While others I know are vacationing in Cabo, Padre or back East, Ronny and I spent a “vacation” last week helping my family in Colorado artificially inseminating (AI) our cowherd. It was great to spend some time at home and with my parents – even if it was pretty hard work! I think this is […]
family farming
Cows, combines and columbines…each part of agriculture
Growing up, my siblings and I all had a role on our ranch and had an interest in agriculture. Our first real view of it was helping raise bottle calves, fixing fence with dad (the real use for a golf bag!), checking on water tanks and moving cows. Then it moved on with 4-H, and then […]
Sustainable Nutrition | Cattlemen to Cattlemen
My family’s ranch in Eastern Colorado was featured on the NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen show on RFD-TV last night. My dad has been working with a beef cattle nutritionist from Purina Mills, who has developed a product for sustainable cattle nutrition that can be customized to meet the cattle’s needs. Our family has practiced intensive, […]
Signs of spring
There is a sign of spring out there! We were in Manhattan, KS this weekend and I got to see more green than there is in Nebraska. These two pictures were taken about two months apart in approximately the same area. Here are more “green” photos of the Pope family farm! […]
Ag women scrutinized by jealous environmentalist
Women in agriculture have gotten a beating in the media this week, all because they are tying them to what they dub “Big Ag“. The media authors – ironically women themselves – must just be jealous of the opportunities that farm women are getting to talk to urban women about the food they raise, their families, […]
One hungry planet
I found this video from the Brownfield News blog who viewed this video at the recent Agricultural Solutions Media Summit. The blogger said, “A key topic there was addressing consumer and growers’ views of farmland stewardship and how chemical companies can assist in closing the perception gap.” This is one of the best fact-filled videos […]
For farmers/ranchers, everyday is Earth Day
I’m posting early about Earth Day as I’ll be teaching little kiddos about corn, livestock and agriculture on Earth Day, April 22! Earth Day began 40 years ago and we’ve seen a tremendous shift in the preservation of our natural resources here in the U.S. However, little acknowledgement has been given to the most prolific […]
Michael Pollan to air on Oprah tomorrow…
Michael Pollan is planning to be on Oprah tomorrow. Reading through the comments already written on Oprah’s web site, there are way too many uninformed here that give comments on what they think is “healthy” and what they learned from Michael Pollan. Please take a moment and make a comment, even if it’s just a […]
The Truth about Modern Pork Production
This video, called, “The Truth about Pork Production” is the best video I’ve seen that accurately, simply and plainly explains how modern pork producers raise their pigs. The family farmer in this video, Chris Chinn, takes the viewer inside her family hog barns and explains what gestation crates are and why they are important, the […]
Animal welfare happens… even in the cold
I was home in Colorado this past week when the blizzard hit. Blizzards in Colorado aren’t uncommon; usually they contain very little snow, but a bitter, cold, gusty wind. This one, however, it was lots of snow, and that bitter wind. When most of us want to stay curled up inside by the fire, or […]
