I agree.  I appreciate this site where I can gain an understanding of what "the neighbors" (uhum.. 500 miles+ away) are going through.  Every area has it's good points and it's challenges.

I marvel at the guys who farm to my west.. Wow..I probably wouldn't make it..  There's a lot of talent and wisdom and really good people.. I love driving out to the mountains across "the so called desert" as I'm just amazed at how guys do it..  When the bat meets the ball.. (weather..) these guys can FLAT OUT CRUSH it..  In 2009 I remember thinking that it was the Western High Plains Farmer that "connected".. lots of ground piles of everything that winter.. that RAISED bookoo crops to keep things going.. for the feedlots... for exports.. flour mills.. etc.  While the more Cornbelt guys could divert to ethanol production... along with feedlots, exports and flour mills.. etc..

I really think in the heart of the recession (or worse if you listen to some of the talking points..) that HOME GROWN ENERGY supplies were on line first from ETOH.. The Bakken was/is still ramping up.. and golly It's the guys out West who "showed up" along with the rest of us..

My interest is "how do we make it work?"  For everyone.. Cornbelt included..  and I believe we've made progress..  As we were fourtunate to have GOOD PEOPLE in PLACE to work the high plains.. as things cycle.. and we have to adjust.. ("wow.. going on 3 years..") yet we still keep the ball rolling..

Our forefathers were wise to enroll working lands in a Land bank.. They were wise when they keep pushing into No-Till.. they were wise when they built a livestock industry.. We were wise when we decided to bring the boys home and grow OUR OWN energy.. AT HOME..  We were wise to bring land BACK ONLINE.. to graze and hay banked lands to keep those herds alive.. to use STEWARDSHIP and No-Till to grow the bushels that we need.. 
Now that doesn't mean that everything has been a Smashing success.. but by golly.. it's not like we haven't tried.

A good team learns to play well together.. and take advantage of what we have.. when someone gets hot.. pass them the ball.. when someone gets in foul trouble.. SOMEONE ELSE has to step up and guard the other sides hot shooter.. etc..  Same thing in Farming..   Coming home from Arizona.. I marveled at the good rich pastureland of Eastern New Mexico.. where the cow herds are..that raise the feeders that then move over to the Texas Panhandle for fattening.. the cotton fields.. the feedlots.. the Railroads.. (we followed along the UP's.. I believe they call it the Sunset route.. beautiful country..)  Even went by an ethanol plant at Liberal.  Cattle pots running down the highways.. We actually went out in a snow storm.. along Highway 54.. looked good all the way to Dalhart.  Man what a country.. flat and productive with a layer of snow sitting on it.. wow.. can't wait for spring!!  It was December.. and I was getting SPRING FEVER..

"Yal baby.. maybe we just better turn back around.. Ha!!"

Good looking pictures Brandon..  Be A SHOOTER.. KEEP SHOOTING.. the rest of us are gonna get you the ball, pounding the boards, and hust'lin back on D.. like my late Father in Law always said..

"You can't put the ball through the nets.. if you don't shoot it first.."

It's gonna work out.. and if it doesn't then we'll adjust and do something else.  (Maybe I need some four legged harvesters...??)  Someone on the Team is gonna get HOT.. the Rest of us need to adjust and pass.. pound the boards.. fight for the loose balls and the deflections and keep up the Pressure D.. until we get the job done or the final buzzer sounds..

but we're gonna keep going until it does!!!