1. Describe the steps you will need to do to complete your project.
My first step will be to find a project i can enjoy, understand in time, and one suitable for the needs of my senior project.
I then will need to find a mentor that is suitable for my project, and would be able to help me understand and fulfill all of the tasks i will need to complete my project successfully.
After i find my mentor i will attend marketing seminars to understand and improve my knowledge of commodities. This will help me understand my topic so i can start the steps i need to to successfully complete my project.
To start my product i will have to find out how many bushels of corn i will be planting in my 66 acre field.
Next i will be needing to figure out how many bushels of that corn i will be comfortable selling ahead of time so i know that i will be able to get this many bushels out of my total for sure. So i wont sell more than i produce. My crop insurance will also help cover 75 percent of my crop that i planted. My APH will play into my coverage as well.
The sale of the total production divided into three different time periods with a third of the production being sold at each of those time periods. With different strategies involved in each of those sales.
The first sale will be made in June of 2012 selling short the December 2012 futures contract. With the idea that during the harvest that first third of production will be put into the bin buying back the December 2012 contract and selling the july 2013 contract with the basis being set at the same time as delivery in July of 2013. That will complete the sale of the first third of the production.
The next sale will be of the second third of production. Which will be in September of 2012, by selling the December 2012 future contract to be delivered at harvest. The second third of the production could vary depending on the yield of the corn. This being more than one third with good yields or being less than one third with poor yields, with those yields being estimated in September. With basis being locked in September.
The last third of production will be put into the bin at harvest unpriced. With futures and basis to be priced in May of 2013 with delivery at the same time.
After i have completed my project i will gather all my information i have kept through the process and be able to use that to show you how much i have learned in this project. I will show you in my presentation how much i have learned and how it will affect me for the rest of my life.
This is my rough draft for my steps i have envisioned so far.
2. What subject(s) or topic(s) do you expect to learn about through your experience?
I will learn about commodities and learn how to sell my own grain i already have. I before i grown my own crops just like i will be doing in the project, but my main topic and project will be over selling that grain, something i have never done before in my life. I will be able to communicate and learn with professional AG company. I am exited to learn how to sell my own grain for the first time in my life. I will be able to use this in my future as a farmer. It is something i will need to learn and i thought this project would be the perfect opportunity for it. I will have much to learn and i will have to spend much time not just to complete my project but to actually learn how to sell my corn on the futures. It will be a great learning experience.
3. What skills or understanding will you develop and/or demonstrate?
I will learn many new skills and understanding of selling commodities on the futures. This will teach me so much not just for my project but i will be able to use these skills for the rest of my life in my farming career. I hope to learn how to sell my commodities on the futures and be able to buy a put and call. This is a very confusing process but i will spend much time in Lavern Minnesota at the office of Professional AG marketing with my mentor Jeff.
4. What kind of product do you envision?
I will be keeping financial logs and copies of all the work i have accomplished trough my experience. My product is yet to be determined. But i promise i will find a product suitable for this project, i just have not found the right one to use so i can be sure to achieve the best possible grade i can.
My leading product i envision is to make a video of myself in a theme similar to Jim Cramer on his show Mad Money. Here i would explain step by step and why i made some of the choices and moves in my commodity. I will layout a theme and setting like Mad Money and give you the sneak peak at what i have learned in my time researching my project. I will give you the knowledge you need to know about my project and the steps i took to get there. I think i could have a lot of fun with this video.
5. Where would you look for a mentor?
I will choose a mentor that will be capable of providing help for me through this process that is very knowledgeable about commodities. I will be able to find someone appropriate from a stockbroking company. He will be a stock broker for commodities. I have one man who would be a perfect mentor for me and my project. He is a stockbroker for Professional Ag Marketing inc., Jeff Hoogendoorn. I plan on him being my stockbroker during my project and hopefully will be able to continue this throughout my experience as a farmer.
6. What do you hope to learn about yourself?
I hope to learn what i am really capable of doing not just in a regular school project like i have done for my first three years in high school, but i hope to learn new skills that i have longed to achieve that i can use for the rest of my life. This will be a giant step in my progress of taking over the farm. I have never sold my own grain before and i really hope to understand and learn the many steps in this process that i can use for the rest of my life.
7. What most excites you about your proposed Endeavor?
I am so exited to learn something that i can use for the rest of my life from a true professional like Jeff my mentor. I can use the knowledge i learn from this experience to help my farm achieve great potential and make my self money not just in this project, but i can use the information i learn in this project for the rest of my life in my career, something i will use and keep up on every day of my life. I also will be visiting the Professional AG Marketing office, this will allow me to spend time with people who research and deal with commodities every day. This has really got me exited. This wont just be a project for me, it will be a life learning experience for the rest of my career.
Timeline
Mar12, Start the planning and ideas for the senior project.
Apr12, Find a plan and get my statement of intent done(7 questions).
May12, Start our timeline and change the plans somewhat for a better sale and due to the weather.
Jun12, Over the hole summer from day to day keep an eye on the stock market pricing.
July12, Meet with my mentor about pricing and when i should be selling. Discuss my options for project further in depth.
Aug12, Create my account with Jeff and get ready to harvest and sell.
Sep12, Create my spreadsheets, prepare for harvest.
Oct12, Research paper start, combined field, pictures, videos, timelines.
Nov12, Sell my corn, settle up my stats from my harvest.
Dec12, End of dec do my projections for 2013, get my projections from 2012.
Jan13, Finances done.
Feb13, Start timelines with my mentor and finish... do a i movie or powerpoint presentation on my topic for my product, make it long!! Hard part for sure.
Mar13, Do board and finish product up to the end, and then present.
Statement of intent.
1. Describe the steps you will need to do to complete your project.
2. What subject(s) or topic(s) do you expect to learn about through your experience?
3. What skills or understanding will you develop and/or demonstrate?
4. What kind of product do you envision?
5. Where would you look for a mentor?
6. What do you hope to learn about yourself?
7. What most excites you about your proposed Endeavor?
I am so exited to learn something that i can use for the rest of my life from a true professional like Jeff my mentor. I can use the knowledge i learn from this experience to help my farm achieve great potential and make my self money not just in this project, but i can use the information i learn in this project for the rest of my life in my career, something i will use and keep up on every day of my life. I also will be visiting the Professional AG Marketing office, this will allow me to spend time with people who research and deal with commodities every day. This has really got me exited. This wont just be a project for me, it will be a life learning experience for the rest of my career.