Scott Barao oversees Hedgeapple Farm, which markets beef from about 150 grass-fed and finished head per year. Profitability and environmental stewardship drive the farm’s operational model

The 2009 NCBA president is passionate about his cattle, pastures, and the environment

Andy Stock believes many farmers could do a better job of planning the long-term future of their businesses

I meet a lot of people at forage meetings during the course of a year. Never has anyone broached the subject of sericea lespedeza . . . that’s until I met Reed Edwards at a Georgia hay conference

Perhaps no flowering legume catches the eye more than crimson clover. Native to southern Europe, farmers and ranchers in the southern United States noted its value as a green manure and grazing crop by

We’re different in every respect.” The phrase seemed only fitting coming from Steve Carr, owner of 3D Valley Farms in Depauw, Ind., as he tended to the draft horse team he still uses around

Long-time nutritionist Steve Woodford (left) and Tom Kestell regularly discuss forage quality tests and associated ration adjustments for Kestell’s high-producing dairy herd

Pasture-finished beef is becoming more popular among consumers. However, finishing beef solely on pasture grasses with no grains requires a very aggressive level of pasture management throughout

Dairy farmers who grow their own forages should focus on diversity. Throughout the eastern United States, perennial grasses such as orchardgrass, timothy, reed canarygrass, and fescue are common

Geralds likes to bale his alfalfa- orchardgrass fields between 12 and 15 percent moisture. Each of his six balers is equipped with a moisture tester

Ron Tombaugh’s entrepreneurial nature helped him successfully integrate a haying and trucking business. In Streator, Ill., the epicenter of corn and soybean country, Tombaugh bought his first round

The author is the Hay & Forage Grower editorial intern and a student at South Dakota State University. Ed Ballard has been managing the Dudley Smith Farm since its establishment in 1995

At one time, baling hay was one of the most stressful times of the year for Maddox Dairy. “I don’t think Grandpa ever slept at night during the haying season,” said Steven Maddox, wh

You only need to spend a few minutes talking to Al Wehner before you realize that he really enjoys life, especially his forage, cows, and family

The author is a dairy nutritional consultant and freelance agricultural writer based out of Connecticut. Early spring grass provides enough protein, energy and dry matter intake for milk pr

It’s not such an unusual thing for old, North-dwelling people like myself to head south for the winter. They can often be seen lining the coastal beaches, plugging up the golf courses an

Southwest Missouri is hot and humid in the summer, prone to drought, can experience extreme cold in the winter, and is home to vast amounts of native, endophyte-infected tall fescue. Nevertheles