This was a great year for Ovaltop Holsteins at the New York State Fair . The Richfield Springs, NY, farm took 11 cows from their herd to the fair and “did pretty good,” said Justin Wolfe, son of co-owner Mike Wolfe. The farm won Premier Breeder in the open show; Premier Breeder and Exhibitor of the ...

Hyperbole is often found in literature when an author wants to heighten the effect of their words or add vibrancy and magnitude to catch the reader’s attention. Singer John Legend said, “I think writers are prone to hyperbole sometimes.” I’m guilty, but I hope the bait caught the fish. Anyone in agr...

As farmers throughout the Northeast have been waiting less than patiently for rain, some areas have finally gotten some long-overdue moisture. But is late-season rain enough to salvage a corn silage crop? Dr. John Goeser, adjunct professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison Animal & Dairy Science, rec...

Even lifelong hunters get sloppy. Comfort turns to complacency and a few small slip-ups can tank your entire season. The truth? Skill isn’t just about what you do, it’s also about what you avoid. Here are four common mistakes even seasoned hunters still make – and what to do instead – to stay at the...

In mid-August, Pecos Bill (aka Wild Bill), a fellow Cornell ag graduate, sought my advice for a particular cropping situation on his Chenango County dairy farm. He said they usually harvest two cuttings of sorghum, in mid-July and late August. But this year, starting wet, then turning dry most of su...

National Farm Safety and Health Week (NFSHW) is taking place this year Sept. 21 – 27. NFSHW is a time to increase awareness of the high risk of accidents and injuries in agriculture and to promote the adoption of life-saving health and safety practices. Despite a slight decrease in total fatal occup...

Oechsner Farms of Newfield has been selected for the New York AEM-Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors farmers and forestland owners who go above and beyond in the management of soil health, water quality and wildlife habitat on working land. Thor Oechsner and his wife Rachel Lodder, who own...

Quimby Farm is nestled among the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley. The barn, over a century old, overlooks the lush acreage of the heritage farm, beloved for its berries, grapes and beef. The business, run by the Quimby family for 85 years and counting, is modest but self-sustaining; a way of life...

When a barnyard is partially in concrete and the pasture is little more than holes left by the hooves of beef cattle, what’s the answer? In Craig Alleman’s case, the best solution was more concrete. Alleman’s farm was a mess, with mud and pugging throughout the pastures. Pasture vegetation didn’t st...