Stomach Pain

If you have never suffered through severe stomach pain very long, I probably can't communicate what I am talking about very well.  I hope you haven't because it is not fun to go through at all.  Maybe cancer victims are the only people who can really appreciate this, I don't know.

I got through another night but not without moderate to severe stomach pain.  This has kicked up in the past two weeks or so and I really need to find some relief.  An hour after eating causes pain through digestion and I can't find a happy medium to it yet.  It looks like we are headed in the right direction though so I just have to give it time to work.

I am feeling better today though, just trying to balance the new medicine regime with some still missing is like starting over again.  I think what they have planned though will answer a lot of pain questions I had and get me back to more of a normal.  The cancer is changing daily with the radiation so the medicine program must change with it also.

We have had a good day with three grand children and their parents.  I guess it's really four grand children with one "baby on board."    Mom has not had a good day though so that takes away some of the joy.  I am glad my brother and sister are available to help her though because LuAnn and I are barely able to take care of me with all of these changes.  Linda called and gave me an update on her way home this evening.  She sure needs our prayers.

Richard was able to start my day off right from church this morning so that helped get things rolling.  The air is still pretty cold though and it never got as warm as they predicted it would.  The sun never got out much to warm it up like they predicted at the various weather stations.

We did enjoy watching the much abashed Big Ten get two teams in the final four so that helped, too!  Tom Izzo struck again and his team really came up to show off their training this year.  I don't think Gonzaga has enough guns against the Blue Devils as I thought they would.

April is almost here and the weather finally feels like it.  It has been a very hard 3 months for LuAnn and I.  I hate to see her spend so much time away from her job as she is very good at it.  She has done so much for others through her work.  She has given so much to me as my wife and care giver I can't ever repay her but that's OK.  That's just the way it is.

I hope you had a good weekend.  It's that time of the year you know you are going to have to get the mower out soon.  You don't want to start because after you do, you won't stop until October.  I haven't figured out how we are going to keep this big yard mowed and manicured yet all summer but we will figure out a way.  I think a lot of my good will gestures to help will be called in to get us through.

Right now it is just to get better one day at a time.

Ed Winkle

Another 10 Days in the Hospital

I sure was ready to come home today.  That was half as long as the first stay in December.  We got a lot of things addressed and we think the radiation may be working already.

It is a proton device and only takes 10 minutes but I have difficulty holding still that long but I think I can do it.  It is not as envasive as other forms of radiation but five times stronger than most forms.  It is aimed at cancer cells only.

Unlike other types of radiation therapy that use x-rays to destroy cancer cells, proton therapy uses a beam of special particles called protons. Doctors can better aim proton beams onto a tumor, so there is less damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. This allows doctors to use a higher dose of radiation with proton therapy than they can use with x-rays.
Proton therapy is used to treat cancers that have not spread. Because it causes less damage to healthy tissue, proton therapy is often used for cancers that are very close to critical parts of the body.
Doctors may use proton therapy to treat the following types of cancer:

• Brain (acoustic neuroma, childhood brain tumors)
• Eye (ocular melanoma, retinoblastoma)
• Head and neck
• Lung
• Spine (chordoma, chondrosarcoma)
• Prostate
• Lymph system cancer

I go back every day next week and the following Monday and then I have equal to 60 treatments completed.  I have hopes this is going to give me more quality time at home and make it easier on me and my caregivers, mainly LuAnn.

I met some more mighty fine people serving those of us in need.  They really know what they are doing at this this hospital so I think I am getting the best care I can get in the region.

They have changed my medicine for regularity but the pains are much more severe.  I was beginning to wonder if I could even come home today at 10 AM this morning but here I am.  LuAnn is cooking up some dinner though I am back to tiny bites of specific foods to keep my regularity.

Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers, they were surely needed and much appreciated.  My troubles seem small compared to mom's right now.  She was doing so well and now she has had the rug pulled out from under her, too.

The blue sky is a welcome sight but it's supposed to get down to 19 degrees F again tonight.  It was cold today but forecast near 55 tomorrow which would be great.

I hope I can get some sleep tonight and can post this in the morning.

Ed

Mom Fell

Today my brother and his wife visited with the news we have kind of expected the past many years, mom fell.  It's the words no one wants to hear about their elderly parents and the TV ads prey on our emotions about these events.

Our mother has fought for her independence all her life.  For anyone wanting an example of what a person can do if they want it badly enough,it  is our mother.

Mom was raised in Vanceburg, Kentucky and ended up in Higginsport, Ohio when dad met her during WWII.  She worked at the shoe factory and dad farmed in Sardinia.  They were married in 1949 and I was born just before 1950.

Grandpa moved to the farm she owns in 1918 and dad officially took over when he and mom where married.  Mom always planned to own that farm and saw her dream come true in 1990, the same year dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The farm might not meet the rules for Ohio's 100 year ownership but I figure that in 2018 it deserves that recognition.  It really doesn't matter now, all we care for is that mom is comfortable and does not suffer.

I wish they had brought her to the hospital I am in but they stopped a few miles short.  I just hope she gets good care wherever she is.  Our family sure didn't need this right now but no family ever does.

If you could muster up a prayer for Lorena Winkle,  I sure would appreciate it and know she would too.

Ed

Hospital

LuAnn here.....We are still in the hospital.  We are anxious to get a few health issues taken care of and get home to Sable.

This cancer challenge has really made us reach deeper into our faith beliefs and rely on the power of God to reveal his plan for us.  We find ourselves living our vows to love "for better or worse" in a most poignant way.

Through it all we try to maintain a sense of humor and keep everything in perspective.  Despite a pretty miserable situation, we realize that we have so many blessings.

Our children and grandchildren are a wonderful reminder of our blessings.  Last night Shannon brought granddaughter Brynn to visit briefly.  She took Ed for a walk around the unit, holding his hand and encouraging him every step.  It melted the hearts of everyone who saw them.

Thank you for the prayers and good thoughts.  We feel them.  LuAnn

Ileus

The last x-ray showed the ileus is slowly going away.  They are very mysterious the way they come and slowly leave gut.

I've had a lot of pain this round.  A week quickly evaporated in this stay at the hospital.  This is eating up my life's time and quite troublesome and pain full but it's all I have right now.   We need to improve my plan.  We do keep refining it.

I am sorry I missed some days but this one caught me off guard a week ago.

I think I will go check around and see what I've missed and add to this later.

Thank you dear friends,

Ed

Humic Acid

Humic substances, such as those listed in the above title, play a vital role in soil fertility and
plant nutrition. Plants grown on soils which contain adequate humin, humic adds (HAs), and
fulvic adds (FAs) are less subject to stress, are healthier, produce higher yields; and the
nutritional quality of harvested foods and feeds are superior. The value of humic substances in
soil fertility and plant nutrition relates to the many functions these complex organic compounds
perform as a part of the life cycle on earth. The life death cycle involves a recycling of the
carbon containing structural components of plants and animals through the soil and air and
back into the living plant.

Man became distracted from the importance of organic compound cycling when it was
discovered that soluble acidic based N P K "fertilizers" could stimulate plant growth. Large
industrial concerns took advantage of the N P K discovery to market industrially processed
"fertilizers" from mineral deposit. Continued use of these acidic fertilizers in the absence of
adequate humic substances (in the soil) has caused many serious sociological and ecological
problems. Man needs to reconsider his approach to fertilization techniques by giving higher
priority to soil humus.

The urgency to emphasize the importance of humic substances and their value as fertilizer
ingredients has never been more important than it is today. All those concerned about the
ability of soils to support plant growth need to assist in educating the public. Humic substances
are recognized by most soil scientists and agronomists as the most important component of a
healthy fertile soil. To illustrate how humic substances function, the following summary, based
on published scientific data, has been prepared as a guide for an educational program. In
addition, by understanding how these carbon containing substances function, professionals will
have a solid foundation on which to design environmentally acceptable sustainable agriculture
programs.

My friend Leon Bird wants me to apply his humic acid product on my crops this year.  I am not sure I can get this done but I would like to.

There are so many products available farmers are wary of them and mnay consider them uneeded or even "snake oil."  You know how I hate the term "snake oil" because all of those products probably have a place, they are not understood and often misplaced.  Just like the second paragraph where it says "man became distracted" and forgot about basic biology for then cheaper NPK fertilizers.

About all of the contest winners use humic acid as well as a lot of other "snake oils" but they understand enough to tweek their yields.  I heard an interview with the corn champ in Georgia and was impressed with his take on all of these things.  It made sense.

The economics of 2015 has farmers turn back to the basics.  What are your basics?  Removal rates of NPK fertilizer?  Are you still going to try some other things that interest you or has worked for you in the past?

Ed Winkle

Nutrient Loss By Erosion

The loss of organic matter and its nutrient value by erosion has significant effect on both the long-term sustainability of the soil nutrient pool and soil productivity. Nutrient availability in the soil to plants is inherently linked to the soil organic matter pool that is replenished through plant-animal-soil-atmosphere interactions, creating different pools of organic matter.

These different carbon pools play a significant role in providing nutrients to plants through the decomposition process by the soil microbial community over time (Fig. 1). Thus, loss in soil productivity cannot be decoupled from the loss of organic matter. The removal of soil organic matter through erosion and its associated economic cost far exceeds the estimated cost of the primary nutrient components of the soil: nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.

Soil organic matter lost to soil erosion contains not only these three primary nutrients, but also other macro and micro nutrients that need to be factored into the calculation of determining the cost of organic matter loss as a nutrient source. Therefore, any attempt to determine the value of nutrient loss, has to take into consideration the long-term impact on soil productivity.

1. Let’s assume there are two soils types with organic matter contents of 3% and 5%.
2. Let’s also assume the organic matter nutrient value is $0.10/lb (based on the nutrient value of a manure source, which can be higher depending on the hauling distance, application cost, etc.). We chose manure as a reference rather than commercial fertilizer, because liquid or dry manure contains the primary nutrients and other macro as well as micro nutrients. In addition, manure possesses properties that enhance the building of soil quality and improves soil organic matter.
3. To calculate the cost of nutrient loss by soil erosion based on the above assumptions, the following example is provided:
1. One ton of soil=2,000 lb of soil minerals and organic matter.
2. Amount of organic matter per/one ton or 2000 lb of soil:
   for 3% O.M.= 0.03 x 2000 = 60 lb of organic matter
   for 5% O.M.= 0.05 x 2000=100 lb of organic matter
3. The value for 3% OM =60lb x $0.10 = $6 per ton of soil loss for 5% OM=100lb x $0.10 =$10 per ton of soil loss
4. If the soil loss is 5 tons/acre, then the total nutrient loss per acre for each of the two soil types:
   for 3% and 5% organic matter content, respectively, will be equivalent to $30 and $50 per acre ($6 x5 tons/acre or $10 x 5 tons/acre).

These calculations are an estimate of the nutrient loss, which highlight the economic loss in the short as well as in the long-term of soil productivity. However, the economic value of nutrient loss from soil erosion needs to be coupled with the loss of soil productivity at least in the near term, but it can be permanent from long-term perspectives. The reason for loss of soil productivity stems from the changes and degradation that occur in the physical, biological and chemical properties of the soil, which affect long-term productivity, and impact crop production regardless of how much chemical fertilizer is applied. Also, the loss of organic matter will lead to an increase in input cost of nutrients applied as chemical fertilizer to mitigate or manage the loss of soil productivity.

The economic value of nutrients lost due to soil erosion is only a small indicator of the problem with far reaching effects on soil productivity. Thus, there is continued need and an on-going effort for comprehensive soil conservation measures to improve and sustain soil health and productivity. In addition to the immediate cost of fertility loss from soil erosion, the long-term cost to society in terms water quality and other environmental risks can be significant.

These figures are conservative.  Long term damage and rebuilding time is not considered.  It took thousands of years to build what we can destroy in one year.  Even one ton loss in no-till is significant to me.

Let's do a better job of keeping soil where it belongs.

Ed

Tips For Young Farmer Success

A decade ago, Joel Salatin had already earned a reputation as a controversial farmer, author and speaker, advocating for turning pastures into “salad bars” for livestock and avoiding chemicals and growth-enhancing hormones to produce good food. Still farming in Swoope, Va., on land his father purchased in 1961, Salatin and his family have come a long way in the past 10 years.

Back then, he farmed 500 owned and leased acres. Salatin was proud of making the equivalent of about $40 per hour. Today, he manages a 2,000-acre organic farm that grosses $2 million a year. It supports 20 full-time salaries and offers a paying internship program for young, would-be producers.

Years ago, when Salatin and his wife, Theresa, started out, they were convinced of certain failure. “We really thought we wouldn’t be able to make it,” the former newspaper journalist says.

But in 1982, the couple leaped into full-time farming with enough money squirreled away to live on for a year. Living in Salatin’s parents’ attic, driving a $50 car and growing as much of their own food as they could, the young Salatins subsisted on $300 per month. #1. TURN OFF NETFLIX(forget TV) His advice to beginning farmers isn’t surprising, given those experiences. Tipping his wide-brimmed hat farther down over his brow and looking at me closely through horn-rimmed glasses, he advises: “Get a nest egg. Don’t jump foolishly. Turn off Netflix. Don’t go out to dinner, and sell your second car. Establish self-reliance first,” he adds.

The Salatins began their farm with 10 beef cattle, which they direct-marketed to friends and neighbors. They sold six the first year as freezer beef in quarters, halves and wholes. They grossed $20,000. The next year, they added chickens to the operation and came up with the idea of building portable chicken shelters they could move from field to field.

Again, they marketed to neighbors and local establishments and restaurants. “If you grow chicken for Tyson, you need a $400,000 chicken house,” Salatin says. “We had 280 chickens and a $100 portable shelter.” Even though Salatin's Polyface Farms earns the majority of its income from beef and pork today, chicken remains its signature piece. Sit down at a farm-to-table restaurant in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley or even Washington, D.C., and you’ll find references to organic chicken from Polyface. (The name Polyface has interesting roots. The Salatins call their operation “the farm of many faces” because of all the products they produce — thus, Polyface Farms.)

I never followed Joel but he made agricultural news as he started his ideas and they were reported to work.  I am guessing that was in the 90's.  Then I started watching Farm Kings a couple of years ago and enjoyed the one King son Daniel try an internship at Joel's farm and it became as educational as it was entertaining.

There are lots of tips for success for young farmers but you have to make or receive an opportunity somewhere and grow it.  A few people have that old entrepreneurial knack in America but most people don't.

I thought this was a good story worth sharing with my readers, especially you young, budding farmers.  I keep trying to clue you in what I learned, what I did wrong and how to do better than I did, at least quicker!  My email is always open and I enjoy helping you.

Ed Winkle

National Agriculture Week In Martinsville

The week of spring each year marks National Agriculture Week.  I love these promotions so much I have written about them.  The 18th is not only my mother's birthday, it is National Agriculture Day.  Each year agricultural groups put on all kinds of activities and all kinds of effort to support our most important industry, agriculture.

I never knew much about this celebration until I became an agricultural educator and our FFA Chapter participated in these activities.  Over 30 years, we put on all kinds of activities and promotions for students, parents, schools, boards, any good audience we good educate!

It's easy to take agriculture for granted.  It is so successfully quiet we only hear about the bad news, whether it's manure in the creek or a tragic grain bin accident.  The media is so far removed from farming, they don't even know which questions to ask.  The public media doesn't pick up on ag media as much as it could.

Yesterday I signed up for the 2015 Farm Bill..  For me it was a "piece of cake" because I've had all this time to work on it.  I signed up everything in ARC County because it calculated as well with my known risks as well as any other choice.

I had to smile when she showed me the numbers, my yields were all nearly double what they were when we moved here.  Bases don't change much but mine are strong in corn and wheat thanks to our crop rotation.  I told Brenda gee, I didn't do too bad and she just smiled.  I was in and out of there in 10 minutes and most of that was document copy time.

Now the public media would focus on how much money our government spends or "wastes" on agriculture programs.  Ag media would take you through the computations and the myriad of outcomes you could get one one farm like ours.  The public doesn't learn a thing about Agriculture Week, let alone the new Farm Bill.  It's all Greek to them and your neighbors know how well you are doing by just observing.

It's been a quiet week here for National Agriculture Week.  I am enjoying it except for the pains and weakness I can see are going to recover slowly.  I still have enough nerve pain that chemo week scares me.  I do like the 12 hour pain tabs over the 4 hour doses because 4 hours just goes so fast.  It seems to release in waves though, I will have no pain and then do something more strenuous and it's like I don't have pain medicine at all.

St. Patrick's Day was very sad as we lost a 67 year old family member.  That was shocking and hit very hard.  Some of our grand children lost a grandpa when the worry has been about me the last 3 months.  That wiped out any joy our family could have today on National Agriculture Day.

I do wish my mother happy birthday as she as fought and clawed for 88 years.  She still cares for animals and livestock at her age, now that is an agriculture story right there.  That is something to shout about and her next great grand children are almost here.

I wish you all a good day and a good week.  The sunshine this week has made it one to remember.

Ed Winkle

Food Waste

The impact of food waste is not just financial. Environmentally, food waste leads to wasteful use of chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides; more fuel used for transportation; and more rotting food, creating more methane – one of the most harmful greenhouse gases that contributes to climate change. Methane is 23 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas. The vast amount of food going to landfills makes a significant contribution to global warming. 

• Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted.
• Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes).
• The amount of food lost or wasted every year is equivalent to more than half of the world's annual cereals crop (2.3 billion tonnes in 2009/2010).
• Food loss and waste also amount to a major squandering of resources, including water, land, energy, labour and capital and needlessly produce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change.
• In developing countries food waste and losses occur mainly at early stages of the food value chain and can be traced back to financial, managerial and technical constraints in harvesting techniques as well as storage –and cooling facilities. Thus, a strengthening of the supply chain through the support farmers and investments in infrastructure, transportation, as well as in an expansion of the food –and packaging industry could help to reduce the amount of food loss and waste. 
• In medium- and high-income countries food is wasted and lost mainly at later stages in the supply chain. Differing from the situation in developing countries, the behavior of consumers plays a huge part in industrialized countries. Moreover, the study identified a lacking coordination between actors in the supply chain as a contributing factor. Farmer-buyer agreements can be helpful to increase the level of coordination. Additionally, raising awareness among industries, retailers and consumers as well as finding beneficial use for save food that is presently thrown away are useful measures to decrease the amount of losses and waste. 
• In the United States 30% of all food, worth US$48.3 billion (€32.5 billion), is thrown away each year. It is estimated that about half of the water used to produce this food also goes to waste, since agriculture is the largest human use of water. (Jones, 2004 cited in Lundqvist et al., 2008)
• United Kingdom households waste an estimated 6.7 million tonnes of food every year, around one third of the 21.7 million tonnes purchased. This means that approximately 32% of all food purchased per year is not eaten. Most of this (5.9 million tonnes or 88%) is currently collected by local authorities. Most of the food waste (4.1 million tonnes or 61%) is avoidable and could have been eaten had it been better managed (WRAP, 2008; Knight and Davis, 2007).
• In the USA, organic waste is the second highest component of landfills, which are the largest source of methane emissions.

We are reading in our daily spiritual readings about the poor and how starved they really are.  With all our efforts, we continue to fail to feed the people.  I know, we do a lot of good things but many of the world's starving people are not close enough to the food source to get it to them.

Having poor and starving in your own backyard, that's another thing.  Yes we have it.  The charities we support work hard at identifying these people and serving their needs.  The local Catholic food pantry feeds 300-400 families a week here in rural Ohio.

I pray we continue to narrow the gap because the amount of this food waste reported by FAO is troubling to say the least.  Don't waste the green on St.Patrick's Day or any day!

Ed Winkle

Health Update

I wanted to update my readers since so many of you have asked me how I am doing.  Friday was a big day, getting my first CT scan in three months since I was diagnosed.

I drank half the prep solution two hours before the appointed time and the other half on the way to the lab.  The scan was very quick.  One nurse prepped me and as soon as I laid down on the scanner, the nurse radiologist in charge injected the contrast.  I had to hold my arms behind my head which was painful and tiring on worn out shoulders but it didn't last long.

I told LuAnn we ought to see who was in at the oncologist's office so we could ask our questions about the scan and the chemo scheduled for next week.  We asked for Jill the nurse but Dr. Andolina took time to see us.

He said let's take next week off and decide our plan during that week.  That was music to my ears but I didn't want to get behind in my treatments, either.  He said one week was no problem and I needed the rest and he needed the time to decide how we go forward.

Dr. Andolina told us to text him before he left the office to remind him and he would give us an update.  LuAnn texted him around 4 pm and he called before he left the office.  The news is the small cell cancer is much smaller and nearly under control.  He was pleased how the liver and lympth nodes looked  The only problem was there was no change in my prostate gland which was not larger or smaller and I've had BPH for years.  He said that could be the typical prostate cancer and does not respond to the chemo but does respond to hormone injections.

I said that is what my dad had and he took the injections for 10 years at Christ Hospital.  I see a biopsy in my future and I wouldn't be surprised if it is this week.

We feel pretty positive about all of this if I can keep my strength up and keep improving.  Getting enough exercise is a problem now since I am so weak.  The balance between exercise, proper diet and rest is important now and I need to get better at managing it.

That's where I am at today in our battle against cancer.  I do thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and all the consideration and concern you have shown us both.

It's a hard fight but right now I feel like I can do it.  God help me when I can't.

Ed Winkle

What would you give?

A friend in Missouri invited me to watch these short video's over Lent.  I have been watching them everyday and some have been very insightful.  Today's video sums it all up.  What would you give?  What would it take for you to give it?

As a parent, there is perhaps nothing more difficult than watching your kids suffer. God the Father gave his only son, knowing full well the ending Jesus would face. His love is amazing. He loves so unselfishly.

How do you receive this love? It remains an abstract idea or just a nice concept until we encounter this love. He gives it each and every day for us.

Here’s a great thought for your prayer today: “It is always the time of hope, confidence and love. Everything passes; love remains. We will not be disappointed.”- Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini

Kathleen McCarthy talks today about why God would give his only son and challenges you to consider what you are willing to give of yourself to share the gospel.

I have nothing to lose now.  I have nothing to lose but my soul and that is of utmost importance to me.  It's a very personal choice but I've not seen anything that would keep me from believing or spreading this message.

God loves me. It seems like the simplest of messages, in fact it's the basic gospel message. Why is it so hard to believe sometimes? The reality is that we are sinners. The reality is we mess up. Sometimes it seems like darkness surrounds us.

The greater reality is God loves us perfectly for who we are. He loves us no less when we sin. He loves us no more when we do great things. The reality of God's amazing love for us in highlighted is this Sunday's Gospel: 

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

When we know the reality and depth of God's love for us, this changes everything. It changes the way we encounter God, the way we live our lives, and the way we are not afraid to share the good news of the gospel. When someone is falling in love you can see it. My prayer is that you will continue to fall in love with Him and that this love will be visible to the people you encounter.

Ed Winkle

Plant Cells Have Steel Like Fibers

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A study by Purdue University plant scientists and University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineers advances our understanding of how plants control their shape and development at the cellular level.

Their findings could help researchers engineer better cotton fibers, improve plant defense against insects, alter plant architecture and toughen root response to drought.

"This collaboration enabled us to learn more about what really controls plant cell shape in one year than we had in the previous 10," said Daniel Szymanski, Purdue professor of botany and plant pathology and leader of the research team. "The degree to which our discoveries linked interacting systems and provided clear explanations for cell shape control was great. The opportunities to apply this knowledge are limitless."

The team used a combination of experimental data from live plant cells and computational modeling to gain new insights into how plant cytoskeletons - intricate networks of protein fibers and tubes within cells - cooperate to produce complex cell shapes.

Unlike mammalian cells, plant cells are rigid, constrained by a thick wall of fibers that have the tensile strength of steel. Plant cells can also come in complicated shapes, such as the pointed, three-branched Arabidopsis trichomes that served as cell models in Szymanski's study.

This is very appropriate to this blog because of the of the soil and plant nutrition we have talked about.  Many farmers use lime and gypsum knowing that calcium is key to strong cell walls.  Without strong cell walls, we can't build the factory required to grow high yielding, nutritious and profitable crops.

I can see the difference in a crop that is Sufficient in the nutrients tested on the tissue test because it will be greener, stronger and healthier looking than test results from crops that are lacking in essential nutrients.  My calcium results has always been one of my stronger points because I learned this early on.  Balancing calcium with the other 16 essential plant nutrients is key.

My soil was high in magnesium so I often saw Magnesium content high in relationship to calcium when I started a new field or farm.  Lime and gypsum helps me quickly reverse that problem to the point I need to watch magnesium nutrition on my soils now.

As calcium increases throughout my soil profile and below it, I know I have more atmospheric air and more aerobic beneficial organisms that build healthy cells for a better factory.  This year there is no extra money available for excess nutrients or soil building of fertility because of low crop prices, at least for me.

Is your plant factories operating at near capacity?  Are your soils healthy enough to make that happen?

Ed Winkle

Corn Price?

I haven't found my local buyer above $3.75 per bushel or the river above $4 this winter.  This newsletter made me think:

• Looking at the December 2015 corn contract there’s really no clear direction in the market. We continue to be in a sideways trading pattern but still in the downside trend. However there is almost a Golden Cross forming (very bullish). We will continue to keep watch, but there will need to be big spark in order to get this market started. (Please see 2015 December Daily Corn Futures chart provided by www.qtplus.com below chart below or in the Daily Video or Power Point Presentation)

Source: www.qtplus.com

A friend came up with these questions:

1  Corn planting acres this year?

2  Late planting?

3  Russian wheat drought?

4 Dollar value abroad?

5 Oil might drop until the fourth quarter 40 to 80 per barrel?  Will oil fracking stop due to low price?

6  California without water for crops? Will we in Midwest start growing more truck crops?

7  Corn alcohol and the percentage into gasoline. with senators wanting to stop it!

8  Isis  and what the USA created for the world to deal with?

9 I noticed the jet stream all winter with movement from south to east of the smokey mountains, Will it change this summer or will we be dry?

What do you think?  Lots of variables out there, aren't there?  Some of these are just talking points but some have more impact on price.

Ed

Our Changing Labor Force

(CNSNews.com) - A record 56,023,000 women, age 16 years and over, were not in the labor force in February.(How many of them are caring for the rest of us?)

Not only was that a record high, but it's also the first time the number has exceeded 56 million, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

To be counted as ‘not in the labor force,’ according to the BLS, one must not have a job or have looked for one in the past four weeks. In January 2015, there were 55,756,000 women not in the labor force, which means that 267,000 women dropped out of the labor force since then.

The labor force participation rate, which is the percentage of those who are participating in the labor force by either having a job or looking for one in the past four weeks, declined in February.

According to the BLS, 56.7 percent of women were participating in the labor force in February, a drop from 56.8 percent in January. In the last year, since February 2014, the labor force participation rate for women has fluctuated within a range of 56.6 percent to 57.2 percent, and February’s percentage of 56.7 falls on the low end of that scale.

The BLS labor force numbers begin with the nation’s civilian noninstitutional population, which consists of all people 16 years or older who were not in the military or an institution. For women, that number was 129,252,000. Of those people, there were 73,230,000 women in the labor force, meaning they participated by either having a job or looking for one. This brings the participation rate to 56.7 percent.

Of those 73,230,000 women participating in the labor force, 69,291,000 had a job in February, and 3,939,000 did not - making them the nation’s unemployed.

The 3,939,000 job seekers were 5.4 percent of the 73,230,000 women actively participating in the labor force bringing the unemployment rate to 5.4 percent.

While the number of unemployed women decreased over the month from 4,076,000 in January to 3,939,000 in February, the number of employed women also decreased from 69,332,000 in January to 69,291,000 in February.

The unemployment rate for women decreased from 5.6 percent in January to 5.4 percent in February.
One reason for the decline in participation rate is the aging of the baby-boom generation, explains BLS.

“With the passage of every year after 2000, a segment of the baby-boomer population passes into the 55- years-and-older age group and thus moves from a group with a high participation rate in the labor force to an age category with a much lower participation rate, causing the overall participation rate to decrease,” states BLS.

“The baby boomers’ exit from the prime-aged workforce (with the highest participation rates) into the 55-years-and older age groups (with much lower participation rates) will ultimately lower the overall labor force participation rate, leading to a slowdown in the growth of the labor force,” states BLS.

Our nation is ever changing right before our eyes!  I was one of many eligible for Medicare in 2014 with millions coming!

Ed

School Bus Stuck In Our Drive

There is a Wilmington school bus stuck in our drive this morning.  We've had inches of the rain the past week and I bet he cut it too short and miss the gravel.  He did that in the snow but this morning it is so foggy it isn't safe to be out there in places.  Daylight Savings Time is working against us already.

The district used this barnyard for a cutoff turn around for years before we moved here.  They finally talked me into using it again a couple of years ago and its not working out well.  One driver did the same thing as today's driver did so long I asked the district to come fix it.  They put down two tiny loads of ugly brown gravel from Melvin and today I think the driver must have missed that patch too.  All of our gravel is gray to white from other quarries.  We spread four semi loads the first year we moved here just to catch up.

In the snow I watched him slowly go around the drive, cut too close to the barn and hit my roof drain tile again and left a big mess.  He got stuck that day too but worked himself out of it.  You know what kind of mess that left.  I guess that isn't working this morning.  That's too bad because the big transit bus is hanging out on Martinsville Road far enough traffic can barely pass.  It's a dangerous situation but it's so foggy everyone is creeping down the road anyhow.

He hasn't knocked on the door and Sable hasn't barked so I guess he is OK with his cellphone and FM two way radio talking to his supervisor.  My tractor would pull him right out but I am in no condition to go do that anyway.  He is waiting for the tow truck or whoever is going to pull him out of our drive.

I think I am going to have to back out of our agreement because this isn't working out for either of us.  Whether I've been saving them 5 minutes or 5 miles, this is not worth the hassle.  Farmers or their wives used to drive the local school buses to pick up a little cash but mainly to get their health care benefits.  Farming is so specialized now there aren't that many farmers or wives left driving.  Their time is too valuable.

On paper, the big city transit buses haul more kids per mile but in reality the old conventional school buses are easy to access and repair.  The transit buses are a bear to work on because the engine and transmission is under the bus.  These are so long, they can't make as short a turn as you would think because the dual wheels are way behind the front wheels.

Oh well, I tried to be nice but it didn't work out.

I hope he gets out safely and on his way but some children are late for school this morning.

Ed Winkle

We Have To Be Told How To Farm

Bt corn-on-corn is not good resistance management Jacob Bunge reported in today’s Wall Street Journal that, “U.S. regulators for the first time are proposing limits on the planting of some genetically engineered corn to combat a voracious pest that has evolved to resist the bug-killing crops, a potential blow to makers of biotech seeds. “The measures proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency represent a bold step to thwart the corn rootworm, a bug that ranks among the most expensive crop threats to U.S. corn farmers.

“The plan is aimed at widely grown corn varieties sold by Monsanto Co. , the first to sell rootworm-resistant corn, and rival seed makers including DuPont Co. and Dow Chemical Co. Such corn seeds have been genetically modified to secrete proteins that are toxic to destructive insects, but safe for human consumption, helping to reduce farmers’ reliance on synthetic pesticides.”

Mr. Bunge pointed out that, “The EPA’s proposal would require seed companies to limit some Midwestern farmers’ practice of sowing fields with corn year after year in areas harboring resistant rootworms, whose cream-colored larvae gnaw on corn roots and stunt plants’ growth. The EPA is concerned that if the resistance continues, it will lead farmers to use more synthetic chemicals to thwart the bug, creating environmental risks.

“Representatives of the biotech-seed industry have criticized some parts of the proposal, which was released in January and is subject to a public-comment period until March 16, after which the EPA will finalize any new requirements. “The agency is taking a tougher stance because the industry’s efforts haven’t done enough to stem the spread of pesticide-resistant rootworms in the Midwest, officials said.” The Journal article added that, “Among its proposed changes, the EPA would require makers of rootworm-resistant corn to curb some repeated corn planting in areas badly afflicted by the pest.

Portions of Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and some surrounding states–what EPA officials called the rootworm ‘red zone’–the agency is pushing for about 35% of corn fields to be planted with another crop, such as soybeans, after two consecutive years of planting of rootworm-resistant biotech corn. Other high-risk fields should be planted with newer corn that can produce multiple types of bug-killing proteins, according to the EPA proposal.”

We have to keep being told how to farm?  Do we have enough scientific training to properly use technology without building resistance to that technology?

Resistance has been a problem for farmers since the first pesticide.  Soil erosion has been a problem since the plow.

Can't we figure out how to use these tools without laws on how to use them?  I guess we can't.

Ed Winkle

Back To Old Fashioned Weed Control

1. Scout fields before and soon after herbicide applications – Correctly identify weeds and use whatever means are necessary to kill weeds that escape or germinate after chemical application.
2. Diversify crop sequences – Crops with different lifecycles, such as winter annuals, perennial crops and summer annual crops, offer different planting and harvest times, more herbicide options and decreased risk of herbicide-resistant weeds.
3. Consider weed biology and ecology – Consider tillage, crop sequence, soil fertility, planting date, crop competition, weed-seed longevity and herbicide response as you build your weed-management plan.
4. Use effective pre-emergence herbicides – Apply effective pre-emergence herbicides at full rates and include multiple modes of action. Pre herbicides reduce weed emergence and allow flexibility in timing of post herbicide applications.
5. Use effective post-emergence herbicides – Apply herbicides that include multiple modes of action in tank-mixes or in sequential applications.
6. Use full herbicide rates – Full rates kill weeds and dead plants cannot produce resistant progeny. Reducedrates allow plants with low-level resistance to survive and produce offspring with higher levels of resistance.
7. Spray weeds when they’re small – Small weeds, those less than 3 inches tall, are generally more susceptible to herbicides than large weeds.
8. Practice zero tolerance – Scout fields after row closure and kill uncontrolled weeds, including by pulling them manually, if necessary. Seed from escaped weeds will contribute to the weed seedbank.
9. Control weeds in field perimeters and non-crop areas – Weeds surviving a partial herbicide dose on field borders can be a repository for the introduction of resistant weeds into a field. Control weeds in all areas of the field where crops are not growing, including field edges, fence lines and waterways.
10. Rotate herbicides with different modes of action – Diverse crop rotations can introduce herbicides with different modes of action to delay herbicide resistance.
11. Use good sanitation – Clean tillage and harvest equipment to ensure weed seed will not be transported between fields.
12. Evaluate – Review your weed-management results at the end of each season and revise to improve weed control next year.

These practices that can help, but fighting herbicide resistance starts with farmers knowing what they are up against.

“If you don’t know the enemy, how can you prepare to fight them,” asks Van Larson, a crop consultant based in Rochester, Minnesota.

Weed species respond differently to herbicides and tillage practices, so scouting and understanding which weeds are present sets the stage for farmers to develop a plan for eradicating the problem.

Weed control by season, that's the only way I can control these resistant weeds I have today.

I missed the fall season and it looks like winter too, so it's all put on spring this year.  I hope we have enough time left to get decent weed control this year.

I hate weeds!

Ed Winkle

RFS

"Since its passage in 2005, the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has sparked innovation and investment in communities—and particularly rural economies—across the United States. Beyond spurring growth in the traditional ethanol industry, the RFS has also accelerated and encouraged the development of the next generation of clean, renewable fuel. In addition, the RFS reduces our dependence on foreign oil, makes our air cleaner and safer to breathe, and breaks Big Oil’s monopoly in the marketplace, allowing Americans to choose a less expensive and cleaner fuel alternative.

This year, the Obama Administration will issue its final rule for the 2014 Renewable Volume Obligations (RVOs) for the RFS – the minimum volume of renewable fuel, including ethanol, required to be blended with transportation fuel. Efforts to repeal or “reform” the RFS will only cost consumers at the pump, harm America’s economy, and threaten our energy and national security. Oil companies have rigged the system to block competition from homegrown renewable fuels, and we’re stuck relying on unstable foreign oil markets.

Ethanol production helps us to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Homegrown ethanol displaces over 1 million gallons of petroleum per day. Throughout history, we’ve witnessed the extreme volatility of oil prices, with unrest in places like Iraq and Ukraine prompting prices to skyrocket at the gas pump here at home. The RFS is our nation’s most successful energy policy in the past 40 years, the only policy to ever have loosened Big Oil’s stranglehold on the transportation fuels marketplace and the only policy that will help us kick our dangerous addiction to foreign oil. 

Furthermore, using more American-grown renewable fuels means more jobs for American families. The ethanol industry supports nearly 400,000 American jobs annually that can’t be outsourced and each year it generates over $44 billion of economic output.

Gas stations across America are offering ethanol blended gasoline that is less expensive than regular gas – E15 saves consumers between 5 and 15 cents per gallon. Ethanol increases the available fuel supply, driving down the demand for oil and reducing the price of gasoline for all drivers regardless of whether they choose a higher blend fuel like E15. In addition, ethanol is a higher-octane fuel that improves engine performance and is actually better for engines than traditional fuel.

Big Oil lobbyists and smear campaigns have tried to blame the ethanol industry for high food prices, but those claims are not at all supported by the facts. A 2013 World Bank study showed that crude oil prices are responsible for more than 50 percent of the increase in global food prices since 2004. Ethanol is produced from field corn, only a small quantity of which is used for human consumption, and advanced technologies are allowing it to be produced from agricultural waste.

According to the World Bank, the number one cause of food inflation is rising crude oil prices, because it raises the cost of producing, processing, storing and transporting the world’s food.
The fictional “blend wall” narrative created by the oil industry is designed to stifle competition and deny Americans higher blends of renewable fuels. In truth, oil companies have slowed the adoption of higher blends by discouraging and intimidating station owners from upgrading their infrastructure, fear mongering around the safety of E15, and filing lawsuits, all to protect their market share and profits.

Over the past decade, the RFS has helped us cut our dependence on foreign oil nearly in half— from 60 percent to 33 percent. It has allowed the United States to lead the world in biofuel innovation, driving the research and development of next-generation biofuels that will further break our dangerous oil addiction.  With the RFS opening up the fuel market to new fuel sources, the renewable fuels industry has been able to deliver economic, national security and environmental benefits. We need the Renewable Fuel Standard to break the monopolistic stranglehold of Big Oil and give American consumers the choices they deserve."
Buis is CEO of Growth Energy.

 I am a strong supporter of ethanol and RFS but I know many farmers and probably some of you are not.  It's been one of the best things I've seen happen since the economic crash of 2008.  I hope you can support this industry with me.

Ed Winkle

Almost Time For Green

Wow, it's the warmest outside this morning I remember in a long long time.  I am really looking forward to sitting in the sun this weak and maybe getting out and about some.  If a person ever had a reason for cabin fever, we sure have the last two months but I haven't even heard the term come up.

Thank you Lord for getting me through another night and another day.  Thank you for my family and friends who encourage me and help me.  Thank you for the good in the world, I have come to appreciate it more and more and I thought I had a good handle on that.  I get an encouraging phone call or email at just the right time.  The Internet has been my life blood the past two months and helped me stay positive.  I can choose to use it for good and there is a lot of good people here.

LuAnn got to go to Mass at Wilmington and Father Mike sent home his blessings.  I am glad I am good enough she can get out a little bit, she has been a real trooper through all of this.  She has a very busy week so I need to occupy myself and support her when she gets home.  I hope I won't be too needy or a strain on anyone this week.

You wouldn't believe how much you miss something like church until you don't feel well enough to go.  I miss the chiropractor too, that was a weekly ritual that helped keep me out of pain.  I think we are close to getting back to some kind of normal but I don't want to get my hopes up too much.  I hope my CT scan shows good progress this week and my oncologist is so optimistic he can get me through the next hurdles.

It would be great if we could get the corn bin cleaned out and a load of soybean seed cleaned.  My helpers are keeping this little farm going.  One of them is caretaker of his mother now so his time to help me is limited.  We pray for him and his mother June today.

Becky has worked on my blog book big this week so I will have my writings in print to pass down.  That became more important to me in December when I got the diagnosis.  I don't know how she is doing it with four little ones to care for and all that her family is going through.  Liam had both grandpa's in the same hospital Friday and he said that was funny it happened that way.  I told him God works in mysterious ways.  He prays for us so I know our prayers are being heard.  I pray for all the good people praying for us right now.

Keith says spring has sprung in Iowa so maybe I will see the tulips pop up out of the ground soon.  I have less pain this morning so maybe things are turning around.  It will soon be the first day of spring and National Ag Day and Week, no matter what the clock says.  Man has played with the clock again last night so the golf associations got their wish.  I wish we would just settle on one time and leave the clock alone.

I wish you all a good Sunday and hope the weather is good your way, too.  I hope we all have a good week and not stranded for 16 to 24 hours like some were in the airports and Interstates this week.

Life is good if I can focus on that.  Our little green day dinner tradition isn't far away and we get to meet baby Winkle and baby Block next month.

Ed Winkle

Thank You Prayer Warriors

The stent procedure for my right kidney failed Wednesday so we got to do it all over again with a different method today.  I woke up at 3:15 AM and we were on the road to the hospital at 4:30 AM.  Poor old Sable had to stay outside in the cold all day and it was zero when we left.

We got to the hospital right after 5 AM because there was NO traffic on the roads.  Quickest trip we've ever made to Bethesda North on Montgomery Road.  Than we sat in our prep room for a full hour when we asked the nurse what was going on.  They went through their procedures and got the IV started and got me on the gurney.

The Preventive Radiology team had me in position for the procedure when the alarm came, NO GO because my blood platelets were too low.  I was near 40 and they like over 50 and 75 is even much better.  They couldn't take me back to the room I came out of so they kept me in the operating wing.  They piled so many warmed blankets on me my body temperature went to 98.6 degrees for the first time in months.  I slept for 2 hours.

The team had nothing to do while the radiologist saw patients in the wound clinic until noon.  They talked to me and heard my story for over an hour.  I overheard them talking they were impressed that LuAnn was reading scripture to me.  They started my platelet transfusion just before the procedure.  Dr. Hankin showed up and they put me on my distended stomach again and away we went.  I started to wake up just before they were done and wow, more anesthesia, please!  I got through it though and felt immediate relief because they drained a big bag of urine out of that kidney.

Between that, the platelets and the IV, I don't even feel like I have cancer right now.  I feel so good I am afraid it will go away.  I have to really watch for infection now because I am on day 12 nadir and don't have the blood power to fight it off, though the platelets and the backup gone ought to really help.

It was the craziest day I ever heard of in a hospital.  I can highly recommend Dr. Hankin's team to anyone needing Preventive Radiology procedures.  They were awesome.

I sincerely thank all my prayer warriors because I felt the prayers and saw God's Hand at work today.  Sable was sure thankful to see us home after being outside all day and now she has been fed and asleep on her rug.

I should be there late tonight.

Ed

Funniest Story At The Grain Elevator

Dan Loehr told this story in the cafe and a lot more good ones pursued.

This I overheard at a grain elevator 40 years ago and still makes me smile every time I think about it.

I walked into the scale house to pick up my scale ticket and listened to this exchange- both involved were quite red in the face:

Farmer:" are you accusing me of bottom loading my truck?"

Elevator manager: " I know you couldn't do that- you would have to go to your neighbor to get corn good enough to put on top"

Made me smile again!

Bet there are a lot of good stories out there?

When I was younger and just getting started, I was chatting with the next door neighbor in the scale house.  Our corn was making about 180.  This neighbor's was making "230," like it always does.  I know that's how he is, and it doesn't bother me, so I was going along with him, like saying "man, that's great!  What hybrid was it?"  On my next load one of the ladies in the scale house stopped me and told me that there's no way his corn was making that much, they had all his scale tickets and knew how many acres his farm was.  She didn't want me to feel bad that my corn wasn't as good as his, because it wasn't.  I had a pretty good laugh about that.

Years ago I was sitting in the elevator office waiting to pick up a check. An old guy was sitting there waiting his turn while a farmer was back talking to the manager blowing about his yields. Finally the old man got up, stuck his head in the manager's office and said "wish my half made that much". Turns out the old man was the guy's landlord. Next year there was a new tenant on the farm.

A truck driver took a load of beans to a corn plant. He sat in line in the fall of the year and pulled around, the guy from the probe stand came out. He told the driver that they reject for 2 beans in the sample so he didn't need to probe him to reject him. Then he had to wait to get out and go to the bean plant and do it all over again. The driver told people over the CB what he had done. He never lived that down.

Hauled two wagon loads of beans to the elevator 30 yrs ago, got on the scale and weighed, got out of the tractor and went inside and told Dan I had two loads of beans . He then asked me where the second wagon was, I thought he was joking till I looked out the window and saw I was dragging half of the tongue, apparently the spring broke on the extension pin. We got in his truck and retraced my route and found the wagon upright in the ditch on the opposite side of the road. This happened at night, needless to say I said a few thank you prayers before I went to bed that night.

Those are pretty good, aren't they?  Do you have a good farm or elevator story?

Ed

Lost The War On Cancer

The frightening truth is that the medical establishment has lost the War on Cancer.
Based on the American Cancer Society's 1999 statistics:

• 1 in 2 American men will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
• 1 in 3 American women will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.

In the 1930's the ratio was 3 out of one hundred developed cancer.

Real Cause of Cancer

Cancer has only one prime cause. It is the replacement of normal oxygen respiration of the body's cells by an anaerobic [i.e., oxygen-deficient] cell respiration. -Dr. Otto Warburg-1931 & 1944 Nobel Prize-Winner
An effective approach to treating cancer MUST include:

• Detoxification (heavy metals, chemicals, etc.)
• Boosting the Immune System (anti-oxidants)
• Regeneration of damaged tissues (organic nutrients)
• Destruction of cancer without destroying the body
• Psychological Healing

An integrated comprehensive approach is the patient's best insurance policy for beating cancer.  In my condition it seems like cancer comes up every five minutes, whether it's TV, Internet or just two people talking.  My whole life has become centered around this dreadful disease because I have it.  I have been active on NAT and anything I can find just to keep my mind off it but in truth it's always on my mind.

I have a terminal illness.  My wife had to tell that to someone yesterday and it cut like a knife.  I guess I have been avoiding it and sheltering myself from it but its the truth.  I am in the fight of my life and any little thing could send me in the wrong direction.  It's hard to recognize what that might be.

I just woke up in a sweat but my pain medicine had run out and my catheter bag was full.  I woke my poor wife up to empty the bag and took another pain pill.  I have lived on pain medicine for three months now.  I feel better now typing to you.  It's time for me to get up anyhow and I got another good night's sleep.

My urologist tried to put a stent in my kidney yesterday but could not do it the easy way.  I have to go through another surgery tomorrow that is more complicated.

I could use your prayers today to get me through tomorrow without infection.  This will help me heal more and get more of my body functions back.

I hope I win this war on cancer for at least a few years but I really don't know.  All I know is I am doing everything I can to win.  Disease wise, the prognosis is not good.

Ed Winkle

"Net Neutrality"

One of my posting friends asked this very good question in the Cafe on NAT:

"I haven't paid much attention to the NN arguments that have been going on, but I see the FFC has ruled on it today.

Could somebody give me the CliffsNotes version.

Good for us ? Bad for us?"

"Federal Government is going to treat the internet like a utility.

Do you remember when there was only one phone company.

Well that is what we are getting.

User will now have to get FCC permission do provide new products and get any charges approved by the FCC.

I am sure that in no time the internet will be a shell of its former self. Have you ever seen anything that the federal government has improved?

They are claiming the plan is to keep the net free and neutral when it is in fact a power grab by the Obama gang.

"If the government were to take control of the desert there would be a shortage of sand within tow years."
paraphrased quote from Milton Friedman"

"A few years back some companies played with speeds of sites. Quickly they realized the gov would begin to regulate them so they knocked it off and still since have been good out of that fear. A YouTube video scared people and drove to the fcc takeover, it was largely unneeded as abuses were checked. Europe has had it for years. If we follow what happened there the speed of Internet will eventually go down for all as the incentive to create higher speeds is lost through government intervention. Yes some of the other posters predictions can come in time but for now you will see little change."

I thought this was a pretty good synopsis of the situation.  I guess it's all about one's opinion how much the government can or should regulate business.

No doubt, the Internet is big business today and I think we knew it was coming.

It's always a surprise when it happens, though.

Ed

Who Has The Shipping Edge, South America or the United States?

I have been wondering who has the advantage shipping grain, principally soybeans to China- South America or the United States?  Even with our port problems now and a very high valued dollar, we have had amazing exports in recent months and years.  I think transportation costs enter in the equation.

I always enjoy Michael Cordonnier's reports of crop production in South America.  He does as good a job as anyone telling us in America what is going on in South America.  We all know that infrastructure is lacking in South America but that is slowly changing.

This year they planted later than normal so their crop is coming to market slower, too.  That has helped us keep US exports up to some extent.  Today is a good example as soybeans closed to a price high enough that it has farmers making moves on new and old soybeans.

CGB-Cincinnati - Beans
Delivery Pd	Option		Futures	Basis		Cash Price
LH FEB 2015	SH5		$10.16	$0.30		$10.46
MAR 2015	SH5		$10.16	$0.24		$10.40
APR 2015	SK5		$10.18¾	$0.15		$10.33¾
MAY 2015	SK5		$10.18¾	$0.15		$10.33¾
JUN 2015	SN5		$10.23	$0.10		$10.33
JUL 2015	SN5		$10.23	$0.10		$10.33
O/N 2015	SX5		$9.92¾	($0.21)		$9.71¾
DEC 2015	SF6		$9.97½	($0.06)		$9.91½
JAN 2016	SF6		$9.97½	($0.06)		$9.91½

One thing that caught my eye in these reports is that the US can ship beans from New Orleans for $30 per ton but South American farmers can spend $70 a metric tonne just GETTING their beans to their port.  That reaffirmed what I have been thinking.

Still, too many beans are too many beans and the world has a big crop this year.  That makes for lower prices and how many US farmers can grow soybeans for $9.91 this year and stay in business?

Those kinds of calculations takes some of the fun out of farming but it is a business.  If you enjoy your job they say you never have to work a day in your life.  I have met a lot of farmers who are not enjoying their job as much as they did two years ago.

Ed Winkle

Soil, The Root of Mankind

In celebration of the International Year of Soil 2015 (IYS), the Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is coordinating a series of activities throughout to educate the public about the importance of soil. March’s theme is “Soils Support Agriculture.”
Here are a few facts about soils and agriculture:

1. Soils support agriculture by serving as the foundation of where we grow our food.
2. Virtually everything in our diets either directly or indirectly came from the soil.
3. The nutritious calcium found in broccoli is not only good for humans, but it was necessary for the broccoli plant to grow, too. Plants use calcium to help with cell division, and for getting other nutrients from the soil.
4. Some plants, like alfalfa, not only grow in the soil, but add nutrients back to the soil.

As part of their celebration of IYS, SSSA is developing a series of twelve 2-minute educational videos. March’s Soils Support Agriculture video can be viewed at www.soils.org/iys/monthly-videos. The American Society of Agronomy co-sponsored the video. Educational materials can be viewed at www.soils.org/iys by clicking on the March tab.

Follow SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSSA.soils, Twitter at SSSA_Soils. SSSA also has a blog, Soils Matter, at http://soilsmatter.wordpress.com/. Additional soils information is on www.soils.org/discover-soils, for teachers at www.soils4teachers.org, and for students through 12^th grade, www.soils4kids.org.

The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) is a progressive international scientific society that fosters the transfer of knowledge and practices to sustain global soils. Based in Madison, WI, and founded in 1936, SSSA is the professional home for 6,000+ members and 1,000+ certified professionals dedicated to advancing the field of soil science. The Society provides information about soils in relation to crop production, environmental quality, ecosystem sustainability, bioremediation, waste management, recycling, and wise land use.

Soil and its qualities or lack thereof have become a hot farmer topic in most crop producing areas.  No-till is still being adopted but no quicker than cover crops planted between row crops.

Nutrient density and seed quality has slowly come to the mainstream at the same time.  Some soils produce quality that is nearly double the quality of crops grown in soils that are not managed intensely.

Making it all pay and meeting market demand is the trick.  There is always a trick, isn't there?

Food for thought on another cold February day.  This winter weather are making many wonder what this year has in store for us.

Ed Winkle

The Power Of Blogging

I am trying to recover from this week's treatments so I let LuAnn talk me into accompanying her to CVS and Kroger.  I had a long walk through Kroger but I didn't think I was going to make it.  She is always right if I can do it, the walking helps my nerve pain.

We got our groceries put away and I was able to eat a tuna fish sandwich for lunch.  I was sipping on green tea with an oatmeal cookie when a van pulled into our drive.

Our new neighbor reads my blog and brought us flowers and dinner!  I was hoping I would get to meet her someday because the last time I heard from her, she said she would be moving to our area.  Her family bought one of our friend's house just past the covered bridge!

The neat thing is we share the same faith and go to the same churches.  We had to see each other before but didn't know what each other looked like!  Her timing was perfect because I really need prayer today and needed to talk to someone about our faith.  God brought both to me thanks to her.  Laying my life out there for everyone to read paid big dividends today.

LuAnn and I are humbled by the support we have from all over, next door to New Zealand and just about everywhere.  I pray for all the wonderful people praying for me and give thanks for all I've got.  Right now is really scary but we all have scary parts in our lives.  I've learned that people make the difference and God uses them to speak to me.  I like it when that happens because that reminds me we are all in this together.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law tested him by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments" (Mt 22:34-40).

Can we do this with all our heart, all our soul and all our mind?  We are fragile and broken and we fail but when we live these commandments, I do believe the angels rejoice.

I hope I can do this with everyone I meet.  Sometimes I don't but when it works out like it did today for us, we rejoice also!

Blessings to all my readers, especially our "new" neighbors.  You sure made two people happy today.

Ed Winkle