Ozarks Farm & Neighbor Newspaper – written for, by & about farmers

Over the past 10 years farms are learning to diversify through incorporating agritourism, where farmers open their gates to tourists. Types of agritourism include corn mazes, pumpkin patches, hosting a farm dinner using local products, cutting down a Christmas tree on a farm, you-pick berry operations, wineries and educational farms to name a few.

In a new Tax Court case, Freddie and Edith Stromatt, won on the question of whether their cattle activity was to be treated as a business (T.C. Summary Opinion 2011-42).

Over the past several weeks I have had numerous questions regarding the safety of Johnson grass as a forage or for hay. The extremely, hot and dry summer left many pastures short and several producers feeding hay as we approach fall. Johnson grass is a plant that tends to grow and proliferate during periods of heat and drought when other grasses fail to grow. As a result many pastures have an abundance of Johnson grass this year in comparison to other forages and during periods when feedstuffs are in short supply, producers naturally consider grazing or haying the Johnson grass. However, under the right conditions Johnson grass can accumulate high levels of nitrate and/or prussic acid and become highly toxic to livestock.

Name:   Callie Keaton
Age:  10
Parents:  Vance and Jennifer Keaton
Hometown:  Anderson, Mo.

Sharron Evans

Poynter Concrete