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A Brief History of the Pig in the United States
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From a few pigs brought over on a ship to the estimated 5 million pigs currently residing in the U.S., we explore the brief and fascinating history of how and why the hog has become an integral part of our agricultural landscape and why there has been a resurgence in demand for pasture raised pork.…
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Brush Hogs and Rotary Cutters: Multi-purpose Tools for the Small Farm
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Brush hogs can knock down vegetation and weeds in a timely manner, and have several very useful purposes. Small farmers of necessity must accumulate a certain amount of machinery to work their farms and landscapes. One of the most useful tools is what is known as a “brush hog” or “rotary cutter.” Brush hogs are…
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NY Integrated Pest Management Warns: Don’t Get Ticked
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Ticks have become a “significant public health issue in New York” and the population has recently spiked. A warming climate and changes in land use can increase risk to tick exposure. Ticks are vectors of many diseases for both humans and animals, and a new species of tick, “the longhorned tick,” was spotted over the summer in Westchester…
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Today We Celebrate National Farmers Day and #ThankaFarmer
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Today, October 12th, is National Farmers Day. While we think every day should be National Farmers Day, the day is meant to raise awareness about the farmers behind our nation’s food. Here at the Small Farms Program, we would like to thank all of the farmers we work with. We recognize the great service you…
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The Law of Diminishing Returns – How Farms Know When They’ve Reached It
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By Betsy Hicks, South Central New York Dairy & Field Crops Today’s economy has every producer struggling to find ways to increase cash flow. We fill stalls, add a few more cows, keep plentiful heifers in the pipeline, and estimate our projected inventory of first calf heifers due to calve and add it to the…
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Animal Welfare: Perception and Reality
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By Kimberley Morrill, phD Do you think cows have emotions? Do you think cows feel pain? Do animals exhibit empathy, sympathy and compassion? These were the questions asked to the attendees of the 2018 Dairy Cattle Welfare Symposium. Speakers, farmers and industry representatives from around the globe gathered in Scottsdale, AZ May 31st – June…
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Milking Cleanliness
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Improve hand milking cleanliness for small ruminants with these few simple techniques By Miriah Reynolds The morning sun sneaks up and over the tall peak of the mountains as I open up the barn door. I am greeted by squinting eyes and eager faces. Pepper, my Saanen doe stretches and curls her upper lip, grunting in…
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Growing Urban – a Lower West Side Story
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Two farmers are committed to providing the Buffalo, NY community with a variety of produce. By Lynnette Wright, New York FSA Public Affairs and Outreach Specialist A Perfect Blend Prior to their partnership, Carrie Nader had been working the land since 2014. When she was growing up, she loved helping her grandfather tend his large…
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Kids, Cows and Conservation at Vermont’s Chapman Family Farm
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By Rebecca Harris In 1914, Sylvestor Howe packed up his horses, left behind his family and small brick house in Tunbridge, Vermont, to travel 90 miles to the big city of Brattleboro. He would return weeks later with the town’s first registered Holstein cows to start Holstein Stock Farm. Nine of the Howe children would…
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