The 20 Month Year: The Farmer's Perspective

Every pea, lentil, dry bean or chickpea producer should proudly eat what they grow. That simple act is the secret to making sure the pulses shipped from your farm meet the needs of home-makers in Bogota and New Delhi; soup makers in New York City; five star restaurants in London; and canners in Spain. It is the secret to building a long term relationship between your farm and children all over the world who will grow up eating the food you produce and proudly eat. Knowing whether you grow food or feed helps focus your marketing efforts. “The 20-Month Year” helps bring discipline to that effort. Movement heat maps help you understand the times when demand is most likely to peak. Price heat maps show you the rhythm that exists within and between marketing years. Deciles give a direct answer of just how good today’s prices are in relation to the history of the crop. Support and resistance calculations make it possible to figure out the current trading range for prices. These are tools which help answer some of the questions farmers ask most often. When is demand hottest? Are today’s prices any good? Is waiting until next season riskier than selling now?