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

It is that time of year when clients start asking me if they should start feeding extra magnesium to avoid grass tetany.  Over the years, my advice has been that most people should just supplement on a year-round basis.  I know most people are familiar with grass tetany, but I thought this to be a good time for a refresher course on the cause, treatment and prevention of this condition.

As we begin a new year many rental agreements are renewed for what we hope will be a successful relationship between landlord and tenant.  However, creating a good lease is not easy and requires some careful thought by both parties.  In general, a good lease is one in which both parties agree it’s fair and both completely understand each other’s expectations. 

Life is good among the smell of fresh cedar chips, the warm glow of heat lamps and the sound of puppies playing coming from the spacious pens at Watson Ranch, home of Sagecreek Aussies. Jim and Pam Watson are living out a dream on an almost 100-year-old family farm just south of Bolivar, Mo., where they own and operate a purebred Australian Shepherd breeding operation. With six to seven mature females and rotating the breeding schedule so as to have puppies ready for sale is a constant challenge. Pam is constantly researching and staying abreast of the finest lineage to achieve the highest quality of Aussie prodigy and to maintain the level of desired characteristics.

For the Ceplina family, selling their dairy cattle last summer was one of the hardest things they had ever done. But Joe and Myra Ceplina needed to get a few irons out of the fire.  With their son, Wade, going off to college it would be impossible to milk their 150 head of Brown Swiss cattle, manage and market their dairy heifer replacements, and manage the feed store/tire shop/gas station they own in downtown Raymondville, Mo.  Retirement seemed like a good idea.

Registered Limousin cattle fit the bill for Benny and Marge Reed, who both work off their Douglas County farm.  Marge explained, “We had to have a breed of cattle that would be easy to take care of and that you didn’t have to be around all the time and worry about having to pull calves.” 

On 19 acres in Dallas County, 21-year-old Tara Carter trains miniature horses and ponies, and loves every minute.  Although living with her parents, Roy and Barbara, Tara is very independent.