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...