Farm & Ranch

Ag Elsewhere: Ghana, Africa

Published

6 years ago

January 4, 2019

NTFR

Photos and description by Tiffany Thompson

My four months in Ghana were filled with so much. It’s been four months of excitement, joy and laughter. Four months of frustration, nervousness and challenges.

Four months of blood, sweat (so much sweat) and tears. Four months of failures and successes. When I accepted my fellowship with AgriCorps and decided to move to West Africa, I knew that it would be an opportunity to learn about different agricultural systems, experience a new culture and meet a lot of people. I had no idea; however, how much I would learn about myself and how much personal growth I would experience.

Here are the top three life lessons I realized over the course of my fellowship:

Be patient and persistent. One of the major challenges I faced in Ghana was adjusting to cultural differences with scheduling. I’ve lost count of the times I made plans with someone and had the plans fall through. Meetings were rescheduled time and time again, people didn’t always show up when they said they would, and at one point, I
even had a fellow teacher tell me to give up on an event I was planning. These moments tested my patience, and without being
persistent and staying committed to my role, I would not have made it through my fellowship successfully.
Celebrate the small victories. There were days when it felt like nothing went right. I would go home feeling defeated, exhausted and hopeless. On these days, it was so easy to get swept up in how badly things were going and how it seemed like nothing I did mattered.

To read more pick up a copy of the January 2019 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.

Farm & Ranch

Acorn Toxicity

Published

4 days ago

November 21, 2024

NTFR

By Barry Whitworth, DVM, MPH

With the prolonged drought, most pastures in Oklahoma end up in poor condition. With the lack of available forage, animals may go in search of alternative foods.

If oak trees are in the pastures, acorns may be a favorite meal for some livestock in the fall. This may result in oak poisoning.

Oak leaves, twigs, buds, and acorns may be toxic to some animals when consumed.

To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

Farm & Ranch

Silver Bluestems

Published

5 days ago

November 20, 2024

NTFR

By: Tony Dean

There are a handful of grasses on North Texas grazing lands ranchers need to know, not because they are highly desirable, but rather because they are not of much value. I call them “decom” plants, which is am acronym for “Don’t Ever Count On Me.” Silver bluestem is a “decom” grass.

Silver bluestem is a perennial which grows in all areas of Texas. It can survive in almost all soil types, and in full sun conditions or in semi shade. It grows up to three feet tall and is easily recognized with the presence of the white fuzzy seed head. Also, one of the identifying characteristics of Silver bluestem is a bend in the stems at each node, causing the plants to take on a rounded shape as they mature.

To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.

Farm & Ranch

Meanwhile Back At The Ranch

Published

2 weeks ago

November 12, 2024

NTFR

By: Rayford Pullen

Fall is here which means winter is closing in on us and before we officially get into winter, we need to make sure our factories are either producing or will be producing in a few months.

We have been pregnancy testing our cows this fall and if they are not bred or nursing a calf, we are bidding them adios. With annual costs somewhere between $900.00 and $1,000.00 per cow, those cows not producing a live weaned calf are costing us quite a bit.

To read more, pick up a copy of the November edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.