Family farm or corporate farm?

We all live busy lives today. Add to that busy-ness, information overload. What do you do with all that information? Who has time to sort through all the information surrounding us? Let me help you with at least one question. What’s the difference between a corporate farm and a Family farm? I have read so many articles lately on the evils of corporate farms and how they are pushing family farms out of business. When I follow the resources I find conflicting information; farm sizes are shrinking/Corporate mega farms are growing, family farms are being pushed out of business/more families are bringing the next generation back to the farm, too much land is being used for food and fuel production/we need to feed more people today than ever before in history ??? My head is still spinning.

Welcome to our farm

We are a family that grows corn for food and feed, soybeans for cooking oil and sweet corn for immediate consumption :-) My husband and I raise this food together with our daughters, sons in law, grandchildren and my father and mother in law. In order to be able to sustain our farm for future generations we incorporated several years ago. Our grandchildren love working the land with us and talking to our neighbors about what we are doing as well as sharing sweet corn with them in the summer.

So, as you can see from our farm, things are not always as they are portrayed. We are a family farm that is incorporated. Statistically you will find us included in the “corporate farm” numbers and not family farm. I think that’s very misleading. Incorporating has nothing to do with size or mission and everything to do with financial and long term identity. For us that means we can pass the farm on to our children and grandchildren in a way that protects them in the future.

What’s the difference between a corporate farm and a Family farm? Most of the time NOTHING.

Wordless Wednesday: Animal Care

My parents are caring for a few bottle lambs (orphans for various reasons) this winter spring. They know my mom usually brings their food, so they’re anxiously waiting for her at the farm gate.

Why a Farm Bill Should Matter to You

Are you interested in Congress getting a Farm Bill passed? You may think that it isn’t important to you if you are not a farmer but the farm bill affects every citizen of the United States.

There are many misconceptions about this important piece of legislation. While it is called a Farm Bill, it really encompasses much more than just the farm. A large part of funding in the bill goes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help needy citizens get the nutrition they need. SNAP is important to people all over the United States, especially during these difficult economic times.

There are environmental provisions to help protect our natural resources which is something that is important to everyone. One of the environmental programs we participate in on our farm is the Conservation Reserve Program(CRP). Some of the most fragile land we farm was planted to native grasses in order to control wind erosion. A healthy stand of native grasses keeps the soil in place during times when the Southwest Kansas wind begins to blow. Practices like these help keep our country from experiencing the Dust Bowl Days all over again.

As a farmer, I see the value of having a bill that makes sure that we have the resources we need to produce the food that feeds Americans as well as hungry people around the world. One in twelve jobs in America is tied to agriculture, that amounts to 23 million jobs. You can see that it is economically important for our county to have a healthy agriculture sector.

Healthy families, a healthy economy, healthy foods; if these things are important to you, I would ask you to consider contacting your member of congress and ask them to support passage of the Farm Bill.

Baby It’s Cold Outside!

January 6, 2014

Good evening from chilly Southwest Kansas.  We certainly aren’t the coldest spot in the nation tonight with the thermometer sitting at a balmy 12 degrees after a low of -11 this morning.  Factor in the windchill and it’s plenty cool even for a winter lover like me.  I’m one of the few who will have a smile on my face on the rare occaision we get snow and cold that sticks around for awhile.

Blanket of snow brushed away from a tender, young wheat plant.

We did recieve a couple of inches of snow on Saturday night which is a real blessing since the temperature has been in the deep freeze yesterday and today.  Our winter wheat, which is planted in the fall, grows some during the warm fall days and then goes dormant in the cold winter really needed some insulation from the bitter cold and, believe it or not, a blanket of snow does a great job of protecting the tender, young wheat plant.  An added bonus is that when that snow melts, we also get some much needed moisture to help the thirstly little plants grow when it warms up again.

I checked the evening temperatures and it looks like we will do a steady warm up to around 16 degrees  through the rest of the night and early morning.  Tomorrow we will have a real heat wave with a high around 50 degrees…we will probably pull out the short sleeves for this warm up!  Southwest Kansas winter weather tends to be just like that, freezing cold one day and nice and toasty the next day.

My farmer checking the wheat seed in the drill on a balmy fall day during planting season.

If it sounds like I am a little obsessed with the weather, that would be correct.  Stop into any feed store, coffee shop, grain elevator or any other place that farmers and ranchers gather and you will most likely hear some of the conversation revolve around the weather.  Much of what we do to produce the food on your table depends on Mother Nature to bless us with moisture and good temperatures.  While there isn’t anything we can do to control the weather, we sure do like to talk about what we want it to do, think that it might do or, what weather forcasters are predicting it will do.

Are you interested in the weather?  When you stroll the aisles of the grocery store you might think about how the weather might cause the price of your favorite cereal to go up due to a failed grain crop which will cause the price of the grain to go up…it’s all about supply and demand and Mother Nature pulls on those strings every day on our farms and ranches and at your table.

Wishing you enough warmth to stay comfortable, enough winter weather to let you look forward to the changing of the seasons and enough family and friends so that you may enjoy all of your seasons surrounded by those you love!

For the chocolate lover

“Peppermint Bark” (variations are unlimited)

• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 six-inch candy canes, chopped
• Any other topping can be used – nuts, fruits, etc.

1. Line a 15 1/2″ x 10 1/2″ jelly roll pan with non-stick foil or parchment paper, leaving a 2″ overhang on two sides.
2. In a micro-safe bowl, melt the dark chocolates on high. Stop and stir every 20 seconds until just-about melted (60-90 seconds total). Be careful to not over-melt. Spread it onto the prepared pan.
3. In a safe bowl, melt the white chocolate on high, stop and stir every 20 seconds until just-melted.
4. Drop small spoonfuls of white chocolate onto the dark chocolate. With a skewer, swirl the white chocolate through the dark.
5. Let the chocolate set for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the candy canes, then refrigerate until set (about 30 minutes).
6. Break or cut into pieces for serving.

Note: different nuts, dried fruit or other toppings can be used. White chocolate can be used for the base and drizzle with dark chocolate for a different look. Candy melts come in many different colors if you want to try something really different. Peanut butter (1 1/2 cups) can be stirred into base chocolate, follow same directions. Top with chocolate chips and stir when they melt.

This makes a great gift! Enjoy your chocolate!