Skip to main content

Hilger isn't your typical farmer

- See more at: http://www.grownebraska.org/blog/2015/10/hilger-isnt-your-typical-farmer/#sthash.fiSPqWje.dpuf

Hilgers
- See more at: http://www.grownebraska.org/blog/2015/10/hilger-isnt-your-typical-farmer/#sthash.fiSPqWje.dpuf
Christina Lieffring/The Columbus Telegram
Dan Hilger, left, and his son Marc stand in their sunflower patch. Hilger uses sunflowers and a mix of legumes, mustard, barley and buckwheat as cover crops.
 

BELLWOOD — After driving past corn and soybeans for miles, Dan Hilger’s fields of sunflowers are a refreshing change of scenery.
Nestled under the yellow canopy, the field near Bellwood also hosts a mix of barley, mustard, buckwheat, radishes and various beans.
This is the first year he's grown sunflowers, but Hilger always has been eager to experiment, both with cover and cash crops. In fact, he’s managed to make a living doing things a little differently.
More than two decades ago, he tried to grow potatoes, but the selling price was low and the window for sales was narrow. After seven years, he gave up potatoes, but wanted to grow something natural and healthy for human consumption.
He decided to try popcorn since the market was more stable and it could be easily stored. Hilger grew and bagged his popcorn and started selling it at local grocery stores. Two decades later, he still personally sells his popcorn to area stores but also has a distributor for Lincoln and Omaha. Stores tell him he sells more than other brands, even national brands like Orville Redenbacher's.
“A lot of people tell us we have the best-tasting popcorn,” said Hilger.
The popcorn seeds aren't genetically modified, and Hilger only uses probiotics, cover crops and fertilizer on his corn.
“I was into all that healthy stuff before it was cool,” Hilger said. “But at 69, I’m glad I looked after my health.”
He rotates popcorn with soybeans, which are his two main sources of income. Hilger earns a little from harvesting the rye he also uses as a cover crop for its allelopathic chemicals that inhibit weed growth.
His sunflower, barley, mustard, buckwheat, radish and bean mixture has attracted a plethora of insects. Each sunflower houses at least a handful of ladybugs, and bees are so prevalent one of Hilger’s beekeeping neighbors left a trailer of hives by the patch, hoping to collect whatever honey the bees produce.
“Diversity gets you all kinds of benefits versus monoculture,” Hilger said.
He may be able to sell the sunflower seeds to sunflower oil processors, depending on if the seeds fully develop before the frost. And he said he’ll see if any of his neighbors who raise cattle want to graze on the barley, radishes and buckwheat.
Hilger’s goal with his cover crops is to not only improve the health of the soil and use natural methods to manage weeds and pests, but also maximize the use of his land. He pointed out that the typical corn-bean rotation leaves ground barren six to eight months a year.
“For many years, the big push has been for us to farm more and more acres each year,” he said. “With the current low grain prices, we have to be more efficient to survive.”

Originally posted by the Columbus Telegram.

Available at BuyNebraska.com: Shop Now. 


- See more at: http://www.grownebraska.org/blog/2015/10/hilger-isnt-your-typical-farmer/#sthash.fiSPqWje.dpuf
- See more at: http://www.grownebraska.org/blog/2015/10/hilger-isnt-your-typical-farmer/#sthash.fiSPqWje.dpuf

Popular posts from this blog

2023 Business Plan: Snap and Boost Program Holds First Graduation

  2023 Graduating Business Plan: Snap And Boost Class Omaha, Nebraska- On March 28 th  GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center celebrated an amazing group of Entrepreneurs as the first graduating Class of Business Plan: Snap & Boost 2023 and the organization couldn’t be prouder! This year, Cohort 1 was made up of individuals representing businesses in the industries of Transportation, Technology, Home Care, Childcare and Food Services. Each Entrepreneur completed this 6-week training program not only gaining knowledge and tools but also completed Business Plans. The program also went through and recognized many students, with awards such as  Best Student of The Cohort, Trail Blazer Award – First Male in Snap & Boost,  and  Team Lead The Justice League Award. The winner of  The Best Student Award  Alecia Steed with Busy Vegan   states, ” Busy Vegan started as an idea formulated in my mind that I continue to strive each day to make a reality. ...

College Trip to Peru Sparks World-Changing Nebraska Soap Business

Six years ago, Andrew Vrbas was a budget-strapped college student making soap in his college apartment. He had an idea for a business that would help change the lives of people around the world. After just five years in business, his Pacha Soap Co™ enterprise is already doing that. The business that he and his wife, Abi, started in Hastings in 2013 has donated 3.4 million bars of soap to people in developing countries, has created 256 jobs in Nebraska and around the world, has provided 74,078 children with hand-washing education and has created wells to provide 4,000 people with clean water. And in 2017, Whole Foods honored Pacha Soap with its 2017 Supplier of the Year award. It all started with Andrew’s 2010 trip to Peru. “As a junior in college, I didn’t know that a trip to volunteer for others would ignite a life change in me,” Andrew said. “My trip took me to Peru, South America, to volunteer at a local school and then later on, a local constructio...

Holiday Ham with Riesling and Mustard Glaze

Looking for a last minute Easter dinner recipe? We've got you covered with this simple, delicious Holiday Ham with Riesling and Mustard Glaze recipe. It will leave your guests coming back for seconds! Today we will be featuring   Buzz Savories Spicy Beer Mustard ,   Honey , and   Honey Mustard ! We would also like to give a shout out to   Buzz Savories   for this amazing recipe!  Created in Holdrege, Nebraska, Buzz Savories features top of the line mustards. Spicy Beer Mustard and Honey Mustard are gourmet mustards that are a must-have in your household. Buzz Savories creates exceptional mustard that you will leave you wanting more. Betty, pictured above, is the proud owner of many bee hives. She started this journey just trying to find a hobby after retiring. This led her to venture into bee keeping, and finding something to do with her excess honey!  👇  Check out her recipe below!   👇 Ingredients:  1   2# or up to 14# ...