Rippey’s rises by raising premium replacement Balancer heifers
by Karl H. Kazaks
GALAX, VA – “I want my heifer calves to be my premium product and my steers to be my commodity product,” said Gale Rippey. (more…)
by Karl H. Kazaks
GALAX, VA – “I want my heifer calves to be my premium product and my steers to be my commodity product,” said Gale Rippey. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Between thinking about crop yields, weather and commodity prices, farmers sometimes ponder the unthinkable: the possibility of a foreign disease reaching the U.S.
One such disease is foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which was in the news in the early 2000s when it hit Great Britain. Throughout that outbreak and to this day, the USDA works tirelessly to ensure that FMD and other disastrous diseases don’t enter America. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
POMPEY, NY – Palladino & Carley Farms LLC have created a successful livestock/crop growing partnership in Central New York over the years. Now, Palladino Farms is excited to announce another promising partnership – hosting Empire Farm Days again, after a 34-year hiatus. (more…)
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin
In a September webinar titled “Fall Pasture Management,” Susan Truehart Garey discussed a basic method that can be used to monitor and assess pastures in autumn. Garey is an animal science agent with University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. The tool, called the Equine Pasture Evaluation Disc (EPED), was developed by the University of Pennsylvania. While the acronym refers to equine species, the method can be applied to any pasture. (more…)
by Sally Colby
The factors that affect lamb markets and prices extend beyond what lambs are bringing at local auctions. Jim Robb, senior agricultural economist, Livestock Marketing Information Center, explained that weather conditions, forage availability, the national corn crop and the number of ewes across the nation all contribute to prices. (more…)
by Catie Joyce-Bulay
Principles and practices of organic livestock handling was the topic of a recent Farm Training Project workshop, a series of webinars put on by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
The University of Nebraska Medical Center recently held its 10th Annual Agricultural Health and Safety Course virtually. Aimed at medical and safety professionals, registrants participated over several days, gaining a solid understanding of myriad health and safety issues which impact those working in agriculture. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
A farm’s succession can be influenced by the family members involved. Practical Farmers of Iowa presented “Family Dynamics Farm & Ranch Succession Planning,” hosted by Diana Tourney of Clackamas Community College Small Business Development Center in Milwaukie, OR. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Many farmers want to pass on their land to a family member or a young farmer when they’re ready to retire. Since the cost of land, equipment and buildings is often higher than beginning farmers can afford, farmers anticipating succession should plan ahead to ensure their land goes where they want it to go. Practical Farmers of Iowa presented “Making the Land Affordable for the Next Generation of Farmers” as a recent webinar, hosted by Dale Nimrod, a farmer who has completed two succession plans, along with his attorney, Karl Knudson, and Matt Roberts, a certified financial planner in Des Moines. Sally Worley, representing Practical Farmers, emceed. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Lameness in dairy cows is a serious issue. Cows that can’t walk properly cost money in one way or another, and also present a serious welfare issue. Lame animals can easily become bullying targets of more aggressive cows, and will reduce their lying time simply because it’s difficult to recline and rise. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Compost enriches soil, helps retain moisture and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers. It also supports the growth of beneficial fungi and bacteria that break down organic matter. On-farm composting can provide a ready-to-use source of organic matter to enrich soil and feed crops. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Raising bison may sound like an easy way to raise meat animals, as bison don’t require shelter, even in northern climates; however, Martha McFarland, in a recent Practical Farmers of Iowa presentation, said that anyone interested in raising bison needs to fully understand the animals first. (more…)
by Enrico Villamaino
A farmer’s work is never done. She wears many hats, and can be called upon to act as breeder, mechanic, meteorologist, veterinarian or any combination thereof, and almost always at a moment’s notice. (more…)
by Sally Colby
When the children of John and Bonnie Hess wanted to remain on the family’s JoBo Holstein Farm in Gettysburg, PA, part of the plan included the addition of a new 500-cow freestall barn. Today, several generations of the Hess family are working on the farm, milking more than 900 cows, raising crops and caring for young stock. (more…)
by Stephen Wagner
Scott Weikert on Penn State Extension began his webinar during Pennsylvania’s Ag Progress Days by introducing his panel: Sarah Wurzbacher, forestry Extension educator; Allyson Muth, Department of Ecosystems and Management at Penn State University Park; Art Gover, Extension specialist based at University Park dealing primarily with invasive species and ventilation management; Margaret Brittingham, wildlife specialist at University Park; Calvin Norman, forest and wildlife Extension educator in Blair County; and others with forestry expertise. (more…)