My grandmother loved seed catalogs. She would spend hours poring over the brightly colored pages, hunched next to her big white stove with the door propped open to warm her hands. She would debate the qualities of the vegetables pictured and ask her frequent drop-in visitors their opinion of a parti...

The holidays are over, and we find ourselves in the cold, dark days of mid-winter. As a grower, you may feel that the planting season is so far away. Don’t worry, as you can start many plants indoors by seed soon. Garden centers already have seeds available and will bring in more as winter wraps up....

Making sure your animals have consistent, effective access to water can be a challenge during the winter months. An article by the University of Kentucky’s Master Grazer program notes water consumption requirements as a key consideration when evaluating a winterized watering system. “Factors that af...

Real maple syrup and maple flavored syrup are both deliciously sweet and derived from plants, but they differ significantly. Unless labeled “Real Maple Syrup,” the syrup you purchase for your favorite breakfast foods is primarily made from corn. Some immediately observable differences include the pr...

Picture an orchard. You probably thought about apples, or maybe pears, or maybe peaches. Californians may picture almonds. Louisianans may picture pecans. Those from southern Europe may even picture olives. But have you ever thought about pawpaw? According to the National Park Service, the pawpaw is...

Praised by foodies and lovers of Asian cuisine, ginger is known for its culinary and medicinal properties. Grated, chopped, juiced or cut into thin strips, ginger is versatile and consumed as a spice, a beverage or an accompaniment in savory dishes as well as desserts. Spicy and aromatic, ginger is ...

The Day of the Horse – this day in early December is marked by several horse organizations and advocacy groups to celebrate our majestic friends and their contributions to society. “In 2004, Congress designated December 13thas National Day of the Horse, and it has been celebrated each year since. Th...

If you have a gardener in your life and need some help selecting a gift, read on for some ideas that should please even the choosiest of gardeners. Most gardeners would be so pleased to receive a gift card to their favorite garden center or nursery. How will you know what that is? Simply recall a pr...

The mention of mistletoe evokes images of a seasonal kissing ball adorned with its leaves and berries or of someone sneaking a kiss beneath a sprig of mistletoe hanging in a doorway. You probably don’t think about where mistletoe comes from or what part it plays in the ecosystems where it grows in t...

Agriculture can be a risky business. Equipment, chemicals, livestock and infrastructure such as grain bins or manure pits are just a few of the dangers that farmers interact with on a daily basis. Other, perhaps less obvious dangers include slippery surfaces, ropes and cords that can cause trips and...

When the snow comes down heavy and hard, it’s time for farmers to start thinking about barn  roof  safety. Image courtesy of Cornell University Extension Heavy snow can put barn roofs at risk, but snow removal must be performed carefully. Removing snow without the proper approach can cause more dama...

Never in a million years would I have imagined I would be standing there. But there I was, in the middle of the little butcher’s shop amidst the machines – the buzzing and clacking of saws and knifework, friendly banter of conversation and the litany of earthy and gamey smells filling the air. My ex...

As the days grow shorter, the wintery winds of December will bring with them a host of holidays – and holiday plants. Walk into most stores, and you’ll see shelves of poinsettias, holiday cacti and amaryllis among many others geared toward decorating our homes and gifting to our loved ones. Poinsett...

Fall color in the garden is no doubt stunning, but changing foliage color isn’t the only way to get autumn interest in your garden. Fall berries give you a pop of color and add a new texture to your autumn space. Berries are also beneficial to wildlife – namely birds – who will happily gobble them u...

On Nov. 15, the USDA released a new version of its Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM), updating this valuable tool for growers and researchers for the first time since 2012. The Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the standard by which growers can determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location....