Learning the Farm Life

My kids love the farm.  No matter what time of year we go, there’s always something to learn and fun to enjoy. 

friends exploring a rice field in the middle of harvest

Room to Breathe

At the farm, they are free to experience something they don’t have much in the city:  wide open space.  Space to explore and discover without adults lurking about.  Space to look up and see birds in the distance and squat down to see tiny insects on top of the water at their feet.  Space to get lost in their thoughts and dreams.  Space to unearth the joys of learning about themselves and creation around them. 

lost in thought

Unintentional Learning

This freedom flows deep into their bones and gives them a taste of life outside their own everyday experiences in the city.  One of the best opportunities for learning is when you don’t realize you're in the middle of it. 

inspecting cotton that's ready to harvest

Climb In

Loading up in my brother’s truck is where it all usually begins.  The kids climb in the back while Phil and I hop in the front seats.  We drive around the farm roads looking and chatting until we hear the kids calling from the back for us to stop. 

checking out a flooded road

Plenty of Time

They have seen something worth checking out.  We have no schedule.  No place to be.  Just plenty of space to stop and smell and listen and examine.  

my kids and my parents

A Full Load

During one particular October visit, Phil mentioned that he had seen a few Bald Eagles flying around the farm recently.  My parents had joined us in the truck to see if we could spot one. 

discovering nature 

Catching a Glimpse

As we were driving around the farm letting the kids out to explore, we kept our eyes peeled for a sighting.  We had been out for a few hours and were giving up the search to head back to the farm house.  My mom looked over at some nearby trees and spotted the most beautifully poised Bald Eagle perched on a dead tree branch. 

majestic

 I snapped a shot just before he flew off in search of more food.  Isn't he breath-taking?

my daughter and me in a wheat field ready for harvest

Not Just for the Kids

Did I mention that my kids love the farm?  Well, the truth is... I do, too.  I love the wide open space and the room to breath.  I love the smells and the sights of the fields.  The life-giving air restores me and brings much-needed perspective.  Stepping away from schedules and devices and buildings and meetings gives my mind rest.  Everything is close in the city, and my thoughts don't have time to complete themselves.  My husband often hears me say "I need to breath" and he knows that means a trip to the farm is coming soon.  

Teamwork in Agriculture: Miles Farms

If you spend any time visiting with Matt Miles about farming, you quickly learn that he sees modern farming as a team effort.  

Layne, Sherrie and Matt Miles from Miles Farms

Matt's agronomist, crop consultant and office manager are just a few of the people he depends on to to make decisions about the safety and success of his yield.  In this short clip, you'll hear Matt explain how his team is developing a plan to draw out the nutrients in the soil for the enrichment of their crops.  

CCTF's Mission pursuit of Ethical Agriculture

This is the third and final post in a series developing our mission statement:  Promoting healthy food choices for all budgets by highlighting the nutritional value and sustainability of non-organic agriculture.  We pursue ethics in agriculture by making food available to everyone.

A Home for All

We know that with privilege comes responsibility.  It is an enormous privilege for us to enjoy this beautiful planet and all the living things that call it home.  Even with the confusion and controversy surrounding environmental issues, we know one thing for sure:  we have a responsibility to preserve the earth and it’s resources for the next generation. 

new growth

Preparing for the Future

Connecting City to Farm sees agriculture professionals proactively preparing to receive the 9.5 billion people who will live here by 2050, and we want to spread the word to others who can follow in their courageous footsteps.  We all have a contribution, however small it may be, to enrich the opportunities for future generations.  As Sam Whitaker says, "It's the right thing to do."

Who Can Meet the Challenge?

If Certified Organic farmers were called upon to provide food for the world’s entire population, we would loose a huge percentage of current forests, wetlands, prairies, and other natural wildlife habitats and suffer under astronomical food costs.  A significantly larger portion of land is required to grow and harvest Certified Organic crops because more of the yield is lost due to insect damage and low levels of nutrients in the soil from weed competition.  

flooding a rice field                                                                                                                                                                                  photo credit:  Morgan Baugh

More for Less

Non-organic crops are more sustainable for the environment than Certified Organic crops because it takes fewer natural resources like land and water to produce the same amount of yield.  Under strict regulations and accountability, non-organic farmers are allowed to use pesticides that protect their crops from weeds and insects.  

a carefully measured application being loaded into an ag plane

Follow the Prescription

“Are these pesticides safe?” you may ask.  Absolutely.  They are safe.  In the same way that patients follow the carefully researched, tested and specifically prescribed dosages on their medications, farmers follow FDA regulations regarding pesticide applications.  If they don’t, they will face serious legal consequences that jeopardize their businesses.

a bountiful rice harvest

Increased Yield

By responsibly applying herbicide, non-organic farmers can control the weeds that compete with their crops for valuable nutrients found in the soil.  Reasonable amounts of insecticides can be used, only when necessary, to decrease costly damage from insects allowing the majority of yield to be preserved for consumption.

family on the farm

Family Farms Take On the Challenge 

As the Agriculture Professionals from Whitaker Farms, Miles Farms and most other family farming operations will assure you, farmers are the ones who are most concerned about preserving and protecting our environment.  They are hopeful about strategically meeting the challenges ahead, and they are daily taking on the responsibility to leave the earth ready for the next generation to enjoy.  

The Next Generation of Farmers

my dad holding me on our farm

Over the last 30 years, the average age of farmers has steadily risen to 58 years old.  With most farmers entering the retirement stage, we are excited to introduce you to a new generation farmer.  

Layne and Matt Miles with a professor who taught them both

Layne Miles recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Plant and Soil Science and is already bringing his up-to-date understanding of fertilizers, water usage and soil development back to Miles Farms.  

Watch as Layne tells how he and his wife, Ryane, are implementing innovative ideas and practices that make the future of farming very bright for those of us who eat!  

The Nutritional Science behind CCTF Mission Statement

This is the second in a series of three posts developing our mission statement:  Promoting healthy food choices for all budgets by highlighting the nutritional value and sustainability of non-organic agriculture.  

As a planet, we are growing.  The world’s population is steadily rising and will reach 9.5 billion people by the year 2050.  Life is good, right?  And more life is better!  

Medical and Lifestyle Advancements

Today, we have a deeper understanding of personal health and how to teach others about healthy lifestyles.  As a result, we’ve seen a decrease in infant mortality and an increase in overall life expectancy.  Again, more life is better! 

my grandfather holding me

If agriculture remains the same, we will not be able to feed the world's ever growing population.  That's a problem.  Thankfully, innovative scientists are constantly looking for answers. 

happy Kenyans

A Solution

Guess what?  They have found a great one:  GMOs (genetically modified organisms).  However, the solution has many farmers wondering how much science is necessary to assure consumers of the safety of GMOs.  

a maturing field of genetically modified corn         photo credit:  Morgan Baugh                                                                                                                                                                                            

Knowledge is Power

The knowledge of how to isolate chromosomes and manage their placement has given us the ability to facilitate nature's process in a faster, more controlled and safer way than ever before.  Humans have been nature's stewards for thousands of years by using creative processes like grafting branches from one tree on to another and by cross pollinating plants.

Trying to Perfect the Science

In more recent years, before chromosomes were specifically identified, scientists blasted plants with radiation and chemicals to try to break down the chromosomes.  These mutations fall under the options that Certified Organic famers may choose.

my daughter in a field of genetically modified cotton

However, scientists have discovered a way to isolate individual chromosomes in DNA and remove them from one naturally occurring organism and insert them into the DNA of another naturally occurring organism.  It’s quite miraculous!

What is it?

So what is the science?  I watched a short clip by Piffle and discovered that the revolution of genetic modification is a much more specific and intentional process than any other form of plant husbandry ever used.

a common food label

Effective Marketing

Seeing non-GMO labels on so many products misleads consumers into believing that GMOs are somehow harmful, or should be avoided.  But what is the science behind GMOs?  A plethora of independent scientific studies have been published over the 20 years that genetically engineered crops have been grown and harvested in the US and not a single instance of harm has come to any human or animal.  These scientific studies have been rigorously scrutinized by peer reviews and affirmed in their findings.   

No Health Effects Shown

Critics would have us believe that GMOs have caused an increase in obesity, Type II diabetes, autism, and many food allergies.  However, a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine was recently conducted comparing the health of North Americans who consume many GMOs in their diet with Europeans who rarely consume GMOs.  The study concluded that there was no greater incidence of Type II diabetes or obesity.  Also, the incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Celiac Disease, which makes humans intolerant to gluten, increased in both populations equally.

A Converted Supporter

Mark Lynas was a strong Greenpeace activist supporting non-GMO agriculture until he began to take a serious look at the science behind GMOs instead of being led by his assumptions.  After significant research, he realized the safety, environmental sustainability and potential for global health solutions that genetic engineering offered.  He then presented an apologetic speech giving his full support to the science and future development of biotechnology as a way to feed the world.

a field of genetically modified soy beans ready for harvest

There are legitimate concerns about health in the world today.   Having a diet that consists largely of sugars and processed foods causes a significant decline in a person's health.  Living a life with little physical activity brings increased risks of heart disease and other problems.  Being distant and isolated from loving relationships can cause depression and unhealthy choices.  Of these legitimate concerns, there is enough science to prove that GMOs are not one of them.

Non-Profit: Making the Switch from Corporation to Organization

As we announced last week, Connecting City to Farm is becoming a non-profit organization.  Our mission is to promote healthy food choices for all budgets by highlighting the nutritional value and sustainability of non-organic agriculture.  

friends in a non-organic rice field

What Jim has to say

There’s a lot to be said in the organic conversation and I invite you to join in the interactions we’ll be having here over the next few posts.  But first, I’d like for you to hear Jim Whitaker of Whitaker Farms speak about the limitations the organic regulations make on the organic farmer and the benefits non-organic famers provide to the world. 

A Project with a Purpose

In the Beginning  

When this journey began, I wasn’t exactly sure where it was going.  I knew I wanted to bring awareness to what agriculture professionals are doing for our growing population and the earth, but I didn’t know where it would lead.   Now I'm convinced this project calls for a purpose.  There is so much good that can come to families from telling these stories.

Bridging the Gap

There is an obvious connection between urban life and farm life.  I see how each side views the other with both intrigue and misunderstanding.  Having grown up in a culture that I’ve chosen to remain engaged in and having lived my adult life in the other one, I wanted to bridge the gap between the two worlds that I love.  

The Two Percent

I have loads of respect for the way conventional farmers take risks and develop new ways of growing food for the world.  It is certainly not a calling for everyone, but we all receive the benefits of those two percent of Americans who take on the challenge and thrive in their giftedness so we can continue to have plates full of healthy food.  

At Our Fingertips

Urban life is full of opportunities for creativity and collaboration.  Many resources that work together to develop technical, medical and financial advancements are at the fingertips of those living in metropolitan areas.  The world moves forward at lightning speed because of the efforts urbanites make to improve our everyday lives.  

The Mission

As I've been sharing stories and experiences with you, this mission has become clear:

Announcement!

Our mission will focus on three main areas:  family health issues, world hunger and environmental sustainability.  I will develop these areas in the next few posts.  To do the most good, Connecting City to Farm has decided to pursue 501c3 (non-profit) status. This will create opportunities to expand our message and our audience. 

We wait expectantly to see what's ahead!

Cover Crops

"Radishes?  Are we growing radishes now?" I finally asked my family this question.  I had been hearing about cover crops through the winter and was very curious about why my family was talking about radishes.  I didn't think they had started a new endeavor on our land, but I wasn't sure how radishes fit with our farming operation.  

Jim holding a radish from Whitaker Farms' cover crop

Meet Sam Whitaker

You've met Jim Whitaker on some of our videos.  Now I'd like to introduce you to his brother, Sam.  

planting cotton

Row Crops

Jim manages the rice acreage of Whitaker farms while Sam operates the growing and harvesting of the row crops.  Row crops such as corn, cotton and soybeans grow in different types of soil than rice and are planted on raised beds in rows from one end of the field to the other.  

Trying Something New This Year

One of the many strategies Whitaker Farms uses to protect the environment is No Till farming.  While rice fields are flooded during the winter, Sam is trying a new strategy of no till farming for his cotton crop.  He planted a cover crop that grew through the winter in the field where he will have cotton this summer.  

Watch this video clip to hear Sam explain one of the many benefits he's already seen in his first year of trying this unique solution to protecting his soil.  

Courage Continues

How comfortable are you with risk?  Do you need all your financial bases covered before you begin a project, or does the pressure of the unknown motive you? 

A view from the air of rice harvest

Risks Abound

Farmers are intimately familiar with risk because there are so many variables beyond their control.  Fluctuating input costs, market prices and weather conditions are among the biggest.  In the midst of this very risky business endeavor, their courage continues and we are thankful everyday we have an abundance to eat!

Looking out the window of my dad's truck when I was young

Truck Rides

I remember riding with my dad in his farm truck.  We drove around so many green fields that all looked exactly the same to me.  What could his eyes see?  How could the next rice field look any different than the other nine we had slowly circled? 

Me on Daddy's shoulder 

Looking Out Windows

But I didn’t mind.  I enjoyed having the windows rolled down, looking for snakes and turtles in the ditches and being with my daddy.  On many warm afternoons I dozed off for a while, especially if one of his farming buddies joined us and they talked shop. 

The grain dryer in our area

The Dryer

We usually ended up stopping by “the dryer”, as everyone called the grain dryer that was sure to have a hot cup of coffee.  There was always a small group of farmers crowded around the TV watching a station full of numbers. 

Jim Whitaker and my dad discussing farming

When to Sell

As a kid, I didn’t realize that these farmers were strategically watching the market prices and trying to know when to lock in the best price for their crop.  “Three dollars is really high for rice right now” I would hear one say.  Another would reply “I don’t think it will ever reach four”.  Some years it didn’t, some years it did, but no one could have known before a seed was even planted earlier that Spring.

Unknowns on All Sides

A farmer confidently runs his operation with many unknowns on both the cost AND return sides. Some business models are based on signing contracts spelling out exactly what is expected of each party involved.  Other models give bids after careful calculations of material or labor costs that change little before the project’s completion.  Not so with farming. 

Ag airplane hanger prepared to provide spray services for local farmers

What If's

While a farmer always tries to use as little expensive chemical as possible, he can never know for sure what pests will begin eating away at his crop mid-season or which disease or fungus will bring mold that will deteriorate the sturdy stalks. 

Family enjoying a tractor ride

Fuel and Other Unforeseen Costs

Who ever knows how the fluctuating oil and gas markets will drive fuel prices in the next month, much less six months, which is a typical growing season?  So a farmer can’t predict the cost of fuel for a tractor to make a pass over the field.  This could be a dry year.  If so, he will have a high electric bill to pay for pumping water to irrigate.  Although farmers spend much of the slower winter months refurbishing their equipment, many parts and maintenance costs are required throughout the season but he can’t know how much.  After all the unpredictable inputs, he now must try to get the best price for his yield.

A rainbow over the farm

Weather forecasts

Weather is impossible to predict, and it effects almost every aspect of farming.  Rain and wet fields can create delays during optimal planting time, as tractors can’t drive through the fields in wet conditions.  High winds gusting when it’s time to apply fertilizer and chemicals make it impossible for the ag airplanes to fly.  Extreme heat during the summer growing season scorches tender plants and sometimes rushes plant development which brings low nutrient levels. 

Rice that was blown over in the field just before harvest  

Down Rice

And just when the farmer has fully invested in his crop and put his hopes in bringing a bountiful harvest to provide for his family, rain and wind can blow the entire crop down overnight.  This makes it more expensive, if not impossible, to harvest.  Because the combine, which is the equipment used to harvest grain, must drive so slowly to pick up the “down rice” in the picture above, fuel and labor costs are greatly increased.   

My dad's weather radio

Listening to the Weather

In our house growing up, the weather radio was strategically placed in the most receptive window with the antenna extended as far as possible.  This special radio only received one station that repeated the weather every 15 minutes.  I think my dad got it for his birthday.  He was thrilled!  I used to sit by him in the sun room and wait quietly until they announced the forecast for the next 24-48 hours.  There was no immediate accessibility to the hourly predictions or the 15 day forecasts we have in our pockets now.  Even when he heard the report, there was little he could do about it.  He would look at me with resolution and say “We’ll see”.  Then the two of us could visit.

Matt Miles in front of his soybean crop

Courage Continues

Agriculture Professionals are well aware of these risks and continue to courageously develop their operations for the good of their families and ours.  And just like many other business owners, they don't want to be doing anything else!

Carbon Credits: Agricultural Currency

I’ve got great news for the world!  Have you heard of carbon credits?  A carbon credit is a cash incentive that an organization can receive for reducing its annual Green House Gas emissions.  Did you know that the State of California will issue carbon credits to any organization in the US that gives evidence of lowering its Green House Gas emissions? 

Tractors planting rice                                                                                                                                                                 Photo Credit:  Morgan Baugh

A New Category 

Maybe that’s not news to you, but did you know that, originally, California did not include agriculture as a category that could receive carbon credits?  This hurdle didn’t stop one group of forward-thinking Arkansas farm families from proving that the efforts they are making on their land should be recognized by California and many other groups around the country.  

The Whitaker family

Promoting Current Processes

Mark Isbell wrote in a recent article about ways that rice farmers in the mid-south region of the United States are developing practices to decrease their carbon footprint.  Nature’s Stewards is a group of families that are quantifying their carbon-reducing methods in the areas of water reduction, decreased fuel usage and intermittent flooding in rice fields for the purpose of receiving carbon credits from California.  The Whitakers, Isbells and Sullivans are all successful farming families throughout the state of Arkansas.  They have formed a group to validate the extra effort that many farmers around the country are making in order to preserve the environment while feeding the world’s growing population.  

My dad and nephew in front of a well that supplies the water to surrounding rice fields

The Way We've Always Done It

For hundreds of years, rice farmers around the world have understood the only way to grow rice is in a “continuous flood” environment.  Whether using contour levees or leveling their land to a precise grade, farmers have maintained 3 - 5 inches of water through the plant’s growing season and then drained the water just before harvesting.

Planting rice in a zero grade rice field                                                                                                                                       Photo Credit:  Morgan Baugh

Unavoidable Sources

Motivated scientists have discovered many specific sources of Green House Gases.  Some originate from unavoidable, nature cycles based on the earth’s design, while others are derived from humans.  Because methane is released when soil that is full of organic material is flooded, rice fields have, historically, released a large portion of the carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Kids playing in a rice field that is being flooded

Do We Have to Do It the Way We've Always Done It?

Seeing the need to do their part to sustain the environment while feeding the world, Nature’s Stewards are perfecting a new method called alternate wetting and drying (AWD).  Instead of maintaining the same water level throughout the growing season, these farmers are halting their irrigation mid-season which allows the soil to dry for a brief period of time.  Water is soon re-applied in order to preserve the crop.  

Water seeping across a rice field

Surprise Benefit

The Sullivan family, one of the families involved in Nature’s Stewards, has been implementing AWD for several years for the purpose of water conservation.  They have seen a 30% decrease in overall water consumption.  While this is great news for the environment, that’s not even the best part of it.  By interrupting the continuous flood in mid growing season, the Green House Gas emissions are reduced by up to 1 ton per acre!

Jim Whitaker reading a water gage that documents how many gallons are used

Documentation

Proving this enormous emissions reduction has given Nature’s Stewards credibility in the carbon market.  During the 2016 growing season, they are keeping copious records of the water levels, tractor hours operated, and the amount of pesticides used on their lands.  The pioneering families in Nature’s Stewards have been able to significantly reduce the carbon emissions in each of these areas.  

The next generation                                                                                                                                                                        

More to Come

While rice is the first crop to officially enter the carbon market, these innovative farmers hope that other agriculture professionals will be encouraged to develop and document creative processes which they are implementing so we can pass-on a thriving environment to our children and grandchildren.  We would all love to look back in a few years and see that this was just the first of many steps the field of agriculture took into the carbon market.  Nature's Stewards are inviting all farmers to ask the question, "How can I do my part?" even if it has never been done before.  If more families follow their lead, we will soon have more great news for the world!

Farming from the Air

Because the morning hours are usually less windy, I would often hear airplanes buzzing over our house while getting ready for school as a little girl. 

friends learning about ag airplanes at the rural airport

Early to Rise

I remember thinking, “Oh… that pilot must have gotten up really early to be in his plane and flying before I even leave the house.”  It’s true.  Like many other dedicated business owners, agriculture professionals usually rise long before the sun.  

observing our rice harvest from a plane

Farming from the Air

Driving tractors over fields during the growing season is sometimes impractical or impossible, so farmers often hire an ag airplane service to spread fertilizer, insecticide, herbicide or even seed.  Wind makes flying difficult, and it also causes the product to be spread unevenly across the field.  Current technology has improved the pilot’s ability to precisely control where the product lands on the crop. 

me in 6th grade

Flagging

When I was in elementary school, my oldest brother, who was farming with my dad at the time, would occasionally ask me to flag for him.  I LOVED flagging.  Even though I was young, this was a real job on the farm that I could do-- or at least try to do.  Two people stood on opposite ends of a field holding a big orange flag.  As the airplane passed overhead, each person would wave his flag for the pilot to see.  Once the pilot had flown over, each flagger would walk the same distance across the field and get ready to wave his flag again.  While the flaggers were taking their steps, the airplane would turn around and come back for another pass. 

cousins taking off in a small plane used for observation

Not So Precise

This was the only way the pilot would be able to keep track of where he had sprayed in the field.  Needless to say, there was plenty of room for human error, especially by a distracted little girl.  I did the best I could, and helping in a practical way made me feel very grown up.  

friends posing with the airplane as it loudly takes off

Technology Strikes Again

Modern ag planes are equipped with GPS systems that allow the farmer to plot each field’s longitude and latitude coordinates in his home office.  The system can then direct the pilot accurately as he makes passes over the field.  This allows less overlap and therefore uses less product. 

standing in front of an ag plane

Site Specific Farming

Another advantage the GPS system provides is the ability to monitor and record specific areas in a field that may need fertilizer or other attention.  This is one example of Site Specific Farming which allows the farmer to manage each area of the field as needed instead of applying unnecessary products to plants that are perfectly healthy.  The GPS technology is so precise that once the pilot is in the air, the system will follow a perscribed plan to open and close the drop hatch on the plane at just the right time to release the product only on the areas needed. 

yellow ag plane and white passenger plane

Environmentally Friendly 

This beneficial technology drastically reduces the amount of product used.  It also eliminates the accidental drifting of the product onto unwanted areas such as adjoining crops, animal habitats, and natural waterways.

a Farm Camper exploring the cockpit of an ag plane equipped with state-of-the-art technology

Technology brings enormous productivity gains to today’s farms.  Ag flying is just one area where the dynamic combination of modern technology and the farmer’s intelligence is creating terrific opportunities to balance the growing world population’s need to eat with our earth’s need to thrive.

Farm Life Terms: No Till Farming

Watch this short clip to hear Jim Whitaker explain the environmental benefits of no till farming.

new rice emerging in the midst of what's left of last year's straw

Defining Zero Grade Rice Farming

Zero grade rice farming is a win for the bottom line and the environment.  Is zero grade rice a new food label on rice that you need to avoid?  Is it a failing grade given by quality control personnel who reject below-standard rice?  It is neither of those things.  Zero grade refers to the slope of the land in the field where the rice is grown.  

cousins playing in the water of a zero grade rice field

Looking for a Better Way

My dad often refined his practices, looking for ways to decrease costs and increase yield.   He took many risks through the years to keep pressing toward this end.  Some attempts paid off and some flopped.  But if he had never tried new ways, our farming operation would not be where it is today.  One of the biggest risks he took was to convert all his rice fields to zero grade fields.

our farm full of zero grade rice fields

A New Way is Discovered

My brothers were farming with Dad in the 1990's, and since they had been raised to constantly explore improvement opportunities, their curiosity was peaked when they heard about a new way to grow rice.  Wow!  Now that sounded like it was worth pursuing.  After connecting with Isbell farms and doing some research, they realized that zero grade farming was an innovative way of controlling the specific amount of water that rice requires throughout its growing season.  Rice needs to grow in water, but….not too much water.  Most varieties need to grow in water that is kept steady at about two inches deep.

a recently planted rice field with contour levees to manage the required water levels for rice

Why Do We Change?

The traditional way to manage water in rice fields is by building levees throughout the field that wind from one side of the field to the other based on the natural slope of the field. The land within the levees is called a patty.  Each patty is level and the patty next to it is slightly lower.  When the farmer is ready to lower the water level or drain the water off the field for harvesting, several men walk through the field following the levees and lower the “spills”.  A spill is a strategic place in the levee that is opened by digging a hole through the levee and lining the hole with plastic to allow water to pass from one patty to another without letting the soil wash away.  Spills are raised or rebuilt by hand (shovel) with the original dirt when the farmer needs to keep the water within the patty during the growing season.

dirt moving equipment following GPS guided software to level one of our new fields to zero grade

Zero Grade Rice Farming

The “new” way my family had heard about was to grow rice in zero grade fields.  Zero grade means the field is perfectly level from one end to the other.  At the time, this expensive, precision leveling process required laser-guided dirt moving equipment to cut off high spots and fill low areas in a field to bring it to a place of being perfectly level or having a “zero grade” of sloping from one side of the field to the other.  You can think of this large area as now being flat like a table top, whereas before it had high and low spots throughout that had to be managed with levees.  A border is built around the field in which all the soil stays within the confines of this area which drastically decreases erosion.  Additionally, a drainage system is designed throughout the field which consists of a ditch bordering the field and water furrows that help the water quickly drain off the field.   

harvesting one of the zero grade fields on our land:  combines and tractors pulling grain carts with ease

Business Decision

My family was motivated by two things:  1) the decrease in labor hours that would be required since the field would not be full of levees that had to be managed by hand and 2) the increase in fuel and equipment efficiency since the harvest machinery, like combines and tractors pulling grain carts, could move through the field much more easily without having to slow down and creep over levees often.  

young rice plants peeking through soil covered in last year's straw -- no tilling

A Win for the Bottom Line and the Environment 

Little did they know the environmental gains that would be proven years after their decision to convert their entire rice acreage to zero grade fields.  This sustainable practice allows for more controlled water levels, less total water usage, little soil erosion, no till farming, and significantly decreased greenhouse gas emissions from operating farm equipment.  By continuing to perfect environmentally friendly practices like these, agriculture professionals are reaching the goal of feeding the estimated 9 billion people who will be eating food around the world in 2020.

Farm Life Terms: Zero Grade Rice Farming

my boys in a zero grade rice field

Zero Grade Rice Farming is the modern process of land and water conservation used to grow rice in fields that, no longer have levees throughout, but are precision leveled to give the farmer more efficient control of the water levels required for rice to develop.  Watch this short video clip and get to know Jim Whitaker from Whitaker Farms as he tells us why they use Zero Grade Rice Farming.

Springtime Planting: The Beginning of a New Growing Season

We all remember times when we were full of hope as we executed a strategically planned project, event, or proposal.  That’s how farmers feel every time they begin a new growing season.  Hope abounds during Springtime planting!  

cousins planting the family garden

What Will This Year Hold? 

Excitement fills the air.  The sky is crystal blue and the leaves are that light green color that tells you they have just begun their life.  Courageous farmers have tried new methods and are anxious to see if their risks will pay off.  Will they see more sustainability from their resources this year?  Will they have a higher yield in the Fall?

a plow that is pulled behind a tractor 

Busy Hours Through the Winter

Farmers have spent the winter analyzing the market to determine which crops will bring the highest price, planning how many acres of which crops to plant and preparing equipment for long hours of operation. I remember listening to my dad discussing new ideas for the next growing season and wondering why he was already planning for next year when it seemed so far away to me as a child.  

a water furrow:  part of the drainage system in a rice field

Getting the Land Ready

Now it’s time to get the land ready by draining the water off the rice fields and spraying herbicides to kill the weeds in row crop fields like cotton, soybeans and corn before they plant. 

No-till Farming

For years farmers began the pre-planting season by tilling the soil, which is done by driving a tractor over each field several times to prepare the soil.  The tractor pulled a plow to loosen the ground and kill the weeds that had grown through the winter.  Farmers have realized that these multiple passes over the fields cause soil erosion and is an unnecessary fuel expense. 

Many, in fact, have moved away from this annual practice in order to keep the nutrients in the soil for the crops to consume.  Also, the breaking up of the ground releases the greenhouse gases that are stored under the surface.  So, by moving to "no till" farming, valuable nutrients are preserved and greenhouse gases are contained.  

a tractor pulling a planter with cotton seed

Let's Plant

Once the seed has been purchased, it’s time to get started.  Most seeds are placed in the soil with a planter, which is an implement or attachment that is pulled behind a tractor.  This one fascinating piece of equipment opens up a furrow, sprays a liquid starter fertilizer, drops the seed, and then covers the seed all in one fluid motion. 

a rice planter

Rice is planted using a slightly different type of planter.  One large hopper holds the rice seed for a tractor and small tubes are attached to many drop points that are strategically spaced across the implement.  Tracks, instead of tires, are used on the tractors because the soil is moist for rice and tires would make deep ruts.

asparagus "crowns" (young plants) for the garden-- some being planting and some being enjoyed 

Time to Watch and Wait

Everything is in full swing now.  In a few short days, green sprigs will break through the surface reaching to the sun for life and growth.  Hope for a bountiful harvest abounds.

The Art of Asking Questions

I remember asking my mom and dad a million questions as a kid.  I guess I was trying, at an early age, to develop the art of asking questions.

me in the kitchen cooking with my mom

While I helped my mom in the kitchen, I asked “Why do you have to chop the onions up so small?”  She would answer, “Because the boys don’t like a lot of onions and chopping them smaller will give the flavor without having big chunks of onions in the meatloaf.”   

What kind of crop is that?

my daughter in a field of mature cotton

As I looked out the window of my dad’s truck and saw different crops growing throughout the countryside, I asked “How can you tell the difference between beans and cotton?”  He answered “Soy bean plants are usually smaller and the leaves are shiny green.  Cotton plants are bigger and the leaves are dull green."

I loved that they both validated my questions by giving me honest, mature answers - even if that led to more questions from me.  I felt smart and encouraged when they responded with “That’s a really good question.” or “You ask good questions.  That’s the way you learn.”   

Where is that going?

my son in an empty train car that is waiting to be loaded with cotton seed

I also remember feeling perfectly settled if the answer was a sincere “I don’t know.”  I would ask my dad things like, “What’s in the boxcar and where is it going?”  With curiosity that equaled mine, he would reply, “Hmmm.  I don’t really know…. maybe there’s cotton seed in there and they are taking it to a cattle farm in Kansas.  Or maybe there are peanuts in there and they are taking them to the Planter’s processing plant in Pine Bluff.” 

I felt a sense of comfort and relief knowing that my dad didn’t have all the answers and it was ok for me not to have the answers to some questions as well.  

Still asking

my boys observing and questioning 

I love when my kids ask me questions now.  I can see the gears in their minds turning, trying to figure out the world around them and how they best function in it.  

my daughter exploring the farm

With many answers at our fingertips today, we can explore and learn together.  However, some questions still don’t have answers and that’s ok too.  But let’s keep asking and perfecting the art of asking questions....

Farm Flooding Leads to Unexpected Discoveries

(Reader Warning:  snakes are creepy)

We just never know what we are going to find when we visit the farm.  This day was going to be different for sure.  Southeast Arkansas was drenched with flooding rains through most of the week before we arrived.  Because we knew the fields were going to be under water, my nephew, Abel, took us out in a boat so we could explore.  

What we didn't know was how many snakes we would see.  So many....  Most were laying on branches in the sun over the water which is their annual mating ritual.  We found a couple on the ground.  I almost stepped on one.  

Abel caught a grass snake as a pet for the kids. They named him Roji.  He made the trip back to Dallas but only lasted about 48 hours in our back yard before he escaped.  My daughter said “He’ll probably be happier without us.”  Wise girl. 

Once we were over our shock of seeing all the snakes, we began to explore the flooded fields.  I had hoped to meet Matt Miles, the farmer who will be growing cotton here this year, in the field and "introduce" you to him on video.  However, like many plans in agriculture, the weather forced us to delay.  We shelved that idea and decided to enjoy the adventure in another way.  

My kids running through the flooded cotton field.  It's hard to imagine anything will be growing here in a few weeks.

There's never a dull moment at the farm!  We'll be following this field through the growing season.  

Thankfully, Matt hadn't planted before the water came.  If the rains would have come a few weeks later, Matt would have had a disastrous loss from the money he spent on seed, fertilizer and fuel for planting.  He would have had to start all over again.  Courageous men around the country take risks like this every day to insure Americans have a continual supply of food and ag products in our market.  

Winter on a Rice Farm

As you probably know, farming schedules follow the seasons. Some seasons are seasons of harvest while others are seasons of rest. My dad has always said that farming is a lifestyle.  When we were young, that lifestyle included vacation schedules that were opposite of what many other people follow. 

Instead of Summer vacations, we went on adventures during the winter when the farmland was resting.  I remember my parents planning fun trips to the beach and Disney World and Colorado for skiing around our Christmas breaks at school.  It was always special to get to skip out on a few of the last days of the semester to get to travel with my family.  

We only took a week off, but the land needs to rest for several months.  This is what rice land looks like during the winter while the cold weather helps break down the previous year's crop residue.  We can’t see anything happening in these rice fields, but underneath it’s going through the necessary healing process.   The land gets a whole season to be still and produce nothing. 

In fact, the rice fields shown in these pictures are actually receiving instead of giving like they do during the growing season.  The thousands of ducks and geese that migrated here for the winter have replenished the nutrients in the soil that it generously gave to last year’s crop while enjoying the rice that fell on the ground during harvest. 

It’s getting ready to repeat the next stage in the natural cycle.  Even though we can’t see what’s going on under the rich soil, potential is building.  

While the farmer may have the opportunity during the winter months to take his family on vacation, he doesn’t have several months to rest like the land.  This is the time to plan for next year.  Many questions are swirling around in his mind. 

Which variety of rice will produce the highest yield with the least amount of cost input?  How can he recycle the water more effectively to avoid paying a higher electric bill for pumping and preserve the environment?  What if he tries alternating the water levels to avoid stagnant water and reduce greenhouse gases?

Spring is just around the corner, and both the rice land and the rice farmer will be ready.  He will have crunched his numbers, secured his funding and refurbished his equipment. 

The land will have healed by receiving valuable nutrients from the waterfowl that had the privilege of a place to spend the winter.  Agriculture is full of symbiotic relationships.  This is another great example of the partnerships that are mutually beneficial and will bring them right back here next year.