There are many facets to your hay and forage operation that require your attention, not the least of which is financial management. Keep in mind these two things to set your business for success: You must have a plan, and you don’t have to do it alone.

Winter is upon us and preparation on the farm is crucial. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts a snowy and frigid winter for the East Coast and Midwest this year, while the Central states also should see a cold winter.

Whether you lead a family, a business or an organization, you work in a team situation most of the time. You deal with people constantly and depend on others to keep things going in a positive direction.

Plant breeding is a relatively young science, but it has resulted in amazing increases in productivity.

A return to grass-based dairying is being led both by consumer and farmer interests, with premiums being offered for milk from grass-based or 100-percent grass-fed herds. With more farmers focusing on decreasing feed costs, making milk from forages is becoming a sought-after skill.

Monitoring the amount of bare ground, plant diversity, worms in times of moisture and the smell and feel of the soil will give quick indicators of a ranch’s below-ground health. But Kate Vogel, an agronomist with North 40 Ag consulting in Ballentine, Montana, says digging a little deeper will provide more meaningful measurements of soil health.

I’m sitting here looking at my “smartphone.” I’ve heard it said there is more technology and computing power in that phone than went to the moon on Apollo 13. But some days it doesn’t make me feel so smart.