As I am writing this, Halloween candy is quickly being pulled from shelves to make room for Christmas candy, lights, ornaments, decorations, gift wrap, cards, etc. – a clear sign the holidays are approaching. It is a joyous time to cap off the end of another year.
Like many, I am left in amazement at how fast time flies. Where did 2013 go? What was it that I did to fill my days to make them move by so quickly?
Did I have fun? Did I accomplish what I had hoped to do? Was it truly a fulfilling year?
Thankfully, we decided long ago to bring you our Best of 2013 in this November issue.
This project allowed me to at least look back on some of the articles to refresh my memory of the stories and topics we delivered this past year.
On page 22, you will find our top 15, most-read articles based upon clicks on our website from Oct. 1, 2012 through Oct. 1, 2013.
Each article is listed with a short description, and in many cases we were able to follow up with an individual involved.
I enjoyed learning something more on each of the topics, receiving an update on what has happened since we published the article or finding out about future plans … and I hope you enjoy it, too.
Christmas and the end of the year is a time many people think of charities and helping others.
This issue contains a heartfelt story on Joe and Loretta Krentz and their mission to help others.
The article on page 20 shares how old dairy barns have been repurposed and Canadians are working together to deliver milk, an extremely nutrient-rich beverage, to children in Haiti.
Another exciting feature in this issue is our digester profile piece on page 61.
This diagram helps anyone unfamiliar with how a digester fits into a dairy operation to better see the process that takes place surrounding the digestion of manure to generate methane.
It is also meant for digester buffs to compare data and see the output of various systems.
A special thank you to the Anderson and Peters families of Athlone Farms Inc. and representatives at PlanET Biogas Solutions for your help in supplying this information.
Another exciting technology we cover from time to time is genomics. An article by Matt Lucy on page 34 will stretch your mind when it comes to what breakthroughs in genomics could mean to the dairy industry.
Imagine a world with no Holsteins, Jerseys, Brown Swiss, Ayrshires, Guernseys or Shorthorns, but instead cows made up of the best genes from any breed. Is it possible? Yes. Will it happen? That remains to be seen.
In addition to holiday celebrations, the future is what brings excitement to the end of the year.
New Year’s Eve is hardly riddled with sadness of something coming to an end; it is filled with the anticipation of what is yet to come. I am looking forward to next year, and I hope you are too.
Have a blessed Christmas season and I’ll see you in 2014.
