Me and Hank Snow Are Tight...

If you're not aware - Hank Snow sings that song "I've Been Everywhere". It is one of my favorites.. But I truly live that lifestyle. We travel a lot during the summer - locally for all the county fairs and festivals- but things really kick up this time of year and run through March/April of the following year. I'm currently sitting in my hotel room in Jacksonville, IL (hello)- not the most exotic of places - but definitely something to talk about.

Today we had the opportunity to hear about Liberty Link with Ignite from not only the folks at Bayer that work with the product but from other companies that are using the technologies. It is always interesting to hear from the growers as well as the companies that are going to be using and selling these products.

Tomorrow is slated to be a day full of educational things. We're starting our day at the plot in Athens and wrapping up at the Research Station in White Heath. This has been such an interesting and trying year for producers - I'm anxious to see what is in store tomorrow. That means you'll have to check back for more information.

After tomorrow we head to Decatur for Farm Progress City. I am really excited for Farm Progress Show this year... I think there are going to be some great things going on in Decatur and I urge you to make the trip down there! If you are - we'll be at the NuTech booth on Tuesday, Illinois Corn Growers on Wednesday and Illinois Soybean Association on Thursday. Make sure to look us up!

Until tomorrow night...

From a different hotel room..

In a different city...

Bayer, Day 2.

I'm sure you're thinking you're pretty blessed this morning... Two blogs from me in two days.. Yeah - you got that right. Today is Day to of the Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum. Yesterday was a great day - we heard from Murray Wise (as we discussed yesterday), Aaron Hager and then a great Grower Panel which consisted of growers from all over - Kansas, Illinois, North Dakota, Iowa and Oklahoma. One thing that was consistent - no matter where growers are from... their concerns run solid throughout the nation.



That was the business at hand yesterday. Then there was the fun.... and OMG was it ever fun. Last year was awesome and I wasn't sure if they could top it.. This year was amazing. Great food, Great fellowship and an opportunity to socialize in a non professional setting. Now - I'm sure you're wondering how exactly that benefits those of us in the professional setting.. But I value it just as much as being able to attend these types of functions on the professional side. It allows all of us to be able to let our hair down.. To relax and get to know the people we work side by side with every day. People know I love my job - but I love learning and these are great ways to do that, too.



So let's talk about the Phil Vassar concert last night. It was amazing... Not over exaggerating either. He was a phenomenal piano player, amazing entertainer and he was down to earth, too. He sat on the edge of the stage, talked to all of us and I got to snuggle him during our time backstage. The picture below is of the three farm broadcasters lucky enough to end up backstage at the Phil Vassar concert....



I have to personally thank the folks at Rhea + Kaiser as well as Bayer for a phenomenal night. It hands down topped many of the events I've been too in recent years. Great speaker line-up, great entertainment and Day two has been just as interesting.


Our morning started off with Phil Needham - from Needham Ag Technologies, LLC. We saw photos of wheat fields that averaged yields of 200+bu/ acre. No.. SERIOUSLY. Pretty cool, eh? Needham highlighted the importance of Global Crop Management. Following Needham's session we broke out in the cereals and corn/soybean sessions. Dr. Bryan Young of Southern Illinois University talked about weed control and weed management (remember me telling you how much I've started to really enjoy learning about weeds and agronomy? oh yeah - I've become a dork.. I admit it). I love the fact that we're learning about the emerging technologies.. New Soybean traits, things that area already in the pipeline. We even got an insight of something really new.


Up next is Don Young of Ducks Unlimited... We're going to talk sustainability... We're trying to get him on the show today at Noon... So you'll have to tune in... It is definitely a project that we'll have to see if it's all it's "quacked" up to be. Sorry for the silly joke - but I couldn't help myself!




That's all for now...

After today - Commodities Classic starts in full gear and we'll let you know what exactly is going on in Grapevine, TX.