Country Folks
Posted on January 28, 2026
TRUXTON, NY – At its simplest form, bale grazing is a way to feed animals on the land. However, farmers are known to tinker with such practices and make them their own. Depending on a farm’s context, goals and the tools to implement, it’s rarely a “cookie/hay cutter” approach. A capacity crowd of fa...
Country Folks
by Joseph Armstrong 
Posted on January 28, 2026
When your grass-fed dairy dials in their foraging programs, the results can be surprising. Don Burkard, a cow forage expert with Cows Come First, discussed how feeding a few premium grasses, alfalfa and corn silage to Bessie the right way can make a world of difference for her and your farm. Top-Not...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on January 28, 2026
Immigration law should be of interest to any farmer using H-2A workers. Attorney Michael Sciotti with law firm Barclay Damon, LLP in Syracuse presented the topic at the recent Labor Road Show hosted by Cornell AgriTech in Geneva, NY. Barclay Damon also operates offices in Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Ne...
Country Folks, Crop Comments
Crop Comments
Crop Comments A7 
Posted on January 28, 2026
Up till a decade and a half ago I served as an advisor to the high school vocational ag program in Milford, NY, which was part of the Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). This ag program was physically centered in a barn which housed goats, sheep, layer hens, rabbits, pigs, dairy heife...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
Posted on January 21, 2026
Calf illness often starts out invisible. By the time it’s noticed, the calf is significantly ill – requiring more man hours and medication – and it often dies. In a presentation by the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association, Dr. Leonardo Bringhenti, DVM, Ph.D., AHV International, discussed the ongoing chal...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on January 21, 2026
What do you do when a federal or state inspector comes to your farm regarding labor laws? At the recent Labor Roadshow hosted by Cornell Agricultural Workforce Development (CAWD), Emma Swarthout of American Dairy Association North East and Lucas Smith and Richard Stup with CAWD presented two skits o...
Country Folks
Horse Tales A4 
Posted on January 21, 2026
‘Tis the season for winter’s cold and chill! Indoors, we’re able to throw another log on the fire, cozy up with some hot cocoa or tea and wear warm layers. When we go out and brave the frigid temperatures, we add a warm coat, hat, scarf, mittens and boots. But what about our horses? Many people use ...
B: Auction Section and Market Reports, Crop Comments
Crop
Posted on January 21, 2026
Of the three main fertilizer nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium – P is doing the poorest job of returning to lower pre-pandemic price levels. A number of global factors influences P price (which I’ll evaluate in a later column). P is also the most limiting crop nutrient in Northeast soil...
Country Folks
by Andy Haman 
Posted on January 19, 2026
A little over a week has passed since the 28th annual Keystone Farm Show wrapped in York, PA, and all involved walked away with smiles, sales – it was a “buying show” for equipment dealers and product vendors alike – leads for the year ahead and excitement for the 2027 show. The Keystone Farm Show h...
Country Folks
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
April 22, 2026
According to Alyssa Dietrich Warner, it’s commonly recommended to feed a newborn calf a minimum of four liters of colostrum at the first feeding. Some...
Country Folks
by Ben Simons 
April 22, 2026
On March 28 and 29, Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School FFA Chapter celebrated a longstanding tradition with Oneida County’s official maple weekend cer...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
April 22, 2026
As a matter of economy, Francisco Leal Yepes, DVM, Ph.D., and assistant professor of ambulatory and production medicine in Cornell’s College of Veteri...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
April 22, 2026
Any time between giving birth through weaning or dry-off is the ideal time for ewes or does to develop mastitis. The cost of mastitis is significant d...