Farm & Ranch
Ag Elsewhere: California – A Summer Night in Sunny California
By Lainey Smith
For California farmers, summertime is harvest season, the most grueling period of the year. Late nights, early mornings and almost no sleep are combined with hand picking fruits, vegetables and running harvest equipment on grain crops like corn, rice and wheat. Some crops, like almonds, have to be shaken, swept, and then further processed by a huller and sheller before going to market. Farmers work around the clock to receive a one-time payout for a year’s worth of hard work.
For the rest of us, we get to enjoy the fruits of their labor, literally. Summertime is my favorite time of year in the California Central Valley. Rich green foliage and uniform rows decorate the roadsides. Homemade fruit stands mark every corner. A large plywood sign with the hand-painted letters “Freshly Picked” and “Open for the Season” invite travelers off the well beaten path.
Wednesday nights on Main Street will overwhelm your senses. A live band plays classic rock, savory smoke rises from a barbecue pit and ripe produce in wooden crates is on display at the farmers’ market. Local farms bring their best crops for the local crowd to try and buy. Neighborhood creameries bring artisan cheese samples while bakeries and restaurants bring signature dishes for dinner and dessert. While everything is fresh and delicious, I pass up the kettle corn and homemade ice cream stands and head straight for the chocolate covered strawberries.
To read more pick up a copy of the August 2018 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
Having backyard poultry is a popular agriculture enterprise. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 0.8 percent of all households in the United States have chickens. People keep chickens for a variety of reasons with table eggs being one of the more common reasons.
Unfortunately, some of these poultry producers are not aware of the hazards that come with keeping poultry because many times they carry pathogens but appear healthy.
Chickens are carriers of several zoonotic diseases. These are diseases that can be passed from animals to humans. According to a recent survey in Pennsylvania, a majority of backyard poultry producers were aware of the dangers of avian influenza. However, this study also revealed that far fewer producers were aware of the risk of possible exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The lack of knowledge about the hazards of raising poultry likely contributes to the continued issues of Salmonella outbreaks associated with backyard poultry. In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,072 illnesses of Salmonella linked to backyard poultry, and 272 of those patients required hospitalization. Oklahoma reported 43 individuals with the disease.
To read more, pick up a copy of the April issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By Tressa Lawrence
Babies are tucked away in every nook and cranny. Many ranchers across Wyoming have baby animals popping up all over this time of year.
By Lindsey Monk
Another load of grain in to keep feeding the calves until the green grass can really start popping.
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