Country Folks
Posted on April 1, 2026
Water is often referred to as the most important nutrient. Providing beef cattle with clear and odorless water is a good first step in meeting nutritional requirements, but looks can be deceiving. In a recent presentation, Cheryl Waldner, DVM, Beef Cattle Council, Western College of Veterinary Medic...
Country Folks
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
Posted on April 1, 2026
Maine has emerged as a national leader in researching and responding to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in agricultural land. While PFAS contamination has impacted dozens of Maine farms, even causing some to permanently cease operations, Duncan Pfaehler, a senior planner wit...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on April 1, 2026
Getting ready for the planting season can feel like going to war against weeds, pests and crop diseases. To help farmers gear up for battle, Matt Pinckney, Syngenta retail representative, presented “Maximizing Corn & Soybean Yields” at the recent A.N. Martin Open House. Based in Clyde, NY, A.N. Mart...
Country Folks
POULTRY Healthy poop, healthy birds
by Sally Colby 
Posted on April 1, 2026
There’s a lot to learn from looking at what comes out of the back end of poultry after digestion is complete. University of Maryland Eastern Shore Poultry Specialist Jennifer Timmons, Ph.D., shared insight to guide poultry owners on what to look for in droppings to maintain good flock health. Chicke...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on April 1, 2026
Farmers are much more likely to be found in the field than in the halls of Congress. That’s why industry advocates are vital to influencing legislation, raising awareness of ag concerns to lawmakers and helping farmers better understand how new legislation can affect their operations. At the recent ...
Country Folks, Farmers First
Posted on April 1, 2026
Hello, farm family! Have you ever walked by a weedy bench and thought, “I’ll just pull a few weeds,” only to realize you then worked for over an hour? Me too. The positive side of that is that I got lots of weeds pulled rather than just a few. The drawback is I now have less time to do the other thi...
Country Folks, Crop Comments
Crop
Posted on April 1, 2026
According to the American Meteorological Society’s Glossary, “Spring snow, also called corn snow or granular snow, is a coarse granular, wet snow, resembling finely chopped melted ice.” Wet snow falling on tall, sturdy trees can break branches; the problem is even worse on immature trees. With lanky...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
Posted on March 25, 2026
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) isn’t the primary news story today, but the virus is here to stay. Veterinarian Eric Gingerich, technical services specialist, Diamond V/Cargill, promotes biosecurity, but he’s hoping for vaccine approval. Gingerich recently provided an HPAI review and an upd...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on March 25, 2026
A panel of both new and wizened farmers kicked off the recent New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association 2026 Winter Expo, discussing soil health to farm survival strategies. David Whitaker and Corey Hillebo with the “Farm4Profit” podcast based in Slater, Iowa, formed the panel with Tom Corcoran, k...
News
by Enrico Villamaino 
April 1, 2026
A century of soil, sweat and stewardship thrives in Grand Rapids. At Ed Dunneback & Girls Farm Market the rows run long, the roots run deep and the fa...
News
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
April 1, 2026
It’s been a few years since Will Glazik concluded his North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) grant titled “Exploring Flavor...
News
by Sally Colby 
April 1, 2026
A never-ending propagation challenge is weeds. In a presentation hosted by the Horticultural Research Institute (HRI), research associate professor An...
News
April 1, 2026
A recent study titled “Healthier Soils, Lower Emissions & Carbon Credits in ‘Carbon-Smart’ Apple Orchards” sets a sharp and stirring stage for researc...