Writing for Successful Farming Magazine

I've been writing for Successful Farming since 2006, and I enjoy every minute of it. It makes me think strategically about how the 500,000 readers of SF should be positioning their farm businesses. This is an awesome responsibility because of the large impact I have on many farmers' profits and livelihoods. I take this very seriously.

Writing for SF is different than writing my newsletter. First of all, the time between writing the magazine article and the time it hits your mailbox can be a month or more. As a result, I think strategy. I really focus on my long-term charts and historic price data. It makes me step back and look at "big picture" fundamentals. This is good for me as a trader and advisor, because in today's markets, it's too easy to get caught up in minute-to-minute price action on my quote screens. Writing for SF pushes me to step back and put together a long-term plan that isn't swayed by market noise.

In contrast, I don't put the final edits on my weekly newsletter until about an hour before it hits your email inbox, and the daily Updates have only about a 15-minute time lag. But that writing is focused on actions to make that day, or that week. There's not much time to explain the 'why'.

Another difference between writing for SF or my newsletter: The readers. When I first started writing my newsletter in 1974, most of my subscribers were from southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. I knew them all by name, and shook their hands when I gave seminars in their local Legion Halls, restaurants, and church basements. If I wrote something they liked--or didn't like--they would pick up the phone and tell me, or write me a letter (I recall postage was 8 cents or so).

Now, I get emails from Successful Farming readers in towns I've never heard of, or meet them at national conferences. I've heard from readers who have saved every one of my SF articles, and readers who have taped up an article at their elevator, or their bank. Let me tell you, when I hear something like that, I am reminded again how important it is to work hard on my SF articles. I'm also reminded that what I write can help my readers become more successful. Here's one of the favorite comments I got, from a reader in Michigan:

"I love reading your articles. You've changed the way I think. I don't get nearly as nervous about the markets as I used to."

That makes me very proud! Anxiety is one of the worst barriers to good marketing, and if I can help you simply stay calm in these wild, volatile markets, then that's a good start.

I welcome your questions and suggestions for articles. You can call our office at 888-345-2855, email us, or type in a question during one of my webinars.