Today, we are fortunate enough to have quality cameras just sitting in our pockets (or, let’s be honest, never leaving our hands). That makes May, National Photography Month, even more exciting, since we can snap pretty pictures basically all the time. Officially recognized by Congress in 1987, Nati...

In 2005, United Poultry Concerns launched International Respect for Chickens Day to “celebrate chickens throughout the world and protest the bleakness of their lives in farming operations.” The thought was to do an action for chickens. Ideas they suggest include letter writing, handing out leaflets,...

The National Garden Bureau has declared 2022 “The Year of the Garden,” but honestly, gardens both large and small have been receiving much more attention for the past two years. In 2020, when shutdowns led to the vast majority of people staying home, putting in a garden – whether for flowers or for ...

Do you want to get in some good cardio exercise without going nowhere fast on a treadmill or hurting your aching knees? Do you want to see more of your region in the fresh air, not from behind the window in a car? Get on your bikes and ride! May is National Bike Month, and this week, May 16 – 22, is...

May is National Salad Month. Created by the Association for Dressing and Sauces in 1992, National Salad Month encourages people to incorporate more salads into their daily food regimen. What is arguably the foundational ingredient in salad? Lettuce! USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture ...

May is National Beef Month, and it almost seems like the month was made to celebrate this protein. Between taking Mom out for a fancy steak dinner, finally firing up the grills as spring warms up and graduation parties for certain regions, May is made for beef. The good news is, as a homesteader or ...

I live for a wide, open view of the world. That’s why I love the ocean so much – and deep valleys, and high mountaintops (my fear of heights would make me falter, but the majesty of it all takes your breath away). It’s a beautiful thing to stand, your feet planted firmly and connected and grounded w...

The North Country Quilting Guild, celebrating its 38th anniversary in 2022, has announced plans to host its biennial quilt show June 3 – 5, 2022 at the Cerow Recreation Park Arena, 615 East Line Rd., Clayton, NY. The Guild’s 2020 show was cancelled due to the pandemic. Several members of the North C...

It’s that time of year to start thinking about backyard picnics and patio drinking. What do you have in your garden that could make a fresh cocktail? While we think about the cocktails we’re going to sip, we should also think about what we could plant in our gardens or have growing around us to add ...

With more than 98% of Americans having little to no direct connection to farming or ranching, now, more than ever, there’s a need and opportunity for the agriculture community to tell its story. In honor of National Ag Day, the New York Beef Council is sharing one story of a New York beef producer w...

On National Poultry Day, we would like to remind you to keep your flock safe from the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This deadly disease for poultry has been found this year in many states, from South Carolina to Maine and west to South Dakota. It can infect all types of chickens and turk...

Every year, Worship of Tools Day is celebrated on March 11. Often not very large, often held directly in your hands, tools are the key to a good life. Where would we be if we couldn’t create things by hammering nails into wood? How would we dig holes without shovels? Think of all the things you own ...

Any living organism that is normally found in one specific region and is introduced to another region with incredibly negative effects on the new environment is bad news. Invasive species take that negativity a step further by outcompeting native species, taking away the nutrients, water and even su...

Without getting too deep, we may have missed out on a lot of things over the past two years, but one thing we definitely can’t get enough of is quality time spent with our best walking buddies – our dogs. February 22 is Walking the Dog Day, and even if the weather isn’t ideal where you are, grab tha...

Love Your Pet Day is Feb. 20, and while it seems like an easy enough thing to do, there are good, healthy ways to show your love best. I’m always being told “When I die, I want to come back as Tracy’s dog.” I know it sounds morbid, but if you knew how my fur babies are treated, you’d understand. The...