MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Fall is an ideal time to start thinking about composting projects.  That's the word from statewide horticulture specialist, Bruce Spangenberg.  He tells Ben Jarboe what the process is all about, and shares tips for first time composters to make it a success. Fall is ideal because of the volume of organic material available. Spangenberg  also recommends not puttin...

The Century Farm Awards Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the State of Wisconsin’s Centennial Celebration. There are currently over 10,000 Century Farms nestled throughout the Badger State. Most recently, Don Veidel’s family of Burnett County has been added to the list. Don brought his uncle, second-generation on the Centennial Farm, Carroll Veidel to the celebratory breakfast...

The Century Farm Awards Program began in 1948 in conjunction with the State of Wisconsin’s Centennial Celebration. There are currently over 10,000 Century Farms nestled throughout the Badger State. Most recently, Jeff Ruedy's family farm has been added to the list. ReeDee Farms in Sparta reflects over 100 years of hard work. Like many long-standing family farms, it has weathered the challeng...

The cheese and whey markets have been volatile due to their dependence on trade, and Mike Brown, vice president for dairy market intelligence at T.C. Jacoby & Company, says this is especially important for Wisconsin dairy farmers, since about 90 percent of the state’s milk goes into cheese. While the whey market behaves a little differently, he expects to see renewed investment in whey a...

Ag Meteorologist Stu Muck joins the show and says that we can expect to still see cooler temperatures and some showers this week.  Stephanie Hoff talks with Julie Schoeneberg, a farmer at the Creek Bed Farmacy in Poynette, about how their peaches are handling the northern weather. Kiley Allan has a chat with Edwin "Skip" Blake, the owner of Shamrock Cow Care, to give us some key consideration...

Tatian Silva is a research associate at UW-Madison. Her story starts more than 5,000 miles away in Brazil. Her family's farm fueled her love for agriculture. That love, ultimately, brought her to the UW-Madison. Her research focuses on the health of the soil and the prosperity of the crops that grow in it.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tatian Silva is a research associate at UW-Madison. Her research focuses on the health of the soil and the prosperity of the crops that grow in it. Her trail has come upon a few unforeseen challenges. However, those challenges will help shape future research. She talks the importance of knowing your soils' health and how to maintain it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, we’re taking you north of Oshkosh to the Village of Larson, where the Herrmann Family Farm has stood strong for 150 years. Thomas Herrmann and his daughter Jody carry on the legacy of their Sesquicentennial Farm, a place that has seen it all, from the days of thrashing crews and horses to the age of modern equipment and precision agriculture. As the farm prepares to transition to Jody...

We’re heading to Polk County, Wisconsin, to meet Jill Armstrong of Armstrong Farms in Cushing. This Sesquicentennial Farm has been in the family for more than 150 years, and Jill is making sure that legacy continues by leading the farm into a new chapter. Once a traditional dairy operation, Armstrong Farms has diversified into elderberries—an innovative step that’s helping secure...

Drew Lerner is the founder and senior Agricultural Meteorologist at World Weather, Inc. He gives Jill Welke a long-term forecast for Wisconsin's autumn and winter. Drew also breaks down why we're seeing new summer weather patterns in America's Dairyland. Small rain chances won't likely amount to anything. Warmer, normal temperatures coming later in the Labor Day Weekend, says Stu Muck during the C...

The Women’s Suffrage Movement, the Treaty of Versailles, and the beginning of the prohibition. These are all things that were taking place when the Larscheid family farm was getting started in 1919. As part of our century farm celebration Bill Larscheid joins me with his wife Debbie, and mom Judy to share the history of their Brown County farm that has created many great memories. See omnyst...

100 years is a long time to keep a farm running and here at the Mid-West Farm Report we are celebrating those accomplishments in longevity. One farm in Vernon County has seen many generations of a family grow up and work the land. Diane Sung shares the history and current standing of the Storer Family Farm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mid-West Farm Report team is dedicated to celebrating Wisconsin farms that have made it through thick and thin over the last 100 years. One of these farms is in Price County. Jake Jirschele is here to share how his family's century farm, which started in 1916, has progressed over the last 109 years.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The new Lafayette Hospital in Darlington CEO Marie Wamsley shares how they hope to be a blueprint for rural healthcare everywhere. Ben Jarboe reports. "Fair" weather ahead, along with your chance to win $500 for sharing your fair story. Stephanie Hoff visits with Jane Stevens, a Wisconsin herbalist and author featured in the Old Farmer's Almanac. Is using the night sky to make decisions a bunch of...

"It's ours," Adam Johnson responded when asked why his family's sesquicentennial farm was unique. He adds that everyone involved in the farm's operations does so with pride. With the help of Compeer Financial, the Mid-West Farm Report is recognizing farms and homesteads that have belonged to the same family for more than 100 and 150 years. These farms have also been awarded by the state of Wiscons...

Rural Wisconsin has gotten a bit of a boost in its southwest corner with the opening of the brand-new Lafayette Hospital in Darlington. With rural healthcare being an ever-growing need, Marie Wamsley the Lafayette Hospital CEO, shares the advancements made to their facilities as well as how they hope to be a blueprint for rural healthcare everywhere. She says they employ 200 members from the commu...

Grotegut Dairy Farm is hosted an ACE Twilight Meeting on Wednesday, August 27. Rosario Ibarra is the General Manager of the dairy. The dairy is proud to be a member of their community, and they are eager to welcome people to their farm. Rosario shares why the family operation is excited to host the event.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re heading to Airy Point Farms in St. Cloud, Wisconsin, where thousands of dahlias burst into bloom each summer. Nicole and Derek Sippel leaped six generations of conventional dairying into agricultural tourism, hosting U-pick flowers, festivals, and community events. Nicole shares the challenges of growing dahlias, but says the rewards are greater come harvest. She says Dahlia Days at th...

Flyte Farms in Coloma is a unique and diverse operation. They have 700 head beef cattle, fresh market produce, You Pick, We Pick strawberries and blueberries, pumpkin picking, corn maze and more. Recently, they have become a wedding venue as well. As members of Something Special From Wisconsin, the operation offers a host of products and services. Mikayla Flyte tells us the many ways the operation...

Wisconsin is the world's leading producer of American ginseng, prized for its medicinal properties and cultural significance. But beyond its value in herbal medicine, wild ginseng also presents a unique opportunity for landowners. Today, Tony Johnson joins us. He’s a UW Extension Forestry Outreach Specialist. He tells us how landowners can benefit from protecting and cultivating wild ginseng...

Ask anyone in the beef or dairy world what’s changed lately, and beef-on-dairy will come up fast. And for good reason, these crossbred calves grade well, perform consistently and offer a reliable supply chain supply, all resulting in diversified on-farm income. But they also raise important questions: How do we raise them better? How do we align expectations from farm to packer? How do we ma...

Canadian dairy farmers may be doing the same thing - milking cows - as U.S. farmers, but they're maneuvering through a completely different marketing system.  Pam Jahnke finds out more about the quota system in Canada from Ben Cuthbert of Silver Maple Holsteins on Vancouver Island, BC.  Cuthbert is currently facing a record drought impacting available feed, and in turn feed cos...

Beef prices are definitely at the center of conversations from fast food companies to the growers on the land.  Jill Welke visits with Andrew Coppin- cattle expert and CEO of Ranchbot.  Coppin focuses on all aspects of beef production from weather to international influence from elements like New World Screw Worm and tariffs.  He says with the way the weather's been treating rancher...

With the help of Compeer Financial, the Mid-West Farm Report is recognizing farms and homesteads that have belonged to the same family for more than 100 years. These farms have also been awarded by the state of Wisconsin. Today, we’re heading to Calumet County to visit with Mike Loose and his proud Century Farm. For Mike, the farm holds more than just a history of agriculture. It’s whe...

Grain bins are an essential part of farm operations, but they can also be some of the most dangerous. Unfortunately, every year, tragedies happen. Today, we’re talking about grain bin safety that can help save lives on Wisconsin farms. We welcome Ryan Ripp, a fourth-generation farmer raising row crops and dairy heifers north of Madison. Not only does he have his farmers’ cap on, but he...