Junior shows scheduled for June and July
by Courtney Llewellyn (more…)
Goat dairy’s planning helps offset pandemic impact
by Kara Lynn Dunn
GLENFIELD, NY – Early planning prior to purchasing their first farm in 2015 proved providential for Andrew and Blake Place when the coronavirus pandemic shut down dairy demand this spring. (more…)
Growing healthy soil takes planning
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Want healthy soil? Plan for it is Sarah Hirsh’s advice. As an Extension agent with University of Maryland, she presented “Growing Healthy Soil” as a webinar through MidAtlantic Women in Agriculture. (more…)
Spring grazier meeting
by Katie Navarra
Social distancing and a virtual meeting platform didn’t keep Capital Region farmers from attending the annual Spring Turnout Grazier Meeting in late May. The two-hour meeting offered tips for strategizing about spending money, considerations for feeding minerals to livestock and calculating costs for fencing and forage. The annual event is organized by Cornell Cooperative Extension’s (CCE) Capital Area Agriculture and Horticulture Program. (more…)
From beekeeping to grain farming – Thornhill Farm’s journey through value-added products
by Catie Joyce-Bulay
A continued search for value-added and the pull of heritage was what led beekeeper Todd Hardie of Thornhill Farm from bees to rye. Hardie, who went to ag school and apprenticed at apiaries in New York, spent most of his career in commercial beekeeping in New York and later Vermont, producing raw honey. It was one of his value-added projects – mead and honey wine – that led him down a path to distilled spirits, ending in growing grain for whiskey. (more…)
Hidden health destroyers
by Sally Colby
A quick look at market prices for various livestock species will show the most consistent prices for two species: sheep and goats. (more…)
Farm phone movies
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Your smartphone is with you all the time, but you likely ignore one of its functions that could really benefit your farm: recording videos. That’s why MidAtlantic Women In Agriculture presented “Smart Phone Movies,” led by Michele Walfred, communications specialist with University of Delaware. (more…)
Three Flint sons plan to stay on family dairy farm
by Edith Tucker
MILAN, NH – Rick Flint, whose grandfather Lloyd Flint started farming in the Androscoggin River Valley, is pleased (but surprised) that his sons – Josh, Caleb and Daniel – would like to stay on the Flint Farm in Coos County. His daughters, Kathleen and Hannah, remain involved with the farm but at the moment neither sees it a career path. (more…)
Grassfed cows, organic milk and fatty acids
by Tamara Scully
Changing cow diets changes the amount of fatty acids in their milk. Fatty acids found in cow milk, which are thought to play an important role in human health, include linoleic and alpha-linoleic (ALA) – or omega 6 and omega 3 – as well as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). All cow milk, no matter what the animals are fed, contains these and many other fatty acids. But the amounts and proportions of these fatty acids can differ based on cow diet. (more…)
Say hello to Hatchland Farm
by Laura Rodley
Three generations work at Hatchland Farm in North Haverhill, NH: Howard Hatch, his son Preston, his daughter Kristen (Hatch) May, her husband Dave May, and his granddaughter Emily. It covers 600 acres, give or take a few (some of it is leased). (more…)
Updates on and information for the livestock markets
by Karl H. Kazaks
Virgina Tech has been hosting a series of livestock update webinars to keep producers appraised of information and strategies relevant to current market conditions. (more…)
Effects of different organic pastures on dairy heifer growth and development
by Katie Navarra
Organic producers can find it challenging to raise heifers. On non-organic operations, heifers are typically fed total mixed rations (TMR), a balanced diet that provides all the necessary nutrients. While organic producers can use TMR, organic feed ingredients are costly. Often organic dairy farmers turn to pastures to trim expenses, but grazing tends to produce lower weight gains. However, there are studies indicating that a legume-grass mix can improve weight gain in heifers on pasture-based systems. (more…)
