Farm & Ranch Living February 2020

February 2020

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly Horace McQueen See page 3

Duct tape in Agriculture Baxter Black See page 5

Game Warden Field Notes Texas Parks & Wildlife See page 10

Palestine hosts 4-H District 5 Food Challenge

By PennyLynn Webb

T

Palestine Herald-Press

he 2020 4-H District 5 Food Challenge was held at Palestine High School on Saturday.

This year, 71 teams, made up of 288 children from 22 Texas counties, ranging in age from third grade to seniors in high school, competed in this annual event.

This was the first time for this event to be held in Palestine.

Through this competition, students are not only learning about cooking for competition, they are learning life skills, including food safety. Many of the students who participate in this contest, go on to work in the food service industry.

For this contest, student teams, made up of 3 to 4 members, enter a preparation room and are assigned a table. They are also assigned a type of dish ranging from main dish, nutritious snack, fruits and vegetables and bread and grains and are given a key ingredient.

Just like chefs, each participant must have their hair restrained, wear closed toed shoes and they cannot wear jewelry. Some teams go all out, wearing special team t-shirts and some have child sized aprons and chefs hats.

Once they receive their key ingredient and type of dish they are to prepare, they must then come up with a recipe for their

assigned dish with the key ingredient they were given, based on a pantry list of what ingredients are available to them.

They have five dollars of clover bucks to spend at the pantry in order to purchase what they need for their recipe. They then have 40 minutes to make their dish.

An Anderson County Intermediate team, made up of Hallie Woolverton, Addison Bowman, Reed Mason and Scott Black made an Apple-kale salad with granola and carrots for their food entry.

This team was made up of two seasoned members, Hallie Woolverton and Addison Bowman, who had competed in last years competition and two new contestants, Reed Mason and Scott Black. Only one of the team members, Addison Bowman, was nervous.

When their 40 minutes for preparation is up, the teams must step back from their dish – finished or not and wait their turn to present their dish to judges.

Each team is scored on preparation, serving size, food safety concerns, nutritional value and cost.

Parents are not allowed in the preparation area or the room for judging.

At Palestine a television monitor was set up in the commons area for parents to watch their children compete.

See Food Challenge on Page 3

2020 Cherokee County Livestock Henderson County 4-H brimming with opportunities Show set

Preparing for a busy year

By Rich Flowers

A

Athens Daily Review

ngela Hemphill knows her pace will be picking up for the next couple of months.

Hemphill, who grew up in Jacksonville worked in the Henderson County AgriLife Extension Office as secretary for almost 13 years now leads Youth and 4H activities for the department.

“I really came to really love 4-H and working with the kids through my role as secretary,” Hemphill said.

“When the position came open, I was really excited to have the opportunity to apply for it.”

She moved into the director’s role Oct. 1.

“December is kind of slow for everybody,” Hemphill said. “In January it picks back up and we’ll be running hard for the rest of the calendar year.”

March is crunch time for dozens of 4-H’ers who are showing animals or entering projects in the 60th Henderson County Livestock Show set for March 23 through 28 at the Fair Park Coliseum.

As 2020 began, several 4-H members were heading for the major livestock shows. The first big one starts each January in Fort Worth. Then it’s on to San Antonio, Houston and San Angelo.

Hemphill said some people mistakenly believe you have to have a show animal to participate in 4-H. “That’s not true at all,” Hemphill said. “We have so many things they can do.”

The District 5 4-H Food Challenge Contest was on the schedule for late February, with five teams competing.

“They have been working hard to hone in their cooking and presentation skills for this contest,” Hemphill said. “It’s kind of like Iron Chef on the Food Network.”

The kids are given a mystery ingredient and they have to prepare and give a presentation on it.” Hemphill said.

In March, our 4-H photographers will be getting their entries ready for the District 5 4-H Photography Contest. We will also begin our 4-H Robotics Project meetings on the first and third Wednesdays March through May. “We work with the Lego-ev3 Robotics Kit,” Hemphill said. “Over a six lesson series they’ll be learning how to build those, program those and work with others to build team building skills.”

There’s even a new 4-H program designed for dog lovers.

“They may not feel like there’s anything else they like, See Henderson County on Page 3

By Jo Anne Embleton

T

Jacksonville Daily Progress

he schedule for the 2020 Cherokee County Livestock Show has been set.

The event – open to all members of 4-H and FFA clubs in Cherokee County, representing school districts in Alto, Bullard, Carlisle, Jacksonville, New Summerfield, Rusk, Troup and Wells – is slated for March 25-28 at the Cherokee County Stock Show & Exposition Center on Loop 456 in Jacksonville.

Opening day events – slated for Wednesday, March 25 – kick off with separate baked goods and photography competitions beginning at 9:30 a.m. while a horticulture competition begins at 1 p.m.

A new event, the Exceptional Kids Show, starts at 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The schedule for Thursday, March 26, includes swine judging at 8 a.m.; meat pen rabbit judging at 10:30 a.m. and poultry judging at 11 a.m. Following a noon lunch break, dairy cattle judging will be held at 2 p.m., with rabbit judging scheduled at 4 p.m.

On Friday, March 27, judging will begin at 8 a.m. for horses, as well as for shop projects; the 10 a.m. goat judging will be immediately followed by lamb judging.

Lunch is slated from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by the judging for pen of commercial heifers at noon, then beef judging at 1 p.m.

Closing day schedule for Saturday, March 28, begins with a 9 a.m. livestock judging contest.

Lunch will be served from noon to 3 p.m., with the Queen’s contest scheduled for 1 p.m., while scholarship presentations will be made at 2:30 p.m., followed by a livestock, then shop, sales beginning at 3 p.m.

2

February 2020

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Feeling at home in FFA

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

By Guy Chapman

D

Corsicana Daily Sun

evin Abram of Dawson joined of Texas Future Farmers of America after his first week of high school. His freshman agriculture science teacher shared the benefits and opportunities the program could offer him. Abram’s attention was piqued by the thoughts of winning prize money through the sale of market show animals, and he became a full active member by the end of his sophomore year.

Now a 17-year-old senior, Abram has spent his high school career as part of the organization.

While Abram initially started showing market swine during his freshman year, it was his application for an officer’s position that opened his eyes to what the FFA program could offer, being thrust into a variety of new experiences.

“It’s been very great to have come into a new organization and really feel like you have a home,” he said.

Abram is a senior member of the Dawson FFA chapter, serving as the Area VIII Association first vice president and treasurer.

“Once I became a chapter officer, my ag teacher pretty much just threw me in the water, and it was sink or swim,” Abram said. “I will say that all of the experiences and opportunities I’ve gained have really helped me, and will continue to help me in my future.”

For his junior year, Abram competed in public relations and job interview as part of FFA’s Leadership Development Events, which led him to state competition during his first year.. His team made it to the second round of public relations during competitions. The job interview segment helped lead Abram to getting his own job the next year.

Abram also competes in extemporaneous speaking, where speakers get a choice of three topics, and have 30 minutes to write and deliver a speech on the subject. Abram is also a poultry judge, critiquing egg quality, examining and grading carcasses and live chickens as part of poultry science.

“That’s something that I never thought I’d be doing,” he chuckled. “Judging chickens, who would have thought?”

Yet that skill is one who Abrams says he likes the most and finds the most fun, having taught him a lot of skills he hadn’t previously known about.

As an area officer that represents Texas FFA as a voting delegate, Abram has served on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at the State Leadership Conference, where emerging new groups based on race, culture, and religion can find a home within FFA’s programs.

“Our organization is all about bringing youth together, and really allowing them to find something they enjoy without judgement,” he said.

Abram also had the opportunity to attend the Urban Agricultural Programs Committee at the 2019 National FFA Convention. The convention, held in Indianapolis, Indiana, helped to define what urban agriculture is, allowing students to obtain specific awards and degrees they wouldn’t have access to outside of rural areas.

The experience marked a personal first for Abram, being his first flight on a commercial airline, which he enjoyed.

Abram has accumulated over 300 hours of community service combined through the FFA, National Honor Society, and the Navarro Regional Hospital Teen Volunteer Program. In addition to other FFA activities and events, he has also received the Zig Ziglar Youth Certification.

Outside FFA, Abram plays a variety of sports, from football basketball, track and tennis.

“I do a little bit of everything,” he said. “I’m pretty involved in a lot of things, actually.”

Abram is also involved in Spanish Club and “Dog Pack,” a support group for Dawson High School’s athletic activities.

After Abram graduates in May, he is deliberating which college to attend. His hopeful choice being A&M, where he may continue to pursue a career in the agricultural industry. Otherwise, he would like to attend University of Texas Austin or Texas State, where he plans to pursue a degree in biology with hopes of becoming an orthodontist, an interest he’s wanted to pursue since middle school.

“I’ve always enjoyed helping people,” Abram said. “I feel like there’s a lot of good work that could be done.”

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February 2020

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

3

The Good, The Bad and the Ugly—in politics!

N

ever before has our nation witnessed a more sordid and sinful campaign for votes than in this election year. Both the “ins” and “outs” bombard us with advertisements proclaiming they are the “chosen” candidate to lead us forward to new horizons.

Mike Bloomberg is spending billions of dollars to blast voters with his rhetoric of being a friend and confidant of former President Obama. Then we have Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden and a host of other Democrats who want to wear the tarnished crown of the nations’ highest office—the

Presidency.

On the opposite side, there’s President Trump, who can’t keep his mouth shut—responding to every critical comment by those who want him removed from office. Best thing he can do is to spend more time on the golf course—or take a cane pole and go fishing. Let the Democrats pick off one another and eventually few will be left standing. Then we will finally know who we have to choose from this November.

In Houston—and other cities—being able to read a ballot presented in the English language

is no longer required. Twenty nine different languages are on the ballot in the Bayou city. Ballot translators are available at all Harris County polling places for the non-English speaking voters.

Those of us who grew up with the belief that immigrants to our country had to be proficient in English to become citizens are left at the wayside. It’s guesstimated that more than onethird of residents in the Houston area speak a foreign language.

Here in East Texas, the proliferation of signs touting the credentials of those running for most every office is evident. In

Food Challenge, continued from page 1

some races, several candidates vie for voter support. And many of those office seekers are using endorsements from other elected officials as their claim to legitimacy. I have a hard time reasoning that my vote needs to be cast for someone endorsed by other politicians. Give us some endorsements by a working farm couple in the pasture or by a welder tipping his helmet to say good things about his political choice. That, to me, is what attracts votes! That’s –30— horace7338@live.com

Henderson County, continued from page 1

Photo by PennyLynn Webb

The Anderson County Intermediate team, made up of Hallie Woolverton, Addison Bowman, Reed Mason and Scott Black was challenged to make a vegetable. They chose to make an Apple-kale salad with granola and carrots. They received second place in their division in the Vegetable category.

The competition kicked off at 8 a.m. with check-in and set-up.

The Junior Team heat began just after 9 a.m. followed by the Intermediate Team Heat at 10 a.m. and the Senior Team Heat at 12 noon.

An award ceremony was held at noon. The Anderson County Intermediate Team made up of Woolverton, Bowman, Mason and Black received second place in Intermediate Vegetable.

Holly Black, the family community health extension agent for Anderson County, would like to extend her gratitude to Palestine High School for provided a place for the event to be held and Michelle Mason, who played a key role in allowing the event to be hosted here.

“We are so thankful for all the support from our Anderson County 4H leaders, parents and community volunteers,” said Holly Black. “We are so blessed that everyone pitched in and wanted to help.”

Students qualify at the county and district level to compete at the state contest.

Photo by PennyLynn Webb

Addison Bowman, has put her hands up and stepped away from the preparation table. When the 40 minutes for preparation is up, “TIME” is called by the judges and the teams must step back from their dish – finished or not and wait their turn to present their dish to judges.

but they love their dog,” Hemphill said.

“Another great thing about that program is they don’t even need a dog.”

The students will learn about different dog breeds and how to care for their animal. When the weather gets nicer they’ll go outside and learn to train them.

There are a dozen 4-H groups in the county this year and with 250 to 300 students involved they are highly dependent upon volunteers who give of their time and efforts throughout the year.

“We rely on the volunteers to be an extension of our office,” Hemphill said.

“We couldn’t function without them.

They’re great.”

There is training each fall to get the volunteers ready for the tasks at hand during the coming school year. Another orientation type meeting is in the spring.

Hemphill also thanks the Henderson County United Way for their continued support. Their financial assistance through the public’s donations helps fund many of the 4-H projects.

“At 4-H we stress the importance of giving back to our community,” Hemphill said. “We want our kids to learn that the world is bigger than just themselves, and teach them to have a kind heart and a willing hand towards those who need help.

The 4-H motto is “To Make the Best Better”, and I truly believe that we are doing that in Henderson County. We are striving to mold the leaders of tomorrow.

The age range for 4-H is third through 12th grade. Children kindergarten through second grade can become Clover Kids.

“We want them to see what 4-H is about and kind of what they’re interested in,” Hemphill said. “It’s a growing and learning experience for them.”

Many of the Henderson County 4-H kids are descendants of some of the students from early in its 60 year run.

Others are entirely new to the program. It works both ways.

“I would say there’s a good mix,” Hemphill said. “For some their dad or grandmother did it, but others have come in and seen what we’re doing and want their kids to be involved.

The local 4-H hosts an open house each

fall to give parents and their kids a chance to learn about the opportunities available to them.

“That way they can have a face-to face and find out what they might be interested in,” Hemphill said.

Through Facebook, the newspaper and other outlets they publicize different programs throughout the year. Interest is also spread through word of mouth.

Hemphill thanks her fellow agents Spencer Perkins, whose field is Agriculture and Carolyn Tyler who, plus all of the volunteers who help to make Henderson County 4-H the success that it is.

“We work as a team and each of us contributes to the other ones in some capacity,” Hemphill. “I think that’s important, to have an office where we all work together.”

4

February 2020

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

The Pea Dilemma T

his time of year, the confusion about peas comes around as we get ready to plant in this cool season gardening window. Many people mistakenly call English peas and sugar peas sweet peas because they are, in fact, tastily sweet.

However, sweet peas aren’t edible!

Confusing, right? Let’s touch on the basics.

Sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are annual climbing vines with

lovely flowers and not edible whatsoever (in fact they are considered poisonous!) They are grown for their beautiful blooms which are said to resemble butterflies and their heady, sweet fragrance. They tolerate a frost well, but do not tolerate the intense heat of our afternoons, so to enjoy these during a longer season, they must be well-mulched and have shade protection from the afternoon

sun. Otherwise, we can enjoy their intense beauty in a short spring window.

Now, on to the edibles.

Garden peas (Pisum sativum L.) originated in Asia and include both English peas and the podded peas like snow and sugar peas. English peas are shelled so that we can enjoy the sweet tender young peas, while the podded peas involve two types – the round podded snap pea with large seeds and also the flat podded pea with undeveloped seeds (the snow pea). These peas germinate best in soil temperatures around 45 degrees and grow well for us in East Texas. Selections like Little Marvel, and Sugar Snap have wrinkly seed, and those are known to be sweeter than the smooth seeded varieties. There are varieties like Alaska, and Wando (thought to have good heat tolerance) which are grown for the shelled peas, varieties like Sugar Snap, and Early Snap which are grown for both the shelled peas and the edible pods, and also varieties like Snowbird and Dwarf Gray Sugar which are grown only for the tender pods.

To grow garden peas, aim for the January 24th to February 23rd planting window. Direct sow the seeds into the ground

about 1 inch deep and about 2 inches apart, with a trellis for support. For your flat podded sugar peas, harvest about 5 to 7 days after flowering to get that tasty tender pod. Those of us that love the English peas are going to have to wait 60 to 75 days for harvest. All of the garden peas can be planted successively in order to prolong your harvest.

Peas can also be grown as a fall crop for us also, with a potential planting window of mid-August to mid-September.

But wait, what about my purple-hull peas, you ask. Good question. Our warm season peas are southern cowpeas (Vigna unguiculate). These summer garden gems originated in Africa and have become an important garden staple for us because they are rock stars in our summer heat when most of our other cultivated plants have given up for the season. Southern cowpeas include black-eye peas, crowders, cream, and field peas, and despite their names, none of them are peas. They are technically beans and are well adapted to our drought and heat conditions.

Cowpeas are an excellent place to start for folks who feel like they don’t garden well, as they can handle most of the stress mother nature can throw at an

Seed swap a success in Jacksonville A

Jacksonville Daily Progress

number of folks showed up for the Feb. 7 Cherokee County Seed Swap, hosted by the county AgriLife Extension office in Rusk, selecting from a variety of vegetable seeds and plant cuttings, bulbs and rhizomes that are offered at the annual event.

This year, seeds were donated Native American Seed, Seed Savers Exchange and Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, with sponsors such as the Lone Star Military Farmers and Spooktacular Bull Bash throwing their full support behind the event, too.

Cherokee County Master Gardeners were on hand, fielding questions and offering other information to attendees.

County horticulturalist Kim Benton said the seed swap has been held for the past 10 years or so.

Photo by Cherokee County AgriLife Extension

Photo by AgriLife Family-Community Health agent Nykole Vance

Photo by AgriLife secretary Jennifer Crowley

2805 South Loop 256 • Palestine • 903-723-3164 shelbysavingsbank.com

Kim Benton

Cherokee County Horticulturist East Texas garden. The numbers of varieties that grow well for us are many, and the general planting time is the end of March to the end of April, and the end of June to the end of July. Most varieties are named for their physiological features – blackeyed peas are cream colored with a black eye, zipper creams are cream peas whose pods are easy to open and thus the seeds are easy to shell, while crowder peas are crowded into the pod so that the seeds touch. Each one is delicious in its own right.

For more information on varieties to grow in East Texas, as well as other gardening information, check with your local extension office.

Does your land need curb appeal to sell?

By Renee Caperton visually see, the smoother Real Estate Broker

Y

ou’ve probably heard the term curb appeal when selling residential real estate, but what about curb appeal for acreage?

Curb appeal refers to how attractive a property is to a prospective buyer.

It is a huge factor for homes and is just as important for land. It’s the first impression a buyer gets when pulling up to a property, so why not make it the best impression possible?

When putting a home up for sale, the owner will want to make sure exterior conditions of the house are in good shape and the lawn is manicured.

The owner will replace any rotten wood, freshen up the paint, clean the windows and possibly power wash the drive and sidewalks. The same holds true for land. You won’t be replacing wood or doing any painting, unless you have gateways or pipe fencing that needs to be freshened up, but you’ll want to take care of the details such as overgrown grass or fallen branches or trees.

If you tend to your acreage with seasonal maintenance, you may not have much to do before selling. But if you’re a landowner that lives far away or you haven’t had a chance to perform regular maintenance, there are some things you can do to boost the appearance of the property and give it some neat curb appeal before selling. Attention is in the details and the less maintenance and repairs a prospective buyer can

the transaction normally goes and the property normally sells quicker and for a higher price.

Here are some things you can do to improve the curb appeal of your land before putting it up for sale: Make sure trails and paths are clear, mow overgrown pastures and fields, clean up large debris and brush piles, add or repair fences and gates, plant native grasses, fertilize weak or bare grass spots and fill in any holes in drives and entry access areas.

These are just a few ideas that can help your land have better curb appeal and make a good first impression to a prospective buyer.

Whether your acreage is for farm, ranch, building site or recreational use, a buyer may be comparing your property with others they have been looking at.

If your property has been maintained and the buyer would not have to make immediate repairs, this could be the procuring cause of the sale of your property over the others.

Renee Caperton is the broker/owner of Marrs & Associates Realty, since 1982, located at 711 W. Second Ave, Ste B, in Corsicana. She specializes in Farm and Ranch sales and is a member of the Texas Alliance of Land Brokers and Texas Land Brokers Network. You can contact Renee at renee.marrsrealty@gmail.com

February 2020

5

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

Duct Tape in Agriculture A collection of testimonials for Duct Tape in agriculture…

F

rom B.A., Large Animal Vet: I’ve been a Duct Tape believer ever since I had a cow tear her bag on a bob wire fence. It was a ghastly gash. She was in pain and frightened. There was no way I could close the wound until…I began wrapping her with Duct Tape! I started just behind the elbow and started circling her girth, then her ribs and her flanks with Duct Tape. I eventually was able to wrap the bag, leaving the 4 teats and tail poking out. Six months later the tape fell off and she was cured!

From F.W., Horseshoer: One afternoon I had been called to shoe a miniature horse. I was expecting one in the St. Bernard-Great Dane class but this one was

not much bigger than a medium house cat.

I built to the task and was bent over the hind leg when my nipper slipped. I had accidently trimmed the hoof clear off at the hock. I panicked until…I remembered the roll of Duct Tape I always keep in my watch pocket. Using two ¼ x 4 inch bolts, I splinted the leg back together and wrapped it with Duct Tape. Each week I added another 12-15 feet of Duct Tape.

Two months later it seems to be working although he’s still walking funny.

From D.W., Poultry Pathologist: Doing surgery on chickens is uncommon.

Whenever I saw a chicken he was usually dead. And yet many suffered from ingrown feathers. Many polloqueros (chicken cowboys from Mexico) spent hours each day gently plucking the ingrown feathers from afflicted hens. One

afternoon I was helping and happened to drop a chicken on a strip of Duct Tape I had circled around my feet to stave off fire ants. When I picked up the chicken her brisket was plucked clean. Inspired, the polloqueros completely wrapped me with duct tape, sticky side out, and slapped the chicken’s afflicted area containing the ingrown feather against my body.

This technique has since been adopted to de-claw cats and in beauty shops as a depilatory.

From Y.K., Team Roper: I used to carry rawhide, latigo, whole punchers, awls, Chicago screws, harness buckles, rubber wraps, bell boots, Super Glue, baby powder, rivets, snaps, curb chains and fencing pliers in my emergency box.

Now all I carry is Duct Tape. I’ve used it to repair broken cinches, lengthen reins,

rebuild hondos, plait manes, wrap horns, tie on, dress wounds, plug bloody noses and replace thumbs. I now wear chinks made out of Duct Tape, have padded my saddle with Duct Tape and braided a nice had band with Duct Tape. Today I have covered my pickup with Duct Tape and written Born to Rope in Duct Tape on the side of my trailer. I’m ready and lookin’ for a header. Just call 1-800 DuckTape.

Taking charge and learning ownership Youth stock shows about more than winning

By Lisa Tang

Palestine Herald-Press

S

tock show competitions allow youth to take charge of their projects and learn ownership. After putting in months of feeding and raising an animal, young herders eagerly walk them across a haycovered stage. Judges scrutinize each animal, ranking their characteristics and awarding prizes, yet, the real rewards are

Photo courtesy of Elkhart ISD

Carsen Wammack of Elkhart High School received second in class with her goat Taz out of 14 at the first Shelby Swinnea Memorial Lamb and Goat Jackpot Show at the Anderson County Show barn.

within.

Youth at Palestine schools showed dedication and commitment, with many contributing time and their own money to raise sheep, goats, and pigs for shows in Fort Worth and Anderson County.

“It’s not just about winning; it’s about gaining lifelong skills and abilities and building character for these kids,” said Larissa Loveless, spokesperson for Palestine Independent School District.

Not all youth win awards, but each gains a personal prize by taking ownership of an animal, raising them from infancy to adulthood. “Competition at Ft. Worth is tough and the classes are large,” said Karrie Cox, Cayuga Agriculture Science teacher. Cason Mills showed a beefmaster heifer, and Amanda Scheppler showed a goat. “We are really proud of all of our kids and how well they represent our school and program.”

The pride is not exclusive to the kids, though. Family members, ag teachers, and community members support the kids’ projects in many ways – teaching, driving, sponsoring, and coaching.

Cayuga ag teachers recently brought students to stock shows in Fort Worth and San Antonio.

Award winners were Belle and Maddi Mills, who placed second and fourth, respectively, with their shorthorn heifers.

Elkhart students are also winning awards at local and major stock shows – with help from ag teacher Jordan McInnis.

Elkhart student Lauren Neel exhibited a Charolais cross steer in Forth Worth. Neel will make another attempt to sell the steer at the Houston Livestock Show. Carsen Wammack, also of Elkhart High School, received second in class at the Anderson County Show Barn and placed in the final four for goat showmanship.

Photo courtesy of Cayuga ISD

Cayuga students Claire Scheppler (left) and Jamison Courville (right) at this month’s Fort Worth Stock Show. Courville is showing a Brahman Heifer, bought with winnings from catching a calf last year at all three major stock shows (Ft. Worth, Houston, and San Antonio). Scheppler is showing a lamb.

Photo courtesy of Elkhart ISD

Lauren Neel of Elkhart High School exhibits Hank, a Charolais cross steer, at the Fort Worth Stock Show.

Photo courtesy of Palestine ISD

Alan Cruz of Palestine High School (center) placed ninth with his lightweight goat at the Ft. Worth Stock Show.

6

February 2020

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

Bull riders standout in Arlington

T

hroughout the past decade, the Professional Bull Riders has conducted some type of standout event at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

On Feb. 15-16, the PBR featured its Global Cup, an international team competition, in the famous DFW area venue.

The Team USA Eagles, which included two-time PBR world champion Jess Lockwood who is from Montana and has a home near Stephenville, clinched the title.

The title victory was based on an aggregate score from rides throughout the two-day show. The Team USA Eagles finished No. 1 with 523.75 points.

Australia came in second with 514.5 points.

Australia’s coach was Troy Dunn, the 1998 world champion who lived in the Stephenville area when he competed in North America in the 1990s.

Brazil finished third

with 435.75. Team Brazil had world class riders such as 2018 world champion Kaique Pacheco who lives in the Decatur area when he competes in North America.

Team USA Eagles coach Justin McBride, a twotime world champion, praised his team for staying focused.

“It takes a whole team — you need every guy there, not only physically, but mentally,” McBride said. “You have to have your big names step us and Jess Lockwood did that [on Saturday night, Feb. 15]. He made some huge rides when we really needed them. Then you have to have that wild card and we have that in Cole Melancon, he stepped up huge. Matt Triplett stepped up huge [on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 16]. These boys come to compete. They don’t mind competition.”

In addition to Lockwood, Melancon and Triplett,

the six-member Team USA Eagles also consisted of Cody Teel, Daylon Swearingen and Boudreaux Campbell.

The six-man team received a check for $362,022.

J.W. Hart, Team USA Eagles assistant coach and a former PBR World Finals average winner, said the U.S. team overcame the pressure of competing as the home country.

“It makes you bear down a little bit harder,” Hart said. “Never once did these guys drop their head. They kept their chin up.”

Former PBR World Finals qualifier Jose Vitor Leme, another Brazilian living in Decatur, played a big role in helping Team Brazil finish third.

He turned in the highest aggregate score during the two-day show, a three-ride score of 268.75 points. He earned a $30,000 bonus.

Former PBR World Finals qualifier Eduardo Aparecido, another

Property taxes can be lowered by keeping bees

P

Corsicana Daily Sun

roperty taxes on small acreages can now be lowered by keeping bees on the property. Texas law allows bees and bee hives to qualify for reducing property taxes on plots ranging from 5 to 20 acres similar to livestock or raising hay.

Dennis Herbert drafted the original legislation for the current bee law that allows small acreage land owners to receive their agricultural valuation if they wish to raise bees on their property.

He shepherded this bill through the legislature in 2011 and it became law on Jan. 1, 2012. He has been a beekeeper in Bell County for 15 years.

Herbert will be at the 12th Annual Beginning Beekeeping School to be held March 21 in Brenham. He will host several sessions that will discuss this law and how you can use beekeeping to qualify for these property savings. He will share the history of this law and answer questions from landowners.

Other aspects of beekeeping that will also be available at the school include how to start keeping bees, how to harvest honey and how to raise queens. There will also be a session that allows you to put on a bee suit and gather around a bee hive while it is examined by a beekeeper.

The morning sessions will include lessons for beginning, intermediate and

advanced beekeepers. The afternoon sessions will have over 65 time slots and more than 45 different topics from which to choose.

For more information and to register, go to: www.tinyurl.com/2020BeeSchool or call 979-277-0411.

Courtesy photo

Safely handling bees can help lower your property taxes as well as being a fun family activity and providing honey for your table.

Brazilian who lives in the Decatur area, also was on the team.

The six-member Brazilian team received a $135,833 check.

More than 45,000 fans combined attended the two-day show, a PBR media official said.

Historic bareback ride

The Cowboy Channel, which is based in the Fort Worth Stockyards, has been broadcasting the performances of sizable PRCA shows the past month. Rodeo fans who watched the San Angelo Cinch Chute-Out Rodeo live broadcast on Saturday (Feb. 15) witnessed a historic bareback riding performance during the final round.

Three-time world champion Tim O’Connell clinched the bareback riding title with a PRCA world record-tying score of 94. The Zwingle, Iowa, cowboy busted a bronc

named Stevie Knicks, which is owned by the Northcott Macza stock contracting firm.

Dave Appleton, the 1988 world all-around champion from Fort Worth who witnessed the O’Connell’s ride in San Angelo on Feb. 15 while serving as a sports commentator on the Cowboy Channel’s live broadcast, said O’Connell is one tough bareback rider.

“I think that bareback ride was a statement to everybody who has a bareback rigging that Tim O’Connell is a force to be reckoned with this year,” Appleton said. “He’s won three gold buckles and there’s no doubting that he wants to come back [after being slowed last year with an injury] and get a fourth [world title]. The way he rode her [Stevie Knicks] was spectacular.”

According to prorodeo. com, O’Connell shares the world record with Wes Stevenson (Kesler Rodeo’s Cover Girl, Dallas, 2002);

Brett Hoffman, a Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame member, has reported on rodeos for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for more than three decades. Email him at bchoffman777@earthlink.net.

Will Lowe (Kesler Rodeo’s Sky Reach, Omaha. Neb., 2003; Ryan Gray (Carr Pro Rodeo’s Grass Dancer, Eagle, Colo., 2009); and Tilden Hooper (Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex, Silver City, N.M., 2010).

Hooper, a six-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, is from Carthage and currently lives in the north Fort Worth and Saginaw area.

SW Ag Center Receives Grant to Help Farmers, Ranchers

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he University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler’s Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education (SW Ag Center) has partnered with the AgriSafe Network to assist farmers and ranchers. Jointly, the SW Ag Center and AgriSafe submitted an application to the United States Department of Agriculture to establish a stress assistance network for farmers and ranchers. Their joint application was recently announced successful, granting UT Health Science Center at Tyler $48,000 for this one-year project to create the Southern Region Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (S-FRSAN).

Including the SW Ag Center and AgriSafe, a coalition of eight partner organizations from southern states will join forces to respond to farmers, farmworkers and ranchers under stress, creating S-FRSAN. This alliance aims to establish a network throughout the southern United States that connects individuals who are engaged in farming, ranching and other agriculture-related occupations to stress assistance programs.

The establishment of a network that assists farmers and ranchers in times of stress will offer a conduit to improving behavioral health awareness, literacy and outcomes for agricultural producers, workers and their families. The group seeks novel implementations that will allow alignment with the multitude of

stressors experienced by farmers and ranchers.

“Stressors within the realm of agriculture can vary,” said Amanda Wickman, SW Ag Center program director. “Therefore, resources to assist in stress reduction should be innovative yet flexible at the state and local levels.”

Wickman continued her comments, explaining that work accomplished in the next 12 months will put the multidisciplinary coalition in a prime position to compete for future funding.

The SW Ag Center is well equipped for the task, serving Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas in related capacities since 1995. Established as part of a program initiative from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the SW Ag Center is part of a network of centers, funded on a competitive basis, that conducts programs of research, prevention, intervention, education and outreach designed to reduce occupational injuries and diseases among agricultural workers and their families. AgriSafe also brings applicable experience for the project. As a nonprofit national organization, they serve to represent health professionals and educators who strive to reduce health disparities found among the agricultural community.

Organizations interested in partnering with this new network are encouraged to contact Natalie Roy at nroy@agrisafe.org.

February 2020

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Riding for education:

TVCC presents 12th annual NIRA Rodeo

T

Special to the Herald-Press

he Trinity Valley Community College rodeo team hosted its 12th annual National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association rodeo Feb. 7-8 at the Henderson County Fair Complex in Athens. Approximately 20 colleges and universities competed.

Following the event, TVCC rodeo team members rank high among the Southern Region of NIRA. Cutter Carpenter, freshman from Athens, is currently in third place in tie down calf roping.

Kyle McDaniel, freshman from Fort Worth, is currently in third place in bull riding.

Cassidy Pineda, sophomore from Caldwell, is currently in fifth place in breakaway roping.

“The rodeo team appreciates the tremendous support from the community, college, and volunteers, making it one of the best rodeos to date,” says TVCC Rodeo Coach Brent Bratton. “The team did a great job and we plan to carry the momentum on to the last four rodeos to finish out the 2019-20 season.”

Each NIRA member college has its own club composed of student members and sponsored by a faculty advisor who supervises the club’s activities. Each year, a men’s team consisting of six members and a four-member women’s team is chosen from each school. These team members travel to the regional rodeos competing against other NIRA member schools. Those not chosen for the team may compete on an individual basis and still be eligible for all prizes except those given to the team. The top three contestants in each event from each of the NIRA’s 11 regions qualify to compete in the CNFR. The top two men’s teams and women’s teams also qualify from the regions.

Coming from as far away as Louisiana, the event featured approximately 400 contestants representing 20 colleges and universities including: Hill College, Southwest Texas Junior College, McNeese State University, Louisiana State University, Trinity Valley Community College, Northeast Texas Community College, Lone Star Community College - Montgomery, Panola Junior College, Texas A&M University, Sam Houston State University, Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, and Wharton County Junior College.

All proceeds generated by the rodeo are given back to the students to further their education.

Photos by Shelli Parker, Athens Daily Review

“Exceptional Kids”

New event added to local livestock show

By Jo Anne Embleton

C

Jacksonville Daily Progress

herokee County is among the growing number of places whose annual livestock show is adding an “Exceptional Kids” category, providing special needs youth an opportunity to show an animal.

“It hasn’t been in state very long, but it has grown exponentially across state – there are a lot of counties that are adding this to their shows, to give all kids an opportunity to showcase themselves and their animal,” said Cherokee County Livestock Show president Bart Bauer. “I think it’s going be a huge turnout.”

According to Stacy McCown, who spear-headed the movement, a total of 27 exhibitors have signed up for the event, “and that is huge.”

McCown said she first noticed the event while attending the 2019 Angelina County Stockshow, “it was their first year, and I thought I’d take it to the (local stockshow) board. It turns out a couple of others had seen it, too, and thought it was a great idea.”

The Cherokee County event – part of the March 25-28 livestock show held at the Cherokee County Stock Show & Exposition Center on Loop 456 in Jacksonville – will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday, opening day.

Special needs children in grades 3-12 will work with at least two peer volunteers each; the volunteers will provide the show animal for the event, McCown said.

Five different categories will be represented: Rabbits, swine, lambs, goats and beef.

“We’ll have the kids come in, visit with the animals for about 30 minutes, that way they get used to them.

Then they’ll go, one kid at a time, to show their animal to the judge, who’ll talk to each one about the animal,” she explained.

Participants will receive a blue rosette ribbon; additionally, the boys will receive a cap donated

by Teachers Credit Union of Rusk, while girls will receive a crown donated by the 2019 show queen Caitlin Herman.

As the parent of a special needs child herself, McCown is thrilled at the potential the new category has to make a difference in the lives of participants.

Her 10-year-old son, who has autism, is a member of the New Summerfield 4-H, and has participated in stock shows since age 4.

Last year, he won Grand Champion for his meat pen rabbits, but the real prize has been seeing him blossom along the way.

“With him, (participating in the stock show) made him want to talk to people – he’d talk with us, but not really with others, so this has really helped him blossom, telling people about how he took care of his animals,” she said.

Bauer said the new category brings more attention to the fact that there are “a group of kids who want to show animals, but have not had the opportunity to do so. And we want to be the venue to provide that for our kids.”

The kids aren’t the only ones getting a thrill from showing animals.

“What I like about it is that the parents of these exceptional kids get to sit in the stands, and while other kids work with their son or daughter, these parents actually get to enjoy their child probably doing something for the first time,” Bauer said.

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February 2020

Packing on the Pounds

Texas angler’s 40-6 catch ranks among tournament lore’s biggest bags

By Matt Williams Outdoors Writer

A

nthony Sharp of Village Mills knew he had stumbled across a good spot. He just didn’t know how sweet it was until he gave it a serious taste test shortly after blast off in the FLW Bass Fishing League derby held Feb. 15 on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.

Sharp, a 42-year-old pipeline worker, claims he caught a 6 pounder off the spot during a small club tournament the weekend before, and saw several others on his electronics that refused to bite.

“I pulled in there the Friday morning before the BFL and saw several fish were back in there,” Sharp said. “I made one cast and caught an 8 pounder.”

Sharp played it smart at that point. He left the area hoping the fish would hang tight until the tournament got underway the following morning.

“I told my wife I thought I shot at winning, but I really had no idea what I was on,” he said. “All I could do was hope they stayed put.”

Turns out Sharp was on to a mother lode of heavyweight prespawn bass. In fact, he reeled in a five-fish limit so enormous in size that it sounds like something straight out of a fairy tale book.

The remarkable catch weighed a whopping 40 pounds, 6 ounces — an 8.12 average. Sharp crushed second place by more than 21 pounds and won $7,000. It’s the biggest single day, individual tournament limit reported from Texas waters since George Herr caught 40.45 on Toledo Bend in 2014.

Sharp did the damage with a chartreuse/blue back Strike King 8XD crankbait and a Carolina rigged green pumpkin magic Zoom Baby Brush Hog. He described the magical spot as flat section at the end of a point in about 17-20 feet of water. The point is flanked by a drain on one side and 40 feet of water on the other.

Although a few larger sacks have been reported elsewhere across Texas and beyond, Sharp’s catch may be the biggest fivefish bag ever weighed during a tournament on Sam Rayburn by one angler. Interestingly, the limit was anchored by a doubledigit fish Sharp didn’t even bother to weigh for big bass. He won the $1,000 big bass pot with his second-biggest bass, a 9-14.

“I was so shook up I grabbed the wrong fish out of the bag by mistake,” he chuckled. “The bigger one weighed close to 11, but it really didn’t matter. This whole deal freaked me out. I went out that day thinking I might catch a high 20s sack. To go out and catch 40 pounds was unreal. I had no idea I had that much. I still can’t believe it.”

The magic happened really quick, too. Sharp said it took about an hour to assemble a limit of bass so plump they wouldn’t fit in the starboard side livewell of his Triton bass boat.

To remedy the dilemma, he contacted tournament director Brad Callihan by cell phone and asked for permission to use some space in the port side livewell reserved for his co-angler, Antwon Harris of DeRidder, LA. “I’ve never gotten a phone call like that, but it was a pretty good problem for him to have,” Callihan said. “I was really expecting him to have 30 pounds or something like that. I had to do a double check when I put them on the scales. Catching 40 pounds is a once-in-a-lifetime bag for anybody.”

Other Mega Sacks Interestingly, Sharp’s mega sack isn’t the heaviest ever brought to the scales in an individual bass tournament.

It is the third heaviest in BFL history behind 40-14 weighed in 2011 by Rogne Brown at Lake Chickamauga in Tennessee, and 40-11 caught in 2015 by Casey Martin at Alabama’s Lake Guntersville. Arizona bass pro Dean Rojas has held the BASS all-time five bass weight record since 2001 with 45-2 at Florida’s Lake Toho.

Keith Combs of Huntington set the FLW all-time single day weight record in 2010 with a monster Lake Falcon limit weighing 41-3. The biggest single day individual weight ever recorded in a Texas tournament (44-4) was caught in April 2008 at Falcon by Florida’s Terry Scroggins.

Even bigger totals have been brought to the scales in Texas team events. Anglers compete two-to-a-boat in team derbies.

Teams are allowed to weigh 5 fish.

The biggest team limit I’m aware of came in March 2011, when Bubba and Linda Haralson weighed in 47.29 in an International Bass Challenge event on Lake Falcon. Terry Oldham and Jamie Buitron hold the Bass Champs all-time record with a 45.45 catch in 2012, also from Falcon.

Lake Conroe has kicked out its share of big bags in the past, but none to compare to the 45.10-pound limit brought to the scales in Jan. 2011 by Willis anglers Dusty Schultz and Rusty Lawson.

Two of the biggest team limits weighed at Sam Rayburn belong to Mike Metcalf/Glenn Kirk (40.76) and Albert Collins/ Clayton Boulware (40.28).

Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches.

He can be reached by email, mattwillwrite4u@yahoo.com.

Outdoors Briefs Giant: ‘Rayburn 14.94 pounder biggest since 2015 It seems like the whoppers always come calling when you least expect it. Just ask Joe Moore of Huntington.

Moore was bass fishing with his wife, Lillie, on the afternoon of Feb. 18 at Sam Rayburn when he got the biggest bite of life.

Interestingly, Moore didn’t feel the thump when the fish scooped up the green pumpkin lizard he had cast into five feet of water.

“I was digging out a backlash when she bit,” Moore chuckled.

“Once I got it out and reeled up the slack the line got tight. At first I thought I was hung in the grass, but then I felt something pulling back.”

Moore said the ensuing battle was hardly a match for the size of the fish, which was barely hooked in the side of the mouth when he brought it into the boat. He weighed the 25 1/2-inch female at 14.19 pounds on a hand-held scale.

The angler said he noticed something wasn’t right after he placed it in the livewell.

“She immediately acted like she wanted to roll over on her Photo courtesy of Jackson Hill Marina side,” said Moore, 74. “It was Joe Moore reeled in this 14.94 pounder at Sam Rayburn really strange. That fish came on the afternoon of Feb. 18. It’s the biggest bass reportstraight to the boat and didn’t ed from the lake since 2015. hardly fight at all. I’ve caught two pounders that fought harder.

Something was definitely wrong.”

Moore transported the bass to Jackson Hill Marina to get official weight, but it was dead on arrival. JHM owner Terry Sympson certified the weight at 14.94 pounds.

“I still can’t figure it out — I don’t know if she just went into shock or what,” Moore said. “I was proud to catch her, but I would much rather her still be swimming around than be dead.

She was a big, beautiful fish full of eggs. It was a real bummer for her to die like that.”

Moore’s 14.94 pounder is the biggest bass reported from Sam Rayburn since 2015. It’s well shy of the 16.80 pound lake record caught in May 1994 by Tommy Shelton.

The bass is eligible for entry in the Legend Class of the Toyota ShareLunker program since it was weighed on certified scales.

Anglers who enter fish in one of the program’s four categories between now and Dec. 31 will earn certificates of recognition, ShareLunker memorabilia and have a shot at winning a $5,000 gift certificate to Bass Pro Photo courtesy of Anthony Sharp Shops. For more information, Sharp’s 11 pounder (left) was his final fish of the day. It texassharelunker.com.

enabled him to toss his smallest fish, a 5 1 /2 pounder (right), back in the lake.

Photo courtesy of Athnoy Sharp

Village Mills angler Anthony Sharp (far right) had a magical morning on Sam Rayburn Reservoir on Feb. 15 when he reeled in a five-fish limit weighing 40 pounds, 6 ounces during an FLW Bass Fishing League event. Sharp’s catch, which took about an hour to assemble, may be the heaviest single-day weight ever recorded by one angler during a Sam Rayburn tournament. It ranks as the third heaviest in BFL history.

February 2020

News from the hen house

By Sheryl Davis

I

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Palestine Herald-Press

t took six months but we’ve finally got eggs! We also have a rooster. Surprise!

When we went to our local feed store, we picked out five (female, or so we thought) chicks; one for each of us to name. We got a variety of breeds so we could observe the differences.

Solen and Papaw picked white Leghorns. We’ve learned Leghorns are not a friendly breed.

They don’t even attempt to endear themselves with humans. So over time, “Diamond and Blanca” got dubbed “Heckyl and Jeckyl”, a more fitting title for each. They are, however, good egg layers. They each lay about one a day.

I chose a Barred Plymouth Rock and named her Opal (the black and white hen in the photo). She has turned out to be a sweet and friendly, with no aversion to hopping up in your lap and eating out of your hands. She’s a good egg layer too – one brown egg about every day.

Grannybear got an Orpington, a beautiful red, fluffy chick she named Ginger. Ginger turned out to be George. He was sweet at first, until he hit puberty, then he got mean.

It’s a rooster’s job to protect his flock I suppose. He won’t hesitate to peck the hand that feeds him, but I’ve established a pecking order so he knows I’m in charge. Of course, he won’t lay eggs but he does provide a service protecting the ladies from would be predators like small dogs, foxes, raccoons, etc. So I guess he can stay.

Sagan picked a pretty little Bantam he named Crystal. Unfortunately. Crystal didn’t make it.

She had a bad case of scissor beak (or cross beak). I don’t think she was getting enough to eat (despite our best efforts to keep her fed). We were sad to see her go and Sagan was sad to lose his girl.

Then one day a strange thing happened. A tiny Bantam hen came walking down the road and up our driveway. She was a pretty little thing and the neighbor caught her and asked us if we’d lost a chicken.

We said no but we’d add her to our flock and feed her, while keeping our ears to the ground.

Not one peep from any of the neighbors, so Sagan got a brand new Sebright Bantam. She lays tiny white eggs. You can see one of them in the photo.

All in all, having backyard chickens has been a positive experience. I would recommend it for anyone with a little space and time enough to manage a henhouse.

You’ll never go back to store bought eggs once you’ve tasted farm fresh.

Photos by Sheryl Davis

Above, ‘George’ and ‘Opal’ in the hen house. Right, the egg harvest.

TPWD Seeking Public Input on Hunting Regulation Proposals for 2020-2021

By Rich Flowers

Athens Daily Review

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he Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) is now accepting public comment on proposed changes to hunting regulations for 2020-2021. The proposed changes include amending definitions, application requirements and conditions for pronghorn and antlerless mule deer permits; and specifying season dates and bag limits for the 2020-2021 migratory game bird seasons.

TPWD will be taking public comment on the following proposed changes to the 2020-2021 Statewide Recreational Hunting Proclamation, with input to be considered before any action by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its March 26 public hearing: • Implement rules to administer an automated process for the application and issuance of pronghorn and antlerless mule deer permits • Establish seasons and bag limits for the take of migratory game birds for 2020-21 • Decrease the daily bag limit for scaup from three to one in all zones • Decrease the daily bag limit for light goose daily bag limit from twenty to ten during the regular season in both zones • Shift goose seasons (and light goose conservation season) in the Western Zone one week later than in previous years • Shift snipe hunting season dates two weeks later than in previous years The public is encouraged to provide comment on the proposed regulation changes. Opportunities to provide comments for or against these proposals include: Facebook Live Webinar: TPWD staff will present proposed hunting regulation changes and answer questions in a Facebook Live webinar at noon Feb. 28 on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Facebook page.

Online: Once the proposed regulations are published in the Texas Register, comments on the changes can be provided on the TPWD public comment page until March 25.

In writing: To TPWD, attn. Hunting Regulations Public Comment, 4200 Smith School Rd., Austin, TX 78744.

Phone or Email: Comments on the proposed pronghorn and antlerless mule deer permit changes may be submitted to Mitch Lockwood at 830-7929677, email: mitch.lockwood@tpwd.texas.gov. Comments on the proposed migratory game bird changes may be submitted to Shaun Oldenburger at 512389-4778, email: shaun.oldenburger@tpwd.texas.gov.

In person: The TPW Commission will take public comment on the proposed changes at their meeting on Thursday, March 26 in Austin. Public testimony will normally be limited to three minutes per person.

From Scratch with Love Tuscan Grilled Pork Chops Total time: 35 minutes makes 4 servings

Ingredients • 4 bone-in pork loin chops, about 6 ounces each • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste • Freshly ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice • 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained

• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced • 1 packed cup baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions • 12 green olives, pitted and quartered • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced sage leaves • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions 1. Smear the pork chops with 1 teaspoon of the extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper; set aside at room temperature (no longer than 1 hour).

2. To a medium bowl, add the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and black pepper to taste. Whisk to dissolve the salt. Whisk in 1 tablespoon of the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the beans, half the garlic, the spinach, green onions, and olives and stir to combine. Taste, and season with additional salt and/or black pepper as needed. Set aside.

3. Take a small bowl and add the balsamic vinegar, remaining garlic, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk until the salt is dissolved. Whisk in 2 teaspoons of the extra-virgin olive oil, the sage, rosemary, and parsley. Set aside.

4. Set a grill pan over high heat. Wait for it to get very hot, about 5 to 8 minutes.

5. Arrange the pork chops in the grill pan.

Cook for 5 minutes. Turn the chops and grill until done, about 3 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

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February 2020

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Game Warden Field Notes The following items are compiled from recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement reports.

The Power of Love After a Falls County Sheriff ’s Deputy was killed in the line of duty in October 2019, a Falls County game warden began planning a hunting trip to help give members of the Sheriff ’s Office an outlet to get a break from the tragic event. The warden reached out to a Lampasas County game warden to assist with setting up the hunt. The Lampasas County game warden reached out to local landowners and businesses and found a venue and accommodations for the hunt. In late January, Falls County deputies, the father of the fallen deputy and the Fall County game warden traveled to a ranch in Lampasas for the hunt.

A local deer processing business also donated rib eye steaks for all the guests. Nine deer were taken during the successful hunt.

then contacted the suspect and after a lengthy conversation, they admitted to setting the boat on fire to help his friend collect insurance money. The suspect was promised $5,000 to make it look like the boat was stolen and then set on fire. The insurance fraud unit conducted several sworn depositions with the boat owner, but they never admitted to knowing anything about how the boat ended up where it did. Later, wardens met with the boat owner in January 2019 and received a full confession about his part in the case. The owner had purchased the boat for $38,500 and had it insured for $60,000. Charges were filed for 2nd degree felony arson on both individuals for their part and they received grand jury indictments in early 2019. In early 2020, both individuals pled guilty to arson and received 10 years deferred adjudication and a $2,500 fine.

DPS Trooper and the driver was ultimately arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and an open container. Felony charges are pending.

Caught in a Bad Romance A Bexar County game warden was checking fisherman on the southside of San Antonio when he heard gunshots coming from near IH-35. The warden patrolled the area looking for vehicles parked on the side of the interstate when he saw a grey Ford Focus with the driver’s side door open and a woman sitting in the passenger’s seat. The driver was not in the vehicle

Where is the Love?

A McMullen County game warden received an anonymous call about a man that was hunting without landowner consent. The man worked at a drilling site on a ranch and had posted a picture on Facebook posing with a deer on a production site near where he worked. The caller noted that the picture was posted several weeks ago but had since been deleted.

Over the next week, the warden gathered enough evidence to have a warrant issued for the suspect’s arrest. The issue, at that time, was that the suspect was out of state. During the course of the investigation, the warden gained the cooperation of the company the suspect worked for and they told him the suspect was scheduled to work at the same drilling site and would be arriving to the location soon. The company

Heartbreaker Kerr County game wardens recently completed an investigation into a commercial hunting operation at a Managed Lands Deer Program ranch where hunters from five different states were filed for hunting without a license going back to December 2017. The nonresident landowner was also filed on. A total of seven exotics and 12 whitetail bucks were seized in the investigation. The whitetail bucks scored between 113” and 249” on the Boone and Crockett Club scoring system, with several in the 190-220” range. Wardens located the right contacts, and game wardens with the Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police, Rhode Island Environmental Police, and the Massachusetts Environmental Police assisted with seizing the illegally taken animals and shipping them back to Texas. Wildlife Division biologists assisted with scoring the whitetail for restitution.

A Hunk, a Hunk of Burning Love In December 2017, a Wise County game warden received a call about a boat on fire near a rural road away from any lakes.

Once firefighters extinguished the fire, the wardens were able to piece together what was left of the Hull Identification Number and found out the owner was an individual from Kaufman County. The warden contacted to boat owner to confirm the boat was theirs but was met with hostility. The next day, the warden contacted the insurance company and learned that the claim had already been flagged as suspicious. In the early stages of the investigation, firefighters and a Palo Pinto County investigator believed the fire was intentionally set with the aid of an accelerant.

The warden was able to pull the security footage from several gas stations along IH-20 and found an SUV pulling a bass boat about 20 minutes before the fire was reported. In the following days, the warden was able to find a possible suspect after multiple interviews and collaborations with the insurance company’s Fraud Investigative Unit. The warden was then assisted by a game warden captain who drove by the suspect’s residence in an unmarked vehicle. They confirmed that the SUV was there and was the same vehicle in the security footage. Wardens

Tainted Love Harris County game wardens were called to assist the Houston Police Department with a traffic stop involving a vehicle that had multiple untagged animal heads. After speaking with the occupants of the vehicle, the wardens discovered that the two people in the vehicle were from Louisiana and had been working in El Paso County with another individual who had already returned to Louisiana. In their spare time, two of the subjects decided to go on a Texas safari and shot an elk, gemsbok and an untagged 8-point white-tailed buck that they were transporting home. The driver claimed the animals were shot legally on public land. However, a followup with the landowner in El Paso County confirmed the suspects had been hunting on private land without landowner consent. One of the occupants had no hunting license, and it was discovered a .22 caliber rimfire round was used to kill all the animals and the meat had gone to waste. It is illegal to hunt a white-tailed buck with rimfire ammunition. The driver shot the white-tailed buck and simply cut its head off. Working quickly with an El Paso County game warden, the animals and rifle were seized as evidence in anticipation of felony and multiple Class A and C charges being filed against the suspects.

Drunk in Love An Atascosa County game warden was on routine night patrol when a dark colored, full sized dually truck pulled onto the highway in front of his patrol unit without headlights almost causing a major accident. The warden initiated a traffic stop for not having headlights on at night, an expired vehicle registration and defective tail lamps. Upon making contact with the driver, he detected a strong odor of alcohol. The driver’s license had been suspended and expired since 2012. The warden asked for assistance from a nearby

and the woman had multiple butane lighters on her lap. The driver then emerged and was walking back to the vehicle from a wooded area but exhibited signs of a person under the influence of narcotics. The warden asked the driver if they had any weapons and he said he had a .22 in the vehicle. The warden then asked if he could search for contraband and the driver consented. During the search, he discovered 2.3 grams of crystal meth and a .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle.

The driver admitted he had shot at a fox but had missed.

He was arrested for possession of controlled substance and transported to the Bexar County Jail.

Rollercoaster of Love A Sabine County game warden received a call from a neighboring Louisiana State game warden looking for information about a Texas resident that had been hunting ducks in Louisiana. The warden found some posts on Facebook from the suspects that could lead to potential cases in Texas.

After contacting the suspect and their spouse about the pictures and posts on Facebook, wardens discovered that the pair had hunted several whitetailed deer without a hunting license. The suspect was also cited in Louisiana for hunting ducks without a license, no state migratory stamp, hunting over bait and placing bait to attract ducks. The individual and his spouse were also issued several citations and warnings in Texas including hunting without a license, improperly tagged deer, criminal responsibility of minor and harvest log violations. Cases and restitutions are pending in both states.

added that they did not want the suspect on the property but would put off firing him until the arrest was made. When he arrived on the property, the suspect was placed under arrest and transported to jail where he later confessed to hunting without landowner consent.

Cases for hunting without landowner consent, hunting at night and hunting with artificial light are pending. The assistance and advice of La Salle, Duval and Atascosa County game wardens, along with McMullen County Sheriff ’s Office, were crucial in these cases being filed.

Fly Like an Eagle A Comanche County game warden was contacted by a concerned fisherman about a possible injured bald eagle near the dam at Lake Proctor.

The warden arrived on scene and contacted the fisherman who confirmed through a photograph that it was in fact a bald eagle. The warden contacted the veterinarian at the Abilene Zoo and they agreed to take the eagle in for treatment of its injuries. The eagle was severely dehydrated and had an infected wound on one wing. The next day the eagle was transported to South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center where it will stay until it can be released back at Lake Proctor.

Love the way you lie Two Trinity County game wardens received a call about missing boaters, two adults and one child, on the Neches River. When they arrived at the ramp, the wardens found two trucks and an empty boat trailer.

Accompanied by a Trinity County Deputy, the wardens searched the river for the missing boat. After a couple of hours, they noticed a light on the deck of a floating cabin. Wardens

made contact and confirmed it was the two missing men and child. The men were fishing from the floating cabin and said they had boat trouble earlier but had since fixed the boat. Once the wardens confirmed that everyone was okay, the men were asked to present their fishing license, and neither’s was current.

Additionally, the boat was not registered and only had one inflatable life jacket. The warden also found a dead woodpecker the men were using for bait. The men said they were about to head back to the ramp, so the wardens followed them back to the ramp after they loaded their gear. A small amount of marijuana was found on one individual while the other attempted to start their boat. The warden asked the man to step back out of the boat. While exiting the boat, he intentionally fell into the water.

The wardens grabbed the man while he was underwater and could feel his arms underneath him trying to get rid of something. Once they detained him, they noticed an empty holster in his belt. The wardens then found a large amount of meth, marijuana and Xanax.

In the meantime, an Angelina County warden travelled through deer leases to attempt to get close to the floating cabin. The warden was able to get within a few hundred yards of the cabins and transported the two men and child back to the boat ramp by truck while Trinity County wardens collected evidence.

After a second look in the cabin a loaded handgun was located underneath a cot. Both men were arrested, and the child was transported to relatives.

Several felony charges will be filed including manufacture and delivery of meth, felon in possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence.

Crazy in Love A Tyler County game warden was flagged down by a Jasper County Sheriff ’s Deputy that was responding to a call from a landowner about a trespasser on an ATV that had just stolen six game cameras. The warden, deputy and a DPS officer followed the ATV tracks and were able to locate where the subject lived. The landowner’s property was located and after a short interview, a full confession was obtained from the subject.

He had just gotten out of jail a few days prior for theft of property and was currently on probation. He was arrested for felony theft and trespassing and transported to the Jasper County jail. Cases are pending.

We Belong Together Two Throckmorton County and Haskell County game wardens were patrolling near Lake Stamford when they saw a truck suspiciously parked on the county road with its doors open.

From a distance, the wardens saw a man walk out of the bar ditch and get into the truck.

They approached the vehicle and saw a rifle in the passenger’s seat and nearly a dozen snares in the bed of the pickup. The man was interviewed and admitted that he was placing snares and hunting from the county road. A dead coyote that was caught in his snare was discovered a short distance away. The man was also a convicted felon. In addition to multiple class C misdemeanors, cases were filed for hunting from the public road and the man was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

February 2020

11

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

Support Agriculture Businesses... They are the Heartbeat of Our Economy

East Texas Stock Prices Hunts livestock exchange

Athens commission company

Updated: 2/17/2020 Head Count: 550

STEERS

Updated: 2/14/2020 Head Count: 469 Sellers: 102

www.5starrbuilders.com

STEERS

200lb - 299lb

1.00 2.23

300-DOWN

1.00 2.10

300lb - 399lb

1.00 2.05

300lb - 400lb

1.00 1.90

400lb - 499lb

1.00 1.91

400lb - 500lb

1.00 1.85

500lb - 599lb

1.00 1.69

500lb - UP

0.80 1.60

600lb - 699lb

1.00 1.47

HEIFERS

700lb - 899lb

1.00 1.39

300-DOWN

1.00 1.85

300lb - 400lb

1.00 1.75

HEIFERS

Sales

903-407-7627

of Waskom, Texas

200lb - 299lb

1.00 1.87

400lb - 500lb

1.00 1.60

300lb - 399lb

1.00 1.81

500lb - UP

0.70 1.45

400lb - 499lb

1.00 1.85

SLAUGHTER

500lb - 599lb

1.00 1.51

Cows

0.25 0.73

600lb - 699lb

1.00 1.33

Heavy Bulls

0.75 0.97

METAL BUILDINGS OF ALL SIZES

700lb - 899lb

1.00 1.19

PAIRS Top

$900 $1450

GALVANIZED BUILDINGS ALSO AVAILABLE

SLAUGHTER Cows

0.40 0.765

Low-Middle

$600 $900

Bulls

0.80 1.00

PAIRS

$600 $840

STOCKER COWS

0.55lb 1.10lb

GOATS

$65hd $300hd

Baby calves

$35hd $250hd

Horses

$75hd $450hd

STOCKER COWS

$185hd $1100hd

BABY CALVES

NA NA

tri-county livestock market Updated: 2/22/2020 Head Count: 760

STEERS UNDER 300lb

1.70 2.25

300lb - 400lb

1.55 2.10

400lb - 500lb

1.50 1.92

500lb - 600lb

1.45 1.88

600lb - 700lb

1.30 1.60

700lb - 800lb

1.35 2.05

400lb - 500lb

1.30 1.60

500lb - 600lb

1.30 1.80

1.25 1.50

600lb - 700lb

1.28 1.50

700lb - 800lb

1.05 1.30

UNDER 300lb

1.55 2.00

HEIFERS

300lb - 400lb

1.45 1.75

400lb - 500lb

Under 300lb

1.23 1.96

1.30 1.60

300lb - 400lb

1.26 1.95

500lb - 600lb

1.20 1.55

400lb - 500lb

1.20 1.65

600lb - 700lb

1.15 1.50

500lb - 600lb

1.20 1.52

700lb - 800lb

1.10 1.35

600lb - 700lb

1.00 1.31

700lb - 800lb

0.87 1.45

Cows

0.25 0.72

SLAUGHTER

Heavy Bulls

0.75 0.97

Cows

0.65 0.71

$1150 $1350

Bulls

0.92 0.91 $800 $1225

Baby calves

$125/hd $225/hd

PAIRS

STOCKER COWS

$600/hd $1200/hd

STOCKER COWS

Low-Middle

NA NA

East texas livestock inc.

Updated: 2/18/2020 Feeder Calf Buyers: 16 Total Sellers: 124 Feeder Calf Companies: 27 STEERS

$600hd $1250hd

GOATS

Monthly Sellers Giveaway!

Receiving Pens

Each head sold will be entered for a drawing. At the end of the month a ticket will be pulled and that Seller will receive $ cash.

1,000

Located outside Trinity, TX Contact Steve Lane (936) 661-7950 259 Westside Rd. Trinity, TX 75862

nacogdoches livestock exchange Updated: 2/20/2020 Head Count: 561 Buyers: 76 Sellers: 89

STEERS 1.50 2.22

UNDER 300lb

1.50 2.15

305lb - 400lb

1.40 2.12

300lb - 400lb

1.50 2.04

405lb - 500lb

1.31 1.89

400lb - 500lb

1.30 1.84

505lb - 600lb

1.34 1.66

500lb - UP

1.30 1.64

605lb - 800lb

1.21 1.54

600lb - 700lb

N/A N/A

HEIFERS HEIFERS

UNDER 300lb

1.40 1.90

300-DOWN

1.13 2.22

300lb - 400lb

1.40 1.82

305lb - 400lb

1.09 1.76

400lb - 500lb

1.30 1.56

405lb - 500lb

1.05 1.70

500lb - UP

1.30 1.42

505lb - 600lb

1.00 1.54

600lb - 700lb

N/A N/A

605lb - 800lb

0.90 1.26

SLAUGHTER

SLAUGHTER

Cows

0.35 0.72

Bulls

0.60 0.90 $850 $1675

Cows

0.51 0.74

PAIRS

Bulls

0.84 0.98

STOCKER COWS

$840 $1375

BRED COWS

SALE EVERY WEDNESDAY AT NOON

$75hd $250 hd

300-DOWN

PAIRS

Includes all labor, tractor work and concrete slab with moisture barrier and electric stub. Standard doors (1) 10x10 roll up or 20x7 garage door and (1) steel walk-in door. (Pad dirt may be extra). We use all the best materials starting with 6x6 ground contact poles with a lifetime warranty and a 40 year warranty on our painted metal. We offer a 4 inch 3000 psi concrete slab reinforced with 3/8” rebar.

STEERS 300lb - 400lb

PAIRS

WE BUILD ANY SIZE

Updated: 2/19/2020 Head Count: 90 Buyers: 30 Sellers: 28

1.00 2.05

SLAUGHTER

24x30x10 - 30x30x10 - 30x40x10 - 30x50x10

Anderson County Livestock

Under 300lb

HEIFERS

Shops • Garages • Barns • Equipment Sheds

$700/hd $1325/hd

$500hd $1700hd

GOATS

$70hd $140hd

Baby calves Horses

$140hd $270hd NA NA

VETERINARIAN ONSITE DR. CORY TUCKER

ELKHART, TEXAS

903-907-7777 Hwy 287 | Hwy 19 (at the intersection of Hwy 294) Elkhart, TX 75839 PH: 903-764-1919

andersoncountylivestock.com

Serving Local Farmers and Ranchers 122 Oakland Drive Palestine, Texas

Same location for 30 years.

903-723-6764 office 903-723-8682 fax johnmcm@ embarqmail.com Kimberly & John Wisener Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas.

Our Services Include:

S Corporations • Individuals • Partnerships Farms/Ranches • Rental Property Managers Truck Drivers • Clergy

Visit us on

,“read our client reviews & discover what people say about us.

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