Country Folks
Posted on July 1, 2026
Will farmers, nonprofits, ag service providers and other rural organizations across America be kissing their federal funding goodbye before 2027? The Office of Management & Budget (OMB) published a new rule in the Federal Register on May 29 to allow them to change the terms of a loan agreement after...
News
Courtney Llewellyn 
Posted on July 1, 2026
For growers battling stubborn weeds across the Northeast, a new spark of interest is running through the rows. In a presentation titled “Sparks in the Row: What Electrical Weed Control Does to Weeds,” researchers Luísa C. Baccin and Marcelo L. Moretti of Oregon State University joined Joshua W. A. M...
News
by Courtney Llewellyn 
Posted on July 1, 2026
Livestock manure is a plentiful, renewable resource. Nearly 1.4 billion tons of it is created each year in the U.S. alone. Much of it is utilized as fertilizer on commodity crops, but what about using it on vegetables that often go straight from the fields and into hungry mouths? A team from Morehea...
News
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
Posted on July 1, 2026
“The famous quote about food hubs is when you’ve seen one food hub, you’ve seen one food hub. They’re like snowflakes,” said Katelyn Porter of the New England Food Hub & Processors Network at a meeting hosted by Healthy Communities of the Capital Area in Hallowell, Maine. According to USDA, a food h...
News
by Andy Haman 
Posted on July 1, 2026
“’There’s money in the account’ is not an effective business strategy,” Penn State Extension’s Carla Snyder joked during a recent “Lunch & Learn.” As a farm business owner, it’s important to know the status of every cent of cold, hard cash, not just your assets or investments. Effective planning can...
Farmers First
Farmers 25 At that moment, you have a choice. You can rail against the ?wasted? day, or you can redefine the day?s goal. 
Posted on July 1, 2026
“Enough is enough!” When I was young, those three little words – usually bellowed by one of the Dame patriarchs – always made me freeze. Nothing else needed to be said. The message came through loud and clear: No more talking. No more jumping. No more running. Close your mouth. Sit still. Stop. Who ...
News
by Andy Haman 
Posted on June 1, 2026
Play is important for children of all ages, and children’s play areas can become an integral part of your agritourism operation – but these spaces must be created with safety in mind. A session at the most recent Great Lakes Expo led by Nate Bosch, landscape architect with Outdoor Discovery Center o...
News
by Enrico Villamaino 
Posted on June 1, 2026
At the most recent Cultivate Conference , growers packed together to soak up smart strategies on a deceptively simple subject: watering. In a session titled “Optimize Moisture Management to Grow Your Best Crops Ever,” Nick Flax, technical services specialist at Ball Seed Company, made one thing clea...
News
by Courtney Llewellyn 
Posted on June 1, 2026
According to some, elderberries have a taste similar to blackberries and black currants but have a more “earthy” flavor. Their unique flavor is enjoyed by many these days in culinary treats and elderberry medicine extracts. The market for elderberry is still being studied and expanded. So a team of ...
News
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
July 1, 2026
Until six years ago, Cassie Wipperfurth and her family were living on five acres in central Minnesota. Each year, the lawn became smaller and the gard...
News
by Edith Tucker 
July 1, 2026
Rhianna Zadravec and Alex Libenson, who spent four years farming together on leased property in Lisbon, NH, are very happy they were able to buy a 68-...
News
by Sally Colby Over 34 
July 1, 2026
Consumers want to purchase the perfect Christmas tree. Growers want to grow perfect trees. Unfortunately, a problematic disease threatens many Christm...
News
by Laura Rodley 
July 1, 2026
Growing Christmas trees requires patience and a lot of time. To grow a good Christmas tree takes “just short of 10 years,” according to James Earle Br...