Weather patterns in central and northern Wisconsin were especially challenging to alfalfa stands during the winter and spring of 2018-19. Several winter rain events on already-saturated soils, lack of snow cover during the coldest part of winter and ice conditions in much of the Upper Midwest produced difficult conditions for alfalfa survival.

Each year I consult with several different producers regarding mineral issues in their feed. Some common things I hear are: “They just aren’t thrifty,” “They aren’t gaining like they should,” or, “We had more open cows than I was expecting.”

Economics for the new decade – what can we expect? Which way is the wind blowing? Dr. David Kohl, professor emeritus with agricultural and applied economics at Virginia Tech, presented a PDPW webinar and said we’ll see more change in the next decade ahead than we’ve seen in the last 70 years.

The 2019 growing season will be remembered as one of the most challenging on record. It was cold, wet and frustrating. But while farmers and consultants were thinking about what was going on above ground, I couldn’t help but get wrapped up in what must be going on below the soil surface.

’Twas not my best day. An apple harvest truck had a flat tire, and the best the truck shop had to offer was on the scene. They were having difficulties getting the wheel nuts loose so they could replace the defunct tire with a good one.