Writer: Linda Anderson, 979-862-1460,lw-anderson@tamu.edu
Contact: Janie Harris, 979-845-3850,jl-harris@tamu.edu
Deborah Ballard, 512-533-2141,deborah.ballard@hhsc.state.tx.us

Editor’s Note: While dialing 211 does not work in all states, it should.

COLLEGE STATION – Fires … floods … hurricanes … Sometimes the best way to survive a disaster – natural or otherwise – is to get out of its way.

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Editor’s Note:Reposted from The Patriot Post, with permission. Lets pause and give Thanks for all those whose sacrifice has made this day possible.

THE FOUNDATION

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George
Washington

INDEPENDENCE DAY 2007

Our Lives, our Fortunes, our sacred Honor

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I’ve heard a lot of discussion about the subject of dual tires on a 1 ton pickup truck. People (especially pickup salesmen ) say “You have to have them” while others say “You ought to have them”. It’s my belief that they are completely unnecessary and here is why.
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Rural readers of this blog will be interested to know that you’ll be able to apply for a one time tax credit this year.
On May 25, 2006, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) announced that it would stop collecting the federal excise tax on long-distance telephone service charges that are purely time based. Notice 2006-50 reverses the once defiant position of the IRS and states that taxpayers will no longer be required to pay a tax on charges for long-distance telephone service that are based solely on the amount of time for the phone call.

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Editor’s Note: I was researching this subject when I found the following article. I’m still in need of a small (8′ to 6′) pasture aerator that would be appropriate for a large yard, too.

Aerating your lawn is one of the most important things you can do to keep your lawn healthy and attractive. According to the Lawn Institute, the aeration process reduces thatch build-up in your lawn and opens passageways for air, water and nutrients to reach grass roots. In drought conditions, aeration allows moisture to reach thirsty roots. During times of heavy rain, aeration allows air to penetrate the turf and dry up excess moisture before it becomes a source of disease.

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There are several types of tractor mishaps that result in injury. Common mishaps are:

* by-pass starting
* front-end loader incidents
* rearward tractor rollovers
* sideways tractor rollovers
* falls from tractors
* tractor runovers
* caught-between crushing
* PTO stub shaft entanglements

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Soon, the leaves will change color, the birds will fly South, squirrels will hide acorns and the grass will slip into a dormant state of rest.

Once this pattern begins – in late September in the Northern climates, mid to late October in the Central states – you can throw the cover over your lawnmower and call it a season. It’s going to be several months before the grass needs cutting again.

But when it does, you want to be ready. So take the time now to do a little maintenance on your lawnmower. Here’s a checklist to follow:

* Drain oil from the engine and replace with new oil. Old oil contains moisture and acids that will pit bearings and other engine parts, so it’s important to change oil prior to storage. Run the engine to warm the oil first. More of the dirty oil and contaminants will come out if it’s warm. Replace with new oil of the type recommended in your owner’s manual. Most (or many) recommend Straight S.A.E. 30W.

* Stabilize Fuel. Fuel can deteriorate in as little as 60 days, causing gum and varnish build-up in engines and resulting in hard starting, poor performance and reduced engine life. To prevent this from happening, add STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer to your tank. Read the rest of this entry »

BENEFITS

• Maximized forage production
• Provides a healthy environment for livestock
• Good for the environment, minimizes the risk of runoff and leaching of pollutants from livestock
• Looks better, it’s visually pleasing to see healthy pastures

Pasture Management should really be called “grass farming”.  Think of your pasture grasses as your crop and the animals as your method of harvest.  Matching the amount of grass with the amount eaten by the animals will reduce waste and prevent the need to make hay, which raises the cost of the feed and can lower quality. Read the rest of this entry »

Rich Sanders, USDA/NRCS
Agriculture is intrinsically linked to the environment: roughly half of all land in the lower 48 States is farmland, including cropland, land in the Conservation Reserve Program, pastureland, and rangeland. Both crop and animal production generate pollutants that enter the air as well as surface and ground waters. The Natural Resources Conservation Service estimates that the annual loss of soil from water erosion is approximately 1.07 billion tons per year. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, based upon areas sampled, that pollutants originating from this runoff contribute to an estimated 60 percent of impaired river areas, 30 percent of impaired lake areas, 15 percent of impaired estuarine areas, and 15 percent of impaired coastal shoreline. Read the rest of this entry »

Texas Longhorn

Survivor of the Past – Bright Promise for the Future

by Dr. Stewart H. Fowler, PhD

Cattlemen caught in a devastating cost-price squeeze are now taking a serious second look at the old Texas Longhorn. Doubly stunned by the inflation of all cost factors and the recession of cattle prices, cattlemen are actively seeking new “profit genes” for their beef herds. The quest has broadened to an international search for “new” genes that might boost productivity and profits. In this process, many have tended to overlook a promising gene source close to home. I refer to the Texas Longhorn.

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