I recently read an article in Inc. magazine which reviewed the business plan for a business marketing itself as an “environmentally friendly” dry cleaner.

“Don’t buy a pig in a poke.” This phrase aptly cautions against assuming unseen risk. Understanding its semantics gives the phrase additional reason for caution. The term comes from some less-than-honest sales practices in the Middle Ages in Europe.

There is a parable that Christians are familiar with that concerns two builders, one wise, the other foolish. The book of Matthew quotes Jesus as saying, “And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.”

Arthritis is one of the most common disabling conditions, and it especially affects farmers, ranchers and farm workers due to the physical nature of their work, which may include climbing steps, driving a tractor, baling hay, moving livestock, or bending down frequently when milking dairy cows.

The following are a few examples of weak links we have learned about from the school of “hard knocks.” With the proper attitude, they can be corrected.

Have cows and youngstock ready to go If I was a dairyman right now, I’d be thinking about:

Are you up for a challenge? Many people relish a challenge. They go out of their way to get in on the action.

Recent research suggests genetic selection for milk production in dairy cows has inherited a price – reduced reproductive efficiency.

It takes “management energy” to get cows pregnant.

A properly balanced ration is part science and part art, creating an ideal composition from available feeds to provide the nutrients necessary for optimal milk production and herd health.