Wind, moisture, and freezing temperatures can lead to ill chickens if you don't make preparations now to keep them comfortable. Division of Extension Poultry Specialist Ron Kean joins Stephanie Hoff in-studio with tips on how to prepare your backyard birds for winter. He walks us through recommendations on feed, heat, housing, and water. And he addresses salmonella and HPAI prevention.

Wind, moisture, and freezing temperatures can lead to ill chickens if you don't make preparations now to keep them comfortable. Division of Extension Poultry Specialist Ron Kean joins Stephanie Hoff in-studio with tips on how to prepare your backyard birds for winter. He walks us through recommendations on feed, heat, housing, and water. And he addresses salmonella and HPAI prevention.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Daily audio and podcasts from the Mid-West Farm Report Madison!

Daily audio and podcasts from the Mid-West Farm Report Madison!

Prepare Your Backyard Chickens For Winter

When McKenna Reichling was 17 years old, she lost her older brother, Myles, to suicide. Although she was still in high school, she realized the importance of mental health and decided it was time to take better care of her own. Since then, she says she has become, “ an advocate for my family, for myself, and for, you know, our whole community just to advocate for mental health and resilience.”

This series is presented by Rural Mutual Insurance. 

When McKenna Reichling was 17 years old, she lost her older brother, Myles, to suicide. Although she was still in high school, she realized the importance of mental health and decided it was time to take better care of her own. Since then, she says she has become, &ldquo; an advocate for my family, for myself, and for, you know, our whole community just to advocate for mental health and resilience.&rdquo;
This series is presented by <a href="https://www.ruralmutual.com/">Rural Mutual Insurance</a>.&nbsp;

Overall Well-Being Is More Than Your Physical Health

Can you imagine building an orchard from scratch.  Well Deirdre Birmingham did!  She's the owner/operator of The Cider Farm.  They treat cider production like winemaking, utilizing specific tannic English and French apple varieties to create cider with distinct mouthfeel, complexity, and high quality. Because European cider apple trees were not commercially available in the U.S. in 2003, Birmingham and her husband hand-grafted their orchard trees using rootstock and scion wood learned from a local orchardist in Wisconsin. Apple seeds produce genetically unpredictable trees, requiring grafting (cloning) to maintain specific varieties; the precise process involves lining up thin layers beneath the bark of the scion wood and rootstock. Unlike mass-produced U.S. ciders that rely on table apples or imported juice concentrates, The Cider Farm grows high-quality varietals despite risks like high disease susceptibility and regional weather variations.


Stu Muck says there's beautiful weather on the way for the next few days.  Welcome relief for some people that suffered with those heavy rains earlier.


It's a Wyffels Wednesday!  Brent Tharp with Wyffels gives us a quick preharvest update.  He tells Kiley Allan that those rains didn't do a lot of damage, but they definitely added a few points of moisture to those cobs.  Paid for by Wyffels Hybrids.

You're the end of the line for the family farm.  That's a place many farmers don't want to end up at, but it happened to Randy Roecker of Loganville.  Roecker shares the elements that were brewing when he faced his own depression at the thought of losing the family farm.  He shares with Larry Lee how he managed to get through the very difficult transition, and use what he learned on the other side to help other farmers.  Sponsored by Rural Mutual Insurance during National Farm Safety and Mental Health Week.

Can you imagine building an orchard from scratch.&nbsp; Well Deirdre Birmingham did!&nbsp; She's the owner/operator of The Cider Farm.&nbsp;&nbsp;They treat cider production like winemaking, utilizing specific tannic English and French apple varieties to create cider with distinct mouthfeel, complexity, and high quality. Because European cider apple trees were not commercially available in the U.S. in 2003, Birmingham and her husband hand-grafted their orchard trees using rootstock and scion wood learned from a local orchardist in Wisconsin. Apple seeds produce genetically unpredictable trees, requiring grafting (cloning) to maintain specific varieties; the precise process involves lining up thin layers beneath the bark of the scion wood and rootstock. Unlike mass-produced U.S. ciders that rely on table apples or imported juice concentrates, The Cider Farm grows high-quality varietals despite risks like high disease susceptibility and regional weather variations.
 Stu Muck says there's beautiful weather on the way for the next few days.&nbsp; Welcome relief for some people that suffered with those heavy rains earlier.
 It's a Wyffels Wednesday!&nbsp; Brent Tharp with Wyffels gives us a quick preharvest update.&nbsp; He tells Kiley Allan that those rains didn't do a lot of damage, but they definitely added a few points of moisture to those cobs.&nbsp; Paid for by Wyffels Hybrids. You're the end of the line for the family farm.&nbsp; That's a place many farmers don't want to end up at, but it happened to Randy Roecker of Loganville.&nbsp; Roecker shares the elements that were brewing when he faced his own depression at the thought of losing the family farm.&nbsp; He shares with Larry Lee how he managed to get through the very difficult transition, and use what he learned on the other side to help other farmers.&nbsp; Sponsored by Rural Mutual Insurance during National Farm Safety and Mental Health Week.

Not Easy Building Your Own Orchard Plus Who Am I If I Don't Farm

As farmers look eagerly look towards harvest, the professionals at Wyffels Hybrids are doing the same. Brent Tharp, Product Manager at Wyffels, sits down with Kiley Allan to talk about harvest progress across the country. He also dives into some resources that are built to help producers minimize loss and maximize ROI.

Online agronomy tools can be found at wyffels.com.

As farmers look eagerly look towards harvest, the professionals at Wyffels Hybrids are doing the same. Brent Tharp, Product Manager at Wyffels, sits down with Kiley Allan to talk about harvest progress across the country. He also dives into some resources that are built to help producers minimize loss and maximize ROI.
Online agronomy tools can be found at wyffels.com.

Prepare Your Backyard Chickens For Winter

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MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

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