When you pass away, what happens to the farm? If you simply think “the kids” will figure it out with ease after you pass, you’re dead wrong. USDA Census reports indicate that about 70% of family farms will change hands within the next 20 years, but of those, only 30% will remain in the family. The t...

Champlain Valley Honey in Middlebury, VT, and its 31-year-old president, Curtis Mraz, a fourth-generation commercial beekeeper and farmer, are one of the three finalists selected for the 2026 New England Leopold Conservation Award . The award honors farmers and forestland owners that manage their so...

At a presentation sponsored by the National Agricultural Law Center , lawyer Audry Thompson from the Penn State Center for Agricultural & Shale Law discussed the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations for minors employed on farms. Passed in 1938, the FLSA established federal minimum standards f...

In horse racing, the final stretch is the last straightaway of the track leading to the finish line. I like to compare growing seasons to horse races. Much of the corn in the Northeast has been affected by drought, suffering lower starch build-up levels due to less water during July. But, of late, m...

The annual Hoover Manure Expo held this summer in Chambersburg, PA, featured a panel of manure handlers who discussed in-season manure application as well as challenges with winter spreading. Eric Rosenbaum, Rosetree Consulting , moderated a panel that included dairy farmers Eric Hoover, Anthony Mar...

It’s not a lightsaber, but it’s close. John Winchell of Alltech Global Technical Support Expert uses a handheld NIR infrared mobile technology sensor to measure when dairy farmers should harvest their corn silage. Like many superheroes, he lives in New York but travels round the world, assisting dai...

The 158th Cummington Fair drew good crowds, eager to get out in the splendid early autumn weather. Since 2018, Albert Judd of the family-run Goshen Stone Company in Goshen, MA, has been president of the Hillside Agricultural Society, which organizes Cummington Fair in Cummington, MA. Folks of all ag...

Ever wonder why it is sometimes possible to pull up mature corn plants with very little effort? In such cases, the majority of roots are in the top three inches. Soil testing – to maximize the efficiency of fertilizer inputs – often reveals soil’s physical limitations when probes hit compacted layer...

A farm bonfire has a certain magic. Hayrides roll in from the fields, boots crunch across the ground and a crackling blaze gives families a warm place to gather as the evening cools. For farms offering agritourism events, that combination can turn a simple autumn night into a memorable experience. B...