Setting new goals for 2011

By the time you read this the majority of New Year’s resolutions will have been cast aside like old shoes. It takes roughly 21 days to make — or break — a habit. If you’re not careful you may have already lit up, eaten a second (or fifth) doughnut and expressed enough road rage to

Cattle industry flying for 79 floors

Twice a week, New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman drives political and economic policymakers into full rant on topics as opposite as global free trade (he loves it) and national industrial policy (he loves it, too). Kiss him or kick him, Friedman can turn a phrase. A current Friedmanism notes that “If you jump

Rabo AgriFinance starts foreclosure on Vreba-Hoff Dairy

Court action has been filed to recover $55 million in debt from Vreba-Hoff Dairy Development and six farms associated with them.

A good sign: Old ag collection sparks interest

MILLERSBURG, Ohio — Farmers have a tendency to hang onto things. You never know when something might come in handy.

Collector Rob Pennell appreciated such frugality because it helped supply his interest in vintage agriculture related signs, tools and salesman samples.

Why not plant a seed for the future?

Yesterday, I had the good fortune to be working in our small woodland on an absolutely perfect spring day. If I would have sat still long enough, I’m convinced I could have watched the redbud at the edge of our yard flower. It had bare branches in the morning and by afternoon gorgeous purple blooms

Expert analyzes U.S. dollar value, corn prices link

URBANA, Ill. — It is not uncommon for daily fluctuations in corn prices to be attributed to fluctuations in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies. So, what is the connection? From the side of the U.S. corn importer, a lower valued dollar in relation to the currency of that country, all

Books for the outdoor enthusiasts on your list

If you’ve got a few outdoor enthusiasts on you holiday gift list, a good book is always appreciated. Recommended Here are some recent titles that I recommend. – Shadow of the Alleghenies: the Wilderness Adventure of a Frontiersman and his Wolf Pup by Edwin D. Michael (2009, $22 ppd., Quarrier Press; order from Ed Michael,

Fire destroys building, but not spirit of Lawrence Co. dairy farm family

In less than three hours, a fire destroyed the machinery shed at Kinds’ dairy farm Aug. 25. Find out how the Lawrence County, Pa., men did their best to rescue some equipment and how they’re moving forward with a positive outlook.

Nature’s colors mean so much more to birds

Spring equals color. Wildflowers bloom. Butterflies appear. And, of course, neotropical migratory birds return. Though migration is well underway, the brightest and most colorful birds have not yet arrived. Give them a few more weeks. But get your hummingbird feeders up today; they’re coming back early this year (www.hummingbirds.net/map.html). To most of us, nature’s colors

Home values are down, but values of homes are up

Endless ads saying “home for sale” are blatantly false advertising. What is for sale is a “house” — sticks and stones and other solid things. Only the people inside it can make a “home”.