Country Folks
Posted on April 29, 2026
A motivational speaker may not seem a typical choice for a speaker at a farm conference, but the Northeast Dairy Management Conference, presented by PRO-DAIRY and the Northeast Dairy Producers Association, welcomed Matt Booth of Mattitude from Dubuque, Iowa, to speak about one’s outlook effecting po...
Country Folks, Crop Comments
Crop
tecnavia 
Posted on April 29, 2026
The U.S. plants significantly less acreage of this summer annual than it did a century ago. Buckwheat was once a much more widespread crop before the late Industrial Revolution introduced new technologies. The center-point of such technologies were fertilizers based on chemical ingredients which inc...
Country Folks
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
Posted on April 22, 2026
According to Alyssa Dietrich Warner, it’s commonly recommended to feed a newborn calf a minimum of four liters of colostrum at the first feeding. Some dairy farmers choose to feed more than this. This is a way to achieve excellent transfer of passive immunity (TPI), regardless of colostrum quality. ...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on April 22, 2026
As a matter of economy, Francisco Leal Yepes, DVM, Ph.D., and assistant professor of ambulatory and production medicine in Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, believes more farmers need to raise their own replacements and pay more attention to their herd’s health. “Heifer supplies are at their...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
Posted on April 22, 2026
Any time between giving birth through weaning or dry-off is the ideal time for ewes or does to develop mastitis. The cost of mastitis is significant due to veterinary costs, milk replacer for lambs or kids that aren’t getting enough milk, culling of relatively young females, increased lamb or kid mo...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on April 22, 2026
What can we learn about high-yield wheat from the UK? Plenty, according to panelists at the recent Soybean & Small Grains Congress hosted by New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association. The panelists were Dwight Bartle from Brown City, MI; Allan Thompson from Caledon, ON, Canada; and Brandon Blain f...
Country Folks
by Andy Haman 
Posted on April 22, 2026
“We embrace our diversity; it makes us a stronger organization at every level.” This message anchored a Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Summit session this year, led by three different people in different facets of the industry. Presenter Kate Turcotte is an artisan cheesemaker of more than 20 y...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on April 22, 2026
Using robots for milking focuses on reducing labor costs; however, it can also increase precision in herd management, according to Trevor DeVries, University of Guelph. He presented “Harnessing Individual Cow Traits & Responses in Automated Milking Systems” at the recent Herd Health & Nutrition Conf...
Country Folks
Crop
tecnavia 
Posted on April 22, 2026
The dynamics of fertilizer economics is not boring. Four years ago, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine seriously impacted the world’s natural gas (methane) playing field. Russia controls most of Europe’s natural gas resources. In 2022, Russia shut off Ukraine’s natural gas supply, trying to fre...
tecnavia 
September 20, 2026
Rural health is an interesting descriptor for those of us who exist in Small Town USA. What differentiates rural health from anywhere else in the coun...
tecnavia 
September 18, 2026
Holiday season parties are particularly festive affairs. The jovial spirt of the autumn season lends itself to fun gatherings with family and friends....
tecnavia 
September 16, 2026
Last week I visited my in-laws. They are in their early 90s and are experiencing major health problems. I guess that’s why every time I stop by someth...
Lifestyle
tecnavia 
September 14, 2026
Changing seasons expose vehicles to various conditions throughout the year. Although severe weather can occur at any time, the winter is known to be p...