countryside

ELDRIDGE, N.D. - Authorities here this morning rescued a man who fell ill while working on grain handling equipment 150 feet off the ground. The Jamestown Fire Department was dispatched to the Country Grain Cooperative in Eldridge at 9:27 a.m. when a maintenance worker suffered a...

Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Justice held the last in a series of five joint public workshops to explore the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement in American agriculture.   The workshop, led by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and...

The number of certified organic farms and acres is on the rise in Minnesota according to a new Minnesota Department of Agriculture report.

Lawn mowing is perhaps the most important practice performed in home lawn care. The simple practice of mowing impacts not only the appearance of your lawn, but also can impact the turf's ability to ward off problems. Regardless of whether the lawn is fertilized, irrigated or other...

Again this past year, locally produced foods was one of the hottest nationwide trends in foods, one of which is farm friendly or local foods. Indeed, this is good news that can have a positive impact on farmers, consumers and even our rural communities. Ken Meter, an economist...

Carl Hoffman, my coworker in Stearns County, brings us this week's timely tip. Many of us have fruit trees that are often neglected, but hopefully, this article will motivate those of us that need a little encouragement to put those pruning shears to work. Late winter to early...

Manure has tremendous value in crop production that goes beyond the usual N-P-K needs of the crop. While the value of manure is usually calculated using these typical elements, manure also provides most of the necessary micronutrients. This is why deficiencies seldom show up on farms...

A small vegetable garden is not usually a financial endeavor. Most folks keep gardens for flavorful produce, the availability of fresh veggies, to control production practices and perhaps to get some exercise. Seldom do gardeners toil because it's a good financial move. Advertisers...

Just when you thought you were getting soybean aphid management figured out, a new pest has make its appearance in the area that may make aphids seem like a minor inconvenience. The soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is one of the most destructive pests affecting soybeans in the United...

U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson (DFL-Minn.) will host the "The Home Grown Economy 2010 - Equipping You to Build Community Based Food Systems" conference in Marshall on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 15-16. In addition, to improve access for constituents throughout the 7th Congressional District,...

Again this past year, locally produced foods was one of the hottest nationwide trends in foods, one of which is farm friendly or local foods. Indeed, this is good news that can have a positive impact on farmers, consumers and even our rural communities. Ken Meter, an economist...

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture announced it has completed a multi-agency review of the herbicide atrazine in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.  While the review finds that atrazine regulations protect human...

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is alerting consumers to an expansion of the Jan. 8, 2010, product recall issued by Parkers Farm, Inc., of Coon Rapids. The company has expanded its voluntary product recall to include all products produced under its label, as well as...

For tax years 2009 and 2010, there are a number changes that have resulted from the passage of federal tax laws. These changes can dramatically affect farm families, their farm business and the management of their tax planning. Section 179 depreciation and bonus depreciation have...