Silent Saturday

 This old barn is located on IL Route 16 between Litchfield and Hillsboro.  It is a relic of the past. 

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Dr. Norman Bourlaug

It was announced today that a statue will be unveiled on March 25 in Washington DC in honor of Dr. Norman Bourlaug.  Dr. Bourlaug is know as the father of the "Green Revolution."  Forbes Magazine published this tribute to Dr. Bourlaug.  Dr. Bourlaug received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his scientific and humanitarian efforts.  A rather lengthy obituary appeared in the New York Times.

Dr. Bourlaug is not without his critics.  While he is credited with saving at least a billion lives, he is criticized for bringing modern farming methods to less developed countries.  If you consider that maybe a billion people would not have lived to adulthood in many parts of the world without the efforts of Dr. Bourlaug perhaps that is proof enough that his life's work was worthwhile.  Those of us involved in production agriculture need to to look to the great leaders of the past like Bourlaug, not to run down his work, but to see how we can continue the legacy and continue to feed a hungry world.  It will take many ideas and diverse techniques for us to be able to continue to say "Agronomy Feeds The World."  That idea was an inspiration to this agronomy student in the 70's and should be a goal we strive to still. 

Site Specific Management

This article from Corn Soybean Digest emphasizes nitrogen in the  headline, but reading it says that Environmental Response Units could be used for all kinds of site specific management.  I see nothing about methodology, so it is difficult to evaluate how the ERU's are defined.  Another concern is, the cost of soil testing as units get smaller.

Back to School

I accompanied Randy Darr to Western Illinois University where he was a guest lecturer for Dr. Joel Gruver's Nutrient Management Class.  Randy is an Alumus of WIU.

Randy Darr and Joel Gruver

Soil health testing

Researchers and conservationists have been searching for years, for a way to quantify the benefits of  conservation farming methods in an objective way.  Richard Haney of Agricultural Research Service developed a test to look at biological activity in soils by testing the respiration activities in the soil.  The complete test also looks at fertility and carbon to calculate a soil health index. You may have heard the test referred to as the Solvita Test.  

Soil-Right Consulting Services is associated with Brookside Laboratories in New Bremen, Ohio.  Brookside is one of three laboratories in the United States qualified to perform the test. I found this blog that provides a good summary of the test.  We are looking forward to helping our clients to use this new test to see in the long term, what improvements they are making to their soil by keeping high amounts of crop residue on the soil surface and keeping live roots in the soil with cover crops. 

Healthy Cookies?

I braved the winter storm yesterday to pick up something at the grocery store.  I happened to pass down the aisle with cookies.  The "Who Knew - Smart Cookies" caught my eye. They tout: no trans fats, no high fructose corn syrup, and a whopping 4 grams of whole grain.  I thought I would compare them to the "probably unhealthy" store brand.  Also on the shelf were Keebler Cookies.  I guess the "big" snow storm caused them to be out of Chips Ahoy.  The store brand was lower in calories at 140 and was lower in sugar and fat. It had 5 grams of fat.  The Smart Cookies had 150 calories per serving and 6 grams of fat.  The Keebler Cookies had 170 calories and 9 grams of fat.  None of them had any trans fat. 

So which one is really healthier?  When you read the labels they are all pretty similar.  I would buy my cookies based on taste or rice, not potential health benefits. Clickon the photos to look at the labels closer. 

Smart Cookies

Store Brand

Keebler

Guard Dog

Last week when I went to visit a customer I spotted the antique planter below.  When I turned around to take a picture, I notice that it was well guarded.