Highlighting Agriculture

Category Archives: New England Farm Weekly

The little engine that could: Barstow’s Longview Farm

Posted in New England Farm Weekly

CN-MR-3-LittleEngine041by Laura Rodley

Cows have always been considered unusual due to their unique style of digestion: their stomach has four chambers. Now Barstow’s Longview Farm in Hadley, MA will be known for having a unique stomach of its own — a BGreen Energy’s Anaerobic Digester that converts manure and food scraps into fertilizer and enough electricity to power the entire farm, plus surrounding houses. The key word is sustainable.

Septimus Barstow started the farm in 1806. It is now managed by 6th generation David Barstow and his brother Steven, with 7th generation Steven Barstow II poised to take over. They raise 450 Holsteins, farm 400 acres and employ six people. Fifteen more people work at Barstow’s Dairy Store and Bakery. Continue reading→

Cheesemaker food safety workshop

Posted in New England Farm Weekly

CN-MR-1-Cheesemaker
by George Looby, DVM

On June 6 the University of Connecticut (UConn) was the site of an all-day workshop on food safety in the cheesemaking industry. This intensive overview of the subject was conducted by Dr. Dennis D’Amico of the Department of Animal Science in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Dr. D’Amico is an assistant professor of dairy foods. His primary activities focus on improving the safety and quality of milk and value-added dairy products. Before coming to UConn, he was a founding member of the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese. Continue reading→

Transition is the ‘danger zone’ for dairy calving

Posted in Eastern Edition, Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition

CN-MR-1-Dairywebinarby T.W. Burger

The period just before and after calving can be a very dangerous time for a dairy cow, says Gustavo M. Schuenemann, DVM, MS, PhD, who is an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, Ohio State, and OSU Extension veterinarian.

“That transition period, especially during delivery and the week before and after, are critical point in the cow’s life, he said. “That will dictate how a cow performs later on, if they get sick or develop metabolic diseases.”

But with knowledge and focused analysis on the part of owners and workers, the cow’s odds can be improved and the owners’ profitability enhanced, said Schuenemann. Continue reading→

Growing canola as a component of dairy feed

Posted in Eastern Edition, Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition

CM-CN-MR-2-Growing canola1766by Sally Colby

A field of bright yellow canola is a pretty sight, although most people don’t know what it is when they see it. The terms canola and rapeseed are often used interchangeably, but they aren’t the same crop.

Canola is essentially improved rapeseed. Rapeseed contains high levels of certain compounds that make it unpalatable to livestock. In the early 1970s, after improving the palatability, oil quality and protein level, the crop became known as canola. To be called canola, the crop must test below established levels for erucic acid and glucosinolates; the two undesirable compounds in rapeseed. The term ‘canola’ comes from the term ‘Canadian oil’. Continue reading→