JEFFERSON, Ohio — Diversity, sustainability and self-sufficiency are words to farm by for Ralph and Connie Rice of Jefferson. From sheep without wool to short-legged cows, from the maple sugar shack to Connie’s quilting machine, Riceland Meadows is a farm marching toward as much independence as anyone can achieve on 73 acres. The unwoolly woolies [...]
CHARDON, Ohio — Dale Arnold, director of energy services for the Ohio Farm Bureau, spoke glowingly of the future of farm-produced energy March 27. Since last summer’s gas prices exceeded $4 a gallon and helped bring the economy down, people have become far more attuned to the need for domestic fuel and energy sources, he [...]
HARTVILLE, Ohio — Renewable Lubricants Inc., operating out of the farm of Bill and Jackie Garmier, is one of those family agriculture stories that gives farmers hope. Starting with the same vegetable oil found in the kitchen cabinet, the Garmiers, using his years of experience in petroleum lubricant development and her business background, have built [...]
WILLIAMSFIELD, Ohio — The Polchin family of Cherry Valley, recognized by the Ashtabula County Dairy Service Unit as the Farm Family of the Year, represents both the past and the future of farming in the U.S. John and Ruth Polchin and their son and partner Tony, 44, accepted the Dick Johnson Award plaque at the [...]
Nothing in the commodity market has been any less predictable than grain prices over the last three years, according to Tim Gildersleeve, who grows about 1,200 acres of grain and forage on his Austinburg farm.
FAIRPORT, Ohio — Doug Leikala’s garage is a monument to Harley Davidson, and his home isn’t left standing in the dust, either.
A revived proposal to run FirstEnergy’s 138-kilovolt transmission lines along an abandoned railroad grade might offer a glimmer of hope to farmers and landowners along Route 528 in Geauga County. The corridor for the 80-foot-high wooden poles and wires was first proposed about 10 years ago and is called the Rachel Route. It starts on [...]
Anyone with the slightest interest in horses would have enjoyed the four-day equestrian banquet at last weekend’s Equine Affaire in Columbus (April 10-14). It would be hard to imagine a more diverse collection of experts and professionals than those who filled the schedule any given day. Cool, sometimes damp, weather did not deter the crowds [...]
MEADVILLE, Pa. — There’s a lot more to auctioneering than a gavel, talented patter and a crowded room. To survive and thrive in the auction world, an auctioneer needs to be familiar with the inventory, read the crowd and recognize a trend as it grows. After more than a quarter of a century as an [...]
