Rural Lifestyle on Highway 6

Spring Garlicpalooza - Cleverley Farms

What can be more tempting than spending a day with friends celebrating the wonderful gift of...garlic?  My friend Larry Cleverley (left singing Cash) of Mingo, Iowa is an organic grower of all things yummy and this Sunday (May 26th) he rolls out  Garlicpalooza an annual event that pays homage to the "great bulb of goodness".

"It started out small with a couple of friends enjoying spring," says Cleverley.  "Then more folks wanted to come so we added things like blue grass music, beer, hay-rides and it's gotten to be a pretty big deal."

Here's some info from the Facebook Event Page:

Our annual farm party. Pot luck, live music, beer from Raccoon River Brewing Co., hayrides, farm & timber walks, general fun & frivolity. Children welcome. Pets are not. See where your food is grown.

Mingo is about 32 minutes northeast of Des Moines and/or 40 minutes from Ames.  The fun starts at 2PM on Sunday afternoon and the weather looks great.

If you're in Central Iowa hope to see you in Mingo...we'll share some garlic...and maybe get a chance to hear Larry sing some Johnny Cash?

If you want to comment here, feel free or let's get together on Twitter @RuralLifeRadio - Thanks for coming by! - Michael

Images from Practical Farmers of Iowa 2013 Conference "Soil to Soul"

The annual conference of Practical Farmers of Iowa was held this past weekend in Ames, Iowa.  Here are several images from the "Soil to Soul" event:

Dr. Andrew Hoiberg and Pete Kaputska from Calcium Products, Inc. talking about OMRI listed SuperCal 98G (lime) and SuperCal SO4 (gypsum) and the benefits of using pelletized products.

During a panel discussion regarding restaurant use of locally grown food and marketing with George Formaro of Gateway Market and Centro, Larry Cleverly of Cleverley Farms and writer/food consultant Jim Duncan or @Foodude on Twitter.

Some of the 450+ attendees during the PFI event in Ames.

Popcorn during the break...yum!

First time attendees/vendors Jessica and Charles from Terra Biotics talking with our friend Sean Skeehan from Blue Gate Farm.

Finally, we had this question for PFI staff member Luke Gran about where Practical Farmers of Iowa saw themselves in relationship to traditional to organic farmers:

 

If you want to connect with us we can do that on our Twitter Stream @RuralLifeRadio. Thanks for coming by!

Farm Crawl 2012

Coming up tomorrow morning (Sunday 7 October) just Southeast of Des Moines is Farm Crawl 2012. We've had the pleasure of going each year and wander through the (this year) eight family owned farms.  Visitors from the country and city get to visit with producer show are dedicated to sustainable agriculture as well as buy some...good food.

Here's a quick video we did of Farm Crawl from a two years ago...gives you an idea:

 

Farm Crawl 2012 is a great family adventure and the weather looks to be FANTASTIC. Turn your Sunday Drive into an adventure and visit Rural Iowa.  You'll have a great time.

AgIowa the 140 Character Conference

Coming up this Friday afternoon on the Iowa State campus it's AgIowa a 140 Character Conference highlighting the use of Twitter for agriculture.  

Why should you care?

Just like in any business growers and agri-business counts on information to drive business decisions and create sales.  Imagine being able to find new markets, share facts about the Farm Bill and meet other connected growers from around the world in real time.  That is the power of Twitter and the reasoning you'll receive during AgIowa - 140 Character Conference that kicks off at 2PM Friday the 17th of August.

Seventeen connected growers, agri-business professionals, marketers and communicators will share, in ten-minute segments, ways in which agriculture can grow their voice by using Twitter.  

Over the past several years hundreds of 140 Character Conferences have played out around the world from fashion to education to business.  This time the focus is agriculture. So, no matter if you are organic, traditional, raise horses, cattle,, sheep or speciality crops we hope to see you this Friday afternoon in the Scheman Building at ISU for a fun and informative conversation.  If you are already "connected" to Twitter help us spread the word with #140ConfAgIowa as the hashtag.  Oh, the cost?  Less than two bushels of corn! Here is where you register!   See you...Friday!

Farming & Farm Service - Wisconsin

Our company does quite a bit of work in rural areas of the country.  Last week we were in Brownsville, WI on a film shoot.  Here are a couple of quick videos with some new friends, Teri Jacobson, Steve Guell, and Jim Kelroy.

Steve has a small dairy and beef herd.  It was a very windy and warm Tuesday afternoon when we made our stop with Jim Kelroy from Jacobson Farm Service.

  

Thanks Steve and take a break.   ;-)

Later in the day we spoke with Teri Jacobson about what it's like being a female in the male dominated business of farm supply stores.  She said:

 

Teri...you ROCK!  Thanks for the insight and for the great stories.  All the very best!

If you want to connect you can leave a comment here or join us on Twitter @RuralLifeRadio.  Thanks for coming by.

Of Food & Film

Two interesting stories to share with you.  In the first I had a meeting with the chairperson of the Iowa House Agricultural Committee, Annette Sweeney, who I took to task last year over the "Farm FIlming Bill" she authored.  In short it would have made it a felony to get a job at an Iowa Farm and then take secret video of the operation including animal agriculture.  Here is that post.  And, here is the post from  the Insight on Business News Hour.  (Sorry about the tin foil hat....)

My argument, which caused some in the ag community to doubt my judgement, was it was a bad bill that would give folks, who already have an agenda, to point to Iowa Agriculture and say, "See!  We told you they were doing horrible things and now they have put in place a law to cover up their crimes."  (I'm telling you...that would be the rally call.)  My proposal was to change the bill and make it a crime only IF the person filming what he/she considered to be abuse failed to, in a reasonable amount of time, turn the footage or photo over to law enforcement so they could follow up on the complaint.  After all, IF the point of the complaint is the protection and welfare of critters and humans shouldn't it run through the correct channels?

That's exactly what this bill now does.  Congratulations to Representative Sweeney for making those subtle changes.  Next?  (And, it was great catching up with you!)

Sustainable Local/Regional Farm Programs

I like this.  The Environmental Working Group for Agriculture recently posted this piece regarding the 2012 Farm Bill and, what they say, is a way to support small family farming operations that produce local/regional food.  It's worth a read and, judging from the overwhelming support "Buy Fresh/Buy Local" has had on consumers seems like a sound idea.  Your thoughts?

Thanks for coming by!  On Twitter it's @RuralLifeRadio or you can comment here. - Michael Libbie 

Tis The Season - Christmas Eve 2010

For weeks folks have been making lists, checking them twice...or in my case many more times.  "Hmmm...does she REALLY want that?"  It's a great time of the year and nothing beats the look and the feel of a Rural Christmas...

We got snow overnight here in Central Iowa.  Not a bunch...but enough to hide some of the brown spots that were poking through.  Remember last year?   What a difference.  Last year it started snowing on October 13th and it just stayed around.   FOREVER...

What's in the news?   Here is a sobering thought:  Over the past 40 years we've lost 800,000 farmers/ranchers.  Well, not "lost" exactly...but they're not farming or ranching any longer.  It's a story that points to the problems we'll face in coming years when it comes to agriculture and...policy.   Here is the full story from our friends at Southwest Farm Press. 

In a related story...more and more urban folks are turning to local food production.  Back when 40% of Americans lived on the farm not many people had to think or worry about where there food was coming from.  That's all changed today as more and more city folks are seeking food that comes from local farms.  It's a huge boost for those acreage and small farmers who see the value in sustainable production.  And...the trend is growing.  Here is the full story from our friends at Amber Waves. 

Good news for agricultural equipment manufacturers.  Last week the Association of Equipment Manufacturers released their annual business outlook and projected a 3.7% increase in business for 2011.  That's on top of 2.4% growth this year.  Here's the story from the folks at Industry Week.

Time's up...  Got lists to look at.  And it's Christmas Eve when our thoughts turn to family and friends, logs on the fire and the merriest of seasons.  Stay safe out there and from all of us down Highway 6...Merry Christmas.

 

 

Common Soil Issues & Farming

Those of you who follow the organic and traditional world of farming  might know about the uses of gypsum and lime, two important soil amendments for increasing yields.  For those of you who want to know more about sulfur and how it works, what you can do about compaction issues and pH here is a quick video from the recent Farm Progress Show this past summer:

 

To learn more head over to the Calcium Products site:  www.CalciumProducts.com and thanks for coming by.

Edamame - The Iowa State Fair

This week, at the Iowa State Fair, I visited with a person from the Iowa Soybean Association.  You see, for years, we've been buying Edamame, for our parrot.  She loves them.  Then one day we put some in a salad and found out why Kizzy treats it like "Birdy-Crack".  It is great.

However, every package of frozen Edamame I buy has stamped on it, "Product of China".

What the heck?

We're Iowa.  We grow the best soybeans in the world.  Heck, the soil here is so fertile that you can pound a stick in the dirt and it'll grow.   So...why not grow Edamame in Iowa?

We can...but we have nowhere to process it.  My new friend from the Iowa Soybean Association tells me that a recent harvest of just one acre of Edamame yielded $43,000 worth of product.   That is why Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey and his people are working on finding a way to help Iowa Farmers produce and then process the product.

Let's hope they get this done...Kizzy would like it...too.

It's Iowa, It's Rural...It's Highway 6 - Thanks for coming by!

 

Farm Equipment Suppliers Network

Hi, my name is Michael Libbie from Des Moines, Iowa. You know me from Highway 6 - Your Road to the Country the radio show about the rural lifestyle and Insight on Business our show about advertising, marketing and consumer trends.   I am also the immediate past Chairman of the Supplier Section Board of Governors for the Farm Equipment ManufacturersAssociation based out of St. Louis and headed, this year, by president John McKoy of Orthman Manufacturing, Lexington, NE. 

For years our advertising agency has used social media as one of the marketing tools we prescribe for our clients.  Those who have used social media, along with traditional media to stay in the game, have seen remarkable increases in business and in the ability to listen and interact with consumers.   So, during our recent meeting in Kansas City I shared with the Board of Governors that we would begin a social media plan to engage individuals who sell products and services to the hundreds of short-line farm equipment manufacturing companies that dot the globe.  And...because social media is catching on with the rural economy...it makes sense.

Our mission is simple.  We're here to promote the Farm Equipment Manufacturing Association and to encourage individuals who supply goods and services to their membership to become active in our group. 

Relationships...are everything.

And, so we're off.  In the coming days you'll learn more about us, why we exist and how we interact.  Thanks for coming by...let's visit when you get time.  You can follow us on Twitter @FESN_Group. 

Thanks for coming by,

Michael Libbie - Acreage Owner and Advertising Guy...