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Farm and Family

  • Use this to protect your bulls from getting tetanus

    In the United States, more than 17 million bulls that range in age from one day to one year are castrated yearly.
    You should give any calf castrated with an elastrator band tetanus prevention in the form of either tetanus toxoid (two doses required with the second given two weeks prior to castration), tetanus antitoxin (given the day of banding) or both in some cases.
    Tetanus is a potentially life-threatening neurologic disease affecting all species of domestic livestock, including cattle, so it’s important for producers to take steps to prevent it.

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  • Homemakers to study small-scale gardening

    With more people living off the farm or in suburban areas, many think they do not have the space to garden.
    A new publication from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, ID-248: “Gardening in Small Spaces,” describes how you can garden in a limited area.
    Besides space, an issue that may limit gardening is sunlight.
    Most vegetables require full sun conditions, which equals six or more hours of direct sunlight each day.
    If you have an open yard free of tall trees or a south facing sunny patio, you should have sufficient light.

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  • Work more healthy fruit and veggies into your diet

    We all know that we should eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, but many of us don’t get the recommended servings.
    Fruits and vegetables are important to our diet, because they provide necessary nutrients and are high in dietary fiber and low in calories, fat and cholesterol.
    Spring is an excellent time to try to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, as all of them will be in-season at some point in the coming months.
    In-season produce is the peak of a particular fruit or vegetable’s freshness, which means its flavor is going to be wonderful.

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  • Results of the March 28 Henry County 4-H Communications Event

    The Henry County 4-H Communications Event was held March 28 at the Henry County Cooperative Extension Service Office.
    The following are the results in the Speech Division: 17-to-18-year-old – Camryn McManis received a blue ribbon and champion on her speech entitled “The Fifth ‘H’ in 4-H.”
    In the 12-year-old category – Ella McManis received a blue for her speech on “Things Parents Say;” Ethan Ryan received a red on his speech about the Holocaust; Dustin Turner received a blue and champion on his speech entitled “From the Backside.”

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  • Best ways to maintain your spraying equipment

    A few weeks ago, I mentioned weed pressures and thoughts in weed management.
    This week, I wanted to touch on sprayer maintenance and the fact every sprayer needs to be checked before spraying.
    It will ensure that your spray equipment is ready for the planting season, and save you time and money down the road.
    Taking care of sprayer maintenance prior to the hectic growing season can prevent time-consuming equipment breakdowns, higher chemical costs, reduced pesticide effectiveness and potential crop damage.

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  • Make sure your Easter egg hunt doesn’t go awry by using these tips

    With Easter upon us, many of us will be coloring, decorating and hunting eggs.
    If you plan to eat those eggs, remember these tips to keep yourself and your loved ones from developing a food-borne illness.
    • Make sure you use only food-grade dyes for coloring.
    It’s safe to use commercial egg dyes, liquid food coloring or fruit-drink powders.
    • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before and after handling raw eggs or cooked eggs.
    • Do not keep eggs out of the refrigerator for hunting or decorating longer than two hours.

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  • Community digs in at rotary’s farm city day
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  • For better lawn care, it’s all about the blades

    This year, it seems like spring really snuck up on us, and I couldn’t believe I was mowing my lawn in March.
    It occasionally seems like I put more work into just mowing my yard than enjoying it. However, mowing and maintaining a lawn takes practice, patience and time.
    Every year, I receive numerous questions about mowing yards from “how high” and “what is the best mower,” and my answer is usually, “It just depends.”
    Every yard and mower is extremely different and each situation may be different. Frankly, most lawn mowers will get the job done as long as blades are sharp.

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  • Reduce your salt intake by growing herbs

    We all want to eat food that tastes good. One of the most common ways we tend to make food taste good is by adding salt.
    Unfortunately, most American diets are too high in sodium.
    Diets high in sodium can raise blood pressure, which can lead to many major health issues including heart disease.
    Herbs provide a great way for us to limit our sodium intake while still consuming flavorful foods.
    Herbs are also some of the easiest things to grow.
    The simplest way to start an herb garden is to buy plants and transfer them to a window box.

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  • Are you prepared for weeds this spring?

    The grasses are starting to green up which means spring is here. However, along with the grasses, weeds will be starting to show up in fields, gardens and lawns. Weeds can play havoc from causing issues with livestock to medical issues for people, and weeds can take over crop fields.
    From dandelions to poison hemlock, weeds can come in many shapes and colors, and many times we don’t realize what we have, in many cases, certain weeds mimic harmless flowers.
    Now, you might be asking, “How do I remove weeds from my land?” My response will be, “What weed to you have?”

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