Progressive Forage Editor's Notes

Behind-the-scenes trends driving forage

December 3, 2018

There are plenty of hay producers I’ve visited this year who, although they’re concerned with export tariffs, congressional partisanship and immigration wars, are still taking care of individual customers – every day. They still put their boots on and go to work. They still provide the product and service their customers require. Although global chaos may reign, they’re still taking care of business at home.

Let’s pull on our boots and go to work

November 29, 2018

Cassidy Woolsey

As any producer would tell you, sometimes the only way to get a job done is to pull on your boots and get to work.

The backstory

October 31, 2018

Lynn Jaynes

It’s my professional duty to pry. Quite often, someone will say, “You’ve got to come see my …” – meaning their new invention, their operation, their business model or their product. It runs against my editorial grain to promote any element, so we (as an editorial team) are pretty careful in the writing approach to these “front” stories, as I call them.

Pardon the interruption

October 1, 2018

Lynn Jaynes

I’m sorry to interrupt. Excuse me. Pardon the interruption. A story is told of Rabbi Stephen Samuel Wise, who was asked to speak at an anti-Nazi meeting in Brooklyn, whereupon he received numerous threatening letters, stating he would be killed if he attended or sought to address the rally.

Deep practice: Lather, rinse, repeat

August 31, 2018

Lynn Jaynes

“I love waiting,” said no one ever. But maybe they should. When we sit waiting for a baler to be fixed, we may check our phones, emails or social media (if we’re lucky enough to get cell service in the field) or maybe even read the seed flyer now faded and stuck on the dashboard.

Battle cry of giants

July 12, 2018

Lynn Jaynes

History tags him as the giant collector. His name was Fredrick the First of Prussia, and he had a passion for giant soldiers, which he collected from throughout England.

The reason for gray hair

May 31, 2018

Cassidy Woolsey

Decisions. Should I plant low-lignin alfalfa? Can I afford to hire another employee? Can I not afford to hire another employee? Should I buy the neighboring property? Can I justify a new rake? What about a hay barn? Is it time for me to sell out?

Chemical analysis

April 27, 2018

Lynn Jaynes

With farming and ranching profit margins getting slimmer, it’s increasingly difficult to keep things afloat. So why do you do it?

What’s for dinner?

March 29, 2018

Cassidy Woolsey

A man is talking to the family doctor. “Doc,” he says, “I think my wife’s going deaf.”

Lead, follow or get out of the way

February 27, 2018

Lynn Jaynes

A farmer and a farmhand were hiking in the forest when a bull moose suddenly appeared and charged them. The farmer climbed a tree, and the farmhand ran to a nearby cave. The moose stood its ground. About every minute, the farmhand would run out of the cave only to be met by the angry moose and chased back in.

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