Very Veteran Farmer

 Reflections and advice from a seasoned farmer.  Glen Wittenburg is 79 year-old and has been farming for what must surely feel like a century.  He started his ag life as a dairyman, and grew corn for sileage. Over the years the dairy business faded but there was a local cannery so Glen stuck with raising sweet corn for them at his Gem County farm outside of Emmett, Idaho. This is his 48th season on the farm with wife Marjorie.

 He says he likes to grow field corn because he likes watching it grow…to him it's fascinating. The secret to his success is to apply fertilizer, do the best job possible irrigating it and let Mother Nature do the rest. During our conversation I found out that he’s not a fan of the latest whiz bang type of farming. “As you look back over the years, how has agriculture changed? I don’t know. I’m probably too old fashioned. Everybody’s got a computer now but me I guess.

 Each year the Gem County Farm Bureau honors long time farmers with recognition of being a Gem of Gem County. Mr. Wittenburg is one of those gems but had an answer that surprised me.  “If a young lad is sitting on your knee, would you advise him to go into farming or not?  Probably not. Seems like it gets rougher all the time. Even though we’ve got the modern technology it’s so expensive to get into it. Any advice for present day farmers? Hope for the best and expect the worst.”