April showers bring May flowers. What do May flowers bring? If you’re a fan of riddles, you already know the answer – Pilgrims. For graziers throughout North America, however, this riddle may have a different answer – weed seeds. If grass is your crop, May flowers usually mean a bumper crop of weeds waiting to go to seed, unless you have lots of legumes in your pasture.

Management of the transition period, strategies to improve reproductive efficiency based on estrous detection programs, and management of dairy personnel were among the hot topics discussed at the 2014 Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council (DCRC) annual meeting held last November in Salt Lake City, Utah.

As I write this editorial from my home office, I’m staring out my window at a fresh dusting of snow and nursing a cold. No, you’re not looking at a winter issue. The first day of spring has come and gone here in western Pennsylvania, and we’re still feeling the last clutching of winter.I’m seeing 70ºF days in the forecast and keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll have green grass by the time this issue hits mailboxes.

Have you been to a McDonald’s lately? They are creatively marketing your milk to their loyal consumers through Milk Chugs and McCafe drinks, and new cheeseburgers and frappés, other menu items.

You may have heard the grim statistics. Family firms comprise 80 percent to 90 percent of all business enterprises. More than 30 percent of these family-owned businesses survive into the second generation. Twelve percent will still be viable into the third generation, with 3 percent of all family businesses operating at the fourth-generation level and beyond.

Think about your last check-up at the doctor’s office. What questions did your doctor ask you? How did he or she determine you’re healthy or uncover any potential risks or problems? Now it’s time for you to be the doctor for your farm’s finances. Pull out your balance sheet and cash-flow records. Take a look at the following 12 ratios to determine your financial health.

Not only do farm accidents have a direct impact in the physical and emotional toll on the individuals involved but also an indirect effect in a loss of profits for the farm business. Mary Bauer, a compliance assistance specialist for the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), posed the question, “Do you have a good safety program or are you just lucky?”

Values are our cherished beliefs and have a huge impact on our behavior. If your life activity is aligned with your values, then you likely look forward to how 2015 plays out. If you aren’t getting what you need and cherish, then you are likely highly frustrated.