The Maryland Pony Breeders Inc., the oldest pony breeder organization in the U.S. dedicated to the promotion of all pony breeds and disciplines, held its annual show July 13 and 14 at the Bel Air Equestrian Center in Harford County, MD. This is a multi-breed pony show which this year had divisions f...

The Dairy Sustainability Alliance is a membership group which includes dairy farmers, dairy cooperatives, processors, agribusiness service providers, retailers, and non-profits. It’s composed of a variety of stakeholders from massive corporate entities to individual producers, representing interests...

Robin the Hood and Maid Marion got married at last, in Sherwood Forest. It was a June wedding, held stateside at the Millers Falls Rod and Gun Club in Massachusetts. Their merry men attended, as did all the guests who arrived through the gates to bestow glad tidings. The Sheriff of Nottingham did no...

Seasoned farmers who have been making hay for years have a routine: watch the weather, cut hay, ted, rake and bale. Seems simple enough, but wet weather over the past two growing seasons has made an already challenging task more difficult. Guidelines about when to cut hay for the best quality have a...

It’s not easy competing at the national level in showing dairy cows and Magdalene Green, of Hagerstown, MD, also known as “Maggie,” has shown a great deal of determination in pursuing her interest, especially after starting out at an older age than a lot of other young folks. “I had never worked wit...

The sheer volume of manure produced in modern livestock production systems and the necessity to use manure responsibly has led to significant improvements in manure application. Manure must get on the ground, but more importantly, in the ground. Creating a narrow slot and applying manure directly in...

Facilities for special cows – cows in transition – should be nothing short of careful planning and consideration of herd goals. John Tyson, Penn State ag engineer, said spikes in calving numbers throughout the year can easily overwhelm a facility. Tyson referenced a study that showed 65% of 170 herd...

Organic growers list weed management as their top production challenge, but having a plan and planning ahead can help. Sam Hitchcock Tilton, horticulture instructor of Lakeshore Technical College in Wisconsin, advises growers to look at the big picture and manage weeds at each stage of growth throug...

Foot rot is a serious concern for those raising sheep or goats, and eradicating it isn’t easy. Two specific organisms, a muddy and wet environment and high animal density combine to make the “recipe for foot rot,” Dr. Mike Neary, Extension ruminant specialist at Purdue University, said during an Ame...