Summer
current happenings
(left to right: Alex, Bo, John Clay, Jason, Margaret, Julie, Ella Kate)
In Full Vue
Issue 3 | Volume 1 | 2021
In late July and early August, things tend to slow down around here. This break is always nice after running wide open in June harvesting wheat and planting soybeans. The word 'break' is used lightly. As many of you know, farmers tend to be the type of people that struggle to sit still. A break in our world is working less hours in a day, possibly eating supper at a kitchen table, or spending Saturdays with family. It seems quite easy for those involved in the ag industry to let their careers consume their entire lives. We know the hours we work are demanding, and we want our people to have opportunities to take a break. We want our people to love what they do here, but we want them to have a life outside of work. Speaking of taking a break, a handful of our crew had the opportunity to visit western Kansas this summer and learn about agriculture in the area. Believe it or not, they grow more than wheat out there! They saw milo, cotton, corn, soybeans, and hay. Most all of what they grow is irrigated with center pivots. The picture to the right shows our people standing on a cotton picker, a piece of equipment uncommon to this area. This machine picks, bales, and wraps cotton all in one. We love opportunities to learn about farming in other parts of the country and find practices that could be implemented here at our operation. We can never decide if the children or adults enjoy these opportunities more!
David Wayne has has been with us for 20+ years. He and Durell are brothers and Mandy's uncles! David is our go-to grain bin guy. He knows the ins and outs of the entire system. Dave can also fix just about anything with a little duct tape. He grew up in Guthrie, KY, but now lives in Lewisburg, KY. His wife, Marion, and he have been married for over 30 years, and his grandchildren are his pride and joy. Back in high-school, David was an exceptional basketball player. He is a no-nonsense kind of guy and never complains about long hours or dirty jobs.
Hobbies: Hunt & spend time with his grandchildren Favorite Vacation: Cruise to the Bahamas Favorite Farm Job: Hauling grain & water Karaoke Song of Choice: I Can't Drive 55 by Sammy Hagar
Mandy Bryant
Mandy has been back on the farm, full-time, for at least 20 years. Growing up Mandy never thought she would stay here and farm but now cannot imagine being anywhere else. She has been married to her husband, Billy, for 19 years, and they have one child, Bo. Mandy is compassionate, always a ray of sunshine, and the best advice giver around. She has 'been there done that', with just about every situation that comes up in the field or office. She is humble and rarely takes credit for her work in the business.
Hobbies: Be at the lake & nest around her home Favorite Vacation: Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands Favorite Job on the Farm: Combining & disking (before we were no-till) Karaoke Song of Choice: You're the Reason God Made Oklahoma
Hobbies: Kayak with Julie, spend time with his kids, & hunt Favorite Vacation: Gulf Coast in Florida Favorite Job on the Farm: Shelling corn Karaoke Song of Choice: Dinosaur by Hank Williams Jr
Jason has been with us for 11 years. His wife, Julie, and he have three beautiful children, Eleanor Katherine, John Clay, and Margaret. If you have a problem, Jason is the man to call. He goes at every situation with gumption, is meticulous, and a true leader. Jason continually advocates for agriculture and educates our next generation about what we do as farmers. Jason grew up in Clarksville, TN, farming tobacco and cattle and now resides in Adams, TN. He works hard eight days of the week.
Jason Head
The Long Vue Family
Durell Smith
Durell Jr. has been with us since the late 90's. He is the oldest and possibly the wisest man here. If you have a breakdown in the field, there's a 95% chance Durell knows how to fix it. You know when he has worked on something when you go to loosen a bolt, and it is near impossible to break loose. One of his most noteworthy skills is his ability to weld! Durell grew up in Guthrie, KY, and still lives there today. He has been married to his wife Marsha for 39 years. Durell has the biggest heart and the biggest personality. To know him is to love him!
Hobbies: Beautify & care for his home/flowers Favorite Vacation: Cruise to Mexico & the Caribbean Favorite Farm Job: Working with the dirt pan Karaoke Song of Choice: If I Could Turn Back Time by Cher
David Smith
JP has worked for us seasonally for 2 years, and his hometown is Worcester, South Africa. JP works in civil engineering drafting back home but has great interest in agriculture as well. He is also a fast learner and is not afraid of asking questions to develop a better understanding. JP is also an equipment operator typically planting in the spring and grain carting during all harvest seasons. JP and Michael traveled west earlier this year and hiked the Grand Canyon. JP is witty, smiles 99% of the time, and is an all around easy going guy.
Hobbies: Golfing & duck hunting Favorite Vacation: Honeymoon in Dominican Republic Favorite Job on the Farm: Shelling corn Karaoke Song of Choice: Dinosaur by Hank Williams Jr
Alex interned for us for 4 years throughout college before starting full time in 2019. Alex's position here is diverse; she works in the office, manages our finances, creates these newsletters, operates equipment, and is the face behind our social media. Alex is from Monteagle, TN, but her family moved to Elkton, KY, 15 years ago, and that is where she still lives today. She loves her family and especially spending time with her nieces and nephew. Alex is versatile, fun-loving (yet serious at times), and the one to keep us all in line.
JP geldenhuys
Brandon Hamilton
Alex campbell
Hobbies: Hiking, golfing, & playing rugby Favorite Vacation: Great Smoky Mountains Favorite Job on the Farm: Grain carting, definitely not grain bin work Karaoke Song of Choice: Don't Stop Believing by Journey
Hobbies: Golfing, surfing, & petting other people's dogs Favorite Vacation: Mozambique & Miami, FL Favorite Job on the Farm: Everything except grain bin work Karaoke Song of Choice: Mamma Mia by Abba
Brandon started his career with us in 2019. He was born and raised in Clarksville, TN, and now lives in Allensville, KY, with his wife, Sarah, whom he married this past July! Brandon is our Lead Equipment Operator and is the Assistant Farm Manager over operations. Brandon is kind-hearted and mild-tempered. He likes for all things to be done correctly and comprehensively; something we value greatly as an organization. Brandon is easy going and always looking for ways to improve the efficiency of our work.
Michael has worked for us seasonally for 3 years. He is from Riebeek Kasteel, Cape Town, South Africa. Michael could be a part-time comedian. He has the funniest stories and the best jokes. He is a fast learner always working hard to understand how things work mechanically. Michael is an equipment operator during planting and harvest seasons. Back home, Michael works with cattle, sheep, and grape vineyards. He is licensed to artificially inseminate cattle and has a hidden talent of playing guitar.
Michael Garisch
Hobbies: Going to the lake & reading Favorite Vacation: Bald Head Island, NC Favorite Job on the Farm: Cutting soybeans & organizing data in the office Karaoke Song of Choice: Our Song by Taylor Swift
Hobbies: Going to the lake & hanging with friends Favorite Vacation: Cruise to St. Thomas, San Juan, & Tortola Favorite Job on the Farm: Anything that involves operating equipment Karaoke Song of Choice: John Deere Green by Joe Diffie
Bill has been with us for almost a year now, and he is Brandon's younger brother. Bill tends to go with the flow and is always easygoing. He was raised and still resides in Clarksville, TN. He can most often be found driving a semi truck or working on a piece of equipment in the shop. Bill is currently studying for a degree in business from Austin Peay State University. Going to school and working full time can be challenging, but he seems to be doing well with it. Bill is fun to be around both here at work and outside of work.
Hobbies: Golfing & lifting at the gym Favorite Vacation: Amelia Island, FL Favorite Job on the Farm: Driving a semi truck Karaoke Song of Choice: Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi
Hot topic in American Ag
Bo has been around the farm since birth and has been a great asset to us in recent years. He is a high school senior, plans to study agriculture in college, and most likely farm after that. Bo is a social butterfly and inquisitive by nature. He prefers working in the field to just about anything else in life. He operates equipment in the summer and is on call all year-round. Bo has a way of saying just the right thing to make an awkward situation or tense moment into more of a light hearted affair.
Bill hamilton
Drought is a word that raises concern for people in every walk of life and even more so for farmers. Crops need water to grow and enhance yield. Rain showers have been few and far between in Allensville, KY, over the past several weeks. While this is not ideal, we remain grateful for what we have received as agriculturalists in other regions of the United States are experiencing that dreaded word: drought. In the U.S., 98% of the west is covered in drought. Pivots are a vital part of agriculture in this part of the nation, so without water their crop yields will greatly suffer. The Colorado River supplies water for seven states – Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. Lake Powell, located along the Colorado River, is the second largest reservoir in the US and reached its lowest level on record in July of this year. If water levels fall below a certain level, the turbines inside the dam will not be able to operate and in turn will diminish energy supplies.
Bo bryant
(Brandon giving his presentation during the final module)
Employee spotlight
(Brandon's mentor, Shonda Sammons, visiting LVF )
continued next page..
Did you know..
Mason City, Iowa is home to the world's largest grain bin. Golden Grain Energy completed construction of this record breaking bin just this year. It has a capacity of 2.2 million bushels of grain. That is 5.9 million gallons of ethanol. Golden Grain Energy is an ethanol plant that grinds approximately 42 million bushels of corn annually. This massive grain bin has been nicknamed Binzilla. It is 165 feet wide, and it's peak is 156 feet, 7 inches tall. To put that in perspective, it is wide enough to fit a Boeing 767 jet inside and as tall as a 12 story building.
Another concern that goes hand in hand with water levels is barge traffic, a major mode of transportation for commodities. If weather patterns continue, we could see an increase in transport costs, as barges will not be able to operate at full capacity. Barges require specific water depths to operate depending on the weight of their load. This increase in cost will negatively affect our local grain basis lowering our overall grain prices.
Brandon recently graduated from the 21st Century Ag Leadership Forum and below are a few of his key takeaways. Shonda Sammons, our business coach, recruited Brandon for this program and served as one of his program mentors. "21st Century Agriculture Leadership is a program that develops leadership, coaching, and management skills in young professionals involved in the agricultural community. Over the course of multiple modules, or meetings, in cities across the U.S. the participants receive valuable content and get to meet some great people along the way. I’ve had the great opportunity to be a part of this group since 2019. Words cannot describe how much I have benefited from participating in the course. Upon starting, I was very reserved. I thought I had a reasonable grasp on leadership and what it means to be in a position of management. The course has helped me in immeasurable ways. I have developed key communication skills, coaching habits, and have become more personable with team members here on the farm. I recently graduated from the course, but I will continue to use the knowledge I have inherited every day. Throughout my three years in the program I have read books, met some wonderful people, and learned life lessons that I can not put a price on. Using all these tools I’ve gained, I find myself better equipped to handle the day to day challenges here on the farm. I also find myself more ready and able to serve my family, my team, and all of you reading this newsletter. As all you know, farming isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it is one of the most rewarding and beautiful." This was an incredible opportunity for Brandon, and we have witnessed his growth first hand. Being away from your home and family is not always easy especially when you are planning an engagement and a wedding! We are thankful that Brandon was willing to participate in this program and made those sacrifices. Investing in yourself is never time wasted.
“We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:3b-4
Growing gratitude
Near the end of July my children participated in the Little Shepherds Lamb Show in Montgomery County, TN. This lamb show is held in conjunction with the county 4-H lamb show and is open to kids 3 years old through the 3rd grade. Our oldest, Ella Kate, has shown lambs since 2018, so she has some experience with this endeavor. This year however, she was determined to show without a halter. If you know much about showing lambs, you know that this is the way it is done with the 4-H and FFA age kids. The majority of the kids showing in the Little Shepherds Show use a halter, and why wouldn’t they. Some of these lambs are twice their size! Ella Kate worked so hard training her ewe, Peaches, and she was doing great practicing at home walking, setting up, and bracing. She worked diligently in the pursuit of winning showmanship, which is judged on how well you show the animal, not the animal itself. The day of the show arrived, and Ella Kate and Peaches headed into the show ring for the showmanship class while Julie and I watched nervously. She was the only one in her group without a halter, and I was so proud of her bravery and willingness to try something new. However, as can often happen with show animals, Peaches was not her normal self at the show. She wouldn’t stand still and resisted all of Ella Kate’s efforts to keep her still or to move her to the correct spot. She didn’t even place in showmanship. Although we were disheartened in the outcome, and Ella Kate was very upset, this was a great teaching moment for her. I am so glad that we have the opportunity to raise our children in a rural community that supports each other and gives us the opportunities to teach our kids these lessons. I relate this same lesson to farming. We can do everything perfectly, but if it doesn’t rain, we fail. Life is tough. Sometimes no matter how hard we work or prepare, things just don’t come together. Failures aren’t forever. We endure and persevere. We plant another crop the next year with faith that the rain will come or, we re-group and go back into the show ring later that same day and bring home the banner for Reserve Champion lamb! With Gratitude,