Welcome To My Country Tractor

Chute N The Bull (LAST RUN)

2011-01-14T07:32:00.000-06:00

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15, A Time for Everything

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven ~

A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.

A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.

A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.

A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away.

A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak.

A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.

For the past five years I have been given the opportunity to serve as the county agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources in Leon County. In this position I have worked with incredible adult volunteers and young people. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you that have helped make our programs great! As the Bible states there is a time for everything. I have recently taken a job with Luminant who is the largest Power provider in the state of Texas. So the time has come for me to move on and I am certain that Extension in Leon County will prosper in the coming years. This will be the last article of Chute N The Bull and I thank you for reading and the papers for including our message each week for the past five years. An unusual taste, odor or appearance of drinking water is an obvious indication of its lack of quality. However, how do you know if what you are drinking is safe if these signs are not so obvious? A glass of water may contain dissolved minerals, organic compounds or even live organisms. said. Some of these materials, if present in very small amounts, are no problem for drinking water. Other materials, however, may be serious health risks. While the Environmental Protection Agency has rules in place for vigorous testing and disinfecting for public water supplies, these regulations hold no weight with private wells. If you get your water from a private well, it’s your own responsibility to monitor its quality. There are some tests that you need to have done on an annual basis. Many of the health-related water quality problems for well owners comes from chemical use or waste disposal near the well, poor well construction and maintenance, proximity of septic tanks and severe drought or flooding. You need to protect the well and well head from contamination. Don’t store any fertilizers, chemicals, paints or agricultural products near it. Even placing flowers or plants around a well head to cover it up can cause problems because not only will the fertilizers contaminate the water supply, but it will be difficult to make monthly inspections to look for cracks and broken areas of the well head. The only way to be certain your water supply is safe is to test it regularly for the most likely contaminants and conduct additional tests if you suspect a particular contaminant. There are many reasons that one would choose to have their drinking water supply tested, with just as many recommended tests for those reasons. Contact your local Extension office for sample bottles and details on drawing the water sample and getting it to the laboratory. It is essential to closely follow the directions provided within in the kit. The water sample that you submit to the lab is only as good as you make it. Also, make sure to label the sample. . You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Chute N The Bull 1-21-11

2011-01-10T07:49:00.002-06:00

Cattle rustling can conjure up different thoughts depending on who you are. Some imagine a scene from an old western where bandana-wearing cowboys gather up a herd of cows and drive them to a distant and secret location. Others might think this is something from the past and doesn't happen now. Unfortunately, cattle rustling is still a serious issue. Recently, there have been increasing reports of cattle rustling across the country. It seems that when the economy gets tough, crime rates increase. Unfortunately, ranchers are not immune to crime. In many cases, those who live in the country are targeted because criminals know there are fewer people to watch for suspicious activity. As a farm or ranch owner, you must be observant to protect your property from those who would steal it from you. Here are a few tips to reduce the potential of becoming a victim of theft. Permanently identify your cows. A cow that has some form of brand is not attractive to a potential thief. Make sure your brand is registered in the state or county your ranch is in and make sure that local law enforcement authorities know your brand. Don't feed at the gate or in your pens. Don't get your cows used to being fed near the pasture gate or in the working pens. This only trains the cows to come to a place where it is easier for a criminal to catch them. Lock your gates. Criminals are inherently lazy. If they have to work very hard, they'll move on to an easier target. Additionally, a locked gate will slow down a thief; they want to be able to move quickly into and out of an area. Don't give out combinations or keys to your locks. Don't locate working pens near pasture entrances. I call these "thieving pens." If your cows are accustomed to coming to a horn or siren and being fed in the working pens, you have made a thief's job much easier. Feed or check cows at different times of the day. Don't get into a set pattern that will make it easy for a crook to know when you will be around. Make sure you have an accurate head count each time you go out. Be vigilant. If you see a suspicious vehicle on your county road that you have not seen before, take time to write down their license plate number. Or, better yet, stop and chat with the driver. A thief is less likely to steal cattle in the area if he knows people can describe him. Cattle are not the only things that can be stolen. Other popular items are tractors, trailers, saddles, horses and farm equipment. Here are a few tips to reduce the potential for theft of these items. Park trailers and equipment out of view from the road and take your keys. Lock saddle compartments on trailers and tack/equipment rooms. Photograph and brand your horses. A photo can help investigators locate your horse more quickly. Horses that are branded are easily identifiable and less likely to be stolen. Put identifying marks such as a registered brand or driver's license number on valuable equipment and saddles. Photograph those items and the markings. Record serial and model numbers, as well as other distinguishing characteristics of equipment. This will not prevent theft, but can make recovery easier. Put padlocks on and lower the tongue of a trailer so that it has to be raised before connecting to it. This will slow down a thief and make it less attractive. In general, most thieves are opportunists. If we do a few things to slow them down, make it harder on them or readily identify items of interest, they will move on down the road. You work hard for your assets; don't let them become someone else's. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Chute N The Bull 1-5-11

2011-01-10T07:43:00.000-06:00

Although the weather has cooled off considerably, gardeners can still find plenty to keep them busy. Grass such as fescue should be fertilized at one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. Continue to mow fescue as needed at two inches. Remember to water during dry conditions, too.Now is a good time to control broadleaf winter weeds such as dandelions. When it comes to tree and shrub care, prune deciduous trees early in the winter, but prune only for structural and safety purposes. Do not prune spring flowering plants until after they have flowered this spring. Fruit trees should be pruned in February or March before bud break. Young, thin-barked trees should be wrapped with a commercial protective material to prevent winter sunscald. You can continue to plant balled and burlapped trees, and watch for arborvitae aphids, which tolerate cooler temperatures in evergreen shrubs. Leftover garden seeds can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer until next planting season. However, seeds more than three years old should be discarded. Leaves should be raked and shredded and added to compost, used as mulch or tilled into garden plots. Now is a great time to clean, repair and store garden and landscape tools. Coat metal surfaces with a light application of oil to prevent rusting. Drain the fuel tanks of all power equipment, as well as irrigation lines and garden hoses. Coil water hoses and store them indoors. Although the wintery weather may not be what you consider the typical gardening season, there are plenty of opportunities for gardeners to get their gardening fix. The things you do to your gardens and landscapes at this time of year will give you a head start on the next gardening season. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Chute N The Bull 1-3-11

2011-01-10T07:40:00.000-06:00

It is a hot topic of discussion in the U.S. cattle industry: How can operations increase or even maintain beef production if the cow herd continues to shrink?

I suspect that carcass weights will show little or no upward trend in the next decade compared to the last 20 years. Thus much of the compensation for a declining inventory that was offset by increasing carcass weights in the past will not be available going forward.

However, a number of factors will affect the ability or inability of the U.S. beef industry to continue current levels of production without rebuilding the herd, which may be getting lost in some of the conversations, even among expert analysts.

It has been appropriately and correctly noted that some of the superlatives used by myself and others, such as the fact that the current beef cow herd is the smallest since 1963, are relevant only in a broad historical context.

A more relevant time period is the last 20 years. The beef cow herd in 2010 was about 1 million head smaller at 31.4 million head than it was in 1990, when it was 32.5 million head.”

In the intervening years, the cow herd increased to a cyclical peak of 35.2 million head in 1996 to an apparent cyclical low of 32.9 million head in 2004, before the market shocks since 2007 pushed the herd down to current levels.

Beef production in 2010 is projected at 26.03 billion pounds, 15 percent higher than 1990’s larger beef cow herd, about equal to the level in 1996 at the recent cyclical peak in cattle numbers and within 3 percent of the all-time annual beef production record of 26.8 billion pounds in 2000.

Beef and cattle trade plays a role as well, However, the relative importance of beef and cattle trade, in terms of overall production levels, has not changed much in the past 20 years.”

Net beef imports have accounted for roughly 4 percent of total beef production since 1990 and have, in fact, been smaller at roughly 2 percent of total annual production in the last three years. Net live cattle imports have averaged less than 6 percent of total slaughter since 1990 and will be slightly higher than that in 2010.

While beef and cattle continue to grow in importance in terms of industry value, it does not explain our ability to maintain beef production in the face of declining U.S. cattle inventories. The fact is that we have culled an average of more than 11 percent of the beef cow herd each of the past three years.

Beef cow slaughter as a percent of the beef cow inventory has averaged 9.3 percent since 1990. Since 1990, it has only been higher than 11 percent once, in 1996. Measured another way, beef cow slaughter has represented more than 10 percent of total cattle slaughter each of the past three years.

Another rough measure of slaughter intensity in the U.S. beef industry is that total slaughter will represent more than 94 percent of the 2010 calf crop. This value has averaged 88.3 percent since 1990 and the estimate for 2010 is the highest level over the 20-year period.

The bottom line is that it will not be possible to maintain beef production in coming years if we do not rebuild the cow herd. It’s also true that we will not be able to rebuild the cow herd without reducing slaughter and beef production for at least a two- or three-year period.

Prices seem to be approaching levels that will entice cow-calf producers into some level of herd expansion in the next couple of years. Smaller beef production will support higher beef and cattle prices.

Consumers, who have for the most part not seen any impacts of this situation, will experience higher beef prices in the coming years. This will provide a critical test of beef demand to see how consumers react to generally higher beef prices. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

CEU Program Jan 27

2011-01-10T07:36:00.000-06:00

CENTERVILLE - Pesticide applicators will receive seven Texas Department
of Agriculture continuing education units toward the renewal of their
licenses at the "Beef CEU Update," to be held Jan. 27 at the First
United Methodist Church, 245 South Commerce Street, Centerville.
"This is an annual event that we provide to producers to help keep their
CEU (continuing education units) credits up to date," said Tommy
Neyland, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent in Leon County. "I am
really excited about the lineup of speakers this year. Our region of the
state has not had the opportunity to hear from folks like Guy Powers ."

Powers, who will speak, is the Environmental Manager for Terra. Terra
Renewal is a company that provides Sewage sludge. Sewage sludge has
the potential to boost production for certain crops while addressing the
increase in the amount of waste and the growing scarcity of landfills,
according to scientists at the University of Florida.

Using organic waste as fertilizer is not a new concept. Before the
1940s, when synthetic nitrogen fertilizer became widely available,
animal manure and human waste were commonly used for improving crop
yields around the world. This technique is receiving renewed interest as
municipalities face increasing waste disposal challenges.

William Hatler , who will speak on weed and brush control, is a weed and
brush specialist with Texas Agrilife Extension Service. Hatler will be
discussing a Result Demonstration that he has been studying along with
Agent Tommy Neyland here in Leon County.

Other speakers and topics will include:

-Don Renchie, Assistant Professor, Extension Specialist & Extension

Program Leader will be discussing Laws and Regulations
– Dr. Floron “Buddy” Faries, AgriLife Extension program leader forveterinary medicine at College Station, who will discuss how to
recognize and manage common health problems of cattle.

– Dr. Barron Rector, AgriLife Extension range ecology specialist, who
will talk about grazing management and stocking rates.

– Dr. Vanessa Corriher, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, who will
talk about pesticide applications on coastal Bermuda grass fields.
Registration for the event is $35 per person and includes lunch. Sign-in
will begin at 8 a.m., with presentations beginning at 8:30 a.m. The
program will conclude at 3:30 p.m.. The continuing education units will
be comprised of one in laws and regulations, one in integrated pest
management and five in the general category.

To register, call or e-mail the Texas AgriLife Extension office in Leon
County at 903-536-2531, or email lloden@ag.tamu.edu or
ctroller@ag.tamu.edu by Jan. 25. To reserve your seat we must receive
payment before Jan 25, 2011. Extension programs serve of all ages
regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion,
disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas
Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race,
color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M
University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Leon County will host international speaker The Bulb Hunter

2011-01-10T07:33:00.000-06:00

Leon County will host international speaker The Bulb Hunter
On January 29, 2011 at 9:00am at the Buffalo High School Cafeteria.
The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will host Chris
Wiesinger. Chris Wiesinger, “The Bulb Hunter” is a man on a mission,
dedicated to preserving the legacy of heirloom bulbs by engaging a new
generation as stewards. Resilient, romantic, sustainable, and
economical, heirloom bulbs display traits all gardeners desire. And now
Chris - a sought after international speaker and owner of The Southern
Bulb Company - shares his knowledge and passion in a new book from
Bright Sky Press, Heirloom Bulbs for Today. Chris teams with landscape
designer and award winning author Cherie Foster Colburn to offer an
innovative look at old-fashioned flower bulbs. While most garden guides
simply tell the culture of the plant, Heirloom Bulbs also tells the
culture of the people who grew the plant, unearthing each bulb’s past
and those who loved it.
For weekend gardeners, heirloom bulbs are as close to
no-maintenance plants as one can get. For those desiring a sustainable
garden that creates habitat for man and beast alike, they exemplify a
time-tested recipe: glean wisdom from the past for success in the
future. To register for this program please call The Texas Agrilife
Extension Service in Leon County at 903.536.2531 and submit your $35.00
registration fee in person or by mail to Texas Agrilife Extension
Service P.O. Box 188, Centerville, Texas 75833 before January 26, 2011.
The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the
County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages
regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion,
disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas
Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

P.A.T

2011-01-10T07:31:00.001-06:00

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will host a Private Applicator Training on February 25, 2011. Participants must pre-register in the Texas Agrilife Extension office on or before February 24, 2011. The training will begin with sign in from 8:00am to 8:30am in the Leon County Annex Grand Activity Room. Following the training Mr. Brad Tullis with The Texas Department of Agriculture will administer the test. Their will be a $35.00 fee due upon registration of this training. Training will be from 8:30am to 12:00noon and the test will be given at 1:00pm. For more information please contact the Texas Agrilife Extension Service at 903.536.2531 or at leon-tx@tamu.edu We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact Texas Agrilife Extension three days before the event to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that will be required. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Holidays

2010-12-23T13:59:00.000-06:00

I want to take the time to thank everyone that reads the articles and a very special thanks to Tommy Neyland and Leon County Extension Office for providing us with all this information. They provide us with lots of information to the Community and a special thanks to all the 4H members that have put a helping hand in to help the community. Everyone have a safe and wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy the time that you have with your friends and families over the Holidays. Talk to ya'll next year God bless!

Merry Christmas!

My Country Tractor

Chute N The Bull 12-10

2010-12-23T13:48:00.002-06:00

Chute N The Bull 12-17-10

2010-12-23T13:47:00.000-06:00

The Bush 2001 and 2003 tax cuts were scheduled to expire on Jan. 1, 2011. If lawmakers did not act before the end of this year, all Americans would face higher taxes in 2011.

The question about what will happen to these tax cuts has finally been answered…they will not expire for another two years. In a compromise with Republicans, these extended tax cuts will affect everyone, not just those families making less than $250,000. In exchange, unemployment benefits will be extended for another 13 months and Republicans will not insist that the benefits’ $60 billion price tag be offset by cuts in federal spending.

Income tax rates will stay the same for another two years. The top two income brackets will remain at 33 percent and 35 percent, respectively. There will be no changes in the taxation of dividends and capital gains. Included in the legislation is another patch for the alternative minimum tax (AMT) that raises the AMT exemption amount to account for inflation.

Many workers may not have even noticed the Making Work Pay tax credit, which is expiring this year. To replace this credit, the White House negotiated a one-year reduction in the Social Security payroll tax paid by employees from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent.

What this means is that for every $1,000 in income subject to the FICA tax, you will get to keep an additional $20. If you make $50,000 a year, that’s $1,000. The maximum amount of income subject to FICA tax is currently $108,600. So the maximum amount a high wage earner can benefit by is $2,172. The goal of this tax break is to give a jolt to the sluggish economic recovery on the assumption that everyone – the middle class and the truly wealthy – will go out and spend that extra money instead of saving it or paying down debt.

There will be a major change in the estate tax over the next two years. There was no estate tax in 2010, and it was scheduled to return in 2011 to a rate of 55 percent on estates worth more than $1 million. However, this legislation sets the estate tax for 2011 and 2012 at 35 percent for estates worth more than $5 million ($10 million for couples).

We don’t know what will happen after 2012. It certainly will make for some interesting promises on the presidential campaign trail. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Texas Agrilife CASH IN ON VOLUNTEERS

2010-12-14T15:15:00.000-06:00

PIC CAPTION:

Texas Agrilife Extension Service Staff and Volunteers present check to County Officals, Left to Right Tommy Neyland-CEA, Barbra Hankin, Becky Lord, Kay Serafin, Ruth Spillman, Charlie Patin, Jane Hillenkamp, Taylor McGill, Reagan Robertson, Cassie Ferguson, Sara Ewing, Caleb Wright, Layne Wilson, Tyler Spillman, Wendy Neyland- CEA, Lenora Oden, Cayla Christianson, Clare Jones and Commissioners David Ferguson, Joey Sullivan, Mark Ivey and Dean Player

Texas Agrilife CASH IN ON VOLUNTEERS

More than 421 Texas Extension volunteers do the hard work and the "heart work" of educating youth and adults throughout this great county, dedicating themselves to taking action and solving problems in their communities. These folks have a positive impact on the future of our country. In 2010, these volunteers contributed more than 10,430 hours of service. That’s equivalent to a dollar value of $217,465.50 to the citizens of Leon County.

You too can join Extension’s volunteer force and put your knowledge and skills to work as part of the largest grassroots educational organization in Texas, the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. You will learn a lot, meet new people and have fun while you are helping your community.

Extension offers programs in agriculture and natural resources, family and consumer sciences, 4-H and youth development, and community development, reaching our rural and Texans with research-based information they need to improve quality of life and to build a bright future for our county.

Volunteers are the real heart and hands of many different Extension programs, extending our reach into every community and every neighborhood in the county. Extension volunteers help people gain knowledge and skills that will benefit them for life. In return, volunteers improve their own skills while having the satisfaction of knowing they are making a difference for their friends and neighbors.

Recent years have brought exponential growth to the Extension programs in Leon County. Volunteers multiply the efforts of Extension and are essential to fulfilling our mission of improving the lives of people, businesses, and communities across Texas and beyond through high-quality, relevant educational programs. Extension volunteers lead activities, teach lessons, answer questions, and organize events. And along the way, they gain new skills, make new friends, and have fun, too! Volunteers help adults and kids learn about:

• Staying healthy

• Gardening for health and leisure

• Building strong families and relationships

• Managing money

• Protecting the environment

• Reducing stress

• Agricultural production

• Keeping food safe to eat

• Getting ready for a job

• and much more!

Volunteers also work with young people in the 4-H and Youth Development Program, providing them with real-life experiences and an opportunity to plan their own learning, while developing life skills. This is accomplished with parents and other caring adults who guide the youth and evaluate their accomplishments. Volunteers for 4-H can be advisors and managers for 4-H clubs, leaders and teachers for subject-matter lessons, and coaches for special skills activities.

Chute N The Bull 12-13-10

2010-12-14T15:07:00.002-06:00

Shopping, wrapping gifts and making travel arrangements may be on many people’s minds during this time of year. It is smart to also think about year-end tax saving strategies.

Fortunately those individuals who are looking for a tax break still have time to reduce their 2010 tax bill.

It’s always a good idea to make a year-end contribution to your IRA. Actually, you have until April 15, 2011, to make all of your 2010 contributions. If you don’t have an IRA, now is a great time to start one. Again, you’ll have until April 15 of next year to set one up and claim a 2010 tax deduction. Consumers also may want to consider extra payments at the end of the year into their 401(k), 403(b) or 457 plans.”

The end of the year also is a good time to make any planned charitable contributions, especially if you itemize on your tax return. Payments for any job-hunting expenses can also qualify as an itemized deduction.

If your property taxes are due in January, consider paying them before the end of the year to increase your Schedule A deductions. Homeowners may want to pay their January mortgage in late December in order to take an additional deduction for interest paid. Just make sure the payment is processed before the end of the year so the interest amount gets reported on your 1098 form.

Many Texas teachers spend money out of their own pockets to purchase learning materials for their classrooms. These teachers, as well as principals and others who employed in a school, can take up to a $250 deduction on materials they purchase to make a learning experience better for the students.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), also referred to as the economic stimulus package, ends in 2010. AARA increased the beginning of the phase-out range for the credit for all married couples filing a joint return. It also provides a temporary increase in the EITC for taxpayers with three or more qualifying children. This means that these taxpayers may qualify for the maximum EITC of $5,657. What’s great is that this tax credit is refundable, which means that you’ll receive the full amount of the credit as a refund, even if you pay no taxes.

In addition, more families are eligible for the Additional Child Tax Credit because of a change in the way the credit is figured. The minimum earned income amount used to calculate the additional child tax credit has been reduced to $3,000. Without ARRA this minimum amount would have been $12,550. This is also a refundable tax credit.

Under ARRA, the Hope Credit was expanded and renamed the American Opportunity Credit. This credit allows parents with children in college to deduct up to $2,500 in college tuition and expenses for the first four years of post-secondary education.

Homeowners who have done home improvements can receive up to $1,500 in home energy tax credits. Upgrading windows and adding insulation fall under this category.

No one really likes to pay taxes, but taking some time now before the end of year to evaluate your options can save you some money when you file your taxes early next year.

You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Leon County 4Her attends National Thanksgiving Turkey Pardoning

2010-12-06T07:48:00.000-06:00

WASHINGTON – Nov. 24, 2010 – President Barack Obama “pardoned” the
National Thanksgiving Turkey in a White House Ceremony, as he and
National Turkey Federation (NTF) Chairman Yubert Envia celebrated the
63rd anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation.
Envia presented President Obama with “Apple,” a 21-week old, 45-pound
tom. The turkey’s name was selected from more than 200 submissions from
school children who participated in California’s Agriculture in the
Classroom program where they learned about how the National Thanksgiving
Turkey was raised.
In attendance were Leon County 4Her Cody Oden and older Sister Leslee
Oden who serves as the Legislative Affairs Coordinator for The National
Turkey Federation in Washington D.C. The presentation took place at
the White House Rose Garden.
“This is what’s truly meant by Thanksgiving – a holiday that asks us to
be thankful for what we have, and generous to those who have less. It’s
a time to spend with the ones we love, and a chance to show compassion
and concern to people we’ve never met,” said President Obama.

President Obama then “pardoned” the National Thanksgiving Turkey and itsalternate, “Cider.” Both birds were raised on Foster Farms Wellsford
Ranch outside of Modesto, Calif., under the supervision of Envia. Ira
Brister, Foster Farms, handled the turkey during the ceremony. This
small farm was built in the 1960s, a few miles from the original
homestead of the founders of Foster Farms, Max and Virda Foster.

The night before the presentation, “Apple” and “Cider” stayed in a room
at the W Hotel supervised by Leslee Oden. After the pardoning, they
were driven to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. The
National Thanksgiving Turkey will be on display for visitors during
“Christmas at Mount Vernon,” a special program through Jan. 6. After
the holidays, the National Thanksgiving Turkey and its alternate will
live in a custom-made enclosure at Mount Vernon’s nationally recognized
livestock facility.

Picture 461, Cody, Leslee, (Turkeys- Apple and Cider

Picture 328, Cody and Apple at the White House

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 12-6-10

2010-12-06T07:37:00.000-06:00

Nuts have been a part of the human diet for countless ages. The first documented evidence of nut consumption occurred around 7,000 BC during the Stone Age (King, 2007). More recently, nuts have received a large amount of media attention as an emphasis on heart-healthy diets has spread. Pecans are a well-known, favorite southern nut and widely available throughout Oklahoma and Texas. Pecans will be widely used in many recipes as families come together to celebrate during the holiday season. While many of these dishes may not necessarily be considered healthy, pecans by themselves provide many health benefits. In fact, you may be surprised to find out just how healthy pecans actually are.

During the 2006 Texas Master Gardener Conference in College Station, Texas, participants were asked to complete a survey that included questions about the nutritional properties of pecans. Surprisingly, 86.9 percent of the participants thought pecans would increase their level of LDL cholesterol. However, 54 percent of the respondents correctly indicated that pecans contained minerals (Lombardini, 2008). According to the National Pecan Shellers Association website, pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, several B vitamins and zinc. Even though pecans are a great source of these minerals, consumers often think that pecans are an unhealthy food choice due to their high percent of total fat. However, the majority of this fat is in the form of unsaturated fats, some of which may have a positive impact on health.

While the total fat composition may be high, many studies have shown that eating pecans is beneficial to health. Researchers at Loma Linda University conducted a diet study to determine the effects of using pecans to alter the serum lipid profiles of individuals. The results showed that a diet enriched with pecans lowers both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels (Rajaram, 2001). It has also been proven that pecans can delay the decline in motor neuron function that often occurs with aging. In a study conducted at the Center for Cellular Neurobiology & Neurodegeneration Research at the University of Massachusetts, motor neuron function significantly increased in mice that were fed a diet with 0.05 percent pecans (Suchy, 2010).

Based on the results of these studies, adding pecans to a balanced diet may not only improve heart health, but also slow the effects of aging. As more research is conducted and more health benefits of pecan consumption are documented, pecans should remain a popular nut choice among consumers. As other nations like China and India begin eating pecans for the health benefits, the demand for pecans will increase. Increased demand will, in turn, encourage future pecan plantings and the need for additional pecan research. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

CEU Program Jan 27

2010-12-06T07:34:00.000-06:00

CENTERVILLE - Pesticide applicators will receive seven Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units toward the renewal of their licenses at the "Beef CEU Update," to be held Jan. 27 at the First United Methodist Church, 245 South Commerce Street, Centerville.

"This is an annual event that we provide to producers to help keep their CEU (continuing education units) credits up to date," said Tommy Neyland, Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent in Leon County. "I am really excited about the lineup of speakers this year. Our region of the state has not had the opportunity to hear from folks like Guy Powers ."

Powers, who will speak, is the Environmental Manager for Terra. Terra Renewal is a company that provides Sewage sludge. Sewage sludge has the potential to boost production for certain crops while addressing the increase in the amount of waste and the growing scarcity of landfills, according to scientists at the University of Florida.

Using organic waste as fertilizer is not a new concept. Before the 1940s, when synthetic nitrogen fertilizer became widely available, animal manure and human waste were commonly used for improving crop yields around the world. This technique is receiving renewed interest as municipalities face increasing waste disposal challenges.

William Hatler , who will speak on weed and brush control, is a weed and brush specialist with Texas Agrilife Extension Service. Hatler will be discussing a Result Demonstration that he has been studying along with Agent Tommy Neyland here in Leon County.

Other speakers and topics will include:

-Don Renchie, Assistant Professor, Extension Specialist & Extension Program Leader will be discussing Laws and Regulations

– Dr. Floron “Buddy” Faries, AgriLife Extension program leader for veterinary medicine at College Station, who will discuss how to recognize and manage common health problems of cattle.

– Dr. Barron Rector, AgriLife Extension range ecology specialist, who will talk about grazing management and stocking rates.

– Dr. Vanessa Corriher, AgriLife Extension forage specialist, who will talk about pesticide applications on coastal Bermuda grass fields.

Registration for the event is $35 per person and includes lunch. Sign-in will begin at 8 a.m., with presentations beginning at 8:30 a.m. The program will conclude at 3:30 p.m.. The continuing education units will be comprised of one in laws and regulations, one in integrated pest management and five in the general category.

To register, call or e-mail the Texas AgriLife Extension office in Leon County at 903-536-2531, or email lloden@ag.tamu.edu or ctroller@ag.tamu.edu by Jan. 25. To reserve your seat we must receive payment before Jan 25, 2011. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Eight CEU’s Available December 9th

2010-12-06T07:29:00.002-06:00

Eight CEU’s will be available on Thursday, December 9th. The Extension District 8 Farm and
Ranch Seminar will be available at five Central Texas locations. Please call the phone number of
the location below that best fits your needs.
The locations of the meetings and a contact number for each location is listed below. Please
call the site you plan to attend so that each location can plan for lunch & have enough
handouts.

Location of Training Office Phone

Pridgeon Community Center, Franklin (979) 828‐4270

McLennan Community College ESEC building, Waco (254) 757‐5180

Hill County Extension Office, Hillsboro (254) 582‐4022

Teague Church of Christ, Teague (903) 389‐3436

Jester Williamson County Annex, Round Rock (512) 943‐3300

The seminar will offer eight total hours. The breakdown on the hours include: Two hours of
Laws & Regulations, One hour of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), One hour of Drift and
Four hours of General. The first five hours will satisfy Commercial Applicator requirements.
Topics to be addressed include Local Laws & Regulations, Drift management, Pasture
Management Options, Preparing for next year’s Grasshopper Invasion, Feral Hog Control‐
What’s legal & What’s not, Farm Pond Management, and Brush & Plant ID and Control.
Some of the speakers will include: John Gersbach, Dr. Larry Redmon, Dr. Chris Sansone, Dr. Jim
Cathey, Dr. Michael Masser & Dr. Barron Rector.
On site registrations will begin at 7:00am with the program slated to begin at 7:30am. The
program will conclude at 4:00pm. Registration fee is $40. Please call Edward Schneider @ (979)
828‐4270 for more information and detail. Please call the phone number listed with the
location you plan to attend to pre‐register.

Chute N The Bull 11-29-10

2010-12-06T07:28:00.000-06:00

The year is 2015 and after years of debate among conservation organizations, pro-hunting organizations, animal rights activists and antihunting groups, all forms of hunting in the United States have been banned by the federal government. Is this a real possibility? In my opinion, the answer is yes. Regardless of what some people think, hunting is an opportunity that can be taken away and those who will ultimately decide its fate are the non-hunting public. Currently, the public is mostly undecided on whether hunting is moral, a wholesome activity or still involves the sportsmanlike pursuit of animals.

There are about 12.5 million hunters over the age of 16 in the U.S. It is vital for hunters, both individually and as a group, to demonstrate that hunting is a moral and wholesome activity. This is increasingly difficult because more and more people are further removed from rural lifestyles. Fewer immediate family members are involved in hunting or agriculture where the birth, care and death of animals are parts of daily life. Lessons from the farm are largely lost on today's generation, including hunters.

The fate of hunting will be influenced by at least three factors. First, hunters need to police their own ranks and not ignore questionable acts of other hunters. Secondly, hunters need to communicate more effectively with non-hunting groups. Lastly, to be sustainable, the sport needs new hunters.

Policing our ranks should not emphasize internal debates over archery, muzzle loader or rifle seasons or equipment choice. These things are minor compared to hunters holding one another accountable to ethical and high moral conduct. We can't ignore activities such as poaching and trespassing. Additionally, appropriate conduct extends to the concept of "fair chase" or avoiding the use of technology, gadgets or practices that gives unfair advantage to hunters over the animals being pursued.

Drs. Michael Nelson and Kelly Millenbah published an article in the fall 2009 issue of Wildlife Professional proposing that there may be more common ground between ethical hunters and non-hunters than either group thinks. They point out that, in the debate over the ethics of hunting, dialogue has been replaced by dogmatism, honesty by hostility and progress by platitudes. However, they suggest that a common ground exists: respect for animals. They go on to say that most anti-hunters simply want hunters to demonstrate respect for the animals they hunt and to acknowledge that animals have moral standing. They propose that "wildlife professionals and hunters could recognize the direct moral standing of animals and work to unite this recognition with the possibility of hunting and eating animals."

With the increasing commercialization of hunting and wildlife, the potential grows for this industry to substitute "entertainment" and a "positive experience" for traditional values and ethical concepts, such as fair chase. Some aspects of commercialization, e.g., canned hunts and gadgetry, will appeal to those who are shortsighted and are not vested in the outcome of hunting. Time in the field is at a premium and, with companies offering gadgets and canned hunts that promise increased odds of harvesting an animal... well, money talks.

Statistics show that hunter numbers are declining annually. Probable factors are too numerous to look into here. Traditionally, hunting has been a male-dominated activity, but this is changing. More and more women are taking up and enjoying hunting. In regards to youth, hunting seems to be overshadowed by video games, television, computers and organized activities such as sports and music. An increasing number of youth are not being taught that death is a part of life and that game animals are a renewable resource. It is important that youth and women become involved and participate in hunting and that hunting mentors teach them what fair chase and ethical conduct is all about.

Take a child hunting. Invite your spouse, sister, aunt or a neighbor to spend some time in the field to share your knowledge regarding the importance of respecting animals, hunting ethically, observing sportsmanship and maintaining wildlife habitat. Who is a better mentor than an ethical, knowledgeable and conservationminded sportsman? The future of hunting depends on you. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 11-22-10

2010-11-23T07:44:00.002-06:00

One aspect of prescribed burning that people often overlook is smoke management. Smoke impacts not only the burn crew during a burn, but public safety, health and perception of prescribed burning as well. Even though weather conditions might be ideal for safe ignition, consideration must also be given to smoke produced by burning vegetation during and after a burn.

Smoke is produced when there is incomplete combustion due to a lack of oxygen to completely burn a fuel (vegetation). Carbon dioxide and water vapor are the largest components of smoke, comprising 90 percent of emissions. The remaining smoke is comprised of hydrocarbons, particulate matter and other compounds. Ways to decrease the amount of smoke produced are to burn smaller areas, utilize more backfires and burn when fuel moistures are relatively low. Burning smaller areas requires more burns, but reduces the amount of smoke each burn produces. Backfires are more efficient at consuming fuels, so they produce less smoke compared to a head fire. Since a large percentage of smoke is water vapor, burning with lower fine fuel moistures also decreases the amount of smoke produced.

Sensitive areas such as airports, roads, towns, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, private residences and public parks that are downwind need to be considered. It is the responsibility of the burn boss to keep smoke away from such areas by ensuring that suitable wind directions and conditions will lift smoke above the sensitive areas. Oklahoma's Prescribed Burning Notification Plan helps landowners ensure that neighbors and authorities are notified in order to mitigate potential health problems or hazards. When burning in other states, it is also a good idea to notify all neighbors and authorities of the planned burn.

Atmospheric dispersion and inversion are two environmental factors that influence smoke behavior and need to be monitored when planning a prescribed burn. OK-FIRE defines atmospheric dispersion as "the ability of the atmosphere to dilute and disperse a compound such as smoke as it travels downwind." The Oklahoma Dispersion Model breaks down atmospheric dispersion into six categories: 1 (very poor); 2 (poor); 3 (moderately poor); 4 (moderately good); 5 (good); and 6 (excellent). It is best to burn when atmospheric dispersion conditions are 4 (moderately good) or higher. An inversion is when there is stable, warm air at higher altitudes, reducing atmospheric dispersion. An inversion can quickly be identified when it looks like smoke has hit a ceiling in the sky. Inversions are common at night, complicating smoke management. The distance from the ground to an inversion layer is called the mixing height. It is best to burn with a mixing height of at least 1,500 feet and even higher when smoke-sensitive areas exist downwind.

The Category Day system is another method used to predict smoke behavior. It is determined by the ventilation rate which takes into account mixing height and transport wind speed. The Category Day system has five categories. They are 1 (poor), 2 (fair), 3 (good), 4 (very good) and 5 (excellent). Avoid burning with a Category Day less than 3 (good). Two reference websites that provide this information are okfire.mesonet.org and radar.srh.noaa.gov/fire.

Air quality is a hot topic. As prescribed burners, we need to make sure we know where our smoke is going and lessen its impacts so we can continue to use prescribed burning as an effective land management tool. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

4 H Scholarship Training

2010-11-23T07:42:00.000-06:00

Leon County 4-H will host a scholarship training on Dec. 7, 2010 at
6:00pm in the Leon County Annex Grand Activity Room. Last year Texas 4-H
awarded over 220 4-H youth over 2 million dollars in scholarships at
Texas 4-H Roundup in College Station. During the scholarship training
4-H members will be encouraged to take the opportunity to showcase their
4-H experiences and work to try to be one of those 220 in 2010. The
workshop is also open to others who are looking to complete the
application in the upcoming years and highly encouraged for those who
are seniors this year. The facilitator Kevin Chilek – Texas 4-H
Specialist will focus on how to complete the application and learning
the steps of the scholarship process. To reserve your place please
contact the Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County at
903.536.2531. There will be a five dollar fee for all participants. The
Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the
County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages
regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion,
disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas
Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Texas Agrilife Extension Master Marketer Program

2010-11-23T07:40:00.000-06:00

Master Marketer Program Empowers Producers with Risk Management Skills

Texas AgriLife Extension will be hosting a group of instructors from within the agency, several universities and private industries to bring the Master Marketer Program to Central Texas agriculture producers. Master Marketer is a national award-winning risk-management educational program where participants learn how to develop marketing plans, evaluate marketing alternatives, manage production and price risk, and execute a risk management strategy to address volatile input and commodity prices.

The 64-hour curriculum is offered as four, two-day sessions held every two weeks. It is the most intensive marketing/risk management training provided by Extension anywhere in the U.S., said Dr. Jason Johnson, Texas AgriLife Extension Service economist. Case studies, group discussions and simulation exercises will be used to provide experience with real tools that can be used on individual farm and ranch operations after the class.

The next Master Marketer Program will be held in Waco, starting Jan. 12-13, with follow-up dates of Jan. 26-27, Feb. 9-10 and Feb. 23-24. All the meetings will be held at the Texas Farm Bureau Conference Center in Waco, 7410 Fish Pond Road.

A free futures and options leveling workshop will be held on Jan. 11 before the program begins for anyone who doesn’t feel they are ready for intermediate to advanced level training.

The final date to register is Jan. 3, but Johnson said the class size will be limited to the first 60 participants, so those interested shouldn’t wait to register.

The registration fee for the program is $250, which includes noon meals and educational materials. Johnson said previous registrants say it is well worth the money, citing previous participant evaluations that credited an average increase in farm/ranch revenues of more than $30,000 per year as a result of the information learned in the program.

For more information or to obtain a brochure and registration form, contact your local county Extension Agent or call Dr.Johnson at 254-968-4144. Registration forms may also be obtained at http://mastermarketer.tamu.edu. Fees may be paid by check made payable to account #222100-60025 and sent with a completed registration form. For those who want to use a credit card and register over the Internet, go to http://agrilifevents.tamu.edu.

Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will host the Bulb Hunter

2010-11-23T07:37:00.002-06:00

On January 29, 2011 The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will host Chris Wiesinger. Chris Wiesinger, “The Bulb Hunter” is a man on a mission, dedicated to preserving the legacy of heirloom bulbs by engaging a new generation as stewards. Resilient, romantic, sustainable, and economical, heirloom bulbs display traits all gardeners desire. And now Chris - a sought after international speaker and owner of The Southern Bulb Company - shares his knowledge and passion in a new book from Bright Sky Press, Heirloom Bulbs for Today. Chris teams with landscape designer and award winning author Cherie Foster Colburn to offer an innovative look at old-fashioned flower bulbs. While most garden guides simply tell the culture of the plant, Heirloom Bulbs also tells the culture of the people who grew the plant, unearthing each bulb’s past and those who loved it.

But telling the story is not enough. Heirloom Bulbs rewards readers with richness, combining incredible botanical illustrations by South African artists Loela Barry and Johan Kritzinger with a generous helping of breathtaking photographs. Historic anecdotes describe the long journey of both native and pass-along bulbs to American gardens. Personal entries journal Chris’ journey with Fischer, the bulb dog to search out these disappearing treasures, rescue them from destruction, encourage local farmers to grow them, and Americans to support those efforts.

Historic homes, gardens, and cemeteries are highlighted throughout the book, taking readers on their own bulb hunt across America. A sample garden layout features the bulbs together with complimentary perennial companion plants; then this low-maintenance garden is illustrated to show readers what it will look like each season of year. Another feature of Heirloom Bulbs demonstrates the versatility of bulbs through step-by-step instructions of living art, recyclable floral designs and “forced” bulbs that readers can duplicate to provide a garden in any location, inside or out.

For weekend gardeners, heirloom bulbs are as close to no-maintenance plants as one can get. For those desiring a sustainable garden that creates habitat for man and beast alike, they exemplify a time-tested recipe: glean wisdom from the past for success in the future. To register for this program please call The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County at 903.536.2531 and submit your $35.00 registration fee in person or by mail to Texas Agrilife Extension Service P.O. Box 188, Centerville, Texas 75833 before January 26, 2011. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Texas Agrilife Extension Service Master Gardeners Complete 50 Hour Training.

2010-11-23T07:36:00.000-06:00

During a ceremony on Friday November 19, 2010 Tommy Neyland, County Extension Agent was joined by Active Master Gardeners in honoring a new group of Master Gardener Interns for the completion of their 50hr training course. This new crop of local community leaders has an active interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. They are enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and able to communicate with diverse groups of people. What really sets Master Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through our Extension office to provide horticultural-related information to our communities. In exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer time to our County Extension program. At least 50 hours of volunteer service within one year following the training is required to earn the title of "Texas Master Gardener." The type of service done by Master Gardeners varies according to community needs, and the abilities and interests of the Master Gardeners. Some Master Gardeners answer telephone requests for information related to gardening. Others staff plant clinics or displays in shopping malls or community centers. Master Gardeners may speak to local groups and conduct workshops. They may help establish community garden projects, work with 4-H youth, or assist their agent with news or radio releases related to gardening. Master Gardeners are representatives of Texas Agrilife Extension, and The Texas A&M University System. In all volunteer work related to the program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of Texas Agrilife Extension. Participants become certified Master Gardeners after they have completed the training course and fulfilled their volunteer commitment.

Pic Caption: Front row, Marjean Mallard, Becky Hughes, Linda VanNess, Nyanza Price, Lois Gilliam back row, Johnny Nolen, Judy Hutchinson,David Martin, Kay Mitchell, Patricia Ferguson, Ethan Dujay, John Mallard, Bob Christian, and not pictured Melody Bruner

Chute N The Bull 11-15-10

2010-11-12T16:02:00.000-06:00

We are quickly approaching our first traditional frost date of mid-November. There are a couple of important tasks to do NOW to insure the health of your lawn and landscape this winter. The most crucial is the fall application of fertilizer; this is commonly referred to as "Winterizing." Many folks are wondering when to apply fall fertilizer, what analysis to use, and how much to apply. The important thing to remember is that the fall application of "Winterizing" is the most critical. If you were given the option of applying fertilizer only once a year to your lawn or landscape, the best choice would be a fall application.

Fall fertilization is applied when shoot growth slows or around the time of the season's last regular mowing. Because of favorable environmental conditions (cool temperatures, short days, and high light intensity) nitrogen applied at this time aids the photosynthetic production of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are stored for use the following growing season, providing an earlier spring green-up and an energy source for turf grasses to recuperate from drought and other related stresses.

Another reason for fall fertilization is to reduce the need for high amounts of spring-applied nitrogen. Too much spring fertilization can actually reduce carbohydrate reserves and root development by inciting rapid shoot growth. This is because growing shoots take priority over roots for carbohydrate use.

Both spring and summer fertilization is used to maintain the color and density produced by fall fertilization the previous year. Fertilization at these times should not produce succulent plant tissue which can increase the severity of turf grass disease and reduce the plant's ability to withstand heat, drought, mowing or wear stress.

Most root growth in warm season grasses such as Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine predominantly occurs in spring and summer. Fertilization during these periods stimulates root growth. The roots of Bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass die in the spring following green-up. Heavy fertilization in early spring may result in more stress during this critical survival period.

What is the best kind of fertilizer to use in the fall? For many years, high phosphorus fertilizers (high middle number) were popular for fall use, but through research we now know that these can actually reduce winter hardiness and impede spring recovery. Furthermore, in this area of Texas, excessive applications of phosphorus will tie up the iron and zinc in our soil and result in yellow, weakened grass.

The application of a complete fertilizer which is high in nitrogen and potassium will enhance fall lawn color (prolongs color retention) and promote early green-up next spring, plus give added cold hardiness. The actual phosphorus level should be lower than that of the nitrogen and potassium. The best nutrient ratios for fall fertilizer are 3-1-2 and 4-1-2. In the nursery you will find these ratios in such fertilizer analysis as an 18-6-12 or a 19-5-9.

The fall application of fertilizer should take place in mid-to-late October or early November. NOW!!! The amount needed is in terms of actual nitrogen to be applied is NO more than 2 pounds of actual nitrogen per 1000 square feet. This equates to about 40 pounds of 18-6-12 on a 7200 square foot lawn. The average size front and lawn in this area is approximately 5000 square feet, so the remainder can be used on established plants in the landscape.

The slow release nitrogen fertilizers are as beneficial in the fall since a quick uptake by the plants is important. In the fall we want the nitrogen to be available to the grass quickly so that it can be taken up into the plant and utilized. Besides, slow-release fertilizers are much more expensive because of their slow-release mechanisms.

Consider also applying at this time, Texas Green Sand at a rate of 10 pounds per 1000 square feet. Since are soils are very basic and alkaline the Texas Green Sand with help loosen the heavy clay soils and provide essential micro-nutrients such as iron. Feathering a ½" to ¾" top-dressing compost to the lawn will also provide enriched nutrients as well as a deeper more defined root system.

The second task that is a must to insure a healthy turf is controlling brown patch. Brown patch is a fungus disease that attacks St. Augustinegrass in cool, damp, fall weather and will weaken the lawn going into the winter. It is identified as a circular area in the lawn, usually 3x10 feet in diameter. In the edge of the area you will see browning or yellowing grass, yet the interior of the circle may be a healthier green. Pull blades of grass at the edge of the circle. If the blades pull easily away from the stems and look brown and rotted at the base of the blades, then your lawn does have brown patch and should be treated. The most economical and effective chemical control for brown patch is terraclor- PCNB Turfcide or Fertilome F-Stop.

To help prevent brown patch from getting started in the lawn, do not water in the evening. Water droplets that stay on the grass all night will spread the brown patch spores. Therefore, water in the early morning hours so that the grass will dry out during the day and before nightfall. Once you have brown patch, do not walk through or mow through contaminated areas when wet, so that further spreading will not occur.

One other important chore in the lawn and entire landscape to prevent winter damage is watering thoroughly during the winter. Although the top of plants may go dormant during the winter, the root system do not, and the grass needs moisture to continue growth. Also, it's a fact that a well watered plant is less likely to suffer freeze damage then a drought stressed plant. So get out there this winter and water that landscape at least once a month in lieu of rainfall.

Fall fertilization, controlling brown patch and watering will insure that our lawns will be well on their way to a healthy next season.

Tree and shrub health is also important, and fertilization at the proper times insures tree and shrub overall health. I also recommend that you take the time this fall to fertilize your trees and shrubs using the same "Winterizer" fertilizer which is recommended for grasses. During the fall period of maximum rainfall, plants absorb nutrients more effectively. Summer and winter are not optimum times to fertilize. Hot temperatures cause the soil to become dry and compacted; in cold weather, plants are dormant, and the soil is not workable.

In the forest, trees draw nutrition from a steady supply of organic plant and animal matter such as decomposed leaves. This layer of matter covering the forest floor acts as a fertilizer. Like mulch, it helps the ground hold moisture and maintain moderate temperatures.

But in tidy backyards and other landscaped areas, this nutrient-rich layering process doesn't often take place. Instead, the ground is covered with lawn, which must compete with trees and other plants for nutrients and water. Construction and other land-use projects may alter the soil by adding pollutants and rubble to it.

Without the balanced natural environment, even vigorous, specimens may have some trouble. Because a plant's well-being depends on its ability to grow, the health of the root system is crucial. Roots must keep drawing sufficient nutrients and water to sustain growth. But as they continue to grow, at some point they'll run into restrictions such as paving, structures, rocks, rubble, roots of other plants, and hard, compacted soil. With such conditions they may not be able to absorb nutrients and water as easily as before. The results: less new growth, pale color, and damage due to insect attacks and disease. To overcome these growth inhibitors, trees and shrubs need good care and maintenance.

Timing, knowing when to fertilize is vital to top quality plant care. It's important to fertilize plants at or during a certain time so the tissues of the new growth will toughen sufficiently to weather the first freezes. Without this "hardening-off" and easing into dormancy, the plant can be severely damaged by winter stress. Proper timing will help you promote dormancy early enough to prevent such damage.

Fertilization keeps trees and shrubs from falling victim to health problems such as previously mentioned decay. Resilient limbs and general vigor make them sturdy enough to weather storms and extreme temperatures. And the healthier they are, the more beautiful they look. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Christmas Tree Farm Tour

2010-11-12T16:00:00.000-06:00

Texas Agrilife Extension Master Gardeners in Leon County tour local Christmas Tree Farm. Steve and Carole Huebner of Leona, Texas hosted the new master gardener interns for a very informative session on growing Christmas Trees. There's nothing like going directly to the farm and cutting down your own tree. You won't get a tree any fresher and you can pick just the right tree, that's for sure. But there's more to it than that. It can be a memorable family adventure out in the country; these tips will help you prepare for your visit. What to expect at the farm. Saws and equipment- Saws are usually provided, and most will cut the tree for you if you'd rather not cut it yourself. Some farms let you choose the tree, but not cut it yourself, so be sure to ask. Most farms also provide wheelbarrows, wagons or hay rides for transport. Many will wrap your tree and tie it on your car for you. If you are planning to haul your tree home on the roof of your car, bring a sheet of plastic or an old blanket to protect the paint and finish. You may also want to bring your own rope or bungee cords. Shaking - The trees have been living outside all year. Trees are shaken on a mechanical shaker to remove any brown needles from inside the tree or leaves from other trees. Baling - Many farms also have baling (tree wrapping for transporting) or bagging for no fee or a small fee. Refreshments â€“ Some tree farms provide free coffee or hot chocolate; others sell drinks or other food items, or bring your own picnic lunch. Miscellaneous - Tree stands are usually sold on the farms. Many farms also sell disposal bags which will help to make clean up after Christmas much easier! Gift shops - Christmas-themed gift shops selling ornaments, wreaths, stockings and crafts are standard at many farms! What to bring? Dress in old clothes and hiking boots or old athletic shoes; you want to be comfortable and not worried about staining or tearing your clothes! If the ground is wet, it can stain or damage nice shoes, so wear your beat up old ones! The field may have grass burrs so wear close toed foot wear. Bring heavy gloves to protect your hands and a jacket or other garment to protect your arms. Bring layered clothing, and some extra socks and a blanket. Dress for the weather. The kids may get wet feet, or cold. When you get back to the car, you can wrap them up in the blanket and they'll sleep all the way home!

Don't forget the camera to capture those memories you're making. But remember you'll be out on the farm so you may want to bring a cheap or disposable camera rather than an expensive one. Transporting your tree home: prepare the tree – get the tree shaken and baled (wrapped) before loading it. Loading and transporting the tree “ Most farms will help you load your tree into your truck, or tie it onto your car. Just make sure its tied on securely. Pull on the tree and make sure it's tightly tied. Area Christmas Tree farms: Huebner Christmas Tree Farm near Leona is the only farm in Leon County, and they open the day after Thanksgiving. Other area farms include MR & MS Trees near Palestine, and three farms in the Bryan/College Station vicinity: Tim's Trees, Kelumac Christmas Tree Farm, and J.P. Seven Christmas Trees. For a complete listing of farms around the state, check out the TCTGA website www.texaschristmastrees.comEnjoy your real Christmas tree, and begin a new family tradition!

Paws and Pals Dog Obedience Classes

2010-11-12T15:57:00.002-06:00

Paws and Pals 4-H Dog Project is offering puppy and dog obedience classes.

Puppies from 12 weeks to 12 months will learn socialization skills and basic obedience commands

Dogs over 12 months will learn basic obedience and good manners at home and in the community. These skills will make our 4 legged friends a better behaved member of the family.

Dogs must be vaccinated and have a stable temperament for working in a group training class

Puppy classes start Tuesday, Nov. 2nd at 5:30pm

Dog classes start Tuesday, Nov 3nd at 6:30pm

All classes will be held at the Centerville Show Barn

Adult and youth handlers welcome

Fee:40.00 for non 4-H members

4-H members may participate at no fee

Please call Becky Lord, project leader, at 903-322-2192 for more information

Chute N The Bull 11-8-10

2010-11-10T15:16:00.002-06:00

The economy is on the minds of many Americans today. Why isn't a more impressive and sustainable recovery occurring? The recession that began in December 2007 has been different than past recessions for a variety of reasons, and the recovery also looks different. Why is the recovery taking longer than it has in the past and how may this affect rural economies?

The main cause of the economic collapse was the overextension of credit. This is the first reason the economic recovery is slower. Easy access to credit eventually led to many loans that could not be paid back. This, in turn, resulted in tighter regulations when applying for loans. Currently, interest rates are much lower than in recent history, but down payment amounts have increased and much more detailed credit checks are being performed. Therefore, it has become more difficult to obtain funds from lending organizations. The agricultural community has remained relatively unharmed by many of the changes, however, as commodity prices and demands for agricultural products have remained relatively strong or rebounded faster than expected.

The second reason for the slow recovery is uneasiness over future tax rates. At the end of 2010, many Bush-era tax cuts for investors, small business owners and families are set to expire, which will result in higher income tax rates, an increase in estate taxes and higher capital gains tax rates. Small businesses are also unsure about future health care cost liabilities and the expensing of capital asset purchases. These issues and uncertainty about income flow will likely continue to lead consumers to be cautious about spending. Businesses will limit expansion because of the uncertainty of the impact that new employees and equipment will have on their bottom lines.

A third reason for a slow recovery in the U.S. is related to the historically high unemployment rate, which was 9.6 percent in September 2010 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. There are several negative economic impacts associated with having so many Americans without work, including decreased demand for goods and services, increased government expenses from unemployment payments and benefits, and a reduction in income tax revenues. A higher unemployment rate also results in many cutbacks or furlough time from companies. This leads to many individuals having less disposable income and a further reduction in demand for goods and services.

Some rural regions in the U.S. have experienced less of an economic downturn than other localities. However, fundamental problems remain in rural communities according to a 2010 article published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.1 Many rural populations depend on government jobs and public funding for local services. With decreases in revenues from lower tax receipts, many state and local governments are facing tough budgeting decisions. Examples of these decisions may include Medicaid funding levels and the possibility of the reduction of government services through public schools, medical facilities and transportation departments. As a result, state and local governments are looking at ways to cut spending, increase efficiency and/or increase revenues to bridge the gap.

Once we have fully recovered, the economy, particularly in rural communities, may look very different. Hopefully, the problems and issues that are currently impeding economic recovery will be addressed intelligently with minimal negative impact on those recovering in its wake. America still has several speed bumps remaining in the road to recovery, but we have recovered substantially from our lowest point. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Livestock Show Membership Meeting

2010-11-10T15:15:00.002-06:00

Leon County Youth Livestock Show Membership Meeting

Nov 16th 6pm, CISD cafeteria, potato supper-
bring $25 & ideas.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 10-27-10

2010-10-29T07:31:00.002-05:00

Most people who manage or hunt white-tailed deer on private land want to produce or harvest bucks with large antlers. Three primary factors influence antler size: age, nutrition and genetics. Although all three are important, only age and nutrition can be effectively manipulated in wild, free-ranging deer herds. Age is the primary factor limiting buck size on most properties. Buck age can be improved or increased by decreasing buck harvest and allowing more bucks to get older. The most economical way to improve buck nutrition is to improve deer habitat and decrease deer numbers through doe harvest.

Many managers and hunters try to influence antler size by culling bucks. Culling is the intentional harvest of bucks with supposed inferior genetics for antler growth. Genetics is unquestionably important because many studies and deer farms have proven antler size can be increased through controlled breeding in pens. However, is culling bucks a practical management practice in a wild, free-ranging deer population? The Noble Foundation wildlife staff does not believe it is appropriate in most free-ranging deer herds for the following reasons:

• We question whether it is possible to consistently identify "cull bucks" based on their phenotypic antler characteristics. Ken Gee monitored antler development of tagged bucks at the Noble Foundation Wildlife Unit for 24 years. Some young bucks that seemed to have inferior antlers developed into spectacular trophies and several promising looking young bucks developed into only mediocre mature bucks.

• Breeding cannot be controlled among wild, free-ranging deer. In a pen, both the male and female genetics of each breeding are controlled. Penned deer and wild, free-ranging deer are completely different management scenarios.

• All young bucks grow larger antlers as they age until some point later in their lives when antler development peaks. Some evidence indicates antler size of most wild, free-ranging bucks continues to increase throughout their lives contrary to some penned studies. When wild bucks live long enough, antler sizes of nearly all bucks peak after 4 years old and many do not peak until 6-9 years old.

• Each buck probably has genes for large antlers, mediocre antlers and small antlers regardless of his phenotypic antler expression. Most offspring from bucks with Boone and Crockett record book eligible antler scores on the Noble Foundation Wildlife Unit did not grow spectacular antlers, and some offspring from mediocre-antlered bucks grew spectacular antlers.

• Does contribute at least half of antler genetics. Currently, it is not possible to select for trophy antlers among wild, free-ranging does.

• In a pen, one buck can service several does because does cannot escape the buck and he does not have to travel and cover hundreds of acres. In wild, free-ranging situations, a large percentage of the buck population and all adult age groups are involved in breeding does. Even though white-tailed deer are polygamous, adult does are receptive to bucks only during a few days. Most Oklahoma and north Texas does are in heat during the same few weeks, so many bucks are necessary to service all the does in wild, free-ranging populations.

Theoretically, harvesting "inferior" bucks would seem to make sense, but seldom helps the situation in the real world of wild, free-ranging white-tailed deer. The futility of culling bucks in wild, free-ranging deer was demonstrated by a research project involving a very intensive culling program across four years on the Comanche Ranch in Texas. Culling did not increase antler size in successive generations.

The following points are the most important criteria for producing large-antlered bucks in a free-ranging situation: 1) provide excellent, diverse habitat on as many acres as possible; 2) harvest relatively few bucks, probably less than 10 percent of the buck population; 3) maintain deer abundance within a habitat's carrying capacity; 4) maintain adult sex ratio as close to 1:1 as possible; and 5) avoid harvest of young males, especially those less than 4 years old. In summary, culling bucks probably is a waste of bucks and a wasted effort. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Chute N The Bull 10-19-10

2010-10-29T07:26:00.000-05:00

A question I'm often asked by market gardeners is, "Is there a tool or guide I can use to schedule plantings to ensure a continuous harvest? I need to have a consistent supply of product to keep my customers satisfied." My usual response is yes and no. Yes, there are tools available to assist growers in developing their own planting schedule, and no, there is no such thing as a "one size fits all" planting schedule.

When developing a planting schedule, keep in mind there is no schedule that can guarantee a continuous harvest. Assuming your crops survive multiple assaults from freezing temperatures, flooding rain, hail, wind and pest organisms, there will always be annual variance in soil temperature and moisture content, air temperature and sunlight availability. These factors not only influence initial harvest date, but the harvest frequency and yield distribution for any crop harvested multiple times from a single planting. Variable weather is the primary reason why it is impossible to develop a planting schedule for continuous harvest of field-grown vegetables that guarantees consistent results from year to year.

The easiest and most direct planting approach is to copy the schedule of a successful grower in your vicinity. Keep in mind you will need to use the same varieties and same production techniques. Of course, this assumes your neighbor is willing to share this information with you.

Most growers incorporate the use of varieties having different maturity dates and successive plantings of a single variety when developing a planting schedule for continuous harvest. These two techniques are often combined.

Novice growers or growers who don't keep production records often resort to a "shotgun" approach when scheduling successive plantings, hoping that if they stagger enough plantings, sufficient overlap will occur to ensure a continuous harvest.

A more accurate and less costly method of scheduling for continuous harvest incorporates the use of yield distribution profiles. With most vegetable crops that are harvested multiple times from a single planting, yield increases over time until a peak is reached, after which it decreases gradually. If your goal is to achieve a continuous, consistent harvest, schedule plantings so that the initial harvest of the most recent planting coincides with the peak harvest of the planting before it. In theory, the increasing yield of the later planting compensates for the decreasing yield of the earlier planting. The use of yield distribution profiles to schedule planting dates is not an exact science due to an ever changing growing environment, but it sure beats the shotgun approach. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Paws and Pals Dog Obedience Classes

2010-10-29T07:24:00.000-05:00

2010 Leon County Hay Show Results

2010-10-20T07:29:00.000-05:00

The Annual Leon County Hay Show was held on Monday, October 18, 2010 at
the Buffalo Civic Center. The Leon County Beef and Forage Committee
jointly with the Texas Agrilife Extension Service hosted the Hay Show
this year. The program started with an Agriculture Trade Show at 5:00 pm
with representatives from East Texas Seed, Phizer Animal Health and
Montys Plant Food on hand to discuss options with the local producers.
This trade show time was followed with a meal which started at 6:00 pm.
The guest speaker for this year’s hay show was
Dr. Bobby Lane Professor of Soil Science at Sam Houston State
University. Selected as Champion of show was a sample entered Buddy
Refeno of Normangee, Texas. Buddys sample boasted a Crude Protein of
14%. Reserve Champion of Show was Mark Boyd of Centerville. Local
sponsors are Normangee State Bank, Oakwood State Bank, Wells Fargo
Centerville, Community Bank and Trust Buffalo, Farmers State Bank
Jewett, and Citizens State Bank Buffalo- Centerville. The sponsors
listed above have been a part of the Leon County Hay Show for several
years. These sponsors paid for the meal and the awards. Extension
programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race,
color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M
University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

PIC - CEA Tommy Neyland presents Champion of Show Buddy Refeno his award
also pictured are Refeno children Justin and Jordan.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833

Field to Grill

2010-10-20T07:24:00.000-05:00

WIN MONEY HAVE FUN!

Organizers of the Wild Game Dinner are looking

forward to serving a delicious variety of game to a large crowd on
Friday, October 29, at the First United Methodist Church in Centerville,
Texas.
This year’s fare is fried fish, wild game chili, whole roasted hog,
beans, fried potatoes. Meal includes homemade desserts and tea.
If you are looking to make room in your freezer, than you need to enter
one of the categories and win a $100 prize. The contest will have three
divisions to enter your best dish Venison chili, Fowl and an Open
Category. All of these divisions will have a best dish selected with a
$100 prize awarded. All dishes must be at the First United Methodist
Church by 3pm on October 29, 2010. We will also have a photo contest
with a theme of “WILDLIFE IN NATURE”
You may enter as many photographs as you like. Photos need to be 8×10
inches in size and you should place a sticker with your name on the back
of the photo. The photos will be placed on the walls around the
Fellowship Hall, and they will be judged at 3pm the evening of the
event. There will be a $100 prize for the best photo. To enter the
photo contest you must have you photos to the First United Methodist
Church by 12noon on October 29, 2010.
Doors open at 5:00 p.m. with serving at 5:30. It’s the best deal in town
- $10 for the meal. Following the meal we encourage you to go to the
home football game. This event event is sponsored by the Lions Club,
Centerville Chamber of Commerce and the First United Methodist Church of
Centerville. For more information contact Denny Payne at 903.536.2202
Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

.

Chute N The Bull 10-18-10

2010-10-20T07:19:00.000-05:00

All sports fans know that when the team didn't do as well as expected
this year, there's always next year. Weed control can work like that
too. If you didn't get the sandburs this year, make plans now to get 'em
next year.

We conducted a study in 2010 on how well four products controlled
sandbur in bermudagrass and how much the three post-emergent products
injured the bermudagrass crop. Following is a list of the different
products we used, how well they controlled sandbur and how much crop
injury they caused.

Prowl H2O® (pendimethalin)
This is a pre-emergent product that must be applied before the sandbur
emerge. This is usually in March or very early April. Rainfall must
occur within two weeks of application or efficacy will be reduced
dramatically. We used 2.1 and 3.2 quarts of product per acre in our
study. Sandbur control was rated at 63 and 70 percent, respectively.
This was statistically the same as that provided by the post-emergent
products. Prowl H2O® was not evaluated for crop injury.

Roundup WeatherMax® (glyphosate)
Roundup WeatherMax® is labeled for sandbur control only after the first
cutting of hay on bermudagrass. Application must be made very soon after
hay cutting or crop injury may occur. There is a 28-day grazing and
haying restriction after the herbicide has been applied.
We used two rates of Roundup Weathermax®, 6.5 and 11 ounces per acre.
Sandbur control was rated at 100 percent for each rate. Crop injury in
the form of discoloration and reduced plant height was observed 14 days
after treatment, but the bermudagrass outgrew the injury within 30 days
after treatment. We harvested the plots, and there was no yield
difference between the Roundup WeatherMax® plots and the plots that
didnot receive herbicide.

Pastora® (metsulfuron methyl and nicosulfuron)
Pastora® is a relatively new product that is a mixture of herbicides
trade-named Cimarron® and Accent®. The label requires using the product
when sandbur are less than 2 inches tall and bermudagrass is less than 4
inches tall. There are no grazing or haying restrictions with Pastora®.
We applied Pastora® at rates of 1 and 1.5 ounces per acre. We achieved
sandbur control ratings of 97 and 100 percent, respectively. We saw
visual crop injury soon after treatment, but the bermudagrass largely
outgrew the injury after 30 days. When we harvested the crop 35 days
after application, there was no statistically significant yield difference between
the Pastora® treatments and the plots that did not
receive herbicide.

Panoramic® (imazapic)
Panoramic® is a generic version of a product that was previously sold as
Plateau®. It has both pre-emergent and post-emergent activity, but is
usually more effective when used post-emergent. The label states to not
use Panoramic® on drought-stressed bermudagrass, when bermudagrass is in
the transition stage between dormancy and full green-up, on newly
aerated fields, in the establishment year for bermudagrass or on the variety World Feeder.

We applied Panoramic® at rates of 6 and 12 ounces per acre. Sandbur
control was rated at 100 percent for each rate. However, crop injury was
very severe. Panoramic® caused the worst visual injury symptoms of the
herbicides tested, and the injury carried over into yield. The 6 and 12ounce
rates of Panoramic® caused yield reductions of 41 and 78 percent,
respectively, when harvested 35 days after treatment.

Summary
All the herbicides we tested controlled sandbur. Visual crop injury
symptoms were noted in all the post-emergent treatments 14 days after
treatment, but the visual crop injury symptoms decreased dramatically
when observed 30 days after treatment. Neither Roundup WeatherMax® nor
Pastora® decreased bermudagrass yield when harvested 35 days after
treatment, but Panoramic® applications caused severe yield reductions.
In general, we feel that Prowl H2O® is a good pre-emergent product if
rainfall occurs in a timely fashion after application and that Pastora®
and Roundup WeatherMax® are good post-emergent products if applied in a
timely manner. Although it controls sandbur well, we have difficulties
recommending Panoramic® due to crop injury concerns.
If you have sandburs, now's your chance to plan to get' em next year.

You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs
serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex,
religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University
System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners
Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of
socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national
origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

P Patch

2010-10-20T07:13:00.002-05:00

Hundreds of pumpkins arrived on Saturday, October 9th at First United
Methodist Church in Centerville! The pumpkins were grown on the Navajo
Reservation near Farmington, New Mexico. Pumpkin Patch USA pays for the
land lease in an agreement with the Navajo Agricultural Products
Industry (NAPI) on the reservation, seeds, pays for cultivation,
fertilization, pollenization, irrigation, labor trucking, communication,
etc. in order to provide these opportunities to the reservation and its
Pumpkin Patch partners.

This is the fourth year that Master Gardeners of Leon County have
partnered with Pumpkin Patch USA, FUMC youth, and local 4-H groups for
this event. FUMC youth use their proceeds for a mission trip. The local
4-H groups assist with building scarecrows and use their portion of the
profits for scholarships to senior members of their organizations.
Master Gardeners consider the Pumpkin Patch a community outreach and use
their portion of profits to fund activities in the county.

The Pumpkin Patch will be filled with children from all the county
school districts and some private schools during the week of October
25-29. Master Gardeners will provide educational and fun activities for
the children including: building a scarecrow, photographs, storytelling,
face painting, mystery nutrition stop, pumpkin toss, and refreshments.
The teachers visiting the Pumpkin Patch will receive a packet of
follow-up activities with TEKS correlations.

Although our pumpkins may cost more than at other places, when you
purchase a pumpkin from our patch, you are supporting the Navajo
Reservation, FUMC youth, Master Gardeners, 4-H, and providing a
fantastic fall experience for over 900 county students. The Pumpkin
Patch is open 12noon to 6PM Monday – Friday, Saturday 10am to 6pm and
Sundays when it is open after church only.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-12T07:40:00.000-05:00

Pic Caption: Master Gardeners, 4-H members and First United Methodist

Church Members unload the pumpkin Truck Saturday October 9, 2010.
Hundreds of pumpkins arrived on Saturday, October 9th at First United
Methodist Church in Centerville! The pumpkins were grown on the Navajo
Reservation near Farmington, New Mexico. Pumpkin Patch USA pays for the
land lease in an agreement with the Navajo Agricultural Products
Industry (NAPI) on the reservation, seeds, pays for cultivation,
fertilization, pollenization, irrigation, labor trucking, communication,
etc. in order to provide these opportunities to the reservation and its
Pumpkin Patch partners.
This is the third year that Master Gardeners of Leon County have
partnered with Pumpkin Patch USA, FUMC youth, and local 4-H groups for
this event. FUMC youth use their proceeds for a mission trip. The local
4-H groups assist with building scarecrows and use their portion of the
profits for scholarships to senior members of their organizations.
Master Gardeners consider the Pumpkin Patch a community outreach and use
their portion of profits to fund activities in the county.

The Pumpkin Patch will be filled with children from all the county
school districts and some private schools during the week of October
25-29. Master Gardeners will provide educational and fun activities for
the children including: building a scarecrow, photographs, storytelling,
face painting, mystery nutrition stop, pumpkin toss, and refreshments.
The teachers visiting the Pumpkin Patch will receive a packet of
follow-up activities with TEKS correlations.

Although our pumpkins may cost more than at other places, when you
purchase a pumpkin from our patch, you are supporting the Navajo
Reservation, FUMC youth, Master Gardeners, 4-H, and providing a
fantastic fall experience for over 700 county students. The Pumpkin
Patch is open 12noon to 6PM Monday – Friday, Saturday 10am to 6pm and
Sundays when it is open after church only.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 10-11-10

2010-10-12T07:37:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since profits from agricultural activities have justified the price of land. Escalated prices are often attributed to speculation, but with a fixed land resource and a growing population, the price of land is likely to continue to increase over the coming decades.

For many agricultural producers, land is the highest valued asset on their balance sheet. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the viability and integrity of the land from a value standpoint, while still achieving the production, landscape and quality of life goals of the owner.

With the impact of the "The Great Recession" that began in December 2007, many agricultural producers are looking for ways to improve their bottom line. There are two ways to do so: cut costs or increase revenue. Neither one is typically easy to do for an agricultural producer. Even though farmers and ranchers are very resourceful people, much of what they produce is sold as a commodity. Thus, producers typically receive a non-differentiated price while costs are already kept at a minimum.

When I am trying to help an agricultural producer increase profitability, I first start with their largest expense category. In most cases, this is the cost of land. While refinancing a land note at a lower rate is a possibility, there is a different strategy available to help the bottom line. Namely, one should consider production activities that can provide economic benefits while minimally impacting other agricultural enterprises conducted on the land.

It's often said that a combination of production activities is better from both risk and profit standpoints. Some alternative production activities such as developing wildlife hunting leases, establishing agritourism, leasing pecan harvest of productive native trees, establishing a wind energy or mineral lease, and developing novel marketing plans for produced goods have little additional cost associated with them.

Other activities to capitalize on existing land resources, but which would require additional capital, include improved pecan orchards, production of meat goats and production of fruits or vegetables. While additional capital is required, these activities are more of a complement to the overall operation than a substitute for existing activities.

If one of these ventures is being considered, it is important to evaluate the operation's ability to manage the new endeavor. Additionally, it is important to know how much additional time and paperwork would be necessary to see the venture to completion. Brainstorm with a consultant about other enterprises that would work well with your current operation and how to turn produced goods into differentiated products that demand a premium price.

It is important to remember that your land is valued based on the perceived future value of its optimal earning possibilities. It is fine to use the land for less than its highest possible combination of activities, but money is being left on the table, or in this case, in the soil. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension proserve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

State Fair Ag Awareness Day

2010-10-12T07:35:00.000-05:00

Over 300 Leon County 4-H members and second, third, fourth, fifth, and =ixth graders from Oakwood, Leon, Centerville and Buffalo School districts =ttended the State Fair of Texas Ag Awareness Day on Tuesday, October 5, =010. A canned food drive competition was held amongst 4-H clubs, FFA and =CCLA chapters and Leon County 4-H won Reserve Grand with over 750lbs of =ood donated that will be given to the Dallas Food Bank. Leon County 4-H =ad the largest group participate in the activities and were recognized on =he main stage at the fair. To get orientated to the fair, the youth =articipated in the Agriquest contest that was a scavenger hunt over the =air park grounds. Following Agriquest participants had the opportunity to =xplore what the State Fair has to offer. Each participant received a =-Shirt sponsored by Leon County Farm Bureau. Extension programs serve of =ll ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, =isability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. =epartment of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas =ooperating.

Pic: Leon County 4-H members and adults pose in front of State Fair =andmark, Big Tex!

Thank you,

Cayla Christianson

Extension Program Assistant
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, TX 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

State Fair 2010

2010-10-12T07:29:00.000-05:00

The State Fair of Texas is more than just a livestock show; it's about =ducating and promoting the story of agriculture. In Texas, agriculture is =teeped in rich culture and affluent in heritage. The importance of =griculture can be seen where the food and fiber of our country comes. =his year at state fair we had swine and steer exhibitors. Swine =xhibitors included Courtney Clark, Taylor McGill, Clayton McGill, Jarrett =ishbeck, and Jacob Fishbeck. Steer exhibitors included Mathew Jonas, =acob Fishbeck, and Jacie Jones. All of these exhibitors did a fine job =epresenting Leon County 4-H through responsibility, conduct, and great =portsmanship! Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of =ocioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national =rigin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, =nd the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Taylor McGill entering the Show Arena with his pig.

Jarrett Fishbeck showing off his pig at State Fair.

Thank you,

Cayla Christianson

Extension Program Assistant
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, TX 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Career Fair

2010-10-12T07:23:00.000-05:00

Opening Eyes to Opportunity

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County's fourth annual College and Career Fair was held at the Jewett Civic Center, Monday, October 4, 2010. College and Career representatives were available from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. Almost 50 College and career representatives’ from across the country were on hand to meet with Leon County secondary students. Opportunities were available for exploring college pathways based on individual needs and interests. Leon County Extension Agent Tommy Neyland along with Wendy Neyland FCS Agent and Cayla Christianson Extension Program assistant were on hand to facilitate the event and to answer questions. A variety of informational exhibits allowed participants to learn about financial aid, NCAA, essay writing for applications and scholarships, services for students with disabilities and much more. Bus service was provided from each of the five high schools throughout the morning and over 300 local youth participated in this event. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Chute N The Bull 10-4-10

2010-10-06T07:54:00.000-05:00

Lyrics from this popular 1953 song talk about how a person does not have to spend large amounts of money to make a big impression on another - it's the little things that count. I was reminded of this recently as we were working to get a field study planted. We spent a lot of time making sure we had the little things taken care of that will make a big impact on success or failure in the field. Here are a few of the little things that come to my mind that can wind up making a huge impact on success or failure in your operation.

Get out of the truck

It is darn near impossible to assess cow body condition, weed pressure, insect pressure, disease pressure, forage availability, seed emergence... with a windshield view. It's amazing how many wrecks you can avoid by spending quality time in the field.

Use pre-emergent crabgrass control when sprigging bermudagrass

When sprigging bermudagrass on sandy soils, crabgrass can be a huge competitor which can cause delayed bermudagrass coverage or failure. Using a pre-emerge control for crabgrass can be the difference between stand establishment and the additional cost of re-establishment.

Clean equipment

Pulling drills out of the shed, filling them with seed and heading to the field is a big mistake. Grain can sprout in cups, spider webs can plug drop tubes and bearings can freeze, and all these little things can prevent seed from getting from the drill and into the ground. The same holds true for sprayers. Nozzles plug, many of the chemicals we use corrode rubber and metal, and residual chemical left in a tank can kill a crop. Cleaning is a little thing... but it can mean a lot.

Calibrate, calibrate, calibrate

Herbicides and seeds are not cheap. Putting out the right amount at the right time can make all the difference. Calibration of spraying and planting equipment takes time, but it will make you money. After a piece of equipment has been calibrated, re-check it in the field as things can change with field bounce.

Verify seed depth and seed to soil contact

Many forage crops have recommended seeding depths of ¼" or less, which, especially in no-till, is an extremely difficult depth to control. Once in the field, get out of the tractor seat and look for seed. Planting too deep can result in uneven emergence or complete failure to emerge. Check depth when changing from sand to clay soils, and make sure you have good soil closure around the seed for optimal germination.

Use good seed and good sprigs

Planting seed without knowing seed germination or vigor is asking for trouble, as is sprigging bermudagrass sprigs that have been sitting exposed on a truck for 24 hours. This little item can definitely save you a re-plant and a whole year of production.

Conduct soil and forage tests

Supplemental feed on average is 62 percent of the cost of running a cow for a year. Depending upon the product, fertilizer prices are averaging $250-$550 per ton. Soil and forage tests cost about $10 each and are the only way to accurately calculate feed supplement or fertilizer application. Spend $10 up front to save hundreds of dollars on feed and fertilizer cost. It's a little thing that can add up to a lot.

Make a plan and stick to it

Plan your forage grazing, forage establishment, breeding program, marketing program and seedbed preparation. Develop a whole farm management plan and stick to it.

This list is far from complete, but, from personal experience, these are some small practices that make a big difference. If you have others and want to share, e-mail them to me and I will work the best tips into a future column. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

2010 Hay Show

2010-10-06T07:52:00.000-05:00

Don’t miss the Annual Leon County Hay Show! It will be held on Monday,
October 18, 2010 at the Buffalo Civic Center. The Leon County Beef and
Forage Committee of Texas Agrilife Extension Service will host the Hay
Show this year. The program will start with an Agriculture Trade Show at
5pm and follow with a meal at 6pm. The guest speaker for this year’s hay
show will be Dr. Bobby Lane - Professor Forage Physiology at Sam Houston
State University. We will be offering two CEU’s toward re certification
of private, non commercial and commercial applicator licenses for
attending the evening program. Local sponsors are Normangee State Bank,
Wells Fargo Centerville, Community National Bank Buffalo, Farmers State
Bank Jewett, and Citizens State Bank Buffalo- Centerville. The sponsors
listed above have been a part of the Leon County Hay Show for several
years. These sponsors provide the
meal and the awards. During the selection process a Best of Show and
Reserve Best of Show will be selected and they will be awarded the night
of the Hay Show. All persons interested in attending should Contact The
Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County by Friday October 15,
2010 at 903.536.2531 or by email at leon@ag.tamu.edu to reserve your
seat. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic
level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The
Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the
County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages
regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion,
disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas
Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

P.A.T.

2010-10-06T07:49:00.000-05:00

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will host a Private Applicator Training on October 22, 2010. Participants must pre-register in the Texas Agrilife Extension office on or before July 20, 2010. The training will begin with sign in from 8:00am to 8:30am in the Leon County Annex Grand Activity Room. Following the training Mr. Brad Tullis with The Texas Department of Agriculture will administer the test. Their will be a $35.00 fee due upon registration of this training. Training will be from 8:30am to 12:00noon and the test will be given at 1:00pm. For more information please contact the Texas Agrilife Extension Service at 903.536.2531 or at leon-tx@tamu.edu We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact Texas Agrilife Extension three days before the event to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that will be required. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Awards Banquet

2010-10-06T07:47:00.000-05:00

September 25, 2010 proved to be a remarkable day for Leon County 4-H member Kelcey Cockrell. During a formal Banquet at the Sheraton Hotel in Dallas, Texas Kelcey was recognized for her outstanding accomplishments in the Texas 4-H program. As they holds a top position in Texas 4-H which is the largest youth organization in the state of Texas Kelcey was awarded a Leadership Award and recognized along with other youth leaders of Texas 4-H, FFA and FCCLA. Kelcey represent the over 634,000 Texas 4-Hers on the Texas 4-H Council. The event was coordinated and hosted by the State Fair of Texas in their tradition of recognizing young Texas Leaders in Agriculture.

pic caption: Tommy and Wendy Neyland County Extension Agents, Wayne and Becky Cockrell Kelcey Cockrell and Charlie Cockrell.

Leon County Youth Livestock Show

2010-09-29T14:17:00.002-05:00

NEWS RELEASE

The Leon County Youth Livestock Show is looking for a few good men, women or kids. The committee is having a logo contest that is open to all who wish to participate with the grand prize being a $200 cash prize. The purpose of the contest is to encourage anyone with art ability and imagination to come up with a logo for the Leon County Youth Livestock Association. The logo selective will be utilized as a permanent representation for the Leon County Youth Livestock Association and will become a permanent fixture of the association. Some simple background information is that the County Show was established in 1959, and is open to all active FFA or 4H members of Leon County. The County Show encourages participation through involvement in agriculture.

The rules of the contest are simple and are set forth as follows: The entry deadline is October 1, 2010. All entries become the sole property of the Leon County Youth Livestock Association and may be utilized by the association in any manner deemed reasonable by the Association. The winning entry may be altered by the committee. Only one entry per applicant and the contest is open to any person interested in submitting an entry. Judging will be done by the Leon County Youth Livestock Show Committee. Entries may include electronic submissions. Please submit all entries to Leon County Youth Livestock Association, Inc., P.O. Box 687, Centerville, Texas 75833. Electronic entries may be submitted to jeffb@windstream.net and must be a PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

4H NOTICE

2010-09-29T14:16:00.001-05:00

All Leon County 4H members must attend a community club meeting or registration night to enroll in 4H by October 31, 2010 to be an active member and participate in 4H activities in 2010-2011.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Washington County Fair 2010

2010-09-29T14:15:00.000-05:00

Leon County 4-Her Cody Oden wins Reserve Champion Hereford Steer at Washington County Fair in Brenham, Texas. Pictured with Cody are Lenora Oden, Cody, CEA- Tommy Neyland, and Wade Neyland.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 9-27-10

2010-09-29T14:12:00.002-05:00

For most cattle producers, culling cows is not an easy task. However, some culling needs to be done each year to maintain optimal productivity. Records on each cow's yearly production would be beneficial when making culling decisions, but collecting some information when the cows are processed can give you a good place to start.

Cattlemen should make it a point to evaluate all breeding females at least once a year. Weaning is likely the most convenient time to do this evaluation. In addition to their vaccinations, cows should also be pregnancy-tested, evaluated for structural soundness and aged based on the condition of their teeth. This information will take a little extra time to collect, but will be valuable when determining a culling order. In addition, this culling order will be useful during a drought as it is usually more profitable to cull unproductive cows as a drought is beginning than to try to hold on until the drought is over.

Usually, the best cows to cull are the ones that have the least chance of being productive in the long term or are the farthest away from being productive. Use the following list as a guideline for establishing your culling order. Cull cows in this order until you reach the desired herd size.

1. Disposition: Some producers can tolerate more disposition problems than others. Disposition should be evaluated both in the pasture and in the pen because some cattle will react differently once corralled. Make a note of those animals that make it difficult to gather the herd or rotate pastures. Any animal that is aggressive should make the list.

2. Open females: All open females should be culled. According to the Cattle-Fax Cow/Calf and Stocker Survey, the average annual cash cost to carry a cow in 2006 was $366. It will be very difficult for an open cow to make up for a year of lost production. In addition, if a heifer does not settle in the same period as her contemporaries, she is telling you that she does not fit your management environment.

3. Structural soundness: Evaluate the structural soundness of each cow based on her ability to raise a calf. Anything that limits her ability should be noted. Look for bad feet or toes, a history of prolapse, eye problems and poor udder conformation, including bad quarters and big teats.

4. Age: Typically, a cow is most productive between the ages of 4 and 9. The condition of a cow's teeth is indicative of her age. A cow with broken or missing teeth should probably be culled. Those with badly worn or separated teeth would be next on the list.

At this point, it becomes increasingly difficult to make culling decisions because you will have to cull productive animals.

5. Bred cows over 9 years of age: These cows will likely be culled in the near future and are close to the end of their most productive years. Within this group, cull the thin cows first.

6. Replacement heifers. First, cull yearling heifers that have not been exposed to a bull. These animals have very good value as feeder heifers. Bred heifers would be next in the culling order.

7. Phenotype: Use this as an opportunity to make your herd more uniform. Any cow that does not fit due to breed, size or low productivity should be culled next.

8. Bred cows 3 to 9 years of age: These are your most productive cows. If you must cull out of this group, 3-year-olds and those cows that are 8 to 9 years old would go first.

The decision about which animals to cull can be difficult. Each operation will have different goals and, therefore, may need to adjust accordingly. Use this list as a guideline for developing a culling order for your herd. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

2010 National 4-H Week - Proclamation

2010-09-29T14:10:00.000-05:00

Pic Caption:

back row left to right: County Extension Agents- Tommy and Wendy Neyland, Leon County 4Hers -Cassie Ferguson, Lane Wilson, Sara Ewing, Caleb Wright, Reagan Robertson, David Roach, and Jacob Rodell
Front Row left to right: Joey Sullivan , David Ferguson, Judge Byron Ryder, Mark Ivey, Dean Player

WHEREAS, Leon County Judge, Byron Ryder, Commissioner Joey Sullivan, Commissioner David Ferguson, Commissioner Mark Ivey and Commissioner Dean Player, Leon County, Texas are proud to honor the 4-H Youth Development Program of the Texas Agrilife Extension Service for the 103 years of providing experience-based education to youngsters throughout the Lone Star State; and

WHEREAS, This admirable program, which seeks to provide a learning experience for the whole child, including head, heart, hands, and health, helps young Texans to acquire knowledge, develop life skills, and form attitudes to enable them to become self-directed, productive, and contributing members of our society; and

WHEREAS, Its 593,128 urban, suburban, and rural members, ranging in age from eight to nineteen, hail from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds and truly represent a cross-section of the state; and

WHEREAS, The program undoubtedly could not have achieved the success that it has today were it not for the service of its more than 35,400 volunteers, who have given generously of their time, talents, energies, and resources to the youth of Texas; and

WHEREAS, Throughout its proud history, the 4-H program has developed positive role models for countless Texans and through its innovative and inspiring programs, continues to build character and to instill the values that have made our state strong and great; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Leon County Commissioners Court, Leon County, Texas hereby designates October 3-9, 2010 as the National 4-H Week in Texas and commend the 4-H Youth Development Program of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the many men and women who have made the program a success.

Joey Sullivan, Commissioner Pct. 1 David Ferguson, Commissioner Pct. 2

Mark Ivey, Commissioner Pct. 3 Dean Player, Commissioner Pct. 4

Byron Ryder, County Judge

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland

County Extension Agent

Texas Agrilife Extension Service

P.O. Box 188

Centerville, Texas 75833

903.536.2531 phone

903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 9-18-10

2010-09-22T15:23:00.002-05:00

Grasslands are complex environments comprised of many different kinds of living organisms affected by abiotic factors such as weather. There are few things that are black and white in such complex ecosystems, but there may be some self-evident "truths." If you haven't considered them in your grazing operation, perhaps you should.

Rotational grazing

Grazing systems developed over the past 100 years attempt to optimize the productivity of pastures while at the same time produce a useable or saleable product. What most rotational grazing systems try to do is mimic the defoliation patterns under which grasslands were thought to have evolved; severe defoliation of native flora by massive herds of native ungulates (hoofed animals such as bison) for a relatively short period of time. Did short-term overgrazing occur by bison? Of course it did.

The integrity of these grasslands was maintained because bison would not return to these heavily grazed areas for many months or years, giving the land adequate opportunity to recuperate. Short duration grazing, high intensity-low frequency grazing, management-intensive grazing and, recently, mob-grazing have all been introduced as the grazing system that best mimics the movements of the great bison herds of the past. Fences were not in place back then, but rotational grazing occurred by herd movements over time. Isn't it interesting that these massive herds were able to maintain their numbers despite no one being around to feed them hay all winter long?

Diversity of grazing species

Historically, the Southern Great Plains was a very diverse ecosystem with a mixture of grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees on the landscape. Bison preferred herbaceous vegetation; woody plants were not their forage of choice. Fortunately, there were other ungulates that did utilize woody plants as well as forbs. Pronghorn antelope, elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer were common on the Southern Great Plains prior to European settlement. Today, domestic cattle have taken the place of the bison, and many cattle producers spend huge amounts of money trying to kill plants that some animals (e.g., deer, domestic sheep and goats) use. Fencing is a challenge for sheep and goats, but money spent on weed and brush control would buy a lot of woven wire fence. Cattle didn't pay for five-strand barbed wire fences the first year they were up, either.

Fire

The impact of fire on the Great Plains cannot be overstated. In addition to grazing, plant communities evolved with fire during all months of the year. The resulting regrowth was preferred by grazing animals, and Native Americans would use this technique to attract the great bison herds. Fire on the Great Plains has been reduced significantly since European settlement, resulting in increasing woody vegetation such as Eastern Red-cedar. Not using prescribed fire can lead to loss of grassland, landscape heterogeneity and plant diversity, not to mention the cost of trying to control woody plants with chemicals. Fire is not a stand-alone tool. In conjunction with a targeted grazing system and a diversity of grazing animals, you may be able to use forbs and woody plants instead of fighting them. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Leon County Youth Livestock Show

2010-09-22T15:21:00.002-05:00

The Leon County Youth Livestock Show is looking for a few good men, women or kids. The committee is having a logo contest that is open to all who wish to participate with the grand prize being a $200 cash prize. The purpose of the contest is to encourage anyone with art ability and imagination to come up with a logo for the Leon County Youth Livestock Association. The logo selective will be utilized as a permanent representation for the Leon County Youth Livestock Association and will become a permanent fixture of the association. Some simple background information is that the County Show was established in 1959, and is open to all active FFA or 4H members of Leon County. The County Show encourages participation through involvement in agriculture.

The rules of the contest are simple and are set forth as follows: The entry deadline is October 1, 2010. All entries become the sole property of the Leon County Youth Livestock Association and may be utilized by the association in any manner deemed reasonable by the Association. The winning entry may be altered by the committee. Only one entry per applicant and the contest is open to any person interested in submitting an entry. Judging will be done by the Leon County Youth Livestock Show Committee. Entries may include electronic submissions. Please submit all entries to Leon County Youth Livestock Association, Inc., P.O. Box 687, Centerville, Texas 75833. Electronic entries may be submitted to jeffb@windstream.net and must be a PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Special Notice to 4H Members!!!

2010-09-22T15:20:00.000-05:00

Cow Country Congress

2010-09-22T15:18:00.000-05:00

2010 Cow Country Congress

To Be Held in Freestone County
September 23th, 2010

Cow Country Congress is an annual multi-county event supported by the Extension Beef & Forage Committees from Walker, Madison, Houston, Trinity, Leon, Freestone and Anderson Counties. This educational program rotates within the group of host counties each year. In addition to the traditional seven county area, beef producers from outside these counties are invited to attend this educational program. Participants in attendance will have the opportunity to visit with a variety of commercial exhibitors several times during the course of the day between presentations, demonstrations, and tours of the host property.

The 2010 Cow Country Congress program will meet at one of the F.E. Hill Company Ranch locations located north of Fairfield, Texas. The program is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, 2010. F.E. Hill Company Ranch is a multifaceted agricultural enterprise that has been known in Freestone County for extremely high quality hay production, and intensive beef herd management characterized by progressive reproductive practices. The ranch also uses an intense land management program that allows them to decrease production cost. Waterfowl and Whitetail Deer are managed for and are abundant on their property. Topics discussed at this Cow Country Congress will include new methods in feral hog control, wildlife diversification on the ranch, fly control in the cow herd, and genetics and their role at F.E. Hill Company Ranch. A live cattle handling demonstration will also be provided along with a discussion by the Luminant Power Big Brown Complex Reclaim Team. The site where the event will be hosted is a reclaim site resulting from coal mining operations in the area. The team will discuss the reclaim process and share some recommendations on land management. This event will also showcase truly outstanding facilities for working cattle.

Program registration will begin at 8:15 AM. The program will begin with introductions at 8:45 AM. Individuals interested in attending the 2010 Cow Country Congress should R.S.V.P. prior to September 21st to the Freestone County Extension Office (903) 389-3436, or one of the other participating County Extension Offices from any of the seven sponsoring counties. A registration fee of $10.00 per person will provide each participant a Barbeque Lunch with all the trimmings! In addition to the benefits of a catered lunch, on-site commercial vendors, and touring the ranch operation, each participant with a Texas Department of Agriculture- Pesticide Applicators License will be eligible for 2 IPM hours of Continuing Education Credits for renewal of their license. Additional participant credit of 1.5 hours will be given for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) recertification. Directions and a printable map may be downloaded from the Freestone County Texas AgriLife Extension Service web page at http://freestone-tx.tamu.edu.

Provisions from the American Disability Act will be considered when planning educational programs and activities. Please notify the County Extension Office if you plan on attending an Extension Educational program and need specialized services. Notification of at least two weeks in advance is needed, so that we may have ample time to acquire resources needed to meet your needs. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Do Well, Be Well

2010-09-22T15:16:00.002-05:00

Texas AgriLife Extension Service Leon County and Crown Home Health are =nce again partnering to bring to Leon County the Do Well, Be Well with =iabetes series. The series will only be 2 days this fall: September 29, =010, and October 6, 2010. Registration will begin at 8:30 am and classes =ill begin at 9:00 am and last until noon. A small showcase of service =roviders for people with diabetes will occur from noon until 2 PM on =ctober 6th. Classes will once again be held at the First United Methodist =hurch in Centerville. If you are diabetic, or are a caregiver for someone =ith diabetes, you are sure to gain much needed knowledge about the =isease and how to manage it correctly.

To register call 903-536-2531. Please notify the County Extension Office =f you plan on attending an Extension Educational program and need =pecialized services. Notification of at least two weeks in advance is =eeded, so that we may have ample time to acquire resources needed to meet =our needs. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of =ocioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national =rigin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, =nd the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Wendy G. Neyland

Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Leon County
County Extension Agent-
Family and Consumer Sciences
PO Box 188
Centerville, TX 75833
903.536.2531

Chute N The Bull 9-10-10

2010-09-16T14:52:00.003-05:00

It's September and fall is fast approaching. The growing season is winding down, but from a forage production standpoint, an active growing season still lies ahead. For much of our area, the first hard freeze will occur about Nov. 24, which leaves a good 60 days of growing season for warm-season forages. Cool-season forage growth will occur optimally in a temperature range from 70 to 80 degrees F with some growth occurring as low as 40° F, meaning cool-season forages can conceivably grow through winter in Texas. Favorable growing temperatures during this period are also accompanied by rain.

Stockpile Introduced forages Bermudagrass, bahiagrass, Old World bluestems and tall fescue are some of the more common forages that can be used for stockpiling. Of these, bermudagrass and tall fescue will work the best due to the quality and the amount of forage they can produce. If stockpiling toxic-endophyte-infected tall fescue, delay use until as late in the season as possible. For introduced forages, ideally select a pasture where previous growth has been removed, and apply nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 50 to 60 lbs/ac. On bermudagrass at this fertility rate, expect about 2,500 lbs/ac accumulation. Here are two things to keep in mind regarding stockpile fertility of warm-season perennials. One, if spring fertility was applied, due to the dry spring and limited forage growth, there may be carryover nitrogen available; a soil test can tell you this. Two, growing days are limited - there is no need for high nitrogen rates since response will be limited by the short growing season. If phosphorus and potassium are deficient, this is a good time to correct deficiencies. Defer from grazing until after frost. If you have introduced pastures with a large amount of residual growth from spring or summer, do not add additional fertilizer. These can be utilized, but realize this is not a true stockpile, and quality will be much, much lower than fresh, fall-accumulated stockpile. Forage utilization will be higher if grazing access can be controlled through the use of strip grazing or some other means. Make sure you match quality to animal requirements and supplement appropriately.

Nativegrass

In a perfect situation, nativegrass stockpile would begin with spring grazing followed by deferment from early July until frost. In a less-than-perfect situation, nativegrass needs at least 60 to 75 days of rest prior to frost to accumulate carbohydrate reserves for spring growth. If sufficient growth has occurred during this period to allow grazing, it can be utilized after a hard frost. After frost, be very careful not to graze the range too close - leave a 6-inch residual to avoid crown damage. Again, be aware that quality may not be the best, and supplementation should be done based on animal requirements.

Cool-Season Annuals (CSA)

The traditional establishment deadline for CSA has been Sept. 15. Clean-till CSA are usually best utilized by growing animals because of their high quality and cost of establishment. Overseeding CSA into warm-season perennials is a common practice, but, due to competition from warm-season perennials during the fall, expect only limited fall production from CSA. No-till drilling the annual can help with establishment and earlier production. Annual ryegrass is the most common overseeded annual with bermudagrass. It can give you 45 to 60 days of grazing prior to bermudagrass green-up. Overseed 15 to 20 pounds per acre of ryegrass in September, and topdress with nitrogen in February. Because of its aggressive re-seeding, annual ryegrass may not need to be re-seeded for several years. Acreage that is used for stockpile bermudagrass works well for ryegrass production. Grazing the stockpile off allows for the spring release of ryegrass. It is not advisable to have all your introduced warm-season perennial forage acres overseeded because spring competition will delay green-up of the warm-season perennials.

Some Tips

1. When using stockpile, remember that cows are very selective forage consumers - just like you are at your favorite buffet. If allowed, cows will consume leaves first, followed by stems, which can lead to underutilization if grazing is not controlled.

2. Extending the grazing season implies that you are pushing limits of forage availability. If forage availability is limited, animal intake will be limited, which directly influences condition and performance. Try to accumulate 2,000 pounds of forage per acre so intake will not be limited. Be sure to monitor cow body condition and make adjustments as necessary.

3. Monitor cow pies. When a cow pie stacks up like a high rise, forage quality has dropped and you probably need to add a supplement.

4. Always have hay on hand. Establish a goal of only feeding hay for 45 days during the winter, or, better yet, eliminate hay feeding. But be realistic and err on the side of caution and have the hay when you need it.

5. Avoid the "sympathy bale." Many producers really like their cows and work a little too hard to meet cow needs. Producers need to change their mindset from "I have to feed hay" to "I feed hay only when I have to."

You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Chute N the Bull 9-2-10

2010-09-16T14:45:00.000-05:00

Productive winter pasture can be a valuable asset, but can also be expensive to establish and grow. Following are five items that will help
your winter pasture start out right.
First, determine what kind of winter pasture is best suited to your
location. This article will only address wheat and cereal rye, our
primary winter pasture species, although other options include oats,
triticale, annual ryegrass, brome grasses, tall fescue and cool-season
legumes. Wheat is better adapted to heavier soils and lasts longer in
the spring, while cereal rye is better adapted to lighter soils and
provides earlier grazing in the fall. Select the forage or forage
mixture that fits your location and meets your forage demands.

Second, collect good quality soil samples and have them analyzed at a
reputable agricultural laboratory. A good quality soil sample will be
representative of the field, collected to the depth recommended by the
lab, be a composite of at least 15 soil cores and represent no more than
40 acres. Phosphorus, potassium and lime requirements can only be
determined by soil analysis. If these are deficient or if soil pH is
below 5.5, production potential and response to nitrogen fertilizer will
be reduced. Phosphorus and potassium should be applied prior to or near
planting while lime should be applied well before planting to allow it
time to react. Nitrogen rates are based on yield goal unless a
sensor-based system, like the Greenseeker®, is being used. Nitrogen
application timing depends on when the forage is needed. If fall or
early winter grazing is the priority, apply most or all of the nitrogen
near planting or soon after emergence. If spring grazing is the
priority, apply enough nitrogen to get the crop started in the fall and
the remainder in late winter or early spring.

Third, prepare a good seedbed. Seedbed preparation can be clean till,
minimum till or no till. Stand establishment is usually quickest with a
weed-free, firm, clean-till seedbed; however, this is the most expensive
method and increases the risk of soil erosion. Minimum till preparation
may consist of mowing, haying or grazing standing vegetation short
and/or burning down with a herbicide followed by light tillage. No-till
preparation is similar to minimum till without the tillage, although
managing summer growth and previous crop residue becomes more important.

Fourth, select a planting method and seeding rate. Planting methods
include drilling and broadcasting. Advantages of drill planting include
improved plant spacing, lower seeding rates, better seed to soil contact
and proper seeding depth. Seeding rates for drill planting range from 90
to 120 pounds per acre. Disadvantages are slower planting speed and
higher equipment costs. Broadcast planting involves spreading the seed
over the seedbed surface, then incorporating it into the soil with a
disk, culti-packer or other light tillage implement. Advantages of
broadcast seeding include faster planting speed, lower equipment cost
and the ability to spread with fertilizer. Disadvantages are higher
seeding rate, lack of depth control, requirement of a second pass for
incorporation and a higher risk of stand failure. Seeding rates for
broadcast planting range from 120 to 150 pounds per acre.

Fifth, select a good variety with quality seed available. Variety
selection can be complicated by seed availability, but try to find one
that has produced well over several years and/or locations in university
trials. Using good quality planting seed is just as important as using
the right variety. If time permits, have an accelerated aging test
conducted to have an indication of the seedling vigor as well as
viability.
By paying attention to these items and with a little cooperation from
Mother Nature, you have taken the first steps toward productive winter
pastures. Next, be ready to manage post-emergence weeds, insects,
diseases and grazing. You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race,
color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University
System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners
Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of
socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national
origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 8-30-10

2010-08-30T07:20:00.003-05:00

Whether you raise crops, forages or animals, there seems to be a constant flow of new products into the agricultural marketplace. You see advertisements in trade publications, at stores and farm shows, and on the Internet and television. How do you know if these new products really work? Do they really make your other inputs work better or give you greater yields or better quality in your end product or anything else that they promise?

Marketing of these new products will often include pictures, testimonials and some form of numerical data. Naturally, the numerical data will show an advantage to using the new product. However, it is very important to know some things about the numbers. The most important thing to know is whether or not the numbers are statistically significant. I won't go into an in-depth lesson on statistics, but here are some basics that need to be considered.

Was the study replicated? We all know there is variability in biological systems. Replication allows an experiment to be conducted in a way that accounts for natural variability. This way we can have a certain degree of assurance the difference observed is real and not just due to natural variability.

Was the study conducted one year or over multiple years? Again, there is variability from year to year. We want some degree of assurance that the product will work every year and not just once in a while when conditions are just right.

Was the study done in an environment similar to yours? Even if it was properly replicated over multiple years, results may be completely different in a field or laboratory far from your location. What works in the Panhandle of Oklahoma may not work on the Gulf Coast of Texas and vice versa.

Was the study statistically analyzed? If so, look for a least significant difference (LSD) value. This is, as the name implies, the least numerical difference between any two treatments that is significant. Differences between product A and product B that are less than the LSD are not significant, and we cannot say with confidence that A and B are truly different from each other. Likewise, differences between product A and product B that are greater than the LSD are significant, and we can say with a degree of confidence that A and B are truly different from each other.

Whether you are looking at different wormers, pesticides or any other input, look for replicated data from multiple locations and multiple years in environments similar to yours that show they have been statistically analyzed. Only then can you be confident that the new product will work for you. . You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Texas budget woes cause AgriLife Extension Service job losses

2010-08-30T07:19:00.000-05:00

COLLEGE STATION - Officials have completed the difficult task of

notifying employees whose jobs with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service
will end between now and Oct. 31.

The personnel cutback affects 94 jobs - 31 vacant positions that will
not be filled and 63 occupied positions that will be eliminated
agencywide. The downsizing results from a 5 percent state budget
reduction, according to Dr. Ed Smith, AgriLife Extension director.

Leaders of the state agency, which has offices in 250 Texas counties,
said their decisions were based on maintaining core programs statewide.

AgriLife Extension is part of a national community-based adult and youth
education system.

"We delayed restructuring as long as we could, because we hoped that
economic conditions would improve," said Smith. "But that has not
happened and we regret that we have to take these steps." One-fourth of
the staffing cut is at the agency's College Station headquarters. The
rest is throughout Texas.

“To keep positions strategically distributed, we will refill some
vacancies,” said Kyle Smith, AgriLife Extension executive associate
director. “So displaced personnel may find other internal job
opportunities.”

He stressed that the agency has long maintained a presence in each
county. That will continue.

"Counties currently being served by a single extension agent or through
a shared position will not be impacted by the new staffing plan," said
Darrell Dromgoole, AgriLife Extension associate director for county
programs. "We looked most closely at counties where we had three or more
positions, especially if more than one employee supported the same
subject matter," said Dromgoole.

Dromgoole said all county Extension personnel contribute to 4-H,
AgriLife Extension’s youth program, and will share full responsibility
for that program where needed.

"Youth programming remains a strong emphasis of our agency," he said.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

2010 Leon County Hay Show

2010-08-23T10:06:00.001-05:00

Hay Samples are being accepted for the 2010 Leon County Hay Show. The Annual Leon County Hay Show will be held on Monday, October 18, 2010 at the Buffalo Civic Center. The deadline for submitting samples is Tuesday, September 21, 2010. Samples should not be taken from the outer 4 to 6 inches of round bales. Samples from square bales should come out of the middle of the bale. Most producers place their samples in feed sacks, we need about half a sack of hay. Write your name, and type of grass sampled (Bahia, Coastal, Tifton, Jiggs, Ryegrass, etc). There will be a charge of $5.00 for each sample submitted after the first free sample. Normal cost of samples is $10, hay show participants will be receiving a $5 discount on each sample submitted. Hay samples and checks, made payable to Ag Fund can be left at: Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County, Davis Feed Centerville-Buffalo, Cattle Country, Centerville Feed, M&M Farm Supply and A&A Feed. For more information please contact the Texas Agrilife Extension Service at 903.536.2531or at leon-tx@tamu.edu We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact Texas Agrilife Extension three days before the event to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that will be required. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

pic caption
2009 Leon County Hay Show Winners and CEA, Tommy Neyland

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 8-23-10

2010-08-23T10:03:00.000-05:00

I recently went on a consultation visit to a producer's farm. The last time I had been on his property was 2005. Some of his bermudagrass pastures were infested with threeawn, but for the most part, they were in fair to good condition. At that time, we assisted him with fine tuning his fertilizer applications through soil testing and recommending the appropriate nutrients to apply for his production goals. We also recommended he rotate between haying and grazing on these pastures. His native grass pastures were only in fair condition, and he wanted to improve them. We recommended he rest his better native grass pastures for at least half the growing season and rest those in the poorest condition for the entire growing season, and only graze them from frost until May 1.

What a difference a few years has made. His bermudagrass pastures are in excellent condition with little evidence of threeawn. They are still being managed for both bermudagrass and ryegrass for haying and grazing. The native grass pastures are in good to excellent condition and are now dominated by Indiangrass, switchgrass, big bluestem and little bluestem. Overall, his total forage production has increased significantly from 2005 to 2010.

Introduced pastures, such as bermudagrass, can be rapidly improved through proper fertility, weed control and grazing management. However, native grass pastures are a different beast altogether. When I see a native grass pasture in poor condition, I typically ask producers if it was previously used as cropland, how long it has been in its current state, what is the current stocking rate and grazing management practice, and what it has been in the past. I evaluate the resource to see if there is still any evidence of desirable plants. All of these facts are key to developing a plan to improve one's pastures and can be the difference between success and failure. However, the proper stocking rate is always first and foremost in any system of livestock management.

When our stocking rate is too high, we are destined to fail in the long run. The longer we have overgrazed a pasture, the longer it will take to recover. If a pasture has been in cropland for many years and is now being managed for grazing, there may be little seed left in the soil to produce desirable plants, and it may be necessary to add seed to the system. If the pasture has not been cropped and there is evidence of desirable plants, simply incorporating periodic rest may be sufficient to improve the condition of the range.

For a simple review of management guidelines to assist you with improving pasture condition and optimizing forage utilization, please see Management Guidelines Can Help Improve Pasture Condition, Optimize Forage Utilization. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

News Release for Cow Country Congress

2010-08-23T10:01:00.001-05:00

News Release-for Immediate Release: (August 16, 2010)

Contact info-
Nick Hoffman, County Extension Agent –Ag
Freestone County
(903) 389-3436

2010 Cow Country Congress
To Be Held in Freestone County
September 23th, 2010

Cow Country Congress is an annual multi-county event supported by the Extension Beef & Forage Committees from Walker, Madison, Houston, Trinity, Leon, Freestone and Anderson Counties. This educational program rotates within the group of host counties each year. In addition to the traditional seven county area, beef producers from outside these counties are invited to attend this educational program. Participants in attendance will have the opportunity to visit with a variety of commercial exhibitors several times during the course of the day between presentations, demonstrations, and tours of the host property.

The 2010 Cow Country Congress program will meet at one of the F.E. Hill Company Ranch locations located north of Fairfield, Texas. The program is scheduled for Thursday, September 23, 2010. F.E. Hill Company Ranch is a multifaceted agricultural enterprise that has been known in Freestone County for extremely high quality hay production, and intensive beef herd management characterized by progressive reproductive practices. The ranch also uses an intense land management program that allows them to decrease production cost. Waterfowl and Whitetail Deer are managed for and are abundant on their property. Topics discussed at this Cow Country Congress will include new methods in feral hog control, wildlife diversification on the ranch, fly control in the cow herd, and genetics and their role at F.E. Hill Company Ranch. A live cattle handling demonstration will also be provided along with a discussion by the Luminant Power Big Brown Complex Reclaim Team. The site where the event will be hosted is a reclaim site resulting from coal mining operations in the area. The team will discuss the reclaim process and share some recommendations on land management. This event will also showcase truly outstanding facilities for working cattle.

Program registration will begin at 8:15 AM. The program will begin with introductions at 8:45 AM. Individuals interested in attending the 2010 Cow Country Congress should R.S.V.P. prior to September 21st to the Freestone County Extension Office (903) 389-3436, or one of the other participating County Extension Offices from any of the seven sponsoring counties. A registration fee of $10.00 per person will provide each participant a Barbeque Lunch with all the trimmings! In addition to the benefits of a catered lunch, on-site commercial vendors, and touring the ranch operation, each participant with a Texas Department of Agriculture- Pesticide Applicators License will be eligible for 2 IPM hours of Continuing Education Credits for renewal of their license. Additional participant credit of 1.5 hours will be given for Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) recertification. Directions and a printable map may be downloaded from the Freestone County Texas AgriLife Extension Service web page at http://freestone-tx.tamu.edu.

Provisions from the American Disability Act will be considered when planning educational programs and activities. Please notify the County Extension Office if you plan on attending an Extension Educational program and need specialized services. Notification of at least two weeks in advance is needed, so that we may have ample time to acquire resources needed to meet your needs. Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Go Texan Winner

2010-08-23T09:59:00.000-05:00

GO TEXAN WINNER DONATES $5000.00 BACK TO LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS!!!

John Tuma owner of KDR Construction and winner of the Area Go Texan Steak Dinner this weekend donated his winnings back to the organization for local scholarships. The Leon County Area Go Texan Committee has made a commitment to the youth of Leon County. They provide a $1000.00 scholarship to one student from each school in Leon County. In addition to the local money, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has made available a $15,000.00 scholarship to one student from Leon County.

Logo Contest

2010-08-23T09:55:00.000-05:00

Chute N The Bull 8-16-10

2010-08-16T07:41:00.000-05:00

A railroad claims official once said that trains have done more harm to the genetic quality of America's cow herds than anything else. He said every cow that ever met her doom on a rural track was invariably the best, most productive cow in the plaintiff's herd. Often, the deceased cow was "nursing twins and close to calving again" just before her demise. It makes you wonder how much better our industry would be today if it hadn't been for this accidental culling over the last century and a half. I guess we're still making up for this lost genetic ground in our breeding and selection programs.

Seriously, commercial cow-calf producers often ask about culling protocols for their cow herds. Selection is the process of deciding which animals stay in the herd another year and is based on defined criteria for reproduction, functionality and production within the herd. Culling is simply passing out the pink slips or removing cows that no longer have a place in an operation. Routine criteria vary from ranch to ranch, depending on producers' goals and objectives, and from year to year, depending on economic factors.

One culling criterion that I consider etched in stone addresses the most important economic trait in a cow herd: reproduction (fertility). Assuming you have given the cow an adequate environment (such as for health, reproduction and nutrition), you should demand that she conceive a calf every 365 days. If she is open at pregnancy check, she should be culled. The only decision to be made is when to sell her.

Then there are those cows that are pregnant, but failed to raise a calf to weaning. Most of the time, these calves die within 14 days of birth. From a long-term, hard-nosed production perspective, this loss usually reflects a lack of mothering ability, and these cows should be removed. At certain points in the cattle cycle, agricultural economists may suggest that you relax this criterion, especially for those cows that are historically good producers and are bred to calve early in the next calving season. If you do allow any of these cows to stay in the herd, they should be identified and given only one reprieve. Note: If calf losses are excessive, you should evaluate your management practices for potential problems.

Another culling criterion I consider imperative is poor disposition, a subjective evaluation. For some, a couple of crazy cows just make things more interesting. For my money, a cow not only has to breed on schedule, but also has to act civilly. In any situation, a wild animal can harm the attitude of the herd around her and can hurt herself, other cattle or the working crew. When you have the chance to get her in a trailer, ship her.

At culling time, cows should be examined for functionality. As a rule of thumb, if a physical problem interferes with a cow's production potential, she should be culled. Permanent lameness, bad udders, so-called hardware disease and blindness are just a few of these problems. Cow age is in this category. Badly worn or missing teeth can reduce a cow's production and even her ability to survive. Longevity in a cow herd is a desirable trait, but consider culling a cow while she still has acceptable salvage value.

Besides culling for reproduction and functionality, many operations have set production criteria for their cows. The most common culling criterion in these herds is based on the weaning weight of the calves. Weaning weight is a measure of mothering ability of the cow and growth potential of the calf. Actual weaning weights for all calves can be standardized to 205 days of age and adjusted for the age of the dam. The adjusted 205-day weight of each calf is compared with the average weight of its sex and contemporary group. This ratio yields a relative comparison of production between cows for that calf crop. Using adjusted 205s, a producer can identify cows with high, average and low production capability, and make accurate culling decisions on cow performance.

Whether you call it culling or selection, the result should be the same. The cows that meet your criteria get to stay. Those that don't, go to town.

And whatever you do, keep the railroad right-of-way fences mended. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Rose Expert to Speak in Leon County!!!

2010-08-16T07:37:00.000-05:00

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service will host Rose Expert Dr. Bill Welch on September 10, 2010 at 9:00am as a speaker during our Master Gardener Training Series. Each year we open to the public a few of the classes to allow others in our community to experience what the master gardener training has to offer. Bill Welch received his B.S. degree in Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. After working several years as a landscape contractor in Houston, he returned to L.S.U. to earn his masters and doctoral degrees in Extension Education and Horticulture. He joined the Faculty at Texas A&M University in 1972. Dr. Welch writes a monthly column for Southern Living magazine and contributes regularly to Neil Sperry's Gardens magazine and others. He is also a contributing editor for the HORTICULTURE UPDATE newsletter.

As a Professor and Texas AgriLife Extension Service Horticulturist, Dr. Welch provides educational information and programs for county extension agents, nursery professionals, and civic groups, as well as the general public. In November 1988, the Texas Agricultural Extension Service presented Dr. Welch with the Superior Service Award citing his successful educational programs.

Dr. Welch has been instrumental in developing the Texas Certified Nursery Professional program and currently serves on the Board of that organization within the Texas Association of Nurserymen. In 1986, he was presented the Arp Award by the Texas Association of Nurserymen for his conttibutions to the Texas nursery industry.

He has served on the Board of the Texas Garden Clubs, Inc. as Landscape Design Chairman for the past 24 years and has been awarded a Lifetime membership in that organization. He is a past president and an honorary member of the Board of Directors of the Southern Garden History Society. In May, 1993, Dr. Welch was made a Member-at-large of the Garden Club of America in recognition of his programs and writings on exploring and interpreting our gardening heritage. In 2007 Zone 9 of the Garden Club of America recognized him for his contributions toward the preservation of our gardening heritage and in 2008 he was presented their Distinguished Service medal for his passion, knowledge and unselfish contributions in the name of horticulture. In June, 2009 the American Horticulture Society is presenting the Great American Gardeners Award to Dr. Welch for his acocmplishments in gardening communications.

Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color,
sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agricuture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating. If you wish to attend this sessionplease call to rsvp at 903.536.2531 by Sept. 9, 2010.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Texas Agrilife Extension Service Master Gardners tour local tree farm

2010-08-16T07:35:00.000-05:00

On august 6 the interns of the Texas Agrilife Extension Service Master Gardner program took a trip to the Riley Fuzzel tree farm in Oakwood, Tx. Riley Fuzzel Farm is a family owned and operated wholesale nursery and tree farm and has been growing "superior plants and trees" since 1996. They have pride in capability of supplying the wholesale needs of landscape contractors, other growers, and retail plant nurseries of any size in greater Houston Metropolitan Area specifically, Spring and The Woodlands. The Fuzzel farm in Oakwood is a branch from the original farm in Spring, Texas. This farm has 40 acres of various different types of plants such as Oaks, Pines, Magnolias, Red Buds, Wax Myrtles, and several other specialty landscape trees. All of the landscape trees are grown in 15g, 30g, 45g, and 65g containers, offering a wider variety to their landscape and retail nursery customers. The Riley Fuzzel Tree production in Oakwood is a "pot-in-pot" method of growing trees. They have a “moat" pot in the ground and are able to transfer our trees as they grow from 15 gallon to 30 gallon, to 45 gallon, etc. This keeps a tree in rotation in the original pots at all times, also encourages the root ball of the tree to continue to grow nearly year-round. This method insulates the root-ball ultimately allowing them to offer better quality wholesale landscape trees to their customers. The employees of the Riley Fuzzel Tree farm gave a excellent tour of the farm by showing the interns many different steps in the growing process. After a brief history lesson the manager demonstrated to the interns the different ways of watering and the different sizes and types of “pot-in-pot” methods they use on the farm. Once the interns had a grasp on where the trees would stay for their life on the farm, interns observed how the staff transplanted trees from one size pot to the next size up. They explained what type of potting soil and fertilizer that used. Once the plant has its new pot it is taken to the designated area to grow until its next pot size. After this the most time consuming process was explained and this was pruning the different type of trees. On the farm the staff had this task down and could move through trees with ease. The staff demonstrated how to prune the tree to mold it into the shape they desire. A couple of the interns took their turns in pruning the different trees and had a blast. At the end of the tour the people at the Riley Fuzzel Tree farm planted a tree on behalf of the Master Gardner program. On behalf of the Master Gardner program, Texas Agrilife Extension service we would like to thank the Riley Fuzzel Tree farm forsuch a educational experience! Educational programs of Texas Agrilife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Picture 1: In this caption you see the manager of the Riley Fuzzel tree farm demonstrate to the Texas Agrilife Extension Service Master Gardner interns how they help the plant to grow straight.

Picture 2: Riley Fuzzel Tree farm manager demonstrate to the Texas Agrilife Extension Serve Master Gardner Interns how they use bamboo rods to guide the trees growth.

Picture 3:Riley Fuzzel Tree Farm manager demonstrates to the Texas Agrilife Extension Service Master Gardners the bump up process at the farm.

paws and pals

2010-08-16T07:22:00.002-05:00

Paws and Pals, the 4-H project for kids who love dogs, is sponsoring AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Classes and AKC Canine Good Citizens classes beginning Tuesday, September 7th - October 26th, 2010. Classes will be held at the Centerville Show Barn. S.T.A.R. puppy classes will begin at 5:30pm and last 50 minutes. Canine Good Citizen classes will begin at 6:30 and last 50 minutes.

The AKC S.T.A.R (S=Socialization T=Training A=Activity R=Responsibility) Puppy Program is designed to get dog owners and their puppies off to the right start. These classes will teach you the best way to communicate with your puppy and an opportunity to socialize your puppy with other dogs and people. A few of the lessons taught include coming when called, sit, down and walking on a leash. After the 8 week course, you and your puppy will be administered the AKC S.T.A.R puppy test. All puppies who pass will be eligible to enroll in the AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Program. You will receive the AKC S.T.A.R puppy medal and a puppy package including a certificate designating your puppy as a S.T.A.R puppy. All dogs are welcome to participate in the training, mixed breed or purebred. Puppies must be at least 6 weeks old and no more than 12 months. This training is a natural lead-in to the AKC Canine Good Citizen training. Please do NOT bring your puppy to the first class.

The AKC Canine Good Citizen program is designed to teach all dogs good manners at home and in the community. Dogs need not be purebred, all dogs are welcome. Upon completion of the course, a CGC evaluator will administer a 10 step test. All dogs who pass may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club. The AKC CGC program provides a great foundation for training in other activities such as Rally, Obedience and Agility. 4-H members may compete in these activities at 4-H dog shows throughout the year and at the State Dog Show every July. The training also results in a well-mannered dog who is a joy to live with. Please bring your dog to the first class.

Adult and youth handlers are welcome. The fee for non 4-H member is $40.00. These classes are a major fund raising project of Leon County Paws and Pals 4-H Dog Project. Participation by adults and their dogs is offered as a community service. Funds derived from these participants will be used to support activities of this group. There is no fee for 4-H members.

Please call Project Leader, Becky Lord at 903-322-2191 or email rebecca_lord@msn.com to register or for more information.

What is the Death Tax?

2010-08-09T07:25:00.002-05:00

The death tax (a.k.a., the federal estate tax) is a tax applied to the transfer of a person’s assets at death. It is defined by the Internal Revenue Service as “a tax on your right to transfer property at your death.”[1]

Under current law, the estate tax was repealed for one year on January 1, 2010. On January 1, 2011 the estate tax is set to return at a rate of 55 percent on all assets above a $1 million exemption amount.

The estate tax is imposed on any and all life-savings. This includes:

• personal property (such as a home, cars, furniture, artwork)

• business assets (property, machinery and inventory)

• investments (stocks, bonds and real estate)

The estate tax is paid by the recipients of an inheritance – most often family heirs – and is due within 9 months of the decedent’s death. If the heirs do not have sufficient cash, personal property and business assets must be sold to pay the tax.

In the case of family business owners and farmers, the tax often exceeds the ability of the family to pay. These heirs are consequently forced to sell off part, if not all, of their enterprise in order to pay the tax.

To learn more on the subject The Texas Agrilife Extension Service and Leon County Farm Bureau will be providing an educational program on September 10, 2010 at 12:00noon in the First United Methodist Church in Centerville. To register for this program call 903.536.2531. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

New Director Named at Tiny Tigers

2010-08-09T07:24:00.000-05:00

Effective Monday, August 16, Donna Starnes Bodine, a graduate of Centerville High School and 1994 graduate of Tarleton State University, begins management of the daily activities at Tiny Tigers Daycare and Preschool.

“It is exciting to have such a highly-qualified, director,” board member Wendy Neyland said. “The board and Mrs. Bodine are willing to do what it takes to maintain the quality of child care established at the center.”

Mrs. Bodine most recently worked as a Centerville ISD Classroom Substitute Teacher. Prior to moving back to Centerville she served as Children’s Ministry Director and Sunday School Superintendent for Peniel Church of the Nazarene in Greenville, Texas where she implemented rotational workshops for children’s Sunday School. She also served as a teacher/ coach at Austin Academy for Excellence where she was named teacher of the year in 2003. In 1998, 2003, and 2004 Mrs. Bodine was a recipient of the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers Award.

Bodine brings over fifteen years of educational experience to her new position. She also has over 231 hours of advanced academic training. Donna, the mother of James Dawson, a student at Centerville Elementary, and her husband Bo, are planning to reside in the Leona area.

Tiny Tigers was opened two years ago as a mission of the First United Methodist Church of Centerville, Texas. Its goal was to provide a faith-based option for childcare in our rural community. Tiny Tigers now offers a variety of childcare options to meet the needs of our parents and students. Our enrichment programs provided by local volunteers continues to grow at current time we have music, Physical Education, and Chapel once a week. Tiny Tigers is always open for other enrichment opportunities if you are interested please contact Mrs. Bodine at her office at 903.536.4656.

Original director Ms. Judy Wylie will be moving to the Head Start program in Buffalo as of August 13, 2010 which will be closer to her home in Jewett, Texas. The board of Tiny Tigers, students, parents and church family will defiantly miss Ms. Judy but we wish her luck in her new opportunity.

Bodine will greet current parents and families during office hours starting August 16, 2010. If you have a child needing the services of Tiny Tigers feel free to contact Mrs. Bodine at 903.536.4656 to set up an appointment or tour of the facility.

“Tiny Tigers” currently provides childcare and early childhood education for infants through kindergarten. The hours of operation are 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Enrollment is open to all area children. For information about enrollment and monthly rates, please call 903.536.4656.

Pic caption:Donna Starnes Bodine Named New Director of Tiny Tigers

Daycare and Preschool

Chute N The Bull 8-9-10

2010-08-09T07:19:00.000-05:00

A will. Once the inventory is complete, one will then have a rough estimate of the gross value of the estate and the options available to transfer certain assets. This will be important in determining if the estate will be subject to an estate tax. In addition, preparation will greatly improve the efficiency of time spent with an attorney.
Federal estate tax laws are in a stage of uncertainty. For 2010, there is no federal estate tax on estates of decedents who pass during 2010. On Jan. 1, 2011, the federal estate tax will become 55 percent on the amount of an estate that exceeds $1 million. There is speculation that Congress will pass legislation before the end of 2010 that will change the federal estate tax law. Depending on the prediction one reads, the exemption could increase from $1 million to somewhere between $3.5 and $5 million, and the estate tax rate could be lowered to 35 or 45 percent. Do not let uncertainty of future laws cause you to delay planning. Plan for the worst and hope for the best. Reputable estate attorneys will know the latest developments on estate tax legislation.

Hiring an attorney is an important step in the planning process. Seek an attorney who is competent in estate planning and preferably one who also has knowledge of production agriculture. Your perseverance in finding the right attorney will be worth the effort.

Often there are multiple objectives in planning an estate. Objectives could include such things as reducing estate taxes, minimizing probate costs and transferring assets to those of one's choosing. Caution should be exercised because certain objectives could take priority over providing sufficient income for the owner(s) of the estate.

Once a plan starts to develop and a draft has been completed, it is wise to schedule a time to communicate with potential heirs. Heirs should have an opportunity to respond in case a bequest The time will eventually come when each one's estate will be transferred to another person or persons. No one knows exactly when that time will be, but it is often assumed that it will be later rather than sooner. Therefore, many postpone estate planning because it is thought there will be plenty of time to attend to it later. This is a mistake.

Planning one's estate often requires making some difficult decisions. Making these tough decisions can lead to delay in the planning process. However, if a person fails to make the decisions about the transfer of their estate, then the state will make those decisions for them according to statutes under the laws of descent. Even though planning for the estate transfer is not easy, most will want to determine who receives their estate instead of leaving that decision to the state government.

Planning generally starts by compiling an inventory of one's estate. The inventory would include how title is held for certain assets along with an approximate value of each asset. How the title is held will impact the options for transferring the asset. For example, if title is held as joint tenancy with right of survivorship, the surviving tenant will receive that asset. The asset cannot be bequeathed by will to anyone else. If title of an asset is held as tenancy in common, each tenant or owner's share can pass to an heir or heirs under is actually a liability rather than a blessing. Communication will also ease possible surprise and stress later and give one's heir(s) time to make appropriate plans themselves.

Start planning today if you have not already done so. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Chute N The Bull 7-30-10

2010-07-30T09:06:00.002-05:00

Outbreak of armyworms and/or grasshoppers. If you have lush green pasture – or any pasture, for that matter – it may be a prime target.

The first step to combating these pests is to properly scout for them. I usually recommend scouting every two to three days, but, this year, it may be worth looking every day for the first two to three weeks after small grain emergence. For both pests, I prefer to scout first thing in the morning when the insects are moving more slowly from the cooler temperatures. This also gives me the rest of the day to get the field sprayed, if needed.

For grasshoppers, start by looking around field edges, fences, ditches and weedy areas. Count the number of grasshoppers you see in a one-square-foot area. Move about 50 feet and count again. Do this 18 times and divide by two to get the number of grasshoppers per square yard. Typically, the treatment threshold is three per square yard in wheat and seven to 10 per square yard in the vegetation next to a wheat field. However, this is calculated based on the average value of the wheat. This year, the fall wheat forage is probably worth much more considering the shortage of forage and hay in many areas. Therefore, the treatment threshold may be lower.

Some general-use chemicals for grasshopper control in wheat are dimethoate, malathion and carbaryl. Restricted-use pesticides include, but are not limited to, lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos, zeta-cypermethrin, methyl parathion and gamma-cyhalothrin. Best control will occur when grasshoppers are small, before they have wings.

For fall armyworms, start by watching for moth flights. You know when this occurs by the severity of gray moths that cover your windshield when driving at night. This is the time when the moths are laying eggs. Two to 10 days later, the eggs hatch and larvae begin feeding in hoards. Young larvae are slightly greenish and have black heads. Mature larvae vary from greenish to grayish brown, have stripes running lengthwise down their sides and have a light tan or yellow inverted "Y" on their brown heads. Count the number of larvae found in a square foot or per foot of row. Do this in 10 places around the field and average the number. Typically, the treatment threshold is three to four larvae per foot of row or square foot with feeding damage evident. Again, that threshold may need to be lower this year.

Some general-use chemicals for fall armyworm control in wheat are carbaryl and spinosad. Restricted-use pesticides include, but are not limited to, lambda-cyhalothrin, methomyl, methyl parathion, zeta-cypermethrin and gamma-cyhalothrin.

There are also other armyworms, including beet armyworms. Scouting will be similar, but the chemical selection is narrower. For beet armyworms, try zeta-cypermethrin.

Whatever chemical you use, be sure to read and follow all label directions, including grazing restrictions. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Jim Dunnam

2010-07-30T09:02:00.000-05:00

Rep Jim Dunnam presents a Texas Flag that flew over the State Capitol to Leon County 4H Vice President Reagan Robertson at the at the Leon County 4H Banquet. The following week his office provided a guided tour of our states capitol to local members.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Leon County 4H Council Retreat

2010-07-30T09:00:00.000-05:00

Corn, Boxes, and the Guadalupe Builds Leadership for Leon County 4-H?
Sixteen youth and 4 adults can now tell you how a river, corn, boxes,
and a gold vault are all part of a 3-day trip in and around the State
Capital. The Leon County 4-H Council traveled to New Braunfels and
Austin, July 19-20, 2010, for the annual Council Leadership Retreat.
While on the trip down to the river, County Extension Agents Tommy and
Wendy Neyland, Program Assistant Cayla Christianson, and Intern Wade
Elliot had a surprise stop in store for the group!
As the Leon County 4-H Council arrived at the Capital Area Food Bank in
Austin, Council members were excited to lend a helping hand. Almost 1 in
5 people in Central Texas are at risk of experiencing hunger. The food
bank in Austin sends out over a million pounds of food every week.

They have many food dealers who give them special deals on food in order to

send to 21 counties in Texas. This community service stop began building

boxes for the Summer Food Service Program. The Summer Food Service

Program (SFSP) is a federally funded program that provides free meals to

children ages 18 and under during the summer, when National School Lunch

and School Breakfast Program meals are not available. SFSP ensures
children have the nutrition they need so that they are ready learn when
school starts in the fall. After the 4-H Council members made many boxes
assembly line style, they moved on to a staging room, which quickly
earned the name of “the corn room” from Council members. There, Council
members sorted and bagged ears of corn to be put into boxes to be
shipped out in the Fresh Food for Families program. Each person had a
different job. Whether it was bagging, weighing, tying, or packing the
corn, each one was equally as important. After cleaning up, Council
members toured the entire food bank. Once the tour was finished, the
Leon County 4-Hers were back on the road again to head to the river!

Once at the river, teams were formed to cook the different meals during

the stay at the river. Also that night the Council met around the

campfire and questioned how to help make their 4-H program better. The
next day the group hit the river on rafts for teambuilding activities
led by experienced guides from Rockin’ R River Rides. During the trip
down the river the guide had many games to incorporate leadership,
teamwork, and communication. It was a blast to see each team work
together to get through the games and the rapids! The river experience
was wrapped up with discussion about the experiences had on the river
and how Council members could go back and make their 4-H clubs better.
The trip concluded with a stop at the State Capital! The Leon County 4-H
Council and 4-H members from Robertson and Falls counties all received
a behind the scenes tour of the Speaker of the House quarters, the gold

vault, and many other areas of the Capital which are not open to just

anyone. Texas House Representative Jim Dunnam’s staffer Russell Devorsky

led the tour. Once our tour was finished Leon County 4-H members visited

the office of Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Todd Staples. There,

Deputy Commissioner Drew DeBerry spoke to the group about the recent

activities of the Department of Agriculture.

This trip was a huge success to get Leon County 4-H Council members away

from their hometowns and think outside the box to find ways to make
things better in the Leon County 4-H program. Council members also saw
many different areas of the Capital and behind-the-stage processes. As
the community gives to the youth, the 4-H members gave a little back by
participating at the Capital Area Food Bank. The Council had a blast and
is looking forward to making another trip next year!

Pic1: Leon County 4-H Council members participated in teambuildingrafting down the Guadalupe River with Rockin’ R River Rides.

Pic2: Leon County 4-H Council members preparing corn for the Fresh Food

for Families program at the Capital Area Food Bank in Austin.

Pic3: Leon County Dunnam’s office at the State Capital on July 21, 2010. Pictured are TJ
Tadlock, Taylor McGill, Andy Johnson, James Knippa, Shayla Roddey,
Kastan Martin, Taylor Biddle, David Roach, Sara Ewing, Reagan Robertson,
Caleb Wright, Layne Wilson, Cayla Christianson, Tyler Spillman, Cassie
Ferguson, Jacob Rodell, Leana Gore, Wendy Neyland, Wade Elliot, and
Tommy Neyland

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 7-26-10

2010-07-23T16:11:00.002-05:00

Chute N The Bull

Aquatic vegetation is the proper name for the "moss" seen in ponds and other bodies of water. Unfortunately, many people do not view aquatic vegetation in a favorable light, with coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum) being a species that is often viewed negatively. In truth, coontail has both positive and negative attributes, and methods are available to control its growth.

Coontail is classified as a submerged aquatic species, meaning it grows below the surface of the water. It is a free-floating, rootless, perennial native aquatic plant that is capable of forming dense colonies covering large areas of water. The green, forked, serrated leaves are relatively stiff and are arranged in whorls on the stem. These leaves have a strong resemblance to a raccoon's tail which is probably how coontail got its name. The plant is found in ponds, lakes and streams across the United States, Mexico, Canada and much of the world. It reproduces through very small seeds and fragmentation. Fragmentation occurs when a portion of the plant breaks off and becomes a new plant. Coontail and other aquatic plants spread to new areas when impoundments containing the plants overflow into other water bodies or when seeds or fragments are introduced by birds, boats, livestock, etc.

Coontail can be either desirable or undesirable depending on the management goals for a particular body of water. Desirable attributes may include increasing species diversity, limiting unwanted fishing, creating fish habitat, providing food for waterfowl and improving water clarity. When coontail is excessive, undesirable effects can include a reduction of open water, creation of a "scummy" appearance, limiting of desirable fishing access, interfering with boating and swimming, stunting fish by hiding too many from predators and becoming invasive.

Water clarity typically improves with abundant underwater aquatic vegetation such as coontail. Coontail can be considered desirable when managing for waterfowl and fisheries. The leaves and seeds of coontail are eaten by waterfowl, and it provides a home for a variety of aquatic insects. These insects then serve as food for many species of fish and waterfowl. Coontail also provides cover for small fish, which is probably more important in relatively clear ponds. As a rule of thumb, aquatic vegetation may become counterproductive in an impoundment managed for sport fishing when it covers more than 25 percent of the surface area. With this in mind, it is not typically recommended to plant coontail in a sport fishing impoundment due to its aggressive growth.

Due to coontail's potentially rapid growth, many managers assume control is needed. Before attempting to control this or any other aquatic vegetation, determine the pros and cons of the plant relative to the goals for an impoundment. It may not need controlling, but there are several options if it does.

Herbicides with active ingredients such as 2,4-D, diquat, endothall and fluridone have been shown to be successful in treating coontail, but results are often short-term and expensive. Use caution when using herbicides to avoid decreasing dissolved oxygen levels, which can cause a fish kill. When using herbicides, always read and follow directions on the label. Grass carp have been proven effective for long-term control when stocked at the proper rate. Studies have shown grass carp will eat coontail, but only after eating other more preferred aquatic plants. Fish barriers should be installed in pond spillways before stocking grass carp. These structures reduce the likelihood of grass carp escaping the impoundment, entering public waters and making future management decisions difficult due to the unknown population. Check with your state wildlife and fisheries agency for grass carp stocking regulations. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless

of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Area Go Texan

2010-07-23T16:10:00.000-05:00

Leon County Area Go Texan

What: Steak Dinner

When: August 14, 2010

Where: Jewett Community Center

Win: $5000.00

The Leon County Area Go Texan Committee has made a commitment to the youth of Leon County. We are offering a $1000.00 scholarship to one student from each school in our county. In addition to the money we are giving, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has made available a $15,000.00 scholarship to one student from our county. In order to accomplish these goals, we need your help. On August 14, 2010 we invite you to our steak dinner and auction at the Jewett Civic Center for a chance to win $5000.00. Tickets are $100.00 and are good for two steak dinners and a chance to win $5000.00. There will also be a silent auction the night of the event. Only 150 tickets will be sold.

Please contact one of our members today. For tickets or more information contact 903.536.2531 or 903.536.2509 or 903.536.2202. Thank you for your support!

Notice 2 swine tags

2010-07-23T16:08:00.002-05:00

All Leon County 4-H and FFA Members wishing to show swine projects at the

Major Shows in Texas in 2011 need to order tags by contacting the Texas
Agrilife Extension Service at 903.536.2531 by Sept 13, 2010. Each tag will
cost $10.00 and the tags will not be ordered until payment is received.
Members may order by mail by sending payment to the Leon County 4-H P.O. Box
188 Centerville, Texas 75833. Extension programs serve of all ages
regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability,
or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

NOTICE!!!

2010-07-23T16:07:00.000-05:00

All Leon County 4-H and FFA Members wishing to show lamb or goat projects at the Major Spring 2011 Shows in Texas need to order tags by contacting the Texas Agrilife Extension Service at 903.536.2531 by August 23, 2010. Each tag will cost $10.00 and the tags will not be ordered until payment is received. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

LEON COUNTY 4-H STARS!

2010-07-20T07:22:00.001-05:00

This past year was filled with many new and exciting things for every 4-H member. Those who were returning members were already aware of the many opportunities for learning, recreation, and enjoyment that 4-H has to offer. New members became familiar with the activities available and took advantage of them. Friday, July 16, 2010, at 7:00 PM, over 150 in attendance celebrated the success of the 2009-2010 year at the Leon County 4-H Awards Banquet held at the First Baptist Church, Centerville.

The Rookie of the Year is the highest award that a first year 4-H member can receive in Leon County. Each year, a Rookie of the year is chosen at the community club level and then one individual is chosen as the county Rookie of the Year Award Winner. You may only receive the County Rookie of the Year Award once. The following were recognized.

Buffalo 4-H Rookie of the year Award
Marshal Jonas

The Leon 4-H Club Rookie of the year Awrad
Chelsea Harter

The Leon County Rookie of the year Award
Marshal Jonas of the Buffalo 4-H Club

The Bronze Star is the highest award that a Junior 4-H member can receive in Leon County. Each year, a Bronze Star is chosen at the community club level and then one individual is chosen as the county Bronze Star Award Winner. You may only receive the County Bronze Star Award once. The following were recognized:

Buffalo 4-H Bronze Star Award
Natalie Freeman

Centerville 4-H Bronze Star Award
Emma Apitzsch

Normangee 4-H Bronze Star Award
Jordan Ruffeno

Leon 4H Club Bronze Star Award
Chelsea Harter

Oakwood 4H Bronze Star Award
Charlee Cockrell

The Leon County Bronze Star Award
Charlee Cockrell of the Oakwood 4-H Club

The Silver Star is the highest award that an Intermediate 4-H member can receive in Leon County. Each year, a Silver Star is chosen at the community Club Level and then one individual is chosen as the county Silver Star Award Winner. You may only receive the County Silver Star Award once. The following were recognized.

Buffalo 4-H Silver Star Award
Clayton McGill

Centerville 4-H Silver Star Award
Cody Oden

Normangee 4-H Silver Star Award
Justin Ruffeno

Leon County 4-H Silver Star Award
Clayton McGill of the Buffalo 4-H Club

The Gold Star Award is the highest county level achievement award made available through Texas 4-H. It will be awarded only once in a member’s 4-H career. Counties have award quotas based on the number of senior 4-H members. The award is presented to the most deserving young people without regard to gender. The following are minimum requirements that must be met:

1. The member must be at least 15 years of age as of August 31 of the current year of the award and must have completed at least 3 years in 4-H, including the current year.

2. The member must submit an awards program record book in the year he or she is to be considered for the award.

3. The member must have completed projects in three different project areas, have submitted appropriate records on the projects, and have participated in one or more activities in at least three of the following areas:

º Method demonstration/4-H presentation contests

º Projects

º Citizenship activities

º Project exhibits

º Leadership labs

º Public relations (speeches, poster displays, radio, TV, newspapers)

This year Leon County has three Gold Star winners!
David Roach of Buffalo 4H
Kelcey Cockrell of Oakwood 4H
Taylor McGill of Buffalo 4H

The purpose of the Friend of 4-H Award is to recognize individuals, business, organizations, agencies or other institutions who have provided significant support to the Leon County 4-H program. Nominations were made by each community 4-H Club in Leon County and were narrowed to those who provide sustained and significant support to the 4-H program success in Leon County. The following supporters received the Friend of 4-H Award this year:

1. Dean Player
2. Richard Scoggin
3. Jack Thomason
4. Cathey Nichols
5. Jay Winn
6. Jerry Burger
7. Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Ewing
8. Jerry Klawinsky
9. Elbert Roberts

Star Project Awards are given to those 4-H members who completed and submitted a Record book in their respective project area. Record books are judged by a panel of judges and ranked. The top ranking Record book is the Star Project Award winner. 4-H Members recognized as Star Project Award Winners were:

Star Junior Beef Award
Jordan Ruffeno

Star Junior Clothing & Textiles Award
Chelsea Harter

Star Junior Food and Nutrition Award
Charlee Cockrell

Star Junior Goat Award
Natalie Freeman

Star Intermediate Beef Award
Tobe Johnson

Star Intermediate Health Award
Abby Apitzsch

Star Intermediate Goat Award
Logan Freeman

Star Intermediate Poultry Award
Cody Oden

Star Intermediate Conservation of Natural Resources Award
Blake McCarty

Star Intermediate Vet Science Award
Andy Johnson

Star Intermediate Swine Award
Clay McGill

Star Senior Conservation of Natural Resources
Caleb Wright

Star Senior Beef Award
Jacob Rodell

Star Senior Leadership Award
Kelcey Cockrell

Star Senior Swine Award
Taylor McGill

Star Senior Goat Award
Kayla Ray

Star Senior Clothing & Textiles Award
Cassie Ferguson

Star Senior Citizenship and Civic Education Award
David Roach

The Leon County 4-H program continues to grow each year. Growth within the county is always great but it is exceptional when we see our members excelling beyond the boundaries of Leon County. This year, over 100 member of Leon County 4-H competed at a level above the county competition and are paving the way
for future 4-H members in Leon County. This group was recognized and given an award for their efforts.
Colton Adams      Jeremy Flake
Melanie Barnett      Jessica Flake
William Barnett      Seth folsom
Cade Beshears      Logan Freeman
Ross Beshears      Natalie Freeman
Francisco del Bosque     Makayla Gillman
Sarah Burchfield      Leanna Gore
Courtney Clark      Hayley Hamilton
Edmund Clark      McKinzie Hamilton
Cade Cleveland      Kaegan Hibbard
Cole Cleveland      Kortni Hibbard
Charlee Cockrell      Savanna Howle
Kelcey Cockrell      Jacob hulsey
Bradie Crowley      Sunnee Hulsey
Logan Cummings      Tawishia Hulsey
Taylor Cummings      Andy Johnson
Justin DeBorde       Gatlynn Johnson
Ben Dittmar      Tobe Johnson
Ashlyn Duck      Macey Jonas
Aj Easterling      Marshal Jonas
Alysta Feauto      Mason Jonas
Brielle Faeauto      Bradley Kelly
Jacob Fisheck    Sarah King
Jarrett Fiskeck     Faith Lipsey
Pete Lipsey     Tony Madonado
Blake McCarty     Ryan McCarty
Clayton McGill      Taylor McGill
Bryan Moore     Morgan Mulson
Cody Oden     Dylan Pistone
Patrick Pringle     Shayne Pringle
Kayla Ray     David Roach
James Roach      Reagaon Robertson
Tyler Spillman      Taylot Sullivan
Bradford Tatum      Erin Trahan
Natalie Uptmore      Justin Vann
Aaron Wilson      Layne Wilson
Kaleb Wood      Nathaniel Young

New to the Leon County 4-H Banquet this year is a special recognition. It is our Courage to Change Award.

This award is in honor of Dick Wallrath. Mr. Wallrath, owner of Champion Ranch in Centerville, gave $1,420,000 in scholarships to Texas 4-H and FFA students this summer. The scholarships were given through the Dick Wallrath Educational Foundation, which will continue to give $10,000 to 142 students annually through an endowment funded by Wallrath. Mr Wallrath believes in investing in Texas 4-H and FFA youth because they are taught lessons in character and morality.

Chosen by the County 4-H Council peers, this award is given to the member who has most improved their leadership skills over the past year. This year’s recipient has not only showed this quality but also gave his full dedication to the Leon County 4-H Program. This year’s recipient of the Courage to Change Award was.
Jacob Rodell- Buffalo 4-H

Also New to the Leon County 4-H Banquet this year was a special recognition Leadership Award

This Award is in honor of Elaine Starnes and the leadership she conveyed during her time spent with the 4-h program. Mrs. Starnes played a big role in the leadership of food and nutrition and also for the fashion show. Once Mrs. Starnes children graduated she didn’t stop there, she continued to be a leader and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Mrs. Starnes volunteered to judge at various counties and also helped her grandson along the way. Mrs. Starnes volunteered a total of 34 years of her time to help 4-H kids grow up and become great leaders. Its only appropriate that Leon County 4-H present this leadership award in her honor. Today we are presenting this award to a 4-H member who has shown this kind of leadership throughout the past year. This year’s Elaine Starnes Leadership award recipient was
Ryan McCarty- Centerville 4-H

The evening concluded with recognizing 4-H club managers. Without 4-H club managers, 4-H would not exist. The following are instrumental club managers in Leon County:

Jennifer McGill
Rachel Gonce
Robin Schafer
Ruth Spillman
Patty Winkler
Audra Watson
Becky Cockrell
Kim Wright
Andrea Freeman

Chute N The Bull 7-19-10

2010-07-20T07:12:00.000-05:00

Grasshoppers are considered an intermittent problem in Oklahoma and North Texas pastures. However, when they are present in large numbers, the damage can be severe. Before grasshoppers develop into a problem, producers need to determine a treatment threshold and plan of action for their operations. To set the threshold, consider the developmental stages of the grasshoppers and crop, value of the crop, weather conditions and cost of control.

Although there are many grasshopper species, only five cause most of the damage in our area. These are the differential, migratory, two-striped, red-legged and Packard grasshoppers. Their life cycles consist of the egg stage (where most over-winter), five to six instar stages and the adult stage.

During late summer and fall, eggs are deposited up to 2 inches below the soil surface in fallow fields, ditches, fencerows and other weedy areas. The eggs hatch in spring or early summer, depending on soil temperature. The nymphs will feed on tender weeds and grasses near the hatching sites until they reach adulthood in 40 to 60 days, when most develop wings and become highly mobile.

Mating and egg laying activity begins within three weeks of reaching adulthood. The adults may live up to two more months, depending on the weather, with daily dry matter consumption of 30 percent to 250 percent of their body weight. A general rule of thumb is that 30 pounds of grasshoppers is equivalent to a 600-pound steer in terms of dry matter consumption.

Determining the economic threshold for grasshopper treatment is almost as much art as science. The potential for an economic grasshopper infestation begins with the number of eggs laid the previous fall. Optimum conditions for emergence and survival of the nymphs are warm, dry conditions with sparse vegetation that allow adequate soil warming. Once the hatch begins, weather conditions and the amount of available forage are the primary factors in determining population development.

If drought or overgrazed conditions are prevalent, then forage production is decreased, and competition for available forage will reduce the number of grasshoppers that can be tolerated. A well-managed, healthy crop can usually tolerate significantly higher numbers. Infestation is usually measured in average number of grasshoppers per square yard in both field margins and interiors. Published treatment thresholds range from three to 40 per square yard depending on crop, utilization requirements and where the measurements were taken.

Grasshoppers can be suppressed by both chemical means and natural mortality. Birds, other animals and insects utilize large numbers of grasshoppers as an important food source. The naturally occurring fungus Entomophthora grylli can also cause high mortality. Grasshoppers infected with this fungus will grasp the top of a plant, extend their back legs and die in this position. Fungal spores then develop in their bodies, become airborne and infect other grasshoppers.

The fungus is most effective in warm, humid conditions. Always scout for grasshoppers in this condition prior to making a chemical application. Early chemical control may be beneficial to hatching sites such as field borders and fencerows during the nymph stages. Later in the season, if the treatment threshold is met, broadcast applications or RAAT (reduced agent and area treatment) programs may be required. RAAT is an integrated pest management based program with a reduced pesticide rate applied by alternating treated swaths with untreated swaths. Due to the mobility of adult grasshoppers, effective late-season chemical control is often difficult to obtain.

An excellent source of information on grasshoppers, including decision-making aids for identification, threshold development and treatment options is at http://www.sidney.ars.usda.gov/grasshopper/Handbook/TOC.htm.

At the time of this writing, we have been experiencing the warm, dry conditions that are ideal for grasshopper development. We can only hope that by the time you read this, the rains have come, everything is green and lush and grasshoppers won't develop into a severe problem. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension proserve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Chute n the Bull

2010-07-13T14:56:00.000-05:00

Water is the most important nutrient for livestock. Water is needed for all metabolic processes essential for life, including growth and reproduction. The amount of water animals consume is affected by many physiological and environmental factors, one of which is the quality of available water. Many producers rely on ponds to provide water for livestock, but there is little data available on pond water quality in the Southern Great Plains. Therefore, a water quality survey was conducted by the Noble Foundation to determine the effects of pond location and watershed grazing management on pond water quality in southern Oklahoma and north-central Texas.

Water samples were collected and analyzed from 83 farm ponds during the summer of 2009. Additional data were collected for each pond to determine if water quality was affected by grazing management, cattle access or location of the pond.

We found that grazing management (continuous versus rotational grazing) did not affect any of the 22 water quality parameters we measured. However, watersheds of most of the ponds we sampled were properly grazed. Overgrazing that results in poor forage stands within a watershed could contribute to erosion and nutrient transport, resulting in decreased water quality.

We also found that intensity of cattle access to the pond did not affect most measured parameters. However, cattle access did affect the level of suspended solids in pond water. Ponds that had no cattle access had significantly fewer suspended solids compared to ponds with unlimited cattle access. High levels of suspended solids have been shown to decrease water intake in cattle. This problem can be avoided by fencing off ponds to provide limited access points or using gravity-fed water troughs. Water troughs that are gravity-fed from ponds reduce the time cattle spend in ponds, which in turn can decrease fecal contamination and prevent cattle from stirring up sediments.

Our data showed that geographic location did affect water quality, but no ponds were determined to be unacceptable for use as livestock water. From south to north within our sampling area, sodium concentrations decreased, while magnesium and nitrate concentrations increased. In addition, sodium, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sulfur concentrations decreased from west to east. These findings could simply be a result of different soil types and rainfall patterns across the sampling area.

The ponds sampled were representative of a wide range of pond and watershed management systems in the south-central U.S., and most water quality parameters were within the acceptable range for livestock drinking water. However, testing your livestock water sources is the only way to know if they are acceptable for livestock use. All water sources should be tested annually at the beginning of summer to identify potential problems and assess the quality of each source.

Livestock should be provided with free-choice access to clean, quality water at all times. Contact a livestock consultant at the Noble Foundation or your local extension agent for additional information about livestock water testing. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating .

Chute N The Bull

2010-07-13T14:52:00.000-05:00

The cattle industry has made many advances over the last few decades.
Fewer cattle are producing more pounds of beef that is arguably of
better quality. There are many reasons, including improved genetics,
advances in pharmaceuticals, implementation of Beef Quality Assurance
(BQA) practices, improved management practices and other factors.
Challenges facing the cattle industry are the same as most agriculture
sectors - costs of production are increasing more rapidly than the
prices for the product, market uncertainty lies ahead and the weather is
unpredictable. How can a cow-calf producer minimize risks while
increasing the potential of positive margins for the enterprise?
To start, develop an operational program that complements your resources
and goals, incorporates the industry's best management practices,
establishes mechanisms to monitor and measure the critical production
and economic variables, minimizes expenses and strategically markets the
product. Each of these steps must be applied consistently and be
repeatable. In short, manage the operation as a business, regardless of
its size or scale. There are many successful business models in the
cattle industry. Many producers, however, are reluctant to adopt one for
various reasons: they may think that they are not large enough,
implementation is not a priority, there's not enough available time, or
there is uncertainty about what to do or how to do it. Granted, larger
operations have more options, but adopting a specific program also
brings benefits to smaller producers.
If you are a cattle producer and would like a simple cattle program that
can be planned and scheduled on a calendar basis, want to utilize the
most proven management practices in the industry, are willing to follow
a designed production protocol, are willing to keep and use meaningful
production and financial records, and desire to participate in a
producer organization dedicated to best practices, then you should
investigate the Integrity Beef program.
Integrity Beef is a terminal beef cattle program. It assists producers
in the production and marketing of ranch-raised stocker/feeder cattle
that are preconditioned and have superior growth potential. The
Integrity Beef program is directed by participating producers with
guidance from the Noble Foundation Agricultural Division. Progressive
producers formed the Integrity Beef Alliance in 2009 after several years
of the program's development. Producers and the Noble Foundation set out
to distinguish Integrity Beef by requiring standards that are above and
beyond most others. A program protocol was established through which
participating producers uniformly administer, document and report all
practices. The protocol is designed to simplify management decisions and
increase the marketability of calves through the production of uniform
and age- and source-verified cattle. Integrity Beef has advanced to the
point to which producers' calves are now commingled and marketed in
larger, uniform lots. Commingling was successfully implemented in the
Decembers of 2008 and 2009 at sanctioned Integrity Beef calf sales. This
marketing strategy works very well for small and medium producers who
cannot market truckload lots of calves.
The Integrity Beef protocol is a set of standards for a spring calving
cow-calf program and includes requirements that participants agree to as
the basis for program inclusion. Following are the basics of the
protocol.
Calves must:
• be sired by Integrity Beef-accepted bulls (see bull requirements)
• have permanent individual tag or brand identification
• be age- and source-verified as Integrity Beef program calves through
Micro Beef Technology
• be from groups with recorded first and last birth dates of the calf
crop (or individual birth dates recorded)
• be castrated and dehorned
• have individually recorded weaning weights
• be preconditioned a minimum of 45 days
• be trained to eat from a bunk and drink from a water trough
• have two doses of clostridial (one in spring), one dose of
anthelmintic and two doses of respiratory vaccine (MLV for IBR, BRSV,
PI3, BVD Types 1 and 2) given at or around weaning
• test negative for PI-BVD (persistently infected-bovine viral diarrhea)
at year one.
Cows must:
• have a breed composition of at least 50 percent British breeds (Angus,
Red Angus or Hereford)
• be no more than three-eighths Brahman influence with no Longhorn,
Corriente or dairy breed influence
• have permanent identification
• be palpated annually for pregnancy
• have annual vaccinations against respiratory disease, vibriosis and
leptospirosis (prior to the breeding season)
• have anthelmintic applied in the fall and spring
• test negative for PI-BVD upon purchase or entry into the program, and
calves from replacement females must also test PI-BVD negative.
Bulls must:
• be Angus or Charolais with EPDs in the top 20 percent of their
respective breed for weaning weight and yearling weight
• have annual vaccinations against respiratory disease, vibriosis and
leptospirosis (prior to the breeding season)
• have anthelmintic applied in the fall and spring
• have permanent identification
• have a breeding soundness exam 30-90 days prior to the breeding season
• have a 90-day breeding season maximum for a late winter/early spring
calving season
• test negative for PI-BVD upon purchase or entry into the program.
Additional requirements include:
• participants to be active Noble Foundation cooperators
• participating operations to have premise identification numbers
• operational managers to have BQA certification
• participants to annually provide preconditioning expenses to the Noble
Foundation for summary reporting
• participants to provide production, performance and economic data to
the Noble Foundation for operational annual reports.The primary costs associated with the Integrity Beef program are the age
and source verification fees, the Alliance enrollment fee and the PI-BVD
testing of new animals before they are added to the herd. Age and source
verification carries a base fee of $4 per calf with audit fees not
included. Integrity Beef Alliance enrollment is an annual $1 per calf
fee to participate in the program. Fees are assessed and collected by
the Alliance and are used as the membership designates for such things
as promotions, field trips and research.
PI-BVD testing costs about $4 and is conducted by testing services such
as Cattle Stats LLC and the Oklahoma Animal Disease and Diagnostic
Laboratory at Oklahoma State University. The producer is responsible for
contacting a service for PI-BVD testing and is responsible for
associated expenses.
As participants in Integrity Beef, producers receive ongoing services
from the Noble Foundation consultation program. This service includes
assessments of land and livestock resources, and reports providing
annual production and economic summaries of the operation. Members who
maintain annual reporting requirements also receive annual summary
statistics (individual production information remains confidential) from
the overall program.
When Integrity Beef cattle have been marketed in large lot sizes, calves
have demonstrated the ability to top the market within each class
represented on any particular sale day. On Dec. 2, 2009, Integrity Beef
producers marketed approximately 1,200 head of commingled calves for a
$5.72 per hundredweight premium over all other cattle marketed that day.
Similar premiums are consistently reported from participating producers
who retained ownership to heavier weights and/or marketed their cattle
independently.
The largest benefit from participation in the Integrity Beef program is
the advancement of operational objectives through a proven cow-calf
business model. The system can be confidently planned and administered
backed by the knowledge that other producers are producing a more
uniform and marketable product under the protocol. Additionally, the
Noble Foundation continues to support this program through consultation
and education. One Integrity Beef producer recently explained his
reasons for participation, "The program has me doing all the right
things because it is the right thing to do for the beef industry.
Following Integrity Beef standards, I know what to do, when to do it and
can now run my operation as a business."
The Integrity Beef program requires discipline, and it is not for
everyone. If, however, you are ready to take your cow-calf operation to
the next level, contact Hugh Aljoe, consultation program manager and
acting executive director of the Integrity Beef Alliance at 580-223-5810
or speak to a Noble Foundation agricultural consultant for more
information. You can find this and past articles on the web at
http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension
programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race,
color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M
University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless
of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or
national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

P.A.T

2010-06-28T13:00:00.002-05:00

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will host a Private Applicator Training on July 23, 2010. Participants must pre-register in the Texas Agrilife Extension office on or before July 21, 2010. The training will begin with sign in from 8:00am to 8:30am in the Leon County Annex Grand Activity Room. Following the training Mr. Brad Tullis with The Texas Department of Agriculture will administer the test. Their will be a $35.00 fee due upon registration of this training. Training will be from 8:30am to 12:00noon and the test will be given at 1:00pm. For more information please contact the Texas Agrilife Extension Service at 903.536.2531 or at leon-tx@tamu.edu We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact Texas Agrilife Extension three days before the event to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that will be required. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

2010 Master Gardener Program in Leon County!

2010-06-28T12:57:00.000-05:00

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will begin a new
program for Master Gardeners on July 30, 2010. This highly trained core
of volunteers will assist with programs and projects in Leon County.
Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active
interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. They are
enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and able to
communicate with diverse groups of people. What really sets Master
Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in
horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master
Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their Extension
office to provide horticultural-related information to their
communities. Please ask yourself these questions as you consider this
training program.

Is the Master Gardener Program for Me?

To help you decide if you should apply to be a Master Gardener, ask
yourself these questions:

• Do I want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of
many types of plants?

• Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training
program?

• Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my
community?

• Do I have enough time to attend training and to complete the
volunteer service?

If you answered yes to these questions, the Master Gardener program
could be for you. Please contact The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in
Leon County for an application at 903.536.2531. All applications must
be returned by July 23, 2010.
If accepted into the Master Gardener program in Leon County, you will
attend a Master Gardener training course. Classes are taught by Texas
Agrilife Extension Service specialists, agents, and local experts. The
program offers a minimum of 50 hours of instruction that covers topics
including lawn care, ornamental trees and shrubs, insect, disease, and
weed management; soils and plant nutrition, vegetable gardening; home
fruit production; garden flowers; and water conservation. The training
is offered July 30, 2010 through November 19, 2010 at The Leon County
Annex Great Room from 9:00am to 1:00pm every Friday.
In exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer time to
the Leon County Extension program. At least 50 hours of volunteer
service within one year following the training is required to earn the
title of "Texas Master Gardener."
The type of service done by Master Gardeners varies according to
community needs, and the abilities and interests of the Master
Gardeners. Some Master Gardeners answer telephone requests for
information related to gardening. Others staff plant clinics or displays
in shopping malls or community centers. Master Gardeners may speak to
local groups and conduct workshops. They may help establish community
garden projects, work with 4-H youth, or assist their agent with news or
radio releases related to gardening. The Master gardener Coordinator in
the Leon County Extension office decides how volunteer time can be best
utilized.
Master Gardeners are representatives of Texas Agrilife Extension, The
Texas A&M University System. In all volunteer work related to the
program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of
Texas Agrilife Extension. The title "Texas Master Gardener" can be used
by volunteers only when engaged in Extension-sponsored activities.
Participants become certified Master Gardeners after they have completed
the training course and fulfilled their volunteer commitment.

For More Information
Application forms and additional information are available from your
Leon County Extension office at 113 W. Main St. Centerville, Texas or by
email at twneyland@ag.tamu.edu
Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level,
race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The TA&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County

pic caption: Texas Master Gardener Jean Marsh explains the use of Herbs

in the Garden to the 2009 Master Gardener Class.

Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 6/27/10

2010-06-28T12:53:00.000-05:00

Heat stress can greatly impact cattle producers through decreased milk
production and subsequent calf growth, decreased reproductive
performance in cows and bulls, and decreased stocker and feeder
performance. It has been estimated that heat-related events in the
Midwest have cost the cattle industry over $75 million in the past 10
years. As summer approaches, make preparations to reduce the risk of
heat stress in your cattle.
The ideal temperature range for beef cattle is between 41° F and 77° F.
When temperatures exceed this, cattle are at risk of heat stress. Many
environmental factors affect the potential for heat stress, including
relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, ground cover, access to
water, diet, shade and nighttime temperatures. In addition, individual
animal characteristics can contribute to heat stress. These include hide
color, breed, health, adaptation, hair coat length and disposition. When
a combination of these factors and ambient temperature cause an animal's
heat load to exceed its ability to dissipate that heat, heat stress
occurs.
Identifying Heat Stress
When heat stressed, cattle exhibit many physical and behavioral changes.
Heat-stressed animals will have increased body temperatures, increased
water consumption, decreased feed consumption and decreased weight
gains. These changes may be subtle and difficult to recognize or
impractical to measure. Fortunately, there are many signs of heat stress
that are easy to recognize. The most obvious are cattle congregating in
shady areas or standing in ponds, and decreased grazing activity. You
may also notice cattle panting. According to the USDA's Agricultural
Research Service, more than 90 breaths per minute is an indication of
heat stress, and a respiration rate over 110 indicates a dangerous heat
stress level.
Tools are available to help producers identify conditions that are
potentially dangerous for cattle. The Livestock Weather Hazard Guide
provides guidelines that indicate the potential of heat stress at
different temperatures and relative humidity.
Another way to monitor heat stress conditions in your area is the Heat
Stress Forecast. The USDA has developed a Web site that reports heat
stress forecasts for the central United States. These forecasts provide
a more accurate prediction because they account for wind speed and solar
radiation in addition to temperature and humidity. This Web site can be
found at: www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=17130.
Managing Heat Stress
Provide fresh, clean water to cattle at all times. Water intake
increases during times of heat stress, so make sure that piped water can
refill tanks fast enough to keep up with cattle demand. If ponds are the
only source of water, monitor water quality throughout hot, dry periods.
Be sure that cattle have adequate shade. If shade is limited, heat
stress can be compounded by animals crowding together.
If possible, avoid working and transporting cattle during periods of
heat stress. If cattle must be worked or rotated to a new pasture, do it
as early as possible in the morning.
Heat stress can also affect the reproductive performance of cows and
bulls so plan your breeding season to avoid the hottest months. Keep in
mind that heat stress can impact semen quality for up to eight weeks.
Be prepared by planning now for heat stress. As hot weather approaches,
monitor the Heat Stress Forecast or use your local conditions with the
Livestock Weather Hazard Guide to determine the potential for heat
stress in your cattle. You can find this and past articles on the web
at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension
programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race,
color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M
University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless
of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or
national origin. ThAgriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute "N" The Bull 6-15-10

2010-06-28T12:50:00.000-05:00

At a workshop in April 2009, we discussed low-stress cattle handling techniques with beginning cattle producers. The review was also helpful to remind experienced cattlemen of the techniques we need to employ when handling cattle.

Ag Research Associate Kent Shankles demonstrates proper cattle sorting technique at the Noble Foundation's Oswalt Road Ranch. Proper positioning and use of pressure reduces stress while handling cattle.

A common misconception is that "low-stress" must mean "no pressure." That is absolutely false. Cattle, like all other animals, respond to appropriate application and release of pressure. There are times when significant pressure must be applied to get the animals to move how and when you need. Pressure, used appropriately, does not cause long-term, harmful stress.

A good cattle handler understands two key principals: flight zone (the "bubble" around an animal that, if invaded by a handler, will cause the animal to move away) and point of balance (the point, usually around the front shoulder, at which pressure in front of that point will cause the animal to stop or back up, and vice versa). When a stockman is at the edge of the flight zone and properly balanced, only slight movements are needed to control the animals in a low-stress manner. To make cattle speed up, walk against their direction of travel; to make them slow down, walk with them. As you pass the point of balance, notice how each animal responds to your movement and position.

A good stockman will stay quiet when working cattle. If cattle aren't doing what you want, it is not because they can't hear or see you. It is because you are in the wrong place doing the wrong thing. Don't yell and scream, and don't make wild movements. Move calmly, purposefully and in straight lines. Cattle will be able to predict your movements and respond appropriately to them. If you move like a predator (hesitating, followed by sudden movements and in curves around them), the cattle will treat you like a predator.

A good stockman is patient. The cattle don't care that you are late for dinner. Keep doing the right things until the cattle respond correctly. After you have mastered the art of stockmanship, you can usually work cattle quickly when you need to. But realize that if you make cattle do something before they are ready to do it, then it is no longer low-stress handling.

Train cattle how to behave every time you are with them. Go to the pen or pasture, and use these techniques to just move them around, teaching them to respond. If possible, move cattle through your corrals on their way to feed or to another pasture. Always make your cattle walk past you, single file, out of a gate. Don't let them run wildly, or they will hurt themselves and you, tear up your gates and be stressed when they finally stop.

When moving cattle from a pasture, ignore the few cattle that quit the herd. If you drive the main herd in a low-stress manner, and don't chase the few on the edge, they will usually come back to the herd of their own volition.

Work to incorporate these habits, and they will make you a better stockman. And don't say, "I'll try." "Try" is an excuse to fail. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating .

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 6-10-10

2010-06-11T07:30:00.002-05:00

Due to its high yield potential and adaptability to marginal lands, switchgrass (Panacum virgatum) has received considerable press for its potential to contribute to the growing cellulosic ethanol industry. Many producers have considered entering this new industry, but the limited information on nutrient management of switchgrass needs to be addressed. Therefore, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation established a multisite (Frederick and Burneyville, Okla.) experiment to evaluate the effects of harvest systems and nitrogen application rates on biomass production.

Following the establishment of test sites in 2008, forage was harvested after seed set (October), after frost (December) or twice per year after boot stage (July) and frost. In addition, nitrogen was applied at six rates (0, 40, 80, 120, 160 and 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre). As expected, application of 160 pounds of nitrogen per acre significantly increased forage yields for all three harvest periods. In fact, compared to application of no nitrogen, switchgrass biomass increased by 49 percent when harvested after seed set, by 27 percent when harvested after frost and by 87 percent in the two harvest system. We also found that application of nitrogen beyond 160 pounds per acre did not significantly increase forage yields. Our research showed that for each pound of nitrogen applied, per acre yield increased by 13 pounds for after seed set harvest, 15 pounds for after frost harvest and 35 pounds for twice per year harvest.

Nutrient concentrations and removal rates varied significantly by harvest system. Quantifying this is important because of the soil nutrient mining associated with switchgrass for bioenergy production. Due to high amounts of nitrogen being available to the plant, application of 160 pounds nitrogen per acre increased the forage nitrogen concentration by 68 percent compared to unfertilized switchgrass. In addition, when compared to application of no nitrogen, application of 160 pounds nitrogen per acre increased nitrogen uptake by approximately 170 percent for after seed set harvest, 122 percent for after frost harvest and 147 percent for twice per year harvest.

Phosphorus and potassium concentration and removal rates at the boot stage harvest are much greater than from post-frost harvests. When compared to adding no nitrogen, application of 160 pounds nitrogen per acre increased phosphorus uptake by approximately 55 percent for after seed set harvest, 71 percent for after frost harvest and 50 percent for twice per year harvest. When switchgrass was harvested after seed set, after frost and twice per year, nitrogen fertilization at a rate of 160 pounds per acre increased potassium uptake by 49 percent, 31 percent and 110 percent, respectively, compared to no nitrogen application.

Nutrient removal (soil mining) was generally twice as high when switchgrass was harvested twice a year. Precipitation strongly affected biomass yields across the two years of experiments. When late summer precipitation is available, it supports regrowth, resulting in greater forage yields. However, harvesting twice per year increases nutrient removal and potentially increases fertilization requirements and costs.

As in any hay production enterprise, baling and removal of forage from the land results in depleting soils of critical nutrients. However, nutrients that are mined from the soil can be recycled back if the harvested hay is fed to livestock on the same site. However, with switchgrass production for bioenergy systems, the livestock recycling is absent. Therefore, it is critical to time harvest of biomass to minimize effects on soil nutrient concentrations or to apply nutrients that were removed from the soil. In order to have a sustainable switchgrass production system, harvest at the appropriate time accompanied by regular soil tests and application of necessary nutrients are needed. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

PAT

2010-06-11T07:29:00.002-05:00

LEON COUNTY 4H STATE CHAMPIONS

2010-06-11T07:27:00.000-05:00

On June 8, 2010 the Leon County 4H Leaders 4 Life team of Reagan Robertson, Kelcey Cockrell, David Roach, Taylor McGill, Bruin Camp, and Jacob Rodell competed in the State 4H Leaders 4 Life Contest. The team placed first in the state contest and will advance to the national competition in Denver Colorado in January of 2011. Leaders 4 Life is a new 4H contest in Texas and this is the first year for this competition. Youth leadership development at the county level is currently delivered 254 different ways. Some counties conduct a thorough training while others may not even have an active County 4-H Council because they only have one 4-H club or have been unable to develop a structure that works effectively. Counties have limited resources available to help them train their County 4-H Council Teams. The Leaders 4 Life Program will provide additional resources to equip counties in conducting high quality leadership training, parliamentary procedure training, and service learning activities. Over the next three years, there are plans to expand Leaders 4 Life Program by adding components that are more age appropriate for Junior and Intermediate age youth.

The goals of the Leaders 4 Life Program are to increase the leadership skills of youth to equip them for future leadership opportunities in adulthood by providing them with a toolbox of resources to effectively learn about leadership, parliamentary procedure and service learning. Develope a state leadership contest for County teams to demonstrate their skills. Equip members to be effective in leadership, parliamentary procedure and service learning.

pic caption: left to right

LEON COUNTY 4H STATE CHAMPIONS Wendy Neyland- CEA, Bruen Camp, Taylor McGill, Reagan Robertson, David Roach, Kelcey Cockrell, Jacob Rodell, Tommy Neyland- CEA,

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 6-2-10

2010-06-11T07:23:00.000-05:00

Everyone has heard the expression "good fences make good neighbors." This has never been truer than in today's world. Many counties have closed range laws, meaning that if livestock gets out of a pasture and causes damage such as an automobile accident, the owner of the livestock is liable. As more people move to the country from the city, we have seen a need for better understanding of proper fencing for various livestock species.

Several common types of fences are five to six strands of barbed wire fence, electric fence, woven wire fence (field fence), or pipe and cable. All of these have advantages and disadvantages.

Barbed wire is the typical material used to fence cattle. Five to six strands of barbed wire are adequate to keep cattle restrained for interior or exterior fences. More strands (eight to 10) can be used at closer intervals to keep goats in. Barbed wire fences are fast and economical to install. A disadvantage is that horse owners typically do not like barbed wire fences for fear of the animal being entangled and injured. Consideration should be given to this if there is a plan to sell the property in the future.

Electric fence is a very economical method of dividing pastures into smaller areas to improve rotational grazing. Electric fence can be installed with minimal equipment and relatively quickly. Another advantage is that it can be used as either a temporary or permanent fence. It can be installed as a temporary fence to determine future locations of permanent fences. Electric fences come in a variety of materials from high tensile wire, woven wire, electric braided rope or ribbons. A disadvantage is that electric fences are not usually recommended for use as perimeter fences. An important consideration is to make sure that you use a fence charger that has the highest number of joules available. Chargers are available that are powered by 110 volts, 12 volt battery or solar energy. Additionally, not installing enough grounding rods will result in less than satisfactory performance. Alternate a "hot" wire and ground wire on the fence so if an animal puts its head through, it will touch both wires at the same time, ensuring an unpleasant zap.

Woven wire fences are also called field fences. They are more expensive and harder to install than electric or barbed wire fences. Several variations are available including horse, no-climb, goat, hog or cattle fences. The differences between the variations are due to the spacing of the horizontal strands or the vertical strands (called stays). The spacing between the stays or vertical strands of wire can vary from 2 to 10 inches apart. The horizontal strands can be equally spaced, as small as 4 inches, or increase in size as you go from the bottom to the top of the fence. It is recommended to use one to two strands of barbed wire or electric fence at the top of the woven fence to deter animals from trying to reach over the top of the fence and pushing it down.

Pipe and cable fences are the most expensive and difficult to install, but are probably the strongest and most permanent. These fences typically require the services of a welder and take the greatest amount of time to install. Pipe fences are preferred in crowding situations, such as in corrals or working pens. Horse enthusiasts and professionals suggest that pipe fences are easier for horses to see and, thus, prevent injury. A common method of fencing in equine operations is to use pipe for the post and top-line with woven horse wire in the middle. Many fence builders will use a single strand of cable at the bottom of the woven wire to add strength to the fence.

No matter what type of fence you choose, it should be tall enough to discourage and prevent the animals from trying to jump over it. Remember that the grass is always greener on the other side, and livestock have 24 hours in a day to try to figure out a way to get out. It is our job to keep them in. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

2010 Master Gardener Program in Leon County

2010-06-01T09:12:00.000-05:00

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will begin a new
program for Master Gardeners on July 30, 2010. This highly trained core
of volunteers will assist with programs and projects in Leon County.
Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active
interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. They are
enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and able to
communicate with diverse groups of people. What really sets Master
Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in
horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master
Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their Extension
office to provide horticultural-related information to their
communities. Please ask yourself these questions as you consider this
training program.

Is the Master Gardener Program for Me?

To help you decide if you should apply to be a Master Gardener, ask
yourself these questions:

• Do I want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of
many types of plants?

• Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training
program?

• Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my
community?

• Do I have enough time to attend training and to complete the
volunteer service?

If you answered yes to these questions, the Master Gardener program
could be for you. Please contact The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in
Leon County for an application at 903.536.2531. All applications must
be returned by July 23, 2010.
If accepted into the Master Gardener program in Leon County, you will
attend a Master Gardener training course. Classes are taught by Texas
Agrilife Extension Service specialists, agents, and local experts. The
program offers a minimum of 50 hours of instruction that covers topics
including lawn care, ornamental trees and shrubs, insect, disease, and
weed management; soils and plant nutrition, vegetable gardening; home
fruit production; garden flowers; and water conservation. The training
is offered July 30, 2010 through November 19, 2010 at The Leon C
ountyAnnex Great Room from 9:00am to 1:00pm every Friday.
In exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer time to
the Leon County Extension program. At least 50 hours of volunteer
service within one year following the training is required to earn the
title of "Texas Master Gardener."
The type of service done by Master Gardeners varies according to
community needs, and the abilities and interests of the Master
Gardeners. Some Master Gardeners answer telephone requests for
information related to gardening. Others staff plant clinics or displays
in shopping malls or community centers. Master Gardeners may speak to
local groups and conduct workshops. They may help establish community
garden projects, work with 4-H youth, or assist their agent with news or
radio releases related to gardening. The Master gardener Coordinator in
the Leon County Extension office decides how volunteer time can be best
utilized.
Master Gardeners are representatives of Texas Agrilife Extension, The
Texas A&M University System. In all volunteer work related to the
program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of
Texas Agrilife Extension. The title "Texas Master Gardener" can be used
by volunteers only when engaged in Extension-sponsored activities.
Participants become certified Master Gardeners after they have completed
the training course and fulfilled their volunteer commitment.
For More Information
Application forms and additional information are available from your
Leon County Extension office at 113 W. Main St. Centerville, Texas or by
email at twneyland@ag.tamu.edu
Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level,
race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The TA&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute "N" The Bull 5-28-10

2010-06-01T09:09:00.000-05:00

The Integrity Beef program (IBeef) was first introduced several years
ago to a few progressive cow-calf producers. It serves as an example of
an integrated effort to apply state-of-the-art technology and best
management practices of the cattle industry to produce a more
consistent, high quality product. Today, the IBeef program is a joint
effort between the Noble Foundation consultation program and
participating cooperators. It endeavors to be a producer-led program
with the Noble Foundation serving as consultants to the program. The aim
of this "value added" program is to realize greater returns to
operations by producing calves that incorporate superior genetics,
improved herd health and management strategies that enable diverse
marketing opportunities.
This program invites cow/calf producers to participate who adhere to
specified recordkeeping protocols, best management practices and bull
selection criteria, as defined by a panel of producers and Noble
Foundation consultants. Each calf crop must be age- and source-verified
before leaving the ranch of origin. Producers must provide documentation
of birthdates, and each animal must be uniquely identified with an
electronic (EID) and ranch identification tag.
All age and source verification services for IBeef participants are
performed by an industry leading, third-party, USDA-approved
verification provider, which allows participating ranchers to market
cattle as age-/source-verified (ASV) to any feedyard, market or other
industry participant. Participation in the process verification program
(PVP) allows producers to meet qualifications for Country Of Origin
Labeling (COOL), which became effective March 16, 2009. ASV has to be
performed prior to the animals leaving the ranch of origin.
All IBeef participants must meet Level I BQA training requirements to
ensure that they have the working knowledge to properly process and
handle cattle using the industry-recognized standards. Noble Foundation
consultants provide training and online testing materials.
Another requirement for participation in the IBeef program is to obtain
a Premise Identification Number. The biggest benefit of obtaining a
Premise ID is it qualifies producers to compete in the global
marketplace with livestock whose meat products are eligible for export.
A unique Premise ID is obtained by registering with the state health
department or state veterinarian. Online registration is obtained at the
following Web sites - for Oklahoma, www.OK.LocateIn48.com, and for
Texas, www.tahc.state.tx.us/animal_id.
All IBeef participants are asked to contact Noble Foundation IBeef
representatives prior to spring processing to determine the total number
of calves participating in the Integrity Beef program for the year and
to arrange for EID delivery. Once a Noble Foundation IBeef
representative is contacted, a user account is created for producers
with the third-party, USDA-approved PVP provider on their Web site that
allows participants to view their respective animal information. EID
tags and forms are shipped directly to the ranch headquarters.
Enrollment is updated annually through a Noble Foundation IBeef
representative.
IBeef producers are responsible for EID tagging and data collection with
the exception of new participants to the program. All new Integrity Beef
participants are required to have a member of the consultation team
representing their region present at the first calf working date to
validate that the processing is performed using BQA practices, assist
with the age and source verification process, provide recommendations on
cattle handling and answer any other questions that the participant may
have.
Calves are then weaned and processed again in the fall. Producers
collect weaning data and precondition the calves for at least 45 days.
The calves are then eligible for collective marketing through a
sanctioned sale, are marketed as independent groups or are retained for
marketing at a later date as heavy stockers or feeders. Thcollected is analyzed to produce reports that are used by the consultation teams and participants to monitor progress toward defined
goals.
The IBeef program is a "value added" program – and more. As you can see
from the management practices outlined above, this program is intensive.
It requires more because it takes a lot more effort to differentiate a
program in an extremely competitive industry. It is for the truly
progressive producer who values data, information, application of
technology, quality livestock and production practices; and is willing
to hold themselves to a higher standard - integrity. For more
information about the Integrity Beef program, contact one of the Noble
Foundation IBeef representatives. You can find this and past articles
on the web at www.mycountrytractor.com for your reference.
Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level,
race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas
A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless
of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or
national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

PAT

2010-06-01T09:06:00.000-05:00

Chute N The Bull 5-24-10

2010-05-24T07:10:00.002-05:00

Largemouth bass is the most popular fish in central Texas private impoundments. In this area, more landowners manage for and more fishermen fish for largemouth bass than any other species in private impoundments. Although fishermen enjoy catching substantial numbers of bass, most fishermen want to catch some large bass.

Each impoundment has a capacity to produce a certain biomass (overall weight or amount) of largemouth bass.

This biomass depends upon impoundment surface area, water quality, fertility, phytoplankton (microscopic algae) production, invertebrate production, prey fish abundance, prey fish size distribution, bass size distribution and other factors. Most unfed and unfertilized impoundments in this area containing both largemouth bass and bluegill have 15-75 pounds of bass per surface acre, but their overall range of bass biomass is approximately 0-174 pounds of bass per surface acre, with relatively few having more than 100 pounds of bass per acre.

Largemouth bass size distribution is typically best in impoundments larger than one-half acre (preferably larger than 1 acre) with good water quality, adequate phytoplankton or visible aquatic vegetation, and appropriate numbers of bass and bluegill. Largemouth bass biomass and size distribution are generally poor in relatively infertile, clear impoundments without aquatic vegetation. To allow improvements in largemouth bass abundance and size distribution in such situations, several grass carp should be removed if present or impoundments should be fertilized.

Impoundment water should have total alkalinity greater than 20 parts per million calcium carbonate equivalent, pH of 6.5-9 at dawn, a greenish color and, generally, an average visibility of 10-30 inches.

However, visibility can be clearer when aquatic plants dominate 10-25 percent of an impoundment. When water quality and plant community (phytoplankton or visible aquatic plants) do not fit these parameters, they should be addressed before expecting improvements in bass size.

Prey fish biomass and size distribution must be adequate to support large bass. A largemouth bass fishery will not have many large fish over the long term without abundant prey fish. Bluegill is the most appropriate prey fish for largemouth bass in impoundments. When prey fish are absent or scarce in an impoundment with suitable water quality and plant community, adequate numbers and sizes of bluegill should be stocked to increase largemouth bass size.

To increase the average size of stunted largemouth bass in an impoundment with suitable water quality, plant community and prey fish, the number of stunted bass must be reduced. When too many largemouth bass are present, they quit growing or grow very slowly because more bass are present than available prey. As an example, if an impoundment supports 45 pounds of bass biomass per acre and 90 adult bass per acre are present, the average bass size will be about one-half pound (about 10 inches long). A crowded, stunted largemouth bass fishery is fairly common in impoundments. Typically, the vast majority of adult largemouth bass are smaller than 13 inches, and few are larger than 20 inches in crowded, stunted bass fisheries.

The number of stunted bass that should be removed from an impoundment to improve size depends upon bass biomass and other factors. Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine biomass. When water quality, plant community and prey fish are appropriate, I suggest initially trying to remove about 10 pounds of stunted bass per acre during a year. If this harvest rate does not improve average size, I suggest increasing stunted bass harvest rate by 5-10 pounds per acre annually until average size improves. Bass larger than the stunted sizes should be returned to an impoundment (catch and release) because 2 pounders are necessary to grow 3 pounders, 3 pounders are necessary to grow 4 pounders, etc. Also, larger bass help reduce the number of smaller bass by consuming them. You can find this and past articles on the web at www.mycountrytractor.blogspot.com for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

MASTER GARDENER LIMITED SPACE!

2010-05-14T07:07:00.000-05:00

The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in Leon County will begin a new
program for Master Gardeners on July 30, 2010. This highly trained core
of volunteers will assist with programs and projects in Leon County.
Master Gardeners are members of the local community who take an active
interest in their lawns, trees, shrubs, flowers and gardens. They are
enthusiastic, willing to learn and to help others, and able to
communicate with diverse groups of people. What really sets Master
Gardeners apart from other home gardeners is their special training in
horticulture. In exchange for their training, persons who become Master
Gardeners contribute time as volunteers, working through their Extension
office to provide horticultural-related information to their
communities. Please ask yourself these questions as you consider this
training program.

Is the Master Gardener Program for Me?

To help you decide if you should apply to be a Master Gardener, ask
yourself these questions:

• Do I want to learn more about the culture and maintenance of
many types of plants?

• Am I eager to participate in a practical and intense training
program?

• Do I look forward to sharing my knowledge with people in my
community?

• Do I have enough time to attend training and to complete the
volunteer service?

If you answered yes to these questions, the Master Gardener program

could be for you. Please contact The Texas Agrilife Extension Service in
Leon County for an application at 903.536.2531. All applications must
be returned by July 23, 2010.
If accepted into the Master Gardener program in Leon County, you will
attend a Master Gardener training course. Classes are taught by Texas
Agrilife Extension Service specialists, agents, and local experts. The
program offers a minimum of 50 hours of instruction that covers topics
including lawn care, ornamental trees and shrubs, insect, disease, and
weed management; soils and plant nutrition, vegetable gardening; home
fruit production; garden flowers; and water conservation. The training
is offered July 30, 2010 through November 19, 2010 at The Leon County
Annex Great Room from 9:00am to 1:00pm every Friday.
In exchange for training, participants are asked to volunteer time to
the Leon County Extension program. At least 50 hours of volunteer
service within one year following the training is required to earn the
title of "Texas Master Gardener."
The type of service done by Master Gardeners varies according to
community needs, and the abilities and interests of the Master
Gardeners. Some Master Gardeners answer telephone requests for
information related to gardening. Others staff plant clinics or displays
in shopping malls or community centers. Master Gardeners may speak to
local groups and conduct workshops. They may help establish community
garden projects, work with 4-H youth, or assist their agent with news or
radio releases related to gardening. The Master gardener Coordinator in
the Leon County Extension office decides how volunteer time can be best
utilized.
Master Gardeners are representatives of Texas Agrilife Extension, The
Texas A&M University System. In all volunteer work related to the
program, Master Gardeners follow the research-based recommendations of
Texas Agrilife Extension. The title "Texas Master Gardener" can be used
by volunteers only when engaged in Extension-sponsored activities.
Participants become certified Master Gardeners after they have completed
the training course and fulfilled their volunteer commitment.

For More Information

Application forms and additional information are available from your
Leon County Extension office at 113 W. Main St. Centerville, Texas or by
email at twneyland@ag.tamu.edu
Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level,
race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas
A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County
Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

ThankCounty Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Chute N The Bull 5-14-10

2010-05-14T07:03:00.000-05:00

Annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) is a cool-season grass that originated in southern Europe. It is sometimes called Italian ryegrass. Although an annual, ranchers in the southeast U.S. depend on it for its reseeding ability, resulting in "volunteer" stands of annual ryegrass from year to year once the seed bank is established. The greatest use of ryegrass in the Noble Foundation service area within 100 miles of Ardmore, Okla., is either as a component of a winter pasture mix to be grazed out by stocker cattle or as an early-season forage overseeded into bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) to provide 30-45 days of grazing prior to bermudagrass breaking dormancy.

Annual ryegrass is not a perennial plant or a cereal grain. There are perennial ryegrasses (Lolium perenne L.), but they are not adapted to the Southern Great Plains. Rye (Secale cereal L.) is a common winter annual that, because of the name, is sometimes confused with ryegrass.

Why Producers Like Annual Ryegrass

Annual ryegrass is easy to establish since it doesn't require a prepared seedbed. A broadcast seeding of 20-30 pounds of seed per acre over a wheat/rye/oats pasture or a shortly grazed bermudagrass pasture is all that is needed to produce a stand of annual ryegrass. Some producers will lightly disk their bermudagrass pastures in the fall to encourage the annual ryegrass to germinate. When overseeded into bermudagrass sod, most of the production occurs from early April through June. Planting time for annual ryegrass is late August through early October, but can be as late as February. Annual ryegrass will germinate in the fall, but there is usually not sufficient top growth to support much fall grazing except in a clean-tilled situation. In Noble Foundation variety trials using a clean-tilled seedbed, ryegrass has been shown to out-produce wheat or rye plantings in terms of total production, and the seed is usually less expensive than small grains seed.

Management Challenges With Annual Ryegrass

The biggest challenge for managing annual ryegrass when overseeding is to manage the growth so that it doesn't impede the early growth of the bermudagrass. It is not uncommon in Texas and Oklahoma to have good precipitation in the early spring followed by a dry summer. Early spring rains allow ryegrass to produce an abundance of forage. Annual ryegrass will use the available moisture and then shade the bermudagrass just as it is trying to break dormancy. The result is a severely weakened, suppressed stand of bermudagrass.

To manage the annual ryegrass growth spurt before the bermudagrass greens up, high stock densities of livestock are necessary to keep up with the growth. In some years, haying is the best or only means to adequately remove the ryegrass to allow the bermudagrass to start its growth cycle. Ryegrass hay is usually of high quality if cut and baled properly.

Other Management Considerations

Do not overseed all of your bermudagrass with annual ryegrass. Designate certain pastures as ryegrass pastures, and leave your best bermudagrass pastures as monocultures. Allocate approximately 1 acre per cow to provide you with 30-45 days of grazing in early spring, provided you fertilize in February or March with 50 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

Early production of bermudagrass will be lost if the ryegrass growth is not removed by grazing or haying no later than May 15. For some producers, however, that 30-45 days of grazing prior to May is worth it to be able to quit feeding hay.

Overseeding annual ryegrass into bermudagrass does not provide a free lunch. You will lose some early production of bermudagrass in a normal year, and, if it is dry for the rest of the summer, you could lose your entire stand of bermudagrass. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

YES WE CAN!!!

2010-05-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

The Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Leon County hosted a Home Food Preservation Seminar on April 30, 2010 from 10 am to 2 pm, at Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church in Buffalo. Registration began at 9:30 am. and the program was over at 2:00pm.

This seminar provided a wealth of information related to canning foods at home. Participants also learned about freezing fruits and vegetables, salsas, tomatoes, and more! Pressure canner gauge testing was also available for canners made by Presto, National, Magic Seal, and Maid of Honor by CEA Wendy Neyland. So Easy to Preserve, a book on food preservation was available for purchase and we still have a few copies if you missed the opportunity.

Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

PIC CAPTION:

1. CEA Wendy Neyland test pressure cookers for canning seminar participants.

2. Texas Agrilife Master Gardeners Cozy Taylor and Cindy Torno discuss freezing to canning seminar participants.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Better Living for Texans Program

2010-05-12T13:41:00.000-05:00

May 11, 2010

The Leon County AgriLife Extension Service=s Better Living for Texans Program is offering Nutrition classes locally to help residents learn how to plan and serve healthy meals. The classes,
My Pyramid: Better Health with Better Choices, Food Safety and You, and Shopping Strategies to Stretch Your Food Dollars are offered free of charge.
The classes will be held at 10:00 am on the second Thursday in June, July and August 12, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church in Normangee, Texas.

June 10 - My Pyramid: Better Health with Better Choices, participants will learn how to apply three keys to good health.

July 8 - Food Safety and You, instructs participants on the prevention of foodborne illness, such as food poisoning.

August 12 - Shopping Strategies to Stretch Your Food Dollars, instructs participants on three ways that consumers can stretch their food dollars.

To learn more about the Better Living for Texan Program contact the AgriLife Extension Service
at 903 536-2531.

Extension programs serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of

Agriculture and County Commissioners Court of Texas Cooperating.

Chute N The Bull 5-10-10

2010-05-12T13:36:00.000-05:00

Potassium (K) is an essential element in plants and is considered one of the three macronutrients, along with nitrogen and phosphorus. Its relative amount is analyzed and reported in almost all routine soil samples. Therefore, it's obvious that it is important. Unfortunately, with recent price increases, it has gone from being the least expensive to the most expensive of the three macronutrients. In this article, I'll look at where potassium deficiencies are most likely to occur, the consequences of these deficiencies and management strategies to address these situations.

Plants take up potassium in the ionic form (K+). Since soils have a net negative electrical charge due to the clays and organic matter, the positively charged potassium is held magnetically to the clays and organic matter particles in the soil. The more clay and organic matter there is in the soil, the more strongly potassium is held. If there is little clay and/or organic matter in the soil, potassium can leach out of the root zone in heavy rains. Therefore, one likely place for potassium deficiency to occur is in very sandy soils with low organic matter contents.

Another likely spot for potassium deficiency to occur is in hay fields. Hay and silage remove large amounts of potassium because they remove entire plants. With higher hay and silage yields, more potassium is removed. Very little potassium is removed in grazing situations, and grain crops and cotton do not remove as much potassium as hay or silage. If harvesting forages and crop residues for biofuel becomes commonplace, potassium deficiencies will likely increase due to whole plant removal.

Potassium deficiencies are expressed in various ways due to the functions the element serves in the plant. One beneficial function of potassium is that it helps reduce the severity of some plant diseases. This is especially true in perennial forages, such as alfalfa and bermudagrass. If these species are deficient in potassium, the stand will probably not last as long as it would if potassium levels were adequate. Another beneficial function of potassium in plants is that it increases winter hardiness in perennial forages. Having adequate potassium will not make a cold-sensitive forage species thrive in Minnesota, but it can make a difference in how well it handles an abnormally cold winter within its adapted range. This, coupled with the disease resistance benefits of adequate potassium, helps explain why perennial forages grown in soils with optimum levels of potassium have longer-lived stands than those grown in potassium-deficient soils.

Since potassium fertilizers have increased in price, what are some management strategies to employ? First, collect soil samples from all fields you intend to fertilize. This will let you know if you actually have low levels of soil potassium. Do not apply potassium (or any other nutrient) without a soil test just because you think it may be lacking. This could be rather expensive if you don't need it.

Second, if you have low/medium soil potassium and you are cutting hay from your place, consider grazing the fields and buying your hay from somewhere else. This allows you to run more cows. Also, when you buy hay and feed it, you are adding nutrients, including potassium, onto your land from someone else's field. The value of nutrients you receive when buying hay and feeding it offsets a large portion of the cost of the hay. If you cut hay from your fields to feed to your cows, try to feed the hay back in that same field to recycle the nutrients rather than export them.

Third, if you are selling high yields of a premium hay crop (alfalfa or horse-quality bermudagrass), apply the rate of potassium recommended by soil test. While it may be expensive, you will more than make up the cost in increased yields and longer-lived stands. You can find this and past articles on the web at http://www.mycountrytractor.com/ for your reference. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Kids’ Camps Need Your Help

2010-05-03T07:42:00.000-05:00

Do you remember seeing all the pictures and reading in the newspapers
about Kids’ Camps last summer? In case you didn’t know, most of these
were provided through our local county extension office. Kids were
provided with day camp activities to enrich their summer. They were
excited to be fishing, gardening, cooking, and learning about future
project opportunities with 4-H.
Well, it’s time for the county extension office to start planning for
the summer 2010 Kids’ Camps. Camps planned for this year include
jewelry making, sport fishing, flower arranging, manners, horticulture,
“cupcake” decorating, etymology, shooting sports, sewing, and
fashion.
Here is where we need your help. These camps require a fee, and this
creates a hardship for some families, especially those with several
children.
The Leon County Leadership Advisory Board wants to appeal for your help
this year in paying the fees for all the children who wish to be
involved in Kids’ Camps. Wouldn’t it be great if every child left camp
with a fishing pole, necklace, flower arrangement, or some memorabilia
from their camp experience?
Any donation toward making this possible will be greatly appreciated,
and you can become an event sponsor with a donation of $200. Every
elementary parent/child will be notified through a newsletter and in the
county newspapers announcing the various camps and your sponsorship.
For more information please contact Tommy or Wendy Neyland at
903-536-2531 or any member of the Leadership Advisory Board. Board
members include: Charlie Patin, Susan Pugh, Faith Kellar, Elaine
Trefry, Kathy Pierce, Karen Robeson, Kay Serafin, Gayle Wilson Ray,
Jason Jeitz, Clara Jones, Jo Williams, Charles Nash, Brent Bing, Bobby
Fishbeck, Joy Richards, Scott Pistone, Charlie Price, Richard Johnson,
and Dave Morris.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax

Beef Cattle Marketing Program

2010-05-03T07:39:00.002-05:00

With cow-calf operations, as with other farm enterprises, making a profit isn't the best thing - it's the only thing that will keep you in business. And how much profit you make depends largely on the market price you get for your calves. Profitable cattle marketing means producing the most profitable calf, selling through the most profitable market outlet and pricing at the most profitable time. Unfortunately, most cow-calf producers simply sell their calves. They produce calves which may be the easiest to produce and sell at the most convenient market outlet at whatever the price is at the time. Marketing means choices on how or what to put on the market, where to market and when to price. The first step in becoming a cattle marketer is to recognize all your alternatives and evaluate each in light of potential cost and returns, selecting the most profitable rather than the most convenient alternative. The old saying goes that if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. But if marketing your cattle at a profit is where you want to go, then planning for the market will help get you there. Planning requires information. A good way to start becoming a better cattle marketer is being sure you understand the cattle marketing system and how your cattle prices are determined. Then you need to recognize all the market alternatives available to you. Finally, when you need to make a marketing decision you need to know where to get the information to help you decide. The Texas Agrilife Extension Service Beef and Forage Committee will host a seminar to discuss these options and how you can prepare for the best results. On May 6, 2010 at 6pm at The Cowboy Church of Leon County we will hear from Dr. Russell Jonas on the importance of vaccinations to the beef cattle market, also a few words from Dr. Jason Sawyer. Dr. Sawyer's research interests revolve around beef cattle production systems, with a special emphasis on stocker cattle production systems and upstream and downstream impacts of management inputs. Specific research interests include enhancing production efficiency in forage systems, manipulation of nutrient partitioning, and decision support for beef cattle production systems. To end our program we will have a question and answer forum with Dr. Jonas, Dr Sawyer, Russ DeCordova, and Powell Cannon. Please contact the Texas Agrilife Extension Service by May 5, 2010 to reserve your seat. A registration fee of $10.00 per participant will cover meal and program materials for each participant. We will seek to provide reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities for this meeting. We request that you contact Texas AgriLife Extension three days before the event to advise us of the auxiliary aid or service that will be required. Extension programs serve of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone

LEON COUNTY 4-H LEADERSHIP TEAM ADVANCES TO STATE

2010-05-03T07:38:00.003-05:00

On April 29, 2010 the Leon County Leaders 4 Life team of Reagan Robertson, Kelcey Cockrell, David Roach, Taylor McGill, Bruin Camp, and Jacob Rodell competed in the District 8 4H Leaders 4 Life Contest. The team placed first in the district contest and will advance to the state competition at Texas 4H Round Up in June. Leaders 4 Life is a new 4H contest and this is the first year for this competition. Youth leadership development at the county level is currently delivered 254 different ways. Some counties conduct a thorough training while others may not even have an active County 4-H Council because they only have one 4-H club or have been unable to develop a structure that works effectively. Counties have limited resources available to help them train their County 4-H Council Teams. The Leaders 4 Life Program will provide additional resources to equip counties in conducting high quality leadership training, parliamentary procedure training, and service learning activities. Over the next three years, there are plans to expand Leaders 4 Life Program by adding components that are more age appropriate for Junior and Intermediate age youth.

The goals of the Leaders 4 Life Program are to increase the leadership skills of youth to equip them for future leadership opportunities in adulthood by providing counties with a toolbox of resources to effectively train youth in leadership, parliamentary procedure and service learning. Develop a state leadership contest for County teams to demonstrate their skills. Equip members to be effective in leadership, parliamentary procedure and service learning.

Thank you,

Tommy Neyland
County Extension Agent
Texas Agrilife Extension Service
P.O. Box 188
Centerville, Texas 75833
903.536.2531 phone
903.536.3804 fax