The Farmer's Daughter USA

Hi, I'm Amanda! My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm also a practicing attorney.

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Farming Fridays!

May 30, 2014

Corn vs Soybeans
First and foremost, I’m excited to announce that we have finally started planting soybeans! Soybean #Plant14 got underway on Memorial Day! We are definitely behind this year — normally everything is planted by June 1 — but the weather really held us back. 
So, have you ever wondered how farmers decide which crops they’re going to plan in which fields? Perhaps you’ve never considered it? Or, you may have noticed that farmers who tend produce corn, also plant soybeans and those producing soybeans also tend to produce corn – why is that? 
Of course, it isn’t just a coincidence! We “rotate” all of our fields between corn and soybeans. That means one year a field will have corn and the next year it will have soybeans. 
Rotation of crops actually helps increase yields, because it gives back to the soil. Corn uses nitrogen, while soybeans take nitrogen from the air and fix it into the soil. (Ok, I’ll admit, it’s a little more complicated than that, but you get the point!) The rotation then allows us to take care of and replenish the soil in our fields.
Crop rotation also cuts down the risk of weed resistance to herbicides, including Round-Up, reduces the need for tillage (which I’ll explain when we start planting the soybeans), and actually increases corn yields for the following year! (Source: Corn and Soybean Digest.)
No joke – corn yields can be 13% – 19% higher when planted a year after soybeans. 
2013: Corn
2014: Soybeans
Here’s proof of the fact that farmers don’t just farm in ways that maximize profits — it is generally the exception when soybeans are more profitable than corn. There would definitely be financial benefits to just planting corn year after year, no matter what the soil could handle. However, we don’t do that. When possible, we rotate corn and soybeans because this simple trick helps us be profitable and protect our soils.
Now, to be fair, it isn’t always possible for us to do this. We rent much of our farmland and some land owners prefer to have one crop over the other. And since they own the farm, they rule the roost. Of course, sometimes one crop will work better with a land owner’s overall scheme (especially if the land owner is farming other types of crops nearby). And, generally, a soybean field doesn’t make a very good maize in the fall.

But when we can rotate, we generally make the choice to do so. We are doing this in the field right here on our “home” farm. Land is legacy and we want to take care of it.
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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: corn, education, farming fridays, farming pictures, science, soybeans

Farming Fridays!

August 30, 2013

Dabre Dane!

(That means “good day” in Ukrainian.) 
This week I spent time in Lansing at the Michigan Farm Bureau headquarters. I’m excited to announce that they have chosen me to participate in their study tour of Ukraine. 
This is a very special opportunity for me because half of my family is Ukrainian and my paternal grandparents were both born there. The culture was very influential on our family while growing up and I can’t wait to experience the country itself!
More on the trip: 

Michigan Farm Bureau and GreenStone Farm Credit Services are jointly sponsoring a study mission to Ukraine from Sept. 7-16, 2013.

The mission will give Farm Bureau members a firsthand look at agricultural production in “the bread basket of the former Soviet Union” and reveal how Ukraine is transitioning to free market principles.

Participants will meet with government officials and agribusiness and farm leaders to discuss trade, production, marketing, infrastructure, credit, research, investments and environmental issues. Specifically, the group will learn how Ukraine is planning to align their resources and reform land ownership to expand production and exports to gain a larger share of global markets.

I look forward to getting back and sharing with all of you what I’ve learned and experienced!

And, of course, the corn is still doing well. It’s starting to look like fall!

Let’s also not forget that tonight is the kickoff football game for Michigan State! Go Green! 
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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: corn, farming fridays, farming pictures, MFB, travel, ukraine

Hi, I'm Amanda. My family farms corn and soybeans in Southwest Michigan. I'm an attorney and I'm passionate about agriculture!

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Amanda Zaluckyj

thefarmersdaughterusa

Amanda | The Farmer's Daughter USA
I'm a proud farmer's daughter & advocate for modern agriculture. U.S. farmers are leaders in sustainability.

Perusing my photos from #Denmark and getting the i Perusing my photos from #Denmark and getting the itch to travel again.
These concepts aren't mutually exclusive. #farms # These concepts aren't mutually exclusive. #farms #farmfamily #environment #soilhealth #nutritiousfood
Stop worrying about labels and just eat them! Stop worrying about labels and just eat them!
Corn is a powerhouse! #corn #farming #growcorn # Corn is a powerhouse! 

#corn #farming #growcorn #USAGrown #usagriculture
Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀 Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀
The blood moon. 🌙 And proof I woke up at 2:15 a The blood moon. 🌙 And proof I woke up at 2:15 am to see it!
3 years. 💔 #slavaukraini #supporukraine #ukrai 3 years. 💔

#slavaukraini #supporukraine #ukraine #glorytoukraine🇺🇦
Mischa will not suffer a snowman in her yard. ❄️☃️

#dogslife #dogsofinstagram #blacklab #pittiemix #snowday #snowman
We all know RFK, Jr. is well known for vaccine dis We all know RFK, Jr. is well known for vaccine disinformation. But he's also a danger to agriculture, even promising to "weaponize" regulatory agencies against our farm families.

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