TechTalk

Issue 8
June 1997

Tech Talk

by Kris Versdahl

Library
Home

E-Mail

Back

Prairie Grains is the
official publication of
the Minnesota
Association of
Wheat Growers,
North Dakota Grain
Growers Association,
South Dakota Wheat,
Inc., and the
Minnesota Barley
Growers Association.

A wealth of ag-related information resides on the Internet. However, finding the time to find what you need, when you need it, can be a formidable task. At this web site, we sift through the net and bring you the information we believe may be most useful to you. Beginning with this issue of "Prairie Grains" we'll also provide web site reviews, and other technical information you can put to work in your farming operation.

MARKETS
Each of the commodity exchanges offer pricing information on the internet - Minneapolis at www.mgex.com, Chicago at www.cbot.com and Kansas City at www.kcbt.com. But if it's difficult to find the time to log on to the net during the day, consider a nifty new service from a company called Mercury Mail. At the end of each trading day, they'll e-mail you closing market commentary and the CBOT prices for wheat, corn, soybeans and oats. Best of all, the service is FREE. To subscribe, go to www.merc.com. Then access the stocks page and then the Closing Bell page. You'll have to give them your e-mail address (how else will they send you the report?), and then you'll be presented with a menu of stock reports to choose from. The reports usually arrive in your e-mail box between 6 and 7 p.m. each trading day.
TFC Commodity Charts is another free service available to growers. The site - www.tfc-charts.w2d.com- provides access to daily, weekly and monthly wheat charts for Chicago, Kansas City and Minneapolis.

WEATHER INFO
For up-to-the-minute weather information, visit the Fargo Forum's Weather Site - www.in-forum.com/weather/radar.htm. The site includes links to the local Doppler with radar images of eastern ND and northwest MN, and the regional Doppler with radar images covering the midwestern United States.
Growing degree days, soil and air temperature maps, and rainfall totals are available through NDAWN (the North Dakota Ag Weather Network) at:
www.ext.nodak.edu/homepages/regeberg/ndawn/. The site includes data for each of the local weather stations across North Dakota, and NW Minnesota.

WHEAT PRODUCTION
For current information on fertilization, weed control, diseases and pests check out the Wheat Production site maintained by Minnesota's Small Grain Specialist Jochum Wiersma - www.smallgrains.org/tech.htm. Wheat production information can also be accessed from the Minnesota Extension Service at www.mes.umn.edu, NDSU Extension at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu, and SDSU at www.ces.sdstate.edu/indexnf. Htm.

ASK TECH-TALK
We welcome your ideas and questions. Your input will help us formulate ideas for future Tech-Talk articles. Call us at 1-800-242-6118 or send an e-mail to krisver@redlakefalls.polaristel.net.

HELP!
If you're new to the Internet and aren't sure what a lot of the terms we referenced in this article mean, pay a visit to your local county extension office. Most have Internet access and are willing to show you how to use the service. n

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
June 1997

Issue 8 June 1997	Tech Talk by Kris Versdahl

Library Home E-Mail Back Prairie Grains is the official publication of the Minnesota Association of Wheat Growers, North Dakota Grain Growers Association, South Dakota Wheat, Inc., and the Minnesota Barley Growers Association.	A wealth of ag-related information resides on the Internet. However, finding the time to find what you need, when you need it, can be a formidable task. At this web site, we sift through the net and bring you the information we believe may be most useful to you. Beginning with this issue of "Prairie Grains" we'll also provide web site reviews, and other technical information you can put to work in your farming operation. MARKETS Each of the commodity exchanges offer pricing information on the internet - Minneapolis at www.mgex.com, Chicago at www.cbot.com and Kansas City at www.kcbt.com. But if it's difficult to find the time to log on to the net during the day, consider a nifty new service from a company called Mercury Mail. At the end of each trading day, they'll e-mail you closing market commentary and the CBOT prices for wheat, corn, soybeans and oats. Best of all, the service is FREE. To subscribe, go to www.merc.com. Then access the stocks page and then the Closing Bell page. You'll have to give them your e-mail address (how else will they send you the report?), and then you'll be presented with a menu of stock reports to choose from. The reports usually arrive in your e-mail box between 6 and 7 p.m. each trading day. TFC Commodity Charts is another free service available to growers. The site - www.tfc-charts.w2d.com- provides access to daily, weekly and monthly wheat charts for Chicago, Kansas City and Minneapolis. WEATHER INFO For up-to-the-minute weather information, visit the Fargo Forum's Weather Site - www.in-forum.com/weather/radar.htm. The site includes links to the local Doppler with radar images of eastern ND and northwest MN, and the regional Doppler with radar images covering the midwestern United States. Growing degree days, soil and air temperature maps, and rainfall totals are available through NDAWN (the North Dakota Ag Weather Network) at: www.ext.nodak.edu/homepages/regeberg/ndawn/. The site includes data for each of the local weather stations across North Dakota, and NW Minnesota. WHEAT PRODUCTION For current information on fertilization, weed control, diseases and pests check out the Wheat Production site maintained by Minnesota's Small Grain Specialist Jochum Wiersma - www.smallgrains.org/tech.htm. Wheat production information can also be accessed from the Minnesota Extension Service at www.mes.umn.edu, NDSU Extension at www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu, and SDSU at www.ces.sdstate.edu/indexnf. Htm. ASK TECH-TALK We welcome your ideas and questions. Your input will help us formulate ideas for future Tech-Talk articles. Call us at 1-800-242-6118 or send an e-mail to krisver@redlakefalls.polaristel.net. HELP! If you're new to the Internet and aren't sure what a lot of the terms we referenced in this article mean, pay a visit to your local county extension office. Most have Internet access and are willing to show you how to use the service. n
Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine June 1997

Tech Talk

Copyright Prairie Grains Magazine June 1997

Copyright Prairie
Grains Magazine
June 1997