National Parks Now Online

Chuck Zimmerman

Make Park ReservationsNow you can go online to make reservations at federal parks. You can also find out lots of information about what’s available and where. It’s a new website that the departments of the Interior and Agriculture kicked off last week. They encourage you to “Explore Your America.”

This interagency web site allows the public to view photos and information on thousands of recreation sites and activities from sightseeing at the Washington monument to canoeing in a Minnesota forest. The public can also use the recreation.gov site to make reservations and payments online

“Americans love to enjoy our parks, forests, historic sites and other public lands and we want to make it easier for them to do so,” said Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. “At Recreation.gov, Americans can find, plan and reserve their ‘place under the stars’ on one internet website or with a single phone call.”

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns added, “Recreation.gov not only simplifies reservations, it showcases the many opportunities to enjoy public lands. This is a refreshing change for those who have searched multiple web pages to make their recreation plans and it’s an example of better coordination to better serve Americans.”

Uncategorized

Interview With Col. Jill Chambers

Chuck Zimmerman

Col. Jill ChambersAdministering the Army Oath to a batch of recruits on Friday evening at the Three Hills Rodeo was Col. Jill Chambers. Jill is the director of protocol for General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

I had met Jill last year at the New Holland/Michael Peterson Celebrity Tractor Race in Nashville. It was good seeing her again, especially as she led the recruits in the oath. In an interview I did with her she explains what that the oath means.

Jill says she’s going to be working with Michael on an “Answer The Call” tour starting next January.

Michael made our interview a challenge, at least at the beginning as you’ll hear.

Here’s my interview with Col. Jill Chambers:
3-hills-rodeo-07-chambers.mp3

Audio, New Holland, Rodeo

HAT’s Off To The Future

Chuck Zimmerman

Hoosier Ag TodayIt looks like Gary Truitt is getting involved in Indiana.

The future of Indiana agriculture will be the focus of the Cultivating The New Economy conference on April 5 in Muncie. Hoosier Ag Today has partnered with the Eastern Indiana Regional Workforce Development Board in presenting this unique gathering of state and national leaders to examine the growth opportunities presented by the dynamic changes now taking place in Indiana agriculture. “This conference is for anyone who has a stake in the future of Indiana agriculture, including farmers, agri-business, and rural residents,” said Gary Truitt with Hoosier Ag Today.

State leaders, including Andy Miller from the Department of Agriculture and officials from Purdue, will be joined by national leaders such as Mark Drabenstott with the Rural Policy Research Institute. “Hoosier Ag Today is committed to the growth of Indiana agriculture and this event will help chart the course of that future,” observed Truitt. In addition to promoting the conference, HAT will provide live broadcast coverage of the event that will he held at the Horizon Convention Center in Muncie.

Media

What’s Up With Farmer Planting Intentions

Chuck Zimmerman

I guess I’ve got to post something about this since it seems to have generated comments and releases from everywhere. Following is the report Cindy posted to Domestic Fuel on Friday.

As expected, the USDA Prospective Plantings report out Friday morning showed that farmers expect to make a dramatic shift to corn acreage, and away from cotton and soybeans. The main reason – increased demand and higher prices of crops used for bio-fuels.

According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, corn growers intend to plant 90.5 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2007, up 15 percent from 2006 and 11 percent higher than 2005. If realized this would be the highest acreage since 1944. Illinois farmers intend to plant a record high 12.9 million acres of corn this spring, up 1.60 million acres from last year. North Dakota and Minnesota growers also expect to plant record high corn acres, up 910,000 and 600,000 acres, respectively.

Soybean producers intend to plant 67.1 million acres in 2007, down 11 percent from last year. However, area planted to soybeans is expected to increase in the Southeast, with Georgia expecting the largest increase from last year at 95,000 acres.

All cotton plantings for 2007 are expected to total 12.1 million acres, 20 percent below last year. Growers intend to decrease planted area in all States with the largest acreage declines in Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Texas.

If you’d like some commentary on the report you can always listen to the Minneapolis Grain Exchange podcast (podcast url) which we record and pst each month. They had us do a special version after this report was released on Friday.

You can hear listen to the commentary here:
mgex-3-30-07.mp3

Audio

A Netherlands Farm Site

Chuck Zimmerman

I got an email from Gerrit Jan Doeleman, Netherlands, who wants some feedback on his website, farmersbase.com. Help me out. Look at it and let me know what you think.

dear chuck zimmermann,
please have a view
at farmersbase: www.farmersbase.com and let me have your comments.

Here’s what it says on his about page.

This site has been built & will be built for “boer’n en buut’n luu” ( farmers and people in the countryside ), in short: not only for the farmers themselves but for all the workers at the farms too and next to that especially for all those who feel related to the countryside. Most of all we had liked to present this to devote to all persons who gave shelter during Word War II, those who gave food en help to all people during that period.

International

NAMA Leader Plans Being Made

Chuck Zimmerman

NAMA 50The National Agri-Marketing Association is making plans to replace outgoing staff leader Eldon White. Current president, Stephanie Gable had this to say.

Eldon White notified the executive committee this week that he has made the decision to resign his position with NAMA to become executive vice president of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association in Fort Worth, Texas.

We appreciate the contributions Eldon has made to our organization over the last 16 years. As we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary at our annual conference in a couple weeks, we have much to celebrate – an organization that is more than 3,000 professional and student members strong, representing every facet of our exciting industry.

The executive committee will work swiftly to put an interim transition plan and search process into place. As these plans are developed, we pledge to keep you informed on their progress. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me or any member of the NAMA Executive Committee. We ask in advance for your cooperation and patience as we embark on a new chapter in the history of the National Agri-Marketing Association. As always, the NAMA staff will be available to assist you with any questions you may have.

Eldon will remain with NAMA through the upcoming National Agri-Marketing Conference. He and his wife, Val, plan to relocate to Fort Worth sometime this summer.

Please join me in thanking Eldon for his contributions to NAMA and wishing him the best of luck in his new position.

NAMA

Michael Sings The National Anthem

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael Sings the National AnthemI think singing the National Anthem is one way of judging someone’s voice.

Have you ever noticed that or is it just me?

After the army recruit swearing in ceremony Michael Peterson sang the Anthem and showed that he’s got a great voice. This recording is from the control board next to the announcer so you can hear the producers in the background a little bit.

I hope you’ll enjoy it like I do. I can’t hear our country’s National Anthem without getting choked up. I don’t know about you.

Here’s Michael singing the Anthem:
3-hills-rodeo-07-anthem.mp3

Audio, New Holland, Rodeo

New Army Recruits

Chuck Zimmerman

Army Swearing in CeremonyOne of the highlights of the Three Hills Rodeo in Green Bay was the swearing in of a fresh young batch of high school senior army recruits. On hand to do the honors was Col. Jill Chambers.

You can see her in front of the recruits, leading them in the oath. Standing out in front of them is Michael Peterson who is ready to sing the National Anthem.

You can hear the Col. Chambers lead the oath:
3-hills-rodeo-07-recruits.mp3

If you would like to watch the whole ceremony I’ve got it on YouTube now. It’s just over 8 minutes long including Michael singing the National Anthem.

Audio, New Holland, Rodeo

A Day With Michael Peterson Photo Album

Chuck Zimmerman

Michael & Tacey PetersonProbably the best way to get an idea of what a day following Michael Peterson around is like is to watch the pictures I took today as a slide show. You can find them in the Zimmages section in the upper right side of the page or you can visit my online Flickr photo album which has 294 pictures from today.

Michael’s wife Tacey joined us this afternoon. Here she and Michael are enjoying the Three Hills Rodeo which is just concluding.

You can find the photos here: Three Rivers Rodeo Photo Album

I’ve got a lot more to post but it’s late and I’m heading home early in the morning. Look for more in the next day or so.

New Holland, Rodeo

On YouTube We’re Live on the Radio

Chuck Zimmerman

Y-100 ShowI told you we had fun in the Y-100 studio this morning. Talking with the Bear & Charli. This is Charli in the middle with Michael Peterson (left) and BJ Schumacher (right).

I shot a video clip while they were in one live segment and got it uploaded to YouTube this afternoon. I’m using a new camera and had to download and install a couple of things to get it formatted correctly. Just adding to my toolbox you know.

So here’s the video. You can find it on YouTube here.

I’m going to have more coverage for you either later tonight or over the weekend. I’m getting ready to head on out for the evening’s rodeo and have no idea when I’ll be back in front of the computer. See you then

New Holland, Rodeo, Video