​By: Kevin Brown, Agricultural Resource Specialist
Right here in Pennsylvania!  Sound crazy?  Sound like something that the government came up with just to get some more of YOUR hard-earned money?  Maybe, but it is happening.  And, as much as you may think it’s a crazy idea, it has some validity behind it.  I know I possibly could start a firestorm here but read on for where this notion is coming from and why we do need to do something about it.  There may be better ideas how to handle it, but here is the concept:

​By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader
Think about all the places where you like water to be.  The list might include the backyard babbling brook, the seashore, beside the Lake House, under your boat, household plumbing, and your glass complete with ice cubes.  There are also plenty of places where you don’t want it like your yard, driveway, basement, or living room.  To get it right, we must look at our soil.

By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader
January and new patterns of growth go well together.  Our understanding of stewardship, or lack thereof will set us up for 2021 growth or shrinkage (and don’t believe you are too old to grow).
A Steward is “a person whose job is to manage the property of another person”, as defined by Webster.  Stewardship is defined as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.”  Take stock of what you are stewarding and give yourself an evaluation.  I suggest writing them down, perhaps in order of importance.  Give yourself a grade – A, B, C, D; rate yourself 1 -10, or better yet, ask the one you are working for (the owner) how you’re doing.  Before you let yourself off the hook too quickly, consider what it is that you really own.  Here’s a hint, I believe – it’s what I brought with me when I was born and what I will take with me when I die.

By: Amy Kneller, Ag Resource Specialist
Are you interested in protecting farms, farmland, and a persons’ ability to farm?  Protecting agriculture doesn’t always require a conservation easement – it can mean simply securing the right of farmers to farm without dealing with overly burdensome regulations. That’s the role of an Agricultural Security Area (ASA), where agriculture is a primary activity in the municipality. Farmers work with municipalities to develop ASAs, which demonstrate that farming is a local priority and promote more permanent and viable farming operations.

By: Miranda Neville, Agricultural Resource Specialist
On the coldest, darkest, snowiest days – when most people are able to call in to work or take a snow day, farmers trudge through the feet of snow to their barns and carry on with their 24/7/365 jobs. Winter is setting in and the long months of harvest are now in the rear view. Farmers everywhere have spent the spring, summer and fall working tirelessly to ensure they had enough feed to make it through the cold winter months. Hearing “well your crops are all done, now you get to relax” couldn’t be further from the truth. The relief that crop harvest is over is a much-needed physical and mental break. (Now there may even be time to squeeze in a nap or two!) Winter is also time for planning, making decisions for the next crop year, tillage choices, selection of seeds to plant in the spring, cutting firewood, and ordering parts for the endless equipment maintenance. Winter is also a time for holiday celebrations and family. So begins the delicate balance of scheduling both worlds. 

​​By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader
Rest comes in sevens.  We see a significance in the number seven from the very beginning of written history.  Principles woven into the natural world’s design are affecting us, aware or not.  Learning to work with them causes prospering.  Rest is integral to success in any business, and in particular the farm.  Sometimes it’s counter intuitive.

By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader
Conditions get tough for managing livestock in the winter.  It can be stressful for animals, farmers, and our natural resources.  Let’s consider steps to dramatically decrease cold snap stress.
If a farmer can cut the wind and give his animals a solid place to land their feet, our winter temps will cause little stress.  If relatively dry with a barrier against bitter wind, our animals like 15 degrees F, better than 90 degrees.

​By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader
Local farmers are receiving a new wave of “house calls” from Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).  These calls create some anxiety, so let’s try to get some background on where they are coming from.

​By: Nathan Dewing, Agricultural Team Leader, Bradford County Conservation District
Life is drawn to water.  We all can relate to that.  Land bordering waterways and waterbodies is teaming with life.  Riparian is a term literally meaning “riverbank”, or land beside the water.  How we manage our riparian land has far reaching effects.  Therefore, the conservation district gives considerable attention to equipping landowners to manage them well. 
Current focus on the Chesapeake Bay watershed is opening many opportunities for landowners wishing to improve riparian areas, including grant funding, plant materials, and more.