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A truly rambling update

Temperatures this week may trick us into thinking we skipped over spring in favor of the heat of summer. The calendar, however, tells us differently.

Rock picking: A family adventure

When my father-in-law, Keith Hinchley, was alive, he would beep his horn at the end of the barn and tell me that the neighbors were already in the fields.

A spring of breakdowns

Sometimes you just have to laugh and heave a heavy sigh as all your best laid plans are kicked to the side by the latest breakdown. The alternative of letting the frustration explode into anger doesn’t do any good. If anything, it may lead to more breakdowns.

Joy and sorrow

“When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

A few unseasonably warm days in late April not only melted most of the snow but also reminded us to turn our attention to heat abatement.

The dreaded B word

The aging process sometimes has a way of sneaking up on a guy, jumping out and yelling, “Boo!”

Eighty-nine farmer leaders from across the 10-state Midwest region attended Midwest Dairy’s annual meeting in early April in Des Moines, Iowa.

Life skills learned on the farm

This past weekend at church, a friend started talking about the cozy morning they had had next to the fireplace.

Vang pleased with omnibus ag bill

House Agriculture Committee Chair Samantha Vang said her goal is to solve the problems of farmers.

Safety first

Spring is here. Birds signal the change of weather for me. Robins are back searching for worms in the grass or on the driveway.

She shines one

A woman’s strength is there when She walks back through the barn door After one of her beloved bovines has Done the unthinkable, then stomped once more She shines on A woman’s strength is …

Russell Group President Randy Russell does not expect the new farm bill passed before the current bill expires at the end of September.

Garden fresh

Who would have thought three weeks ago that I would be pulling fresh rhubarb out of the garden?

Farm milk prices are climbing but have a way to go to hit profitability for most U.S. dairy farms.

This spring, we were fortunate to host the pre-conference tour for the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association’s annual meeting.

The hidden costs of mastitis

“Doc, the plant just doesn’t pay me much of a somatic cell count premium anymore. What’s the point of having a low SCC?”

So many babies

March and April are busy months around here when it comes to calving. We like to take vacations in January and February, and we don’t like fresh cows with frostbit teats.

The lawncare season

The first truly warm days of spring have arrived, and the snow has finally melted which means we can now see exactly how much junk has accumulated in our yards.   

Fields of work

Spring of 2021 was wonderful. My dad and I were the primary people turning dirt and planting. We had a date set on the calendar for cutting hay, May 25. I don’t remember if we actually started cutting hay May 25, but I know we were really close.

The dairy market remains wary about the spring flush and the destination for that volume of milk. In the Midwest, a lot of that milk supply ends up in a cheese vat.

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