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The demise of acid rain: Managing sulfur in a new world

April 28, 2017

Dustin Sawyer

Soil sulfur is something we never used to pay much attention to. It was generally available in adequate supply and was seldom a limiting factor in yields or forage quality. That has changed over the past several years. Soil sulfur is decreasing and can become limiting.

Evaluating farm accounting software

April 11, 2017

Kelvin Leibold

When it comes to selecting accounting software, think about where you are now and where you eventually want to end up. If you are just new to the computer, buying a comprehensive and complicated financial package will probably leave you frustrated and without any useful records.

Forages for the future

March 30, 2017

John Brouillette

Recently, reduced-lignin alfalfa has been a hot topic in forage discussions. Producers want to know the benefits, the different management considerations and how this new forage fits into the overall ration.

The root of the problem: Feral hogs

March 30, 2017

Melissa Beck

It’s really quite shocking, the first time you notice a large swath of your pasture has been cultivated without your knowledge or consent. You may even scratch your head and wonder what happened to your grass.

Variety traits, what they are and what they aren't

What’s a fellow to do?

March 30, 2017

Woody Lane

Let’s say I’m interested in renovating some pastures in western Oregon for intensive grazing. I want to plant appropriate forage varieties, so I need good information about their characteristics and yields. Where can I go?

Did the alfalfa survive the winter?

March 30, 2017

Glenn Shewmaker

Freezing temperatures since November, an ice layer for weeks and several days under water – will there be any alfalfa stands remaining in the Northwest?

Jillien and Tyler Streit from Chester, Montana, with their family

Getting a leg up on farm labor issues

March 30, 2017

Laura Nelson

Harvest season always seems to start in the same frantic, frustrating way. Two months before the combines roll, Megan Hedges recounts, her brother starts calling everyone he knows who might be able to run a machine.

What is the probability that yield will increase if we apply fertilizer?

Soil test results and the law of diminishing returns

March 30, 2017

Dustin Sawyer

A recent look at some agricultural statistics showed that, as of 2014, roughly half of the farmland in Wisconsin is being actively managed through soil testing. Given that you’re likely already engaged in soil analysis on a regular basis, this article may come across as review.

The matter that really matters

March 29, 2017

Laura Nelson

They considered themselves to be good farmers. “We were getting just under 19 inches of moisture in a year, and we were wasting it. We’d plant winter wheat on black fallow and get 50 bushels an acre and be tickled to death,” Dan Forgey says. “But we thought we were good farmers.”

Is it the cow’s or the poisonous weed’s fault?

March 29, 2017

Melissa A. Bravo

So, your cows are off their feed – maybe even off their feet. Perhaps you’ve noticed a disruption in your herd’s breeding interval, maybe a few more open than normal compared to previous years. Having ruled out diseases and pathogens, it’s time to consider: Is it something they ate?