Vision Farms, Inc. video

9 years ago

It has been a struggle, but a rewarding struggle.

We need to hear your ideas. Don't be bashful, come on now...
Here is a short video about the last few years.

It is time for us to expand once again. We need a good corn picker. Please pass it around. There may be one in the weeds near your place. If the price is right, we will buy it.

Thanks for all the great advice and moral support.

Wish us luck. We need it.

Johnny

PS We will be cutting seed potatoes and planting Feb. 18. We expect about 20,000 pounds this year. I hope you get your share too.

Featured Answer

Okiedawn OK Zone 7

9 years ago

Johnny,

It is an awesome video and I feel like it totally captures what y'all are doing there at Vision Farms. Seeing your organization and its efforts captured so beautifully on the video made me so happy for you that it brought tears to my eyes. I know I always tell you this, but I mean it from the heart---I am so proud of you, your group and everything that you do. It makes me so proud to be an Oklahoman. The music is incredible. I love how it is upbeat and tells the story so well.

I am completely in awe of everything.....every single square foot of soil y'all cultivate, the beautiful fields of crops, the bountiful harvests, the donations of food to so many worthy organizations, and, especially, the expressions on people's faces in the photos. I see so much joy, gratitude, kindness, friendliness, caring, sharing, and it all is topped off by the faces of the kids. I love seeing them with those big grins from ear to ear, whether they are planting, harvesting, carving pumpkins, helping to prepare meals or learning how to grind corn into meal. I also found the photos of the breakfast so meaningful, and the fundraiser dinner set up there in the road was just awesome!

Always and forever, I want nothing but the best for all of you. I've always known that angels walk among us on this earth, but until you came along with Vision Farms, I never realized that angels drive tractors, plant potatoes, can those potatoes and teach canning classes, and grind corn, using it as a lesson to teach kids where their food comes from. How can any child ever look at cornbread the same way once they've learned that you have to take the corn and grind it before you can make the bread? You are teaching them such an important lesson about where food comes from, and more than that....you are teaching folks that they can feed themselves. The angels among us here on this earth who work at Vision Farms have captured a forever place in my heart and soul.

If I lived at your end of the state, I'd be out at the farm every day until you got tired of seeing me and sent me home to tend my own garden. Since I don't live anywhere close to you, just know that I am cheering you on from afar, each and every day, through all the ups and downs.

Dawn

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Comments (13)

hazelinok
9 years ago
Cool video, Johnny.

A few weeks ago, my son went to an overnight BD party at St. Francis of the Woods. He was pretty impressed with the place and sent several pics to me. Part of your farm is there, right?
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Johnny Coleman
9 years ago
hazelinok,

Yes, we have been using the front two acres at the main facility and we are now using ten acres a mile North of there. It has been such a wonderful experience. The director there (Brad) has been wonderful. Gary and Eugene have been very helpful too. They are the strings that hold that place together.

Dawn,

I sincerely hope to see other small farms start up in Oklahoma. We are prepared to give them a helping hand.

Please plant an extra row in your garden for donation to your local food bank. You may be helping to feed an angel.

Johnny
hazelinok
9 years ago
Johnny, My son really liked Brad. He is a sort of mentor and family friend to the BD boy.

Anyway...so happy for people like you in the world. I hope to become more like you.
Johnny Coleman
9 years ago
hazelinok,

Teach someone to read. Teach someone to garden. Plant an extra row for others who need some love. You will receive much more than you give.

Johnny
authereray
9 years ago
Johnny Coleman,

Your farther North than I am, I was wondering. is there a reason for planting your potatoes on Feb. 18 ? Do they ever get frozen, planting so early ?
Johnny Coleman
9 years ago
authereray,

Good question. I have had one potato crop that was frozen to the ground five times and still made a crop. We basically quarter the seed potatoes and plant them 12" apart at about 3" depth. The soil is loose over the potato pieces and the rows are 48" apart. We plant them so far apart because they may have to struggle to find water.

We plant early for a few reasons. 1. Sometimes we can get them out of the ground before the CPBs realize lunch is served. 2. An early crop guarantees an enthusiastic reception from our customers (both paying and donation). 3. When you plant early, and you get a warm Spring, you get a longer growing season. That is always a good thing because the wire worms damage our potatoes if we leave them in the ground after it heats up. 4. There are few other things to be done in the garden that time of year so the timing is good for a large project.

There are other reasons I can't think of right now. What it boils down to is, we do what we can to improve our chances of success. Every crop we plant MIGHT fail.

Here is an article about wire worms. http://cropwatch.unl.edu/potato/wire_worm

Johnny
authereray
9 years ago
Johnny Coleman,

How did your corn turn out?
Johnny Coleman
9 years ago
authereray,

Not as good as the last couple of years. There was a lot of water stress (no rain for weeks) and there was no protection from the South wind. I believe we got less than a ton from an acre. However, we have plenty of seed for next year and we will be able to supplement our chicken feed.

We had a lot of mold (aflatoxin?) this year.

How was yours this year?

Johnny
luvncannin
9 years ago
Johnny you have inspired me again to plant more than I need and share with my community. Thank you for all you do in your corner.

Kim
Johnny Coleman
9 years ago
Good. Spread the love. You will receive much more than you give.

Johnny
authereray
9 years ago
Johnny Coleman,

Wind is the enemy of corn. When it blows in the late spring and summer it can burn corn up in a matter of days. I don't plant but 8 short rows of sweet corn but it made well enough for my purpose. I used to get a lot of mold when I tried to save seed back. I don't know why, I guess I didn't take good enough care of my seed.
Johnny Coleman
9 years ago
authereray,

I believe our problem was so severe this year because our corn went for weeks without water AND there was a lot of wind constantly drying it. Water stress is a well known cause for aflatoxin. However, there may be other causes that I am unaware of.

We put considerable effort into choosing our seed and we are keeping it in a chest freezer for more than a week to kill any insects that may be in it.

We plan to plant about two acres of corn next May.

Johnny

PS Here is an article about aflatoxin.