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Introduction: TCME Oct 2009

A picture is worth a thousand words, and this photo says so much about the reality of agriculture today. At the height of summer, between tillage and seeding and the bustle of the harvest, there is this in-between time, when the opportunities to learn are plentiful. And as we all know, most growers take full advantage of those opportunities.

In the cities and towns, away from the farm, there is a commonly held misperception that farming is a “Triple A” activity: seed in April, harvest in August and winter in Arizona. As with most myths, accuracy is a stumbling block; across most of Eastern Canada, seeding in April is a rarity, August is for harvesting cereals only and wintering in Arizona is nigh unto impossible. Instead, this photo represents what really takes place.

Farmers farm, and in between obligations, they look, listen and learn.

In fact, the learning never stops, and that is a central theme to modern agriculture, particularly as new technologies emerge, and right along with them, new markets and new opportunities. There are not that many chances to just sit back and relax. Since farming is far more of a business now than in the past, most growers avail themselves of the opportunity to learn, whether it be at a company grower day, a local agricultural college or a ministry research station.

Farmers never seem to stop.

At Top Crop Manager, we understand that notion. From conversations with our readers, advertisers and industry stakeholders, it has become increasingly apparent that there is little “downtime” left in the industry, and that growers are spending time, even in October, planning for next spring. This is why we offer not one, but two, special features, including our Traits and Stewardship Guide, and the latest in our series of Machinery Manager features for Front-Wheel Assist Tractors.

All in all, it is our effort to help our readers continue that learning curve, even as early as October.
As always, we hope you find this issue useful, and make it another of your trusted reference tools for your operation.