Farmers expect weather, pests, disease and family issues to affect their farm’s profitability. What they often do not expect is a lawsuit. Rachel Armstrong, executive director of Farm Commons, recently presented “Farm Liability and Insurance Basics,” hosted by Food Animal Concerns Trust. A Duluth, M...

Dr. Bert Cregg, Extension specialist in the Department of Horticulture and Department of Forestry at Michigan State, has years of experience in the Christmas tree industry. He shares the basics with those who are interested in a Christmas tree enterprise. Those who grow Christmas trees do so on a wi...

As the chill enters the air and the outdoor growing season for those in cold weather areas comes to a halt, high tunnels offer vegetable growers a chance at season extension. But keeping greens under cover doesn’t mean that pests and diseases aren’t going to be a problem. Take spinach. According to ...

As I thought about this column, I felt the added pressure of the uncertainty of the times we are living in. I believe planning for the future and trying to figure out where the opportunities are going to be is much harder than in the past. Still, I go back to my most basic touchstone – that people n...

As the calendar year draws to a close for many direct marketers, it’s time to compare sales against marketing projections. With that in mind, a few questions start the process. Demographics and sales: Did the identified target audiences match sales demographics? Sales records can indicate which grou...

Although Laura Raney didn’t grow up on a farm, she worked at garden centers and other outdoor jobs, all of which led her to a love of being outdoors. Raney began working at the Silverwood Organic Farm CSA several days a week, and over the course of several years, she joined the field crew. Abel Clar...

Once, not that long ago, a farmer was simply a farmer. They planted seeds, grew crops, raised livestock and then sold it, sometimes without ever having to speak to a member of the public. These days, however, consumers want to know where their food is coming from and they want to connect with farm o...

NORWICH, NY – Anyone who has grown vegetables in the Northeast can tell you the troubles of the short growing season coupled with years of insect pests or crops wiped out by blights. While conventional growing operations still work, there might be a better way. Zaid Kurdieh might have found a way to...

“Think about the things that keep you up at night,” said Rob Leeds, Ohio State University Extension educator. “Do you have a plan?” That’s how Leeds, along with fellow OSU Extension Educator Eric Barrett, kicked off their presentation on farm emergency preparedness at this year’s NAFDMA Conference. ...

Peace of mind is a critical aspect of farming – knowing who is next in line for the farm is a critical aspect of mental health. Veronica McClendon, principal attorney with McClendon Law and Consulting, said physical health is often addressed but mental health is also an integral part of overall well...

Shoulder season – the months between peak seasons – can be a time for growers to lay low and reset. But that often means a time with low to no new income. One way to take advantage of shoulder season, without creating too much more work, is to focus on woody ornamentals. Presenting “Maximizing the S...

Keeping produce clean from the time it’s harvested to the time a consumer purchases it is a challenge for every grower. Lindsay Gilmour, Organic Planet LLC, has been a food safety educator since 2013, and said most food safety issues in the news are caused by biological pathogens, primarily bacteria...

I had the opportunity to visit Ag Progress Days at Penn State this August and peruse the wide array of machinery associated with agricultural enterprises and see what educational venues and tours were offered. In the days when I was an active participant in the educational program at Ag Progress Day...

The pandemic taught us that flexible work schedules, if structured well, could work successfully in many parts of a business. Perhaps you experienced this with some of your own employees. A recent poll noted that 61% of flexible schedule at-home workers preferred to work from home rather than come b...

Everything old is new again. Soil steaming, popular at the turn of the 20th century, fell out of use when chemical-based farming became the norm. Soil fumigants such as methyl bromide – popular with strawberry growers and recently prohibited in the U.S. except in extenuating circumstances – offered ...