by Troy Bishopp
CANASTOTA, NY — American writer and longshoreman, Eric Hoffer observed, “In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” This philosophy seems quite apropos for farmers as well as a country dealing with Coronavirus. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Solar power is one of the fastest-growing segments of renewable energy – it’s hard to find an area that hasn’t had some degree of solar development. While interest in solar is growing, there’s limited space for roof-mounted solar systems. Such systems provide ample kW production for one farm, but there is a growing need for large-scale ground-mounted solar systems. Preparation for ground-mounted systems is a costly segment of the overall project, and usually results in some level of disturbance to the existing ecosystem. (more…)
by Troy Bishopp
TULLY, NY – Spring ushers in warmer weather, blooming flowers and dairy animals getting their first taste of pasture. This bite of grass is for many a way to produce milk for less cost, but only if you get your head around financial and grazing planning. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Walking the fields to look for issues with weeds, pests or disease can take inordinate amounts of time. Using technology to make this task easier can save farmers a lot of effort. That’s why Jarrod O. Miller, Extension agronomist, University of Delaware, recently presented “Drones as a Scouting Tool.” (more…)
Because of our dedication to our customers and readers, Country Folks will continue to be delivered weekly during this time of uncertainty. Providing you with news to help you make educated decisions that can affect your farms, agricultural associations and businesses is our top priority. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Commodity risk analyst Katie Burgess, Blimling and Associates, works with clients across the dairy supply chain to build and execute risk management strategies. She tracks on-farm margins across the U.S., and also monitors global milk production economics. (more…)
by George Looby
Outbreaks of new and emerging diseases are forever lurking in the shadows. The target of the ongoing viral disease caused by a coronavirus is the human population. (more…)
by Courtney Llewellyn
Any person who has worked with animals knows coronaviruses are not new to livestock and poultry. In humans and birds, the viruses can cause respiratory tract infections; in cows and pigs, they can cause diarrhea. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
WATERLOO, NY – Staying clean is pretty hard for many farmers to do. But keeping “clean” data is vital for determining an accurate yield potential database.
Jodi Putman, field crops specialist with Cornell’s Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock & Field Crops Team, presented “The Processing/Cleaning of Soybean Yield Monitor Data for Standardized Yield Maps Across Farms, Fields and Years” at the recent Soybean & Small Grain Congress. (more…)
by Sally Colby
The sight of triplet lambs is a thrill for some, but most seasoned shepherds aren’t impressed when one ewe gives birth to more than two lambs. Although some ewes successfully raise more than two, most can’t do it efficiently and lose significant body condition by the time lambs are weaned. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
Whether you’re grazing animals on perennial pastures or baling your alfalfa for hay, keeping your stands healthy and high-yielding takes management. Some factors can be controlled, while others, such as damage from winter kill, are contributed to Mother Nature. While farmers can’t control the weather, there are some manageable factors which impact the winter hardiness of forage stands. (more…)
by Troy Bishopp
LATHAM, NY – The 12th Annual Winter Green-Up Grazing Conference stirred the minds of farmers with talk of expanding Northeast ruminant meat production, learning marketing skills and seeing the opportunities of solar array grass maintenance with “sheep-mowers.” But perhaps the most thought-provoking big idea came from Vermonter Abe Collins, who presented a compelling plan to hire farmers as watershed contractors, along with producing food. (more…)
