BRIGHTON, Iowa (AP) — You-pick farms are struggling through heat, drought and haze as customers cancel picking appointments and crops across Iowa refuse to grow. These farms offer visitors the chance to harvest their own…

Marrying a farm kid has shown me the immense amount of pride in being part of the agriculture community. The agricultural profession, while rewarding, is challenging. Running big- dollar operations that are both physically and…

A recent spell of wet weather was accepted gratefully by weary farmers, but with the realization that more — and in some cases, much more — is needed to escape an extended drought. “We’re still…

WASHINGTON — If GPS-guided tractors led the previous revolution in agriculture, the next generation of farming is likely to be marked by unmanned drones with onboard sensors that can spot weeds and decide when and…

Carly Dreher fits many descriptions. Honor student. Cheerleader. And a gifted public speaker. But at heart, she’s a farm girl. “I don’t know what it is about ag, if it’s the passion and the people,…

Parents dream of sending their kids off to college to become doctors and lawyers, Matt Kleopfer said. Heck, he probably thought so, too.  But no longer. “The best kids in class need to be going…

Chuck Sutherland farms across a wide swath of Allen County. He and cousin Joel Sutherland are partners, farming mostly row crops like soybeans and corn on 3,000 acres. Their plots are scattered across the county,…

Buying a plot of land in rural America has never been so expensive. And that’s even with soaring interest rates. Rising commodity prices mean farmers made record amounts of money this year, spurring a rush…

Changes are coming to Iola’s Orscheln Farm and Home franchise. The store is one of 73 Orscheln locations that are being acquired by Bomgaars, an Iowa-based farm and home supply retailer. The transaction will make…

Mother Nature finally relented, with periodic rains breaking a monthslong dry spell for area farmers. While it was enough to prompt area counties to end burn bans as dormant vegetation once again showed meager signs…