Every business person in California is painfully aware of the cost of doing business in such a highly regulated state, and the appearance that some state agencies have a strong bias against agriculture just adds to the pain. This last year, the state made things even worse when they added a slew of costly new …
Category: Ag business
Write an Essay, Win a Farm!
It’s a part of the American dream, it seems, to be self sufficient, to live off the land on a place out in the country. Lots of folks dream about being a farmer, including a lot of us who write or talk about it. But it takes real money and real commitment, and if …
The Swing of the Pendulum
There’s an ebb and flow to politics, and it’s very apparent that we’re going through a time of change. The political pendulum had swung far to the left, with all kinds of new social programs and new rules under Obama. but the pendulum hit the wall and is swinging to the right. Donald …
Harvest Hosts bring visitors to the farm
If you are a grower or vintner with a retail outlet on your property, or if you are thinking about selling directly to the public, here’s something that may help you reach a new market. A company called Harvest Hosts is a membership program that connects RV owners with farmers, wineries, and museums around …
Got Gas?
Picture this: A lovely green pasture, full of California cows, here to provide milk, cheese and butter to a grateful state. But the state is concerned about their flatulence. Yes, cows are gassy, they stink and draw flies. But now their flatulence is creating air pollution issues, according to the scientists. So picture those …
Hay goes high-tech
Hay growers and buyers have a new way to meet up, at a place which modernizes and simplifies how hay gets from the rake to the ruminants that need it. hayfinders.com is a new website created by a couple of New Mexico farmers. They built it to connect the consumer directly to the grower …
Hemp: to Grow or Not to Grow?
Hemp has been in the news a lot lately, and with the push to legalize Marijuana there’s a related effort to remove the restrictions on growing Hemp. That’s because Marijuana and Hemp are close cousins - but Hemp is missing the psychoactive ingredient THC and unlike cousin Mary Jane, you won’t get high no matter …
