It started in college nearly 40 years ago. Amy met Gary and the two became partners, not only as husband and wife, but as a team that has seen thousands of tons of hay produced, marketed and sold out of the Missouri River bottoms of South Dakota.

When rain occurs in windrowed alfalfa fields, problems often develop. Sometimes referred to as “windrow disease,” these problems can be noted by stripes in the field where alfalfa windrows remained so long that some smothering occurred underneath the hay.

Fire Prevention Week had its start 96 years ago.

A Pennsylvania farm worker was killed while taking a silage sample.

For most hay producers throughout the United States, 2007 ended up being a good year. Hay prices were well above five-year averages, and weather permitting, 2008 is looking to remain the same for most growers.

Have you looked at the commodity futures markets lately? If you’re cringing right now, it’s most likely because you’ve seen corn futures projected to climb higher than $5 per bushel and soybeans on the march to record highs, too. Because these prices aren’t expected to drop anytime soon, dairy producers continue to find ways to lower costs, sometimes by substituting cheaper feedstuffs with a lower nutrient value. But one feedstuff producers can’t cut corners with is high-quality alfalfa for the nutrition, health and productivity it provides. For growers, high-quality, high-yielding alfalfa can mean additional profits in the bank.

Crop production demands for corn (starch) and soybeans (soy oil) have dramatically changed in the past 12 months in this country, as have the commodity prices that accompany them.

Sudangrass, forage sorghums and sorghum-sudangrass crosses (all in the genus Sorghum) contain a non-poisonous chemical called dhurrin.

“Our hay acres will remain the same as our hay ground is not under irrigation.Several people in our area with sprinklers are pulling out their hay to put in corn, but we currently don’t have that option.

Ronald Scott Thaemert, age 58, was called home on Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, due to a longtime heart condition while at his home in Bellevue.