Farm and Dairy

12/26/2025

The Sterling family, of Muskingum County, must have paid attention to the recycling infographic we ran this past spring. Caleb and Chloe Sterling wrapped all their Christmas gifts in old issues of Farm and Dairy. Thanks for doing your part to save the planet (and wrapping your gifts in style)!

12/26/2025

In an era of smartphones and high-speed fiber, it’s easy to think of amateur radio as a "hobby of the past." But as many rural residents and emergency responders know, it’s often the only thing that works when cell towers fail and the power goes out.

Across the country, amateur radio connects people without relying on the internet, cell towers or power grids, blending technical skill with public service and community.

Read more about how this enduring technology keeps our communities connected at the link in the comments🔗🔗🔗⬇️

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio

12/24/2025

It started with a box of forgotten Christmas decorations found in a storage unit. It ended with a reunion. ❤️

Farm and Dairy reporter ​Paul Rowley tracked down the family connected to the hand-sewn skirt, nativity set, and vintage ornaments that were left in an abandoned storage unit. Read this heartwarming tale of how he ensured a family's memories—which he calls proof that "love outlives us"—finally made their way home.

Read the whole story at the link in the comments 👇

12/23/2025

Chris Pinkerton, 48, of Woodsfield, Ohio, died on Dec. 14 at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center in Columbus from injuries he sustained Aug. 25 at the Farnsworth #4 well in the Wayne National Forest. He was part of a crew from Monroe Drilling working to plug the well when it exploded.

Chris Starkey, 42, of Zanesville, Ohio, died on Oct. 3 from his injuries. He worked for Formation Cementing.

Three other workers who were injured in the incident are still hospitalized.

An ODNR investigation said the explosion was caused by a blowout of natural gas and oil on the surface, which ignited and engulfed the entire well site in flames. The ODNR concluded that the explosion was caused by the “contractor’s improper implementation of primary and secondary well control barriers that resulted in a loss of well control.”

Two Ohio men have died and three others remain in the hospital following an August explosion at an orphan well in Wayne National Forest.

12/23/2025

From record corn yields to tariff impacts and HPAI outbreaks, explore the major trends, policy shifts and innovations that defined Ohio agriculture in 2025.

12/22/2025

We have a new item for Hazard a Guess. Item No. 1298 comes from Jeannie of Wooster, Ohio. She said this flat, wooden item, about 8 inches long, was found on her ancestor’s farm in Richville, Ohio. The item is held together with metal. The two sides slide back and forth. The whole thing is kind of fragile, made of thin wood, ⅜-inch thick.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments or on the post on our website.

12/22/2025

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has confirmed a rare and historic sighting: an adult cougar traveling with two kittens in the Upper Peninsula, marking the first verified case of cougar reproduction in Michigan in more than 100 years and possibly the first east of the Mississippi River.

Link to the full story in the comments ⬇️

12/19/2025

The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation awarded the $100,000 Growing Tomorrow Grant to Clover Valley Farm in Clermont County at the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation's annual meeting Dec. 11-12. Clover Valley Farm is a small regenerative family farm owned and run by Nathan and Jill Parriman.

The grant is designed to help inspire, encourage and nurture young agricultural professionals and entrepreneurs as they develop creative and transformative ways to address challenges facing today’s agricultural sector.

The Ohio Farm Bureau held its 107th annual meeting Dec. 11-12 in Columbus, Ohio, where delegates honored members with awards, elected new board members and talked policy that will guide the organization in the coming year.

Read all about the annual meeting by clicking the link in our comments 🔗

12/19/2025

When Hayden Johnson graduated from Ohio State, he didn't just look for a job. He followed his father’s footsteps all the way to Queensland, Australia. Now, he’s trading Ohio cropland for red-dirt roads and thousands of Brangus cattle.

From dodging snakes to mastering AI techniques in 105°F heat, read about Hayden's "adventure of a lifetime" and what he’s learning about the global livestock industry.

Link to the full story in the comments 👇

12/18/2025

The Protect One Health in Ohio (Protect OHIO) initiative will support increased class size in the college, with recruitment focused on students who plan to practice rural and large animal medicine at Ohio State University.

It will also expand partnerships with producers, schools and communities across the state to develop mentorship programs and share biosecurity best practices and establish a virtual Emerging Infectious Disease Center.

Ohio is investing $30 million in OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine to expand rural veterinary care, strengthen biosecurity and support agriculture.

12/18/2025

The Ohio sheep industry came together Dec. 6 to honor their own at the annual Ohio Sheep Improvement Association/Ohio Sheep and Wool Program Industry Awards Program, held in conjunction with the Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium.

The Charles Boyles Master Shepherd Award went to Robert and Donna Peters, of Darke County. The Peters operate a club lamb operation but are also nationally known in sheep circles for their outstanding Corriedale flock.

Ohio sheep industry leaders and youth were honored at the OSIA/OSWP awards during the Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium in Wooster, Ohio.

12/16/2025

A bill aimed at bringing whole and 2% milk back to school cafeterias is headed to the president’s desk. In a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 by a voice vote on Dec. 15. The Senate earlier approved the legislation by unanimous consent.

“Whole milk is an essential building block for a well-rounded and balanced diet, and students should have the option to choose the milk they love,” U.S. Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., said in a statement.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 will soon be on the president's desk after it passed Congress with bipartisan support.