News
Posted on May 30, 2025
Whether they’re grown for drinking or for decorating, hops are a valuable specialty crop. Per USDA-NASS, the value of the crop was $446 million in 2024, so making sure as many hops get to market as possible is incredibly beneficial. The total cultivated area for hops was 61,177 acres in 2022 (at the...
News
Sally Colby 
Posted on May 30, 2025
Nearly everyone involved in agriculture has first-hand knowledge of a family member or friend involved in a farm accident. But Dr. Barbara Lee, senior research scientist at Marshfield Clinic Research Institute , believes the term “accident” isn’t accurate. She encourages the use of “incident” instea...
News
jkarkwren 
Posted on May 30, 2025
There are different species of mealybugs. Some live in the roots of plants, others on the leaves and stems. Either way, the presence of mealybugs is a major concern in greenhouses. The citrus mealybug, longtailed mealybug, obscure mealybug and root-feeding mealybugs are the primary types responsible...
Farmers First
jkarkwren 
Posted on May 30, 2025
Hello, farm family! When I was a kid, we had a couple of old beam balance scales in our barn. A single scale could weigh large pumpkins during our annual Pumpkin Festival and farm kids the rest of the year. When we started growing cabbage and butternut for processing, we would place the two scales f...
News
Enrico Villamaino 
Posted on May 1, 2025
West Point could well be just another sleepy little corner of Iowa, tucked away among the rolling hills and quiet fields of America’s heartland. But within the peaceful confines of this rural community lies KJM Berries and Nut Farm, a testament to determination, grit and the stubborn faith that one ...
News
Sally Colby 
Posted on May 1, 2025
Henriette den Ouden, University of Maryland Eastern Shore Extension, grew up in the Netherlands where she learned about elderberries through stories passed down through generations. den Ouden discussed tips for growing this versatile fruit at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit & Vegetable Convention . “The stor...
News
Courtney Llewellyn 
Posted on May 1, 2025
On the surface, the annual Tales of the Cocktail conference appears to be about one thing: mixed alcoholic beverages. However, in recent years, both those inventing drinks and imbibing them have become more concerned about how sustainable their ingredients really are. In the same sense, the term “fo...
News
jkarkwren 
Posted on May 1, 2025
It’s one thing to have a great idea for a farm business, but an entirely different thing to bring that idea to market. Bonnie Nelsen, business management specialist with Cornell’s Lake Ontario Fruit Program , recently presented “From Seed to Success: Turn Your Idea Into an Actionable Plan – Developi...
News
Sally Colby 
Posted on May 1, 2025
Organic agriculture is a vital aspect of the ag sector’s bottom line, and the industry is working to ensure continued efficiency. Scott Rice, senior director of regulatory affairs for the Organic Trade Association (OTA), described updates to the organic rule at the recent USDA Ag Outlook Forum. “ St...
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Gardening Farming, Lifestyle
Laura Rodley 
September 23, 2025
Hiking, hunting, harvesting? Going for a walk in the woods? Riding your horse? Mowing your lawn? Picking apples? Beware of yellowjackets. “Historicall...
Events, Lifestyle
January 22, 2025
Salt prematurely ages roads and bridges and degrades freshwater lakes, streams and drinking water. Just a teaspoon of salt permanently pollutes five g...
Lifestyle
February 5, 2025
Efforts to revive small business sectors have helped countless communities regain their prosperity and sense of community pride. Those efforts have be...
Gardening Farming
February 3, 2025
The middle of winter, with snow covering brick-hard, frozen ground may seem like an odd time to plan a new garden bed, but it’s the best time. If you ...