"How to Talk to a Farmer" 101

Reading your blog is exactly like talking to you in person... was the comment from good friends, Eric & Karen, of whom I dined with the other night. Both were raised on farms, and although no longer are involved in the farming industry, they still like to stay connected via my  blog.  And they are not the only ones who want to stay connected with those of us who raise America's food.  So while I am working on my next blog, I wanted to share the following that I received as this is the exact reason why I take my passion for blogging and telling the Ag story, because I farm, you eat and want to know if what I grow is OKAY and SAFE.  (As always, thanks for stopping by & if you have questions/comments, I am only a click away at idahofarmwife@gmail.com )  All my best, Gayle

And so... I am happy to share the following:  

As much as we love food, less than 2 percent to the population is connected to the people who grow it. But, talking to your farmer is not as difficult as you think. Farmer marketing pioneer Michele Payn-Knoper offers five ways foodies can spend 15 minutes a week engaging with farmers.

HOW TO TALK TO A FARMER

Five Ways to Spend 15 Minutes a Week Engaging the People Who Grow Your Food

LEBANON, Ind. – March 14, 2013 – Do you know a farmer? If the answer’s no, you’re not alone. Research shows we’ve never been more disconnected from the people who grow our food. Less than 1.5% percent of the nation lives or works on a farm, with the majority several generations removed from first-hand farming experience. But, farmer marketing pioneer and author Michele Payn-Knoper suggests it’s easier than ever to connect with a farmer.

According to a recent survey by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance, “three in five Americans would like to know more about how food is grown and raised, but don’t feel they have the time or money to prioritize,” said Payn-Knoper, author of the recently released book No More Food Fights! Growing a Productive Farm & Food Conversation. “But in reality, technology can help fill the chasm between farmer and foodie.”

As the growing season begins, Payn-Knoper offers five ways to spend 15 minutes a week on average engaging with farmers:

• Find them on Facebook. “Farmers are just as prolific online as the population in general, and many are active on Facebook. Like their pages, ask them questions and share your thoughts. They want to hear from you,” Payn-Knoper said.
• Read and comment on their blogs or websites. “Similarly, farmers have active websites or blogs they frequently update. Many offer opportunities for comments.”
• Twitter up. “Farmers also are on Twitter and frequently engage in tweet-ups with each other or consumers.” Twitter groups like @foodchat and @agchat facilitate the conversation.
• Plan a visit with three types of farms. “Farmers increasingly offer on-site tours. Check their websites and take every opportunity you can. But, mix it up. Visit a small farm, big farm, produce farm, dairy farm, or ranch.”
• Visit a farmers’ market during off-peak hours. “The proliferation of farmers’ markets makes it easier than ever to literally reach across the table to shake the hand that feeds us. But, plan your visit for either the beginning or end of the market – when farmers have the most time to talk one-on-one.”

No More Food Fights! is the first-ever book to speak to all sides of the food movement. One of North America’s leading farm and food advocates, she wrote the book after continuously witnessing the growing divide between farmers and eaters that she believes is causing confusion in the grocery aisles and placing the future of farming at risk.

No More Food Fights! is available in print for $16.47 at www.CauseMatters.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other fine bookstores. Digital versions are available for iPad, Kindle and Nook. Learn more at www.CauseMatters.com.

 

Happy Independance Day America

A piece of Americana, does it get any better than this? 

 



Farmwife Gayle & Farmer Joe

  

Farmer Jay, Farmwife Lisa and the 4H "Pig Farmer" Zach

Dear America,

Happy Birthday from a 4th generation farm family who is grateful to be living in this great country.

As we rise each day, we know we enjoy many freedoms that others who do not live in the USA get to enjoy. And even though I speak out against the anti-Ag groups as I feel they are trying to erode the very fabric that has made America what it is today, we all have the freedom of speech and the ability to speak our minds. So as we celebrate America’s Independence Day, make sure and thank those who served to protect our great country and if you know of a farmer in your area, thank him or her for helping keep our nation nourished as well.

In the event you have not seen this amazing YouTube video from some very innovative young farmers promoting agriculture, then I invite you to take a look. These young brothers are telling their story their own way.





Once again, Common Ground has another great video on American Ag and what you pay at the grocery store.

Tomorrow we probably will go to a fun & crazy 4th of July parade and after that, well who knows?! Maybe hang out with the grand-angels and their momma & daddy (but I will definitely avoid spending quality time with the back pack sprayer) and after that , well…. I’m still in the process of getting photos on the other farm faces around our area, but this next week we are gearing up for the wedding reception of our youngest daughter, Kaitlyn and her fiancée, Andrew-  which will be held on the farm. So more on that soon!

As always, many thanks for stopping by and wishing you and your family a safe & wonderful 4th of July.

All my best, Gayle, idahofarmwife@gmail.com

Farming: Getting to Use Big Equipment & Play in the Dirt



Winter wheat looks like a large lawn or golf course

 Spring, it's in the air and the scent of the freshly tilled earth is like no other smell. It's one of my very favorite smells, even as a child I have loved the smell of dirt (so guess I really was destined to be a farmer's wife! =).

In honor of Earth Day (April 22) and because soil is a farmer's most important resource, we  like to think of themselves as the original environmentalists. Here is a YouTube video from a grad student that is so heartfelt and has good points of interest, that I wanted to share the video and the source that I got it from.

A CraZy Week on the Anderson Farm

It’s been quite a week on the Anderson Farm, from getting spring wheat seeded into the ground to hosting a dinner for Congressman Labrador. Not a typical spring for us, either weather-wise or social wise.

The weather cooperated enough for us to get our Spring wheat planted down at the Tammany Farm. That brought big smiles to the farmers and they moved the grain seeding drill up to the Genesee Farm for Farmer Jay to begin seeding spring wheat up here once the ground dries out enough. Farmer Joe has been seeding garbanzo beans (chickpeas) down at the Tammany Farm, weather permitting. The weather has given us anything from sun to snow all in a week and it has been crazy, not to mention worrisome as our window of planting time is getting smaller as each day passes.

LtoR, Raul Labrador, me, Joe

On Thursday, April 28 we hosted a meet and greet for Congressman Raul Labrador and several area farmers. So the week for me was busy getting ready for the event, as we have never been asked to host this kind of thing before, but hey, we were game and enjoy entertaining. If it's one thing I know, farmers like beef and good home cooked food, so our menu consisted of BBQ Beef Sandwiches, Cowboy Beans, Lentil Chili, Garbanzo/Zucchini Salad and Potato Salad and these recipes will be posted under the “Recipes page”. The desserts were, a pecan tart, chocolate tart, chocolate covered strawberries peanut butter cookies and those recipes will be on the OMG Delicious page of the blog.

Lto R, Joe, back to the camera, Raul, Farmer Jay and neighbor Dan
visiting before dinner was served

While chatting with guests, I didn’t realize Congressman Raul Labrador had arrived and when walking into the kitchen, there he was visiting with Joe.

Daughter, Kaitlyn who helped with the event by
taking pictures and helping with hostess duties

Raul speaking to our guests, it was an honor to have him
in our home, and he has my vote!

Raul was very down to earth and for lack of a better term, “so real” and sincere. After dinner, he gave a brief overview of his time on Capitol Hill and took time to answer our questions. Raul thought the new incoming freshman legislators had a very good grasp and understanding on the true pulse of America. He said many in the Capitol seem to have lost touch with reality and truly do not see how the downturn in the economy is affecting people. There is hope as the freshman representatives are businessman/women, some with no prior political experience, and that many have experienced firsthand the ups and downs of the economy. For example one legislator had lost his car dealership with the GM downsizing of its dealerships, one was a pizza parlor owner and one a funeral director, all real people who understand and connect with Middle America. Finally! Maybe they will get the message the American people are sending and help get us on the right path.

As the evening concluded, someone said something to the effect of "farming is the American dream and we are living it".   It is "the why" that we do what we do day in and day out.  Yes we struggle with high costs of production, hindering EPA and other regulations and environmentalists, but in the end it all comes down to fact that we love what we do.  We are 4th or 5th generation farmers, we are committeed  to feeding our country and we want to hand this legacy down to our children.

As always, thanks for stopping by and email me at idahofarmwife@gmail.com if you have questions. Or leave a comment on the page too.   All my best, Gayle

The Science of Farming

Snow covered field that has been
planted with winter wheat

I never really know exactly what I will write when sitting down in front of the computer, the blog sort of takes on a life of its own! =)

The Farmer (Joe) and I returned yesterday from Boise, Idaho where we attended the Idaho Governor’s Dinner and Ball. It was our first time and it was an honor being there. Joe is the Vice President for the Idaho Grain Producers Association (IGPA) and also attending with us was the IGPA  President, Clark Kaufman and wife, Debbie.   It is crucial for producers to keep a good rapport with our Governor, Senators and Representatives.  Good legislation and laws not only help us, but it helps you, the consumer.  America has the cheapest, safest, most abundant food supply in the world, we spend only 9.8% of our income on food, less than any other country.  So when we work together with our elected officials to help craft regulations or laws that do not hinder the agriculture industry, it benefits the farmers as well as you, the consumer.

Joe in front of the Idaho capitol

Standing beside the sign for the headquarters of
Idaho Grain Producers Assoc & other
Agriculture Commissions

During the governor’s dinner, we sat next to a very interesting couple from Southern Idaho who were dairy farmers. While visiting, the topic came up about how few of us there were and that farmers make about 2% of the population. That figure includes the “hobby farmers” who have an income of $1,000 or more, but it is not their main source of income, but rather a small side business, thereby acquiring the title of hobby farmer. The farmers that make their living full-time are around .5%! That is a sobering fact, that .5% of the USA’s population feeds and cloths America as well as much of the world. With so many people removed from where their food comes from and not having the face-to-face contact with those of us who produce the food they eat and the cotton for the clothes they wear, it’s no wonder many urban dwellers do not know where their food comes from.


Farming is a precise science and if we make a mistake or if nature doesn’t cooperate, your food source suffers or fails altogether. From conversations with our urban friends, many just think a farmer plops a seed in the ground “ta da” you have an instant crop…. But in all reality much more goes into the process. First the decision of what crop to plant, the variety (as many have different genetics, for instance some wheat varieties are bred to be more drought resistant than others), protecting your crop from pests and weeds, getting it harvested, and whatever mother nature throws at you too, now you get the picture. It’s sort of like raising a child each year; you are there from early infancy and you carefully tend them to maturity. I love this quote, "Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field." - President Dwight D. Eisenhower

In today’s newspaper there was an article about a Purdue University study that shows no-till farming, cuts greenhouse gases and thus, combats global warming. No-till farming is a practice (which is what we do) whereby a farmer does not plow under their crop residue (the part that is not harvested), instead we seed directly into the soil to plant seeds and inject fertilizers with a minimal disruption of the ground, thereby releasing less nitrous oxide than the conventional plowing of the ground (i.e. a better carbon footprint). I think the no-till practice could be another blog just on that topic, but for those of you wanting to read more, click on the above link as it was an excellent article.

Anyway, my point is that we, as farmers, protect our resources and strive to provide the best and safest food source for you and us too. Remember, if you have questions, comments, concerns, email me at idahofarmwife@gmail.com and I promise I will respond.

I’m still working on future blogs that will focus on how local garbanzos are made into hummus, where the wheat goes when it gets taken to the grain terminals, and how do our local universities help the farmer with their research. Till then my friends, take care, stay warm and when you sit down to your next meal, remember, you have our commitment to giving you the best, safest product anywhere on the face of this earth.  Yours truly, Gayle, the Idaho Farm Wife