In southern Minnesota, most farmers grow two types of crops – corn and soybeans. With all the crops grown, where do our crops go? Why do we grow corn and soybeans? Market access is THE most important factor in determining what crops we grow. Crops with no markets make no sense to grow. In southern Minnesota, we have an abundance of markets…
Read More
Yes, and I am going to tell you why. There is so much buzz about GMO’s recently, especially with General Mills announcement of labeling their original Cheerios with a “not made with genetically modified ingredients” label. (By the way, oats are the ingredient of Cheerios and there are no GMO oats.) Let us start this conversation by discussing what is a…
Read More
Last week, the “From the Ground Up” event took place at the Greg and Bridgett Belknap farm. A special thank you to them for hosting, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE “FROM THE GROUND UP” EVENT? As an annual event, we acknowledge and celebrate the importance of ag in our community. It is also an event where we showcase a…
Read More
What do you think when you hear the word “mass shooting?” I know I automatically associate mass shooting with large cities. Well, our society has taken a sharp downward trend, and it’s now happening in rural Minnesota. Yes, you heard that right. Two nights ago, our small farming and rural community experienced a mass shooting. Four individuals were shot at…
Read More
One of my most treasured gifts are my grandchildren. They make me smile and laugh. I have a story to share about a little boy (my grandson, Mr. E), a grain cart and some quarters and dimes. Before I start, let me tell you a little something about Mr. E. He is a very inquisitive, active 3-year-old and has a…
Read More
Some may questions whether church is still important. Some will say yes. Some will say no. Hopefully, by asking the question, it will prompt you to think about the answer. Recently, our small country church celebrated a welcome back to Sunday School and New Member recognition. After a summer break, it is time our young head back to Sunday School…
Read More
Land Investment Companies – What are they? We recently had a tract of farmland in my county that was sold to a land investment company. The selling price was over $12,000 per acre–outbidding any local farmer. I took a step back and while I have heard of these types of companies, this is the first time they made their presence…
Read More
What is the best way to house sows? Is it gestation crates? Is it group housing? Is it outdoor living? I hope to answer why pig farmers use gestation crates. For most people, sow housing raises a lot of questions. Let me start with saying, “There is NO perfect sow housing. None. Nada.” When housing pregnant sows indoors, there are…
Read More
I have been pondering this subject for quite some time. I remember not long ago when no one talked about mental health (and especially rural mental health). But, the great news is we are hearing and learning more about it. Thankfully, there are more resources reaching mental health efforts. Is Mental health an issue for rural America? Based on an…
Read More
It’s so important that children know where their food comes from. And more important, it’s the truthful story. I love this list of the top 40 children’s book about where their food comes from. I loved putting this list together. As a farmer, I selected books that share the truthful agricultural story with children. We all need to know where…
Read More
Yes, our pigs live in barns, and I will tell you why. If we lived in a utopian world, I would have no problem with our pigs living outdoors. In fact, I probably would live outdoors right alongside them. A Utopian world means a perfect life with no discomfort, sickness, or injuries. But a world of utopia is just an ideological vision that is…
Read More
