2014 is coming to a close, and although the year wasn't perfect, there are many reasons to celebrate. This was April 14, looking west from our farm. We'd prefer to be in the fields by April 14, but this was a late, late, late spring. Fortunately, we were able to plant most acres. The late planting did have a negative effect on yields, but we made it through! We often question whether or not to plant barley, but this year was a great year for barley. We were able to harvest the crop in mid-August, two weeks before we started wheat. It's so nice to get something harvested, and then catch our breath before wheat harvest begins. Plus, yields were better than expected. Barley doesn't like water, so we had low expectations after the wet spring and early summer, but our little barley plants made it! The best news of 2014 was sugarbeet harvest. I hardly got any pictures because harvest went so fast (here's the harvester way in the distance). Yields were a little disappointing because of late planting, but we finished in record time, with only one minor shutdown for rain. If only every sugarbeet harvest could go that well. Two years ago we ended up leaving sugarbeets in the field, in the mud and snow, so this year's harvest really was a gift. 2014 will not be remember for amazing yields or high prices, but it was a good year. I hope you had a great 2014, and may 2015 be even better.
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I saw this great webinar from the University of Minnesota on locally grown food. The speakers look interesting, topics are diverse, and best of all, it's free! What a great way to learn about local food, and maybe even how to begin growing your own food.
http://localfoods.umn.edu/college I think the local food movement is great. I am appreciative that consumers want to know what they're eating, and how it's produced. My concern is the sources that many consumers are looking to for information. The internet can make idiots out of the smartest people if they are not careful about checking sources. I know I live in a rural area, surrounded by farmers, but I find it hard to believe that consumers have NO connection to a farmer. There has to be someone they can call up and ask questions when something sounds fishy. My blood pressure rose this Thanksgiving when I saw turkeys labeled "Hormone free." All turkeys are hormone free! Hormones are not use by turkey farmers. Calling a turkey "hormone free" is like labeling water "Now with hydrogen and oxygen." It's a marketing ploy, and not a legitimate health concern. So find a farmer. Ask questions. Attend some webinars by the University of Minnesota. And enjoy your food. We've never had food this safe, healthy and abundant, and it doesn't happen by accident. It happens because of hard work by farmers, unseen by almost every consumer. It's amazing what moving around a few words can do for a title. Slate had a great article about a Meeting About Farmers held in New York this month. Take some time to read the article, but here's the bottom line: The New York Times sponsored a meeting titled "Food for Tomorrow; Farm Better, Eat Better, Feed the World." When I first read about this meeting last summer, I was surprised to see NO FARMERS on any panels. I wasn't the only one who was surprised, and a group of farmers quickly remedied that situation, and was able to get a few farmers on the panel. So now for the meeting itself. One of the meeting sponsors was Porsche. I didn't realize they were in the farm truck or utility vehicle business, but I will have to look into their offerings when we replace our 1994 Chevy, or our 2006 Chevy that is so stripped down, you actually have to roll down the windows, not press a button. A Porsche pickup would truly fit right in on our operation. I understand why farmers are their target market. The registration fee for the meeting was $1,400, and it was held at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. It is a working farm, where the majority of the food is sold to their restaurant, which features a $198 tasting menu. So farmer meetings, vs meetings about farmers. A few years ago I was sitting in the courthouse basement, in Devils Lake, ND, surrounded by farmers, and I had an epiphany. There was an American flag in the corner, the 4-H creed on the wall, the smell of ham and baked potatoes cooked by the local church ladies filled the room, and I was surrounded by guys in tattered jeans, free seed company jackets and caps, and dirty boots. This was my life. And was this the life I wanted? Of course it is! This pic below is a typical farm show pic: Free jacket, free hat, product info tucked into back pocket, and these guys were probably sniffing their way to the roast beef lunch (that was not $198.) These are the guys who grow your food, and they're attending meetings to make themselves better farmers. All winter long I attend meetings, full of farmers who are trying to do a better job every year. I'm proud to be in the same industry as these guys. I get a little sensitive when someone sits down at a $198 meal and tries to lecture me on how farming can be improved. We're making improvements every day! The days of every farm having 10 chickens, 2 cows, a few hogs and a sheep are long gone. There's a reason those farms disappeared. It's not efficient, and it's a lifestyle few people want.
I hope the New York Times meeting was productive, and I hope much was learned and shared. As for me, I'll keep attending meetings in courthouse basements, community centers, and American Legions, and enjoy the ham, meatballs, roast beef, or chicken that was prepared by the local church ladies. And if I have to pay $10 for my meal ticket, I'll feel pretty good knowing someone else had to pay $198. It's Veteran's Day, and I will admit to having an obsession with WWII. It just amazes me how close the world came to completely changing, and how hard the U.S. and our allies worked to prevent that. How a madman was able to convince an entire country that his plan to eradicate all Jewish people, and anyone with disabilities was a great idea. How did that happen? How can we make sure it never happens again? I am also stunned by the sacrifices made by our armed forces, and also by our citizens. Our country had one focus, and everyone worked together to beat Hitler. Whenever I read books about WWII, I feel like a spoiled brat. My hardships, are nothing but inconveniences. The books, even fictional, help teach me about true hardships. The first book you must read is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. The story of Louie Zamporini should be mandatory reading for everyone. From an Olympic runner to Japanese POW, his story is simply amazing. Here is a good link to a CBS story, but you must read the book. http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/a-war-heros-unbroken-bond-with-his-biographer/ Another book that should be on the must read list is Armageddon: A Story of Berlin by Leon Uris. This book tells the story of the Berlin airlift after WWII. It's a great story about the transition from the U.S. and Soviet Union going from allies, to enemies. There are many books about WWII, but learning about rebuilding Germany post war was very interesting, and unexpected. We won the war, but now what?
Some other unique books you may enjoy are Last Train to Istanbul, by Ayse Kulin, a book about trying to save Turkish Jews during WWII, City of Thieves by David Benioff about the Leningrad winter holding out from Hitler, The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer, about a Hungarian Jewish Family, The Siren of Paris by David LeRoy about a man's experience in Paris during the German occupation. Those books are lesser known, but still great fictional reads about what life was like during WWII. Some bestsellers that you probably know are Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosney, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. There's a reason those books were best sellers, and should be read if you haven't already. So thank a veteran, and try to remember the difference between hardship and inconvenience. Thanks to our veterans, most of us have never experienced true hardships. I'm a conventional farmer, but I want to take a moment to thank all organic consumers and farmers. Too often food production is portrayed as big ag conventional vs tree hugging organic, but that is not the case at all, and I'm tired of reading about the evils and merits of either method of farming.
On our farm, we grow conventional and GMO crops. There are many factors that determine what crops and seed varieties we plant, such as weed problems within a specific field, availability of seed, disease pressure, but ultimately, profitability. I am a big supporter of GMO crops, and I get frustrated when I read emotional appeals taking priority over scientific evidence. One argument against GMO crops that does resonate with me is the concentration in research and within companies. Like many industries, agriculture is becoming more concentrated. There are fewer companies controlling more of the business. Opponents of GMO crops believe we are putting too many research dollars into this one basket, relying to GMO crops to solve too many problems. I agree there is never enough research money. I would love to see larger budgets for public universities. Most of the wheat varieties we plant are from public institutions (University of Minnesota, North Dakota State University and South Dakota State University). I don't believe GMO crops will solve all our problems, but I know they could help take care of a few issues we have such as leaf disease in wheat, root rot in sugarbeets, or white mold in navy beans. (Researchers, that's my short list. I have many more problems I'd like solved.) During the winter, farmers attend meeting, upon meeting, upon meeting, listening to public researchers summarize their findings about seed spacing and depth, soil sampling, weed control, water control, field tillage, cover crops, the list is endless. But just imagine what we could discover with even more research dollars. Food production evolves, and improves, every year, and the best practices of conventional and organic farming can be shared between farmers. We do not have a perfect food system, but we are moving closer each year. We need farmers who are trying different ideas, different methods, and sharing those different results. This article by the Wall Street Journal, "The New Gentleman Farmer", helped me appreciate organic farmers even more. I read this article almost a year ago, and it has stuck in my head ever since. Farming needs organic farmers, and we need profitable organic farms. In order to do that, we need consumers who are willing to pay more for their food. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303997604579242722533288250 So organic farmers, and organic consumers, thank you. Someday, either directly or indirectly, your successes will lead my farm to more success. And I hope what I am learning in my fields, will help you as well. We need diversity in agriculture, so stop fighting over which method is better, and start supporting all food production. As an economics major, I learned about the Invisible Hand. In 1759, Adam Smith described an invisible hand that guides our behavior and decisions. Economics is the study of how our behavior reacts to changes. How do we make decisions, and how do we change our decisions? I still love economics, and even have Adam Smith's papers on my kindle (they're free, read "The Wealth of Nations.") Now I'm beginning to think of a different Invisible Hand, one that makes our lives easier. There are so just many things we take for granted. We think there's a magical, mythical place where clothing is made, food is produced, electricity is captured, and cell phone signals magically appear. We're spoiled, and we think there's an Invisible Hand that creates our easy lifestyle. My college roommate majored in landscape architecture, and I never understood the full extent of her duties. Plant a few flowers around someone's house was my idea of landscaping. I'm only beginning to see the secret powers that landscape architects have on our every day life. Have you ever been to Disneyworld, and found walkways wide enough for large crowds, benches just where you need them, something to distract you while you wait in line? You can thank a landscape architect. The book "Devil in the White City" is the true story of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (and a serial killer), and it describes perfectly how important landscape architecture was to keeping people comfortable, controlling crowds and completing the beauty of the fair. I finally understand how important, essential, and interesting, her job must be. Below is just one example of her work. As a farmer, I really wish consumers would take more time to find out the importance of food production, and I don't mean just read a few articles online from a so-called "expert." Everyone has their opinion of food production and farming, but is that self proclaimed expert giving their opinion, or facts? Consumers take for granted that food magically appears on shelves. Let me assure you, it doesn't. My farm is only responsible for a few food items on your plate, but I do my best to educate myself on the rest of the food I eat.. I know that Honeycrisp apples were created in Minnesota, for a Minnesota climate, so I try to buy MN Honeycrisps instead of Washington. Sometimes they don't look as shiny and nice, but they always taste better. I toured a cranberry farm in Wisconsin, drove around California looking at artichokes and garlic, and bought my beef and pork straight from a farmer. I raised chickens a few years, and came to the conclusion it was cheaper and easier to just buy it from the store. I know consumers are becoming farther removed from production agriculture, but if you dig deep enough, you should be able to find a farmer you know, and maybe even 2 or 3. Find a livestock producer, organic grower, wheat farmer, and ask a few questions. If you check facebook, many farms have their own pages where they take pictures of their operations, and answer questions. There is no one way to raise food, and farmers are continually making improvements. There is no invisible hand that puts food on the shelf. It took me a few years to appreciate my roommate's job with landscape architecture, and I hope everyone can have a little more appreciation for the work farmers do each day to make sure you have access to safe, and plentiful food. Special thanks to my college roommate Jolene Rieck, www.peakstoplain.com, for finally making me understand how interesting her job must be. I'm sorry I thought you just planted flowers and shrubs. The worst part about a late spring, is a late harvest. We will be harvesting wheat in September, and that's not good. The problem with a late harvest is day length. Instead of being able to harvest until from 11 am until 9 or 10 pm, like you can in August, the day is shorter. You're lucky to get started by noon, and when the sun begins to set, the wind dies down, the dew comes out, and the combines start making that thunking noise that indicates "I'm about ready to plug up." If you don't farm, just think about trying to mow the yard with a dew. Same thing trying to harvest wheat when we lose the sun's drying power. This pic is from last year, and when the dust isn't blowing, it means it's time to shut her down. Things were pretty still in this pic, from Aug 26, 2013, but they were pushing to finish the field. Last year was a late harvest as well, and for me, the worst part is losing our 15 YO to school. According to Brian, he's a much better grain cart driver than me (Brian should sleep on the couch for that comment).
Last week, we had wheat that hadn't even headed out. I'll let you know when we harvest that field, but it will be late. We're not the only ones in this situation. There is late wheat everywhere. If you need a fall job, I can probably find you a farm that needs some help after the kids head back to school. This weekend, Brian's sister (who grew up on the farm) commented on how she couldn't live like that, with no ability to plan. It is frustrating, but it's not a surprise. You just get used to it. Farmers can't be planners. We need to be adaptable. Every year is something different, sometimes good and sometimes bad. There's no relaxing 3 day weekend for farmers in my area this year. Actually, there rarely is a 3 day Memorial Day weekend for farms in my neck of the woods. We're usually still busy planting soybeans and dry beans. Unfortunately, this year we're still planting wheat and sugarbeets (we would have liked to be done with those by May 1!). You may want clear skies for your picnic or weekend at the lake, but we want clear skies so we can finish planting. Keep the rain away for another week please! On Thursday, the kids and I got the cemetery ready for visitors. Conner mowed while Holly, Carrie and I put out the flags and markers. Putting out the flags is something I used to do with my grandpa. It was always a good history lesson, to remember the names, and appreciate all who came before us. The cemetery we care for today is small, but we always manage to find something interesting on a gravestone every year. We try to find the "oldest" birthday, or the funniest Norwegian name. I hope you enjoy some relaxation this weekend but also find the time to attend one of the Memorial Day services. Hearing the gun salute at the cemetery is always memorable. Make sure to find your own way to remember. I recently heard an interview with Mark Bittman on NPR. For those of you unfamiliar with him, he's an author and food writer. You'll find him in the New York Times, and he has a best selling book "Vegan Before 6 pm." He has a unique perspective on cooking and food production. During the interview, he was asked about GMOs. I do not have his exact quote, but he compared GMOs to electricity. Few people understand exactly how they work, but people accept electricity, and yet remain fearful of GMOs. If we try to avoid every technology we didn't understand, we'd probably become Amish. Computers, cars, cell phones, and even land line phones. I can't build them, fix them, or find them in nature, and yet I don't question their safety, and I don't hesitate to use them. While Mr. Bittman said there's no reason to be afraid of GMOs, he also said he doesn't think they are worthwhile. He doesn't believe they have many benefits for farmers, or food production. I halfway agree with him, but I think he's missing the bigger picture. Up to this point, most GMOs benefit the farmer directly and the consumer indirectly. Farmers can use few and safer chemicals, but we still pay for the technology with our licensing fees to Monsanto. Indirectly, consumers see stable food prices because crop production has remained stable. Farmers see the benefits of GMOs, as evident by their adoption. We still have many options for growing non-GMO varieties, but most acres are planted to GM varieties. I like to think of today's GM varieties as the "3.5 inch floppy disc" in food technology. I found this box of discs while cleaning out the basement. At the time (these discs say 1996 to 1998), these were the best! You could move data from one computer to another with ease. Now we laugh at these. We can send files via email. We have thumb drives, and the cloud, and large external drives that keep our data. As a wheat farmer, I have hope we will have a GM wheat variety available soon, but I don't want technology 1.0. I want GM technology 2.0. I don't want roundup ready wheat. I want scab resistance. I want leaf disease resistance. I want higher protein, and higher falling numbers. I want to raise a super wheat, that will make the fluffiest, most beautiful loaves of bread you have ever seen. Bakers know a kernel of wheat is not just a kernel of wheat, and they would love to get their hands on more consistent and stable quality of wheat.
I agree with Mr. Bittman that today's GM technology is kind of bland. It was exciting when it first came out, but now farmers and consumers want more. We're ready for GM technology 2.0. Someday we'll smile thinking about our round up ready crops, as we look out at our drought tolerant, disease resistant, high nutrient super crops that are feeding a world. We traveled over 1300 miles by car over the Easter weekend. Lots of restaurants, gas stations, hotels and hotel breakfast buffets. It was a long weekend, but well worth it to see all the friends and family along the way. We've been snowed in for a long time in Northern Minnesota, but I didn't realize how far behind the curve I was when it came to the newest food fad. I was shocked at the number of "gluten free" foods I saw advertised. One menu read "gluten free items available for those that choose, or require a gluten free diet." The breakfast buffet at the hotel had a long list of the gluten free items available for guests. The pie shop/tourist trap stuck gluten free stickers on everything they could, including a long list of items I don't feel needed a gluten free sticker such as popcorn, pure maple syrup and cheese. For those with celiac disease, I am so happy your life is becoming easier because restaurants are understanding your food needs. I've seen my aunt almost brought to tears when a restaurant assured her they have a separate fryer for french fries, so the fries don't get gluten contamination from breaded cheese sticks or chicken nuggets. She was diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago, and I am so happy she is finding more restaurants that cater to her health needs. But for consumers who are choosing to go gluten free, I'd like to offer a little history lesson and offer you the reassurance that no matter how crazy your food fads become, farmers will still be here for you, producing safe and healthy foods. Let's start with Snackwells. Anyone remember these fat free crackers and cookies from the 90's? If they don't have fat in them, they must be healthy, right? Even without fat, they still have calories. I blame snackwells, and every other "fat free" label for my freshman 15. I may have lived on snackwells and twizzlers (also fat free) in my dorm room. You can still find Snackwells on the shelves, but this time around they don't advertise fat free. They are usually individual servings of crackers, cookies and snacks. Portion controlled, so you only consume a 100 calorie snack instead of a 500 calorie bag of fat free cookies. The diet during the 2000's was low carb. No bread, fruit, sweets, crackers, nothing. Pork rinds anyone? Just meat, cheese and some vegetables. How many of you are still on a carb free diet? There is a silver lining to all these diet fads: They are making us aware of what we're eating, and for some people with health conditions, we need better awareness. Fat is not evil, but if you have high cholesterol, you need a low fat diet. Carbs are not evil, but if you're diabetic, even a piece of white bread can mess with your blood sugar levels. Gluten is not evil, unless you have celiac disease, and we're learning how gluten can hide in many products.
Farmers continue to plug along, growing the safe food you will need. Even if you don't appreciate it today because of your special diet, we keep growing healthy foods for you. I predict the next round of diet fad will be nightshade vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. It seems like these are making the internet rounds more often with chronic pain. Once again, I will warn you that a BLT should still contain the T, but there may be some people who have bad reactions to tomatoes. As for me, I'm going to still dip my fat filled, carb and gluten loaded onion rings into the deadly ketchup. Wish me luck! |
AuthorThis is what I get for majoring in agriculture economics at North Dakota State University. A farm near the Canadian border, far from any delivery restaurants or shopping centers. Sometimes in life you get nothing that you prayed for, and yet so much more than you asked. Life doesn't have to be easy to be wonderful and blessed. Archives
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