Ask Andy Wisdom what makes his West Texas cotton farm a success, and he will tell you the secret can't be found just in his soil or in any particular crop input. It's teamwork that makes his Levelland, Texas, cotton farm run like clockwork. "It's a team mentality with me," Wisdom said. [Read More]
The European Space Agency has just launched a new satellite that goes by four letters: SMOS. It stands for soil moisture and ocean salinity. The simplicity of the name belies the complexity of the science that will be required to measure both. [Read More]
It's that unique time of the year when, despite what your school colors are, a dominant color can be found in rural America--hunter orange. I know for a fact that this occurs throughout the nation but for anyone who has experienced the barrage of hunters in the fall, to me nothing quite compares to what takes place in the Dakotas this time of year in the quest for pheasant. I take back that statement because on a much smaller scale but huge in mission and ... [Read More]
Many farmers are grumpy this time of year and with good reason. In most of the nation's mid-section, they've watched record amounts of rainfall slow down harvest and significantly reduce the quality of their crops. Even though there have been some seasonal price spikes, average prices are still lagging far below last year. [Read More]
Homeowners may be beginning to wonder why their evergreens resemble a palette of fall color. Many pines and arborvitaes are exhibiting shades of brown and yellow in their needles. With all of the other pine problems running rampant, this may be alarming, but there is no need to start tree shopping just yet. [Read More]
Sold. That word can be cause for celebration or the beginning of a personal pity party. It all depends on what dollar amount follows that auctioneer's decree. [Read More]
One of the thrills of being a homeschooling father is getting another run through some pretty interesting subjects. Lately, we've been going through the early American settlements--Jamestown, Plymouth Colony, and the Massachusetts Bay Company. Even though the Pilgrims at Plymouth were not the first American settlers, no doubt it felt like it to them. [Read More]
After 26 years as a federally elected official from California, Senator Barbara Boxer finds herself leading a public policy debate equivalent to a heavyweight prize fight. As with any professional pugilist, Sen, Boxer has participated in many preliminary matches leading up to this title bout. She's taken on the pesticides, clean water standards, and often touts her work on the Clean Air Act. [Read More]
There's an entire litany of old sayings that could pertain to this year's fall harvest. "Don't count your chickens before they are hatched." "Never sell a crop before it's in the bin."[Read More]
Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, we don't stop and think about what it would be like if we didn't have agriculture--how we would survive. Every part of our lives truly does revolve around agriculture. From the tires on our cars, to the houses we live in, to the clothes on our backs, to the food on our tables, to the air that we breath--I could go on and on. [Read More]
There is a record corn and soybean crop out there, but right now it's still in the field. Excessive moisture in corn and soybean producing states has farmers way behind schedule on harvest. Major corn and soybean producing states are behind the five-year average and farmers are beginning to be concerned about high moisture levels, mold issues and shatter problems.[Read More]
By Kylene Scott Horses are therapeutic--therapeutic to look at, to ride and to work with. Winston Churchill is often quoted as to have once said, "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."[Read More]
(Nov. 4)--Honesty is a big item to me. I do not say that to elevate myself or so you will think more of me. I do say that because it is something that I have been dealing with--in an employee--for quite some time. [Read More]
