Author: Nuttygrass

I'm a nut and grass farmer, EMT, Firefighter, and world traveler. I love a good laugh and a great adventure!

A few Facts & off to the Capital again…

Since I’ve started to follow the US Farmer and Rancher Alliance, I have been learning so much about how to tell my ag story, why it’s important and some key ways to go about doing this most effectively. So while I was back in New York and attended one of their events, I wanted to share a few facts that really stuck out to me that go along these lines.

  1. 25% of Americans have questions about their food.
  2. 49% of consumers think that agriculture is on the wrong track.
  3. 75% of consumers like farmers, but 42% of them don’t like how we farm.
  4. 95% of farms are family owned and operated in the United States.

All of these facts point to us as farmers to start to restore relevancy, and to do that the USFRA says we need to start using trust and transparency. I have an idea what that might look like for a company like Monsanto, and I have an idea of what that might look like for a farm or ranch that is trying to keep things in the closet about what they are doing. But for me, transparency and trust is something that I hope this blog tends to address. I am proud of what we are doing our here, and how we are treating the land. And it’s something that I want to continue.

It goes beyond a blog however so I say all of this while in the back of my head rolling around is the testimony that I will give later today at the Oregon capital all about protecting our farmland. I’m off to Salem again, this time it isn’t GMO’s or pesticides or our right to farm. This time it’s a four land highway, a toll road no less, that is threatening to come right through the heart of our beautiful farmland that we have here. Class one and two soils, that I feel we need to protect. And because of all the facts above, I know that I need to be out there, and let people know how we are growing their food and that we are making the most of the great wonderful soil that we are so lucky to have and cherish. If you’re around come listen to Senate Bill 2696 this afternoon at 3pm, it might be interesting to see farmers get up and tell legislatures why this is so important to stop!!

The Sun Is…or WAS shining! Spring is here!

It has been a beautiful start to spring here in Oregon.  I say that while staring outside to the pouring rain and wind, but I promise you, it has been beautiful the past week…just not today!  When the soil starts to warm up plants are usually very responsive and start to grow like crazy!  Remember those peas we planted just a few Sunday’s ago? Well here is an update on how they are doing…

2013-04-03_07-36-25_5462013-04-03_07-36-32_8642013-04-03_07-36-38_378These peas will be harvested in June.  We grow them for a company that will harvest them and then Instant Quick Freeze (IQF) them to be put in grocery store freezers everywhere!

The hazelnut or filbert trees are also starting to wake up and shoot some leaves out!

2013-04-02_14-34-31_356 2013-04-02_14-34-44_142

We were also able to sneak away one Sunday morning at 5am to head down to the river to try to catch some Springer Salmon!  Although we didn’t get to bring anything home, you still can’t beat a beautiful morning out on the water!

2013-03-31_07-06-51_1842013-03-31_07-07-05_5042013-03-31_06-45-08_5122013-03-31_07-14-34_588Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

10 Things I learned in Washington DC

A few weeks ago I was able to head back to Washington DC with Oregon Farm Bureau for a few days. We visited with many of our states policy makers, attended a few events with the US Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, and also got to see a beautiful city! Here are just a few of the things that I learned while I was back east!

  1. Using words like “Safe, Abundant and Affordable” are not the best words to use when talking to consumers about the food we grow. (US Farmer & Rancher Food Event)
    DSC02041Katie Pratt, talking about why the USFRA is so important to today’s agriculture!
  2. Always try to address concerns that consumers have, while at the same time telling your ag story!
  3. Clean Water Act is an ongoing issue and I’m thankful that American Farm Bureau is working so hard on that issue for us farmers.
  4. Trans Pacific Partnership is really just a free trade agreement, new name is all.
  5. Meeting with legislators makes a difference! Thank you Congressman Schrader for introducing a bill to remove Ag products from the HOT GOODS issue, HR 1387!
  6. Even when you travel across the country you can find people from my small little town. Walked into an office to find a girl I grew up with as the head staffer for one of Oregon’s legislators! Small World indeed!
    DSC02109
  7. New Zealand has the same population as Oregon and is just about the same size as our state as well. (New Zealand Embassy)
  8. John Wilkes Booth originally was planning to kidnap President Lincoln, obviously his plans changed! (DC Tour of Lincoln’s Assassination)
    DSC02118
  9. There is a typo on the Lincoln Memorial wall, tried to cover it up, but if you look really hard you can see an E turned back into an F.
  10. All the museums in DC are FREE! Can you believe that, what a wonderful way to learn about history…can’t wait to go back!

Special shout out to our amazing tour company…DC by Foot.  If you’re ever in DC they are a wonderful company!!