Dairy Excel

December is a great time to get cozy with our financial numbers

Happy holidays to all of our northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania dairy farmers. It is hard to believe 2009 is coming to a close already. I know many dairy farmers are glad to see this horrific dairy price year come to a close. I sincerely hope 2010 will be a much better year for milk [...]

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Bonnie’s wish list for Santa Claus

The most beloved Christmas poem of all time begins with the phrase “‘Twas the night before Christmas.” Although it speaks of a family’s preparation for Santa’s visit, here at the office we are on the eve of a new year and there is the usual hustle and bustle to plan the 2010 calendar, review 2009′s [...]

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Enterprise Budgets are starting points

Budgeting helps guide you through your decision making process as you attempt to commit resources to the most profitable enterprises on the farm. Crops or livestock? Corn, soybeans or wheat? We can begin to answer these questions with well thought out budgets that include all revenue and costs. Without some form of budgeting and some [...]

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How to manage employees in the age of social media

Have you ever been to the grocery store or the gas station and had the clerk talk on their cell phone or text a message while trying to take care of you? It has happened to me and you’ve probably had it happen to you or maybe witnessed it happen to someone else. Have you [...]

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Observations on riding out low dairy prices

Hello dairy farmers. It has been a long year for our dairy industry. As we inch closer to the December 2008 anniversary of when milk prices took their dive, I find myself thinking as I milk cows each morning about how much longer can many of our dairy operations hold on? These are not pleasant [...]

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Judging teams on Great American Ride

If you listen to country music, you have heard Toby Keith’s new song, Great American Ride. Over the past couple of months, I have heard it countless times while the 4-H and collegiate judging teams have been traveling to different judging competitions. Strong connection As I was singing along, there was a moment I realized [...]

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It is corn silage pricing season

You don’t have to look outside to know what season it is in an Extension office. You can tell from the questions that come in. It is now corn silage pricing season. How to price corn for silage as a crop standing in the field is a regular and perennially challenging question. The optimal answer [...]

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Addressing difficult issues on the farm

You may not be listed as the farm’s primary operator, but as a partner in the operation you may have to be the voice that begins the conversation about the future of the operation. Many times this is a difficult conversation, as it can involve topics such as financial viability, transition of management and control [...]

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Preparing for corn silage harvest

Cooler temperatures are upon us, the Farm Science Review is just a few days away, as are the best seven days in September — the week-long Tuscarawas County Fair. This also means that corn silage harvest is nearly ready to begin. The following information was provided by Bill Weiss and Mark Sulc, OSU Extension specialists, [...]

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OSU Extension to offer three-day basic cheese making workshop

Hello northeast Ohio dairy farmers. OSU Extension is saying cheese again! OSU Extension is pleased to be sponsoring a three-day basic cheese making course geared for local dairy, sheep or goat milk producers. This course has been offered five times in Ohio with great results. We are extremely pleased that Peter Dixon, one of the [...]

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The Ohio State Fair was just what we needed to rescue our spirits

Just like story of Camelot, the Ohio State Fair emerged in 2009 rather like a knight in shining armor. In the midst of the dismal economic times for the dairy industry, the fair may have been just what we all needed to rescue our spirits. In case you did not know, the theme was “Share [...]

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The more things change…

“Tho they may never expect to become farmers, urban youth will soon be in positions where their word may count strongly for the welfare of agriculture. Having them in your community offers a good chance to make lasting friendships for yourself and all farm people.” Inviting non-farm people to visit farms and farm communities is [...]

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Now may be the perfect time to re-evaluate operation and your goals

This past week, I taught a session at the state Soil and Water Conservation District Summer Supervisors’ School. The session was an overview of the current agriculture climate and many of the risks involved in the business. One of my summary statements was ‘make time to take stock’. Re-evaluate What I meant by this statement [...]

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Think about how to tell your story

In early June I had the opportunity to attend a three-day farm management in-service training in Omaha, Neb. After sitting in meetings for two days I didn’t want to go back and sit in my hotel room, so I decided to take an early evening walk. I was hoping to be able to take in [...]

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Just how good are you at dairying?

The prolonged depressed milk prices in the dairy industry are creating critical cash-flow and long-term survivability issues on Ohio’s 3,328 dairy farms. Cost-cutting decisions must be made with full awareness of both short- and long-term production and economic consequences. Many farms are analyzing every aspect of their business to see where money can be saved. [...]

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Ohio Dairy Quiz Bowl is a must see

I have either observed or been a part of many competitive events in my lifetime. Watching the Olympics on television has been almost like being there. Then there was that time I watched a dairy judge take 15 minutes to decide what two-year-old would end up with the blue ribbon. I’ve even attended OSU/Michigan games [...]

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Flexible Cash Lease Calculator decision aid at OSU farm management

Now, more than ever, big swings in crop prices and input costs points toward negotiating some flexibility in cash leases for farmland. “Volatile” and “uncertain” are two words that might best describe grain prices and input costs for row crop production heading into the 2009 planting season. With this increased volatility and uncertainty, risk increases [...]

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Farm employees may need more than pay

Many employers would be shocked to learn that good wages and job security are not necessarily the ultimate motivators for employees.

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Examine your labor efficiency

Hello northeast Ohio dairy farmers. With the financial crunch being experienced in the dairy industry, many farms are analyzing every aspect of their business to see where money can be saved. Labor efficiency One area farm managers are examining is their labor efficiency. A variety of research surveys have stated the number one issue facing [...]

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Spring Dairy Expo is quite an event

Spring lifts all our spirits. It is the season that allows us the time to step away from reality and renew our hopes for a better year than the last. We can briefly put away our dismal moods and enjoy the simple beauty of turning the cows out to pasture for the first time in [...]

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