"Farm"schooling During COVID-19: Lessons from the Farm

Farms are providing more than a steady food supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also aiding in the education of youth home bound due to school closures. For farm families, the farm is more than chores and a job that needs to get done. It is an opportunity for their children to learn valuable lessons, develop life skills, and a chance to spend some additional time with their family.

Lessons from the farm encompass many school subjects—math, science, art, etc. We asked folks to send photos of their kids on the farm during this quarantine and let us know what they were learning. All we can say, is the farm is a wonderful teacher.

Farmschooling in NC

Ryley Herring learns all about nutrition, feeding the pigs. Ryley’s had a great time lending an extra hand on the farm while out of school, but he’s still learning lessons. Did you know that pigs get a specialized diet created by nutritionists? Photo: Chad Herring of Mount Olive.

Learning all the basics! Quinn may need to grow into his coveralls a bit, but that doesn’t stop this little farmer from checking on the pigs and helping where needed. Work ethic and animal science is definitely being learned here. Photo from Eric and Carmon Short of Rose Hill.

These brothers’ mom says that they are working on math, small engine preventative maintenance, soil science, and environmental stewardship while irrigating at the hog farm. Photos from the Linton family of Mount Olive.

“We studied environmental sciences and agronomy. Environmental stewardship is practiced everyday on my farm. This valuable lesson will be passed down to the next generation.” -Marlowe Vaughan regarding her daughter Kivett of Goldsboro.

The farm also teaches creativity. Whether that is using what you have to fix something or getting the perfect photo. Gideon Linton practices creativity by getting just the right angle for the photo lower right.

“Visiting daddy at the hog houses. On these nice days, we are gonna be here a whole lot!! It’s just a short walk from our house, so getting in that awesome sunshine!”- Shawn Norville

It’s hard to beat fresh air and sunshine. I think we can classify this as a bit of PE for the day.

Crop and soil sciences are learned in the field. The Shooter family is subsoiling before corn gets planted.

Sarah Hobson snapped this photo of her kids making the world a better place by picking up litter that had blown into their fields. Raising considerate humans that care is so awesome!

“This morning our School lesson took a different turn other than acedemics. Environmental Stewardship and acting responsible for God's beauty! These young men got A's!” Morris Murphy

PSA…Don’t litter.

Some kids are getting to just explore the nature on the farm. Amanda Gardner took her grandkids on a nature hunt on the farm!

The photos and lessons continue as kids everywhere continue to learn despite the Coronovirus. For many, social distancing is life enriching.

We hope these photos bring light and happiness to a difficult time. Happy farmschooling everyone!

Attacks Keep Coming for NC Hog Farmers

The attacks keep coming…

There’s a popular movie from the 1990’s where Bill Murray plays a weatherman who is forced to relive the same day over and over and over again.

If you’re a North Carolina hog farmer, it must feel like Groundhog Day every time you see a story from freelance reporter Barry Yeoman. It’s yet another attack on our farmers, fueled by activists and trial lawyers who want to put us out of business.

This latest attack appeared recently in Indy Week, an alternative weekly newspaper in the Triangle. It purports to tell the story of a Wilson County man who has experienced “20 years of hell” because he lives near a hog farm. (His home is more than a half mile away from the nearest farm.)

It’s no surprise to learn that the story focuses on one of the plaintiffs in the ongoing series of nuisance lawsuits. And like the other plaintiffs in these lawsuits, this particular individual isn’t seeking any changes to the farm’s operations. These plaintiffs and the trial lawyers who represent them only want money.

And like most of the other plaintiffs, there’s no record of neighbor complaints about the farm’s operations — until the trial lawyers showed up with promises of lucrative payouts.

You see, this case isn’t really about 20 years of hell. It’s about the unfettered greed of trial lawyers who have set their sights on North Carolina farmers and the corporations who are vital to the success of our pork industry.

These nuisance lawsuits have been another Groundhog Day experience for our farmers. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit will finally hear oral arguments involving Murphy-Brown’s appeal of the nuisance lawsuit verdicts on Friday, January 31. This is the opportunity we’ve been waiting for — the opportunity to point out serious errors by the judge that unduly influenced the outcome of the trials. We’ll share updates from the Fourth Circuit after the hearing.

Preview of Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

A Preview of the Upcoming Appeal of Nuisance Lawsuits

 It’s been nearly two years since a Wake County jury delivered its first verdict in the nuisance lawsuits against Murphy-Brown. That verdict, a $50 million judgement, will be the subject of an appeal heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond on Friday, January 31.

 We’ve been waiting for this day.

 North Carolina hog farmers — along with their family, friends and neighbors who depend on a strong pork industry — want the opportunity to correct a series of mistakes made by the 88-year-old trial judge.

 The appeals court will finally hear oral arguments from Murphy-Brown. In its written appeal, the company identified seven critical mistakes that influenced the outcome of the cases.

 “These errors took a costly toll,” Murphy-Brown argues. “Deprived of the opportunity to resolve factual disputes, improperly exposed to prejudicial evidence, misled by one-sided expert testimony, and misinformed about the law, the jury awarded ten plaintiffs more than $50 million — all for the alleged annoyance and discomfort of living near a farm that opened nearly 25 years ago,” the court filing says.

 Murphy-Brown is asking the appeals court to consider the following options: reverse the punitive damages award, dismiss the case, or order a new trial under different circumstances (excluding improper evidence and testimony, etc.).

 Who will hear the arguments?

Arguments will be heard by a panel of three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals. The identity of the panel will remain confidential until the day of the arguments.

 How long will it last?

Each side will have 20 minutes to present their case, beginning with Murphy-Brown. The court will post a recording of the oral arguments on Monday, February 3. 

 When will the court issue a ruling?

No time soon. The court typically issues a ruling within three to six months. The remaining nuisance lawsuits, including future planned trials, will remain on hold until the appeals court issues its ruling.

 Previous rulings by the Court of Appeals

This won’t be the first time the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has considered issues related to these nuisance lawsuits. In 2018, it was asked to overturn a gag order imposed by Judge Earl Britt during the second trial that prevented Murphy-Brown and others from commenting on the lawsuits.

 In that case, the appeals court strongly condemned the judge’s actions in overturning his decision.

 “The mischief of the trial court’s action should be apparent,” the court stated. “The gag order has already inflicted serious harm on parties, advocates, and potential witnesses alike. It has muted political engagement on a contested issue of great public and private consequence. It has hamstrung the exercise of First Amendment rights. Even in short doses, these harms are hostile to the First Amendment.”

 While that outcome was favorable to hog farmers, each appeal has its own unique set of legal issues that must be considered. We do not know which judges will hear this appeal or how the court may rule.

 Want to attend?

Oral arguments will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Richmond, Virginia on Friday, January 31. Proceeding will begin at 8:30 am in Room 412. The Court of Appeals is located in the Lewis F. Powell Jr. Courthouse at 1100 East Main Street.