Favorite Farm Blogs

I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight some of my favorite farm blogs.  These are special to me because the people that put these together are also from the farm/ranch.  I think the neatest thing about these farm blogs is I get to learn what farming/ranching is like for others.  Just because you were raised on a farm/ranch doesn't mean you know what your neighbor down the way is doing.  Hope you enjoy these blogs as much as I do!

Kim's County Line (to read more of this post click the link)

Solitude: A Photo Challenge

"The day is ending,

The night descending;
The marsh is frozen,
The river dead.

Through clouds like ashes
The red sun flashes
On village windows
That glimmer red."
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Afternoon in February

New To The Farm (to read more of this post click the link)

Share Your Thoughts

February 9, 2012 by Katie Stockstill-Sawyer

My husband and I briefly stepped off our farm and into the political world earlier this week to take part in our state’s legislative process.

On Wednesday, Derek and I traveled to our state capital in Topeka to testify before the House Committee on Agriculture.

In the wake of a record-breaking drought that destroyed crops, depleted ponds and dried up pastures, the state administration allowed the state water office the ability to allow ground water right holders to exceed their 2011 water allotment and borrow into their 2012 account. That program helped us and about 2,200 other farmers – mainly in the west and south-central part of the state- realize a fall harvest. Without the ability to borrow into this year’s allotment, we would have had partial if not complete crop failure on three of our fields.



Ranching From Scratch

Blizzard on the Plains 

The National Weather Service warned us that we would be receiving up to a foot of snow with extremely high winds. Now, extremely high winds certainly aren't anything new to this neck of the woods, but its been a long while since we had any decent moisture, so the very real possibility for a foot of snow was  welcome news! If the meteorologist predicted correctly, it could mean that a day or two would pass by before we could get to our cattle, which are in a rented pasture fourteen miles from the house. With this in mind, we drove up on the Thursday evening before the storm in order to put out extra feed and make sure the stock tank water heater was working properly.





cowgirlbootsinahighheelworld 

(to read more of this post click the link)

Hello!

February 1, 2012

This was me a year ago in one of our bean fields

Being this my first time to ever blog, I thought I would have all these things to write about but I guess I am at a loss for words!  I guess I will start out with the fact that I have grown up in the farming world and as far back as I can remember I have had a love for the outdoors and farming!  I still enjoy at the age of 25 to ride along in the tractor or combine and love checking on the cattle!  I am going to try and keep this short, but at the same time informational.

My family’s farm is Branch Creek Farms and we grow grain sorghum, corn and soybeans.  We also cut brome and prairie hay for our cattle and to sell.  My dad and brother also have started a small cow/calf pair herd, which I was a part of but sold out BUT would love to buy back in!  My siblings and I also raised hogs and lambs for 4-H projects for about five months out of the year!  My parents also have a chocolate lab, a sheltie (my sisters dog) and when I am out there a boxer and a boston terrier!  We have a crazy group of dogs and cattle!


chrischinn (to read more of this post click the link)

Crazy Farm Life

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Chris Chinn

Life on the farm has been crazy the last few months.  It’s been a while since I have found time to blog so I am making myself sit down and blog this morning.  We have been blessed with pleasant weather the last few months which is awesome considering its winter time.  Kevin has been able to catch up on a lot of odds and ends outside thanks to the nice weather.  We even were able to do field work in January which is very rare for our area.

Our kids have been keeping us super busy.  We have been going to lots of basketball games, which I love.  Conner still proclaims he will be a farmer like his dad when he grows up.  Conner can’t wait to get off the school bus at night to help his dad with the evening chores.  The older the kids get the bigger help they are to Kevin and I on the farm.  Kevin is really looking forward to haying this year because the kids will be such a huge help to us. 


Alive & Well in Kansas (to read more of this post click the link)

Flying Low

January 27, 2012

January is just about over, and I’m still waiting for winter to show up.  It’s been a very calm, mild winter and although we’ve had our brief moments of snow, I have yet to have a snow day this year.

Because this winter has been so mild, a lot of farmers have been working in their fields during times of the year I’m sure they haven’t been in in the recent past.

With near 60 degree days, Adam has been spraying the fields and doing other activities that he would normally be doing later in the spring.

It’s a little odd to see tractors running in fields that should be covered in snow.  Odd sights are becoming less, and less odd this winter.

On one recent afternoon, I experienced something that scared me to near death.  It was one of those things that makes your heart skip a few beats and then speed up because you aren’t expecting to see it.

I hope you enjoy reading these blogs as much as I do.  You can learn so much about farming/ranching, people's passions, and other fun facts by reading these blogs. 

Agriculture is awesome!