Wahperton, Millers farm

I spent the morning at Kayla Millers farm KTM, in Wahperton, North Dakota. It was a really impressive and well run operation! It was their first day of harvest, so they were busy busy but still had time to give me a look around, then I jumped on the combine for a ride. Below is their new worksop..... a dream!!!!

One of there 3 air seeder bars, with the boxes on top of each tyne to ensure accurate seed placement.

 Kayla in one of their sugar beet crops. They grown GM roundup ready beets. There is a lot of controversy around the growing of these GM crops, and it is currently being fought out on court wether they will be able to keep growing them. Beet seed producers are worried that the GM beets will contaminate their crop. The beet crops the Kayla grows, will generally not run into head and set seed, however if they do, then every plant (that has seeded) has to be removed by hand and documented. Kayla is removing one of the plants in photo below.

There are no beet seed producers in Wahperton, so even if the beets do run to seed, it will not contaminate any seed producers. In other areas of course, it is different story.

Conventional soybean crop. The Millers have a niche market for non GM soybeans. A market that they put a lot of effort into preserving. They have not had a problem with GM soy contaminating there non GM.

Container trade for conventional non GM soybeans.

About to start harvest. Giving the workers the run down on the combine operation.

S680 with tracks. Pretty comfy. They have 6!!

 I found this corn crop and managed a timed photo from the bonnet of the car. Not before I fell over trying to scramble to ditch trying to get to the other side :)

Wind turbines galore in South Dakota and heading South through Nebraska

Made it to the Sioux Centre in Iowa tonight, heading to Richmond Kansas tommorow for a Monsanto tour on Wednesday. Just feasted on way to much Mexican dinner and now belly is well stretched. Food is company :) Shea is STILL not home, more delays and stuff ups. Hopefully tommorow. So far a 4 day trip home :(