Announcer: America's Heartland
is made possible by....
Who grows our economy?
Who ships
nearly 100 billion dollars
of crops and products
to many nations?
Who provides
more than 24 million jobs
here at home?
Who?
America's farm families
brought to you on behalf
of America's farmers
by Monsanto.
....and by the American
Farm Bureau Federation
- the voice of agriculture.
I'm Yolanda Vazquez.
We'll take you
back to school this week
for a lesson on energy.
We're in Medford, New Jersey
where one school district
has discovered
that bio fuels
made from soybeans
can get the kids to school
on time.
I'm Rob Stewart.
We're taking you
to Nebraska
to meet some hard working
farm hands.
But these are
four-legged farm hands :
herding dogs
whose skills make life
a lot easier
for sheep and cattle ranchers.
I'm Jason Shoultz.
Family success
smells pretty sweet
here in Minnesota.
I'll take you
to the area's largest grower
of flowers.
It's all coming up
on America's Heartland .
♪ You can see it in the eyes of
every woman and man ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪
♪ There's a love
for the country ♪
♪ and a pride in the brand ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪
♪ close to the land. ♪
Yolanda: Not a day goes by
that we don't hear something
about fossil fuels
and being more
energy independent.
Research projects
continue to focus
on agriculture's role
in the solution
whether that be
ethanol or bio fuels
made from crops.
Well for one school district
here in New Jersey,
the research
has long been a reality.
Riding to school
in Medford, New Jersey,
these elementary students
are beginning their day
with a real-life demonstration
on energy alternatives.
And if you ask them,
they'll tell you
why their big yellow
school buses are different.
Kids: Bio-diesel!
Bio-diesel!
Yolanda: In the late 90's,
the Medford Township
School District
decided to begin using bio-fuels
in their buses,
a B-20 blend
with 20% of the fuel mix
created with bio diesel
made from soybean oil.
Joe: This is
a farming community.
This community,
Medford Township,
was based
on the agriculture industry.
Yolanda: Joe Biluck
is the Director of Operations
and Technology
for the Medford School District.
He says
with more than 400,000
school buses in the U.S.,
bio diesel provides
an opportunity
to be more energy efficient
and support agriculture.
Joe: We have consumed
about 750,000 gallons
of bio diesel.
We have reduced diesel emissions
by some 120,000 pounds
over the last 12 years.
Our fleet expenses
have been reduced
by some $120,000
over the last 12 years.
So you see
that there are various layers
of benefits
to using bio diesel
and alternative fuels.
Yolanda: But learning
about agriculture's role
in creating energy alternatives
doesn't end with riding the bus.
Energy and the environment
are often the topics
of conversation
in David Khanlian's
fifth grade class.
David: What makes it renewable?
Do you remember Jess?
Jess: Yes,
the fossil fuels
are used from fossils
which are harder to get.
But the bio diesel
is made from plants
and such stuff.
David: How many of you
would say you know something
about bio diesel?
The buses are healthier
because we're putting
healthier fuel in them.
The bio-diesel
is better for them,
and that allows the engines
to run smoother,
to be less strained,
to run longer,
and to last longer.
Olivia: I learned
that they have to,
like,
crush the soybeans
to get the oil out.
And then they turn the oil
into like this orange stuff.
So that is bio diesel.
David: I want to introduce
Mr. Steve McCracken.
Yolanda: As part of the studies,
outside speakers
visit the classrooms.
Steve: The importance of bio
diesel is that we're starting
to use products
that are created here
in America from our farms.
We're able to use and create
more products
and more value
from products that are grown
right here in the United States.
Yolanda: The bio fuel blend
creates another distinction
as the buses roll down the road.
Boy: It smells really good.
It smells like French fries.
Kids: French fries!
Yolanda: But Medford schools
aren't the only place
you'll find bio fuels
made from soybeans.
Locals use it
to power their vehicles
(and) even heat their homes.
Steven: It's important
for our community.
It's important for our children.
It's better for the air.
It's better
for the environment.
And I think
it's a responsible thing to do
for both us and the community.
It's a wonderful way to go.
Yolanda: State and federal
tax breaks
along with incentive programs
have encouraged
the use of bio fuels
in school districts nationwide,
a focus on energy from plants
and not petroleum.
Olivia: When I ride on the bus,
knowing that it's running
on bio diesel fuel,
it feels good
because it's making
the earth better
for everybody.
Kids: Thank you, farmers!
Announcer:
Iowa, Illinois,
Minnesota and Indiana
are some of the top
soybean producing states
in the nation.
In addition to bio diesel,
soybeans are used
to make everything
from soy milk
to furniture polish
(and) even crayons.
In fact,
one acre of soybeans
can produce more
than 80,000 colorful crayons.
Jason: Valentine's Day,
Mother's Day,
get-well,
funerals,
(and) of course
the "Forgive me" flowers!
Yes, flowers are truly
a blooming business
in the United States.
And here in Minnesota
for one family,
success has been growing.
Time to pack the roses!
When you sell
upwards of two million
of these beautifully
colored flowers a year,
you've got to be efficient.
And that's exactly
what Len Busch Roses
in Plymouth, Minnesota
prides itself on.
And it's not just roses
growing under glass.
Patrick: We produce
about 2 million tulips,
couple million roses,
half a million alstroemeria,
(and) half a million lilies.
Gerbers?
Half a million!
Other miscellaneous flowers?
Maybe half a million?
I don't know
what that adds up to.
It's about six,
six to seven
million total stems!
Jason: Don't forget
some 5-hundred-thousand
potted plants!
Hang around long enough,
and you start thinking
that maybe
they should change their name.
There's a lot more
than roses going on
at Len Busch Roses .
The company
sells flowers and plants
to florists and supermarkets
in a 200 mile radius
around the Minneapolis area.
The business was started
back in 1965 by who else?
Len Busch!
Len: My goal?
I had a goal, one thing:
trying to feed my family.
And I was able to do that.
And I was really proud of that.
Then we reached
a fair amount of success.
Jason: Len has retired
from running the business
although he is truly
still over everyone
when he's
in his helicopter
surveying
the 500-thousand square feet
of greenhouses.
Having Len close by
is handy for the latest guy
in charge of Len Busch Roses ,
Len's son Patrick.
Patrick: My dad started
our business,
and he started
in challenging times
with not a lot of support.
And he rose
to be one of the nation's
top rose growers
in the industry.
So that brings with it
the need to do well.
Jason: While respecting
the history of the flower empire
his father built,
Patrick says modern challenges
in the flower industry
help keep him and his team
focused on the future.
Patrick: The market's different.
A lot of things
are different than they were.
And we are making
some good solid headway
right now.
Jason:
Diversification is critical
to their success here.
And keeping costs down
is also important.
Most large-scale
flower producers
are in warmer climates
along the equator.
So heating greenhouses
in Minnesota in the winter
could become very expensive
very quickly.
So Len Busch Roses
uses tree and brush trimmings,
from area landscapers
and tree trimmers,
to heat the facility.
Patrick X.: Our boilers are
capable of burning green wood.
Also as it dries down,
it can handle that as well.
And that gives us
a little more efficiency,
but we can burn wood
which is typically
when it is green.
It's about 50 percent moisture:
half water.
Jason: How much of this
do you go through a year?
Patrick X.: That would be
about 12 to 13 thousand tons.
Or the semi you saw earlier
which is a hundred-yard load?
It's about 500 semi-loads.
Jason: It costs about
a fifth of what it would take
to heat the greenhouses
with natural gas.
It's also
more environmentally friendly.
The company uses
advanced pest-management
practices
to battle tiny bugs
that can do serious damage
to flowers and plants.
So when you've got
a flower like this
that has this white on it,
you can't sell it?
Emily: Correct!
Yep,
we want perfect flowers:
no pests, no damage.
There are a lot of restrictions
on chemical use.
I have to really be careful
that we don't go over
the number of times per year
that we can use
different chemicals.
Also using bio-control
is safer to the plants.
It's less likely
to damage the flowers.
Patrick: It's the size
of the flowers,
the depth of color,
the vase-life,
and the lack
of any kind of damage
that will separate our flowers
from what we compete against.
We typically
have to get anywhere
from 25 percent
to almost double
the market price
in order to be able
to competitively grow
(flowers) up here.
So the quality
has to be that much better.
Jason: Len Busch Roses
is also working to use
their Minnesota-grown origins
as a way to market
their flowers.
They may cost more,
but Patrick says
it's worth it!
Patrick: Most people are not
fully aware
of how long it really takes
to get flowers from overseas
to the U.S.
A typical flower
can be five to seven days.
It's very difficult
to get it here
in less than that time
especially in the upper Midwest.
Jason: (It's) a family business
staying current
with modern trends
and demands,
trying to preserve
a business
that's been growing
for 45 years!
Patrick: You tell people
that you grow flowers,
and they go, "Really?"
They give you
kind of a funny look.
But for those of us
in the industry,
we love it.
Announcer: Here's something
for you love birds.
Legend has it
that roses first grew thorns
when Cupid shot an arrow
into a rose garden.
Some people
like to consume rose petals
on pastries and cakes.
And the seed pods of roses
called rose hips
are a good source of vitamin C.
I'm Rob Stewart.
And still ahead,
we'll take you to Nebraska
where some of the busiest
farm hands are working dogs
tending to herds
of sheep and cattle.
Stay with us!
I'm Stephanie O'Neill.
Still ahead,
we'll take you
to a unique park
in southern California
where city folks
can learn about the protecting
open spaces for recreation
and putting food
on their table.
♪♪
Hi,
I'm Paul Robins.
And here's something
you may not have known
about agriculture.
The artichoke
is perhaps the most
interesting vegetable on earth.
Now I say vegetable ,
but when it comes
to sampling this plant,
you're actually dining
on flowers.
That's because
the thick green scales
of the artichoke
are actually the flower bud
of a member
of the thistle family.
Greek legends
say that the god Zeus
created the artichoke
when he expelled a young woman
from Mount Olympus.
Hurled back to earth,
she transformed
into the artichoke plant.
Greeks and Romans
considered the delicacy
a love potion.
And by the 17th century,
artichokes were a favorite
all across Europe.
French settlers
brought the plant
to the Americas
(by) first raising them
in the Louisiana Territory.
Today California grows
the lion's share
of the artichokes in the U.S.
And a bit of American history:
Martha Washington's cookbook
had a recipe for artichokes.
Virtually fat free,
artichokes are a good source
of vitamin C,
low in sodium,
and low in calories as well.
And Americans are split
on the best condiment
to use when eating
this vegetable.
Some like butter.
Some like mayonnaise
with garlic.
I'll take either one.
Or even better: both!
Rob: Well almost everyone
loves dogs.
We've all heard the saying,
dogs are a man's best friend ,
right?
Well here in the heartland,
that friend
can also serve ranchers well
by being their best hand .
Why you ask?
Well when it comes
to herding sheep and cattle,
a dog can do
a day's work and more !
♪♪
They're hopping,
huffing,
and herding!
John: Lie Down!
LIE DOWN!
I'm John Holman.
And I'm
a Nebraska Stock Dog Trainer.
Rob: Welcome to Clay Center,
Nebraska where John Holman
runs Dog 4 Ewe
Border Collie Training .
Here he's training dogs
to herd sheep and cattle.
Today's classroom
is the pasture,
and it's drooling with dogs!
Meet Mick,
Lee,
Sweet Savvy,
and Pete,
today's new pup of the pack.
But the top dog today is Mick,
just panting
for John's canine commands.
John: Steady Mick.
Walk up,
WALK UP!
Good boy!
Way to me!
Bringing my sheep in!
Rob: What were those commands,
and what do they mean?
John: All right,
I send him out
to the right first,
or what we say counterclockwise
around the sheep.
That's an
away to me.
Rob: Away to me?
John: Clockwise
around the livestock
is a go by .
Rob: Go by!
John: Take time
means to slow down.
Walk up
means to stop.
Usually it means
he's been running
around the stock.
Get into the right position,
and then I say there .
Walk up means
come straight to your livestock
so that they can move
the stock off
in the right direction.
Rob: All across the heartland,
working dogs are used
to move sheep,
cattle and goats
in that right direction .
Those skills come
from training
and a dog's natural instinct.
These collies
are natural herders,
and they're eager
to please their owners.
But they must be taught
to move the sheep
instead of keeping them
penned up.
And so we see Mick here
with the sheep
in front of him,
and Mick is just moving them
from pasture to pasture
like that.
John: Sure, sure.
He has total control
of this livestock.
I tell him where I want them,
and he puts them there.
If I really want
to get specific,
I can tell him how to do it.
But most times I don't have to.
Rob: And they obey him
unbelievably.
John: You know,
I got caught without a dog
this morning.
I was just on my way to work,
and I stopped by here
and tried to do something
without the dog.
It is so frustrating!
They really do put you
in control of your livestock.
Rob: That's why farmers
and ranchers
depend on stock dogs nationwide.
John: Low-stress livestock,
work and handling,
the dogs take the sheep out
to graze or the cattle
from one pasture to another.
You know it all works
into the stewardship
of the land.
Rob: John Holman tells farmers
that dogs moving sheep
and cattle
can save time and money
on the range.
John: Absolutely!
In fact
if you're talking about
mounted cowboys and stuff,
they'll take the place
of two guys on horseback
that know what they're doing.
They can go places
that the horses can't get to:
under brush and into stuff
where maybe the cattle
just plow in to be obnoxious.
They can get in there
and get a hold of the cow
by the heel or by the nose
and bring him out
where he can get control
of him again.
Rob: Talk about a power tool!
John: It's kind of a power trip
when you get good at it.
Rob: The power trip
is exactly why Amy Novak
is here with her dog Honey.
Amy: Lie down!
John: Good job!
That's a good move, Amy!
Step in front like that!
Rob: John usually works
with farmers and ranchers
to train their border collies.
But Amy is here
to get away from her busy
professional life.
Amy: It's a thrill!
It's a rush!
An adrenaline rush!
And until you ever do it,
you don't understand it.
It's a treat.
It's my time away,
my therapy,
to get away and come out
with the stock
and with the dogs
and do something I enjoy
and get away
from my normal,
everyday life.
John: Pete, you ready to go?
C'mon Pete!
Rob: Pete is a farm dog
and just arrived
to learn John's skills
before returning to the ranch
to help his owner's herd.
John: He's got
some pretty good breeding.
I saw his registration papers,
and so I'm kind of excited
to see what he'll do.
Rob: John teaches Pete
using his tone of voice
and body language
to direct where he wants Pete
to send the sheep.
John can tell
if the dog is ready.
John: When I first take
a dog out to stock,
first I want to see
if he's interested
which he's already showing me
a little bit of interest.
I want him to know
that I'm going to be in control
of what we're doing.
I kind of control
the pace of this whole thing.
And I'm gonna...see?
He's eyeballing them already,
dancing around a little,
trying to balance on 'em.
That's all good signs.
He's got concentration,
and we like that.
Rob: John says Pete's a natural.
National and local awards
for his prize dogs
line John's home office.
And the dogs
aren't the only ones
enjoying the competition.
John: I do really love it.
I can hardly
even describe the feeling.
When things work well
and you get the job done
so well,
whether it's a job at home
or a trial at a competition
I go to
and we ace a course,
and we get around it just great,
it is like
a top-of-the-world
kind of feeling
to know that you have
a partner out there
who's ready to go
rain or shine
or blizzards or heat
or whatever.
He's right there
or she's right there
the instant you call them
in the morning,
and they're with you
all day long
if you want them to be.
Announcer:
Great senses of sight,
smell and hearing
help our canine companions
do their jobs
on the farm and off.
It's estimated
that dogs can hear
four times better than humans.
Their night vision
is five times better.
And their sense of smell
is more than 40 times sharper
than our noses.
♪♪
Jason: If you're
making decisions
about dairy these days,
you have lots of choices:
milk, yogurt, ice cream!
Who doesn't like French Vanilla
or Chocolate Chip?
And if you like
variety in your diet,
cheese is probably on your list.
And that gives you
plenty of choices off the shelf.
Cheese is one of
our favorite foods.
Ever wonder how it's made?
Well, milk is curdled
with an enzyme called rennet.
The curds are then drained,
squeezed,
flavored and aged,
sometimes for months.
Cheese is a good source
of Calcium along with Vitamins A
and B-12.
And some varieties of cheese
can even help
reduce tooth decay.
Thanks to pizza,
Mozzarella is the country's
most popular cheese.
And on hamburgers,
burritos or omelets,
cheese is a flavor-favorite!
And while most of us
think cheese comes
from dairy cows,
you can find cheeses
made from the milk of sheep,
goats,
and even buffalo .
Simply said,
cheese is popular.
How much so?
Well the average American
will wolf down
more than 31 pounds of cheese
a year.
Stephanie: I think most of us
try to be better consumers
these days
especially when it comes
to food choices
that we make for our families.
Unfortunately though,
most urban dwellers
have little contact
with agriculture of any kind,
large or small.
But here in southern California,
opportunity arises
with a walk in the park.
Call it a reversal
of urban encroachment .
Less than an hour
south of downtown Los Angeles,
the buildings and barracks
of this former Marine Corps base
are being uprooted,
recycled,
and quite literally mulched
into a vast metropolitan park
that includes a real-life
farming operation.
Larry: I know of no other
major park in the United States
that has a permanent
agricultural operation
as part and parcel
of its commitment
to pubic service.
Stephanie: Larry Agran
spearheads the cultivation
of the Orange County Great Park
, turning the open spaces
of this former military base
into fields of produce
and citrus
including a new grove
of 5,000 Valencia orange trees
like these.
Larry: We're going to include
more than a hundred acres
of permanent agricultural land,
farming operations,
community farming operations,
that will be available
for use, enjoyment,
and participation of people
from throughout Orange County.
Stephanie: Agriculture
has deep roots in Orange County.
In the 1800's,
the area's rich,
fertile soil
produced crops that won
top prizes at fairs
around the world.
Larry: I would say
most younger people now
have no memories, certainly,
of the vast
agricultural operations
and no familiarity
with where their food
comes from.
Stephanie: But the Great Park
is changing all that.
The park's Helium balloon ride
gives visitors a bird's eye view
of 1500 acres
with planned wildlife areas,
sports fields,
and other attractions.
But back on earth,
the heart of the park
exposes visitors
to large and small
working agricultural exhibits.
Tom: All
have a tremendous hunger
of "How can I eat properly?
How can I improve my nutrition,
and what can I grow at my home?"
So we introduce them
to all of those concepts
and ideas on how they can
really become farmers at home.
Stephanie: Tom Larson
heads the ag exhibits.
Tom: What we're teaching them
here is square-foot gardening.
If you notice in the garden,
it's broken up
to a square-foot grid.
Each grid has a different plant
or vegetable.
We teach people
how they can grow a vegetable
to feed a family of four or five
with just a few square feet.
Stephanie: The themed garden
boxes feature edible plants
such as grapes and pit fruits
that you can mix
with ornamental
landscape designs,
a special garden
of sensory delights
for the visually impaired,
a pizza garden
packed with vegetarian toppings,
and even some sweet stuff
in the dessert garden.
Now who gets to eat
these delicious-looking
red strawberries
and the up-and-coming
blueberries
that are planted here?
Tom: Well I do, of course!
Stephanie: Do you share?
With hungry reporters?
Tom: Well what we try to do
is allow people to come in
and pluck the fruit.
And we show them
how to prepare it
And they really enjoy that.
Stephanie: But these farm
and garden exhibits do more
than just educate folks.
Some crops here
make their way
to feed the hungry
at local food banks.
Tom: Over 90,000 people
go to bed hungry every night
here in Orange County.
With our larger farming complex
(of) 114 acres
that we're starting off here
next month,
we're going to special grow
specific crops
for those food banks
that can feed those people
in need in our county.
Stephanie: Most of all,
the Orange County Great Park
hopes this urban
agricultural adventure
will prompt urbanites,
especially youngsters,
to think about cultivating
their own
homegrown fruits and vegetables.
Larry: What people
are discovering over and over
is that yes,
fruits and vegetables
can be enjoyed by kids
and be a part of their lives.
And their good health
is a result of lessons
that are taught here
at the Great Park .
Stephanie: That's going to do it
this time.
Thanks for traveling
the country with us
on this edition
of America's Heartland .
We're always pleased
that you can join us.
Rob: And don't forget!
We have much more
for you to see online.
Want to see stories from
all of our programs?
Just log on to
americasheartland-dot-org.
And remember to follow us 24/7
on some of your favorite sites.
We'll see you next time,
right here
on America's Heartland .
Announcer: To order a copy
of this broadcast,
visit us online
or call 1-888-814-3923
The cost is $14.95
plus shipping.
♪ You can see it in the eyes of
every woman and man ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close to the land. ♪
♪ There's a love
for the country ♪
♪ and a pride in the brand ♪
♪ in America's Heartland
living close, ♪
♪ close to the land. ♪
America's Heartland
is made possible by...
American agriculture
plays an essential role
in providing food, feed,
fuel and fiber
to people around the world.
Monsanto
is committed to helping farmers
increase crop yields
and conserve natural resources.
Monsanto
is proud to support this program
bringing you the stories
of people in America's heartland
whose hard work
makes a difference
in all of our lives.
With sustainable production,
agricultural innovation
and research,
these men and women
are working to make life better.
Monsanto
would like to recognize them
for all they do for all of us.
...and by the American Farm
Bureau Federation
- the voice of agriculture.
♪♪