Maple Bottom Farm: Rewarding for both guests and family

Progressive Dairy Editorial Intern Ashley Hagenow

What happens when you combine dairy cows, on-farm processing, an old farmhouse, sunflowers, plenty of dairy products and consumers interested in learning more about where their food comes from?

Enter Maple Bottom Farm, the only commercial dairy farm in western Pennsylvania with a bed-and-breakfast for its guests.

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Weekly Digest: August-September DMC payments near $85 million

USDA raises 2022 milk production forecast, lowers 2022-23 price projections slightly

Minnesota Milk, Edge announce agreement on administrative, program services

U.S. dairy exports remained on record pace in September

“Why should we drag a mixer to the cows?”

Leave no cow behind: 24-7 cow monitoring on Willow Breeze Farm

Progressive Dairy Editor Audrey Schmitz

Chad Butts of Willow Breeze Farm located in Homer, New York, has been using herd health monitoring technology for seven years on his 700-cow herd. He enjoys being able to look at the data to make accurate management decisions to take care of his cows the best that he can.

However, when Butts saw the new bolus technology by smaXtec he was intrigued by the added benefits of core body temperature and calving alerts this new herd health monitoring system provided. Ironically, around the same time the company hired a guy that lived in Butts' hometown who stopped by his farm while making his rounds.

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How successful businesses define ownership versus management: Rights, responsibilities and benefits

There’s an old saying: “Good fences make good neighbors.” In the case of businesses, I’d modify that old nugget of wisdom slightly to say: “Good boundaries make for good businesses.”

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Fresh look, new theme build excitement for Dairy Strong conference

Travis Senn for Progressive Dairy

While the full program continues to come together, the Dairy Business Association is excited to welcome attendees back for its signature event – the Dairy Strong conference. For nearly a decade, Dairy Strong has served as one of the premier gatherings of forward-thinking dairy farmers and the professionals that support them. This year’s event will be held Jan. 18-19 at the Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin.

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[Podcast] Andy 'Caygeon' Junkin: Succession planning and working better with family

Editor Walt Cooley visits with Progressive Dairy contributor Andy “Caygeon” Junkin during World Dairy Expo about working with family and succession planning. This three-part episode discusses how to goal-set for success, how the next generation should work with their elders on the farm, and how to set a farm on the right path for succession. Junkin's niche is helping stubborn farmers work better together.

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Mineral nutrition is instrumental to herd performance

Angela Boyer for Progressive Dairy

From source and quality to concentration and bioavailability, trace minerals offer many characteristics – and each can affect animal health and nutrition outcomes. A better understanding of trace mineral characteristics is instrumental in improving animal performance, reducing environmental impact and improving return on investment – all of which will improve your herd’s success in the dairy industry.

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