Sweet Corn: Beginning Stages

For the last twelve years, Davis Brothers Farms has planted and raised a sweet corn patch. There are three primary purposes that motivate the farm to raise sweet corn every year. First- Davis Brothers Farms has the opportunity to support the Carlisle County FFA chapter. In the past, the FFA chapter has received a donation for coming out to help pick and package the corn. This year, in addition to their historical duties, they are planning to sell some of the picked sweet corn as a summer project for the chapter. Growing the sweet corn is also a way for the farm to serve the community. It gives various members of the community the opportunity to have fresh, locally grown sweet corn for their families. Davis Brothers Farms gives sweet corn to their landowners, as well. This is a way to say thank you to the landowners for allowing them to manage their farmland. Overall, growing a sweet corn patch is motivated by one thing… the desire to serve.

The sweet corn patch was planted during the week of May 5^th. Davis Brothers Farms would like to thank Shaun Hayden of Becks Hybrids for donating the seed this year. The Sweet Corn Hybrid used is SV9010. With the corn having been planted around a month ago, it means the corn is close to the V6 growth stage. At this stage, the point of growth is no longer underground. It also means that the tassel and ear are beginning to develop. The stalk will begin to grow rapidly, causing the corn height to shoot up seemingly overnight.

We are very pleased with how well our patch is growing this year. Our hope is that conditions will be favorable for the rest of the summer so we can have a quality, high yielding sweet corn crop. The corn should be ready to pick in later July with the help of Carlisle County FFA members.

 

-Mallory Wilson, Summer Ag Intern

Logistics

According to dictionary.com logistics is “the planning, implementation, and coordination of the details of a business or other operation.”  Not necessarily the first word that comes to mind when thinking about farming, is it?  However, it is a critical component of running an effective farming operation.

Let’s take a look at this practically.  It’s spring, which translates to “planting season” on the farm.  What is often times overlooked is that there is much more than just “planting” occuring.  For example, today planting corn continues in high gear.  However, there is also wheat to be sprayed, tillage to be completed in order to prepare fields, excavating to be done, fertilizer to be spread, seed tenders to be refilled, field records to be kept . . .

After all these years of growing up on a farm, I’m still amazed at all the wheels that have to be kept moving.  I’m amazed at the logistics required.  It is a big job but one worth being a part of as we steward the land that has been entrusted to us.  Here’s to continued safety as we move forward in this busy season.

-Wendy

Help! I’m Following a Tractor! The Mom Edition

Last year we posted an article entitled “Help! I’m Following a Tractor!“.  This year we give you the mom edition.

This picture was safely taken while vehicle was in park.

 

“We’re late!  Just pick up your shoes and you can put them on in the car.”  I say to my son as we rush out the door to his yearly doctor appointment.

I quickly buckle him in, throw my purse in the passenger side, and reverse out of the garage.  As I start down my driveway I fuss at myself for running late again.

I even woke up earlier this morning than usual.

But as it often goes with getting a family ready there are those unexpected moments that seem to throw the schedule all out of whack.  My smoothly planned morning looks more like throwing on the outfit lying on the floor from yesterday because I had to spend twenty minutes plunging the toilet and then cleaning the bathroom floor.  The appointment can’t be cancelled.  We already cancelled it once and if I wait for a perfect morning then we will never go to the doctor again.

As I pull onto the highway I push play on the DVD player so I can take a deep breath and gather my thoughts for the rest of the day.  Rounding a corner, I notice a line of cars ahead of me moving at slow speed.

You’ve got to be kidding me?!  I think to myself.

There goes my thought gathering.  The closer I move toward the backed up traffic I see what’s slowing things down-a tractor.  Even though this pushes me even later for the doctor appointment, I calmly sit back in my seat.

You see-what I know about that tractor is that the operator driving has no intention of adding stress to my roadway travels.

I know that moving large farm equipment is not an easy task so moving slowly and cautiously is in the best interest of all drivers.

I know that pulling a large piece of equipment off the road in some areas could cause the implement to tip over.

I know that operators are trained to do all they can to NOT slow traffic down.

I know that the farmer in that tractor could be my husband, my children’s father and I want him and those he meets on the roadways to do all they can to make sure he arrives safely at home tonight.

At Davis Brothers Farms our aim is to lift up the community by providing safe agriculture products.  And we hope to do this without slowing you down, on the road, if possible.  This wife and mom ask that we please be patient together and know that we will try to do all we can to accommodate a speedy pass of the machinery so you can be on your way.

-Wendy

 

It’s that time again . . .

Longer days and warmer weather signify one thing around here, planting time!  It seems to put everyone in high gear and even a bit of a pep in the step.  With planting season comes an increase in mobility.  Not only are tractors moving from field to field but also crop sprayers, seed trucks, mechanics, and the list goes on.  It’s safe to say (no pun intended) a reminder of road safety this time of year could only be in the best interest of all those traveling on our roadways.

Last year, Brandon Wilson, wrote an article entitled “Help!  I’m Following a Tractor!”  You can read the article by clicking here.  Also, the video below shares some tips for spring road safety.

Davis Brothers Farms hosts “Agriculture Safety Breakfast”

Davis Brothers Farms has three core values that they focus on: Safety, Respect, and Production. All of these values play a crucial role in assuring the success of the operation, but notice that the very first core value that is mentioned is safety. Why might this be so? We are reminded every day to put our seat belts on, to turn our burners off, and to slow down and do things right. But does that mean we always do it? Safety is something that can always be improved upon. It is very important, especially in the agriculture industry.

On March 11th, 2015, Davis Brothers Farms hosted Agriculture Safety Breakfast. People from all over the region gathered to share a passion for agriculture, safety, and not to mention, a delicious breakfast. Attendees included representatives of multiple businesses and organizations including: Monsanto, Airgas, Cunningham Fire Department, Dupont Pioneer, and Murray State University Hutson School of Agriculture. Other community members and the Carlisle County FFA also attended. All these people may seem different, but they came together on this day, to become more educated about the importance and practice of safety. Young and old, experienced in agriculture or not, everyone learned a little bit more about how the role safety plays in our everyday lives.

Davis Brothers Farms was also honored to have guest speakers including: Nathan Sauder from DuPont Pioneer, Ken Mathias from Monsanto’s Growing Safely Program, Roger Hobbs from Hobbs Farms, Dan Bowles from Cunningham Fire Department, and Mason Denton from Airgas. Each of these speakers highlighted the importance of safety in different ways. Whether it be giving personal experience, or listing ways to improve safety in the workplace, one thing was made clear: Safety is a practice that is very important. After the formal portion of the meeting, attendees gathered for a time of fellowship. At this time, many participated in some of the safety simulations provided by Monsanto.

Davis Brothers Farms is thankful for all the support they received from the local community, and they hope to continue to host events like this one in the future. The Agriculture Safety Breakfast had a great turn out, and Davis Brothers Farms is extremely thankful for everyone who gave their support by attending or speaking. Safety is definitely an important value to all of us, and by continuing to put it into practice in our everyday lives, we can assure the well-being of ourselves, our businesses, and the well-being of our community.

Article by: Abagail Lanier, Public Relations Intern

A Partnership of Stewardship

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, responsible farming practices have contributed to nearly 50 percent decline in erosion; enhancement of soil, air, and water quality by means of conservation buffers; and intentionally provided habitat for wildlife.

Stewarding the land comes with the territory so to speak. We believe this began when the earth was created. God in His perfect design instructed us to care for what He created.

We encourage landlords to have high expectations for their land and demonstrate this by preferring best practices from their farm tenants. This is one of many reasons we appreciate the privilege to partner with landowners. Davis Brothers Farms believes that when we farm the tract of a landlord we enter into an agreement – we will be stewards together.   This standard we mutually foster — a belief in stewardship infiltrates the “community” where each of us is connected interdependently. Therefore, we employ the phrase “a partnership of stewardship” to identify the critical relationship between farm owner and farm operator.

Additionally, our mission is to steward much more than just the land. We believe our partnership of stewardship has an impact that reaches beyond the land.   What will follow is a three part series whereby we would like to share with you why we believe our partnership of stewardship yields a far reaching impact. Our existence, we hope, will touch much more than the stomachs of consumers of our food crops and influence people far beyond the field level.

-Brandon & Wendy

image source

Snow day!

Snow Day!

When I was a kid, snow days = AWESOME!
We could stay up late, watch movies, play in the snow, eat the snow, take pics of the snow — you catch my drift (pun intended 😉 ).

As an adult — snow days do not always yield the same joys.
For instance, snow does not always mean that your daily duties get canceled.
Just this morning – in approximately 12 inches of snow, I was trying to break ice on the cows’ water trough to ensure their daily H20 needs are met, though the thermometer is well below 32 Fahrenheit. Not that I didn’t enjoy the work, because I truly did — but oftentimes, snow and cold mixed do not easily become remedied.

Consider your driveway.  Now in the quasi-south (meaning Western Kentucky, aka the Lord’s country) we might be tempted to think the snow that does fall, will in fact be gone in just a few days. This is not always the case — as we observed just 3 weeks ago.  What we instead experienced was the continually thawing and re-freezing of the slowly melting existing snow pack.  An anomaly — I’ll grant you, but something to be dealt with nonetheless.  The end result is a very slippery surface for folks to walk upon.  How many of us heard of someone falling or slipping or spraining their knee or worse? We feel your pain and in fact we may even be experiencing it with you :).

Davis Brothers Farms is seeking to provide a remedy.  The odd but large amounts of snowfall this late in the winter season for W. KY encouraged us at the farm to say — “what can we do to help?”  One solution we are seeking to provide is using our labor and equipment to both plow back county roadways and local driveways.  We feel that because we live in this community and do business in this community, we have a moral and ethical responsibility to serve this community — we all are in this deep snow together!   Partnering with and authorized by Carlisle County’s Judge Executive Office, we are seeking to address the many roads out in the country that might not be on top priority list.  Ideally — it’d be great if we could plow every driveway for everyone and clean every roadway so that life can get back to normal safely and quickly.  But since we are limited by time and resources, we try to address this strategically.  We seek to serve those who might have the greatest needs regarding getting in and out of their driveways and roadways should an emergency present itself.  Then – as we are able, we will try and clean those that still have the greatest needs to be met.  Now I just checked the forecast and there are 60 degree days in our very near future.  Rest assured, if we can’t get to a driveway, the Lord will take care of it with the spring like weather quickly approaching.

In conclusion — Davis Brothers Farms wants to serve our community. What better way to do so than to mitigate the snow problems we’ve been experiencing recently and currently.  Our best to you as we plow away — and Lord willing, we’ll have those green machines in the fields soon.

-Brandon

Harvest 2014

Approximately one year ago, contributors to the Davis Brothers Farms operation were eagerly planning the 2014 crop season.  Much analysis of data and operating logistics were mulled time and again.  This was done in order to produce high yields.  Now that all grain is either delivered or in the bins, we are pleased to report that harvest 2014 was extremely successful.  For this outcome, we give all the credit to God.  We know that He Sovereignly ordains rain to fall, and we — the producers of rain dependent food crops, are completely at His mercy — of which He provided freely during last year’s growing season.  For this we are thankful.  We are also appreciative of the operators at Davis Brothers Farms who worked tirelessly to accomplish the daunting task of tending last year’s crops.  In stewarding the land, we are able to address, in part, a growing global population’s food needs.  While this does foster our mutual opportunities to compete in the market place and be successful, we also share in the responsibility of being a food provider.  This task is to be greatly celebrated.  All stakeholders of Davis Brothers Farms are afforded the opportunity to serve humanity in addressing their food requirements.  Thus, when we speak of harvest 2014 being plentiful, we also understand that humanity wins as well.  Here’s to the planning process of 2015, and may this new crop year observe much success, by God’s Grace, in the process of serving humanity in such a noble task — farming.

-Brandon

A Western Kentucky Heritage Recap

Riding down the road on a fall afternoon I noticed a faded red barn nestled in the fall landscape. It was missing a few slats of wood and sagging from old age but immediately it filled me with thoughts of my Granny. When I was a little girl she pointed out an old barn in a field near her home place and with tears in her eyes shared how she committed her life to Jesus there. When I was in the car with her growing up she always pointed out old barns to me along the way to our destination. Maybe it was her life changing experience or maybe growing up as a farmer’s daughter but it was obvious she was drawn to these picturesque icons of farm life.

There are forty years that separate us but I too have my own draws to the American farm. The rich history of American farming has touched all of us in some form or fashion whether we realize it or not.

The picturesque red barns of farm life are beacons that remind us – the work of the farm does continue. There are stories here yet to tell. There are memories and emotions to be stirred. Join us on this journey, “A Western Kentucky Farming Heritage” as we share Davis Brothers Farms’ beacons. Thirty days and thirty photos will reveal the “red barns” of our farm life. The men and women of our operation, and the tools with which we work- captured in still frame, on display for you to see. We hope you enjoy viewing as much as we enjoy the work.

-Wendy

 

A Western Kentucky Farming Heritage, Day 30

Harvest is over and we are looking forward to preparing through the winter months for spring planting.  But first it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

To view all photos from “A Western Kentucky Farming Heritage” click here.