For those of us who grew up with “dirt under our fingernails” or are currently engaged in raising cattle or crops from almonds to corn, it can be easy to say, “sustainable agriculture has always been at the core of our existence.” However, sustainable farming...
Drought and extreme heat in the western United States have dominated the headlines over the past couple of months. We see pictures of fallow farm land too dry to plant and Lake Mead in Nevada at its lowest point ever. Unless we are living with the stark realities of...
Speaking from experience, it’s not easy to be a dairy farmer regardless of the size of the farm or the era in which it operates. Even though it’s been 30 years since cows grazed the pastures of my family farm, the passion and commitment of my late father can still be...
The chorus of cicada sounds may be quieting in our backyards and woods but the sound of bug “crunching” remains. Seventeen years ago, when the last cycle of Brood X cicadas was populating our yards and sidewalks, the thought of eating them wasn’t top of mind for most...
Think about the last time you walked into a grocery store to buy a carton of milk. How many options awaited you in the dairy aisle? Growing up on a dairy farm, I had two options for milk, whole milk with cream on top or without (Holstein style 3.5% butterfat). It was...
It’s 1970. Peace, love, war and civil unrest dominate conversations in America. Earth Day appears on the scene and it’s recognized by few. For those of us on farms, we may have thought, “every day is earth day” and dismissed its significance beyond routine farming...
Spring is in the air! This year, as we see snow melting in the mountains and tulips blooming in the south, we awaken with a new sense of purpose and hope. Our “normal” is starting to return as we receive our vaccines and begin to reunite with family and friends around...
An overwhelming 86% of Americans report that they’ll share a gift of chocolate and candy this Valentine’s Day according to the National Confectioners Association recent study.1 For some, a special occasion is not required to enjoy chocolate, but during the week of...
As the global population and our interdependence on food grown beyond the confines of our backyards and borders grows, connecting the dots between what we grow, how we grow food, and the impact of food on our health has a renewed interest for all of us. But these...
“Don’t let the door hit you on your way out” may be one of the more appropriate phrases as we bid adieu to 2020. What a way to start a decade! In my January 2020 blog, I wrote, “What will happen in the next 10 years to feed the world? And restore consumers’ trust in...