tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67100073658989199952024-03-12T22:44:03.420-07:00The Unmanned FarmerUnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-81897089234071334662016-02-23T17:01:00.002-08:002016-02-23T17:01:54.812-08:00Drone Coalition BlogOver the weekend I finally took time to write a blog. However I did it for another site...the Drone Coalition. The title is "Precision Agriculture: A Legacy of Learning." While there are many things that I could have written on I picked research. I won't give it away so if you are interested you can read the whole thing here <a href="http://dronecoalition.net/general/precision-agriculture-a-legacy-of-learning/">http://dronecoalition.net/general/precision-agriculture-a-legacy-of-learning/</a> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUC0stGj15Ey0DDjRGRgAKR8cUjIIK4_5i29O_NsBENNvIcJfmko01EkhEo4oTd-OTYrkva51zlg6a4A7WJh0oU1B4osqgPal9QyJYHFCClOrGA5l33tJ94EXVK6uZSmbI9ge22R8tmxU/s1600/PICT0150_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUC0stGj15Ey0DDjRGRgAKR8cUjIIK4_5i29O_NsBENNvIcJfmko01EkhEo4oTd-OTYrkva51zlg6a4A7WJh0oU1B4osqgPal9QyJYHFCClOrGA5l33tJ94EXVK6uZSmbI9ge22R8tmxU/s640/PICT0150_tonemapped.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dillon and Logan posing with my first UAV in 2007</td></tr>
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UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-86031969507265294012016-02-23T16:55:00.001-08:002016-02-23T16:57:16.169-08:00Part 1 - Commercial UAV News InterviewLast week I did an interview with Jeremiah Karpowicz for Commercial UAV News and he did a good job. Here is the link to Part 1 of the interview.<br />
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<a href="http://www.expouav.com/roi-with-uavs-eliminating-the-disconnect-in-precision-agriculture-with-drones/">http://www.expouav.com/roi-with-uavs-eliminating-the-disconnect-in-precision-agriculture-with-drones/</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDUsJIkS5mp2jVsV6W2mJbz5W95VzqhWENJwmBdT4O36N0C2HFlRv0EHnWM324hUdFSZUA-cBM_fsEekUclZ7qEjWEBCB4G3-hGjoJNuTjxdl8NeStZqq7qrJY3OUUUo845zupDWypgY/s1600/PICT0150_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDUsJIkS5mp2jVsV6W2mJbz5W95VzqhWENJwmBdT4O36N0C2HFlRv0EHnWM324hUdFSZUA-cBM_fsEekUclZ7qEjWEBCB4G3-hGjoJNuTjxdl8NeStZqq7qrJY3OUUUo845zupDWypgY/s640/PICT0150_tonemapped.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dillon and Logan posing with my UAV in 2007</td></tr>
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UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-59913020752110754962016-02-10T18:18:00.000-08:002016-02-10T18:18:54.569-08:00Do You Want to Drone in Agriculture?
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A couple of months ago I was participating at the Drone World Expo
(DWE) </span><a href="http://www.droneworldexpo.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">www.droneworldexpo.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> as a
speaker, town hall panelist, and DWE Advisory Board member. Over 2,100 people
attended this event. There was a nice little trade show but more importantly
presentations from some of the national leaders in Unmanned Air Systems (UAS)
use, applications, regulations, and such. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">UAS for firefighting, UAS for maritime use, UAS for building
inspection, etc. were just a few of the topics covered. Mine was on
agriculture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Agriculture has been tabbed by many as the largest market for
commercial UAS application. However, during my national and international
travels speaking, exhibiting, and learning I have found that those outside of
production agriculture do not have a clue of the people in the marketspace or
how to relate to them. What many see is a cash register sitting on a tractor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This can potentially be a recipe for disaster for creating a commercial
UAS industry and/or company. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some of these same people trying to create a form of agriculture UAS
startup are the same people that focus on buying “local” or are into
“sustainable agriculture” or don’t like “factory farms” or hate “chemicals”. Or
they take part in trendy fads such a gluten free, free range, cage free, grass
fed, organic, or other marketing gimmick targeted against the industry I love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m not trying to tell everyone what to do, I’m just saying don’t talk
bad about farmers with your mouth full! You have to realize that your actions,
while seemingly innocent, directly affect the people you are wanting to receive
money from. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Farmers and ranchers aren’t just American Gothic (the picture of a man
in overalls with a pitchfork with a woman in a dress with a white house in the
background). Many are CEOs of multi-million dollar international businesses.
That’s right! You see, much of what they produce is shipped overseas. You are
dealing with C-suite executives that have a much better view than their urban
counterparts and do more work for less pay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One farmer in four uses a smart phone and tablet. They also wear many
different hats such as engineer, agronomist, soil scientist, veterinarian,
heavy equipment operator, mechanic, carpenter, electrician, plumber,
accountant, marketing specialist, and on and on. They usually know more about
national and international politics than the average person…because their
businesses depend upon the winds of political climates and good information.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t try to BS them…you definitely won’t pass the “sniff” test! They
aren’t buying drones because it’s labeled for agriculture, they bought it
because they love toys and it’s an extension of the childhood they never grew
up from. Remember, they play in a huge “sandbox” with bigger Tonka Toys than
you or they had in their youth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In my lifetime there have been two important technology advancements
that were put on life support because people just wanted to make a buck and/or
it wasn’t explained properly to the agriculture community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first was LandSat in the 1970’s. This technology is the foundation
on what UAS data is based upon. The commercial agriculture market didn’t start
utilizing this type of information until the 1990’s and it’s still trying to
catch on.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Second is precision Ag equipment from the 1990’s. The first yield
monitor was produced in 1992 and auto steering and auto boom weren’t too far
behind. I remember riding in a combine with a yield monitor in the mid 1990’s
and my dad saying to me when I was telling him about it “why would you want
something like that?” </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Precision Ag and remote sensing markets have been gaining momentum
since 2010 and UAS have been a part of that increase. Yield monitors and auto
steering are now part of all combines and tractors instead of an option. But in
looking at the timeline, it has taken a good 15 years for farmers and the
agriculture industry to trust again technology and the companies that sell and
service it.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The infant commercial UAS industry and companies in them need to do a
quick history lesson. While fifteen years is not that long in the scheme of
things, it is roughly 1/3 of the working span of a farmer in agriculture and
farmers have long memories. I was just a kid driving truck in my first harvest,
but I can tell you what the weather was like in 1977 and every year since.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So be very careful. Do not oversell your
products or services to this very fragile market called agriculture. Move
slowly and try to understand what it is they are wanting and needing. If you
are able to do that, then you could have a very successful company in the
agriculture industry.</span><b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-87324330186877745882015-10-24T10:46:00.000-07:002015-10-24T11:01:06.797-07:00C-Sweet to C-Suite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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My family and I have been truly Blessed with a crazy life! For over 20 years there have been ups and downs like most families have. In those 20 years we've had two great sons Dillon & Logan, lived and worked on a farm, and Rhonda surviving breast cancer. Crazily Blessed!<br />
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However, nothing is as crazy as UAVs to UAS to Drones!<br />
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Looking back, the journey actually started in the mid 1990's when I went back to the <a href="http://www.uidaho.edu/cals">U of I</a> to finish my degree at the nagging of Rhonda and it involves technology. Windows 95 came out and the best thing learned at college was the use of computers along with Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.<br />
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I remember thinking, why in the heck do I need email? At that time I believed in face to face, telephone, and then letter in that order for communication. It's definitely not like that any more...email is definitely the leader. OK, possibly FaceBook.<br />
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Also, John Deere came out with their precision ag equipment and software called GreenStar. I bought a John Deere book on precision agriculture that showed an AgLeader yield monitor in the combine cab. This was truly the early days of precision agriculture. And dad said no to GreenStar..."Why would anyone want that junk?"<br />
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Not long after, dad made the courageous decision to buy "bag phones" through our local co-op. This was for mom and Rhonda to have security in case something happened. However, they were commandeered by dad and I one spring and I couldn't keep him off of it when we were driving tractor. Today, I'm not separated much from my iPhone.<br />
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Dad passed away in 2001 leaving a big hole in my heart and in our family. However, being Crazily Blessed it provided the opportunity to grow as a person. Prior to his passing I became a board member of the <a href="http://idahograin.org/">Idaho Grain Producers Association </a>which opened a door to a much bigger world.<br />
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Starting in 2003 I began the journey down the road of precision agriculture. I am now reminded of my age when I talk to younger people at events or giving presentations when I describe this time in my life. They don't know what a PDA is. They are more likely to know what an LP is versus a Personal Data Assistant...the precursor to smart phones.<br />
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Yield monitors, auto-boom, and auto-steering followed. Direct support to make systems talk with each other was iffy at best. I learned what a "Dongle" is and it's not what you think. Cell phones and tech support became my friends. And in 2004 I flew in a small plane over my farm for the first time realizing images were the missing part for precision agriculture. I didn't know it at the time but this was called "remote sensing."<br />
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And then I saw an advertisement in an agriculture magazine in 2006. Looking back it's both scary and exciting how that advertisement changed my life and my family's life forever. Crazily Blessed and I still have the magazine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wFpDGRk_X-cMTYnPqb_A7SEZJvS5jjE8RqMpNzwlFysbLr6odRB91lTUohXuCo0G7_zV0CC3W5wtQTqS947CEJZTEkIao4gHxd4VlTp1kqJK9RMDimKhPIjeiMQ1-h4cE9TfA2en27g/s1600/CropCam+with+Boys+2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9wFpDGRk_X-cMTYnPqb_A7SEZJvS5jjE8RqMpNzwlFysbLr6odRB91lTUohXuCo0G7_zV0CC3W5wtQTqS947CEJZTEkIao4gHxd4VlTp1kqJK9RMDimKhPIjeiMQ1-h4cE9TfA2en27g/s320/CropCam+with+Boys+2007.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dillon(L) & Logan(R) in 2007</td></tr>
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The ad was for a UAV; Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.<br />
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I purchased a unit and went to training. 2006 was also the start of being an exhibitor at trade shows. I went to two that fall and more the following spring. It was also the start of speaking around the country. Who would have thought that a single advertisement could change the life of a person and their family.<br />
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Being gone from my family was bad enough, but what was worse was learning that you don't know what you don't know. I had to learn about aviation, cameras, remote sensing, FAA regulations, and more. I was on the bleeding edge of not only a new agriculture industry, but a new industry period.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9ecHPOEw5HzOIuBtrHPPPhyphenhyphenoMe57hj7PySX0p5BdrTk51BPoIntWfkPKtIWs9j5wLmDUcwWWrJWLGs1WgLf5bsCIb1S5yIDV5gv6nBIZYgoyobILN46mMI5uxctMhoZOPWDf0PlFOS8/s1600/IMG_3830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh9ecHPOEw5HzOIuBtrHPPPhyphenhyphenoMe57hj7PySX0p5BdrTk51BPoIntWfkPKtIWs9j5wLmDUcwWWrJWLGs1WgLf5bsCIb1S5yIDV5gv6nBIZYgoyobILN46mMI5uxctMhoZOPWDf0PlFOS8/s320/IMG_3830.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nine of the 2011 U.S. Eisenhower Fellows at our "graduation"</td></tr>
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Because of that one advertisement propelling me into the world of UAVs which changed to UAS in 2008 I was able to expand my world...literally.<br />
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My work and advocacy of this new technology through 2010 helped me to be and <a href="http://www.efworld.org/">Eisenhower Agriculture Fellow</a>, a <a href="http://www.acgusa.org/index.php?section=mccloy-ag">McCloy Agriculture Fellow</a>, and be part of the <a href="http://nuffieldinternational.org/">Nuffield Scholars International</a>. The friendships, connections, and knowledge gained from these outstanding organizations and the people in them helped change our family tree.<br />
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Because of these great organizations, my family and I have had the opportunity to host people from around the world. Dillon and Logan have been able to talk to farmers and people from other countries. While the countries might be different the people, especially farmers, have very similar experiences and stories. Also, these people are excelling at the highest levels of their profession whether its in agriculture, sports medicine, or being a district attorney.<br />
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During one of the first of many conversations with Eisenhower Fellowships' agriculture mentor, Jim Moseley, I remember his words of wisdom to this day. The impact of that didn't hit home until after my fellowship travels; especially today. He said "Robert, you have just walked through a door that you can never walk through again." That door led to a bigger world of people, thoughts, and ideas. I cannot say thank you enough Jim for your wisdom, encouragement, and nudging.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYzJDksuxs3d7WoTb4Na_umQSUMW3vmmE-L7igrsxmfyxL42Gb8um0teKuH3ihuOBKtmi3eE_YwwVnajJGGvVRqn9IyW9WKjlHIJap4C6sEZg36HEONGE19Gxh4pU5e03GgPffmyIzsY/s1600/Rhett+%2526+Robert+at+New+Zealand+House+London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYzJDksuxs3d7WoTb4Na_umQSUMW3vmmE-L7igrsxmfyxL42Gb8um0teKuH3ihuOBKtmi3eE_YwwVnajJGGvVRqn9IyW9WKjlHIJap4C6sEZg36HEONGE19Gxh4pU5e03GgPffmyIzsY/s320/Rhett+%2526+Robert+at+New+Zealand+House+London.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhett Proctor & I at New Zealand House in London</td></tr>
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<br />
Besides my family joining in on several experiences and following my travels via FaceBook, emails, and Facetime, I had some PIC's in the journey.<br />
<br />
Rhett Proctor is my main accomplice. Rhett and I broke new ground by being the first multiple agriculture Eisenhower Fellows in one year and the first to attend the Nuffield Scholars annual gathering...The Contemporary Scholars Conference.<br />
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Rhett made a leap of faith before I did. His family got out of their nationally renowned and championship dairy business. Rhett was transitioning from the farm to a life of being a veterinarian. I have followed his journey closely and we have talked when we can over the years since our EF travel days. I didn't realize it at the time, but his journey helped to lay the foundation for mine.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w4h7r8nNrmVTKIfBw8q4_ublNdUIBBk2kiawDMvDz9840rCoyEDC9T91OVBOYRvxQN_LfIiMmCOGA92sPIy-_ooqUBCib1ay1UDRZDxGrozge4hNZpPC2GxeWMit6_KcdI6kQByMV-o/s1600/IMG_0592_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-w4h7r8nNrmVTKIfBw8q4_ublNdUIBBk2kiawDMvDz9840rCoyEDC9T91OVBOYRvxQN_LfIiMmCOGA92sPIy-_ooqUBCib1ay1UDRZDxGrozge4hNZpPC2GxeWMit6_KcdI6kQByMV-o/s200/IMG_0592_tonemapped.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bryan Granshaw on my farm</td></tr>
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Another friend, Bryan Granshaw of Australia, Nuffield Scholar, and sugar cane farmer was another inspiration. We met in the Netherlands at the Nuffield Scholars CSC. Bryan also took the time on his journey of discovery to visit my farm in 2013.<br />
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This year he had the courage to start a new career. Bryan is a "Soil Information Systems" products specialist at <a href="http://www.bmslasersat.com.au/default.html">BMS Lasersat.</a><br />
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Bryan and I have not had the chance to talk so I can ask him "Why did you want to chase your crazy dream based upon your travels, experiences, and knowledge of soils to leave the farm for another job?" I'll make sure Bryan is unarmed when I ask. Good on ya mate for that courage!<br />
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Which leads me to today's long coming blog post and better explanation of the title.<br />
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I am leaving my C-Sweet job of farming and replacing it with a C-Suite job of drones. I've sort of given up using the terms UAV & UAS.<br />
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If you have read this far you followed my recap of my UAV journey; how it actually started when I went back to finish my degree, the drooling over GreenStar and a simple (and it was really small) advertisement. But what really kicked off my actual drone journey is a picture in the Spokesman Review in 2007 at the Spokane Ag Show.<br />
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It's hard to believe I have been chasing this dream for almost 10 years. There have been family moments lost but national and global friends and knowledge gained. I am putting aside the security blanket of the farm for a new challenge and adventure of running the agriculture division (vertical) of a national drone service startup.<br />
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My conversations with Rhonda, the boys, and my mom were nothing but supportive. A selfish reason for taking this job is to hopefully carry out my dream of creating a commercial UAV/UAS/Drone industry in the U.S. and agriculture. I also hope that my new position will help ensure that agriculture is served well, both as an enterprise and in rules.<br />
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I'm not much into titles except for one...Farmer! I believe that is the most powerful title throughout the world. However, my new business title is VP of Agriculture for <a href="http://www.measure.aero/">Measure Drones as a Service</a>.<br />
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This Friday capped off my second week on the job. I've been drinking from a fire hose trying to learn the company, the people, and what has been taking place prior to me joining. I'm Crazily Blessed that the fire hose is leaving my cup not just half full but overflowing with opportunity. I am extremely excited.<br />
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I have much to learn and much to do before the 2016 crop season. I have prior obligations that need closing. I have been Crazily Blessed with a great support network of family, friends, and mentors. And I get to work from my C-Sweet office for my C-Suite job. The best of all worlds.<br />
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<br />UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-443389625926817742014-10-09T06:13:00.000-07:002014-10-09T06:13:37.846-07:00VIRGIN.COM BLOG<header class="s-ct" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: none; padding: 40px 40px 0px; position: relative;"><div class="art-adv-intr" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; margin: 0px -320px 0px 0px; padding: 20px 39.984375px; width: 1158px;">
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From horses to drones. Idaho farmer <a href="http://theunmannedfarmer.blogspot.co.uk/" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; color: #cc0000; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Robert Blair</a>talks elks, surgical agriculture, and the future of farming. </div>
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</header><section class="art-sctn clrd" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 10px; margin-bottom: 29.984375px; zoom: 1;"><div class="s-img" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;">
<figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.virgin.com/sites/default/files/Articles/Unite/1.%20NEW%20(June%202014%20onwards)/Series/Drones4good/Farming%20with%20drones/Horses%20to%20UAVs_1238px.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: 100%; width: 1238px;" /><figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin-left: 40px;">Top left: My grandfather Reinhard Wilken plowing with horses in the 1920s, Top right: Cletrac with a bean cultivator on front in the1930s, Middle right: My mother Marga Wilken Blair on a Farmall M cultivating beans in the 1950s, Bottom right: Robert Blair on a Case 2470 disking pea ground in the 1970s, Bottom left: Dillon Blair harrowing stubble ground with a John Deere 8520T in 2010, Middle: My son Logan Blair with a hexacopter in 2013. Image from Robert Blair.</figcaption></figure></div>
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There are very few points in time when a person can help influence the future of an industry they love. Agriculture is my industry. Technology advancements such as John Deere’s plow, McCormick’s reaper, Eli Whitney’s cotton gin from the industrial revolution, and Norman Borlaug’s breeding techniques that started the green revolution, are the foundation of today’s agriculture.</div>
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Today we are in the information age and Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) are another such advancement that can positively impact agriculture. The ability to capture information to help farmers and ranchers better understand their operations to make more informed management decisions is a reality.</div>
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Our farm was founded in 1903, the same year the Wright Brothers had the first successful powered flight. One hundred years later I have tractors that drive themselves, the capability to properly apply inputs to specific areas, and eyes in the sky to assist in monitoring the crops during the growing system. As the old advertisement stated, “We’ve come a long way baby.”</div>
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My precision agriculture journey began in 2003 by using a PDA (handeld digital device) with a wire connected to a small GPS receiver to do simple mapping. Now we use our smart phones with built in GPS and apps that are way more complex, user friendly, and functional to not only gather data but to control irrigation systems remotely.</div>
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<figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.virgin.com/sites/default/files/Articles/Unite/1.%20NEW%20(June%202014%20onwards)/Series/Drones4good/Farming%20with%20drones/Color%20Pict%20with%20Comparison_1238px.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: 100%; width: 1238px;" /><figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin-left: 40px;">This has two pictures of the same thing; the one on the right is the original RGB image and the one on the left has had false color added to it to stand out. The white arrows are the same areas in each picture and point to a 45 foot wide block where the fertilizer machine was turned on/turned off properly. I used this for management/instruction purposes. The black arrows point to a steep area that is very shallow, rocky ground that doesn’t produce well no matter what management is done to it. The red circle shows an area where the dark green in the RGB corresponds to the light blue where nitrogen levels were good coming out of winter. The green, red, and dark blue in the image on the left corresponds with the yellow, light green, and brownish color on the right image where more nitrogen is needed.</figcaption></figure></div>
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<figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 12.46875px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" data-fid="42373" src="http://www.virgin.com/sites/default/files/Articles/Unite/1.%20NEW%20(June%202014%20onwards)/Series/Drones4good/Farming%20with%20drones/Blair%20Farms%20Five-image%20Mosaic%20with%20Outlines_800px.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: 100%;" /><figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 1.4rem;">Image from Robert Blair</figcaption></figure></div>
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In 2004 I put a yield monitor onto the combine. It's made up of a computer in the cab with different sensors situated in and around the machine to collect elevation, temperature, crop moisture, on-the-go yield, etc. This is great information, but it is reactive data. That means the crop has matured to be harvested and there is nothing more I can do to affect the outcome of the growing season.</div>
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I took precision agriculture to new heights in 2006 by becoming the first farmer in the US to own and use a UAS. Just like my early precision ag journey, there were many rocky roads to traverse and lessons to be learned. It’s tough being on the “bleeding” edge of industry.</div>
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With the advancements of UAS and other agriculture technology we have surpassed precision agriculture and are now in the early stages of surgical agriculture. What I mean is, through advancements in technology we can do an even better job of managing our soils, crops, and other resources to more precise levels.</div>
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<blockquote style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 66.53125px; padding: 49.90625px 0px;">
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To be as good as our fathers we must be better, imitation is not discipleship.</div>
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~ Wendell Phillips</div>
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<figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.virgin.com/sites/default/files/Articles/Unite/1.%20NEW%20(June%202014%20onwards)/Series/Drones4good/Farming%20with%20drones/Elk%20Damage%20in%20Peas%20Original_tonemapped_1238px.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: 100%; width: 1238px;" /><figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin-left: 40px;">Elk Damage in Peas – The arrows point to depression in the peas where elk laid down. You can also see the trails going all direction through the crop along with the seed rows of peas.</figcaption></figure></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 2.6rem;">UAS change the game drastically. They can collect data throughout the growing season so management decision can be made on when to water (I am a dryland farmer and rely strictly on rain), fertilizer needs in certain areas, weed problems that need to be treated, or other anomalies that show up. The best part is that I now have coordinates to physically check targeted areas, and this makes better use of my time.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 2.6rem;">However, a UAS is only as good as the other precision ag equipment on the farm. If there are no computers on the tractors or controllers on the equipment, the UAS data collected is just good general information with no directed purpose…pretty pictures. Also, without the yield monitor, images taken during the growing season cannot be quantified to know how good our management strategy was.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 2.6rem;">I have used the data gathered by UAS for multiple things such as showing wildlife damage in crops, seeing how far the nutrients from cow manure travel from winter feeding areas, spotting pest areas, and for management lessons on operating equipment properly. Basically, I want to gather as much data as possible so when the time comes that new software and systems have been developed I have many years of historic data to show the path forward.</span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 2.6rem;">To be successful, agriculture and our urban cousins need to quit pointing fingers and work together. Farmers and ranchers are sustainable and we can use technology to not only prove it, but to make it better. But we need help from the business industry outside of our sandbox to create technologies and solutions centered on the vast agronomic knowledge farmers have gained from years of working and loving the land.</span></div>
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<figure style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.virgin.com/sites/default/files/Articles/Unite/1.%20NEW%20(June%202014%20onwards)/Series/Drones4good/Farming%20with%20drones/Robert%20Blair%20in%20Alfalfa_1238px.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; max-width: 100%; width: 1238px;" /><figcaption style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-size: 1.2rem; line-height: 1.4rem; margin-left: 40px;">Me with a UAV I designed and built. It is five feet long, has a nine-foot wing span, and weighs roughly seven pounds with batteries and cameras.</figcaption></figure></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 2.6rem;">UAS is a natural evolution in agriculture’s story, and it can help our industry responsibly meet the tremendous challenge of feeding nine billion people by the year 2050. Farmland is being consumed by people to live on. Water use is becoming restricted. Resources are depleting. Precision Agriculture Technology and UAS will play a major role in agriculture being successful. But, we need help from outside our industry.</span></div>
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Oh, one more thing; farmers are young at heart and just big kids still playing in the dirt…only with bigger toys and now UAS!<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">– Robert Blair is a fourth generation farmer from north central Idaho managing 1,500 dryland acres of wheat, barley, peas, lentils, chickpeas, alfalfa, and cows. The farm is situated on the edge of the rolling hills of the Palouse and not far from his Alma Mater the University of Idaho where he received his B.S. in Agriculture Business.</em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Robert is also the current president of the Idaho Grain Producers Association, past chairman of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) Research & Tech Committee, and chairman of the US Wheat/(NAWG) Joint Biotech Committee.</em></div>
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</section>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-53589553220703703862014-09-22T07:12:00.000-07:002014-09-22T07:31:13.854-07:00AG DOESN'T REPRESENT THE TABLE ANYMORE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDU7v2aPXUl0GwJsTFunc6n2O6NS1tDR4C9PJTwGubFo3bIc1j2FCsrVsf5bbYEIl5kG5TN8a31DcAMy990LLx7hy8IJoIh0l5OYQu1YVAnEFuzXrKGLkhhURrZxNh2PeKsRB7wgGzm4Y/s1600/IMG_2627_8_9_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDU7v2aPXUl0GwJsTFunc6n2O6NS1tDR4C9PJTwGubFo3bIc1j2FCsrVsf5bbYEIl5kG5TN8a31DcAMy990LLx7hy8IJoIh0l5OYQu1YVAnEFuzXrKGLkhhURrZxNh2PeKsRB7wgGzm4Y/s1600/IMG_2627_8_9_tonemapped.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Agriculture
is a very noble profession whose population goes unheralded and most times
unnoticed. The farmers and ranchers that make up this demographic are not
looking for accolades. They just want to do their job the best they know how on
the land they love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">In
publications that I have looked at over the years, farmers and ranchers have a
public trust rating of roughly eighty percent. One of the few people higher
than them is their wives. The people that ensure there is plenty to eat without
fear is still looked on favorably with our urban cousins.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I
wonder, if farmers and ranchers are so trustworthy, why don’t they have
representation on different committees that are working to make rules and
policy in agriculture?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">About
a month ago I saw a post on Facebook that brought to my awareness the first
annual New York Times Food for Tomorrow conference. The title of the conference
is “Farm Better. Eat Better. Feed the World.” Great, where do I sign up? <a href="http://www.nytfoodfortomorrow.com/">http://www.nytfoodfortomorrow.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">However,
farmers are not welcome! Do you know what a “C-suite executive is?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I
didn’t either; I had to do a web search for it. It turns out that it refers to
executives of companies whose title begins with a “C” such as CEO, CFO, etc.
Well this seems great; farmers should be able to tell their story to the power
brokers of multimillion dollar companies that can have influence on the public.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">However,
farmers are not on the agenda!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’m
sure that the 200 plus experts that were invited will be able to use their
expertise to help make sensible headway into issues that agriculture is trying
to deal with. I’m sure that these invited experts such as “chefs, researchers,
N.G.O. (Non Government Organization) leaders, and important thinkers” will
solve our problems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Where
are the farmers?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I
wrote both a letter to the NY Times addressing this conference and sent an
email to the organizers trying to figure out how solutions can be vetted
without a farmer presence. In almost a month I still have no reply from either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">If
farmers and ranchers have about an 80% trust level with the public you would
think their representation at this conference would be valued. NOPE!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">This
trend is happening everyplace agriculture should have a seat at the table. On
another FB post I saw another meeting, this time by a more credible
organization, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The meeting is
titled “The International Symposium on Agroecology for Food and Nutrition
Security.” <a href="http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/afns/en/">http://www.fao.org/about/meetings/afns/en/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not
only did they develop a brand new term that farmers and ranchers will have to
deal with (Agroecology) but they also designated this as “scientific” to keep
real agriculture from having representation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">This
is an elite club of anti-agriculture-as-we-know-it club having a small get
together in Rome. What’s even more interesting is the person representing the
greatest force in global agriculture, the United States, is a doctor from the
University of California at San Francisco. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">U.S.
agriculture should really be pleased with our selected representative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">On
a topic more close to me is the absence of agriculture representation for commercial
UAS (Unmanned Air Systems) members to make rules. I have been advocating for a
seat at the FAA table since 2007 and there is still representation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">All
of this is very concerning to me and definitely should be to you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">I
won’t go so far as calling the lack of farmers and ranchers at agriculture
meetings designed to find solutions to problems a conspiracy, but I’m close. In
researching items for this article I did realize we’ve been hijacked though.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not
only is the population of farmers and ranchers dwindling but our name and
profession is being systematically wiped out electronically. The images of
fuzzy bunnies and twitter birds flying around a Matilda looking lass holding a
bunch of carrots or a John Denver-esque hippie dude in overalls and a couple of
critters in the background is what you find.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">The
majority of the public adores us and our profession. We are looked upon as
being an extension of our </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZtDvYnyCIOS_Aq8o0p_hfXAeHPeUtZsLs06Zpe7Zp23O6vqlar5xLZ4vPtO_UIKc07a-pa1ucGwrLJIiRiGAMNBE16lpIjohMTSOUlv_vLrvPALlTNE9O7ePs0_3R0YDHyWNql7l33g/s1600/IMG_2042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZtDvYnyCIOS_Aq8o0p_hfXAeHPeUtZsLs06Zpe7Zp23O6vqlar5xLZ4vPtO_UIKc07a-pa1ucGwrLJIiRiGAMNBE16lpIjohMTSOUlv_vLrvPALlTNE9O7ePs0_3R0YDHyWNql7l33g/s1600/IMG_2042.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
forefathers in being rugged and roughing it. We
represent hard work and clean living. The word “resiliency” should have a
picture of someone in agriculture beside it in the dictionary.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">However,
we’ve faltered. Agriculture has turned a blind eye to standing up for
ourselves. We find all kinds of excuses to why we won’t find the time to be
proactive, utilize social media, and or serve as a volunteer for an
organization.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes,
the world will still need food. Yes, we have the expertise to grow it well and
responsibly. But do you have the backbone to demand the change to
have a seat at the table that we tout so much as to filling with our
commodities? It's time for you to get up so agriculture can sit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-41398806008057697632014-08-11T07:19:00.000-07:002014-08-11T07:19:54.945-07:00BREATHING IN POOR LIBERAL POLICY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlgtrpJQU5yqvm9IG5n7PF-E_PxwwRuzLDQgK7fK-Q5I8cBes1gm9VSuOQs3yEVZkET45_ayv0fI98F_10Ua5SuU5B_BGcozvHKA5MMcOPsvsW7woI83e_I6J4_IHRzX6IDLrVnV7HFo/s1600/IMG_0502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTlgtrpJQU5yqvm9IG5n7PF-E_PxwwRuzLDQgK7fK-Q5I8cBes1gm9VSuOQs3yEVZkET45_ayv0fI98F_10Ua5SuU5B_BGcozvHKA5MMcOPsvsW7woI83e_I6J4_IHRzX6IDLrVnV7HFo/s1600/IMG_0502.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">For every action taken there are consequences. Yesterday, and I’m sure more days to come, we in north central Idaho will be experiencing
the consequences…POOR LAND MANAGEMENT!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">As you can tell by the pictures the air quality isn’t good.
At harvest time there is dust in the air, usually in the evening but by morning
it is cleared out. Not the case with wildfire smoke being held in by a weather
system change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">The cause for the smoke…lighting activated fires in public
lands. The same public lands that are poorly mismanaged by environmental
activist driven liberal policies whose demographics are in the rural regions of L.A., San Francisco, New York City, Chicago, Boston, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSOHCazZ1JRwc6C0eZPdzrSj6p2xOUMZGJn0YMdrv4MSzVY7ypjmEty2eZF8KhFz7uTZyCC0V0MZtcPbKAVG7bZxpZ59pHh1r2qfcH67RH9-abYNX7_aCW77D89W1yQQt-YjNr97Muu4/s1600/IMG_0494.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSOHCazZ1JRwc6C0eZPdzrSj6p2xOUMZGJn0YMdrv4MSzVY7ypjmEty2eZF8KhFz7uTZyCC0V0MZtcPbKAVG7bZxpZ59pHh1r2qfcH67RH9-abYNX7_aCW77D89W1yQQt-YjNr97Muu4/s1600/IMG_0494.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">Are you getting the picture or is it too smoky to see
through?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">For years the environmental activist organizations and
zealots have preyed on the emotions of city folk to “have passion for mother
earth and care for the land” by sending a $10 or more donation to stop
logging. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">And Liberal lawmakers like Diane Feinstein are leading the
charge. I wonder if she is out camping in a tent in our area to experience the
fruits of her labor?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">By not allowing logging to take place on public lands to
remove dead trees, make clearings to help stop fires, and to manage the land has
made for one heck of a fuel supply that we are inhaling and will be for weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NSQtVwBfR1BTqvUvuoYtacPLeLme7D5THZHDvOoa85K3WWE6M7EvvTWxR69vs6n2wIh9-UtsgVrM2-TznUbP55h-PanUQcCMIm6RXcGwR2roRnj0QVqHq6Xc6_f1tvqbdS5VQTiYYhA/s1600/Project1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0NSQtVwBfR1BTqvUvuoYtacPLeLme7D5THZHDvOoa85K3WWE6M7EvvTWxR69vs6n2wIh9-UtsgVrM2-TznUbP55h-PanUQcCMIm6RXcGwR2roRnj0QVqHq6Xc6_f1tvqbdS5VQTiYYhA/s1600/Project1.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.663999557495117px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: xx-small;">Senator Dianne Feinstein and her Husband Richard Blum have purchased a new home for 16.5 Million at the corner of Lyon and Vallejo st in San Francisco.</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">I’m sure that Senator Feinstein, her cronies in Congress,
and the liberals and activists that support these poor policies make sure that
their yards are watered and beautiful. I’m sure that after the lawn is mowed
and weeds are pulled the refuse doesn’t just stay there. Why is my back yard any different?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">Why should public lands be any different? Why can’t our
government utilize the sale of the trees to help take some pressure off of us
tax payers in more ways than one?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">The answer is definitely clearer than the smoke invested
air I am seeing and breathing…BIG MONEY!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05Z4PIIyb2_HrXa8V-CsYRXhJUfmULABU7aBbIgE_rrv-43BqDPSR8XHxykxHbkJ3VAynDDGqsaEEgjOPUlsXSFEzuh8QfOTygp5zCP4Px0xLwjzZc6LTVYzuxGqLF9Oqcfbi3RJQi6Y/s1600/IMG_0499_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg05Z4PIIyb2_HrXa8V-CsYRXhJUfmULABU7aBbIgE_rrv-43BqDPSR8XHxykxHbkJ3VAynDDGqsaEEgjOPUlsXSFEzuh8QfOTygp5zCP4Px0xLwjzZc6LTVYzuxGqLF9Oqcfbi3RJQi6Y/s1600/IMG_0499_tonemapped.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">Over $2 trillion is spent annually worldwide on environmental
activism. Do you think these bloated back east elected officials care about me
and my family in a town of 369 people in north central Idaho? Or do you think
they care about the bundles of dollars their rich activist friends with
townhouses in Manhattan think?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">Not only do we need to clear the air on this issue, but we
need to clean house. We need better policies that actually work regarding public
land management. We need common sense policies instead of the kind driven by
activist monies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;">I’m sure that there is concern on the other side’s part to
care for the environment and those that live in it…just not us humans that pay
their way. Maybe if I was a three horned snail darter or painted lady toad strangler
they would pay attention to my plea. It's down right unAmerican! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-74875798074044441602014-05-23T07:46:00.000-07:002014-05-23T07:46:45.446-07:00PULLIN' UP THEM BIG GIRL PANTIESThis post isn't about me so don't get your panties in a wad. Also, if I caused you to have bad visions in your head or nightmares with the title...that's your fault. Hey society today doesn't believe in self accountability.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMn2lQ7UxCT7M-OTr3PmUQmFfph-fpye_TjVLj3quu4glNM9U4VDHr9HOoiBTJ-6A_AtK_nbjs9OMZa4uAKPfr9ZIPsW0L3b3lov_QR67986-EyU_90TU-nWKlqzYXtTSIvgwm-UY5MMI/s1600/Coffee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMn2lQ7UxCT7M-OTr3PmUQmFfph-fpye_TjVLj3quu4glNM9U4VDHr9HOoiBTJ-6A_AtK_nbjs9OMZa4uAKPfr9ZIPsW0L3b3lov_QR67986-EyU_90TU-nWKlqzYXtTSIvgwm-UY5MMI/s1600/Coffee.jpg" height="261" width="320" /></a>I didn't know how prophetic the image on the right would be when I posted it on Rhonda's Facebook wall yesterday. With the challenges she is going through I thought it would brighten her day and it did. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We parted ways as usual in the morning but we were excited for a special day. I would pick her up from the Juliaetta Elementary school and proceed to the Quality Inn at Clarkston, Washington for a luncheon to honor area Valedictorians/Salutatorians. It was SUPPOSED to be Dillon's day.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We had a stop to make before the event and that was to look at different landscaping rock. I have this bright idea that I can start and complete a project on the farm before Dillon's graduation party while doing farm work, helping Rhonda, and having a meeting thrown in. I love pressure.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Then Rhonda's phone rang on the way to look a the rock. It was a call from a doctor. The good news is that surgery dates can be set, the bad news is one of them is May 30th which is Dillon's graduation party and the other is July 3rd. As she ended the call (you don't hang up a cell phone) the tears began.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I'm thinking to myself "OK Robert, let her get some of it out and don't screw things up and make it worse." We were almost there and she pulled them puppies up with a look of determination.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGrSl4XrhyphenhyphenMBXC9m8urOcRGAZBfounPnbNQr9TBO-jymjZRULqRRY7jX-4wyIszpppSjRsfCv_XPPAzJTbsKV8XUK9GSH-aN3afYySa8J4eSodv_f_9si6_vSpNtsvxiMuY1z1WOZyAM/s1600/rainbow+rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGrSl4XrhyphenhyphenMBXC9m8urOcRGAZBfounPnbNQr9TBO-jymjZRULqRRY7jX-4wyIszpppSjRsfCv_XPPAzJTbsKV8XUK9GSH-aN3afYySa8J4eSodv_f_9si6_vSpNtsvxiMuY1z1WOZyAM/s1600/rainbow+rock.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvORuHBMbAMNzhny02lLVBo-_i6nQlo9PNqrvaW1TYM0zLfZSLeXpaeTF6iqtvDfFOzL_YolRMg_Yk5N58s4-PUmbKUV0uNMu9Y77qpMsPVi5CHTD5XPstZ6P_uo_XD326r2fh_7VESk/s1600/Pump+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>I drove through the lot to find the rock piles and we saw what we wanted...fractured rainbow rock. We both loved the colors and thought it would go well in the area we wanted it in. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Onward and forward to the luncheon.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rhonda needed to talk. The more she thought about it the farther she leaned towards the 30th. She joked that I would have to place a faux Rhonda in the chair at graduation. I said that would be easy, I would just get a blowup doll. Great, I got her laughing and the tears were from that instead of sorrow. </div>
<div>
Pulling them up even tighter now.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was a great event and it was good to see people there that we knew. The four Kendrick kids were sitting together and we hurried to get a table (in the back so I can people watch and take pictures).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Afterwards, we congratulated kids and parents then headed to Home Depot and URM to shop for project supplies and party supplies.Stop for petrol and on to work and home. On the way we made another joke about the blowup doll being a replacement...it stuck. It will be the R n R...Rhonda Replacement.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Rhonda stayed at the school to catch up on work and wait for Logan while Dillon and I received the load of rock. Mission: Finish before Rhonda comes home! Five yard of rock doesn't seem like much but when you are trying to sling it around it's like a never ending gobstopper. Baby scoop to the rescue. I used it to do the major spreading and then it was shovel and rake. Mission accomplished.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I was mowing the windbreak and Dillon was raking grass when Rhonda came home. I finished my pass and drove to meet her by the pump house. </div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2Q_FUGWLhlsK5MODRhlYzqzURAQrtw85msmFlq7eo948wmVIhT00xU9yBWfnTtv65X0ruiD9UijLuzOqW9hImB76mHwU8qZepnl5Agey-1zzTXwK9mdDSIA2H631zJY5cqCOk3mLva4/s1600/Pump+House.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV2Q_FUGWLhlsK5MODRhlYzqzURAQrtw85msmFlq7eo948wmVIhT00xU9yBWfnTtv65X0ruiD9UijLuzOqW9hImB76mHwU8qZepnl5Agey-1zzTXwK9mdDSIA2H631zJY5cqCOk3mLva4/s1600/Pump+House.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
She definitely had a sparkle in her eye and a smile on her face.It looked awesome and Dillon, Logan and I reveled in her happiness.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Then it was time to pull them panties up a little more.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We broke the news to Dillon and Logan that Rhonda will have surgery on May 30th...the day planned for Dillon's graduation party. We will have to cancel it for that day, but we will have one. Probably on July 4th, multiple celebrations.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Pull them up even higher and tighter...Rhonda will miss Dillon's graduation.</div>
<div>
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When we put things into perspective, it is more important to have Rhonda around longer than just one party or event...even if that is a big day for her first born. As parents, our focus has always been on our boys with no equivocation. They are the center of our life.</div>
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While this does break our hearts we know that God has a plan and it is not always for us to see or understand at times. We are both sure that the understanding will come. For now we need to focus on Rhonda and her being successful.</div>
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That was Thursday, May 22nd exactly one month to the day when we learned of the news about Rhonda having cancer. Today we head to Spokane for an MRI to help the doctors make sure that the proposed surgery is what is needed and nothing more.</div>
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So grab a cup of coffee, put on them big girl panties and face life with a sparkle in your eye and a smile on your face. There are always people with more and bigger problems out there and we are very fortunate to have caught this early and for the tremendous support Rhonda and our family has received.</div>
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Besides, I might just have a replacement sitting next to me at graduation with an amazed look on her face wearing nothing but panties. Probably not, but maybe that's an image you can work up in your mind and have a laugh at today.</div>
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UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-82477815647054623032014-05-21T07:40:00.001-07:002014-05-21T07:40:20.376-07:00BREAST SUPPORTERS<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaydIVbvlVV5pmWnskypvFwVBScbN9hrGs7YvcSYgq2Bnj3RxGw-pHR1eRkS1TmpzsS5pAIYm4OgjH1itFP3rVX4mNAvzrB5BOmcQfeZEtw25wbu7Mttjyr2XJVV2-rOFPLuGdQ0rpYs/s1600/photo+(3)_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGaydIVbvlVV5pmWnskypvFwVBScbN9hrGs7YvcSYgq2Bnj3RxGw-pHR1eRkS1TmpzsS5pAIYm4OgjH1itFP3rVX4mNAvzrB5BOmcQfeZEtw25wbu7Mttjyr2XJVV2-rOFPLuGdQ0rpYs/s1600/photo+(3)_tonemapped.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a>It's amazing how one simple word can change your life and perspective. Cancer is one of those words.<br />
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Life just can't stop in mid stream. Since Rhonda was diagnosed with breast cancer in April many things have taken place. All of the seed is in the ground which is a great feeling. Dillon and I traveled back to Hartford, CT for a scholarship interview that he was successful on, and of course Rhonda had more tests.<br />
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The mental toll that takes places is indescribable. Not only for Rhonda, but for the whole family. Is there more cancer? What procedure should I do? Lumpectomy or Mastectomy? Am I letting everyone down? What about financial issues? The list goes on and on.<br />
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There is good news and hope...BREAST SUPPORTERS! Yeah, this is tongue in cheek but you can either laugh or cry. Rhonda and I are both ones that find sadistic humor in many situations. I've tried to make up words to go with BRA but I haven't had any luck. Maybe - Blair, Rhonda Activists! It just seems a little limp and danglely.<br />
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While Hillary Clinton said "It takes a village," we are finding out "IT TAKES A COMMUNITY and/or FAMILY." What we discovered is how large that community/family really is. It is global! The support from friends, co-workers, and even strangers has just been too amazing to describe at times. Overwhelming is a good word.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-13DNEro84tB1WgcPZHHgI1vpJ3YbYjYzir3oZhyphenhyphentJsv2jm3bi-OlMDcZ4OGYtDwkmAxhpphHd-IX1RTuM5ljkNqppFqBM3NtV3VTzQ2xNqMKe4BSrlvHr3syvyIraeRShPTRb8gKLs/s1600/JES+Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-13DNEro84tB1WgcPZHHgI1vpJ3YbYjYzir3oZhyphenhyphentJsv2jm3bi-OlMDcZ4OGYtDwkmAxhpphHd-IX1RTuM5ljkNqppFqBM3NtV3VTzQ2xNqMKe4BSrlvHr3syvyIraeRShPTRb8gKLs/s1600/JES+Picture.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back Row L to R: Emily Fredenburg, Jackie Kohler, Vickie Witt, Rose Norris<br />Middle Row: Heather Anderson, Rob Hoffman, Connie Reid, Dr. Park, Angie Tweit, Dawn Quigley, Suzanne Brammer,<br />Tracy Cooper, Shannon Heath, Morgan Heier, Chelsea Henson, Denise Silflow<br />Front Row: Melissa Eichner, Kandy Mccleese, Kim Cirka, Jan Patterson, Angie Cannon, Connie Hedler, Jessica Clemenhagen. Front & Center: Rhonda Blair<br /></td></tr>
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My last blog was about "Pink Tractors" which was done right after Rhonda's initial visit with two cancer specialists. We picked up a T-shirt with a pink tractor on it for breast cancer support. After I posted, the comments and support that came in was mind blowing.<br />
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Rhonda and I joked the day she wore it to work that there needs to be a special day for that...like Ta Ta Tuesday. Well, it stuck and with her telling that story to the staff at the grade school which led to the main reason for this blog.<br />
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Without Rhonda's knowledge they designed and ordered T-shirts. Now I like wearing pink. So does Logan and to some extent Dillon. But Rhonda....loathes the color. Being an athlete she associated pink with things over the top feminine. I get it, it's kind of like Chevy or Ford, you have your favorite.<br />
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So last Tuesday May 13th the BREAST SUPPORTERS sprung their surprise on her. Pink T-shirts with black ribbons on the front...and they know she doesn't like pink which makes it funny. The special part was on the back...TEAM RHONDA!<br />
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Rhonda called me to tell the story and it brought tears to my eyes. A small community is like a family. Most of the time life goes normal but there are times of arguments, jealousy, etc. Kind of like the petty stuff that takes place with siblings that makes parents go crazy. But like a family, when the chips are down, the wagons are circled, and they stick together. Rhonda's co-workers at the Juliaetta Grade school have been the BEST BREAST SUPPORTERS ever.<br />
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Rhonda is a "newbie" in the community. Now that I think about it, it's been over 20 years. However, I grew up here and know many of the staff from years gone past. My sixth grade teacher, Emily Fredenburg is still there. A classmate from the class of 1987, Angie (Hoisington) Cannon is a teacher and was the only one who signed my yearbook when I changed schools. A member from church who had kids a few years younger than me, Vickie Witt works there. Connie (Groseclose) Hedler was a cheerleader when I was in grade school and a mother when I was an AAU basketball coach to her son and my brother. My high school English teacher Suzanne Brammer. Dawn Quigley who's first year teaching second grade was when I was in third. Watching Chelsea Henson, Tracy Cooper and Jessica (Silflow) Clemenhagen grow up. Melissa Eichner whose husband farms and I coached her son in AAU. Kim Cirka who's son and Dillon were close high school friends. Denise Silflow who I like to tease when I go to The Dubliner in Washington, D.C. Angie Tweit who we have spent many a year together toting our sons back and forth from kindergarten to state basketball. There is a long, intertwined history with most people in a small community. GREAT BREAST SUPPORTERS!<br />
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Like I stated earlier we found out we have a large family/community. Support rolled in from around the world. Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, England, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Canada, Romania, Ireland, and all around the U.S. Many have been to our farm or we have visited them. These folks are also GREAT BREAST SUPPORTERS!<br />
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Then yesterday Rhonda received a card signed by people (I should use the word friends) in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. My life has been intertwined with many of them through different capacities. What made this special to both Rhonda and I was the word "FAMILY" on the return address.<br />
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Yes, we are a family. Small communities, the CALS family, The Eisenhower Fellowship network, Idaho Grain Producers Association, the National Association of Wheat Growers, and the Nuffield Scholars network are more than ever a part of our life and family.<br />
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I am reminded of a joke my father told me many, many years ago (he wasn't the most PC or diplomatic person mind you). "What is the strongest thing in the world? A brassiere, it holds up two milk factories." Now you understand my tongue in cheek title BREAST SUPPORTERS, THEY DEFINITELY ARE STRONG!<br />
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We call them Ta Tas, melons, knockers, headlights, gazingas, etc. Many jokes have been made about Dolly Parton's "endowed figure." Whatever we call them and no matter what jokes are made, it has definitely provided a different perspective of "the girls." But one things is certain, no matter what procedure Rhonda decides on "TEAM RHONDA" WILL WIN! Why??? She has amazing BREAST SUPPORTERS in her life!UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-37308547571694582382014-04-30T09:19:00.001-07:002014-04-30T09:19:11.468-07:00PINK TRACTORS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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April 7th, 2014 is a day that Rhonda and I will never forget. It was a Sunday and I was busy getting clothes ready to head to Washington, D.C. for the National Wheat Improvement Committee/National Association of Wheat Growers Research Fly-in.<br />
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Rhonda and I were sitting on the couch in the office (we have a separate building that serves as office, man cave, dog house for the times I'm in trouble, In-law storage, visitor retreat, etc.) where I stay the night so I don't wake the family up at 2-2:30 am to catch my flight.<br />
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"Robert, could you feel my breast? I think I have a lump" Rhonda said. Now as a guy I would normally be excited and happy to oblige to such a request...but this was definitely different. My heart rate increased, I was getting sweaty, and I was nervous...similar to younger days but in a completely different way.<br />
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I felt the "LUMP."<br />
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"Rhonda, you need to get that looked at. It might be nothing but it should be checked out." The timing couldn't have been worse for either of us, we were parting at a time of need for each other.<br />
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I left for DC Monday and didn't get back home until Thursday while Rhonda visited the doctor. We were both continuing on with what we needed to do professionally, but our minds had other things on them definitely that week.<br />
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The second week, things moved fast as well. On the 15th she had an appointment for a mammogram and her friend Dianne went with her. After that visit she went back on that Thursday the 17th for a biopsy with support from Dianne and her friend Jaime. That started the long wait.<br />
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I know my blog handle is "The Unmanned Farmer" and should deal mainly with UAVs and this story does have a UAV portion to it.<br />
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Tuesday, April 22nd is another date I won't forget. I had a reporter up from the Lewiston Morning Tribune doing a story on my use of UAVs. It was raining so we couldn't actually fly which was a bummer. However, standing around in the shop with the UAVs set up and doing the interview the phone rang.<br />
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I looked at the caller ID and it was the grade school. Oh, Rhonda is calling for something............<br />
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My heart dropped and my breath was completely taken away, she was crying uncontrollably and I knew she was hurt. The frightening part was I knew why. After getting her to calm down a little she told me she had to go to the doctor that day at 2 pm and would I go? Farming, UAVs, or anything else in the world didn't matter and I was not going to let her down.<br />
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I hung up the phone and still had an interview to do. Stay professional, carry on as if nothing happened, get through this with all costs and as normally as possible.<br />
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During our reminiscing about this quick journey I would equate my reactions that day to President George W. Bush being informed of the Twin Towers being attacked. I'm sure the shocked showed initially, but you needed to get through the current job as quickly and professionally as possible to not alarm others so that you can deal with the situation.<br />
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Farmers deal with tough situations every year, especially if they raise animals. Farmers pull on their years of knowledge and experience to identify the problem, quickly analyze it, and then take a course of action. This all happens in the blink of an eye usually. I could not use my skills as a farmer to solve the problem of someone I truly love hurting over the phone. I could not reach out to provide a comforting touch or reassuring embrace. And I still had the interview to do.<br />
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That day we met with the doctor and received the news that Rhonda has Breast Cancer confirming our fears.<br />
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Since then we had a visitor from Australia who took our mind off of things for a couple of days. Simon Mattsson is a sugarcane farmer from Australia and a Nuffield Scholar. Also, our church had a service dedicated to the seniors of the high school.<br />
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Monday and Tuesday Rhonda met with two great doctors to (As Paul Harvey would say) get the rest of the story and plan a course of action.<br />
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Things have moved very fast in less than a month, even to the amazement of the doctors. Support has been great and having some answers to the unknowns has been a relief. There are still tests to be done and more unknowns, but there is HOPE! God's hand has definitely been there in many different ways but that is a different story and should and probably told by Rhonda.<br />
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Now to the Pink Tractor. As Rhonda was checking in to her first appointment Monday, I saw a young nurse in the facility with a black shirt with a pink tractor...I NEED TO GET ONE FOR RHONDA is all I could think. I called a couple of people that I know and there was one waiting for us at Farm Credit Services Northwest in Spokane <a href="https://www.northwestfcs.com/Stewardship/The-Pink-Tractor">https://www.northwestfcs.com/Stewardship/The-Pink-Tractor</a> .<br />
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If there is one color Rhonda loathes it is pink! However, since it is on a tractor she could handle it and wear the shirt.<br />
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Our spirits are up and our family is dealing with it well. Rhonda and I cannot say thank you enough to all of the support that has been there from friends and strangers. It truly is amazing and has turned this crisis into more of a mission of hope and determination.<br />
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I am certain that this will not be the last post I will write on this journey or subject and there are definitely better stories that can be told from this month of shock and discovery but I will leave that up to best friend, partner, soul mate, and wife Rhonda. Maybe for Mother's Day I will give her a pink tractor to drive.<br />
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<i>As a note of recognition and thanks we want to thank Northwest Farm Credit Services for their recognition and support for Breast Cancer! Rhonda and I both hope that you and your friends will take time and be more aware of this cause.</i>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-91600168204000539862014-01-09T08:15:00.001-08:002014-01-09T08:15:26.022-08:00AGRICULTURE: THE RODNEY DANGERFIELD OF INDUSTRIES<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The year of 2013 had a very interesting conclusion for me. There was an Associated Press story I was in that went around the world. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/14/agriculture-market-for-drones/4025559/">http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/14/agriculture-market-for-drones/4025559/</a> It was pretty exciting to follow how far this went and where. The changes in the headlines were just as interesting. As of today this story is still running and the pictures that Rhonda and I offered to the AP are being used as well.<br />
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Because of that story I was asked to be on Fox Business News. Not only yes, but heck yeah! Another forum to tell the amazing story of a promising technology for agriculture. What a way to kick off a new year. <a href="http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/3028213979001/the-next-step-in-drone-technology/#sp=show-clips">http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/3028213979001/the-next-step-in-drone-technology/#sp=show-clips</a><br />
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Unfortunately the story I really wanted to tell did not happen. Agriculture is being neglected by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA is supposed to have rules for commercial UAV use out by 2015 as mandated by Congress, however production agriculture doesn't have a seat at the table.<br />
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In 2008 I filed a petition to the FAA to have agriculture obtain a seat at the table. I was also able to have a bi-partisan/bi-cameral letter from Congress to try to have agriculture representation for UAVs. None of that happened. These efforts were to have ag representation on the original ARC (Aviation Rulemaking Committee).<br />
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What did happen was a slap in the face to me and agriculture. I had scheduled an appointment a couple months in advance to meet with the top officials at the FAA. I was working on agriculture representation for the ARC. The day I had the meeting to discuss this I was informed that the invitations were sent out....that day to be a member. A true slap in the face.<br />
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I did learn a couple of interesting things. First I was told by someone in D.C. that "Politicians come and go, those that work in departments are there for a lifetime." From the time I started this to present I have had three different Congressmen from my district. That means I had to start the process over every two years.<br />
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A second thing I learned is that the FAA is made up of mainly aviators. That is fine and I understand why. I wouldn't want the Department of Agriculture to be made up of construction workers or the Department of Education to made up of Realtors. However, I do believe that if rules will effect an industry there should be representation.<br />
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Maybe there are USDA officials or researchers involved in the process from agriculture, however they are not the industry. The needs of the agriculture industry are different than the needs of researchers in many instances. There is overlap and I love working with the University of Idaho and it's extension personnel but research and reality sometimes are different.<br />
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Finally I also learned that agriculture is not respected...in many circles. The whole process of learning about UAVs, speaking about them, and trying to create sensible regulations showed me how farmers and agriculture are looked down upon.<br />
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I don't know why that is, but I have my hunches. One reason is reality shows and how they portray us. American Gothic is a great painting, but that is how agriculture is perceived. Like Rodney Dangerfield, rural people and agriculture get "No Respect" in many circles.<br />
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But the FAA is not only disrespecting agriculture, they are disrespecting the public. UAVs are a transformative technology that can help agriculture do things more responsibly. The message from the media, NGOs, and the public say they want less erosion, less water used, less fertilizer, and less pesticides. This technology can those wants into realities.<br />
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What needs to happen is better recognition of the importance of UAVs and agriculture to our elected officials. We need organizations like AUVSI (Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International) to partner with our agriculture organizations to help create the rules necessary for successful UAV integration into agriculture.<br />
<br />
While AUVSI showed the same respect in 2008 as the FAA did, they are now committed to promoting UAV use in agriculture. A powerful message can be sent if, and only if, there is mutual respect.<br />
<br />
What is in the past is the past and we need to move forward. I am truly excited about the prospects and interest in UAVs, especially in the last couple of months. Regarding UAVs in agriculture, the media is showing respect, politicians are showing respect, and the business community is showing respect.<br />
<br />
It's time for the FAA to follow the example of others instead of bowing their backs. We need each other for this to be successful. Agriculture has and is reaching out to the FAA to help successfully bring UAVs into the commercial airspace. It is now the FAA's turn to show the same amount of respect.<br />
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<br />UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-70964474968989581872013-09-07T10:30:00.001-07:002013-09-07T10:30:42.124-07:00GROWING PAINS<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cnvj85lh2EU/UitcdksOzUI/AAAAAAAAAOA/4FK7IXWOKsk/s1600/13+-+1" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cnvj85lh2EU/UitcdksOzUI/AAAAAAAAAOA/4FK7IXWOKsk/s320/13+-+1" width="320" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">John Wayne said in his character role of Sergeant Stryker "Life is tough, it's tougher if you're stupid." As a matter of fact, I have that character's picture and saying on the shop wall. Life is tough even if you aren't stupid...very tough some times.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">There are moments in our lives when things don't go quite the way we would like and as we grow older the level of tough times changes. As a kid, a tough time might be parents not buying the toy or cereal you want or getting told no when asking someone for a date.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">As we mature tough times become a bad grade in a class or losing a very important game. While these things seem like tough times at that moment and stage in our life we usually get over them and then forget them completely.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Looking back on my life I've had a few tough times, the biggest was losing my father. He was too young to die, but my faith in God helped me through that tough time. That first year saw me having to stop work and just cry. One of those times was doing spring work, our favorite time of the year. I missed having him there.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">My tough time now is being a parent. I wrestle with things like handing out responsibility to Dillon and Logan while trying to make sure they still get to experience what kids should. With Dillon being a senior the tough time is Rhonda and I making sure that we do are part to make sure he is ready for the next step in his life, most likely college.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">However, my tough times are nothing compared to what my oldest son Dillon has gone through. </div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">As we go through grade school and high school there is a certain amount of growing pains that have to take place and those growing pains help to make us the people we are. They shape us and form us into, hopefully, a good person.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ErSuZsJ2J6E/Uitcdmu_3FI/AAAAAAAAAOc/zVYKfeZXUH4/s1600/13+-+2" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ErSuZsJ2J6E/Uitcdmu_3FI/AAAAAAAAAOc/zVYKfeZXUH4/s320/13+-+2" width="320" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Dillon has had more than his share of growing pains. It almost seems that he hasn't had a good high school experience. Last night's experience has compelled me to write this. Dillon broke his wrist playing football.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"> Maybe Dillon isn't the most gifted person in athletics, but he hasn't really had the chance to grow in that area. In Jr. High he was dog-piled on by upper class-men which separated his shoulder. He played two games at QB and on defense and did well, but that injury required surgery during his sophomore year, missing a big share of hoops. He also missed playing football his junior year.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FKR4amvxyA/UitcdsBoLwI/AAAAAAAAAOY/Nsl79T4frxw/s1600/13+-+3" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_FKR4amvxyA/UitcdsBoLwI/AAAAAAAAAOY/Nsl79T4frxw/s320/13+-+3" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">During basketball last year he played a game and not even a quarter when his ankle was broken. He was in position to take a charge and it was a freak accident. I equate it to the Lawrence Taylor/Joe Theismann incident...just a freak accident. He missed almost all of basketball. He did do track, but his ankle was stiff and he started doing it towards the end of the season.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DiYdXcPA9zY/Uitcdui2U-I/AAAAAAAAAOE/DvwtUICChWA/s1600/13+-+8" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DiYdXcPA9zY/Uitcdui2U-I/AAAAAAAAAOE/DvwtUICChWA/s200/13+-+8" width="150" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Last night Dillon broke his wrist and we are still up in the air as to the extent of damage. This was another freak accident where he went out for a pass, landed, and the defender came down on his arm wrong.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">I can't imagine the growing pains he has and is experiencing. Both Dillon and Logan would get up in the morning, service the combine, work all day, and then go to conditioning getting home around 9 pm. Once, they didn't have time to change so they did running in jeans and boots. They both have a great work ethic.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AIVKWS_d_9I/UitcdjD5lII/AAAAAAAAAOU/YOhui24IpWI/s1600/13+-+9" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AIVKWS_d_9I/UitcdjD5lII/AAAAAAAAAOU/YOhui24IpWI/s320/13+-+9" width="320" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Here it is, his senior year and he can't finish football and we don't know about the hoops season yet. He has put in the work to be a good student athlete, both in the classroom, weight room, and in practices but he won't see the fruition of his dedication. He has stood on the sidelines cheering on his teammates. All of this work and dedication and he won't probably receive a letter in football. BIG GROWING PAINS.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9iZBfcFot9o/UitcdlZ05II/AAAAAAAAAN8/qxoXbbqKIbU/s1600/13+-+5" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9iZBfcFot9o/UitcdlZ05II/AAAAAAAAAN8/qxoXbbqKIbU/s200/13+-+5" width="150" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">This is what gets me as a parent...he is always positive and has a smile on his face.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">While these are more severe growing pains for Dillon, as a parent I am dealing with my own growing pains. As a parent I wish that is was me that could be hurt so that he could experience the fun of sports and a great senior year. These are times as a believer in God that I question the "why."</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">When my father passed away at a youngish age I questioned the "why." When things happen in the world I question the "why." Now, I am facing my growing pains not only with Dillon's ordeals but God. </div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">I know things will turn out alright and Dillon will be a good person. I know God is there looking out for us doing our jobs in a dangerous profession. I know He is there when we leave the farm to go to town or to travel. And God does have a plan.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rmck4dQsSNI/UitcdmH5zkI/AAAAAAAAAOM/dPWtC5H6Az8/s1600/13+-+6" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rmck4dQsSNI/UitcdmH5zkI/AAAAAAAAAOM/dPWtC5H6Az8/s320/13+-+6" width="213" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">I am proud of Dillon's work ethic and especially his moral ethic. Watching him as an assistant coach for Jr. High basketball and working with a player who has Downs Syndrome is something I can be proud of. Maybe I'm having the growing pains instead of Dillon?</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">However, I'm a parent who is so saddened by his son missing out on sooo much. Maybe the things I am hoping for him are not the lessons or things he is supposed to experience.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">With that said, I will still pray to God for support. I will still pray to God to look after my family and others. I will still pray to God to help us do the right things.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">I will pray to God to help protect Dillon. And when I look back, He did in a big way. Dillon is here. Dillon was born during the flooding of 1996 and Rhonda had to have labor induced. Dillon had the cord wrapped twice around his neck and I remember trying to reassure Rhonda that everything was fine when she asked how it was going (I need to work on my poker face).</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ed-rrnyl-V4/UitcdonHVxI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/j_fFIGIyqpo/s1600/13+-+7" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ed-rrnyl-V4/UitcdonHVxI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/j_fFIGIyqpo/s320/13+-+7" width="320" /></a></div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">God has been there because we have Dillon with us. Dillon, who is a great big brother and role model for me and others. Thinking about that helps to make MY growing pains hurt a little less. I hope that God and others can help Dillon get through his.</div><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0976563); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><br />
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</div>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-9782559572034949072013-02-03T09:30:00.000-08:002013-02-03T09:30:31.466-08:00FARM RAISED CARROTS & LETTUCE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Again, it's been awhile since I have written in the blog and I need to do better. Life gets in the way, I have other things to do, and a million other excuses that I can think of. However I believe I have found inspiration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Don't get me wrong, there have<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>been many things that I could have written about such as continuing to talk about my McCloy Fellowship in Germany, my hired man being diagnosed with cancer (he is doing well btw), Dillon breaking his ankle in hoops, or ag group meetings and life on the farm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">However my inspiration has come from spending a week away from home at the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) winter meeting in D.C. and catching up with an Eisenhower Fellow and friend in the North Carolina Research Triangle area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">The week started out by going through WOLF (Wheat Organization Leaders of the Future) training. This start to my time in D.C. was great, especially being at the dinner table with Jay Byrne of V-fluence. Listening to his stories and facts about environmental activists was fabulous, eye opening, and shocking. Horror stories on the battle front of agriculture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Jay also was one of the presenters at our meeting talking about crisis management. He had worked in the Clinton administration and did communications work for a few Democrats previously. He talked about how agriculture needs to change and embrace questions about our industry, who better to answer them than us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">What really hit home was the amount of money spent world wide on environmental advocacy, both sides of the issue included. Can you believe that $2.2 trillion is spent annually? Yes that number is correct making it the 5th largest economic sector worldwide. While pro agriculture and industry money is included, they don't hold a candle to the deep pockets of the other side. How can we compete? My conclusion is we can't outspend them, but we can speak up; we need to speak up!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Next was committee meetings, I am on three. I am on the U.S. Wheat/NAWG Joint Biotech Committee, Vice Chair of the Research & Technology Committee which puts me on the Operations & Planning Committee. The future of agriculture and wheat was discussed in all of these and biotech was center stage. Simply put, we need biotech.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">After my meetings in D.C. and trying to identify issues, find solutions, and develop policy I flew into the Raleigh-Durham area to meet my friend and Eisenhower Fellow Rob Burns. I hadn't seen him since the opening session for the 2011 EF program in Philadelphia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Rob<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and I spent the day talking about the world's problems, how being an Eisenhower Fellow benefited us, and just life in general. After a day of seeing the area, a couple of meetings, and meeting his family we went to dinner...and then the fun started.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">A quick background before proceeding. When Rob and I partook in the opening session of the 2011 Eisenhower Fellows, all the 2011 Fellows did a personality profile. A couple of things came out of it: We are energetic, we want to learn, we don't care for big social gatherings unless we really want to be there, and we look at things differently than most people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">So here we are at a five start restaurant for dinner...and that uncomfortable feeling sets in when someone else pushes my chair in for me. The very formal antics by the staff, while good for the elites who want that pampering, was a subject of conversation for us. But that is not why we went there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">We learned that we could have our meal paired with a wine, but both of us are beer kind of guys. We are not uncouth (well that might be questioned in my circle of friends) but being pretentious is not in our being. Then comes time to order and I missed my first opportunity (will explain later). I ordered the Farm Lettuce Salad to start the meal and the Meyers Beef Two Ways (see the menu and try to guess where this is going).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">We grabbed our beers and went outside on the deck to chat and to see the facilities. Impressive to say the least. It's always fun to see how the other people live that are in the upper echelon of the income brackets. So we return and ordered another beer (I had the local<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hefeweizen) and I was asked if I wanted a different glass and I said "I can't see dirtying another glass, especially when I would be happy to just drink straight from the bottle." I bit my tongue from saying "I care for the environment and don't want to waste the water" but I wasn't feeling "That" confrontational. Too much time in D.C. with discussions about environmental activism made me hyper sensitive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Our salads came and it was good, not that I could make one like it at home to feed an army for the price, but in the setting is was good and the price really wasn't out of line. The pears were good, the blue cheese not overpowering, and the bacon vinaigrette was delicious.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">Then came our main course...and the fun is about to begin. As the waiter places the dish in front of me he goes into the explanation of what's on my plate (I am feeling like a judge on Chopped, Iron Chef, or Top Chef). When he said "Farm Carrots" my head came up, eyes popped out, and my ears became tuned on every word he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">When I did that I looked at Rob out of the corner of my eyes and a smile came to his face. He KNEW what was coming next. Not exactly what I was going to say, but where I was going to go. I am still chuckling about our "man" communication without saying words, the "Oceans" movies had that part correct.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">If you have guessed, it had to do with "Farm Carrots." I asked the waiter with a straight face, lined with concern, and puppy dog eyes "What is a Farm Carrot?" The waiter obviously had never been asked that question and bumbled around trying to answer it. I don't remember any of the words or descriptions he said but I started to feel sorry for him and told him I was a farmer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">I gave him a pass because I found out what I wanted with that simple question, there is no difference from any other carrot or what was on my plate at all, they were all raised on a farm to get there. I really could have been cynical, and I am sure that you are amazed at my restraint, by not saying something like "were they space raised carrots" or "government raised carrots."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">This gave Rob and I something more to talk about over dinner. Rob is not a farmer or even a country boy in the sense most of us would use the term, he grew up in New York and in a more urban area. However, his view of reality is there and he understands why I asked the question I did to the waiter, he has done similar in other settings. We do this for our own satisfaction and to hopefully educate someone by asking them a question that they have no answer for. Most people take the drivel our media continually spouts as truth without thinking for themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Consolas;">After a week of talking about biotech, the challenge agriculture has to feed the world responsibly, and the work of environmental activists I had hit the tipping point of being too serious for too long and had to get it out of my system. What I am really upset about though is missing the Farm Lettuce Salad when I ordered it. </span></div>
UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-82211702469670730252012-09-30T14:42:00.000-07:002012-09-30T14:42:34.598-07:00Day 1 & 1/2 in Berlin<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.0898438); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Had a good nacht sleep after walking a few miles last night and started the day <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors="true">at 5am</a>. By <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://2" x-apple-data-detectors-result="2" x-apple-data-detectors="true">5:30</a> I was out the door to take some pictures and see some sights before the other three McCloy Fellows showed up.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.09375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"><div>
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The sky was clear and a full moon was beautiful as I hit the avenue leading to the Brandenburg Gate. It was nice not have crowds of people there (a marathon is going on this weekend) and the moon was directly over the gate.</div>
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After that I followed the map from an app called EveryTrail. It had a pre-programmed map of sights to see and my next stop was the Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe. It is between the U.S. Embassy and the sight of the Fuhrerbunker. </div>
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I walked into the middle of the memorial and the path I was on was leading down. With the time of day (early morning and little light) it was eiree, like walking into one of the ditches that were used for body disposal.</div>
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My next stop was a watchtower left over from the Berlin Wall. It was very humbling to be underneath it. I was trying to imagine what it would have been like to live in East Berlin with towers everywhere looking down at you and guards waiting to shoot people if need be.</div>
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From there I walked to a remaining section of the Berlin Wall. I just can't imagine how the people on either side of it felt, knowing that you couldn't move freely about. </div>
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Next stop was Checkpoint Charlie. Need I say more?</div>
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That was were I ended my journey following my app map. I headed back to the hotel to grab breakfast and get ready to meet my other Fellows. Also, I needed to repack my things to change rooms so I had internet. What a slave I am to all this technology stuff.</div>
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I made it back to the hotel and met up with my first Fellow, Garrick Hall from Utah. His room wasn't ready so we went up to my room and I worked on getting picts off of the camera and ready for posting.</div>
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After doing that and me repacking my bags we headed downstairs to get onto the internet. Just as we were getting ready my new room was made available. We headed to that and I was able to post my pictures from yesterday and this morning while he took a nap.</div>
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We headed downstairs around <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://3" x-apple-data-detectors-result="3" x-apple-data-detectors="true">1:45</a> to meet our host and hopefully or next Fellow. Udo from the DBV (sister organization of American Farm Bureau) met us and him and I had a beir. As we were tossing that back Raquel from Louisiana showed up and joined.</div>
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We headed out to take a tour of the area killing time until our official tour. We headed up river and then met our official guide. She took us on a tour of the Jewish area of Berlin (ghetto). We went off the beaten track through openings in buildings for carriages to nice courtyards (and some not so nice but very interesting).</div>
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It was very sobering to see buildings that had not been renovated with bullet marks from WWII (67 years) or patched up from bomb damage. The Socialist/Communist system didn't do a good job of trying to build up the economy. It makes me wonder where our country is heading?</div>
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During our walk-about we had a good discussion with our guide (who is atheist) about religion. Imagine me being the one to ask the question that is controversial and combative. I really wanted to know because religion was one of the things that I identified during my Eisenhower Fellowship.</div>
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In Germany they are taxed at 9% just for belonging to a religion and it is tied to the government because of medical and educational reasons. Another reason for the decline of religion was due to the communist side of Germany (and eastern Europe). If a person belonged to a religion they or their children could not attend university.</div>
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The last reason was family lifestyle. If the parents didn't belong to a religion and brought up their children that way their kids wouldn't be religious. It is amazing how government policy and bias brought that about, especially since it was started under the Nazis.</div>
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I don't care what our media or activists say, religion is a major component to the success of the United States. We were founded by people who did not want a governmental religion (Church of England).</div>
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Because of this ideal, religious tolerance was a key building block. Each colony had its own religion. From that the people that formed the Constitution realized religious freedom was a key component for a successful nation. Boy were they correct.</div>
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We did a little more touring and then parted ways. We covered quite a bit of territory (not as much as I did on my own), but we had a great insight into the history of Germany, yesterday and today!</div>
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The time schedule we were on (imagine Germans trying to be punctual) led us catching the train to the station close to our hotel. We arrived there and met the final Fellow, Paul from Arizona.</div>
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After we put a few things away in our rooms and freshened up we headed out to do a boat tour on the Spree river. It was only an hour long ride but it showed many of the beautiful building, new and old that I want to know more about and take pictures of .</div>
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When we docked at the end of our tour our host suggested a restaurant that we should try. It was started after unification (after the Berlin Wall came down) as a way of making the West German officials feel at home in the new/old capitol.</div>
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Our host recommended that we try a local cuisine, currywurst. During my jaunts through Berlin I saw restaurants and small food vendors offering it. It was good but the calf liver our host had looked even better. Next time.</div>
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We ended the meal with some awesome schnapps. This made me feel at home because the area I live in is German and I grew up with this. However, that tradition ended with my Great Aunt passing away last year.</div>
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All things have to end and we headed to the hotel to give our host gifts and head to bed for a big day tomorrow. I don't know if I will have time to reflect and post tomorrow, but I will definitely get my travels into this blog.</div>
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Prost and Gott Nacht!</div>
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</span>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-45114865904152651652012-09-30T13:09:00.000-07:002012-09-30T13:12:39.728-07:00ANOTHER LIFE ADVENTURE<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.09375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.09375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">I have been truly blessed! When I look at my life and all potential possibilities that could have been I count my blessings every single day!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.09375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Today I am headed on another journey that the final destination is unknown. What I mean by that is I don't know what opportunities await after this adventure.</span></div>
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This spring I applied for a McCloy Agriculture Fellowship <a href="http://www.acgusa.org/about2.php?pagename=Fellowships&subpagename=For+Other+Mid-Level+Professionals&toppagename=Agriculture&mlinkid=30" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1" x-apple-data-detectors="true">http://www.acgusa.org/about2.php?pagename=Fellowships&subpagename=For+Other+Mid-Level+Professionals&toppagename=Agriculture&mlinkid=30</a> and was successful enough to be one of four people going to Germany. This is similar to my Eisenhower Fellowship except I don't choose the destination or program.</div>
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What makes this blessed are a few things. First and foremost is my family. Without them and their support and help this would not be possible. Second is my hired man Dean King being there to pick up the slack. Finally my parents for giving me structure and confidence to try things that others said I couldn't do.</div>
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While I will be in Germany for three weeks my life's journey doesn't end there. I hope that the knowledge that I gain from this wonderful experience can help me and others in the future, especially Dillon and Logan.</div>
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God has given each of us the tools to accomplish amazing things but fear of one kind or another (failure, ridicule, peer pressure, etc.) keeps most people from going beyond points where most people quit.</div>
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When I look at myself I am truly blessed. I was adopted and God found a special place and parents for me. At times I wonder what my life would have been had things gone differently.</div>
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My life's journey has been driven by trying to live life to the fullest. When my body started to give out my competitive nature turned to learning. I want to learn new things so I can pass that knowledge on to future generations.</div>
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This is what life is about, the journey for knowledge and I don't want to miss the train!</div>
</span>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-72052906538668687962012-09-03T16:48:00.000-07:002012-09-03T16:48:29.272-07:00A PROUD FATHER AFTER HARVEST<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.09375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(130, 98, 83, 0.09375); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(191, 107, 82, 0.496094); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Noteworthy; font-size: 18px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">Harvest is one of those times that are demanding, causing one to lose sleep. On the other hand it is also one of the most rewarding times. This is when a years worth of work and worry come to fruition. To me it was more than a years growing time I am talking about.</span></div>
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Having worked every harvest since 1977, I would have to say that this has been by far the most fun. While driving a truck for the first time in a field and having that responsibility was good nothing beats this year.</div>
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Most harvest memories revolve around what I was able to accomplish or certain highlights. This year was different because of being a parent...and a proud one at that.</div>
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The way my two boys stepped up this year and met the obligations and responsibilities head on will always be at the top of the list (unless it might be grandchildren in the future). </div>
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Dillon ended up getting strep twice this summer and Logan stepped up to fill his spot with mowing, weedeating, and helping dad with jobs in the shop. Dillon was well enough to finish swathing a late first cutting alfalfa while I went to a meeting.</div>
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While I view these things as something most kids their age should be doing, not necessarily swathing, but helping out around the house without backtalk or complaining, their growth was more.</div>
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Dillon ran combine by himself for the first time and Logan was in charge of the bill of ladings and dumping the wagons. Both jobs were challenges I set out for them and they met them head on. </div>
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I vividly remember some of my firsts on the farm and how nervous I was. I didn't quite see fear in their eyes but there were drops of sweat on their foreheads.</div>
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So why was this my most fun and memorable harvest? As a father you want to see your children grow and progress, not only in school but with life skills. I new they were nervous of making a big mistake but after the jitters went away their faces lit up every day.</div>
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Farming is a unique profession where a family can do most work together. Now I am not saying that everyone will be talking with each other at the end of the day (hasn't happened yet) but there is a bond between "teammates" that is created that makes the family bond stronger.</div>
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Looking back at this year we are fortunate to keep this tradition going of teaching our young farmers and ranchers responsibility and fun. If it were in the hands of the Department of Labor and the Obama appointees this year could not have happened.</div>
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While there are many years ahead for Dillon and Logan to grow, learn, and make mistakes I am certain that this year will be one of their most memorable because there is nothing like meeting a challenge head on and looking back with satisfaction at the end of a day with a job well done.</div>
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I guess that is why this is my most memorable is I feel that looking back on being a parent and how Dillon and Logan have grown makes me look at them with satisfaction. </div>
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Oh, I had better mention the glue that keeps all of us together, Rhonda. If it wasn't for her being a great mother, wife, and farmer this year could not take place. Her understanding (and cooking) keeps everyone going.</div>
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And me, I hope that I am a good father and manager. My job as both is to set people up to be successful. I hope to give them the tools to (physical or mental) to perform and challenge them enough to grow.</div>
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This harvest I believe that we all grew in different ways. Me, trusting young adults with their jobs, Rhonda probably trusting that I knew what I was doing, and the boys, smiles after harvest for becoming young men. What father could be prouder?</div>
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</span>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-32110545037488557862012-06-26T11:53:00.001-07:002012-06-26T11:53:57.563-07:00NOT ME!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWtGgWjjpHrizLfyyfZA5ENKiCe11GdK95mQLRiX7FzjYBWw9OQZOOrVOd9MwFlW0nCkB4dwu1EjhnGHIVHJygEOe3k80F2pCpaJB2iDhKQCUM3WZWXhJrJ6Pgx5EIeKtxV1D7x9XJls/s1600/IMG_3904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" rca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiWtGgWjjpHrizLfyyfZA5ENKiCe11GdK95mQLRiX7FzjYBWw9OQZOOrVOd9MwFlW0nCkB4dwu1EjhnGHIVHJygEOe3k80F2pCpaJB2iDhKQCUM3WZWXhJrJ6Pgx5EIeKtxV1D7x9XJls/s400/IMG_3904.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know it has been awhile, but life does get in the way. I have been to D.C. three times, London, Holland, Philadelphia and places in between. Somewhere in there I was able to poke seeds in the ground. The weather has been too wet and there are jobs that need to be done on the farm that should have been finished by now. BUT IT’S NOT MY FAULT!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How many times do we hear and see this during a day that we are not to be blamed? If only my parents were better or if the coach would just put me in or corporations are keeping me down are common themes on Facebook, the media, and in communities. It is the fault of the previous administration!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is a pattern I believe that develops…the more people complain that someone else is at fault the less successful people are. Being a farmer I am able to see a group of people that might complain about the weather or the government, but at the end of the day they are still successful and get their jobs done. No one is there to take up the slack to bail them out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another pattern has developed that rewards bad behavior. Charlie Sheen comes to mind. Drugs, prostitutes, and other bad behavior are now being rewarded with money from an influx of commercial spots. Society also seems to reward those with bad behavior while people that stay steady and keep their nose to the grindstone are looked down upon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We all have to make choices in life, one way or the other… and not doing something is a choice. I can either stay home and watch TV, work on the farm, or spend time with my family at sporting events. Whichever I choose something else has to lose out. I either get work done or I don’t. No one else is going to do it for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am not looking for sympathy, as a matter of fact I believe it is overrated in most cases. Most of the time sympathy is given by enablers. “Oh you poor thing, it’s not your fault it is the fault of<u> (Fill in the blank).” </u>The choices we make every day effects our future outcomes and there are people out there that are a bad influence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Food stamps also come to mind. While I do believe in helping others we ultimately have to help ourselves. Being dependent on the government, parents, or a sugar daddy is no way to live. They are enablers of bad behavior as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Food stamp expenditures have double since the last Farm Bill and the media is having a field day putting blame on everyone except those that want to be dependent. Go one step further and look at where our government’s largest expenditures are outside of military…dependency payments (Social Security, Medicare, Food Stamps, etc.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The solution lies within each of us. Instead of placing blame for a failure or an outcome that is not wanted the problem needs to be defined and a solution (or solutions) needs to be made. Attitude and outlook on life is everything and if a person has a goal in mind they can be successful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">If life was easy and without hurdles how fun would it be? We wouldn’t be overjoyed by our successes that keep us going. These little steps to success in reaching out goal are an important part for an individual and for those that look to us as a role model.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The world’s greatest basketball player said it best: “Some people want it to happen, some wish it to happen, others make it happen.” ~ Michael Jordan. His six championships didn’t come easy and they came towards the end of his career. He didn’t blame anyone but worked harder to achieve his goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is ultimately ours to take or give away. To be or not to be, to do or not to do. Society needs to quit blaming everyone else and do some self analysis. Which reminds me, the equipment didn’t get fixed today but it’s not my fault. It is yours! If I didn’t think you wanted me to write this I would have had my jobs done.</span></div>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-68870100980318318962012-02-29T17:33:00.000-08:002012-02-29T17:33:15.424-08:00LEAVING HOLLAND BEHINDI am writing this from the Amsterdam, Netherlands airport. Bags were packed early this morning, breakfast eaten not long after. When we were finished it was time to load luggage onto the bus. It took awhile with 70+ people traveling.<br />
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Even though this is the last day in Holland meetings were not finished. We traveled to Koeppert Cress Monster. My initial thought was it might be a cousin to the Loch Ness Monster. However, "Monster" means sample.<br />
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This business is a greenhouse that sells high end plants for cooking. They grow them right there and have a kitchen that is also set up as a studio. Top chefs come there to learn how to use these plants and how special they can be for culinary masterpieces.<br />
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Our time there started with a speaker talking about marketing agriculture products to the public. His presentation was pure gold for a farmer to utilize if they want to market their crops directly.<br />
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After that it was time for lunch. I skipped out on the question portion to take pictures of a meal that you would pay a fortune for in a restaurant. Each item was centered around a plant that was grown in the greenhouse. <br />
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The meal was started off by being handed a test tube of a lemon grass drink. Even though it looked nasty it was very refreshing and delicious. Then we had a free for all...wine included.<br />
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During lunch a person showed up that looked kind of suspect. However he was very interesting to talk to and his profession was a plant explorer. He travels around the world searching for plants that are rare and for ones that have unique characteristics for cooking.<br />
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He was a virtual encyclopedia of plants. It was amazing at his memory of the scientific name of plants, where seeds can be obtained, and who the contact for a certain plant was. Interestingly enough he has been to Moscow, Idaho.<br />
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Then we listened to the owner of Koeppert Cress, Rob Baan. He owns a movie studio and is also a farmer. He talked to us about his business and were given different plants to sample. One tasted like oysters. That was very interesting.<br />
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Rob then took us on a tour through his green house operation that is state of the art. What he has been able to do is find the light spectrum to make them grow the best and then they are shipped all over the world.<br />
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After that we headed directly to Amsterdam and the airport. Checked my luggage in without any overweight fees and got through customs fine. I finally was able to find power to charge my laptop to take pictures off the camera card .<br />
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Had a Big Mac, fries, and a coke and went through security. The plane ride was good and I was able to catch a cat nap to take the edge off. <br />
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Made it through customs at London Heathrow (it is huge) and onto the bus. I am finishing the blog at a Holiday Inn with my same roommate. I gained an hour so there is only an 8 hour difference. It is now 1:30am and the alarm is set for 5:30...going to be a long day tomorrow.UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-43735194959222580682012-02-27T14:32:00.000-08:002012-02-27T14:32:37.298-08:00SECOND DAY WITH THE NUFFIELDERSDang 5am comes early when only having minimal sleep the day before. Wake up call was 5am to be on the bus by 6. We grabbed out box breakfast and headed out to the flower auction. It is dark when we arrive at Flora Holland, the larges flower auction in the world.<br />
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We drive around for awhile and then disembark the bus. We head upstairs for some coffee, chatting, and dividing into groups to go on the tour. I could not believe how insainly large this auction was. We are given headphones and a power pack to listen to our guide and head out.<br />
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We go onto a walkway above the working part of the flower warehouse. I can't believe how many flowers there are and the variety. The floor looks like an anthill that someone stuck a stick into. Things are moving everywhere.<br />
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We do the tour and then head into the conference room to listen to a board member of the Flora Holland Co-op. This is the 100th anniversary of the first flower auction in the world. We spent most of the day in the conference room listening to experts talk about co-ops and then doing a couple group exercises.<br />
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From there we get back on the bus and make our way to the Port of Rotterdam for a dinner cruise. What a great time being with the Nuffield Scholars and seeing the sights of one of the busiest ports in the world. We also saw the largest dry dock in the world as well. There are cranes there that look like an erector set on major steroids.<br />
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All of the ships, tugs, and containers is something of the likes I have never seen. I can't imagine how much money is in the infrastructure let alone all of the containers and products that are waiting to be loaded or unloaded.<br />
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Well, we got back to the hotel around 10pm after starting at 6am...one long day. It almost felt like it was harvest time with those hours. I am finishing up my picture processing and getting ready to head for bed for another early cock-a-doodle-doo. I will try my best to keep up with the posts.UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-83939965200515436102012-02-26T03:25:00.001-08:002012-02-26T03:44:49.915-08:00New World Travels to the Old WorldI know that it has been awhile since last writing. I have traveled to Chicago, Boise (3 times) and Washington, D.C. along with getting things done. Oh, Christmas and New Years was in there as well.<br />
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Right now I am on another adventure in my Fellowship life. I and the other 2011 Eisenhower Ag Fellow (Rhett Proctor) were invited to attend the Nuffield Scholars Contemporary Scholars Conference in Holland and the UK.<br />
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I left home Friday morning from Lewiston (5:30am flight) via Salt Lake, Detroit, and then Amsterdam, Netherlands (Holland). I arrived at 6am (9 pm home) and sailed through customs. I was also lucky enough to have my suitcase be one of the first 10 onto the carousel.<br />
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Schipol airport is home to the largest Burger King in the world. I also knew I was in Holland when I saw a large bronze sculpture of a clog. From he airport I took the train to Rotterdam and a cab to the hotel. I checked in, unpacked some, Skyped home, and tried to sleep. It felt good to get horizontal for a little. I was just getting to sleep when my roomate from Tasmania walked in.<br />
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We chatted for awhile and got to know each other a little. We both changed to get ready for our tour of Holland with the other Scholars from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, France, and Holland. We hopped on the bus and headed to the aiport to pick up the ones that were coming in at noon. <br />
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After picking them up we toured through Holland and stopped at a little fishing/tourist village for some pickled herring. I was able to take some good picts and see a shop where you stick your feet into a tank and have fish "kiss" them.<br />
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From there we went to a 150 head dairy. It also produces energy with large windmills and biofuel from dairy waste. A housed generator produced the energy for the dairy. They also had a settling pond and extracted the water from the solids, which were dropped into a pile for future use as compost.<br />
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That night we had a dinner with all sitting at tables. It was informal, but a good chance to get to know each other. I left there around 9:30 (been up 33 hours with just a 1/2 hour of nap in that time) and went to bed.<br />
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With our schedule I don't know when I can write again and have to cut this short to head for lunch and today's functions. Take care and keep it in the fence rows!UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-84631456201313802352011-12-23T13:52:00.000-08:002011-12-23T13:58:45.654-08:00Merry Christmas From The Blair's 2011<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsalPedpQn8/TvTu_MnRDrI/AAAAAAAAAEU/EaVTkSAU47A/s1600/IMG_2037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsalPedpQn8/TvTu_MnRDrI/AAAAAAAAAEU/EaVTkSAU47A/s200/IMG_2037.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Christ the Redeemer <br />
in Rio de Janeiro</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5J1Vl9o27p0/TvTvc3z9IAI/AAAAAAAAAEg/rMf54iuNquY/s1600/IMG_3355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5J1Vl9o27p0/TvTvc3z9IAI/AAAAAAAAAEg/rMf54iuNquY/s200/IMG_3355.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">At a church in Rio</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">First off, we hope that this finds you and your family doing well. If you are like us we can’t believe that another year is gone and passed. If you paid any attention to the news it seemed like the world was going to implode with unrest in the Middle East due to bread prices, regime change in North Korea, economic instability in Europe, Japan’s tsunami, and our own troubles in the U.S. Just think, the Mayan calendar calls for complete destruction in 2012. With that in mind you had better of enjoyed 2011 ;)</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ITZfIMVRTs/TvTw_uRlVrI/AAAAAAAAAFE/OQBvy8pBKJA/s1600/IMG_0377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="155" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2ITZfIMVRTs/TvTw_uRlVrI/AAAAAAAAAFE/OQBvy8pBKJA/s200/IMG_0377.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dillon & Logan in the shop<br />
with Dixie Dog</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My name is Wally Weather Station and I will be your host this year. I am in position to give you a great account of what happens on the farm. Not only with weather, but with everything else. I live on a pole in the center of the farm, giving me a bird’s eye view of everything that happens. Since weather played a big role in 2011 I was asked to do this.</span></b></div> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And what a year 2011 turned out to be. You could say that it was the year of different weather. We had snow into May, rain that prevented us from planting crops this spring, tropical weather in Brazil, and freezing cold when we arrived home. May set a record for rainfall, causing haying and harvest to be late. Even Bandit was tired of the weather. Without any spring crops harvest was done in eight (8) days, but we have more winter wheat planted than we have ever had on the farm. And it is looking really good.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dillon turned 15 in February and has his learners permit so watch the roads next year. Logan turned 13 while in Brazil (will talk about that later) and had the best present of his life. Rhonda and Robert celebrated 17 years of marriage, meeting each other in Sao Paulo, Brazil on their anniversary. This is the first year they have been able to spend that day together without anything going on for several years. However, I won’t tell you their age because they will unplug me.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qUWQusB2aRM/TvT042Lf0fI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/1SyjWYQdZ5Q/s1600/IMG_3607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qUWQusB2aRM/TvT042Lf0fI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/1SyjWYQdZ5Q/s320/IMG_3607.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sports and school take up the most time. Dillon is a sophomore and Logan is in 7<sup>th</sup> and both carry straight A’s. Both boys played basketball. Dillon spent time on JV, but played some varsity earning his letter. Logan played on an AAU team from the Craigmont area and his class was moved up to play Jr. High basketball. The 7<sup>th</sup> Jr. High almost went undefeated, losing in overtime on the last game. They both played 3-on-3 at Locust Blossom and Logan had his cousins as teammates. They attended a basketball minicamp with a former coach at LCSC and Dillon played summer league. Dillon also went to NBC Camp and won the “Grit” award.</span></b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H3EYWoVra90/TvT1KiVOrhI/AAAAAAAAAFc/MYyu4q9XnRA/s1600/IMG_3226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H3EYWoVra90/TvT1KiVOrhI/AAAAAAAAAFc/MYyu4q9XnRA/s200/IMG_3226.jpg" width="142" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dillon & Logan <br />
with coach Walker</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dillon played on the Kendrick Golf team and they made it to State. Logan played baseball, was a pitcher and played different positions. Logan and some of his friends played in a baseball tournament in Potlatch…for Genesee. It was tough for Robert to see him in those colors, but he said a Genesee uniform never looked better. Both played football this fall and Dillon received his letter in that. Now basketball is in full swing again.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chris (Robert’s brother) started working full time on the farm taking place of Dean King who had worked for 7 years. Dean had been diagnosed with cancer and beat it. Dean is doing well and was able to drive truck at harvest and helped with fall fertilizer. Chris started at the right time helping to clean up the 23 trees that blew down or were topped out during a windstorm last November. We also had lots of fence to fix due to that.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In June the America’s Heartland film crew was at the farm. They were interested in what was being done with Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) and precision agriculture. It was an interesting experience that everyone partook in. You can watch the video from our website </span><a href="http://www.threecanyonfarms.com/"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Calibri;">www.threecanyonfarms.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> or this link </span><a href="http://vids.kvie.org/video/2169504176"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Calibri;">http://vids.kvie.org/video/2169504176</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3sC432L8Ws/TvT1k3_RIRI/AAAAAAAAAFo/ZutsZFsWKyc/s1600/IMG_3369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3sC432L8Ws/TvT1k3_RIRI/AAAAAAAAAFo/ZutsZFsWKyc/s200/IMG_3369.jpg" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brazilian Whitetails</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The biggest news was Robert being named an Eisenhower Fellow. In April Robert traveled to headquarters in Philadelphia to meet the other U.S. and International Fellows. General Colin Powell is the Chairman and there are just over 2,000 Fellows worldwide with 18 being Ag Fellows. In May Gong Weibin, a Fellow from China, visited the farm starting what they hope will be many visits from people around the world. To learn about the Eisenhower Fellowship you can go to </span><a href="http://www.efworld.org/"><span style="color: yellow; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.efworld.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> .</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Robert’s Fellowship took him to Argentina, Uruguay (where he spoke in front of 1,000+ farmers), and Brazil where he learned about their agriculture, precision farming, remote sensing, and UAVs. He met with Eisenhower Fellows in the respective countries creating a closer bond between the countries. He spent a total of 6 weeks down there totaling 51 meetings.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XCwPoEBGhPM/TvT17Pbs3GI/AAAAAAAAAF0/CDWSLz60e9g/s1600/IMG_9135_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XCwPoEBGhPM/TvT17Pbs3GI/AAAAAAAAAF0/CDWSLz60e9g/s200/IMG_9135_tonemapped.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhonda & I with Flavio<br />
Nogueira & family</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rhonda joined him on November 5<sup>th</sup> in Sao Paulo and as mentioned, they were able to celebrate their anniversary together. They traveled north of Sao Paulo to different towns for meetings along with stops in Brasilia and Belo Horizonte. In Belo they spent time with Robert’s friend and 2011 Brazilian Fellow Flavio and his family. They had a weekend together seeing some sites and celebrated Robert’s birthday and their last day having dinner with Flavio’s family and other Fellows.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the fun really began, Dillon and Logan arrived in Rio de Janeiro on November 19<sup>th</sup>. They traveled alone and met up with mom and dad at the airport. During the week in Rio they toured the sites like Sugar Loaf and Christ the Redeemer along with playing on the beach. Everyone became sunburned at some point and there was not enough aloe in Brazil to sooth the pain. </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFAFJvmuZs8/TvT2YA4nhtI/AAAAAAAAAGA/SnujOIqQtXI/s1600/IMG_3925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="108" rea="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFAFJvmuZs8/TvT2YA4nhtI/AAAAAAAAAGA/SnujOIqQtXI/s200/IMG_3925.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dillon & Logan with the<br />
Girls from Brazil</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The highlight of their time in Rio was traveling to Petropolis (north of Rio). Petropolis is the home to the summer palace of the last monarch of Portugal and Brazil. There is also a strong German community there because farmers were needed to harvest their cash crop, coffee. It is something of a retreat and there had been a casino there built in Bavarian style architecture that is tourist site…and that is where the real fun began.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While going through the old casino a group of students were on a fieldtrip there. We walked down a hallway and a group of girls followed and went past. Robert saw them huddle up, look back, and giggle. He motioned to the group and Dillon and Logan to get together for a picture. That picture started about a ½ hour of picture taking with many girls.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-rvK1Y8HfU/TvT24qK9KlI/AAAAAAAAAGM/edTbiAN3bIM/s1600/IMG_4403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rea="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T-rvK1Y8HfU/TvT24qK9KlI/AAAAAAAAAGM/edTbiAN3bIM/s200/IMG_4403.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dillon & Logan going<br />
bananas in Brazil</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since it was Logan’s birthday (the driver told the girls this as well), it is customary for girls to give the birthday boy a kiss and they lined up to do it. Dillon was watching and said “I wish it was my birthday” prompting the driver to tell the group of girls this and they started kissing him as well. Needless to say Dillon and Logan both want to return to Brazil.</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 4.5pt 0pt 0in;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yCVhzBYWjY8/TvT3OK2ZB_I/AAAAAAAAAGY/iRiXGjk_anQ/s1600/IMG_2205_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yCVhzBYWjY8/TvT3OK2ZB_I/AAAAAAAAAGY/iRiXGjk_anQ/s200/IMG_2205_tonemapped.jpg" width="200" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now it is time to finish up and get back to work tracking weather. It is cold, but there is no snow. We hope that you had a great year and wish you a Merry Christmas and an Awesome New Year! Take care and God Bless! Adios, Feliz Navidad y Feliz Ano Nuevo! (Spanish)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feliz Natal e Feliz Ano Novo! (Portuguese)</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><br />
<img height="74" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfXCR0UUB44/TvTwVenV7fI/AAAAAAAAAE4/62qIzhoeWdo/s200/IMG_0377.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 498px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 3260px; visibility: hidden;" width="96" /> <br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">SINCERELY,<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FMHx5qS0rv0/TvT3fzxX4rI/AAAAAAAAAGk/qump-MwE3BM/s1600/IMG_2725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rea="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FMHx5qS0rv0/TvT3fzxX4rI/AAAAAAAAAGk/qump-MwE3BM/s400/IMG_2725.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-62906701278937132412011-11-06T12:16:00.000-08:002011-11-06T12:16:35.293-08:00Three Weeks Down<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-pDOFkhzCypXOrJFGq1__bOkPKLj__ODTl5SmKTIIb3Hm3F_LF10r57NB3inNH46vwed_CgFmnJWT90hszcdQTJBmd-sXIE82YAZHIrVQBLs-q7JbMuvitVHrF90ATXAANAA4lsB9Ro/s1600/IMG_7561_2_3_tonemapped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; height: 171px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 115px;"><img border="0" height="200" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip-pDOFkhzCypXOrJFGq1__bOkPKLj__ODTl5SmKTIIb3Hm3F_LF10r57NB3inNH46vwed_CgFmnJWT90hszcdQTJBmd-sXIE82YAZHIrVQBLs-q7JbMuvitVHrF90ATXAANAA4lsB9Ro/s200/IMG_7561_2_3_tonemapped.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We watched the tower do<br />
different things for about<br />
an hour. It was spectacular.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>My oh my, time is fllying by like a comet in overdrive. It still feels like I just arrived a couple of days ago. I am now in Sao Paulo...and my wife Rhonda is with me. It is nice to have someone to talk to and to recap my experiences.<br />
<br />
We both arrived in Sao Paulo on Satuday, November 5th which happened to be our 17th anniversary. She arrived before I did, but because of baggage claim and getting through customs she didn't have to wait that long. What a sight for sore eyes she was.<br />
<br />
We were both tired. Her because she hadn't been sleeping much while getting ready to travel, the last night home and then over a day of travel. Me because I couldn't really sleep and was worried about catching my flight from Montevideo to Sao Paulo (I had to leave the hotel by 3am).<br />
<br />
We made it to the airport, through security, and to the hotel. Then we met my program officer Luciano and his wife and daughter. We went over the schedule and then went for lunch to a restaurant built around a 100 year old fig tree (the restaurant is called Figueira). It was awesome.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrV1oR59Uq8iIB6t9dccv2MZsM4WfKIrrSrSyy20D8V1gsuVTyNbqsfZHoyFUVZkap92rGz6nBlA_OLxa_vl8vdP6TH7whQMQPwjcRrSm7U0qIiypeQaxcvU8IunnViT-IC-uCJvpdLs/s1600/IMG_7531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrV1oR59Uq8iIB6t9dccv2MZsM4WfKIrrSrSyy20D8V1gsuVTyNbqsfZHoyFUVZkap92rGz6nBlA_OLxa_vl8vdP6TH7whQMQPwjcRrSm7U0qIiypeQaxcvU8IunnViT-IC-uCJvpdLs/s200/IMG_7531.jpg" width="134" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The time was 8:11, but I <br />
took it because it<br />
represents the year! Go<br />
The EF Class of 2011!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>They had a buffet style lunch that they only serve on Saturday (at lunch time) based upon the food the slaves ate. It would be similar to the start of American BBQ and the types of meat. We went through and had a little of everything including pigs ear, pig tounge, sausages, and other meats. There were also great vegetable dishes and beef. Lots of meat.<br />
<br />
We also tried the local drink made from sugar cane alcohol and limes. They also brought another type of drink to the table with 4 shot glasses. There were two types of alcohol (same base) but one was straight and the other had honey. They were delicious.<br />
<br />
We finished lunch after 3 hours, went back to the hotel and grabbed my cell phone for Brazil. We had to put a new sim card in, buy credits, and set it up. Now I have contact within the Brazil. We went to our room, took some pictures and went to bed around 8 or 9 pm. We were exhausted.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Today we didn't do much except work out, eat breakfast and pack our luggage for easy use. We combined clothes into certain cases for easier access. I organized pictures, cleaned powerpoints off my thumb drive to make room, and sized pictures from previous adventures for use later this week. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>We are getting ready to head out of the room for some sight seeing and dinner. We are just begining our travels in Brazil and hope to keep things up to date better. Ciao for now!UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-67972496049394421562011-10-30T08:33:00.000-07:002011-10-30T09:28:49.632-07:00Time Flies on FellowshipI can't believe that two weeks have past already. It seems like yesterday that I left my family early in the morning and dogs with looks that would make even the toughest of men break down. <br />
<br />
This is definitely an experience of a lifetime. Although the schedule has been demanding with travel, tight time frames between meetings, little chance for communication home (except at places with WiFi), and buses being canceled I would not have missed this for the world.<br />
<br />
I know that I have skipped a bunch of time since the last posting, but managing data, laundry, pictures, farming, and travel leave me little time for this. I am also writing a column a week (deadline Wednesday/Thursday) so those things are taking priority. <br />
<br />
Camera batteries (two), two computers, keyboard, and a Gopro video camera takes time and juggling to keep charged. The priority is the ipad and camera batteries. When I download pictures to the windows computer I put excess onto a 500 GB hard drive. <br />
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Anyway, the information that I have learned has been very useful, I just hope that it does not get wasted by not being able to share it with people. The way they manage their farms in Argentina is at a higher level than in the U.S.<br />
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The youth that is involved in agriculture at all levels is something we in the U.S. should envy. The average age of a farmer is 55-59 in the US, but my guess is around 35-40 in Argentina. This youth brings a love for technology and a hunger for being successful in agriculture. I am jealous of their country for this.<br />
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The Pampas is a top notch production area in the world and the logistics for export are better than the US. However, their could be improved by building an extra lane of road each way. When traveling in the country I thought that it sucked because the side roads were dirt, but after learning there are no rocks on the Pampas and hauling rock for gravel roads is cost prohibitive.<br />
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Wind erosion is the main concern ecologically. Because the early use of the land was mainly for beef production, many trees had been planted to stop the wind, but to mainly give cows shelter. Otherwise trees are not native to the Pampas. I wonder what the environmentalists would say if they were to be cut down.<br />
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I had a great learning experience with all of my meetings. This one-on-one learning from biotechnology to precision theory and practical use to politics makes me (as a friend and EF Alumni said) the only person in the world with that knowledge base. It is pretty humbling when you think about it like that. <br />
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I was fortunate to arrive a week before their Presidential Election and to see all of the propaganda and campaign material makes the US look cheap by comparison. The incumbent won and I had an opportunity to sit in on an explanation of the the results by a famous Argentine political analyst (name in other suitcase that is still checked in with the hotel). I could not have planned things better if I had tried. It would be like Bill O'Reilly or someone of that level giving the presentation to a small group of people. What an opportunity.<br />
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Finally I traveled to two Estancias (farms) for my last weekend in Argentina. I was picked up by a car and driven 6 hours basically west of BsAs to Rufino. I was picked up around 8pm by the Chief Production Officer (Julio) and we headed off to the farm. I was put into my own casa and dinner was served to the two of us along with the agronomy team (Jorge-Head, Gustavo and Arturo). After some small talk we went to bed for a 7am start.<br />
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I woke up without an alarm (John Denver said it best - "Thank God I'm A Country Boy) at 5:30 and a good thing too, my battery died. Julio and I had breakfast together after meeting with the crew in their quarters. Then out to the field with Julio and the crew of three.<br />
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Our first stop was a corn field being fertilized with UN32 by a Rogator. I hopped on board and road two passes with Julio standing on the steps. The fertilizer was being placed according to a prescription map and it was fun to watch it increase, decrease, or stop according to the zones or areas already treated.<br />
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Next we head to a field that was being seeded to sorghum by an Argentine no-till drill and an Agco tractor. We hopped on board and at the end of the pass I took over. I set the drill to seed, reved the tractor, and engaged the auto steer. Finally I have driven a tractor in both hemispheres. At the end of my pass I make the turn and head back and make the next turn and hop off for the next adventure.<br />
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A field of last years corn was being seeded to soybeans with an air seeder, JD 9220, and fertilizer. They were just finishing filling up the fertilizer and we hopped on. No auto steer on this one yet but I drove it back seeding my first soybeans and straight and true. AWESOME!!!<br />
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We head back to the farm and I hop on a motorcycle and a worker hops on another one and we take a ride around the farm before lunch. We stop at the feed lot holding over 3,000 head of beef of different weights. We drive around some more and grab lunch.<br />
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After lunch I give a presentation of what I am doing on my farm and how the UAV is being used and then we head to another Estancia that is rented by Caldenes. This Estancia is also owned by the 3rd EF in Argentina who happens to be my Program Officer's father.<br />
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We tour the corn, with the Julio and Jorge, head back to the farm for tea, and I walk around taking pictures before it rains or the light leaves. After siesta and showering time, I meet Conrado Etcebarne again. We talk for almost two hours and then dinner and bed. What a day of learning and experiencing.<br />
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The next day I sleep in a little and finally head outside at 7am to find a quite spot to process images and catch up on my journal. I finish and am served breakfast around 9am.<br />
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I grab my camera because the grounds keeper Carlos is getting the wood ready for Argentine BBQ. Lamb is on the menu and I get some great pictures. I head back to my room, grab my windows computer, and show Carlos and his wife the pictures of him and the farm from the day before and they were pleased.<br />
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We ate around 2pm (as is customary) and I bring my bags down to the car to catch my bus. We head to Rufino and learn at the bus station that my 4:30 bus is canceled and the next one is at 11:30pm. We grab that ticket and head back to the farm.<br />
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I rest a little, have dinner at 9pm, and the car arrives to take me to the station. I was saddened parting my new friends on my last evening in Argentina and I was definitely not looking forward to the bus ride at that time.<br />
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It worked out fine because I spent more time with my friends and did catch about 5 hours sleep on the bus. Not bad, but I was definitely tired. Arrive BsAs at 6am, hotel at 6:15, and my room just a little after. I had to take a shower to get the travel off of me. Ate breakfast and the took a dip in the jacuzzi tub...very relaxing after the travel debacle.<br />
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I will sum things up better after I get home, but the experience is something that I will never forget. I have fallen in love with Argentina and it's people. The knowledge that I gained can never be replaced and I hope I am better for it and can live up to the expectations of the EF goals and motto. Until next time keep it between the fence rows!UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-55534171662880076262011-10-26T04:41:00.000-07:002011-10-26T04:41:58.266-07:00Argentina Day 2Had an awesome nights rest and get up at 8am to work out. They have nice weight equipment and a decent eliptical. Spend about an hour there, head back to my room, and get ready for breakfast and the day. <br />
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The breakfast is included and is buffet style. Lots of different breads and pasteries, runny eggs, Argentine bacon, small sausages, seasoned potatoes sliced thinly, meets (like lunch meats) and cheese, fruit, and yogurt. I grabbed what I wanted and poured my OJ and had coffee. The differences that I see between meals in Argentina and the U.S. is it is treated as an occassion. No one was dressed in shorts or pajamas and time is taken to enjoy the food.<br />
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I head back to my room to check email, Facebook, and call home. I decide to grab my tripod and EOS camera and head out. I go the opposite direction from last night and walk past the French and Brazilian Embassys. I walk along the main avenue towards the "Oblisk" and the building with Eva Peron.<br />
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As I am walking I look down a side street and see an awesome building with it's reflection in another one. I walk past a huge building with security and think it is something political. After taking pictures and moseying around a little I come upon the signs describing what the big building is...a world renowned opera house.<br />
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I take more pictures of it and the park across the street. It had "music stands" as decorations with pigeon nests in them. Rhonda would freak because of her "love" of birds. I walk some more with my camera still on the tripod. I figured I am a big boy and not many people would probably mess with me. Also, 90% of all people are good and would help out if needed. Also it was Sunday.<br />
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I scramble around and finally find my way back to the main avenue (me, directions, and cities don't always jive) and see the "Obleisk." I take pictures of side streets (I hope they capture the mood I was feeling) and make my way to a better place to see the monument. As I look around I can see 3 McDonald's and a Burger King.<br />
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I head towards the hotel with tripod and camera in tow taking pictures here and there of things that catch my eye. One thing that popped out most was a marquee that said TANGO in big silver letters with a black background. I had to have that picture since Argentina is the birthplace of the Tango.<br />
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Back at the hotel at 4pm I start to get ready to meet my Program Officer (PO) Ines at 5pm. She called not long after I get into my room and says that they will be an hour late due to the ash coming down from a Chilean volcano. That explains why it was kind of hazy out and I was coughing a little (I was also fighting being sick).<br />
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Ines and her husband, Sebatian, arrive and we tour the city. We stop at a coffee shop called Tortino that is a local favorite. We go over my agenda and grab a bite and a beer (Ines has OJ because she is pregnant) and then head to a community center in the city where she had set up a <br />
"Jazz" concert.<br />
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When we arrive the local people are doing the tango. It was awesome to see something that was not a tourist attraction. We take pictures (and I took some video) and then the band came on around 9:30. They played dixieland music and were not bad.<br />
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We then head to dinner. In their culture dinner starts around 9 or 10 pm. We try a restraunt that was their first choice but the wait was long...it was Mother's Day in Argentina. We go to a German restraunt and I have bbq ribs (pork chops). <br />
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Back to the hotel around midnight and I see the light dusting of ash on their car. To my room and off to bed for a car that will pick me up at 6am for my first meeting. Now the Fellowship really starts.UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710007365898919995.post-52570060704368565432011-10-25T13:42:00.000-07:002011-10-25T14:32:31.559-07:00A Brand New "Fellow"I can't believe that it has been just over a year and I have started my travel portion of being an Eisenhower Fellow. I did not know what to expect, but I have found out that there is not much free time. <br />
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I thought for sure that I would be able to keep up the blog, but sleep was more important. Now I regret giving the other Ag Fellow, Rhett Proctor, a bad time during his journey. I completely understand why he didn't post as often as I thought he should :)<br />
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I woke up at 2:30 am PST to catch my 5:30 flight to Salt Lake City. As I was walking out of the office the emotions really hit me that I would not be seeing my boys for 5 weeks. I was also torn by the look Bandit gave me while he was sitting on the porch. He knew I would be gone for awhile and was miffed.<br />
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Rhonda rode with me to Lewiston. We talked business, boys, and Brazil. The timing for getting to the airport could not have been better and I didn't have to wait long. As Rhonda is accompanying me in line the emotions start to hit again. We have never been apart for more than a week at the most. Torn between excitement and regret I take my shoes off, put my electronics in the bin and prepare to leave Idaho for the longest period since college.<br />
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After arriving at the airport I am on a mission to find the Brookstone store to purchase an iPad holder with built in bluetooth keyboard. It is awesome BTW. As I am walking I run into Senator Jim Risch (Jr. U.S. Senator) and we have a quick chat. We wished each other well and went our ways. After going into another terminal (SLC is under construction) I finally find Brookestone, make my purchase and head for the Crown Room to have a quick bite and play on the iPad.<br />
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The flight to Atlanta was fine and I had a 5 hour layover there. That is a bunch of time to kill. I walk around for a couple of hours to get the blood flowing. I stop at a money exchange place and convert dollars to pesos...4.2 to 1. I head to the Crown Room to have a few snacks and a couple of cocktails to prep me to get some sleep. Hop on the plane at 8:30 and we are delayed an hour for some reason. Finally we take off leaving the good ol' US of A behind.<br />
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The meal was wonderful and the movies available were good. I watched the Green Lantern. As the movie was playing I switched to the traveling map and saw that we were over Cuba. I open the shade and see lights and not much happening. As I am preparing for sleep I look at the map again and notice we are over Kingston, Jamaica. I scramble to grab the camera and take a picture. Finally sleep.<br />
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I am awakened at 6 am (4 hours before home time) and have an English Muffin with spinach, eggs, and cheese, fruit, and COFFEE! I slept ok, but I am tired. We arrive in Buenos Aires, Argentina and have to wait on the tarmac for 15 minutes due to our delay. Hop off, grab my luggage, and go through customs with no problems. Waiting for me is my driver holding a sign with my name...a first.<br />
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The travels to the hotel take about an hour and I am in a semi coma, but I am so curious with a new country and city that I am trying to take everything in. I grab my little point and shoot Canon camera (PowerShot SX210 IS) and take picts. I also get the GoPro out and take some video. I am amazed and concerened about the driving and all the traffic...almost panic. Not a good thing for someone who likes to be in control of situations like that.<br />
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As we are traveling down the main avenue, I see a bulding with a likeness of Eva Peron talking into a microphone. I realize I am in Argentina.<br />
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I check into the Hotel Emperador around 11am and I start to get situated. I scramble to call home on Skype. My excitement is dashed by learning that my oldest bagged his first bull elk...a 5 point. I was not there. We chat for awhile and I proceed to take a nap. I was not planning on eating, but just getting sleep for the schedule I have.<br />
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I woke up at 4pm after a 2 hour nap and I feel the pangs of hunger from airline food at 6am. I get into my new cool jeans and start to do a walkbout. I ask the front desk about seafood and he points me to Puerto Madaero. I walk the other direction to see what is there (came in from that way).<br />
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I head back past the hotel with map in hand and a camera in my pocket. I see the sights (A bell tower dedicated by the British citizens for the 100 year anniversary of democracy). I cross the railroad tracks and I am begining to wonder if I am heading the right direction. Me no hablo makes me worried.<br />
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I make it to the old port and am in awe of the newer buildings and the companies that have offices there. I consult my map and keep walking towards a neet looking bridge. As I come to it I put more attention to the grain elevator on the other side...my first glimpse of agriculture while on the ground.<br />
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I finally come to my restraunt, Puerto Cristal, and have a wonderful appetizer of veal salami, cheese, greens, in a vinegrette. Nice and light but full of flavor. I am fascinated by the basket of breads that is placed at the table as well. My main course arrives...seafood stew with clams, shrimp, octopus, squid, and other fish in a tomato sauce...mucho bueno.<br />
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With dinner I had the server pair a wine for me that was wonderful. It went extremely well with the appetizer and the main course. I am stuffed and left a bunch. Since it was my first meal in Argentina I had to try a desert. I had the creme brulee...vanilla, chocolate, and caramel. I was in heaven.<br />
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I grab a cab back to my hotel and through gestures and finally pulling out my room key give the driver the address. Lesson number one...when you don't speak the language make sure you have the address of where you need to go. I went to bed satisfied around midnight with a great first experience in Argentina.UnmannedFarmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03377802391208017208noreply@blogger.com0