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 CommonGround volunteer. She raises beef cattle with her husband outside of Dodge, Nebraska. Joan has […]
“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 question for farmers […]
Summer on the Farm
Being a transplant to country life, I have learned a lot over my last few years on the farm. Each season brings a new series of events. Summers in the city consisted of the following: schools are out, kids playing, vacations, swimming at the pool, and flip-flops and tank tops. Summer on the farm consists […]
I Challenge Burger King – Let’s get the Facts
UPDATE – as of August 27, 2020 It took only a few weeks for Burger King to respond to numerous farmers, ranchers and consumers about the misleading video. Instead of crediting U.S. beef producers for their steadily decreasing carbon footprint, Burger King set up animal agriculture as a villain in the climate change narrative. Producers […]
Mom Guilt, and How to Avoid It When Grocery Shopping!
“Mom guilt.” It’s like laundry. No matter how hard you try to wish it away, it’s always there. Now more than ever, this fast-paced, technology-driven world puts pressure on young moms to do what’s right for their family. Is this car seat safe enough? What kind of milk should I buy? What age is safe […]
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 […]
Agriculture and the Environment
Talk: Agriculture is bad for the environment. Truth: Agriculture efficiently cleans up greenhouse gases and converts them into oxygen. Agriculture (livestock production specifically) has been incorrectly linked to causing high greenhouse gas emissions. Some have even recommended cutting back on meat consumption. It is certainly up to you. However, as a beef producer, I want […]
Farming: More Than a Summer Job
As temperatures slowly start to rise, the time has come for all Midwestern crop farmers to return from their extended vacations and get back to work. If only that were the case! Rather, farmers have been working all winter because America’s food production system doesn’t stop when there aren’t crops in the ground. So, what […]
Conversations
I love talking! Seriously, I know that sounds strange, but I am a person who can talk something to DEATH! If you don’t believe me, just ask my husband. Today there are many ways to have a conversation. With Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, you can begin a whole conversation thread with people all across the […]
