Whether it’s extreme heat in the summer, extended rainy periods in the spring, or plummeting temperatures in the winter, weather dictates every animal’s needs and a farmer’s daily routine

February is one of my all-time favorite months of the year. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner

Perhaps you have followed along the last decade by reading my Hoard's Dairyman column, "Around the Kitchen Table," where I share stories of growing up on my family’s dairy farm and the lessons learned

Last year at this time, I was in Arizona attending the International Dairy Foods Association Dairy Forum for the first time

The other night, our robotic milkers called 36 times with one alarm or another. My dad got an early start on morning milking simply because he had been up since 11 p.m. the night prior tending to the robots

There is no denying that dairy farming is a full-time job. Unfortunately, in this dairy economy, and really it seems for some time now, the key to survival is diversification

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Hallmark Channel movies. You know exactly how it’s going to end . . . happily ever after

The “farm kid” identity definitely carries a weighted list of stereotypes — some may be perceived as negative while others prove to be a positive in the job and internship search

Dear farmers/caretakers/blood, sweat and tear givers, I see you at the wee hours of the morning thawing waterers of ice.

The new year always feels like a refreshed time. Even though it is just one day different, somehow, flipping to the new year on the calendar makes it a fresh start

If one of your resolutions for 2021 is to take better care of your mind, you have a tasty option: eat more cheese

I’ve had the same sticker on the back window of my now-rusted-out Pontiac G6 for 10 years

Wow, it has been a long day. It has been a long, trying, terribly good bad day. It’s been one of those days where you walk in the house in nothing but your undies

For many of us, the last Friday the 13th (back in March) was the last normal day we had, and the first day we realized how serious this pandemic really was

When my mother was sick and dying, my older sister, Cathy, did a lot to help take care of her

Last week, as the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville, Ky., finished up, it was easy to admire all the beautiful cows

Managing the why and not the people is the key differentiator between many businesses. Oftentimes, people have the opposite in place because it seems easier at first

I grew up on a first-generation dairy farm, and some days, I hated it. I hated that sometimes the cows got out, and I was late to school because we had to put them away

Newborn calves are an everyday occurrence on our family’s farm. Each one has its own unique pedigree, birth story, personality, and set of quirks

I was recently involved in a discussion among some of my professors and classmates regarding consumer interaction and education