How-To Library

Bees are responsible for pollinating hundreds of agricultural crops and flowering plant species worldwide. In the United States alone, bees pollinate about 150 different crops. The gardening experts at Southern States recommend that your garden planning this year include bee friendly plants.

Fresher fruit, more taste and more vitamins are the upsides of growing your own tomatoes (not to mention the dollars you save at the grocery store). You could be picking your own tomatoes in 80 days or less. The combination of using the right growing mediums, fertilizers, and growing husbandry could help feed your family well into the fall and beyond.

It takes skill and ingenuity to raise blemish-free flavorful tomatoes and protect them from insects, diseases and other pests. Here's how to handle existing problems and prevent new ones.

Best management practices are methods designed to increase crop yield and minimize any negative environmental impact on the land. By employing a few simple practices, a farmer can have a successful harvest and promote good land stewardship as well.

Studies show tractors are involved in a high proportion of farm injuries and fatalities, causing productivity losses, serious injury and loss of life. Fortunately, you can prevent most accidents by staying vigilant and following a few basic tractor safety guidelines.

Longer daytime hours signal the start of the growing season and an increase in physical activity for farm workers. But overdo physical exertion and your back may suffer, leading to lost productivity.

Safely navigating large agricultural equipment over rural roads to and from the fields is a challenge for even the best drivers. Nationwide reminds farmers to consider the following rules on the safe operation of equipment to help reduce the risk of motor vehicle collisions.

There’s a proverbial snake in the grass when it comes to the security of high-value farm-level data generated by today’s precision agriculture technology. Prioritize cybersecurity to help secure your data from theft so it’s only used for intended purposes.

Because farm vehicles travel more often on public roads during the harvest season, there are serious safety concerns about farm vehicles and equipment sharing the road with other drivers.

As farm workforces and asset bases grow and change, farmers today are increasingly adapting farm management strategies to integrate things like human relations and employee management.

Mitigating storm damage to farm buildings and their valuable contents is a big part of farm risk management. If high winds are a concern on your farm, stronger grain bins can protect your stored grain and the revenue potential it represents.

As the summer days grow longer and hotter, many animal owners find themselves facing drought conditions, or at least considering the possibility of dry days ahead. The following tips and reminders can help horse and livestock owners get through the hard times until rains return.