Navigating the rules for selling freezer beef
by Stephen Wagner
At the turn of the 20th century, Upton Sinclair published “The Jungle,” the first book to take on the meat industry and the slaughter of animals. (more…)
Bid wet spots adieu with blind inlets
by Courtney Llewellyn
Spring rains are coming. Generally, that is seen as a good occurrence in farming, but what happens if there’s too much water?
Draining wet spots can make portions of fields – or entire plots – more arable, and that’s what Dr. Ehsan Ghane, assistant professor and Extension specialist with Michigan State University, discussed during the recent MI Ag Ideas to Grow With. (more…)
Dealing with hairy heel wart in beef cattle
by Sally Colby
Veterinarian and researcher Dr. Doerte Doepfer has seen a lot of foot problems in cattle, but said the two standouts are foot rot and hairy heel wart.
Hairy heel wart (also known as strawberry foot, raspberry heel, interdigital papillomatosis or digital dermatitis) has been an ongoing problem for dairy farmers. More recently, the issue has been showing up in beef herds. (more…)
Growing 140-bushel wheat
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Want to grow more wheat per acre? So did Dwight Bartle, a wheat producer in Brown City, MI. He achieved 140-bushel wheat and presented his findings at the Soybean & Small Grains Congress hosted by Cornell University Extension Northwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Team earlier this year. (more…)
Back on her feet again
by Sally Colby
It can happen at any time. A cow slips as she leaves the parlor, or perhaps she’s weak after calving or has milk fever. She’s down, and the goal is to get her on her feet as quickly and safely as possible. (more…)
Contract grazing tips
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Grazing one’s own land can provide an economic way to raise beef cattle; however, not every cattleman possesses enough land to effectively graze his herd. Whether he grazes his cattle on his own land or on someone else’s, it costs money. Father and son team Jon and Jared Luhman operate Dry Creek Red Angus. The family-owned direct market, grass-fed beef and organic cash crop farm is in Goodhue, MN. Their herd contract grazes on cover crops and crop residue, including their neighbor’s fields and at sites as remote as Nebraska. They shared their findings at “Contract Grazing Cover Crops for Winter Feed,” a recent webinar hosted by Practical Farmers of Iowa. (more…)
Bisson’s marks 100 years of tradition
by Edith Tucker
BERLIN, NH – “The process of taking sap from a tree and making it into pure maple syrup has always intrigued young and old alike,” conclude Lucien and Muriel Blais in their recently self-published book “The Sugar House on the Hill: 100 Years of Tradition and Change at Bisson’s Sugar House.” (more…)
Tips and tricks for TikTok
by Courtney Llewellyn
It’s always about the next big thing, whether it’s a new model of phone or the new “superfood.” The big thing in content creation and sharing right now is TikTok.
The short, vertical videos on the app, often accompanied by prerecorded sound bytes or music, are dominating social media, but they’re not just for teens. Viral success can happen overnight, even for farmers and growers. You just need the right equipment, some inspiration and a message to share. (more…)
Spring clearing
by Sally Colby
It doesn’t take long for undesirable species to choke out unused pastures. The easy fix is herbicides, but managing them mechanically is sometimes a better option. (more…)
COVID-19 employment-related concerns for agriculture 2021
by Stephen Wagner
The COVID-19 pandemic has made itself at home in the U.S. for a year now. Michael Miller, a labor attorney with Eckert-Seamans, discussed how COVID is impacting the workplace in a virtual presentation through Penn State Extension. Insofar as vaccine distribution, Miller reminded us that there are three phases to that process. Phase 1a is dedicated to long-term care facility residents and professional medical personnel. The same is true of Phase 1b; people aged 75 and older are the main focus in this group, as well as first responders, correctional officers, postal workers and grocery store workers. Those ages 65 – 74 and 16 – 64 with high risk conditions are the main targets of Phase 1c, as of this writing. (more…)
Branding means telling your story
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Branding may sound like a difficult job for savvy social media whizzes. But Dahlia Dill, owner of Chandler Pond Farm in Wheelock, VT, believes that any farmer can develop effective branding with just a few ideas. She presented “Social Media Tips & Tricks” as part of the New England Women in Livestock Virtual Winter Conference recently. (more…)
2021 NH Farm, Forest & Garden Expo plans to run all year
by Edith Tucker
The 38th annual New Hampshire Farm, Forest and Garden Exposition kicked off live on Zoom recently, with NH Commissioner of Agriculture Shawn Jasper and Expo Director Ken La Valley, Ph.D., of UNH Cooperative Extension focusing on how they and the departments they lead were able to respond quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic. (more…)
