Where is My Prairie?

It has been a LONG time since I took time to write. Quite honestly I am not sure how 3+ months have passed but, I am ready to get going again!

Last night I arrived home at 12:40am after the completion of our 5th trip since December 22nd. Today I return to Bismarck (1hour away) for appointments all day and wonder where my prairie days have gone? It seems that I am missing part of life that I have come to enjoy.... Hot coffee and the sunrise, a landscape of flat fields and rolling small hills, a few moments with my husband and kids and a sense of having a bit if time to do the things I enjoy.
So how do I get this back when so much of my running is out of necessity and for others and for purposes I can't always pass up?
I have come to think that it is about perspective. It's not what I am missing or losing, but what I am gaining. Then I may just need to set the alarm earlier and schedule better so the coffee and I can enjoy the solitude, glow and colors of the morning!
Finally, I guess there is always tomorrow!

Fighting for My Kids' Success

My kids give me so much! They give me joy, smiles, lessons on life, perspective, headaches, backaches, exhaustion, motivation and love to name a few things. They keep me going each and every day!

Having four kids, literally keeps me on my feet from the moment the alarm goes off to well past the news most nights. Now that school is in full swing the balancing act of keeping the younger kids busy and happy while helping with the older ones with homework is wearing me out. Some nights it is a 3-4 hours process. I know that it can be a challenge for most families, but I am finding that doing this with children who have special needs (one with multiple challenges) is even more of a challenge. Many days these study sessions leave me tearful because my kids work so hard for so long each day. They keep chugging along even though they may be worn out and not sure why they have to keep going. I get tearful because I wonder what they are missing out on while working so hard to finish and meet the expectations of those around them, but also because if we can make it through the next several years that they will have a work ethic that not everyone will graduate from school with. They will know what they need to be successful and how to go about doing it in a manner that works for them. Thus being said, I fight for my kids for my kids success each day!!

When they are at school (and youngest at daycare), I take school notes, worksheets and other assignments and transform them into materials and activities that will be usable for them to study from for tests and ultimately learn the material so that they can answer the questions on upcoming assignments, tests and state assessments. I spend time analyzing papers they bring home to look for strengths and weaknesses, I read about their disability areas and watch videos. I brain storm methods to assist them in getting along with their peers and ways to problem solve. I dig and dig and dig and hope that my efforts, desire to understand them better will help them in the long run.
This article is one that documents the the outcome of student struggles in schools, when supported and programmed for well by loving, caring, well educated and able professionals.
I also spend time thinking about how to give the kids opportunities to enjoy and build upon their strengths. I try to think about what they can give up in order to gain happinesss from things that come naturally to them. I also find that I need to make sure that I keep the strengths and enjoyments of all my kids in mind. This is not easy, I don't do it well and I knwo someone always gets the short end of the stick. Each of them is different and although some need a lot of my attention, they all need to feel special and do things they love! This would be an area that I am personally fighting to improve.
This sound clip from The People's Pharmacy touches on this important part of the balancing act.
I struggle to know if what I am doing is the right thing all the time. I have asked the specialists and family members to let me know when my ideas are totally CRAZY and when they are on track. I find references to explain why I do what I do because I struggle to explain the reasons behind the drive within me and and "gut" feeling that I have for some of the crazy things I do to others who are not in my shoes. But nevertheless, I have chosen to fight, find and figure out how I can make the process of learning and life the best it can be for kids. For without them, life would certainly not be as eventful or enjoyable!!!!

Small Town Fun

August was full of chaos! Harvest was in full swing, crazy storms appeared out of no where, school started and of course I had sick kids! But it was also filled with wonderful moments, fun, and enjoyment!

Each year about the second weekend in August our small town of Underwood, ND holds what we call "Harvest Fest". This event is filled with a full day of events ranging from scavenger hunts and challenges for small children through adults, bingo, music under the tent, a horseshoe tournament, inflatable jumpy "things", a rock wall, rummage sales, yummy food, and of course a tractor pull and a parade. Actually, two parades... one for kids and one featuring kids! The evening then concludes with a great band and a street dance!

Here are some parade pictures from the ever-so- fun Kiddie Parade and other events!

"Harvesting Up Some Loot"

My Girls with their entry "Home Grown Goodness"

"Hunting up a Harvest"

A bit of friendly sibling rivalry while waiting for the tractor pull to begin....

It was a fun day and one I am proud to partake in with my family! Small town fun may not be big and flashy, but it is jam packed with down-to-earth entertainment, sense of community and memories!

A Minute Means Money... or maybe not!

There is never a minute that we should take for granted. I really do mean never taking a minute for granted in all aspects of our lives! Over the past few weeks I have had a crash course in grain contracts. Overall, I have learned that each commodity's contract is unique and pretty much just tells the seller that the elevator will take a specified amount of commodity.

On our farm we have been hauling wheat fromt he field to local elevators. Most of it has been contracted. These specific contracts bind both the elevator and producer to deliver and buy a certain number of bushels of wheat at a baseline price. Our elevators use 14 protein for their base contract price. This means that if you bring in a load of wheat you would get a bump or a premium above the price for proteins higher than 14 and a discount on the price if it is lower than 14 protein. Generally, once a producer brings in a load of wheat on a contract the price is set until the contract is filled. Some days a producer will fill several contracts. All of which will have the same premiums and discounts for protein because they are delivered on the same day.

Examples of how premiums are paid out are:
If 14 protein wheat is $4.00/ bushel for each .2 protein increase between 14 and 15 protein the producer would be paid an additional 20 cents. So, 14.6 protein wheat would be worth $4.60. When protein reaches 15 protein the producer would receive the 20 cent premium for each .2 and then an additional 75 cent bump. So 14.8 protein wheat would be $4.80 and 15 protein wheat would be $5.75. But, if you had wheat that was less than 14 protein you could be discounted 30- 40 cents. So if you had 13.2 protein wheat at a discount of 30 cents .2 protein then you would receive a discount of $1.20 for a price of $2.80 per bushel. ( Note: premiums are different at different elevators and on different days. They are generally set by supply and demand.)

Well, about 2 weeks ago, things as we knew them changed. We hauled a few loads of wheat into the elevator filling one of our contracts. Like I said generally the base price and premiums are set from open to close each day and do not change during the day. About 45 minutes after filling one contract, we hauled in another load. During that short period of time (thank you cell phones and technology :-)) the elevator had been given notice that South Dakota (a typical low protein state at about 12 protein) had shipped a load of wheat to Minneapolis that ended up being 16 protein. Thus causing an immediate decline in the need for higher protein wheat and the elimination of premiums for it.

So, when we went to dump on a new contract, we no longer had a premium for our high protein wheat. WAIT A MINUTE.... IT HAD ONLY BEEN A FEW MINUTES.... WHAT DO YOU MEAN? Needless to say there were a few unpublishable comments and several phone calls made to get to the bottom of the price difference. Yes, we know that premiums are a bonus, but they are important when we work hard to raise and plan for a certain percentage of our wheat to be higher protein. It is also important because producers often blend higher proteins with lower proteins to improve their price at market.

You may ask, "What really is the big deal?". Well, let's pencil it out.
If a field produces 45 bushels per acre and a producer raises 1000 acres of wheat that means there are 45,000 bushels of wheat.
Here is the price difference for the above protein premium scenario for the 45,000 bushels of wheat if 14 protein wheat were to be $4.00:
14 protein -$4: $180,000
13 protein-$2.50: $112,500
15 protein- $5.75: $258,750
WOW! That's a lot of money!

Ok, Ok, Ok. I know that not all of a producers crop would get the exact same price, but for princple, the difference is powerful. Many producers raise more than 1000 acres of wheat and do get quality premiums for raising higher protein wheat.
For our farm, literally the matter of just a few minutes, brought a deduction in income of over $30,000. More than I made working all year off the farm. I know I should know that nothing is for sure in farming; but, we get so comfortable with the way things are and have been that we often forget that they can change unexpectedly (and it is not always Mother Nature's fault)!

So, no matter what you think you know, what has historically been done, where things are trending in the markets, a simple change in supply and demand and circumstances out of your control can change the way you operate at any time.

Be thankful for what you have and never take anything for granted!

The Impact of Ag Scholarships

So, today I have been procrastinating A LOT and came across commentary and discussion on (http://www.rodeoattitude.com/facesofag/category/loos-tales/), that features a response to a question regarding, "whether or not a scholarship to a farm kid means they don’t return to the very rural community they grew up in".

My initial reaction was," No!” But, then I got to thinking. I guess it all depends on what the scholarship is for. I am a true believer that scholarships and grants are increasingly becoming a necessity for students to attending college. In fact, my husband and I even have a small scholarship set up at Dickinson State University in efforts to help students attend college. We set our scholarship up to require that the recipients be enrolled in an agricultural related course of study. We did not restrict it to a major, a minor, or a certificate program in a specified career because we believe that part of supporting agriculture is supporting the entire industry, not just production agriculture. We wanted to perhaps provide support to those who were active in agriculture in a non-traditional way. Anyway, I strongly feel that scholarships are a must in given the dynamics of our current economic situation and the increasing cost of tuition.

With that being said, I also believe that scholarships can guide people towards or away from various careers, living locations, and life choices. Ok, so what in the world do I mean? What I mean is that scholarships can be created with guidelines that support specific fields of study, living locations from which one was raised or is willing to reside in once graduated etc. This can draw people into specific fields and also support those already interested. The down side is that people may not be able to enter into a specific field if they do not receive financial support.

Do I think that scholarships deter individuals from returning to their rural communities....? I still say, "No", but, perhaps for different reasons. I feel that the PERSON decides whether they return, scholarships may open a door that wasn't before, but ultimately personal interest, job availability, and individual characteristics and circumstances decide whether a person returns "home".

So keep the scholarships out there, make personal connections with those we want to come "home", and help support the decisions that individuals make while leaving the "door" to the rural community open.

Entertaining the Conversation

Over the past 8 months I have been doing a lot of thinking about keeping an open mind and acknowledging that my knowledge and opinions may hurt me more than help me when it comes to promoting things that I am passionate about...Education and Agriculture.

I have heard and studied with my husband about "Foodies" and "Locavores". Listened to my husband partake in deep discussions about Urban Ag and worked with people that promote the Farm to School program. I have also been fortunate enough to partake in conversations about organic farming and GMO crops. Ultimately the best conversation regarding agriculture was with a dear friend at the dinner table about why we need GMO seed, what our responsibility is to the world, the long term effects of our current technological advances, the disruption of the natural cycles in nature and most importantly what the Bible says about agriculture. Now I must say that our conversation was not near long enough (several kids running around). But, it was one that really made me stop and ask, " What would happen if..." and how do all the different farming and ranching practices fit together to supply the demands of our towns, cities, states, country and world.

It was amongst and after all these opportunities to learn and the excitement that I saw on my husband's eyes as he listens and speaks with many people from a variety of backgrounds that I decided to become better educated and interested in the big picture of agriculture. I had spent the last 12 years of my life learning about our operation’s ins and outs that I had spent little time reading, listening and speaking with others in the field and people (actively involved in ag and those who aren't) with things to say. I realized that no matter what they have to say we both have things to learn from each other.

Among the things I have learned to date I have learned that organic is not the enemy of conventional practices. Infact, organic commodities are a fabulous way to connect with the consumer and enter into conversation about choice. Nutrient value is generally equal with both options; it is simply a matter of cost, availability, and lifestyle. Organic is not an option for all, but it is a wonderful way to make the connection between producer and consumer.

Urban agriculture is also growing. Now I must say that it is VERY different from what I have come to know, but none the less it is still is an important sub-culture within the agriculture industry. I have found that some of my biggest challenges when trying to talk about agriculture come from the urban population. Many times it is because the hustle and bustle of the city lifestyle has not provided time for consumers to think about how the food gets to their store, where it comes from, availability, price, quality etc. The urban ag movement gets people, groups and even companies involved in knowing about the food they consume, the effort that goes into producing and perhaps helps them stop and think about the entire (or part of) the complex and advanced agricultural system in the United States.

My biggest challenge has definitely been the concept of spirituality and agriculture. Part of my challenge is not knowing what all the Bible has to say and part of it is a struggle with responsibility to supply. How do my personal values and morals co-exist in an industry that no longer (not for a long time now) is a self sustaining lifestyle. U.S. agriculture is a worldwide life sustaining business that is always moving ahead. Where does my balance come within farming practices, desire to get a few more cents per bushel, relationships with business partners and landlords. I have stated several times that I will not become someone that I am not comfortable with to move up the ladder, but when does livelihood and need to compete compromise that statement? I have not had to deal to heavily with that as of yet, but I know my day will come and I will need my faith to pull me through. I hope that as time goes on that my dinner conversation with a dear friend will continue for she is very knowledgeable, has a different perspective than many in our community and is a wonderful listener!

So, I guess the moral of today's message is that no matter what the theme or topic of the conversation is, listen, ask questions, and share. You will always learn something; even if it is just a better understand of the other person or perspectives that are out there!