Across the Ozarks
I had the pleasure of going down to Little Rock a few weeks ago, and I sat in on the House of Representative's Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development committee meeting. Representative Roy Ragland, of Searcy County, invited me down. He said it was the first time in a long time that a cattleman had held the chair position, usually it's the crop guys from down further south. I was pretty excited at this opportunity, I'd never sat in on any kind of official legislative meeting before. With all the big stuff going on in agriculture right now, I knew this would be a learning lesson.
“All We Need’s More Rain”
Have you ever looked at a deal as too good to be true, and wondered why it was selling? I’ve been in a few of those wrecks and should have been more suspicious. You know in Washington D.C. that guy selling Rolex watches out of a brief case for $20 ain’t on the up and up. But I knew that, and had lots of fun with a few of them. Got my dad one and a Walmart clerk refused to even touch it when the battery went down; he thought it was real.
Life Is Simple
About a month ago, one of my cows up at the north place came up lame on her right, rear foot. I got her up and ran her through the chute to check out the problem. I could find no foreign object stuck in the foot, nor was there any swelling to indicate infection.
Across the Ozarks
It’s about that time. Spring is nearly here, and I’m sure many of you already have your early spring veggies planted. This is my annual column encouraging you to look into planting a garden this year. If there’s ever a time to consider more self-sustainability, it’s now. Produce from the garden can supplement meals, adding vitamins and nutrients to our diet, and it can be canned for use after the growing season has ended.
Headin’ for the Last Roundup
In 65 years of newspaper reporting and editorial writing, I have never heard so much negative, disgusting big lies as we have seen in the past six months of our lives, and are still seeing.
Life Is Simple
About a month ago, one of my cows up at the north place came up lame on her right, rear foot. I got her up and ran her through the chute to check out the problem. I could find no foreign object stuck in the foot, nor was there any swelling to indicate infection.
Across the Ozarks
Diversify. That's my idea for the livestock farmer today. Do you know what you can get for a potload of 50 to 80 pound male goats at the end of Ramadan? Well, neither do I, but I bet the guy who knows how desirable that class of goats is at the end of Ramadan could tell you exactly. There are a lot of untapped markets out there. What can you sell off your farm that will supplement your cash flow?
“All We Need’s More Rain”
Folks always called that week or so in February when it warmed up enough to get some buds out and the jonquils up as 'Oat planting time'. We sure had a spell of that this year. Experts say spring travels north at 15 miles a day. I was recently in a meeting in New Orleans and driving back I verified that information.
Life Is Simple
Cattle theft, in my part of the country, is hitting epidemic proportions. I took a crippled bull and a cow left over from the Reagan administration to the auction last week, and was surprised to see the sale barn personnel taking pictures of anyone they considered an “unknown seller.” While at the auction, it seemed that everyone I visited with had either had cattle stolen themselves, or knew of a close neighbor that had been the victim of the cowardly thieves.
Across the Ozarks
Diversify. That's my idea for the livestock farmer today. Do you know what you can get for a potload of 50 to 80 pound male goats at the end of Ramadan? Well, neither do I, but I bet the guy who knows how desirable that class of goats is at the end of Ramadan could tell you exactly. There are a lot of untapped markets out there. What can you sell off your farm that will supplement your cash flow?
