Tim Donaldson could have chosen just about any occupation under the sun. He got a degree in animal science in 1990, at Auburn University. “I took a lot of science and math classes and I use those skills every day,” said Donaldson.

He also took courses in agronomy because he knew he would be growing grass someday. “If you want to raise cattle, you have to grow grass,” he said.

He could have been a pizza mogul, because that’s where his parents, Gloria and Ronnie Donaldson started out. The family moved here from Birmingham when Tim was just a small child. “Dad bought Pasquale’s in 1972,” he recalled. “Our family also farmed on 80 acres back then. Dad tried row crops, truck farming and then commercial layer houses, but finally decided to buy a feed mill and our family still owns that today.” 

Tim decided that he wanted to diversify, so he was chosen to be the “outside man” while his brother, Stephen, runs the feed mill in town.

“Actually, my dad worked it out that way,” Tim pointed out. When Ronnie Donaldson was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) in 1991, he knew that he was leaving the businesses he worked to build in the very capable hands of his sons.

The family has turned that first 80-acre farm into a multifaceted enterprise. Tim and his wife, Missy, who teaches third grade at Holly Pond, have two children: Hannah, who is a junior at Auburn, majoring in agricultural communications, and Lane, a senior at Cullman High School, who is still exploring his options.

The Donaldsons live on a farm near Holly Pond.

In 2000, Tim became partners with a group from North Carolina in a swine operation in Calhoun County. Ohacchee Farm encompasses 476 acres and a herd of 2,500 sows. They ship about 500 weaned piglets a week to locations all over the United States.

He also has 400 acres here in Cullman County, where he works with the North Alabama Bull Evaluation Center, feeding 60-80 bulls, starting in July of each year. The bulls are tested to see how much they eat, how much they gain, what cuts of meat can be realized from them, and then in December, they are taken to the stockyard, where, instead of becoming Big Macs, they are purchased and shipped off to become what every bull dreams of — the top bull in other herds for the rest of his life.

The Donaldsons also have about 100 cows in a cow/calf operation. Most of his time is spent with the cattle.

Right now, sales are good, with beef bringing in large revenues, but along with that comes higher costs of maintaining the cattle. “Our costs of feed, fuel and fertilizer have shot up, too,” he pointed out. Sounds like a busy man, huh?

“Well, we sure don’t have to hunt for something to do,” Tim chuckled.

“It’s hard to think some days about how much work there is to be done, but I like the thought that we are feeding people a safe product,” he said pragmatically. “The United States produces the safest food in the world — bar none. That is partially due to things like the ‘We Care’ initiative put in place by the National Pork Board,” he explained. “Because of this initiative, pork farms use 78 percent less land than we did 50 years ago, 41 percent less water, and pork production makes a carbon footprint that is 35 percent less than 50 years ago,” he said proudly. “We are so much more efficient than we were back then.”

Because swine have been moved indoors, some pathogens associated with pork have been eliminated. “Since their feet don’t touch the ground we have eliminated Trichinella Spiralis, the pathogen associated with undercooked pork,” he continued. “Since that pathogen has been eradicated we don’t have to cook pork to such high temperatures as we once did. People just don’t realize how much better pork tastes when it’s not overcooked.”

For farmers like Tim Donaldson, agricultural research has been a way to improve his herds of commercial animals, which is his livelihood. Because of places like Auburn University, our food is indeed, the safest in the world.

Donaldson loves this way of life, and says he can’t think of anything else that would give him the satisfaction he gets from farming and raising commercial animals. “Sure, you have times when every day seems like a Monday, and I haven’t encouraged my children to follow in my footsteps, but I can’t imagine myself doing anything else,” he said, smiling.

The Donaldsons have been chosen to represent the swine industry at the upcoming Farm to Fork event which preceeds the Farm Y’all Festival Aug. 23-24. The event on Friday night will allow people to meet the farmers who grow our local food. For tickets to the Friday evening dinner, call 256-734-0454. The Farm Y’all Festival the following day is free.

There will be homemade ice cream, cold drinks, and a Giant Pumpkin Weigh-In. Everyone is welcome to come out and celebrate Cullman!

For more information, contact www.farmyall.com.