Just like haymaking and grazing rotations are seasonal in nature, so too is the work of an agricultural journalist — especially those of us in the hay and forage business. As farmers enter hayfields
Everyone has their opinions on how to best seed cool-season grasses and legumes for successful establishment. Variables include factors such as planting rate, type of drill or seeder, weed control met
To optimize something is to make the best or most effective use of it. Rather than maximizing one aspect of a resource or minimizing its worst part at the expense of all others, optimization finds the
As the story goes, David Mulligan hit a poor drive off the first tee at a Montreal golf course. The errant shot may or may not have been the result of an extremely bumpy ride while travelling to the m
Trade-offs already exist between spring seedings and late summer seedings before planting management is added to the mix. The latter time frame often boasts more favorable weather and field conditions
The National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance (NAFA) announced last month that alfalfa will now be included as a short-term perennial option in the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) 328
Almost every phone call home turns into an extensive update of the goings-on at my family’s farm. The latest conversation with my dad about the approaching planting season, for example, landed
USDA launched its Crop Production Annual Summary last Friday, detailing the previous years’ hay production, acreage, and average yields. According to the report, the nation’s forage productio
Alfalfa has a lot of impressive features when it comes to water usage. And despite being a major water user, alfalfa is also a major food producer. At least, that is how Dan Putnam defended the number
As the sun sets on most hayfields for the season, USDA’s October Crop Production report predicted alfalfa and alfalfa-mixed hay production to be up 8% from last year
When I started working at Hay & Forage Grower, I got a front-row seat to all things alfalfa, from baling hay and chopping haylage to plant genetics and seed marketing. Little did I know I th
World Dairy Expo is known as the meeting place for the global dairy industry. It’s also an event for haymakers from across the country to come together and learn about the latest equipment, test
To cut, or not to cut. That is the question Hamlet would ask if only he were a forage producer and not a Shakespeare character. More specifically, the question would be to give alfalfa a longer rest a
What comes to mind when you think about the fall of 2021? Is it the incredibly high fertilizer prices that more than doubled year-over-year? Or maybe it’s extremely sluggish supply chains for parts
When it’s time to harvest alfalfa for silage or hay, we are usually concerned about getting the crop cut at the right time, hitting weather windows for good drying conditions, and removing the crop
Although the USDA has Hay Quality Designation Guidelines (see tables) based on nutrition tests for alfalfa, that alone does not cover all of the terms and grades we use to describe hay. Many of the terms
