It’s getting near time for deer season here in Missouri. This is my hunting “camp.” It’s rustic.

We got some much needed rain yesterday as I spent the day getting things ready for another round of hunting next month. This picture is from a few weeks ago.

Even with the rain it was a nice peaceful day in the country and woods. That’s one of the best parts of hunting.

Between now and then things are going to be busy again. This week I’ll be speaking at a luncheon in Waterloo, IA for example. In two weeks I’ll be speaking at the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association convention in Minneapolis. There’s going to be some other stops too. You’ll be able to keep up right here as always.

Traffic on AgWired this month is already at last month’s record so it looks like I’m continuing to reach a growing number of people with the ongoing story of agricultural marketing and information. Thanks for visiting!

At first glance this may not have anything to do with agricultural marketing. My old buddy, Bennie, from high school emailed this picture to all the committee members of my 30 year high school reunion that’s coming up in a couple weeks.

He dared me to put it on the reunion blog I’ve been running and well . . . I’ve spared you the full photo btw.

This might have been taken back in 1976. You can see that I had that entrepreneurial gleam of intensity way back then. A few hair cuts later and here I am, trying to bring you the best news from the world of agribusiness.

It has been a hot and dry month in Missouri. With a few exceptions we need rain and we’re hoping to get it this week. At 4am this morning it was 81 degrees here in Holts Summit!

It looks like relief is on the way. Here’s hoping that’s true. Even with the extreme heat Mid Missouri still gets some beautiful sunsets. This was last night. I was just too lazy to post it then.

Every once in a while you just have to take a break from the computer and “get on your bikes and ride.”

So, I head to the Katy Trail with my Schwinn. I had to play with my gadgets while riding too. My new phone (Treo 650) actually takes pretty good pictures.

If you know ZimmComm then you know there’s more than just Chuck that makes this company run. In fact, you can see her picture on the blog home page!

I’m talking about Cindy of course. Just today she asked me to show her how to write and post her own articles! So you can look forward to even more (and probably better) information from the AgriMarketing Pros.

So why has it taken Cindy so long to get started on this blogging thing? Because very quietly, behind the scenes, she’s doing a ton of work! Cindy is a talented and award-winning writer, editor and voice talent. She’s producing daily programming for Southeast AgNet. This means she’s writing and producing daily farm radio programming that’s heard on radio stations all over the southeast U. S.

If you’ve hired our services to produce and distribute Talking News Releases then you know that she’s the one who usually conducts the interviews. She edits the releases or writes them when necessary. She cuts up the audio and makes it sound bettter. She’s a lot faster and better than I am! She’s already worn out a couple of keyboards on her Gateway computer!

I’m writing this because she deserves some special recognition for all the hard work she’s doing. When we started this company she said, “You get the work, I’ll do it.” Well, thanks to many wonderful people we’ve been blessed to have plenty of work to do and it wouldn’t happen with the quality you expect without her. I wish she could go with me to the NAMA convention next week but you’ll just have to put up with me. But you’ll know who’s back here making sure we meet our deadlines.

She’s my partner in all things, including marriage for almost 25 years now!

You may wonder what the Pope has to do with agrimarketing. Trust me there’s a connection here.

In February of 2001, when I was still farm director for the Brownfield Network, I was able to participate in a seminar at the FAO in Rome on International Farm Broadcasting, specifically in undeveloped countries. That gave me the opportunity to bring along my family for a visit to Rome prior to the seminar. Through the efforts of a wonderful priest and our local bishop we were invited to meet Pope John Paul II. First my two oldest daughters were able to greet him at a Wednesday general audience and then Cindy, myself and our youngest daughter got to meet him in his apartment on a Saturday morning! I’m including the pictures because they are some of my most treasured that I’ll ever have.

Pope John Paul II is already a saint in my mind. He had a tremendous impact on my life and on my family. I have to take this opportunity to honor him for all he did in his life. I know he reached out and touched millions of people of all faiths and he will be sorely missed but his legacy will live on for centuries to come.

“Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Mathew 25:21)

The Zimmerman family (Chuck, Cindy, Chelsea, Carly and Caitlin) and Pope John Paul II

-photos taken by Vatican photographer-