Buying cheaper seed isn’t worth the aggravation that follows — especially if it’s illegal. That’s why state ag secretaries and commissioners warn against buying and selling “brown bag” seed almost every spring. If it’s not tested for purity and germination and doesn’t carry your state’s label, it’s illegal. If it’s distributed by a seedsman not…

Shaded pastures are among the more challenging conditions faced by anyone trying to establish a productive pasture. This scenario varies but often involves a grazier who wants to set up a very intentional form of silvopasture, managing both trees and forage to balance the productivity of both. To be clear, there is no forage crop you can grow…

Spring is my favorite season. After a long, gray winter there’s nothing more exciting than seeing the world a little greener. However, my eagerness for warmer temperatures always gets me in trouble. I’ll start leaving the house without a jacket and shopping for my summer plants. My confidence in Mother Nature is usually misplaced, and I’ll end up…