by Sanne Kure-Jensen
For decades, families and students have visited Shelburne Farms to connect with animals, meet farmers and learn about the natural environment. After attending a program, families often enjoy a casual stroll across the extensive grounds. Many visit the farm’s gift shop to pick up some farmhouse cheddar cheese. Guests at the Inn at Shelburne Farms’ public restaurant can enjoy farm-raised organic produce, site-baked breads and pastries or grass-fed meats.
More than 3,600 members provides a strong base of support for the nonprofit organization, while its team of 17 educators offer programs from on-farm field trips to summer camps, preschool programs and year-round events. The various programs reach over 24,000 children each year. Continue reading
Author Archives: Lee Publications
Checking in on Oregon Dairy’s Family Farm Days
by Steve Wagner
There are perfect days for certain events, the kind of days people pray for to ward off rain and make it not too hot, when children and adults can have a good time and get an education as well. Oregon Dairy, located not far from the outskirts of Lancaster, PA, is one of those farms that always seem to be at the vanguard of agricultural issues, hosting seminars, earning awards, and being a good neighbor as well as a good steward of the land.
At Oregon Dairy’s Family Farm Days, the farm resembles an amusement park with heavy ag overtones. A lot of young people exercised their curiosity and their appetites. If a youth was genuinely interested in the farming process, having had no other exposure to it other than videos or reading material, a visit to Oregon is a wonderful primer. Farming is a challenge today, not only because of its inherent problems but now there are political adversities as well. However, it takes that kind of spirit to approach farming, particularly dairy farming, with realistic expectations. Continue reading
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Sipe Angus uses Wye genetics to breed cattle to thrive on fescue
by Karl H. Kazaks
CLAREMONT, NC — Randy Sipe’s career as a cattleman has seen many twists and turns — even an upheaval or two. But Sipe has finally settled on an approach to creating cattle which looks to be his crowning achievement as a breeder.
For the past 15 years he’s been using the line-bred, moderate-framed, flat-patterned Wye Angus cattle as a basis for a registered herd he’s building in North Carolina’s piedmont. He trying to build the same types of cattle found in the classic Wye line, with one exception: he is also selecting for cattle which perform on fescue.
“In the Southeast we’re always going to have fescue,” Sipe said, “and our goal is to improve cattle to adapt to fescue.” Continue reading
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New York Farm Bureau President’s statement on Senate passage of Immigration reform
“Today’s (June 27) passage of comprehensive immigration reform is a major milestone for New York’s farmers. It addresses critical short and long term needs that will better provide a stable workforce on our farms. Those needs include allowing employees who are already skilled and working in this state to stay here and eventually obtain legal status. It’s gratifying to see the hard work New York Farm Bureau has demonstrated on behalf of our farm families result in real movement on this issue for the first time in years. Continue reading