Mid Atlantic Archives - Country Folks

Basic first aid tips for horsekeepers

Lee Newspapers2020-01-23T11:16:57-05:00January 23, 2020|Eastern Edition, Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition|

It was a dark, cold Sunday evening just a couple weeks ago and the horses were late coming home from their pasture to the barn for the night. I had their feed, water and hay all ready and was just getting a spare lead rope and flashlight to head out and see where they were when they appeared in the back paddock and headed into the barn. My relief was momentary, as I immediately noticed that Sabrina, my elder mare, seemed to be bleeding profusely from above her eye. I called my husband to come into the barn to help and was prepared to call the veterinarian if necessary, but decided first to calm down, take a deep breath and assess the situation. I put Morgan, our other mare, in her stall where she was happily occupied with eating and didn’t mind being closed in so I could attend to Sabrina. (more…)

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The quickly growing Brown Creek Creamery

Lee Newspapers2020-01-23T11:13:56-05:00January 23, 2020|Mid Atlantic|

by Enrico Villamaino

Speed and patience may not seem to go hand in hand. For one man, a lifetime in one career demanded the former, but a more recently discovered calling necessitates a great deal of the latter. (more…)

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Expanding for heifer housing

Lee Newspapers2020-01-23T09:17:44-05:00January 23, 2020|Mid Atlantic|

by Sally Colby

When a large dairy farm is scrambling to find space for a significant population of animals, the best solution is likely to be a new building – or buildings. That’s the case for Teabow Farms, owned and operated by the Stup family. (more…)

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Adding calcium before calving

Lee Newspapers2020-01-22T10:37:09-05:00January 21, 2020|Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly|

by Courtney Llewellyn

Most consumers know that milk products are a good source of calcium in their diets. What many may not know (but farmers do) is that dairy cows also need calcium added to their diets, especially before calving and during the transition to lactation. A new study led by Dr. Phil Cardoso found that calcium added to acidified prepartum diets for dairy cows can improve several postpartum issues including lower rates of uterine infection and a quicker return to ovulation. (more…)

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Dean Foods bankruptcy shakes up dairy industry

Lee Newspapers2020-01-23T09:06:53-05:00January 21, 2020|Eastern Edition, Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition|

by Troy Bishopp

On Nov. 12, media outlets from around the globe sent a shockwave throughout the countryside in reporting that the largest dairy processor in America, Dean Foods Company (and substantially all of its subsidiaries), had filed for voluntary Chapter 11 reorganization proceedings in the Southern District of Texas. Dairy industry watchdog Pete Hardin, editor and publisher of the Wisconsin-based Milkweed dairy newspaper, said, “The news is jaw-dropping and is the biggest bankruptcy in dairy history.” (more…)

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Reduce bruising with careful handling

Lee Newspapers2020-01-22T10:32:29-05:00January 21, 2020|Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly|

by Sally Colby

There are almost no legitimate excuses for bruised cattle, but despite educational efforts and Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) programs, it’s still happening. (more…)

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Small ruminants: Grass to cash with goats

Lee Newspapers2020-01-23T11:40:54-05:00January 21, 2020|Eastern Edition, Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition|

by Tamara Scully

Whether you’re already grazing cattle and have marginal land or pastures needing improvement, or are seeking to graze smaller parcels of land and considering cattle, Ken Andries, small ruminant specialist at the University of Kentucky, encourages you to think about adding sheep and goats to your operation. (more…)

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Excel can keep farms organized

Lee Newspapers2020-01-22T10:31:25-05:00January 21, 2020|Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly|

by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Perhaps you’ve seen the graph paper-style screen of Microsoft Excel but didn’t realize what it could do. In a recent webinar, Shannon Dill, educator with University of Maryland Extension, presented how Excel can help ag operators better capture, organize and use information gathered from their farm business. (more…)

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Pregnant cows

Lee Newspapers2020-01-22T14:14:26-05:00January 21, 2020|Eastern Edition, Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition|

Why does pregnancy detection matter?

by Sally Colby

Because profit (or loss) of a beef cattle operation is closely tied to reproductive efficiency, producers can’t afford to guess when it comes to pregnancy detection. (more…)

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Farmers’ Breakfast: The Lancaster County influence

Lee Newspapers2020-01-21T16:06:29-05:00January 21, 2020|Mid Atlantic|

by Stephen Wagner

At State Rep. Mindy Fee’s October Farmers’ Breakfast, an event in which Lancaster County legislators bring farmers and others up to speed on what is being done in the state capitol of Pennsylvania, State Sen. Ryan Aument laid out a template for success. “We [Fee, Rep. Dave Hickernell and myself] work exceptionally well as a delegation between the House and Senate. One of the things I’ve been proud of over the years is the measure of influence that the Lancaster County delegation has had in Harrisburg. That is important not just because we’re interested in maintaining and holding onto power and leadership positions. I am privileged to serve on the Senate Leadership Team. We now have seniority, which gives a number of our members the opportunity as committee chairmen. (more…)

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Fighting back against food bullying

Lee Newspapers2020-01-23T11:20:45-05:00January 21, 2020|Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly|

by Courtney Llewellyn

If you are still tacking New Year’s resolutions to your list, consider helping to stop the issue of food bullying. The issue is an epidemic, according to Michele Payn, founder of Cause Matters Corp., a company which focuses on addressing food myths, developing science communication and connecting farm to food, and author of the recently released “Food Bullying: How to Avoid Buying B.S.” (more…)

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The regulatory aspect

Lee Newspapers2020-01-23T09:12:11-05:00January 21, 2020|Mid Atlantic, Western Edition|

by Stephen Wagner

Do you remember crop insurance of yesteryear? In the early days, the concept had to be a hard sell, and then re-sold the following year. Farmers annually had to be talked into buying crop insurance, and found themselves trying to come up with reasons to buy it, playing the odds of natural disasters avoiding their farms during those years. That segued into the cost of doing business to the point where most farmers buy it now as a matter of course, factoring in those costs. (more…)

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