Janelle Atyeo

2 weeks ago | agupdate.com | Janelle Atyeo

What happens to the farm or ranch after retirement is a difficult subject, but an important one to ensure the future of a family operation and the future of agriculture. The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition is helping producers plan for transitioning to the next generation by offering financial assistance for those wanting to learn about transition planning and for families ready to work with a professional to put their own plan in place.

2 weeks ago | agupdate.com | Janelle Atyeo

Central South Dakota could use more rain and more sunshine. The dry start to spring allowed planting work to get underway early, but the ground was thirsty. A big rain in early May helped immensely, and farmers are much more positive about the growing season than when planters were stirring up clouds of dust. Teddy Holzwarth measured 4-8 inches across his farm ground around Gettysburg. Teddy Holzwarth shows a head of winter wheat.

2 weeks ago | agupdate.com | Janelle Atyeo

On a trip across South Dakota’s southern border last weekend, my family and I went glamping for the first time. It quite possibly ruined plain old tent camping for me for good. Glamping accommodations included a roomy canvas tent with a queen-sized bed. Tri-State Neighbor photo by Janelle Atyeo Glamping, or glamorous camping, caught on in recent decades in the U.S., but its roots go way back.

3 weeks ago | agupdate.com | Janelle Atyeo

Dairy cows don’t take a day off, even for Dairy Month. So when well over 1,000 people visited Providence Dairy near White, South Dakota, for the annual South Dakota Dairy Fest celebration, they got a chance to witness how a dairy operates in real time. Groups took turns observing milking operations as cows filed into the double 16 parlor setup. Workers cleaned teats and attached milkers on repeat. “Without them, we’d be unable to do this,” said Maristela Rovai.

3 weeks ago | agupdate.com | Janelle Atyeo

Ten years apart, two major rain events washed over Feikema Farms in southwestern Minnesota. But a shift in management practices meant that the fields handled the deluge much differently the second time around. Major flooding in 2014 caused washouts and gullies through every field, and nearly 80 acres of crop was lost, Shawn Feikema said. Rains came again last June, pouring down 6-8 inches over a three-day period. “It was drastically different,” Shawn said.