Knowledge is Power
During the winter months, grain farmers educate ourselves on new innovations, marketing strategies, how to get better yields, and attend networking events. One such event that I recently attended was the Executive Women in Agriculture Conference in Chicago. It was really amazing, you know why? Not only did I listen to some knowledgable women who […]
Farm Facts
Here are some interesting farm facts that might put things in perspective: 14% of the U.S workforce, about 21 million people, is employed in agriculture-six times as many as in the automotive industry. 920,000 full-time jobs, including 608,000 jobs in the nonfarm sector, are generated by agriculture exports, according to a 2008 USDA study. $369 […]
Shoveling Sheep Sh#%
As I can now call myself a farmer, I have a whole new attitude when it comes to shoveling sheep poop. It is so full of nitrogen and other nutrients for the soil, and with today’s fertilizer prices, it’s worth every scoop. When I was a teenager, it was the one chore I hated the […]
John Deere tractor
We are not in the market for a new tractor but a neighbor farmer has this John Deere tractor that I couldn’t stop looking at. The body is low and seems more simple than conventional tractors. The wheels, or lack there of, are spread wider to provide balance of the low chassi and provide less […]
USDA October crop report
The USDA comes out with these yield forecasts for the nation in regards to how much commodities the U.S will produce. They usually make the commodity markets somersault. Iowa’s yield forecast is in red, and surprisingly we are the nations largest producer of corn and soybeans. So the next time you take a bite of […]
Corn on corn field
While harvesting a corn on corn field, meaning that we planted corn on the same field two years in a row, I took a picture of the combine monitor. If you look at the upper left hand corner, it shows the average yield of that field and the average moisture level. This year, as last […]
With a little rain…
…brings rainbows!!! We were finishing up our 2011 soybean harvest tonight and it started to sprinkle rain. For the past few weeks it has felt like Bakersfield, California (a city in the desert between L.A and Las Vegas). We finally got a little bit of rain and everything changed! The air became clear and fresh, […]