District One CommissionerBy Al MathisonMonday, October 16, 2000
On November 7, the voters in District One, (Arendahl, Rushford, Holt and Norway townships) will elect a commissioner to serve on the Fillmore County Board. T
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"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Wednesday, June 19th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 8:58:04, Jun 18th 2013 - cabraden1 - I salute you Colonel Overland. Your were my c.o. at Rockville Naval Air ... [Read More]
- 7:10:46, Jun 13th 2013 - chipperlee - Seems to be a well written article, except maybe Silica Sand is used in ... [Read More]
- 12:02:15, Jun 9th 2013 - getthefacts - The problem here lies in the fact that girls were repeatedly told "if y ... [Read More]
- 10:45:32, Jun 7th 2013 - Jo mom for 6yrs - Mr. Ehler hit the nail on the head. I agree with the religious con ... [Read More]
- 2:47:58, Jun 7th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 9:06:21, Jun 6th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 2:05:29, Jun 6th 2013 - Kim Wentworth - The number one rule in a debate: 1) if the person from the opposite si ... [Read More]
- 12:42:18, Jun 4th 2013 - EW - For someone that is always spouting religious rhetoric, you try to come off as a ... [Read More]
- 11:32:18, May 31st 2013 - JO PLAYER - This is unfair to us girls. Morrie Miller is not getting canceled but J ... [Read More]
- 8:25:34, May 29th 2013 - RP - Why is Mr. Ehler involving himself with non-school activities? Is he going after ... [Read More]
33
Do you think the use of all fireworks should be legal in the state of Minnesota for all consumers?
Bergey Family Farms reach "turning point"
Comments
$8 hogs inspire new ventureBy Wayne PikeMonday, October 16, 2000
Jerry and Jodi Bergey of rural Lanesboro have been farming long enough to have seen lots of changes in the pork industry. Jerry grew up on the farm that he and Jodi now call home. Part of the farm has been in Jerry’s mother’s family for three generations and part has been in Jerry’s father’s family for four generations. Jerry farmed with his father, Gerald, until 1996, when Jerry took over on his own. Gerald still works with Jerry on a daily basis. Their homestead reflects the pride of a long history of family ownership and care.
Although each generation suffers its ups and downs, Jerry and Jodi hope that they have been through the worst in the hog business. Prior to December of 1998, they felt that their farming operation consisting of 150 sows, 75 beef cows, 120 acres of pasture, and 350 acres of cropland was working well for them. Then, in December of that year, the hog market fell apart. Jerry found himself delivering hogs at eight dollars per hundredweight or just twenty dollars per head. That price is about a hundred dollars per head below what many consider a reasonable profit level. Jerry says, "It was like getting up in the morning and throwing a five-hundred dollar bill out the window. I said that I would never get in that position again."
Attempting to avoid low hog prices is not easy. Jerry was already using standard hog contracts and more sophisticated hedges. Both of these techniques proved inadequate protection against bottom dollar prices. Soon after the December 1998 hog price debacle, Jerry and Jodi acted on an idea that had been in their minds for some time. They signed up for a course to learn how to market their pork directly to the people who were going to eat it. Lorentz Meats, a federally inspected livestock slaughtering, processing, and meat retailing business near Cannon Falls, Minnesota, conducted the course.
Students quickly learned that direct marketing meat is not an easy road to riches. Jerry says, "There were a lot of farmers in the class for the first session, but only three came back for the second." All the time consuming rules and details of direct marketing were too discouraging for most. Jerry persevered. Jodi says of Jerry, "He talked about doing it (direct marketing) for about a year – just playing with the idea, knowing what a good product we had and wanting other people to experience it. Once he ki .....
[Read the Rest]
Jerry and Jodi Bergey of rural Lanesboro have been farming long enough to have seen lots of changes in the pork industry. Jerry grew up on the farm that he and Jodi now call home. Part of the farm has been in Jerry’s mother’s family for three generations and part has been in Jerry’s father’s family for four generations. Jerry farmed with his father, Gerald, until 1996, when Jerry took over on his own. Gerald still works with Jerry on a daily basis. Their homestead reflects the pride of a long history of family ownership and care.
Although each generation suffers its ups and downs, Jerry and Jodi hope that they have been through the worst in the hog business. Prior to December of 1998, they felt that their farming operation consisting of 150 sows, 75 beef cows, 120 acres of pasture, and 350 acres of cropland was working well for them. Then, in December of that year, the hog market fell apart. Jerry found himself delivering hogs at eight dollars per hundredweight or just twenty dollars per head. That price is about a hundred dollars per head below what many consider a reasonable profit level. Jerry says, "It was like getting up in the morning and throwing a five-hundred dollar bill out the window. I said that I would never get in that position again."
Attempting to avoid low hog prices is not easy. Jerry was already using standard hog contracts and more sophisticated hedges. Both of these techniques proved inadequate protection against bottom dollar prices. Soon after the December 1998 hog price debacle, Jerry and Jodi acted on an idea that had been in their minds for some time. They signed up for a course to learn how to market their pork directly to the people who were going to eat it. Lorentz Meats, a federally inspected livestock slaughtering, processing, and meat retailing business near Cannon Falls, Minnesota, conducted the course.
Students quickly learned that direct marketing meat is not an easy road to riches. Jerry says, "There were a lot of farmers in the class for the first session, but only three came back for the second." All the time consuming rules and details of direct marketing were too discouraging for most. Jerry persevered. Jodi says of Jerry, "He talked about doing it (direct marketing) for about a year – just playing with the idea, knowing what a good product we had and wanting other people to experience it. Once he ki .....
[Read the Rest]
Dad
Monday, September 11, 2000
Last week while tending my booth at the Minnesota State Fair I got the call I’ve always dreaded. "Sit down," my brother Derald said softly. "Dad died just a little while ago."
Waves of emotion. Deep sighs. Ti .....
[Read the Rest]
Last week while tending my booth at the Minnesota State Fair I got the call I’ve always dreaded. "Sit down," my brother Derald said softly. "Dad died just a little while ago."
Waves of emotion. Deep sighs. Ti .....
[Read the Rest]
End of the Season
By Virginia CooperMonday, October 2, 2000
It’s been a great gardening year, a little wet for a while, but still quite beautiful when we count our successes and not our failures. This is my last column for the season. I hope everyone has lear .....
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It’s been a great gardening year, a little wet for a while, but still quite beautiful when we count our successes and not our failures. This is my last column for the season. I hope everyone has lear .....
[Read the Rest]
This work is not for the birds
Monday, September 4, 2000
I stand on the roof of our workshop holding the end of a rope. My husband has tied the opposite end around his waist so he doesn't slip as he hammers nails into our new metal roofing. Although I am alert to the danger .....
[Read the Rest]
I stand on the roof of our workshop holding the end of a rope. My husband has tied the opposite end around his waist so he doesn't slip as he hammers nails into our new metal roofing. Although I am alert to the danger .....
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Just a Juicy Little Tidbit
Monday, October 16, 2000
"What’s this?" One of the two teenaged boys impatiently thrusts an open plastic margarine tub in my face. "We found it out in the woods just lying on the ground coming back from our tree stands." At the bottom of their .....
[Read the Rest]
"What’s this?" One of the two teenaged boys impatiently thrusts an open plastic margarine tub in my face. "We found it out in the woods just lying on the ground coming back from our tree stands." At the bottom of their .....
[Read the Rest]
Recently released Minnesota books
Monday, October 16, 2000
Last month I attended the annual convention of the Upper Midwest Bookseller Association in downtown St. Paul, a gathering of authors, publishers and independent booksellers.
I was impressed, as I was last year, .....
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Last month I attended the annual convention of the Upper Midwest Bookseller Association in downtown St. Paul, a gathering of authors, publishers and independent booksellers.
I was impressed, as I was last year, .....
[Read the Rest]
Soybean Dust
Monday, October 9, 2000
My family and I went on a short shopping trip last Saturday. It turned out all right despite having to go into stores and having to buy things. Our almost-sixteen-year-old son tried on navy blue blazers in several store .....
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My family and I went on a short shopping trip last Saturday. It turned out all right despite having to go into stores and having to buy things. Our almost-sixteen-year-old son tried on navy blue blazers in several store .....
[Read the Rest]
A revolutionary idea
Monday, October 9, 2000
"Are you going to watch the debates tonight?" someone asked me last Tuesday.
"No, I don't have a dog in that fight," I responded, using a George Bush, Sr. analogy for "No, I'm not going to watch the debates."
[Read the Rest]
"Are you going to watch the debates tonight?" someone asked me last Tuesday.
"No, I don't have a dog in that fight," I responded, using a George Bush, Sr. analogy for "No, I'm not going to watch the debates."
[Read the Rest]
