Getting Back in Action

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello from the central part of the country. I’ve been a little lazy on posting this weekend I admit. It doesn’t mean nothing has been done though. I’ve been doing some new creative backups of hard drives and computers and a number of other interesting things to get ZimmComm New Media ready for a gangbuster year coming up. We’ve got new recording stations in our offices for one thing. We do a lot of over the phone interviews so that was something I’ve been wanting to do.

This week I’ll be out and about but of course you’ll be able to keep up with all the action here.

I think I mentioned that I’ve upgraded to Leopard on my Mac and I just used Time Machine to back up this computer to a new hard drive I bought. I spent a lot of time this weekend doing antivirus scans on my PC’s and backing them up. That’s something I don’t have to do on the Mac!

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bites

Melissa Sandfort

  • Agriculture Under Secretary Nancy Johner for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services announced the appointment of Dr. Brian Wansink as the Executive Director of the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP). Dr. Wansink currently serves as the John S. Dyson Professor of Marketing and the Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab in the Department of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. At CNPP Dr. Wansink will be responsible for overseeing the planning, development and review of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the food pyramid known as MyPyramid.gov and programs including the Healthy Eating Index, the USDA Food Plans, the Nutrient Content of the U.S. Food Supply, and the cost of raising a child.
  • Ag Leader Technology, Inc. announced that planter monitoring functionality has been added to the planter control system, SeedCommand. SeedCommand now tracks and logs average population while monitoring seed spacing. A color bar graph and population display provide this information to operators in real-time. These capabilities allow growers using SeedCommand to eliminate planter monitors from their tractor cabs completely – monitoring and controlling necessary planting functions from the InSight™ display. For the 2008 growing season, planter monitoring functionality is available to replace KINZE KPM I, II or III planter monitors.
  • William Bradley, a Gallatin County corn grower, is the recipient of the Illinois Corn Growers Association’s (ICGA) top award presented at the organization’s annual meeting Nov. 20, 2007. The World of Corn Award goes to individuals, organizations or businesses for making significant contributions to the corn industry. The special award, now in its 17th year, was created to recognize the global importance of corn, and specifically honor individual pacesetters that have made Illinois a leader in the corn industry.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Cooking Up a Good Podcast and Blog

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Culinary Institute of AmericaI’m still recovering from a turkey induced coma and food is on my mind. That’s why I was interested to see the Culinary Institute of America using some new media tools. Here’s what their podcast is about:

    The Culinary Institute of America’s podcast series “Insight From The Inside” gives aspiring student chefs a unique glimpse inside the world’s premier culinary college through the eyes and personal testimonials of our more than 2,700 students.

    “Insight From The Inside” also includes interviews with a variety of the CIA’s celebrity chef alumni that offer the listener a first-hand perspective when it comes to what it takes to become successful in the foodservice industry – as told by those who have paid their dues and have made it big.

    Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the subscription information. Don’t forget to check out their blog too.

    Food

    Feeding Cull Cows

    Laura McNamara

    North Dakota State University’s Hettinger Research Extension CenterCull cows and their feeding habits are at the center of research underway at North Dakota State University’s Hettinger Research Extension Center. The study is being done in cooperation with South Dakota State University. The Center’s Michelle Stamm says the multi-state southwest feeders project is monitoring the feeding of a group of cull cows for 100 days and then will send the cows to slaughter. The cows will be fed in one of three ways: some cows have a self-feeder type diet of commercial product with grain, some cows are being fed with local barley silage and barley grain and the last group of cows is being fed a corn and hay diet. Michelle says the project is tracking the input costs going into the feeding of the cull cows and is also looking at what the producer would earn when the cows go to slaughter.

    Cull cows make up around 16 percent of ranch income. Michelle says she has talked to feed industry producers in Iowa in the past and they indicated they finished rather well with the cull cow market.

    Agribusiness, Farming, Livestock, Research

    Urban Farming gives Chicagoans Second Chance

    Laura McNamara

    Growing Home Inc.Farming is hard, rewarding work and Growing Home Inc. is giving Chicagoans in search of a job a chance to reap the rewards of work in the field. But, this field will be farmed in the city.

    Hoop houses are erected on the site and collards, kale, mustard greens, salad mix and spinach are a good example of the crops that will be grown year round. Graduates from the job training program are working on site.

    Growing Home is a six-year old certified organic agricultural business with a social mission of providing transitional employment for homeless and low-income adults. Program participants are difficult-to-employ people, most of whom have criminal backgrounds. Growing Home also operates a 10-acre farm 75 miles southwest of Chicago at Marseilles, Illinois and a half-acre urban farm on the south side.

    In 2007, Growing Home harvested fifty crops (130 varieties) and four animal products — honey, worms, worm castings, and eggs and had sales of over $70,000. Growing Home’s current customers include some of Chicago’s most well-known restaurants: Bistro Campagne, Lula Cafe, Blackbird, First Slice Cafe, Green Zebra, North Pond, Soundings, and Vie.

    The U.S. organic sector is expected to grow from $13 billion in 2003 to over $25 billion in 2007. However, less than 3% of organic produce available in Chicago is grown locally.

    Environment, Farming, Food, Organic

    Happy Thanksgiving

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Turkey DinnerHappy Thanksgiving from ZimmComm New Media and AgWired!

    Just in case you’re in need of some help in the kitchen I thought I’d point you to some resources.

    You can find all you need to know here courtesy of the National Turkey Federation.

    Me, I’m smoking mine.

    Ag Groups, Food

    Funky Tricia Wins Excellence Award

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Tricia and John BlockHere’s Tricia Braid-Terry and former Secretary of Agriculture John Block at last week’s NAFB Convention. We didn’t know it at the time but we were in the presence of greatness.

    Tricia Braid-Terry of Funks Grove was recently honored by the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) as the winner of its 2007 Excellence in Broadcasting Award. The award was presented at ISA’s Awards Program at the 2007 Illinois Commodity Conference in Bloomington on November 20.

    As news manager for the Illinois Farm Bureau RFD Radio Network, Braid-Terry provides comprehensive reports on a wide range of soybean topics. She was formerly agribusiness director for WMBD and field editor for Prairie Farmer and Illinois AgriNews.

    “Spreading the word about soybeans is critical in our efforts to promote our crop,” said Teutopolis farmer David Hartke, ISA chairman. “Tricia’s coverage of soybean issues has given her listeners a better understanding of the challenges facing our industry.”

    Cindy can’t believe I didn’t use the chocotini picture Tricia but it’s still in the photo album.

    NAFB Convention Photo Album

    Ag Groups, Media

    Steve Drake named Agri-Business Leader of the Year

    Melissa Sandfort

    image.gifThe St. Louis Agri-Business Club named Drake & Company President and CEO Steve Drake as its Agri-Business Leader of the Year. Since 1981 the St. Louis Agri-Business Club has been recognizing outstanding leaders in agriculture by honoring them as Agri-Business Leader of the Year. The award recognizes the individual’s service to agriculture through personal accomplishments and outstanding leadership, a willingness to serve others and a passion for the future growth of agriculture. Furthermore, the individual must display community leadership through participation in civic, church, and other organizations and public service activities.

    Drake was raised on a bull farm in Ohio, and attended Ohio State University, where he earned degrees in agricultural economics and international Journalism. He moved to St. Louis in the late 1970s to become Vice President of Public Affairs for the American Soybean Association. In 1992, he founded Drake & Company, an accredited association management company. Based in Chesterfield, DrakeCo manages nine non-profit organizations and foundations, several of which have an agricultural focus.

    Through his organization, Drake and his team have brought the national headquarters of the Alpha Zeta Fraternity and Foundation, the National Christmas Tree Association and the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association to the greater St. Louis area. Drake was also instrumental in founding the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation and the Country Living Association, both of which are managed by his firm.

    Drake has been recognized by the Public Relations Society of America with its Silver Anvil four times. He has also received the Agricultural Relations Council Founders Award twice. Drake has served as the President of the Agricultural Relations Council and currently serves as the Vice President of the AMC Institute.

    Agribusiness

    Zimfo Bites

    Melissa Sandfort

    • The American Angus Association® Board of Directors has selected five individuals for induction to the Angus Heritage Foundation. The 2007 inductees include John Barton, Kansas City, Mo.; Bob Hartley, Vinita, Okla.; Blanford Pierce, Creston, Ill.; and T.D. Steele, Roanoke, Va. Fred Francis, formerly of Wilmington, Ill., will be inducted posthumously. A special recognition of the inductees was held during the American Angus Association’s Angus Annual Banquet, Nov. 12 in Louisville, Ky.
    • The 2008 American Agriculture Calendar is ready. This 13-month planning calendar is available free of charge, while quantities last. Just email your mailing address to sales@ncmsonline.com, “Calendar Request” in the subject line, and this beautiful full color, 13-picture calendar will be on its way to you.
    • Osborn & Barr adds extensive knowledge and varied experience to its media department with the appointment of Pat Rosner to vice president, director of integrated media. Rosner brings more than 20 years of media experience to her new role at O&B, having worked with both business-to-business and consumer media. As director of integrated media, Rosner will oversee the strategic planning and media execution of all O&B accounts, including Monsanto, the United Soybean Board, Intervet and Michelin Ag Tires.
    Zimfo Bytes

    The Marantz PMD 620 is Now Available

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Marantz PMD620I gave a heads up to all the farm podcasters out there recently about the Marantz PMD 620. It’s now on the market and my order is in. So you can expect to see this bad boy connected to the golden ZimmComm microphone soon.

    One of the cool things about this unit is the speaker built into it which is a very handy feature some of the other small form digital recorders we use doesn’t have.

    I’m looking forward to it. So now you know another great gift idea for the farm broadcaster/podcaster on your list! Here’s where I got mine.

    Media