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East Region conservationists receive positive praise

Troy Bishopp, NatGLC East

Posted on March 26, 2025

NORWICH, NY – “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation,” said the Dalai Lama. After the last few weeks, it seems like praise for the soil soldiers might take the edge off the air of frustration. It certainly couldn’t hurt. For those who farm and graze in New York and the Northeast,...

Crop Comments

Crop Comments: Manage Pastures to Mouth-Harvest a 300% Return

jkarkwren

Posted on March 26, 2025

Country Folks classifieds for March 19 lists 28 hay for sale ads. In addition to that section are three more hay ads on the “farmer-to-farmer” page. None of those ads mentions forage analysis. Almost without exception, any farmer I’ve talked to who has purchased out-of-region hay has been provided f...

News

Ben Wever Farm wins national conservation award

Greg Hitchcock

Posted on March 19, 2025

Ben Wever Farm in Willsboro, NY, was recently awarded the 2024 Hugh Hammond Bennett National Producer Award in Salt Lake City at the National Association of Conservation Districts annual conference. This award is given to farms that have exemplified outstanding service through development and implem...

News

Handling compassion fatigue at dairy farms

Sonja Heyck-Merlin

Posted on March 19, 2025

According to Dr. Noa Román-Muñiz, the first step to understanding compassion fatigue is to have a shared understanding of compassion. In 2008, Román-Muñiz joined Colorado State University’s Department of Animal Sciences as an Extension dairy specialist. She currently serves as the interim department...

News

Studying seedcorn maggot

jkarkwren

Posted on March 19, 2025

Unlike its name denotes, seedcorn maggot ( Delia platura ) attacks more than just corn seeds. It also affects legumes, cucurbits and more. Knowing when and where seedcorn maggot (SCM) will emerge can help producers combat it more effectively, especially in light of the DEC’s prohibition on treated s...

News

Strategic deworming to fight resistance, part 1

Sally Colby

Posted on March 19, 2025

Part 1: Using drugs effectively The parasite resistance issue in small ruminants isn’t new, but it’s still a struggle for many producers. Dr. Dahlia O’Brien, Virginia State University, promotes a multi-pronged approach to managing Haemonchus contortus (barber pole worm), the most economically signif...

News

It’s the age-old question

jkarkwren

Posted on March 19, 2025

MORRISVILLE, NY – You might be wondering “What is the meaning of life?” – or whether to put milk in first or last when making tea. In an agricultural context, the number one question from customers, according to ag service providers like Cornell Cooperative Extension educators, is “What should I do ...

News

Horse Tales: Spring shedding

Judy Van Put

Posted on March 19, 2025

Shedding and spring – two words that go together in the Northeast. Although different horses shed at different rates and times, generally, by March most horses are well into the act of shedding. Why do horses shed their coats and what causes this to happen during spring? As the hours of daylight inc...

Crop Comments

Crop Comments: A New Look at the Neonic Nuisance

jkarkwren

Posted on March 19, 2025

I have monitored colony collapse disorder (CCD) since it was first identified by entomologists over a quarter-century ago. CCD occurs when vast majorities of bees in any given colony – generally worker bees – die unexpectedly. Because queen bees need the nectar these workers provide to nurse new bee...