“Down on the Farm” Down at the Lake
Here’s a little video from the Wyant/Johnson Farm Foundation benefit concert of Michael Peterson singing part of the song that brought him and New Holland together - “Down on the Farm.”
AgWired
News From the world of Agribusiness
07.24.2008
Scenes from the Lake Concert
It’s hard to appreciate from this little thumbnail photo just what a cool venue the Sara Wyant/Allan Johnson lake house was for the Farm Foundation Michael Peterson concert Friday night. You have to go look at the photo album to get a bigger view.
First of all, it is a beautiful house. And it has these three balcony levels so everyone had a perfect view of Michael set up lakeside and the acoustics were excellent.
The event was made possible by our very good friend Gene Hemphill and New Holland. It was his idea two years ago to offer a private concert with Michael to the highest bidder at the NAFB Farm Foundation auction. In 2006, farm broadcaster Pam Jahnke of Madison, WI bought one package and used it for a Wisconsin FFA fundraiser, while the National Farmers Union matched her bid and bought another for their annual convention. Gene says they will offer it up again at the 2008 convention in November.
People from all over the country attended the concert, including some corn guys from Illinois and Kansas who might be familiar faces to AgWired readers. We also had the famous singer and National Biodiesel Board executive director Joe Jobe and his family, as well as some people from as far away as Washington DC, like Karen Coble Edwards who was visiting with Charlene Finck of Farm Journal down at the lake and they both came with their families.
I did a little audio interview after the concert with Sara and Allan, Garry Niemeyer and Ken McCauley, Gene and Michael that you can listen to here.
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AgWired Commercial
If we were a radio station, this would make a great promo spot.
I had the honor of being introduced by Michael Peterson at a private concert held this past weekend at the Lake Ozark home of Sara (Agri-Pulse) Wyant and her husband Allan Johnson with USDA. He said some very nice things about me and Chuck and AgWired and I fortunately had a recorder running at the time.
He called AgWired “the largest and most influential agriculture blog site in the world!” Wow! I like that. “They’re doing a lot around the country to help share the ‘no-spin’ truth about agriculture,” Michael said.
Listen to Michael’s AgWired promo here:
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Thanks, Michael!
Sharing Autographs
Country music singer Michael Peterson made some young fans happy at a private party at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks Friday night, singing autographs on copies of his “Down on the Farm” CD supplied to guests courtesy of New Holland. But he also got an autographed memento of his own from the event.
The party was a benefit for Farm Foundation, so immediate past chairman (and party host) Sara Wyant of Agri-Pulse Communications, and Farm Foundation communications director Mary Thompson presented Michael with a book commemorating the foundation’s 75 year history that was signed by some of the organization’s representatives.
Sara presented the book to Michael in gratitude for his performance and in recognition of his tremendous contributions to rural America.
The Farm Foundation focuses on economic and policy issues impacting agriculture, the food system and the people of rural America. The organization works as a catalyst, using conferences, workshops and other activities to bring stakeholders of all types together to identify and understand forces that will shape the future for our industry.
To find out more - or to make a contribution (which they would greatly appreciate) - go to farmfoundation.org.
Party at the Lake
While Chuck was busy chasing spotted horses in Mississippi this weekend, I got to go to a really GREAT party at beautiful Lake of the Ozarks, featuring our good friend Michael Peterson.
Our gracious hosts were Sara Wyant and Allan Johnson, who bought a private concert with Michael at the NAFB Foundation auction last November, courtesy of New Holland and the still-not-retired Gene Hemphill.
It was just a wonderful event, with about 100 of Sara and Al’s friends and neighbors, including lots of familiar faces in the agribusiness world. The event was also a fundraiser for the Farm Foundation, for which Sara has been serving as chairman.
To see more photos from the event, check out this Flickr Photo Album:
Rock and Roll Meets Tractor and Country
We certainly had a little bit of rock and roll getting together with country at the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race. One of the contestants who held the lead for a while was Rolling Stones keyboardist, Chuck Leavell (left), seen here with Michael Peterson.
Chuck is a central Georgia tree farmer where he and his wife have 2,500 acres. He’s the proud owner of a New Holland 2410. I asked him why he participated and one of the things he likes is supporting FFA, which he feels strongly about. As far as a celebrity tractor race goes, he thinks it’s the coolest thing in the world. When he’s not on the road rocking and rolling with the Stones, he says you’ll find him on his New Holland out in the woods.
He’s also a big believer in biofuels like biodiesel and has a special interest in cellulosic ethanol production. That makes sense for a tree farmer.
Listen to my interview with Chuck:
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Watch Chuck ride:
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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Jimmie Van Zant Riding a Blue Boomer
One of the celebrities competing in the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor race was Jimmie Van Zant, pictured on the left with Michael.
Jimmie is a cousin to Johnny, Ronnie and Donnie Van Zant, deceased members of the band, Lynyrd Skynyrd. He’s been making quite a career on his own.
He thinks the tractor race is an excellent opportunity for artists and the public to interact and he really thinks it’s a great idea to use this venue to promote a biofuel like biodiesel.
Listen to my interview with Jimmy:
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Watch Jimmy ride:
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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AgWired & AgriTalk is Winning Combo
Mike Adams (right), Host of AgriTalk was the celebrity announcer of the celebrity tractor race. He and I talked about the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race right before it got started. AgriTalk producer, John Herath, got this photo of us sporting our Frogg Toggs to keep cool.
This was Mike’s second year as the emcee for the race and once again he did a great job of keeping track of all the competitors and entertaining the crowd for an event that lasted several hours. Mike does tend to kid the competitors and I was afraid for him at one point when he made a sarcastic comment to one of the Tennessee Titan guys who drove in the race. Let’s just say he could have come up on stage and picked Mike up and thrown across the race track. But he smiled and waved instead.
Listen to my interview with Mike:
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2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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Celebrities Riding Tractors
My latest road trip ended at the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race in Nashville, TN. So this week’s program has been produced there and includes an event wrap-up with Michael.
Michael Peterson has become a good friend after I’ve had so many opportunities to work with him since this event started 3 years ago. Today he got the crowd fired up as they enjoyed the competition and seeing some of their favorite artists get up on a tractor and for the most part, do real well.
Michael got on the tractor himself at one point so I recorded that so you can watch him drive. I think his time was actually the fastest but he can’t win.
Special thanks go out to not only Michael but also Gene Hemphill and Dawn Fox at New Holland as well as Holly Fritz at H.B. Fritz & Associates who did so much work to put this event on.
You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: 
ZimmCast 174 (8 min MP3)
Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:
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2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
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Joe Jobe Competes in Celebrity Tractor Race
Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board (left) and Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Rolling Stones (right) were two of the competitors out here at the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race today.
I spoke to both of them before their competition runs and will post my interview with Chuck later. In this post you can watch Joe give it all he had this year, which was good but just a tad short. I’m betting he’ll be back though. He really commends Michael Peterson for being such an advocate for renewable fuels like biodiesel (the tractor was running on B20) and also New Holland for their support. He says that this country music audience is a great one to expose to the message.
Listen to my interview with Joe:
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Watch Joe ride:
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
Darby Ledbetter Wins Celebrity Tractor Race
The winner of the 2008 Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race is Darby Ledbetter with a time of 47 seconds. He pretty much blew away the competition. Here’s Darby on the New Holland tractor with Michael Peterson (left).
I interviewed Darby right afterward and he was still pretty excited about his win. He’s a National Guard supporter and really appreciates what Micheal Peterson and New Holland and the Army have done to support our troops.
I’m not sure the final count for contestants of today’s race but there were a lot and we were all glad that it was under a tent with the extreme heat. That made it a little challenging for us photographers though.
Listen to Darby the race winner here:
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2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
AgWired Live TV From Celebrity Tractor Race
If you missed it then you missed it. AgWired Live TV broadcast today’s Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor Race from the Chevy Zone at the CMA Music Fest.
We had people tuning in and out of the broadcast which stretched over several hours today. I’m in the process of editing some pictures, audio and video to post here this afternoon from the hotel. Tomorrow I’ll be heading back to ZimmComm World Headquarters.
The photo album is up to date.
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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FFA Working in New Holland Booth
Laura posted a video clip with Dustin Delp, seated on the right, the other day at the start of the CMA Music Fest parade. Today I sat down with him at the New Holland booth where he and other FFA members are helping out.
It’s a great project and some of the ones here this year were also here last year.
We talked about his chapter and what he thinks of Fan Fair. He’s ready to come back:
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2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
Agriblogging in Nashville
I’ve tag teamed with Laura McNamara, seen here busily agriblogging, at the CMA Music Fest where we’ve got some global warming going on. Thank goodness for air conditioning since it’s about 92 degrees out.
I think Laura’s done a great job this week here and you’ll be seeing her covering a number of other events during the coming months.
I spoke with Cindy a little while ago and I think she’s wrapping up her coverage of the World Pork Expo. We sure appreciate Novus International sponsoring her coverage.
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
Watch the New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race Live!
AgWired.com will be bringing you live coverage of the New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race. AgWired Live TV will be streaming the race on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Viewers can watch thirty celebrities compete to be the fastest tractor on the lot on a post here or on the AgWired Live TV Web page. Celebrity racers include Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Jimmie Van Zant, Rolling Ston’es Chuck Leavell and National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe. Of course, Michael Peterson will be hosting the event.
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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Peterson Makes Penny’s Day
Penny Elliot is a part of the reception staff at the Holiday Inn Select where the New Holland crew and I are staying during the 2008 CMA Music Festival. She let on to Gene Hemphill, the Industry Affairs Manager for New Holland, that she was a big fan of country music singer/songwriter Michael Peterson. So Gene made it his mission to make her day. Not only did Gene get Michael to autograph a copy of his ‘Grave to the Cradle’ album for Penny, Gene also set up an impromptu meet-n-greet of sorts. Michael stopped by the hotel and introduced himself to Penny just before running off to be a guest on this morning’s XM Dave Nemo Show.
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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New Holland Encourages the Great Outdoors
New Holland is sharing its booth at the CMA Country Music Festival this year. New Holland is a corporate sponsor of The National Wild Turkey Federation and visitors can find NWTF representatives, including Tom Turkey, at the Sports Zone. Brian Dowler is the public relations manager for NWTF and he says NWTF talks more than just Turkey. In fact, the international organization produces the Outdoor Channel, publishes the Women Outdoors magazine, manages volunteer based wildlife habitation projects and more.
I spoke with Brian and asked him about his organization. You can listen to my interview here:
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2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
New Holland Gives Away $100…
Visitors who visit the New Hollandbooth in the Sports Zone at the 2008 CMA Country Music Festival have a chance to win some dough. Communications Director Dawn Fox says New Holland is holding a drawing for a $100 gift card for Cabela’s. Those interested in entering simply need to stop by the New Holland booth during the duration of the festival and enter for their chance to win. Dawn says visitors can also grab some free magazines and take a look at the New Holland Model T2310 tractor. The T2310 will be used for Sunday’s New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race. The T1010 is also on display, which will be signed by each of the 30 celebrity contestants in the race. It will then be auctioned off with proceeds going to both the FFA and the race winner’s charity of choice.
I spoke with Dawn about what New Holland offers visitors at the Sports Zone. You can listen to my interview here:
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2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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A Float’s Eye View of the 2008 CMA Music Festival
Fans waved and hollered, calling out “Michael!” as the New Holland/Michael Peterson float rolled past during the 2008 CMA Country Music Festival Kick-Off Parade. Some fans even blew kisses to the country music singer/songwriter. Others boldly cried out their admiration for the inspirational speaker. Michael and local FFA students tossed t-shirts and waved back to an eager and excited crowd. At one point, Michael even took a phone call from a random construction worker’s phone. I believe it was Michael’s drummer on the line. I’ll have to double check that with Michael though…
I took a couple videos from float, offering a “float’s eye view” of the parade.
You can watch the videos here:
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
AgWired coverage of the CMA Country Music Festival is sponsored by:
Filed as: Ag Group / Fan Fair / Michael Peterson / Music / New Holland / Podcasting / Tractor / Video
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FFA Students Ride New Holland Float at CMA Music Festival Parade
A handful of FFA students offered country music singer/songwriter and inspirational speaker Michael Peterson today. Michael spent the day setting up for his exhibit at the Nashville Convention Center in preparation for the 2008 CMA Country Music Festival. The FFA students pitched in on the behind the scenes prep. Of course, their help came with quite the perk. The FFA boys got to join Michael on the New Holland float during the CMA Country Music Festival Kick-Off Parade.
I did a quick video with the boys before the float took off. You can watch the video here:
2008 CMA Music Festival Photo Album
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