1 00:00:00,964 --> 00:00:06,931 America's Heartland is made possible by. 2 00:00:06,931 --> 00:00:09,931 They make up a small part of our population. 3 00:00:09,931 --> 00:00:12,898 But have a huge impact on our lives. 4 00:00:12,898 --> 00:00:16,031 They take business risks that few others would tolerate 5 00:00:16,031 --> 00:00:18,031 all on our behalf. 6 00:00:18,031 --> 00:00:23,031 They're American farmers who feed, fuel and clothe the world. 7 00:00:23,031 --> 00:00:27,131 Monsanto would like to recognize them for all they do, 8 00:00:27,131 --> 00:00:30,898 for the rest of us, because ultimately our success 9 00:00:30,898 --> 00:00:34,898 and everyone else's depends on theirs 10 00:00:34,898 --> 00:00:37,831 and by the American Farm Bureau Federation 11 00:00:37,831 --> 00:00:42,298 - the voice of agriculture. 12 00:00:42,298 --> 00:00:43,398 Coming up: 13 00:00:43,398 --> 00:00:46,864 The intimidating but magnificant american bison... 14 00:00:46,864 --> 00:00:50,564 in Kansas raising THEM IS woman's work; 15 00:00:50,564 --> 00:00:53,764 a country and western star tells why his passion 16 00:00:53,764 --> 00:00:55,231 is the american farmer; 17 00:00:55,231 --> 00:00:58,398 and an eighth-generation farm family pioneers 18 00:00:58,398 --> 00:01:00,098 the high-tech dairy. 19 00:01:00,098 --> 00:01:03,031 America's Heartland  is next. 20 00:01:03,031 --> 00:01:09,098 ♪ You can see it in the eyes of every woman and man ♪ 21 00:01:09,098 --> 00:01:15,164 ♪ in America's Heartland living close to the land. ♪ 22 00:01:15,164 --> 00:01:21,064 ♪ There's a love for the country and a pride in the brand♪ 23 00:01:21,064 --> 00:01:40,564 ♪ in America's Heartland living close, close to the land. ♪ 24 00:01:40,564 --> 00:01:42,664 Hello and welcome to America's Heartland. 25 00:01:42,664 --> 00:01:44,198 I'm Paul Ryan. 26 00:01:44,198 --> 00:01:47,531 Long before the rich farm and ranch lands of the Great Plains, 27 00:01:47,531 --> 00:01:49,964 this land was home to the greatest herds ever to rumble 28 00:01:49,964 --> 00:01:51,064 across a prairie. 29 00:01:51,064 --> 00:01:53,764 The American Bison ruled these lands for eons 30 00:01:53,764 --> 00:01:55,798 then became almost extinct. 31 00:01:55,798 --> 00:01:58,631 But in recent decades, a determined number people 32 00:01:58,631 --> 00:02:01,931 helped brought this American icon back from the brink. 33 00:02:01,931 --> 00:02:04,798 We begin this edition of America's Heartland in Kansas 34 00:02:04,798 --> 00:02:08,164 where Jason Shoultz met a woman who is answering new 35 00:02:08,164 --> 00:02:12,498 trends in taste and tourism by taking on the formidable task of 36 00:02:12,498 --> 00:02:18,564 ranching bison. 37 00:02:18,564 --> 00:02:22,098 You might think there's a grizzled old farmer behind 38 00:02:22,098 --> 00:02:26,298 the wheel of this dusty pickup truck. out to check on his herd. 39 00:02:26,298 --> 00:02:29,631 You would only be partly right! 40 00:02:29,631 --> 00:02:31,964 "Hello girls, ready to move? " 41 00:02:31,964 --> 00:02:33,998 Calling this Kansas farmer grizzled 42 00:02:33,998 --> 00:02:37,164 might just get you in trouble. 43 00:02:37,164 --> 00:02:40,164 And the herd Linda Hubalek is moving today 44 00:02:40,164 --> 00:02:42,364 is no ordinary livestock! 45 00:02:42,364 --> 00:02:43,564 "C'mon girls! " 46 00:02:43,564 --> 00:02:47,831 "These aren't cattle. So you don't raise them the same. 47 00:02:47,831 --> 00:02:50,331 You don't interact with them the same. " 48 00:02:50,331 --> 00:02:52,298 Tucked in the hills of Central Kansas 49 00:02:52,298 --> 00:02:56,831 where the buffalo once roamed is the Smoky Hill Bison Farm. 50 00:02:56,831 --> 00:03:00,464 While Linda's husband works as an engineer in a nearby town - 51 00:03:00,464 --> 00:03:02,364 it's her job to run the farm. 52 00:03:02,364 --> 00:03:05,464 "The bison are still wild. They are very in tune 53 00:03:05,464 --> 00:03:09,298 to their environment. They know when something is different. 54 00:03:09,298 --> 00:03:14,598 They can react immediately to something. " 55 00:03:14,598 --> 00:03:17,131 Linda grew up on a nearby cattle farm, and has written 56 00:03:17,131 --> 00:03:20,898 a series of fictional books based on her ancestors 57 00:03:20,898 --> 00:03:23,431 who homesteaded there. So it was no surprise 58 00:03:23,431 --> 00:03:26,031 to her parents when 10 years ago she and her husband 59 00:03:26,031 --> 00:03:28,464 purchased 80 acres of farmland. 60 00:03:28,464 --> 00:03:31,431 But when Linda decided to raise bison. 61 00:03:31,431 --> 00:03:35,731 "We're surprised at that. But it's been a nice experience 62 00:03:35,731 --> 00:03:39,531 for them. It's different alright. " 63 00:03:39,531 --> 00:03:43,064 And as many as 70 million bison wandered North America 64 00:03:43,064 --> 00:03:45,864 before European settlers arrived. 65 00:03:45,864 --> 00:03:48,164 Well they would have wondered right through here to go down to 66 00:03:48,164 --> 00:03:51,298 the smokey hill river for water so they would have been roaming 67 00:03:51,298 --> 00:03:55,231 this area in the beginning. But by the turn of the 20th century, 68 00:03:55,231 --> 00:03:58,498 the animal had been hunted to near extinction. 69 00:03:58,498 --> 00:04:01,298 Efforts by government and ranchers like the Hubaleks 70 00:04:01,298 --> 00:04:03,698 have brought the bison back from the brink. 71 00:04:03,698 --> 00:04:06,531 Today there are around 350-thousand 72 00:04:06,531 --> 00:04:08,131 across North America. 73 00:04:08,131 --> 00:04:11,198 The smokey hill herd ranges from 50 to 130 depending 74 00:04:11,198 --> 00:04:14,298 on the time of year. So we are basically bringing them back 75 00:04:14,298 --> 00:04:16,931 to the prairie. 76 00:04:16,931 --> 00:04:19,998 They are amazingly graceful creatures considering their 77 00:04:19,998 --> 00:04:23,864 size. The females can weigh more than 1,000 pounds. 78 00:04:23,864 --> 00:04:27,764 The males...as much as 2,500 pounds. 79 00:04:27,764 --> 00:04:31,498 Unlike cattle, the bison aren't fed grain.they eat grasses. 80 00:04:31,498 --> 00:04:33,898 Electric fences keep these giant creatures from 81 00:04:33,898 --> 00:04:36,964 wandering the plains like they did hundreds of years ago. 82 00:04:36,964 --> 00:04:40,931 The fences also keep the tourists at a safe distance! 83 00:04:40,931 --> 00:04:43,631 "I CAN'T IMAGINE THE INDIANS KILLING ONE OF THOSE 84 00:04:43,631 --> 00:04:45,831 WITH A BOW AND ARROW." 85 00:04:45,831 --> 00:04:49,798 Yes, agri-tourism is a big part of the Smoky Hill operation. 86 00:04:49,798 --> 00:04:52,864 The farm is open year-round to visitors for tours. 87 00:04:52,864 --> 00:04:55,464 Guests can't take home one of these bulky beauties, 88 00:04:55,464 --> 00:04:58,364 but they can pick up some buffalo bric-o-brac 89 00:04:58,364 --> 00:05:00,164 at the visitor center! 90 00:05:00,164 --> 00:05:03,364 The bison here at Smoky Hill aren't just fun to look at, 91 00:05:03,364 --> 00:05:05,364 they are also pretty good to eat, 92 00:05:05,364 --> 00:05:08,364 as folks can find out when they pick up meat products here. 93 00:05:08,364 --> 00:05:11,731 They make buffalo patties, ribeye steaks, buffalo filets, 94 00:05:11,731 --> 00:05:14,298 even buffalo jerky. 95 00:05:14,298 --> 00:05:17,464 "It tastes like excellent, sweet beef. " 96 00:05:17,464 --> 00:05:20,231 It's also popular with folks looking for leaner meat 97 00:05:20,231 --> 00:05:22,831 without growth hormones or antibiotics. 98 00:05:22,831 --> 00:05:24,798 Smoky Hill uses a local processor 99 00:05:24,798 --> 00:05:26,664 to prepare meats for sale. 100 00:05:26,664 --> 00:05:29,231 Most of the farm's business comes from the website 101 00:05:29,231 --> 00:05:31,064 bisonfarm.com. 102 00:05:31,064 --> 00:05:35,931 "We ship meats, hides and skulls all over the United States. " 103 00:05:35,931 --> 00:05:38,798 But you don't have to go too far to get a taste of bison 104 00:05:38,798 --> 00:05:40,798 .as I found out at the Cookery restaurant 105 00:05:40,798 --> 00:05:44,064 in downtown Lindsborg. 106 00:05:44,064 --> 00:05:47,798 Bison-burgers are a hot menu item.made from ground bison meat 107 00:05:47,798 --> 00:05:51,564 from the nearby farm. 108 00:05:51,564 --> 00:05:53,264 Served up with some onion rings 109 00:05:53,264 --> 00:05:56,331 and your favorite condiments and you've got yourself a tasty, 110 00:05:56,331 --> 00:06:00,464 and slightly more expensive burger! 111 00:06:00,464 --> 00:06:02,864 Bison producers know that it's not likely their meat 112 00:06:02,864 --> 00:06:07,464 will ever replace beef, after all, there are 95 million cows 113 00:06:07,464 --> 00:06:09,664 raised in the United States. 114 00:06:09,664 --> 00:06:12,398 But after seven years of operating the bison farm, 115 00:06:12,398 --> 00:06:15,831 Linda Hubalek has big hopes for the future.more agri-tourists 116 00:06:15,831 --> 00:06:18,864 stopping by, and a growing market for the bison meat. 117 00:06:18,864 --> 00:06:22,131 "So it's always going to be a niche market, 118 00:06:22,131 --> 00:06:25,864 that hopefully will be in demand. 119 00:06:25,864 --> 00:06:27,998 They are not quite like livestock. We don't treat them 120 00:06:27,998 --> 00:06:30,664 as  such. They are actually part of our family. 121 00:06:30,664 --> 00:06:32,431 They have very unique personalities, 122 00:06:32,431 --> 00:06:35,464 whether it's Dolly, Esther, or Frieda." 123 00:06:35,464 --> 00:06:38,464 Linda may give the bison names, but you can't get too attached 124 00:06:38,464 --> 00:06:41,131 to something you might eat one day. 125 00:06:41,131 --> 00:06:44,064 And one rule everyone around this farm knows well: 126 00:06:44,064 --> 00:06:46,198 they may be fenced in, but these 127 00:06:46,198 --> 00:06:47,898 are still wild animals. 128 00:06:47,898 --> 00:06:50,598 Bison can be much more excitable than cattle. 129 00:06:50,598 --> 00:06:53,364 Try to corral them from behind, and they might just turn on you 130 00:06:53,364 --> 00:06:55,998 and charge! So instead.. 131 00:06:55,998 --> 00:06:58,598 "We train them from the very beginning to come to us 132 00:06:58,598 --> 00:07:00,831 --by call. " 133 00:07:00,831 --> 00:07:03,798 And you won't find Linda - or anybody else for that matter - 134 00:07:03,798 --> 00:07:07,098 inside the fenced-in pasture with the bison. It's too 135 00:07:07,098 --> 00:07:09,931 dangerous...they are too unpredictable 136 00:07:09,931 --> 00:07:11,764 .and most importantly. 137 00:07:11,764 --> 00:07:13,998 "They are big. You respect them too. Ha ha.." 138 00:07:13,998 --> 00:07:17,831 And you don't have to be a grizzled old farmer 139 00:07:17,831 --> 00:07:25,298 to know that! 140 00:07:25,298 --> 00:07:28,798 What really nearly did in the bison in the late 1800s? 141 00:07:28,798 --> 00:07:32,398 It wasn't the Plains Indians, buffalo hunters, 142 00:07:32,398 --> 00:07:33,898 or Buffalo Bill Cody. 143 00:07:33,898 --> 00:07:37,031 Railroad passengers share the blame. 144 00:07:37,031 --> 00:07:40,131 After the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, 145 00:07:40,131 --> 00:07:43,598 many a passenger crossing the Great Plains grabbed a rifle 146 00:07:43,598 --> 00:07:46,298 and fired out the windows into herds of grazing bison 147 00:07:46,298 --> 00:07:47,898 for sport. 148 00:07:47,898 --> 00:07:50,764 By 1885, only a few hundred bison remained alive 149 00:07:50,764 --> 00:07:53,598 in all North America. 150 00:07:53,598 --> 00:07:55,731 We've met a lot of long-time farming families, 151 00:07:55,731 --> 00:07:57,364 but eight generations? 152 00:07:57,364 --> 00:07:59,664 . that's a lot of years. 153 00:07:59,664 --> 00:08:02,764 We're about to visit a farm that began producing dairy products 154 00:08:02,764 --> 00:08:05,798 when America was just a baby. But that stands now 155 00:08:05,798 --> 00:08:08,098 on the very cutting edge of dairy high-tech. 156 00:08:08,098 --> 00:08:13,031 Pat McConahay takes us to Pennsylvania. 157 00:08:13,031 --> 00:08:15,831 As agriculture changes, technology is what drives 158 00:08:15,831 --> 00:08:19,198 Mason Dixon Farms near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. 159 00:08:19,198 --> 00:08:21,664 From state of the art milking parlors to a system 160 00:08:21,664 --> 00:08:24,698 that doesn't let cow manure go to waste 161 00:08:24,698 --> 00:08:27,964 this historic farm is a living laboratory. 162 00:08:27,964 --> 00:08:30,198 WE USE THAT PHRASE BECAUSE WE'RE IN A 163 00:08:30,198 --> 00:08:35,198 CONSTANT CHANGE OF FLUX: ONE NEW TECHNOLOGY MAKES IT POSSIBLE 164 00:08:35,198 --> 00:08:39,064 TO NOW INTRODUCE ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL CONTINUE 165 00:08:39,064 --> 00:08:42,431 TO IMPROVE OUR EFFICIENCY. 166 00:08:42,431 --> 00:08:45,064 Richard Waybright is the 8th generation family member 167 00:08:45,064 --> 00:08:48,898 to run this farm that literally straddles the Mason Dixon Line 168 00:08:48,898 --> 00:08:51,164 ...part of it is in Pennsylvania and part of it 169 00:08:51,164 --> 00:08:52,931 is in Maryland. 170 00:08:52,931 --> 00:08:55,264 THE STORY STARTS HERE WITH   GERMAN IMMIGRANT MICHAEL 171 00:08:55,264 --> 00:08:58,898 WAYBRIGHT WHO BUILT   THIS HOME IN 1784. 172 00:08:58,898 --> 00:09:01,764 HE WAS GIVEN 400 ACRES   FROM RICHARD PENN, 173 00:09:01,764 --> 00:09:06,364 THE SON OF WILLIAM PENN   WHO FOUNDED PENNSYLVANIA. 174 00:09:06,364 --> 00:09:09,164 I THINK OUR GERMAN   HERITAGE.WE'RE KIND OF 175 00:09:09,164 --> 00:09:13,731 A STUBBORN GROUP OF PEOPLE AND   WE HAVE A FIERCE DETERMINATION 176 00:09:13,731 --> 00:09:16,598 THAT WE CAN DO THINGS. 177 00:09:16,598 --> 00:09:19,464 And something he and his family are doing is constantly looking 178 00:09:19,464 --> 00:09:21,831 for new ways to do things better-both economically 179 00:09:21,831 --> 00:09:24,764 and environmentally. 180 00:09:24,764 --> 00:09:28,964 AGRICULTURE TODAY IS COGNIZANT   OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO BE 181 00:09:28,964 --> 00:09:33,031 NEIGHBORHOOD-FRIENDLY AND THAT   MEANS SMELL-WISE 182 00:09:33,031 --> 00:09:36,531 AND EVERY OTHER WAY. 183 00:09:36,531 --> 00:09:39,498 AND WITH THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN   MANURE MANAGEMENT 184 00:09:39,498 --> 00:09:43,364 WE'RE ABLE TO DO THAT. 185 00:09:43,364 --> 00:09:47,631 A bio-gas digestion system processes 52 thousand gallons 186 00:09:47,631 --> 00:09:51,631 of manure and urine a day to produce methane gas. 187 00:09:51,631 --> 00:09:56,464 That gas drives generators that produce 320 kilowatts daily 188 00:09:56,464 --> 00:09:59,498 --more than enough electricity to operate the farm 189 00:09:59,498 --> 00:10:02,198 and sell some back to the utility company. 190 00:10:02,198 --> 00:10:04,464 So the farm actually receives a monthly check 191 00:10:04,464 --> 00:10:06,264 rather than a bill! 192 00:10:06,264 --> 00:10:08,831 And the neighbors come out ahead as well. 193 00:10:08,831 --> 00:10:12,998 WE NOW HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO   KEEP THAT BIO GAS 194 00:10:12,998 --> 00:10:17,431 FROM GOING INTO THE ATMOSHERE   AND DIMINISHING 195 00:10:17,431 --> 00:10:23,464 THE AIR QUALITY IN THE UPPER   ATMOSPHERE, ETC. 196 00:10:23,464 --> 00:10:27,498 He says his ventilated barns are much better 197 00:10:27,498 --> 00:10:31,464 than letting cows lazily graze in an open field. 198 00:10:31,464 --> 00:10:36,098 WE LEARNED YEARS AGO WE CAN KEEP THEM MORE PRODUCTIVE 199 00:10:36,098 --> 00:10:39,764 AND HEALTHIER--PUT THEM OUT OF THE HOT SUN. 200 00:10:39,764 --> 00:10:44,764 BECAUSE IN ANIMAL AGRICULTURE, IN THE CASE OF DAIRY CATTLE 201 00:10:44,764 --> 00:10:52,164 THE IDEAL TEMPERATURE IS 26 DEGREES. IT'S NOT 72. 202 00:10:52,164 --> 00:10:55,231 And their feed is also handled in an environmentally-friendly, 203 00:10:55,231 --> 00:10:56,664 efficient way. 204 00:10:56,664 --> 00:10:59,864 Forages are harvested with a self-propelled mower that can 205 00:10:59,864 --> 00:11:04,531 mow 30 acres of hay per hour and not damage the soil. 206 00:11:04,531 --> 00:11:07,531 As for the future--Mason Dixon Farms will continue to live by 207 00:11:07,531 --> 00:11:11,464 the old adage...the only thing that's constant is change, and 208 00:11:11,464 --> 00:11:18,731 that's the only way that dairy can thrive  . 209 00:11:18,731 --> 00:11:23,898 Now meet another mobile energy source for the farm. 210 00:11:23,898 --> 00:11:26,898 Call them gas hogs - only they don't burn the stuff; 211 00:11:26,898 --> 00:11:28,464 they make it. 212 00:11:28,464 --> 00:11:31,531 These hogs produce an astounding amount of manure, 213 00:11:31,531 --> 00:11:35,164 but new processing systems are letting farmers convert manure 214 00:11:35,164 --> 00:11:39,498 to methane, and methane to electricity - and cash. 215 00:11:39,498 --> 00:11:42,131 " When I smell it or see it, I think money. " 216 00:11:42,131 --> 00:11:45,231 A California farm's hogs recently began paying their 217 00:11:45,231 --> 00:11:49,231 owner's entire electricity bills plus delivering tens of 218 00:11:49,231 --> 00:11:53,631 thousands a year in energy sales to the local power company. 219 00:11:53,631 --> 00:11:56,031 Other hog farmers claim to be saving as much as 220 00:11:56,031 --> 00:11:59,331 a quarter-million dollars a year using and selling power 221 00:11:59,331 --> 00:12:03,198 from their porkers. 222 00:12:03,198 --> 00:12:06,298 Ever since Farmers first put seed to soil, farmers 223 00:12:06,298 --> 00:12:08,998 have wrestled with one particular problem of how to get 224 00:12:08,998 --> 00:12:11,798 the most and best out of their land without exausting it, 225 00:12:11,798 --> 00:12:14,198 But these days some farmers are finding ways not just 226 00:12:14,198 --> 00:12:17,064 to keep their land healthy but to repair the damage 227 00:12:17,064 --> 00:12:18,798 of the past. 228 00:12:18,798 --> 00:12:24,131 Jason Shoultz traveled to Iowa to hear one man's story. 229 00:12:24,131 --> 00:12:27,464 The rolling hills of south central Iowa have been good 230 00:12:27,464 --> 00:12:30,164 to generations of the Faris Family. 231 00:12:30,164 --> 00:12:33,564 Since 1903, it's provided fertile ground to grow crops 232 00:12:33,564 --> 00:12:35,398 and raise cattle. 233 00:12:35,398 --> 00:12:37,998 More than 100 years after his Great Grandfather 234 00:12:37,998 --> 00:12:42,498 first worked this land - Lee Faris is trying to preserve it. 235 00:12:42,498 --> 00:12:45,298 You only have so much soil, and if you don't protect it, 236 00:12:45,298 --> 00:12:47,631 why pretty soon you are not going to have any. 237 00:12:47,631 --> 00:12:49,664 Faris is an environmentalist. 238 00:12:49,664 --> 00:12:52,664 Not the kind that chain themselves to trees - he's the 239 00:12:52,664 --> 00:12:55,231 kind who makes a living off the land. 240 00:12:55,231 --> 00:12:58,664 For him, preservation of natural resources also preserves 241 00:12:58,664 --> 00:13:00,898 his family's future. 242 00:13:00,898 --> 00:13:04,498 Lee has a whole farm commitment to conservation practices. 243 00:13:04,498 --> 00:13:07,531 It's not just a one year event. 244 00:13:07,531 --> 00:13:09,798 This has been a lifetime of achievement 245 00:13:09,798 --> 00:13:11,098 for the Faris family. 246 00:13:11,098 --> 00:13:13,431 Take a tour of this 1-thousand acre property 247 00:13:13,431 --> 00:13:15,898 and some things are easy to spot. 248 00:13:15,898 --> 00:13:17,898 Like this pond.stocked with fish, 249 00:13:17,898 --> 00:13:20,031 and surrounded by natural growth. 250 00:13:20,031 --> 00:13:22,298 A perfect habitat for wildlife. 251 00:13:22,298 --> 00:13:26,131 Other efforts are less obvious, but no less important. 252 00:13:26,131 --> 00:13:28,831 ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU DO IS TERRACING. 253 00:13:28,831 --> 00:13:30,998 FOR PEOPLE THAT DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, 254 00:13:30,998 --> 00:13:33,498 HOW IS TERRACING IMPORTANT TO YOUR FARM? 255 00:13:33,498 --> 00:13:38,231 Terracing stops, sets the water down, and runs water 256 00:13:38,231 --> 00:13:43,231 from the steeper sides of these hills down underground drainage 257 00:13:43,231 --> 00:13:46,531 through a tile system to the main creek down there. 258 00:13:46,531 --> 00:13:49,498 Meandering through Faris Farms is Walnut Creek. 259 00:13:49,498 --> 00:13:51,864 The sloping hills on his property naturally 260 00:13:51,864 --> 00:13:53,898 drain rainfall into the creek. 261 00:13:53,898 --> 00:13:56,598 That rainwater also picks up topsoil. 262 00:13:56,598 --> 00:13:58,598 It goes to the creek too! 263 00:13:58,598 --> 00:14:01,264 You can just imagine how much soil runs down through the 264 00:14:01,264 --> 00:14:05,564 creek, to the rivers and ends up down in the Gulf of Mexico, 265 00:14:05,564 --> 00:14:08,131 which is not where they want it. 266 00:14:08,131 --> 00:14:11,731 So Faris uses several terraces to collect water runoff, 267 00:14:11,731 --> 00:14:14,998 and an underground drainage to send it to the creek. 268 00:14:14,998 --> 00:14:18,864 This way the precious topsoil is not washed away. 269 00:14:18,864 --> 00:14:21,264 And another farming practice doesn't just preserve 270 00:14:21,264 --> 00:14:25,464 the top soil. It enriches it. The soybeans here were planted 271 00:14:25,464 --> 00:14:27,464 where last year there was a corn crop. 272 00:14:27,464 --> 00:14:28,764 What do we have here? 273 00:14:28,764 --> 00:14:32,731 FARIS: We've got the cornstalks here that are laying here, 274 00:14:32,731 --> 00:14:36,398 and this residue is also excellent cover 275 00:14:36,398 --> 00:14:38,764 for it to help with erosion. 276 00:14:38,764 --> 00:14:41,731 It may sound surprising, but past farming practices haven't 277 00:14:41,731 --> 00:14:45,031 always made soil conservation a priority. 278 00:14:45,031 --> 00:14:47,698 For several years the state and federal government has been 279 00:14:47,698 --> 00:14:50,831 encouraging farmers to build terraces and change the way 280 00:14:50,831 --> 00:14:53,931 soil is prepared for crops every year. 281 00:14:53,931 --> 00:14:56,064 They get help from folks like Lee Faris, 282 00:14:56,064 --> 00:14:59,931 farmers willing to share their efforts with others. 283 00:14:59,931 --> 00:15:02,231 Serving on the state soil conservation committee, 284 00:15:02,231 --> 00:15:05,398 the state technical committee, Iowa watershed board, 285 00:15:05,398 --> 00:15:07,664 he's gone beyond Ringgold County. 286 00:15:07,664 --> 00:15:10,531 He's done things for the state of Iowa. 287 00:15:10,531 --> 00:15:14,264 The things, decisions he's helped make and been a part of, 288 00:15:14,264 --> 00:15:17,231 have molded a lot of the policies 289 00:15:17,231 --> 00:15:18,898 that Iowa is working under. 290 00:15:18,898 --> 00:15:21,364 The National Cattlemen's Association is also working 291 00:15:21,364 --> 00:15:24,098 to improve conservation and environmental practices 292 00:15:24,098 --> 00:15:25,431 by ranchers. 293 00:15:25,431 --> 00:15:28,164 Every year the association hands out a handful of awards 294 00:15:28,164 --> 00:15:31,398 to cattle producers across the country - recognizing them 295 00:15:31,398 --> 00:15:33,698 for taking the lead in land stewardship. 296 00:15:33,698 --> 00:15:36,898 In 2005 Lee Faris received a regional award 297 00:15:36,898 --> 00:15:40,264 for his efforts.such as moving his 200 cow herd 298 00:15:40,264 --> 00:15:42,831 to different grazing areas periodically, 299 00:15:42,831 --> 00:15:44,931 and seeding his pasture. 300 00:15:44,931 --> 00:15:47,964 But it's the fact that Lee rotates these cattle 301 00:15:47,964 --> 00:15:50,064 from pasture to pasture, and gives the ground, 302 00:15:50,064 --> 00:15:52,764 grass and forage a chance to rest. 303 00:15:52,764 --> 00:15:56,731 And that's why you see it as thick as it is here. 304 00:15:56,731 --> 00:15:59,498 Traditional ranching leaves the cattle in one spot 305 00:15:59,498 --> 00:16:02,964 - they eat all the plant life and expose the soil to erosion. 306 00:16:02,964 --> 00:16:05,664 Lee Faris says his conservation practices don't just 307 00:16:05,664 --> 00:16:09,031 benefit the environment. They've helped his bottom line. 308 00:16:09,031 --> 00:16:12,031 Thicker pastures support a larger cow herd and even help 309 00:16:12,031 --> 00:16:15,131 increase the weights of the individual cows. 310 00:16:15,131 --> 00:16:18,098 But there's another, more personal reason for his efforts. 311 00:16:18,098 --> 00:16:21,464 "Rodney, my son would be the fifth generation 312 00:16:21,464 --> 00:16:24,198 on some of this land here." 313 00:16:24,198 --> 00:16:26,598 When Lee Faris decides to hang up his hat, 314 00:16:26,598 --> 00:16:29,598 this farm will likely be trusted to his son Rodney 315 00:16:29,598 --> 00:16:32,864 and quite possibly Rodney's children after that. 316 00:16:32,864 --> 00:16:34,998 Lee knows that long after he is gone, 317 00:16:34,998 --> 00:16:38,098 the farm will still have the Faris family name 318 00:16:38,098 --> 00:16:40,464 - and the natural resources to provide a foundation 319 00:16:40,464 --> 00:16:43,364 for future generations. 320 00:16:43,364 --> 00:16:46,331 I feel real good. I think I've helped the wildlife, 321 00:16:46,331 --> 00:16:50,564 left things for the wildlife, tried to make everything, 322 00:16:50,564 --> 00:16:52,864 by using terraces and things like that much easier to farm 323 00:16:52,864 --> 00:17:03,364 than it was before. Yeah, I feel real good. 324 00:17:03,364 --> 00:17:07,064 From Florida to California.Texas to Pennsylvania 325 00:17:07,064 --> 00:17:12,131 ranchers are pioneering new ways to be good stewards of the land. 326 00:17:12,131 --> 00:17:15,364 Creative efforts to manage water, wildlife, air, 327 00:17:15,364 --> 00:17:18,464 and soil are rewarded each year by groups 328 00:17:18,464 --> 00:17:21,098 like the Beef Cattlemen's Association. 329 00:17:21,098 --> 00:17:25,064 Recent winners: the 30-thousand acre Lightsey Cattle Ranch 330 00:17:25,064 --> 00:17:27,064 in Lake Wales, Florida. 331 00:17:27,064 --> 00:17:31,164 The Lightsey family is restoring a 580-acre reservoir that was 332 00:17:31,164 --> 00:17:33,531 dammed up in the 1960's. 333 00:17:33,531 --> 00:17:37,198 The family also leaves a large portion of their land to nature 334 00:17:37,198 --> 00:17:43,264 -- part of an effort to improve wetlands and restore wildlife. 335 00:17:43,264 --> 00:17:46,231 When Chan Gates of Kansas faced tough times, 336 00:17:46,231 --> 00:17:49,464 he made some changes to improve his profit margin. 337 00:17:49,464 --> 00:17:52,364 He found taking out scrub trees improved the condition 338 00:17:52,364 --> 00:17:56,631 of his land and provided a habitat for the prairie chicken. 339 00:17:56,631 --> 00:18:00,064 Chan reduced the size of his herd and came up with a new 340 00:18:00,064 --> 00:18:03,864 grazing plan to minimize damage to his grassland. 341 00:18:03,864 --> 00:18:07,364 Ever year, regional winners compete for the grand prize. 342 00:18:07,364 --> 00:18:10,564 They're discovering what's good for the environment also helps 343 00:18:10,564 --> 00:18:15,798 their bottom line. 344 00:18:15,798 --> 00:18:18,264 He's been a big name in pop and country-western music 345 00:18:18,264 --> 00:18:19,364 for decades. 346 00:18:19,364 --> 00:18:22,798 In fact, we're pleased to have his music gracing 347 00:18:22,798 --> 00:18:24,664 our very own program. 348 00:18:24,664 --> 00:18:26,598 But Michael Martin Murphey does a lot more than write 349 00:18:26,598 --> 00:18:28,964 and sing songs celebrating farmers and ranchers. 350 00:18:28,964 --> 00:18:30,331 He is a rancher. 351 00:18:30,331 --> 00:18:32,464 He and his family work their Wisconsin spread 352 00:18:32,464 --> 00:18:34,531 as hard as anybody around. 353 00:18:34,531 --> 00:18:37,664 Our Pat McConahay recently paid Michael Martin Murphey 354 00:18:37,664 --> 00:18:47,798 a visit. 355 00:18:47,798 --> 00:18:50,964 If you were around in the 1970's you certainly remember 356 00:18:50,964 --> 00:19:00,964 the haunting hit, "Wildfire." 357 00:19:00,964 --> 00:19:04,098 The man behind the song of a mysterious phantom horse 358 00:19:04,098 --> 00:19:07,531 on the American prairie is Michael Martin Murphey, 359 00:19:07,531 --> 00:19:10,298 one of the world's most respected singer-songwriters 360 00:19:10,298 --> 00:19:27,031 in pop and country-western music. 361 00:19:27,031 --> 00:19:30,198 The images that led to the "Wildfire" lyrics came to him 362 00:19:30,198 --> 00:19:32,864 in a dream. 363 00:19:32,864 --> 00:19:35,264 BUT I THINK ON A   SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL, 364 00:19:35,264 --> 00:19:38,498 DOWN DEEP INSIDE IT'S   A DREAM OF FREEDOM. 365 00:19:38,498 --> 00:19:41,731 IT'S ABOUT WHEN I GREW UP AS   A BOY 366 00:19:41,731 --> 00:19:43,564 I WANTED TO HAVE MY OWN HORSE   AND RIDE OUT ACROSS 367 00:19:43,564 --> 00:19:45,098 THE TEXAS PLAINS AND BE FREE. 368 00:19:45,098 --> 00:19:47,931 MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY CELEBRATES THE HEARTLAND IN BOTH 369 00:19:47,931 --> 00:19:51,664 HIS MUSIC AND IN THE WAY HE LIVES HIS LIFE. 370 00:19:51,664 --> 00:19:53,698 I'M A LYRICIST. 371 00:19:53,698 --> 00:19:59,064 TO ME WRITING ABOUT AMERICA IS ABOUT WRITING ABOUT THE LAND. 372 00:19:59,064 --> 00:20:01,431 But Murphy does more than write and sing about 373 00:20:01,431 --> 00:20:02,864 the land he loves. 374 00:20:02,864 --> 00:20:06,298 He works it, too, on his 140-acre ranch 375 00:20:06,298 --> 00:20:09,731 in southern Wisconsin. 376 00:20:09,731 --> 00:20:12,898 SO MICHAEL, WHY WISCONSIN? 377 00:20:12,898 --> 00:20:15,264 I'VE BEEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND I'VE SEEN 378 00:20:15,264 --> 00:20:19,164 JUST ABOUT EVERY RURAL AREA IN EVERY STATE, 379 00:20:19,164 --> 00:20:22,898 AND THIS IS ABSOLUTELY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, MOST PRODUCTIVE LAND. 380 00:20:22,898 --> 00:20:25,931 It's also where his wife Karen is from . 381 00:20:25,931 --> 00:20:28,864 And the roles women like Karen play on the family farm 382 00:20:28,864 --> 00:20:53,798 find a place in Michael's music. 383 00:20:53,798 --> 00:20:56,831 Michael, Karen and three stepdaughters make tending their 384 00:20:56,831 --> 00:20:59,664 ranch chores duties a real family affair. 385 00:20:59,664 --> 00:21:04,798 From handling hay to saddling up the horses  to 386 00:21:04,798 --> 00:21:08,531 tending the cattle, this is a working ranch in every sense of 387 00:21:08,531 --> 00:21:19,131 the word, and proof that Murphey lives what he sings. 388 00:21:19,131 --> 00:21:22,364 MURPHY'S LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS BEGAN AT AN EARLY AGE. 389 00:21:22,364 --> 00:21:25,898 BORN AND RAISED IN DALLAS, THIS CITY BOY SPENT HIS SUMMERS 390 00:21:25,898 --> 00:21:28,798 ON HIS UNCLE'S AND HIS GRANDFATHER'S RANCHES. HE SLEPT 391 00:21:28,798 --> 00:21:32,364 UNDER THE STARS, LISTENING TO THE STORIES AND HEARING THE 392 00:21:32,364 --> 00:21:37,531 COWBOY STORIES FROM THE MEN WHO LOVED THE LAND. 393 00:21:37,531 --> 00:21:40,398 BUT I DID GROW UP IN THE CITY. I WOULDN'T GO BACK. 394 00:21:40,398 --> 00:21:41,898 I WOULDN'T CHANGE THE WAY I GREW UP. 395 00:21:41,898 --> 00:21:44,798 I GOT A CITY EDUCATION AND A COUNTRY EDUCATION, 396 00:21:44,798 --> 00:21:48,064 and I wouldn't trade for either one of them. 397 00:21:48,064 --> 00:21:50,764 And those dual environments for the cowboy crooner 398 00:21:50,764 --> 00:21:53,398 are what drive Murphey today. 399 00:21:53,398 --> 00:21:56,098 I GUESS THAT'S WHAT'S MADE ME AN ADVOCATE FOR RHANCHERS 400 00:21:56,098 --> 00:22:00,498 AND FARMERS BECAUSE IN THEM I SEE SO MUCH WISDOM, 401 00:22:00,498 --> 00:22:11,398 SO MUCH WE NEED TO KNOW..SO MUCH OUR CULTURE CAN LEARN. 402 00:22:11,398 --> 00:22:14,031 Murphey was part of the progressive country music scene 403 00:22:14,031 --> 00:22:17,131 that evolved out of Austin in the early 1970s. 404 00:22:17,131 --> 00:22:19,631 His songs about the great American West have garnered 405 00:22:19,631 --> 00:22:23,131 many awards over the years and prompted him to create a number 406 00:22:23,131 --> 00:22:25,964 of festivals and theme shows like the popular 407 00:22:25,964 --> 00:22:28,864 Cowboy Christmas show he performs around the country 408 00:22:28,864 --> 00:22:34,498 every year. 409 00:22:34,498 --> 00:22:37,431 Murphey's music isn't influenced by popular trends, 410 00:22:37,431 --> 00:22:47,131 but rather, by his surroundings and what's in his  heart. 411 00:22:47,131 --> 00:22:50,131 TO ME THAT'S A MELODY THAT I HEARD TODAY WHEN I WAS 412 00:22:50,131 --> 00:22:52,431 OUT ON THE LAND. 413 00:22:52,431 --> 00:22:54,764 REALLY? SO IT JUST CAME TO YOU? 414 00:22:54,764 --> 00:22:59,498 IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A HYMN AND A LITTLE BIT OF A BALLAD, 415 00:22:59,498 --> 00:23:05,498 BUT TO ME IT PAINTS THE PICTURE OF THE KIDS OUT THERE WORKING 416 00:23:05,498 --> 00:23:09,298 AND THE PARENTS BEING PROUD and bragging and having this real 417 00:23:09,298 --> 00:23:12,431 deep spiritual feeling that I'm passing this on 418 00:23:12,431 --> 00:23:14,231 to another generation. 419 00:23:14,231 --> 00:23:17,064 Family and friends, like farming, are near and dear 420 00:23:17,064 --> 00:23:19,498 to Murphey's heart, and at the end of the day 421 00:23:19,498 --> 00:23:22,331 he likes nothing better than to hold a little jam session 422 00:23:22,331 --> 00:23:25,398 around the fire. 423 00:23:25,398 --> 00:23:29,131 It's here that we were treated to the tunes that 424 00:23:29,131 --> 00:23:31,231 made him famous and to a little snippet of 425 00:23:31,231 --> 00:23:34,764 the America's Heartland theme song he wrote for this program. 426 00:24:11,831 --> 00:24:15,498 Michael Martin Murphey was riding horses at age six, 427 00:24:15,498 --> 00:24:18,364 performing with his "Lost River Trio" in high school, 428 00:24:18,364 --> 00:24:21,898 and had his own TV show at age 18. 429 00:24:21,898 --> 00:24:25,198 But Murphey says he has a "Monkee" to thank 430 00:24:25,198 --> 00:24:26,531 for his big break. 431 00:24:26,531 --> 00:24:30,531 Former bandmate and fellow Texan Mike Nesmith joined the foursome 432 00:24:30,531 --> 00:24:32,864 that became a 60's phenomenon - and recorded 433 00:24:32,864 --> 00:24:36,031 one of Murphey's songs. 434 00:24:36,031 --> 00:24:37,731 We very much appreciate your taking the time 435 00:24:37,731 --> 00:24:39,831 to join us today, and we hope you'll come along with us 436 00:24:39,831 --> 00:24:43,364 next time when we discover more great farms, families, 437 00:24:43,364 --> 00:24:47,098 and their fascinating stories. in America's Heartland. 438 00:24:47,098 --> 00:24:48,431 I'm Paul Ryan.. 439 00:24:48,431 --> 00:24:51,364 see you next time. 440 00:24:51,364 --> 00:24:53,898 To learn more about this edition of America's Heartland, 441 00:24:53,898 --> 00:24:56,631 or to give us your feedback, visit 442 00:24:56,631 --> 00:24:59,731 americasheartland - dot - org. 443 00:24:59,731 --> 00:25:01,664 To order a copy of this broadcast, 444 00:25:01,664 --> 00:25:07,864 visit us online or call 1-888-814-3923. 445 00:25:07,864 --> 00:25:28,464 The cost is 14.95 plus shipping. 446 00:25:28,464 --> 00:25:34,398 ♪ You can see it in the eyes of every woman and man ♪ 447 00:25:34,398 --> 00:25:40,431 ♪ an America's Heartland living close to the land. ♪ 448 00:25:40,431 --> 00:25:46,431 ♪ There's a love for the country and a pride in the brand♪ 449 00:25:46,431 --> 00:25:59,698 ♪ in America's Heartland living close, close to the land. ♪ 450 00:25:59,698 --> 00:26:03,464 America's Heartland is made possible by. 451 00:26:03,464 --> 00:26:08,898 They make up a small part of our population. 452 00:26:08,898 --> 00:26:11,864 But have a huge impact on our lives. 453 00:26:11,864 --> 00:26:14,798 They take business risks that few others would tolerate 454 00:26:14,798 --> 00:26:16,998 all on our behalf. 455 00:26:16,998 --> 00:26:22,131 They're American farmers who feed, fuel and clothe the world. 456 00:26:22,131 --> 00:26:25,864 Monsanto would like to recognize them for all they do, 457 00:26:25,864 --> 00:26:29,531 for the rest of us, because ultimately our success 458 00:26:29,531 --> 00:26:33,764 and everyone else's depends on theirs 459 00:26:33,764 --> 00:26:36,664 and by the American Farm Bureau Federation 460 00:26:36,664 --> 00:26:40,098 - the voice of agriculture.