There are various ways to house calves on a farm, but not all options are ideal for their health and comfort. Courtney Halbach and Nigel Cook, hosts of the “ Dairyland Initiative Podcast ,” explained that building an efficient calf barn facility is essential for a dairy operation, but it’s often mor...

My sister, who lives in central Ohio, very recently told me that her vicinity, from June 1 – Aug. 31, received approximately 5 inches of rain, nearly 8 inches below normal for this time of year. As part of that problem, Midwestern farmers face the harsh reality of when too much sun combines with not...

In the town of Goochland, VA, Robert Staples and Verde Shaffer own and operate a 23-acre pork farm called Hog Haven. Ten years ago, the husband and wife team were moving from North Carolina back to Virginia, looking for a place to call home. They came across this farmland, which was previously an ol...

Most states have destination marketing organizations (DMOs) focused on promoting regional tourism opportunities. For example, New York State has 20 DMOs: Discover Albany , Visit Ithaca , Meet Me in Lake Placid and Dutchess Tourism , among others. Some DMOs are membership-only organizations while oth...

Character still speaks loudly – which is never more apparent than when applying for financing. If you can convince your loan officer that you have the experience, the drive and passion, the financial assets and the financial preparedness to make a business venture thrive, you will be uniquely equipp...

Let’s examine current soil nutrient commodity prices. These prices come from research compiled by Jeff Cassim, general manager of Liquid Products in Seneca Falls. Cassim extracts his data from fertilizer industry periodicals – not just commodity prices, but geopolitical facts impacting energy commod...

SIGN ROCK, VA – Mark 4:26-27 says, “So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.” And so it is, and has been, with Mike McDowell of Locust Level Farms in Halifax County. A...

When Scott Kiskaddon and his family were awarded Conservation Farmer of the Year in Franklin County, PA, Kiskaddon wasn’t sure he was worthy of the honor. But honor was due because he was willing to do what it took to reduce nutrient and sediment runoff. S&J Farms is a beef and poultry operation tha...

A 35-year-old dairy worker accidentally injected her leg with an unknown amount of a cephalosporin antibiotic. The needle was contaminated with “farm material.” Dr. Jeff Bender, veterinarian and director of the Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety & Health Center , explained more about the case: “She p...