Posts by Guest Author
The Catch, Part 1
“Slow down, son. We want to get there in one piece,” John said to his grandson. “But Gramps, I’m barely going the speed limit,” replied Tommy, the driver of the old Buick. “We are getting close, and I don’t want to miss any of the sights,” John replied. “Johnny, nothing has changed here in 60…
Read MoreLet’s make a marketing plan, Part 1
The articles that I’ve been writing this past year have all been leading up to this one — making a marketing plan (broken into two parts). I’ve covered the basic principles and some of the marketing tools that you need to understand and know how to use. The first thing we should do is establish…
Read MoreThe next chapter: Planning for retirement
You have a unique vision for your retirement. Whatever that vision is, proactive planning is the first step toward helping bring it to life. Unfortunately, more than half of adults feel they’re behind on retirement planning. The truth is, the sooner you start planning and saving for your retirement, the better. Envisioning your retirement lifestyle…
Read MoreOptions to market grain
This article is my last one covering marketing basics before we put everything together to develop a marketing plan. Unfortunately, it covers a difficult subject that is hard to cover in a short article. First, what is a minimum pricing contract (MPC)? It is a marketing tool that combines a cash sale with the purchase…
Read MoreThe trend is your friend?
The title of this article is one of those catch phrases that you may have heard over the years. It relays the fact that to make money trading commodities, you will make money as long as your trades align with the trend: selling short in a downtrend and being long in an uptrend. The difference…
Read MorePlanting the seeds of ag literacy
Understanding where our food comes from is something every person should know — and something every child should be taught. That’s the heart of the mission behind Washington Ag in the Classroom (WAIC), a program I’m honored to be a part of. My name is Alisha Klein, and I serve as the public relations and…
Read MoreMarketing friend or foe?
I was asked if I would write an article explaining the basis relationship between soft white wheat (SWH) and CBOT wheat futures, so here we go! I felt that this relationship could be best explained if I compared/contrasted the hard red winter wheat (HRW) KCBOT basis relationship with the SWH CBOT relationship. The market class…
Read MoreKeeping the river highway open
Washington’s thriving wheat industry relies heavily on a critical, often unseen, transportation artery: the Columbia-Snake River System. This “river highway” is the backbone of the state’s agricultural export system, efficiently moving millions of bushels of wheat from inland grain elevators to ocean ports at Vancouver, Portland, and beyond. The efficiency of barging is unparalleled; a…
Read MoreProsser business uses local wheat to produce spirits
Making spirits from Washington wheat and agricultural products is a unique labor of love. It involves the careful cultivation of soft winter wheat, the creation of custom stills, a meticulous distillation process, and the infusion of the spirits with locally sourced botanicals and fruits. This process, which can take years, is a testament to the…
Read MoreHighlights from my Olympia Days trip
My experience as a Washington wheat growers ambassador during the Olympia Legislative Days was more than I could have ever hoped. I was able to meet so many new people, from the other wheat growers that were with me to the government officials we met with. My favorite part was being able to talk about…
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