Ofn dummy 11 30 15 by Eric Tietze

Giving New Life to Tired Iron Frank Holzkamper has been restoring, repairing tractors for decades in Gentry, Ark.

NOVEMBER 30, 2015• 32 PAGES

VOLUME 9, NUMBER 14 • WWW.OZARKSFN.COM

Madam President National FFA Organization taps Arkansas member to lead membership

Producers Reach Out Through ‘Moms’

Farm Machine r Truck Iss y & ue

Farmers invite urban families to get a first-hand look at food production

Repair or Replace Equipment Producers are encouraged to consider which is more cost effective in the long run

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

rumor mill

Area FFA members receive awards: Several FFA members of the Oklahoma and Arkansas Ozarks received awards at the 88th annual National FFA Convention, held last month in Louisville, Ky. Leza Stemple of the Vinita (Okla.) FFA Chapter was named the winner of the National Proficiency Award in Poultry Production/Entrepreneurship/Placement. Kelcie Jenkins of the Claremore (Okla.) FFA Chapter was the third-high individual in the Agricultural Communications Resources Career Development Event. Carley Allen, Samantha Sampley, Abigail Sanders and Karah Stewart, all of the Oark (Ark.) FFA Chapter placed fifth in the Environmental and Natural CDE. The Locust Grove (Ark.) FFA Chapter took second in the Horse Evaluation CDE. Team members are Colt Cunningham, Corey Pell, Trisha Meyer and Rhett Pursley. Meyer was the top individual in the contest, while Cunningham was sixth. Logan Carter and Wyatt Hancock of the Oologah (Okla.) FFA Chapter took first in the National Agriscience Fair Division 3: Social Systems competition. Century Farms Honored: Arkansas Century Farm Program, recently inducted 58 new farms and families during a governor-led ceremony at the State Capitol. Farms in the Arkansas Ozarks that were honored include: Naegle Farm (Logan County); Bourland-Milton Farm, Circle D Farm and 1872 Farms (Franklin County); Pine Mountain Ranch, Harmon Family Farm, Ogilvie Farm, Dean Edwards Farm and the Pomrenke Homestead Farm (Johnson County); Bill and Marie Vickery Farm (Crawford County); Circle L Ranch, C.K. Tucker Farm (Benton County); Claiborne Farm (White County); Fenley Farm (Cleburne County); Fulks Farm and Story Farm (Van Buren); Gass Farm (Boone County); Kenneth Samson Farms and Mabry Farm (Faulkner County); Turney-Loftin-Horton Family Farm (Searcy County); and Wesley Farm (Madison County).

Rodeo team takes first: The Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College rodeo team took first place in a rodeo hosted by Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Oct. 29-30. Scoring 540 points, the men’s team defeated the 15 universities and two-year colleges in the Central Plains Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

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NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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VOL. 9, NO. 14

JUST A THOUGHT

Jerry Crownover – The long road to recovery

4 5

Jody Harris – Celebrating family

Julie Turner-Crawford – The ‘know-it-alls’

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS 7 Urban sprawl hasn’t quenched teen’s thirst for agriculture

8 10

Correction: In the Nov. 9 edition of Ozarks Farm & Neighbor the names of the writers of the story featuring Tom Woods were incorrect. Pam and Terry Lamb were the writers. We regret the error.

Scan Me Or Visit ozarksfn.com

13 Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Frank Holzkamper has been restoring, repairing tractors for decades

Eye on Agribusiness spotlights Langley Feeds

13 15

Reaching out through ‘Moms’

Oklahoma family boasts its fifth generation on the farm

Youth in Ag spotlights Whitney Walker

National FFA Organization taps Arkansas member to lead membership

Town & Country features Craig & Carol Thompson

FARM HELP 22 Understanding VFDs 24 Careful discussions, written agreements needed when sharing equipment

25 26 27

Repair or replace?

28 29

Insuring farm machinery

Keeping tires on track Don’t neglect the health, nutritional needs of herd bulls Preparing for H5N2

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

just a

thought

What’s On Your Mind, Ozarks?

e f i L elpmiS si

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Administrative Eric Tietze, Vice-President Operations Kathy Myers, Marketing Manager Sandra Coffman, Accounting Advertising Pete Boaz, Display & Classified Sales Kathy Myers, Production Sales Circulation Stan Coffman, Circulation Editorial Julie Turner-Crawford, Managing Editor Jerry Crownover, Columnist Jody Harris, Columnist Production Amanda Newell, Production

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ate in the summer, I finally succumbed to pressure from my wife, revonand woagreed rC yrreto J yB meet with a surgeon concerning a health issue that has been bothering me for the Jerry Crownover is past year. a farmer and former Unsurprisingly, he confirmed that I needed to professor of Agriculture undergo, in his words, “minor surgery.” I have Education at Missouri since concluded that when a doctor terms surgery State University. He is a as “minor,” it only means that he will not be renative of Baxter County, moving your heart and manually massaging it. Arkansas, and an With more than a little apprehension, I asked, author and professional “How long will I be laid up?” speaker. To contact Jerry, “That depends,” he responded. “What do you go to ozarksfn.com and do for a living?” click on ‘Contact Us.’ “I’m a farmer.” “Hmmm,” he pondered, “You won’t feel much like stirring around for a couple of days, but you should be able to resume limited activity after that.” “Limited activity?” “Yes, but it’s absolutely imperative that you not lift anything heavier than 5 pounds for two full weeks after surgery.” It was at that point, I knew my doctor was not raised on a farm. Since the surgery was not an emergency situation, I tried my best to find a date that would coincide with the slowest time on my farm. I decided that a date after the spring calves were sold would, hopefully, allow me to take it relatively easy until I would have to start feeding hay in late November. The date was set and surgery was successful, but I’m beginning to think I might die... of boredom. I knew that today’s TV programing was less than desirable, but I had no idea how truly bad it was until I was left with nothing else to do but watch a few days and nights of that

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About the Cover Former dairy farmer spends most of his days repairing and restoring vintage farm tractors. See more on page 10. Photo by Terry Ropp Ozarks Farm & Neighbor accepts story suggestions from readers. Story information appears as gathered from interviewees. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor assumes no responsibility for the credibility of statements made by interviewees. © Copyright Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, Inc., 2015. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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en years ago this month, we became parents. We’d barely finished renovations on Jody Harris is a freelance our farm house when it was time to bring communications specialist, our firstborn into the world. Just a few gardener, ranch wife and weeks earlier we’d learned our child was mother of four. She and breech which meant a scheduled C-section delivery. her family raise Angus beef Our Missouri family came and celebrated Thankscattle and other critters on giving in our home. My mom cooked most of the their northwest Arkansas meal in Missouri and brought it down to us. I don’t ranch. She is a graduate know if it actually counts as the first Thanksgiving of Missouri State University. dinner I cooked. We were happy our family came. To contact Jody, go to My sister stayed with us through the weekend to ozarksfn.com and click on help me finish up things that I was certain HAD to ‘Contact Us.’ be completed before bringing a baby home. On the Monday following, we went to the hospital and delivered a healthy baby girl. Surrounded by our family, the world declared us parents. Since then, we’ve been blessed with three more children and they are growing up way too fast. Family is important to my husband and me. Some of our family is nearby and most of our family is out-of-state. My childhood vacations were typically spent driving to Iowa and South Dakota to see relatives. My parents didn’t take off from work very often but for a family wedding, special event or a funeral, we found ourselves on the road headed north. Road trips. Looooooooong road trips. One of my favorite places to visit as a child was my grandparents’ farm. It’s a century-old farm in northwest Iowa. Hog barns, bean and cornfields still surround the area. The original farm house still stands today. I love it. It’s probably my favorite structure in the world. Today a third-generation (my uncle and aunt) runs the farm. The farmhouse is filled with their children and grandchildren. Our kids have grown to love visiting this special place too. They love their cousins, aunts and uncles. This month, we took our children back to Iowa. Another looooooong road trip. During our visit, my husband took our oldest son on his first pheasant hunting excursion. They both loved it and cannot stop talking about when they can go back and do it again. The highlight of the trip was a surprise party to commemorate my grandfather’s 90th birthday. We all loved watching him take in all the faces of people who had turned out to celebrate his milestone. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit with aunts, uncles, cousins – first, second, third and twice removed! With nine children, 25 grandchildren, and I’ve lost count of the great-grands – my grandparents have a huge family. When I think about all the ways I’ve been blessed, I start with my family – grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews. We are surrounded by good friends and are blessed with good health. We are fortunate to live on a beautiful farm in a home that was built for sharing. We still live in the land of the free and the home of the brave and we serve a sovereign God in our household. My hope is to instill in these children of ours, a grateful attitude. I don’t know if my grandfather’s birth story from 90 years ago is as dreamy and romantic as the story we tell about the birth of our 10-year-old. I cannot fathom the hardships farm families endured during that time. I am glad his parents persevered in farm life so a family tradition could be preserved for nearly five generations. I have a lot to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving, neighbor!

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

just a thought

Across the Fence

Headgates • Chutes • Tubs • Portable Systems • Scales

By Julie Turner-Crawford

griculture continues to come under fire from those who have no understanding about our industry, but the fight is nothing new. Our way of life has been Julie Turner-Crawford questioned for decades by those who is a native of Dallas “think” they know about life on the farm. County, Mo., where she Many years ago, I lived along the Missouri grew up on her family’s River in Lafayette County, Mo., a beautiful area farm. She is a graduate filled with row crops, apple and peach orchards, of Missouri State and cattle. One day, I was in a local grocery store University. To contact buying “store bought” meat for the first time in Julie, call 1-866-532-1960 my life when an older, well-dressed lady walked or by email at editor@ beside me as I stood there evaluating the ground ozarksfn.com. round in the meat department. “I wouldn’t buy any of this if I were you,” she said, waving her hand in a dismissing manner. Taken back a bit by her comment, I simply asked why. “Do you know what farmers do to the animals? They pump them full of all of these chemicals to make the meat taste better. You just never know what these farmers are going to do next to make a buck,” she responded. I admit I was a little dumbfounded by what she said, and as I attempted to keep my big mouth shut, which is very difficult for me at times, she continued with her rant with how farmers did this and that. She then told me about how bad people were who raised pigs, and how she is thinking about giving up on all meat. She started to sound like the teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoons; waa, waaa, waaa is all I heard after a minute or so. Finally, she stopped and as I stood there with a package of hamburger in my hand, I said, “Oh, I guess you grow and raise all of your own food then?” — Continued on Next Page

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“Oh no,” she responded with a laugh. “I have never lived on a farm and I wouldn’t know the first thing about growing a garden or anything like that. I just read a lot.” “Oh, well I grew up on a farm and never remember doing anything to our cattle and hogs,” I quipped back. “I’d really like to know where you read that.” This time she appeared to be the one who was a little dumbfounded. “I don’t remember,” she said as she quickly turned her shopping cart and scurried off to another isle. A little part of me wanted to follow her and make little comments like, “Oh, I wouldn’t buy that bottle of mustard. Do you know what they put in that stuff?” But, I didn’t; my mother always told me to be nice to people. I know now that I should have taken the opportunity to share the truth about agriculture with that lady and shared our way of life with her. While I might not have changed her mind, at least she might have thought twice about walking up to a stranger at the meat counter in the grocery store. I would have never guessed that the quick, yet strange, conversation I had

in that small grocery store in Lexington, Mo., 20 years ago was a sign of things yet-to-come in agriculture. I just thought that she was a bit “eccentric,” not the beginning of a movement against farming. Unfortunately, the agriculture industry is at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to dispelling the rumors that have been decades in the making. Most of us were just going about our business of feeding the world, never dreaming that we would one day be in a constant battle to save our way of life, and that our own communities would become the frontlines. How can we win the battle? I don’t know, but we can continue to arm ourselves with the most valuable resource we have – our knowledge. We need to share that knowledge at every opportunity and provide verifiable resources for the information we give to consumers not just say that we read about it somewhere – unless it was in the pages of Ozarks Farm & Neighbor.

Life Is Simple Continued from Page 3 drivel. And, as much as I love football, I found myself not caring who won the games by the end of the second full day. I wanted to get out of the house and piddle around the farm, but most of my gates weigh considerably more than 5 pounds, so I couldn’t even drive around and check cows without assistance. Tractor activities were out of the question as well since I have to grab onto the handle beside the steps to help lift me up and, believe me, that effort is about 50 times my lifting restriction. I thought about changing the oil in the lawnmower, power washer, generator and UTV, but the simple effort of removing the drain plug exceeds my “limited activity” so it was back to reruns of Bonanza and Gunsmoke.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Even my daily trips to the coffee shop and feed store were nixed, after the first visit to each were met with ridicule and derision, as my neighbors, who have never seen me wear anything but jeans and boots, saw me in sweat pants and tennis shoes. As one good friend put it, “Really, Jerry, have you just given up?” Last Monday, I went in for my twoweek, post-surgery, follow-up. “I’ve got great news for you,” the doctor proudly announced after examining his handiwork. “You’re getting along so well, I’m going to increase your weight restriction to 10 pounds for the next month!” “Well, that is good news,” I replied, “My wife will appreciate the fact that I’ll be able to pour my own milk again.” NOVEMBER 30, 2015

meet your

neighbors We Make Your Pipe Dreams Come True

‘My Calling in Agriculture’ By Terry Ropp

Urban sprawl has not quenched teen’s thirst for livestock, farming Northwest Arkansas is growing and becoming more metropolitan each year. Part of this phenomenon is smaller towns surrounding the Fayetteville-Springdale, Ark., area becoming more urban, rather like suburbs, unlike the completely rural towns they once were. What this means in terms of FFA is that a large portion of members no longer live on farms. One such student is Dixie Mill-

Dixie Miller said she has tried playing sports and other clubs, but they were never a “good fit.” She did, however, find 4-H and FFA.

ing paid 50 cents for opening every gate for her Pepaw. She also remembers visiting her great-grandmother, Verna Miller, on her farm and jumping from the barn into the hay with her cousins. They also loved being pulled by a tractor in the snow on their farm in Prairie Grove, Ark. “I tried sports and clubs, but it was not a good fit so I went the 4-H and FFA route,” Dixie said. “When I was in fifth

Photo by Terry Ropp

grade I was told if I could make the honor roll I could get a goat. That goat was my first 4-H project. I went all the way er, 16, who technically lives in Fayette- to the state fair and remember crying ville, attends Farmington, Ark., schools, when it was sold.” Today most students in her FFA Chapis a member of Farmington FFA and does not live on a farm. She and her family live ter, keep their animals at the school barn under the guidance of advisors on 2 acres on the outskirts of Clayton Sallee and Ronnie Fayetteville, which is more Horn. land than many FFA mem- Fayetteville, Ark. Dixie raises her animals, exbers today have access to. cept for her Gold Sex Link layUrban sprawl has increased ing hens, at the farm of her uncle dramatically during Dixie’s and aunt, Jerry and Diana Moyer lifetime. She easily rememof Lincoln, Ark. bers being 4 years old and beNOVEMBER 30, 2015

As Dixie pursued her interest in agriculture, she set a goal of trying to show every market animal at the fair. With a pig she is showing this year, she will have shown every species except for turkeys, which were excluded from this year’s fair because of an avian flu issue further north. Dixie is showing a large, mostly Hereford heifer, as well. Dixie never does anything halfway. She has attended numerous camps to perfect her skills and knowledge including a cattle camp in Warner, Okla., last summer. Kansas State University ran an exclusive Animal Science Leadership Academy and Dixie selected to attend this year and especially enjoyed a dairy session and touring facilities like Sysco Foods. She was a delegate of the Arkansas FFA Association for the recent National FFA Convention, which included a long culling process and intensive interview. When asked why she wanted to attend, she explained that the delegate business sessions were the ones that first allowed women to enter FFA in 1969 and she wanted to be part of that legacy. Last year Dixie was secretary of her FFA Chapter and is president this year with the goal of running for state office after her senior year. A conflict exists because she also wants to be on a livestock judging team in college, but Arkansas has no junior colleges with livestock judging teams and to be a state officer she must go to school in Arkansas. The driving force behind Dixie’s activities is a passion for being an agricultural advocate. When freshmen enrolled in school this summer, Dixie was there to explain what FFA was. “I explained that FFA was no longer just about cows, sows and plows, but about all aspects including those not actively involved in raising animals such as ag communications,” Dixie said. While very unsure of what her eventual career will be, Dixie is adamant about being in agriculture and part of the movement to educate the public. “If not for my extended family, I might never have found my calling in agriculture. I have a lot of good people behind me and we pull together,” she said.

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Madam President By Gary Digiuseppe

National FFA Organization taps Arkansas member to lead membership The Arkansas agriculture community has Taylor McNeel to themselves – but just for a little while. As the new president of the National FFA Association, the 20-year-old native of Vilonia, Ark., and agricultural business student at Southern Arkansas University has a lot of traveling ahead of her. McNeel, who was elected in to her position just last month during the 88th

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from 1939-40 and from 1943-44, respectively. The New Farmers of America was a similar origination for African-American youth that merged with FFA in 1965. “Welcome home; it’s going to be a short homecoming because you’re going to be on road, and we’re so excited to go with you on this journey,” SAU President Trey Berry said to McNeel said during a Nov. 6 press conference at the

Vilonia, Ark., native Taylor McNeel, the newly elected president of the National FFA Organization, will begin her duties on Dec. 1.

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National FFA Convention & Expo in Arkansas State Capitol. “It’s going to be Louisville, Ky., will return to the Mag- an incredible year.” McNeel was Arkansas FFA President nolia, Ark., campus to finish her semester early, and will then report for duty in 2013-14 and has served at SAU as a Dec 1. In the coming year, the entire President’s Ambassador, giving campus officer team will spend two weeks in Ja- tours to prospective students and their pan; in addition McNeel, who is minor- families. She was chosen in January to be ing in Spanish, hopes to attend Puerto Arkansas’ candidate for national FFA office. She joined FFA in the ninth grade, Rico’s 2016 FFA convention. and had previously attended McNeel becomes only the four national conventions. second National FFA Presi“I love FFA because it’s an dent from Arkansas, joining organization that any student John Haid, who served from can come into and find what 1956-57. Two other Arkan- Vilonia, Ark. makes them unique,” McNeel sans, Jethro Hill and Amos told to Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. Henry, served as presidents “There are no prerequisites in this of New Farmers of America,

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

meet your neighbors organization; it grows students and gives them that positive difference that we make in students’ lives with career leadership, personal growth and career success. FFA, to me, is family; it’s a family that I’m involved in, that I love and now that I get to serve it in this way, it’s just so awesome.” McNeel grew up on a family hobbytype farm. Her parents, John and Laura, both have full-time jobs, and she cites her dad’s experience with FFA in Texas, where he showed cattle and participated in rodeo. Taylor raises registered Boer goats and tends to the farm’s horses; she’s also competed in livestock judging and public speaking. In her speech at the press conference, McNeel recounted a conversation she’d had before the Louisville convention with a past national FFA officer who told her, “You have been preparing for this your whole life,” McNeel recalled. “I started thinking about that. Everything that we do, these big moments – they didn’t just happen. When I was younger and all these people who came into my life, looking around the room, who came in, giving me motivation and supporting me and saying, ‘We believe in you.’ And that’s how this happened.” McNeel said this revelation caused her to realize she had been looking for opportunities her whole life to pass on her knowledge to others, from showing goats to acting as the President’s Ambassador. She talked about having a “palms up” philosophy, being prepared to take whatever comes one’s way; that, she said, helped get her through waiting for the results on the FFA presidency vote. “Now,” she said, “I can go out this and share this message, that we’re put out here to leave our legacy. We’re not going to be here forever, so let’s take what’s given us, and just give it to others.”

McNeel told OFN she plans to spend the next year focusing on what FFA is, “and then just really tell that message and share that story, to strengthen this organization and agriculture.” She’ll also encourage sponsors and the board members of the National FFA Foundation to share that message. The coming year’s experience, she believes, will prepare her to promote agriculture in the future. She’ll have the opportunity to do that in the coming year, and Marion Fletcher couldn’t be happier. “I haven’t come off of Cloud 9 yet,” the Arkansas State Supervisor and Program Manager of Ag Education told OFN. “It’s not every day that you have a national FFA President, and I’m glad it’s Taylor McNeel.” Fletcher said he’s been familiar with McNeel since she started in FFA and has had her involved in other state and national activities; he’ll use her election “big time” as a recruiting tool. “We’re going to post pictures all over Facebook and everyplace else, and show people what you can do if you get an ag education in FFA,” he said, noting Arkansas FFA is already up this year to 14,000 members, and up to 209 high schools. And what is McNeel’s advice to a young FFAer who’d like to follow in her footsteps? “I would say, enjoy the journey,” she told OFN. “These moments that come – maybe we win a contest, or win a belt buckle at the county fair – are really awesome, but the memories and lessons, and the fun times that we have, come from preparing for these moments and enjoying the journey, and just taking it day-by-day. Those times that we spend in the show barn, and the FFA chapter and agricultural education classrooms – that’s really what we are.”

— HISTORY OF WOMEN IN FFA —

Girls were restricted from the earliest forms of FFA membership by delegate vote at the 1930 national convention. The decision to deny female members for many years denied recognition of the key role women have played on farms and in agriculture since the days of the American pioneers. It wasn’t until 1969 that females gained full FFA membership privileges by vote of the national convention delegates, despite many state associations permitting female members long before. New York’s Anita Decker and New Jersey’s Patricia Krowicki became the first two female delegates to the national convention in 1970.

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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ozarks

roots

the people, places and traditions that make the ozarks home

Giving New Life to

Tired Iron By Terry Ropp

Frank Holzkamper has been restoring, repairing tractors for decades in Gentry, Ark. Frank Holzkamper of Gentry, Ark., is addicted to tractor restoration. When he was 17, Frank’s father, Phil, passed away, leaving Frank to look after his mother, Elsie, and the farm. Two years later, Frank replaced the commercial beef herd with a small herd of dairy cows he milked by hand through high school. Frank married Sharon Allen in 1961 and Sharon’s father, Lloyd Allen, taught Frank to maintain his 1948 8N Ford tractor, a necessary skill for any farmer with an eye on the bottom-line. “I was always interested in tractors and that interest eventually evolved into restoration,” Frank said. The farm developed and changed from the small 48-acre dairy farm to more than 300 acres with a 100-cow dairy herd. During that time Frank and Sharon received several awards, including the 1974 Outstanding Young Dairy Couple for the Mid-America Dairy Association. In the 1980s they switched to a registered Limousin herd and an extensive haying business. When neither of their nearby two sons, Frank Jr., and Steve, nor their daughter Sherry in Green Forest, Ark., showed any interest in farming, Frank and Sharon decided it was time for Frank to “retire” by opening up a heavy equipment repair business called Holz Equipment Service. “We had sold all the cattle, equipment, and most of the property but had no repair business,” Frank said. “I prayed to God on the night of our equipment auction, and by the next day we had three dump trucks, and two tractors lined up for repair.”

The business thrived with Frank eventually hiring Dave White, who has been a huge help in staying on top of as many as 20 pieces of equipment in line for repair. “Our moto is ‘If we please you, tell others; if not, tell us.’ Consequently many

press he still uses. Needless to say, the huge array of tools is vital in his tractor restoration process. The transition into restoring tractors started as a hobby, progressed into a business, and has recently returned to hobby status again. “Restoration is a long and precise process,” Frank said. “I want my tractors to look and run at least as good, or better than they did when they were new.” The first tractor Frank restored was a 1952 8N Ford with a seriously deteriorated body and an engine that did not run. After welding a bullet hole in the fender and completely restoring the entire tractor,

The first tractor Frank Holzkamper restored was a 1952 8N Ford. He is now working on a 1941 John Deere LA. Photo by Terry Ropp

customers don’t mind waiting their turn,” Frank said. Frank is always adding to an extensive collection of tools, including a 1921 drill

Frank placed it for sale on the Internet for $6,000. It sold within six months to a lady in Ohio. Next was a 1953 Ford 600 that he bought locally which was sent to Kansas.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Then came a 1941 John Deere L, followed by a 1959 Farmall Cub with a belly-mount sickle mower. Frank shifted from hobby mode to business mode when someone saw his website and asked Frank to restore a 1929 McCormick Deering 10-20. Then the same customer wanted a hand-crank 1940 Farmall F-20, which will be converted to electric start, completely restored, and made “Parade Pretty” before being returned to Louisiana. Eventually Frank decided to return to hobby mode. He is currently working on an electric start 1941 John Deere LA, and has one of only 1,850 manufactured Electric Start John Deere Ls. “I like working on John Deere tractors because parts are usually available,” he said. Frank’s list of projects includes a hand crank L and an L1 industrial. Frank went to Greenwood with the intention of buying a tractor and ended up with everything the man owned, including several tractors and an extensive collection of parts. The purchase required transporting three heavy loads back to Gentry where everything is still being sorted and organized and an integral part of his beloved hobby. Frank is part of a local tractor club called Tired Iron of the Ozarks, and has been a member for many years. The large membership hosts two shows, one in the spring and one in the fall. Frank is also a member of several Masonic Lodges in the area and the current secretary of Gentry Lodge No. 222 in Gentry, a position he has held for close to 20 years. When Frank and Sharon were farming, she was a full partner; she drove tractors, milked, cows, fed calves, or whatever needed to be done for the success of the farm. Now in addition to being the chief parts chaser and full partner in the shop, she owns her own quilting business known as “Quilts by Sharon.” “During our 53 years of marriage, our life has been like a soap opera with no dull moments, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Sharon said. NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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History: Sam Langley ran a large dairy near Westville, Okla., for 50 years, having as many as 225 cows at one time. When he began having problems getting the feed he wanted for his dairy cattle in 1983 and not satisfied with other products; he decided to start hauling his own feed and helping to meet other dairymen’s needs, too. Eight years later a local farm store came up for sale. He bought the store in September 1991, moving his dairy feed business from the farm operation to the new store. “His vision for the business was to start something his children could get involved in,” Gail Stice, Sam Langley’s daughter and the office manager of Langley Feed said. Sam had six children, four of whom joined Sam with the feed store, farm or other supporting businesses. At Langley Feeds’ peak, the business offered feed, farm hardware, boots, coats, paint, lumber, fencing, tools, plumbing, electrical supplies and many other related farm products and needs. Langley Feeds opened a second location in Tahlequah, Okla. Over the years, dairy operations dwindled in the area ending their dairy feed business. Langley Feeds closed the Tahlequah store, streamlining and specializing in their beef cattle lines of salt mix, cubes, lick tubs and minerals in the original Westville store. After discontinuing his 50-year continuous dairy operation, Sam and his wife, Katie, enjoyed his mother’s goat milk. When his mom developed health problems, Sam began milking her goats to keep her in goat milk until she could not care for herself. After selling the goats and a couple of years of buying milk, they missed their fresh milk so much he bought a Jersey cow. Since then, Sam has been through four Jersey cows. Sam still milks twice a day and produces enough to supply family and many neighbors.

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Products and services: Langley Feeds primarily carries Crystalyx tubs, 20 and 14 percent Bonanza cubes and creep, feed wheat, cotton seed hulls, salt blocks, minerals, salt mix and Show Chicken. Langley Feeds also carries several choices of dog food, rodent killer and basic vet supplies including wormers, Black Leg and Lepto products. Sam also offers fertilizer he spreads himself. Sam still runs a route himself in Langley Feeds’ 18-wheeler. Story and Photo By Pam and Terry Lamb NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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Farmers invite urban families to get a first-hand look at food production On a Monday in early October, 40 people met at the Pauline Whitaker Center in Fayetteville, Ark., for the seventh Moms on the Farm Tour. The event was sponsored by the Arkansas Beef Council with Donette Spann from Little Rock, Ark., representing the organization. The purpose of

The idea for the program came from Janeal Yancey, a meat scientist from the animal science department of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. When visiting a friend South Dakota, she was introduced to a similar program. She organized a meeting of interested parties from Farm Bureau, the Division of Agriculture and Arkansas CattleWomen, which then planned the event and collected money

The Hart Dairy, owned by John Robert Hart, in Prairie Grove, Ark., was one of the stops during a recent Moms on the Farm Tour.

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the twice-yearly event is to offer an op- needed to start the program – with some portunity for those who have never been coming from private donations. While on a farm a face-to-face experience with only 12 visitors signed up the first year, numbers have increased to a high of 42. dairy and beef production in the area. “We strive to present people living in The program is constantly being tweaked our diverse area with accurate informa- and now includes a vocabulary sheet with terms such as “heifer” and “milk tion from ‘hoof the plate’ parlor,” to help attendees get so they are better informed a better understanding of life about the origins of their Fayetteville, Ark. on the farm. food and safety precautions “One of the changes since we in preparation,” Geneice started is inviting anyone over McCall, a member of the Arkansas CattleWomen’s Association explained. — Continued on Next Page NOVEMBER 30, 2015

What’s inside?

This issue will contain great recipes from some wonderful cooks from the Ozarks, as well as stories about the farmers/ranchers in the region.

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meet your neighbors Producers Reach Out Through ‘Moms’ Continued from Previous Page 16,” Janeal said. “We now have stay-at-home dads and other fathers attending as well.” The first stop on this fall’s tour was the Hart Dairy in Prairie Grove, Ark. The dairy milks 125 cows with milk being picked up by Hiland Dairy in Fayetteville, Ark. Each batch is tested for a variety of qualities including the presence of antibiotics, mastitis and butterfat percentage. The dairy is also visited by an inspector monthly who can help identify the source of a potential problem. Guests were treated with visits to the milk parlor and a barn holding young calves still needing to be bottlefed. Owner John Robert Hart allowed cows to enter one side of the dairy parlor while feed was being deposited in each stanchion for a cow to eat while being milked. The cows’ udders were cleaned, by hand, before an automatic milker was attached. He allowed several visitors to feel the suction and explained the milking process. Attendees were surprised by the size differentiation between the udders before and after milking. The calf barn was the next stop.

Calves eagerly approached visitors hoping for a bottle. Two of the visitors allowed the calves suck on their fingers to the group’s delight. “Milking looks simple but is really complicated. Dairy farmers have to work hard every day because milking and feeding calves can’t wait,” DeDe Berger of Fayetteville, Ark., said. The next stop was Willow Springs Ranch, which was selected for the diversity of operations. Owner of the cow/calf and stocker operations, Larry Walker, started the tour by explaining the ranch and the meanings of cow/calf, stocker and seed stock production. Next Cody Green, who works with the seed stock operation, explained that the animals were washed and groomed twice daily, treated to air-conditioning in the summer, and had soft Astroturf under their feet when in the barn to keep their hooves dry and to present possible slipping on wet concrete. Next, visitors were allowed in the calf pens to approach the pampered animals. “The passion these farmers have is amazing, and I will always look at food differently now,” Fayetteville, Ark., resident Callie Breeden said. Finally, the group returned to the Whitaker Center for lunch and two presentations.

The first was by LeAnn Hooks from Riceland Rice, a 90-year-old family cooperative with 56,000 members. One of the most informative parts of her presentation was explaining that brown, long grain, gold and parboiled rice come from the same plant but are processed differently resulting in various degrees of nutrition and specialized uses. Next, Wendy Pettz from the CattleWoman’s Association prepared and served samples of two beef dishes, one with an Oriental flavor and another with an Italian profile. She explained that choice grade top sirloin is necessary in stir frying for sufficient tenderness and that hamburger in restaurants should always be eaten well done because of handling. “Many healthy dishes can be quick and loaded with flavor which helps today’s busy families,” she said. Among the most frequent questions during the tour related to how optimal animal body composition is achieved and the use of growth hormones. Dairy, beef and poultry representatives adamantly agreed that results come from good genetics. “Modern chickens with their large breasts come from selective breeding and not growth hormones,” Casey Owens-Hanning, associate professor of poultry science at the University of Arkansas, explained.

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Craig & Carol Thompson Hometown: Kingston, Ark. In Town: “Carol and I moved from Texas to a beautiful spot outside of Kingston, Ark., where we now own three businesses,” said Craig Thompson. “One is Ranch One Realty, which opened in 2007. We sell mainly recreational property and farms with most properties being located in East Madison, West Newton and South Carroll counties. The second business is Ranch One Farm and Feed, just north Kingston. It contains livestock and pet feed, hunting products, hardware and veterinary supplies as well as fence gates and panels. The third business, opened in 2015, is a wholesale oil products distributing service called Elk River Distributing. We deliver packaged and bulk oil products to businesses in Northwest Arkansas. These products include hydraulic oils, motor oils and bar chain oils.” In the Country: “We live near Kingston where we raise commercial beef in a cow/calf operation,” Craig said. “Our mamas are predominantly a Gelbvieh/Angus mix, bred by an Angus or Gelbvieh bull. We are trying the Gelbvieh for the first time after seeing positive results with the neighbor’s herd. These results included good mothering instincts and milk production. However, since we are still in the testing stage, making any statement about results would be both uninformed and unfair. Time restraints necessitate purchasing our hay. Another benefit of having cattle is using overstocked cattle related products from our feed store operation. This practice balances our inventory and decreases the feed store’s operating costs which makes good business sense.” Future: “Perhaps someday we will have more time to devote to developing the cattle herd we love. For now we are focusing on developing our businesses, perhaps consolidating them in one location in town which may eventually decrease the time pressure,” said Craig.

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Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

market sales reports

59.00-100.00 † Not Reported* Not Reported † 95.00-105.00*

Not Reported* 93.50-135.00* Not Reported † 73.00-109.00 †

dairy cattle

Not Reported † 81.00-101.00 † 84.00-102.00*

Norwood, Mo. • Producers Auction Yards

72.00-102.00 † 74.00-99.00 †

OKC West - El Reno Ouachita Livestock Auction Ozarks Regional Stockyards Stilwell Livestock Auction Tulsa Live

60.00-109.00 †

100

slaughter

120

140

cows

(Week of 11/15/15 to 11/21/15) Arkansas Cattle Auction

Not Reported † 30.00-80.00 † 3 Not Reported* Not Reported †

Ash Flat Barry County Regional Livestock Benton County Sale Barn Cattlemen’s Livestock Cleburne County Livestock Auction County Line Sale - Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Farmer’s & Ranchers - Vinita Farmers Livestock - Springdale Ft. Smith Livestock I-40 Livestock - Ozark Joplin Regional Stockyards Mid-State Stockyards North Arkansas Livestock

70.00-80.00* Not Reported † 58.00-76.00 † Not Reported* 59.00-84.00* Not Reported † 49.00-73.00 † Not Reported † 52.50-82.00 † 60.00-84.00* 55.00-81.00 † 61.00-86.00 † 42.00-73.00 † 52.00-88.00 †

OKC West - El Reno Ouachita Livestock Ozarks Regional Stockyards Stilwell Livestock Auction Tulsa Livestock Auction

300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

Bulls, Med. & Lg. 1 300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

Heifers, Med. & Lg. 1 300-400 lbs. 400-500 lbs. 500-600 lbs. 600-700 lbs. 700-800 lbs.

16 16

110

Ark. Cattle Auction, LLC - Searcy -----

Ash Flat Livestock 11/20/15

Barry Co. Regional Stockyards* -----

-----

758

-----

St-10 Lower

---------------------

-----------------------------------------

127 5(3257('

Steers, Med. & Lg. 1

52.00-88.00 †

121( 5(3257('

Not Reported*

127 5(3257('

11/12/15

Receipts: 286 At this month’s special dairy sale at the Producers Auction Yard,demand was good on a moderate supply. The supply consisted of 3 percent Springer Heifers, 9 percent Bred Heifers, 18 percent Open Heifers, 7 percent Fresh and Milking Cows, 4 percent Bred Cows 160 and 14 percent baby calves. The balance was made up of weigh cows and beef animals. All quotes are on a per head basis for Holsteins unless noted otherwise. Springer Heifers Bred Seven to Nine Months: Supreme Individual 1825.00, Crossbreds 1825.00-1885.00, Approved 1500.00-1675.00, Individual Jersey 1650.00, Medium Crossbreds 1525.00-1575.00. Heifers Bred Four to Six Months: Supreme 1835.001875.00, Approved 1475.00-1735.00, Individual Crossbred 1425.00, Medium 1100.00-1400.00, Crossbreds 1190.001300.00, Common 875.00-1000.00. Heifers Bred One to Three Months: Approved 1400.001510.00, Individual Crossbred 1400.00, Shorthorns 1260.00-1275.00, Common 875.00-1000.00, Individual Crossbred 500.00. Open heifers: Approved 200-300 lbs Pkg 3 hd 570.00, 300-400 lbs Pkg 3 hd 685.00, 400-500 lbs Pair 750.00, Ind. Jersey 575.00, 500-600 lbs 830.00-920.00, 600-700 lbs Individual Jersey 1075.00, 700-800 lbs 1020.00-1100.00, Over 800 lbs Pair 1125.00, Ind. Shorthorn 1220.00, Medium 300-400 lbs Indvidual 560.00, Pair Jerseys 510.00, 400-500 lbs Individual 550.00, Ind. Crossbred 550.00, 500600 lbs Ind. Jersey 640.00, Ind. Shorthorn 525.00, 600-700 lbs Ind. Crossbred 940.00, Ind. Guernsey 940.00, 700-800 lbs Individual 925.00, Over 800 lbs 975.00-1025.00, Ind. Crossbred 980.00. Fresh Milking Heifers and Cows: Supreme Individual 2000.00, Approved 1575.00-1800.00, Individual Crossbred 130 1775.00, Medium 1150.00-1200.00, Common 800.00-1025.00.

79.50-98.00 † 81.50-103.50 † Not Reported*

cattle

5 Area (Tx-Ok, Ks, Neb, Ia, Colo) Live Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice Steers: 119.00-127.00; wtd. avg. price 123.33. Heifers: 121.00-127.00; wtd. avg. price 124.78. Dressed Basis Sales - Over 80% Choice Steers: 190.00-195.00; wtd. avg. price 194.62. Heifers: 192.00-195.00; wtd. avg. price 194.79.

Not Reported † 103.00 †

Farmer’s & Ranchers - Vinita Farmers Livestock - Springdale Ft. Smith Livestock I-40 Livestock - Ozark Joplin Regional Stockyards Mid-State Stockyards North Arkansas

beef

Midwest - High Plains Direct Slaughter Cattle

Bred and Springer Cows: Supreme Individual 1950.00, Approved Individual 1625.00, Individual Jersey 1575.00, Medium Ind. 1125.00, Ind. Crossbred 1150.00, Ind. Jersey 11/22/15 1175.00, Common Individual Crossbred 950.00, Pair Jerseys 600.00-1060.00. Baby Calves: Holstein Heifers Large 400.00-420.00; Small Individual 260.00, Holstein Bulls Large 280.00-350.00; Small 210.00-250.00, Jersey Heifers Individual 310.00, Jersey Bulls Small Pair 110.00, Crossbred Heifers Small 150.00-190.00, Crossbred Bulls 210.00-300.00, Beef Cross Heifers 210.00-270.00, Beef Cross Bulls Large 320.00450.00, Small 200.00-285.00.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Benton Co. - Siloam Springs -----

Cattlemen’s Livestock*

-----

858

-----

5-15 Lower

---------------------

200.00-235.00 190.00-216.00 165.00-204.00 155.00-172.00 155.00-160.00

---------------------

205.00-230.00 180.00-214.00 160.00-189.00 ---------

---------------------

175.00-200.00 160.00-195.00 150.00-172.00 140.00-167.00 -----

11/18/15

goats

GOATS: Feeder kids: Selection 1 25-35 lbs 200.00-230.00. Selection 2 20-38 lbs 160.00-180.00. Selection 3 20-30 lbs 125.00-155.00. Slaughter Classes: Selection 1 40-85 lbs 230.00-245.00; 70-95 lbs 180.00-225.00; 80-110 lbs 200.00-205.00. Selection 2 40-78 lbs 200.00-225.00; 80-125 lbs 170.00195.00. Selection 3 42-78 lbs 150.00-190.00. Does: Several drafts of young bred replacement does selection 2 62-65 lbs 150.00-175.00 Per Head. A few families: does with single and twin kids 50.00-80.00 per head. Slaughter Does: Selection 1 65-115 lbs 130.00-160.00. Selection 2 50-90 lbs 100.00-125.00. Selection 3 68-112 lbs 90.00-98.00. Bucks: Several replacements: 225.00-550.00 Per Head. Slaughter Bucks: Selection 1 85-145 lbs 230.00-240.00. Selection 2 55-210 lbs 150.00-175.00. Selection 3 48-170 lbs 100.00-145.00.

Equ Slau San 60-7 221 Pen 225 Kal

Nati

Che $1.5 and Diamond, Mo. • TS Whites Sheep and Goat Sale 11/5/15 Flui avai Receipts: 1590 patt Supply was very good and demand was good. Sheep National Sheep Summary 11/20/15 food and lamb markets were steady to higher while goat markets were steady to lower. Supply included 5 percent Compared to last week slaughter lambs were steady to 15.00 Thi slaughter Ewes and Rams, 27 percent slaughter lambs, higher, instances 20.00 higher. Slaughter ewes were steady Flor 42 percent slaughter goats, 19 percent Bucks and Does. to 10.00 higher. Feeder lambs were steady to 10.00 higher. Prod At San Angelo, TX 3260 head sold in a one day sale. Equity Nor All prices per hundred weight (CWT) Unless noted inta Electronic Auction sold 340 slaughter lambs in North otherwise. Dakota. In direct trading slaughter ewes were not tested; no man SHEEP: Feeder Lambs: Medium and Large 1 25-49 lbs with comparison on feeder lambs. 6800 head of negotiated sales 200.00-227.50. Medium and Large 1-2 28-45 lbs 180.00SPO of slaughter lambs were steady to 2.00 lower. 9700 head of 190.00. PO Slaughter Lambs: Wool lambs: Choice and Prime 3-5 95- formula sales under 55 lbs were not tested; 55-65 lbs were steady to 2.00 higher; 65-75 lbs were 4.00-6.00 lower; 75- Mid 131 lbs 140.00-155.00; 146-160 lbs 135.00-150.00. Good 85 lbs were firm and over 85 lbs were not well tested. 6,474 and Choice 2-3 50-82 lbs 180.00-200.00. carcasses sold with 55 lbs and down 3.65-3.70 lower and 55 Hair lambs: Choice and Prime 3-5 50-74 lbs 190.00lbs and up .59-1.59 lower. All sheep sold per hundred weight 225.00; 75-100 lbs 150.00-180.00. Good and Choice 2-3 47-98 lbs 160.00-185.00; 90-165 lbs 125.00-155.00. Utility (CWT) unless otherwise specified. *** This report will not be issued next week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. *** and Good 1-2 50-60 lbs 170.00-180.00. Slaughter Ewes: Wooled: Good and Choice 3-4 108-200 Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 2-3 90-160 lbs: San Angelo: shorn and wooled 120-155 lbs 140.00-154.00. lbs 70.00-95.00. Utility and Good 2 176-232 lbs 55.00VA: wooled 90-110 lbs 158.00-181.00; 110-130 lbs 158.0065.00. 195.00; 130-160 lbs 165.00-199.00. Hair Ewes: Choice 3-4 80-94 lbs 150.00-152.50; 106PA: shorn and wooled 110-130 lbs 225.00; 130-150 lbs 190.00160 lbs 120.00-143.00. Utility and Good 2-3 80-135 lbs 210.00. 105.00-115.00. Ft.Collins, CO: wooled 165-175 lbs 144.00-152.50. Rams: Slaughter Rams: South Dakota: shorn and wooled 110-155 lbs 133.00-139.50. Wool Rams: Good 2-3 105-225 lbs 50.00-70.00. Billings, MT: no test. Hair Rams: Good and Choice 2-3 63-140 lbs 150.00Kalona, IA: no test. 170.00. Utility and Good 1-2 105-185 lbs 50.00-95.00. Missouri: no test.

sheep &

stocker & feeder

Cleburne Co. - Heber Springs -----

County Line Sale Ratcliff 11/18/15

-----

100

-----

Uneven

---------------------

205.00-232.50 212.00-229.00 185.00 179.00-193.00 169.00-170.00

---------------------

190.00 -----------------

---------------------

192.00 ----155.00-157.00 149.00 -----

Decatur Livestock* -----

prices

Farmer’s & Farmers Ranchers Livestock Vinita, Okla.* Springdale 11/18/15 -----

-----

298

-----

Steady

---------------------

195.00-219.00 176.00-195.00 173.00-176.00 148.00-173.00 -----

---------------------

175.00-198.00 169.00-175.00 167.00-171.00 134.00-171.00 -----

Ft. Smith Livestock 11/16/15

-----

585

-----

---------------------

200.00-231.00 192.00-209.00 181.00-189.00 165.50-170.00 -----

---------------------

----191.00-197.00 171.00-179.00 153.00-158.00 146.00

---------------------

182.00-201.00 ----164.00-165.00 152.00 144.00

I-40 Livestock Ozark -----

127 5(3257('

Ash Flat Barry County Regional Stockyards Benton County Sale Barn Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction Cleburne County Livestock County Line Sale - Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Auction

127 5(3257('

Arkansas Cattle Auction

Not Reported †

127 5(3257('

(Week of 11/15/15 to 11/21/15)

127 5(3257('

bulls

127 5(3257('

slaughter

-----

4539

-----

2-12 Lowe

---------------------

220.00-230.0 195.00-224.0 170.00-197.5 160.00-183.0 157.50-178.0

---------------------

215.00 190.00 167.50-192.5 149.00 -----

---------------------

170.00 165.00-191.0 151.00-171.0 141.00-164.0 156.00-162.0

USDA Reported * Independently Reported

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Joplin Regiona Stockyard 11/16/15

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

es reports

1025.00-2200.00 † Not Reported* Not Reported † 1700.00-2900.00 * Not Reported †

Ash Flat El Reno Ft. Smith Green Forest Heber Springs Joplin Ouachita Ozark Ratcliff Searcy Siloam Springs Springdale Tulsa West Plains

Not Reported † 1000.00-1575.00 † Not Reported †

1.00 9.00 9.00 0.00

7.00 9.00 8.00 0

1.00

5.00 0 0

I-40 Livestock Ozark -----

127 5(3257('

/15

6.74

5.05

5.11 3.87

le na hevil Hele Blyt

6.24

5.05

5.20

4.65 3.42

3.87

e Elain

la sceo

ta ugus

I-40 Livestock - Ozark Joplin Regional

3.72

luff

B Pine

Ozarks Regional Stilwell Livestock Auction Tulsa Livestock

Joplin Regional Stockyards 11/16/15

Mid-State Stockyards* 11/16/15

N. Ark. Livestock Green Forest 11/18/15

OKC West - El Reno, Okla. 11/18/15

1000

Ouachita Livestock Ola, Ark. 11/20/15

4539

443

551

6140

560

1227

2-12 Lower

10-20 Lower

Uneven

20 Lower

2-13 Lower

201.00-224.00 180.00-212.00 172.00-194.00 ---------

210.00 184.00-224.00 175.00-188.50 170.00-178.50 166.00-172.50

226.00-295.00 212.00-230.00 190.00-232.50 162.00-193.50 157.00-178.75

200.00-226.00 193.00-218.00 179.00-192.00 174.00-182.00 161.00-166.50

210.00-250.00 185.00-211.00 178.00-186.00 170.00-177.00 167.00-167.50

---------------------

215.00 190.00 167.50-192.50 149.00 -----

196.00-218.00 176.00-202.00 164.00-188.00 ---------

----186.00 166.00-175.00 163.00-165.00 -----

211.00 193.00-230.00 162.50-187.00 150.00-159.00 142.00

----190.00-195.00 ----160.00-168.00 157.00-160.00

----170.00-202.50 160.00-168.00 ---------

---------------------

170.00 165.00-191.00 151.00-171.00 141.00-164.00 156.00-162.00

180.00-205.00 166.00-183.00 148.00-177.00 ---------

186.00-191.00 166.00-189.00 155.00-181.00 152.00-160.00 140.00

211.00-230.00 190.00-221.00 175.00-190.50 157.00-180.00 156.00-175.00

----177.00-183.00 163.00-165.00 150.00-156.00 -----

185.00-205.00 164.00-181.00 160.00-173.00 154.00-160.50 151.00-152.00

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Week of 10/25/15

178.03 ** ** ** 173.56 187.02

192.61

2750

177.41

196.60

189.30

208.58 207.43

185.56

* 210.61

180.04

202.17

204.78 203.66 191.99 185.24

181.98 179.76 178.09

Week of 11/1/15

192.59 183.52

181.42 * 179.76 *

202.17

177.01

188.08

177.02

194.03

167.75

200.43

3000

* 176.32

192.75 **

165.40

181.13

4000

5000

Stilwell Livestock Auction* -----

Tulsa Livestock Auction 11/16/15

-----

2762

-----

---------------------

204.53 181.17

203.05

Not Reported*

Ozarks Regional West Plains 11/17/15

174.13

186.21

1275.00-1600.00 †

-----

220.00-230.00 195.00-224.00 170.00-197.50 160.00-183.00 157.50-178.00

** **

1200.00-2200.00 †

-------------------------

200.39 **

Not Reported †

2000

175.43

202.18

1350.00-2250.00 † Mid-State Stockyards 1250.00-2035.00 * North Arkansas Livestock - Green Forest None Reported † 1250.00-2100.00 † OKC West - El Reno None Reported † Ouachita Livestock Auction

6.51 4.87

190.85 **

172.92 185.66 186.67 182.62 178.64

166.86

Week of 11/8/15

6.74

ices

ith ck

8.54

188.24

pairs

127 5(3257('

165-175 lbs 144.00-152.50. d wooled 110-155 lbs 133.00-139.50.

8.87

Ash Flat El Reno Ft. Smith Green Forest Heber Springs Joplin Ouachita Ozark Ratcliff Searcy Siloam Springs Springdale Tulsa West Plains

avg. grain prices

8.94

heifers 550-600 LBS.

210.99

745.00-1925.00 † 850.00-1775.00 *

cow/calf

May 15 June 15 July 15 Aug. 15 Sept. 15 Oct. 15

Cheese: Barrels closed at $1.5025 and 40# blocks at Mid-State Stockyard $1.5700. The weekly average for barrels is $1.4460 (-.1020) North Arkansas Live 900.00-1425.00 † and blocks, $1.5760 (-.0900). 925.00-1700.00 † OKC West - El Reno Fluid Milk: Additional spot milk loads are expected to be Ouachita Livestock Auction 1100.00-1475.00 † available next week in all regions due to holiday buying 700.00-2000.00 † Ozarks Reg patterns. Milk orders for the current week from stores and Not Reported * Stilwell Livestock Auction 11/20/15 food service are inching up in preparation for Thanksgiving. Tulsa Livestock Auction 1175.00-1550.00 † laughter lambs were steady to 15.00 This week, milk production moved higher in the Northeast, higher. Slaughter ewes were steady Florida, the South Central, California, and Arizona. 750 1250 1750 2250 lambs were steady to 10.00 higher. Production is steady in the Mid-Atlantic states, Southeast, 250 0 head sold in a one day sale. Equity North Central, and New Mexico. Pacific Northwest milk intakes are following seasonal trends, and Utah and Idaho 340 slaughter lambs in North ng slaughter ewes were not tested; no manufacturers describe milk availability as well balanced, with some loads moving into the Southwest. mbs. 6800 head of negotiated sales SPOT PRICES OF CLASS II CREAM, $ PER steady to 2.00 lower. 9700 head of (Week of 11/15/15 to 11/21/15) POUND BUTTERFAT F.O.B. producing plants: Upper bs were not tested; 55-65 lbs were 5-75 lbs were 4.00-6.00 lower; 75- Midwest - $3.5774-3.8082. Arkansas Cattle Auction Not Reported † r 85 lbs were not well tested. 6,474 Ash Flat Livestock 2150.00 † bs and down 3.65-3.70 lower and 55 Barry County Regional Not Reported* er. All sheep sold per hundred weight Benton County Sale Barn Not Reported † e specified. *** This report will not 2300.00-3000.00 * Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction Week Ended 11/3/15 to the Thanksgiving holiday. *** Cleburne County Livestock Not Reported † Soybeans Soft Wheat Corn Sorghum e and Prime 2-3 90-160 lbs: County Line Sale - Ratcliff None Reported † 20 wooled 120-155 lbs 140.00-154.00. Decatur Livestock Not Reported* 58.00-181.00; 110-130 lbs 158.00Farmer’s & Ranchers 1650.00-1675.00 * 16 00-199.00. Farmers Livestock - Springdale Not Reported † 10-130 lbs 225.00; 130-150 lbs 190.00Ft. Smith Livestock None Reported † 12 8.96

Nov. 14 Dec. 14 Jan. 15 Feb. 15 Mar. 15 Apr. 15

steers 550-600 LBS.

69.00-151.00 † Prices reported per cwt Not Reported* 1350.00-1475.00*

ments: 225.00-550.00 Per Head. ction 1 85-145 lbs 230.00-240.00. 150.00-175.00. Selection 3 48-170

8.93

$160

166.79 * 178.44 158.65

170.10

147.66 159.89

184.78 188.08

158.35 176.64

201.45

169.92

183.98

175.72

195.50

244.00-245.00 ----180.00-198.00 176.50 -----

---------------------

200.00-210.00 --------150.50-155.00 146.00

---------------------

--------165.00 153.00 -----

* 180.42 ** 181.65 179.99 ** 185.00

163.73 **

Week of 11/15/15

Ash Flat Livestock Barry County Regional Stockyards Benton County Sale Barn Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction Cleburne County Livestock Auction County Line Sale - Ratcliff Decatur Livestock Farmer’s & Ranchers - Vinita Farmers Livestock - Springdale Ft. Smith Livestock I-40 Livestock - Ozark Joplin Regional

11/20/15

$195

Not Reported †

Arkansas Cattle Auction

dairy sales

National Dairy Market at a Glance

$230

(Week of 11/15/15 to 11/21/15)

Week of 10/25/15

ion 1 65-115 lbs 130.00-160.00. 00.00-125.00. Selection 3 68-112

cows

550-600 lb. steers

$265

Week of 11/8/15

ection 1 40-85 lbs 230.00-245.00; 0; 80-110 lbs 200.00-205.00. 00.00-225.00; 80-125 lbs 170.0078 lbs 150.00-190.00. young bred replacement does 0.00-175.00 Per Head. ith single and twin kids 50.00-80.00

replacement

Equity Elec: shorn 145 lbs 133.50. Slaughter Lambs: Choice and Prime 1: San Angelo: 40-60 lbs 242.00-262.00, few 266.00-270.00; 60-70 lbs 226.00-238.00, few 246.00-248.00; 70-80 lbs 216.00221.00; 80-90 lbs 198.00-210.00; 90-105 lbs 170.00-178.00. Pennsylvania: 50-60 lbs 260.00-265.00; 80-90 lbs 217.00225.00. Kalona, IA: no test.

12 Month Avg. -

$300

Week of 11/15/15

1 25-35 lbs 200.00-230.00. 60.00-180.00. Selection 3 20-30 lbs

USDA Reported * Independently Reported

157.90 * ** 156.33

** **

** 180.00

* 168.92

179.12 160

184 208 232 256 280 * No price reported in weight break **USDA Failed To Report *** No Sale - Holiday

Prices Based on Weighted Average for Steers and Heifers 550-600 lbs.

Serving More Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma Serving MoreThan Than24,000 24,000Readers Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

135

158 181 204 227 250 * No price reported in weight break **USDA Failed To Report *** No Sale - Holiday

Prices Based on Weighted Average for Steers and Heifers 550-600 lbs.

17 17

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NOVEMBER 30, 2015

meet your neighbors

A Promising Future in Farming By Terry Ropp

The fifth generation of the Palmer family continues the tradition, plans for the future Brian Palmer is the fifth-generation of his family on their farmstead, east of Miami, Okla. It consists of several hundred acres and is home to a family commercial cow/calf operation as well as Brian, his parents Larry and Tammie Palmer, and his grandparents, Kenneth and Shirley Palmer. They use Charolais mothers and then rotate from Charolais to crossbred Black Angus bulls. They prefer the Charolais because the calves grow faster and get to selling weight quicker due to good milk production by the mother. “In our experience, there has been no difference in price with our mixed color calves,” Larry explained. “I have worked with my grandpa since I was old enough to carry a shovel,” 17-year-old Brian said of his life on the family farm. He also remembers helping his grandfather and father vaccinate cows when he was about 5 years old. He also remembers sitting in grandpa’s lap while raking hay and riding with his younger sister Lauren in the tractor with their father.

During the summer months, Brian Palmer takes advantage of FFA leadership camps, as well as church camps. Photo by Terry Ropp

Miami, Okla.

Brian still loves tractors whether he’s raking, baling or mowing hay. “Grandpa spoils me a little bit and bought a second tractor so I could hay more easily. I love to bale, sitting on the tractor and listening to my music,” Brian said. “Brian enjoys farm life and takes on great responsibilities for one so young,” Larry said of his son. “He fixes fences, feeds — Continued on Next Page

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NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

meet your neighbors A Promising Future in Farming Continued from Previous Page and even doctors animals when needed, which has occurred some this year because of the wet weather promoting sore feet.” Calves are vaccinated when weaned,

and the cows and bulls are wormed twice a year, switching back and forth between oral doses and injection to prevent immunity development. “We try to prevent all issues and respond quickly regardless of what the current issue is because that’s how you save cattle and protect your investment,” Brian said. Brian is president of the Wyandotte FFA.

He was the Star Chapter Greenhand his freshman year, and competed in the Professional Improvement Greenhand Quiz, where he placed first before moving on to the state competition. His freshman year he also competed on the Ag I Quiz Bowl Team, with his team winning state that year. During his sophomore year, he began livestock judging and showed a

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

Hampshire-cross gilt at his county fair, as well as the Oklahoma State Fair. He showed another Hampshire-cross gilt his junior year, and continued livestock judging and was a member of the Animal Science Quiz Bowl Team, as well as being secretary of his chapter and participating in Extemporaneous Speaking. Brian takes agriculture seriously and has attended the FFA Alumni Camp for the last three years, with his participation being paid as a result of important wins including Chapter Star Farmer his junior year. Brian has grown up going to auctions with his father and grandfather and always wanted to get involved. “While I didn’t let him actually buy anything, I did let him bid,” Larry said. “When I asked him what he wanted to be, he never even hesitated, saying he wanted to be an auctioneer.” Wanting to support his son’s interest in auctioneering, Larry looked for an opportunity and found an auction school in St. Louis, Mo. When Brian was 15 years old, Larry decided to make contact with the Missouri Auction School and was told Brian was too young to participate on his own, but they would take him if he and his son went together. Believing it was worth the risk, they both attended the nineday school. By the third day, one of the teachers said that Brian was the best young auctioneer he’d ever seen. “My head was so big I couldn’t walk through the door,” Larry said. Brian has helped at 12 auctions, as well as doing two of his own, along with his father. “This is my career because I really like talking a lot and being in front of crowds,” Brian said. “My love fits my talent. My parents say before I could talk I stood on a stool babbling. They always said I would be a preacher or a politician but turns out I will be an auctioneer.” Brian intends to earn a degree in agriculture business; first attending NEO A&M and then Oklahoma State University, where he plans to earn the opportunity to judge livestock. Next is jumping right in and beginning auctioneering, perhaps nation-wide for the heavy equipment market. “God’s got a plan, whatever it is, so we will see,” Brian said. NOVEMBER 30, 2015

youth in

agriculture tomorrow’s ag leaders

Whitney Walker Age: 14 Parents: Eric and Linsay Walker Hometown: Prairie Grove, Ark. FFA Chapter: Prairie Grove FFA Advisors: David Hays and Clint Hale What is your favorite aspect of agriculture? “Agriculture is an important industry because of the unity and hard work it takes to supply the world with food. I love showing cattle which I have done since I was 7. It offers the best opportunity to meet great people. I love judging livestock, which I began three years ago. Who is the most influential person in your life? “Cody Green, who has worked with our breeding stock for our family for a long time. He has helped me become a better livestock judge and has taught me how to handle the animals in the show ring. When I was really little, about 5, I showed my first sheep. It kept jumping all over me in the show ring. I wasn’t much better when I started showing cattle. This last year my heifer wanted to pop her hip when she walked. He told me to walk her faster so she can’t do it as much which helped her to become a champion.” What is your current involvement in agriculture? “I raise and show Maintainers and Shorthorn Plus, as well as a few Herefords. I wash and feed the heifers, work their hair and practice showmanship. I also help my grandpa with vaccinating, usually by writing down the numbers or helping with the scales.” What is your favorite possession? “My Bible, but next would be my livestock judgment notebook. That’s where I keep track of all of the things that I learn about judging animals.” What are your future plans? “I want to go to college in ag communication at Oklahoma State where I want to be on the livestock judging team. After that I what a career in agriculture whether it’s in graphic design or working on a ranch or something else. I just need to be in agriculture.” Story and Photo By Terry Ropp NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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the professionals

The Udder Side of the Story By Dr. Tom O’Neill, DVM

all is here and the federal government has Dr. Tim E. O’Neill, DVM, implemented new rules for us to live by. owns Country Veterinary Whether we like it or not VFD’s are here. Service in Farmington, VFD stands for Veterinary Feed DirecArk. To contact Tim go tive. The government has implemented to ozarksfn.com and this new directive because of the pressure to slow click on ‘Contact Us.’ down the antibiotic use in agriculture. We are having more and more super infections in humans and they want the antibiotics we have to be able to work against these infections. An example of this is MRSA which stands for Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. This bacterium is resistant to most antibiotics we have. I have had experience with MRSA in animals and dealt with a lot of Staph. I have seen Staph in dogs, cats, cattle, horses, sheep and goats. One of the most common infections of Staph in animals is mastitis. Staph infects most beef cows in their udder from their skin or the calf nursing them. Somewhere around 65 to 80 percent of the beef cows that are aged in the United States will have Staph mastitis. Therefore, Staph mastitis is the most common reason for those large bad bagged cows at the sale barn. In dairies it is known as the “dairyman killer.” It is highly contagious and can be transmitted from cow to cow via the loafing area; milkers or any other fomite dairy cows are around. We have been feeding antibiotics at low levels for added gain in animals for years. I agree with not doing this. Antibiotics are to be used to treat infection and not enhance gain. Honestly they really do not enhance gain. They work to fight infection and get rid of the bacterium in the animal or person. This allows the system to heal and the animal or person to feel better. In understanding these reasons, the federal government has imposed VFDs. This means that your veterinarian will have to write a script for you to be able to feed antibiotics of any sort. Also your veterinarian will not be able to go off label at all. This means that if the disease you want to treat through the feed is not on the label, you won’t be able to use feed antibiotics. This is mandated by farad and amduca (farad is the Food Animal Drug Residue Avoidance Databank and amduca is the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act). These are the federal bodies enforcing the rules and regulations on drug use in animals. Another thing your veterinarian must have to write a script for feed antibiotics is a valid client-patient relationship (VCPR). Without a VCPR a veterinarian cannot write or prescribe any antibiotics or any kind of treatment. If veterinarians do prescribe medicine for your animals without this, they subject to federal and state prosecution. And can end up losing their license to practice and may go to federal prison. The penalties are steep and we must live with these new rules and regulations. A VFD must be written and then it is sent to the feed mill. Then the medicated feed can be used for only three-month period. The owner gets a copy, the feed mill gets a copy and the veterinarian keeps a copy. All copies of these VFD must be kept for minimum three years in records. I realize this seems like a lot, but it is what the federal government and the FDA has imposed.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

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Sharing Equipment By Gary Digiuseppe

Careful discussions, written agreements about use, maintenance and repair are critical Despite the ever-rising cost of agricultural equipment, Steve Swigert said shared purchase arrangements are not necessarily on the rise. Swigert, an agricultural economist consultant with the Ardmore, Okla.,-based Samuel R. Noble Foundation, said there may be more equipment sharing in places where farmers are laying out huge cash outlays for big tractors and combines. “ “I would say as these farms get bigger, the ones that are successful are not going to share with somebody else,” he told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. “They’re using their equipment to the extent that they can, and really don’t have extra time for that equipment to run on somebody else’s place.” Many times, he noted, the planting window farms are now putting into practice is pretty narrow. West Central Region Agriculture Business Specialist for University of Missouri Extension Wesley Tucker told OFN while sharing equipment can be a great alternative, “You have to carefully discuss who gets to use it when. Depending on the type of equipment, there may be a high likelihood that everyone wants to use it at the same time. So discussing this upfront and developing a plan is essential.” Tucker said it’s always a good idea to have a written agreement; for one thing, it forces the parties to consider all the details of the equipment sharing agreement, like who will be responsible for care of the machinery. “Will the group designate one individual to do regular maintenance on the machine?” Tucker explained. “If so, how are they compensated for that responsibility? Or does everyone take their turn? If the equipment needs repair, is it because of normal wear and tear or a result of negligence by the partner using it? And who is responsible for fixing it in such cases? These are issues that all need to be addressed in the beginning.”

what do you say? What do you look for when buying new equipment?

“I look at price and fuel efficiency as well as a distributor who gives me good service.”

Swigert agreed on the need for a written agreement, and pointed out it can address what would happen if one of the individuals could no longer meet the terms of the agreement. “You need a paper trail on what the expectation is for future generations or additional family members,” he said. “The difficult part about sharing equipment is you have to have producers of like mind. They need to be able to take care of the equipment correctly and to each other’s satisfaction; they have to have similar needs... You have to have a really good relationship with the individual you’re going to share with.” In this part of the country, Swigert said custom arrangements are probably more common than the more complicated sharing agreements. Under a custom arrangement, an individual is hired to bale hay at a fixed price per bale, or disk or till acreage at a price per acre. He noted the hired party is responsible for both equipment expenses and labor. “Another one of the complications of sharing is the quality of the equipment or the driver on both operations,” he said. “Do you hire somebody that’s going to operate the equipment on both places to get equal use and opportunities?” Tucker said the question whether to lease or purchase equipment is not influenced by whether the equipment is to be shared. Instead, it comes down to which option would be more cost-efficient long term. “If you are only going to use a machine one week a year and you can lease one when you need it, that can be a good option,” he said. “But for equipment that you are going to use throughout the year, whoever leases the machine to you will have to cover their costs plus some for giving you that right, so leasing may be more expensive long term if you are going to have repeated use of the machine.” And, he added, he’s doubtful a leasing company would lease something to more than one individual.

“I buy for quality piece by piece rather than by brand.”

James Skelton Washington County, Ark.

Jeremy Wilhite Adair County, Okla.

“Primarily I buy used equipment so I look for how well the previous owner has taken care of the equipment which makes it much more likely to perform well when I use it.”

“When I buy used equipment the history is the most important which includes the number hours used.”

Karl Yoder Madison County, Ark.

Phil Bolinger Madison County, Ark.

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

farm help

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By Gary Digiuseppe

Producers are encouraged to consider which is more cost effective in the long run The answer may depend on how much productivity each repair is costing you. “I’d be looking at costs on repairs and maintenance, how much downtime it’s costing you in the field, and how important that is to you,” Steve Swigert, agricultural economist consultant with the Samuel R. Noble Foundation of Ardmore, Okla., told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. West Central Region Agriculture Business Specialist for University of Missouri Extension Wesley Tucker told OFN whether you’re better off repairing a piece of equipment “will depend on the age and condition of the equipment as well as what it will cost to repair it.” “A producer must just weigh their options of which is more cost effective in the long run,” Tucker continued. That also goes for upgrading: “A producer must just weigh the pros and cons over the long haul. Higher cattle prices have given producers the opportunity to invest in the long term productivity of their operations. Therefore many have been able to upgrade their machinery to newer machines.” Swigert said the time for replacement is “highly variable, because it’s driven more by the amount of acres or the use of that piece of equipment, and the degree of obsolescence – how fast does it get to the point where the parts aren’t available, or the equipment is not used for its intended purpose.” He said while major manufacturers have replacement parts going back to models produced in the 1970s, for companies with secondary farm lines or makers of auxiliary equipment. “I think there’s a real chance that 10 years down the road, you will not be able to get parts for something that you’ve purchased,” Swigert said. Many farming operations keep close tabs on the hours of use for each piece of NOVEMBER 30, 2015

equipment – especially key equipment, like a drill or the tractor that pulls it, or heavy tillage equipment, because their application is timing sensitive. Some pieces tend to last longer than others over the same length of time like the heavy tillage equipment, which might be going over a field three times, whereas a drill would be going over it once. Quality, of course, is also a factor.

How do you budget for equipment replacement? “It’s on an individual basis,” Swigert said. “The things I would be looking at are, is there a need for it? Is there a new crop that I want to raise, but don’t have the equipment? Is it time to replace that piece of equipment, because repairs and maintenance make it a good decision to trade that equipment off or buy it? Do I have the cash flow to make the payments? Are there tax implications that will help me justify that purchase? That brings us to Section 179 of the IRS code, which has been a savior to many farmers over the years; it allows accelerated deduction for new purchases of business equipment. The problem has been that farmers are unsure of what the maximum annual write-off will be. A temporary increase from the statutory rate of $25,000 to $500,000 has been in effect for several years, but the increase always sunsets within a year or two, and it expired Dec. 31, 2014. Congress may yet approve the higher level retroactive to the start of this year, as part of a larger package of tax breaks for various industries and individual households.

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farm help

Keeping Tires on Track By Gary Digiuseppe

Determining which tire type is best for your equipment Those initials that agricultural tire manufacturers use for ratings – IF, VF, CFO and LSW – were established by a standardizing body. The Copley, Ohio-based Tire and Rim Association consists of manufacturers of tires, rims and wheels, and allied parts. It publishes an annual report with standards that are used to identify the maximum load a tire can carry, maximum inflation pressure, how wide a tire cross-section should be based on rim width, and other statistics. The four ratings named above identify farm tires with load bearing capability higher than that of standard tires. The IF or “Increased Flexion” tires can carry 20 percent higher loads at the same inflation pressure as standard tires or, conversely, the same loads at 20 percent lower inflation pressure. For VF (Very High Flexion) tires, load bearing capability is 40 percent higher, or required inflation pressure for the same load is 40 percent lower. CFO (Cyclical Field Operation) can carry 55 percent higher loads when traveling at less than 10 miles per hour, and LSW or Low Sidewall tires have a larger rim diameter than standard tires, and offer a high-flotation option for growers of rice and sugarcane. And Bruce Proctor is very familiar with LSW tires – because he said he designed the first ones. Proctor, vice president of Bobby Henard Tire Service in Brinkley, Ark., recalled how the product came about. “I watched four combines in a rice field in Mississippi, and I saw the problems they were having. I thought, ‘There’s got to be a better way to do this.’” He brought his recommendations to the CEO of tire manufacturer Titan International, worked with their engineers, and the result was the 1250/35R46. The IF and VF rated tires, he said, are of value not only because they can handle more weight, but also because the farmer can reduce soil compaction by lowering air pressure.

“Either one, the IF or the VF, you’re going to pay a premium for,” Proctor said. “If compaction’s not an issue and you don’t have the load that you need, then there’s no reason to pay the additional premium. However, this equipment is getting heavier and heavier and some of the conventional tires that they have out there now are pretty much maxed out on load carrying capacity. In order to get a better ride, a better flotation or better load carrying capacity, you’re going to have to make changes going to the IF or VF tires.” CFO tires, he said, are for farm vehicles like a grain cart or combine. “Their load increases gradually,” said Proctor. “It’s not under a lot of torque. You’re able to increase the load carrying capacity in those operations.” Eric Schnelle, president of S&H Farm Supply in Lockwood, Mo., noted there are many factors that determine which tire is right for each piece of agricultural machinery. “For one thing, it has to have the ply and the weight capacity load to properly handle and carry the weight of the machine,” Schnelle told OFN. “The other thing you have is the width for flotation, how wide it needs to be to carry the weight, and you also have several different tread patterns, depending on whether it’s a lawnmower tread, or what they call a bar tire tread on an ag tractor or combine. You have some tractors or skid steers that use an industrial tread, which is a lower, flatter tread.” Schnelle handles tires ranging from 8 to 10 inches up to 42 inches, all specific to models. “There are some tractor manufacturers where, if you want to special order a piece, you can choose tires,” he said. “There are different costs associated with choosing a tire, but that would be for a special factory preseason order. Like everything, there are premium brands and economy brands, and a lot of the economy brands are imported from all parts of the world, so there’s a lot of variability. Some of the import brands are very cost effective and a good brand, but there are also some that aren’t as good as a premium brand that you’ve always heard about.”

TRA

cfo

lsw

The standardizing body for the tire, rim, valve and allied parts industry in the United States. Called for IF/VF/CFO being standard across all brands.

Carries 20 percent higher loads at same inflation pressure as standard tires or same loads at 20 percent lower inflation pressure as standard tires.

Carries 40 percent higher loads at same inflation pressure as standard tires or same loads at 40 percent lower inflation pressure as standard tires.

Handles 55 percent higher loads when traveling less than 10 mph, for use on combines and grain carts.

Larger rim diameter than standard tires, meets TRA standards for VF/CFO in terms of load/inflation capabilities.

Reduces soil compaction when properly inflated.

Reduces soil compaction and reduces need to adjust inflation during significant changes in weight during harvest.

Reduces soil compaction when properly inflated, minimizes road lope and power hop regardless of inflation pressures.

Only effective if pressure is adequately maintained by application and weight, increased flex can cause problems with road lope and power hop quality if inflation is not maintained.

Compaction reduction gains are only realized if proper inflation pressures are maintained.

Requires appropriate size of wheel.

Caveats

Only effective if pressure is adequately maintained by application and weight, increased flex can cause problems with road lope and power hop quality if inflation is not maintained.

Brands

Titan/Goodyear, Michelin, Firestone, Mitas, Trelleborg

Titan/Goodyear

Tire and Rim Association

Description

Increased Flexion

Very High Flexion

Benefit

Cyclical Field Operation

Low Sidewall

Source: Goodyear Acronyms of Ag Tires Chart

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

farm help

PUT A RING ON IT!

Keeping Bulls in Breeding Shape By Klaire Howerton

Don’t neglect the health, nutritional needs of bulls Managing the health needs of an entire herd of cattle can be a challenging endeavor. There are several factors that need to be taken into account, including breed, geographical location, time of year and herd goals. But one thing to always keep on top of is the health needs of herd bulls. Herd bulls are a vitally important part of your operation, and sometimes their needs differ from that of cows.

Breeding Soundness Exams

One very different aspect to the health of bulls as opposed to the health of cows is their need for breeding soundness exams prior to their breeding season. “Doing a breeding soundness exam is very important and rarely done for the cows,” Dr. Scott Poock, associate extension professor for the University of Missouri-Veterinary Extension explained. “During a breeding soundness exam, a bull should be observed for soundness, body condition, eyes, teeth and overall health. All these factor into his ability to find and cover the cows he is exposed to.” And of course, if your bull or bulls have been in contact with the neighbor’s cows or moved between herds on different farms, it is very important to have a Trichomoniasis test done. General bull health should include the bull being dewormed strategically, flies being controlled, and having a vaccination schedule developed with the local veterinarian.

Hoof Health

The hoof care and health of bulls is quite a bit different then that of cows. NOVEMBER 30, 2015

“Bulls have a greater need for hoof health,” Poock said. “In general, for beef cattle, it is more likely that a veterinarian would trim bull’s hooves than a beef cow. The bull has to cover more ground to be able to breed a high percentage of the cows he is exposed to. Also, because of their larger size hoof care is important.” A bull’s hoof health is something that will be checked during a breeding soundness exam, and can also be monitored through regular observation of your breeding stock.

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Because of the job a bull needs to do, it is often assumed that the more feed he eats the better, but Poock says this is not the case. “At all times a bull should not be overfed grain,” he advised. “This can lead to a bull becoming fat, which leads to laziness and potential lameness. Once a bull comes out of breeding season he may need some extra feed to replace lost body condition but it can not be overdone.”

Care During Aging As with any animal, a breeding bull’s needs and performance will change as he ages. “Lameness becomes more prevalent as a bull ages due to the increase in size of the bull,” said Poock. He also stressed the importance of a breeding soundness exam prior to each breeding season to decrease the chance of a bull becoming subfertile.

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farm help

Insuring Machinery By Gary Digiuseppe

Some companies offer policies designed specifically for equipment “Many times the farmers have lots of small tools, power hand tools, and sometimes Farmers who insure their property typically take out a whole policy, with separate sections for each category of belongings. That they’ll list close to 80 percent but say I’ll just cover the cost of the rest. What I hear includes equipment, and Debra Corner, Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance agent at a lot of times is, I just can’t afford it all,” Corner said. “Try to get people to think about what they can self-insure themselves versus the Greene County office in Republic, Mo., said their policies recognize the fluid what they need to pay someone else to insure that they can’t afford to self-insure,” nature of agricultural machinery. “The rule of thumb is the farmer must insure at least 80 percent of his machinery in or- Childs added. Of course, the policy carries a deductible. There is a deductible taken out of any der for it to be covered at 100 percent at all times,” Corner told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor. “When the farmer comes in, they always have the concern, ‘This is my total for now, but claim on the dwelling and personal property, but Corner said there is a “gray area” I’m going to be buying and selling, and getting rid of some equipment.’ We hope to get for what is and is not tied in with the farming business. Personal property that is used on the farm needs to 100 percent insured, but be listed on the farm inas long as 80 percent of 2WD ventory. There is anoththat machinery is insured, 100+ HP 4WD er deductible on other Farm Bureau covers the 18,122 Units All Sizes structures like the barn, farmer for 100 percent. 2WD 2,171 Units shops and machinery For example, if a farmer 40-100 HP shed, and a separate dewent and purchased a 44,930 Units ductible for the blanket piece of machinery, and 2WD farm inventory. had a claim before they < 40 HP “All of those do not got it to the agent and got 93,968 Units have to be exactly the it called in, it would be same,” she said. “There covered under their blanis a per-occurrence deket inventory.” ductible; it’s not a deCorner usually writes ductible per category. If policies that insure the a tornado comes through farmer’s dwelling, the and damages the house, acreage, and a “blanket other buildings and mainventory” category that chinery, hay and liveis specifically designed stock, you’re only going for machinery, livestock, to have one deductible grain and feed. The profor that occurrence.” ducer fills out a form listThe policy identifies ing current inventory, and “named perils” on which she can attach it to the claims can be made; norpolicy and charge a flat mal wear and tear is not premium for the total. covered. Corner said Dan Childs, consultant MFB goes on the honor with the Noble FoundaSource: Association of Equipment Manufacturers, September 2015 Flash Report system when writing the tion in Ardmore, Okla., policy, although if there’s told OFN that each piece of equipment would be itemized, just like vehicles, “If you had a tractor, a grain auger, a large inventory, “I usually go out on my own, go into the shop buildings and make a combine, things of that nature,” he explained. “You would try to come up with an sure what they’re telling me is there. If at any time I find out the farmer is not being asset value for the condition that they’re in, and that policy would list these items up front with me, and not willing to follow Farm Bureau guidelines, that’s where we itemized out. You would list the VIN number of the tractor and as much individu- have to part.” When there is a claim, an adjuster will come out to meet with the farmer, discuss al identification as possible. If you had identification for them specifically, such as a model number or serial number, something unique to that asset, it would be helpful.” the incident and inspect the premises. And business is good. The farmer has some ability to “self-insure,” exclude items from coverage, and “We get a lot of farmers, and I love it. I’m married to a farmer of 40 years, so I love can, for instance, select which buildings that are on the property, you may pick and dealing with the farmers and helping them,” she said. choose what you want to self-insure, and what you do not.

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Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

farm help

Preparing For H5N2 By Gary Digiuseppe

Second round of bird flu expected to come this fall It’s coming – probably – and hopefully, the U.S. poultry industry will be better prepared for the second onslaught of bird flu. The first wave of the H5N virus emerged late last year in British Columbia flocks. It eventually spread across the Western states to the Upper Midwest, and south to the mid-Mississippi Valley, impacting more than 80 commercial poultry facilities and some forcing the destruction of some 30 million birds. The disease is thought to be spread by dissemination of the droppings of wild fowl, which are relatively unaffected by it. It was first discovered in the U.S. in a backyard flock in Oregon. Bruce Holland, director of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission said that Extension Veterinarian Dustan Clark has been doing a lot of outreach with the backyard producers, educating them what to expect in case of an outbreak, and what to look for in their flocks, and what precautions they can take to keep the influenza out of their birds. The agency has also been meeting with representatives of the commercial industry to discuss proper biosecurity guidelines. They emphasize points like site security, sanitation, traffic controls and animals. University of Missouri Veterinary Pathobiology Professor Daniel Shaw told OFN. Shaw, who heads the Avian Section of the school’s Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab, said past outbreaks of highlypathogenic avian influenza were typically isolated to a few areas, which would be quarantined, the birds tested, and the positives euthanized. This time, there were 40 infected premises in Minnesota alone. The traditional formula was more successful in Missouri, which identified only three infected flocks, two on commercial farms. But for hard hit states like Minnesota and Iowa, it was a very different scenario. “Now that they know what can happen, we expect that it’ll be able to be stopped a lot more easily. Plus, producers NOVEMBER 30, 2015

are educated and very sensitive about the possibility of getting something like this into their flocks again, and are being very careful right now,” Shaw said. The H5N2 strain was also different in its elevated pathogenicity, or percentage of birds sickened and killed. The method of its distribution is still under debate; Shaw said while there’s suspicion it can be carried by the wind, the pattern last spring pointed to the virus being carried by people and equipment, so restricting movement between farms has been a point of emphasis. Labs like Shaw’s have also become more efficient about getting the testing done quickly and accurately. The PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assay now in use is state-of-the-art and very sensitive. When a state laboratory finds a positive, samples are sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for confirmation. The test is so robust, he said, faith in the results at the local level has grown, and agencies can mobilize the quarantine and cleanup more quickly. The pattern of spring infections followed known wild bird flyway routes, and authorities suspect there will be more cases this fall. “When we start seeing those birds come back south for the winter, we expect that they will still be carrying the influenza,” Holland said. “That’s when it becomes more important to do the biosecurity.” He said the virus prefers cooler temperatures, and authorities suspect the unusually warm fall has kept it down. Arkansas only had one confirmed case this spring, but ALPC continues fielding calls reporting unusual bird mortality. Holland said most of them come from backyard operators, whose flocks tend to be exposed to the outdoors. Shaw said there’s no indication domestic fowl have developed any resistance to the strain; although that could happen as a result of mutation or genetic changes in the virus.

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November 2015 30-12/1 Income Tax School – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – registration is $220 per person – Hot Springs, Ark. – 501-671-2072 December 2015 1 Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Crawford County Extension Office, Van Buren, Ark. – 479-474-5286 3-4 Income Tax School – 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – registration is $220 per person – Little Rock, Ark. – 501-671-2072 5 Santa Cause Fun Walk – Walk for a “CAUSE” to support Camp Alliance Inc. & Conservation for the Illinois River Watershed – Bring a canned food item or girl/boy gift under $10 (in lieu of registration fees) to support local Camp Alliance Military Families – 9 a.m. check in, 10 a.m. Santa Cause Fun Walk – Illinois River Watershed Sanctuary, 220 S. Main Street, Cave Springs, Ark. – 479-215-6623 or contact@irwp.org 7, 14 Food Safety Class – Berryville, Ark. – call Carroll County Extension Office to pre-register – 870-423-2958 7 Poultry Waste Management Continuing Education Class – 6-8 p.m. – Northeast Technology Center, Claremore, Okla. – 918-923-4958 for more info 7 Christmas Food / Craft Show – 6:30 p.m. – Cherokee County Community Building, Tahlequah, Okla. – Christmas Food Fair forms are due Dec. 2 – 918-456-6163 8 Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Sebastain County 11 Corn Production Meeting – Dardanelle, Ark. – 479-963-2360 12 Pesticide Applicator Training – 9 a.m. – Benton County Extension Office, Bentonville, Ark. – 479-271-1060 14 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6:30 p.m. – First National Bank Community Center, Paris, Ark. – 479-963-2360 15 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6:30 p.m. – Petit Jean Electric Cooperative Building, Clinton, Ark. – 501-745-7117

16 21 25

Pesticide Applicator Training – 8:30 a.m. – Pope County Extension Center, Russellville, Ark. – 479-968-7098 Pesticide Applicator Training – 1 p.m. – Carroll Electric, Huntsville, Ark. – 479-738-6826 Free Community Christmas Dinner – Delaware County Fairgrounds, Jay, Okla. – 918-253-4332

January 2016 5 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6:30 p.m. – Marshall Assembly of God, Marshall, Ark. – 870-448-3981 14 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6 p.m. – Baxter County Fairgrounds, Mountain Home, Ark. – 870-425-2335 for more info 16 Pesticide Applicator Training – Noon – Arvest Bank, Gravette, Ark. – 479-271-1060 19 Pesticide Applicator Training – 6 p.m. – Pope County Extension Center, Russellville, Ark. – 479-968-7098 22 Arkansas Farmers Market State Meeting – Little Rock, Ark. 30 Pesticide Applicator Training – 9 a.m. – Washington County Extension Office, Fayetteville, Ark. – 479-444-1755 February 2016 22 Pesticide Applicator Training – 5:30 p.m. – Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena, Fayetteville, Ark. – 479-444-1755 March 2016 10 Pesticide Applicator Training – Searcy County Extension Office, Marshall, Ark. – 870-448-3981 28 Pesticide Applicator Training – 2 p.m. – Washington County Extension Office, Fayetteville, Ark. – 479-444-1755

If you have a community event you would like featured in our calendar, please contact us at Toll Free 1-866-532-1960 or editor@ozarksfn.com

ozarks’

auction block

December 2015 3 Connors State College Bull Test Sale – Warner, Okla. – 918-869-7573 4 Missouri Angus Advantage Plus Sale – Jones Bothers Livestock, Marshall, Mo. – 573-694-6152 5 Wright Charolais 5th Annual Female Sale – Wright Charolais Sale Facility, Kearney, Mo. – 816-456-3792 10 Missouri Buffalo Assn. 19th Annual Winter Show & Sale – Lolli Brothers Livestock Auction, Macon, Mo. – 417-226-4540 7 Oklahoma Quality Beef Network Vac-45 Sale – Tulsa Stockyard, Tulsa, Okla. – 918-760-1300

9 11

Oklahoma Quality Beef Network Vac-45 Sale – Oklahoma City West Livestock Market, Oklahoma City, Okla. – 800-778-9378 Oklahoma Quality Beef Network Vac-45 Sale – Woodward Livestock, Woodward, Okla. – 800-442-5548

February 2015 9 Oklahoma Quality Beef Network Vac-45 Sale – McAlester Stockyards, McAlester, Okla. – 918-423-2834

If you have an upcoming auction you would like featured in our auction block, please contact us at Toll Free 1-866-532-1960 or editor@ozarksfn.com

Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Cattlemen’s Seedstock Directory

Hudspeth Farms

Angus

870-439-2285

Jac’s Ranch - Bentonville, Ark. - 479-273-3030 44 Farms - 501-940-0299 www.rosebudfeeders.com

Balancers

Bob Harriman Genetics Montrose, Mo. - 660492-2504

Brangus

Hatfield Brangus Bentonville, Ark. - 479273-3921 - 479-531-2605 Rose Bud Feeders - 501940-0299 - www. rosebudfeeders.com Townsend Brangus - Rose Bud, Ark. - 501-9400299 - 501-556-2046

Charolais

Rose Bud Feeders - 501940-0299 - www. rosebudfeeders.com

Gelbvieh

Triple D Farms Mountain Home, Ark. 870-481-5603

Herefords

Allen Moss Herefords - Vici, Okla. - 580-9224911 - 580-334-7842 mossherefords.com

Sim Angus

Bob Harriman Genetics Montrose, Mo. - 660492-2504

Simmental

Lazy U Ranch - Haskell, Okla. - 918-693-9420

Reach More Than

24,000 Readers Who Are Primarily Livestock Producers, By Placing Your Ad In the Purebred Corral, Call Today!

532-1960

1-866-

NOVEMBER 30, 2015

Livestock - Cattle

Livestock - Equipment

Vets

CHAROLAIS, SIMMENTAL & RED ANGUS BULLS Greg Hudspeth • St. Joe, Ark. or 870-365-8969

2/22/16

8 Sisters Ranch

Santa Gertrudis Dark Red Polled Breed developed south. Texas all American for live calves & profi t. Bulls are gentle in nature.

417-926-7256

JUG Livestock Waterers Call Wes at

Country Veterinary Service Tim E. O’Neill, DVM

www.weslynn.net

Farmington, AR countryveterinaryserviceinc.com

515-771-6036 3/28/16

12/21/15

Black Simmental & SimAngus Bulls For Sale Excellent Genetics & EPDs

Vestlane Farms 417-253-2271 417-399-1430

11/30/15

Trade Website Design For Fresh Beef

If You’re Looking For A Website For Your Farm, Here’s Your Chance. I’m Looking To Do Some Trading For Fresh Beef. Turn-Key Package Includes Full Website Design, 1 Year of Hosting and 1 Year of Domain Name Registration.

417-322-4711 TFN

Livestock - Equipment

The Tuffest Made 14 GA., 2 3/8” Pipe & 5/8” Sucker Rod Starting At ....$3,565

www.work-your-cows.com

918-507-2222

Machinery Used Tractors

• ‘95 Belarus 400 AN........$5,500 • ‘11 NHT5070, cab, 4x4 w/NH 835TL ldr., 24x24 pwr. shuttle, 1,720 hrs................... $58,500 • ‘09 NH T6020, cab, 4x4, w/ NH 830TL ldr., 16x16 semi pwr. shift, pwr. shuttle, buddy seat, 747 hrs...................... $64,500 • ‘87 Ford 6610, 2WD, ROPS, w/ldr........................... $12,500 • ‘80 MF 230, dsl., low hours... .................................... $8,500 • ‘12 NH T5060, cab, 4x4 w/NH 835 TL ldr., 12x12 PS, 1,080 hrs............................. $61,500 • 2-Ford 5000, dsl.... $6,950 Ea.

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26 years of serving both farm and family.

Wanted

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6/27/16

There’s No Better Way To Reach Cattlemen In The Ozarks! The Cattlemen’s Sweetspot Reaches More Than 58,000 Readers in 60 Counties!

Round & Square Bales

• ‘09 NH 7070, new belts, net... .................................. $17,950 • ‘12 JD 348 wire tie sq. baler, 6,000 bales, like new....$18,900 • ‘99 JD 348 wire tie sq. baler, hyd. swing, shedded.... $9,500 • NH 658 twine, 4x6..... $7,950 • ‘09 NH BR7090 specialty crop, endless belts & net, 5,494 bales................ $29,500 • ‘09 BR7070, net & twine, NH 5,748 bales................ $23,500

Used Hay Tools

• JD 704 rake............... $2,550 • Krone EC320 caddy... $8,950 • NH 256 rake...................$850 • H&S 8 whl. rake......... $2,500 • Krone AM403............. $6,500 • Rhino DM124, 10’ w/caddy... .................................... $6,950 • Tonutti 10W rake, like new..... .................................... $3,000 • H&S 12 W hi-cap....... $8,950 • H&S 12 W bi-fold...... $5,950

11/30/15

Check Out Our Website!

479-267-2685

Selling Cattle, Hay, Tractors or Anything Else Farm Related?

OUR 65th YEAR

Hwy. 69 South Pryor, Oklahoma 918-825-2044 chuppimplement company.com

Know a Good Recipe? We are collecting recipes for our annual Country Christmas Cookbook, which will appear in our December 21st issue. Please send recipes to P.O. Box 6, Prairie Grove, AR 72753 or email editor@ozarksfn.com.

1-866-532-1960

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Serving More Than 24,000 Readers Across Northwest Arkansas & Eastern Oklahoma

ozarksfn.com

THE TRUCK SPECIALISTS! We know what you want ... Big Selection + Low Prices!

We’re farmers, too! We know what farmers want, and we keep the most popular models in stock at the lowest prices you’ll find in North Arkansas! Family owned and operated for over 43 years!

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We stock the trailers farmers use most! Whether it’s a golf cart, a 4-wheeler trailer or one of the big boys, you’ll find it at Wood Motor Co. We’ll NEVER be undersold! Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com

NOVEMBER 30, 2015