NelJean Farms

Tie Stalls & Hitchrail Replacement Project

With the 4th generation now embracing farm life, Nel Jean Farms, operated by James & Joyce Gray, used a Delaware County Farm Enhancement Grant to secure its future by rehabilitating a portion of the dairy barn. Purchased in 1948 by Jim’s parents, the original structure needed some upgrading to continue to provide comfortable housing for the young stock.

Today Jim & Joyce, their children and their spouses, and grandchildren are stewards of a colorful herd of purebred dairy cattle, milking 65-head in a conventional tie stall and grazing system. They pride themselves on producing quality milk, which they are able to market at a premium. Attention to detail, careful management, and a passion for the vocation has allowed the farm to stay vibrant while maintaining its traditional character. Jim’s father built an addition to the barn in 1975, and that footprint still serves the needs of the farm today. With the help of the Farm Enhancement Grant Program, the barn is once again capable of housing the milking herd and the young stock, with individual stalls for safe handling, each equipped with a mattress for maximum cow comfort.

Jim is appreciative of the Delaware County Farm Enhancement Grant Program allowing the family to affordably restore their barn, and for the boost in their grantsmanship skills. He recognizes the availability of grant opportunities for agriculture and notes its worth the time and patience to put an application in, “I’m just waiting for a no, and all I’ve lost is a little time”, but a “yes allows us to do new things”, Jim mused as he proudly showed off his new manure injection system, a project largely funded through a grant the farm recently received through the USDA to embrace state of the art manure handling. Jim credits the success the farm has recently had with grants to learning how to manage the process; the time and dedication he and his son Matt spend crafting answers, as some applications are quite lengthy. Matt has learned the ability to tell the story of the farm and provide the details necessary for grant reviewers to understand the motivations behind the application and the family’s dedication to making projects, and the farm successful. With this confidence in writing grant applications, new opportunities are open to the farm, such as deploying this manure injection technology, with a serial number of 0001, that will allow the farm to continue as a leader in environmental responsibility.

Last updated June 20, 2025