples on their plants when they’re not sure exactly how much nitrogen the plants need, so they aren’t applying anything on the land that doesn’t need to be there,” Andrea said.

By using technology like auto-steering when planting and autoswath when spraying, they can be more precise, efficient, and better stewards of the land.

“I think we care more about the land and the environment than anybody because we live on it and I’m raising my kids on it. It’s very important to me. We try to do as much conservation farming as we can,” Matt added.

Raising the next generation on the farm means that you must take care of the farm and the land it includes. Andrea and Matt are committed to doing just that. They hope that living on the farm teaches their kids the value of hard work and that it builds their character. They want their kids to have an overall appreciation for the agriculture industry.

“We try to immerse both of them as much as we can whether it’s through 4-H or just having them on the tractor or combine or entering things in the fair. There’s probably not a whole lot of 6-year olds that know what a persimmon or chinquapin is,” Andrea shared. “He’s not just learning about farming, he’s learning about the land around him,” she continued.

Matt also feels that it is important that their kids learn about the land and how to be good stewards of it.

“I want them to learn the value of the land. When they ride by a farm, I don’t want the first thing they think is ‘how many housing lots I can sell off here.’ I want them to think ‘I can grow a crop here to feed the nation off of this land,’” said Matt.

It is their hope that their kids are the next generation to farm this land, and that the legacy will continue.

Spate and Tessa are well on their way. They already have such a young and bright passion for farming, specifically pigs. Spate was able to show pigs for the first time this year. He showed his first set of pigs at the Wayne County Junior Livestock Show and Sale. He enjoyed it so much that he decided to show in the fall as well. During the summer, he worked hard with his pigs and traveled to various shows across the state, competing in the Carolina Swine Showmanship Circuit. Although it was his first time, he won third in the state for his age category. He also competed at the NC State Fair and was recognized for his showmanship there as well.

When Matt was asked his proudest moment as a farmer, his response was not about an award or high yield, he said, “I love seeing my little boy show pigs. That’s probably one of my proudest things.”

While Tessa is too young to show just yet, it doesn’t stop her excitement for the pigs. Spate’s favorite show pig was named Oreo, and for Tessa, all the pigs are Oreo. As she walks the hog houses, holding her favorite toy pig, she points with delight at all the pigs, yelling “Oreo, Oreo!”

The Sanderson kids aren’t just passionate about pigs, they have a passion for other farming subjects as well. To be clear, Spate is a green tractor guy—not red.

Farming isn’t all pig shows and green tractors, though. It’s both stressful and fulfilling. For Andrea, the hardest part about being a farmer’s wife is not being able to help like she’d like to. She hates seeing Matt stressed and struggling. Although she’d like to do more, Andrea does quite a bit on the farm. When she’s not homeschooling Spate, she is doing farm paperwork, records, moving equipment, hauling grain, scouting crops, helping with placing pigs, doing feed reports, checking irrigation, getting parts, and helping wherever else she can.  Both Matt and Andrea are certified waste applicators, PQA certified and have their pesticide licenses. Farming is stressful, but by working as a family, they get the job done.

Together, as a couple, they continue a legacy that has been passed down for generations. Together, they are trying new things (raising hogs and growing peanuts). Together they are raising the 5th generation to appreciate and understand the land and farming. Together, they are chasing their dreams. Together, they are a North Carolina Farm Family, and that is a blessing for them.

“I feel that we are very blessed because our children are able to know what the land is and the importance of the land and feeding people of the world.”—Andrea Sanderson

Photos by: M. See Creative

Positive Outcomes Have Eluded Farmers in Recent Lawsuits--What Went Wrong?

When lawyers went door to door signing up clients so they could sue Smithfield Foods two of Joey Carter’s neighbors signed up.

At the trial four other neighbors of Joey Carter testified for him. One told the jury: “It’s not what they say. There is not an odor, and I live so close to the farm I can hear the feeders run out in the hog house.” Another said: “We live next door. My wife and kids, we walk on the farm and near it. There’s no issue, no concern, no odor.” A third testified what was being said about Joey Carter’s farm did not make sense. And a fourth testified: “I hate to feel like an innocent man is going down.”

A fifth witness, the local postwoman, told the jury, “I can’t tell you the last time I’ve smelled odor from the farm.” Day in and day out, that postwoman had delivered mail to Joey Carter’s farm and she couldn’t recall the last time she smelled odor.

In addition, a respected scientist who’d done studies at Joey Carter’s farm had found no objectionable odor.

So how did Joey Carter’s farm end up on the losing end of the lawsuit?

First, the jury never heard the respected scientist’s testimony about odor. The lawyer suing Smithfield Foods filed a motion to block her testimony and the judge agreed.

Second, the jury never heard about lawyers promising the two neighbors who sued Joey Carter that they’d make money if they won the lawsuit. The lawyer who filed the lawsuit made a motion to block that testimony as well and the judge agreed.

Third, the jurors were never allowed to visit Joey Carter’s farm because the judge blocked that too.

And, finally, at the trial the jurors were told the lawsuit wasn’t against Joey Carter – it was against Smithfield Foods. That statement was technically true. But the hard fact is the jury’s verdict – it awarded the two people who sued $25 million – put Joey Carter out of business.

You have to wonder: How could these things happen in an American courtroom? They shouldn’t. But that’s why Americans have the right to appeal unfair verdicts to higher courts. And that’s where the road to justice leads for Joey Carter: Straight to the Court of Appeals.

This is the sixth part to a six part series.

Reviewing the First 4 Hog Nuisance Trials--What You Need to Know

 As we’re waiting for the fifth trial to begin, let’s re-examine the first four trials.

Fact #1: The trials didn’t happen because an irritated neighbor drove to a local lawyer’s office, sat down and said, My neighbor’s hog farm’s a nuisance. I want to sue him. Instead, a group of lawyers came to North Carolina, knocked on hog farmers’ neighbors’ doors and said, ‘We’ll sue the hog farmer. We’ll pay the bills. You sign here and be a plaintiff. And if we win you’ll get part of the money.’ It proved to be an enticing offer. It’s why we have these lawsuits.

Fact #2: Oddly, no juror heard about that fact during the trials. The lawyers for the plaintiffs asked the judge to instruct Smithfield’s lawyers not to mention it to jurors. And the judge agreed. Why did that matter?During the Joey Carter farm trial,four of Carter’s neighbors testified for him. One told the jury: “It’s not what they say. There is not an odor, and I live so close to the farm I can hear the feeders run out in the hog house.” Another said: “We live next door. My wife and kids, we walk on the farm and near it. There’s no issue, no concern, no odor.” A third testified what was being said about Joey Carter’s farm did not make sense. And a fourth testified: “I hate to feel like an innocent man is going down.”

A fifth witness, the local postwoman, told the jury, “I can’t tell you the last time I’ve smelled odor from the farm.” Day in and day out, that postwoman had delivered mail to Joey Carter’s farm – and she couldn’t recall the last time she smelled odor.

In addition, a respected scientist who’d done studies at Joey Carter’s farm had found no objectionable odor.

Two neighbors – who signed up for the lawsuits – testified against him.

But neither plaintiff was asked, You lived beside that hog farm for years but didn’t complain – then a lawyer knocked on your door and said, ‘We’ll sue the hog farmer. Join us, we’ll pay the bills and you could make money.’ Is the reason you’re suing to make money?

Wouldn’t that have gone straight to the heart of plaintiffs’ testimony? And their credibility? But no juror ever heard that question asked – or knew even it existed – because the Judge had ruled jurors shouldn’t be told that fact.

Part 2 of a 6 part series