Sustainable Ag
Cattle: The Ultimate Upcyclers
I have had a love for animals and a desire to live on a farm since I was a child. Little did I know my adult life would be spent caring for animals on a farm as I raised a family with my husband. For the past 41 years I went from knowing very little about raising...
Celebrating Earth Day 2022
The world is focused on the environment and carbon reduction as never before. CommonGround volunteers Kelly Witte, Joan Ruskamp, Wendi Emanual, Rene Blauhorn, and I were onsite at Earth Day Omaha in Elmwood Park Saturday, April 23, to meet and greet...
Prescribed Burning: Why Farmers Do It
Prescribed burning. It may sound like an oxymoron, but a prescribed burn is a valuable tool for farmers and ranchers as they manage grass and rangeland for grazing. By definition, a prescribed burn is a planned fire; it is also sometimes called a “controlled...
Upcycling: Cows Do It!
“Upcycling.” Most often we think of this word in connection with home furnishings or clothing. On our farm we think of upcycling whenever we get our cow herd out on cornstalk fields after harvest. As soon as possible after our corn is harvested, we put up temporary...
Needed – All Farms, Great and Small
Although I am not a life-long farmer, I am fortunate to have had intimate experiences with where my food comes from. I spent most of my childhood on an acreage outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. I remember issues of Mother Earth News being devoured by my parents, so my...
The Positive Impacts of Agriculture
My family: My husband, Steve, and I recently celebrated 40 years of marriage. I am also celebrating over 40 years of life as a woman in agriculture – a farmer. During my childhood years, I yearned to live on a farm with no real understanding of what it meant to be...
Food Myths Q & A
As a farmer, I not only think about purchasing and preparing food but producing it as well. I’m Ruth Ready, and my husband, Sid, farm near Scribner, Nebraska. In addition to farming, Sid is also a high school science teacher. We have four children and four...
Regenerative Ag: For Better Soil And Better Food
Dull as dirt??? Hardly. Dirt - or more accurately, soil - is far from dull. As a farmer, I know soil is the most important part of our farm. Every decision my husband and I make about our farm’s soil has to answer “yes” to the question, “will this make our...
Facts Not Fear – GMOs
Meet CommonGround volunteers Karol Swan and Joan Ruskamp. Karol isn’t just a farmer — she also has a background in meat grading and certification through the United States Department of Agriculture. Joan is a farmer, a licensed veterinary technician and a...
“Listen,” My Dad Would say.
Growing up on a farm as a kid, I was often asked to listen up when the weather was on TV. Today, the conversation centers around the overall climate as much as the local daily weather. How can we make a meaningful impact when caring for our climate? This is a relevant...