by Laura Rodley
How Gail Billings came to own oxen is a longstanding love story. When her husband Chris, in his role as Santa, asked her what she wanted one Christmas, she said, “You’re going to think this is really strange, but I want a pair of oxen.” (more…)
by Laura Rodley
On a recent Saturday afternoon, Jenny Kimberly, a resident of Windsor, VT, drove her willing Morab (half-Morgan, half-Arabian) 11-year-old Lucas on a good ride. Kimberly’s significant other, Bruce Hickey, a retired farrier, likened Lucas’s power to that of a turbo engine. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
The doorways at your farm market are wide enough. You have ramps at entrances and designated parking spaces and restroom stalls. You think you’re completely accessible. But you could find yourself sued for lack of accessibility if your website isn’t compatible with software that reads text for those who are visually impaired. (more…)
by Laura Rodley
Food, and that elusive taste of home. Vendors and farmers at the New Bedford Farmers Market (NBFM) in New Bedford, MA, have been selling fresh high quality beef, fish and produce for people to make delicious meals in their own homes for decades. They also sell hand-crafted goods. (more…)
by Laura Rodley
The Billings Farm & Museum celebrates its 36th anniversary this year. It celebrated mothers on Mother’s Day by hosting their second annual Draft Animal Day at the farm in Woodstock, VT. By day’s end, 468 people had visited, more than double the usual spring traffic. (more…)
by George Looby
African Swine Fever (ASF) has yet to be found in the United States but it poses an ongoing threat to the swine industry of this country. If it were ever to become established here it would have the potential to devastate one of the major components of this country’s agricultural economy. At this point there is no effective treatment available and no vaccine available to control it. It is a viral disease that can be spread in many ways, which makes it difficult to control. Direct contact between infected and susceptible animals is the most obvious method of spread but there are other less obvious means of contagion. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
When pasturing pigs, there are always valid concerns about damage done to soil through their rooting behaviors. Frequently moving pigs to prevent them from damaging the soil structure once the vegetation is cleared is one of the key aspects of keeping pigs on pasture. Pigs love to graze, and utilizing their ability to do so, while enjoying a wide range of fodder, is a quick way to clear new ground for planting. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Farmers know their land. They’re aware of every field with below-average yields, where water accumulates and every spot that could use just a bit more lime. The challenge is making adjustments to only those areas without spending additional time or money. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
One might think that farming is all about growing a great crop – but it’s selling that crop that brings in the profit. In today’s agricultural marketplace, dominated by large corporations competing on price, the small farmer, selling directly to customers, can find it challenging to find and retain customers. It’s this part of selling – the marketing – which Charlotte Smith, of 3 Cow Marketing, specializes in teaching. In a recent webinar, sponsored by On Pasture, Smith shared the first three essential steps to profitable farming. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
With no formal comprehensive data collection system for farm injuries in the United States, nonprofit agencies and university researchers throughout the nation collect data and compile statistics on injuries and fatalities related to agriculture. AgInjuryNews.org, run by the National Farm Medicine Center, is a database for farm-related injury reports, both from the U.S. and abroad. (more…)
by Stephen Wagner
The National Pork Producers Council’s board of directors has announced its decision to cancel the 2019 World Pork Expo in Iowa out of an abundance of caution as African swine fever (ASF) continues to spread in China and other parts of Asia. The World Pork Expo, held each June at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, hosts approximately 20,000 visitors over three days, including individuals and exhibitors from ASF-positive regions. ASF affects only pigs and presents no human health or food safety risks. There is currently no vaccine to treat the swine disease.
The above paragraph came from a recent press release issued by the NPPC, and was forwarded to me by Penn-Ag Industries’ Assistant Vice President Jessica Darr. While attending Penn-Ag’s annual meeting, Darr, and Debbie Reed-Harry, casually mentioned ASF, something I was hearing about for the first time. “How serious is this?” I asked. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Dr. Andrew Barragan, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Science at Penn State, said uterine diseases are among the most prevalent diseases in dairy cows – as high as 50% in some herds. These diseases can cost between $106 and $360 per case, and cows suffering from uterine disease are more likely to get sick with other diseases. (more…)
