Field Notes – February 2023

Did the groundhog see its shadow where you live? Maybe your local livestock vet did instead – or, at least, food-animal vets are getting harder and harder to find, according to a new report.

Actually, the poor groundhog apparently has a pretty poor record at accurately forecasting spring’s arrival. But it’s hard to blame anyone for missing the prediction, with all the wild swings in the weather lately. As it turns out, an old technique of planting mixed grains may hold new promise for climate resilience in agriculture.

No matter when spring truly arrives, we can count on summer being close behind – and long, and hot. The south is one of the hardest regions for maintaining – much less building! – soil organic matter, but a new free online course aims to give southern-region farmers the best available advice on how to pull off that feat.