Till We Meet Again

Melissa Sandfort

One of my goals living on the farm is to have a garden. I started one in Kansas City, but then we moved away. But this summer, I’m going to make a concerted effort to keep a family tradition going. We have these Syrian cucumbers that look like pinwheels when you cut them and never get bitter, no matter how large they grow. To date, Grandma is the only one who can grow them, but I’m going to try my hand at it.

In order to get the garden started, I’m going to have to do some tilling. I’m sure I can borrow the gas-operated tiller in the shed. Back before motor-operated equipment, this is the tiller they’d use to loosen the dirt for garden planting. Looks like a lot of work if you ask me.

Then, if I get really creative, I’ll grow some cucumbers and dill and see if Grandma can help me jar some homemade pickles. Vlasic, move over.

I’ve just got to figure out a way to keep the critters out. Like the deer who like to watch TV through our bedroom window. I can just see them munching on my Syrian cucumbers now.

Until we walk again …

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Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Iowa Corn is proud to announce 10 scholarships to be awarded through the Iowa Corn Future of Agriculture Scholarship program to high school seniors college students who are pursuing a degree in the 2011-12 school year.
  • New leadership was elected by the members of the Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
  • America’s Heartland, the only nationally-distributed program on U.S. agriculture, is seeking production funding for its seventh season. The grassroots Friends of America’s Heartland group has launched a new website asking fans to support it by making donations and encouraging others to do so.
  • Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC, (OFW Law) the leading law firm in agriculture and FDA regulated matters, announced that Stephanie Herseth Sandlin has joined the firm as a Principal.
    Zimfo Bytes

    Classic Rock Makes For Great Ending

    Chuck Zimmerman

    The 2011 Commodity Classic had a rock and roll ending. The evening entertainment was the Little River Band.

    I think they played most of their hits and a couple of songs with a new twist. They sounded great and a little loud but then that’s what I remember when Cindy and I saw them a long time ago. The coolest thing was seeing the Golden ZimmComm Microphone on stage. You can see it in this photo. They have good choice in mics (Heil PR20).

    There are a bunch of photos from the concert in the photo album. We’re taking some time to relax today and visit with friends from college before getting back on the agriblogging highway tomorrow. I’ll be heading to Texas while Cindy will be going to Reno, NV. We’ll fill you in on that as we go.

    2011 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
    is sponsored by: BASF New Holland and AgHaven

    Commodity Classic

    AAEA Relaxes At Commodity Classic

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Karen SimonsThe American Agricultural Editors Association held a reception for members attending this year’s Commodity Classic. Quite a few of the 126 members of the ag media attended including past president Karen Simon, Iowa Soybean Association.

    I spoke with Karen and Willie Vogt, Farm Progress Companies, about this summer’s Ag Media Summit. Karen is the Conference Chair and Willie is chairing the sponsorship committee. This year Ag Media Summit will be July 24-27 in New Orleans. So get an AMS preview and if you’re interested in becoming a sponsor, let them know.

    You can listen to my interview with Willie and Karen here: AAEA Interview

    2011 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
    is sponsored by: BASF New Holland and AgHaven

    ACN, Audio, Commodity Classic

    Self Propelled Guardians From New Holland

    Chuck Zimmerman

    New Holland Tyler RobertsThe biggest machine in the New Holland booth at this year’s Commodity Classic is their Guardian Rear Boom Sprayer. There wasn’t enough space for it to “spread its wings” though. I talked with Tyler Roberts about the self propelled sprayers now being made by New Holland.

    Tyler says these machines are ready to get out in the field after being introduced last fall. He says the Guardian name ties into the crop protection capabilities of the sprayers. And these are big Guardians! Besides the rear boom they also offer a front boom sprayer which Tyler gets real excited talking about.

    You can listen to my interview with Tyler here: Interview with Tyler Roberts

    2011 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
    is sponsored by: BASF New Holland and AgHaven

    Audio, Commodity Classic, Equipment, New Holland

    BASF Presents Kip Cullers Bobblehead

    Cindy Zimmerman

    2011 commodity classicOn behalf of a number of well-wishers in the agricultural world, BASF Crop Protection congratulated soybean yield world champion Kip Cullers during a special presentation at Commodity Classic in Tampa, Florida.

    Kip, a corn and soybean grower from Missouri, is a rock star in the ag world. He set yet another new world soybean production record in 2010 – for the third time – with a yield of 160.6 bu/A in 2010, breaking the previous record he set in 2007 by six bu/A. Kip’s soybean acres regularly yield more than 75 bu/A, which is 35 bu/A higher than the average Missouri operation.

    2011 commodity classicKip is never speechless – but he was when BASF presented him with a special “Kip Cullers Bobblehead” to commemorate his new world record. “I didn’t really know what to say,” he said. “It’s just great working with BASF. They’re just such a great team to work with and such a joy. I really appreciate everything they do for all American farmers.”

    Kip says the mood of farmers at Commodity Classic was energizing. “More than anything, what it is is corn is $7 and soybean’s $14 and I think farmers really want to yield more, they want to make money,” Kip said.

    Listen to or download an interview with Kip here about BASF, the bobblehead, his world record and optimism at Commodity Classic: Kip Cullers Interview

    Watch the presentation by BASF’s Paul Rea to Kip here from YouTube:


    BASF Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
    is sponsored by: BASF New Holland and AgHaven

    Audio, BASF, Commodity Classic, Soybean, Video

    The Technical Side of AgHaven

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Pat McGintyThe Chief Technology Officer for AgHaven is Pat McGinty. He’s responsible for the software that runs AgHaven. We talked about their agricultural search engine which is really tweaking the interest of a lot of people. He says that it allows for search results specific to agriculture. It’s not search results from other search engines. He says they crawl the web and find pages that fit the ag category and then prepare them for delivery to users. He knows of no other website that can do this. This could make searching much less time intensive.

    We also talked about the social networking section of AgHaven. He says that businesses can feel comfortable using it since there are a number of built in security features that make it a better environment for business than a place like Facebook.

    Pat also makes a point to encourage people to visit and provide feedback. There’s still a lot of development to do in AgHaven and this is a good time to let them know what you think.

    You can listen to my interview with Pat here: Interview with Pat McGinty

    2011 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
    is sponsored by: BASF New Holland and AgHaven

    Audio, Commodity Classic

    AgWired Joins BIVI at Swine Health Seminar in Phoenix

    Joanna Schroeder

    I’m getting settled in here in Phoenix for the 2011 Swine Health Seminar hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. (BIVI). They couldn’t have picked a more beautiful location to host their event – Phoenix is sunny and beautiful today. I’m guessing everybody who flew in from a cold climate will be having some fun in the sun over the next few days.

    They will also be learning about the big issues in the swine industry from some top experts. BIVI has put together a great educational program for this afternoon that includes:

    • Nick Giordano, NPPC Vice President and Legal Council who will be discussing Emerging Markets;
    • Erin Strait, DVM with Iowa State University will be discussing Emering Mycoplasma Diagnostics; and
    • A practitioner panel featuring Mike Eisenmenger, DVM at the Swine Vet Center; Tom Gillespie, DVM with Rensselaer Swine Services; and Randy Jones, DVM with Livestock Vet Services who will be discussing Emerging PRDC Control Opportunities.

    Several hundred of BIVI team members and customers will be on hand for the seminar this afternoon (and the fun to follow). For BIVI’s customer’s, they hope the information will help them become more profitable.

    For those who couldn’t make it – no worries. I’ll be bringing you the information from the meeting right here on AgWired.com.

    Check out the 2011 BIVI Swine Health Seminar Photo Album.

    Boehringer Ingelheim, Swine

    Classic Commodity Group Unity

    Chuck Zimmerman

    Commodity LeadersWe’re talking commodity group unity here at Commodity Classic. Here’s the leaders of each of the participating groups, Bart Schott, NCGA, Alan Kemper, ASA, Gerald Simonsen, NAWG and Jerry McReynolds, NSP.

    Emceeing this morning’s general session once again was Mark Mayfield. He asked them each to answer the question, “What are you doing to enhance public trust and what efforts do you have to make ag more sustainable?” Listen to their answers in this entertaining part of the session.

    You can listen to them here: Commodity Group Leaders at Classic

    Visit our photo album often: 2011 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
    is sponsored by: BASF New Holland and AgHaven

    Ag Groups, ASA, Audio, Commodity Classic, NCGA

    Ag Secretary Vilsack at Commodity Classic

    Cindy Zimmerman

    2011 commodity classic tom vilsackAgriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack gave the keynote address today to an audience of more than 4,500 farmers and commodity group representatives during the General Session of the 16th Annual Commodity Classic in Tampa, Florida. In his remarks, Vilsack commended American farmers, ranchers and producers for helping to lead the United States’ economic recovery by shattering agricultural trade records, creating jobs at home and ensuring affordable food for U.S. families.

    “We are all fortunate to be living through one of the most productive eras in history for U.S. agriculture,” said Vilsack. “American farmers and ranchers are seeing record sales of farm goods abroad and looking forward to some of the best net incomes in decades. U.S. agricultural exports for fiscal 2011 are on course to shatter previous records and enjoy a record $47.5 billion trade surplus. This record productivity is creating employment across a variety of sectors, including transportation and storage. Moreover, because American agriculture produces 86 percent of the food we consume, our families spend less at the grocery store compared to consumers in much of the rest of the world. As producers of high-quality products and conscientious stewards of our lands, American farmers and ranchers deserve our gratitude.”

    Best Vilsack comment that I heard was “OPEC has more to do with food prices than farmers.” He got loud applause for that!

    Listen to or download Vilsack’s address here: 2011 Commodity Classic Vilsack Address

    2011 Commodity Classic Photo Album

    AgWired coverage of the 2011 Commodity Classic
    is sponsored by: BASF New Holland and AgHaven

    Audio, Commodity Classic, USDA