Chris Hardie

Many take to the woods in the spring for the popular morel mushrooms. But autumn is actually the better season for fungi like honey, oyster, bearded or combs tooth, sulfur shelf, hen of the woods, shaggy mane and chanterelle.

There comes a point in farming when we all make difficult decisions. We need to put aside the emotional connection and view it from a business perspective.

The changing weather demandsthat we do more to protect our soil. It is still the wealth of our country and we all need to be good stewards of the land.

It’s the time of year when early mornings in the Coulee Region of western Wisconsin are a magical time; fog and mist hang in the valleys.

I really nailed it this past week, and I have no one to blame but myself. My dirty boots and an old nail combined to prompt a tetanus scare.

I always loved working on follow-ups because time and perspective help shape the story. In that spirit, I’d like to revisit a couple of old stories.

In the midst of chaos and turbulence came a wonderful gift with a headful of dark hair, our fourth grandson, Samuel Alan Hardie.

It’s easy to miss things with your nose to the grindstone. When you finally look around, you might be surprised by what you find, like this hornet’s nest.

I hated raking hay when I was a kid because it was so boring driving the tractor around the field. Now I love it for the same reasons.

There are some years when I’m already taking my second cutting of hay in early July. At this rate, I’ll be lucky to take two cuttings all year.