With the current war in Ukraine placing a substantial strain on the world’s existing grain supply, it is more important than ever to ensure that farmers avoid stock losses. Greg Trame, director of technology sales for GSI Grain Systems, spoke with Country Folks about grain spoilage. Can you tell us ...

It is said that “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” Doug Fisher’s hard work planting those trees for the next generations and the positive contributions to his family, community and agriculture in the watersheds of Central New York will live on w...

Many people associate the word tick with Lyme disease. Dr. Michael Yabsley, professor of Wildlife Disease Ecology at the University of Georgia, explained that in addition to the black-legged tick that transmits Lyme, other ticks are important in both veterinary and human medicine. “Worldwide, ticks ...

Recently we had occasion to pass by the office of our former veterinarian, long retired, and were reminded of a conversation we had regarding a horse from my childhood. I’ve always had a passion for horses, and despite being born and raised in the country to parents who were lifelong “city” people a...

One definition of “logistics” reads “the detailed coordination of a complex operation involving many people, facilities or supplies.” Though farm-related logistics are better now than they were this past winter and spring, input suppliers still strive to keep product inventories as low as possible. ...

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is one of the most damaging soybean pathogens in the U.S. If left unaddressed, it can be devastating to crop yields. Dr. Sam Markell, plant pathologist and interim assistant director of the Department of Agricultural and Natural Resources at North Dakota State University,...

For many rural and suburban youth, working on a farm is their first paid employment. Attorney Michael Harrington, Ford Harrison Law, said farms hiring teen workers should be aware of three main considerations that apply to employing minors. “Do you need certain working papers they get typically from...

It’s getting to be that time again when farmers of a certain mindset gear up for spooky season. Whether it’s your first haunt or your 20th, using this means of expanding your season to visitors takes careful planning and specific considerations. Yes, you can grow crops – but can you also cultivate a...

This spring some farms were able to harvest four to five tons of dry matter from flag leaf-stage winter forage. This grouping includes winter-hardy varieties of wheat, rye, triticale, barley and speltz. Weather helped yields, but there were steps that these farms followed that set the crop up for po...

Improving the diet of dairy cattle often focuses on efficiency: how to get more milk for less input. In recent years, the focus has begun to include reducing the herd’s output of methane. As part of AMTS’s “The Nutritionist” webinar series, Joseph W. McFadden, Ph.D., recently presented “Dietary Solu...

Agritourism is a large sector of industry throughout the Northeast, and it’s a way for farmers to showcase their hard work to the public. While opening up a farm to a large audience can be a great way to promote agriculture, there are important safety considerations to keep in mind. In a recent webi...

At the Animal Ag Alliance Summit this past spring, Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO of the organization, provided an overview of what the organization has been seeing regarding animal rights extremism. Thompson-Weeman began by reiterating what farmers already know: a slim portion of the pop...

The USDA Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program was created to help ag producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income. In selecting awardees, the USDA focuses on beginning and/or socially-disadvantaged farme...

Jen Miller of NOFA-VT and grazing consultant Sarah Flack recently discussed their latest research on production costs on Northeast organic dairy farms. The presentation was part of the UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils dairy webinar series. Miller and Flack’s research is part of an ongoing proje...

When analyzing the milk production curve, as seen in Figure 1, a dairy cow’s milk cycle lasts for 305 days and begins once parturition occurs, lasting approximately 10 months. The last two months of the year (after the lactation curve) is known as the dry period, which allows the cow to rest and pre...