Commentary

Surfers are making wool surfboards. Why stop there? Plastic revolutionized society, but renewable, natural materials could lead the next wave.

The American sheep industry is at a crossroads. Those who grow lamb, in particular, have to adapt to changing times or be left behind. It’s a conundrum that should resonate with anyone in agriculture. People want to know where food comes from and how it came to be. That’s not going anywhere. We should care anyway, because we are stewards of one of the most important things on the planet: our food.

Shaena Mallett, director, said they wanted to strike a balance. “… That’s something I wanted to be honest about with Farmsteaders — farming is beautiful and hard,” she said. “I wanted to share the perspective that hard isn’t bad, and in fact some of the most worthwhile endeavors we could possibly take on may also be the most difficult.” Agriculture seems to be the topic du jour these days — for politicians, entertainers and, well, everyone. That’s why Mallett’s storytelling struck me. It’s poignant without being pretentious.

Regardless of how the U.S.-China trade war shakes out, for good or bad for U.S. agriculture, trade relationships won’t be the same. Existing markets will fade away. New ones will emerge. Time will tell how viable they are. In the long run though, it’s up to you and me, not nations, to find solutions.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue hails the 2018 Farm Bill and renewed dairy margin coverage program, calling it a "good time" to be in dairy, despite Pennsylvania dairy farmers' concerns that production costs far outweigh their portion of the profits.

Editor-in-chief Rebecca Miller ponders how social media has impacted farmers and influenced the way they network — both positively and negatively.

Editor-in-chief Rebecca Miller reflects on past trips to Kenya and how politics are handled there, pondering whether there's a parallel to U.S. politics.

The connection we have to the land, to livestock and to the stewardship of it all is not something many people experience. And it shows. It seems that almost daily, I hear of new experiments to create food that eliminates the need for animal products. As much as we might like to post ironic memes about it on social media, or laugh it off, it’s here.

I’ve seen the numbers. The rain is historic. But it’s not hard to see it with my own eyes, too. With each new rain drop that has fallen, the saturated ground has spit it back out in new ways.

To succeed in farming, we all need to feel a little uncomfortable. To push ourselves to be better stewards of our land and livestock, and to be more efficient with our resources. To meet new people, and to get to know them. Don't settle for the single story. Let’s broaden our communities.