Many farmers refer to manure as “black gold” and rightly so because it adds nutrients to the soil, which helps crops grow and be more productive.
In earlier times, before the advent of synthetic fertilizers, crop farmers would often buy a cow solely for the manure it would produce and use the manure for fertilizer. …
Waging a successful battle against the foodborne pathogens that can sicken people — or even kill them — takes some creative strategizing on the part of small- and mid-size farms, primarily because they’re so different from large farms and even from one another.
With that in mind, about 25 people took advantage of the …
There was a lot of hand-washing going on during the Northwest Washington Fair last week in Lynden, WA. Yes, there were the usual farm exhibits, carnival rides, food booths, music, talent shows, and much more. But the 24 hand-washing stations placed around the animal barns, along with a team of specially trained “Hand-Washing Ambassadors,” underscored…
While summer often conjures up mouth-watering thoughts of pig roasts, if you’re actually contemplating tackling this culinary feat, some homework is in order. And that includes some homework about food safety. You certainly don’t want to sicken your guests, which can be avoided if you play it safe. When you roast a whole pig, your…
Food Safety News writer Cookson Beecher won five awards — all of them in the daily news category — at the 2015 Washington Press Association awards banquet held on May 9 at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Four of the awards came in first place, and one came in third. Here are the awards …
Bucking the headwinds of an 81-19 vote in the West Virginia House of Delegates (18-16 in the Senate) for legislation that would have allowed dairy farmers to provide raw milk through herdshare arrangements, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed the bill on Thursday. Raw milk is milk that hasn’t been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria that…
As you read this, please keep in mind that back in the 1970s and 80s, my family — ma, pa, and the kids — had a 20-acre place in northern Idaho. We raised sheep, goats, chickens and rabbits, and put in an orchard, several acres of hay, and a huge garden. We believed that …
Food Safety News writers James Andrews and Cookson Beecher came home from the April 26 Washington Press Association awards banquet with nine awards, all of them in the daily news category. Here are the awards James received: First prize, Personality Profile, “Keene Remembered for Commitment to Public Health, Unconventional Style.” Second prize, General Features, “Beef …
