Two Vermont graziers shared anecdotes about using virtual fencing technology at the 2025 Gathering of Good Graziers conference put on by the Vermont Grass Farmers Association. Aimee Braxmeier of Slippery Slope Goats in Landgrove, VT, uses virtual fencing to contract graze about 200 goats. Ben Notter...

Most of us know Hans Christian Anderson’s fable about the ugly duckling blossoming into a beautiful swan. This parable extends to an “unkept,” wooly 10 acres of my pasture system left after a quick grazing event. This rank, hideous wad of growth left behind prompted visitors to ask, “When ya gonna m...

Farmers are familiar with AI as the abbreviation for artificial insemination or avian influenza, and many know it also stands for artificial intelligence. Alexis Stevens, farm management specialist with Iowa State University, said there are more than 36,000 AI tools available today – and the number ...

Soil fumigants are pesticides that, when applied to soils, form gases to control pests which, if unchecked, disrupt plant growth and crop production. Fumigation suppresses weeds and soilborne plant pathogens in crops like potatoes, onions, sugar beets, tomatoes, mint, carrots and strawberries. Chemi...

Christina Dodge provided some simple yet effective tips for building a motivated and committed workplace team. Dodge is a Maine Small Business Development Center business advisor. “The power of motivation is that motivation drives results and that shows up in increased productivity, better customer ...

Dr. Jeffrey Bewley admits his first impression of compost bedded pack barns for dairy cows wasn’t favorable. He was concerned about animals laying on manure, impacts on milk quality and mastitis potential. Bewley, who serves as executive director, Innovation and Genetics, Holstein Association USA, p...

Manure is making a comeback, not just as a nutrient source but as a long-term investment in soil health, crop yields and fertilizer savings. New data from Cornell University’s Nutrient Management Spear Program (NMSP) and PRO-DAIRY confirm what many farmers have long suspected: manure’s magic doesn’t...

Pesticide applicators know the label is the law, and the EPA’s recently released final insecticide strategy means there’s more to know. The plan identifies protection plans for federally endangered and threatened species from the use of insecticides while providing flexibility for growers. The EPA s...

There’s general concern among doctors that as we age, our bodies become less efficient at regulating temperature. This puts such people at greater risk of heat illness. To avoid such problems, health professionals recommend that aging folks in hot weather drink plenty of water before going outside –...