A time for everything — and crop talk
THE LAND, JULY 4, 2014
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P.O. Box 3169 418 South Second St. Mankato, MN 56002 (800) 657-4665 Vol. XXXVIII ❖ No. XIV 40 pages
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Opinion Farm and Food File Calendar Marketing Mielke Market Weekly The Bookworm Sez Table Talk Auctions/Classifieds Advertiser Listing Back Roads
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The genuine sincerity of rural folks is from heavy June rains. Outside markets never more evident than when attending are still nervous but could benefit from funerals. We’ve had three in our what appear to be easing world tensions. Olivia/Bird Island/Danube communities “Corn prices are weaker, as both old and the past couple of weeks. The first a gennew crop futures hone in on last week’s uine Bird Island-area farmer who prolows following disappointing bearish duced a great family and great corn crops, reversals yesterday. too; then a co-op fuel delivery friend who “Monday’s Crop Progress showed deteriointroduced me to the great fun of horse rating conditions across the northwest rodeos, a growing Minnesota entertainCorn Belt in Minnesota, Iowa and South ment; and the latest my neighboring LAND MINDS Dakota, mostly offset by gains in North farmer who valiantly did a 10-year battle By Dick Hagen Dakota and Indiana, chopping about 1 against a rare disease but accepted the bushel per acre off yield potential nationreality that though Earth had been good wide. Still, the average yield forecast by to him, Heaven was his next residence. our model was strong at 169 bpa, enough Yes, always some tears, lots of hugs, to produce a 14-billion-bushel-plus crop and heartfelt sorrow at our country goodbyes to even if some areas are lost completely.” loved ones. But also very evident is the overall I’m questioning that 169 bushel per acre projecwarmth and friendship, even joy and smiles, as we share our memories about the newly departed. Eccle- tion. I’m thinking crop hurt over much of our Upper siastes 3 — “A Time for Everything” — often sets the Midwest is a bit more than the trade is willing to admit. Granted, these 80 degrees Fahrenheit days stage for the farewell messages from the pulpit. At with bright sunshine accelerate growth immensely. these beautiful country funerals you so vividly are As always, the Weather Man has the last at bat and reminded that there is no greater treasure than a so far he’s been carrying a big bat. So we’ll revisit good friend. this topic later this season. For my neighbor Rabi Peterson, his bulletin ■ included the poignant verse “A Fallen Limb.” It fits so well for all my lost friends ... and yours, too. Rabi, Talking weather often leads to wind talk ... and I know, would enjoy sharing: possible hail storms, and gusts that can seriously A limb has fallen from the family tree. I keep hear- lean young corn plants, and of course wind energy. A surprise, at least to those of us living in Minnesota, ing a voice that says, “Grieve not for me.” Remember is the fact that Iowa now leads the nation in the perthe best times, the laughter, the song. The good life I centage of energy generated from wind. According to lived while I was strong. Continue my heritage, I’m counting on you. Keep smiling and surely the sun will the American Wind Energy Association, Iowa now shine through. My mind is at ease, my soul is at rest. generates about 27 percent of its energy from wind Remembering all, how I truly was blessed. Continue power, ahead of South Dakota at 26 percent. traditions, no matter how small. Go on with your life, Texas leads the nation in total wind power, curdon’t worry about fall. I miss you all dearly, so keep rently generating enough wind energy to power 3.3 up your chin. Until the day comes we’re together million homes; that figure for Iowa is 1.4 million again. — Author Unknown homes. Amidst those thousands of corn and soybean fields in Iowa there is now 5,117 megawatts of ■ installed wind energy capacity, with 1,056 At all three of these funerals, Minnesota weather megawatts under construction. All of that wind put on its finest despite the several days of intense energy generated in Iowa has generated lots of jobs, moisture. So “funeral talk” involved the crop outlook too — up to 7,000 direct and indirect based on 2012 as well. One can only speculate about the eventual data. Iowa wind companies include Siemens and TPI impact of what likely will be the wettest June in Composites, the maker of blades, and Trinity StrucMinnesota history. We’re hearing of corn and soytural Towers, the maker of towers. bean “good to excellent” ratings dropping 10 points in According to the Wind Energy Association, Iowa one week because of excessive moisture. Very likely landowners receive about $16 million annually in this latest “weather barometer” is causing more jitlease payments for wind generation. This outfit also ters in the commodity markets. said that American wind power topped 4 percent of In a June 24 report, Bryce Knorr of Farm Futures the U.S. power grid for the first time last year, and said, “Grain futures are lower across the board this has delivered 30 percent of all new generating capacmorning, with new selling emerging overnight after the latest crop ratings showed only minor losses See LAND MINDS, pg. 3
OPINION
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
5 — Tornado is no match for wood-andtin elevator built in 1954 8 — From the Fields: Crops are showing stress from all the rain
12 — Harlan Anderson: Prevent planting no deal for livestock farmers 13 — Tall tires are big business after relentless rains 40 — Back Roads: A pilgrimage to the place the music died