Right here in our home state of Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz is attempting to mandate electric-powered vehicles, using California’s standards as a guide to limit consumer choice and adversely impact our farming communities. For several reasons, this is not a sound, nor practical policy to enforce. The mandate would be extremely detrimental to the agriculture community, which is a large…
Read More
Dear President Biden, What Farmers Want You To Know
Congratulations to you President Biden on your election victory. I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t say I am nervous about what the next few years will bring. The life and business of farming are so unique and is really hard to describe to anyone who is not from the farming community. I have taken the liberty to enlighten you…
Read More
Why Changes to Capital Gains Tax will Kill Family Farms
NOTE: This was written well before congress decided to NOT make these changes. I wrote this with the intent of needing to talk about the proposed changes instead of waiting until they made the changes. I was stunned as anyone when I read about the new Biden administration’s proposed changes to the capital gains tax and stepped-up basis. The intended…
Read More
Sloppy Joe Sliders
1 lb ground beef 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 onion, diced 1 clove garlic, optional 3/4 c ketchup 2 teaspoons mustard 1 teasponns wrochestershire sauce 3 teaspoons brown sugar 1 pack dinner roll 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese 2 Tbsp melted butter Ingredients for 6 servings Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In a saucepan over medium heat, brown…
Read More
Apple Education Lessons and Activities Using Homemade Applesauce
One of the benefits of today’s food distribution and technology is our ability to buy apples all year long. While I love buying apples from one of Minnesota’s 137 apple orchards, I know I can buy apples from my local grocery store any time of the year which allows me to make homemade applesauce all year long. Find lessons and…
Read More
Have you heard about the New Environmentally-Friendly Truck Wash?
If you are a truck driver traveling along I-90 in Southern Minnesota and needing a truck wash, take Exit 87 near Sherburn. The brand new Exit 87 truck wash is located next to the interstate and boasts new state-of-the-art features. With plenty of room for moving trucks and a total of four bays (one of which is an automated hands-free…
Read More
What is the Fairmont Hobo Camp?
“Imagine being a 60-year old male in 1932. The stock market crash of 1929 has left you without a job and no money. Therefore, being down on your luck and wanting to find work and food, you hop on a railroad car and head west for hopefully a better life. As you enter Minnesota, you hear of a camp located…
Read More
BBQ Pulled Pork
No, There Is Not A Pork Shortage
The headlines are blaring and loud. Smithfield shutting down their processing plant indefinitely. The panic is on. There will be a pork shortage. But as a pig farmer, let’s break it down to see what is really going on. Smithfield Foods Smithfield Foods employs 3700 people in their Sioux Falls plant. More than 550 family farms supply the plant with…
Read More
Who Grew My Soup (Gr K-2 and Gr 3-5)
Who Grew My Soup This lesson is from MN Ag in the Classroom curriculum matrix. There is a K-2 version and a Gr. 3-5 version. Time: Three 45-minute lessons. This is a great book and lesson. The kit will include the book, Who Grew My Soup (or you can also access it online). In fact, the online version has the…
Read More
Little Red Hen Kit (Grades K-2)
Little Red Hen – Part of MN Ag in the Classroom lessons. In this lesson students will use the story The Little Red Hen to learn about wheat production and bread making. Students will thresh their own wheat and grind it into flour to make bread. Included in this kit is wheat and a wheat grinder. 4 Activities. Activity 1 – Story of the Little Red Hen. Read Little Red Hen book. Use, first, next, then and finally…
Read More