Agriculture

By Chris Fortune A recently established board is working to make it easier for kids in agricultural organizations to showcase their animals locally. The Buchanan County Fairgrounds Board met last week to determine how to proceed with the project, which will be on the property where East Buchanan Middle School in Easton currently is located.

By Charles Christian The fall harvest season is coming to a close across Northwest Missouri. According to local farmers, the harvest is about 90% complete for most farmers in the area. Jerry Dishman, the owner of Dishman Fertilizer in Helena, Missouri, said the two biggest challenges for the harvest this season have been weather and

By Cameron Montemayor The arrival of rain and storms Wednesday and the potential for more this weekend is a welcome sign for area livestock farmers and others faced with moderate to severe drought conditions. According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, all of Buchanan County is affected by some form of drought, with 52% of

By Jazmine Knight As we head into fall and temperature starts to cool, homeowners can use this last stretch of bearable weather to prepare your lawn for wintertime. Colton George, owner of C&M Grounds Care, said the best time to start is now and into October. “Leaves start to drop and you want to make

By Leah Rainwater Apples are considered the No. 1 consumed fruit in the United States, and within the last few years, the industry has seen an increase in typical production. ”It’s just mother nature being kind to us,” said Lynsee Gibbons, the Director of Communications for the U.S. Apple Association. “No major, you know, weather

By Charles Christian September is traditionally known as harvest month, and farms of all sizes are hoping for a successful yield. A recent Farmer’s Market on Woodbine Road in St. Joseph boasted several tents where farmers introduced this season’s crops to eager buyers. Theresa Jirak, whose family owns Jirak Farm in Atchison, Kansas, said both

By Jenna Wilson With drought conditions slowly improving across Missouri, crop conditions are looking up compared to last year’s levels. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as of August, corn and soybean conditions in Missouri are improving. USDA’s Crop Progress report shows that Missouri’s corn is the best in the country. Missouri’s corn was

By Leah Rainwater The rain on Wednesday was no doubt a nice cool-off between the recent and upcoming hot weather here in St. Joseph. Not only can heat affect bodily function, pets, health and more, it can also affect produce growth. Brett Henderson has been a farmer for about 10 years. He said he’s had

By Chris Fortune A yearlong dry spell has reached an end in Northwest Missouri, and farmers are feeling relief. The area has been in some form of drought for the past year, but with the help of some rain in April and May, that is no longer the case. Tim Gach, president of the Buchanan

By NewsPress Now A man who has served as St. Joseph’s city manager, chamber of commerce president and an executive at Triumph Foods has been inducted into the Buchanan County Ag Hall of Fame. Patt Lilly received the honor, which recognizes farming and agribusiness leaders who have made outstanding contributions to the local economy. “For

By Charles Christian State conservation officials are urging homeowners to take down a particular type of tree on their property. Callery pear trees, also called Bradford pear trees, and their white blooms can be seen in neighborhoods all over the region. The reason for the concern has to do with the invasive nature of the

By Kyle Schmidt A South African-based agricultural technology business has made St. Joseph its first North American base. Microbial Biological Fertilizers International is a family-owned company that specializes in green chemistry, bio-stimulants, inoculants and adjuvants with a focus on crop technologies. The goal is to provide growers with effective and sustainable crop inputs. “We really

By Jazmine Knight The Chamber of Commerce hosted its 20th annual Farm City Breakfast at Word of Life Church to celebrate the importance of farmers, producers and agriculture and their impact on the St. Joseph economy. “Agriculture is the basis for a lot that happens in this whole community,” said Matt Staley with FCS Financial

By Jazmine Knight Americans across the country are grappling with high food and grocery prices. A possible solution? Planting your own essentials at home. Though gardening may not be everyone’s cup of tea, Sharon Radtka, owner of Nana’s Bloomers, said she believes gardening is relaxing. “My favorite part is watching everything grow … I think

By Jenna Wilson January brought heavy snow to the area, and while it may have been an inconvenience for many, farmers are thrilled to see moisture for their crops. The state of Missouri has been in a moderate drought for a few years, which has made harvest season tough for farmers. Buchanan County farmer Tim

By Cameron Montemayor As frigid temperatures continue their grip on St. Joseph and surrounding counties in Northwest Missouri, preserving the health of livestock becomes a significant challenge for farmers as they try to weather the storm. January is the start of a critical time for cattle farmers as many mother cows give birth to their

By Jazmine Knight Farmers, producers and growers are sharing their ideas and learning new skills this weekend at Missouri Western State University thanks to an annual agriculture conference. The 28th annual Great Plains Growers Conference welcomes fruit, vegetable and other crop producers from the Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota regions. The conference officially