Swrurallifejuly2013

Standard Wilmington News Journal Permit No. 10 Wilmington, Ohio Post Office

Issue 17 | July 2013 | $1.00

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PIPELINES SPRING UP Farmers finding more pressure ACROSS OHIO for easement, need for caution

By MARK FAHEY mfahey@civitasmedia.com

T

Photo by Mark Fahey

Construction on the ATEX Express pipeline continues in Fayette County with the laying of pipe along some sections of the route, which runs parallel to five existing high pressure gas lines north of Washington C.H. The 1,230-mile pipeline will stretch across 13 Ohio counties and will transport millions of barrels of ethane to the Texas Gulf Coast from the Marcellus/Utica Shale Region. Shown above, sections of pipe are placed near State Route 41 and Inskeep Road.

leum pipeline, all of the lines currently under Fayette County transport

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

he development boom around the shale formations in eastern Ohio and Pennsylvania have led to a series of new local pipeline projects, but many farmers in Fayette County and surrounding counties are already familiar with having companies seek permission to lay pipes on their land.

Eight pipelines already stretch across the county, transporting natural gas and petroleum products across Ohio from the western United States to markets in the east. The most recently constructed, the 1,679-mile Rockies Express natural gas pipeline, was completed in November 2009.

But the development of natural gas deposits within the Utica and Marcellus shale formations has reversed the flow in several recently-planned pipelines, which will be carrying petroleum products from the east to existing pipelines in the Midwest, supplying processing plants in the West.

With the exception of one existing liquid petro-

natural gas, and five follow the same path through the area. Natural gas,

which is comprised mostly of methane, has proved to be an inexpensive form of

energy and is also used in the chemical production processes.

The 24 miles of the ATEX Express currently being laid through the county is part of a 369 mile pipeline that will move up to 190,000 barrels of ethane, a natural gas liquid, each day to processing centers in Texas, where it can be used to make consumer plastics. The line will run parallel to the shared path of five other existing lines and is expected to be in operation by early 2014.

Another natural gas liquids pipeline, the Bluegrass Express, will be carving a new path through southern Ohio, turning to the southwest in Pickaway County and cutting through the southern part of Fayette County before connecting to an existing line in Kentucky on its way to the Gulf Coast. The project is still in preliminary stages with representatives contacting local landowners in April, but its backers hope to have the pipeline in service by the end of 2015.

A third group, Dominion Transmission, Inc., is also reportedly considering the county for another natural gas See PIPELINE/4A

LOOKING BEYOND HAY House rejects Farm Bill ................ 2A Cooper Farm celebrates 75th ...... 3A

3A

Peaceful Acres Lavender Farm ...... 5A Ripley welcomes new festival ............ 6A Amish Cook .......... 7A Four named to Ag Hall of Fame .... 8A Quilt barns .... 12-13A Woman on the Farm: Jennifer Smith ........ 1B

13A

Antique truck show coming to Ohio ...... 3B Vintage tractors auctioned .............. 7B

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Forage options can be supplemented with summer annuals such as sorghum, sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, millet, teff grass and corn Hay stored on U.S. farms as of May 1 totaled 14.2 million tons, which is a 34-percent decline compared to the same time last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s May 10 crop production report. Ohio’s hay stocks on May 1 were 140,000 tons compared to 308,000 tons at the same time last year, the report said.

“While most producers are optimistic about the growing season, with the first hay crops looking good at this point, I want to alert producers that there are other opportunities out there,” Lewandowski said. “This way producers are aware of what their options are and have time to do some planning and planting now so they won’t be in a position over the summer wishing they’d known about these options sooner.”

An advantage of summer annuals is that they can be used as a double crop when a previous crop is harvested by the end of June, he said. For example, producers can plant a summer annual after the first or second cutting of alfalfa or after the harvest of barley.

Other advantages: summer annuals grow fast, mature quickly and can be harvested for stored feed, Lewandowski said.

But, he cautions, forage quality for summer annuals is good at the vegetative growth stage but declines quickly once the plant reaches its reproductive stage.

Extreme dry conditions or drought can also be a concern, Lewandowski said.

“Summer annuals can accumulate nitrates in the lower portions See ANNUALS/3A

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WOOSTER – With hay stock levels at record lows in several Midwest states, including Ohio, beef producers looking to supplement their forage options could turn to summer annuals, which are known to thrive in summer heat, are drought tolerant, and can be grazed or stored as feed, according to a forage expert from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Viable examples include sorghum, sudangrass, sorghumsudangrass hybrids, millet, teff grass and corn, said Rory Lewandowski, an agriculture and natural resources educator for Ohio State University Extension.

OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the college.

These plants have the capacity to produce up to five tons of dry matter over summer months, and a majority of them can be grazed or cut two or three times starting as soon as 30 to 45 days after planting, he said, which makes them a good option for producers seeking other options amidst reports of declining hay supplies.

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

House’s rejection of Farm Bill leaves few options see in this Congress another attempt," he said.

Lucas and other rural lawmakers argue that a farm bill is needed to avert crises stemming from bad weather or price collapses.

They could push for an extension of the 2008 farm bill, which expires in September, or negotiate a new bill with the Senate and try again. Some conservatives have suggested separating the farm programs from the food stamps into separate bills.

Lawmakers on the agriculture committees have for decades added food stamps to farm bills to garner urban votes. But that marriage has made passage harder this year.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed its version of the farm bill, with about $2.4 billion a year in overall cuts and a $400 million

annual decrease in food stamps — one-fifth of the House bill's food stamp cuts. The White House was supportive of the Senate version but had issued a veto threat of the House bill.

In addition to conservative opposition, the bill also suffered from lack of Democratic support necessary for traditional bipartisan passage. Only 24 Democrats voted in favor of the legislation after many said the food stamp cuts could remove as many as 2 million needy recipients from the rolls.

The addition of the optional state work requirements by Republican amendment just before final passage turned away many remaining Democratic votes.

Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson, the senior

Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, said he believes the work requirements and a vote that scuttled a proposed dairy overhaul turned too many lawmakers against the measure.

"I had a bunch of people come up to me and say 'I was with you but this is it, I'm done,'" Peterson said after the vote.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, voted for the bill but lobbied for the dairy amendment that caused some dairy-state lawmakers to eventually turn on the legislation.

Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., vocally supported the amendment that imposed the work requirements, coming to the House floor to endorse it just before the vote on that amendment and the final vote on the bill.

Brown County (937) 378-6161 Steve Triplett, Publisher striplett@civitasmedia.com

against farm-state lawmakers who are now trying to push a farm bill through for a third year in a row.

The five-year, half-trillion dollar measure would have expanded some subsidies while saving about $4 billion annually overall, including a 3 percent cut in the almost $80 billion-a-year food stamp program. The vote June 20 was 234-195 against the bill, with 62 Republicans voting "no," arguing it was too expensive.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said after the vote that the committee is assessing its options.

But just before the vote, he signaled that he was not optimistic he would be able to get another bill to the floor.

"I can't guarantee you'll

Clinton County (937) 382-2574 Sharon Kersey, Ad Director skersey@civitasmedia.com

Future of Farm Bill uncertain

Fayette County (740) 335-3611 Sherri Sattler, Ad Director ssattler@civitasmedia.com

What is it going to take to get a Farm Bill approved by our Congress?

That’s the question a lot of Ohio farmers have been asking themselves since the last week in June, when the U.S. House of Representatives rejected a version of the stalled bill (should I have said forever stalled bill?) by a vote of 234-195.

And if you think the primary reason being given for the bill’s defeat provisions regarding the federal food stamp program - has little to do with farming and agriculture, well, you would be right. And wrong.

As with anything else in Washington these days, it all depends on who you ask.

I know that farmers are frustrated with the failure of the Farm Bill to pass because each time this happens, there is talk of dire consequences if the bill expires. Talk of milk prices skyrocketing, regulations reverting back to decades-old laws and so forth. What happened the last time on the eve of the bill’s expiration on Dec. 31 was a last-minute extension.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House's broad rejection of a massive farm bill could signal a shift in the way Congress views agriculture policy.

Farm issues once had enormous clout on Capitol Hill, but the healthy agriculture economy and an increased interest in cutting spending have worked

of Southwest Ohio July 2013 Publisher — Pamela Stricker Editor — Gary Brock Layout — Jayla Wallingford

Sales Adams County (937) 544-2391 Pamela Stricker pstricker@civitasmedia.com

Highland County (937) 393-3456 Pam Stricker pstricker@civitasmedia.com Subscriptions Brenda Earley, Circulation Director (937) 393-3456, bearley@civitasmedia.com Contact My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio: 761 S. Nelson Ave. | Wilmington, OH 45177 | (937) 382-2574

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Gary Brock Editor-In-Chief That’s probably going to happen again if a compromise is not reached. The U.S. Senate has already passed its version of the bill, and is just waiting on the House to pass something - anything - that the two bodies can cobble into a working Farm Bill.

The failure this time was blamed on the cuts in the federal food stamp program. The bill would have cut $2 billion annually from the program and allowed states to impose broad new work standards for those receiving assistance. However, when the vote came, some Republicans voted against the bill because they thought these cuts weren’t enough. And most Democrats voted against it because they thought it cut too much.

Good grief! Talk about dysfunctional.

If you wonder why food stamp provisions would be part of a federal Farm Bill, that is because years ago, the food stamp laws were added by farm state lawmakers to gain urban votes for their bill.

However, this is 2013, and anyone living in rural communities today can tell you that food stamp programs and nutritional assistance are as important in rural areas as they are in urban areas - today, maybe even more so.

So what’s going to happen now?

There is talk of splitting the bills the primary Farm Bill in one vote and food stamp program measures in another vote. That might happen, and it might turn the “stalled” Farm Bill into a “passed” Farm Bill.

But will any of this happen? Will either side budge toward compromise? I’m not holding my breath, and Ohio’s farmers probably aren’t either.

(Gary Brock is editor of My Own Rural Life of Southwest Ohio.)

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

3A

Cooper Farms celebrating 75 years

By HEATHER RUTZ hrutz@civitasmedia.com

OAKWOOD — In 1938, Virgil Cooper raised a flock of 500 turkeys for the holidays.

Today, Cooper Farms processes more turkeys than that in an hour a day.

Virgil and Virginia Cooper grew the company until retiring in 1980 and handing over leadership to their children, Jim, Gary and Dianne Cooper. The siblings, this year celebrating the company’s 75th anniversary, have turned the company into the 12th largest turkey processing company in the country.

Cooper today is a leading food supplier, selling a variety of fully cooked and ready-tocook turkey, ham and chicken.

With locations in Oakwood, Fort Recovery, St. Henry and Van Wert, the company employs more than 1,500 people in West Central and Northwest Ohio.

Gary Cooper, the chief operating officer of Cooper Farms, said the success of his family’s company is the result of hard work; some decisions made with a gut rather than a brain; a commitment to employees, animal care and innovation; and choices that put the well-being of the business ahead of personal and family issues.

The company now powers its entire Van Wert processing facility, with electricity powered by wind turbine. And it has developed new technology and practices that improve care of turkeys and hogs, along with new processes that improve food safety for consumers.

“Hard work. It’s pretty simply put. It was never about being easy, especially when we first started working for Dad; it was usually seven-day weeks,” Cooper said. “We’re so fortunate that today we have so many people now who have the same passion for their work, commitment and dedication.”

Virgil Cooper was working a regular job and came into the turkey business a bit by accident. His mother had been rais-

COOPER FARMS STATISTICS Turkeys: • Hatch 15 million poults • 200,000 breeder hens • 16 breeder farms • 2 tom farms • Raise and Process 200 million live-pounds of turkey / year • Process 4.5 million turkeys / year • 18,300 birds per day • Cook over 1 million pounds per week • Our turkeys average 45 pounds each • Cooper Farms has 177 family contract turkey growers Hogs: • 12,500 sows • Wean over 300,000 company produced pigs per year • 27 pigs / sow per year. Each liter averages 11.6 weaned pigs • Contracted wean pigs: 114,400 per year • Raise and sell over 110 million live pounds of hogs per year • Cooper Farms has 81 family contract hog growers Chickens: • Produce 30 million dozen table eggs per year • Cooper Farms has 22 family contract chicken growers Grain: • Purchase over 10 million bushels of corn / year • Purchase 100,000 tons of soybean meal / year • Produce over 559,000 tons of feed / year • Fort Recovery produces 9,700 tons of feed / week • Paulding produces 1,000 tons of feed / week

Continued from page 1A

of the stems under drought conditions,” he said. “To reduce the risk of nitrate toxicity in livestock, producers should reduce nitrogen fertilization and make sure livestock don’t graze lower than 8 inches.

“Producers also need to be aware that sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids and sudangrass all have varying levels of potential for prussic acid poisoning if plants are consumed when they are under stress conditions.”

Tips for planting summer annuals include: Plant summer annuals when the soil temperature is 60 to 65 degrees. Plant

pany, from farm to table, on the turkey side, that we don’t have yet,” Cooper said. “We don’t have our own distribution center and enough cooler and freezer space. We’ve used contract services for that in three or four other cities for that.

We’re evaluating and researching that, and exploring potentially moving everything to one location, most likely the St. Henry plant. That may happen in the next couple of years.”

In May, Cooper Farms announce the completion of its newest addition, Fox Tail Sow Farm. The new farm will be home to just under 2,500 mother pigs, which will give birth to

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Virgil and Virginia Cooper, the original owners

From left are the children of Virgil and Virginia Cooper: Jim, Dianne and Gary. They took over leadership of the farm from their parents in 1980.

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approximately 1,300 baby pigs each week.

Fox Tail is Cooper Farms’ first venture into Defiance County, one which will provide at least 11 new full-time jobs and use approximately 90,000 bushels of corn purchased from local farmers each year.

“Building a farm in this area is something we have wanted for many years, so we are excited to finally become a part of it and gain team members from this area,” said Eric Ludwig, Cooper Farms Director of Corporate Development.

ing a small flock for “egg money,” Cooper said. When Virgil was a young man, his mother died, and he continued to take care of the turkeys he had helped his mother raise.

Virgil had two choices: the low risk of a job and the high risk of starting a business.

“That’s kind of been our MO. We’ve always had forks in the road, and most of the time our family has never selected the easy choices,” Cooper said.

“Even when there was an extreme amount of risk, sometimes my dad, and us, some-

forage sorghum at 12 to 15 pounds per acre. Plant millet, sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids at 25 to 35 pounds per acre. Plant teff grass at 4 to 5 pounds per acre. Plant corn used as forage at about 80,000 kernels per acre and seeded with a grain drill. Soil pH should be 6.0 to 6.5, soil phosphorus should be at least 15 parts per million and soil potassium should be 100 to 125 parts per million. All summer annuals respond to nitrogen, and best yields will be obtained when 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre is applied before or at planting and then again following each cutting or grazing pass.

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times we just didn’t know better. If we’d taken a more intellectual tact, probably we wouldn’t have made the same choice. We don’t over-analyze.

We stick our foot in the water.”

Over the years, Cooper Farms grew and diversified.

What started as a simple hatchery has grown to four locations.

The Live Animal Division includes two locations. In Paulding County, near the village of Oakwood, there are the turkey and hog breeding farms, as well as the hatchery, which hatches 15 million poults (baby turkeys) a year. In Mercer County, there are nearly 300 family contract farms around Fort Recovery which grow the turkeys and hogs to market weight and house chickens for table eggs. The Food Processing Division has the processing plant in St. Henry and a cooked meats plant in Van Wert, where deli products are made.

The company is expanding its table egg and egg product business, and also exploring expanding its pre-packaged food products, Cooper said.

In the past, Cooper partnered with another company to take its egg products to market; the company is now in the process of doing that marketing itself and processing other egg products. Also, in the next few years, consumers will see new “value-added” turkey products, such as prepackaged and breaded items.

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

“Many of the easements we’re seeing today are much more complex than they were just 10 years ago and the need for effective legal counsel to help them through that process is becoming more crucial.”

PIPELINE Continued from page 1A

The original Coopers Farms building is shown in 1948 in the Paulding County village of Oakwood.

COOPER Continued from page 3A

Fox Tail is among the first of its kind in the area, utilizing group pen gestation for sow housing and an innovative electronic feeding system. This system allows the sows to have free movement in a group setting, while providing individualized feeding information about each sow. The electronic tags will provide information about how much each sow is eating and drinking, allowing the farm team to still tend to sows’ individual needs.

“This new housing and feeding system is an innovative step forward,” said Terry Wehrkamp, Cooper Farms Director of Live Production. “It provides a spacious environment for the sows, but still allows

More than 15 million poults, or baby turkeys, are hatched from this Cooper Farms hatchery

us to have the individualized information we need to ensure that each sow is healthy and getting the proper nutrition. We have spent several years trying different group housing and feeding methods at our farms, so we know this is the best-fitting system all around.”

Cooper Farms made a

point to work predominantly with local businesses and contractors for the construction of the farm.

More than 40 contractors took part in the construction, doing anything from pouring concrete to electrical work.

(Heather Rutz is the business reporter for The Lima News.)

pipeline route to be laid out in the near future.

The pipeline boom is expected to have a positive economic effect in Fayette County, bringing in addition tax money and providing construction jobs for local workers.

The property improvements included in the building of the Rockies Express pipeline brought in millions of dollars in taxes for local governments and school districts, accounting for more than half of the public utilities value in the county, according to Fayette County Auditor Michael Smith.

Approximately 2,500 union construction jobs were created in Ohio by the Rockies Express project, and ATEX Express representatives expect the ongoing project to create approximately 4,000 construction and full-time jobs in the communities it passes through.

But some local landowners are concerned about the effect that pipeline construction could have on their land, and farmers have been strongly encouraged to seek effective legal representation during their easement negotiations.

Ohio Farm Bureau Energy Policy Director Dale Arnold said that standard easement contracts are often vague and can limit a landowner’s rights on the easement.

“They need to take their time,” said Arnold.

“Many of the easements we’re seeing today are much more complex than they were just 10 years ago and the need for effective legal counsel to help them through that process is becoming more crucial.”

Farmers should first find out what kind of pipeline will be going through their property, gathering details about the materials used, the substance being transported, the distance, the diameter and the pressure. These

— Ohio Farm Bureau Energy Policy Director Dale Arnold factors determine which regulatory authorities preside over the project.

Projects like the ATEX and Bluegrass pipelines, which may not be government-sponsored or part of a local utility, may not fall under eminent domain provisions.

“Many farmers are finding out that many of these projects are not government sponsored,” said Arnold. “So their ability, opportunity and responsibility to negotiate with these projects are huge, and consequently anything and everything is negotiable.”

Farmers should look at the unique needs of their farm and work out an agreement that meets those needs, said Arnold.

Landowners should take into account future use of the land, including future drainage projects and remediation of the land after construction.

“You want to prepare for future drainage projects on the property,” said Chet Murphy, district administrator for the Fayette County Soil and Water Conservation District. “Once it’s in, it’s in forever. If you’re planting one day late that will affect his year’s crop, but this is going to affect your crops forever.”

Murphy said that from his office’s experience, the Rockies pipeline did a good job trying to mitigate any damages, following their plan closely and continuing to repair drainage problems three years after the pipeline was put into operation. The pipeline had an explicit agreement with landowners that required such mitigation,

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but agreements with landowners in upcoming projects that are not government-sponsored will likely be on an individual basis.

The Ohio Farm Bureau has screened nine law firms that have worked with farm bureau members to handle pipeline easement issues, including attorneys Robert Moore and Adrienne Fisher (614791-9112), J. Richard Emens (614-414-0888), and Ronald A. Fresco (614-232-2424).

Moore said that farmers should specifically seek to have provisions included to ensure that drainage tiles are properly repaired and that topsoil is removed and segregated during construction to minimize the effect on future crop production. An attorney should be consulted before a landowner accepts or rejects any eminent domain claim, he said, and attorneys can also help a landowner avoid liability for problems with the pipeline in the future.

“I would stress the fact that even if the pipeline company does have eminent domain, these easements are still negotiable, the price is negotiable, the terms and conditions are negotiable,” said Moore.

“Some people hear eminent domain and think they have to take whatever the first offer is, but that’s not the case. They should always try to negotiate a better deal and they can almost always get a better deal than the initial offer.”

(Mark Fahey is a staff writer for the RecordHerald in Washington Court House.)

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

5A

Peaceful is the word for Ohio lavender farm

aingram@civitasmedia.com

A layer of bright purple, spiked flowers stretched across the fields. For the first time, the lavender was in full bloom for the annual Summer Solstice Lavender Festival at the Peaceful Acres Lavender Farm, located just outside Martinsville in Clinton County.

“We wanted to do something no one else was doing,” said owner Mike Prell on his family’s decision to farm lavender.

“Original is hard to find.”

Mike and his wife Kym Prell planted half an acre of lavender in 2007. Five years later, the fields now measure

three full acres that contribute to nearly 40 different products the Prells make and sell throughout the year, in addition to the fresh lavender bundles that are sold throughout the summer.

Though English lavender is the most common variety of lavender, there are actually hundreds of different kinds, not all of which are interchangeable, Mike said.

The Prells grow a blend including oil producers, culinary herbs and ornamental flowers.

The oil producers, lavendula, are more fragrant, similar to perfume. They cannot be eaten, and they have longer spikes, reaching about 18 inches. Two of the

the farm’s acres grow oil producers.

The third acre produces culinary lavender, angustifolia. It can be used similar to other traditional spices to create meat rubs, salts, sugars and even a lavender vinaigrette dressing.

Lavender can also be infused into fresh honey, ice cream, cookies, lemonade and iced tea, many samples of which were available at the farm’s annual festival June 15 and 16.

Lavender needs to grow in an area that is “high and dry,” Mike explained. The herb does not like “wet feet.”

The growing season begins after the final frost in

ly become 10-hour days, it is not uncommon for the couple’s children to help. A few weeks ago, while Kym worked the row using sickle to cut the lavender, it was her daughter who bundled the crop behind her.

“I love being in the fields. It is a lot of work,” Kym said. “Two or three acres blooms at once and the kids help a lot. It’s a hard balance, making sure they’re involved and understand the importance, but not working them too much.”

Following harvest, the lavender is put through a three-stage sifting process.

The goal is to ensure that final products contain no stem or leaves.

According to Mike, it is this rigorous threshing process that contributes to what can appear to be high prices. He said that he has seen several lavender farms pop up in the past two years, and people often ask why the organic lavender from Peaceful Acres costs $32 per pound when similar farms are selling their bundles at $22 per pound. For Mike, the answer is simple — $22 per pound is an unsustainable price.

“New farmers have to realize that there is a market,

but you can’t underbid a farm product,” he said. “If you try to undersell, we’ll collectively go back into the poverty of farming. You have to set reasonable prices, but they can’t be too low.”

Also contributing to lavender’s value are its antiseptic properties.

“Not many people know, but during WWI and WWII medics would pour lavender into wounds to keep them from getting infected,” Mike said. “A lot of the older crowds know the history, but it’s just now getting back to the younger crowds.”

According to Kym, lavender is also good for relaxation, sleep, digestion, anxiety, burns and bug bites.

For these reasons, her homemade lavender products include soaps, a pain relief salve, an all-natural bug spray, lip balm and lotions.

“Lavender is a beautiful plant,” she said.

For more information on lavender or the Peaceful Acres farm, or for travel directions, visit peacefulacreslavenderfarm.com, or call 513-322-2415.

(Audrey Ingram is a staff writer for the Wilmington News Journal in Clinton County.)

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194 192 190 188 186 184 182 180 178 176

The edge drop system drops seed slightly forward from vertical. This allows seed to travel a relatively short distance, mostly in free fall, down through seed tube. Other planters drop the seed higher and straight down. This allo more opportunity to cause ricochet and misplacement.

0

2

4

6

8

10

Actual Plant Spacing Variability (Stdev)

There is a significant relationship between deviations in plant spacing and lower yield. Per inch of deviation, more than 2 bushels per acre (bpa) can be lost. In an eight-year study, researchers found spacing inaccuracy of an inch could cause between a 2.2 bpa loss and a 2.5 bpa loss. Source: Purdue University

Dealer Imprint

As the distance between seeds becomes more variable (expressed in this chart as standard deviation) the yield per acres decreases dramatically. The White Planters design has specific features to increase and maintain spacing accuracy.

40199201

By AUDREY INGRAM

May. Culinary varieties are generally harvested by the end of June and oil producers by the end of July, though plants can continue producing flowers sporadically through August.

According to Mike, the trick is to pick the lavender as soon as the buds pop open to flowers. If there are too many flowers open, they will fall off the stem during the drying process.

At Peaceful Acres, the lavender is all harvested by hand, part of the Prells’ commitment to sustainability. They are simultaneously building an earthship, which will allow them to harvest rainwater to provide their own irrigation water and electricity. The family also plans to install compostable toilets and build a greenhouse to grow their own food throughout the year.

“We’re building a homestead, not just a farm,” Mike explained. “We’ve never had to work 9-to-5 every day.

We can support ourselves and spend more time with our family.”

Though there is no need to clock in for eight hours every day, there are times of the year that require longer days, particularly during harvest. On what can quick-

40243241

6A

My OwnÂŽ Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

FIRST OHIO FARMER’S FESTIVAL COMING Aug. 22-25 dates set for festival to replace Ripley’s Tobacco Festival ctamborsky@civitasmedia.com

RIPLEY — After 31 years running, the Brown County community witnessed the final Ohio Tobacco Festival last year.

It was announced during last summer’s Ohio Tobacco Festival that it would be the last year for the event, which will now go by the name the Ohio Farmer’s Festival and drop the focus on tobacco, but broaden its scope to numerous types of produce and Ohio agriculture appreciation. “With this being the 32nd year for the festival and the name change from the Ohio Tobacco Festival to the Ohio Farmer’s Festival, a lot of work has been done and there’s still a whole lot more to do,� said JoAnn Otto, festival chair.

The first Ohio Farmer’s Festival will be Aug. 2225 in downtown Ripley.

While Ripley does have history in tobacco production, the main reason for the festival’s facelift is the decline in county tobacco production and popularity, which is evidenced in part by the struggle of the Ohio Tobacco Museum, also located in Ripley, to stay afloat. “I don’t think the festival has anything to do with tobacco anymore,� said Kevin Jolley, of Ripley, after it was announced that the Ohio Tobacco Festival would be no more. “It looks more like a street festival without a cause. I worked in

tobacco my whole life until now. There ain’t no money in it anymore.�

According to data collected by the USDA, in 2007 Brown County ranked no. 1 in tobacco production out of all Ohio’s 88 counties, but wasn’t the most produced crop in the county.

Tobacco was produced less than grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas.

In addition, according to the Center for Disease Control, the number of tobacco-growing farms declined from more than 500,000 in the 1950s to about 10,000 in 2007. The Center also states that increases in tobacco prices have led to reduced overall cigarette consumption among adolescents and young adults.

Despite the loss of a tobacco theme, the festival committee has added several new events to the festival this year, including cardboard boat races, outhouse races, a draft horse expo and pulls, a milking contest, a greased pig contest, and a culinary exhibit. “We’re changing it up quite a bit this year in the events that we’re having,�

Otto said. “We have a lot of the old things but we’ve added a lot of new things as well. We have tried to incorporate a lot of the 4H groups and FFA groups.

I’ve got four of the Brown County FFA groups that are going to participate in events that they’re going to bring down. We’re making it a lot more agriculture and farm related.�

And unlike the Ohio

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the parade and fireworks will be held Friday, Aug. 23.

The committee also has special entertainment planned for the night of Saturday, Aug. 24.

Festival t-shirts are available at several Ripley locations. Anyone who would like to participate in any of the events, or who has questions regarding the festival, may call Otto at (937) 213-0540.

HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. SATURDAY 7:00 A.M. - 12 P.M. CLOSED SUNDAY

66 # #

someone might want to move to town or put a new business in town,â&#x20AC;? Otto said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have gotten numerous phone calls and emails about Lee Greenwood and if we have any advanced or prepaid seating. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expecting a pretty big turnout.â&#x20AC;?

While there are several new vendors, activities and performers this year, there will still be the same activities that the county has come to know and love.

The Queenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Contest will be the night of Thursday, Aug. 22 while

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HAMMER TIME!!!

# #

hunting around the Nashville area and contacting prospective performers, the committee was able to snag Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter Lee Greenwood as the Saturday night headliner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to have a big draw to Ripley, to bring more people to town, to get people to see Ripley in the hopes that

STANLEY & SON, INC. A â&#x20AC;˘R â&#x20AC;˘A

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Tobacco Festival, which featured one grand marshal every year, the Ohio Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Festival will select multiple grand marshals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We would like to find the oldest farmers in the county who are still out in the fields,â&#x20AC;? Otto said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our hope is to have three to six of the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest longtime farmers all serve as grand marshal. It goes with our agriculture theme and shows the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appreciation for local farmers who have dedicated their lives to agriculture.â&#x20AC;?

The festival committee is currently accepting grand marshal nominations.

Because this will be the first year for the festival, the committee wanted to bring in a headlining performer that would draw a crowd. After months of

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40268474

By CARLY TAMBORSKI

My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

7A

The Amish Cook here again this past Sunday.

We had a nice-sized attendance but not as many as last time.

Our lunch menu consisted of wheat and white bread, butter, strawberry jam, Bologna, cheese spread, peanut butter spread, red beets, freezer and dill pickles, hot peppers, monster, sugar, chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies, coffee and iced tea. We also always make an 8 quart kettle of chicken noodle soup for the younger children that don’t eat sandwiches yet. Then in honor of Father’s Day we also served strawberries and ice cream.

All the dishes and bench wagons are back in the bench wagon waiting to be pulled to the next place. It is always a lot of work to get ready to host church services but it is relax-

and banana peppers. The bananas will soon be big enough to stuff with cream cheese and Colby cheese then wrap with bacon and grill. We like the banana peppers better than the jalapeno peppers to do those as they aren’t as hot. We have also been enjoying lettuce, radishes, and green onions from our garden for quite some time.

Yesterday we took Diamond our 19-year-old horse to town to get new shoes for the boys.

Diamond seems to get slower and slower to make the trip to town and back but he is safe and sound around all the traffic. It means a lot to have a horse that doesn’t shy away from the big trucks and farm machinery along the road.

Church services were held

By LOVINA EICHER

I

t is a Wednesday afternoon.

This morning the temperature was 51 degrees. We went out to weed and hoe in the garden after the morning house-work was done. It was cool when we started but the warm sun soon made it get hot.

We came in to eat some lunch and take a break.

With church services being held here twice recently the gardens were neglected more than usual this past month.

Everything is growing real well. We are getting enough rain that we don’t need to water the garden. Tomatoes are loaded on the plants are the corn is past knee-high already.

We are already enjoying hot peppers. We planted Seranno

ing once it’s over and everything is cleaned.

I didn’t get around to having the garage sale I wanted to have before our church services. That is now on my “to do” list to organize all that before canning season is in full swing.

I would also like to go to the local U-pick to get strawberries to make strawberry freezer jam. That is a favorite jam around here. Sister Emma has her own strawberry plants and furnished all the strawberries for church services on Sunday. She is getting a good yield. I would like to get a new plants started. My last ones didn’t do so well.

I made these for supper one evening with Emma’s strawberries. I hope you’ll like them as much as we did.

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes 1 quart fresh strawberries 1 1 /2 cups flour 1 /2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons sugar, divided 1 tablespoon

baking powder 1 egg 1 /4 cup cold butter or margarine 1 /2 cup milk Whipped cream or Cool Whip

Mash or slice the strawberries; place in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons sugar, mix and set aside.

In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar Cut in butter until crumbly.

In a small bowl, beat egg and milk.

Stir into flour mixture just until moistened.

Fill eight greased muffin cups 2 /3 full.

Bake at 425 for 12 minutes or until golden.

Remove from the pan to cool on a wire rack.

Just before serving, split shortcakes in half horizontally.

Spoon berries and whipped cream between layers and over top

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8A

My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

FOUR NAMED TO OHIO AG HALL OF FAME COLUMBUS – Four Ohioans who have committed their lives to working in, promoting and advocating for Ohio’s farm and agribusiness community will be honored Friday, Aug. 2, by the Ohio Agricultural Council (OAC), when they are inducted into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Among the four is southern

Ohio farmer Doug White of Manchester in Adams County.

The Ohio Agricultural Council (OAC) will induct Shirley Dunlap Bowser of Williamsport, Louis M. “Mick” Colvin of West Salem, Bernard J. Scott of Tontogeny, and Doug White of Manchester, into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame during a special breakfast cere-

mony held in the Rhodes Youth Center at the Ohio Expo Center.

The 48th annual event will attract approximately 500 guests to honor these four professionals for their lifetime of service and dedication to Ohio agriculture.

“OAC is privileged to honor these four individuals who have made significant contributions to Ohio’s number-one industry,”

said David Barrett, OAC president. “We are proud to recognize this deserving class of hard-working professionals for their unwavering commitment to protecting and advancing Ohio’s food and agriculture community, promoting agricultural education, and serving others in their local communities and beyond.”

For more information about sponsorship in honor of the inductees, or to obtain tickets to the Agricultural Hall of Fame induction ceremony, contact the Ohio Agricultural Council at 614-794-8970 or via email at info@ohioagcouncil.org. For more information about the Ohio Agricultural Council, visit www.ohioagcouncil.org.

Doug White, Manchester

Louis M. “Mick” Colvin, West Salem

A third-generation farmer, Doug White continues to manage a livestock and crop operation with his family. His career as a public servant has included 15 years as county commissioner, a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for five years, and a member of the Ohio Senate for eight years. During his time in the Ohio Senate, White served as the Chair of the Agriculture Committee and Finance Committee, as well as Senate President. He also served as the Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce for Governor Bob Taft.

As an elected official, White used his agricultural background to guide him through the decision

Louis M. “Mick” Colvin has made significant contributions to the agricultural industry as a herdsman, farm manager, fieldman, brand creator and beef marketer. During his four decades of service to Ohio agriculture, he has shown great vision and integrity in the creation of the Certified Angus Beef® (CAB) brand. Serving as CAB’s first executive director, Colvin led Ohio to become home of the nation’s number-one branded beef marketing program.

During his tenure, sales grew to nearly 500 million pounds per year. Today, more than 811 million pounds are marketed through the

making process. In his many years of public service, White consistently worked to make a positive impact on policy changes and supported the adequate funding necessary to ensure Ohio agriculture remained strong. He also supported conservation programs and practices carried out by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the state’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

White currently serves on the Ohio Expositions Commission Board and works to promote the Ohio 4-H program, strengthen the presence of commodity groups, and continually advocate for agricultural education at the Ohio State Fair.

Shirley Dunlap Bowser, Williamsport

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Bernard J. Scott, Tontogeny

improving health, agriculture and education.

Bowser’s leadership experiences and compassion for philanthropy were a driving force in the creation of the Pickaway County Community Foundation, the first of its kind in the county that uses a permanent collection of endowed funds to provide grants and other services to non-profit organizations. It serves as a vehicle for individuals, families and businesses to give back to their communities and currently has 57 endowed funds with assets of $4 million, of which four have a specific agricultural focus.

Bernard J. Scott has dedicated more than 37 years to the advancement of agriculture by teaching hundreds of students through agricultural education at Otsego High School. He was instrumental in the building of the Penta Career Center, the largest high school building ever built in Ohio with 522,000 square feet. He also helped convert the agriscience curriculum into semester courses that were taught by subject matter.

Always looking to the future, Scott and his FFA chapter constructed the FFA Time Capsule that was opened at the 75th

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FFA Convention. He also advised his students in the design and construction of the first “grain rescue tube” that was available for the public to use.

After retiring from teaching, he helped establish the Agricultural Incubator Foundation to facilitate research and educational activities for the advancement of the industry. Since the creation of this Foundation, numerous opportunities have been made available to residents with entrepreneurial ideas for food and agriculture.

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40260243

A seventh-generation farmer, Shirley Dunlap Bowser has spent her entire life advocating for and promoting the advancement of Ohio food and agriculture. She was actively involved in the creation of The Dunlap Company and the former Atlanta Grain Company.

Bowser served nine years on The Ohio State University Board of Trustees, including a term as chairperson.

On a national and international level, from 1986-2007, Bowser served on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Board, one of the world’s largest private philanthropic organizations dedicated to

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Colvin has been a leader in the beef industry serving as past president and chairman of the Board for the Ohio Angus Association, on several boards for the Ohio and National Cattlemen’s Associations, and as a consultant to organizations including Veal USA. Colvin’s leadership and dedication to agriculture has been widely recognized over the years. In 2009, Colvin was inducted into the Saddle & Sirloin Portrait Gallery and he was awarded the Outstanding Alumni Award from Penn State, College of Agricultural Sciences in 2010.

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My OwnÂŽ Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

9A

A dairy farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perspective

By BILL INDOE

There are certainly mornings when I wonder why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m an Ohio dairy farmer. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a rigorous fulltime job with no days off.

Most mornings, I roll out of bed at 6 a.m. and go straight to the barn to milk the girls.

My day ends after the sun goes down as I conduct one last check on our 100 head of dairy cattle.

Having just celebrated National Dairy Month in June, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good time to reflect on a way of life that, like any other occupation, certainly has it challenges, but is overwhelmingly full of rewards and satisfaction.

As a fourth-generation dairy farmer, I take great pride in producing safe, high-quality dairy foods.

This means providing the best care for my cows and calves, taking care of my land, and running the farm responsibly.

I often refer to the cows as my classroom of kids.

They each have their own distinct attitudes, demeanors and characters. The dairy cow is a diva if there ever was one and certainly is a fragile 1,500-pound animal.

She demands the most comfortable living conditions, nutritious feed, regular foot trimming (like a pedicure), and must be milked at least twice daily.

My days most generally begin in the barn where we raise Holstein, Jersey and Brown Swiss cows; however, no day is quite the same as the one before. We raise our cows in a climate-controlled barn that keeps them

comfortable at all times and protects them from disease.

Inside the barn, they have soft bedding to lie on, fans in the summertime to keep them cool, and curtains to keep them warm during Ohioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cold winter months.

As we walk the barns each day, we ensure the cows have continuous access to nutritious feed and fresh water. Our farm works directly with a nutritionist to develop a well-balanced diet that supports cow health and quality milk.

Additionally, we perform herd checks bi-monthly on our farm in consultation with our veterinarian.

During the herd check, we examine the individual cows for pregnancies, to make sure theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re eating right, and to check whether they have a temperature. In addition, we also examine foot health to ensure there is no redness or swelling that could be adding stress to the cows.

Twice daily, we walk the cows to the parlor to be milked. Our double-sided, three-opening parlor was built four years ago with cow comfort top of mind.

The parlor is equipped with rubber and heated flooring, so the cows have a soft, warm floor when they enter.

Inside the parlor, the cows have their own individual stalls and grain to eat while they are milked.

Our farm follows stringent government regulations and works hard each day to ensure the milk consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drink, and that we feed our family, is of the highest quality and safe to consume.

Our farm is routinely inspected by government regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with the Food and Drug Administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pasteurized Milk Ordinance, which maintains milk quality and safety standards for human consumption, including dairy product safety, milk transportation, sanitation, equipment, and labeling.

Between milking and ensuring the cows are comfortable in the barns, each day we are working to protect the land and nearby waterways and streams.

After all, we live here too, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in our best interest to leave this farm in better shape than when we received it.

For me and for nearly 3,000 dairy farms across the state, dairy farming is our way of life and our livelihood. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I make it my top priority to run my farm responsibly so my family can continue our long farming tradition.

Although being a dairy farmer is not always easy, we love what we do. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proud to be dairy farmers, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always striving to improve.

I encourage you to grab another gallon of wholesome milk, pick up some flavorful cheeses or yogurt, and show your support for Ohioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dairy community and the positive impact it has on our state.

(Bill Indoe is a fourthgeneration dairy farmer for Richman Farms in Lodi, Ohio.)

Drought tolerance subject of Agronomy Field Day specialist and coordinator of the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agronomic Crops Team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had some growers whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve reported concerns with aphids and other late-season insects,â&#x20AC;? said Watters, who is also coordinating the field day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also have a discussion on seed corn maggots, which are more of a situational versus seasonal issue, including how do stain counts and also perform close observations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also present tips on scouting foliar diseases. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already got folks spraying crops with no diseases out there yet, so will talk about when is the right time to pull the trigger on spraying.â&#x20AC;?

The event is from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) Western Agricultural Research Station, 7721 South Charleston Pike, in South Charleston. The program

costs $20, payable at the door, and includes lunch.

Pre-registration by July 15 is required.

OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college.

The event begins with a wagon tour of the Agronomic Crops Trials at the site from 9 a.m. to noon, during which OSU Extension and OARDC agronomists will talk about the latest innovations in corn, soybean and wheat production.

Topics for discussion during the morning session include: Drought tolerance, planting date and planting depth issues Scouting for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Disease of the Yearâ&#x20AC;? Soybean canopy development across planting dates Weed management issues for 2013, including why growers should apply a preemergent herbicide, and post-weed control options Are there more bugs this year, or are they

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Continuing education credits for certified crop advisers will also be available, organizers said.

Watters will provide an update during lunch on phosphorus management strategies, including information on a phosphorus management trial he is performing.

The afternoon session will include four workshops on scouting foliar diseases, seed corn maggot management, a water exclusion experiment with field corn, and information on a statewide soybean omission trial. Each afternoon discussion will be 50 minutes, which will allow participants time to attend two sessions, Watters said.

OARDCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Western Agricultural Research Station has 428 acres, about 200 acres of which are for crop research on corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, alfalfa, forage grasses, pumpkins and sweet corn.

Watters said despite a late start for some growers, the season is looking good and growers overall are anticipating a good

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growing year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have some issues out there, including some Asian garden beetle grubs that have spread beyond a few isolated areas in the northern part of Ohio, and some reports of slug issues that have caused some growers to replant,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Other issues weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had reports of are weeds, so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discuss how to manage them including some resistant weeds that are moving across the state such as giant ragweed, common ragweed and marestail. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But overall, crops are growing well and we expect a good year with an average summer weather pattern. So if people have things set up right, they can produce an above-average year in yields. But even an average yield would not be bad considering the last three seasons growers have experienced.â&#x20AC;?

For more information on the field day or to register, contact Watters at 937-599-4227 or watters.35@osu.edu, or Joe Davlin, Western ARS Manager, at 937-462-8016 or davlin.1@osu.edu.

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

Through the eye of a child Adams County FFA give kindergartners their often first glimpse of farm life

By CARLETA WEYRICH cweyrich@civitasmedia.com

The youngest of students in Adams County receive an education they can remember into adulthood during the first week of every May. Adams County/Ohio Valley Kindergarten Ag Day has been a tradition and right of passage for students in AC/OV School District and Manchester Local School District for more than three decades.

“For a lot of students, it’s the first time they ever touched a cow or a horse,” said Corbett Phipps, who organizes the annual event, along with FFA advisors John Newman and Dave Scott. “Some have spent their lives in apartments or trailer parks and don’t even know what some of the farm animals (on display) are.”

Ag Day is planned on a school day. With four elementary schools in the county,

two schools arrive in the morning and two in the afternoon for half day sessions. Preschool students are also invited. There are approximately 800 participants each year including students, teachers and adult chaperones.

FFA officers greet the arrivals and pass out maps of the facilities with the different stations. An FFA member is assigned to each teacher. Other members and volunteers man the different stations. In all, about 70 FFA members and volunteers are needed for the day.

“A lot of the FFA students are scared at first to be in charge, but then the kids start asking questions and suddenly the FFA members are experts,” Phipps said. “They like that and get over their shyness pretty quickly.”

AC/OV Kindergarten Ag Day began in the early 1980s as a coopera-

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tive effort between the Ohio Valley Young Farmers and the Ohio Valley FFA. Young farmers could get points for participating toward state and national awards.

The first event was on the Bill White farm and was hosted by Tom and Sharon White. It was just the West Union FFA that participated in that first one. At first Ag Day was set up like a petting zoo.

“Tom decided he would give every child a pony ride - talk about exhausted after all of those trips he made back and forth,” Phipps said.

The second year Dwight Meeks hosted Ag Day, then Donald McCarty’s took a turn on his Poplar Ridge farm. He liked having it so much that it was held there every year, until the mid-90s See AG DAY/11A

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

AG DAY Continued from page 10A

when there was a deluge of rain and everything turned to mud. The two morning classes visited McCarty’s farm in the morning, then during lunch, the volunteers packed up animals and all, and took them to the fairgrounds where there was the ability to get inside buildings.

“It’s been there ever since,” said Phipps. “The area is also handicap accessible and there are bathrooms available.”

Ag Day has expanded since then to provide more information to the young students. The line-up of animals includes rabbits, chickens, geese, turkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, beef cattle, dairy cattle, horses, donkeys, ponies and a few

dogs. Owners and FFA volunteers stay with the animals to make sure the students are safe. There is also ample opportunity for hand washing and sanitizing.

“Usually at some point there will be a lot of clucking and some hen or duck will lay eggs,” Phipps said.

“It’s an amazing moment to anyone who happens to be there watching at the time.”

Jenny Richards, of Shawnee State Forest; Bill Wickerham, of Adams County Soil and Water, and Mike Schummel, Adams County game warden, always bring live snakes to touch and hold, animal pelts such as mink and coon, and deer antlers.

“Sam Perin of AdamsBrown recycling does an excellent recycling program,” Phipps said. “Most people don’t think about

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sorting recyclables. He has a Recycling Relay where the kids run and get items and put them in the right containers.”

The students are given instructions about farm safety around livestock and equipment, especially what to stay away from, by a volunteer from Farm Safety For Just Kids.

“Little kids from town like to visit their friends who live on farms,” Phipps said. “They aren’t going to know what their farm counterparts know to stay away from. Things like that cute baby calf is going to have a protective mother nearby; and just because it comes in a green bottle doesn’t mean that it’s Mt. Dew – it could be antifreeze. They can also pass information on to their families. The next time Dad is driving down the road and comes up on an SMV sign, the student that’s been to Ag Day can tell him what it means.”

Volunteers bring in their big John Deere tractors, and Phipps brings his 800 Ford each year for the students to take turns sitting on, assisted by two FFA students to prevent falls.

Previously the students were allowed on the bigger tractors, but the organizers decided that just wasn’t safe enough due to the distance from the ground to the cab.

The Adams -BrownClermont Farm Bureau has added an educational display to Ag Day that shows

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students where the different cuts of meat come from.

“A lot of students have no idea where there food actually comes from. All they know is the family gets it at the grocery store,” said Phipps. “All the county’s industry queens come – the beef, equine, dairy, and swine if available.

For a treat before they go home, the Hesler family and Milk Marketing Coop provide milk for everybody.

For those who have difficulty drinking from the individual serving milk cartons, straws are provided.

Water is also available for those who don’t drink milk.

The organizers begin early in the day and pop approximately 800 bags of popcorn for all of the participants and their teachers and chaperones.

Even in the worst of economic times, Kindergarten Ag Day in Adams County must go on.

One year when the AC/OV School Board quit providing buses for field trips, there was a major revolt when Ag Day was jeopardized, according to Phipps.

Other funds were provided to make sure the students attended.

“We loved it,” said retired school teacher Linda Rhoads. “It’s a very worthwhile program.”

Rhoads had used AG Day as part of her science curriculum. It was helpful in teaching her students about animals and life cycles. She also connected environmental science with the needs of the animals the students met at Ag Day. “Most of the students say Ag Day ‘was the best day of my life,’ ” said Janelle Arnold, who has taught kindergarten at Peebles for 13 years. “We have units about using the five senses, so we talked about the sounds they were hearing at Ag Day; the different colors they saw; and

what they felt when they touched the different skin coverings on the animals.

“We talked about how most babies look like their parents - baby chickens have beaks and the same kind of feet as the big chickens. We talked about whether or not the animals hatched from eggs, and how a butterfly comes from a cocoon or a frog from eggs and a tadpole.”

Arnold said she makes every possible connection to all the subjects the students are studying, both prior to and after Ag Day. The students do math using pictures of animals for addition and subtraction.

They learn farm song, and when they return, each student chooses what he or she thought was the best part of Ag Day. They write about their experience.

“Some choose sitting on the horse, touching a pig, or sitting on the tractor,” Arnold said. “Many are thrilled to hold a snake some you would never think would touch them.”

“As they go up through the grades in school, the students have other opportunities to expand on what they learned at Ag Day,” according to Phipps.

“Peebles has another ag day in fourth grade. In seventh grade the students go to Conservation Day at Adams Lake. It takes what they learned at Ag Day and brings in more of the environmental aspects.

Phipps said he’s been involved with Ag Day so long that he’s seeing a second generation come through, and the parents enjoy reminiscing about their own Ag Day experiences.

(Carleta Weyrich is a staff writer for The People’s Defender in West Union.

Nikki Horsley of West Union High School also contributed to this story.)

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USDA seeks sign-ups for wetlands, grasslands conservation WASHINGTON – USDA’s Natural R e s o u r c e s Conservation Service is accepting applications from landowners interested in the Wetlands Reserve Program and Reserve Grassland Program.

A new round of funding authorizes $255 million to enroll up to 100,000 additional acres into WRP and $47 million to enroll up to 200,000 additional acres into GRP, both nationwide.

Anyone interested in these voluntary programs should contact their state or local NRCS office. Sign-up dates and deadlines vary by state, and applications are accepted throughout the year.

The Wetlands Reserve Program helps landowners restore and protect wetland ecosystems on private and tribal lands. They may select a permanent or 30-year easement or a restoration cost-share agreement, retaining ownership of the land once the agreement is in place.

More than 11,000 private landowners participating in WRP are already protecting more than 2.6 million acres of America’s wetlands.

Through the Grassland Reserve Program, landowners and managers apply for conservation easements or rental agreements that support conservation of working grazing operations, enhancement of plant and animal biodiversity, and protection of grassland under threat of conversion to other uses.

“The benefits of these reserved wetlands reach well beyond their boundaries to improve watershed health, the vitality of agricultural lands, as well as the aesthetics and economies of local communities,” said NRCS Acting Chief Jason Weller.

“Conservation of working grasslands enhances plant and animal biodiversity while protecting the land.”

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

Quilt barns: A patchwork of beauty

Rural countryside dotted with colorful patterns painted on pastoral barns

By NOEL LIZOTTE

uilt barns are marching across the United States and the trail began in southern Ohio. A quilt barn is one that has a quilt block painted and hung on the side of the barn. Often these are also referred to as “Barn Quilts.”

The first quilt barn in Ohio was painted in 2001

by Donna Sue Groves, in Portsmouth. Groves wanted to honor her mother, a noted quilter, and also to celebrate the family’s Appalachian heritage.

Since 2001, the Ohio Quilt Trail has grown tremendously, with over 300 quilt barns by 2008 and more being added annually.

At least 22 other states have formed barn quilt trails of their own and the popularity of these rural landmarks is spreading.

Traditionally, barns in areas settled by Dutch and German immigrants were painted with a design, often a hex symbol, to encourage good luck and share designs from their homeland. These settlers came to the new country seeking freedom in religion and expression which carried over to their arts and crafts.

As settlements grew and spread into the Appalachian regions, the folk art also grew and spread. New ideas and artistic creativity was expressed in the quilts, pottery and painting done by the artists. Southern Ohio is home to many Appalachian folk artists, so the combination of quilts and barn paintings was only a matter of time.

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Adams County in Ohio was the first county to have a trail of quilt barns marked out and tourists have flocked to the area to see the beautifully painted barns. Some of the quilts are painted on buildings other than barns. A bed and breakfast, hardware store and garden shed have become the home of quilt blocks.

Along with the quilt barn tourists follows a sharing of ideas and spreading of the crafts, as in the 1800s. Some tourists have taken the concept of quilt barns to their home and painted their own barn or garden shed. Others, as mentioned, have taken the idea back to their home state and encouraged fellow enthusiasts to paint barns, developing their own trail of barn quilts.

Of course, local artists have also been inspired to make entire quilts, wall hangings and pillows using the barn block patterns. Often these are for sale in gifts shops near the barn trail.

A small quilt barn sits quietly on a farm just outside of Galion. The block is painted in bright colors and hangs on the side of a small barn facing the road.

Folks passing by are able to catch a glimpse of the quilt block on their way to or from the local grocery.

As you travel the highways and byways of rural Ohio, keep your eyes on the barns, you’ll be rewarded by the sight of quilt barns. To learn more about quilt barns visit www.AmericanQuiltBarns. com or www.OhioBarns.com.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Photos by Tom Cross

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

13A

Painting a barn quilt is easy - once you follow the pattern!

By NOEL LIZOTTE

arn quilts have become very popular in many parts of the country. They add beauty and interest to barns in rural areas. Some of these barns have become landmarks for folks giving directions. If you are inclined to add a quilt to your barn, you’ll be glad to know that with a little bit of effort you can accomplish this goal.

The steps for painting a barn quilt are fairly simple, but there is a time element involved so allow yourself a week or so if you are planning to display your barn quilt for a specific event.

Preparation The first step is to identify where the barn quilt will hang. Find a barn, garage or garden shed that you have permission to hang a barn quilt on. You’ll want to make certain your quilt block doesn’t interfere with doors or windows on your barn.

Second, measure the space on the barn to gain an idea what size your quilt block will be. Most of the large barn quilts are eight feet square, but you’ll want yours to be in proportion to your barn. There are no strict rules regarding the size of your quilt block, but average sizes are 8x8, 4x4 and 3x3 feet. These instructions will lead you through the steps of making a 4x4 foot square quilt block.

The third step is a fun one. Select a quilt block to display on your barn. Many barn quilts are blocks from traditional quilt patterns, but you can pick any quilt block that catches your fancy. Going hand in hand with the pattern selection is color choice. Even the most traditional quilt block pattern usually allows for creativity in the colors used for the design. For simplicity’s sake, you may want to choose a pattern that uses only two or three colors.

B

This move will save time and paint costs.

Fourth, make a list of supplies you are going to need for the project so trips to stores are limited. You’ll need one sheet of ½ inch plywood for the face of the quilt block, two 8 foot long 2x4 lumber for the framework, screws to secure the wood pieces together, white base coat paint, paint in the colors of your pattern, painters tape and a pencil for marking your design.

You’ll also need some sandpaper and basic tools (such as a saw, screwdriver, drill and paint brushes).

You may have the tools on hand which will be a cost savings for this project.

After you return from the store, you’re ready to begin your barn quilt. Clear a work space inside your barn, in the yard or on the kitchen table. The space needs to be large enough for you to move around all sides of the quilt barn to work on it. You’ll also want to make sure your area is as dust free as possible once you begin painting.

Construction The first step in any construction project is to measure your raw materials, at least twice, and three times is better. You’ll measure and cut the sheet of plywood into a 4x4 foot square. The 2x4 framing will need to be cut in lengths that can be attached to all four sides of the quilt block. Lie the sheet of plywood on the ground or work surface, Cut one 2x4 in half, so you have 4 foot lengths. Place the 2x4s along the two sides outside edges. Measure the distance between the two pieces on the third side of the plywood. It should be approximately 3 feet and 8 inches. Cut the remaining 2x4 into two pieces 3 feet and 8 inches long. These are the remaining two sides of the framework. Attach the framework to the plywood using the screws and your screwdriver or drill.

®

Photo by Tom Cross

Sanding the face of the block is the second step in the construction phase.

Turn your block so that the frame side is lying down with the smooth front of the block facing up. Begin sanding with sand paper, moving with the grain of the wood, not across it. You want the surface to be smooth enough that paint will adhere easily. When the surface is smooth to the touch, wipe off excess dust with a damp cloth.

The third step is applying the base coat of paint.

You’ll use the white base paint that you purchased and apply evenly across the surface. Allow the first coat to dry overnight and apply a second coat for a solidly covered block. Allow the second base coat to dry overnight.

The next step is marking out the quilt block pattern

on the white surface. Use a pencil and yardstick or a chalk line to draw the straight lines of the design.

Lightly write the color of paint that will be used in each area of the design.

Using the painters tape, mark off the area of the design you are going to paint first.

Now you’re ready to paint! Apply the first paint color in the areas of the design that are labeled with that shade. Allow the first coat of paint to dry for several hours or overnight and apply a second coat.

Remove the painters tape.

Once the first color has dried completely, apply painters tape along the edges of the second paint color marked areas. Paint the second color, using two coats and allowing drying time in between coats.

Remove the painters tape

from the edges of the second color areas.

Repeat the previous steps for a third paint color if using three (or additional) colors.

Display When you are ready to hang your quilt block on the barn, you’ll need a ladder, drill, and 3 inch long screws. For accuracy in hanging the quilt block, you may also want a level.

Place the ladder securely against the barn, and mark the top right corner hanging point of your quilt block. Repeat the marking steps for the top left corner of the block.

Pre-drill holes into the four corners of your quilt block. Insert the long screws into each corner.

With an assistant, hold the quilt block against the barn and tighten the screws at each corner.

Step back and admire your work!

Suggestions Use an outdoor / weather resistant paint. Apply a top coat or two of polyurethane or other clear coat for added durability of the colors. Once you have the hang of this project, you can modify the sizes to fit other spaces on the farm.

You may need additional bracing behind the block if you make one larger than 4x4 feet.

Simple quilt patterns are easiest to paint and look best from a distance. Allow your creativity to show and make 1x1 foot squares for your kitchen. Design a series of 2x2 foot squares to hang along the garden fence.

Barn quilts add personality to your space; make it a reflection of your own style.

®

FOURTRAX RANCHER

SOME CALL IT A JACK-OF-ALL-TRADES. WE CALL IT RANCHER. Contact the Commercial Fleet Manager for more information.

BUILT TO WORK powersports.honda.com UTILITY ATVs ARE RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR RIDERS 16 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. ATVs CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE. FOR YOUR SAFETY, BE RESPONSIBLE. READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. ALL ATV RIDERS SHOULD TAKE A TRAINING COURSE (FREE FOR NEW BUYERS. ASK YOUR DEALER OR CALL ASI AT 800-887-2887). NEVER RIDE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ON PAVED SURFACES, ON PUBLIC ROADS, WITH PASSENGERS, OR AT EXCESSIVE SPEEDS. NO STUNT RIDING. RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN RIDING. FourTrax® and Rancher® are registered trademarks of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (4/12)

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Phone: (513) 858-1000 www.hondaoffairfield.com honda.com BIG RED IS ONLY FOR DRIVERS 16 YEARS AND OLDER. MULTI-PURPOSE UTILITY VEHICLES CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE. FOR YOUR SAFETY, BE RESPONSIBLE. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT, AND KEEP THE SIDE NETS AND DOORS CLOSED. AVOID EXCESSIVE SPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. ALL MUV DRIVERS SHOULD WATCH THE SAFETY VIDEO “MULTIPURPOSE UTILITY VEHICLES: A GUIDE TO SAFE OPERATION” AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL BEFORE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. NEVER DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ON PUBLIC ROADS OR WITH MORE THAN ONE PASSENGER. DRIVER AND PASSENGER MUST BE TALL ENOUGH FOR SEAT BELT TO FIT PROPERLY AND TO BRACE THEMSELVES WITH BOTH FEET FIRMLY ON THE FLOOR. PASSENGER MUST BE ABLE TO GRASP THE HAND HOLD WITH THE SEAT BELT ON AND BOTH FEET ON THE FLOOR. RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN DRIVING. Big Red® is a registered trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (08/11) 12-1154 40260089

14A

July 2013

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WOMEN ON THE FARM

Life at a Gallop

Southern Ohio vet loves her work with horses

By PAT LAWRENCE patlawrence@cinci.rr.com

A

typical work day for Jennifer Smith sounds like a typical work week for most people. The equine veterinarian starts early, ends late and is one of the few doctors who routinely makes house calls. Her clinic is the back of a Ford Tahoe, her office is the front seat. Dr. Smith is responsible for managing the health of hundreds of horses from Lebanon to Lynchburg, and Wilmington to Waynesville, from beloved backyard ponies

to high stakes racehorses.

“Every animal is different,” she says. “And no day is ever the same.”

In addition to basic exams and routine vaccinations, she draws blood, administers medications, evaluates and repairs wounds, assists with foaling and monitors the reproductive health of breeding stallions and broodmares. There’s a cooler full of vaccines and an entire laboratory’s worth of supplies in the custom-made cabinet that fills the back of her truck.

Since client farms, barns

Recent fatalities highlight critical importance of grain bin, silo safety

By Caroline McColloch

40260076

That farming is hard work is a given, but not everyone thinks about the dangers that go along with it - especially with the advent of larger and more complicated machinery and facilities.

Last month a Clark County man lost his life in a grain bin, and last week a western Indiana

man met the same fate.

In the past 30 years, more than 200 such fatalities have occurred nationwide. In Ohio, 14 deaths happened from 2001-2010. In that same period, there were 51 accidents with 26 fatalities nationally, according to a Purdue University study. Dee Jepsen with The Ohio State University’s Agriculture

Safety and Health Program, says there are basically three options for addressing farm safety issues: Education, Engineering, or Enforcement.

Farms with 11 or fewer employees are exempt from safety regulations. “Personally, I prefer the engineering approach,” says Jepsen, “but retrofitting for safe-

ty devices becomes a budget issue.” So the primary option for safety experts like Jepsen is education.

Since fire departments are the first responders to farm accident sites, and few have familiarity with farm equipment, OSU recently introduced a training cart that helps See SAFETY/4B

and fields are usually miles away from each other and not every owner has a perfectly trained horse that cooperates, every morning she packs the truck with the things she uses most often. “Our patients don’t come see us. We go to them.”A hoof tester and good lead rope are standard equipment, but so is the state of the art portable ultrasound Jennifer calls “my constant companion”and a portable x-ray unit that links directly to a computer for immediate reading.

See SMITH/2B

2B

My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

SMITH Continued from page 1B

The ability to make and read soft tissue images and bone x-rays on site has been a tremendous benefit to the practice, Jennifer says. “I can physically examine a mare while using the ultrasound, so I can see on the screen exactly what I’m feeling inside the horse, at the same time. It’s so easy to use and carry. For years, we had to set up a table to use ultrasound equipment. And, with the portable x-ray, it’s all digital. Before, we had to take the film to be processed; now we do everything right on the farm, and can see it right there.”

Jennifer grew up in Michigan, but much of her family is from Wilmington and they encouraged her to come back to attend Miami University.

Declaring a major was easy, Jennifer says. “I decided to be a vet when I was about eight! I was obsessed with horses as a kid. Since I couldn’t have a horse, I trained my dog to jump over obstacles.

Finally, when I was 13, my parents got me a horse and the dog was off the hook.”

As an undergraduate, Jennifer taught horseback riding and rode for the Miami University equestrian team, taught horseback riding at Girl Scout camp in the summers and took a variety of jobs.

During the three years of vet school at Ohio State, she worked at a small animal clinic. “Whether your interest is horses or pets, everyone takes the same classes, but vet school actually prepares you better for a small animal practice.”

The offer of a year’s equine internship in Scottsdale, Arizona gave her just what she wanted.

“It was hard work and

long hours, but I got to see lot of different cases. I handled the midnight shift, working by myself. I was single and didn’t mind. It taught me to be pretty self-reliant.”

When the internship ended, the Arizona practice offered her a permanent position, “but all my family was here, so I came back here to look for a job. I called Daniel Yates, since people said he’d be a good person to work with.

He had just added another vet, but the practice was growing and he called me back two weeks later. That was in 1999.”

Her clients are as diverse as the horses she tends. For many, like the professional breeders, boarders, trainers and those who give lessons, horses are their living. For others, it’s an avocation, a love learned early and never overcome, often involving showing and riding competitions. Jennifer says it’s rare even for individual owners to just have one horse. “It’s usually 24. I see some horses all the time. Some, I’ve been seeing for years.”

Dr. Smith says veterinary medicine has a definite busy season. “In the spring we often work seven days a week. A lot of the work is about babies, breeding and reproduction. We check mares at 15 days and then again at 30 days. Most animals can produce multiple births, but horses need the entire placenta and uterus for survival. Just one in 10,000 of twins in horses are live births.”

Sometimes Jennifer can ‘pinch’ a second embryo, leaving the single one to mature. “When that’s not possible, owners face a tough decision: defy the odds or give up and start over. Fortunately, mares usually foal easily. If a foal is malpositioned,

owners are quick to call.”

Breeding issues and vaccinations, especially for West Nile virus and Potomac Fever, continue through early summer, and the warm months see additional eye problems, coughs and accidents causing cuts and lameness.

Jennifer says, “You can’t ask a horse, ‘Does it hurt here?’, so I pinch them or use a hoof tester to see if they flinch. Listening and communicating - with both clients and horses - is a big part of this job.”

Colic is a common problem. “When horses develop abdominal discomfort, they can’t throw up, so they can get ‘gassy”; their intestines can twist.”Laminitis is another frequent problem for horses, Jennifer says.

“Like diabetes in people, Jennifer carries a mobile vet office in the back of her SUV. She puts 30-40,000 miles on it can result from a variety her vehicle each year. of causes, including just to lift the colon!” She The one constant in her come with me sometimes; overeating, and it’s toxic also doesn’t do arthropractice is driving. it’s an adventure for to their feet.” scopic or bone surgery.

Jennifer puts 30-40,000 them.”

Dr. Smith regularly “Horses require gas anesmiles on her vehicle each For pleasure, Jennifer performs castrations, herthesia, which you can’t year. “I get 425 miles to a runs with her two dogs nia repairs and laceration administer in the field, and tank and fill up every early in the morning before repairs, but, “I don’t do they are very susceptible other day.” Cell phones her day starts. She ran the colon surgery. It’s a major to sepsis.” Jennifer also have made a vet’s life Columbus Marathon and endeavor that requires a much easier and Jennifer the Air Force Marathon surgical suite and 3-5 peo- treats donkeys and mules, but not often. “Donkeys spends plenty of miles on this year. She likes eating ple. The small intestine in and mules are very low the phone, talking with healthy, and “we have a a horse is over 70 feet maintenance!” owners, getting directions giant garden!” long- it takes two people and scheduling appointThe family has three ments. There’s also her horses of their own; one is personal life to run.

30 years old. Jennifer says She and Jeff have been other people ride them, she married 13 years and have doesn’t have time anythree children, a four year more. “Going to vet school old daughter and two sons, pretty much ended my rid7 and 9. Jennifer says, ing career!” And, although “Being on call for emergencies are what most evenings, weekends and complicate her personal emergencies makes it diflife, Dr. Smith says, “They ficult to plan things. The are part of what make this hardest part for the kids is life so rewarding. The the inconsistency. The chance to succeed, to get a worst part of the job is mare in foal, to sew up a when I’m getting everyone terrible gash - helping ready for bed at 9 p.m., horses and helping people then have to leave for - that’s when you make a some emergency.” When difference.” they were smaller, Jennifer (Pat Lawrence is a Jennifer is all smiles as she leads a horse in her care. says, “Sometimes I had all contributor to MyOwn As an undergraduate, Jennifer taught horseback riding three in their car seats in the backseat. They still Rural Life.) and rode for the Miami University equestrian team.

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

3B

Big Tim’s Diamond T

The story of one antique truck and those who love it

By DAN PAYNE For Rural Life

EDITOR’S NOTE: This summer, the All American Antique Truck Show rolls into Wilmington for two days, where enthusiasts can discuss their love for preserving American industrial history. Dan Payne of Oxford, Ohio tells us his story about his love for these rusted, rescued and restored beauties: From the time I was a youngster, I have loved trucks. Since my family was involved in the trucking industry, we have always been interested in antique and classic trucks and have regularly attended antique truck shows.

Each year I would attend the ATHS national show with two of my uncles, Tim and Joe. While attending these shows, Big Tim (the eldest of our crew) would share stories of trucking from back when he had driven some of the classic trucks we would see at the shows. Some of these stories would be from personal experiences, while others had been passed down from other family members or acquaintances. As we walked the show, we would admire both the restored and preserved trucks. We did seem to spend an extra amount of time with the Diamond T trucks, as Big Tim would point out the features which set Diamond T above their competitors.

Although Big Tim liked all Diamond T trucks, he had always desired a 201 pickup. In 1990 the three of us set out from Cincinnati, Ohio, for the ATHS National Show in Denver, Colo. After exploring the show we made our way through the swap meet where we met Leroy Gurganus, who had a 1949 Diamond T 201 pickup for sale. In an attempt to make the pickup more of a daily driver, Leroy had begun modifications with the installation of a small block Chevy motor and automatic transmission. After some negotiations, Big Tim purchased the 201 with an agreement that Leroy would remove the modern power train components and store the truck until we could get back out west.

In December of the same year, Joe, Tim, and I traveled back out west with a small truck and trailer to pickup a 1938 Reo Speedwagon that Joe had purchased during the same show.

While out in Denver, we stopped in to visit Leroy and the 201. When we arrived in Denver earlier in the day, the sun had been shining and the temperature had been about 60°F. But by the time we got to Leroy’s place in the early evening, snow had started to fall. Leroy and his wife strongly encouraged us to spend the night due to the approaching storm. We, of course, refused.

Manly men are not afraid of a little weather!

Prior to leaving, Leroy’s wife insisted on sending us on our way with a care package, just in case.

We drove just shy of the Colorado – Kansas

ALL AMERICAN ANTIQUE TRUCKING SHOW What you need to know: DATES: Friday & Saturday, July 26-27, 2013 FREE admission & FREE parking LOCATION: Roberts Centre, 123 Gano Road, Wilmington SHOW HOURS: Friday, July 26 & Saturday, July 27 9:00am – 4:00pm PRODUCED BY: On Time Media, LLC, Florence, Kentucky 41042, P: 859-746-2046 state line where we decided to spend the night and enjoy the care package. The next morning we awoke to the blistering cold temperature of -40°F. Being from Cincinnati, we were not accustomed to such cold temperatures, and neither was our diesel pickup—the fuel in the tank had begun to gel due to the extreme cold. We scouted a fuel stop adjacent to the hotel which had some No. 1 fuel. (No. 1 Diesel Fuel is commonly labeled at the pump as “Premium Diesel,” and is not as thick as No. 2 Diesel Fuel. This is why it is the choice during the cold winter months.) The only problem was getting the truck over to the station. Eventually we were able to move the truck over to the fuel stop, mostly using ether.

Once we pumped in some No. 1 diesel the truck ran great, and away we went.

About six months later, Tim was finally able to retrieve the 201 pickup and parked it safely in the back row of his garage where it sat waiting for a suitable drivetrain. Tim wanted to install a small Cummins diesel in lieu of the factory six-cylinder Hercules gas engine.

Unfortunately, a number of tough financial years followed and Tim could never seem to find enough money to purchase the parts he needed. The 201 continued to reside in the garage for many years, keeping company with a Diamond T 520 fire truck that Tim picked up along the way.

In the fall of 2003, Big Tim unexpectedly passed away at the age of 52, so Joe and I purchased the 201 intent on restoring the truck in Tim’s honor. We moved the truck out of Tim’s old garage and into the shop that Joe operated.

A few months later Tim’s old garage collapsed under a record 30-inch snowstorm. The Diamond T 520 fire truck, which had remained in the old building, was severely damaged under the weight of the collapsed roof. I guess Big Tim was still looking out for the 201.

The 201 pickup sat in its new resting place for a few years while Joe and I hunted for parts.

Although Big Tim was set on modifying the 201 with a Cummins diesel, Joe and I intended to return the truck to a factory condition with original drivetrain components. While attending a local truck show in 2007, we stumbled across an exhibitor who had restored a 201 and

had repowered his unit with a modern drivetrain. He no longer possessed the original engine and transmission but he did provide us the name of the fellow who possessed his original drivetrain components.

After contacting this fellow, it turned out he had two original drivetrains for a Diamond T 201 pickup. He made us a deal we couldn’t refuse, so we purchased both drivetrains, figuring if we needed only one or two parts off the spare drivetrain, it would pay for itself.

In 2008 we started dabbling with the 201 in our spare time. The ATHS national show was in Huntsville, Ala., in the spring of 2009. Joe and I decided that the

Big Tim’s 1949 Diamond T 201 pickup

show was close enough that we would take some of our trucks to exhibit.

Once we made that decision, the race was on to get the 201 running in time for the show.

Another contributing factor was that Joe had run into Leroy at the ATHS show in Fontana, Calif., a few years earlier. Leroy had mentioned that he’d moved to Alabama, and we figured he would surely attend the show in Huntsville.

A few weeks before the Huntsville show, we were able to get the 201 pickup running and reassembled. We loaded

all the work and the whole trip worthwhile.

The only thing better would have been if Big Tim had been able to enjoy the experience with us.

Anyone who loves old trucks will enjoy seeing the All American Antique Truck Show on display at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27, show hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission and parking are free. For further details go to www.allamericanantique truckshow.com or call 937-280-5500.

Join other Farmers on Vacation!

Hawaii Farm Tour

Caribbean Cruise

13 Days - 4 Islands

& New Orleans Tour

from

$1899*

January 2014 Departures!

This famous Hawaiian Farm Tour has been offered by YMT every year since 1974. Discover the natural wonders and breathtaking scenery as you visit the four main islands. Sightseeing of all the major highlights plus additional, special sightseeing for those in the Ag industry are all included. Plus you will be accompanied throughout by one of our friendly Polynesian Tour Directors, which adds a unique cultural perspective to your tour experience.

Highlights: Honolulu, world-famous Waikiki Beach, Punchbowl Crater, Pearl Harbor, USS Arizona Memorial, Wailua Riverboat Cruise, mystical Fern Grotto, Steel Grass Farm (bamboo, vanilla and cacao), Old Whaling Capital of Lahaina, lao Valley, Maui Gold Pineapple Plantation, Hilo Orchid Nursery, Volcanoes National Park, Giant Ferns, Macadamia Nut Factory, Black Sand Beaches, Kona Coffee Plantation, Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii, Abalone Farm and much more.

Includes: a flower lei aloha greeting, quality hotels, taxes, inter-island flights, baggage handling, tour director, special events & escorted sightseeing.

*Price per pers./dbl. occp. Plus $199 tax, service & gov’t fees.

Airfare is extra.

11 Days

from

$1299*

Price Includes Airfare from 51 U.S. Cities!

Depart January 16 or 30, 2014 Your adventure begins in fabulous New Orleans! Enjoy a city tour and discover ‘The Big Easy,’ including the French Quarter, colorful Bourbon Street, the Ninth Ward, devastated by Hurricane Katrina; and travel on St. Charles Avenue, following the Mardi Gras route. You will also visit the museum “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond Exhibition,” plus tour two area historical mansions and plantations.

Relax and unwind on board Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas, for your 7-night cruise of the Caribbean. Take advantage of the many onboard amenities as you sail to the ports of: Falmouth, Jamaica, noted for being one of the Caribbean’s best preserved Georgian towns; Georgetown, Grand Cayman, with crystal-clear warm waters and stretch out on the radiant white sands at 7-Mile Beach and off the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, Cozumel, Mexico. * Per person, based on double occupancy. Price based on Inside Cabin, upgrades available. Add $299 tax/service/government fees.

Rose Parade

Alaska Cruise

+ Grand Canyon & Red Rock

Plus...West Coast Train Tour & San Francisco

11 Days

from

$1249*

Depart December 29, 2013 Enjoy the best New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day you have had in years with YMT at the Rose Parade. Begin in the “City of Angels” that includes a tour of Los Angeles, Hollywood and Beverly Hills. Attend a VIP presentation on the history and traditions of the Rose Parade, plus an exclusive, pre-parade, after public hours, float building and viewing at the Rosemont Pavilion with included dinner. Then on Wednesday, January 1, 2014, observe the 125th Rose Parade from your reserved YMT grand stand seats!

Transfer to Las Vegas (2 nights) leisure or optional tours to Zion Natioanl Park or Death Valley National Park. Travel to Grand Canyon National Park (1 night) for sunset and sunrise. Your Lodge is actually in the Park! Travel through Oak Creek Canyon, sightsee in Sedona (1 night) and Red Rock Country, and visit Montezuma’s Castle before your city tour of Phoenix (2 nights). Depart for home January 8.

5 Days

from

$699

Spend the first 4 nights in Los Angeles as shown above. On Thurdsay, January 2 depart for home. * Price per person, based on double occupancy. Airfare is extra.

Plus $159 tax/service/gov’t fees.

My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio is available for purchase at each of the newspaper offices for $1/copy or contact us to subscribe. Subscriptions $19.95 per year.

the 201 on a trailer and hauled it down to Alabama along with a load of other trucks. As soon as the pickup was parked at the show, admirers swarmed around the old 201. We couldn’t believe the attention the unrestored pickup received. Later that morning we noticed a fellow standing at the front bumper just staring at the truck. Upon closer inspection, we recognized Leroy. He was so astonished that the 201 was once again running that he almost couldn’t speak. Just seeing Leroy’s reaction made

13 Days

from

$1899*

Depart June 17, July 15 or Aug. 12, 2014 Seven night Alaska cruise on the NCL Jewel through the scenic Inside Passage. Visit Ketchikan, “The Salmon Capital of the World” and home to the world’s largest collection of Native American totem poles; Juneau, the capital of Alaska; and Sawyer Glacier, that calves constantly, shedding huge chunks of ice with incredible colors. Stop in Skagway, where the Gold Rush began and onshore enjoy a stroll on the weathered boardwalks; and Victoria, BC, Canada’s Garden City on Vancouver Island.

Sightseeing tours in Seattle including Pike’s Place Market & San Francisco with opportunities to see the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf. Plus Napa where you will visit two of the area’s premier wineries.

Scenic Amtrak Coast Starlight train trip from San Francisco to Seattle. Relax in your Amtrak sleeper-roomette at night (includes VIP lounge). *Per person, based on double occupancy. Add $100 for July departures.

Add $299 tax/service/gov’t fees. Price based on inside cabin, upgrades available. Other dates available. Airfare is extra.

For reservations & details call 7 days a week:

1-800-736-7300

My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

Interested in raising sheep?

Tours of Amish farms planned WOOSTER – Experienced sheep producers or anyone interested in starting up a sheep farm can tour a series of successful Amish farms July 12 led in part by a group of livestock and forage experts from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

The tour will offer both beginning and experienced farmers tips on everything from sheep grazing management to sheep marketing, said Rory Lewandowski, an agriculture and natural resources educator for Ohio State University Extension.

OSU Extension is the outreach arm of the college.

The tour is designed to provide participants a “unique opportunity to spend time on four Amish farms to get a first-hand look at their operations,” said Lewandowski, who is also helping organize the tour.

“Our goal is to give sheep livestock owners an opportunity to see other sheep grazing farms with the idea they may be able to pick up tips they can apply to their own grazing operations,” he said. “At this point, the season is off to a good start, pastures are growing well, and first cut hay production looks good.

“Most farmers are pretty encouraged at this point.”

The tour will focus on four Amish sheep grazing farms in Holmes County,

Lewandowski said.

Topics to be discussed include: Beginning sheep farmer using low cost start-up investmentSheep productionCool season pasture speciesWarm season annualsUse of mineralsFencing and rotation managementBreeding managementSheep and farm marketing Check-in for the tour begins at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of Keim Lumber, 4465 S.R. 557, in Charm, Ohio. The tour bus will leave the parking lot at 9 a.m., returning by 4 p.m. Registration is $35 per person and includes lunch. The deadline to register is July 1 and is limited to the first 100 participants.

A registration form can be found at http://sheep.osu.edu.

Payments made out to OHSIA (Ohio Heartland Sheep Improvement Association) should be sent to Velda Limbach, 14950 Stanwood Street, S.W., Dalton, Ohio 44618.

The tour is sponsored by the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, OSU Extension, the OHSIA and the Ohio Forage and Grasslands Council.

SPRAYING IT RIGHT:

It can make all the difference

By TRACY TURNER OSU Extension

COLUMBUS — An agricultural tool as small as a thumb can mean the difference between a 25 to 50 percent increase in yields or a 25 to 50 percent decline, according to an expert from Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

Choosing the right type of sprayer nozzle can make a huge difference in how effective pesticides are during a growing season and whether growers have to re-spray their fields or in some cases, replant, said Erdal Ozkan, an agricultural engineering professor and spray technology expert with Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC).

OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college.

Not only do farmers have to have a field clear of weeds and pests before they plant, they have to keep that field free of pests and weeds throughout the growing season, Ozkan said. And with the rising cost of pesticides and fertilizers, growers who also want to save money and spray chemicals as efficiently as possible need to make sure they choose the correct spray nozzle for their fields, weather conditions

and type of chemicals they apply, he said.

“Farming is a tough business, with a very narrow margin between profit and loss,” Ozkan said. “So anything we can do to widen that margin is a good thing.”

The costs are significant. Farmers spend approximately $4.1 billion on pesticides annually, according to published reports. And large selfpropelled sprayers can cost more than $250,000, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“Growers usually choose pesticides based on their effectiveness, not how much they cost,” Ozkan said. “So one way to find savings in crop production is how we apply pesticides, and choosing the right nozzle is a part of that process.

“The more precise and accurate growers are in their applications, the more growers can have a net savings. For example, if growers are spraying more than the recommended rate, it is a waste of money.”

National surveys of field application results have shown that only about one out of three sprayers are applying pesticides at the recommended rates, while twothirds are missing the mark by either over- or under-spraying, Ozkan said.

“Doing it right can result in better control and cost savings, and eliminates having to do a

second application,” he said. “If you don’t do it right or choose the wrong nozzle, the mistakes won’t show up that day, but sometime later in the growing season when weeds, insects, disease or all of the above start showing up in the crops in particular areas.”

Ozkan said growers can improve the performance of sprayers if they: • Always calibrate the equipment with water before spraying to ensure that the sprayer is applying the chemical at the recommended rate. (For details, see the OSU Extension fact sheet “Boom Sprayer Calibration” at http://ohioline.osu.edu/ae x-fact/0520.html).

• Mix chemicals in a small container before pouring them into the sprayer tank to achieve a uniform mix.

• Determine if the pesticide requires specific adjuvants to provide product efficacy, influence droplet size or solution evaporation rate, reduce drift and to improve deposit and retention on the target.

• Understand that some pesticides are volatile and may require incorporation into the soil after application.

• Check sprayer components to ensure they are the right size and type; check the sprayer system for leaks; and check the tank agitation system to ensure that flow to the tank for agitation is effective.

• Make sure pressure gauge on the sprayer is accurate and operate the sprayer within the pressure range recommended by the nozzle manufacturer.

• Keep the boom height to a minimum to reduce drift. Setting the proper boom height for a given nozzle spacing is extremely important in achieving proper overlapping. Conventional flatfan nozzles require 30- to 50-percent overlapping of adjacent spray patterns. Check catalogs for specific recommendations for different nozzles.

• Maintain uniform deposition of spray material on the target across the boom. Non-uniform coverage can result from using misaligned or clogged nozzles, nozzles with different fan angles, or from uneven nozzle height across the boom.

This can result in streaks, untreated areas or overapplication of chemicals.

• Watch for pattern streaks in the nozzle output, which indicate particles are in the nozzles.

Remove them from the nozzle tip using a wooden toothpick or soft object and clean the nozzle filter using a soft brush.

• Learn more about reducing spray drift as much as possible. Details are available in an OSU Extension bulletin, Reducing Spray Drift, available for purchase at http://estore.osu-extension.org/productdetails.cf m?PC=2433.

SAFETY Continued from page 4B

emergency personnel understand for example, what the inside of an auger looks like. The cart also addresses other farm safety issues.

The statistical risk for accidents has increased simply because many more farmers are building storage bins, and often storing grain longer. Technical innovations have increased efficiency that allows farmers to work alone, thus introducing perhaps a tradeoff with safety.

The types of bin accidents include: engulfment, carbon dioxide poisoning, suffocation or explosion from grain dust, and exposure to fumigants.

The following guidelines have been suggested by a partnership between the Missouri Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Labor.

1. Do not work alone around grain bins. Have a partner available nearby in case of emergency.

2. Use a body harness and lifelines attached to the bin ladder when entering; place a ladder inside the bin. Ideally, there should rest platforms installed every 30 feet for rescue workers.

3. Never enter a bin

Highland County Water Company, Inc. Main Office U.S. Rt. 50 West, Hillsboro, OH 937-393-4281 • 1-800-533-6839 Treatment Plant 14080 U.S. Rt. 50, Hillsboro, OH 1-800-536-6839 • 937-365-1141

Firefighters cut into the side of a grain bin.

when the auger is operating. Moving grain acts like quicksand and engulfment can happen in seconds. Beware of crusted, spoiled grain.

Dislodge steep piles with a long pole.

4. Install lockout/tagout procedures and devices, like those used when working with electricity, to prevent accidental turning on of an auger.

5. Be aware of and take necessary precautions about airborne substances: carbon dioxide is produced from fermenting grain.

Symptoms of poisoning include drowsiness, headache, slow breathing. Exposure to mold spores can cause an allergic reaction; repeated exposures decrease your tolerance. Wear dust masks certified by the National Institute of Safety and Health, capa-

ble of filtering out fine dust particles.

6. Use extreme caution when applying fumigants: follow directions closely, wear protective clothing, run the ventilation fan, post warning signs outside, or hire a professional to do the job.

7. Use equipment guards around moving parts.

8. Post safety signage for all workers around bin areas.

Awareness and established precautionary procedures are considered the best defense against dangers imposed by large farm equipment and facilities. When tragedy strikes, it becomes all too apparent that being in a hurry and cutting corners is not worth the risks.

(Caroline McColloch writes for the Piqua Daily Call.)

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My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

5B

EYES ON THE PRIZE Take a close look at crops to head off problems

By ADAM SHEPARD shepard.95@osu.edu

Well, another month has past and the landscapes around the county continue to change.

Corn and soybean growth stages in the county are spread across a fairPicture left to right are: Mallory Zachrich, FFA advisor, John Griffith, J D Equipment, Kyle Young, Brenda Young, ly wide range from V4 all Doug Young. Back left: Gary Hoffman, FFA advisor. Back right, Matt Unger, FFA advisor.. the way up to V9, depending on planting and sidedress timing. Soybeans are also progressing nicely with growth stages from 3The national FFA organization, grown to become Ohio’s largest and has served as the chapter treas5 Trifoliate. in partnership with J D Equipment John Deere dealer with eight locaurer and sentinel. Kyle’s superAs the crops continue and John Deere are pleased to tions and moe than 300 employees. vised agricultural experience proto grow and we receive announce that they have awarded This year’s recipient, Kyle grams include market hogs, and rain, now is the time to Kyle Young of the Madison Plains Young is a senior at Madison agricultural mechanics. apply the practices and FFA chapter a $2,000 scholarship.

Plains High School who is pursuKyle has earned his state FFA knowledge you have J D Equipment is a familying a degree in agricultural busidegree and placed second in the obtained through particiowned business, founded in Plain ness at Wilmington College. Kyle District 6 agricultural mechanics pating in winter meetings City, in 1982. J D equipment has is an active member of the FFA proficiency. and start scouting your crops. Depending on the area of the state you are located, we have all experienced different weather Nineteen Ohio youths were • Devon Alexander, Anna, Public • Garrit Sproull, Uhrichsville, patterns to this point in the among 284 students receiving scholRelations Surgeon, Swine Production Business growing season. arships from Tractor Supply • Brady Cambell, Waterford, • Darby Walton, Sycamore, As the crops near Company and the National FFA Large Animal Veterinarian Auctioneer/Farmer canopy we should be out Foundation through their new • Brittany Conkey, Hicksville, • Paige Wieman, Rawson, scouting for any weed Growing Scholars program. Tractor Veterinarian Registered Dietician pressure that may exist Supply customers across the country • Preston Deeter, Ansonia, Large • Mallorie Wippel, Orient, USDA and determine if it wardonated $362,324, resulting in 284 Animal Veterinarian To be eligible for a scholarship, rants treatment. Be honest scholarships awarded to FFA mem• Sara Dungan, New Carlisle, students must have been current FFA in your evaluation and bers in their pursuit of a college Teacher members and either a high school make the decision that degree.

• Sierra Jepsen, Amanda, Business senior or a freshman, sophomore or gives your crop the best The Growing Scholars program Professional junior college student seeking a two- opportunity to grow and was supported nationally by each of • Taylor Kruse, Wauseon, or four-year degree or other specialremember that a 4”-6” the more than 1,175 Tractor Supply Agriculture Education Teacher ized training program. Major areas of weed is easier to eliminate stores Feb. 15-24 as part of National • Mark Kuntz, Irwin, study were also considered when than a 12”-16” weed.

FFA Week. Tractor Supply customers Farmer/Salesperson determining scholarship recipients.

Familiarize yourself with supported local FFA chapters and • Karli Lane, Catalia, Large For the final report of funds raised the insect scouting calentheir members by purchasing an FFA Animal Veterinarian and a list of the scholarship recipidar and have a good emblem for $1 at store registers dur• Rachel Mcclish, Washington ents, visit understanding of the ing the checkout process.

Court House, Grain Marketer www.TractorSupply.com/FFA. insects and plant health The National FFA Foundation • Montana McFarland, “We are thrilled with the results of issues that are potential selected FFA members across the Williamsport, Agricultural Lawyer the first Growing Scholars program,” problems at this point in United States to receive the scholar• Lindsay Overmyer, Fremont, said National FFA Foundation the growing season. ships. Two $1,000 grants were also Field Agronomist Executive Director Robert K. Cooper.

The scouting calendars awarded to select FFA Chapters.

• Catlin Pauley, Kenton, Teacher “We are very thankful for Tractor for corn, soybeans and Here is a list of the scholarship recip• Reed Poling, Dunkirk, Supply’s continued support of FFA wheat are located in most ients from Ohio and their desired Agriculture Equipment Design and the efforts of its customers to of the field guides providcareer field: • Grant Price, Tiffin, Veterinarian give our youth a chance to grow.” ed by Extension and seed companies. If we can narrow down the spectrum of pests we are looking for depending on the time of growing season - we have COLUMBUS – The unfamiliar with livestock flicts with neighbors’ outMeeting and Industry a better chance of correctOhio Livestock Coalition and farming. In addition, door activities, explain why Symposium on September ly identifying and treating (OLC), in partnership with rural neighbors should keep farmers work late during 6. Award winners will the problems. the Ohio Farm Bureau their property neat and clean planting and harvesting receive a plaque and $250 When scouting it’s also Federation and Farm Credit and be respectful of private times, and be helpful (i.e. will be donated to each important to keep track of Mid-America, is now property and the need for offer assistance with snow recipient’s favorite local the weather patterns you accepting nominations for farmers to safeguard their removal in the wintertime). charity of choice. the 2013 Neighbor of the business to help preserve the To qualify for the rural For more information or have been experiencing and using that information Year awards. The awards rural landscape that everyresident award, the individto obtain an application, recognize two rural residents one enjoys.” ual should: Keep property contact Amy Hurst at (614) to help you identify potential problems. In Fayette – one farmer and one nonTo qualify for the farmer neat, clean and trim. Keep 246-8262 or County for example, we farmer – who have positiveaward, the individual should: pets and other domestic aniahurst@ofbf.org. For more have received significant ly developed and enhanced Be a livestock (dairy, beef, mals restricted to the proper- information about Ohio’s rain events over the past relationships between neigh- sheep, swine or poultry) ty. Keep trash in a covered, livestock farmers, and their couple of weeks on satubors in Ohio’s farm commu- farmer. Take opportunities enclosed receptacle. Not role in providing Ohioans rated soils that created nities. to educate neighbors about assume that farmland is with safe, wholesome, “Being a good neighbor the operation and process. open and available for an affordable food, visit OLC’s some localized ponding.

If I were scouting soymeans being responsible and Share with neighbors that off-road vehicle or for walk- website at bean fields that have experespectful of others,” said farm animals require attening. Talk to a farmer regard- www.ohiolivestock.org.

David White, OLC execution and care 24 hours a day, ing any questions about tive director. “This means seven days a week, regardfarming or agricultural practhat farmers should be courless of holidays and weektice. teous of their neighbors and ends. Follow OLC’s good Nominations are due by educate them on what they neighbor policy to: schedAugust 1 to the OLC office. do and why they do it, espe- ule/manage manure applica- Awards will be presented at cially for those who may be tion to avoid potential conthe 16th OLC Annual

Madison-Plains student receives scholarship

Ohio FFA youth earn Growing Scholars funds

Neighbor of the Year Award nominations being sought

rienced those conditions I want to make sure that I focus on the symptoms of Phytophthora and scout those areas of the field especially well. Scouting your fields should be a planned event, create time on your calendar to walk fields and become familiar with the conditions your crop is facing. Most times when we are able to see symptoms from driving by we have already let the problem get too far. By scouting regularly we can identify and address those situations before they become big problems.

This time of year is busy for our office with the upcoming fair and the Southwest Ohio Corn Growers Field Day. This years field day will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fayette County Airport near Washington Court House. We are still confirming our list of speakers for the program but as always we will have a great lineup of speakers that will be sharing information on topics specific to this area of the state.

Numerous agribusinesses from the area will have displays set up and representatives available to answer any questions you may have. I’m excited this year to offer airplane rides in conjunction with FCA Flight Training at the Fayette County Airport.

This is a unique opportunity to scout from the skies and take an aerial crop tour of the county. The flight is scheduled for 30 minutes at a cost of only $30/participant. The plane can carry two adults plus the pilot. This 30-minute flight will take you nearly anywhere in the county or even a loop over Deer Creek. If you are interested in scheduling a time to fly please contact the office at 740-335-1150.

Money will be collected at the Field Day, so call now because space is limited.

As the field day approaches more information is available online at www.fayette.osu.edu or by calling the Extension office at 740-335-1150.

(Adam Shepard is the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator, Ohio State University Extension, Fayette County.)

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6B

My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

Late blight on tomatoes

By DAVE DUGAN dugan.46@osu.edu

In 2009, we had a terrible time with Late Blight on tomatoes throughout the area. This does not normally happen very often, but it seems to have shown up to some degree ever since 2009. There are precautions that you can do if it begins to show up in the Southern Ohio.

The precautions include the use of fungicides. Fungicides need to be applied before you have a problem, not after the plants are showing symptoms. There have been cases of Late Blight in Western Tennessee and in West Virginia this year.

This disease can also damage potatoes.

For more information do a search for Kentucky Pest News. Click on previous newsletters and go to the June 11 issue.

There is a complete breakdown about the disease and steps to take from Dr. Kenny Seebold.

SOACDF Meetings Coming Up Soon The informational meetings for the 2013-14 year will be coming up soon. The Southern Ohio Agricultural and Community Development Foundation program has been around for a number of years. There have been changes to the programs offered, so you may want to mark your calendars so you receive the latest details about the upcoming application period which is the month of August for the Agricultural Programs.

The Educational Assistance programs will also be discussed at these meetings.

For more information about the SOACDF you can log into their website.

The address is http://soacdf.net.

Plan to attend one of these meetings so you can ask questions, obtain applications, and hear the latest on this year’s programs. The meeting dates, times and locations are listed below in the Dates to Remember.

Controlling Marestail in Double-Crop Soybeans This article appears in this week’s C.O.R.N. newsletter and is written

by OSU Extension Weed Specialist, Dr. Mark Loux. Marestail continues to be a problem weed for soybean producers in Southern Ohio. If you are considering,or already gone to a double crop situation, this may be helpful. I know some producers are/were planning to take a first cutting of hay then follow with soybeans, while others will possibly follow wheat.

Wheat harvest has started.

This is essentially a repeat of an article that ran last year at this time.

Little has changed since then with the exception that Liberty has been even harder to procure this year, so using a glyphosate+Sharpen burndown may be more realistic.

A weed free start is the most critical aspect of a weed management program for double-crop soybeans. This can be challenging to achieve where glyphosate-resistant marestail are present after wheat harvest. Problems with marestail include the following: 1) most populations are now glyphosate-resistant and many of these are also ALS-resistant; 2) it’s usually not possible to use 2,4-D ester and wait 7 days until double-crop soybean planting; and 3) marestail that were tall enough to be cut off by harvesting equipment will be even more difficult to

control. Our research indicates that there are no herbicide treatments that consistently control glyphosate-resistant marestail populations that have regrown following mechanical disturbance or prior herbicide treatment.

Certainly one of the best options is to plant LibertyLink soybeans, which allows for a POST application of Liberty to help control plants that survive a preplant burndown. The following are the most effective burndown options for control of marestail prior to double-crop soybean emergence: Liberty (32 to 36 oz) + Sharpen (1 oz) + MSO + AMS (can also add metribuzin) Liberty (32 to 36 oz) + metribuzin (4 to 8 oz of 75DF) + AMS Glyphosate (1.5 lb ae/A) + Sharpen (1 oz) + MSO + AMS We suggest using a spray volume of 20 gpa for any of these treatments, and avoiding nozzles that produce large droplets. Results with a combination of glyphosate and 2,4-D may be more variable then the treatments listed. With regard to the control of weeds that can emerge after double-crop soybean planting, and the entire weed control system, the following approaches can be considered.

1. Plant any type of soybean, and include a residual herbicide with the burndown treatment so that POST herbicides are not needed. A good strategy in Roundup Ready or nonGMO soybeans even where POST treatment is needed, since POST marestail control might be impossible in these systems. Residual herbicides used at this time of the year should be restricted to those that have little or no carryover risk – such as metribuzin, Valor, or low rates of chlorimuron or cloransulam products.

2. Plant a LibertyLinksoybean, and apply Liberty POST as needed. Probably the best option for control of lateremerging marestail or plants that regrow after the burndown, assuming that there is any Liberty available.

3. Plant a Roundup Ready soybean and apply glyphosate POST. Should work for most weeds, but not a good choice if the POST application needs to control marestail.

4. Plant a nonGMO soybean and apply conventional POST herbicides (Flexstar, Fusion, Select, etc) as needed.

This system has the most potential for soybean injury, but seed may be cheaper than the other systems. Not a good choice if the POST application needs to control marestail.

Dates to Remember SOACDF Meetings: July 2 at Cherry Fork Gym at 6 p.m.; July 9 at Southern Hills Career Center at 2 p.m.; and July 11 at USDA in Lucasville at 6:30 p.m.

Pesticide License Testing: Private and commercial testing for applicator license will be offered on August 12 at the Old Y Restaurant. You are required to pre-register by calling the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 800-2821955 or online at http://pested.osu.edu.

Space is limited so register soon. Study materials are also available at the same address or phone number.

(David Dugan is an OSU Extension Educator,

The plowing contest is a test of man and horse to plow a furrow with a team of horses, and test the skill of the driver.

A test of man and beast National Percheron Horse Association holds plowing contest

By PENNY SMITH psmith@civitasmedia.com

The National Percheron Horse Association office property in Fredericktown in May hosted its annual plowing contest at the national headquarters of the Percheron Horse Association in Knox County. The plowing contest is a test of man and horse to plow a furrow with a team of horses, and test the skill of the driver.

Horses were once the backbone of our nation prior to tractors. Even today, the horse can work ground when modern tractors cannot enter the field because of poor conditions.

This event provides the opportunity for genera-

tions to share how farming has changed over the years. Children are given a chance to ride a horse led by the owner.

An 88 year “young” visitor directed a team of horses, something he hadn’t done since 1948, according to a volunteer.

Others are surprised as to how physically demanding it is to plow with the horses and cannot imagine how long it would take to complete a field.

The plowing contest has attracted participants in the past from as many as six states with spectators from the general public. Middlebury Grange serves refreshments at the event. Fredericktown is also headquarters to the State of Ohio Grange.

The Percheron Horse

Association was formed in 1876 when a group of Percheron breeders met in Chicago and formed the Norman-Percheron Association. The Norman named was dropped the following year. The Percheron breeders met in 1905 and formed the Percheron Society of America which continued until 1934, when the current association, the Percheron Horse Association of America, was formed.

The present association has nearly 3,400 members in all 50 states. The association sets registration standards, most of which are in widespread use in today’s many livestock breed registries. All registrations and transfers of ownership are processed

at the office in Fredericktown. There are currently about 2,500 new horses registered each year and over 4,000 changes of ownership each year.

There were 12 participants from around Ohio and one from out-of-state.

Participants included: Steve Wickersham, Caledonia; Erin C. Lundy, Carthage, New York; Frank Stahl, Frazeysburg; Joe Reed, Fredericktown; Michael McKay, Powell; Stanley Rine, St. Louisville; Amanda Manges, Sullivan; Richard Rook, Butler; Jenna Burk, Fredericktown; Jim Reed, Oberlin; Alan Stanley, Newark; Emily Roberts, Fredericktown; and Howard Goodyear, Brunswick Hills.

My Own® Rural Life of Southwest Ohio

July 2013

7B

M O RE T HA N MA CH INE S

By RANDA WAGNER rwagner@civitasmedia.com

Eldon Wenger loved tractors. All kinds of tractors - and it showed through his personal collection, assembled over the past 20 years.

On May 11, Eldon’s beloved collection of 112 tractors was sold at auction to other tractor enthusiasts at the family homestead on State Route 314 in Morrow County.

Every tractor, every partial earthmover, every nut and bolt sold.

“Over 400 buyers checked into the auction,” said Polk Auction employee Kriss Barker. “We do our best to sell every tractor. The family was ecstatic.”

“It’s what we specialize in,” said Auctioneer Jeff Polk. The New Paris, Indiana company travels all over the country handling large tractor and implement auctions for

More than 100 of Eldon Wenger’s beloved vintage tractors were auctioned in May as part of his estate.

Beloved vintage tractors auctioned as part of farmer’s estate

individuals.

“We had bidders from all over the country, bidding online and onsite,” Polk said. Four photos of each tractor were taken and posted online for interested parties to look over before the auction.

Fifteen bidders followed the sale online, with four or five making winning bids, Barker reported.

Modern auctions can now accommodate remote bidders thanks to technology that allows to watch and listen online to the auction as it’s taking place. Barker constantly monitors the auction as it unfolds and accepts bids from online buyers.

Hundreds came to the farm - some from great distances like Iowa and Canada. “It was a great turnout!” she said.

Jeff Polk became acquainted with Eldon Wenger when Wenger purchased a tractor at an auction Polk was handling

years ago. Wenger contacted Polk in February when he decided to sell the collection and booked a date.

Eldon passed away March 10 and his eight surviving grown children worked with Polk at the homestead to prepare for the event.

“What a great family!”

Polk said the day before the auction. “Normally we’re still getting things set up, but we had it done yesterday. They were such a big help!”

Polk Auction Co. advertised the personal collection in all the collector’s magazines and online, and sent out color brochures. Polk was expecting a good turnout of 500-600 people. Many had pre-registered, including potential buyers from North Carolina, Wisconsin and Iowa that were coming.

“We have a good following and there’s been quite a high demand for antique tractors,” Polk

said.

“Everyone’s going to be here because (Eldon) has lived here all his life,” said Barker. “They all know him.”

“He was a fine man and has a fine family,” Polk emphasized. “It’s a lot different from some sales we do that are because of a divorce or death, and the family is fighting. This family worked together and they’re just ‘stand up.’

It’s a close knit family and it’s good to see there’s still some of that out there.”

Eldon and Alma Lehman were married 49 years and raised 9 children. They moved to Morrow County in 1955 to run the England dairy farm. He milked dairy cattle there and at their farm on State Route 314 for more than 40 years. After

he sold the dairy cows and equipment in 1988, he helped his son Les and grandchildren in the Wenger Builders carpentry business for 15 years. Sons Alan and Dave Wenger estimate Eldon collected tractors for the past 20-25 years, restoring many of them.

Eldon’s favorite, a 1960 Oliver 440 was the rarest tractor (a low production number) and Polk estimated it would probably fetch the most at auction.

Alan and Dale recall their father taking tractors to the annual events hosted by the Antique Tractor Association at the fairgrounds.

“He couldn’t get out anymore to actually work on them,” Dale said of later years. One of the daughters-in-law made

photo albums of all the tractors so Eldon could look through it anytime he wanted to. The brothers also recalled family gatherings through the years as a time their father especially enjoyed.

“It was dad’s ‘thing’ at Thanksgiving or any gettogether to get the tractors out on the front yard, drive around, and give the grandkids rides in a wagon,” said Dale, laughing.

Ten acres, the house and the tractors are what remain of the homestead these days. Now the tractors will move on to new homes with buyers that can appreciate them the way Eldon did.

(Randa Wagner is the editor of the Morrow County Sentinel.)

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