New Farm Podcaster Tool – Zoom H2n

Chuck Zimmerman

Hey farm podcasters. Here’s another option for your gear bag. The Zoom H2n from Samson.

No matter the application, the H2n brings the very best in stereo recording to a convenient, user-friendly package that fits in your pocket.

Zoom H2n Handy Recorder. The new standard in portable recording.

FEATURES
Five built-in mic capsules provide Mid-Side (MS) stereo, 90° X/Y stereo, 2-channel and 4-channel recording modes
Records in WAV up to 24-bit/96kHz and MP3 up to 320kbps
Newly designed user interface
Additional functions include Lo-cut Filter, Compressor/Limiter, Auto Gain, Pre-Rec, Auto-Rec, Tuner, Metronome, Variable Speed Playback, Key Control, A-B Repeat, File Dividing, Normalize, MP3 Post-Encode, Marker and Surround Mixer
Data recovery function protects against unexpected recording errors
Over 20 hours of operation using two standard AA batteries
Operates on battery, AC or USB bus power
1.8-inch backlit LCD display with 128 x 64 resolution
Analog-type Mic Gain wheel
Built-in reference speaker
High-speed USB 2.0 card reader function
1/8-inch Mic/Line Input and Phones/Line Output stereo phone jacks
Accommodates up to 32GB SDHC memory cards
Includes Steinberg WaveLab LE 7 editing software, 2GB SD memory card and two AA batteries
Optional accessory package (APH-2n) includes remote control with extension cable, windscreen, AC adapter (USB type), USB cable, adjustable tripod stand, padded-shell case and a mic clip adapter.

Equipment, Podcasts

GROWMARK Awards Jim Evans Endowed Chair

Chuck Zimmerman

This is Jim Evans leading an FFA reporters workshop sometime in the 1960’s. The Endowed Chair in Agricultural Communications in his name at the University of Illinois, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences just got a large donation. If you haven’t made a contribution, please consider doing so.

GROWMARKGROWMARK, Inc. announced today a $100,000 award to the University of Illinois initiative between the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and the College of Media designed to address the growing need for effective communications in the fast-changing world of agriculture, food, feed, fiber, bio-energy and rural development.

The award from GROWMARK will be applied towards the university’s $2 million goal for the James F. Evans Endowed Chair in Agricultural Communications.

“There has never been a more critical time for agriculture to speak clearly and effectively as an industry,” says Ann Hastings Kafer (Ag Comm ’86) and GROWMARK Director of Corporate Communications and Marketing Services. “GROWMARK is excited to support the Evans Endowed Chair in Ag Communications because this faculty position will advance such clarity through undergrad curriculum and professional education for all involved in this great industry. I know our investment will yield great returns.”

Education, GROWMARK, University

Anthem From FMC

Chuck Zimmerman

The Midwest Technical Lead for FMC Agricultural Products is Gail Stratman. He conducted one of our FMC Summer Plot Tour classes both inside and outside today. I sat down with him afterward to learn what’s new with FMC.

Gail says Anthem is what’s new. Anthem is a new pre-plant, pre-emergence and early post herbicide currently being developed by the company. The summer plot tour series features a wide variety of test plots using the new product. One of the key features according to Gail is the fact that it can be used on both corn and soybeans which provides outstanding crop safety. He describes it in comparison to other options as “it’s stronger and lasts longer.” It will also be very flexible for the control of both grasses and broadleaf weeds. It is hoped that the label will be approved early next year.

All of the tour test plots have had some very challenging conditions. Gail says they’ve seen very good control and residual under very dry conditions and staying power under wet conditions. They’ve also dealt with a wide range of weed and grass species. If growers have questions Gail suggests contacting their local Star Retailer since these are the folks who are attending this series of plot tours.

You can listen to my interview with Gail here: Gail Stratman Interview

You can also see Gail explain how Anthem has performed in test plots in this video of a portion of his presentation in the field:

FMC Summer Plot Tour Photo Album

Audio, Corn, FMC, Soybean

Beef Board Chairman Tom Jones Resigns

Cindy Zimmerman

The Arkansas producer chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board has resigned for personal reasons, according to the organization.

Tom Jones, Pottsville, Ark., tendered his resignation as chairman of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board today. He also notified the Secretary of Agriculture of his resignation as a member of the Beef Board. Jones cited personal and family reasons for his decision, including the deteriorating health of his father. Jones was elected chairman of the Board in February of this year.

“I remain dedicated to the ideals of the checkoff and will be a strong supporter of the beef industry in the future,” Jones said. “However, there are times when decisions become very clear and choices are not hard to make. My faith, my family, and my farm come first. With my dad’s illness, both my family and my farm need more of my attention.”

Beef Board Vice Chair Wesley Grau, Grady, NM, will lead the organization until the next convened board meeting, scheduled for August 4 in Orlando, Fla. At that time, the board will decide on further action.

CBB CEO Tom Ramey resigned just two weeks ago.

Beef

Going To Class With FMC

Chuck Zimmerman

The FMC Summer Plot Tour is underway. We’re in class right now to learn what’s new. What’s really new is Anthem herbicide. FMC’s Gail Stratman is our teacher. I’ll be interviewing him later this morning after we get out in the field to see some of the test plot results.

I’ve got an online photo album started which you can find here: FMC Summer Plot Tour – York, NE

Agribusiness, FMC

FMC Summer Plot Tour

Chuck Zimmerman

Hello from York, NE and the first of a series of summer plot tours by FMC. Today we’ll be learning what’s new with product names like Capture, Cadet, Anthem and Authority. Our day starts inside with several presentations before departing for the fields.

This is my first opportunity to work with FMC and I’m looking forward to learning more about what they’re doing. I’ll have photos and interviews coming up. It’s going to be a busy week on AgWired so I hope you’re ready. After we’re done today I’m moving on the Springfield, Il and the InfoAg Conference where Cindy and I tag team for a day before she leaves for a Wyffels field day later this week! We’re burning up the agriblogging highway and loving it.

One of the best ways to keep up with us besides right here on AgWired is to follow us on Twitter:

Cindy – @FarmPodcaster
AgWired – @AgWired
Me – @AgriBlogger

Agribusiness, Corn, FMC, Soybean

Side Dressing Crop Nutrients

Chuck Zimmerman

CTIC TourSteffen Farm in Livingston/Mclean counties in Illinois was a stop on the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project field tour. Our host was Herb Steffen. Two thirds of his farm is devoted to continuous corn with a third in a corn/soybean rotation. As with other farms that have volunteered to participate in this project, Herb is conducting several tests. He’s side dressing nutrients at different rates along with a control plot. During this stop we wandered through the plots to see the different results in this first year of the project.

Herb says the project is something that has been needed for a long time. He says it’s not only about educating farmers but also environmentalists who don’t know what’s actually going on at the farm. He encourages farmers to be more proactive. He says the soil nitrogen tests being conducted on his farm are providing information he wouldn’t have otherwise. The project will provide “the proof that we are working to keep the yields where they need to be to feed a growing population.”

You can listen to my interview with Herb here: Interview with Herb Steffen

CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by
Audio, Conservation, CTIC

Ice Cube Anyone?

Melissa Sandfort

When is the last time you ever heard someone say, “Can you grab me a soda from the icebox?”? I bet it’s been a while. Let me translate: icebox or ice chest = freezer/refrigerator. And when I came across this large tong-shaped item my curiosity kicked in.

It’s an ice hook. In the early 1900s, folks would use this tool to “harvest” blocks of ice from ponds, wrap them in straw or sawdust to keep the ice as long as possible, and store them in an insulated building. They’d later pop one of those blocks in the icebox to keep food from spoiling … this was done long before refrigerators/freezers came about.

Back home there used to be an ice plant and after church on Sunday my grandpa would swing by the mill and grab some ice blocks for making homemade ice cream.

My flimsy ice tongs seem cheap and lightweight after lifting this monster! Thank you, Carl von Linden, for creating the refrigerator/freezer. I love that ice comes out of the door and not out of a pond.

Until we walk again …

Uncategorized

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Iowa farmers from across the state are joining together to show RAGBRAI 2011 riders what Iowa agriculture is all about. Iowa-raised beef, pork and dairy products will be featured in free samples for RAGBRAI riders at several locations along this year’s route.
  • U.S. Wheat Associates welcomes Casey Chumrau as Market Analyst in its Arlington, Va. office.
  • The National Trust has revealed that members of the public will decide which flock of sheep will be bought by a working, commercial farm as part of the MyFarm experiment which aims to re-connect people with the day-to-day realities of farming.
  • United Soybean Board farmer-leaders recently voted to approve the checkoff’s new Long-Range Strategic Plan, which identifies six areas they believe are most critical to maintaining and expanding the U.S. soy industry over the next five years.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Looking At How You Should Manage Crop Nutrients

    Chuck Zimmerman

    CTIC TourOne of the stops on the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project field tour was Traub Farm. Our presenter was John Traub. The family farm grows corn, soybeans, specialty hybrid seed corn and hybrid sunflowers. The farm was named the Livingston County SWCD Conservation Farm Family in 2010. So they take conservation seriously.

    I spoke with John after his presentation. He says he got involved with the project through their relationship with the SWCD and NRCS. It just “made sense” to them. He says that many of the projects they have participated in provide rewards for doing so. For this project he says they didn’t have to do a lot of things different but they are doing more testing to find the right rate, timing and place to apply nutrients. He says people often get so busy they don’t take time to look at what they’re doing. One of the real benefits of the project for him is being forced to look at what the things are they should be doing.

    The Traub farm uses strip-till conservation systems with minimal tillage. They are currently comparing fall applied N with an RTK strip-till system to a conventional chisel plow system.

    You can listen to my interview with John here: Interview with John Traub

    CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Project Field Tour Photos

    AgWired coverage of the CTIC Indian Creek Watershed Field Tour is sponsored by
    Ag Groups, Audio, Conservation, CTIC, Farming