A DIRT PROBLEM

When I go into a doctor’s office, I always check the diplomas on the wall so I know the person I’m talking to has some basis of knowledge for what we’re discussing.

I haven’t received a diploma since Clinton High in 1973, but I do have this: I live on a 1,000-acre farm, 40% of which is farmland only because it’s been ditched, tiled, and drained over the past 100 years. I also live on the edge of a 250-acre wetland that at least three generations of my family could have drained but chose not to.

There is no end to the list of topics about which I know nothing, but I do know this: Agriculture in America has a dirt problem. You can tell it from plugged road culverts, from lakes rendered shallow and useless by farm runoff, by the dredges you see in major rivers, and by what’s happening to the Gulf of Mexico, Chesapeake Bay, and any number of other places where what runs off our farmland hits its final resting site. 

Where I live, on the edge of the prairie in western Minnesota, my farm is only a few miles from the Continental Divide. Fifty years ago, I took swimming lessons at the foot of Big Stone Lake. Nobody swims there anymore, and places where my grandfather would have seen water 15 feet deep are now shallow enough for a duck to wade, if the duck could stand the smell. The water leaves my home and ends up in the Gulf of Mexico, where, this year, the Dead Zone is over 5,000 square miles.

There has always been erosion. The Mississippi Delta didn’t suddenly appear a month after corn was first planted in Iowa. The river’s been dumping mud at the southern tip of America for 7,000 years, long before the first ethanol plant was built.  

I understand that we don’t live in an impact-free world. There are over 7 billion people in the world now, almost double the number from when I started farming, and many of those folks would be starving without our modern agricultural systems. It can be easy to think that some evils are just the price of progress.

In Pittsburgh in the 1940s, streetlights were turned on during the day in an effort to burn through the smog. In London in 1952, 12,000 people died prematurely due to coal smoke in the air. At the time, it was seen as the price paid for prosperity. Today, the air above both cities is pretty clean. Dramatic changes were made, not without pain and distress, but it wasn’t the end of the world. 

It’s important to remember that progress is a portal, and the passage usually involves discomfort.

No one likes to be told what to do, and farmers are no different. A common way to deal with the pressures of being told things you don’t want to hear is to deny the truth of what you’re hearing.

That works for a while. It doesn’t work forever.

This past year in Minnesota, legislation was introduced that would require farm ditches to have a 50-foot buffer strip to clean up the water. It has caused quite an uproar, and no one knows how things will sort out. You should be able to figure out most of the pros and cons yourself.

Here’s the deal, though. As farmers, we’ve caused quite a mess, and in the past few years, it’s only gotten worse. When prices were high, farmers wanted to farm every inch, because there was so much money to be made. After prices dropped, they still farmed every inch in order to make a profit. Tree claims, buffer strips, and contour farming are all going by the wayside. Sprayers that kill grass waterways with their massive wingspans just add another nail in the coffin.

That’s just the truth.

Everyone makes messes. It’s the first thing we do as babies. For a while, people put up with the messes and even clean up after us. Adults are expected to clean up after themselves, though.

Look at a factory. What goes out the smokestack or down the drain gets tested. If it fits the parameters of what’s considered acceptable, everything’s cool. If not, it needs to be cleaned up.

We like to think we’re professionals, that we run businesses – and big businesses at that. That’s not a title we can claim without also accepting the responsibilities that society expects.

Next time it rains, walk out and take a look at the water running off your farm. If it’s not clean, you should probably fix it.

Otherwise, sooner or later, someone’s going to make you.

TO SELL OR NOT TO SELL?

Speaking specifically to soybeans and starting the process of new-crop sales, it is important to start forward contracts (if you like your current local basis) or consider a hedge-to-arrive (where you lock in an agreed futures price and have to set your basis later) on 10% to 20% of your new crop. 

Right now, you’re locking in a profit, and if you’ve told your lender that you can pencil in a profit on beans, you should reward this rally and pull the trigger! 

The fear may be, “Well, I sold early last year and the market rallied $1.00. I felt frustrated for selling too soon!” That is a real feeling for sure, but please do remember you can reown that cash sale with an option strategy to still let you take part of a rally higher.

There are so many factors to watch this year regarding marketing that you have to be on your toes! What happens if the weather in South America suddenly turns perfect and the only South American weather drama the market reacts to is what already happened in the past two weeks? Or, what happens if the new administration suddenly creates a dramatic policy that sinks export demand? Nearly HALF the beans grown in this country are exported! If exports are suddenly turned off, then we will REALLY have a big domestic supply on our hands. 

I don’t think it would happen, but you always need to be mindful of any scenario that could possibly make the market turn higher or lower. This way you’re prepared for anything that this market throws at us.

Lastly, pri

nt off the chart below and tape it to your office desk. This is a seasonal chart of November soybean futures. Notice that, seasonally, soybean prices have a tendency to work higher from now until June.

So, your window for marketing starts NOW! You likely won’t hit a home run and market all of your crop on the high, but you can build a strong average by pricing early and often, especially when the market price for beans is as attractive as it is now. Good luck and feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.

If you have questions, you can reach Naomi at nblohm@stewart-peterson.com

The data contained herein is believed to be drawn from reliable sources but cannot be guaranteed. Neither the information presented, nor any opinions expressed constitute a solicitation of the purchase or sale of any commodity. Those individuals acting on this information are responsible for their own actions. 

Commodity trading may not be suitable for all recipients of this report.  Futures trading involves risk of loss and should be carefully considered before investing.  Past performance may not be indicative of future results. 

Any reproduction, republication or other use of the information and thoughts expressed herein, without the express written permission of Stewart-Peterson Inc., is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2017 Stewart-Peterson Inc. All rights reserved.

source: successful farming

Families face starvation as famine hits Kenyan counties

More than 50,000 residents of Tana River County, Kenya are staring at death because of the ongoing drought.

Governor of the county, Hussein Dado who disclosed this also warned that the figure could rise to 90,000 if the drought continues.

“River Tana is drying up. There are carcasses all over and the situation is worrying. We’ve distributed food to families in Bangal, Hirimani, Mbalambala, Bura, Charidede, Assa and Kone,” he said.

Dado informed that similar drought was experienced in 1984 when residents of Bura and Galole constituencies abandoned their homes and went to Garsen. He also stated that administration had suspended projects and diverted funds to fighting hunger.

“Let us not wait until deaths are announced. The devolved government has done all it can with the little resources it has,” he said.

Daily Nation reports that in the North Rift, animal prices have dropped drastically in the last few weeks. Officials also note that more than 100,000 people in the North Rift are at risk of starvation

In some parts of the county, a cow which used to sell at Sh30,000 (about N89,000)in November now goes for Sh10,000 (N29,000).

Dado however appealed to the government, donors and well-wishers to help residents of Tana Delta, Tana North and Tana River sub-counties.

Kenya Food Security Steering Group and Early Warning Systems Network Report indicate that asides Tana, some of the most affected counties are Samburu, Marsabit, Isiolo, Garrisa, Mandera and Wajir.

The Magic of Wheatgrass Juice!

Wheatgrass juice is of the nature’s finest medicines. It is a powerful concentrated liquid nutrient. Two drops of wheatgrass juice has the nutritional equivalent of five pounds of the best raw organic vegetables.

The Juice is one of the best sources of living chlorophyll available today. Chlorophyll helps in normal blood clotting, wound healing, hormonal balance, deodorizing and detoxification of the body and promotes digestive health.

However, to get the full benefit, the chlorophyll must come fresh from a living plant One good thing about wheatgrass is you can grow it in just about few weeks, right in your own home.

15 benefits of the wheatgrass juice

Wheatgrass juice contains all minerals known to man, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, and K. It is extremely rich in protein, and contains 17 amino acids, the building blocks of protein

• Wheatgrass decomposes superoxide radicals in the body into a more manageable form, thereby helping to slow down the aging process.
• Wheatgrass is antibacterial and can be used inside and outside the body as a natural healer.
• This plant can cure various skin diseases involving the outer and underlying layers of the skin, including: itching and burning of the rectum; ivy poisoning; weeping and dry eczema and even in conditions caused by insect bites or infection.
• Wheatgrass contains a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals, including the thirteen essential ones, combined with dozens of trace elements and enzymes
• Wheatgrass is high in oxygen like all green plants that contain chlorophyll. This is beneficial because the brain and all body tissues function at an optimal level in a highly- oxygenated environment
• Wheatgrass juice can cure skin problems such as eczema or psoriasis
• Wheatgrass juice helps to keep the hair from graying.
• Wheatgrass juice is an excellent skin cleanser and can be absorbed through the skin for nutrition.
• Wheatgrass implants (enemas) are great for healing and detoxifying the colon walls
• Wheatgrass juice improves arthritis. Soak a cotton sock with 6 ounces and place on affected area, cover with plastic bag.
• Wheatgrass juice can be used as a douche for many feminine complications.
• It reduces high blood pressure and enhances the capillaries.
• Wheatgrass juice is great for blood disorders of all kinds.
• The chlorophyll in it neutralizes toxins in the body.
• Wheatgrass juice purifies the liver.It has the ability to get into the tissue, refine and renew them.

GROUP CALLS FG TO BOOST SHEA TREE PLANTATIONS

The National Shea Product Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to establish Shea tree plantations which will boost the economy and provide more jobs.

The association’s National Auditor, Hajiya Hadiza Danga, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Danga said that the establishment would encourage women to engage more in the business since they had been involved in it overtime.

She also added that, income from the business would provide empowerment for the affected communities where, she said, the majority of the people lived below the poverty line.

She noted that Shea butter production was common in 19 states but was found in huge quantities in Kebbi and Niger states.

Danga told NAN that propagation of Shea butter would support rural and urban economy while Shea tree plantations would ensure sustainable Shea butter production and positively engage the youth.

She said that lack of machines had been a challenge to Shea butter production, adding that most of the production was done manually at the moment. She also added that the machine was expensive, although few producers in Niger had been able to get it.

Danga said that a complete Shea butter making machine would include stretcher, crusher and miller.

“If the government can provide such a machine in at least each local government area where we produce Shea butter, it will go a long way to alleviate the suffering of women in the business,’’ she said.

She then stated that, Shea butter can serve as a base for tropical medicine for relief of rheumatic and joint pains, and treatment of wounds, nostril inflammation and dermatitis, among others.