Activist groups are a sore subject with me.  Just what are their goals, and what do they do with donations?  I appreciate action more than talk, and activist groups don't always fit that profile.  You've probably heard of LiveStrong, the Lance Armstrong foundation.  Did you know the purpose of LiveStrong is cancer awareness and education?  The purpose was never to find a cure for cancer, and the foundation was quite clear about that.  Every time you bought a yellow bracelet or shirt, you are helping to raise money for cancer education and awareness, but not a cure.  Their website is quite upfront with that information, but I was still surprised when I found out.  Assisting cancer patients and educating the public is a good cause, but I want a cure.  

The Humane Society of the United States may sound like the local shelter where we just got our new puppy, and their website includes "pets and shelters" and "animal rescue and care" on their list of 4 areas of work, but they spend over twice as much money on advocacy and public policy than they do on cruelty prevention programs.  Their website and annual report are full of pictures of cute puppies and kitties, but the majority of their budget goes towards lawyers and lobbyists in suits.  If you want to save a dog or cat, send your money to your local animal shelter.  If you want to save a lobbyist in a suit, send your donation to HSUS.  They are an organization of talk, not of action.      

So I was reassured when I started looking into The Nature Conservancy.  I have admired The Nature Conservancy from afar, impressed with their work on the Glacial Ridge project in Northwest Minnesota.  They bought more than 24,000 acres, some of it farmland, and have converted it to native prairie.  It was somewhat controversial among farmers in Northwest Minnesota, but I think nearly everyone has grown to appreciate their work.  If you donate to the Nature Conservancy, the money is going directly to conservation activities and land purchases and easements.  It's an organization of actions, not words.  That impresses me.  

I became even more impressed when I read an editorial given by the President and CEO of the Nature Conservancy, Mark Tercek.  He's a vegan, and head of one of the largest conservation organizations in the U.S., but I was so impressed with his common sense approach.  I don't want to paraphrase his article, but I do think it's a worthwhile read for every farmer, and actually anyone who eats.

Farmers are the original environmentalists.  We've been working to take care of the land, even before it was mainstream.  I am happy to have found an environmentalist that is working to better the world, and not just create hype and hysteria.  I guess I appreciate it because farmers are people of action.  We don't spend our days on news networks trying to scare people over potential food shortages.  Instead, we spend our days working in the fields, trying to make sure those shortages never occur.  

Last winter while attending an extension seminar on soybean production, I took a look at the room full of farmers, probably 200 of them, and realized how much work farmers do trying to produce more with less.  This group of farmers was spending their entire day listening to the latest research on disease, fertilization, row spacing, all areas of soybean production.  How can we get one more bushel from our fields, and how can we do it with fewer inputs?  Tomorrow it's a wheat production meeting, or corn, but the education, and improvements in production, never end.  If you want to keep eating, we'll keep feeding you.  

Take a few minutes and read the article from Mark Tercek.  I think you'll enjoy it. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-tercek/a-new-diet-for-the-planet_b_3189719.html?utm_hp_ref=tw?show_comment_id=249768954#comment_249768954

We got the backhoe and dug the remaining pieces of equipment out of snowbanks.  We're almost ready to go, but Mother Nature has different plans for us.  Patience, patience, patience is the name of the game. 

The biggest problem when it gets this late for planting is the rush.  It's like waiting until Christmas Eve to do your Christmas shopping.  You end up at the mall with all the other procrastinators, and come home crabby after failing to find the perfect present.  Instead, we push to get everything done, working long hours and minor breakdowns have major implications.  You would be well advised to avoid all farmers during the month of May.  We're either crabby because we're not in the field, or crabby because we are, and now we're short of sleep and patience. 

I visited with a banker this week, and he asked me if I thought farmers were prepared to deal with lower yields.  We've had a few good years, and it is easy to forget the years with mediocre yields.  Farmers do have crop insurance, but it covers you in a disaster.  Most farmers buy insurance that covers them if yields are below 65% to 75% of a normal yield.  Take away 25% to 35% of your income for the year, and think about how you would handle it.  It is not a disaster, but it certain causes some serious pinches. 

A headline from this morning's newspaper read "Farmers got too much aid in drought, report says."  Interesting.  Drought affected many farmers last summer, and they collected crop insurance, but that insurance helped provide them with 65% to 75% of their normal income.  You can purchase up to 85% crop insurance, but it is quite costly, and few farmers are willing to spend that much on insurance.  It should be noted that the "report" quoted in the article was written by a lobbying organization that is anti-farming.  I wouldn't exactly call that non-biased. 

It's too early for me to begin thinking about crop insurance.  We had to purchase it by March 15, so it's not like we can make changes.  And I do not plan to collect crop insurance this year.  I have confidence Mother Nature will get back on track, and give us spring weather, and soon! 

On a positive note, we do have 240 acres of winter wheat planted.  Oh sure it was planted last fall, but still.  We're 240 acres ahead of our neighbors.  Ha!

Yesterday I asked people to fill in the blink:  In winter wheat country it is said "Plant in the dust, your bins will bust."  In spring wheat country we could say "Plant in the snow...

1.  Your cheeks will glow
2.  into debt you'll go
3.  nothing will grow
4.  hope they'll grow
5.  your farm will go

Even if you're not in spring wheat country, wet weather is keeping most farmers out of the fields.  Moisture is good news to relieve the drought, but early planting is a critical yield factor for corn, spring wheat, and sugarbeets. 

At least we're all in this together.  Last fall we had a horrible sugarbeet harvest.  In a normal year, harvest begins October 1, and ideally lasts for 2 weeks, maybe 3.  Last year we attempted to harvest all the way up to Thanksgiving, and then we still left sugarbeets in the field.  We found out a sugarbeet harvester can't tell the difference between a sugarbeet, and a frozen mud chunk.  

But last fall it was a relatively small area that could not harvest.  It was a tough harvest for nearly all sugarbeet farmers in the Red River Valley, but it was an impossible harvest for just a few of us in the Northern RRV.  It was a very isolating experience.  

This spring we are all in the same boat, and there is a sense of safety in numbers.  Delayed plantings aren't just my problem, they are your problem too.  Minnesota still has widespread snow (some schools were canceled today, April 19!) and North Dakota is digging out from a record April snowfall.  Corn Belt farmers are waiting for sunshine after heavy, heavy rains and even flooding.  This week's crop progress report should be renamed the "Lack of Progress Report."

Many Northern Plains farmers are already changing their corn acres.  Most of us are not "corn farmers" but "farmers who grow corn" (we don't have dryers or a corn header, have limited storage, and not enough hopper bottom trailers) so don't blame us for being a little nervous.  We're still dipping our toe in the corn acres, nervous about how to handle the bushels, dry them, store them, and when to harvest.  The snow is still deep, the forecast is cold, and there is no imminent sign of when planting will begin.  It is easier to turn back to the safety of wheat, and maybe barley.

We took a little drive last night to see if there are any signs of life in the fields.  I did manage to find a group of swans 2 miles east of me.  I see geese and ducks all the time, but swans are unusual.  They were a little camera shy, but it made me think that maybe this Ugly Duckling of a spring may have a beautiful ending.  When I showed my 10 year old the picture, she said "Mom, where did you find a field with dirt?"  Come on you Ugly Duckling Planting season, surprise me and become a beautiful swan in a few months.  

It is April 17, and it is snowing.  I know for most people that is depressing, but for farmers, those falling snowflakes mean falling profits as well.  I am trying to remain optimistic, but the odds of a good wheat, corn and sugarbeet crop decline with every day our equipment sits in our yard.

I keep reminding myself that spring weather is just ONE determinant of final yield, not the only determinant.  Last year we had very dry conditions, but with early planting and great temperatures, the crop was much better than expected.  Maybe we can be lucky two years in a row.

So to my other fellow farmers in the Northern Plains, keep your chin up, and remain optimistic.  I have decided to stop watching the USDA Crop Progress reports because that will just add to my frustration.  Perhaps this late planting will help give prices a bit of a boost, and I can make some 2013 sales, and wrap up my remaining 2012 sales.  There is still plenty of work to be done, even if it isn't fieldwork.