So, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised when one day she came to me to say that she had to attend an out-of-town conference for a few days, and would I be able to take care of her “pets” while she was gone?

Those pets were two teeny, tiny dragonfly nymphs about 3 mm in length, which were residing in a small aquarium on her desk, completely decked out to mimic a pond habitat. You see, Linda is a dragonfly expert. She has an uncanny ability not only to identify nearly every dragonfly she spots on the wing, but she can also nearly always identify them during their aquatic nymph stage as well.

It should be no surprise that she is also a co-author of Dragonflies and Damselflies of Northeast Ohio. This field guide, which was funded and published by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, is chock full of interesting information and can be relied upon efficiently to help identify any dragonfly you may come upon within the designated range.

Personal bug zapper

It is nearly impossible to visit any lake, pond, marsh, bog, swamp, stream or other habitat with water during the warmer months and not see dragonflies darting around. Like miniature helicopters, they zoom about, making agile turns, flying forward and backward, up and down or hovering in one spot. These aerial stunts enable the dragonfly to catch their prey on the wing, namely any small insect that may be sharing their space. One of their favorite food items is mosquitoes, giving them the name “mosquito hawk.”

If you spend time near a pond, fishing or just relaxing nearby, soon you will notice dragonflies hunting those irritable insects that have begun to gather around you…your own personal bug zappers! Look closely and you can often see a tiny insect clasped in the dragonfly’s jaws as it munches on the wing. It is no surprise that they rank among the fastest insects on earth, having been known to reach speeds of up to 35 mph. A glance through the field guide will reveal names reflecting their athletic abilities, such as dashers, skimmers, pondhawks, meadowhawks, cruisers, gliders and more.

Dragonflies belong to the order Odonata. Often referred to as odonates, they also share this title with their “cousins,” the damselflies. Adult dragonflies are recognized by their four transparent wings held flat out, horizontal to their bodies. These two sets of membranous wings, some sporting various colors or patterns, are transparent and delicately laced with venation. The wings are attached to the thorax of their hefty bodies, and a long abdomen trails behind. Huge compound eyes, comprising most of their head, give them nearly 360-degree vision.

In comparison, damselflies are smaller and daintier, with wings held in a closed position above their bodies, although their life cycle is similar.

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Water lovers

All dragonflies spend the first part of their life as aquatic nymphs, the main reason for their association with water. After mating, usually on the wing, females can be observed depositing their eggs. Some can be seen dipping the tips of their abdomens into the water multiple times in the same spot; others sit on rotten logs, placing their eggs inside the spongy wood; still others drill into the stems of emergent vegetation. When the eggs hatch, the tiny offspring, known as nymphs, enter their aquatic habitat.

Nymphs bear little to no resemblance to their adult stage, but that is not to say that they are any less unique. Lacking wings for movement, the nymphs rely on jet propulsion to get around, sucking water in through the tip of their abdomens and shooting it back out with enough force to propel themselves forward great distances. Even in this immature stage, they feed voraciously on other insects and pond denizens. Like something out of a horror movie, the nymph’s lower jaw, tucked neatly beneath its head, slowly lowers and shoots out with lightning speed, nabbing its prey between powerful pinchers.

As they grow, so do their appetites and their ability to consume larger prey, such as tadpoles and tiny fish fry. They shed their skin multiple times as they increase in size, a process they may complete over 15 times. Finally, after months or even years beneath the surface, the dragonfly nymph crawls from the water, anchoring itself to a sturdy stick or stem. Slowly, its skin splits and out it crawls, leaving a dry exoskeleton behind. Slowly, like a butterfly, its wings expand and eventually dry. Hours later, it takes to the air.

Dragonflies are a riot to observe. Pick a spot by the water’s edge, have a seat and watch the show. Often, a dragonfly will have a favorite perch that it returns to over and over again, offering the opportunity for a good photograph.

Despite their intimidating name, dragonflies are harmless. They do not bite or sting, although if captured, they may harmlessly attempt to chew on a finger if offered. A few species are migratory and can be observed in impressive swarms during late summer; radar has picked up throngs of them flying south across Lake Erie!

Bug babysitter

You can imagine how nervous I was to assume babysitting duty for Linda’s nymphs. Her story about this experiment began while she was walking through a wetland and noticed scarring on the stems of some reeds. Cutting one of the stems open, her suspicion that they contained dragonfly eggs was confirmed. Not knowing which species the eggs belonged to, she took one of the stems home with her, in the hope that the eggs would hatch and she could rear the resulting nymphs to adulthood.

Taking over care duty for a few days was nerve-wracking. Feeding such tiny, new larvae required only an eyedropper or two of pond water each day containing tiny microorganisms, small crustaceans and aquatic worm species chopped into minuscule pieces. I called and texted Linda several times each day to confirm that I was doing things correctly. Needless to say, I had never been happier to see her return from a trip. I am also happy to report that nearly one year later, her large, healthy nymphs finally emerged from the water and revealed themselves as black-tipped darners. This whole experience was so amazing that there is an entire chapter written about it in the field guide.

I must admit, I’m no dragonfly aficionado. In fact, I am weak on my identification of them. No doubt this is the result of having a friend who is an expert. When I find or photograph a dragonfly, I don’t even consult my field guide. I just text the expert and have an answer within seconds. As I said, it certainly pays off to have unique friends!

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To start with, the buttermilk was poured off and set aside, and the butter that adhered to the dasher and sides of the churn was scraped off with a wooden or tin scoop and put into a wooden butter bowl.

Once the clumps of butter were in the butter bowl, a wooden paddle was used to press them into a single mass and begin to work the buttermilk out of it. The butter paddle was used to mash the butter down over and over, each time causing it to release more of the buttermilk.

Occasionally, cold, clear water would be run over the butter to wash off more of the buttermilk. The goal was to make the water running off the butter clear, signaling that all the cloudy buttermilk had been removed.

Scotch hands

There were other techniques employed as well for removing buttermilk, with more and more gizmos coming onto the market as time passed. Another common way to remove the buttermilk from the butter in the Ohio country was by using “Scotch hands.”

Scotch hands were grooved wooden paddles, which were sold and used in pairs. To work these, a mass of butter was placed in between the paddles, with the grooves being in contact with the butter. The user then worked the butter around and around between the paddles (this undoubtedly took some practice), allowing the buttermilk to drain out through the grooves and into a bowl below.

Scotch hands must have proven popular as they are still able to be found in considerable numbers in antiques shops.

Working table

Also achieving a measure of popularity was the butter working table which was a three-legged V-shaped table, higher at the back than in the front. Onto this table was placed the globs of butter, and a huge rolling pin was rolled back and forth over them to work out the buttermilk, which drained off through a spout at the low end of the table and into a bucket.

As time passed, more and more patented buttermilk-removing gadgets appeared on the market. One which garnered wide acceptance was a mechanical tabletop device two or three feet in length. The butter was placed on a board to which was attached a large heavy ribbed roller which was cranked back and forth over it, with the buttermilk running off into grooves along the sides.

Color secret

When all the buttermilk had been worked out of the butter, its color was white — almost transparent. But, as we all know, butter is supposed to be yellow. Right?

Well, that color was achieved by adding a pinch of saffron.

Saffron is a spice harvested from the stamens of a crocus flower (crocus sativus). It contains the carotenoid pigment crocin, which imparts a golden yellow hue.

As of 2024, Iran produced 90% of the world’s saffron which, at $5,000 per kilogram (U.S.) makes it the world’s costliest spice by weight.

Even in pioneer times saffron was extremely expensive, and it was stored in small, decoratively turned wooden containers. Many of these saffron jars were colorfully painted with floral or geometric motifs and are today regarded as highly desirable American folk art.

After the color was added, the butter was packed into small stoneware crocks, embossed with the maker’s personal wooden butter stamp and taken to market to be sold.

End of that story.

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The 2026-27 deer hunting seasons are similar to last year. Only one antlered deer may be harvested, regardless of where or how it is taken. Hunting hours are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. The statewide deer hunting dates for 2026-27 include:

• Deer archery: Sept. 26 to Feb. 7, 2027
• Youth deer gun: Nov. 21 and Nov. 22
• Deer gun: Nov. 30 to Dec. 6; Dec. 19 and Dec. 20
• Deer muzzleloader: Jan. 2 to Jan. 5, 2027

Deer management permits were approved for use throughout the hunting season on both private land and public hunting areas. Deer management permits may only be used to take antlerless deer.

Deer bag limits increased to three in Defiance, Paulding and Warren counties. The bag limit in Athens, Meigs and Washington counties, areas affected by an unprecedented outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease in 2025, is two deer (no more than one antlerless). The Wildlife Council also approved a season bag limit in the CWD surveillance area of six deer.

The Chronic Wasting Disease surveillance area was expanded to include all of Allen County, Van Buren Township in Hancock County, and Holmes Township in Crawford County. Hunters in the disease surveillance area will have additional opportunities to take deer: Early deer archery starts Sept. 12; early deer gun runs from Oct. 10 to Oct. 12.

Additional hunting seasons

The Ohio Wildlife Council also approved 2026-27 hunting seasons for waterfowl, small game, migratory birds, and fall wild turkey. Most season dates are similar to previous years.

Ruffed grouse hunting will be limited to controlled hunting on four designated areas. Hunters may apply for those limited permits in July. Wild turkey hunting during the fall season is permitted only with shotguns using shotshells. No fall turkey hunting with archery equipment will be allowed.

Waterfowl hunting seasons will be split into three zones with new boundaries that were approved in 2025. Find the full list of hunting season dates at wildohio.gov.

Endangered and threatened species

The Ohio Wildlife Council also voted to update Ohio’s threatened and endangered species list as part of a comprehensive five-year review.

The American barn owl was downlisted from threatened to a species of concern after genetic testing revealed the species likely has a larger contiguous Midwest population. The blackchin shiner was also downlisted from extirpated to endangered following its re-establishment in specific Ohio lakes.

Further changes include the addition of 17 bees and 16 aquatic invertebrates to the state’s threatened and endangered list following comprehensive surveys. These species were previously unlisted.

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Warm-season annual grasses can be planted as soon as the soil temperature is above 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit, and plantings can continue well into July. Warm-season annual grasses are very water-efficient and can continue growing in much droughtier conditions than cool-season grasses, but they do require sufficient soil moisture to emerge. Once we approach August and the soil really starts to dry out, new seedings of warm-season annuals tend to be patchy and thin.

There are many species of warm-season annual grasses. Sorghum-sudangrass is probably the most popular of the bunch, and I personally was impressed with it last year. Our June planting in South Charleston, Ohio, had good soil moisture and warm weather, so all varieties we tested were out of the ground in less than two days. Later planting dates were a bit drier, so emergence took longer, but all combinations of varieties and planting dates were ready for their first cut in 30-45 days.

Just like the name sounds, sorghum-sudangrass is a hybrid between sorghum and sudangrass. Sorghum is a great option for silage, and it excels in dry weather, but, be careful to choose a variety that has an appropriate season length for your location. Sudangrass is much smaller than sorghum and its stems are a bit thinner than those of sorghum-sudangrass, which makes it more suitable for drying down for hay if desired.

There are many other options for warm-season annual grasses, too. Teff is probably the one I get the most questions about from farmers, and I’ve gotten a couple of calls about millet as a dual-purpose grain and forage crop, too. Neither is as high in biomass as sorghum-sudangrass, but their thinner stems are palatable, and their shorter stature can be helpful for dry hay production. Browntop millet is also less sensitive to low pH than some other forage options.

When purchasing seed for warm-season annual grasses, be sure to understand whether the variety you’ve selected will have good regrowth for a second or third cutting. Most sorghum-sudangrasses have good regrowth, and some we tested last year actually performed better during the second cutting. But, only some varieties of millet will do well in a multi-cut system; pearl millets usually have better regrowth than foxtail millets. Talk to your trusted seed vendor and use results from variety trials, such as those run by Penn State’s forage agronomy extension team or your local extension program, to get a sense of which varieties might work well for you.

Another benefit of checking out local variety trials is seeing what nitrogen rate they’re using for trial management.

Optimal nitrogen rates vary based on expected biomass, so the right rate for a lower-biomass millet is probably 20-50% lower than you’d use for sorghum-sudangrass. If you overshoot the ideal nitrogen rate and growing conditions are good, you probably just spent a bit more money than you needed to. The real risk is when you over-apply nitrogen and then the weather turns dry, since that combination can increase the risk of nitrate accumulation in the forage.

Splitting your nitrogen across 2+ applications is a great option, since smaller applications allow you to adjust rates based on mid-season weather conditions. Plus, the second application helps a lot with regrowth in a multi-cut system.

Warm-season annual grasses are known for their water efficiency, heat tolerance, fast growth, and a wide planting window. Each species is a little bit unique, and many can be a great fit for summers in our area.

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When author Ralph Moody tells of herding cattle at age 8 in Colorado to unfenced pasture for a grouchy neighbor atop his father’s horse named Fanny, the reader is right there with him. This was in the early 1900s, and getting a glimpse of ranch work is captivating.

Scared to death taking the cows out into the road, trying to keep them out of the neighbor’s growing alfalfa, the young boy uses a broom handle fashioned into a sort of whip. He fell from the horse many times before realizing Fanny had more intelligence in herding than he did.

“Fanny knew all the tricks there were about making cows do what she wanted them to do, and my biggest job was guessing which way she was going to turn, and when. I found out the farther I leaned over her neck, the faster she would go, and maybe I ran her fast lots of times when I didn’t need to,” Moody writes in “Little Britches.”

When Moody’s sister Grace brought lunch to him, which was “everything stew” in a lard pail, she begged to get on Fanny to herd the cattle while her brother ate. Mother would not like this, and Ralph feared his sister would surely die, but Grace insisted.

The big brother told her to hold on tight with her legs and to watch the horse’s ears. Fanny would point her ears in the direction she was about to turn, and it helped to anticipate her quick maneuvers.

Grace didn’t listen and ended up flipped upside down, between Fanny’s front legs while the mare was in a full run. Somehow, she managed to hold on for dear life. Scared and shaking, laughing and crying at the same time, her big brother insisted Grace get right back on or fear would prevent her from ever trying again. This time she listened. When she got back on, with her brother’s help, she pulled the reins so tight that Fanny walked slowly backward and in a circle.

“Father always said the worst things you expected never happened to you,” Moody writes. Breathing a sigh of relief that his little sister was still alive as he handed the lard pail back to her, he told her to head for home. When the two were far enough apart for safety in her remark, his little sister yelled, “I can ride better than you can any old day. I can ride her backwards and you can’t!”

“I was afraid Grace might have ruined Fanny, but she didn’t,” Moody writes.

For his first day of herding 30 milk cows, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., the neighbor paid him 25 cents. She pinned it to his shirt as she scolded him for running her cows too much and told him to give his pay to his mother immediately. Feeling certain he was being fired after just one day, young Ralph hung his head as he left the Corcoran ranch.

Mrs. Corcoran hollered, “Don’t you be late in the morning!” Ralph beamed with pride, and as soon as he was out of her sight, he unpinned that quarter and put it in his pocket, like a grown man would. He was happy to give that quarter to his mother, and thrilled he didn’t have to wash supper dishes, just like his father, “now that I was a working man.”

Next week: the battle for water and other survival stories

The post Part Two: Becoming a ‘working man’ appeared first on Farm and Dairy.

Ohio has been battling drought conditions for the past two years. Many producers had to overgraze pastures because they did not have much other choice. This takes a toll on your grass and takes time to recover.

Overgrazing will degrade pastures by stunting root growth, allowing weed growth, depleting soil health and producing low-quality forages for livestock. It will also then take longer for pastures to come back for grazing again. If you need help knowing when to rotate pastures or using a grazing stick, reach out to your local extension office for help.

Rumen degradation

As ruminants eat, their rumen fills up quickly with roughages and forages. The rumen needs time to degrade these substances. When the rumen is filled, the animal feels full and will not eat anymore.

Where it becomes an issue is when forages have low nutritional quality. Typically, those have higher fiber contents like lignin, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber, meaning that it is more fibrous and takes more time for the rumen to break it down. Low energy and protein are critical nutrients that are also typically seen as low values.

The issue with this is that livestock will be consuming low levels of nutrition and nutritional requirements, such as energy and protein, will not be fulfilled. We want to avoid livestock filling up on poor forages and add supplementation, improve pasture management strategies and/or evaluate soil health. Forage nutrients start with the soil.

Forage testing

Many people talk about forage quality and testing during the winter, so you can see if any additional supplementation is needed with hay. During and after times of pastures being worn down, it is also a good idea to test your pastures. This will allow you to know the nutrient profile of your forages and you can avoid your herd getting full on non-nutritional forages and help you to make improvements.

If you are interested in forage testing, Ohio producers can contact their local Ohio State University Extension office. The first sample is $15, and additional samples are $20 through the 2026 eBarns Hay Testing Program. Samples must be submitted by July 30. For more information, reach out to your local Extension office or contact Garth Ruff, OSU Extension Beef Cattle Field Specialist, at 740-305-3201.

Behaviors

There are some behaviors that you can observe in your herd. If livestock are not getting enough nutrition, their body condition score will decrease, which is a way for us to evaluate on a scale how underweight or overweight the animal is. They can exhibit grazing longer or searching for better forages. You may start to see a decrease in milk production or reduced gains. You could see your herd separate from the group and graze individually or grazing midday during hot sunny summer days.

These are all abnormal behaviors, and the characteristics could be interpreted as low-quality pasture, especially if most of the herd is showing these signs.

If something is not right, your livestock will often tell you. Changes in grazing patterns, body condition or performance can all point back to forage quality. Taking the time to observe these behaviors and evaluate your pastures can help ensure your animals are not just full but are nutritionally fulfilled.

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This is predation: A drama that’s been playing out for billions of years and across billions of species, a production in which humans have taken many roles. We’ve played the parts of being that stealthy lion, the careless springbok and as a scavenger fighting for scraps.

As humans developed agricultural skills and began domesticating animals for use as food, company and labor, something began to change in our psyche. We no longer saw ourselves as actors on that stage, but rather as the director of nature’s production.

We also developed a case of anthropomorphism — and possibly a bit of an overstated ego, which has never left us. This -ism has taken many roots in our lives: The Disney movies of our youth; the folklore of werewolves stalking the night; giant sharks and orca whales bent on revenge or murder; and talking to our pets like they know exactly what we’re saying. Put simply, anthropomorphism involves giving human personality, conduct, cognition or emotions to animals — or even some non-living things (this darn computer hates me!).

Before you get too excited and toss me to that pride of lions, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Most of us suffer this -ism in some form; our mind seems to be programmed that way. So, yes, Bramble the cocker spaniel knows all my secrets, sometimes wears a Buckeye hat for a photo op and probably knows the PIN code to the debit card. So, feel free to talk to Tabby and watch movies with Rex; I get it, but I’m not here to talk strictly about anthropomorphism — let’s get back to predation.

The human presence in the world and our growing skills and needs began to clash with the animals that were part of everyday life. We perceived that many animals began holding more adversarial roles in the great scheme, not just predators. For a quick example, the fox raiding the henhouse is a predation problem, but an herbaceous-loving woodchuck chomping soybeans is a different kind of issue. It wasn’t long before humans began categorizing animals as “good” and “bad” — but there is no Big Bad Wolf in nature.

The fact is, humans have been competing with other animals since our first footprint was left in the mud. Today, far fewer large predators roam the earth because of their generally perceived incompatibility with how we believe our world should function. Human encroachment into areas where they thrived turned into a limiting factor on where they would be tolerated, but that goes two ways. Many of those meat-eaters cannot readily adapt to the presence of humans, even if little is being done to reduce their numbers. Some species can’t abide what they see as the threatening presence of a large upright predator competing with their ability to survive.

Predation is nothing more than animals trying to make a living while using the skills with which they were endowed. Generally, they hunt for the biggest bang for their buck. That translates into the highest value food while expending the least amount of risk and energy. They’re also experts at being opportunists. For example, a red-tailed hawk kills a lot of voles and meadow mice. That prey (often referred to as a buffer species) is abundant and widespread, and most people are happy to see the population trimmed. While hunting those rodents, if a young rabbit hops out into the open and falls under the hawk’s keen eyesight, the menu may include hasenpfeffer. By the way, wildlife ecologists view that bunny as a buffer species, too.

Sometimes, predation follows a predictable pattern. Migrations of lemmings, caribou, salmon and the elevational and seasonal migrations of elk, mule deer and antelope also draw the seasonal interest of predators and scavengers. They’ll arrive on these migratory routes to look for a high-value meal. The first to be preyed upon relates directly to predation’s basic premise – the most bang for the buck. Injured, old, young, stragglers, and the careless are especially at risk. Think of that the next time a telemarketer calls.

I imagine that you’re wondering, “But, what about the shows I’ve seen of wolves confronting grizzly bears?” That same dynamic often plays out when two kids have trouble sharing – it’s an “I have” and an “I want” situation. If old grizz is feeding on an animal he was fortunate enough to outsmart, and a pack of wolves gets the scent, a confrontation may occur. Notice I said a pack. A single wolf may try to worry a bear into backing off, but it’s more likely to wait its turn. A group of wolves may use their numbers to try to drive the bear away. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Other than mating and territorial disputes, you’ll seldom encounter large predators hunting other large predators apart from the most extreme circumstances, especially predators of the same species — there is an exception, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

Those who believe we should kill more predators — as well as those who want to reintroduce those that were once found in a particular region — often toss about the term “balance of nature” and how it should be allowed to function in its own way. They make it sound like a delicate ball resting upon the pinnacle of the pyramid of life, and that touching it might make it fall.

Anyone who studies wildlife biology knows that the balancing ball has been rolling up and down that pyramid since time began. That claimed balance is never going to be static; it’s a dynamic imbalance that’s constantly adjusting to change – changes that may be influenced or disrupted by both natural events and human actions (forest fires, timber cutting/planting, drought, over and under hunting, floods, dam construction and removal, pollution, agriculture, wetland restoration and drainage, too much rain, too little rain, etc.).

Predation is part of nature — when prey numbers rise, predators increase, which then reduces prey numbers, allowing predators to decline and prey to recover. Those fluctuations can be influenced by habitat and prey mobility. If habitat is limited, a species possessing the ability to cover a greater range (area that it lives) has a survival advantage. Predator numbers may also fluctuate due to the availability of alternative food sources.

Whitetail deer are quite mobile, able to travel miles to suitable food, water, shelter and living space (habitat). Other species, such as non-migrating birds, reptiles and most smaller species are locked into their living quarters. Rather than individual movement over great distances, they expand their range like a game of leapfrog; expanding/multiplying within its existing habitat and occupying suitable areas around the perimeter. In their case, the connectivity of suitable habitat becomes extremely important. Predation can also be more of a factor in “locked-in” populations.

Back to the exception I alluded to earlier — you’ve probably guessed that it’s man. Because of our large brain and ability to solve problems, we’ve figured out ways to confront predators while reducing risk. When used properly, these skills help to move that ball around that pyramid a bit, relieving pressure on some prey species that we decide are more beneficial. We’re also able to knock off a few of those crop-raiding woodchucks and deer — though it’s good to remember that other predators are giving us a hand with that chore.

Hunting, trapping, habitat manipulation and restoration remain the primary tools in ensuring the future of wildlife – and its funding base. It should be no shock that good habitat may yield increased predation due to expanding prey species populations. You can’t have one without the other. Attempts to remove all predators risks overpopulation, which carries its own sour rewards of habitat destruction and disease.

Removing both predator and prey animals should be seen as an augmentation of what is occurring naturally and as harvesting a renewable crop to better protect their home. Habitat will always be the most important and controlling factor in nature.

“Because the caterpillar exists, there exists also a bird to eat it.”

— Vietnamese Proverb

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Two days before President Donald Trump’s quick “beans, beef and Boeing” trip to China, November soybeans closed trading at $12.14 a bushel. Two days later, after the President announced a “big” soybean deal with China’s President Xi Jinping, November soybean futures dropped a hard 44 cents lower.

So, too, the world’s leading airliner manufacturer, Boeing. On May 13, Boeing stock closed at $240.60 a share. Four days and one presidential announcement of a “big” sale of Boeing aircraft to China, and the company’s shares tumbled to $215.

Even cattle, the current superstar of ag markets, couldn’t escape the president’s minus touch; cattle futures slipped $9 per cwt. after it was announced China would reopen its markets to U.S. beef.

Why all of this backsliding in just two days?

First, it’s pretty clear that both the commodity and stock markets have serious doubts about whether these so-called deals are actual deals at all. Everyone from Chinese soybean buyers to American farmers have been stung by the White House’s big talk in the past, so most require hard proof nowadays.

And, no, it’s not a good thing that global markets, our ag customers and much of the business world now don’t trust the word of an American president. This long-earned gold standard will be hard to reclaim.

The markets aren’t alone. “While Mr. Trump and his advisers said China had agreed to buy” 200 airplanes and billions in ag goods, reported the New York Times, “Chinese officials said little publicly about the commitments.”

Five days after the President’s return to Washington, Reuters reported on May 20 that little had changed. While “China and the U.S. have agreed to cut tariffs on agricultural trade … the Ministry of Commerce … left several questions about implementation unanswered.”

While no one actually says an ag trade deal with China is in trouble, many find it troublesome that China is playing the cool customer. A just-published study of last year’s tariff fight between it and the U.S. puts hard numbers on just how much is at stake.

The study, co-authored by North Dakota State University ag economists Shawn Arita, Sandro Steinback, and Xiting Zhuang, notes that China’s retaliatory tariffs “reduced U.S. agricultural exports to China by an estimated $14.9 billion on an annualized basis … from March 2025 to February 2026.”

And while U.S. soybean growers were hard hit, others got smacked, too.

“Soybeans account(ed) for approximately $6.8 billion, or roughly half of the total. Beef and cotton each contribute(d) about $1.3 billion, tree nuts about $964 million, and corn another $333 million. The remainder (was) spread across coarse grains, pork, poultry, dairy, and a long trail of specialty categories.”

And while this wasn’t the first trade fight between President Trump and President Xi, it was the costliest: “The annualized trade losses for the 2018/19 round, measured on the same basis, were approximately $10.6 billion; the 2025/26 figure of $14.9 billion is roughly 41% larger.”

And in case you think in color — like the red and blue used by Washington these days — two big blue states, California and Illinois, each took a $1.2 billion hit in the tariff fight, according to the study. One red state, Iowa, also had a similar “exposure.”

Other states that got clipped, however, were red strongholds like “Texas, Kansas, Nebraska… Missouri, Indiana, South Dakota, Ohio, Arkansas, and North Dakota.”

Markets, too, use only two colors, red and black, but even then, they know baloney when they see it.

(The Farm and Food File is published weekly through the U.S. and Canada. Source material, past columns and contact information are posted at farmandfoodfile.com © 2026 ag comm)

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With the drought conditions experienced last year, many people remember seeing blowing soil across farm fields. Even recently, there have been reports of blowing soil in Defiance County. Blowing soil is often caused by a combination of dry conditions and a lack of conservation practices such as cover crops and windbreaks.

One conservation practice that can help reduce soil erosion is the use of windbreaks. A windbreak is a line of trees, often conifers, planted to slow wind speeds across open areas. Many soil and water conservation districts offer windbreak programs to help landowners establish these practices.

Some people may look at blowing soil and think it is “just dust,” but that dust is actually valuable topsoil. When topsoil is lost, it can lead to reduced crop productivity, nutrients leaving the field, poor air quality, reduced visibility on roadways and sediment entering nearby waterways. Topsoil is one of our most valuable natural resources, and once it is lost, it takes a very long time to replace.

Cover crops are another important conservation practice that helps keep soil in place. The roots of cover crops hold soil together, while crop residue protects the surface from wind erosion. Cover crops also improve moisture retention, increase soil organic matter, and help improve water infiltration.

Windbreaks are especially effective in areas like Northwest Ohio, where the landscape is relatively flat and wind can travel long distances without obstruction. Windbreaks help reduce wind speeds across fields, trap snow for additional moisture, provide wildlife habitat, reduce energy costs around homes and farmsteads, and help protect livestock from harsh weather conditions.

Many people learned about the Dust Bowl in school. The Dust Bowl demonstrated the importance of conservation practices and played a major role in the creation of soil and water conservation districts across the country. While conditions today are not at the same level, recent blowing soil events serve as a reminder of why conservation practices remain important.

For more information about conservation practices such as cover crops and windbreaks, contact your local soil and water conservation district.

(Cole Plassman is with the Fulton County Soil and Water Conservation Ditsrict. He can be reached at coleplassman@fultoncountyoh.com.)

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I used to worry I didn’t spend enough time with my children. I was primarily an at-home mom with more blessings and time than many, yet I wondered, always, if it was enough?

Every birthday from age 2 years old on, I would have a moment of feeling unbearably sad thinking they were just that much older, and I had not soaked up every moment doing amazing, educational things.

Some days were just “wasted.” Or were they? Our children probably don’t remember when they napped on the porch in a warm spring breeze, a soft quilt under them on a musty wicker sofa — but I do.

I used to fret over my kids growing up. I held my baby and all but sobbed imagining handing him over to the school bus, the high school, the WORLD. If anyone was ever mean to him, I just knew I couldn’t take it. But, of course, I did.

One day you find yourself sitting next to your grown kids who are taller than you, smarter than you, cooler than you and doing things you could only dream of. You will look at them and feel such an immense and overwhelming sense of pride. It is a profound gratitude that not only did you get the joy of raising them — but you now get to enjoy their friendship.

I have said since the exact day our first child was born that they were — and are — the best things that ever happened to me. I am proud of many accomplishments in my life, but I can say without a doubt that my best work, my best contribution to the world, are the two humans we raised on instinct, a few parenting magazines, and a lot of watching how others parent and following their lead — or not.

For us, it’s been a minute — or decade — since our first child became a full-fledged adult and high school graduate. For many among us, that is happening right now. Watching your children grow into confident, incredible adults is one of the deepest rewards of parenthood. From raising them to walking beside them as friends is the full circle of love.

Suddenly the job you’ve held for nearly two decades is just … done? I mean sure they are still our babies and always will be, but in the practical sense they are not. They are heading to work, school and living outside our walls. It’s weird. It’s exhilarating.

Still, if you find yourself crying a bit these days, it’s okay. Have your moment but let me tell you — it only gets better. I swear. Our two adult kids are definitely my top favorite people. Better yet, they are now old enough that they have introduced us to two MORE of our top favorite people.

Someday your child is going to fall in love and if you are fortunate you are going to love their person too. You will find yourself wondering how your family ever felt complete without those people.

Birds. When I started to get maudlin during those last growing up years, I would remember the people who never had the blessing of seeing their children reach adulthood. Wouldn’t they have given just about anything to see their child walk across that graduation stage? Why would we not celebrate? Healthy birds fly.

I won’t lie. Time, like those birds, really does fly when you’re having fun. You blink, and they are grown and off in the work world. Then the phone rings, and they called “just to chat.” They have a question or a problem (great or small), and they say “I have to call my mom (or dad).”

I used to wonder how I would know if I was a good mom? Now I know. It is that when they are grown, they still want to come home. To call us. To sit on the porch and share things that matter, and things that don’t — not out of obligation, but by choice. That’s how I know we made home feel safe, that I didn’t just raise our children, I raised two of our very best friends.

If you are launching your own healthy birds this graduation season, just know that this is a time of celebration, not sadness. You’re not an “empty nester,” you’re a healthy bird launcher.

When asked what the goal is as a parent, I always reply, “for our children to no longer need us but still very much want us around.”

To me, that is the ultimate goal. I used to direct the show. Now, I sit in the audience thinking “bravo” at the lives our grown children are living for themselves.

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