Book Review – Cows Can’t Quack

Joanna Schroeder

“Cows can’t quack…but they can moo,” begins Cows Can’t Quack, the second delightful children’s book written by Dave Reisman. In my esteem, this book is another winner but who am I to judge at my age? No, I will not delve that information, oh faithful reader. However I will admit I found the illustrations (Jason A. Maas) absolutely charming.

Quinn H. Reading "Cows Can't Quack"

To really test out the merits of the book, I enlisted one of my closest friends, 4 year old Quinn H. It was a HIT! She jumped around the room making the sounds and motions of the animal of each page. Her favorite animals were reprised over and over again in the book until our fun was shut down for bed time. After she was tucked in, I quietly stole away with the book, but I won’t be a grinch. The next time I see her we will read it again and it will be left behind to become a favorite in her library.

For those of you with young children in your lives, this is definitely a book to buy and give as a gift (or keep tucked away in your home for when you have visitors). And if you haven’t already, consider also picking up Reisman’s first book, Cows Can’t Jump. I can’t wait to read his next book and I’m sure readers, you won’t be disappointed either.

Uncategorized

National Ag Hall of Fame Season

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast 346It’s actually called the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame which was “chartered by Congress to honor the American farmer.” According to NACHOF Executive Director, Cathi Hahner, their season kicks off on April 19.

“As spring approaches, we are ready for the new season of sharing about the importance of agriculture in daily life,” said Cathi Hahner, NACHOF director. “We invite everyone to learn more about where food comes from and experience our one-of-a-kind features such as historic machinery, farming related exhibits or exploring FarmTown USA.”

I spoke with Cathi about the 2012 season which she says offers, “a full line-up of events with seasonal favorites like spring Barnyard Babies for families and children, as well as the fall Linemans’ Rodeo featuring worldwide electric workers.”

Thousands of people visit the Center which sits on a 164 acre site next to Legends Outlet Mall and Kansas Speedway in Bonner Spring, Kan. The Center relies on dues, donations, facility rental and visitor fees since it doesn’t receive any state or federal money.

Listen to this week’s ZimmCast here: 2012 National Ag Hall of Fame Season

Thanks to our ZimmCast sponsors, GROWMARK, locally owned, globally strong and Monsanto, for their support.

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired. Subscribe so you can listen when and where you want. Just go to our Subscribe page.

Ag Groups, Audio, Education, ZimmCast

BASF Production Poll

Chuck Zimmerman

BASFWith the 2012 crop year now underway, we’re introducing the BASF Production Poll. This new poll will be conducted twice each month during the season with timely questions that we think both farmers and non-farmers alike will find interesting. We’d love to hear from you. So let’s get started with our first one.


Please let us know if you have any questions about the poll.

Agribusiness, BASF

Farm Bureau Honors Goodlatte

Cindy Zimmerman

afbf golden plowVirginia Republican Congressman Bob Goodlatte is the latest recipient of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)‘s highest award to members of Congress.

AFBF presented Rep. Goodlatte with the “Golden Plow” award last week for his long-standing support of America’s farmers and ranchers. The award was presented by AFBF President Bob Stallman and Virginia Farm Bureau President Wayne Pryor during an event in Harrisonburg, Va.

afbf golden plowStallman noted that Congressman Goodlatte “has set a solid example of the courage required to rein in government spending” and “is a vigorous defender of private property rights, both real and intellectual, and he continues to lead the fight against regulatory overreach.”

According to Stallman, since Goodlatte was first elected in 1992 to represent Virginia’s 6th Congressional District, he has “applied his common sense, expertise and determination to finding solutions to the challenges facing American agriculture.”

Since coming to Congress, Goodlatte has served on the House Agriculture Committee and also serves on the Judiciary and Education & Workforce committees—assignments where he has worked on a number of issues facing farmers and ranchers. The Virginia Farm Bureau nominated Goodlatte for the award.

AFBF

Monsanto Debuts Ground Breakers Program

Cindy Zimmerman

Monsanto is breaking new ground with a new, on-farm trial program called Ground Breakers℠.

monsantoBeginning this spring, farmers will have an opportunity to participate in the new program that will give them first-hand experience with pipeline products under commercial-scale planting conditions.

“Ground Breakers allows farmers to obtain a better understanding of product benefits and an opportunity to give us feedback on the product,” said Matt Kirkpatrick, Monsanto Corn Traits Marketing Manager. “A farmer will now have a chance to see how products will perform on their own farm in large-scale trials in addition to plot trials prior to commercial introduction.”

This season, Monsanto will be piloting the Ground Breakers program with its new drought-tolerant corn system, Genuity® DroughtGard™ Hybrids. Approximately 250 growers throughout the Western Great Plains region will have the opportunity to plant DroughtGard Hybrids on their farm. These hybrids are part of a comprehensive drought-tolerant system to mitigate yield loss caused by drought stress.

Farmers are looking forward to participating in the new program. “It will be nice to see how DroughtGard Hybrids perform in my own environment because I will be able to see how it works in my region and compare it to the current hybrids that I’m planting,” said Chris Nelsen, a South Dakota farmer from Mission Hill participating in Ground Breakers. “It shows Monsanto is making the effort to prove that they have a good, consistent product that will work across many different environments.”

As Monsanto works to bring new technologies to farmers, the company will evaluate which products may have a good fit for the new Ground Breakers program. “Farmers have asked to see products prior to commercialization,” said Kirkpatrick, “and Ground Breakers is a flexible program that allows us to give farmers a preview. The program will also generate data and farmer feedback to help us make commercial decisions.”

Pending key regulatory approvals, Monsanto plans to evaluate a Ground Breakers program for the Roundup Ready® Xtend Crop System for soybeans. This system is designed to provide farmers with more consistent, flexible control of weeds, especially tough-to-manage and glyphosate-resistant weeds, to help maximize crop yield potential.

Farming

NAMA After After Party With Chef Ray

Chuck Zimmerman

Pancakes and Flapjacks are the specialties of Chef Ray. He says they are not the same thing. They are on the menu for the Rhea+Kaiser After the After Party this coming Thursday night, or morning, depending on your definition. Watch below if you have not met Chef Ray yet.


Here’s a little info about Ray:

I’m Ray. Work? Not really into it. But, I do own the Kaiser Roll Diner. And, I’m the resident chef @ the 2012 NAMA Pancake Breakfast..after the AFTER party (Brownfield’s shindig). Midnight. 4/19. Be there. Don’t make me come after you.

Agencies, NAMA, Video

Fires out in the Country

Melissa Sandfort

I’ve lived on both sides of the street, so to speak. I’ve lived in town where my insurance agent loved it because the nearest fire station was only one mile away. That was good for homeowners insurance. I’ve also lived (and still do!) in a rural community where the closest fire department is only five miles away but you have to have a well for the truck to hook into for water, and their philosophy is to only save what they can of the structure or foundation.

Another big difference between the two is that when I was growing up, one of my weekly chores was to burn the trash. We’d collect it in the garage and it would always take me at least 15 minutes to get the fire lit. When mom asked what took so long, I’d tell her it was windy and the match wouldn’t spark. In truth, I was just striking a match just to watch it burn, literally. I missed that about living in the city where we couldn’t burn trash.

But back here on the farm, we burn boxes, plywood, wood scraps – you name it and if it melts, we burn it. It also helps that we’re friends with the fire chief!

Field fires can be very dangerous though if left untended and uncontrolled. Listen to my grandfather’s story about his experience with fighting an 80-acre fire with no fire truck in sight.
Listen to Grandpa explain

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • The 2012 AEM Marketing Seminar will be held with the theme of “Kon’ek-tiv’i-te (Connectivity) – Connecting to Your Customers Through Messaging and Multilevel Media.”
  • Hoosier Ag Today has partnered with Pioneer Hybrids to provide farmers with the most up-to-date, field and crop condition reports.
  • Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. has introduced new color caps for three of its products, Ingelvac CircoFLEX Ingelvac MycoFLEX and Ingelvac PRRS, making the products even easier to use and identify.
  • Sullivan Higdon & Sink is at it again and will continue its tradition of experiential marketing at this year’s NAMA conference.
Zimfo Bytes

10th Anniversary of Beef Industry Safety Summit

Melissa Sandfort

Consumers expect the beef they buy to be safe, every time. That’s why the beef checkoff supports the annual Safety Summit — to bring every segment of the beef industry together in one room to focus on ways to improve beef safety.

2012 marked the 10th anniversary of the Safety Summit and participants recognized that milestone by re-affirming the commitment to beef safety that was first pledged a decade ago.

Watch more here or on the MyBeefCheckoff YouTube channel.

Beef

Find ZimmComm at Connection Point

Chuck Zimmerman

Finding ZimmComm at the 2012 Agri-Marketing Conference Connection Point is not hard to do. But this graphic makes it a little easier. We’re hoping to see you there!

Cindy and I will be getting a helping hand from daughter Caitlin and we’ll have some helpful items for you to pick up just for stopping by and saying hello. Our sales manager, Dave Larson, will also be on location with us during the day on Thursday so we hope you’ll get a chance to visit with him too.

Connection Point Hours

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 18
6:00-7:30 p.m. – Best of NAMA Celebration Reception

Thursday, April 19
12:30-2:00 p.m.-Trade Show Luncheon
12:00-1:30 p.m.-Student Mentor Luncheon
3:00-4:00 p.m. – Break
5:00-7:00 p.m. – Trade Show Closing/ABEF Silent Auction

Media, NAMA