As mentioned in a previous Horse Tales column , we’ve just returned from a trip to Ireland on an ancestral journey that was anchored by two completely different family roots. On one end was a lengthy visit to my great-great-grandfather Patrick Hand’s farm in Drumiller, County Cavan, where he farmed ...

My first contact with Tom Kilcer was toward the end of my 63-month Cooperative Extension career. I met him at an Extension Conference in the Catskills in autumn 1977. My last year as an agronomy county agent was 1977-78, which was also Kilcer’s first year in that calling. Our contact over the follow...

Wendell Berry argued that “true health is not complicated or exclusive; it comes from recognizing how everyday actions link together.” He poignantly added, “Only by restoring the broken connections can we be healed. Connection is health.” His sentiment inspired the 50 farmers, subject matter mentors...

High cattle prices can create a welcome problem for beef producers: what to do with the extra income? After years when simply keeping the bills paid could feel like a victory, stronger markets can provide room to breathe, invest and prepare. But the central message of the presentation “Making the Mo...

“Visitors are coming to your website with specific questions: ‘Can I trust this place? Is it worth the trip?’ Your website will be their first impression, and it needs to answer those questions. Good user experience means making it easy, clear and inviting,” said Molly McManus, the agritourism and m...

Generally, most Northeast haymakers were satisfied with their 2026 first cuttings’ quality. At most locations, first-cut perennial forage tonnages were adequate to exceptional, except for much of Central New York: Utica’s TV weather reports showed June through August rainfall tallies ran about one-t...

“Grants can address specific projects or challenges for your farm or food business. These funds are not ‘free.’ They often come with requirements. It’s important to know how to navigate that terrain,” said Laura Biasillo (CCE Broome), exploring what funding can accomplish for farm operations. What t...

This Horse Tales column will be a bit different, as it’s more about cattle than horses. We’ve just returned from an unforgettable adventure in Ireland, from coast to coast, from Dublin to Galway – a wonderful, magical journey that led us deep into the quiet countryside. This was no ordinary vacation...

Let’s flash back to 1966 and our family’s Greene County, NY, hillside farm where my dad wanted to purchase a new tractor. He was told he should expect to pay $100 per horsepower. He bought a new green 70-hp diesel tractor for about $7,000; he also bought a 250-gallon fuel tank and filled it up with ...