Registration is now open for the second series of Transitioning to Organic orkshops hosted by the University of Minnesota. Our local meeting will be held Wednesday, December 7, 2016 in room HB117 of the Heintz Center in Rochester, Minn. This is a free, one-day workshop that will build on the information presented in the first series of workshops hosted last year. The … [Read more...]
Community is one reason I live in the Midwest
There are many reasons why I live in the Midwest and the strength of our local communities is one of the primary ones. Community strength can be seen in many ways, but one of the most profound is when you see neighbors helping neighbors who are in need. On August 23, 2016 our neighbors in northeast Iowa experienced an historic flood. The area received intense rainfall … [Read more...]
No Seat? No Rider
Tractor rollovers and runovers are consistently among the top causes of on-farm injury and death. The risk for severe injury from rollovers and runovers is especially high for extra riders who do not have a designated seat. So the message is very simple. If your farm equipment – tractors, combines, etc. – does not have an instructor’s seat in addition to the operator’s chair, … [Read more...]
Compaction a concern for fall field work
Healthy soils are the foundation of our cropping systems. One of the most important attributes of a healthy soil is good soil structure. Due to the excess rainfall we have received this summer, the soil structure of our local farm fields is at risk of being destroyed by compaction this fall. Soil compaction refers to a reduction in soil pore space. Healthy soils have a … [Read more...]
Fall safety concerns in agricultural communities
The beginning of fall signals the beginning of many exciting things: schools are back in session, local sports begin, new hunting seasons are right around the corner and fall crop harvest is beginning. While these activities can be exciting, there are a number of dangers that this time of year brings as well. • Kids are back in school. Kids can be unpredictable. They like to … [Read more...]
Root River noxious weeds: Japanese hops
Extension Educator for Fillmore and Houston Counties When most people hear the word hops, they think of the common hop used for brewing beer. But over the past five to ten years a related species, Japanese Hops, has been invading the local waterways of southeastern Minnesota. Japanese hops is native to eastern Asia and was originally brought to North America as an … [Read more...]