Forest farming, also called agroforestry, is gaining greater recognition in New England, in part due to initiatives such as the Northeast Forest Farmers Coalition (NFFC) and in part due to the many benefits associated with its practices. The NFFC is a partnership of individuals, farms, universities,...

This Horse Tales column will be a bit different, as it’s more about cattle than horses. We’ve just returned from an unforgettable adventure in Ireland, from coast to coast, from Dublin to Galway – a wonderful, magical journey that led us deep into the quiet countryside. This was no ordinary vacation...

Let’s flash back to 1966 and our family’s Greene County, NY, hillside farm where my dad wanted to purchase a new tractor. He was told he should expect to pay $100 per horsepower. He bought a new green 70-hp diesel tractor for about $7,000; he also bought a 250-gallon fuel tank and filled it up with ...

What’s the number one challenge every farmer faces? Ask this question of a group of farmers, and a few nominees will likely rise to the top: weather, regulations and everyone’s favorite, money – particularly the lack of it. So which of these do I think is number one? None of them. I won’t deny that ...

When operations consider making cheese from their milk and they weigh everything that comes with it – adding a creamery or the necessary facilities, finding a market niche – it’s tempting to stick to what is known: cheddars, jack cheeses, Swisses. However, a recent Penn State Extension webinar moder...

Sometimes Olivia Jennrich is dressed in barn attire. Sometimes her choice is casual clothes for a college class. She also wears a tiara. Jennrich was raised in Jefferson, WI, and although she didn’t grow up on a farm, she spent a lot of time on her grandparents’ dairy farm. “My grandparents, along w...

Imagine a guest at your winery breaks an ankle on uneven ground. Or a severe thunderstorm rolls in during an evening corn maze. Or a foodborne illness concern is reported on social media. Stacey Stearns, a communications specialist for UConn Extension, wants agritourism operations to have an emergen...

The theme of this year’s Franklin County Fair was “History Grows Here.” “It’s been a great weekend,” said Michael Nelson, Montague resident and president of the Franklin County Agricultural Society, which hosts the fair. “The fair is 177 years old. It’s been here a long time – very exciting. It’s a ...

Let’s go back to late February 2026, when we saw military action between Iran and the U.S. Transportation of Middle East crude oil, through the Strait of Hormuz, was becoming very sluggish. Artificially reduced crude oil supply, destined for the U.S., forced oil prices past $100/barrel in early Marc...