RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

This just in!! Harvesting silage much?

Corn Belt

"It's been 28 degrees for about an hour in north-central Iowa. In the low-lying areas, it has a coating of frost. I would call it a killing frost there," says Agriculture.com Marketing Talk senior contributor BA Deere. "My corn is black layered, beans have all turned and dropping leaves here and there, so this frost has to ding 'em a little. There are green soybeans in the area. I hear of corn in the Dakotas that hasn't dented yet. This cold snap has to grawlix the yield overall a little."

The cold is ending crop growth in the region, although damage to soybeans is occurring in well less than 10% of the Corn Belt.

Who would think with the recent weather throughout the country this once again would occure. Sweet corn prices last year were 40 dollars cwt, now this year will the prices drop considerately or will they continue to rise as the worlds population elevates. "American agricultural exports are expected to increase 23 percent this year to $101 billion, a record. The world's grain stockpiles have fallen to the lowest levels in decades."- New York Times.

Over 55% of Iowa corn goes to forgein markets, with the weather the farmers are facing now its time to saddle up and chrage the mountain. Thanks for reading today :)

One of my many paper I have been writing and are in progress :)

Ag is Everything

            It real early in the morning, say around 5 o’clock, farmers all over the world get up and begin there day supplying the world with products and services we need to live.  Not only is it 5 o’clock but its also snowing, or its going to be another hot day, possibly chances of severe storms, dose that stop them? No way! As the world continues to grow, so dose the supply and demand needed to feed human civilization and livestock. Those producers don’t hit the snooze button for 10 more minutes, they can’t have sick day and no matter what the weather is like, they still get up and go to work because they know how important they are to the lives of millions.

            Driving down the road in a little small town, where I live, looking out the window I notice a field of green tall stalks of corn. It is summer time and I love to watch the things growing that were planted back in the spring. To think that out in that field is the livelihood of many, and all the products that will comes from those acres of hard work and tillage. But Mother Nature has no mercy on these fragile crops and washes away the entire field and the hope of a good harvest, that person that planted that food, kept checking to make sure there was enough moisture and nutrients see’s their hard work washing away before their eyes but yet, you see them out there looking forward and finding a way to make the most out of disatereous conditions.

            School has started, and FFA actives already have begun, SAE trips, State Fair work days and let alone if you have a 4-H project you are pretty tired but also extremely pumped for this year in FFA. August, very first FFA meeting, friends and faces you missed over summer sit across from you from a long table that you would sit at home eating supper with your family. All talking about things that interest you and the hopes and goals you have this year in the FFA Chapter. Agriculture is one of our favorite words, and you could recite the creed frontwards, backwards, side to side and upside down if you really wanted to, because you know that is a important part of being an active FFA member.

Agriculture is a dangerous occupation, which most people don’t know, between heavy machinery, working with thousands of chemicals and not well-tempered livestock. Society dose not realize how dangerous it is to be a producer. Many farmers, ranchers and operation workers want to get everything they can from whatever they are producing.  

Break Time

Hey there! I am back and thriving like crazy with my passion for ag! New post coming soon!! 

One Day Left!

As school is coming to an end so happens to my blog, this summer I will be working like crazy with 4H to FFA projects too trying to enjoy my summer! But no worries next year I will have the same blog, I will update it more, and do my best to drop in some interesting Ag facts through out the year! Have a great blessed summer!

Education

More than 11,000 FFA advisors and agriculture teachers deliver an integrated model of agricultural education providing students with innovative and leading-edge education, enabling them to grow into competent leaders.


•92% offer agriscience; 71% offer advanced agriscience and biotechnology; 59% offer agricultural mechanics; 49% offer horticulture; 43% offer animal science; and 24% offer environment-related

•In 2001, 59% of qualified agricultural education graduates pursued teaching, 35 agriculture programs closed due to lack of qualified teachers and 365 agriculture teachers teach in more than one school

•23% of teachers have five or fewer years of teaching experience

•The shortage of qualified agriculture teachers is the greatest challenge facing FFA and agricultural education.
 
Thease statics which a drew directs from the National FFA Websites, are recently updated. Ag teachers, ar hard to find, so think twice about you job path and see where it leads you! Step up and Stand OUT!

PALS

PALS mentors teach young students about the science and business of agriculture. They also serve as positive role models, helping their mentees learn to set goals, and build positive self-esteem.


Yesterday, I spent about an hour and a half with my “PAL” Austin. We started off the year shy, quiet and would barely look at me. Austin is your typical 2nd grader, loves sports, hates math and his favorite class is lunch. What I didn’t know about Austin until yesterday, is his excitement for agriculture.

Mallarie (our chapter president) brought 2 baby calves and one cow to the school where our PAL program is. As lightning struck and thundered growled, we didn’t think we would be able to take 2 classes of 35 kids each outside to see a livestock. For some this would be there first time seeing a cow and calves others, this was just another awesome learning experience to go home and tell their parents. Slowly, the frivolous weather came to a halt, and we grabbed the kids and headed outside. Austin grabbed my hand and was pulling me outside with a grin on his face. That is when I realized how excited he was.

Once everyone was outside the kids ooo’ed and awed at what they saw, felt, smelled, and experienced. As our last PALS day came to an end I couldn’t help but feel sad to see my new friend Austin, become a 3rd grader. But what I do know is that we taught them a lot, and but mouth they will teach others. That is why we need to educate the public on agriculture! No age is too young or too old to learn.