Farmers Love their Land & Community

 

Joe in front of the fire hall just before we head up to work

Farmers not only have a strong bond to the land, but also with their community. Because the land is our livelihood, we are tied to the region and great bonds are developed with those who live in our small, rural farming community. Joe is a fourth generation farmer with deep ties to the fine folks of Genesee and having married a hometown boy, I too have developed a deep love of our community. So today, we are volunteering our time at the annual Genesee Fireman’s Crab Feed. Joe was a volunteer EMT for 18 years and we worked every year at this fundraiser. After Joe retired from the fire department, we attended as guests, but this year we thought it would be nice to once again lend our time to a worthy organization.

The crowd going through the food line

The take out dinners ready to go

 People get the option of eating within the fire hall or getting a take out and at times 500+ dinners would go out the back door.



Joe was manning the beer stand, this is a popular spot to be



The early diners enjoying their dinner

Cody, our hired man is a volunteer firemen and
next to him is friend Don, a retired fireman at the takeout station

To give you a little history of our lives, let me begin by saying, from what I’ve observed, either the farm kids either love the farm and do whatever they can to have the opportunity to farm or they move away, never to return. Joe grew up on the farm and always knew this was his choice of occupation, but the farm was not big enough to support 2 families. So after Joe graduated from the University of Idaho, he took a job as a chemical rep for Elanco, in the agriculture division and lived in Montana. After working away from the farm for about 2 years, Joe came back to Genesee to farm along with his dad. As the farm was still small, Joe also took a part-time job driving school bus for the morning route. He and his dad also did custom harvesting before their own harvest began. Custom harvesting is when a farmer hires someone to come in with their own combine and harvest that farmer’s crop. This usually occurs when either the farmer chooses to not own a combine or needs extra help in getting in their crop. So with off farm income and doing the custom harvesting, it brought in extra working capital and helped Joe work into the farming operation.

The church looks exactly the same as the
day we got married over 25 years ago

A couple of months after Joe arrived back in Genesee, we met as he used to sit behind me at the church he had grown up in and one that I had just started attending while he was in Montana. I was a divorced single mom of a 2 year old and lived in a nearby city, but always liked the Genesee community so I started attending the Lutheran church there.  Anyway fast forward a couple of years, we got married in that same church and Jennifer, my daughter was the flower girl. To give you a laugh, I’ll share that while Joe and I were taking our vows, Jen was going up and down the aisles talking with people, showing them her purple tights and excitedly telling them once we got married that she was going to get a kitty, a swing-set and that we would be getting a baby too! (Yikes, no I was not pregnant) but when preparing her for moving to Genesee after we married, I had told her  that she could now have pets, a yard and a swing set, and I must have mentioned that later on she would have brother or sister later on.  But somewhere in the 4 year’s brain, she thought they all arrived at the same time.) So of course, I found out a few weeks later about her announcement at the wedding and was a tad bit  mortified. Oh well, 3 years later we had a new daughter, Kaitlyn.

As we continued to build working capital and buy equipment, I worked full time, Joe still worked part time driving bus and doing custom harvesting until we had the opportunity to rent more ground. Then Joe’s brother Jay, who also moved away and was working as an electrician, was also able to come back and work on the farm too. Jay’s wife, Lisa, also worked off the farm until the arrival of their son, Zack 9 years ago.   So through a combined effort of working well, smart and very hard, we have been able to increase the size of the farm and enjoy a challenging, but worthwhile livelihood and life.  So there you have it in a nutshell how my farm life began.  As always, thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy the blog.  All my best, Gayle

The Making of Hummus

Once the crop leaves our field and goes to the warehouse, farmers usually don’t get a chance to see how their crop is used to make the actual end product. We know who buys our crops and that wheat will end up as flour or in bread, crackers, cookies, noodles, etc and that one of the uses for garbanzos (chickpeas) is to make it into hummus. So I am excited to show you how a new local company uses locally grown garbanzos (of which some are from the Anderson Farm) to produce fresh hummus with no preservatives.

I met Bronzestone Hummus owners, Tish and Heath at their manufacturing site, and their facility is located in a nearby town just 16 miles away from the Anderson Farm. Even though Tish and Heath had just gotten in from a successful marketing trip in Seattle, they were hard at work but took the time to show me around and answer questions.

The refrigerated truck to transport the hummus

Tish was excited to announce they had just signed on to provide their specialty hummus with Metropolitan Foods in Seattle, WA.  I'll list the other stores that also carry their product at the end of the blog.  She and Heath have working on this deal since July and the excitement was evident about their newest success.  Tish explained they were slowly moving into smaller grocery store chains to give their business a chance to accommodate the increased demand. 


A view of the commercial kitchen

 

Another view of the kitchen site

Their kitchen site was spotless and Heath was in the process of making a batch of hummus when I arrived.

The garbs had already been cooked and the garb cooker was in the cleaning mode.


Heath adding the onions into the caramelizing machine

 Heath had just started adding the onions in the caramelizing machine and even though it was only 9:30am, it smelled delicious and made me think I was hungry.
  

The onions just before the lid was closed to
begin the caramelizing process



Next I peeked into their cooler to have a look at the garbs that had been cooked and were being cooled prior to be processed.



The freshly cooked garbanzos that were cooling in the refrigerated cooler



 In one of the other tubs was a batch of sun dried tomato hummus waiting to be packaged.

Hummus that is ready for packaging
(this flavor is their sun dried tomato hummus)

A view of the tubs from within the cooler that contain
either cooked garbs or the finished product before packaging

Heath sealing the tubs of hummus

Tish explained they had just purchased this new sealing machine that Heath was using to provide a better seal for their product which means a better shelf life.  Tish advised that even though customers like having a product that contains no additives, they still expect a long shelf life.  I told her that when we buy their product it usually doesn't last more than a week around our house and that made her smile, but said that was not always the case with others.



The final product, yummmmm



As promised here is the list of stores that carry their gourmet hummus: Rosauers, Yokes, Huckleberries, Moscow Food Co-op, and now Met Foods in Seattle. 

To see an excellent video clip that shows more on how their hummus is made:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trJ3xOpIjK0

As always, thanks for stopping in and I hope you enjoyed the read. 

All my best, Gayle.

A New Farmerette Has Arrived

On January 21, 2011 our farm gained a new "farmerette", our 3rd grand-angel, Maggie Dee Marie Lowe!  

Of course, we think she is perfect and beautiful and little Maggie joins the other perfect and beautiful big sisters, Brinley (5) and Natalie (2), along with proud momma, Jen and daddy, Soren. 

Maggie Dee Marie Lowe
7lbs 2 oz, 19 inches

Joe holding Maggie.  All through Jen's
pregnancy he had dubbed the baby "Larry"

In our little farming community when our girls were growing up there were several daughters of farmers in each of the girls' class  and some worked on the farm or at the local co-op during harvest weighing in trucks while some didn't work at all.   Our girls worked on the farm during harvest and we will welcome all of our grand-angels too when  they become old enough.   In fact, we really liked having a female in the seat of the tractor as they were less prone to hot rod the equipment.  =)  So with our newest crop of girls, we look forward to more  "tractor drivers".  At this point, there is clear interest from the 2 yoa, Natalie, as her favorite thing is to crawl up on papa's lap and they look at his farm equipment magazines.

This past May, Erin, the young woman (who replaced daughter Kaitlyn when she no longer wanted to work on the farm during summer breaks in college) graduated from high school and we did hire a young man to drive the tractor during harvest and he has some big shoes to fill. =). 

More is on the At Home on the Farm page.

Wild Weather on the Palouse

The one thing that  farmers try to control is to keep our precious top soil from eroding away by utilizing pro-active conservation efforts, but sometimes our best efforts are cancelled out by the weather.  Our winter has been one extreme to another with bitter cold temperatures, then 3 days later the temperatures are in the mid-40's and raining.   This past week has been no exception and we have lost almost all of our snow, we have had heavy rains and the temperatures today were in the low 50's which have caused many fields to flood and run off into the small creeks.  This is not our field, but one that borders next to us.

   

Large chucks of ice are being
carried downstream along with our top soil 

Hard to tell where the field stops and
where the creek starts

A view of the "lake" which one week ago was
a field planted with winter wheat

 This is part of the cycle of farmers, some things we can control and do our best, others we do our best to accept and cope with events beyond our control.

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

Farmers love their big boy toys

One thing about living on the farm, we don't lack having serious snow removal equipment to keep us plowed out when the snow storms hit.  Once Joe gets our driveway cleared, he will then plow out his folks, my mom and several neighbors along the way as well.  Farmers with their tractors and snow removal equipment are very popular with the neighbors.  =)

Interesting snow patterns on the antique seed box

Unusual snow patterns in the field in front of our house

Now that the whirlwind of Christmas and New Year's has come and gone, it's time to get back into blogging more again.  I have a new camera,  so I am looking forward to having better pictures and videos on the blog.  One of my goals for 2011 is to improve the blog site and do more with it.  So thank you for following it and I hope you come back often.  As always, please email me at idahofarmwife@gmail.com if you have thoughts, ideas or questions.

Merry Christmas from the Anderson Farm

Whew! What a busy month it has been.  December seems to fly by just like the month of August when we are in harvest.  Life on the farm has slowed to a snail's pace, but in our personal lives, this is the time we get to reconnect with family and friends as most of the year is devoted to raising crops.  I love Christmas and start preparing for the big day right after Thanksgiving. The pace is hectic, just like harvest, but the focus is purely social, such as an annual Christmas party hosted at our house, gathering the women of our family  to bake cookies, plus everything else associated with the holiday season. 

After Christmas I plan on blogging about where the crops go after they are harvested. You will get a behind the scenes look at how hummus is made, where the wheat goes after it is taken to the grain terminals and how the wheat labs at the University of Idaho and Washington State University help the farmers to  raise better crops.   So stay tuned!

Late last night,  I received a call from Kaitlyn, our youngest daughter, telling us that  her new boyfriend (whom we have not met yet) can't get home for Christmas, so she is bringing him with her.... well a quick dash to town to grab a gift card!



With that, we wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas,

Joe and Gayle Anderson

 



Farmers are a Rare Commodity

With the arrival of winter, life on the farm slows way down.  This is the time when we are working in the shop and repairing equipment.  It is also the time that farmers, like us, attend meetings, workshops or conferences to learn about the newest products, procedures or attend seminars that focus on anything from succession planning to giving input on the upcoming farm bill or just plain networking with like minded individuals. 

The Oregon/Idaho Grains Conference hosted in beautiful Portland, Oregon was attended by many of the best and brightest farmers who are working to continue to help the Ag industry.  At this conference, Joe officially became the Vice President of the Idaho Grain Producers Association (IGPA), an obligation that he wholeheartedly embraces and devotes a great deal of his personal time to.


One of the dedicated farmers who was recognized and honored for his hard work in the wheat industry was a man named Mark Darrington. After receiving the award, Mark told the story that out of his 4 sons, only one as willing to follow in his dad's footsteps and become a farmer. Farming is a year to year risk and as Mark explained, all of our resources go into putting the crop in the ground and hope for a good harvest. Not many people can or want to take financial risks of that nature. Farmers are a strong breed of men and women who share a love of the land and the desire to put food on every one's table, and I feel very privileged to be a part of this group. 

At this conference, I had an interesting experience which again reinforced my views that farmers are thought to be somewhat of a novelty as the bulk of the population rarely has any interaction with those of us involved in agriculture. Case in point: while making a purchase in a department store, a sweet young clerk dutifully asked what brought me to her city (which I am sure she asks that question hundreds of times), so I explained we were here for a farm conference. Once she realized I was an actual farmer, she became quite animated and wanted to know what we grew on our farm, plus she wanted to share her story about her friend who traded her corporate life for one that entailed a foray into some kind of organic farm related venture. The clerk truly was excited to meet a real authentic farmwife and the thought hit me that we are such a minority  we are a novelty! This has happened to me many times and each time it does, I come away feeling amazed and blessed that I am part of this industry  but also recognize that we, as farmers, must tell our story again and again.  What other industry can make the claim that “Today's farmer provides food and fiber for about 140 people—up from just 19 people in 1940” per the Farm Policy Facts website. 


In case you were wondering why I don't have pictures of this event... I have to confess I left my camera at home in my haste trying to get to the airport via the snowstorm that was going on at the time. =) So I'll post pictures of winter scenes from our farm like this....


Winter in our area of the country (Northern Idaho) is beautiful and here is a what we enjoy everyday.

Windmill outside our kitchen window as the sun is setting



A view from the back of our house overlooking
some of our fields

Also at the conference, I met a young woman named Sarah who was attending her first farm conference with her farmer-boyfriend. Sarah was sharing that she didn’t know much about farm life but found it interesting and questioned me and Brenda, another farmwife about our lives and asked if she would ever learn everything there was to know about farming. We both told her farm life is great, but what people don't understand is that it isn't just a job, it's a lifestyle, so be sure you are ready for that adventure.  We told her about our lives and admitted that we were still learning about farming too, even after 25+ years on the farm.  So Sarah if you are reading this, I know you will make a great farm wife, you have the passion.

During the banquet, a striking young woman holding a friend’s baby came up to me to tell me she was a fan of this blog. Now that really made my day and I was quite humbled to have someone else in the Ag field seek me out. I never did get her name, but if you are reading this, thank you for the ultimate compliment. =)

As always, I  hope you enjoy the blog, email me if you have comments, thoughts, questions and I promise to respond.  I also just received permission to document and photograph how Bronzestone Hummus  is made, which uses locally grown garbanzo beans.  So stayed tuned for more on that! 

Fuel Containment Project Completed

From my earlier blog (July 15, 2010)
http://www.idahofarmwife.net/2010/07/farm-projects.html  I showed a couple of pictures about dismantling an old grain silo to make way for the new fuel containment site.  Well,we are happy to announce that project is done and one more thing to cross off of the "to do list".   The fuel containment is part of the necessary components of a Spill Prevention Countermeasures and Control (SPCC) plan.

Getting the site ready to pour the pad

A break in the weather helped the pouring along.

The big tank is for red-dyed off road diesel.
The two smaller tanks, the top one is for road diesel,
the bottom one is for gasoline

Shown here is the security fencing being installed.

Outside work on the farm has come to an end for the year, the wheat crops are safely in the ground, equipment is cleaned and stored - winter on the farm  is our down time.  Now until March, we will be busy working on inside shop projects, sometimes it is fabricating some kind of small item that will help with making our farm work easier or just regular maintenance on the equipment. 

For the next few months Joe will be traveling to meetings on behalf of the Idaho Grain Producers Association and Jay is recovering from a recent knee surgery.

For me, I thought I would focus and report on some different kinds of things such as:

* how local garbanzos are made into humus at the Bronzestone Humus Company.
* UI & WSU Wheat Labs
* Where does the grain go once it leaves the field

So stayed tuned and watch for these blogs.  =)  As always, thanks for reading and come by often.

P.S.  If you want to see how to make a cool ornament Christmas wreath, check out the At Home on the Farm page.  Also I've updated the Diary of a Crop page that shows the winter.  Keeping watching for more on some yummy new recipes on the Recipe page as well.

Field Maintenance on the Farm

After the winter wheat has been seeded (if you listen closely enough I am sure you can still hear the collective sigh of relief not only from us, but other area farmers as well), we try to get as much field maintenance work done and often have to work around the Fall rains.  Sometimes we don't get very much accomplished due to the wet weather. 

Believe it or not, fields like anything else, require continued maintenance every year.  Each Fall we try to put in drain tile so excessive ground water can be carried out of the field and keep it from getting swampy. By not having these mud holes in the spring when we are trying to seed can speed up the time frame of getting the crop planted sometimes by a week or more. Timing is everything when it comes to getting the crop in the ground. 

Here are pictures and  videos of the actual process for putting in the tile.   On this particular field, it is rented ground and we are incurring the expense of putting in the tile. We own this tiler so this helps bring the cost down by not having to hire a company to do this task.  Some landlords will pay for the upgrade, some will not, so we feel incurring the cost of this project is worthwhile.  By installing tile it will improve the ground and allows for better crop yields and of course, this makes the landlord happy (so come lease renewal time, they are willing to renew the leases).




The roles of tile on the trailer



Jay & Cody unrolling the tile

Tile being laid in the ground

Tile being laid in the field, this is a labor intensive process

.