Forage Production

I find myself writing this article in a place no one wants to be – by my dear 90-year-old mom’s hospital bed. It is Saturday, and the last time she recognized me was Thursday morning.

Situation No. 1

It is cold out for this time of year. There is not much to do today on the farm, so you drive into town to have coffee with the guys and catch up on local gossip.

As we age, Old Man Winter gets older at an ever-increasing rate. With each passing year, the joints ache a bit more and get a bit stiffer. While this isn’t a fashion column, let me give you just a few quick pointers from an old farmer.

Over the past decade, we have been honored to meet and share the stories of producers from around the country. We value the relationships we have been able to form and look forward to meeting more producers in the next decade.

It’s not uncommon for purchased feed costs to equal 50% of a dairy farm’s budget. Nearly 20 years ago, Jon Bansen of Double J Jerseys near Monmouth, Oregon, was in the same boat.

Winter is a good time for reflection. The year 2020 has given us quite a bit to reflect on. As we think about the year and try to learn from it, resist the urge to look over the fence and be jealous of your neighbor who is doing “better than you.”