For the most part, roadside market operators in all areas produce and market their crops in much the same fashion, but every now and then operators see their counterparts in other communities “doing it a different way.”  Logan County farmer Russell Poore discusses Farm Bureau’s upcoming roadside operator tour to Michigan and Indiana and talks about changes he’s made as a result of past tour experiences.

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A report on the effort to establish a state strawberry grower association with Danny VanMeter, a long time grower in Grayson County.  He discusses the trends in today’s production and the growing popularity among consumers in getting out to a farm to U-pick and to have a family experience.

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CBOT futures traded higher overnight, but sold off once markets reopened at 830 am CT. Futures were pressured by the strengthening US Dollar which reversed the downward trend in place the past 2 months.  Cattle futures closed higher (the 3rd day for most contracts) on additional short-covering. Lean Hog futures closed slightly higher after trading both sides.

CBOT futures closed generally steady except for the soy complex which saw a very strong soybean meal market lead soybeans higher; a 2% drop in soybean oil futures limited soybean’s gains. Live and Feeder cattle futures closed higher on short-covering as prices respected last week’s lows.

Kentucky Farm Bureau was involved in many pieces of legislation this session supporting, opposing, and monitoring bills. 

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UK’s Wheat Field Day is coming up next Tuesday, May 10, at the Princeton Research and Education Center.  Plant pathologist, Carl Bradley, talks about research he’s doing and how it can impact growers.  He highlights other presentations on the agenda and explains to non-farmers how small grains work into the typical Kentucky crop rotation adding income for farmers and positive impact to the environment by improving soils and helping break up disease and pest cycles.

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The Kentucky Farm Bureau’s annual beef tour is one of the most “in-demand” events of this type that the organization provides for its members.  State beef advisory committee chair, Fritz Giesecke of Hart County, has been on about seven of these educational ‘workshops on wheels’ and says they can be a real benefit to the bottom line.

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