We took a two night ‘vacation’ last week. I think we came back more tired than when we left! However, there’s no debate, it was good to visit friends and ring in the New Year. The parents enjoyed having adult conversation, and the kids are between the ages that require supervision.

On the farm, busy has been the word. The workload hasn’t really let up much since harvest. I have a new-found respect for those who plan and host events and meetings on a regular basis. The event in question, the Next Level Camp, has been a long time coming, and we are glad to be bringing it to our area. I think I first wrote about this topic in September, and the wheels had already been in motion more than a month then.

Dad has spent countless hours on the phone providing information about and registering operations into the Great Lakes Next Level camp. My mom did most of the venue, catering, and technology research. I tried to work behind the scenes, taking care of the details and tying up loose ends. I mean, who knows how many cups of coffee a group of sequestered farmers will drink in 36 hours’ time?

Big commitment

Hosting a two-day meeting takes a large commitment from all involved. We have a great group! We truly appreciate the farmers who chose to attend (even when they probably have grain they want to haul). January is just as busy as every other month of the year! We also appreciate the staff and support from other camp sites. From pointers and helpful hints to a couple of them being able to break away and attend part of the camp. All help has been beneficial to the cause of improving farm operations.

As I press ‘send’ today, we are finishing up the first camp with Randy Dowdy and David Hula. As expected, it has been two intense days of learning. We know farmers who have chosen to participate have made not only a monetary investment, but also a time commitment to improve their operation.

We are confident farmers will benefit from knowledge these two are sharing. Even between camps, Great Lakes Next Level will continue to work to support and provide business advantages to our campers. We want farmers to get maximum benefit from their participation. Next on the list is finding an intern to help with information dissemination and technology.

Our next camp session is in just a few couple months. It’s not too late to join, if you’re interested, visit dowdycropinnovations.com and fill out an interest form.

 The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress.