Sounds like a drink almost, doesn’t it? Cindy’s lounging around on the Gulf of Mexico at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, eating grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Can you imagine?
I tried something new today that I had frankly never even thought of eating before - grilled peanut butter and jelly. Don’t know why I never thought of it - after all, I like toast with peanut butter and jelly. But, grilling gives it a much richer flavor that, as Wesley Powell of Bainbridge, Georgia says goes great with a tall glass of cold milk for breakfast. Add some sliced bananas and you have yourself an “Elvis” sandwich!
Powell is past president of the National Peanut Buying Points Association, which grills up these tasty morsels every year at the SPGC. He shares his secrets to making the perfect grilled PB and J in this interview:
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You can see these delicacies on display at the conference.
Cindy got to see Michael Peterson perform on Friday night but I got to see Callaway perform on Saturday night. She did a benefit concert for support of Appaloosa Youth Association activities and was a big hit with the young audience.
She played a full set of songs with her band and showed why she’s an up and coming star.
The ring was opened up so that everyone could come down out of the stands and get up close and personal. It took a little coaxing but once Callaway got started most of the crowd moved on down.
You can watch Callaway perform one of her songs in this video:
The technology behind farm machinery, such as tractors and sprayers, is continually becoming more streamlined with advances in computer and software innovation. So, why not livestock? MobileDemand is a rugged tablet PC manufacturer based out of Idaho and they’ve just put the power of the PC in the hands of the field staff at Wendell, Idaho’s Box Canyon Dairy.
MobileDemand says its partnership with ProfitSource enables dairy farms to bring both wireless computing and specialized DairyQuest software into the cattle pens, streamlining operations, saving time, and reducing error.
I spoke with MobileDemand CEO Matt Miller about how he found the agriculture industry to be optimal match for the rugged PC company. You can listen to my interview with Matt here.
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MobileDemand also offers a video summary of its case study with Box Canyon Dairy. The video further illustrates how the tablet PC and DairyQuest Software have helped one dairy farm increase efficiency in both the breeding and health monitoring of its 8,000 cows. You can watch the video here:
After today’s ethanol press conference the media were treated to rides out on the track in the Iowa Speedway Pace Car. I got to do one at Indy a couple years ago in a truck so this was different.
Our driver was Davey Hamilton.
Even though we only went about 95 mph, the curves were tough to deal with. As hard as I was pressing up against the door I was very glad to have my seat belt on.
I finally got to meet the Team Ethanol driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay. Ryan was on hand at the Kum & Go pump promotion and posed here with the Highway Patrolmen who helped us with security and traffic and other drivers. He’s the tall guy on the left. Cindy and Laura have already had a chance to meet him. This is my first Indy race of the year though.
Ryan says the Iowa race is very important, especially due to the connection to the corn growers here in the state. He says he’s learned so much from working with people in the ethanol industry, especially how it’s a real part of the solution to our energy crisis.
You can listen to my interview with Ryan here:
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Pioneer Hi-Bred is sponsoring the Iowa Corn Indy 250 again this year and I spoke to Russ Sanders, Marketing Director, about how the company is involved. He’s pictured here (left) with Team Ethanol driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay and EPIC Director of Communications, Joanna Schroeder.
Russ says that the company sees a great opportunity in the biofuels arena and their participation in this race provides them with a great opportunity to get the message out about the positive benefits of a fuel like ethanol.
You can listen to my interview with Russ here:
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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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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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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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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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The first band on the Chevy Music Stage this morning here at Fan Fair was Michael Peterson’s. He attracted a big crowd. The seats were filled and people gravitated there since you could hear the music up and down the street. Last year Michael performed on the Riverfront Stage.
I recorded a video clip of the band performing “Marriage is the Leading Cause of Divorce” which you can watch here:
You can also watch Michael talk about the song on his website.
About 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles cruised down the main drag at World Pork Expo Saturday morning - the annual “Cruisin’ with the Hogs” event. Gotta appreciate the tie-in there. Harley Davidson has actually been quite prominent around the expo this week I noticed.
I wondered why the NAMA Bombers and Leah Guffey weren’t here - it was certainly an event they could appreciate! Maybe next year guys…put it on your calendar.
What would World Pork Expo be without Pork? I guess just World Expo - right??
There is an abundance of pork at WPX, actually. Every hospitality tent offers pork for breakfast, lunch, dinner and/or appetizers. Kinda goes with the territory, doncha know?
Here we see our National Pork Producer president Bryan Black cutting up some pork outside the NPPC tent, and a luau-style roasted pig being carved up by the folks with Automated Production Systems (AP).
There will be lots more pork at the expo on Saturday with the Great BarbeQlossal when over 80 teams will be competing for the title of Grand Champion.
The line at singer/songwriter Michael Peterson’s CMA Music Festival exhibit remained long and steady. That’s because unlike most artists, Michael stayed around all day signing autographs, doling out hugs and smiling for pictures with fans. Michael says connecting with people is what events like these are all about and he looks forward to seeing familiar faces each year.
I grabbed some videos with Michael talking about fans and handing out autographs. You can watch the videos here:
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.
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:
I thought I was done tonight but when I got off the elevator here in the Marriott Hotel and looked out the window I saw this fire which is apparently at the Magellan Petroleum factory.
I’m a long way away but it’s impressive. I’m now watching on local tv and they’ve been saying that it’s a couple million gallons of gas that’s going to burn. Wow. Apparently lightning started it with the huge storm that hit here and is still in the area.
I of course popped out my video camera too to get this clip:
During last week’s travels with the Michael Peterson, My Real Life Tour, I got to know Kevin Ridgeway and Kristen Johnson, Ridgeway & Johnson, very well. Spending all day on a bus does that.
In the picture you can see Kristen doing the only full view water torture cell escape. There’s more pictures in the photo album.
These are very talented people who absolutely love what they’re doing. I thought I traveled a lot but nothing compared to what they’ve been doing. They’ve been performing for this tour as well as NBA finals half time shows, taping reality tv in Turkey and other shows on their schedule. Before the last show of the My Real Life Tour I interviewed them outside the Pershing Center in Lincoln, NE. Watch and learn more about the best illusionists in the business.
I’m going back and forth from St. Louis today so posting will pick up again after I get back. I’ve got to drop off my Mac for its annual checkup which means they’ll have it until I got back to St. Louis on Thursday to pick it up. I’m a little afraid to be Mac-less but I’m sure I’ll get through it.
While I’m here in Lincoln, NE this week with Michael Peterson, Laura is in Indianapolis having just too much fun. She’s primarily reporting for Domestic Fuel with sponsored coverage for the Ethanol Promotion and Information Council. Here’s her latest post from there:
There are lots of perks that come along with covering the Indy Racing League. Perks like meeting IndyCar Drivers, photographing the world’s most significant motor sporting event (Indy 500) and meeting some of the most talented journalists and photographers of the motor sports industry. Those amazing opportunities come on a regular basis with IRL coverage. Sometimes, a few extras get thrown in. In Kansas City, I got to take a couple laps around the track with IndyCar Driver Davy Hamilton. No, not in an IndyCar. But, it was an Indy pace car and we did go 118 miles an hour around a 1.5 mile oval, getting just centimeters away from the wall. By the way, Davy will drive the #22 Hewlett-Packard/KR Vision Racing car during this weekend’s race.
Just last night, I got to take another “Indy” style spin. This time it was in a street legal two-seater IndyCar.
Since the Army is the major sponsor of the Michael Peterson, My Real Life Tour - Strong for America, they need some recognition. These guys were watching the show in Columbus, NE last night.
I interviewed a couple more after the Grand Island Senior High School show yesterday. They’re very happy with how the relationship and mission is going. I think it’s interesting to see the Army and agriculture getting together on a project don’t you?
Sounds like a drink almost, doesn’t it? Cindy’s lounging around on the Gulf of Mexico at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference, eating grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Can you imagine?
Cindy got to see Michael Peterson perform on Friday night but I got to see Callaway perform on Saturday night. She did a benefit concert for support of Appaloosa Youth Association activities and was a big hit with the young audience.
After today’s ethanol press conference the media were treated to rides out on the track in the Iowa Speedway Pace Car. I got to do one at Indy a couple years ago in a truck so this was different.
I finally got to meet the Team Ethanol driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay. Ryan was on hand at the Kum & Go pump promotion and posed here with the Highway Patrolmen who helped us with security and traffic and other drivers. He’s the tall guy on the left. Cindy and Laura have already had a chance to meet him. This is my first Indy race of the year though.
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.
One of the celebrities competing in the Michael Peterson/New Holland Celebrity Tractor race was Jimmie Van Zant, pictured on the left with Michael.
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. 
Joe Jobe, CEO of the 
The first band on the Chevy Music Stage this morning here at Fan Fair was Michael Peterson’s. He attracted a big crowd. The seats were filled and people gravitated there since you could hear the music up and down the street. Last year Michael performed on the Riverfront Stage.
About 100 Harley Davidson motorcycles cruised down the main drag at World Pork Expo Saturday morning - the annual “Cruisin’ with the Hogs” event. Gotta appreciate the tie-in there. Harley Davidson has actually been quite prominent around the expo this week I noticed.
What would World Pork Expo be without Pork? I guess just World Expo - right??
Here we see our National Pork Producer president Bryan Black cutting up some pork outside the NPPC tent, and a luau-style roasted pig being carved up by the folks with 
The line at singer/songwriter 
During last week’s travels with the Michael Peterson, My Real Life Tour, I got to know Kevin Ridgeway and Kristen Johnson, 
While I’m here in Lincoln, NE this week with Michael Peterson, Laura is in Indianapolis having just too much fun. She’s primarily reporting for 
Since the Army is the major sponsor of the Michael Peterson, My Real Life Tour - Strong for America, they need some recognition. These guys were watching the show in Columbus, NE last night.
Digital cattle news pioneer, Rob Cook, is now working for Vance Publishing after the company acquired CattleNetwork.com.
