PART 1: "A Tale of Two Farms: Two Generations, Two Approaches"
Just north of Grand Island, Nebraska, in the sweeping cropland of the Platte River basin, lie two branches of what was once one family farm. It’s a familiar story: generations ago, two brothers decided to go their separate ways, and one farm became two.
60 Harvests – Changes I Have Seen
As I make my 78th trip around the sun, it feels right to pause and reflect on the tremendous changes Nebraska has seen during my lifetime. I’ve been fortunate to spend nearly all those years working in agriculture — first as a corn breeder for both my family’s small seed company and a major seed corn company, as a farmland owner, and as a Professor of Practice at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
The Value of Irrigation Water Meters
As the harvest season begins, producers reflect on their work and are working hard to produce a net profit. However, with increased fixed costs, the reduced margins make it imperative to evaluate inputs that drain resources without adding value. Irrigation water metering is one of the simplest, most costeffective tools that helps producers protect their investment, cut operating costs and safeguard both their livelihood and community health. Through my work at the Hastings Utilities, I have seen the value of water meters to manage resources and pump equipment.
For Whom the Soil Tolls: Lessons in Connection
When I was about ten years old, my father came home from helping a neighbor and looked noticeably unsettled. The neighbor had asked my dad—and several others—to help break a spirited young horse. The methods used were gruesome, built on force and dominance. In the end, the horse was broken in spirit.