Giving It A Go In London

Chuck Zimmerman

Would you classify this as hobby farming? I don’t think it’ll fit into a “rural lifestyle” category. It’s “Giving It A Go.” I’ve been following them for a while as they sort of give it a go.

My house mates and I live is a small mid-terrace house in south London. We have decided to try and get the small garden producing food for us to eat.

We are going to attempt to grow fruit, veg and have chickens. We are not experts in any of these fields but are jumping in at the deep end.

We have set up this Vlog to let you know what we are doing in the hope that there are some experts out there who can give us some helpful advice.

Here’s the latest episode which involves a chicken, and egg, a frying pan and the BBC. Got any advice for them?

Farming, Video

Farm Podcast Studio From Belkin

Chuck Zimmerman

Belkin iPod Podcast StudioHey farm podcasters. Want a simple little device to work with your iPod to create a great on-location program?

This is the just announced Belkin iPod Podcast Studio. According to Podcasting News:

Belkin has introduced the Belkin Podcast Studio – a $100 accessory that basically turns your iPod into a mini podcasting studio – just add a mic.

Dual XLR and 1/4-inch channels give you a range of recording options. The Podcast Studio has a built-in mic and speaker are powered by their own battery, so you won’t kill your iPod battery instantaneously. Belkin expects to ship this in June.

You might also want to keep the Belkin TuneStudio in mind too.

Podcasts

Case IH Cotton Picker Success

Melissa Sandfort

lores_20080107_me_625-001-03.jpgIt has been a year since Case IH introduced the Case IH Module Express™ 625, the only commercial cotton picker to build modules while harvesting. Growers who used this machine for the 2007 cotton harvest report that it was a sound investment.

“The Module Express allows one man to do the work of three,” says Dan Kornegay, who grows 2,500 acres of cotton in Faison, N.C. “It only takes one person to pick the cotton and build the modules with the Module Express, reducing equipment and labor costs. I’m saving about $1,000 per day by running three fewer tractors, hiring three fewer operators and eliminating the maintenance costs of extra equipment. I’m easily going to save $50,000 per year.”

The Case IH Module Express does not require modifications to existing equipment. The Case IH half modules are 8-foot by 8-foot by 16-foot, which is the same height and width of a standard module but half the length. A producer uses smaller reusable tarps to cover the modules. One person can often handle these easy-to-use tarps versus two with larger traditional modules. No alterations are required to the ginning process.

And, the Module Express picks cotton at a slightly faster pace than a traditional 6-row picker and modules form simultaneously. For more information, visit the Web site or contact your local Case IH dealer.

Cotton

Designing a New Look For Dairy Today

Chuck Zimmerman

Dairy TodayThere’s a reason we were taught in college journalism classes to “never work with animals or small children.” In this video from the Pentagram website you’ll see what I’m talking about.

I’ve watched this done now quite a few times at livestock shows. I don’t envy DJ the challenge of working with a prima donna who’s only interested in the feed bucket.

DJ Stout has redesigned the magazine Dairy Today that is launching this month. In addition to a bold new logotype, the magazine will feature a stylized “portrait” of a dairy cow on the cover of each issue in an effort to differentiate it from its competitors. This is the second dairy magazine and the sixth agricultural trade publication Pentagram’s Austin office has redesigned. Stout and his team previously reworked three magazines for the American Quarter Horse Association, Dairy Herd Management magazine and Drovers magazine (about the beef industry).

Dairy, Publication, Video

Honoring Monsanto’s Karen Marshall

Chuck Zimmerman

Charles Parker and Karen MarshallAt last week’s Beltwide Cotton Conferences an appreciation luncheon was held for Karen Marshall, just retired Senior Director of Industry Affairs for Monsanto.

Several people spoke about their respect for Karen and her years of service to the cotton industry including Charles Parker, President of the Cotton Foundation and a cotton grower from Senath, MO. Here’s Charles giving Karen an appreciation plaque from the Foundation.

Agribusiness, Cotton

Lisa Keefe New Editor at Meatingplace

Chuck Zimmerman

Lisa KeefeI’m a subscriber to Meatingplace.com and interested to see that we’ll now have content from a new contributing editor, Lisa Keefe.

Veteran business writer and editor Lisa M. Keefe will join the Meatingplace franchise Jan. 14 as Editor of its flagship monthly magazine. As Editor, Keefe will determine editorial strategy, content and tone for the industry-leading print magazine, as well as contribute original reporting to its daily news service on Meatingplace.com.

Keefe brings more than 20 years experience as a business journalist covering a broad range of manufacturing and service industries. Most recently, she was Editor of Marketing News, covering multiple facets of the marketing and advertising industry. Prior, she was an editor and reporter for Crain’s Chicago Business, a leading newsweekly in the Windy City. Other assignments have included The Orlando Sentinel and Forbes.

During her career, Keefe has accumulated 16 national and regional awards for editorial excellence.

Publication

Marketing MANA

Chuck Zimmerman

ZimmCast-154 - A Mana BreakI’m really glad that Makhteshim Agan is using the name MANA Crop Protection since it’s a lot easier for me to say. They held a media breakfast last week that I attended and it provided an opportunity to get to know them better.

I interviewed Dave Downing, Senior Product/Marketing Manager – Herbicides and now know a lot more about the company. For example, it’s been around for over 60 years and until recently basically supplied active ingredients to many well-known ag chem companies. However, the company decided a few years ago to start marketing their own proprietary brands and products.

Dave DowningDave says they have over 50 products of their own on the market now for all crops. He says that what they’re doing is providing generic alternatives to growers at a reasonable price. I like his analogy of taking your doctor’s prescription to the pharmacy. When asked if you’d like the less expensive generic most people select it. Dave says that kind of thing is happening now in the agricultural chemical business.

This week’s program ends with music from the Podsafe Music Network. It’s called “Standing In The Cottonfiels” by Boo Boo Davis. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.

You can download and listen to the ZimmCast here: Listen To ZimmCastZimmCast 154 (19 min MP3)

Or listen to this week’s ZimmCast right now:zimmcast154-1-14-08.mp3

The ZimmCast is the official weekly podcast of AgWired which you can subscribe to using the link in our sidebar. You can also subscribe in iTunes

Agribusiness, Audio, ZimmCast

Zimfo Bytes

Melissa Sandfort

    Zimfo Bytes

  • Land O’Lakes, Inc. recently announced a number of changes to the senior leadership team reporting to Land O’Lakes President and Chief Executive Officer Chris Policinski. JP Ruiz-Funes joined Land O’Lakes, effective Jan. 7 as senior vice president, Corporate Strategy and Business Development. Barry Wolfish has moved from his previous position in Corporate Strategy and Business Development to create the new role of senior vice president, Corporate Marketing Strategy. Mike Vandelogt replaced Dave Seehusen as executive vice president and chief operating officer, Winfield Solutions Seed Division. Dave Seehusen has moved to executive vice president, Land O’Lakes Ag Business Development and Member Services.
  • Monsanto announced that it is working with glufosinate-tolerant traits in its cotton technology programs. The company’s work with glufosinate-tolerant traits paves the way for the development of the industry’s first three-way stack of herbicide-tolerant technologies across its cotton business including Roundup Ready Flex, Dicamba-tolerance and Glufosinate tolerance. The glufosinate trait is under license from Bayer CropScience and reflects the company’s multi-partner stacking strategy. The USDA estimates that more than 80 percent of the cotton acres planted in 2007 included the Roundup Ready or Roundup Ready Flex traits.
  • Steve Murphy, the chief executive officer of the National Pork Board since 2001, has submitted his resignation to the board. A short list of some of the National Pork Board’s successes under Murphy’s leadership includes: Getting the organization to embrace anticipatory issues management; protecting the future of one of the most successful brands in the country – Pork. The Other White Meat; reconnecting producers with the idea of working together through shared contributions and shared vision to accomplish goals they could not achieve alone; developing a staff that is accountable to both producers and to sound business principles. Murphy will continue until the board can find a successor.
Zimfo Bytes

List of 8 for 2008

Laura McNamara

cooklight.pngCooking Light Magazine has announced its list of the ‘Top 8 foods to Love in 2008.’ I particularly like 1 and 6.

Cooking Light, the world’s largest food and healthy lifestyle title, has named the top 8 must-eat foods as well as 8 super tips to help you live well.

1. Coffee: Caffeine consumption not only increases alertness and improves performance but may also protect memory.

2. Farmed Atlantic Salmon: Salmon ranks highest in omega-3 fatty acids, shown to lower the risk of fatal heart attacks, rheumatoid arthritis, depression and cognitive decline.

3. Milk: Dairy products offer a package deal of phosphorous and calcium to benefit hair and skin.

4. Edamame: Soy protein has been shown to boost collagen levels and improve skin elasticity.

5. Kale: Those leafy greens deliver plenty of vitamin K in addition to vitamins E, C, and folate for bone strength.

6. Chocolate: Crave-worthy cocoa and dark chocolate are both good sources of beneficial antioxidants.

7. Flaxseed: Adding a tablespoon of flaxseed instantaneously adds omega-3 fats, lignans and fiber to any food, such as muffins, salads or yogurt.

8. Eggs: Eggs are not only high in calcium and quality protein, but also provide biotin, a structural component of both bone and hair.

Food

Headlining a New Developments Session

Chuck Zimmerman

Greg StratmanOne of the New Developments From Industry sessions at Beltwide was done by Greg Stratman, BASF Technical Services Representative (left). Of course he talked about Headline.

One of the questions he says he gets most often from growers is about the yield increase they can get by treating foliar diseases. He says that when it comes to the work they’ve done with field trials they’re seeing developmental progress with cotton growers just like they’ve seen in corn and soybeans. He describes the mood of cotton growers he’s been talking to as cautiously optimistic.

Download my interview with Greg here: Greg Stratman Interview (8 min mp3)

You can also listen to the interview with Greg immediately here: basf-beltwide-08-stratman.mp3

AgWired coverage of the Beltwide Cotton Conferences
is made possible by: BASF


Beltwide Cotton Conference Photo Album

Audio, BASF, Beltwide Cotton, Cotton