What started as a time-saving decision about five years ago has led to a journey of soil health improvement and more flexible ways to produce forage for a dairy and feedlot.

When Bryan Gvillo baled and sold his first 3,500 square bales at 16, he had no clue what the hay business would become.

Miles and Caleb von Stein grew up making hay on a small scale for family and neighbors in northwestern Ohio, and they thought expanding might be a way to get into farming as young people where most land is in corn and soybeans.

Long-term profitability, preparing for the next generation and fostering human, plant and animal health all hinge on managing the farm for soil health improvement. Everything revolves around healthy soil for Burton Heatwole.

Management decisions such as spanning soil fertility economics, market risk management and selecting adapted breeding stock and forages can have wide-reaching impact on the resilience of a farm business.

Cover crops can provide many benefits to producers, from forage value to soil health improvements and beyond. With many species to choose from, it can sometimes be a challenge to know where to start.

Custom grazing takes a unique set of skills and brings new challenges, but it’s the way Dr. Jason Salchow with his wife, Sharon, and their family have built a successful business grazing stockers and seedstock bulls in southwestern Missouri.