Country Folks Grower and Lee Trade Shows have been the trade show partner for the Empire State Producers Expo for over 15 years. We have enjoyed our tenure with the many exhibitors and seeing the show grow in size and variety. Unfortunately, at this time we are no longer working for the trades show ...

In a recent eOrganic webinar, Utah State graduate student Michael Greenland presented research which was designed to explore how dairy breed might interact with forage type. Previous studies at the university had shown that Jersey heifers have increased dry matter intake (DMI) when grazing pastures ...

Chrissy Wozniak, host of the North American Ag Spotlight (NAAS) podcast, recently sat down with Damian Mason to discuss how the current state of the economy is likely to affect agricultural professionals moving forward. An author, podcaster, consultant and “agconomist,” Mason laid out his prediction...

Heat has negative implications for dairy cow comfort and productivity, but there’s also clear evidence that heifer calves born of heat-stressed dams have lower productivity. Dr. Jimena Laporta, assistant professor in lactation physiology, University Wisconsin-Madison, addressed the issue of in utero...

“Is corn boom expanding Gulf of Mexico’s ‘dead zone’?” That’s the title of an article written by Conrad Wilson of the (Minneapolis) Star Tribune, published Oct. 1, 2008. His sub-heading read “Some fear an ethanol-fueled harvest in the Midwest may be behind the hard times for marine life at the other...

Agritourism is anything that brings people to your farm. The most common types of activities are farm markets, tours and educational activities, hay rides/sleigh rides, pumpkin patches, U-pick, play areas, food service, corn mazes, farm festivals, petting zoos and weddings/events. Those activities c...

Although farmers may consider financial planning overwhelming, those who want to establish a retirement plan have some good options. Paula Ledney, education program associate and financial analyst in business, energy and community vitality at Penn State, described investment vehicles for the self-em...

At first light, I roll out of bed and look across the road to the night pasture. From the second story of the house, you can see all the cattle laying about getting ready to start the day. Every morning I look to see if something is out of place. Here’s what I saw that morning as #58 was acting diff...

There’s a cute commercial on TV in which an all-wheel-drive SUV pulls a landscape gravel rake across an oceanside sandy beach. The rake is shown gathering huge quantities of litter, mostly bottles and cans. The now-clean stretch of beach is shown with swarms of baby sea turtles “winging” their way t...

As springtime comes around, we embrace the scent of the blossoms and freshly cut grass in the air. For those in the equine industry, spring also brings along different smells. The smell of fly spray mixed with leather soap and an assortment of other coat shining sprays lets us know that horse show s...

As one of the world’s most important crops, soybeans rightfully deserve a lot of attention. That attention was paid during the last year, thanks to the hard work of those administering the soy Checkoff. At the 2022 Commodity Classic, it was announced that in December 2021, the farmer-leaders of the ...

Organic farmers don’t always get the same attention as conventional farmers, but a recently completed national study helped determine the challenges and needs of those who farm organically. “We consider these surveys and the findings to be the most robust reporting of challenges faced by U.S. organi...

An important part of caring for a horse is daily grooming and keeping your horse’s coat shiny and clean; learning a bit more about the horse’s coat and the importance of grooming will be helpful in keeping her healthy and in as good condition as possible. A horse’s hair and skin are good indicators ...

On May 31, as I was driving 40 miles to the west to take soil samples, the Otsego County Highway Department had closed a road for maintenance, forcing me to detour over gravel thoroughfare, much of it seasonal. I don’t mind using these secondary roads, if they save mileage (thus fuel) and hopefully ...

Have sticker shock at the pumps or from an invoice that’s 50% more than usual? Is there a way livestock managers can help themselves during this onslaught of rising prices? Moving portable fences might be a way to reduce costs and add value to your land and animal performance. Savings may be just a ...