Daring Dairy

Calming the chaos

Shield Plus adds peace of mind to calving season on Hess Farms
Story and photos by Allison Jenkins

As the 2020 calving season approaches on their northwest Missouri farm, Matt and Belinda Hess feel a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.
After all, last year was rough. Bitter cold, heavy snow and persistent mud in late winter and early spring created a stressful time for their newborns to arrive. When the first calf hit the frozen ground on the Hesses’ Maryville farm March 3, 2019, the high temperature was only 12 degrees and dipped below zero that night.
“We both love calving season because there’s nothing better than seeing that new baby. . . .

More Details

For love of dove

Mentored events introduce new hunters to wingshooting sports

Story and photos By Allison Jenkins

It’s Sept. 1—opening day of dove season—and 20 hunters are positioned around the perimeter of a freshly mowed, mature sunflower field on Don Dettmann’s farm in Mokane, Mo.
Shots are fired. Shouts follow.
“Over the top!” “Was that you?” “Did you get him?” “Good shot!” “Whose bird was that?”
Spent shotgun shells litter the ground under 19-year-old Marissa Ziebarth’s feet, near several birds she’s harvested this morning. It’s her first dove hunt, and Ziebarth is learning the ropes from her boyfriend, Tyler Cooper, a National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) forester.
“I’ve never shot anything that moved before! I was . . .

More Details

APRIL ISSUE IS IN PRODUCTION

SUBSCRIBERS will get the April Today's Farmer after the March 23, 2020 final shipment. We'll post the magazine online here by mid-April. MFA members & subscribers always get first access to the printed magazine content. SUBSCRIBE HERE.

Features

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE

The March issue

Click for more from this issue.

Subscribe to the Today's Farmer.
CLICK to subscribe.

Agronomy Guide
Learn more about our Agronomy Guide printed guide, mobile app and flip book. New issues are available at YOUR NEARBY MFA affilliate.

CLICK TO BUY AGRONOMY GUIDE

Departments

Noteable quote from Today's Farmer magazine

"In high school, I drove a 1971 Chevy Caprice. Not an exciting car but one worthy of a closing thought. It had a big windshield and a tiny rearview mirror. The windshield should be larger than the rearview mirror because what has happened in your past is not nearly as important as what is in your future."

– Ernie Verlsues, MFA CEO and President

Click to read more from the March 2020 issue.
If you'd like to subscribe to Today's Farmer and get an issue via mail, CLICK to subscribe

Sign up for the Today's Farmer newsletter.

Advertise with TF

About Today's Farmer magazine

Today's Farmer is published 9 times annually. Printed issues arrive monthly except combined issues for June/July, August/September and December/January. Subscriptions are available only in the United States.

If you would like to begin or renew a print subscription, CLICK HERE and go to our shop. We are proud to offer the subscription for only $15 per year.

Connect with us.