The Three Rs: How They Keep Our Farm Healthy
R is for resolutions and Ready (my last name) as well as “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Those three Rs are our resolutions for this year and every year on the Ready farm. Not only are they our resolutions, but they also lead to a fourth R, and that is “regenerate.” Reduce: Using technology on our farm […]
Let’s Talk Turkey! Five Facts to Share at your Thanksgiving Table
Our family will be coming home to our farm to share good conversation and, of course, good food. The meal is the centerpiece of Thanksgiving. All of us want to put the best tasting, healthiest food on our tables for our families. Preparing that meal involves the same love, passion and care that we, as farmers, put […]
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 burn” or “prescribed fire,” and is used to meet management objectives. Prairie […]
What the New “Bioengineered” Label Tells You about Food
Labels: we use them to organize and identify what is in a container. Sometimes we cut them out of the neckline of a shirt because they are itchy. In math or science class, it is important to put the label with your answer to a problem. There are so many types of labels all around […]
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 fences and move water tanks so our cows […]
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 grandchildren. On our farm, we grow corn, soybeans, alfalfa, […]
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 soil better?” Better soil is […]
Our Meat Supplies: Coming to Grips with COVID-19 Detours
These signs became familiar sights for many of us in the Midwest after historic floods began in March 2019. They meant our drive would be different, longer or not possible at all. Bridges out and roads closed created challenges similar to those we have recently seen in the meat supply chain. The meat supply chain […]
What is your carbon footprint?
Obviously, this is not what is meant by a carbon footprint. There has been a lot of discussion lately about carbon footprints and how businesses and individuals can be more environmentally sustainable in the way they go about things. It can be confusing to know how the choices we make impact that footprint or affect […]
Chicken Nuggets
Facts and nuggets of wisdom about chickens and the variety of ways they provide food for us. Chickens are raised either to provide meat (broilers) or lay eggs (layers). Broilers go from hatch to harvest in about six weeks. Wow, that’s fast! And it is all due to selecting a type of chicken that converts […]
