Published By John Moody

Sweet Grass Dairy in Ohio, all photos courtesy of Jacob Coleman

A Tale of Two Dairies - Part Two

This is part two in my series exploring the stories of various farmers around the country of all kinds, shapes, and sizes. You can catch part one here, A Tale of Two Dairies - Sweet Grass Dairy There is...

Sweet Grass Dairy in Ohio, all photos provided by Jacob Coleman

A Tale of Two Dairies - Sweet Grass Dairy

There is a stretch of interstate that runs crooked across the center of the US Midwest, connecting the rust belt region of northeast Ohio to the lands just beyond the Appalachia in central Kentucky. I-71....

The recent SCOTUS tax decision will directly impact to who we can sell elderberry syrup and other value added products.

Three legal and legislative items to keep an eye on

What a week! Summer is in full swing after no spring in these parts. But the growing season isn’t what has taken center stage of late. A number of major legal and political changes are happening or may...

Surviving a sick day as a small farmer

Sick days. Most occupations come with a set of them. Call in to get the day off. Get caught up later. But what about sick days for farmers? Unfortunately, the growing season doesn’t provide any. We have...

Another day of wild weather in the mid-west this Spring! Photo by John Moody

Dealing with Wild Weather

For much of the country, it has been a wild spring. For some, it has been a no spring. In my area we had an unseasonably long, late winter. Snow fell in the 3rd week of April. On April 30th, a few days...

USDA Farmer's Market Data

Too many farmer's markets?

As I mentioned a few weeks back, some segments of ag are in the midst of challenges and changes. CSAs (community supported agriculture) are one area. Today, we turn our attention to a second - farmer’s...

Field trials are what take you from seed to success!

Field Trials - an often neglected but important tool for growers

How do you decide what to grow? Well, as I have explored in a few articles, there are many pieces of that puzzle to consider. You have to figure out what will be profitable. But how will you know a crop...

Oh, deer! At least it is a wintertime visit.

Oh deer! Deer damage and what farmers can do about it

It is that time of year again, at least in my parts. As things go from the tunnel to the field, all our friendly little four legged foes start to to make dinner plans… and breakfast plans. Some are making...

Are CSAs still okay?

Are CSAs still a viable business model for small farms? In the early 2000s, we hit a heyday for local farm and foods. Works by numerous authors created a resurgence in interest among consumers for “food...

Profit per what? Ways to think about and measure fruit and vegetable profits

Profit. It is what all good farmers are after. Unfortunately, it is something the majority don’t achieve. There are a number of ways to look at profit and a number of factors to consider when choosing...

My favorite spring planting? Bacon seeds!

Controlling input costs - one of the best returns on investment

The importance of controlling your costs One of my favorite stories involves a lady and a farmer. The farmer sold milk right off the farm for about $4.00 a gallon. The lady would, each week, load up her...

Become more profitable by understanding and controlling transaction costs

Imagine your farm or business handles six hundred thousand dollars per year. The transactions vary in size from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars for the most part. Thousands and thousands of transactions....

Photo from https://priceonomics.com/how-the-lumberjack-became-such-a-deadly-profession/

Health Insurance - Options for one of America's most dangerous occupations

Farming is a risky business. But this article isn’t about the financial side of things. Instead, it is a physically risky business. Farming ranks in the top ten most dangerous occupations in the United...

Plant starts are often a great way to generate some early income in the spring

Value Added Products - The future for farms of all sizes?

Many farmers have felt the pinch of falling food prices over the past year. Some sectors of the ag industry, especially dairy, are in a free fall, with our fellow farm friends hurting badly as low prices,...

Photo by John Moody

Welcome to Some Small Farm

Few of my family and friends would have ever expected me to become a farmer.  I was that city kid, happy to play video games, hide from the sun, and grow my collection of Lego's and other toys far more...