East Texas Farm and Ranch Living May 2016

New Frontier Farm Sharing a passion for pure food

By Jennifer Miller Corsicana Daily Sun

I

f your first impression of Cliff Patterson and Betina Hawkins was from Dancing for Our Stars, the wildly successful benefit for Navarro College, it might be difficult to picture them in their natural habitat.

They don’t spend much time in tuxedo and sequins and high heels dancing a tango.

Rather, they prefer the earth, what comes from it, working it, and using their yield from it to sustain themselves.

Many people around town associate Patterson with Miles Furniture. But in 2010, he and Hawkins started New Frontier Farm out of a desire for freedom and independence from the commercial food market, upon which consumers rely so heavily. Since that time, they have produced enough to sell to friends and at local farmers markets.

Since the farm requires a lot of work (they have animals, too), they discovered a non-profit program called World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), which allows people from all over the world to visit other places and gain new experiences by helping on the farm.

New Frontier Farm has hosted several “wwoofers” from all kinds of locales. One in particular was Thomas De Troyer, who came from Brussels in Belgium, via New York and Bastrop, Texas. His primary reasons for joining the wwoofing movement were to see the world and learn about the true origins

of our food.

In his home land of Belgium, genetically modified foods are outlawed by the government. The growing season is different there and it’s cold most of the time.

“Your winters are like our summers,” he said.

The weather is not the only thing he loves about Texas. De Troyer recently enjoyed his first Rice Krispy Treat and has even taken some lessons in dance at the local studio.

A typical day in his life on the farm includes birthing goats, mending fence, gathering eggs, gardening, feeding animals, and eating the bountiful harvest of the day. In exchange, De Troyer gets to travel to America and stay on a farm at no charge.

Hosts and guests make connections via the wwoofing website, as well as other forms of media like Skype. Lots of potential wwoofers have clamored to come stay at New Frontier Farm, but Hawkins and Patterson are careful to choose just the right candidate.

“We learn about each other’s worlds,” Hawkins said.

And, once a candidate is chosen and arrives in Navarro County, they continue to learn about one another’s worlds.

“I cook for them, and sometimes, they cook a meal from their homeland for me,” Hawkins said.

The passion that links them despite their cultural (and sometimes language) differences is a desire for a simpler life with self-sustainability, healthier foods and placing value on living creatures. It is the shared aspiration to take not only better care of themselves, but of their world.

Published April 28, 2016

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April-May 2016

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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Warming weather brings out big lizards, little lizards and snakes

By Matt Williams Outdoors Writer

I

t’s springtime in East Texas and that means creepy critters both small and large are merging from their winter sloth to bask in the warm sun and make up for meals that were missed over the past several months. While some of these creatures can be pretty entertaining to look at, unexpected encounters with others can scare the crap out of you.

Judging from several e-mails and posts on social media in recent weeks, the coming out party is already in full swing. I’ve seen several Facebook posts of everything from copperheads and water moccasins with their heads bashed in or blown off by folks who obviously react the same way I do when they cross paths with one of these poisonous reptiles.

I’ve never been a subscriber to “the only good snake is a dead snake mentality,” but I draw the line on pit vipers. My wife, Jan, and I have yet to see the first one of the year, but we both know it’s just a matter of time. Our theory is when the lizards start darting back and forth across the porch railing the copperheads won’t be far behind. We normally dispose of the about half dozen copperheads every year and rarely make it through the spring and summer without one or two of our dogs getting tagged, usually because they put their noses where they don’t belong.

Non-poisonous snakes like rat snakes are different. While crossing paths one of these snakes unexpectedly can certainly be a startling experience, that’s really no reason to kill one

unless it is causing some problems. Rat snakes (sometimes called chicken snakes) feed heavily on rodents like mice and rats, but they also like to steal chicken eggs.

They have also been known to kill young chickens. I witnessed this about 20 years ago when Jan and I lived on big cattle ranch in western Nacogdoches County.

We had several yard hens, but no chicken coop for them to nest and roost.

The hens were prone to lay eggs at will on our porch, in the back of my truck or any place else when they got the notion. At night the birds roosted in a tree

only place the snakes are out. Just in time for spring turkey season, rattlesnakes are making their debuts across their native range.

I’ve never had close encounter with a rattlesnake, but Dallas Morning News outdoors writer Ray Sasser has.

Earlier this month, Sasser was sharing a West Texas turkey blind with his wife, Emile, when she alerted him that a rattlesnake had crawled into the blind beside her.

When Ray saw the snake it was coiled beside a log near his wife’s feet. It looked to be about three feet long.

chance the snake would have gotten agitated and possibly bitten Emile. I told her I wasn’t going to let that happen, and luckily it didn’t.”

The Sassers weren’t the only ones to show up back at camp with a snake story to tell that day. Mandy Murski of Meridian was on the same trip. She shot a big rattler just as it was about to enter her ground blind.

Sasser claims Murski’s rattler is the biggest he’s ever seen.

It is never a good idea to voluntarily fool around with poisonous snakes, but it’s an even worse idea to mess around with alligators. Like other

that limited harvest is allowed by certain means during designated spring and fall seasons with a hunting license and special permit (see the current Texas Outdoor Annual for more details).

Native to southern portion of eastern Texas, the alligator has expanded its range to other parts of state. They are frequently seen sunning along the banks of major rivers and have also have set up camp in major and small public reservoirs all around the region, usually in isolated back waters or creeks where they usually aren’t disturbed by human traffic. Occasionally, one

Willis, a Lufkin-based wildlife biologist with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “If you feed them, they start associating people with food. Instead of staying away you like they normally would, they’ll start coming to you. They lose their fear of humans.

That’s when they can become dangerous.”

Using common sense is always the best policy when you are around waters where alligators are known to be present.

Always keep small children away from the water and don’t go swimming in these areas,

just outside our bedroom window.

One night, well after dark, the hens began to cackle. It was obvious the birds were alarmed about something, so I flicked on the porch light and went outside to investigate.

What I found was five foot rat snake coiled multiple times around the body of one of the young hens.

The chicken was already dead, apparently from suffocation.

We’re still not sure what the snake’s intentions were, but it paid dearly messing with our chickens. Jan blasted it with her 20-gauge.

East Texas isn’t the

The snake wasn’t agitated, but it was well aware of their presence.

Caught between a snake and hard place, Sasser reacted accordingly.

Emilie had a loose sweater in the blind and he instructed her to slowly raise it to create a shield from the possible blow back of venom. Then he eased the shotgun barrel to within 18 inches of snake’s head, clicked the gun off the safety and pulled the trigger.

“It was like the Wild, Wild West there for a minute,” Sasser said.

“There wasn’t much else I could do. If we had tried to move there is a good

cold blooded reptiles, American alligators become active during the spring warm-up, basking in the sun to warm their bodies and prowling rivers, creeks, swamps and isolated backwaters often on public reservoirs - to dine on turtles, birds, dead fish, nutria or whatever else they can find. Now also is the height of their breeding season.

Once on the verge of extinction, the alligator has made a significant comeback over the last three decades. In fact, populations in Texas have rebounded well enough

will show up in a private stock pond or even in a golf course hazard lake where they can potentially become a problem and require harvest or capture for relocation.

While alligators typically aren’t aggressive towards humans, they can be, especially when provoked or threatened while nesting. Perhaps the most dangerous ‘gator of all, however, is one that has become accustomed to being fed by humans.

Feeding alligators is a big no-no. It’s also in violation of state law.

“It’s illegal for obvious reasons,” said Sean

especially at night.

Also, if you own a dog and want to keep it, don’t play fetch around alligator infested waters and be sure to keep the dog on a leash at all times. Dogs are known for putting their noses where they don’t belong. Making that mistake around a territorial ‘gator could be the last mistake nosey K-9 ever makes.

Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches. He can be reached by e-mail, mattwillwrite4u@yahoo. com.

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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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April-May 2016

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News about Agriculture... And a little more

E

ast Texas farmers and ranchers have lost a real friend. Rick Hirsch, longtime county extension agent in Henderson County, has passed away. Rick was a Texas A & M graduate and grew up on a ranch in Bastrop County.

He was a dynamic asset to East Texas agriculture—and much of the state. He was an expert in livestock judging—and introducing young people to the show ring. Rick was a wonderful asset to me when I produced Farm and Ranch TV News.

Anytime I had a question about agriculture—just go to Rick for the answers. No reflection on our county agents of today but Rick was of the old school. If it took a 20-hour day to get the job

done he was always ready! Rest in peace!

The folks at the East Texas Livestock Auction in Crockett have updated their market report system. They still report the market in a range of prices— such as 4-5 weight steer and bull calves at $1.17 to $1.82. But they also use their computer system to come up with an average price on every weight class. For example those 4-5 weight steers AVERAGED $1.62 a pound. It’s a change that will be welcomed by cattle folks—using the average figures, sellers can see how their cattle really fit in the price range. Also for those who want a quick and easy way to be able to view prices paid at local sale barns, most of the markets

have a web site that is updated with prices within hours after the last sale.

Political correctness seems to have no limits when it comes to President Obama and his cohorts. Now it’s a plan to change the faces on some of our paper currency. The Treasury department plans to start with the $20 bill—by removing Andrew Jackson from the face.

Replacing our former President will be Harriet Tubman—a black lady who worked to free slaves from the South and get them to northern states. Fox News host Greta Van Susteren didn’t waste words when commenting on the $20 bill change. She accused the Obama administration of a stupid move and needlessly

stirring up conflict in this country by such actions. Her suggestion for a new $25 bill made more sense. “That way, we

keep the $20 bill the same—but give Ms. Tubman her own bill— and we could all celebrate.”

Lawn fertilization time is here! Some homeowners use a soil test to determine what analysis of nutrients to apply.

Others just walk into a store and buy “fertilizer”. Best bet is to use a fertilizer with a ratio of 3-12—that is three parts Nitrogen, one part Phosphorous and two parts Potash. Several blends will work well. The old standby 21-817 works on pastures and lawns.

Also a 15-5-10 or 12-4-8 blend can be used. When applying the fertilizer, spread 4-6 pounds for 500 to 1,000 foot of lawn. Then get out the mower! That’s –30— Horace@valornet.com

Something lurking in the water

By PennyLynn Webb community@palestineherald.com

I

n recent years, property owners and ranchers are seeing more and more invasive plants and algae take over their stock ponds and other water supplies.

Robert and Laura Stuteville, of Anderson County are fighting a water weed, known as Parrot feather, a weed that is slowly taking over their pond.

According to thepondguy.com, Parrot feather is used for aquatic gardens. It spreads easily and can become an invasive, noxious weed. In fact, it has been banned in the United Kingdom.

“We started to notice it about a year and a half ago,” said Robert.

“There is also some type of algae in the water, as well,” said Laura.

The couple has no idea where the problematic weed came from.

“The only boat that’s been in that pond is ours. Not sure if a storm blew them in or if they were brought here by blue heron cranes,” said Laura.

In a small amount of time, these weeds have taken over. The plant is slowly consuming all the oxygen in the water killing off the fish they had stocked.

“We had perch and catfish in there, but I’m not sure what’s in there now,” said Robert. “We can’t even fish in it now.”

This plant grows into dense mats that cause problems for recreation as well.

Swimmers and boat propellors can become entangled. These mats are also known to be a breeding group for mosquitos.

“It’s gotten so bad we can’t even use out paddle boat in the lake now,” said Laura. It’s very disgusting to have this lake and not be able to use it for anything. It just looks like a field of weeds. It’s just mess.”

In an effort to get control of the aquatic growth, the Stuteville’s sought help from the Anderson County Agriculture Extension Office.

There are two main solutions to getting rid of this particular weed. Either removing it or using herbicides. However, herbicides have not been as useful as they would hope to control the weed and while you can remove it by raking or seining it from a pond, it will reestablish from remaining fragments and roots.

“They tell us that is is hard to get rid of it. That is might take several applications.

We’ve already done one application and we are getting ready to do a second,” said Laura.

The extension office suggested the couple use Aquatic 2,4-D and copper with diquat to get rid of it. However, these chemicals can only be used at certain times.

“Robert is 79 and disabled, so we need help with this kind of project. We have to hire someone to do it for us. Beyond that, the chemicals you use for the job need to be used when it’s warm outside, when there is no wind and it’s not raining or going to rain. So finding the right time to do it is challenging,” she said.

To help local landowners with their pond and lake issues, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Anderson County in conjunction with Anderson Beef and Forage committees will host a Lake and Pond AgriLife program on May 3 at Smokey Killions Ranch Headquarters.

Speakers for this event will be Dr. Billy Higginbotham, professor and extension specialist for Wildlife & Fisheries, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Overton, Brandon Bing, NRCS and Ken Hale of Boatcycle, Inc., in Henderson.

Higginbotham will discuss water quality for fish production, aquatic weed ID and control stocking rates and pond fertilization, Bing will discuss pond site and construction and Hale will talk about biological weed control along with the use of tilapia and grass carp.

Pond owners are encouraged to bring pond water and weed samples. A waterquality lab will be available to test PH and alkalinity during the seminar.

Two CEU’s will be offered, one hour general and one hour IPM for those attending this program.

Pre-registration is requested by calling Anderson County Extension Office or dropping by the office. There is a $20 fee per person.

Registration is at 4:30 p.m and meal will be at 5. The program will start at 5:30.

Smokey Killions Ranch Headquarters is located out County Road 378, off Loop 256 Palestine, between U.S. Hwy 84 East and U.S. Hwy 79 East; the site is less than half a mile away. Those in attendance are directed to drive inside white pipe fenced area. They will have signs directing you to the location. I If you need additional information, contact the Extension Office 903-723-3735.

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April-May 2016

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Spring is here, time to eat fresh!

Rose City Farmer’s Market first in Smith County to offer a market

By Jo Anne Embleton jembleton@ jacksonvilleprogress.com

R

ipe, juicy berries.

Hearty tomatoes.

Tender, tasty squash.

Summer is on its way, and soon, farmers markets will be open for business as vendors offer bountiful harvest for those seeking to treat their palates with fresh produce.

Rose City Farmers Market is the first in Smith County to offer a market this season, offering a variety of goods beginning April 2 outside Jul’s, a Tyler restaurant located at 7212 Old Jacksonville Highway, “It’s our third year here,� said Rose City Farmers Market manager Carmen Sosa, who explained that prior to 2014, the market operated at the East Texas Fairgrounds in downtown Tyler.

Since then, the market has extended beyond the summer season, stretching into November, with 40 vendors offering a variety of goods during peak season. “Our long-term vision is to offer a year-round market,

because our climate will support farmers growing year-round,� Sosa said, noting that year-round selling in a producer-only market is possible when vendors who grow and create goods – such as the breads, jams and jellies, handmade soaps and local roasted coffee found at the Tyler market – take part, too.

According to a 2015 www. civileats.com report, “Five ways America’s farmers markets have evolved,� today’s farmers’ markets are helping to rebuild community. “One of the best arguments for farmers’ markets is that they connect neighbors to producers and each other in a unique way,� the site states. “Live music has become a staple at many markets, as have partnerships with area nonprofits.�

Noted one USDA official, “Across the country, these markets are at the heart of many towns and cities. In some ways, they are the new town squares.� “Farmers’ markets have always been a staple in many communities,� agreed Smith County extension agent Ashley Pellerin. “Before WalMart, there were truck farms, there were farmers’ markets that had food and crafts for sale.�

Through the offering of fresh foods and other locally produced goods, these markets support the local community. “There’s always talk about buying local, about eating local and supporting those farmers who are local. They take pride in what they do, and one way to show support of someone who is working hard is to go out and see what they have to offer (at a farmers’ market,� Pellerin said.

In Smith County, markets are set up in Lindale (which opens April 30), Troup and

Mineola, as well as on the property of Tyler’s Broadway Square Mall and the East Texas Fairgrounds (opening May 7), also in Tyler, Pellerin noted. “We definitely get a lot of calls when the weather starts warming up, and it’s an exciting time,� she said, as Sosa added that people come for a variety of reasons: To support the local economy, to be part of a community gathering, etc.

Mostly, though, farmers’ markets are a way for folks to better access fresh, local products whenever they are in season, Sosa said. “It’s the taste – when people taste something that’s just picked, or just baked or canned, they’re sold,� she smiled. “Farmers’ markets really encourage people to think about eating seasonally.�

Photo by Jo Anne Embleton Jessica Bullock of Red Moon Farms of Van, right, explains to a young customer some of the herb-based products at her booth during a recent Rose City Farmers Market day in Tyler. Bullock said Red Moon offers organic vegetables, fresh cut flowers and a variety of herb-based body care products. The flowers are often the first to sell out, she noted.

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Photo by Jo Anne Embleton Jacksonville resident Tina Forry perks up a packet of fresh herbs for sale at the 4-E Farms stand set up Saturday as part of the Rose City Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market in south Tyler. Forry and her son, Daniel tended the stand, which, by late morning had sold out of radishes, Swiss chard and fresh eggs, leaving only a small amount of onions, sage and oregano for customers to choose from. The Forrys have participated in the Tyler farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market for the three years it has operated on the Julâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant property on Old Jacksonville Highway.

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East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

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April-May 2016

5

Lost

A

I crossed the Cow and the Horse Crick and cricks named for Nickels and Dimes Through Nit Crick, Louse Crick and Crab Crick, Crossed Willer Crick twenty-eight times!

source of pride amongst cowboys is knowin’ the lay of the land.

And any poor fool that gets lost they figger ain’t much of a hand!

They said, “We’ll all meet at Bull Crick!” Then looked at me like a trainee!

“Draw me a map and I’ll find it!

Columbus had nothin’ on me!”

Daylight broke into my windshield, headed south and loaded for bear.

I turned at the Grasmere station I should’a shot myself right there!

Nothin’ was like they described it, no

mailbox where it should be, No coyote hide on the fence post, now where’s Mary’s Crick s’posed to be?

Their map showed tourist attractions including, I swear, Noah’s Ark! Little ol’ tricklin’ Sheep Creek was wider than Yellowstone Park!

I drove demented and crazy! A’chasin’ my tail like a dog!

Coursing through desert and mountain, brush thicket and cattail bog!

Fighting back panic, I’m thinkin’, ‘I could die and never be found!

Worse yet, I’ll look like a gunsel who

can’t find his way outta town!

Harold was the boss of the truckers. I figgered he might set me right.

So, I called him up on the two-way and explained my desperate plight.

He said, “Describe yer surroundings.”

I looked for a landmark somewhere.

“Ain’t nothin’ but rocks and sagebrush!” He said, “Sonny, yer almost there!” www.baxterblack.com

Mingus is raising roses

By Rich Flowers Athens Daily Review

T

he term roses are red only applies to a fraction of what you’ll see at Mingus Rose and Azalea Nursery south of Athens.

William Mingus has been raising roses, seriously, for about 10 years, combining a lot of work with a growing depth of knowledge to bring up scores of species varying in color and size.

“I’ve always liked flowers,” Mingus said. “I’ve always grown azaleas, but wasn’t too good with roses. I decided I was going to teach myself to grow them, one way or another.”

Mingus said he’s pretty much self-taught when it comes to raising roses.

“I don’t have a lot of formal education on it,” Mingus said. “I learned the hard way.”

Mingus said he started out by wanting to have a pretty garden and sell roses on the side. That’s pretty much his attitude today. The garden area at the nursery is more than four acres. Customers, or anyone who wants to drink in the beauty can come and stroll across the bridges, past the ponds and see the buds and blooms.

“We like showing it off,” Mingus said. “This isn’t all of it. What you see here is actually about a fourth of it.”

“We’ve got quality roses. It’s not your dime store roses,” Mingus said. “We give everybody a card here and teach them how to grow a rose. Most people don’t know how.”

Mingus said he teaches people to plant the roses in pots, in the ground. For roses, a big pot yields the best results. “ We sell roses in three-and four-gallon pots, because they can develop the root system they can’t in a gallon or gallon-and-a-half pot. You cut an X in the bottom of the pot and that makes a reservoir,” Mingus said. “The roots are not going to grow until the fall, anyway.”

Rose plants without an established root system will quickly die.

Mingus compared raising roses to raising a baby.

“You don’t want to throw a baby out in the yard,” Mingus said. “That’s why they call them nurseries.

Our job as parents is to toughen them up a little and get them ready for life. Well, our job is to toughen them up and get them ready for life. Growing roses is no different.”

Most of his roses weren’t in full bloom on April 8, but there were thousands of petals already there to see, in shades of red, orange, plum, pink and an array of color combinations.

“What we’ve done is put out different types of rose beds,” Mingus said. “We put them in the ground and show people the setting. You can sell a rose in a pot, but they don’t get any idea of the size of the bush and how it’s going to look in a natural setting.”

Summer can be a tough time in the rose garden.

Mingus said they can spend eight or more hours a day making sure the flowers are watered. His wife, Jessica, and the children pitch in to help keep the flowers alive and looking their best.

Eight-year-old Gracie was in the garden on April 8.

The Mingus children range up to age 14.

“She knows how to talk to customers, sell them and

tell them what type of roses we’ve got.”

Mingus said there are different roses for different uses. Some species produce a beautiful bush, but the rose is not as spectacular as others. Others aren’t much to look at while they’re not in bloom, but are breathtaking when covered in flowers.

A walk through the garden will introduce you to a big yellow rose called the Julia Child, a red rose with a splash of yellow called Ketchup and Mustard and one named the Fourth of July that looks kind of like a fireworks show.

Mingus said he’d like to see the City of Athens have a rose festival and azalea trail each year. It works for Tyler and Athens has its own share of beautiful plant life.

“We’ve got the natural soil and everything it takes to do it,” Mingus said.

To get to Mingus’ nursery, head south on State Highway 19 to the turnoff to Coon Creek. The nursery is on the right side of the highway.

6

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April-May 2016

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Bugs to look out for this season

By Jennifer Kimble reporter@palestineherald.com

T

he wet spring weather is bringing more bugs to the area for this year’s growing season. Truman Lamb with the Anderson County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agency says most of the bugs are annoyances to humans. However, some can affect pastured animals or plant life.

Removing standing water after rains can help keep bugs away, said Truman.

Repellents containing DEET help with keeping some bugs away from humans.

Most importantly, awareness of peak hours of the day for certain bugs helps provide the most protection, Truman said. Stay inside during peak hours or wear clothing that cover as much skin as possible.

If you are worried about which insects will be popping up around town this summer, here’s what the extension agency says to watch for in the upcoming seasons: Biting Midges These pesky minute to tiny flies are known for their annoyance of swarming in large groups and biting their prey.

Usually this insect is a grayish color, but can appear reddish when filled with blood. The wings give the gray appearance. The mouth of this fly has a fleshy sheath with four small blades that lacerate the skin, causing a sharp, burning pain to its victim.

Like mosquitoes, females of the biting midge require blood meals for a protein source for their young larva.

However, both genders of the flies feed on plant sap and nectar for primary food sources. Species of Culicoides that are major biting pests of humans are attracted to light and readily enter dwellings to feed.

Biting midges are difficult to control but measures can lead to prevention of contact with the fly. Installation of window and door screens consisting of a mesh size smaller than normal window screen is much more effective in reducing bites because screens prevent female biting midges from entering dwellings. Repellents containing DEET (diethytoluamide) and clothing impregnated with DEET or permethrin provide only limited protection.

Scheduling outdoor activities to avoid daily peaks of biting midges is the most effective way people can avoid being bitten.

Black Flies This fly annoys wildlife, livestock, poultry and humans. A fly species also known as “buffalo gnats” and “turkey gnats.” These flies tend to fly around the head and may crawl into the ears, eyes, nose or mouth causing problems for individuals taking part in outdoor activities.

Generally, biting flies make humans reaction by leaving a small puncture wound. However, some reactions include headache, nausea, fever and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, as known as “black fly fever.”

Black flies are usually known for being capable of transmitting different diseases to livestock. For example, suffocation by crawling in the nose or throat of pastured animals or toxic shock from the flies’ saliva can result in death for animals.

The flies are known to have large compound eyes, short antennae, and a pair of large, fan-shaped wings. Most species have a black bodies.

They populate flowing water, usually non-pollutes water with a high level of dissolved oxygen. The last outbreak in Anderson County was in the 1990s where several ostriches, emu and horses were attacked, said Anderson County Extension agent Truman Lamb.

No North American species feed exclusively on humans. Male black flies are not attracted to humans, and their mouthparts are not capable of biting.

Females of most species of black flies feed during the day, usually biting on the upper body and head. Unlike certain species of mosquitoes and biting midges, black flies do not enter human structures to seek blood meals.

There is little that an affected homeowner or person engaging in outdoor activities can do to control black flies.

For personal protection, it is best to avoid peak periods of black fly activity.

When venturing outdoors in infested areas, apply an insect repellent containgg, ingg DEET,, wear p protective clothing, and minimize openings p g such as buttonholes through g which black flies crawl in an attempt p to feed. Outdoor activities in heavilyy infested areas mayy require the wearingg of fine-mesh head nets, similar to those worn by beekeepers.

May y Beetles and June Bugs g These Scarab beetles can be identified byy their heavyy bodies and long, g spindly p legs.

They are

the clunky, y loud beetles bumping against your screen windows.

Some of these beetles feed on composting p g vegetable g matter, others on tree or shrub or flower roots, still others on turfgrass, g corn or other ggrassyy p plants. Fortunately, y onlyy a few species p are damaging g g or regularly g y abundant enough to damage lawns and ggardens.

Although these bugs are

medically harmless, beetles traveling in waves can harm leaves of local pecan and oak trees at night.

Lamb says you will not find the beetle feasting during the day. Take a flashlight and check on the night dwellers’ progress.

Pesticide spray is the best way to get rid of the insects. However, be prepared to spray throughout the spring and summer seasons to keep these bugs at bay.

Texas leaf cutting ant This ant can be extremely destructive to landscape plants, gardens and some agricultural crops in Texas.

Leaf cutting ants live in large colonies of up to two million. The name comes from their habit of cutting leaves and other plant parts from a variety of plants. In Texas, these ants damage weeds, grasses, plum and peach trees, blackberry bushes and many other fruit, nut and ornamental plants as well as several cereal and forage crops.

The ants do not eat the leaf fragments they collect, but take them into their underground nest where they use the material to raise a fungus garden. As the fungus grows, certain parts of it are eaten by the ants and fed to the larvae.

This fungus is their only known source of food.

Because leaf cutting ants only eat the fungus they cultivate, they do not respond well to most conventional ant baits, including sugar- or oil-based baits.

The Texas leaf cutting ant queen rules the colony from her underground chambers. Colonies may have as many as four or five fertile queens, each of which continually produce eggs.

Most larvae develop into sterile female workers ants; however, in the spring, some of the larvae develop into winged males and females. These reproductive ants can number into the thousands. They are distinct from worker ants, being several times larger, that they are often not recognized as the same species. They are dark, rusty brown with have long, smoky brown-black wings. Females can be distinguished from males by their larger heads.

Individual colonies can

exist for years. Where adequate food is available, colonies may expand to contain over 2 million ants. Leaf cutting ant colonies are frequently seen along roadsides, in open fields, in brush land or forestland where soils are deep, well drained sand or loam. They can be quite large, 50 to 80 feet across. Colony size depends on its age and the availability of food. In heavily-infested areas it is difficult to distinguish where one colony ends and another begins.

During the summer, leaf cutting ants forage almost exclusively at night. The rest of the year, foraging takes place during the day, when air temperatures range between 45 to 80 degrees F. Most mound building activities occur during the cool hours of the day. Leaf cutting ants are usually inactive on cold, wet or cloudy days.

Defoliation by leaf cutting ants can resemble damage produced by several other leaf chewing insects, particularly sawflies and leaf cutting bees. Trees defoliated by the leaf cutting ant usually are within sight of an ant nest and the ants themselves may be seen carrying leaves. Foraging trails will be littered with pieces of leaf tissue that can be traced to a feeder hole. Considerable damage to a plant can occur in a few hours. Small- to medium-sized trees can be stripped in one night.

Lamb says to use Andro Fire Ant Block Bait for effective treatment against these ants.

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April-May 2016

7

Hedeman compares his heyday to now Special to the Athens Review

W

hen Tuff Hedeman was in his heyday on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he could count on facing a notorious bull in every performance at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, or in the final round of a prominent regular season competition such as the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo.

But that wasn’t always the case at a smaller regular season show, or in the preliminary rounds of a large rodeo. That’s why Hedeman and other savvy cowboys, such as Ty Murray, Jim Sharp and Cody Lambert, united and formed the Professional Bull Riders tour in the mid-1990s.

The PBR is in its 23rd year, and is the world’s top bull-riding association. But there also are other prominent bovinebusting circuits such as the PRCA Xtreme Bulls, Elite Rodeo Athletes and Championship Bull Riding. All four circuits consistently offer fans credentialed cowboys and notable bulls.

“A lot of times, I would get on a bull, and I knew I wasn’t going to be competitive, because I knew the bull wasn’t the caliber that I needed to have to win,” said Hedeman, 53, who won three PRCA titles (1986, 1989 and 1991), a PBR buckle (1995), and currently manages the CBR. “But the cool thing now is these guys today (on the CBR tour) have a chance every time.”

During the past weekend, fans witnessed popular riders, rampaging bulls and attention-grabbing scores at the CBR’s Tuff Hedeman Championship Challenge in a filled up Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

“You can’t come to one of our events unless you’re a legitimate rider,” Hedeman said. “You have to ride three times. All of these bulls here, you have a chance to ride them, but if you stub your toe, you’re

bucked off.”

Jacob O’Mara, a 2011 NFR qualifier, won the title at the 24th annual Hedeman event after turning in a scores of 88 and 89.5 in the prelims, and then a 90 in the final round on Saturday, April 9. Sage Kimzey, a 2-time PRCA champion, finished second with an 89.5 in the final round.

For O’Mara, winning the Hedeman event turned out to be a hard night’s work.

“I really had to dig down deep,” O’Mara said. “After being on two bulls, and then getting on a third one, that kind of takes it out of you. I had to finish strong.”

O’Mara earned $14,112 for the victory.

When the title was at stake in the final round, O’Mara conquered a bovine named Yellow Wolf, which is owned by Rawson Bucking bulls.

“It felt good,” O’Mara said. “With that bull, if I would have weakened at any point, he would have bucked me off. But I like that. It’s the type of situation, where if you get lazy, the bull will buck you off.”

It was O’Mara’s third victory of the season on the Championship Bull Riding tour. He also has won titles in Lufkin and Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

After winning Fort Worth’s Hedeman event, O’Mara is ranked third in the CBR’s 2016 title race with 1,315.5 points. Kimzey is ranked No. 1 with 1,942.

Hedeman, who is from the North Central Texas town of Morgan Mill near Stephenville, said he was impressed with O’Mara’s riding abilities.

“When he’s determined, I don’t think there are very many guys that ride better than he does.” Hedeman said of O’Mara.

“He makes great bulls look much easier than they are. That’s the key to being a great bull rider.”

PRCA update On the PRCA circuit, Josh Peek earned the all-around title after earning $30,160 in tie-down roping and steer wrestling at the April 7-10 Ram National Circuit Finals

Rodeo at Kissimmee, Florida.

After clinching the team roping title, Jake Orman and Tyler Domingue each earned $26,601, the most money of all single event winners.

Other champions were bareback rider Tim O’Connell, team ropers Jake Orman and Tyler Domingue, steer wrestler Josh Boka, tie-down roper Clint Kindred, barrel racer Ivy Conrado and bull rider Parker Breeding and saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright.

While Wright was performing well at the National Circuit Finals last weekend, his father, Cody, a two-time world champion, clinched the saddle bronc riding title at a notable PRCA rodeo in Logandale, Nevada.

The elder Wright won the title with a 2-ride score of 167.

In the tie-down roping title race in Logandale, Adam Gray, a former Texas Tech star who lives in the Northwest Texas town of Seymour, clinched the tie-down roping title, after finishing with a three-run

time of 29.8.

Cutting horse update At the National Cutting Horse Association Super Stakes in Fort Worth, Kenneth Platt and Moms Stylish Player have qualified for the open division semifinal after finishing the first two rounds with an impressive a 2-ride aggregate score of 445.

The duo won the first round with a 226, which is a very high score for a preliminary round run. While competing in the second round last weekend, the duo turned in a 219.

The semifinal and final is this weekend.

The open final, which is Saturday, April 16, is the second jewel of the sport’s Triple Crown Series.

ERA update A year ago, barrel racer Chayni Chamberlain of Stephenville drew attention when she appeared on ESPN Sports Center after qualifying for the RFD-TVs The American at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

She was a 9-year-old at the time. This year, Chayni is thriving on the Elite Rodeo Athletes tour. During the ERA’s Saturday (April 9) show in the Salt Lake City area, she won the barrel racing title with a time of 13.30.

PBR update On the Professional Bull Riders tour, Ryan Dirteater won last weekend’s Built Ford Tough Series show in Little Rock.

J.B. Mauney is ranked No. 1 in the world standings. This weekend, the tour moves on to Billings, Montana.

Paducah rodeo scheduled The 74th annual Horse and Colt Show Rodeo in Paducah is this weekend.

Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday beginning at 7:30 p.m. each night.

Brett Hoffman, a Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame member, has written a rodeo column for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram over the past quarter-century. Email him at HYPERLINK “mailto:bchoffman777@ earthlink.net”bchoffman777@earthlink.net.

Cherokee County Junior Livestock Show a success

By Jo Anne Embleton

jembleton@jacksonvilleprogress.com

T

he 2016 Cherokee County Junior Livestock Show – which included a new competition this year – was a resounding success, said event board president Wayne Berry.

“This year’s show went really well, and we’re very pleased (by the amount) brought in,” he said of the March 24 to 26 event held at the Cherokee County Stock Show and Exposition Center in Jacksonville.

Berry said the 67th annual event brought in approximately $245,000, and attracted about the same number of participants as this past year, with youths showing goats, lambs, poultry, dairy, swine, horses, beef and heifers, along with horticulture and shop projects.

This year, a new category was added: The live-

stock judging contest, which drew 86 individual and 28 team participants.

“We discussed this last year, but it was so close to the start of the show that we didn’t feel we had time to organize it,” Berry said. “There were a lot of FFA teachers and 4-H leaders who discussed trying something, and so we decided to hold it this year, and it was very successful.”

The judging competition “basically lets the kids become the judge – they go in there, look at the different animals and judge them. It lets them learn to look at animals from a judge’s perspective,” he said.

According to Cherokee County AgriLife Extension agent Aaron Low, the judging teams evaluated sheep, goats, pigs and cattle.

Nicholas Martin of Rusk FFA was named the highpoint individual in this contest, he said.

Bluebonnet 4-H was named Club of the Year, and six $1,100 scholarships – supplemented by a donation from Cherokee County Federal Credit Union in Rusk –

were awarded by the stock show board.

A buyer’s appreciation dinner, held every year to recognize buyers who supported exhibitors in the show, Berry explained, will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 26, at the show barn.

8

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Q&A with Nick Hoffman of Ag Texas Farm Credit Services

By Deanna Kirk dkirk@corsicanadailysun.com

N

ick Hoffman, an agent with Ag Texas, became prominent on the scene of the Navarro County Youth Exposition this year when he almost singlehandedly sponsored the first Woodworking competition, now separated from the creative arts division. According to co-chairman Andy Calhoun, Hoffman ran around the county procuring donations for prizes for the kids, to make the event as great as possible.

The Corsicana Daily Sun caught up with Hoffman — not an easy feat — to find out more about him and about Ag Texas.

CDS: What service does Ag Texas offer the farmer/rancher in Navarro and surrounding counties they can’t get elsewhere?

NH: Ag Texas is a member of the farm credit system. We support the rural way of life. We are structured as a cooperative, which allows our customers to have ownership in the association. Due to this structure, our borrowers benefit from patronage dividends that are typically paid back on an annual basis.

Farmers and ranchers enjoy doing business with Ag Texas because we have an unique understanding of their operations and the challenges they face day in and day out. We view each loan as a relationship, rather than a transaction, and make every effort to match up our loan products with each operations needs.

Ag Texas also provides a broad variety of insurance services that cover crops and livestock. Agricultural is a risky business and we try to provide our customers with as many risk management tools as possible.

CDS: What about you personally helps you understand the needs of your customers?

NH: I’ve grown up in agriculture and spent some time as an Agricultural County Extension Agent in Freestone County. My background in production agriculture allows me to have a better understanding of ag operations. Agriculture is challenging from both a production and an economic perspective, but I’ve been able to learn from the people I’ve met along the way and I’m always trying to learn something new. My experience so far has taught me that about the time you think you’ve got it figured out, things change and you realize just how little you actually knew. For that reason, I’ll never know enough and I’ll always keep learning.

CDS: You are one of the two co-chairs of the Navarro County Youth Expo next year, a giant volunteer undertaking. What led you to serve the youth of Navarro County in this capacity?

NH: During my time as a County Extension Agent, I witnessed the benefits that 4-H and FFA offered to our youth. I watched kids grow from year to year and develop excellent work ethic and practical knowledge and skills. I also got to see the massive volunteer effort that it takes to keep these programs going. When I was asked if I would take a co-chair position, I realized that this was just another opportunity to help these programs continue to thrive in Navarro County. For years the NCYE has had many volunteers, and year in and year out they give large amounts of time and money to offer a quality opportunity for our youth to grow. I guess you could say I’m just taking my turn.

Heritage Land Bank to open in Jacksonville Tyler, TX (April 1, 2016) – Heritage Land Bank is pleased to announced that it will open the doors to its newest branch, located at 303 W. Rusk Street (former Texas Farm Bureau building) in Jacksonville, TX, on Monday, April 4, 2016.

Steven Dyess will oversee lending operations for the new branch office. A native of Rusk, Dyess, has

several years of business development, management and supervisory experience. He is a former insurance adjustor and also founded his own custom meat processing business. Dyess is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University where he earned his Bachelors of Business Administration degree in Finance.

“The new Heritage Land Bank branch in Jacksonville will enable us to better serve our customers throughout Cherokee and Rusk counties with their rural financing needs. We will be assisting our customers with a wide range of lending services – from purchasing a recreational property or dream home in the country to growing and expanding their farm, ranch or agribusiness,” said Bill Tandy, Chief Executive Officer of

Heritage Land Bank.

Lobby Hours for the Jacksonville Heritage Land Bank will be Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In June, Heritage Land Bank will be hosting an Open House at the Jacksonville Branch, featuring special guest Jay Novacek, former tight end for the Dallas Cowboys and a 5-time NFL Pro Bowler.

More details of the event will be shared as it draws closer.

ABOUT HERITAGE LAND BANK Established over 95 years ago, Heritage Land Bank serves North and East Texas, specializing in financing for farms, ranches, country homes, recreational property, livestock, equipment, and agribusiness loans. The lending cooperative is headquartered in Tyler, and operates branch offices in Athens, Fort Worth, Greenville, Lindale, Lufkin, McKinney, Nacogdoches, Palestine and Tyler.

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April-May 2016

9

Cooking Wisely

No fuss ideas for Mother’s Day

W

ith mother’s day just around the corner I thought it would be fitting to have a few quick and easy recipes for dad’s and children to pamper the mom’s out there.

Funny how every year as this day rolls around all I ever seem to want is time; quality time to spend the day with my mom, and my husband, and children. As I was advised as a young mother “ “Cherish every moment you have with your children, they grow up way to fast’. At the time I had no idea how absolutely true that statement would turn out to be.

Looking back now oh what I wouldn’t give to be able to spend a few more years with them. Most of us would do any thing to do it all over again. I miss the sound of hearing our boys and their friends playing in the back yard, picnics and all day fishing trips. To me there is nothing better. As the old saying goes ….. they grow up way to fast. As a young parent I had no idea how absolutely true that statement would turn out to be.

My mother is such a beautiful woman inside and out. She always made life fun for all of her children. I can never repay her for all she did. She loves being around family and spending time with them. Family barbecues and fish fry’s were what we as children thought took place in all families everywhere. Camping trips and spending hot summer days swimming at Salmon Lake. Boy, those were the days. Little did we know at the time she was only trying to make the memories we had a children great ones. Needless to say she accomplished all that and more. For that we will be forever grateful.

As the old saying goes ….. they grow up way too fast. As a young parent I had no idea how absolutely true that statement would turn out to be.

Idea #1

Idea #2

Idea #3

Purchase a sugar cookies (plain) from the grocery store.

Spread on some vanilla icing (duncan hines/ betty crocker/ whatever your preference).

Garnish with either fresh fruit, colored sugar, or sprinkles.

Purchase your favorite pound cake.

Add a dollop of your favorite pie filling .

And a dollop of cool whip.

Repeat until chosen container is filled.

Find out your mom’s favorite dish from every restaurant.

For example, she may like the enchiladas at one place, the salsa at another, and the rice best at yet another.

Purchase any/all of them and put together her new favorite meal.

Idea #4 (and the most important) Tell her you love her every chance you can.

Never forget all the times she held you and rocked you.

I promise you she would give anything to have that time with you again.

Another successful livestock show in Henderson County

By Rich Flowers Athens Daily Review

T

he buyers brought their checkbooks to the Henderson County Livestock Show Auction on Saturday, April 9 and paid a generous price for the winners.

The reserve and grand champions of the major events brought a total of more than $70,000. The grand champion steer, shown

by Toby Davis of Brownsboro FFA sold for $10,000. The bid for the reserve grand champion steer was $9,000 for Ryan Davis of Mabank FFA. The steer, shown by Toby Davis of Brownsboro FFA was among the largest in the competition, weighing in at 1,389 pounds.

He also had a grey color that made him easy to spot among the more than 40 steers entered in the contest.

“I felt I had a pretty good chance,” Davis said. “All of the other steers were looking pretty good, but thankfully, they liked mine the best.”

The judge for the steers was Associate Dean of AgLife Sciences at Texas A&M University Dr. Chris Skaggs. His resume includes judging many national livestock shows, such as the San Antonio Livestock Exposition and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

“It’s always a pleasure to get to his point,” Skaggs said. “I know how hard these youngsters have worked to get to this point, the

feedings, the nights, the exercise and hair care.”

Henderson County AgriLife Extension Agent Rick Hirsch said the sale of more than 200 animals marked the end of another successful show.

“The livestock show this year, as in a lot of years, was really spectacular,” Hirsch said. “There was a tremendous amount of competition, and a tremendous amount of community support.”

Hirsch said the show is a valuable experience for those who enter.

“The exhibiters learned a lot,” Hirsch said.

“It’s one of the more outstanding shows in the East Texas area. It’s just amazing to see the entire thing come together. The exhibiters, the parents, the Ag teachers and the volunteers and businesses are involved to help to make it an outstanding event.”

Following the sale of the steers, bids went high for the grand champion market hog, shown by Noah Boswell of Cayuga 4-H, which sold for $5,250. The reserve grand champion, entered by Karson Rhodes of the Cross Roads FFA sold for $2,500.

Just a few hours after his sister Molly won the market goat competition, Noah Boswell of Cayuga 4-H was named winner of the market hog show. Boswell’s middle-weight Hampshire made the finals when he was chosen best of the Hampshire breed.

“I’ve been working with him for several hours at my house after school and on weekends,” Boswell said. “I thought he’d do pretty well.”

Boswell is in the fourth grade in Mala-

koff, so he has a few more chances to compete in the show in years to come.

A large bid was offered for the grand champion shop project, shown by the Brownsboro FFA which sold for $5,600.

The reserve, entered by Athens FFA, sold for $700.

The premium on the yearling entered

by Kayliegh Taylor of Athens FFA, sold for $6,000, while the premium on the reserve, shown by Kurtlee Smith of LaPoynor 4-H, sold for $1,500.

The grand champion market lamb, entered by Chris Aaron of Cross Roads FFA, sold for $3,000. The reserve lamb, entered

by Lexi Ruthart of Mabank FFA, drew a top bid of $2,750.

The top goats brought $4,000 for the grand champion, entered by Molly Boswell

of Cayuga FFA, and $4,000 for the reserve grand, exhibited by Cade Plunkett of Cross Roads FFA. Broilers also brought a big price. The grand champion chicken, sold by Paige Dalrymple of Timber Trails 4-H, brought $2,750, while the reserve, entered by Loden Jamison, also of Timber Trails, drew a bid of $2,500.

The bids for fryers include $2,000 for the grand champion, shown by Rachel Grubbs of Brownsboro FFA, and $1,500 for Hunter Grubbs, also of Brownsboro FFA. Among the youth project show entries.

Nick Rosenberg of LaPoynor FFA, the senior grand champion, received a bid of $500. The bid on the junior grand champion, entered by Maggie Groom of Eustace FFA, was $1,000.

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Growing expectations Lough Hydromulch gives lawns a new look

By Haley Hoar

R

odney Lough begins his job, sometimes as early as 7 a.m., scoping out the land he will plant that day. After checking that the ground is clear of debris such as branches and rocks, Lough starts his hydro-seeding tank that sprays a mixture of mulch, seed, fertilizer and water — known as a slurry — across the ground.

The process, which causes the lawn to look like a green spray can exploded on it, results in grass only a few weeks later.

“When I first learned about hydromulching, I thought it was the strangest thing,” Lough said. “I’d never used it before, and I learned all I could about the process.”

Lough’s Hydromulch offers a more efficient way of growing grass. Hydromulching, also known as hydro-seeding, “provides a thick, uniform lawn that consists of a mat of interlocking fibers creating an ideal growing environment” according to the company’s website. The uniformity of the spray helps to avoid seams and patchy areas that can occur with more conventional methods of planting.

Lough opened his business in 2002 after wanting to go into business for himself.

At the start of his company, Lough spent many days with a phone book in hand, calling businesses and residents around the Anderson and Smith County areas.

His hands-on approach gave him a unique relationship with his clients.

“Our first job was for Austin Bank in Tyler,” Lough said. “I was nervous at first, but it turned out really well.”

One of the benefits of hydro-mulching is that it’s more economical and can be completed in a short period of time.

The process works well for hillsides and sloping lawns where erosion control can cause problems for sodding and other conventional processes. The mixture can remain on the ground in most weather conditions, as long as the soil remains in the

same place, according to Lough. After the mixture has been sprayed, growth will begin within seven days.

“They can expect to mow in about three weeks or so,” Lough said. “It doesn’t take long for it to take to the ground.”

Caring for the lawn after the spray is relatively simple.

Landowners need to water the lawn three times a day until the yard begins to look green. Once growth has begun, watering needs to occur only once a day until the first mow. After that, Lough suggests watering only once a week and to continue “watering thoroughly” throughout the year, including winter.

The company’s website suggests using a sprinkler tool, in order to get even results, remembering to move the sprinkler before puddling or running starts. For automatic sprinklers, which allows for the best results, set for only a few minutes to avoid a run-off.

Lough’s Hydromulch also offers a warranty against natural rain and run off except where gutters dump and bottom of ditch lines according to its website. Bermuda and Rye grass are both warranted in the spring for germination and growth through first mowing, with Rye also warrantied for the fall.

The company is not responsible for the dirt work, Lough said, though he has companies he suggests to his customers. According to the website, Lough’s Hydromulch is not responsible for weeds or weed growth, but if there is a problem with the lawn within 60 days of planting, the website said to contact the company.

“Our customers have been great to work with,” Lough said. “I’ve enjoyed working with many different people over the years and I’m always impressed by our customers.”

For free estimates and consultations, visit Lough’s Hydro-Mulch online at http:// hydromulcheasttexas.com/ on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Loughshydromulch by e-mail at hydromulch@ suddnelink.net or by phone at 903-721-0001.

Courtesy Photo Lough’s Hydromulch performed a job in Nacogdoches. The combination of mulch, seed, fertilizer and water is sprayed onto the surface and after three weeks, the grass is ready to mow.

Courtesy Photo Rodney Lough’s wife Vickie joins him on a job.

Courtesy Photo Lough’s Hydromulch began in 2002 with its first commercial job working with the Austin Bank in Tyler.

Courtesy Photo Owner Rodney Lough began his business Lough’s Hydromulch in 2002 after deciding to go into business for himself.

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April-May 2016 11

Chemistry, planning important in pond stocking Special to the Herald-Press

S

pring is a good time for landowners with new ponds to begin stocking fish but a planned approach is recommended, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension fisheries specialist Todd Sink.

“A lot of people think you just put fish in a pond and it is stocked and will result in a good fish population,” said Sink, who is based in College Station. “But you must first assure the water chemistry is correct to adequately support fish, create a strong pond food-chain, stock the proper baitfish to sportfish numbers, and finally there is a particular stocking order that must be followed.”

The first step is to assure the environment is suitable for where phytoplankton, prey organisms and fish at all levels of the food chain can thrive, Sink said. Phytoplankton are the singlecelled microscopic algae that give water a greenish tint and are the basis of the entire pond’s food-chain. Sink recommends taking a water sample for analyses to determine the water chemistry of the pond. This is especially important in East Texas, he said, because the soil is typically acidic which leads to low-alkalinity, acidic waters.

Landowners should try to create an alkalinity of between 50-150 parts per million and a pH of 6-9. Doing so provides the best environment for the pond’s food chain, he said. Crushed agricultural limestone, hydrated lime, quicklime, or slaked lime can be added to low-alkalinity or low pH ponds to create a more productive environment for fish and their food prior to stocking. Hydrated lime, quicklime, or slaked lime cannot be added to a pond with fish because the rapid pH change can cause a fish kill.

Landowners can add crushed agricultural limestone, or agricultural lime, to correct alkalinity or pH issues in ponds that already contain fish with no adverse effects to the fish populations, because it creates a very gradual shift in pH, he said.

Sink also recommends a fertilization program be implemented if maximizing fish production is the goal. Most ponds benefit from adding 5-8 pounds of liquid or powdered, not pelleted, phosphorus per-acre. This practice will create a phytoplankton bloom, which creates food for baitfish, crawfish, insects, and other organisms at the base of the sportfish food chain, as well as for larval sportfish themselves.

The pond “won’t produce as much food as it could if unfertilized,” he said.

“Creating a good basis for the pond’s food chain through fertilization programs can produce four to six times more fish from the same body of water.”

Fertilization can also help to limit

the establishment of nuisance rooted vegetation by blocking sunlight to the bottom of the pond, he said.

After creating a good environment, Sink said owners should stock ponds in spring or early summer with 5-15 pounds of fathead minnows per acre, which are easy-to-capture baitfish that will spawn and create a good food source for larger baitfish and sportfish populations so they are established when stocked.

Fathead Minnow In the fall, Sink said the pond should be stocked with 500 bluegill or 400 bluegill and 100 redear sunfish per acre. Redear can grow substantially larger than bluegill, but the two species do not compete for food. By stocking the two species in combination, landowners end up with more fish in the pond because they are not competing for the same resources, which means the bass have more available baitfish and anglers have another species to catch, he said.

Bluegill and redear are good baitfish for bass and catfish, Sink said. When stocked in the fall, they will continue to grow throughout the fall, winter and spring so they are ready to spawn and provide sufficient prey for bass and catfish. Bluegill and redear are typically sold as 1-3 inch stockers while bass are sold at 2-4 inch and catfish 1-6 inch.

If landowners stock bass or catfish at the same time as the bluegill and redear are stocked, the bass and catfish eat the small sunfish before they ever have a chance to spawn, creating too many predatory fish and too few forage fish, leading to stunted bass and catfish populations.

Redear Sunfish “The fish population in the pond will be off to a bad start,” he said.

Bass spawn in March and April and fingerlings will be ready to stock by May or June. Catfish spawn in May and June and will be ready to stock in July or August, but fingerlings are available throughout the year due to fish production management, although size varies with time of year.

Ponds should be stocked with one largemouth bass for every ten sunfish stocked, so for the scenario above where 500 sunfish are stocked, 50 largemouth bass per acre can be stocked. Up to 50 channel or blue catfish per acre can be stocked, or up to 100 per acre with fertilization and supplemental feeding two to three times a week. Sink said catfish can be added any time after bass are stocked.

But Sink said owners should consider whether they will fish for catfish and must plan to remove larger catfish to protect bluegill, redear and smaller bass populations.

“A 2-pound catfish is a good predator and can feed on a quarter to half pound bass and 8-9 inch bluegill so they should be thinned out to keep their sizes small,” he said.

If the owner does not plan to fish for catfish or remove most of them by the time they reach 2 pounds, they should not stock catfish in their pond and focus more on bass, bluegill, and redear sunfish.

Once stocked, the pond should be ready for quality fishing in three years, Sink said.

Sink said owners could speed up the process a bit by adding more minnows, bluegill and redear during the first two years, but that stocking more minnows or baitfish is not necessary. Stocking additional bass into the pond is never needed, unless there is a fish kill, as bass over-populate in most ponds.

Bluegill The key to managing good fish populations, and to growing big bass, relies on harvest of bass from ponds starting the third year after stocking. Most ponds require a minimum of 10 pounds of 6-10 inch largemouth bass be harvested per-acre per-year to support a healthy fish population. If the owner wants to grow trophy bass, they may need to harvest 25 pounds or more of 6-14 inch largemouth bass per-acre per-year to free up limited food resources so that remaining bass can grow fast or large.

If owners want to catch more large bass or are catching too many half to 2-pound bass, the answer is not to stock more bass because it would make the issue worse.

Instead, work on building the food-chain and harvesting more bass to free up food resources so remaining bass can grow larger faster.

Owners can also add structures to ponds to provide cover for fish, but they typically are more beneficial to anglers because fish congregate around them and therefore they know where to find the fish, Sink

Photo provided by Candace Flora

Ely Evans, of Evans Farms in Como, shows off a small catfish caught from a stocked pond. said. Sink recommends the use of natural materials, such as wood and rock because tires and plastic pipe are petrochemicalbased products and degrade over time introducing those chemicals to the water and the fish.

Also, algae and other food items do not grow well on plastic, he said.

“There’s nothing wrong with (structures) but fish don’t have to have them,” he said.

Aquatic vegetation can provide good cover for fish, but is in no way necessary or vital to a good fishery and should be managed. Sink said vegetation should be limited to 10-15 percent of the pond’s total bottom area. Vegetation should be managed if the coverage areas exceeds 20 percent, because fish kills caused by lowdissolved oxygen from excess vegetation can occur, he said.

Sink said aerators can be beneficial to many aspects of the pond but are not required. Aerators that mix water at all depths should be used when possible over surface aerators, he said.

Crappie are not recommended for stock ponds less than 20 acres because they are prolific breeders, Sink said. They are extremely difficult to manage because predators and anglers can’t keep up with crappie spawns and ponds are eventually overrun.

For more information from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension fisheries, go to http://fisheries.tamu.edu/.

12 April-May 2016

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Kerplop i Y’all, Looks like Spring’s here and the flowers are in bloom.

My Daddy’s had his birthday. And I’ll be havin’ one soon. (May 20th just in case you’re wondering) Spring’s shedding time too. I get a good brushing pretty often, but my undercoat is so thick that Mama says she thinks I manufacture the stuff as she brushes it out. And when she runs the vacuum cleaner the holder fills up pretty quickly even thought it might have been only two days since she used it. And it’s not just me; as Sug trots by you can see the hair falling off her. Before long though her pretty, dark red coat will be super shiny again. ‘My girls and boys’ are getting their black shine on again too.

Now that the temps are a little warmer my folks have been getting in some golf on a more regular basis. Actually the course they played at for so long is back open after being closed for a while.

Course that means squirrel patrol for yours truly. And those fluffy tailed varmits are everywhere I look when I’m riding in the cart. It’s all I can do to stay put when I see one. They make my hair and ears come to attention and my heart starts racing. Then I hear, “Kodi, don’t even think about it”. And the other day when we got home there was one in my back yard! When the truck door opened I got out in a flash and put that thing up the tree in 1.2 seconds. Course I’m sure it came down and had it’s run of my territory when I went to check on ‘my girls’ later on, but I can’t be on squirrel duty 24/7.

Just thinking about them drives me nuts and I even sometimes dream of squirrels. Those are not restful nights.

Looks like the size of the tree leaves signals time to go fishing.

Mama says a neighbor always said that when the tree leaves were the size of a mouse’s ears then it was time to wet a hook. That saying makes me laugh for some reason. Now I don’t know anything about fishin’, but I guess lots of folks enjoy doing it. I do like to eat the results though. I remember one time my cousin Boo and I were hanging out while his dad fried up some catfish. He kept tasting each batch he took out and kept sharing with us. Course we were sitting there looking all hungry and he couldn’t resist our brown,

H

begging eyes. I was so full afterwards that I didn’t really need any dinner. But I didn’t turn it down cause Mama would have thought I was sick if I wasn’t ready to eat.

I wonder if all pups are as ‘on the go’ as I seem to be this time of the year? Course I love to travel and that’s a good thing since Spring is a busy time with cattle events to go to and other events as well.

My folks like to go to concerts and there have been several we’ve attended since the 1st of the year. I stay in the hotel room and watch the inside of my eyelids while they’re out and about, but I’m used to it. And they make sure I’ve had plenty of ‘run time’ before they leave. Recently we were staying at a hotel and there were lots of us canine types staying there. Seems as if there was a dog show in town. I’m used to meetin’ and greetin’ other dogs ,but I’ve never seen so many different types from tall to short. Mama always says I would have done well as a show dog since I’m a very typical mini Aussie. And when I’m in a trot she says my gait is just perfect for the show ring. I don’t know what kind of life that would be though. I probably wouldn’t get to help work cattle and that’s one of my favorite things. And always having to be prim and proper probably wouldn’t suit my personality since sometimes I just have to run and splash in puddles and get all wet and dirty. So I guess I’m living the right kind of life for a little wiggle butt like me.

And this is kind of embarrassing to tell, but I guess if you can’t laugh at yourself then who can you. On that trip I actually fell off

the bed in the middle of the night and I didn’t land on my feet either. Thankfully that hotel bed wasn’t as high as the one here at home. I was sound asleep and I guess I rolled over and was too close to the edge and the next thing I knew I went ‘kerplop’ right on the floor. Woke my folks up and me too. They checked to see if I was ok, but the only thing I hurt was my pride. I mean who falls off a bed. I bet the folks in the room below us wondered if the sky was falling.

Wonder why there’s one in every crowd determined to be different? I’ve only been in the cattle business for about 7 years now, but I’ve seen it happen again and again. One of my ‘older girls’ recently had little twin bull calves. Everyday when I’m riding along with Daddy making a check of things one of those little toots is always off by his self. We drive and drive and look and look till we find him and then I get out and move him in the direction of his mother and brother. All is well till he starts bawling and then mama cow comes running to see what the rukus is about and of course gets angry with yours truly for just trying to help. I jump back in the Ranger and she rounds up her little deliquient and off they go. Sure would be easier if those two little guys would stay together like Itsy and Bitsy always did. You remember them don’t you? They were never apart; they nursed together, went in the creep feeder at the same time and even napped together. When I saw one I saw the other. But these two little bulls are a different story. Daddy named them Pete and Repete and guess which one is the problem child – Repete. Hopefully when he gets older he’ll learn that he’s a herd animal and not meant to be a loner.

Well, guess I’d better say adios for now. It’s a beautiful Spring day and if I knew how I’d go ‘wet a hook’ as they say, but I guess some toy chasing would be good too. Mama’s outside so if I look at her just right and then go to where she keeps my throwing bone she’ll know it’s time drop what she’s doing and throw my toy for a while. I wonder if all humans are as easy to train as mine have been? HMMMM. Your friend, Kodi

A Magical Place

By Dawn David Palestine Herald-Press

I

know of a magical place. I have only been there two handfuls of times, but each time I go, I feel a sense of serenity. This particular place is owned by a friend of mine.

Land that has been passed down from generation to generation. Her great grandfather purchased the land in this area in the 1880s.

I am not sure that I can describe this magical place well enough to do it justice, but I will try. When I first appeared in the driveway that leads to this magnificent place, I see nothing but pasture and a barn that her grandfather used for storing hay. As I drive farther onto the property and over a ravine there, nestled amongst the trees on a creek embankment, is a home. The numerous trees are very large, some possibly one hundred years old, each limb reaching out in every direction as if they are pointing to something remarkable. Scattered about the yard in front of the home are old pieces of farm implements used once upon a time in these very fields by her great grandfather. The white stucco home with numerous sliding glass doors in front, is nothing of particular interest to me at first,

and as I walk upon the stone walkway to the home, I am perplexed as to where to find the front door. As I follow the stones, I soon discover that the front door is on the side of the house, where close to the door written into the stucco before it hardened, it states that six generations of this family have graced this beautiful land.

As I walk through the front door of this home, I stop, astonished at the spell binding view through the floor to ceiling glass that covers the entire back of this home. The ceilings are vaulted and extremely high, so this spectacular view includes the trees and the sky. The rooms are very airy and flow openly from one to the other. The back and sides of the house are surrounded by concrete patios.

All of the bedrooms are at the front of the house and each with a sliding glass door that leads to one concrete walkway. Along the back of the house are two large great rooms with the kitchen in the middle, all with a floor to ceiling view of the beautiful creek below through the astonishingly large windows that all slide open from floor to ceiling. All of the walls are off white in color, which makes the home appear bright and cheerful. A large wood burning cast iron stove fills one corner of a great room.

As I am walking through the home I notice that above each doorway is a plaque with the inscription of an ancestor’s name, each plaque reflecting a different name. The only hallway in the home is filled with framed photographs of ancestors gone but not forgotten, moments captured in time.

As I walk down this hallway looking at these men, women and children, I envision the lives that they must have led and the memories they created on this land. One particular photograph of two children in a small wooden cart harnessed to a goat draws me near. Later I learn that one of these children is the father of her cousin, who also is a friend of mine.

Each room in this home has a great view, but I am fascinated with the view through the glass windows overlooking the creek. The creek flows year round through this property.

The upper crest of the creek is directly behind the house, where a waterfall spills softly over iron ore rocks into the lower part of the iron ore creek bed; the transformation gradual and very therapeutic. I walk through the glass doorway to find a stone trail off of a concrete back patio, the trail leading down the embankment to the creek. The view comparable only to something out of a fairy tale. I walk down the steep stone path, thick with

ground covering on each side, to the creek and follow the creek bed in the direction of the flowing water.

As I am walking with my friend along the spring fed creek, I stop and ask about two formations consisting of many large iron ore rocks that are partially up the creek bank.

The formations are the size of a large wash tub. I am told that they are man made troughs, made in the 1880’s by her great grandfather for the horses.

There is one more water trough, the size of a loaf of bread, that sits at the top of the creek bank centered above the larger troughs. This “dipping trough” was built for the people that lived and worked on this land to drink from. All of the troughs hold the spring fed water that flows through the creek, only known to run dry during a severe drought. This was something that I have never heard of, and I stood in wonder gazing at them.

As we reach the beginning part of the creek bank there is a spring fed well carved directly into the iron ore creek bed. This five foot deep well was dug by her grandfather and pours onto the creek bed during rain.

This place is so magical and is amazingly peaceful. I am so envious of her being so blessed to be able to live on this beautiful land so rich with her family history. I imagine my

friend curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee in the mornings, listening to trickling water, leaves rustling in the breeze, squirrels chattering and birds chirping in this truly wonderful place. I do not go there often, but when I do, I love walking with her and listening to the stories of her ancestors and how this place came about.

Our town is so rich in history and stories, I have a lot of heritage in this town, and love learning about my families’ history and the land that they own, but this place, owned by my friend, is by far the most fascinating of them all. The home was designed by my friend’s mother, said to be her mother’s “happiest accomplishment in life.” Looking at the home and the scenery surrounding it, I soon realize that extreme thought was put into every aspect of this home, displaying the heritage of the land and the people who have lived there before.

We all should have a place that is amazing to us. A place that reaches out to us as individuals. A place that takes our breath away, whether it be a busy city, an ocean, a lake, a mountain top or a spring fed creek nestled in the heart of East Texas. This place for me is the most, well for the lack of a better term, the most magical place I have ever encountered.

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April-May 2016 13

A house for all seasons Navarro County real estate broker branches out with greenhouse business

By Michael Kormos Corsicana Daily Sun

R

ena Caperton loves warm weather. Her ideal summer vacation destination is a sunny beach in Florida but on any given weekend, any other time of year, she can be found in her greenhouse.

As broker and co-

owner of Marrs & Associates Realty for over 30 years, she has built and managed a business while raising three boys.

She has enjoyed the opportunity to work sideby-side with her mother, Loudine Marrs, but long winters in the office took their toll. Last year she decided to take matters into her own hands.

“My husband Bud and I have a hobby farm just outside Corsicana,”

she said. “We love to be outdoors and garden but we could only do so a few months a year. I decided to have a greenhouse built last November and fell in love with the whole process.”

Caperton thumbed through catalogs and custom designed every bit of her greenhouse.

She selected the best site on her property and landscaped around the perimeter.

As a long-time business woman a thought occurred to her.

“I wanted to help people through the process of creating their own refuge from the cold,” she said.

“Gardeners think about their hobby almost year-round, they start planning in January.”

Caperton did just that and became a dealer for handmade, custom greenhouses.

FARM & RANCH CLASSIFIEDS To advertise here, contact Lezlie Hoover at 903-729-0281 or email lhoover@ palestineherald.com

“Of all the properties I have shown over the years, I had never seen a custom greenhouse,” she said. “That’s what sparked my interest in becoming a dealer for handmade and customized greenhouses.”

Caperton said it may be too late to have a greenhouse installed in time for the spring growing season but customers will thank themselves for the investment this winter.

“I want to bring the opportunity to grow to as many people as possible,” she said. “Plus, I just love to connect with people that share a common interest as myself. There’s so much to learn, experiment with and harvest.”

—————— On the Net: https:// allseasonsgreenhouse. com www.facebook.com/ allseasonsgreenhouse

East Texas Farm & Ranch Living

14 April-May 2016

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MORSE CODE FACTS 1. Developed during the 1830â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and 1840â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s by Samuel Morse and other inventors.

2. Samuel Morse was born on April 27, 1791.

3. Worked by transmitting electrical signals over a wire laid between telegraph stations.

4. Samuel Morse developed a code that assigned a set of dots and dashes to each letter of the alphabet. Letters of the alphabet used more frequently received a simple code, while letters used infrequently received a longer and more complex code.

5. At first the code showed up as marks on a piece of paper, which the telegraph operator would then translate into English. It was not long until the telegraph operators could just listen to the clicking of the receiver and were able to hear and understand the code. The paper was then replaced by a receiver that created more pronounced beeping sounds.

6. In 1844 the first telegraph message was sent from Washington, D.C. To Baltimore, MD. The first historic message read:â&#x20AC;?What hath God wroughtâ&#x20AC;?

EAST TEXAS ANDERSON CO. LIVESTOCK Updated: 4/20/2016 Head Count: 228 Buyers: 29 Sellers: 21

7. The telegraph changed how wars were fought.

8. The telegraph also changed how newspapers conducted business.

The telegraph was quick but costly.

The charge was by the word, so newsmen invented an abbreviated communication called telegraphic reporting.

9. By 1866, the telegraph industry employed thousands of people.

10. Samuel Morse died at the age of 80 on April 2, 1872.

MORSE CODE WORD LIST

EAST TEXAS LIVESTOCK INC. Updated: 4/19/2016 Cows: 305 Bulls: 18 Buyers: 49 Sellers: 110

STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $95-$300 305 lbs - 400 lbs: $140-$210 405 lbs - 500 lbs: $117-$182 505 lbs - 600 lbs: $125-$170 605 lbs - 800 lbs: $123-$144

HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.55-$1.85 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.40-$1.65 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.32-$1.57 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $1.20-$1.45 lb 600 lbs - 700 lbs: $1.10-$1.40 lb 700 lbs - 800 lbs: $0.90-$1.05 lb

HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $126-$280 305 lbs - 400 lbs: $104-$214 405 lbs - 500 lbs: $117-$155 505 lbs - 600 lbs: $80-$143 605 lbs - 800 lbs: $97-$126 SLAUGHTER Cows: $63-$84 Bulls: $88-$102

SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.60 - $0.92 lb Bulls: $0.85 - $1.05 lb

PAIRS $1850-$2500

PAIRS $1125 - $2100

BRED COWS $1125 - $1775/hd

Stocker Cows: $875 - $2000 hd Goats: $45 - $150

HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.45-$2.10 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.40-$1.55 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.25-$1.43 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $1.20-$1.40 lb 600 lbs - 700 lbs: $1.15-$1.25 lb 700 lbs - 800 lbs: $1.00-$1.10 lb SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.45 - $0.85 Heavy Bulls: $0.85 - $1.06 Pairs: $1200 - $1625 Stocker Cows: $900 - $1700 Baby Calves: $150 - $450

REPORTING SAMUEL SIGNAL SIMPLE SOUNDS STATIONS TELEGRAPH THOUSANDS TRANSLATE TRANSMIT WIRE WORD

STOCK PRICES

STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.60-$2.20 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.48-$1.80 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.35-$1.70 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $1.30-$1.61 lb 600 lbs - 700 lbs: $1.20-$1.48 lb 700 lbs - 800 lbs: $1.05-$1.25 lb

TRI-COUNTY LIVESTOCK MARKET Updated: 4/23/2016 Head Count: 588 STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.55-$2.10 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.45-$1.92 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.30-$1.65 lb 500 lbs - 600 lbs: $1.20-$1.64 lb 600 lbs - 700 lbs: $1.15-$1.35 lb 700 lbs - 800 lbs: $1.05-$1.10 lb

ELECTRICAL EMPLOYED ENGLISH HISTORIC INVENTOR LETTERS MARKS MORSE NEWSMEN NEWSPAPERS OPERATOR QUICK RECEIVER

ALPHABET BEEPING BUSINESS CHANGED CLICKING CODE COMMUNICATION COMPLEX COSTLY DASHES DEVELOPED DOTS

NACOGDOCHES LIVESTOCK EX. Updated: 4/21/2016 Head Count: 675 Buyers: 70 Sellers: 91 STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.65-$2.65 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.50-$2.15 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.42-$1.78 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.20-$1.61 lb HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.55-$3.30 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.40-$1.80 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.30-$2.10 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.13-$1.60 lb SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.65 - $0.85 lb Bulls: $0.80 - $1.05 lb PAIRS $1050 - $2600 Stocker Cows: $850 - $2100 hd Baby Calves: $50 - $300 hd Horses: None Goats: $50 - $150 hd

HUNTS LIVESTOCK EXCHANGE Updated: 4/18/2016 Head Count: 323 huntlivestockexchange.com STEERS 200 lbs - 299 lbs $1.77-$2.60 lb 300 lbs - 399 lbs: $1.50-$2.35 lb 400 lbs - 499 lbs: $1.35-$1.79 lb 500 lbs - 599 lbs: $1.25-$1.67 lb 600 lbs - 699 lbs: $1.19-$1.68 lb 700 lbs - 799 lbs: $1.29-$1.47 lb HEIFERS 200 lbs - 299 lbs $1.59-$2.35 lb 300 lbs - 399 lbs: $1.13-$2.00 lb 400 lbs - 499 lbs: $1.19-$1.67 lb 500 lbs - 599 lbs: $1.00-$1.55 lb 600 lbs - 699 lbs: $1.11-$1.40 lb 700 lbs - 799 lbs: $1.00-$1.27 lb SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.47 - $0.84 lb Bulls: $0.85 - $1.05 lb PAIRS Pairs: $### - $2100 Stocker Cows: $350 - $1950 Baby Calves: $### - $350

ATHENS COMMISSION CO. Updated: 4/1/2016 Head Count: 914 Sellers: 190 Sale EVERY Friday At 11am STEERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.60-$2.80 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.50-$2.75 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.40-$2.50 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.30-$2.15 lb HEIFERS 300 lbs - DOWN: $1.50-$2.75 lb 300 lbs - 400 lbs: $1.40-$2.60 lb 400 lbs - 500 lbs: $1.30-$2.30 lb 500 lbs - UP: $1.20-$1.95 lb SLAUGHTER Cows: $0.50 - $0.85 lb Heavy Bulls: $0.80-$1.09 lb PAIRS Top: $1750 - $2400 Low Middle: $1000 - $1750 Stocker Cows: $0.80 - $1.90 lb Baby calves: $50 - $600 hd Horses: $50 - $600 hd Goats: $35 - $200 hd

This report is a GUIDE only. It is provided to show market trends and is NOT INFLATED to deceive producers or the general public.

Gone Fishing with Jerry Miller

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April-May 2016 15

Keeping up with the bass S

pring fishing is beginning to wind down. Most of the bass on the north or northeast banks have spawned out.

Bass are still spawning on the banks facing north, mainly south or southwest banks that have been constantly exposed to the north wind. The last time I checked the surface temperature on these exposed banks it read 68 - 69°F. By the end of April a lot of spawners will have recuperated from the rigors of spawning and become more active. They will be on the move.

The month of May is best known for top water action. A Yellow Magic buzz bait and other favorites should get you bit, especially on lakes that have good grass edges.

Eventually bass on the spawning flats will recuperate and get active.

On lakes like Lake Jacksonville you will soon see bass relation to the ends of boat docks and shallow to mid-depth brush.

On lakes with lots of cover like Athens and Lake Nacogdoches, which have a lot of cover such as hydrilla, pads and other grass, bass should remain fairly shallow.

Bass are now moving out of spawning flats to the nearest drops, ledges, humps or creek bends. The most productive way of locating bass now through May is fishing just out from the spawning flats.

Deeper crank baits can often be your best tool to locating bass that have moved out.

You will need a crankbait that runs 5 to 10 feet deep and one that will bump the bottom in about 12 to 17 feet.

I like to use my electronics to locate these deeper bass first thing in the morning. A lot of fishermen just want to run to their favorite fishing â&#x20AC;&#x153;spotâ&#x20AC;? and start fishing without

pinpointing the schools of bass that have dropped off into a little deeper water.

Once you locate a school of bass or a drop off near the spawning flats, you can drop a buoy and often catch several bass grouped up. When postspawn bass have recuperated enough they will be a lot more aggressive. In clear water a shad color will suffice, and in stained water a chartreuse/blue back crank bait will work.

If the deeper bass are scattered or slow biting I would use a Shakey Head and straight tail worm.

Last year about this time on Lake Athens I found bass holding on main lake points in 10 to 12 feet of water and had a great day fishing a 1/4 oz. Shakey Head with a Zoom green pumpkin worm.

As always, you have to experiment with different lures. The spawners will soon be on the move, and the fisherman has to be flexible and be ready to move with the fish.

------------------------------Jerry Miller may be contacted at: gonefishing2@suddenlink.net

Hay meadows require higher fertility than pastures

By Rick Hirsch County Extension Agent

T

he forage harvested as hay will remove all nutrients in the grass and there is no recycling. As a result, a hay meadow requires a higher fertility level than pastures. A 6 ton hay crop each year will remove 300 pounds of nitrogen, 84 pounds phosphorus and 252 pounds of potassium. If these amounts of nutrients are not applied each year, the forage will mine the soil. After a period of time, the soil fertility level will decline and yields will decrease. It is essential to maintain soil fertility to maintain grass stands, yields and quality.

Nitrogen and potassium are normally low in East Texas fields.

Where hay is harvested 3 - 4 times a year, I would suggest that a 1-1 ratio of nitrogen and potassium be used.

The soil test report will list in the center of the page the suggested fertilizer rates in pounds per acre for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The phosphorus and potassium rates are for the year and the nitrogen requirement is for the first fertilization.

A following statement will suggest the nitrogen rate for additional fertilizations.

Remember, the amount of fertilizer recommended by the soil testing laboratory is not absolute. The fertilizer rate is only

a suggested guideline. Producers will know much more about a particular field than the laboratory and the suggested rate may need to bemodified by experience.

Generally, fertilizer blends such as 19-4-17 and 21-8-17 will meet the nutrient requirement for Bermuda grass and Bahia grass meadows. These blends are close to the ratio of nutrients required by grasses. In hay meadows having a medium - high soil phosphorus level, a 20-0-20 fertilizer blend will work well, but a soil test is needed each year to prevent phosphorus from becoming deficient. The fertilizer blends mentioned need to be applied each time fertilizer is applied to prevent a soil deficiency.

A 3-1-2 fertilizer blend will

supply the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for the first cutting.

However, if only nitrogen is applied for the second cutting, the grass will remove the phosphorus and potassium from the soil. When phosphorus and potassium are not present in sufficient amounts, the forage yields and stands will decrease, even if there is sufficient nitrogen.

Phosphorus and potassium fertilizer may be applied in the fall or early spring to provide the necessary nutrients and then following each application with nitrogen only. If more than 100 pounds of potassium are required, it will be beneficial to make split applications. Usually a thin strand of grass is a result of low potassium. All plant nutrients are needed in the correct amount to maintain stands and yields.

It is impossible to make one recommendation that will fit all soils and management programs.

The only sure way to achieve the correct levels of nutrients in a particular soil is to follow recommendations. Soil testing should be considered a tool for saving money, not just an indicator of how much fertilizer to purchase. A producer

should purchase only the elements his soil is lacking - not an excess of other elements. Often, money can be saved on fertilizer by figuring the exact amount of nutrients needed and then purchasing fertilizers that fit those forage needs.

Haylage, also known as round bale silage, is an approach to preserving forage that some producers are utilizing. Haylage is simply forage that is baled at a higher moisture content than dry hay and then stored in a sealed plastic wrap. Because of the high moisture level and air-tight environment, the forage ferments and is preserved by acid production during fermentation. This method has certain advantages and disadvantages over other forage harvesting and preservation systems.

According to North Carolina Extension advantages to using haylage include decreased curing time needed from cutting to baling, which makes weather less of a factor in forage harvesting; potential for more timely harvest of large quantities of forage; decreased need for mechanical handling and time curing to dry the forage reduces the loss of leaves, the most digestible part of the plant and

potential for higher feed quality bale through leaf preservation and possible nitrate reduction.

There are some issues to consider when considering haylage as a forage source.

Some of which include increased harvest cost per bale vs. conventional cured hay; disposal of used plastic wrap and the possibility of spoilage during the storage period. Transportation of bales is limited due to cost of moving highmoisture bales.

A number of East Texas beef producers have begun to utilize haylage especially in cool season grasses in order to capture excess production in the spring time. Putting haylage up decreases the need for curing time which can be one of the biggest issues in harvesting cool season grasses such as ryegrass during the later part of spring. So far 2016 is an excellent example of this situation.

Rick Hirsch is the Henderson County Extension Agent Agriculture for the TexasA&M AgriLife Extension Service.

Visit our web page at HYPERLINK â&#x20AC;&#x153;http://henderson. agrilife.org/â&#x20AC;?http://henderson. agrilife.org/.

800-595-2242

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