The lack of rain and heat has impacted our cool season grasses. If you're looking at a lost second cut of hay or stalled growth in the pasture, it's time to look at how the rest of the year is going to play out. Avoid overgrazing pastures to eek out the summer. Feeding hay is a better way to put weight on right now. Then, look at how that extra hay is going to impact your bottom line.

Improving the quality of the beef on the consumers plate is more than just making sure you have the correct amount of marbling, and the right species mix of cattle. It's making sure you are doing all you can to care for the animal as it's being raised and brought to market. Caring for the animal includes handling, managing medications, keeping it clean and safe, and protecting it from injury. All of these will help your animals gain and have a higher value at the market, while also making your life easier too!

Summer is a working season for some and a vacationing season for others. Sometimes family will visit the farm. Are you doing all you can to help keep them safe? How about keeping yourself safe? We go over several recommendations for working around equipment, electricity, and more. Stay hydrated and stay safe!

As we get outside more to enjoy the nice weather, it is important to remember about those little blood suckers hiding in the grass. Even well manacured lawns can be home to ticks. Know the risks, use repellents, and always do tick checks.

It's finally here! The time for planting is now! Memorial Day weekend is commonly looked to as our official frost free date and when soil temperatures are in 60's. So if you're dreaming of sweet corn roasting on an open fire later this year, it's time to get out and get it planted.

Rhododendrons and azaleas are some of the most beautiful plants in our spring landscape. They are tough and the deer don't prize their foliage. However, they do have problems. Most often the issues are caused by poor growing conditions which invite disease to take hold. We go over some of the big ones today. Images and more details can be found here: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/azaleas-and-rhododendrons-identify-and-manage-problems/

Turf grass takes effort. If you want a healthy lawn, there are some steps you can't ignore. Sharpening your mower blades is just one of them. Please check out our website: https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/lawn for more information after the show.

Storm damage can be rough. A tree failure in a storm can be devastating. There are several things you can do to help your trees weather storms better, but you may be thinking of the wrong ones and making the risk greater.