Farm Family Life

I saw robins, snow geese and green grass all in the same frame last week — it must be spring!

At a very young age, sisters Claire and Jemma Dorsey started showing cattle, which has developed into a passion and award-winning endeavor.

Save the date for Ag Day at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fairgrounds, in the Commercial Building, April 4-6.

From issues impacting the farm economy, including record costs for labor, interest and taxes, to trade and biofuels, there a lot of challenges facing farmers today. But there also are opportunities, said Caleb Ragland, president of the American Soybean Association.

More than 2,400 students attended a virtual field trip to a dairy farm during National School Breakfast Week.

People with unexpected osteoporosis should be considered for celiac disease testing. Celiac disease is a condition of damage to the small intestine due to gliadin sensitivity.

Glass can be notoriously difficult to identify. Signatures, if there are any, can be faked, molds can be reused, and glassmakers often imitated one another’s decorations. Stiegel-type glass is an excellent example.

Sometimes we just don’t want to face the truth, so we ignore it as long as we can. But eventually it becomes clear: We need to downsize.

In her recent AgriNews piece, Matilda Charles highlights the benefits of AARP membership, but leaves out a crucial fact: AARP’s deep financial ties to UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest health insurer.

Happy National Agriculture Week! As the old saying goes, spring has sprung. The question on the tip of the tongue of many people I’ve spoken with recently is: Do you think we are going to get any more wintry weather?

I am proud to be a farmer; it’s a genuine privilege to serve my family and yours every day. Like most farmers, I have seen life’s greatest challenges and greatest joys on the farm.

Members of Illinois Agri-Women gathered for their annual meeting to elect new officers, conduct association business and learn about several Illinois agricultural organizations.

March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, and if you’re like so many people, you’ll be wearing green, attempting an Irish brogue and enjoying a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner.

Snakes and snake shapes often show up in decorative arts. They are among the oldest, most common symbols in history, standing for concepts like wisdom, healing and renewal.

As farmers develop a financial plan for their operation it is important they determine where they are, where they want to go and accurate numbers about their business.

The top five items tonight on my local news channel were automobile crashes caused by slick road surfaces. And these weren’t just little fender benders, although there was one of those that happened in a store parking lot.

It is a new day for agriculture, said Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins.

I unfortunately hear about people — more commonly women — having a potentially serious medical condition that gets ignored for many years.

Medicare card scams are on the rise. During one calendar year, Medicare had over $100 billion in fraudulent claims, and the damage cost goes up when identity theft and stolen financial information are added in.

Grain bowls — also called Buddha bowls, nourish bowls or power bowls — are the ultimate meal prep hack.

Historically, there have been many ways to track time and account for the changes in daylight hours that come with the seasons.

Laissez les bon temps rouler! Mardi Gras is here, and what better way to celebrate than with a taste of New Orleans? Enter the Muffuletta — a Big Easy classic that’s as indulgent as its birthplace.

The songbirds you are attracting to your feeders, such as cardinals, sparrows and woodpeckers, are not likely to be infected with avian influenza, or “bird flu.” It generally infects waterfowl such as gulls and ducks.

A visit to Washington provided a powerful glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of local farmers as they navigate unpredictable weather and global market conditions.

So far, this winter has been pretty friendly to the winter chores. We might be concerned about the lack of moisture for next spring’s crops, but right now dry is good.

Brrr, it’s cold outside. My sheep need good hay in their bellies to keep them warm during this time. That’s why I tested my hay and found out it averages only 8.75% crude protein.

New Illinois Society of Professional Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers officers were installed at the group’s annual conference.

Shrimp, once seen as a splurge, has become a frugal choice — not because shrimp prices have dropped, but because everything else has gone up.

A small recent survey revealed that 51% of the retired senior respondents are considering going back to work, also known as “unretiring.”

Testicular cancer is one of the most curable cancers because it is sensitive to both radiation and chemotherapy. However, both of these modalities can lead to problems years after the treatment was successful.

According to author Arthur C. Clarke, “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Look at magic lanterns, which even have “magic” in their name. They were used in Europe by the 1650s.

A freeze on federal loans and grants is creating turmoil for some rural U.S. business owners who fear they won’t get reimbursed for new, cleaner irrigation equipment or solar panels they purchased with the promise of a rebate.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Executive Committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at CattleCon 2025.

Folk singer and songwriter Woody Guthrie is undergoing a welcomed revival with the success of the new Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown.”

Sharing our agricultural journey is not only rewarding, but also serves as an opportunity to educate and inspire others about the importance of farming in our daily lives.

Over his 30-year career, Tim Harris has never strayed far from his multigenerational family farm southeast of Princeton, but his volunteer work for various organizations and his impact expands far beyond Bureau County.

America’s farmers and ranchers are no strangers to uncertainty, but the challenges they face today call for immediate attention and decisive leadership.

Here we go again. Because of the avian influenza, many hens have had to be culled, leaving fewer to produce eggs. Supply and demand being what it is, the price of eggs has jumped up again because there are fewer eggs.

Zoe Kent hopes people get a little joy out of her talking about farming on the Internet. In one of her latest videos, she compares pesticide application to dry shampoo. “Farming is for the girls,” she quips.

A children’s tractor magazine that ceased publication in 2023 after 17 years has been given a second chance.

Indiana Pork presented two awards to individuals who have dedicated time to advancing the pig industry.

I have seen many patients with stomach cancer and have never seen this degree of weight loss, but weight loss is very common after removing the stomach.

After many years at the same cost, AARP increased their membership fee to $20 at the beginning of this year. But it’s still a bargain when you consider the additional benefits, savings and discounts that are available.

It’s probably no surprise that the tea trolley emerged in Victorian England.

We have completed the shop renovation project we started a year ago and got the heaters installed. This overdue improvement is a game changer.

During National FFA Week, many of us recall those years we spent wearing blue and gold jackets with the FFA logo emblazoned on the back. I still have mine, a hand-me-down from my sister, hanging in a closet somewhere in this old house.

The groundhog saw its shadow on the second day of February, so we are all supposed to buckle up and get ready for six more weeks of winter. Have you ever wondered why so many people trust a rodent’s shadow as the portent of winter weather?

Donald Prill, 92, of Platteville, Wisconsin, passed away Feb. 7. He married Nancy Dinelli in 1962. She recounted her life and adventures with “The Farmer” in a popular weekly column in AgriNews for over four decades, until she retired in 2018.

It’s hard to believe I’ve been serving as the National FFA president for close to three months. On one hand, it feels like just a day since I heard my name called and put on the blank jacket for the first time.

It’s sweets for the sweet on Valentine’s Day. Believe it or not, you only need two ingredients to create this rich, decadent chocolate torte — yes, just two.