One ringy-dingyBy: By Jeff Ryan Sometimes all the pieces come together just right. We had everything planted, but the ground was still too wet to cut any hay. There really wasn’t anything on my agenda that was ... When the Schedule Takes an Unexpected TurnBy: By Jeff Ryan Last spring I asked my hog marketing coordinator to schedule some of my hogs for market. Working with her and... Properly CoatedThe clothes make the man, as the saying goes. It’s somewhat similar if the man is in agriculture. The more accurate phrase is, “The vendor makes the farmer.” Farmers aren’t exactly NASCAR drivers, but if you want to give us an article of clothing ... Marketing InertiaWe have reached that point in the hay-marketing year where buyers are chasing an increasingly small supply. They are being forced to pay historically high prices to feed their critters. If you have ruminants who like to eat hay, they don’t suddenly go on a diet when your feed supply runs out a month before new stuff is available from the field.... Like a magnet for nails…and nutsOne day a couple of summers ago, I had to deliver hay to a new customer. I found the place and ran around the circle driveway to get into position to unload. As soon as I got out of the truck and went to unhook my straps (Remember, class, batten down those hatches when hauling hay!!!), I heard a familiar sound... Historic sandwich expeditionBy: By Jeff Ryan You probably already know that May is Beef Month. My accountant, my banker, my John Deere salesman and anyone else who gets a piece of me are extremely grateful for your ongoing support of the beef industry... Newman hits RidgewayBy: By Jeff Ryan When the cost of a stamp rose from 32 to 33 cents, I stopped at the friendly post office in Ridgeway, population 300, to invest in some 1-cent stamps. This should have been a painless and short transaction. Not so in Ridgeway... Tipping the scaleBy: By Jeff Ryan My maternal grandfather grew up in Chicago. He came from a family of bricklayers, but that line of work didn’t interest him after he became familiar with it. It wasn’t the work he disliked. It was the work ethic of some of the employees he disliked... Life Is Full of ChoicesBy: By Jeff Ryan On the off chance you didn’t notice, we had us one of those fancy election things here in Iowa last January. Gotta make some choices. But we can’t just step into the handy voting booth and flip a lever or fill in a couple of ovals. No, we caucus. I decided to participate anyway... The hair of a goatBy: by Jeff Ryan We take winter seriously here in the Upper Midwest. Very seriously. Overnight lows this winter were anywhere from the 15- to 30-below-zero area. Daytime highs don’t create a lot of melting. So how does a person stay comfortable in weather like this if, let’s say, you have to work outside?... Ranger Rick and his posseBy: by Jeff Ryan Sometimes life gives you challenges. A few of them are brief. A few of them seem constant. I have had one in recent years that I would classify more as "ongoing" than constant... The genetics of chaffBy: By Jeff Ryan Sounds simple enough. You make the big round bales and the big square bales, then you go out, stab ’em with the spear on the loader and take them back to the buildings to store. But, nooooo. Some people just have to make it difficult. Here’s a little-known fact... News…traveling at the speed of CRUNCH!By: by Jeff Ryan, Guy No. 2 One of the best tools we have added to our operation in the past few years has been the Agri-Speed Hitch. It enables us to automatically hook up wagons without getting out of the tractor. We also put one on the self-propelled chopper... Who wants to hold the balloon?By: By Jeff Ryan, Guy No. 2 Remember that Seinfeld episode when Elaine was working for Mr. Pitt and he wanted to win a spot as a guy who held onto the Woody Woodpecker balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? We could have used him recently... A loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, and a case of dynamiteBy: By Jeff Ryan I went out to dinner one night and saw an old friend, Ray, at the restaurant. We can't bring up Ray without telling one of the best tales I've ever heard... She's No Chuck WooleryBy: By Jeff Ryan Little did I know that a guy like me being single is practically a crime against society. So far, my eternal eligibility really hasn’t been a problem for me. Not everyone shares that view... Define "expert"Are you familiar with the popular myth that we only use 10% of our brain? Actually, we use all of it, but we may only use a small percentage of our intellectual capacity... Forage, flat tires and flamesWinter in the northern part of Iowa comes but once a year. A lot of the time, it stays for six months. But we don’t just fold up our tents after harvest in the fall and head south to SissyLand. We stay here just to develop a deep, deep appreciation of the dog days of August. ... P.S. They’d like it deliveredWe have moved into that time of year when everyone with ruminants has to rethink their feed inventory situation. Winter wasn’t terribly kind to feed consumption and feed inventories... The Doctor is IN!By: Jeff Ryan Early in the morning I was washing my hands in the bathroom when I heard the phone ring and then the answering machine pick up. The voice on the machine was my neighbor, Bud, who lives about a mile away. I never look forward to hearing Bud’s voice... Say CHEESE!By: Jeff Ryan Larry, one of my most reliable hay customers, has been doing business with me for a few years. We get along great for several reasons. One of them is that we both have tremendous respect for genetics and the impact it can have... It comes with the territoryBy: By Jeff Ryan Modern conveniences and gadgets are kind of handy, especially for guys. Life without a cell phone? Well, that’s not life; that’s barely existence. From here to maternityBy: Jeff Ryan One winter evening, a reporter from Alberta called and wanted to ask me a few questions. The story he was working was a cattle story... Do ya feel lucky, punk?One of my sisters used to be a deputy attorney general in Des Moines. Over the years, she has occasionally taught classes at the Department of Public Safety Basic Academy in Johnston. She takes... A strapping young manWhile I was busy loading a semi and a couple goosenecks with hay one day, one of my seed dealers called. He wanted to know if I could take delivery of my seed. His warehouse was getting a bit cramped... |
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