Country Folks, Crop Comments
Crop Comments
Posted on September 9, 2026
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...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Post 
Posted on September 2, 2026
Soybean growers eager to boost their profits should look at high oleic soybeans. A panel of experts discussed “The High Oleic Soybean Opportunity in New York” at the recent 2026 Summer Crop Summit hosted by the New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association at Rodman Lott & Son Farms in Seneca Falls. D...
Agritourism/Agritainment, Country Folks
by Enrico Villamaino 
Posted on September 2, 2026
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...
Agritourism/Agritainment, Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant 
Posted on September 2, 2026
Hiring seasonal employees challenges many farm operators as many aspects of the hiring process and other human resources matters differ from that of non-seasonal employees. Farm consultant Erica Leubner recently presented a “Seasonal Employees” webinar, hosted by Cornell as part of New York’s Annie’...
Country Folks
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
Posted on September 2, 2026
David Liu is a rising senior at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH, and he’s on a mission to share knowledge about the risks and threats of microplastics in agriculture. He shared his research during a recent presentation for NOFA/Mass . The EPA defines microplastics as plastic particles ranging ...
Country Folks, Crop Comments
Crop Comments
Crop Comments A9 
Posted on September 2, 2026
Throughout spring, the white or light pink, funnel-shaped flowers of wild morning glory graced many roadsides in the Northeast. With help from UConn Cooperative Extension, I’m able to provide information on this pretty flower. The scientific name is Convulvulus sepium (“of hedges” or “of fences”), e...
Country Folks, Farmers First
Test A5 
Posted on September 2, 2026
Earlier this week, I spent an entire day clearing off my kitchen table. No, I wasn’t cleaning up from a gourmet seven-course dinner. I was reclaiming it from a mass of paperwork. My kitchen table is my favorite all-purpose multi-tool. I occasionally serve meals on it, of course, but that isn’t its m...
Country Folks
by Deborah Jeanne Post 
Posted on August 26, 2026
Farmers are accustomed to change; however, some fail to realize that change affects their industry far beyond weather and pests. “It’s not the old days anymore,” said Damian Mason, keynote speaker at the 2026 Summer Crop Summit hosted by New York Corn & Soybean Growers Association at Rodman Lott & S...
Agritourism/Agritainment, Country Folks
by Sonja Heyck-Merlin 
Posted on August 26, 2026
Hipcamp is a popular app for discovering and booking unique outdoor stays including tent camping, RV parks, cabins, treehouses and glamping. They partner with landowners in all 50 states, Canada, Australia and the UK. Hipcamp likes to call their service camping-based tourism. According to Cassandra ...
Country Folks
tecnavia 
October 21, 2026
Many farmers who tell the story of their dairy farm have similar condensed versions about the operation’s origin: their grandparents purchased a farm,...
Country Folks
by Sally Colby 
October 21, 2026
In the past, many dairy and beef producers had nothing nice to say about dairy progeny, which were usually purebred Holsteins, entering the beef suppl...
Country Folks
by Enrico Villamaino 
October 21, 2026
A good bull can make a cow/calf operation more profitable for years. A poor one can deliver a costly collection of calving complications, disappointin...
Country Folks
by Edith Tucker 
October 21, 2026
HGTV recently reported that Shelburne Farms, 20 minutes south of its home city, is Vermont’s top free attraction. An “About the Farm” sign, posted at ...