If you see cows, writing, and America’s Dairyland in your future, consider applying for the Hoard’s Dairyman editorial internship

Every farm must wait until conditions are right for harvesting the next crop, but when you see neighbors and friends roll out their choppers and combines, it is difficult to be patient

While I was working on chores in our robot barn the other morning, I watched as the sun began to wake up, slowly transforming the sky from a star-speckled deep denim blue to a magnificent display

Farmers usually have to do a lot more than the average person to prepare for a vacation day away from the farm

Our county fair, the Fayette County Fair in Northeast Iowa, was held a few weeks ago. While I haven’t participated as an exhibitor for a number of years, I’ve been fortunate to witness

With more emphasis being placed on the well-being of livestock all the time, students can gain experience in this type of evaluation through the Animal Welfare Assessment Contest

With a small, four person staff strictly made up of family, formal business meetings are replaced by spontaneous planning sessions in passing, at the dinner table, or while working cattle on our dairy...

Whether it’s a quick farm fix or entertainment for the grandkids, farmers are masters at creating just about anything out of random finds around the farm

Farmers tend to be most enthusiastic and tell our best anecdotes to fellow farmers; however, paring down stories or biting our tongue on details about our farm can be a true disservice to the consumer...

Small jobs on the farm can create big learning opportunities for children

Irritated was one word to describe the emotions I felt in fourth grade. As I eagerly joined a local 4-H club, I was ready to become actively involved

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” We all know the question. The question can be greeted with inaudible rumblings, flustered body language, or a decisive answer

There’s one job on our farm that everyone gets involved with at one point or another. It’s a looming, tedious task that rears its head in the midst of spring planting, school wrapping up, and...

It’s dairy banquet season, at least in Iowa. It’s the season where dairy producers and supporters come together to honor outstanding farming families, recognize friends of the industry

Each year that I’ve been an undergraduate student at Cornell, my Sigma Alpha chapter has put on an event that we like to call “The Art of Agriculture.”

When I was 8 years old, a tiny, premature calf was born that I absolutely fell in love with. Her body was somewhat average in size, but her legs were short and stubby

For generations of Schmitt men (my grandpa, dad, brother, and hopefully, my nephews), their hands have told the story of dairy farming

As winter turns into spring, we try to catch up on many random projects around the farm

To say that the last year has changed everything would be an understatement; however, slowly but surely, we will all be able to see again

Much like a pop quiz, regular state and federal inspections keep dairy farmers on their toes