The Rest of The Story

Last Thursday I checked out for a small vacation to see friends in Los Angeles. Checking out means I didn’t pay attention to emails or get overly concerned about the hot article of the day or what was trending on social media.

The only thing I was concerned about was catching up with good friends and of course watching the Super Bowl.

The view from my friend’s balcony in Hermosa Beach, California.

My college roommate and I ended up watching the Super Bowl in a very crowded bar on the Hermosa Beach pier.

I saw this during the game but there was no sound to it in the bar:

However, I saw Paul Harvey‘s name and knew it had to be neat.

Paul Harvey, to me, was a staple of grass seed harvest while growing up. You could always count on Paul Harvey’s Rest of the Story to let you know the day was almost done in the combine or swather.

Of course you would also learn a little known fact or back story about someone famous. The stories are timeless and numerous. Check them out if you never heard one and you will not be sorry.

Shortly after the commercial was over my twitter started going off. Then I realized it was a poem read by Paul Harvey oh so long ago, On the 8th Day, God Made a Farmer.

When I got back to reality today I could actually watch and realize how truly awesome the commercial is.  I am not a Dodge girl, prefer a Ford, but I will definitely give them a second glance next time I vehicle shop.

Thanks Dodge Ram for supporting Farmers and Ranchers.

On a similar note I saw the below on a menu in California.  It made me smile. Apparently 2013 is the year of the farmer. Cheers to that!

One of my friend’s work, Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City, California…I am sure Dairy Carrie would love the cheese menu

 

Related articles

• ‘God made a farmer’ – truck ad stirs pride, passion and conversation in agriculture community (eatocracy.cnn.com)
• ‘Farmer’ Ad Gives Ram Trucks Big Boost, Study Says  (wsj.com)
• Dodge RAM pays Super Bowl tribute with “So God made a Farmer” (agricultureproud.com)
• Super Bowl ‘Farmer’ Commercial Explained: Where Ram’s ‘God Made A Farmer’ Ad Came From (huffingtonpost.com)

Farming in the Winter

I stopped by a local restaurant the other night to pickup dinner. While I was waiting the manager asked “Are you farming this winter?” I responded, “Yes of course.” Manager, “What is there to do this time of year?”

It may be a slower time of year but there is ALWAYS something to do, contrary to popular belief.

Maintenance & Projects

Each tractor, swather, combine, semi-truck, sprayer and fertilizer buggy is gone through in detail. Changing oil, replacing belts, repairing temporary fixes from harvest and any other thing that may arise. We do this each winter to make sure our equipment is taken care of. Things break on the farm but poor maintenance shouldn’t be the reason.

This year we have a big project in the shop. Our three-wheeled fertilizer spreader/buggy is getting tracks! Why? Because we get stuck. Working on wet ground during spring fertilizing makes getting stuck a likely possibility. Our oversized tires help to prevent this but the tracks will increase surface area and hopefully stop this…

This is not even that bad….

This will be the only three-wheeled machine of its kind in the Willamette Valley if all goes as planned.

Winter Field Work

There are a few sunny days or at least days that are not raining in the winter, so we must take advantage of them. On these precious few days we try to get a spot spraying crew in the fields. Spot spraying is a technique that selectively eliminates unwanted or rogue plant species that are detrimental to the crop. Without this practice seed purity could be compromised which affects its marketability.

We fight slugs. Typically we have mild winters which creates a prime environment for slugs to eat our crops. Some years are worse than others, but no matter the year we must be on the look out for them. Slugs know no boundaries, my friend Brenda has battles with them as well.

Fields are checked frequently for any other unpredicted issue and make sure nothing has been missed.

Office Work

The family farm is a business.  During harvest, you pay the bills but spend minimal time behind a desk.  The winter is time to catch up on book work and finances, a not always fun but a necessary part of the business.

In a typical winter we are shipping grass seed.  This requires tracking inventory, sending seed lab tests, invoicing companies and receiving payments.

This year we have a new software program to analyze our yield maps.   This requires some “classroom” time to learn, then upload and then interpret. data.

Meetings

It seems that every farm organization have their annual meetings in the winter.  So far I have attended American Agri-Women, Oregon Seed Growers League, Oregon Cattleman’s Association, Oregon Ryegrass Growers and plan on attending Oregon Women for Agriculture’s annual meeting in March. There are too many to list that I wish I could attend.  This is a time for farmers not only to learn and get updates on the crops they farm but also to socialize with other farmers.

FUN

I would be remiss if I said there was no fun.  Yes, there is lots of work to do in the winter on the farm but it is a time for us to relax a little bit.

We have our annual lamb BBQ towards the end of December.  We invite the folks we have done business with over the last year and the neighbor farmers.  It’s an event that my family has been doing for 20+ years.

And of course there’s the occasional snowmobiling trip and weekend getaways as well.

I am sure I have forgotten a few items that my dad will remind me of when he reads this post, but like I said there is no lack of work on the farm in the winter.

Honored and Humbled, Thank you!

On Friday night I received a very prestigious award, the Agri-Business Council of Oregon’s Ag Connection Award.  I was unable to accept the award in person at the Annual Diamonds and Denim event because it was the night before my sister’s wedding (blog post to come). However, Paulette Pyle, the grassroots director for Oregonians for Food and Shelter, accepted it for me.  She is and has been a great mentor and role model to me since I was in high school.

This award was not something I expected.

I feel very blessed and grateful for this award because to me I am just doing what needs to be done for an industry that I am passionate for.

I am proud of my accomplishment and wanted to share it with my friends.

This video played during Denim and Diamonds:

Here is a link to the article in Agri-Business Council’s bimonthly publication:

2012 Ag Connection of the Year:  Marie Bowers

At the same ceremony they honored Dale Buck, a dairy farmer from the Oregon Coast. I just hope one day I can be as well-respected as he is.  I had the opportunity to share a table with him at Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom’s annual dinner.  He is an inspiring individual and very deserving of his award, Agriculturist of the Year.

Here is his video:

I  hope that my and Dale’s efforts inspire others and inform people about this awesome industry known as Oregon Agriculture!

Thank you Agri-Business Council of Oregon for this great honor.  I am truly honored and humbled.

Loser and Failure but not a Quitter

Well that sucked.

Measure 84, to End Oregon Death Tax, failed.  The majority of candidates I wanted in office failed.

It makes me feel like I failed and maybe I did.

I could go through a lot of “What ifs” about what happened on Tuesday, November 6th 2012, Election Day.

However, I have come to this conclusion:  Americans & Oregonians are truly ignorant to the full scope of how government works. We have become a nation where our feelings of jealousy of others success rule, which in return causes us all to fail. We apparently love the feeling of the word free but have no perception of the true cost of freedom.  And most have no idea what goes on in terms of the regulatory process in order just to get food on the table.

I am upset and angry about Tuesday’s results. Trying to keep my chin up is hard this week.  However I am surrounded with like-minded women who are just as, if not more passionate, than I am about issues that face our country.

I am in Denver, CO for the American Agri-Women annual meeting. I am slowly getting revived.  These women inspire me, the speakers inspire me.   In fact, we heard from James Owen, author of Cowboy Ethics and The Try.  He offered us Ten Principles to Live By and what goes into “The Try”.

Do you live by these principles?

While election day sucked for a lot of us we must continue to live by our guiding principles and continue to do what we know is right, best and true.  I have no doubt we are fighting an uphill battle.   It is going to be hard and frustrating but we cannot quit. We cannot give up for the future of our food & fiber supply and the future of our country.

One last thought, I am truly grateful and feel very blessed for the support network I have. Thank you to those people. I appreciate it more than you know.

 

Worth the Fight, Always

There is never any lack of challenges being a farmer and they never seem to take a break when farmers are busy in the field.

A few things have occurred in the last two months while I was on my harvest hiatus.

Death Tax

Some awesome news, the initiative to End Oregon’s Death Tax, that I wrote about here and here, made the November 2012 ballot!  Finally Oregon has a chance to join 31 other states that have already abolished the State Estate Tax.  This is huge news for family farms, forests, ranches & small business.  However we still have to deal with the federal death tax which is set to return to pre-2001 levels, a million dollar exemption. Stay tuned for more information on this between now and November!

Canola

In August the Oregon Department of Agriculture opened “hundred of thousands” of acres for canola production in the Willamette Valley.  Previously, many acres had been restricted until research was conducted by Oregon State University to determine the potential of interfering via cross-pollination/contamination with Oregon’s specialty seed industry, which include radish seed, cabbage seed, sugar beet seed plus more.   The specialty seed growers are very concerned about the possibility of hurting their current markets.

Interesting enough anti-GMO groups took interest in this issue as well.  The majority of canola produce in the United States is genetically modified to be able to resist certain herbicides and was deregulated by the federal government several years ago.  The “Center for Food Safety“, “Friend of Family Farmers” and a few specialty seed companies filed a lawsuit together to block the potential production.

Here’s the thing, GMO is not the issue.

The issue is the potential of canola to cross pollinate or contaminate with other Brassica crops, such as radish or cabbage.  There also is a concern for increased disease in the those crops.   This situation is very unique, as two of the groups in the lawsuit prefer that GMOs be eliminated from Oregon while the other group, the specialty seed growers, utilize GMOs when available.  They grow Round-up Ready Sugar Beet seeds.

The problem is that one group is anti-technology.   They do not want ANY genetically modified crops in Oregon. End of Story.  If they succeed in “banning” canola in Oregon they will see this as a win for getting biotechnology out of Oregon.  It is potentially a very slippery ugly slope.  I would hope that resolve can come between the Oregon Agriculture community that is divided on this issue. Farmers against farmers means no one wins.

Department of Labor

Our federal government in the past few years has abused their power.

Recently the United States Department of Labor came into Oregon blueberry patches and held their perishable crop hostage until farmers paid a fine.  Instead of allowing the farms due process and a chance to prove their innocence they assumed guilt.  The farms were forced to pay the fine, one being $170,000, so they could get their crops to market and get paid.   They didn’t bother to give a courtesy call to Oregon’s Labor Commissioner or the Oregon Department of Agriculture Director.  This is an example of government out of control.

Worth the Fight

I often question is being a farmer really worth the fight.    Farmers, ranchers and foresters have many obstacles in their paths from unfair taxes, groups who seek to end their business and governments that abuse their power.  However,  I come to the same conclusion every time: It is worth it.  It’s worth it because I know what we do is right and a life and legacy that I wouldn’t trade for many others.

I must thank my friend Dairy Carrie for helping this post to happen. She and I share similar taste in music and while I’ve been too tired to blog lately a group, Cody Canada and the Departed, who we both enjoy released a new single today, “Worth the Fight”.  She challenged a few of us to write if what we do is really worth it. As you can see I clearly think it is.

A few of our  friends do too:

• Agriculture Proud
• Heim Dairy
• JP Loves Cotton
• Dirt Road Charm
• NorthView Dairy 
• The Magic Farmhouse
• Wag’n Tales
• From Heels to Boots
• Slow Money Farm
• Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Country Life
• jldphotography
• The Farmer Feeds Us All
• Calves, kids and my crazy, beautiful life
• Farming America
• Farmer on a Mission

Farmers Have Fun

Farming is not considered a relaxing profession. However we still manage to squeeze a bit of fun in especially during harvest when it is a must!

Examples:

This photo was taken today, we are still trying to figure out this grass straw baling business. FYI this is not what it’s supposed to look like.

“I’m in a Field”

This video is from neighbors about 20 miles north of us. Yes, I said neighbors because we’re headquartered in the same county. Video is a parody of “I’m on a Boat“

When asked about why they responded with “3 young fellas explain what it’s like when they are fortunate enough to be able to work yet another summer “in a field” for Boshart Trucking. Safety meetings, Kevin Costner, daisy dukes and just a few items involved in the summer at Boshart Trucking. Hold on to your Romeo’s because this summer just got interesting…”

“Farming & I Grow It”

These Kansas brothers have become a YouTube sensation. I first viewed their video at 229 views the next day it hit a million! Go Peterson Bros! It is a parody of “Sexy & I Know It”

The brothers “…made the video to give people a better perspective of farmers. It started as just a silly idea, but it turned into quite an undertaking. But it has been worth it now that so many people have seen it! When we filmed it we wanted to make sure agriculture was promoted. In the original “Sexy and I know it” they spend the whole song promoting themselves. We wanted to shift the focus to agriculture! Agriculture is vital to society!”

Farmers are fun people, you should be friends with us!

Related articles

• The AP Doesn’t Usually Write About Viral Videos, But These Kansas Farmers Are Awesome (businessinsider.com)

You want family farms & small business, but do you want to pay the tax?

A couple of weeks ago I read on a website about how Oregon’s Death Tax has obviously not affected my family because I was a 5th generation farmer.  (Since then they have taken then claim down.)

However this group, Tax Fairness for Oregon, knows nothing about my family.

Here’s the thing, my great-grandma, the 2nd generation of our farm, is still alive at 97.  The land we currently farm, that her father farmed before her, is her retirement.  What happens when she passes away?  The land is clearly worth more than state and federal exemption.  Who pays that tax? My grandparents, who happen to be retired as well, then it eventually will be my parents and then one day me.  I wonder what will be left?

Farmers and especially retired farmers don’t have piles of cash lying around.  They have it invested in the land, along with their blood, sweat and tears.  Yet they are still expected to pay hundreds of thousand of dollars whenever a farm is expected to be carried on.  As a result family farms become smaller and smaller as the ones hoping to continue are forced to sell land to pay for the previous generations’ passing.

We as Oregonians claim we want family farms and small business in this state.   If you truly do and don’t want to see parts of century farms sold off then I hope you have signed the petition to End Oregon’s Death Tax.  It is vital small business and families just like mine as well as Oregon’s economy.

End Oregon Death Tax Quick Facts:

• Create nearly 44,000 jobs
• 1 in 8 jobs in Oregon are tied to Agriculture
• Generate $94.1 million in tax revenue
• Jobs & tax revenue will offset “loss” to Oregon’s general fund

Related articles

• Ending Oregon’s Death Tax (5440fight.com)

Ending Oregon’s Death Tax

Imagine this, you work your whole entire life to leave your children a better life than you began with. You hope on leaving a legacy for multiple generations to come, for them to build upon and bring economic viability to the surrounding community. However, when you die in order for your estate to be inherited by your heirs they must first pay a tax.  A death tax.

As ridiculous as the above scenario sounds it is incredibly realistic. Every time the last member of a given generation passes away the heirs are forced to pay a TAX on the entire estate. In a sense this is a double tax because in the case of real property, like farmland, property taxes have been paid year after year on the land. If you have been making a living off the land then you’ve been subject to pay income taxes on it as well. This misguided tax affects property owners, small business owners, family farmers and anyone who has had a job or one day will hold a job.

For example, I am 5th generation farmer who is just beginning. The 2nd generation of farmer is still alive, my great-grandma, she still owns quite a bit of the land we farm today. When she passes away the land will be passed down to the next generation and when my grandparents die it’ll be passed down again. Each time the land, that is my family’s livelihood and legacy, is passed down the inheritor is forced to pay a tax.

There’s a saying that farmers are land rich and cash poor. The money we have “lying around” to pay this erroneous fee is tied up in other land, equipment and next year’s crop. To generate cash immediately we must either sell land or equipment or get out of the business of farming all together. Potentially one less family farmer to continue on for the next generation because the government taxed them out.

The way it is right now in Oregon any estate over a million dollars is subject to this estate tax. With value of farmland a million dollars is easily reached in land alone. However, when you start adding in the equipment and buildings used on the farm the amount you owe to the state & federal government starts increasing exponentially. Yes, I said state & federal, the state of Oregon has its own death tax separate from the federal death tax.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Right now, in Oregon, there are petitions circulating to put this issue on the November 2012 ballot and end Oregon’s Death Tax. Twenty-nine states have already repealed it and only 3 states west of the Mississippi still have this “double” tax Oregon, Washington & Hawaii.

Here’s what this measure will do if passed:

• It will phaseout the Oregon estate tax by reducing the existing tax by 25% in 2013, 50% in 2014, and 75% in 2015. As of January 1, 2016, the tax is zero.
• It phases out the capital gains tax on property sales within a family on the same schedule as the phase out of the death tax.

The revenue generated by the death tax is less than 1.5% of the general fund or roughly $90 million dollars a year. However, the good news is the “lost” revenue will be made up in five years! Professors Eric Fruits and Randall Pozdena issued a report in February of this year in which they predict that elimination of the death tax will lead to the creation of between 31,000 and 44,500 new jobs in Oregon over the next 5 years. This is because of increased in-migration of family owned business and reduced out-migration of such businesses. The tax revenues generated by these new jobs will gradually offset the loss of estate tax revenues.

Jobs & tax revenue? Sounds like a win-win to me.

I urge anyone registered to vote in the state of Oregon to go endoregondeathtax.com and print off an individual petition to sign and mail in. This is issue vital to the economic sustainability of our family owned & run businesses!

In full disclosure, I am one of the chief petitioner’s on the campaign because at 26 years old I am looking at my future as a farmer. I wonder if they’re will be anything left for me and my future generations if my family is continued to be subject to this death penalty.

The Bowers Family! Great-grandma Charity down to my 6 year old cousin Charity! 90 years apart!

Wordless Wednesday: Earth Day

Sunday April 22nd is Earth Day.

Farmers, ranchers & foresters celebrate Earth Day every day or else we lose our way of life.

This is the bumper sticker that rides around on the back of my car!

A Legacy of AgVocacy

I wrote this post a little less than a year ago.  Today, Feb. 19th, 2013, my great grandma passed away.  What a great life she had. 

Forty-three years ago, in 1969, a group of unstoppable women formed Oregon Women for Agriculture (OWA), one of them being my Great-Grandma Charity. As she describes it, she received a phone call from Mary Holzapfel saying women were coming to her house to discuss what they could do to fight & educate the people who wished to end field burning. A practice that is vital to producing quality grass seed. The women realized they had to do it because the men were to busy in the fields that time of year to do much.

As they organized no one was stepping up to be president so my great-grandma did. My great-grandma Charity is one of the best women I know. She is 96 years old and still remembers, in detail, going over the Santiam Pass in a wagon in the early 1920′s at seven years old so her dad could farm the land we still farm. One of the original rocking rural women!

On Saturday, my grandparents drove my Great Grandma nearly two hours to come see me installed as president of Oregon Women for Agriculture. I was so excited to see her there, so were her friends and so was she! Women of all ages still actively participate in OWA.

During my installation my mom surprised me and caught me off guard. She presented me with my Great-grandma Charity’s past president pin. I shed some tears, not an easy thing for me to do.

Past & Present

Great-grandma Charity & me!

I believe I have the same passion that group of women shared back in 1969 when founding Oregon Women for Agriculture: we need communicate our story of today’s agriculture so that we can protect our livelihood!