It’s very common in family farms with multiple children to have one or more of the children become involved with the operation while other children choose to move away and work off farm. The farming children may jointly own machinery with their parents, have discounted purchase options through the p...

Audry Thompson, staff attorney with the Penn State Center for Agricultural & Shale Law, recently reviewed the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), enacted in 1938, which sets minimum wage, overtime, recordkeeping and child labor standards. Thompson explained that FLSA requires an employment relationship...

The University of Maine had a large presence at the 2024 Maine Ag Trades Show , not only through their exhibiting booths but also through their leadership in the educational sessions. One of their presentations focused on the plant diseases that were discovered at the UMaine Plant Disease Diagnostic...

Rodent control on the farm is an essential aspect of both biosecurity and property damage. Ron Forquer, eastern business manager for Motomco , addressed the topic recently at the Penn State Dairy Nutrition Conference. Rodents carry 45 diseases, 35 of which can be directly or indirectly transmitted t...

Micro Mama’s , located in Weare, NH, is a successful producer of lacto-fermented vegetables. They are passionate about paving the way for the future of agriculture. On Dec. 19, Stephanie Zydenbos, owner of Micro Mama’s, hosted a special event featuring Xochitl Torres Small, the Deputy Secretary of U...

I first got to know broccoli up close and personal in 1981, when I was an Extension Vegetable Specialist working with county agents and growers conducting broccoli variety trials throughout North Carolina. Back then, Takii and Sakata were the primary purveyors of varieties. I remember Green Comet, G...

• Webinar on Organic Management of SWD This webinar will report on national project to develop organic approaches for management of spotted-wing drosophila (SWD). It is scheduled for Feb. 7 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. Register online at oregonstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_efBnBYi8QDSzu2NOGopQBg#/registra...

For years, the idea of purchasing a farm has been to many prospective buyers a daunting prospect. It involved hunting for quality land that was for sale, driving there to see it in person, speaking with other farmers in the area and researching USDA records. An interested party then had to scrape to...

Extending your growing season is not only important for the success of your farm, but also for increasing production for your customers. High tunnels are a perfect way to extend your season, and Chris Lent, an agricultural specialist for the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT), recentl...