Annual Ag PhD Field Day Welcomes Farmers

If you're a farmer and you wanted to stay up to date with the latest farming technology, the Ag PhD Field Day is where you needed to be.

Over 10-thousand farmers from across the country made the trip to Baltic, South Dakota to learn about the latest tractors, composting techniques, and more.  Despite the rainy weather, farmers gathered together to share their ideas and success stories about their crops.

We can all agree that this has been the worst planting season in recent history.  At the yearly event, lots of agriculture businesses showcased different types of seeds for farmers to use during the next planting season.  They especially highlighted the different seeds to use when the weather is harsh.

I learned a lot about the tools and equipment farmers use in order to bring food to our kitchen tables.  Being from a suburban area in Chicago, I've never had enough opportunities to see farmers in action.  For example, I never knew that roots can grow on top of a soil bed if done properly.  I also wasn't aware that strong winds play a big factor with those plants.  Call me naive, but it's just the environment I grew up in.

Since I relocated to South Dakota over a year, I've learned how crucial weather conditions are for the farmers.  Everything they do or any type of weather pattern has a huge impact on their crops.  They sacrifice so much just to put food on our tables.

The main message I received from Ag PhD Field Day is to always be prepared for anything.  You also need to have a plan when worse comes to worse.  Ag PhD Field Day presented different strategies farmers could consider to improve their profit rates and the conditions of their land and water.   Being a farmer takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but they're all on the same team with the goal of providing fresh food to the nation and the world.