On this sunny afternoon, crocuses are taking over parts of our front yard. I even saw several honeybees hovering, bouncing between light lavender blossoms. Nearby, a quarter-century-old white birch is beginning to flow sap to its buds. These perennial plants and their six-legged friends are welcomin...

There are some significant differences in the ways dairy and beef animals are handled; one is how they’re handled for the first few months of their lives. Depending on the time of year, beef calves are born on pasture or in a dedicated calving area. Other than receiving an ear tag and a brief health...

For any dairy farmer, genetics are always a consideration when trying to improve herd health, productivity and longevity. In an organic dairy herd, genetics become an even larger priority when taking into account the rules of organic farming. Dr. Glenda Periera, University of Maine professor of food...

If you have ruminant livestock, you’re going to need hay. How much hay your animals will consume and how you go about procuring that hay differs from farm to farm. Vermont farmers Ben Nottermann of Snug Valley Farm and Bruce Hennessey of Maple Wind Farm presented at the 2022 Vermont Grazing and Live...

While tar spot on corn is still rare in New York, the yield-sapping disease has begun to infiltrate the Empire State. Dr. Gary Bergstrom, plant pathologist and plant-microbe biologist with Cornell University, presented “Tar Spot is Here!” at the recent virtual Corn Congress. “We run into ear mold pr...

What can you do in the future to ensure your heifers have maximum production? There are many factors involved. A very simplified approach would involve the genetic makeup of the calf and the environment which they are provided. The genetics of an animal do not change; however, expressions of genes c...

On Feb. 25, Silvia Abel-Caines delivered a lecture at the Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) annual conference. The venue for the conference was LaCrosse, WI, and her presentation was titled “Emergency Forages for Ruminants: Buckwheat Silage In-House.” Her lecture addressed the fo...

New for this year’s Empire Farm Days will be the Farmer Olympics! There will be at least three events, divided up by age class, for farmers and other attendees to compete in. Sponsored by Country Culture , the online country lifestyle media source, the events featured are a bale toss, a sledgehammer...

BENTON, NY – When it comes to winter grazing or harvesting cover crops with ruminants, “it’s not an all or nothing scenario,” said Russ Wilson, guest speaker at the Finger Lakes Graziers Group winter meeting. “It’s the mindset of gaining as many grazing days as possible using on-farm strategies and ...

Ag employers know it’s difficult to find and retain good workers. John Shutske, professor and Extension specialist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, said employees are paying more attention to safety and health. Retaining good workers is directly related to having a solid safety program in place, ...

It doesn’t matter if you raise the best quality meat around if you lack the market to sell it. That quandary was addressed by “Finding a Niche Market for Your Meat,” a session presented by Samer and Diane Saleh of Halal Pastures at the recent NOFA-NY conference. The owners of Halal Pastures in Rock ...

It’s more than likely that feed costs will continue to rise in 2022, and if the past few growing seasons are anything to work off of, baling quality hay won’t always be an option. Fortunately, beef cattle, like humans, can adapt to different foods to get what they need. In their “Beef: Beyond the Ba...

A farmer’s viewpoint on wildlife depends upon how the farmer uses the land. If it’s for growing crops, wildlife is likely not welcomed; however, some farmers harvest game from their land and offer others opportunities for hunting, so attracting the right wildlife is important. MidAtlantic Women in A...

The Broome County Farm Bureau (BCFB) was on hand at the 103rd annual convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in Atlanta to raise awareness about agricultural EMS and the importance of training farm medics. Judi Whittaker, of Whitney Point, NY, a member of the BCFB, said that an acci...

On March 4, Jeff Cassim, marketing director for Carolina-Eastern Fertilizers, forwarded me the current Green Markets fertilizer industry newsletter. The Green Markets writers stress that apart from Ukraine’s human tragedy toll, caused by military conflict, the economic impact on energy resources, as...