Julie Turner-Crawford Every day is Earth Day

OPEN HOUSE & PRIVATE TREATY CATTLE SALE APRIL 30, 2022

2288 Red Oak Road • Fordland, MO

10 a.m. Viewing Begins • 12:30 p.m. Lunch • 2:00 p.m. Bids Turned In Selling: 2 & 3 Year Old Bulls By The #1 $Chb Bull In The Hereford Breed, Bred Cows, Spring Pairs and a Nice Set of Black Baldy Heifers

L III TFL C609 IMPACT 1714 ONE OF THE HOTTEST BULLS IN THE HEREFORD BREED

#1 for Combination of Ribeye, Marbling, $CHB HIS SONS SELL!

Daughters by A045, Granddam to Top Select Sires Bull

Catalogs Available by Request

L III X651 RITA A045

Contact: Tyler Pollock, Herd Manager • 417-718-4011

Joe Rickabaugh, American Hereford Association • 785-633-3188 Tom Luthy, owner • Justin Hayden, owner neighborscattlecompany.com

just a thought Across The Fence

By Julie Turner-Crawford

Earth Day is April 22, marking the 52nd anniversary of the “environmental movement” and encouraging people to think of ways to go “green.” There are trash pick-up and recycling events worldwide on Earth Day, and for some, the annual event is the only time they think about improving the planet. For farmers and ranchers, however, every day is Earth Day.

Farmers and ranchers are the original environmentalists, and they are dedicated to being good stewards of the earth. The agriculture industry is tied to the land, so it only makes sense for farmers and ranchers to want to do what they can to protect it, but there have been a few bumps along the way.

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Julie Turner-Crawford is a native of Dallas County, Mo., where she grew up on her family’s farm. She is a graduate of Missouri State University. To contact Julie, call 1-866532-1960 or by email at editor@ozarksfn.com.

SIDE DISH Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes

OFN Staff Favorite • 1 C heavy cream or half and half • 1/4 C low-sodium chicken broth • 1 pinch paprika • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg • 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish • 2 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary, plus more for garnish • 2 tsp garlic powder • 3 pounds Russet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick • 1/2 C freshly-grated Parmesan • 2 1/2 C shredded Gruyère • Kosher salt • Freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream (or half and half), chicken broth, paprika, nutmeg, thyme, rosemary and garlic powder until combined. Line bottom of a slow-cooker with a layer of potatoes, then top with one-third of the cream mixture, 1/2 C Parmesan and 1/2 C Gruyère. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Remove the lid, turn off heat, and let set 30 minutes. (Drain any grease.) Transfer to a bowl and garnish with more thyme and rosemary, then serve.

Know a Good Recipe? Send in your favorite recipe to share with our readers. Mail them to: PO Box 1319, Lebanon, MO 65536; fax them to: 417-532-4721; or email them to: editor@ozarksfn.com

Across the Fence

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The Dust Bowl in the Plains in the 1930s showed the world just how important it is to do everything possible to preserve the soil. It led to the establishment of the Soil Erosion Service and the Prairie States Forestry Project, now the Natural Resources Conservation Service, in 1935.

The loss of soil spiked again in the 1950s and 1970s, but improved agriculture practices have dropped wind and water erosion of cropland by 43 percent since 1983, according to the NRCS.

Today, words like sustainable and regenerative have become part of the agricultural vocabulary and have helped American producers become even better stewards of the environment, improving their farms and ranches in the process. There continues, however, to be a huge divide between agriculture and environmentalists.

Environmentalists blame farmers and ranchers for everything wrong on the Earth, and farmers and ranchers push back because they feel attacked for doing what they think is best for their land. The two sides should come together and see they have many of the same goals.

Environmentalists want clean water. So do farmers. Farmers want to improve soil quality. So do environmentalists. Environmentalists want to improve the Earth for future generations. So do farmers.

Environmentalists and farmers do differ on some issues, such as “rewilding” some areas. According to Protect the Harvest, rewilding is the planned reintroduction of a plant or animal species, such as the gray wolf or lynx, in an “effort to increase biodiversity and restore the health of an ecosystem.”

I disagree with reintroducing wolves to the Ozarks, not just for farmers and livestock, but also for people, pets and other wildlife. I guess that’s one of those “agree to disagree” topics.

I encourage each of you to take a look at your farming or ranching operation to see how you can help improve the environment, which will enhance the quality of your land. These improvements can help reduce costs in the long run as well.

Do a little reach on rotational grazing. Don’t overgraze. Be mindful of how you use chemicals and where you apply them. If you can drill in a cover crop, do it. Try some different forages, and recycle or repurpose what you can; become your own environmentalists.

There’s only one Earth, and it’s up to us to work together to keep it happy and healthy. We need to make it a point to make every day Earth Day.

JOIN US FOR OUR HAY CLINIC

Life Is Simple

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as quickly as possible. After a couple of hours of EMT work by my wife and me, the youngster opened its eyes and we took that as a sign to provide nourishment. It wasn’t able to suck, but the esophageal feeder provided a quart of warm colostrum that seemed to be welcome. By bedtime, the calf was able to stand on the comforter, and walk around a little, so we moved the calf and comforter to the garage for the rest of the night. The next morning, I returned the baby to its mother and everyone lived happily ever after.

Last week, Judy and I were watching an episode of my favorite YouTube farmer in South Dakota when he was assisting a cold newborn by placing it in a factory-made calf warmer. Not knowing such a device even existed, Judy enthusiastically stated, “We need one of those!”

“I don’t think so; they cost around $800, and we have a free comforter.” See field demonstrations and hear from speakers Mike McClintock with Boone County Extension and Lance Waltner with Anderson Wrappers. Enjoy lunch on us and learn more about hay and baleage production and preservation, along with special offers.

Friday, April 29 at 10 a.m.

Boone County Extension Office

1800 Extension Lane | Harrison, AR

R.S.V.P by calling 870-741-6168 Boone County Extension by April 20