Farm Help

Protecting their hearing might be the furthest thing from the minds of most farmers as they drive tractors, operate chainsaws or check grain drying in their bins, but not being cautious around these loud noises produces irreparable damage.

Ranchers put trucks through a lot of torment throughout the year and winter is a great time for maintenance and repair.

As winter is quickly approaching it is vital to ensure that your animals remain healthy and productive by leaving out salt blocks, bags of minerals or lick tubs. Mineral and salt are an essential part of livestock's diets.

Arkansas ranchers may have run their equipment a little later than usual this fall, trying to get every last bit of hay out of their fields.

This year's theme for National Farm Safety and Health Week was: “ATV's- Work Smart, Ride Safe,” which seems to be an appropriate theme since, as Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri's Safety Specialist, described ATV accidents are more common than not. She cites this harrowing number:  “In the U.S. about 40,000 children under the age of 16 are treated in emergency departments for ATV-related injuries each year.” Also, “according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission 2008 Annual Report for ATV-Related Deaths and injuries: Over 135,000 were injured, 28 percent under the age of 16; and 410 people were killed, 18 percent under the age of 16,” says Karen. With statistics like this, practicing ATV safety is imperative.

Ranchers put trucks through a lot of torment throughout the year and winter is a great time for maintenance repair.

It's the time of year when many ranchers are preparing their ATVs, side-by-sides and other off-road vehicles for the winter. Your owner's manual includes a complete maintenance schedule, but some owners don't follow it closely, and there are other tips that can help keep your riding experience pleasurable and safe for a long time to come.

There will be some new books in first and second grade classrooms in Barry County thanks to a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Youth Development Grant. The purpose of the grant is to impact the rural community in a positive way. Jeremy Elliot-Engel, 4-H Youth Development Specialist for Barry County, met with the 4-H counsel to come up with the plan.

On October 15, 2010 the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) released an elk restoration plan. This release has come about due to renewed interest in the native elk population, and the plan outlines the zones that the elk will be restored to, habitat management, herd management, animal health, stakeholder involvement and the recreational and economic benefits of reintroducing elk in to Missouri.

"It’s busy this fall,” said Jeff Wester, the service manager at Larson Farm & Lawn in Rogersville, Mo., “Business has been pretty good for this time of the year. The weather had a lot to do with it and producers got a lot of fieldwork done early.”