Melissa Hart

Michigan, North Adams

Editor at Dairy Agenda Today

News Correspondent at Farm World

I'm a freelance writer, farmwife and mom of four down on the farm. I'm also the editor for Dairy Agenda Today.

Articles

Fair history is fun history

1 week ago | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

Melissa HartFarmers' AdvanceWhile doing a little research I found that the oldest county fair in the United States is the Topsfield Fair located in Topsfield, Massachusetts. It began in 1818 and is known as America's oldest county fair. It was originally a one day cattle show organized by the Essex County Agricultural Society. Today, it runs for ten days and features a wide array of attractions including agricultural exhibits, amusement rides, live music, food vendors and various competitions.
Dairy Agenda Today - Dairy News

3 weeks ago | dairyagendatoday.com | Melissa Hart

By Melissa Hart The Senate Ag committee held a hearing with expert testimony from USDA officials to school nutrition experts to talk about the pros and cons of whole milk in schools. And while my initial intention was to rally everyone to contact their senators and representatives to push this Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act through congress, my mind has gone in a completely different direction.
A calling for cattle: The loss of an aficionado

4 weeks ago | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

We all know someone with an encyclopedic mind filled with countless pages of cow pedigrees. They can recall generations of this cow or that heifer. They remember who owned them when they were All-American as a fall yearling or where they placed when they were a 5-year-old. They are the people who know who bought what, before it is public knowledge.
The trust of a daughter

1 month ago | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

Does anyone remember the white t-shirt with the red and blue graphic on the front that said, “Proud to be a Farmer’s Daughter” from the 1970s? I believe it was available in the Nasco catalog, and it was the only item that I wanted. Every time a new catalog came, I quickly flipped to that page to make sure it was still available. My mom finally bought one for me and I coveted that shirt.
The passion woven in at creation

1 month ago | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

Sometimes you just need a little inspiration to stay motivated and moving forward. Lately, I’ve been recording podcasts for Dairy Agenda Today. I choose my guests mainly because I want to know more about them. I’m curious about who they are, where they came from and what they think about things. And if I’m curious, then others may be as well. I just finished editing a conversation with a young lady from Indiana, Caroline Egolf.
Which beef is the best? My family's taste test extravaganza

2 months ago | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

Who doesn’t love a taste test? Once a week we have a family dinner. It’s my way of giving my daughters-in-law a break from cooking dinner for their families. But if I were totally truthful, it’s my way of having all of my grandkids at my house one night a week. To break up the wintertime blues, I decided to subject my family to a taste test of beef from local growers. The demand of consumers wanting locally grown food has worked to our advantage.
The importance of singing for a stranger

2 months ago | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

Living on a dirt road affords you the opportunity to see just exactly who drives by. The bumps and potholes slow people down just enough to be able to see if they are headed to work, back from the store or if they are enjoying the countryside. Our road is used as a pass through between two main roads. The county does a great job of maintaining this dirt mile and it serves as a fairly smooth ride for those who don’t mind slowing down.
Making the right choice for replacements in a tight market

2 months ago | wlj.net | Melissa Hart

With high cattle markets, determining whether to raise or purchase replacements is an important decision for many operations. Derrell S. Peel, Ph.D., professor of agribusiness and Extension livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, offers insights into current market dynamics and strategies for producers to consider.
Today will be the yesterday we long for tomorrow

Jan 15, 2025 | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

On the cover of the recent Michigan Dairy Cattle News is a photo of the Wolverine Purebred Livestock Sales Pavilion, a massive sales arena that sat on Grand River between Williamston and Okemos in the 1950s and 60s. This same photo was on the cover of the 1955 Holstein Michigander, the predecessor of the Michigan-Indiana Holstein News and the Michigan Dairy Cattle News. I put that photo on the cover because it harkened back to a time when the Registered Holstein business was thriving in Michigan.
Will people see 2025 as a golden time in Holstein history?

Jan 7, 2025 | farmersadvance.com | Melissa Hart

Melissa HartFarmers' AdvanceIn 2018, the Michigan Holstein Association hosted the National Holstein Convention. This was a four-year process, and our confidence waned as we began the work of gathering sponsors, setting schedules, selecting farms for tours and getting ready to host 1,000 Holstein enthusiasts. We breathed a sigh of relief when it was a rousing success. Michigan’s Holstein realm is different. We have a state full of large, commercial dairies, some registered, some not.