Returning to the FARM?

I liked this article and since I am little out of blogging during the holiday season, this gave me a good article to share and not a lot of time to do it!! 
More young people see opportunity in farming

By DINESH RAMDE, Associated Press
Wednesday, December 21, 2011.

A Wisconsin factory worker worried about layoffs became a dairy farmer. An employee at a Minnesota nonprofit found an escape from her cubicle by buying a vegetable farm. A nuclear engineer tired of office bureaucracy decided to get into cattle ranching in Texas.

While fresh demographic information on U.S. farmers won't be available until after the next agricultural census is done next year, there are signs more people in their 20s and 30s are going into farming: Enrollment in university agriculture programs has increased, as has interest in farmer-training programs.

Young people are turning up at farmers markets and are blogging, tweeting and promoting their agricultural endeavors through other social media.

The young entrepreneurs typically cite two reasons for going into farming: Many find the corporate world stifling and see no point in sticking it out when there's little job security; and demand for locally grown and organic foods has been strong enough that even in the downturn they feel confident they can sell their products.

Laura Frerichs, 31, of Hutchinson, Minn., discovered her passion for farming about a year after she graduated from college with an anthropology degree. She planned to work in economic development in Latin America and thought she ought to get some experience working on a farm.

She did stints on five farms, mostly vegetable farms, and fell in love with the work. Frerichs and her husband now have their own organic farm, and while she doesn't expect it to make them rich, she's confident they'll be able to earn a living.

"There's just this growing consciousness around locally grown foods, around organic foods," she said. "Where we are in the Twin Cities there's been great demand for that."
Farming is inherently risky: Drought, flooding, wind and other weather extremes can all destroy a year's work. And with farmland averaging $2,140 per acre across the U.S. but two to four times that much in the Midwest and California, the start-up costs can be daunting.

Still, agriculture fared better than many parts of the economy during the recession, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts record profits for farmers as a whole this year.

"People are looking at farm income, especially the increase in asset values, and seeing a really positive story about our economy," said USDA senior economist Mary Clare Ahearn, citing preliminary statistics. "Young people are viewing agriculture as a great opportunity and saying they want to be a part of it."

That's welcome news to the government. More than 60 percent of farmers are over the age of 55, and without young farmers to replace them when they retire the nation's food supply would depend on fewer and fewer people.

"We'd be vulnerable to local economic disruptions, tariffs, attacks on the food supply, really, any disaster you can think of," said Poppy Davis, who coordinates the USDA's programs for beginning farmers and ranchers.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has called for 100,000 new farmers within the next few years, and Congress has responded with proposals that would provide young farmers with improved access to USDA support and loan programs.

One beginning farmer is Gabrielle Rojas, 34, from the central Wisconsin town of Hewitt. As a rebellious teen all she wanted to do was leave her family's farm and find a career that didn't involve cows. But she changed her mind after spending years in dead-end jobs in a factory and restaurant.

"In those jobs I'm just a number, just a time-clock number," Rojas said. "But now I'm doing what I love to do. If I'm having a rough day or I'm a little sad because the sun's not shining or my tractor's broken, I can always go out and be by the cattle. That always makes me feel better."

Rojas got help in changing careers from an apprenticeship program paid for by the USDA, which began giving money in 2009 to universities and nonprofit groups that help train beginning farmers. The grants helped train about 5,000 people the first year. This year, the USDA estimates more than twice as many benefited.
One of the groups that received a grant is Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, or MOSES. The Spring Valley, Wis., chapter teaches farming entrepreneurs how to cope with price swings and what to do in cases of catastrophic weather.

MOSES also organizes field days, where would-be farmers tour the operations of successful farms to learn and share tips. Attendance is up 20 percent this year, director Faye Jones said, and some outings that used to attract 30 or 40 people have drawn as many as 100, most between the ages of 18 and 30.

"I think for many people, farming has been a lifelong dream, and now the timing is right," she said. Among the reasons she cited: the lifestyle, working in the fresh air and being one's own boss.

If farming is beginning to sound like an appealing career, there are downsides. The work involves tough physical labor, and vacations create problems when there are crops to be harvested and cows to be milked.

In addition, many farmers need second jobs to get health insurance or make ends meet. As the USDA notes, three-fifths of farms have sales of less than $10,000 a year, although some may be growing fruit trees or other crops that take a few years to develop.
None of those factors dissuaded 27-year-old Paul Mews. He left a high-paying job as a nuclear engineer last year to become a cattle rancher in Menard, Texas. His wife's family has been ranching for generations, and Mews decided he'd much rather join his in-laws and be his own boss than continue shuffling paperwork at the plant.
"When you're self-employed it's so much more fulfilling. You get paid what you're worth," he said. "It's really nice that what you put into it is what you're going to get back out."

Dinesh Ramde can be reached at dramde(at)ap.org.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/12/21/national/a000148S62.DTL&ao=2#ixzz1hHb3h2tM

Nevada Farm Bureau's 2011 Annual Meeting (Part 2)

If you are paying close attention, I did go MIA last week.  Sorry for those who were just ditting around their computer waiting for my next post, unfortunately, croup hit, and with 2 of our 4 susceptible, it makes for a fun two weeks of sleepless nights and long days.  I think the end is in sight for this time, though, so I am back to blog!!

I left off on the tour--And, I have to apologize, again, because for someone who is kind of camera crazy, I neglected to make sure that my back-up battery was charged and  by the time we made it to Churchill Vineyards, I had lost all power.  So, I do not have pictures of the tour past Liberty Dairy...which brings me back to my report!

Welcome to Liberty Dairy, owned by the Cristoph's and their family.  They were kind enough to show us around their 400 cow Jersey Dairy, based out of Fallon, and even treated us to cookies and milk afterwards!

At Liberty Dairy, they raise a large amount of heifer calves, which is more than they need as replacements and so they are able to sell enough each year to have a good business off of them, also.  The Jersey cows are more efficient in terms of eating lower amounts of feed and producing higher amounts of milk for their size than other dairy breeds.

The cows are brought into the milking barn where they are entered into the computer by using the number on their eartag.  This enables the dairy to keep track of a cows production, which is also a very important key in managing the health of the cows.  Anytime they are off of production by 20% or more, the cow is flagged, and many times it is a sign of early health problems that can be dealt with before they become a larger problem.

Liberty uses a variety of feeds in a balanced mix.  Most of the feeds are shipped by rail to Nevada and brought by semi to the dairy.  This feed pictured is a bi-product of the ethanol industry--it is the corn that is left after processing and still has a lot of good nutritional value as a feed.

Another part of the mix is cotton seed, very high in fiber.

Okay, my brain is working overtime to remember what this was--and I am just not going to come up with it while I am thinking too hard about it. 

Happy cows at Liberty Dairy.

Anyway, thanks to Liberty dairy for a great tour, and also to the Churchill Vineyards--It was so interesting to learn more about the vineyard and the wine production that they have started in the last decade.  The have about 90 acres of European grape vines that take 3-5 years to become productive and then if they are not productive they have to start over and find something else that will work.  I believe they said they have ten that are producing well now, 5 of white and 5 of red varieties.  They have a great facitlity--most of their barrels and tanks come from Europe, also, because they are not prodiced in the US and because it requires such specific types to get the wine to turn out just right.

 Anyway, if you want to learn more, check out their website at:

http://www.churchillvineyards.com/

After finishing up with the tours, it was time to head back to the Museum in Fallon, where the Churchill County High School Culinary Arts class had prepared a wonderful dinner, and we started our first workshop with Dick Wittman.

Because I have already posted a lot about Dick Wittman in my National Conference '11 Report, and in preparation for state meeting, I am not going to rehash all the details, you'll just have to look for them if you want to know more about the great workshop and presentation that Dick gave on family farm management.  We also had a great time getting to know Dick and enjoyed having dinner with him.  You never come away from state meeting without gaining new friendships, new knowledge, and hopefully a desire to use it and share it.

Nevada Farm Bureau's 2011 Annual Meeting (Part 1)

For those involved with the planning and preparation for this year’s Nevada Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, you should be giving yourselves a big pat on the back for a great meeting! The Annual meeting, held the 16-19th of November, in Fallon, brought together Farmers and Ranchers and Agriculturists from across the state to tour various operations in Churchill County, to attend workshops, and to finalize our state Farm Bureau’s policy for the coming year.

This year we started out with Board training and dinner at the Slanted Porch in Fallon. Of course, I was too busy looking for my keys to have a chance to get my camera out and take any pictures, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. It was a great dinner and the training put on by Doug Busselman was also very well done. And, in the end, I also found my keys—and was not the only one to lose them that week—though I did receive the most ribbing for it.

Farm Bureau Members headed to the Desert Oasis Teff Plant.

The following day we began with more training from Doug. We then broke for lunch and then began the planned tours. Our first stop was at Desert Oasis Teff.   Instead of telling you all about it myself, I found this article online, which does a much better job:

http://www.unce.unr.edu/news/article.asp?ID=1499

  You really need to read that article to understand the basics of Teff, what it is used for and why it is becoming such an important crop in a world of increasing numbers with celiac's disease.



Jay Davison, UNCE Agent that helped introduce Teff to Nevada
growers.

Teff is harvested with a few manipulations to regular machinery.  The swather has been adapted to have as large as a swath as possible to dry the teff qucikly.  A combine is sealed as much as possible, even using duct tape to cover any minor holes to keep the tiny seed from being lost. 


This is what they use to spread the tiny seed with,
and have had success in flood and sprinkler irrigation systems.

 

Teff before cleaning.

 

This is just the chaff left after the first cleaning.



Dave Eckert and John Getto, owners of Desert Teff.

The seed as it prepares for further cleaning and processing.

Here it is again processed, and the different sizes of seeds and
colors of seed are separated.



The darker seeds are more preferred in the Ethiopian Market
 because they can mix them with regualr flour and it is not as noticeable.



The final sorting of the Teff.



The final cleaned seed, like grains of sand.

  

Gluten-free Teff flour, ready for use.

So, stop one of our tour and I had already learned so much more than I had known before I got there.  Nevada and Idaho vie for the spot of top-producing state, with Nevada's production valuing around 1 million a year in 2010 with 1,200 acres of Teff in production. 

And, that is all you gert for this post, which I am pretty proud of myself for even having gotten out during this crazy week!  Tune in for the rest of the tour to Liberty Dairy and Churchill Vineyards, hopefully next week.  But, for now: HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!!

STATE MEETING!!

Well, this is finally it--a year of perparation puts us headed to Fallon in the next couple of days, so since Farm Bureau is taking up the majority of my week, blogging is not!! But I am sure I will have plenty to share next week!!!

November Holidays

Well, we are well into November, so it is time to see what great agricultural products we are celebrating in our nation this month!  This month is a bit NuTtY as it is the month that we celebrate

Georgia Pecan Month,

Peanut Butter Lover's Month,  For all you peanut butter lover's out there--check out the peanut butter lover's website:  http://peanutbutterlovers.com/ . 

You can also find the recipe for this peanut butter lover's pie and many other fun recipes!!  Way more than just your PB&J, not that PB&J isn't an all time favorite for many--especailly MOM'S!!

Their site even includes spotlight's on peanut grower's in our nation!!  and November 23rd is designated as National Cashew Day!!  November is also home to Good Nutrition Month!!  So, enjoy good nutrition by adding pecans filled with antioxidants to your diet this month!

Pecan Facts

Every pecan pie uses 1/2 lb to 3/4 lb of pecans. It takes about 310 pecans halves to fill a one-pound bag. So there are about 78 pecans used in every pecan pie!

Pecans are the only tree nut that is truly native to the United States.

WHY A NATIONAL MONTH FOR GEORGIA PECANS??:  Georgia leads the nation in pecan production. Georgia has been the top pecan producing state in the nation since the late 1800s.

Pecans are one of the largest fruit-bearing trees. One irrigated, managed acre of pecan trees will produce about 1,000 pounds of pecans.

More than 500 varieties of pecans exist today. Over 1,000 cultivars have been released over the history of pecan culture. Only three are common and all three are available Georgia orchards.
America’s President, food connoisseur and gardener, Thomas Jefferson, was very taken by the flavor of pecans and had trees imported from Louisiana for his Monticello orchards.
In 1995, Georgia pecan wood was selected by the Atlanta Committee to make the handles of the torches for the 1996 Olympic Games. The torches were carried in the 15,000-mile U.S.A. relay and in the lighting of the Olympic flame in Atlanta on July 19, 1996.

(all info from the Georgia Pecan Commission)

Global Demand for Food Booms

This was a really interesting article to me, and since November is a CrAzY month for me, I tried to make it a little easier by cutting a bit of my blogging down....so take time to read it, I  liked the quote in the second paragraph--you know, sometimes in the Ag business you can really use a positive outlook or two! ;) But what do you think?  I know there is definitely some debate over whether America should worry ab out feeding the world or feeding America.  I think the information in this article is really interesting, and I think that if there is anyway for America to keep a hold over China, then our Agriculture is one of our best resources to do so. Feel free to leave a comment at the bottom of the post and share what you think!  Anyway, here's what he had to say in case you need a reason to read the article:

"In my 30-year career, I’ve never seen a better environment and outlook for American agriculture," says Mike Dwyer, director and chief economist for USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

Global Demand for Food Booms Top Producer Magazine

PIZZA--America's Favorite Meal??

In celebration of October and National Pizza month, here are some fun facts about one of America's favorite meals!!  Also, one of my favorite home-made pizza recipes, and don't worry yet, it is really simple!  You can buy pre-made crust, biscuit doughs, or make your own--add your favorite BBQ sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray's) and then saute onions and bell peppers and chicken breast or add shredded chicken, whichever you have on hand.  Add to crust and top with lots of mozzarella then bake for required time for crust (on my home-made dough, it is usually 20-25 minutes) And dinner is ready! YUM!!  Or you could swap the BBQ sauce for a bottle of Alfredo, add to it the chicken and diced green onion, plus a sprinkle of parmesan with the mozzarella, and you have another awesome pizza that breaks the pepperoni mold!

Anyway, here are some great fun facts to learn more about your pizza as you eat it!!  All come from the site below.

http://www.homemade-pizza-made-easy.com/pizza-facts.html

Pizza Facts:
The people of America eat around 350 slices of pizza each second, or 100 acres per day.

Each year, pizza is a $30 billion industry.

In the U.S., there are about 61,269 pizza parlors.

Everyone in the United States eats about 23 lbs., or 46 slices, every year.

Each year in the United States, 3 billion pizzas are sold.

In America, the most popular ethnic food is Italian.

Children ages 3-11 prefer pizza over all other foods for lunch and dinner, according to a recent Gallup Poll.

36 percent of all pizza orders want their pizza topping pepperoni.

We consume around 251,770,000 pounds of pepperonis every year.

A few popular pizzas toppings are: Mushrooms, Extra cheese, Sausage, Green Pepper, and Onion.

In the list of most popular pizza toppings in America, the last one is anchovies.

New gourmet pizza toppings have rapidly became popular. Some of those toppings include: Chicken, Oysters, Crayfish, Dandelions, Sprouts, Eggplant, Cajun Shrimp, Artichoke Hearts, Venison, Duck, Canadian-Style Bacon and Tuna.

Practically every kind of pizza topping has been tried by pizza chefs, some of those toppings being peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, and mashed potatoes.

Americans prefer meat toppings to veggie toppings by a ratio of 62 to 100. Women order twice as much vegetable toppings than men.

Some popular pizza toppings in Japan are squid and Mayo Jaga (mayonaise, potato and bacon).

In India they like pickled ginger, minced mutton and tofu. The people of Brazil prefer green peas for their topping. Russians serve pizza covered in mockba (a mix of sardines, tuna, mackeral, salmon and onions.)

Source: http://library.thinkquest.org/J0112790/facts.htm
General Sales and Consumption Statistics: Pizza Facts
There are approximately 61,269 pizzerias in the United States. (Source: American Business Lists, Omaha, Nebraska)

Men wearing muscle shirts when answering the door order pepperoni three times more than any other kind of pizza. (San Jose Mercury News, Food Section, 1/11/95 )

Italian food ranks as the most popular ethnic food in America. (National Restaurant Association)

There are over 9,000 pizzeria's in New York alone. (The Tony Modica Pizza Dance Foundation)

94% of the population of the U.S. eats pizza. (Source: Parade Magazine)

Approximately 3 BILLION pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year...pizza fact.

Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza EACH DAY, or about 350 slices per second.

October is National Pizza Month. It was first so designated in 1987.

Pizzerias represent 17% of all restaurants. (Source: Food Industry News)

93% of Americans eat AT LEAST one pizza per month. (Source: Bolla Wines)

Each man, woman and child in America eats and average of 46 slices, (23 pounds), of pizza per year. (Source: Packaged Facts, New York)

Saturday night is the biggest night of the week for eating pizza.

Three of the top 10 weeks of pizza consumption occur in January. Another pizza fact: More pizza is consumed during Super Bowl week than any other week of the year. (Source: Kraft Foods, Northfield, Ill.)

U.S. Toppings: Pizza Facts
Pepperoni is America's favorite topping, (36% of all pizza orders). We eat approximately 251,770,000 pounds of Pepperoni per year. Other popular pizza toppings are, mushrooms, extra cheese, sausage, green pepper and onions.

Gourmet toppings are gaining ground in some areas of the country such as chicken, oysters, crayfish, dandelions, sprouts, eggplant, Cajun shrimp, artichoke hearts and tuna. More recent trends include game meats such as venison, duck and Canadian bacon.

Pizza makers have tried virtually every type of topping on pizza including peanut butter & jelly, bacon & eggs, and mashed potatoes.

Mozzarella cheese represents 30% of total cheese output. Production of Italian cheeses such as mozzarella, provolone, ricotta, parmesan and romano by U.S. cheese makers more than doubled between 1980 and 1992, (from 688.6 MILLION pounds per year to nearly 2 BILLION pounds per year. (Source: Cheese Market News)

Cheesy pizza fact: Manufacturers' sales of pizza cheese should top $32 BILLION by 2004. U.S. per capita consumption of mozzarella cheese was 7.93 pounds in 1994 and is predicted to reach 12.51 pounds by 2004. (Source: Business Trend Analysts, BTA)

62% of Americans prefer meat toppings on their pizza, while 38% prefer vegetarian toppings. (Source: Bolla Wines)

Barbeque pizza emerged as one of the more popular pizza variations in a 1994 study by the National Restaurant Association. Nearly 33% of menus offered some form of this dish. Other popular variations were Mexican pizza, five-cheese combos, cheeseless pies and traditional Italian pizzas such as Margherita, Florentine and New Potato Pizzas. (Source: NRA)

Anchovies are Americans' least favorite topping.

World-Wide Toppings: Pizza Facts
Some of the more popular international toppings are pickled ginger, minced mutton and tofu in India; squid and Mayo Jaga (mayonnaise, potato and bacon) in Japan; and green peas in Brazil. In Russia, they serve pizza covered with mockba; a combination of sardines, tuna, mackerel, salmon and onions. In France, a popular combo is called the Flambee with bacon, onion, and fresh cream. (Source: Domino's)

Around the world, toppings vary greatly, reflecting regional tastes and preferences. In Japan, for instance, eel and squid are favorites. In Pakistan, curry is a big seller. In Russia, red herring is the topping of choice. Australians enjoy shrimp and pineapple as well as barbeque toppings on their pies. Costa Ricans favor coconut. (Source: Numero Uno Pizzeria)

Vegetables for pizza toppings in Iceland are grown in greenhouses because of the lava terrain there. (Source: Domino's)

In the Netherlands, the "Double Dutch" is a favorite pizza recipe: double cheese, double onions, and double beef. (Source: Domino's)

In Saudi Arabia, all meat toppings must be 100% beef. Pork products are not consumed in the country. (Source: Domino's.)

Source: http://www.virgiliospizzeria.com/funfacts.htm

October and Apples--Autumn is in the Air!

October Fun....What do we Celebrate this Month????  Well, how about a National Month for PIZZA, APPLES, POPCORN POPPING and, I saved the best for last: DESSERT!!  So, if you missed last weeks article on popcorn, you might want to check it out, but now it is on to the, giving you lots of fun facts, and then combing APPLES with DESSERT in an awesome CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE recipe at the bottom of the blog

Apple Facts


•The crabapple is the only apple native to North America.

•Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, and yellows.

•Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie.

•Apple blossom is the state flower of Michigan.

•2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States. (WOW!!)

•7,500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world.  (BIGGER WOW!!)

•100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.

•Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.

•Apples are grown in all 50 states.

•Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free.  (AND YUMMY, TOO!!)

•A medium apple is about 80 calories.

•Apples are a great source of the fiber pectin. One apple has five grams of fiber.

•The pilgrims planted the first United States apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

•The science of apple growing is called pomology.

•Apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.

•Most apples are still picked by hand in the fall.

•Apple varieties range in size from a little larger than a cherry to as large as a grapefruit.

•Apples are propagated by two methods: grafting or budding.

•The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Sea.

•Apples were the favorite fruit of ancient Greeks and Romans.

•Apples are a member of the rose family. (How interesting)

•Apples harvested from an average tree can fill 20 boxes that weigh 42 pounds each.

•The largest apple picked weighed three pounds. (How long did it take to eat??)

•Europeans eat about 46 pounds of apples annually.

•The average size of a United States orchard is 50 acres.

•Many growers use dwarf apple trees.

•Charred apples have been found in prehistoric dwellings in Switzerland.

•Most apple blossoms are pink when they open but gradually fade to white.

•Some apple trees will grow over 40 feet high and live over 100 years.

•Most apples can be grown farther north than most other fruits, because they blossom late in spring, minimizing frost damage.

•It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.

•Apples are the second most valuable fruit grown in the United States. Oranges are first.

•In colonial time, apples were called winter banana or melt-in-the-mouth.

•The largest U. S. apple crop was 277.3 million cartons in 1998.

•Apples have five seed pockets or carpels. Each pocket contains seeds. The number of seeds per carpel is determined by the vigor and health of the plant. Different varieties of apples will have different number of seeds.

•World's top apple producers are China, United States, Turkey, Poland and Italy.

•The Lady or Api apple is one of the oldest varieties in existence.

•Newton Pippin apples were the first apples exported from America in 1768, some were sent to Benjamin Franklin in London.

•In 1730, the first apple nursery was opened in Flushing, New York.

•One of George Washington's hobbies was pruning his apple trees.

•America's longest-lived apple tree was reportedly planted in 1647 by Peter Stuyvesant in his Manhattan orchard and was still bearing fruit when a derailed train struck it in 1866.

•Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated.

•A peck of apples weight 10.5 pounds.

•A bushel of apples weights about 42 pounds and will yield 20-24 quarts of applesauce.

•Archeologists have found evidence that humans have been enjoying apples since at least 6500 B.C.

•The world's largest apple peel was created by Kathy Wafler Madison on October 16, 1976, in Rochester, NY. It was 172 feet, 4 inches long. (She was 16 years old at the time and grew up to be a sales manager for an apple tree nursery.)

•It takes about 36 apples to create one gallon of apple cider.

•Apples account for 50 percent of the world's deciduous fruit tree production.

•The old saying, “An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.” This saying comes from an old English adage, “To eat an apple before going to bed, will make the doctor beg his bread.”

•Don't peel your apple. Two-thirds of the fiber and lots of antioxidants are found in the peel. Antioxidants help to reduce damage to cells, which can trigger some diseases.

•In 2005, United States consumers ate an average of 46.1 pounds of fresh apples and processed apple products. That's a lot of applesauce!

•Sixty-three percent of the 2005 U.S. apple crop was eaten as fresh fruit.

•In 2005, 36 percent of apples were processed into apple products; 18.6 percent of this is for juice and cider, two percent was dried, 2.5 percent was frozen, 12.2 percent was canned and 0.7 percent was fresh slices. Other uses were the making of baby food, apple butter or jelly and vinegar.

•The top apple producing states are Washington, New York, Michigan,Pennsylvania, California and Virginia.

•In 2006, 58% of apples produced in the United States were produced in Washington, 11% in New York, 8% in Michigan, 5% in Pennsylvania, 4% in California and 2% in Virginia.

•In 2005, there were 7,500 apple growers with orchards covering 379,000 acres.

•In 1998-90 the U.S. per capita fresh apple consumption was around 21 pounds.

•In 2005, the average United States consumer ate an estimated 16.9 pounds of fresh market apples

•Total apple production in the United States in 2005 was 234.9 million cartons valued at $1.9 billion.

•In 2006/2007 the People's Republic of China led the world in commercial apple production with 24,480,000 metric tons followed by the United States with 4,460,544 metric tons.

•In 2006/2007 commercial world production of apples was at 44,119,244 metric tons.

•Almost one out of every four apples harvested in the United States is exported.

•35.7 million bushels of fresh market apples in 2005 were exported. That was 24 percent of the total U.S. fresh-market crop.

•The apple variety ‘Red Delicious' is the most widely grown in the United States with 62 million bushels harvested in 2005.

•Many apples after harvesting and cleaning have commercial grade wax applied. Waxes are made from natural ingredients.

•National Apple Month is the only national, generic apple promotion conducted in the United States. Originally founded in 1904 as National Apple Week, it was expanded in 1996 to a three-month promotional window from September through November.

•On August 21, 2007 the GoldRush apple was designated as the official Illinois’state fruit. GoldRush is a sweet-tart yellow apple with a long shelf life. The apple is also the state fruit of Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Washington and West Virginia.

Source Apple Statistics:
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
United States Apple Association

Mmmmm, October makes my mouth water--hope it makes yours water too, but if doesn't try a few of my favorite recipes and it will then!

CARAMEL APPLE CHEESECAKE BARS

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

( Streusel topping, recipe follows )

1/2 cup caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

What's Popping? National Popcorn Popping Month and all the things about popcorn you never knew??

Okay, I have to admit, I LOVE POPCORN!!  I love it at the movies, I love it with caramel, I am especially fond of kettle corn.  And, I can defnitely eat my share of popcorn.  But, in celebration of October and National Popcron Popping month,  I decided it was time to learn more, and learn I did--did you know popcorn even has it's own national board??  Well, check out the info below, and especially the fun facts towards the bottom, cool stuff about popcorn, who knew??  Another great product courtesy of American Agriculture!!

All info below comes from:
http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aa011501b.htm

Next time you're at the movies, with every crevice of you mouth stuffed with hot, buttery popcorn, think about this: The U.S. produces 498,000 TONS of popcorn every year, of which 103,000 tons is exported. That's more than would fit in the Mammoth Cave-sized tub the kid at the refreshment stand tried to sell you. Why, that's so much popcorn, we must need the oversight of the United States Popcorn Board.

The U.S. Government Popcorn Board comes from the Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act signed by President Clinton, a big fan of popcorn, on April 4, 1996. Just so you'll know I am not making this up, here is a link to the actual law: [7 U.S. C. 7481-7491]

If you love the stuff, you will be happy to know that the Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act tells us right off the top, that no lesser authority than the U.S. Congress finds, "popcorn is an important food that is a valuable part of the human diet." See. mom? Congress says so.

The nine-member Popcorn Board works to expand the popcorn market by conducting special promotions, research, and informing consumers of the qualities and economic importance of popcorn.

Membership is currently limited to nine U.S. processor chosen from among all processors who typically distribute over 4 million pounds of popcorn annually. Members are appointed to the board by the Secretary of Agriculture from a list of nominations submitted by the industry itself.

Funding for the board comes from assessments collected from all U.S. popcorn processors who distribute over 4 million pounds per year, with annual individual assessments limited to $81,000.

Under this arrangement, the popcorn industry itself pretty much covers the cost of the Popcorn Board.
The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) monitors the Popcorn Board's administration of the program.
Popcorn Production, Export and Import

According to the latest Census of Agriculture (Census) data, domestic production of popcorn totaled over 996 million shelled pounds in 1997. Popcorn is grown in 25 States. According to the Census, the top five major popcorn-producing States in 1997 were Nebraska (27 percent), Indiana (21 percent), Illinois (13 percent), Ohio (9 percent), and Missouri (6 percent).

U.S. exports of popcorn totaled 206 million pounds in 1999 (down from 219 million pounds in 1998), with a value of $58 million (down $8 million from 1998). Popcorn was exported to over 90 countries. The two largest export markets in 1999 were Mexico (with 17 percent of the poundage exported) and Canada (with 14 percent). Other major destinations for U.S. popcorn included Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Denmark, the Philippines, and Japan.

Nearly all of the world's popcorn production is in the United States, and imports are usually minimal. In 1999, only 0.3 million pounds were imported from all countries. Normally, small amounts are imported from Canada and Argentina.
The U.S. Popcorn Board

**PoPcOrN FaCtS and FuN!!** Running out of things to say to your blind date? Then pop up with some of these tidbits:

•In an average bag of popcorn, the number of yellow kernels will outnumber the white ones by 9 to 1.
•It is believed that popcorn was the very first form of corn to be cultivated.
•The oldest ears of popcorn ever found were discovered in the Bat Cave of west central New Mexico in 1948 and 1950. Ranging from smaller than a penny to about 2 inches, the oldest Bat Cave ears are about 5,600 years old.
•In southwestern Utah, a 1,000-year-old popped kernel of popcorn was found in a dry cave inhabited by predecessors of the Pueblo Indians. (There may be older ones than that under a cushion of my sofa.)

•Americans today consume 17.3 billion quarts of popped popcorn each year. The average American eats about 68 quarts.
•The ancient way to pop corn was to heat sand in a fire and stir kernels of popcorn in when the sand was fully heated.

•In 1945, Percy Spencer discovered that when popcorn was placed under microwave energy, it popped. This led to experiments with other foods, and the birth of the microwave oven.

**WhY PoPcOrN PoPs!**

Each kernel contains a small drop of water inside a circle of soft starch surrounded by the hard outer surface. As the kernel heats, the drop of water expands and pressure starts to build up. When the hard surface eventually gives way, the popcorn explodes. During the explosion, the soft starch inside the kernel inflates and bursts, turning the entire kernel inside out.

Varieties of popcorn are grown to pop into two distinctive shapes: "snowflake," the large popcorn sold in theaters and ball parks; and mushroom, the smaller variety used in popcorn candies and snacks.

Making Your Voice Heard.....

A HUGE part of what we do in Farm Bureau, is to be a voice for the agriculture industry.  Without our voices, the ones who live it, who understand it, sharing it, the vast majority of our society will just go on hoping that their food will just magically appear at the store and they will go on living happy, albeit, oblivious lives.  AND, there is so much more than just talking about agriculture--there is the policy that keeps it safe, protects it from crazy and damaging legislation, that promotes it and puts it in  the correct place of importance in the minds of legislators and the public. 

SO, if you are interested in sharing your voice, when it comes to water rights, irrigation prices, wildlife habitat, wild horses , public and federal lands, brand inspection, commodities, education, and so much more, then check out Nevada Farm Bureau's Policy.  With the annual meeting coming up, it is the perfect time to read up on policy and see if you agree or disagree or if you have an opinion on something that should be added.  The link below will take you to the list of the policies that we already have, and that are up for review.  Take the time to raise your voice, speak up for agriculture and ensure the way of life that feeds the world.
http://policy.nvfb.org/index.html
General Ag Policy
Ag Research Policy
Commodities Policy
Education Policy
Extension Policy
Government Policy
Land Use Policy
Miscellaneous Policy
Natural Resources Policy
Pest and Weed Policy
PUC & Energy Policy
Taxes Policy
Transportation Policy
Water Policy

PETA Promotes with PORN.....

So, just when I thought that PETA couldn't possibly be any lower in my estimation, it goes and breaks through the bedrock, digging an even deeper hole.  I recently learned that PETA is working on a XXX porn site in order to promote the ethical treatment of animals.  Are you kidding me???  How in the world are the two to be combined?  Well, whatever it is, I don't want to know.  Let me quote Robert Peters, general counsel for the New York-based anti-pornography group Morality in Media. "Metaphorically speaking, they're getting in bed with hard core pornographers to prevent cruelty to animals. That borders on insanity."

Well, most of us from Agriculture backgrounds feel that PETA and HSUS border on insanity, anyway, so to me, this is just flat out insane.  Apparently, a lot of the feedback I read in the news is that this could alienate people from supporting and helping PETA, so let the alienation begin!!  I am all for spreading word of anything that helps alienate people from PETA.  Now, of course, someone reading this might suppose that by this I mean that I don't support the ethical treatment of animals, which is a far cry from reality.  I have horses, chickens, cows, dogs, cats, and very often lizards and birds and frogs around our fuuny farm that we call home.  I obvisously love animals, or would not have so many around.  I also want people throughout the world to care for their animals in the way that they see as fitting, but I don't approve of people who have been raised in the city coming around and telling my family how to take care of animals that we have been raising for generations in my family.  I oppose PETA because of their over-the-top ways, demonstrated by their new pornography site, things that go against the basic morals and values of good, hardworking farm and ranch families, or just every day hardworking families of all walks of life.

Some of the other intent for PETA's promotion is to raise veganism awareness--really?  If people want to be vegans, I believe that is their choice, but should not be pushed on anyone else, especially in exploitive manners.   Not that PETA is 'pushing' anything, they are just using whatever shocking things they can to get attention.  But, a lot of vegans seem to think that because they don't want to eat animal or animal by-product, that the rest of us shouldn't, and that they need to fight and oppose anyone who has anything to do with animals as food-production.  Well, don't let me get any more wound up on this subject, I am sure you can all form your own opinions, once you check out a little bit more about who PETA actually is.

So, check out the info, spread the word, and let's look to those with decent values and morals to teach us how to care for animals, like the farmers and ranchers of our great nation!!!

Article links:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/peta-plans-porn-website-promote-message-14570593

http://news.discovery.com/animals/peta-porn-site-coming-soon-110921.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/18/us-pornography-peta-idUSTRE78H1IR20110918

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/19/peta-porn-site-will-raise-veganism-awareness-peta-says/

AND PLENTY MORE ON THE WEB.

YF&R & FB Members: An event you should not miss!

Okay, so if there was one workshop from the National YF&R Conference in Orlando, Florida this past February that really seemed to strike a note with all the Nevadans who attended, it was the series put on by Dick Wittman.  Let me tell you why the workshops struck a chord with me--My family on my dad's side, has been farming the same land, since the late 1800's.  Because of family issues, some of my great-grandpa's step-sisters were able to sale a large majority of the land out from underneath him, but what remains has been ran by the family ever since.  My dad grew up on it, me and my siblings grew up on it.  My dad's twin has helped him run it, with my grandpa still technically in charge of it, though my dad and our family were the only ones who lived there and worked it full-time.  5 years ago my grandpa suffered an anuerism, followed a few months later by open-heart surgery.  Though he has recovered, this gave my grandma power-of-attorney, and with 8 children to vie for who gets what and when, there has been a lot of pressure on her to divide assets evenly between the eight, though only the oldest two have really ever been involved with the farm.  They now want my dad and uncle to either buy them out, or it will be sold out from under them, even though they have been working it for 30-40 years in their spare time and vacations and holidays, without paychecks, but because they love it.  What is earned from hay or cattle usually goes back into as farmers know, to keep it afloat.  And that is part one of why the Dick Wittman workshops hit me so powerfully.  Dick has dealt with these family situations in so many shapes and forms.  He knows how to help families, generations, relatives, friends so that they can merge, work together, have a productive business, where everyone knows their part, their specific role, and it all works together to last.  The family farm CAN be carried on--siblings, fathers and sons, cousins, etc., CAN work together and together they CAN make it work and be productive.  I could tell you part two, my mom's side, where my grandpa iss till ranching at 83, and my uncle works full-time and farms full-time to keep it going, even though he doesn't shre the same deep love for it that my granpda does.  With each year of age coems the worry ofwhat will happen, will it be sold off, kept in the family, some of each?  I think that at some time this strongly affects all who farm and ranch because it is such a family-oriented business.  So, if you want a more productive farm or ranch or family business, you should NOT miss the state meeting in November.  My husband has taken over managing the property/lease that his parents left to all four kids.  Dick's workshops were invaluable to him in giving him ideas of how to communicate with his siblings and better manage the property with four heads instead of one. So, that is all the rambling I am going to give you for now, I hope you get the point......the Nevada Farm Bureau State Meeting in Fallon, Nevada on November 17-19, with special guest, Dick Wittman, is an event you should not miss!!

HERE'S MORE INFO ABOUT DICK WITTMAN::


R.L. "Dick" Wittman
Dick Wittman manages a large-scale dryland crop, range cattle and timber operation in northern Idaho in partnership with three other family partners. He also provides seminars, workshops, and private consulting services on a part‑time basis to agricultural lenders, agri-businesses and farmer/ranchers.

After receiving a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Idaho (U of I) and an MBA from the University of Utah, Wittman worked for the Farm Credit System from 1972-1980. His banking career concluded with the Farm Credit Administration in Washington, D. C., where he supervised Farm Credit operations in several Eastern, mid‑West, and Southern U.S. districts.

In 1980 he joined the family farm in Idaho and established a part-time private consulting practice. Wittman has worked with numerous farm clients and professional practitioners, conducted seminars, facilitated strategic planning, taught college classes and developed videotape training modules on a variety of topics throughout the U.S., Canada and Australia. He specializes in financial management and developing management systems and solutions for business relationship/transition problems. In January of 2004, he released a guidebook entitled Building Effective Farm Management Systems. This guidebook provides a toolkit for commercial-size family farm businesses to define their ultimate vision and put in place a professional management and transition process that will lead them to that goal.

Wittman has served on several industry, community and financial institution boards including the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council (5-yrs as president), U of I Ag Consulting Council (chairman 1997-98), Inland Empire Pea Growers Cooperative, Twin River National Bank (1982-89), and Advisory Council (chairman) for the U of I Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology Department. He is a founding director and past president of the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association, a regional organization working to further the adoption of no-till practices in the Northwest, and is currently active on several advisory boards developing national policies on Carbon Trading.

He recently completed a term as president of the Farm Financial Standards Council, a core group of farm management and financial experts who have been working for over 25 years to professionalize farm accounting and financial analysis processes. The Council recently released national guidelines to help producers implement Managerial Accounting systems.

Wittman is a contributing editor for Farm Futures magazine, serves on the faculty for the TEPAP Ag Executive Program in Austin, Texas, and appears regularly on the Canadian AgVision television program as part of the Top Manager Team.

Stewardship has been a Wittman Family Farm tradition. The farm was selected as the national Millennium Farm Family in 2000 by the Ag Earth Partnership. Wittman also received the 2002 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Agriculture in Environmental Stewardship. The Wittman Family sponsors an Outdoor Education Camp located on their farm in cooperation with the local Boys and Girls Club. Begun in 1988, this camp gives hundreds of students, teachers and natural resource professionals annually an exposure to key natural resource concepts, and it enables the farm to share its vision on how a farm can be managed, shared, and kept sustainable for future generations.

Wittman and his wife, Dawn, have raised five children and have four grandchildren.

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Background and Management Philosophy

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I am a firm believer in the preservation of the family farm as the preferred entity to manage and steward our food production industry. This belief has been a primary driver in motivating me to help family farmers adopt more professional management practices. Many struggling farmers are quick to blame government interference, low prices, uncooperative lenders, foreign subsidies or greedy and indiscreet neighbors for all their problems. In fact, much of the blame in their failure to achieve full potential rests with their management system and practices. Improved performance, teamwork, and quality of life is easily attainable if one develops a clear vision of how to incorporate improved management practices and invest in the effort to change. “God helps those who help themselves.”

Some perceive that greater focus on professional business principles will erase the spirit of the family farm or turn it into a Ford Motor Company, Cargill, or Archer Daniels Midland. I firmly believe that promoting professional management systems and maintaining a strong family and community focus are complementary strategies, not conflicting targets. Preferring to work together as family should not be an excuse to ignore business principles, but an added reason to follow them. The hurt and long term damage to relationships is often much harder to swallow when family business relationships disintegrate than when ventures between unrelated parties fall to pieces.

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Wittman Consulting Services R.L. "Dick" Wittman 37737 McCormack Ridge Road, Culdesac, ID 83524 PH: (208) 843-5595 C: (208) 305-1344 C: (208) 299-3521 FAX: (208) 843-5095 dwittman@lewiston.com
 
 
Copyright 1993 Wittman Consulting, R. L. “Dick” Wittman, 37737 McCormack Ridge Rd, Culdesac, ID 83524


Work-(208) 843-5595 Fax (208) 843-5095, email: dwittman@lewiston.com, www.wittmanconsulting.com

Managing Business Relationships & Transitions in Multi-Family Farm Operations

Seminar Synopsis

Business practices and relationship problems, not economic issues, are often the reason family operations dissolve business relationships. This tragic conclusion generally stems from operators failing to run the farm like a business, rather than a family venture. Farms with good production and financial footings still fail because they either don’t know the basic rules of conducting a business, or they know the rules, but don’t document them and apply them consistently to daily farm operations.

This seminar presented in combinations of formal lecture plus case study work sessions tackles a number of sensitive issues that relate to managing family businesses. It is presented from the viewpoint of a working family farm manager who has also provided family farm business transition consulting for twenty five years. The seminar combines serious and humorous discussions of basic principles, actual farm problems and practical, successful solutions. The goal of this seminar is to change behavior by convincing participants that: (1) their problems are not unique…nor are the solutions, and (2) implementation of a professional management system is doable and must be given equal priority to energy devoted to production, marketing and financial management. It re-vitalizes teamwork, communication, and creates a positive work environment, and it helps assure family farm survival and effective transition from generation to generation.

Seminar Outline


 Introduction “These family deals never last! …is this opinion destiny or a choice?”


 Defining the puzzle pieces of a ―Management System‖—―What’s more important…process, results or BOTH?”


 Benefits of working together and consequences to family business success from failing to manage toward excellence


 Mission, Vision and Core Values – defining these core guidance statements and using them in a family business


 Planning


 Operational vs. Strategic Planning—what issues should be addressed and why are they important to document?


 Operating issues—production, marketing, financing, personnel, and capital items…systems that work!


 Long Range/Strategic Issues—transfers of management and ownership; expansion; major improvements; enterprise shifts; manpower planning; business structuring… ―Reasons farmers avoid strategic planning”


 ”I know it’s important…just didn’t know where to start!” Strategies for making progress on strategic issues.


 Organization and Division of Responsibility


 “What is my piece of the pie?” Who will make the decisions and implement them?


 Techniques for defining specific roles and dividing responsibility – staff, management, board/owners


 Considerations in bringing new principals into the operation, or retiring others—ownership vs. responsibility


 Using job descriptions as a tool in transition situations


 Company Policies & SOPs - “The Hidden Land Mines”


 Establishing clear policies in areas such as: housing, insurance, compensation, division of earnings, buyout agreements, capital injections and withdrawals, inter-entity transactions, work days/hours/leave policies


 Common sins that violate good business practices—“…on the neighbor’s farm, of course!”


 Strategies and guidelines for developing policy statements


 ―What am I worth per hour to this business?” Understanding the value of ―Hidden (non-cash) Benefits‖ and techniques for structuring ―Compensation Packages‖ for employees, partners or business principals


 Standard Operating Procedures – what are SOPs and where can they be applied in a farm operation?


 Communication, Coordination and Control


 Business tools often ignored or abused—meetings, farm records, and documentation of key business understandings… “Don’t let them know there is money in the bank!”… “We’ll remember what we agreed on!”…


 The ―I can’t be fired!” family business syndrome. Impact of unprofessional communication habits.


 Developing corporate climate of openness and professionalism…”How do mission and core value statements work?”


 “You want to evaluate me?…you must be kidding!” Should family business partners/employees be evaluated? How?


 What performance gauges do you watch? … tractor gauges or your financial gauges? Which one will put you out of business, if you are operating in the red zone?


 Are you ready for Managerial Accounting? What is this and how can I compete with neighbors who know cost of production when I don’t?


 Summary—The Basic Business Management Model Applies to Agriculture, Too!


 The family farm business… a constant transition of inheriting and passing on values…then letting go of the wheel!


 The FARM—Your Children’s ―First Business School‖…Teaching good business principles or bad habits?