John McCurry

2 weeks ago | rv-pro.com | John McCurry

Newmar’s Grand Star Class Super C, which has drawn rave reviews since its premiere last fall, fills a void in the Nappanee, Indiana, manufacturer’s lineup. For Newmar, it was a matter of breaking new ground in coach construction. Ellinger describes Grand Star as affordable luxury at 34 feet. The new model’s MSRP starts at $364,230. “We realized we could capitalize on those people trading up into a new market, but we had never built on it before, so that was the idea.

3 weeks ago | farmprogress.com | John McCurry

I have never lived on a farm, but my parents always produced a large garden. When they built the house where I grew up in North Carolina, they purchased the adjacent lot. That’s where our garden grew for many decades. It was likely one of the largest “backyard” gardens in my small hometown. Gardening was a skill handed down by both sets of my grandparents, who had small farms.  From an early age, I learned to help in the garden.

1 month ago | rv-pro.com | John McCurry

If an RV’s owners bestow it with a nickname, it’s probably a good sign. That’s true with Oliver Travel Trailers, whose growing fan base affectionately refers to the sturdy fiberglass luxury campers as “Ollies.”A relatively young, family-owned company, Oliver Travel Trailers (OTT) is based in Hohenwald, Tennessee, about 80 miles southwest of Nashville. The distinctive-looking trailers featuring curved corners and sleek sides are designed to boost towing efficiencies.

1 month ago | farmprogress.com | John McCurry

With the 2025 Major League Baseball season cranking up, it’s an opportune time to look at some of the former players who have turned to ag in their retirements. While there aren’t as many ex-big leaguers in agriculture compared to football players, there are some notable names who have shifted to assorted forms of farming and ranching. Like their counterparts in football and basketball, these retired stars of the diamond had the wherewithal to invest in farmland.

2 months ago | farmprogress.com | John McCurry

I’m a coffee snob. That came about gradually. I didn’t start drinking coffee until I became a newspaperman right out of college. It fit with the movie image I had of a newspaper reporter, along with alcohol imbibing and colorful language. Coffee is the habit that endured, and I am very, very particular about it. I don’t mind paying extra for coffee. However, I eschew visits to the major national coffee shop chain. I don’t think it’s very good, plus I prefer to seek out a locally owned shop.