America's Heartland is made
possible by

..They make up
a small part of our population.

But have a huge
impact on our lives.

They take business risks that
few others would tolerate

all on our behalf.

They're American farmers who
feed, fuel and clothe the world.

Monsanto would like to recognize
them for all they do,

for the rest of us,
because ultimately our success

and everyone
else's depends on theirs

.and by the American Farm
Bureau Federation

- the voice of agriculture.

COMING UP YOU'LL SEE HOW
CHICAGO'S BOARD OF TRADE AFFECTS

THE PRICES THAT YOU PAY
FOR FOOD ON YOUR TABLE.

THEN. WE'LL TAKE YOU TO IOWA
WHERE HOLLYWOOD TRANSFORMED THIS

FAMILY
FARM INTO A FIELD OF DREAMS

HOW MODERN WINDMILLS ARE
GENERATING ENERGY FOR CONSUMERS

. AND
CASH FOR FARMERS AND RANCHERS .

AND SOME TEXAS TOWNS.USING
A NEW APPROACH TO AGRICULTURE.

TO SAVE THEIR CITIES.

AMERICA'S HEARTLAND IS NEXT.

♪ 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. ♪

♪ In America's Heartland. ♪

Hello I'm Paul Ryan and
welcome to America's Heartland .

Where as you can see things are
a bit more hectic then usual

today and that's because this
is where the American farm meets

the world of high finance.where
crops and capitalism come

together in a frenzy
of buying and selling.

The Chicago Board of Trade is
the place that I think we've all

heard about, but very few
of us fully understand.

But as I learned, it can play
a big role in the financial

success of the American
farmer.and what we all pay for

food, clothing and
other essentials.

The day has begun at the
Chicago Board of Trade.

But it first began in 1848, when
a marketplace opened in Chicago

to buy and sell commodities.

"Here at the CBOT we trade corn,
wheat, soybeans, soybean meal,

which is made from
soybeans, soybean oil, rice.

Even gold is
considered a commodity.

Gold, silver, metals.

Anything you procure from the
ground is kind of a way to think

of a commodity. "

While the chalk boards have been
replaced by electronics,

the traditional
way of trading hasn't changed.

Buyers and sellers of corn,
wheat, soybeans shout and signal

to order-takers how much they'll
buy or sell and for how much.

Each area or pit on the
trading floor represents a

different commodity.

It all seems chaotic, but there
is order behind the yelling and

the hand signals.

Steve Bruce is a
long-time trader.

"I want to buy it, my
hands are like this.

Want to sell it, my
hands are like this.

How many contracts
do I want to buy?

1-2-3-4-5.

6-7.

10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60.

A hundred.

200.

300.

400.

A thousand.

Two thousand.

What price do I want
to sell them at?

I want to sell them at a
quarter, half, 3, full cent. "

Of course, the board of trade
wouldn't exist without farmers.

Steve Pitstick raises corn,
wheat and soybeans fifty miles

west of Chicago and works with
traders to lock in the highest

price before his
crops are harvested.

"Most of the time the low comes
at harvest time when there's a

glut of product.

The highest price is in the
spring planting season when the

market is perceiving a possible
shortfall in trying to entice

producers to plant more grain. "

If a company such as Kelloggs
buys Steve's crops at a higher

price, those costs might be
passed onto us, the consumers.

If they lock in a lower price,
the cost for breakfast cereal

can remain stable.

To the farmer, even a small
fluctuation in the price of a

bushel makes a sizeable
difference in profit.

"A one cent fluctuation in
prices at the Board of Trade

equals about $2500
either positive or negative

to my operation. "

"Just one penny? "

"Just one penny. "

"So if it's five pennies... "

"...that's $12,500 either
positive or negative. "

If Steve waits too long to lock
in a price and there's a glut of

grain on the market, he may be
forced to sell at a lower price

and possibly lose money.

So how does he keep track
of ever-changing prices?

With his cell phone.

"My grain dealers that I work
with, two or three different

ones, can email me prices if
there's something

happening down here.

When I'm out in the field they
can email it right to my phone.

I
know exactly what's going on. "

"For the American farmer, high
tech and high drama aren't

relegated just to the floor
of the Board of Trade.

You'll find them right here in
the farmer's field,

where modern technology
can make all the difference

in making or losing money. "

For example, Steve's tractor
comes with a global positioning

system that precisely measures
where fertilizer should be

sprayed-down to the inch.

"The system I'm using is
supposed to be

plus or minus four inches. "

"Four inches? ! ! ! "

"And I swear, if you looked
at my corn rows

it's within an inch. "

And one inch makes a huge
difference, since over-spraying

costs thousands of dollars
in wasted fertilizer.

In today's competitive
environment, Steve Pitstick

needs technology to maximize
every penny--whether he's

spraying fertilizer, checking
weather conditions on his

laptop, and most important,
looking for the highest price at

the Chicago Board of Trade.

Moving with the times, the
Chicago Board of Trade began

trading Ethanol futures in
2005.the same year the Board set

a record for trading volume.
handling 674 million contracts.

Well back here now at
a much quieter setting.

Back at Steve Pitstick's farm,
about an hour west of the

Chicago Board of Trade.

As we learned, farmers like
Steve have to worry about many

things - crop yield, future
prices, rising fuel costs,

and weather.

That's why some farmers are
seeking out new and very

different income
sources - like tourism.

Yes, tourism!

For example - when Hollywood
paid a surprise visit to a

couple of Iowa farmers, they
soon learned that, like the

movie, If you build it, they
will come.

Our Jason Shoultz has the story

Yeah Right.

A baseball field
in a middle of a corn field.

A story
straight out of Hollywood..

an Iowa cornfield transformed
into a baseball diamond. by a

farmer hearing voices.

"Yeah right!

Ha ha. "

So far fetched.that Rita
Ameskamp didn't believe it.

"Yes, it really
seemed kind of funny.

until the cast and crew of the
1989 film Field of Dreams

showed up on her Iowa farm.

But in one weekend the corn
was cut down.the sod was rolled

out.and the backstop in place.

And for two months.Hollywood
invaded the small town of

Dyersville, Iowa.

"It was great.

They were a great movie crew.

Everybody liked them.

They were very very nice. "

The oscar-nominated movie
turned out to be a hit.

In the plot, this field
possessed magical powers.where

the ghosts of famous baseball
players came back

for games on earth.

The plot connected with
moviegoers so much.they started

showing up at the field.

"Like the first year 70-thousand
people came to visit

Field of Dreams. "

And the lives of some Iowa
corn and soybean farmers

changed forever.

Today the movie site is
one of Iowa's top tourist

attractions.drawing visitors
from all over the world!

"Well, we're on vacation.

We're going to the college and
my sister and her husband and my

girldfriend have
never been here.

And they all like
the movie a lot. "

Kevin
Costner? You like Kevin Costner?

" Oh I love Kevin
Costner. Ha ha. Alright, I love

Kevin Costner okay. "

He's not Kevin Costner, but
Bill, Judy and Bill's brother-in

-law did help us reenact a key
scene from the movie.

IF YOU BUILD IT, HE WILL COME .

Annie what was that?

What was what?

That voice just now.

We didn't hear anything.

IF YOU BUILD IT HE WILL COME .

Annie surely you
must of heard that.

Sorry, . COME ON INTO DINNER

Alright, good job
everybody. Everybody good job.

Excellent job actors.

Of course the voices were
just Hollywood fiction.

But some believe that this
field, this corn, this piece of

movie history
carved into the Iowa soil

possesses special powers.

Now you're going to try to force
them to go out into the corn?

Yes, I think I'm going
to drag them out in the corn

and see if...

.No, no,
no. You're not dragging me! No.

Do you think
there are ghosts out there?

Yeah.

Why?

Because of the movie.

Hey is this heaven?

No, it's Iowa.

Iowa may be like heaven in a lot
of ways, but in other ways it's

just like everywhere else.

Where property lines
mean something.

Here at the Field of Dreams this
power line shows where the field

is actually divided in half.

Owned by two property owners.

Just like everywhere else,
sometimes neighbors don't see

eye-to-eye .

Filmmakers decided the
perfect location for the diamond

was just west of the big old
farmhouse.the only problem:

the baseball field
spilled onto Rita's property.

They approached us because they
did not have enough room for

the baseball field.

I own third base, majority of
center and all of left field.

Without that, we would not
have had a field of dreams.

Because it had to
be on two owners.

And along the way.a dispute
between the property owners

developed.

The folks who owned one side,
the house and infield didn't

want to talk on camera with us.

So it's not exactly clear what
sparked the feud.

I really don't call it a feud.

I mean I don't even like the
word and I think it should even

be talked about.

Okay maybe not a feud.

But whatever it is, it's hard
for visitors to miss.

Right at the property line, both
landowners have signs making the

case that they are
the true home team.

There are two souvenir shops,
two parking lots, even two

driveways leading to the field!

But to once visitors get past
the driveways, the signs . the

actual baseball field seems to
transcend neighbor disputes.

Magical rows of corn?

Maybe. Maybe not.

But one thing is for sure. If
you build it, they will come.

And they are still coming!

Baseball greats Roger Maris and
Bob Feller both have ties

to Iowa baseball history.

And the home town team in
Keokuk, Iowa lays claim to being

the first professional team to
break the color barrier

when African American player Bud
Fowler took the field in 1885.

Still to come on America's
Heartland.We'll take you to

Texas where some towns are
using agriculture

to save their cities.

And call these young
folks. farmers in training .

They're harvesting much more
than good grades

in their school gardens.

Many farmers and ranchers don't
have the kind of spread that

would attract tourists, or they
simply don't have time for that

kind of business.

So they find other creative
ways to generate extra income.

Some are turning to nature -
taking advantage of an abundant

resource that, once captured,
creates much-needed cash

for farmers.

It's also helping free the
rest of us from our reliance on

traditional energy sources.

It's quiet out here on the
high plains of Wyoming.

An ancient silence broken
by the gentle sounds of cows

lowing.ranchers talking
about the day's work ahead.

And.this.

The sound of huge
propellers starting up..

responding to nature's free
and abundant offering.the wind.

It's a sound heard with
increasing frequency all across

the heartland.

Reprising.renewing. an
agricultural resource dating

back many years.

"THERE'S SO MUCH ABOUT FARMING
AND RANCHING THESE DAYS THAT'S

TOTALLY UNPREDICTABLE: THE
WEATHER, CROP PRICES,

PRICE SUPPORTS.

SO, IN ORDER TO GET BY, YOU NEED
PREDICTABLE REVENUE SOURCES.

AND, UP HERE ON THE WYOMING HIGH
PLAINS, THERE'S VERY LITTLE THAT

IS AS PREDICTABLE AS THE WIND. "

"I think grandpa would be
amazed TO SEE THE TECHNOLOGY

THAT THEY'RE BUILDING TODAY,
that we're ranching with today.

I THINK HE WOULD
PROBABLY BE OVERWHELMED. "

RALPH BROKAW IS THE LATEST
GENERATION TO RUN CATTLE ON THE

RANCH STARTED BY HIS
GREAT-GRANDFATHER BACK IN 1886.

IN THE MID 1990'S, RALPH'S
FATHER CUT A DEAL WITH A WIND

ENERGY COMPANY THAT WANTED TO
INSTALL ELECTRICITY-GENERATING

WIND TURBINES ON
THIS HIGH PLATEAU.

TODAY, THERE ARE ABOUT
SEVENTY.PROVIDING ENOUGH POWER

FOR 48-THOUSAND HOMES.AND A
STEADY INCOME FOR THE RANCH.

That's a long term income stream
that we're finding brings some

security to the volatility
production ag part of it.

" In our area a high percentage
of people have looked into and

decided it's the way to go.

Ian Anderson is one of about
two dozen farmers who've allowed

wind companies to build
turbines on their land in the

Montezuma Hills southwest
of Sacramento, California.

He says the machines cover less
than two-percent of his four

thousand acres planted in
wheat, barley and safflower.

There's been little impact on
his farming operations.but a big

boost to his bottom line.

"I CAN TELL YOU THE ENERGY
PRODUCED IS PAYING MY LAND

PAYMENTS, SO THAT'S
REALLY EXCITING FOR ME. "

AT THE WESTERN STOCK SHOW
IN DENVER, ENERGY EXPERTS ARE

TOUTING THE VIRTUES OF WIND
MACHINES.BIG ONES THAT EARN

GROWERS AS MUCH AS FOUR THOUSAND
DOLLARS A YEAR .AND SMALLER ONES

THAT HELP THEM SAVE BIG MONEY
ON THEIR OWN ENERGY BILLS.

"There are so many family
farmers that are just pressed to

the edge financially.this really
offers them an opportunity to

continue yet another generation
of farming or ranching. "

Indeed, the Andersons have
had small wind machines on their

farm for 25 years.

On especially windy days,
their electric meter runs

backward.meaning
they're selling juice back to

the utility company.

"Wind may only be five percent
production in this country, but

it's five percent
we really need.

It creates no pollution.

It's a great thing. "

Wyoming has incredible
potential for wind generation.

I really see this
as a big part of the environment

and the economy
of Wyoming in the future. "

America's wind industry has
had its share of problems.

Early turbine and propeller
designs were inefficient, broke

down, and wore out.

There's evidence that some
machines harmed wildlife,

especially raptors
and migratory birds.

But new studies suggest improved
technology and design, including

slower propeller speeds, are
addressing those concerns.

And this idea of harnessing the
wind seems to resonate among the

many ranchers and farmers who
already good stewards of the

land and now the environment.

"I FEAR FOR OUR COUNTRY THAT WE
DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO KEEP

UP WITH THE SOCIETY
WE'VE CREATED.

THIS IS PART OF THE KIND OF
THING WE NEED TO KEEP DOING. "

"Anybody who has the potential
to develop renewable energy like

this should really
take advantage of it

and jump right in. Don't be
scared. They're a good thing. "

The United States ranks third
in the world in wind power

capacity, behind Germany and
Spain. The states with the most

wind production are California,
Texas, Minnesota, Iowa,

and Wyoming.

Even if a farmer has the time
and the inclination to get into

agri-tourism, promoting their
product to city slickers usually

means getting into
unfamiliar territory.

But in Texas, Jason says rural
communities and farmers are

getting help turning their
history and hard work into a

selling point for visitors.

Friday night in Goliad, Texas...

and the swine judging tent at
the annual county fair is the

place to be in this town
of 2-thousand people.

" It's the biggest event of
the year for the county.

Not only mom and dad but
grandma and grandpa come down

and a lot of them come out
of town to come watch it. "

Like small towns across Texas,
Goliad's economy has been driven

largely by agriculture..

But that's changing.

Towns in Texas are no different
then the towns across the entire

United States and as the
agricultural economy has become

tougher and tougher,
towns have struggled.

So Goliad is turning that
struggle into an opportunity.

A chance to ask - what else
does this town have to offer?

Turns out - quite a bit.

This is the birthplace of Texas
cattle ranching, predating the

King Ranch by a hundred years.

By sharing Goliad's unique and
rich history with visitors, the

town is finding
new economic life.

Doug Plant is in charge
of Goliad State Park.

Here, visitors explore an
18th century restored mission.

We have people from all over the
world come here and come up and

visit and they're
very impressed.

The
Golden family came from Florida.

I love western
movies and I love western books.

And I knew
about Goliad and I knew about

how they were supposed
to have gone down to the Alamo.

Rural towns like Goliad are
getting help from the

Texas Department of Agriculture.

A program called Texas Yes!

offers rural towns grant
money, promotional materials

and workshops.

A lot of it is diversifying
the existing ag economy.

A lot of that is nature tourism.

Maybe encouraging businesses to
get into, not just tourism but

organic products.

It's not just communities
getting help from Texas Yes .

Ranchers and farmers finding
new opportunities for revenue in

nature tourism and agri-tourism.

Here at La Mota ranch in
Hebbronville, the third

generation to own the land
is selling its history.

The family formed a partnership
to manage the

8-thousand acre ranch.

We can all bring our
friends and enjoy it.

Enjoy the history, legacy of
what our grandfather

has left us.

And that's our goal is to keep
this alive for the generations

that come after us.

The family opens up the ranch to
hunters.a popular way for Texas

ranchers to make money.

In fact, hunting fees are the
biggest money maker

on the ranch.

I CALL IT OUT TO PASTURE .

When he's not tending to
cattle, Charley Hellen shares

his own cowboy poetry with
visitors to La Mota ranch.

She was pretty and lean
and wore faded blue jeans.

Had old cowboy boots and was
just a little bit mean.

Cowboy campfire meals
are just part of the experience

that the Hellen family
offers three months a year.

This family's new tourism
venture has proven to be so

successful, they are sharing
their experience

with other ranchers.

The ranch was featured in a
Texas Yes newsletter mailed out

to members.

It's in our blood.

And we love it and we
want to preserve it.

And we want to inspire other
ranchers and ranching families

to preserve theirs also.

The Texas Yes program also
encourages towns to showcase

their musical talents with
events that bring in visitors to

sample regional
country western music.

Getting city folks out on the
farm is one way to help them

appreciate all that farmers do.

Another way is to show 'em how
to grow a few crops

of their own.

And as Pat McConahay found in
Missouri, it's best to start 'em

young.and let them discover with
their own hands the miracle of

seed and soil.

For these Kansas City kids,
there's more than gardening

going on -
life lessons are being learned.

THAT'S
WHY YOU HAVE TO BE GENTLE.

IT'S JUST LIKE TAKING
CARE OF A FAMILY isn't it?

IT'S A FAMILY.

THERE'S LOTS OF COMPARISONS
BETWEEN TAKING CARE OF A GARDEN

AND TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN.

The garden is located in an
unlikely place

- on the grounds
of Argentine Middle School

against the backdrop of big city
buildings---proving that school

can be fertile
ground for outdoor learning.

NOW REMEMBER TO
USE GRAVITY, RIGHT?

YOU'RE USING GRAVITY TO HELP
IT COME OUT.

Argentine is one of seven school
gardens founded in Kansas City

in 2000 by Marcia Pomeroy,
of the University of Kansas

Medical Center.

She came up with the idea as a
way to teach inner city youth

about healthy eating
and respecting the land.

"WHEN YOU TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE
I WOULD ASK AT DIFFERENT FAMILY

GATHERINGS AT SCHOOL..I WOULD
SAY HOW MANY OF YOU GARDEN?

AND HOW MANY OF YOU DO THINGS
TOGETHER AND INVARIABLY PEOPLE

WOULD SAY THEY HAVE NO
CONTACT WITH THE EARTH.

AND I KNOW THAT THE EARTH
IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

WE WON'T TAKE CARE OF IT
UNLESS WE KNOW ABOUT IT

A NATURAL BOND IS CREATED
BETWEEN THE GARDEN AND THE

CLASSROOM CURRICULUM.

WE TRY TO CONNECT NUTRITION
INFORMATION WITH SCIENCE AND

MATH AND MEASURING, COMMUNITY
WORK AND WITH THE HISTORY OF A

LOT OF THE PLANTS THAT WE'RE
GROWING IN THE GARDEN.

WE'LL
HARVEST SOME BEAUTIFUL LETTUCE.

Each class spends a 45-minute
period in the garden every day.

In 2005, alone, more that a
thousand students took to the

dirt-tending their
urban plots of land.

ONCE THE KIDS HAVE PLANTED AND
HARVESTED IN THE GARDEN, IT'S

TIME TO LINE UP TO TRY SOME OF
THESE GREAT VEGGIES THAT THEY'VE

BEEN GROWING.

YOU DO WANT SOME
LETTUCE, DON'T YOU?

OF COURSE YOU DO.

There is something about eating
what you've grown yourself.

THIS IS GOOD.

SINCE IT'S GROWN HERE WE
DON'T HAVE TO BRING IT FROM

CALIFORNIA, FROM TROPICAL
PLACES AND THAT WE MADE IT HERE.

Many times
these kids are eating things

they've never tried before.

I'VE NEVER TRIED
RADISHES BEFORE. SO I DECIDED,

HEY, WHY
DON'T WE DO LIKE OLD FARMERS DO?

JUST GRAB IT AND JUST CLEAN IT
AND BITE IT. IT'S ACTUALLY GOOD.

KANSAS CITY ISN'T THE ONLY
PLACE WHERE SCHOOL GARDENS

ARE GROWING.

WHAT DO YOU PICK IN HERE?

LETTUCE, SPINACH AND CHARD.

SOME TWO THOUSAND MILES AWAY IN
THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS, EAST OF

SACRAMENTO, A PLACERVILLE MOTHER
OF TWO CREATED WHAT SHE CALLS

A GARDEN OF LEARNING
AT HER CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.

FROM THE DAY
WHEN BOTH MY CHILDREN WERE BORN,

IF I COULD TEACH
MY CHILDREN TO LOVE TO LEARN

THEN I HAVE MASTERED EVERYTHING.

AND SO A GARDEN WHERE MY KIDS
COULD LEARN WAS REALLY IMPORTANT

TO ME.

LIKE THE KANSAS CITY PROGRAM,
this one at Louisiana Schnell

Elementary INTEGRATES GARDENING
WITH CLASSROOM WORK.BUT THE

REWARDS GO BEYOND MASTERING
READIN', WRITIN' AND 'RITHETIC

IN A SCHOOL GARDEN WE HAVE
STUDENTS WHO MIGHT NOT FOCUS

IN THE CLASSROOM AND YOU
GET THEM IN THAT QUIETER SETTING

OF A SCHOOL GARDEN,
THEY'RE COMPLETELY ENGAGED

AND FOCUSED OUT THERE.

Kids find that gardening
makes learning fun.

IT'S JUST NICE BEING OUTSIDE AND
YOU GET TO SEE THE WILDERNESS

AND STUFF.

I LIKE
BEING OUTSIDE AND DOING THINGS.

I DON'T LIKE CLEANING MY ROOM.

I LIKE DOING OTHER CHORES
INSTEAD OF CLEANING MY ROOM AND

SO THIS
IS A FUN THING FOR ME TO DO.

Adding to the students'
satisfaction is that they get

to sell what they grow.

WHEN YOU HOLD A FARMERS MARKET
LIKE THIS, YOU SEE HOW THE

ECONOMY WORKS.

AND THE OTHER THING ABOUT
A SCHOOL GARDEN IS THEY'RE

LEARNING HOW TO EAT
HEALTHY. AND THAT'S A HUGE PLACE

WHERE WE ARE FAILING IN
CALIFORNIA AND IN OUR COUNTRY.

Like Placerville and Kansas
City, a number of other

communities have used garden
projects to foster a respect for

agriculture and the environment.

. lessons
that can serve youngsters well

throughout their lives.

There's nothing like your very
first harvest, even if it's just

an onion or two!

And we certainly appreciate
your coming along with us today.

And we hope you'll join us again
next time when we discover more

great farms, families, and
their fascinating stories.

in America's Heartland .

I'm Paul Ryan.
And I'll see you next time.

To learn more about this edition
of America's Heartland ,

or
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americasheartland - dot - org.

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