Country Folks
Posted on March 25, 2026
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) isn’t the primary news story today, but the virus is here to stay. Veterinarian Eric Gingerich, technical services specialist, Diamond V/Cargill, promotes biosecurity, but he’s hoping for vaccine approval. Gingerich recently provided an HPAI review and an upd...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on March 25, 2026
Can AI help your farm’s workforce development? Wolfgang Heuweiser, DVM, Ph.D., professor and director of Quality Milk Production Services in the Department of Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences in Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine, presented on the topic as part of Cornell’s “Boots in ...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby Think A8 
Posted on March 25, 2026
In a presentation hosted by Bal Chem, Andrew Rose of the nonprofit organization Bioeconomy Information Sharing & Analysis Center (BIO-ISAC), discussed a critical and timely question: Could your operation survive a cyberattack? Rose refers to himself as an “accidental expert” in cybersecurity. He was...
Country Folks, Crop Comments
Crop Comments
Crop Comments B6 cale, which is shorter and denser than rye, and can be expected to produce superior crude protein while still standing. 
Posted on March 25, 2026
There are five days left of winter as I’m writing this column. Winter has been colder than normal for most of the Northeast, a fact reflected in our electric bill and fuel oil consumption. Utica’s official snowfall has been about a third higher than normal, a claim which our village of Hartwick (35 ...
News
Courtney Llewellyn 
Posted on March 23, 2026
In time for National Ag Day on March 24, the nonprofit Rural Minds announces the launch of the new Farmer Mental Health Resilience Program in support of mental wellness for farmers and farm families. This critical new initiative aims to support the ag community by providing farmers and the individua...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on March 18, 2026
The first few weeks of a heifer’s life matter – a lot. Adam Beard, Ph.D. with Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, presented “Early Calf Management: Key Influence on Heifer Development” as part of Cornell’s ongoing “Boots in the Barn” webinar series. Beard discussed the developmental...
Country Folks
by Enrico Villamaino 
Posted on March 18, 2026
The 2025 Irrigation Show & Education Week brought together growers, consultants and tech tinkerers hungry for tools that can stretch every drop. In the middle of the bustle, Dr. Stacia L. Davis Conger, state irrigation specialist and associate professor of irrigation engineering at LSU’s AgCenter, d...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
Posted on March 18, 2026
In the past, income from the sale of wool from annual sheep shearing was sufficient to pay for the flock’s feed for the year. Today, that’s no longer the case for most who raise sheep. But Diana Dougherty and Gabriella Nanci bucked the trend and found ways to make a profit with wool. Dougherty raise...
Country Folks
by Deborah J. Sergeant 
Posted on March 18, 2026
Farmers rely on weather forecasts to know when to plant, spray and harvest. Forecasting can also help predict poor health in the herd. Jackson A. Seminara, Ph.D., presented “Forecasting Performance: How Clues from Blood, Milk & Sensors Can Predict Unfortunate Outcomes in Multiparous Cows” as part of...
Country Folks
Edith Tucker 
July 29, 2026
The Hardy Farm, a 400-acre longtime organic family farm in Farmington, Maine, switched to selling its milk directly to Stonyfield Organic on Aug. 1, 2...
Country Folks
by Joseph Armstrong 
July 29, 2026
The U.S. bird population has been declining by the millions for several decades. Thankfully, there is a growing interest in managing sugarbushes as an...
Country Folks
by Deborah J. Sergeant 
July 29, 2026
Your farm’s story can help promote agriculture. Considering that most Americans are at least two generations removed from agriculture, it’s more impor...
Country Folks
July 29, 2026
Penn State Extension program specialist in ag economics, sociology and education Paula Ledney urges farmers to familiarize themselves with Medicare an...