Winter weather has descended across much of the Midwest over the past few weeks. With colder temperatures, we are seeing a significant increase in bird pressure on dairy farms. Birds have …
‘Tis the yule season, which is vastly different than the mule season, mainly because nobody has ever been kicked by a yule. I don’t think anyone has actually seen a yule, for that matter. …
We are running out of room in our “inn” this holiday season. Forget an Advent calendar counting down the days to Christmas — it seems every day there is a new gift delivered, …
This time of year, most mentions of gifts invoke mental images of colorfully wrapped boxes adorned with ribbons and nestled under Christmas trees. But the gift I’ve been thinking about most …
Rosie, the Black White Holstein You know Sutton, and Fruitcake, and Backstrap, and Halo, Snowflake, and Mazda, and Honda, and Dumbo. But do you recall The most famous bovine of …
Prospects are good for dairy markets heading into 2025. “I think there’s going to be a chance to do more protein business with whey overseas, and I think butterfat remains a big component …
I’m always on the lookout for special Christmas gifts throughout the year. I’ll stash my treasures in a secret closet away from snooping kids or in one of my freezers. I have bags of …
Butter and cheese stocks fell in October, with the cheese inventory down for the eighth month in a row. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest cold storage report showed Oct. 31 butter …
Nazareth was a small village of Galilee with a small population of less than five hundred. To many, it was of little to no importance and not much happened. It was small, poor and unassuming. It …
I listened to a book recently about an eccentric art dealer who thought he was going to die of cancer. So, he put together a chest full of treasures like gold coins and precious stones and hid it in …
As we move into winter, I like to review colostrum practices on farms to help producers prepare for cold weather challenges that can exacerbate neonatal calf health challenges. Thanks to Dr. Sandra …
We all have ancestors. They may not be the ones we might have chosen, but there they are, and there’s nothing we can do about it. Used to be that having a notorious forebear was the sort …
As we step into the holiday season and I wrap up a month of fun and engaging Princess Kay appearances, I am reminded of the countless blessings in life. Coming home for Thanksgiving to join the …
Nothing wakes a person up faster in the middle of the night than hearing the words, “The cows are out.” One night earlier this fall, just after midnight, our 5-month-old daughter …
During the cooler months, sewing is my favorite stress reliever. I got hooked on making bags a couple of months ago and really cannot stop myself from sewing them for everyone. I wrote up this …
In addition to China, President-elect Donald Trump is now calling for tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports. Trump said he would impose a 25% tariff on all products coming into the U.S. from Canada …
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its Federal Order reform final decision this week outlining changes in U.S. dairy pricing. A producer referendum will be held in December or January after …
Whenever things are floating along nice and smooth, it is a sure bet that something is about to go haywire. That’s just one lesson I learned from revivifying our 1949 John Deere A tractor. …
Milk components have been high the past couple of months — higher than normal seasonal values — yet many herds continue to search for additional pounds of milk. Producers may focus on the …
It feels like we have been running against the wind these past few weeks trying to complete the harvest marathon. The fall season has lingered a bit longer than expected, creating opportunities and …