Just when we thought things had turned around, the bottom falls out. And big time.

If only we were smart, we would quit pushing for yield and be satisfied with 150 bu. What a difference that would make. But, I have to remember the parable of the potato farmers.

The Parable of the Potato Farmers.

It was yet another disastrous year for potato farmers. Price were well below the cost of production for another year. A father and son had just gotten back from a meeting of the local potato farmer's group trying to solve the problem. To solve the problem, everyone would cut back 20%; there would be higher prices, and everyone would be happy. The son excitedly asked the father which field they would leave fallow that year. The father answered the son and said that they were going to plow up the whole farm and have lots of potatoes to sell because the price would be good and they would have the best year ever. Problem was, everyone else did the same thing. There were more potatoes than ever. The price was never lower. And they all went broke.

While it is only a story, that is our problem. Nobody will cut back. And the government smiles because we have cheap food.