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…)
Raising high quality grass-fed beef, being leaders in the community and their land ethics have earned John and Carolyn Wheeler the honor of being one of three finalists for this year’s (more…)
Fifth-generation cattle farmer Liz Martin grew up on her family’s Ironstone Spring Farm in Lancaster County, PA, and learned about livestock as she helped on the farm. Martin’s father was (more…)
For Kaitlyn Broughton, 17, showing her family’s Shorthorn cattle is an important part of her summer. Growing up on the 500 acres of Broughton Cattle Company in Silver Springs, NY, Kaitlyn has (more…)
Internal parasites are the bane of anyone who raises sheep or goats. (more…)
It’s called back-breaking work for a reason.
Farmers are no strangers to back pain. The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports that lower back (more…)
If your workplace relationships have grown strained and difficult, working with human resources personnel to resolve the conflict or changing jobs are two options to resolve the problem; (more…)
The Asian longhorned tick (ALT) is a newcomer to the U.S., and its presence has already caused significant damage to cattle. Blood-sucking ticks on the body are harmful enough, but the (more…)
Once, not that long ago, a farmer was simply a farmer. They planted seeds, grew crops, raised livestock and then sold it, sometimes without ever having to speak to a member of the public. (more…)
The first time Dr. Ashley Kennedy saw the term “insect apocalypse” in print was in the New York Times in November 2018. “It was a report about a meta-analysis of 73 independent reports (more…)
For several years now, I have subscribed to the online Argus North American Fertilizer (ANAF) newsletter. (more…)
“Swift” normally wouldn’t be an adjective to describe New York State’s bureaucracy. However, as several state legislators called for the elimination of the NYS Farm Laborers Wage Board (more…)
CALLANDS, VA – “There’s no reason why I should be a farmer,” Robert Mills said. “It never should have happened.”
Mills didn’t grow up on a farm. (more…)
CANASTOTA, NY – It’s fitting that the Northeast Highland Cattle Association came together at Matt and Wendi Campbell’s Ridgeville Farm for their annual meeting because of their (more…)
Farmers install anaerobic digesters for a variety of reasons, including manure management, odor reduction and revenue potential.
Anaerobic digestion involves the breakdown (more…)
