Iowa | jbgruver - 2/22/2012 15:49
I am regularly surprised/concerned by how disconnected most of my production ag students are from basic production info like # of plants per acre, fertilizer and other input rates, input prices... etc for their family operations.
I think that's why they are in school. If I would have known the answers to everything, I wouldn't have gone to school.
1) Some on here (not you, you're a teacher) that bash college grads for knowing nothing are afraid of education and trying to feel better about their lack of it--just sour grapes. Yes, the real world is worth a tremendous amount--for sure more than school--but when an educated person becomes "real-world savvy" he is hard to beat--he doesn't reach a plateau because of lack of education.
2) I rented my first land at 14, dad worked in town, no one to ask anything, I had to go to school. Banker agreed to loan me $1200 for a tractor if I promised to stay in school. Then as my business grew and I wanted to quit school, banker threatened to call my loan if I did--I have often told him I wish he would have made me get my MBA!!!
3) I like the answer that I just fill up the barrels when empty--most honest answer yet!
Nothing wrong with teaching gallons of fuel per acre and plant pop'n, but it changes and what you teach them will become outdated anyway. Better to learn business principles. If I had the opportunity to start over, I'd not even get an ag degree--I'd get a business degree and take a few crop and livestock "basic" classes as electives. Technical stuff is always changing, and such knowledge has a short useful life. Fundamental principles are useful for a lifetime!
BTW, I use 4.7 gal/a (5 year average) to the bins or neighborhood elevator off of the combine. I track fuel to deliver out of bins separately as it depends on where we decide to go. That way I can tract the real economic net "profit" of accepting a further-away bid. |
How much diesel do you burn per acre?
