Tag: influence

Mountain Living is an Art

Hiking to the top of the mountain is a special privilege that we are able to enjoy living where we do.  We go out our back door and hike up from 9,750’ in elevation to 10,500’.  A hiking club would label our hike as strenuous but we take out time and it actually is not that difficult.  It is a great way to spend a few hours and have a picnic on a mountain top.  The further up the mountain you go the steeper it gets until it becomes very steep but no rock climbing is needed to get to the top.

From out back door to the top takes one hour and forty minutes and to get back down the time is one hour.  While the hike is strenuous and you are huffing and puffing when you get to the top, when you stand on that weathered ridge of rock and look around you forget all the difficulty of getting there.  The vista as demonstrated in the photos is breath taking.

There is just something about standing on the very top of a mountain looking out for what seems forever that is a balm to your soul and a comfort to your mind.  Modern technology is amazing and we could see a friends house on the next ridge over and used our cell phone to call him.  He went out and even with his binoculars he could not see us standing on top of the mountain waving our arms.  Standing on top of a mountain helps you put into perspective just how small you really are by comparison.  It is an amazing way of helping you put your ego into perspective.

How Farmers Influence Our Lives

Corn and soybeans, two of the most prominent crops grown in the Midwest and many parts of the world, have interesting histories, uses and reasons for their importance.

Other crops are also important, but corn and soybeans rank first and second respectively in acres harvested and cash receipts in the U.S. Both crops are highly adaptable.

They complement each other well, as every farmer knows. Corn, a grass plant, needs nitrogen to maximize its production, which soy, a legume, produces nitrogen.

Soybeans utilize much phosphate and potash, which the ample fodder (roots, stalks, leaves, and cobs) of corn furnishes. Rotating them annually usually benefits farmers.

Both crops are widely used, first as feeds for livestock, poultry and fish, and second as oils for various uses including fuel (ethanol and biodiesel) and human food.

Additionally, corn is widely used as a sweetener in many items including cereal, soda pop, ice cream and a long list of other consumables. It is also used for plastic, paint, glue, antiperspirant and toothpaste, among other things.

Soybean oil is the most widely used cooking oil in the U.S. and several other countries. Soy is also used to make varnish, ink, as an emulsifier to hold candy bars and other substances together, as substitutes for milk and meat and a long list of other products.

A 2013 book stimulated my interest. A fellow resident of my county, Steve Kenkel, sent me Kernels of Corn History (www.hybridcorncollector.com), a book he compiled about the history of local producers of hybrid corn seed.

More than a half century ago, Shelby County, Iowa, had more commercial producers of hybrid corn seed than any other county in the U.S. I saw names I am familiar with, like Kilpatrick, Pingel, Plumb, Rosmann and Wilson, to name but a few in the book and the history of their operations.

I am also well acquainted with families in the area who developed leading soybean seed companies. I grew soy seed for one these companies for a number of years.

Many major corn and soybean seed companies started in the Midwest, like Pioneer, DeKalb and Stine. There are many others; I don’t mean any offense if I didn’t mention your favorite brands.