Our Nebraska Trip

[DianaB]

I knew that everyone would enjoy the sunflowers. They really are so pretty but it seems like they don't stay pretty for very long. In the fields that we had near us you'd see families all dressed up and out in them taking family pictures.

[gja1000]

Are they grown for commercial sale - or just for "fun"?

[DianaB]

A field like this will be for commercial use. This is too much ground to have it planted for personal pleasure. I'm not sure exactly what the seed will be used for because it's not a crop that we grow. I'm guessing that it will be used for bird feeders. I doubt that it's edible sunflower seeds because of so many rules and regulations from the companies.

Sometimes we'll plant sweet corn for ourselves and our neighbors in a field but it really doesn't take much ground to have more than enough for everyone. The farmers need that crop to make payments for ground, equipment, seed, fertilizer, and other expenses.

We have some soybeans that we sell to a company that ships them up north and they are used to make soy products, like tofu. The beans have to be non-gmo beans (not genetically modified) and grown organically (no chemicals used on the crop and on ground that hasn't had chemicals for three years). Rules are a lot different when you get into food products. Our corn and milo is sold for feed mostly.

[2tiredmom]

Diana,

The pics were great. I grew up on a farm and i miss not living on one right now.
But my husband is in the Ag business. He works for a family owned elevator/fertilizer company. He does lots of soil sampling, agronomy, field mapping, and sells yield monitors and light bars. So this time of year he is really busy. We live in the country so at least I can still get out and see the farmers when they are out and about. I so miss not being able to ride in a combine or tractor. Thanks for sharing.