There’s a bright spot on the horizon – the future of forages will be in good hands. Youth from 10 states entered the American Forage and Grassland Council (AFGC) 2019 youth essay contest, with prizes awarded at the annual convention in January in St. Louis, Missouri. Winners in the three categories are:

It’s a killer on equipment tires. A juvenile delinquent with a hunting knife probably couldn’t do as much damage as cornstalks can. The outer stalk surface really wears on pickup teeth, rake tines, cams, bearings and slip clutches. Yet, although cornstalk baling is extremely hard on equipment, more and more producers are turning toward the practice.

Sometimes what has worked for years isn’t working anymore. Running a stocker program has worked for Cooper Brothers Farm for decades, but circumstances today have changed, and they’re converting to a cow-calf operation.

“Have you ever gone to a company-sponsored producer meeting with one hand over your billfold and one hand over your checkbook, afraid that they [vitamin and mineral supplement companies] would try to squeeze one more dollar out of you?”

There are plenty of hay producers I’ve visited this year who, although they’re concerned with export tariffs, congressional partisanship and immigration wars, are still taking care of individual customers – every day. They still put their boots on and go to work. They still provide the product and service their customers require. Although global chaos may reign, they’re still taking care of business at home.

You’ve heard of the Texas two-step, a country dance. Let me introduce you to the Texas three-twist – cultivation, diversification and cooperation – involving sprigs, hay and custom work.