Consider This

It’s for sale, and sometimes it comes with a free travel case. Sometimes it will change your life.

By using 112 years of data from weather stations across the US, combined with an understanding of what makes a plant begin to grow, scientists are figuring out how to measure changes in growing seasons.

The 1994 fire in Colorado that killed 14 firefighters was a personal one for Kathy Voth. She decided to share her story with us so we can explore our decisions on land management and fire prevention and safety, remembering the 14 fallen in 1994, the 19 who died in June and the many lives lost in the intervening years.

Each year the Sand County Foundation presents Leopold Conservation Awards recognizing achievement in voluntary conservation in eight participating states: California, Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Winners receive a trophy and a check for $10,000. This is the time of year when nominations are being taken and winners are being announced. We thought you’d enjoy hearing about some of them.

Editors Note:  Man does not live by grazing alone, so here’s an important summer time break.  Thanks, Troy, for sharing a little history, the delicious pictures, and the joy of supporting local dairies.  (This article previously appeared in Lancaster Farming.) As the sweet locust blossoms of early June attract the bees to its fragrant nectar, […]

As a guest contributor for “The Art of Manliness,” Forrest Pritchard shares his 9 Rules for Starting Your Own Farm.  From managing debt, to identifying your market, setting reasonable goals, and growing your passion, these rules make good sense, whether you’re a man, or a woman, are new to farming, or have been farming for […]

Lyal Strickland is a singer, songwriter, and farmer who was born and raised, and still lives in the Missouri Ozarks. Ten days before graduating from college with a degree in film, he inherited a run down farm.  His great-grandparents purchased the farm in 1944 and it came with nearly 900 acres of fields, creeks and […]

This piece was was published in Lancaster Farming Memorial Day Weekend. It honors the memories of those we’ve lost.

Grassroots support is helping Gaining Ground gain ground. With one week left, we have a good shot at putting a story about farming on the NY Times Best Seller List.

Recently, US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack called for a new, positive story about American agriculture. He said that rural America was becoming less and less politically relevant, and that we need a story that would encourage young people to become involved in farming, and show how we can create new opportunities for rural America. We think this new book could be just that story.

Do you sing while you work?  I do.  When no one’s around and something really great has happened, I even break into the Hallelujah chorus. Contributor Forrest Pritchard sings while he works too and you’ll love the way he turns old favorites into farmer favorites.  Check it out here. AND in case you don’t recognize […]

Preparing for this year’s bluebirds, Troy shares how birds benefit him, and the diversity of his farm benefits those that, through loss of habitat, are in danger of becoming homeless.

As we travel to ag conferences, one of the biggest concerns expressed by graziers is how to process meat on the hoof into meat for the consumer.  Facilities and butchers are limited.  Our contributor Forrest Pritchard works with a local, small butcher to provide his community with pasture-raised meat and knows first hand how important […]

It has taken me an entire year to settle down after the ditch witch drove me to a major meltdown over the destruction of some fine functioning sod.  When you mess with a pen-wielding, picture-taking, grass farmer and his prairie family, there will be consequences.  The pent up frustration over this “dumb and dumber” sequel […]

It’s been 2 months since the Super Bowl and while some fans may still be celebrating or smarting from the results, we’ve already let that go.  What still bugs us is that ad about farming and how it gave us hope for  about 90 seconds, only to dash those hopes in the last 15 seconds […]