Today, information bombards us like a meteor shower. It’s everywhere.

 Each day our eyes see thousands of images on television and computer screens. Our ears hear thousands of words. Many people read thousands of words on the printed page.

Life experiences teach plenty to those willing to learn. From the time I was a small boy, I remember my dad, uncles and grandfather talking and debating the issues of the day whenever we visited one another.

While almost every industry today does a less than perfect job of living by the motto, “the customer is the most important part of business,” Kansas farmers and ranchers are one segment that adheres to this philosophy.

With each new generation, more of this country's population becomes further and further removed from the farm. It's easy to understand why many people in this country have no concept where their food comes from. Many have forgotten, or may have never known, that individual producers supply staples for the U.S. diet. Some people believe there will never be a food shortage in our country, as long as the doors remain open on their neighborhood supermarket.

While farmers and ranchers continue to fill our plates with food, their plates are filled with an ever-increasing number of issues. Such issues include escalating production costs, tightening use of water, continuing drought in some western Kansas counties, an ongoing search for new markets for agricultural crops and increasing oversight and regulation to mention a few.

You just can’t drink enough water,” Steve Tuttle said draining a tall cup of cold water he poured out of a 1-gallon cooler tucked in the back of his farm truck.

   Dry heat, above normal temperatures and winds that have whipped what little moisture is left out of many wheat fields across the state has farmers roaring into harvest. While the general census among farmers is there’ll still be wheat to harvest, the potential of what might have been looms large across the Kansas landscape. 

   Less than a month ago the Wheat Quality Council tour estimated the 2012 wheat crop to yield 403.8 million bushels. This figured out to be roughly 45 bushels per acre on the 9.5 million acres planted in Kansas. In three short weeks a lack of moisture dropped this estimate to a 365 million bushel crop.

   On the other hand,. there remain pockets of optimism across the state. Long-time Sumner County wheat farmer Scott Van Allen says it’s been a long time since he’s had a good wheat crop. His crop has been fortunate enough to have received the necessary moisture.

   “Our crop never really lacked for moisture like I’ve heard it has in other parts of the state,” Van Allen says. “I’ve got my fingers crossed we could still have a very good crop.”

   That very good crop could possibly yield 50-60 bushels-per-acre, weigh in at 60 pounds per bushel and contain a protein level in the mid to upper 11s, the Sumner County wheat producer says.

   While attending a Kansas Wheat Commission meeting in Hays on May 18, Van Allen took the southerly route home driving from Kinsley to Hutchison on Highway 50. Here, he saw what he called, “some wheat hurting pretty badly. It was dry, heat stressed and while there will still be wheat harvested – the yield potential got knocked down pretty hard.”

   Further north and west of Salina farmers also test cut some plots last week. In Phillips County the wheat crop is turning fast and barring the slight chance of rains, harvest in some areas may be underway as you read this.

   Veteran farmer Doug Zillinger says some of the crop still looks good while the nearly 100 degree heat and 50 mile-per-hour winds last week are turning some of the wheat white.

   “It’s sapping what little moisture the wheat has left,” Zillinger says. “The wheat condition is deteriorating every day.”

By John Schlageck
Kansas Farm Bureau    

It’s the new year and like so many, I have vowed to shed those extra pounds. Losing weight is no easy task. Expectations often exceed the will to lose the weight gradually during an extended period of time.

Harken back to the days when you were a kid. Being outside was fun. Heck, it was everything and more often than not messy.

But that was fun. Acceptable. It’s what we did.

Until recently, I would often stop by the corner convenience store after work to treat my sweet tooth. From the time I was four-years-old and walked barefoot down to Vern Wagner’s little general store, I’ve always been forced to satisfy my craving for chocolate.

By John Schlageck
Kansas Farm Bureau

 In less than a month the Kansas fields, hills and woods will awaken to the sound of booming shotguns and barking dogs. Nov. 12 is the official opening day of upland game hunting. Hunters and their canines will once again swarm the countryside searching for pheasants, quail and prairie chicken. Duck and turkey season is already in full swing.