As we walk through the barns and pastures to check our cows throughout the day, it pays to watch the cows’ expressions. In a time where people either tend to stare at their phones while going about...

Do you ever sit around your farm shop and listen to the old men talk? I have heard many stories from the second and third generations of the farm, discussing the way it use to be, or things that had happened...

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. My nearly one year old son just began walking. To be fair, he is just taking a few steps and falling on his bottom, but I’m counting it! Watching...

It’s the last week of summer here in the Pacific Northwest, or so the calendar says. That’s because our kids will return to school after Labor Day

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now a consumer buzzword that most of us have heard since the release of ChatGPT4. Now, Google, Facebook, and others are trying to catch up with OpenAI and believe it will...

Apart from visiting a farm, there’s nothing quite like attending a fair for the general public to witness agriculture up close. There are plenty of animals to see, youth and exhibitors to talk with,...

Dairy-beef crossbreeding can introduce a value-added revenue stream for producers and help meet the needs of a high-demand beef market

Working in the dairy industry, I have witnessed some moments I will cherish forever. From being able to watch a calf’s first breath to helping a cow recover from illness, there are many things I...

Summer is coming to an end, and it’s time to go back to school. However, I won’t be going home empty-handed

As we were moving some cows and heifers to our calving pen today, it hit me that the cattle we were moving all have due dates further out than my own

Dairy’s data-driven technological revolution opens new and exciting opportunities in cow care and labor efficiency

In years past, while milking in the parlor, labeling an animal as a cull cow was pretty straightforward

While I was searching for information sources to use for a different writing assignment, I came across a Penn State Extension article that discussed managing weeds

It is Corn Silage Harvest 2023 here at Hillcrest Farms. This year we have been blessed with rain and a good corn crop

There are many articles and studies about “impostor syndrome” and its impact on women

Last week, Wisconsin experienced some pretty high temperatures that seem to be sticking around. I heard the phrase, “You should be used to the heat since you’re from the south,” multiple...

With much of the Midwest facing limited rainfall and dry conditions, expected forage yield and forage inventories are an area of concern

One of the annual summer staples around here — best served up lathered in butter and a good sprinkling of salt, in my opinion — is homegrown sweet corn

We are just about halfway through the 500 babies that will be born during this calving season on the farm in New Zealand where I am interning this summer

The day of a cattle show can be stressful. Having someone follow the cows around with a manure pan is crucial in order to catch any excrement that comes out the back side