Symposium

Today is the Ohio Grain Farmer's Symposium at the Roberts Center in Wilmington. I hadn't planned on going but several farmers and two companies have asked me if I am going so I guess I better go see them.

Ohio Grain Organizations have 30 company booth set ups so there should be a chance to go over some of the farmer programs for 2012. That fits right in with the project I am doing.

I saw some happy farmers yesterday who had finished harvesting. Many men don't sleep well until that last bushel is in, others take it in stride. This harvest is one for the record books, I wish I had pictures but never took time to do it.

It's good for them too with another windy front delivering another unwanted one inch of rain. I wouldn't be surprised if some of this crop isn't harvested but I don't think it will be that much. Just one field is a lot to one farmer.

I am back after a busy day at the Grain Farmer Symposium. The first speaker was Joe Schultz and I thought boy he looks familiar. He was one of those Ohio FFA Presidents I liked and wondered where he would end up.

He ended up at the top! He is Chief Economist for the Senate Agriculture Committee and said more about Farm Bill negotiations in ten minutes than I have gleaned in ten months. More on that tomorrow.

I met a farmer at breakfast I had visited for IRM at a farm auction one day and we had a good chat about resistant weeds on his farm and in our area. Then I had a chance to talk to Jeff Wuebker, Joe Steiner, David Roehm and Brian Bush. They are all prominent farmers who have served on boards and organizations in various capacities. It was neat how they all fought resistant weeds on their farms and how they viewed the coming problems. We talked about everything under the sun.

At lunch I ran into more professionals representing farming to law to merchandising. My only complaint was we needed more farmer participation and perhaps more topics but the people who were there knew enough other people to make networking effective. It was a good day.

One friend I met today I had college classes with. I asked how he was doing being newly retired and he said I am having trouble switching from the 100 MPH you and I used to work to 5 MPH in this so called retirement. I know exactly what he meant and told him how hard my first two years out of the classroom were and maybe some tips to avoid depression and stay happy.

That's why we bought this place and increased our farming operation. Maybe I will be planning my next crop at the end just like dad did.

Ed