Hose water and vinyl seats: How we survived 1970s summers
Remember when summer survival meant drinking from a garden hose, sliding down scorching metal slides, and riding in cars with sticky vinyl seats? Columnist Kymberly Foster Seabolt takes a nostalgic, humorous look at how we survived childhood heat waves in the 1970s without air conditioning.
House wrens can be nasty neighbors
House wrens are extremely territorial and aggressive. While most birds limit their aggression to members of their own species, house wrens are interspecifically antisocial.
How to get rid of poison hemlock for good
By cutting poison hemlock down after flowering, you can eliminate its potential to produce more seeds. Peak bloom for is in late May and early June.
How to harvest, process and store black walnuts
Black walnuts are the most prolific native nut tree in Farm and Dairy’s circulation area. Unfortunately, most of their delicious free nutmeat drops to waste because people don’t know how to harvest, process and store black walnuts.
Feeding corn to deer could be death sentence
Just days after 20 inches of snow blanketed the ridge, a second storm arrived. We could have another 8 inches by morning.
Such conditions bring...
Jeromesville honors Civil War heroes at heritage tree dedication
As part of the America 250-Ohio celebration, Jeromesville dedicated a native white oak tree to its history. In this column, the keynote speaker shares the moving stories and letters of three local Civil War brothers who left their Ashland County farm to fight for the Union.
Threshing day — the greatest day of the year
Threshing day was the greatest day of the year for farmers in the 1930s when life was slower, harder and more neighborly.
Why true conservation needs to start in our own backyards
While parks protect wild spaces, they can give the false impression that nature only belongs there. Stark Soil and Water Conservation District's Todd A. Clark shares a nostalgic look at shifting natural baselines and explains why small-scale conservation at home is vital for inspiring the next generation.
Friend or farm foe? Balancing groundhog benefits and damage
Whether you call them groundhogs, woodchucks or whistle-pigs, these critters have a mixed reputation. While their burrows threaten farm pastures and foundations, they also aerate soil and create wildlife habitats. Retired wildlife officer Jim Abrams weighs the pros and cons.
Choosing fly fishing over golf did not save me any money
Former wildlife officer Jim Abrams looks back at his decision to skip golf and take up fly fishing instead. Inspired by Bing Crosby, a winter trip to an East Palestine sports shop started a lifelong passion that proved a "simple" rural hobby can still empty your wallet.
