Remove Family Farming Remove Manure Remove Ruralism
article thumbnail

Bringing Youth Back to the Farm in Rural America

Food Tank

Large factory farm facilities have replaced smaller family farms. The state lost nearly 90 percent of its hog farms from 1982 to 2017, according to U.S. Even though we live in rural Iowa, kids don’t have access,” says Melissa Beermann, Monona County Director for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Ruralism 116
article thumbnail

Bringing Back Local Milk, Ice Cream, and Cheese

Civil Eats

The ice cream shop is an extension of the Nicholson family’s sixth-generation, 120-acre farm in nearby Ferndale. Since taking over the dairy a decade ago and branding it Foggy Bottoms Boys , the couple has been bucking convention and helping their rural community navigate changing economic tides.

Pasture 142
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Across Farm Country, Fertilizer Pollution Impacts Not Just Health, but Water Costs, Too

Civil Eats

The other main factor, manure, is also increasing as CAFOs become more prevalent. Many rural residents also rely on private, personal well systems, which aren’t regulated for contaminants, to source their water. Conservation on the Farm One way to do this is by using less fertilizer on the field. Tesdell’s is 80.

article thumbnail

On the Ground with the Midwest Farmers Going All-In On Agroforestry

Modern Farmer

Elderberry, becoming popular as a hedgerow crop, provides both farm income and ecological benefits. Photos courtesy of Wil Crombie) Manure from the fowl helps fertilize the silvopastures and fields, and the chickens help with pest control by eating insects and grubs. It’s an exciting opportunity to revive our rural communities.”

Acre 112
article thumbnail

Animal Ag News 11/25

Agwired

America’s cattle producers need a Secretary of Agriculture who will protect family farms and ranches, roll back crushing regulations, and stand up for rural values—and we look forward to working with Secretary-Designate Rollins to make it happen.” 5 during CattleCon 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.

article thumbnail

Transfarmation: The Movement to Free Us From Factory Farming

Modern Farmer

I’d been trying for years to get footage from inside a chicken factory farm at a time in our country when seeing inside a chicken farm was—and still is—nearly impossible. That day, I’d driven from my home in Atlanta to Craig’s home in rural North Carolina. I’d failed every previous attempt. But it ended up being so much more.

Farming 66
article thumbnail

Livestock are Dying in the Heat. This Little-Known Farming Method Offers a Solution

Modern Farmer

Researchers and farmers say silvopastures help improve the health of the soil by protecting it from wind and water, while encouraging an increase of nutrient-rich organic matter, like cow manure, onto the land. Payne’s family farm is a microcosm of American agriculture’s monocrop past and its changing future.