A Tip for Making Your Operation Better...Now and in the Future

Aaron M. Miller is experienced in all things farm and ranch. He is a loan officer for First Financial Bank and owns a farming operation. Read his article on the importance of financial statements for your business. As the seasons change, so are the primary activities of many farming operations. Shifting from the primary focus on harvest to delivery or shifts from grazing to winter feeding are common activities during this time of the year. While these changes occur daily, it is also a time to remind ourselves of the calendar…….and December 31 is quickly approaching.

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Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

Ingredients 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 2 cups all-purpose flour*  1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 (14 oz.) can whole berry cranberry sauce or 1 and 1/2 cups homemade cranberry sauce *Using half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose white flour also works. Directions Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the softened butter and stir well. Once it’s pretty well mixed, use your fingers to get under everything and ensure that the oat mixture is moistened with butter.  Spoon three-quarters of the oat mixture into an ungreased 13 x 9 cake pan. Press down on it firmly everywhere to form a solid layer that evenly covers the bottom of the pan. You can press it where it’s thicker to help spread it more evenly. Add the cranberry sauce in dollops and spread it thinly over the oat layer. Sprinkle with the remaining oat mixture, breaking it into small 1/4-inch bits as you let it fall. Press lightly on the oats to adhere to the wet cranberry sauce. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Just so you know, the topping will not change color, but it is still done. Allow cooling in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into 8 strips along the length of the pan and 3 strips along the width yielding 24 bars. Use a spatula to remove the bars from the pan.

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So You Want to Be a Farmer?

One of the first things you need to do is experience farming first hand. If you grew up on a farm you might be thinking, “How much more hands on experience do I need?” More than likely, you already have a good skill set on the production side of operating a farm, but now it’s time to develop your skills on the management side. A good start would be to rent some farm land from a family member or a neighbor. This will give you experience in budgeting, bookkeeping, purchasing inputs, managing employees, and marketing your crop. Most lenders want you to have a couple of years experience in operating a farm before they will finance your first farm purchase.

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Come See Us!

We plan on attending the following shows in 2023 and hope to see you there! Farm & Ranch Show Schedule 2023: January 17-19 Fort Wayne Farm Show February 1-3 Southern Farm Show February 15-18 National Farm Machinery Show February 23-25 New York Farm Show February 24-25 Mid South Farm & Gin Show July 20-23 Arizona Cattle Growers Association August 2-4 Minnesota Farmfest September 20-22 Hawaii Agriculture Conference November 14-17 World Alfalfa Congress