Happenings on the Farm

Stories and Perspectives from the Farm

What’s Happening on the Farm

Will winter ever end? I think we have had one day above 50 degrees. But . . . the future looks brighter! Forecasts show temperatures in the 60 and 70s. I will feel like I have been born again as I have been hibernating. And, yes, the roads are taking the brunt of the spring weather.

• We still have snow piles so planting is not in the near future.

• New pigs will be arriving on the farm next week.

• The geese have left. They hung around quite a long time before moving north. It’s been crazy to see the massive numbers of geese during their migration.

Solar Panel Farms

My Perspective: Recently, my mother-in-law received a letter from a company that wants to put solar panels on her farm. It just happens to be a piece of land directly across the road from where I live. A piece of land that we have helped farm for well over 40 years. And . . . it's a very good piece of land and one of our most productive.

This company wants to put solar panels on it. Why are they inquiring? Because our Minnesota Legislature has enacted a Clean Energy bill that will force Minnesota into 100 percent clean energy by 2040. This is resulting in the need for a significant increase in renewable energy. Don't get me wrong, I am not against renewable energy. I am against the idea of being forced into that arena when we are not ready to move that fast.

So in order to meet the goal, our state needs more solar panels and windmills. The forecast is the state will lose 55,000 acres of farmland. When I initially heard 55,000 acres, I was thinking, "Oh, they will install the solar panels on marginal land."

Nope.

They want and need PRIME farmland. And guess what? Many landowners will take them up on it because they will pay $1300 per year per acre when the going rate for rent is $300-$375 acre. They will even pay property taxes. What do you think this is going to do to farmers who rent land and their landlord is lured into this offer? Yep, unfair competition. Farmers cannot compete.

It will be painful to see productive farmland turned into non-productive land. No doubt there will probably be other unintended consequences that I am not aware of.

Honestly, I don't have an answer. I believe in private property rights. But here is an example of ramifications of such crazy legislation. And you know what? This is an example where our state legislators are out of touch with rural Minnesota. So what do we do?

We need to try our best to connect with our legislators. The problem is the legislators that represent us understand us. It’s the legislators from the urban areas that we need to talk with, but it’s very difficult to speak with them. We are unable to email them as our emails are returned because we are not their constituents. Maybe what we need is to sit down and have a person-to-person cup of coffee and chat? But again, that is unlikely.

Okay, I am off my soapbox.

Crazy Minnesota Legislature

My perspective - I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to see what is happening with our state legislature. All three legislative branches are run by Democrats. We have a $17 billion budget surplus and they plan on spending as much of it as they can. Giving it back to those that paid in is not in their plan. And on top of it, they are wanting to increase taxes. No, this is not a joke.

One issue that is crazy is how they want to give employees up to 24 weeks family medical leave pay. This would apply to ALL employers, no matter the size, and would affect our farm. We have one employee. Imagine having to pay an employee on leave for nearly 1/2 year. Who does the work when they are gone? I would like to see a small employer exclusion.

In my opinion, this seems like common sense. Let’s see if they use common sense.

Can we focus on something positive?

Happy Easter

I will take time this week to think about how Jesus died for my sins. How he raised from the dead to save us all. I don’t deserve this. I will never deserve it. But this is what he did for me.

With that, I wish everyone a Happy Easter. Alleluia, He has risen indeed. Alleluia.