by Catie Joyce-Bulay
Principles and practices of organic livestock handling was the topic of a recent Farm Training Project workshop, a series of webinars put on by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. (more…)
by Tamara Scully
The University of Nebraska Medical Center recently held its 10th Annual Agricultural Health and Safety Course virtually. Aimed at medical and safety professionals, registrants participated over several days, gaining a solid understanding of myriad health and safety issues which impact those working in agriculture. (more…)
by Enrico Villamaino
Cowles Family Farm is one of only 16 dairies in New York State to receive the Supermilk award every year since its introduction 30 years ago. (more…)
by Katie Navarra
On the drive home from a late-August Western New York cattle sale, Ric and Karen Coombe reminisced about their kids’ experiences showing registered Angus cattle. As their youngest son ages out of Junior Angus and Junior Beef Producers events, they wanted to give other youth the opportunity to enjoy similar experiences. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Many farmers want to pass on their land to a family member or a young farmer when they’re ready to retire. Since the cost of land, equipment and buildings is often higher than beginning farmers can afford, farmers anticipating succession should plan ahead to ensure their land goes where they want it to go. Practical Farmers of Iowa presented “Making the Land Affordable for the Next Generation of Farmers” as a recent webinar, hosted by Dale Nimrod, a farmer who has completed two succession plans, along with his attorney, Karl Knudson, and Matt Roberts, a certified financial planner in Des Moines. Sally Worley, representing Practical Farmers, emceed. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Lameness in dairy cows is a serious issue. Cows that can’t walk properly cost money in one way or another, and also present a serious welfare issue. Lame animals can easily become bullying targets of more aggressive cows, and will reduce their lying time simply because it’s difficult to recline and rise. (more…)
Tioga County 4-H members didn’t get their usual opportunity to show off the animals they’ve raised, crops they’ve grown, and artwork they’ve created at a typical county fair this year. Instead of letting this year become a roadblock in their learning though, the youth worked harder than ever to master agricultural and artistic skills to present their projects to the community in unique ways. (more…)
by Sally Colby
Compost enriches soil, helps retain moisture and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers. It also supports the growth of beneficial fungi and bacteria that break down organic matter. On-farm composting can provide a ready-to-use source of organic matter to enrich soil and feed crops. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Raising bison may sound like an easy way to raise meat animals, as bison don’t require shelter, even in northern climates; however, Martha McFarland, in a recent Practical Farmers of Iowa presentation, said that anyone interested in raising bison needs to fully understand the animals first. (more…)
by Stephen Wagner
Scott Weikert on Penn State Extension began his webinar during Pennsylvania’s Ag Progress Days by introducing his panel: Sarah Wurzbacher, forestry Extension educator; Allyson Muth, Department of Ecosystems and Management at Penn State University Park; Art Gover, Extension specialist based at University Park dealing primarily with invasive species and ventilation management; Margaret Brittingham, wildlife specialist at University Park; Calvin Norman, forest and wildlife Extension educator in Blair County; and others with forestry expertise. (more…)
by Edith Tucker
Nearly 2,000 busy farmers across the U.S. took the time to answer survey questions about cover cropping trends, such as “planting green” into living cover crops, using cover crops for weed control and the impact of cover crops on cash crop planting dates during the very wet spring of 2019. (more…)
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Interested in growing oats for human consumption? Practical Farmers of Iowa offered “Growing High-Quality, Food-Grade Oats” as a recent webinar with A.J. and Kellie Blair presenting. The couple operates Blair Farm LLC, a fourth-generation farm near Dayton, Iowa, raising cover crops and small grains in a no-till system. In the last few years, they decided to grow food-grade oats. (more…)
State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta) recently called for the Farm Laborers Wage Board to put the brakes on any changes to the 60-hour overtime threshold for farmworkers. Senator Seward joined with the Senate Republican Conference and members of the farming community in calling for freezing the threshold at its current level to enable the collection of more data on the mandate’s impact. (more…)
by Katie Navarra
When Mike Albanese was just five years old, his grandfather reminisced about oxen with horns so large the animals had to turn their head to fit through the barn door. Mike’s grandfather was a shepherd on a small northern Italian village in the Alps before emigrating to the U.S. In 1940, his grandfather purchased land in Jamesville, NY, to start a new farm and often shared memories of home. (more…)
by Evelyn Leubner
After a long day of working, I now have layers of red clay under my fingernails instead of the dark brown New York soil. That was one of the first things I noticed when I moved to Georgia: the dirt (technically, clay). It’s burnt orange color makes me question how anything grows in it. I moved to Georgia for a change in scenery and I got exactly that. So many country songs sing about Georgia pines, and now I know why. They are beautiful, tall, and you can find them just about everywhere you go. They remind me of asparagus, as they are long and skinny with branches only at the very top. Moving here has given me the opportunity to live in a completely different environment compared to New York. Just like the trees, lakes, dirt and animals are different, so are their farms. (more…)
