MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

When the combines have wrapped up the harvest, the real work of marketing all that grain starts to unfold.  Regardless of where it's going, a lot of that grain will travel the Mississippi River.  Kiley Allan catches up with Captain Jimmy "JRock" Cheatam, Hines Furlong Line Inc.  He makes trips up and down the Mississippi daily.  He says recent rains have temporarily r...

What do corn mazes, bumblebees, comedy, and Wisconsin farming have in common? SCIENCE! The Wisconsin Science Festival is underway, and you don't need a lab coat to join the fun. Festival Director Samantha Mulrooney and Organizer Francesca Long tell Teri Barr how more than 800 events connect agriculture, nature, and everyday life with science -- in communities across the state. The Wisconsin Scienc...

Executive Director Chad Zuleger says several good things were accomplished in the nearly-completed Wisconsin legislative session, but there's still work to do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National FFA Convention begins soon, and Cheryl Zimmerman discusses what happens at convention, as well as how so many students without a production ag background have become involved in their school's FFA chapter for everything from a class that interested them to gaining leadership training.  And for the parents without an FFA or ag background, don't worry about sending your son or daug...

Someone once told Bryan Turner that giant pumpkins are 90% water and 10% magic. While he can confirm that the water content is definitely high, he can't exactly prove that they're magical. However, he says the feeling of a big win at a weigh-off definitely is. Bryan lives in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, and has been growing giant pumpkins for six years. For the last four years, he's been trying to gr...

Child care in rural communities is a major hurdle for families.  Child care available during the harvest is an outright nightmare.  Jill Welke finds out more about thos challenges and the complex answers from Dr Florence Becot.  Becot is a Rural Socioligist and Lead of the Agricultural Safety & Health Program at Pennsylvania University.   For over 20 years, farm s...

For nearly two months, dairy farmers faced a relentless slide in market values, watching cheese prices stair-step lower week after week. The spot market for block cheddar plunged as low as $1.27 , reaching prices not seen in nearly a decade. However, after weeks of grinding lower, the market finally hit a turning point. Extremely low prices triggered a wave of buying activity, driving Class 3 milk...

When you sign up for a social media platform, you sign up for something called a handle. It's like your digital name tag. It's uniquely yours, and people can find you easily by typing it into the search bar. In just 2010, when Dan Venteicher took the handle "IowaDairyFarmer," he had no idea what was in store. Now, the dairy farmer has nearly 3 million followers on social media where he shares the...

Grant Holley from the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association discusses this year's harvest, some of the new technology being used by growers, and what they hope it means in the future.  He also shares some information about ongoing health studies using cranberries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wisconsin Beef Council recently partnered with Chef Noah and the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. culinary team to provide hands-on beef education to culinary students at WCTC and MATC, as well as an educational dinner with the ACF of Milwaukee Chapter. Chef Noah is the  Associate Director of Culinary Services with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association .  Chef Noah demon...

Many Wisconsin growers have been concentrating on harvesting soybeans, but now the combines are heading toward the corn fields.  Lucas Clayton, district sales manager with Wyffels in southwest Wisconsin is ready for the data. Clayton says the heat and dry weather have really helped on moisture within that ear - and the plant as a whole.  Keeping a plan in place for harvesting those field...

"Perfect Sundays" debuted at World Dairy Expo with producer Sam Goldberg on hand.  It's a mini-series that has a dairy family at its core who suffers the suicide of its patriarch.  What happens next?  How do you go on?  How does the farm go on, or does it?  Pam Jahnke visits with the New York City native on how he found his way to this project.  The farms he met along...

Wildfires, drought, insects.  You name it and it's been making hay growing in the west difficult.  Since many dairy operators depend on western hay for supplies, Bob Bosold did some investigating during World Dairy Expo. Caleb Siemens is the general manager/salesman of Red River Forage.  His Canadian hay operation finds plenty of customers in the U.S.  He explains their ap...

Farms that have been in the family for over a century hold many special traditions and memories. Connie, Jason, and Dale Behrend join us. The name of their farm is a nod to that sentiment. Memory Acres is their century farm in Wood County. They tell us the story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three Willows Tree Farm in Waupaca County is a century farm that means a lot to the family it belongs to. Robert Rasmussen Jr. joins us. His friends better know him as Sonny. He tells us about the farm's history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories of rich heritage and family tradition bring us to Dodge County's Leb Farm, it's a century farm. Here to tell us the story of the farm is husband and wife, Bob and Mary Loeb, and Bob's sister, Nancy Koenings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a farm has been in a family for over 100 years, it's hard not to be a little sentimental when you think back to all of the memories and what the farm means to your family. James, Mark, and Robert Stellmacher join me, the father and two sons. Tell us the story of J.R. Stellmacher LLC, that's a century farm in Green Lake County. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a farm has been in a family for over a century, it's extra special when members of the family want to celebrate big events on the farm. Valerie Higgins joins us. Her family has a century farm in Taylor County. She tells us about some of the special moments that have taken place out on their farm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nestled within Rock County is Oak Lane Farm, that's a century farm that holds a special place in Doug & Sue Furlott's hearts. They're here to tell us the story of their family's operation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zuehlke Farms holds a special place in Daniel & Rebecca Zuehlke's hearts. The husband and wife duo now operates their family's century farm. They're here to tell us the story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Sounds spooky doesn't it.  That's why Teri Barr decided to catch up with Dr. Keith Poulson,  director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, for an update on EHD. This disease has also been detected in tissue from wild and captive deer in the region. Now EHD's been detected in a dairy herd in Waukesha.  Do people need to worry about t...

World Dairy Expo offers many different experiences, including the opportunity to have conversations about what could shape the future of dairy farming. Wisconsin Farmers Union Government Relations Director Michelle Ramirez-White tells Teri Barr why she's focusing on policy issues ranging from farm labor legislation, to food policy debates, and the upcoming election cycle -- which includes several...

One hundred and fifty years is a long time for a family to keep a farm going, but the Gaynor and the Dempze families have done just that.  Heidi Slinkman discusses how growing cranberries has changed over the years, explains how they are cultivated, and even offers a few recipe ideas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A love for agriculture that was born on her family's century farm sent Josephine Kuhl to her first 4-H meeting. But it's the community of the organization that's kept her coming back. She's now the president of the Beaver Brook Badgers 4-H Club in Polk County. She tells Kiley Allan why she joined the organization. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What began with a little family persuasion turned into a bountiful 4-H career for Allison Emmertson. She's a junior in high school from Amery, Wisconsin, a member of the Beaver Brook Badgers 4-H Club in Polk County. She tells Kiley Allan why she joined the organization. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.