Production Blog

Ever get to the end of a week and wonder what you accomplished? Let us help you keep track in 2021.

DTN is looking for two farmers to share their farm and life experiences throughout the 2021 crop season (May through November, typically).

We call this weekly series View From the Cab. It allows us the opportunity to delve deeper into the many aspects of daily farm life than a typical news story and to follow up on what happened over time.

In 2020, I wrote more than 30 articles with our View From the Cab volunteers, Reid Thompson of Colfax, Illinois, and Ryan Jenkins of Jay, Florida.

We covered the big stuff like farm program payments, hurricanes and land prices. We also covered more intimate stuff, such as day care, favorite snacks in the cab and farm dogs. What most readers say they like best is gaining a better look at what it is like to farm in these particular areas.

I typically visit each farmer early in the season and take photos. Contributors do review copy before it is published.

What I realize looking back over last year's articles is how much there is to talk about and how much we still didn't get covered. Still, those articles serve as a written record of a remarkable year -- one we say we will never forget, but the journaling of it cements the memories.

View From the Cab has been a DTN feature since 2005. This is my last call for volunteers for 2021. There are no hard and fast rules to our selection process. It often boils down to a good mix of geography and farm enterprises.

Here's how to get started: Simply email me a note telling me why you want to be a View From the Cab contributor and a little bit about your farm. Make sure you include contact information.

Here's a list of our past View From the Cab contributors:

2020: Ryan Jenkins, Jay, Florida; Reid Thompson, Colfax, Illinois

2019: Ashley Andersen, Blair, Nebraska; Scott Wallis, Princeton, Indiana

2018: Kyle Krier, Claflin, Kansas; Genny Haun, Kenton, Ohio

2017: Zack Rendel, Miami, Oklahoma; Brent and Lisa Judisch, Cedar Falls, Iowa

2016: Chase Brown, Warrensburg, Illinois; Jim Hoover, Newport, Pennsylvania

2015: Lane Robinson, Cromwell, Indiana; Leon Kriesel, Gurley, Nebraska

2014: Karen and Bill Johnson, Avoca, Iowa; Jamie Harris, Madison, Florida

2013: William "Shep" Sheppard, Louisiana, Missouri; Kane Bercaw, Union City, Michigan

2012: Katie Sanger Hancock, Water Valley, Kentucky; Ryan Brodersen, Randolph, Nebraska

2011: Tom Tibbits, Minneapolis, Kansas; David Brandt, Carroll, Ohio

2010: Becton Bell, Wilson, Arkansas; Frank Zweber, Hoven, South Dakota

2009: Marcus Hess, Bushnell, Illinois; Matt Wolle, St. James, Minnesota

2008: Dan Pedersen, Underwood, Iowa; Brad Lindstrom, Varna, Illinois

2007: Matt Rush, Fairfield, Illinois; Jason Heijl, Abbott, Texas

2006: Bob Worth, Lake Benton, Minnesota; Keith Miller, Great Bend, Kansas

2005: Richard Oswald, Langdon, Missouri; Mark Rasumssen, Hoagland, Montana.

Pamela Smith can be reached at pamela.smith@dtn.com

Follow her on Twitter @PamSmithDTN

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