I have had the pleasure of being a part of Successful Farming’s Tools of the Future event this past week. The event featured the newest ag tools that can make farming more profitable. The technology ranged from automated soil sampling to drones. The first day’s program was in Des Moines, IA. From there the show traveled to Bloomington, IL and West Lafayette, IN. Each event included demonstrations and hands-on exhibitions. Below are my top tech picks from the tour. Google Glass A new wearable computer that, once in the hands of farmers, …
A Farm Kid’s Perspective
There is not a farm scene more beautiful than fields of uniformly tall, tasseled corn, butting up to waist high, weed-free soybeans waving in the breeze, set against carpets of well-manicured road ditches and close-clipped waterways. From the perspective of this Iowa farm kid, southern Tazewell County, Illinois is simply beautiful to behold; a vision straight out of a children’s storybook. Tazewell County is neither flat, nor steep. The area is dominated by row crop in an almost level landscape with gently sloping rises. There are no visible …
Did the world just turn upside down? Walmart a corporate good guy?
At a time when conservation seems stuck in the quagmire of bureaucracy, red tape, old technology, and extremely low expectations it seems new life has been breathed into the conservation issue; and the timing could not be better. It reminds me of the legend where the Phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. In the legend, when the Phoenix feels its end approaching, it builds a nest, sets it on fire, and is consumed by his own flames. From the pile of ashes, a new Phoenix arises, young and powerful. Hopefully …
Celebrate Soil and Water Stewardship Week
When the land does well for its owner, and the owner does well by his land—when both end up better by reason of their partnership—then we have conservation. - Aldo LeopoldIn 1955, the National Association of Conservation Districts began a national program to encourage Americans to focus on stewardship. Stewardship Week is officially celebrated from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in May. It is one of the world's largest conservation-related observances. The program relies on locally-led conservation districts sharing and promoting …
Power to the People
With the 1960’s slogan Power to the People, young members of the United States expressed an aspiration for a society that was more participatory, more transparent, and more inclusive. These young people wanted to feel they had some control rather than all the power residing in The Establishment. I think that is how farmers must feel today. They must feel like that the environmental process lacks transparency. They must feel they have very little information to make decisions. Please note, that I am not making excuses for farmers. No …
Let’s start taking the other 50% of soil erosion seriously.
I recall hearing a business maxim some years ago: “What gets measured gets done.” In other words, if there is no standard by which to measure something, it becomes a low priority. Unfortunately, this seems to be the case with soil erosion.For years, resource professionals have had the RUSLE2 soil erosion model to predict the amount of sheet and rill erosion that occurs on a farm. Sheet and rill erosion is caused by a shallow sheet of rainwater that runs across the land. This picks up and transports soil particles already detached by a raindrop …