Columns

Spring rush treats

While I still have some down time before the spring rush hits, I took advantage of the lull to clean out my recipe collections.

The last week of March did not have a lot for the markets to feed on with respect to the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports regularly monitored. One such report was Prospective Plantings.

Mindsets are contagious

This winter has been brutal. Here in Minnesota, we are close to, if not already, breaking records on total snowfall amounts for the past winter season.

Dairy expo adventures

The two dairy cows wandered, unfettered, throughout the convention hall. They attracted scant attention save for the occasional pedestrian who posed with them for a selfie.

Is there an ideal somatic cell count?

Can somatic cell counts get too low?

Liveliness of spring

Spring has always been a bustling time of year. Whether it was school, chores on the farm, fieldwork, softball or FFA events, my schedule was filled with activities.

Some days are like that

My parents recently went on a short trip to Florida with my two sisters’ families. Our young nephews and niece aren’t really the right ages to join the kind of trips we take our teen kids on, so they do their own trip to a kid friendly beach in Florida.

Giving the gift of life

The registered dairy cattle industry lost a great patron: one of the biggest cheerleaders and advocates, someone with vision, who pushed the edges and made all of us strive to do just a little better in our own breeding programs.

Not a professional dog doula

Before I get to rambling on like usual, let me define doula for those of you who are new to this term.

Steady milk prices forecasted

The market is moving into the spring flush period, and Rabobank economist Lucas Fuess expects milk prices to remain steady.

Milk supply is rising

Dairy farmers may see a further squeeze on margins in 2023. “Cow numbers are higher than what we had been forecasting and that incorporates into a 200 million pound increase in the U.S. milk supply,” said Mark Jekanowski, chairman, U.S. Department of Agriculture Ag Outlook Board.

Thoughts of days gone by

I help coach our county’s 4-H Dairy Project Bowl Team. If you’re not familiar, project bowl is very similar to knowledge bowl, but instead of general knowledge, 4-Hers are quizzed on their knowledge of all things dairy.

The outdoor show

Spring is in the air. This brings about some unusual behavior, including those peculiar phenomena known as the outdoor shows. I say they are peculiar due to the fact that these so-called “outdoor” shows are invariably held indoors.

Marking time

This has been a long and snowy season with little hope of winter loosening its grip any time soon. It reminds me of the good, old snowstorms when our kids were little.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration have issued proposed rules and guidance with potential implications for dairy. The dairy community has an opportunity to raise awareness and educate stakeholders about these proposals and potential resulting implications.

Feed expenditures are the single largest operating expense in a dairy business. Given the current and projected economic environment, it is critical to evaluate on-farm nutritional strategies to determine if any potential changes can improve the dairy’s cash flow.

Battle of the books

A few months back I got a new, cool gig Middle School Battle Books coach Oh boy, this gig was big! We planned our attack To read 20 books on the list Bailey, Stella, Megan, Oliver – the team …

I’m my own worst enemy

Columnist’s note: It is a special relationship that farmers have with their children. We live and work together side by side as they grow up. Often, we inspire them to follow in our footsteps, …

Cheese exports set another record

Nerves were frayed this week over the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and New York’s Signature Bank, even as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation stepped in.

Manure mishap

As dairy farmers with young kids, we are used to things not going according to plan and taking longer than expected. Or, so one would think.

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