You deserve an award! I want to pat a lot of wheat producers on the back for getting all their nitrogen fertilizer on in spite of a long period of moist, cool weather. We only had a few days when we didn´t have frozen ground or mud hindering us. In just a few available days a lot of farmers did their top dressing. What about those who waited to call their commercial applicator or just couldn´t or didn´t get in to do it?

Sundays are very predictable in our lives.  For my wife and me, it is attending Mass, followed by a trip to the supermarket.  My spouse is a very diligent shopper and sometimes we spend, as much, if not more, time in the aisles of the grocery store, as the church pew.  I utilize both venues as opportunity in providing a time to reflect on what is important in my life.  One place provides food for my soul, the other nourishment for my body. 

President Ronald Reagan said: “If you seek peace, if you seek prosperity … if you seek liberalization … Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”  Almost 23 years later, that same logic holds true, only the government is not the Soviet Union and the wall is not made of bricks and mortar.  Instead, the country is Cuba and the wall is U.S. laws and regulations that inhibit food and agricultural sales and prohibit American citizens from traveling to Cuba.

This past winter the Extension organized discussion group has been meeting since December and will have their final meeting for this season on March 30th.  The group was organized back in late 2003, and has been meeting every winter since.

By R-Calf USA President Max Thornsberry, DVM

Country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for meat has become the law of the land, and you’d think a pig had been stuck with a knife considering all the squealing coming from the multinational beef packing industry and its trade associations.

I don´t know about you, but this winter has given me a touch of cabin fever and I´m just itching to go to a beef cattle meeting. Unusual as it is, I haven´t been able to get to one all winter for one reason or another. Well, read on because I´ve got the opportunity for both you and I.

Kansas Journal

The Buffalo News, N.Y.

The Labor Department's reversal of a Bush administration rule may do more harm than good for farmers and could pass along extra costs to consumers.

Calving season is here for a vast majority of beef cattle producers.  A lot of cow-calf producers still calve from late January to late February.  A lot of management is required when this time arrives.

Isolated CBS News piece one symptom of larger challenges ag faces

Kansas Farm Bureau president Steve Baccus, a grain farmer from Ottawa County, offered these remarks at KFB’s annual lobby day in Topeka, February 3, 2010.  

Right off the top, a couple of thank yous.

The evolution that has occurred on our nation’s farms in the last century boggles the mind.  Looking back, mechanization ranks very high on the list of changes. 

Just Kidding Around

Editor's note: Check out Jonie's blog about the ups and downs of kidding out meat goats at http://bit.ly/8qbyO8

The day started at 2:00 a.m. for Mr. Farmer and myself. We checked the does, and saw what appeared to be a dead baby goat near a doe having another baby. We went to pick it up to get rid of it when we barely heard it make a noise. It was almost gone, but we warmed it up with vigerous rubbing in our heated room, and soaked it in a bucket of very warm water for almost an hour.