Yes I know I need to blog more.  It's actually one of my new year's resolutions.  It's only January 27th and I haven't got my first blog in for the year.  I figured since I hadn't officially started blogging in 2010, then I haven't officially failed yet...  So lets get started. 

So far 2010 has been great.  On January 10th I flew out to Portland, Oregon for one of the greatest learning opportunities in my life.  I traveled with the Nebraska Wheat Board to cover the Wheat Marketing Center's "Wheat Marketing Export Workshop".  In a matter of four days my impression of the wheat export markets was completely transformed. From this trip I started to understand the big...big picture.  I know there are times that wheat farmers wonder why they do what they do.  When you started to hear about the millions of tons of wheat that is ship around the world I think that instills a little more pride in what American farmers produce for the United States as well as the rest of the world.  It was then when I finally really how it truly takes everyone.  It takes all the farmers, the local elevators, the rail roads, the truck drivers, the grain inspectors, the export elevators, the ship crews, the international customers and the consumer half way around the world.  Looking at the whole system you realize the small portion everyone plays in the whole process, but without one element how the system would fall apart.  It's quite the process that has left me speechless.  It's simply amazing.  

Also during our trip our group had the opportunity to to meet wheat and barley farmers from Idaho.  I always think its funny while we live in different states or even grow different crops the concerns of rural American bind everyone together.

Also during our trip, we visited the Wheat Marketing Center.  Just the sight of the Columbia River was amazing. We saw that before we went inside the building.  When you are from arid climate it's a big deal to see that much water.  From there, we moved inside to cook in their industrial kitchens. First our group learned to make flat breads, then we moved  into the other kitchen to learn how to make noodles.  That was incredible to see how Ramen Noodles are made.  Ramen is the ultimate food....loved by more than just college students.  In college I bought Ramen by the case.  It was a
staple in my diet.  I actually ate it so much that after college I didn't want to eat Ramen for a long time.  Several years later I am finally able to consume Ramen noodles.  After the noodle demonstration we got to see a wide variety of Ramen packaged around the world.  At the moment it was a realization of how important wheat is to feeding millions of people.  It seems logical, but it has one of those details that I have overlooked.

Give me a little time and I'll get some of my pictures posted.

Looking back at the county fairs.  In two weeks, Larry Hubbard and myself experienced 7 panhandle county fairs.  Larry covered Morrill, Cheyenne, Kimball-Banner and Box Butte Counties.  I covered Goshen, Sioux and Scotts Bluff county fairs.  What a busy couple weeks.  We put on hundreds of miles on the KNEB Monsanto Processor Preferred Truck.  I have often said "County Fair is better than Christmas", that in a sense that at county fairs you see a lot of familiar faces, meet new people, see the best livestock in the area, you get to eat a whole bunch of unhealthy but very tasty food on a stick and you get to see the best entertainment around.  During county fair season there was so many great events to go to, sometimes on the same night.  I made it to the Richochet concert in Sidney.  That was a great show.  Those guys are incredibly talent singers, musicians and they throw in jokes here and there during the show.  I also got out to the LoCash Cowboys/Jaime Fox Concert.  It was a damp one... OK a soaking wet concert.  It's like the rain gods knew when the concert was supposed to start, cause just as soon as Jaimee was set to take the stage it poured.  Not the typical rain...It poured for 2 hours, thus forcing the acts to cancel their normal stadium show.  I think that turned out to be one of the greatest things that could have ever happened.  While the true grandstand show would have been fun with all the lights, video and full stage.  Having both acts perform on the little free stage under the awning made the concert a much more intimate concert.  

I can honesty say it turned out to be the best concert I had ever seen....ever.   That's a pretty good compliment to guys of LoCash, since I got into radio a little over four years ago I have acts like Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Brooks and Dunn, Sugarland, Montgomery Gentry, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift and list goes on.  It's simply that LoCash is so different from your typical concert experience.  They are completely  unrehearsed and spontaneous in a good way.  You never know what they are going to do next.  I left that concert hoarse from screaming, my cheeks (facial cheeks... that is) hurt so much from smiling and laughing, my feet from standing and stomping my feet.  I was udderly exhausted.  I collapsed into a deep sleep that late night...actually early morning.

If you didn't go or maybe you left early, I am sorry you missed out.  There is a reason these guys have been asked back to perform for the New Year's Eve in New York City on Fox News Channel.  It's because they are true entertainers through and through.  Look for them to come back to Scotts Bluff County in the near future.    

What a week.  After a little bit of recovery from the area county fairs I got a few days off to travel to Omaha for the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Convention.  The event provides educational opportunities.  I attended workshops on news writing and writing effective commercials.  I found both to be relevant and important to our radio station.  The convention was highlighted by the evening broadcasting awards for radio and tv stations.  A few months ago I submitted multiple ag features that had aired on KNEB and the Rural Radio Network.  That night I was honored in the Service to Agriculture Radio category with a "Silver Award".  This honor was for a piece I did on the impact of the rendering rule.  While the "Rendering Rule" was intended to only impact renders, in reality it was impacting cattlemen, feedlot operators, veterinarians, auction barns among others.    

It's been several weeks since the Oregon Trail Tractor Ride, but I wanted to share the short video I put together of the tractors leaving the Farm And Ranch Museum in Gering.  Enjoy! 

The Oregon Trail Tractor Ride had 44 tractors of all different makes, models and colors. Roger Williams, Event Coordinator says the weather was perfect. "It was a great day to see the beautiful scenery". The Farm and Ranch Museum's 4th Annual tractor ride attracted participants from the surrounding area along with Kimball, Sidney, Torrington. Many riders came from the Colorado towns of Holoyoke, Berthoud, Windsor, Longmont, and one rider from South Dakota.

Click here to watch.