The Planted Row: The Green Sheet relies on readers

For 52 years the Farm Forum has recorded agricultural life on the Northern Plains. With the help of our community, we have covered events small and large. Through the words of the people who lived it, our region’s agricultural history lies in the pages of The Green Sheet.

It’s called the Farm Forum because that’s exactly what it is — a discussion forum for our farming world. It’s not just a newspaper; it’s a place where you can go to find out what your neighbors are doing and what other farmers are doing across the world. Through your paper, we are connecting you with every aspect of agricultural business and life. In our pages, you can see points of view expressed from multiple sides of ag issues, so that you can stay better informed on the debates that shape our world.

If you need hay or you need a good piece of equipment, you need look no further than our pages or our website. If you want to know the latest in ultra-modern farming techniques or get great recommendations from Extension professionals, just open the good ol’ Green Sheet. If you want to know when and where the next farm meeting is taking place, just reach for the nearest Farm Forum.

Every week, we bring the farming world to your doorstep.

If we’re going to continue to do this, we will need your help. As most of you know, the Farm Forum is a free publication enjoyed by roughly 100,000 readers each week across the Midwest. Since 1966 the Farm Forum has been funded in part by the very people who read it every week by volunteering money to help offset delivery expenses. Every year we send out requester cards asking for your help. Even if you filled out a form last year, (it makes no difference if you sent it in January or July) we ask that you return one EACH calendar year. The U.S. Postal Service requires that we receive returned requester cards to maintain our status as a requester publication, which allows us to mail your paper to you at a discounted rate. With increased postal rates, it is paramount that we receive those returned cards. Otherwise, we may be forced to reduce our mail distribution.

The Green Sheet is trying to get a little “greener” by asking our readers to go online to fill out their requester cards. It’s safe, easy and will save on the number of cards we send out in the mail. To request your Farm Forum online, visit www.farmforum.net/request.

This online option really is the easiest and quickest way to respond. You can save money on a postage stamp, and this is the only option to donate with a debit or credit card.

A regular mailing will still take place in February or March, but hopefully, we will be able to forego a substantial list of people that have already filled out the requester online, so please visit our website and respond by Jan. 31.

If you are unable to visit our website and request the Farm Forum, we have included the requester form below this column. You can cut it out, fill out the information, sign and date the form, and return it to the Farm Forum at PO Box 4430, Aberdeen, SD, 57402-4430.

Whether you are a casual reader, advertising partner or a long-time reader, we are asking for your help. Your requester card will make a huge difference, so please go online and fill out the form today. We are confident our family of readers will once again help the Farm Forum reach its goals.