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Farm Hack Open Source-A Radical Idea/ Who Owns The Technology Owns The Future of Ag

 Its instructive to look back to be able to look forward. Intellectual property ownership in farming technology has always been a flahpoint.

The Open Source Farm Hack crowd is participating in a rich history filled fight over who owns what in the world of farming technology:

Farm Hack Open Source

 

One of the cases that most influenced Abraham Lincoln's career as a lawyer was about a farm reaper:

 Lincoln and the McCormick-Manny Case

 People have always understood on some level who owns the intellectual property, owns the technology and who owns the technology owns the future of farming.

 

 

Which Food And Ag Culture Are You Driving? I Know Which One I Am--Seth Godin On Video And Culture

Seth Godin is to say the least a clever fellow--dozens of books, thousands of blog subscribers, and the "Thoughtleader Global First In Class Gold Plated T-shirt"  to prove it.

 But, He's never been more right than with his last post on the transformative power of video:

 How We Watch Video Now

To quote the master:

"Everything that's watched has always been watched through the worldview of the watcher. And video (and before that, movies and TV) has driven the culture. That culture-driving ability now belongs to anyone who can make a video that the right people choose to watch."

 So what kind of food and ag culture do you want your video to drive on the new "we are the media" superhighway? My thoughts are a food and ag culture that leads to an empowered well fed population on a (more or less) permanently sustainable planet is where we should go.  What do you all think?

 

Congratulations To The Chicago Farmers For Another Good Event--Farmland Forum 2015 Went Off Well

I haven't looked at the numbers or penciled out the break evens yet, but I am counting The 2015 The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum as a success. People came, speakers spoke, and exhibitors exhibited. And we didn't have a blizzard.

 Jeff Martin, Matt and Eric Rund. Beth. Jennifer and Michelle and the exhibitors and members who make it possible deserve great thanks, as do Bill Johnson and Mary from Joliet Junior. Thanks to Patrick Boland for videotaping as well.

Whatever the numbers look like, I am convinced there is value in the Forum/Fair because it does what The Chicago Farmers does best. As my friend and fellow past President Joan Centlivre put it so well: The Chicago Farmers  has been putting people around luncheon tables to connect and learn about farmland for over 80 years.

 And as I always say, learning about and understanding farmland only matters if you're fond of eating.

Howard G. Buffett Foundation/ Farm Journal Features Martin Family Farms: "Martin Family Farms Saves Soil"

Congratulations to Martin Family Farms for being featured as soil savers in Howard Buffett's Farm Journal collaboration on Harvesting The Potential. Few families I know of have done more than the Martin's with conservation: "The Martins have planted more than 500,000 trees and shrubs and have planted many of the CRP acres in Logan County.

Martin Family Farms

I'm not sure that shouldn't read most of the CRP acres in Logan County--a half a million shrubs and trees is a lot….

Dan Towery, the nationally recognized expert, is working with the Martin's, and things are looking good for their options. These are fascinating options (if you're into cover crops), and the fact that they are planting cover crops is a good thing. I remember a couple of year ago, I was flying over the Midwest in the winter, and looked down over miles of good black dirt completely exposed and unprotected to wind erosion. It was just waiting to blow away. And, I thought that's just wrong. It's like leaving the keys in your car outside a liquor store in a bad neighborhood with a 100 dollar bill on the dashboard--if you liked having it  you should have locked it  down and covered it up better.

 

 

Wired Article "New High-Tech Farm Equipment Is a Nightmare for Farmers"

So how often does Wired Magazine cover farm equipment?

Wired High Tech Farm Equipment Nightmare For Farmers

The article makes a stunningly effective point about ag equipment. Now it's so complex farmers can't work on their own equipment because it doesn't require wrenches it requires proprietary software information, diagnostics and passwords only the manufacturer has.

Here's the quote that sums it up:

“[DIY repair] is cheaper than calling out the technician. But that information is just not out there,” said Dave the Farmer.

 So if the seed is proprietary now and can't be saved, and the equipment can't be worked on because all the software and diagnostics are propriety and the farmland is rented, what does the farmer really get to own at the end of the day?

Video And Pod Casting Are Just Getting Started In Ag--Should Be A Wild Ride

I'm delighted to say Patrick Boland is planning on doing some video at The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum.

Video and podcasting are here to stay on the farm, and they are just getting going. Who wouldn't want to listen to podcasts in the combine or on the drive to town? And who wouldn't value the chance to take video with a drone and upload it to a crop scientist for a consult? If you read The Economist article, "Empire of the Pig" that I blogged about, then you know the Chinese hog farmer subscribed to digital content on pigs on his device of choice. It's truly going to be a global trend.

 So many theorists have pointed out that the internet is the great game changer of distance and time because it makes so much real time contact possible, and its only getting started.

 It used to be that if you wanted to check on your sunflower fields in the Ukraine you had to go there. You probably still have to go to truly know, but maybe just maybe you can do your crop reports from your home office in your "slippies" in Urbana, Illinois.

 Now that's leveraging time and technology in the global food chain.

 Thanks, Patrick, video's gonna be a  game changer and a paradigm shifter….

The Economist Empire Of The Pig--A Must Read

The Economist recently covered the global implications of the Chinese love affair with pork:

Empire Of The Pig

It's not news the Chinese like pork. It is news that their demand is reshaping the global food and ag system. When a billion people want to eat something every day, the system responds. What's interesting is the unintended consequences of that response.

Thank You To Kevin Jezewski Of Savor/ McCormick Place For Coming To Speak On Roof Top Farming

Kevin Jezewski was kind enough to present at an event on Edible Rooftops I moderated at Kendall College in October, and we are lucky to have him at The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum.  Rooftop farming is an important part of urban agriculture. It helps with food security, makes it easier to get LEED certification and makes buildings cooler in the summer. All good things.

Check out the Chicago Tonight Story:

Chicago Tonight Roof Top McCormick

and the link to The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum 2015:

The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum 2015 Brochure

Jim Slama On Local And Organic Market Discovery At The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum 2015

Jim Slama is coming back to The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum on February 7 in Joliet to talk about market discovery in local and organic food. This is a very good thing, and I am delighted to have him as a speaker. Jim's group's Familyfarmed.org has truly "been it done it and has the T shirt to prove it in local  food".

 If you check out their website you will see they have launched initiatives in several key sectors of local food: Wholesale success,  A Food Business Accelerator, and my personal favorite, The Good Food Financing & Innovation Conference. Combining food, innovation and money, what's not to like?

 Familyfarmed.org

Here is a link to The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum, if you're even remotely interested in making a business opportunity out of local food then, Jim Slama's session is not be missed:

The Chicago Farmers Farmland Forum 2015