Colony collapse disorder (CCD) is something I’ve been monitoring since it was first identified by entomologists over two decades ago. CCD occurs when the vast majority of bees in any given colony – generally worker bees – die unexpectedly. Because the queen bee needs the nectar provided by these wor...

Winter has officially settled in the Northeast, bringing with it snow and Pennsylvania’s Keystone Farm Show. Hosted annually at the York County Fairgrounds in York, PA, the event is in its 28th year. It is one of the first major events in the winter agricultural trade show circuit and draws attendee...

On-farm outdoor recreation is different from typical agritourism activities such as U-picks, farm stands or demonstrations. “We’re talking about adding true outdoor recreation into your farm. This might be hiking, kayaking, biking, fishing, mountain biking or rock climbing. We’re thinking about the ...

The term “checkoff” derived from historical programs that were not mandatory; producers marked a checkoff box if they wished to contribute to the program. Checkoff programs “promote and provide research and information for a particular agricultural commodity without reference to specific producers o...

In a paper titled “Nature’s GM sweet potato and the rock from space,” English investigative science writer Claire Robinson tackles the intentions of British biotech entrepreneur Jonathan Jones. Jones hoped to dismantle safety testing and assessment for genetically modified (GM) foods. He justified h...

CHURCHLAND, NC – At the 2024 American Hereford Association Annual Meeting in late October in Kansas City, Jim Davis accepted the Golden Breeder Award on behalf of his family farm, Terrace Farms, for their 50-plus year history of raising registered Herefords. “Golden Breeders represent 50 years of di...

Most mornings my eyes open at 3 a.m., not because I have farm chores but because there is some subconscious grief that honors my brother’s death and the call time nobody wants to get at that hour. Then my mind takes over and creates tormenting, endless tasks of work and guilt trips until I’m exhaust...

Sarah Hirsh, an Extension educator at University of Maryland, shared cover cropping case studies from Maryland’s Eastern Shore at a recent Northeast Cover Crop Council meeting. The case studies are part of a multiyear grant which includes support from USDA-NRCS and the National Fish & Wildlife Found...

On the morning of Dec. 23, our remote-sensing thermometer had just climbed up to 0º, having plunged to -7º a few hours earlier under a half-moon in a clear sky. There’s a good chance that night would prove to be the coldest one in 2024. In the preceding 48 hours, downtown Hartwick accrued about five...