We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
Home » Blogs

Blogs

tenney.png

Juste en passant

Read More
milk-house.png

La laiterie

Read More

L’édito

Read More
0622fr-editorial-1.jpg

Souvenirs de la Royale

November 1, 2022
Lora Bender

Tout le monde aime les bonnes histoires de la Foire Royale agricole d’hiver de Toronto. Je suis certaine que, tout comme moi, vous en connaissez plusieurs.


Read More
faber.png

Faber’s Food for Thought

Read More
faber-food-for-thought.jpg

Faber's Food for Thought ... Life with three daughters

December 26, 2022
Dwayne Faber

There is seemingly an inordinate number of dairy farm families that have a lot of girls, and we are no exception. My wife and I have been blessed with three beautiful daughters.


Read More
faber-food-for-thought.jpg

Faber's Food for Thought ... A pitch to the sharks

December 8, 2022
Dwayne Faber

We walk down through the entrance in Carhartt work pants, Georgia Romeo shoes and a Semex hat. It has everyone confused.


Read More

Idaho Ag Proud | From the Editor

Read More

Whack-a-mole

January 13, 2023
Lynn Jaynes

Are you a whack-a-mole manager or a goal-setter? Can you be both?


Read More
56591-dog-staff.jpg

If I break down, let it be in farm country

December 13, 2022
Lynn Jaynes

Your muck boots, cowboy boots and greasy steel-toed boots are knight's clothing in disguise.


Read More
56325-jaynes-1222ap-cover.jpg

This Christmas, do good

November 25, 2022
Lynn Jaynes

Don't underestimate small gestures – they can mean so much.


Read More

You'll be sorry when I'm president

October 20, 2022
Lynn Jaynes

Even at 55-plus, I can show you a thing or two about technology.


Read More

Two kinds of people

September 21, 2022
Lynn Jaynes

“Son, your barn is a mess,” I said.
“Don’t touch a thing in there,” he answered.


Read More
wipe-your-feet.png

Wipe Your Feet

Read More

Wipe Your Feet: Stuck indoors

January 13, 2023
Michele Coleman

Winter around here just about drives me crazy, and by February, I’m long past being 99.99% done. Not to blame anyone, but the problem is the people I live with.


Read More
56561-jaynes-butter-getty.jpg

Wipe Your Feet: Butter is better

December 13, 2022
Michele Coleman

"I habitually store enough butter in my outside fridge to frost Alaska with," admits columnist Michele Coleman. "But what can we expect from someone who grew up in the "dark margarine years"?


Read More

Wipe Your Feet: Fishing with Grandpa

December 1, 2022
Michele Coleman

Summer memories warm cold winter days.



Read More

Wipe Your Feet: Do not hand that man a match

October 10, 2022
Michele Coleman

"And that is the difference between me and the men in my life. To them, fire is a solution. To me, fire – I should say specifically fire in their hands – is a threat."


Read More

Wipe Your Feet: Shoeboxes and coffee cans

September 21, 2022
Michele Coleman

Dave keeps a shoebox on his closet shelf. He uses it to put his odds and ends in, things he empties out of or puts back into his pockets whenever he changes. Every so once in a while, when I get a spring-cleaning burr under my saddle, I’ll muck out the closet – and with it, the shoebox.


Read More

Progressive Dairy Canada From the Editor

Read More

Let's build together

February 1, 2023
Katie Coyne

I’ve been fortunate to grow up in the cow business. From the time I was young, I traveled with a professional cattle photographer to all parts of the country, showed cattle across North America and attended hundreds of sales, as my father was a sale manager.


Read More

Build to get better, not bigger

January 1, 2023
Katie Coyne

As I look around my neighbourhood, in a right-to-farm community, there is one word that comes to mind as we begin a new year – build.


Read More

It’s OK to be replaced

November 1, 2022
Karen Lee

Our school had its annual fall fundraiser, an evening of family fun activities with food and a live auction, put on by a group of volunteer parents, teachers and staff members.


Read More

Butter is always better

September 1, 2022
Emma Ohirko

One of my favourite stories to tell is about the time my grandmother made pancakes with a dead mouse.


Read More

Where’s your focus?

August 8, 2022
Karen Lee

Some people spend their summers at the beach or on a lake. With second or third crop in by now, you’re probably thinking you’ve spent some significant time in a hayfield. 


Read More

Progressive Dairy Canada Guest Blog

Read More

5 ways to stay energized during a challenging season

December 31, 2020
Kimmi Devaney
Energy is generally in high demand and short supply during a challenging season, and 2020 threw one crisis and challenge after another at us.
Read More

HERd Management: Past lessons, future success

May 31, 2018
Jess Campbell
I was raised in the country, in a red brick Victorian on 2 acres. I was not, however, raised on a farm. To now be a third-generation dairy and cash crop farmer is far beyond, as a girl, what I thought my life would be like.
Read More
waiting for the mail

Cultivating cross-border friendships, one letter at a time

June 28, 2017
Patricia Grotenhuis
Growing up, I had multiple pen pals. There was my cousin in Quebec, the daughter of family friends, a goat farmer and various exchange partners. Nothing could beat the thrill of a personal letter arriving in the mail.
Read More

HERd Management: Always learning

November 30, 2016
Jess Campbell
I am not a farm girl by nature. Although I was raised in the country, I did not live on a farm. I certainly had friends who were farmers, was a member of the local 4-H horse club and even helped our neighbours milk their cows a few times.
Read More

Tractor meals to avoid

October 10, 2016
Emily Morrison
‘Tis the harvest season and that means farmers on tractors for hours and hours. If your farmer is like mine, he appreciates food once or twice a day. Yes, some might think bringing my husband food is an act that dates us back to the ’60s or a time when a woman’s time wasn’t valued.
Read More

Progressive Cattle From the Editor

Read More

Money well spent

January 10, 2023
Cassidy Woolsey

Seventy-two percent. That’s the average return on investment the flyer in my mailbox was promising if I installed new windows.


Read More

Gray hairs and passing years

December 29, 2022
Tyrell Marchant

A while back, my wife and I were chatting with a female family member about the relentless passage of time. Nothing super deep or existential; just run-of-the-mill stuff like, “Can you believe how fast time flies?” and, “The kids are getting so grown up.”


Read More
56343-marchant-cold-outside.jpg

Baby, it’s cold outside

December 1, 2022
Tyrell Marchant

He glances up and sees a pair of headlights heading toward him from the direction of the gate, gleaming like the Christmas star itself.


Read More

The oldest Christmas tradition

November 30, 2022
Carrie Veselka

Something I love about the nativity is that, despite being strangers from different walks of life, this group of people is united in this moment – gathered together to celebrate a child’s birth.


Read More

Introducing agproud.com – more options for all

October 10, 2022
Cassidy Woolsey

Are you team Apple or Android?


Read More
heck-life-on-a-family-farm.png

Life on the Family Farm

Read More

Life on the Family Farm ... A new beginning

January 19, 2023
Tom Heck

New Year’s Day is past, and many people made many resolutions about things they were going to change in their lives. And now, just a short time later, almost all those good resolutions that were supposed to make them better have been broken. 


Read More

Life on the family farm: The best Christmas present ever

December 9, 2022
Tom Heck

This may sound strange, but as I get older, I look forward to Christmas more each year.


Read More

Life on the family farm under an open heaven: The geese are going south again

October 27, 2022
Tom Heck

Fall is a very busy time of year out here on the farm as we get the crops all harvested and prepare for the long winter ahead up here in northern Wisconsin. Even though there is much work to do, we greatly enjoy it. Being outdoors working this time of year is wonderful.


Read More

Life on the Family Farm Under an Open Heaven: Rejecting God’s answer

August 20, 2022
Tom Heck

It was a beautiful, fall day, lots of sunshine and a clear, blue sky. Earlier that day, we had done our morning chores and then went to church.


Read More

Life on the family farm under an open heaven: Little Red

December 11, 2021
Tom Heck
Christmas is the most wonderful season of the year. After we celebrate Thanksgiving and give the Lord thanks for His many blessings and provisions over the past year, we start to prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.
Read More

Progressive Forage Guest Blog

Read More

Shattered windows and burnt cookies

August 23, 2022
Kaylee Mecham

In life, it seems like there is always something. Maybe you’re in the middle of a drought year and it decides to rain only after you cut your hay. Maybe you left the gate open and now your cows are in the neighbor’s yard.


Read More

Old mowers

December 8, 2021
Jim Grace
Snow was falling, and I had planned a day of repairs in the shop. I wandered back to the ditch with the old machinery to look for a piece of metal for a welding project.
Read More

Fresh eyes

August 5, 2021
Sundee Holtman
My little sister, Sadey, was my go-to. Not sure what to wear? Overthinking a situation? Frustrated over something? Stumped with writer’s block? Stuck in my own stubborn way? Sadey was always there. But, did she just listen? Oh no, she brought what I often needed, what I like to call, “fresh eyes” to each of my scenarios.
Read More

The punny farm

January 8, 2021
Erica Louder
For the first blog of the year, I thought I should include a few jokes – you know, for kits and gaggles. It’s been a tough year, and I think we could all use a few “calfs” (I warned you – watch those puns). I’ve been hearing a lot of jokes about sheep I thought I could share. I started telling them to my dog to test them out, but she’s “herd” them all. I tried telling them to the cows next, but they were just “laughing stock.”
Read More

Reinventing yourself

August 24, 2020
Andy Overbay
My wife, Andrea, and I have been married for 35 years now; we’ve been blessed to have a nice home and family. Like many couples, we have had our ups and downs, but fortunately the ups covered up the few downs nicely. Like many of you, 2020 has been an unusual year to say the least; however, our most challenging year by far was 1998. That was the year we both reinvented ourselves.
Read More
outside-eden.png

Outside Eden

Read More
56750-erica-1.jpg

Outside Eden: Years of wisdom from a farmer

January 9, 2023
Erica Louder

Last week, I visited with a farmer, Don Taber, who had recently retired from his local cooperative board. I learned the importance of the clarity one can gain by getting off one’s farm (or out of one’s head) and being involved. 


Read More

Outside Eden: Thoughts on a new year

December 12, 2022
Erica Louder

With the cold and dark days of December well advanced and Christmas looming around the corner, I start to think about the coming year.


Read More

Outside Eden: Thank a farmer for Thanksgiving

November 4, 2022
Erica Louder

They don’t need praise, but thanks are never not appreciated in a career that can feel underappreciated.


Read More
56186-louder-1.jpg

Outside Eden: Working cattle or waging war?

October 10, 2022
Erica Louder

It’s fall, y’all. A busy time of year for most of us in agriculture. On our place, we’ve got corn to chop and the last cutting of hay to bring in.


Read More
56026-louder-outside-eden.jpg

Outside Eden: Stay curious, get involved, and ask the questions

September 12, 2022
Erica Louder

At the beginning of September, I had the opportunity to participate in an agricultural tour in Idaho, my home state. When I’ve done these tours in the past, it’s been when I was visiting a new place. I’ve seen megaranches in Florida, carrot farms in Arizona, dairies in Washington and pistachio orchards in California.



Read More
tales-of-a-hay-hauler.png

Tales of a Hay Hauler

Read More

Tales of a Hay Hauler: Sad pies and other monikers

February 1, 2023
Brad Nelson

I worked for Don Tobler years ago, and closely with his son Harmon. At first it was an all-Jersey dairy farm. Then the butterfat premium for the milk they sold was changed, and they slowly moved to an all-Holstein herd.  


Read More

Tales of a Hay Hauler: Old iron, old ideas, old ways

November 30, 2022
Brad Nelson

“Why do you drive that old thing? With the money you’re making, you could afford a new one!” said a friend of mine as a teenager. The fellow he was talking to was one of his dad’s employees, a talented older mechanic.


Read More

Tales of a Hay Hauler: The 365-day Christmas spirit

November 25, 2022
Brad Nelson

How about we keep our eyes and ears open all day every day.  Someone may be in need, and five or 10 minutes of our time may make us a hero by changing another’s day from a disaster into a slight delay.


Read More

Tales of a Hay Hauler: A time to be grateful despite life being unfair

October 19, 2022
Brad Nelson

About a decade ago we had upgraded the car Elli would be driving to work every day. With the odometer on the old rig pushing 300,000 miles, the dealer had declined to take it in trade. 


Read More

Tales of a Hay Hauler: Leo

September 5, 2022
Brad Nelson

“I wasn’t sure whether Mary had got home yet,” a perplexed Leo said, then went on with, “I was down in my basement tinkering with one of my firearms and experienced the ultimate embarrassment of having an accidental discharge. I sat in silence, and when no sounds came from upstairs, I deduced that Mary wasn’t home yet."


Read More
tenney.png

Progressive Dairy Just Dropping By

Read More

Just dropping by ... The family is a wall

January 19, 2023
Yevet Crandell Tenney

When I was a child, I walked through my mother’s garden with a sense of awe and wonder. The velvet emerald grass spread under the Chinese Elm trees and lilac bushes. The roses in brilliant hues of red and gold climbed the wall of our old ranch house.


Read More

Just dropping by ... Relationship resolutions

January 1, 2023
Yevet Crandell Tenney

This year, why not focus on relationships instead of self-improvement? Why not try to help someone else find the joy we are seeking?


Read More

Just dropping by: Gift to Jesus on Christmas

December 9, 2022
Yevet Crandell Tenney

The jingle and jangle of Christmas is in the air. Shoppers scan the internet, duck in and out of shopping centers, rack their brains and check their wallets looking for the perfect gifts to give on Christmas morning to make the holiday magical in the economic downturn.


Read More

Just dropping by ... Giving thanks

November 9, 2022
Yevet Crandell Tenney

Just dropping by... To those who gave their lives

October 21, 2022
Yevet Crandell Tenney

Veteran’s Day has always been a day of pride for me. My father and uncles served in World War II, and others in the family served in the Korean War.


Read More
tim-the-dairy-farmer.png

Tim the Dairy Farmer

Tim is a satirical comedian that bases his comedy on his upbringing on a dairy farm in Florida. 

Read More

Tim the Dairy Farmer: Christmas decorations and open doors

December 9, 2022
Tim Moffett

Well, it’s the one week out of the year that the Christmas lights on my cousin’s double-wide trailer actually make sense.


Read More

Tim the Dairy Farmer: My 2022 year-end review

November 25, 2022
Tim Moffett

I spent a lot of time traveling around this past year, and I need to share some of what I’ve heard and learned along the way.


Read More

Tim the Dairy Farmer: Expiration date

October 22, 2022
Tim Moffett

If you’ve ever had the “soup of the day” at a restaurant, chances are you just ate food that was close to its expiration date. Just like your granny used to, soup is an easy way to use up leftovers.


Read More

Tim the Dairy Farmer: Climate change

October 8, 2022
Tim Moffett

According to climate alarmists, the world will end in just a few short years. If what they say is true, then why should I continue to pay my mortgage, eat right and visit the dentist? We should all just go on permanent vacation and let the world fall apart around us.


Read More
TimMoffett.jpeg

Tim the Dairy Farmer: Cowboy boots

September 16, 2022
Tim Moffett

Someone asked me, “You have cows. Why don’t you wear cowboy boots?” I replied, “The same reason I don’t wear a thong. I don’t like the wedge.”


Read More
milk-house.png

The Milk House

Read More

The Milk House: A case of the cat crazy

January 19, 2023
Ryan Dennis
Recently, my mother offered a new theory on why farmers would take up an occupation that is high risk, offers a low financial reward and requires a lot of work: There’s a parasite in their brain.


Read More

Rebanks replacement muses on rocky place

January 1, 2023
Ryan Dennis

In the end, it was proven to the academics what the locals knew the whole time: Their cattle were an essential part of the ecosystem.


Read More

The Milk House: A Christmas enthusiasm worth noting

December 9, 2022
Ryan Dennis

Throwing grain at people, scary goats, large bears and vampires. It probably doesn’t get talked about enough just how serious Romania takes Christmas.




Read More

The Milk House: The mythological cow

November 25, 2022
Ryan Dennis

Mankind owes a lot to the cow. The first animal to be domesticated, humans began capturing the large and aggressive auroch 10,000 years ago and selectively breeding it for more docile behavior.


Read More

The Milk House: A 'You’re-A-Peeing' take on fertilizer

October 22, 2022
Ryan Dennis

At one point in the tour, the owner of the property stopped at a small shack. He pulled back the curtain to reveal a toilet made from a plastic bucket. He held up a finger and said something stern in Spanish. My wife leaned in to translate.


Read More

Baxter Black

Read More

On the Edge of Common Sense: ‘I Know You’ll Miss this Man’

September 26, 2022
Baxter Black

The Lord spoke to the heavy hearts
 that stood with hats in hand.
“Your sadness pains me deeply
and I know you’ll miss this man.



Read More

On the Edge of Common Sense: Littered with progress

May 24, 2021
Baxter Black
The other day on the internet, I saw an old commercial of a semi truck that had these words painted on the side: Jonny Kat, Kitty Litter. For some reason, that had a profound affect on me.
Read More

On the Edge of Common Sense: Carniphobia

May 21, 2021
Baxter Black
“Doctor, I’m here because I’m a … I’m a …”
Read More

On the Edge of Common Sense: Here, by the owl

May 7, 2021
Baxter Black
A while back, I was asked who has had the greatest influence on my life. I hadn’t ever given it much thought, like most folks, I guess. After considerin’ for a while, I came up with six people that I could say actually affected the direction of my thinkin’.
Read More

On the Edge of Common Sense: Pull my finger

April 19, 2021
Baxter Black
ATTN: This is addressed to teenagers, tuba players and grown-ups in the news media who have gotten great giggles out of the story that cow flatulence is a danger to mankind.
Read More

Progressive Dairy Guest Blogs

Read More
56769-warding-producer-blog.jpg

Home sweet farm home

January 17, 2023
Carla Wardin

There are a lot of memories and nostalgia surrounding a farmhouse, since for generations your family gathered there. Our house is 145 years old, and my kids are the seventh generation in our family to live in it. My great-grandma was born in it, my great-aunt got married in it, my parents improved it, and now it houses three teenage boys who jump to hit every doorframe each time they go through a door.


Read More
ProducerBlog.jpeg

Dairy activity systems and how they can benefit your herd

December 27, 2022
Julianne Holler

The farm I am employed by had tossed around the idea of collars for a couple of years, but never really investigated enough to make the push to purchase a certain system type until the past six months.


Read More
ProducerBlog.jpeg

Changing culture and retaining employees during difficult times

October 21, 2022
Christine Bender

It recently came to my attention that employee retention is an issue in most businesses today, and we are an outlier in this area. Sourcing employees and employee retention is a common question we receive during tours and community presentations.


Read More
ProducerBlog.jpeg

Dairy Book Club: Are all professional development books the same?

September 23, 2022
Rebecca Shaw

Over the past two years, I’ve brought you along on my book reading journey. I’ve covered a lot of ground since January 2021. In fact, I’ve read so many books I had a realization … are all professional development books the same?


Read More
ProducerBlog.jpeg

Sharing your story might just be the inspiration someone needs

September 12, 2022
Julianne Holler

As a young female farmer in her late 20s with a bachelor's degree in biology, public speaking seems like it is just part of who I am. Growing up in the era that I did, and as a student in the science field, it seemed as if multiple times throughout the year, I was speaking in one of my classes or giving a talk on a science project.


Read More

Progressive Dairy From the Editor

Read More

Your influence will matter in 2023

January 19, 2023
Dave Natzke

In times like this, we can all use some positive influence in 2023. More often than not, it begins with us.


Read More
56580-pd-editorial.jpg

Where cowboy boots meet rubber boots

January 1, 2023
Matti McBride

I slipped my husband’s boots on to grab the mail this week. It was cold and wet outside, and I didn’t want to go through the effort of digging mine out of the closet, so I grabbed his that were sitting next to the door.


Read More

Have you set your 2023 goals yet?

December 9, 2022
Kimmi Devaney

Nearing the end of a calendar year always makes me think of all the goals I want to accomplish in the next 12 months.


Read More

The gifts we give

November 25, 2022
Karen Lee

As soon as we enter fall, whenever my kids start asking for something, I suggest they put it on their Christmas list, and I try to make a mental note to remember it myself.


Read More

You can’t make old friends, but you can make old cows

November 7, 2022
Jenna Hurty-Person

Last week, I finally had a chance to catch up with some college friends I hadn’t seen in well over a year. Between kids, house renovations, work, travel and living in different time zones, finding time for a phone call can be challenging and seeing each other in person is a rare treat.


Read More
  • RECENT ARTICLES
  • 56856-sprinkle-range.jpg

    Sustainability of rangelands in the semiarid West – What does it mean?

    February 3, 2023
  • 56837-giesy-campbell.jpg

    Questions to ask your nutritionist given the current state of the dairy industry

    February 3, 2023
    • Neonatal calf scours: Considering all management aspects

      February 3, 2023

FREE NEWSLETTERS

Award-winning coverage of in-depth news and analysis to make your business more profitable.

SIGNUP TODAY
Advertisement
THE GUIDE

How do I get my company listed in your Buyers Guide? 
Submit a request to be listed for FREE in the Buyers Guide here.

Why can I only see so many articles before I have to register for the site?
Find out why here.

SUBSCRIBE to Leading Industry Magazines

Award-winning coverage of in-depth news and analysis to make your business more profitable.

Subscribe/Renew

I'm looking for ________

Find the right products and services for your farm, ranch or operation.

CHECK OUT OUR BUYERS GUIDE
Advertisement
  • FEATURED PODCASTS
  • [Podcast] Resources to resolve tense situations and difficult conversations

    Progressive Dairy
    Working with Family
  • [Podcast] Ranch management training with Rachel Frost and Andrew Bardwell, calving season from a vet’s perspective with Tony Hawkins

    Progressive Cattle
PERSONALIZED CONTENT
Create an account and see website content tailored to your operation.  It only takes a few seconds!
SEE RECOMMENDATIONS NOW!