Archive for September, 2008

With commercial fertilizer prices soaring, some corn growers may consider bartering their corn for manure from the neighboring hog farm they fought against locating there some months back. Manure is “the other fertilizer” and its value has increased as prices for N, P, & K have doubled in price over the past several...
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Editor's Note: This is our weekly column. With only weeks left, the rural vote is up for grabs. That sends a message to both parties: don't write us off and don't take us for granted. A Center for Rural Strategies poll of rural voters in key swing states found John McCain leading Barack Obama, but by...
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Ethanol-blended fuel at the gas pump is sold as a higher octane motor fuel, and now some of the distillers’ grain co-products from ethanol refining are being sold as a higher value livestock feed that could have marked benefits for pork and beef producers who feed it. Just like burning super regular in...
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Who wants to hang around in the basement? You will if you decorate it properly. This unused part of the home can become quite useful if you decorate it properly. There are a lot of good basement ideas that will beautify the space - you can get your whole family...
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The most recent issues of the Center for Rural Affairs' Rural Brief series offers an analysis of rural development spending and programs in the 2008 Farm Bill. It's not exactly an uplifting review. As you well know, the 2008 Farm Bill continues considerable funding for commodity subsidy programs, $35 billion over the life of the...
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Extension Update is a weekly summary of news from Extension, government, and other attributable sources, focused on marketing, farm management, and other issues that are of interest to Midwestern farm owners and operators. (UPDATED)
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Last week the Center for Rural Affairs hosted our first (first annual, perhaps) Renewable Energy Fair in Hartington, Nebraska. People from at least three states gathered to talk about farm-scale biofuels, wind production of all scales, energy conservation and more. You can read three media accounts here, here and here. Read our own account...
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USDA’s Monday afternoon crop progress report indicated 5% of US corn had been harvested compared to 20% last year and 14% for the five year average. Additionally, only 33% of the US corn crop was mature as of Sept. 21, compared to 76% last year and 63% for the five year average. ...
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Bass fishing is a pastime enjoyed by many from all walks of life, young and old alike. Once youve tried out bass fishing, it is likely that youll want your own boat. Looking for your first bass fishing boat is a very exciting occasion, but it is best to get some advice as a...
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Props go out to our good friends at the National Catholic Rural Life Conference for their top-notch work and media attention yesterday in the Des Moines Register. Large ag facilities cut profit for towns, study says Large-scale livestock confinements are far less financially lucrative to communities and pay workers less than medium-sized operations that tend...
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