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So far Lee Newspapers has created 2610 blog entries.

Protecting animals while promoting sales

2022-10-13T18:15:29-05:00October 18, 2022|Country Folks Article, Eastern Edition, Mid Atlantic, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition|

If you run any kind of agritourism operation this time of year, whether that be a corn maze, a pumpkin patch, a Halloween event or something else, you’re likely welcoming lots of folks to your farm who aren’t normally present. In addition, if you have a petting zoo or a barn full of livestock, it’s possible you’re also welcoming the potential for disease.  (more…)

Making hay

2022-10-13T18:09:05-05:00October 18, 2022|Country Folks Article, Eastern Edition, Western Edition|

Of all the farms I worked on as a boy, the most memorable was the old Borden Farm on the east side of Canadarago Lake outside of Richfield Springs. By the time I came along, it had been sold to Bill and Shirley Weingates. Back then, they were milking about 200 cows on one of the biggest operations in the area. I enjoyed all kinds of jobs, even cleaning calf pens, because at the time, I was kind of standing outside of myself, watching this kid from Brooklyn doing these country boy things. I had recently read Thomas Hardy and at times I was seeing all that I was doing through the great writer’s eyes. I never appreciated the country more than at that time of very hard work.  (more…)

Employing minors on New England farms

2022-10-13T18:03:22-05:00October 18, 2022|Country Folks Article, New England Farm Weekly|

Many rural and suburban youth experience their first paid employment on a farm. Attorney Michael Harrington, Ford Harrison Law, said hiring factors vary by state and depend on age, whether school is in session and what kind of work teens are allowed to do. There are federal restrictions on certain activities, and some states go beyond federal law to prohibit certain activities.  (more…)

Pottery is not a soil type

2022-10-13T18:01:11-05:00October 18, 2022|Country Folks Article, Eastern Edition, New England Farm Weekly, Western Edition|

Sometimes it’s possible to pull up mature corn plants with little or no effort. In this situation the majority of roots are in the top three inches. Autumn soil testing – so as to maximize the efficiency of fertilizer inputs – often reveals soil limitations as the probe hits compacted layers. Soil compaction adversely impacts root depth and water and nutrient availability. Bigger farms and bigger tractors combine with haste to become a recipe for compaction.  (more…)

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