Timing Is Everything

In the world of Agriculture timing is everything.  Timing is major benefactor to higher yields, correct calving seasons, more fruitful gardens, a more successful flock, etc.  You have to prune your trees at a certain time, start your seeds at certain time, top your tobacco at a certain time and spray for weeds at a certain time.  Our industry revolves around timing and our participation or “lack thereof” in this year’s county fair is no different from anything else we do in the agricultural field; it is simply a matter of timing. 

In no way, shape or form is the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service withdrawing our support of the McLean County Fair.  We still fully support the fair and any other event that is intended to bring our county’s residents together.  However, due to the timing of this year’s fair we will not be able to have 4-H, FFA and Agriculture Exhibits at the County Fair. 

Whether you are involved in agriculture or not, you understand that garden, floral, crop and livestock exhibits will not be ready the first part of June.  I hate to say it, but due to this long, cold, wet winter our farmers have a rough planting season ahead of them.  Most will not be finished by County Fair, much less have any crops exhibits ready to enter.  Unfortunately, the week of County Fair is also the same week as 4-H State Conference and FFA State Convention so many of our county’s youth (along with our 4-H Agent and Ag Teacher) will be out of town.  Also, our youth participating in the livestock shows will not have their market animals ready to show by then either. 

The Cooperative Extension Service completely understands the reasons behind the change of dates and supports those changes.  However, it is unfortunate that agriculture projects will not be ready in time for the County Fair and that there are so many other scheduling conflicts.  Therefore, several supporters of 4-H, FFA and Agriculture are going to hold an “Ag Festival” July 18^th and 19^th.  This event is not intended to replace the County Fair.  We are simply trying to accommodate those that have garden, floral, crop and livestock projects, as well as celebrate our County’s deep roots in the Agriculture Industry.

McLean County Extension will still have a strong presence at this year’s county fair.  4-H will be holding a Bar-B-Que Chicken Cooking Contest and Cup Cake Wars (decorating) Contest.  Ag will be sponsoring a Lawn Tractor Driving Contest.  Family and Consumer Science will continue to have their Open Home Exhibits at the Extension Office.  The Friday evening of fair, Extension will be holding their Extension Birthday Party: Celebrating 100 years of Extension.  We will also have the 4-H building open all week as a “hospitality room” for fair goers with several Extension displays throughout, celebrating our 100 years of service.

There will be a planning meeting for the “Ag Festival” on Sunday, March 30^th at 3pm at the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office.  If you would like to be a part of the event or learn more about it, please feel free to attend.  It is open to the public.  

Goat & Sheep Herd Health, Parasite Control & Marketing Workshop this Friday, March 21st

Recent Winter Weather Conditions Impact Kentucky Cow/Calf Herds and Producers

Recent Winter Weather Conditions Impact Kentucky Cow/Calf  Herds and Producers

Michelle Arnold, DVM- Ruminant Extension Veterinarian (UKVDL) and Louis L. ‘Lucky’ Pittman, Jr., DVM- Veterinary Pathologist/Section Head (Breathitt Veterinary Center)

Near the end of most winters, diagnosticians at both the Murray State University – Breathitt Veterinary Center and the UK Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory frequently receive diagnostic submissions for necropsy of aged beef cows – often broken-mouthed or toothless – that are heavily pregnant or are in peak milk production, 1-3 months after calving.   These older cows are frequently in poor body condition (BCS 2-3) with no body fat stores and frequently have a rumen full of forage material (hay).  These cows may be described as “bloated” by the producer.    Despite having had access to free choice hay, these old girls have just ‘run out of gas’ with a belly full of hay and green grass just around the corner.  However, this winter, we have been encountering these ‘malnutrition’ cases on a much more frequent basis, at a much earlier date, and are seeing young cows and pre-weaning/weaning age calves also affected, with some of the first cases fitting this description arriving at MSU-BVC in late December, and the UKVDL in February and continuing through the present time.

The winter of 2013-14 has presented long periods of colder temperatures and greater snow/ice cover than most Kentucky beef producers have encountered in the past 15-20 years.  It is likely that winter feeding programs on many farms have been inadequate for pregnant/lactating cows and growing calves.  We have observed increased submissions and telephone consultations with veterinarians and producers who are experiencing animals losing excessive body condition and/or dying of apparent malnutrition.

Numerous university studies have demonstrated that the lower critical temperature for cows with dry, heavy winter coat is 18F.  If cows are wet, the lower critical temperature is surprisingly high, at 59F.   For every degree that the environmental temperature drops below the low critical temperature, a cow must expend 2% more calories in order to maintain body heat and condition.   Wind-chill effects due to wind speeds will further increase energy expenditure (for detailed information: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/07-001.htm).  During extended periods of low ambient temperature (as we have experienced this winter), if producers are not supplementing cattle with adequate energy and protein sources, hay alone may not provide sufficient nutrition to meet the animals’ needs.  This will result in depletion of body fat stores, breakdown of muscle protein, and death due to insufficient nutrition. 

The Spring/Summer of 2013 presented good growing conditions with greater hay production than in recent years.  However, poor cow performance in herds where winter feeding consists of hay only suggests that the hay produced was of poor nutritional content.   Although hay may look good, unless a producer has had their hay tested for nutritional content, they do not know what the true feed value is.  Producers need to realize that cattle can actually ‘starve to death’ while consuming all the hay they can eat, especially if crude protein levels are 3-4% and TDN is <30%.  Remember, in the last 60 days of gestation, an adult cow (1200 pounds eating 2% of her body weight) requires at least 54-56% TDN and 8-9% available crude protein while an adult beef cow in the first 60 days of gestation requires 59-60% TDN and 9-10.5% available crude protein. 

We have also received numerous calls and diagnostic submissions associated with ‘weak calf syndrome’ or full-term calves which were presumed to have been born dead.   Almost without exception, these calves have been born alive, but never stood or nursed, and there have been no gross or microscopic lesions or pathogens identified in fetal tissues or placenta, which would indicate an infectious cause of mortality.  

Dietary protein levels during the last trimester of pregnancy have been well-documented to play an important role in calf survivability.  Calves born to protein-deficient dams are less able to generate body heat and are slower to stand and nurse compared to calves whose dams had received adequate dietary protein during the last 100 days of pregnancy (for more detailed information: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1151&context=rangebeefcowsymp).  Calves born during unseasonably cold weather, with ice or snow on the ground, are at risk of chilling and death if they do not gain their feet and nurse soon after birth; inadequate energy and protein nutrition in the dam often leads to higher calf mortality in these conditions.  Additionally, colostrum quality and quantity from protein- and energy-deficient dams may be less than optimal for best calf survival and performance.

It is evident that some producers in Kentucky have not provided adequate mineral supplementation to their cattle this winter, as copper and selenium levels in liver samples analyzed from a number of animals have been far below acceptable levels.  Many of these cases have died of malnutrition and/or herd-wide outbreaks of respiratory disease (including pneumonia in pre-weaned calves).  Additionally, we have seen a number of grass tetany/hypomagnesemia cases in early-lactation beef cattle consuming only hay suggesting that 2013 hay supplies may also be low in magnesium content.

It is important to understand that the winter of 2013-2014 has been exceptionally difficult for cattle in Kentucky and cows are “pulled down” much more than we typically see in late winter.  This fact is why we are seeing an increase in death loss across Kentucky due to malnutrition in all ages of cattle and many stillborn and weak calves that do not survive.  What has normally worked in years past (feeding cattle hay exclusively throughout the winter) will not necessarily work this year.  Consider supplemental feed to help your cattle through the next month to 6 weeks until grass is growing and is past the “watery” stage.  Energy AND protein are both crucial; protein tubs will not be sufficient in most cases to fulfill energy requirements.  Contact a nutritionist or your herd veterinarian to review your feeding program.  Adequate nutrition is not just important today but also down the road.  Continued milk production, the return to estrus and rebreeding, and overall herd immunity are also impacted over the long term.  Continue to offer a trace mineral mix high in magnesium in order to prevent hypomagnesemia or “grass tetany” at least through the first of May.  Remember the old adage regarding the effect of winter on cattle, “February breaks them, March takes them.”  Unfortunately, that could not be truer in the aftermath of the severe winter of 2013-2014.

Time to Prune

I think it may finally happen!  I’m pretty sure Spring really is on the way!   After a long, cold winter most of us are ready to get out of the house and start focusing on our lawn and landscape. The winter months can be damaging to trees and shrubs. To ensure healthy spring plants, many of us may want to prune the trees and shrubs around our homes, but don’t prune for the sake of pruning; make sure you have a valid reason.

According to Rick Durham, UK Extension Horticulture Specialist, pruning during the late winter months allows you to remove damage caused by winter winds and precipitation. Pruning also is a way to remove diseased, crowded or hazardous branches.

When pruning trees, the size of the tree should not be reduced too much in one season. Limit the pruning amount to one-fourth of the tree’s volume. Start by thinning out branches by cutting them off close to the tree’s trunk or a large limb.  Leave the base of the branch, known as the collar, intact. Cutting the collar will prevent the plant from growing over the wound caused from pruning. Pruning in this manner allows for a healthy tree that is more open to sunlight and air movement. If the branch is cut back only part way, there will likely be a crowded regrowth of new branches where the cut was made. Do not seal or paint the wounds resulting from pruning, because this will only delay the tree’s healing process.

Spring-flowering shrubs may need rejuvenation pruning, and the best time for that is right after they flower. If you prune a shrub before it blooms, you remove buds too soon and don’t get an opportunity enjoy those blooms. When you prune after blooming, you can still enjoy the flowers and the plant can recover, grow, and produce more buds for flowers next spring.

For rejuvenation pruning you remove one-third of the shrub’s oldest growth. You need to select the thickest, darkest and unhealthiest stems or branches and cut them back. You should cut back stems to soil level and branches to the point of intersection with the shrub’s main trunk. This ensures that only the youngest, most productive wood (that which produces the most and best flowers) remains a part of the shrub. During early spring you can also prune shrubs that will bloom during the summer months.

Pruning is not limited to a certain time of year. You can prune at any time if you notice damaged branches and limbs. The process is invigorating for the plants in a home landscape so you shouldn’t necessarily think of pruning just as a means of size control.  If you have a plant that has grown out-of-bounds, pruning may not be the answer – you may need to consider replacing the plant with one that will reach a smaller size at maturity.

The Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service offers publications that can answer many of your pruning and other gardening and landscape questions. For more information, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service.  Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Livestock Producers Affected by Severe Weather Urged to Keep Good Records

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2014 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Juan M. Garcia, today repeated his appeal to livestock producers affected by natural disasters such as the drought in the West and the unexpected winter storm in the upper Midwest to keep thorough records. This includes livestock and feed losses, and any additional expenses that are a result of losses to purchased forage or feed stuff.

"The 2014 Farm Bill provides a strong farm safety net to help ranchers during these difficult times,” said Garcia. “We’ll provide producers with information on new program requirements, updates and signups as the information becomes available. In the meantime, I urge producers to keep thorough records. We know these disasters have caused serious economic hardships for our livestock producers. We’ll do all we can to assist in their recovery.”

In addition to western drought and the early-winter snowstorms, there are a variety of disasters from floods to storms to unexpected freezes. Each event causes economic consequences for farmers and ranchers throughout the United States. FSA recommends that owners and producers record all pertinent information of natural disaster consequences, including:

• Documentation of the number and kind of livestock that have died, supplemented if possible by photographs or video records of ownership and losses;
• Dates of death supported by birth recordings or purchase receipts;
• Costs of transporting livestock to safer grounds or to move animals to new pastures;
• Feed purchases if supplies or grazing pastures are destroyed;
• Crop records, including seed and fertilizer purchases, planting and production records;
  
  
  

Visit www.fsa.usda.gov or an FSA county office to learn more about FSA programs and loans. For information about USDA’s Farm Bill implementation plan, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.

Caring for New Chicks

Trying to take my 2 ½ year old son into a store isn’t exactly a piece of cake, especially if it is a farm supply store.  He is like a bull in a china shop when he gets around toy tractors and toy animals.  I can almost sense the fear of the sales associates when they see us walk into Rural King.  Now that the baby chicks have arrived at local farm stores, his level of energy and enthusiasm in public is at an all new high.

 

I have a feeling he is not the only one that is excited about baby chicks arriving at our local farm supply stores.  Those cute and fuzzy two legged creatures seem to catch everyone’s attention and many of us do not go home without buying some.  So what happens next?

 

It is best to have a place for you chicks ready before you ever purchase them.  To make a good home, you’ll need some sort of “container”, this could be a large box, plastic tote, an old feed or water trough, or any large draft-proof environment.  In addition to their shelter you will also need newspaper, shavings, heat lamp, chick feeder, chick waterer and chick feed. 

 

Line the bottom of the container with newspaper and cover with wood shavings.  Hang your heat lamp so that it is about 18 inches from the bottom of the container.  During their first week in their new home, the temperature should be kept at 95 degrees.  Keeping them warm and cozy is important to their health and survival.  Place chick feed and waterer in the container, but not under the heat lamp.  It is recommended to use a commercial chick feed (which you can purchase at a farm supply store) for at least the first 2 months. 

 

Once you get home with your chicks and place them into their new home, give them a sugar-water solution the first day.  The sugar will give them a must needed energy boost to help recuperate after their trip.  After that, be sure to provide the chicks with plenty of water.  Water is the more important nutrient for chickens so it is imperative that they always have a clean water supply. 

 

Be sure to check on your new chicks often.  Don’t let their cuteness lead you to believe they would do no wrong.  Baby chicks are quite mischievous and tend to dump out their feed, kick bedding into their water and poop a lot.  Change their bedding at least once a week, if not more.  Even though they like to make a mess, chicks still need a clean environment to live in.  Speaking of clean, be sure anyone that handles the chicks washes their hands afterwards. 

 

After the first week, you can lower the temperature 5 degrees per week until the chicks are ready to transition to being outside.  At 4-6 weeks your chicks will be ready to move outside.  Once they make the transition outside, be sure your chickens have access to predator proof and well ventilated shelter, food and water. 

 

For more information on caring for baby chicks or backyard flocks, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Chainsaw Safety at Home and on the Farm

Source:  Mark Purschwitz, Agricultural Safety and Health Specialist

 

A long winter with frequent bouts of ice and snow has not been kind to Kentucky trees, and we’ll probably be hearing the buzz of chainsaws with increasing frequency as things warm up and thaw out.  While chainsaws are a powerful tool, this characteristic also makes them very dangerous. Improper use can cause serious, sometimes fatal, injuries, so if you’re using a chainsaw, follow these three safety guidelines: know how your saw works and how to properly use it; wear personal protective equipment to protect your eyes, hearing, head, legs and feet and never work alone.

 

Buy a chainsaw you can comfortably handle and that is appropriate for the tasks you do most often.  Always read and follow instructions in the owner’s manual. Be sure all parts of your chainsaw are present and in good working order. Check the saw chain for proper tension and sharpness. Use a saw with a chain brake and low-kickback type of chain. Be sure the chain is well-lubricated and all safety devices, including the chain brake, are properly working.

Be sure to mix fuel in a can, not in the saw’s tank and keep the gasoline can at least 10 feet away from where you’re going to start the chainsaw.

 

Always start a chainsaw with the saw on the ground with one of your toes in the handle and one hand on the handle. Never hold the chainsaw in the air with one hand while pulling on the starting rope with the other.

 

Keep both hands on the chainsaw when cutting; always operate the saw below shoulder height; only operate a chainsaw up in a tree when you’ve received special training to do so, and engage the chain brake when starting and walking with the saw.

 

Many chainsaw injuries take place when the moving chain comes into contact with the operator, with kickback being the most common cause. Kickback takes place when the upper tip of the guide bar touches an object, or the chain gets pinched. This rapidly and uncontrollably throws the saw up and back towards the operator. Kickback can cause severe lacerations to the upper body, neck or face, and even death.

 

Remember to maintain a stiff left elbow to lessen the chance of the saw striking you in a kickback. When cutting logs from a tree, be sure to stand to the left side of the chain so any kickback will go over your shoulder.

 

Hand and arm injuries comprise 41 percent of total chainsaw injuries; legs, 39 percent; head and face injuries, 11 percent; feet, 6 percent and upper body, 3 percent.

 

You can significantly reduce chainsaw injuries or fatalities by wearing personal protective equipment. Wear cut-retardant chaps and cut-resistant boots to protect thighs, shins and feet; goggles not sunglasses to protect eyes; ear plugs to protect hearing; non-slip gloves to protect hands; and a hardhat and face screen to protect your head and face. One convenient way to protect your head, face and ears is to use a helmet system that combines hardhat, face screen and hearing protection.

 

Also, wear sturdy, snug fitting clothing that gives you complete freedom of movement. Avoid loose things that might catch in the moving chain including sleeve and pants cuffs, unfastened long hair or jewelry.

 

Never go out alone to operate a chainsaw. Another person can share the cutting tasks to prevent fatigue, a major cause of injuries in the woods, or go for help should an accident occur. Always take a first aid kit and keep it handy.

 

Remember, these safety features won’t replace proper training, safe operating practices and common sense, but they will reduce your risk of an injury.

 

For more information, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service.

Grain Crops Update: Corn High Yield Checklist

Corn High Yield Checklist

Chad Lee, Extension Agronomist, University of Kentucky

The margin for corn profits are projected lower in 2014 and producers are more interested in what programs and products will increase yield and profit. Before we discuss specific programs and products, let us take a moment to define some of the key parameters for getting high yields. There are several things that when done correctly will result in excellent corn yields. Here is the checklist.



Corn High Yield Checklist

1. Productive soils (deep, adequate fertility, no compaction, excellent drainage)
2. Adequate, timely rainfall (or irrigation)
3. Using good genetics (high yielding, appropriate disease packages)
4. Rotating corn with other crops
5. Planting on time (good soil conditions and favorable forecasts may be more important than the calendar)
6. Using the appropriate populations
7. Applying adequate N (monitoring for losses, adjusting later if possible)
8. Capturing 95% sunlight at by about silking (R1 growth stage)
9. Getting excellent weed control (no trophy-hunting: this usually means removing in-crop weeds before they get to 6 inches in height)
10. Scouting for diseases and pests (make management decisions based on scouting and forecasts)

Anyone that has heard one of my presentations over the past two years has seen a version of this checklist at the start of the meeting. It is from this framework that we build everything else. As we get closer to planting season (and into the season) we will expand on certain topics in this checklist.

If all of these things are working for you, then high yields will follow. As producers plan for this coming season, compare your notes with the checklist. Are you doing all these things correctly and at the correct time? Do you have compaction issues or drainage issues? Do have soils more prone to drought? Think about what fields did really well and see how those practices compare to the ones here. If you have ideas on what else may be needed in a high yield system, please send me an email with your thoughts.

Ag Tag Program Can Make a Difference in Our County's Youth

Ag Tag voluntary $10 donation benefits 4-H

Kentucky 4-H is one of the most important and influential youth programs in our state and our county. Across Kentucky over 238,000 youth ages 9 to 19 learn about leadership, citizenship and life skills in “learn-by-doing” experiences such as communications and public speaking, through agriculture projects like livestock judging, science projects with robotics, 4-H camp, Teen Conference, and many other 4-H programs and activities.

Here in McLean County, 640 youth belong to 4-H and are active in programs and activities such as Livestock Judging, Shooting Sports, Cooking Club, Horticulture Judging, Public Speaking and Land/Soils Judging.  These 4-H programs provide opportunities to our youth and train the next generation of leaders for Kentucky’s communities.

Many of today’s farmers learned valuable lessons while growing up as members of 4-H.  Now there is an easy way farmers can help support the 4-H program that is so valuable to our community, our county and most importantly, our youth.

As you renew your farm license plates at the county clerk’s office, please make the voluntary $10 donation, a third of which goes directly to support 4-H programs and activities. I wanted to remind you now about the program since farm license plates are renewed in March.

The Ag Tag Voluntary Donation Program is supported by Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture James Comer. The money raised by the program is evenly split between Kentucky 4-H, Kentucky FFA, and Kentucky Proud, which promotes agricultural products raised, grown or processed in Kentucky by Kentuckians.

                                                          

Last year, the Kentucky 4-H statewide share totaled $160,895.06. The Kentucky 4-H Foundation splits the donations between the county where the funds originated and the 4-H Foundation.

Half of the donations support programs right here in our county, making this a great opportunity for local 4-H councils, clubs and members to increase financial support for their programs. Last year, 4-H received $470 from the Ag Tag Program.

The other half of the donations used by the 4-H Foundation will support state level programs that many of our 4-H members participate in and furthers their positive experiences and opportunities for advanced leadership, citizenship, and life-skills development.

Making your voluntary $10 donation is an excellent opportunity for our agricultural community to support the youth of our community and help fund the programs that can make a lasting difference in their lives. Kentucky 4-H gives Kentucky’s young people the chance to participate in constructive, educational and fun activities that teach them the value of hard work, discipline and participation.

Kentucky 4-H youth are doing the right thing by breaking through obstacles while pushing our country, our state and our county forward by making a measurable difference right where they live.

Kentucky 4-H has been given a tremendous opportunity by Commissioner Comer to raise significant funds to support 4-H.  But the scale of this success will be up to all of us in the 4-H family and how we promote and encourage our friends, alumni, and communities to step up and support 4-H through the voluntary donation.

Please remember to make your voluntary $10 donation when renewing your farm license plates in March. It will make a difference in the lives of our youth.

Promoting Your Farm

A link to this article was posted on the University of Kentucky Ag Program's Facebook Page:

http://farmfutures.com/blogs-3-ways-bring-agriculturescommunity-8207

I thought it had some really good ideas for promoting agriculture and your farming operation.  I realize that having signs made could get a little expensive, but why not capitalize on free PR for your operation?  Social Media can be a great way to promote your farm, road side vegetable stand or ag business.  You can create a Facebook Page, Twitter Account, Instagram Account or Blog for free.  If you want to spend some money and invest in signage, Nimco or Hooks Horns and Feathers here in McLean County both do a great job!

If you would like more information on the social media programs mentioned above or need help setting up accounts, please contact me at the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office at (270)273-3690.

Why We Do What We Do

I thought today's snow day would be the perfect opportunity to sharpen my technology skills and look for new avenues to share agriculture news and my stories.  Of course the first hour has been nothing but playing around while attempting to thaw out after my cold walk to the barn to feed.  While playing, I stumbled upon one of Henson's blog post from May of 2013.  I thought it was quite interesting and felt compelled to share it.

"Ag research and extension work to help you make more money. Sometimes, that means spending less. Sometimes, it may mean spending more. But either way you cut it, our job is to help you optimize what you do, and the underlying factor, sometimes not well recognized, is, we work from independent, publicly funded science. Often it seems, everybody else is trying to sell you something, not that selling's bad, but sometimes it's oversold! This report, the Soybean Management Verification Program, has attempted to compare what some individuals do in soybean production, and compare it (Non-scientifically!) to a field specific set of recommendations based on UK research. As we'd expect, the results are somewhat mixed. In general though, the closer a farmer's system is to the research recommendations, the less difference there is between the systems compared. What that really means it, the more you succumb to gimmicks, fads and sales pitches, the more money you're likely to lose. What I appreciate most about it is, the better the partnership between a farmer and his county agent, the better the system works. Gives me a lot of satisfaction about what I've done the past 32 years."

Since taking this position as McLean County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources, I feel like I have been asked 1000 times by friends and family "What exactly do you do?"  I feel like Greg did a pretty good job of explaining it.  In addition to the above, I also believe my job is to be an advocate for agriculture, promote McLean County, be the link between producers and our extraordinary UK specialist and be an educational resource for our county's producers and homeowners, whether they have 10,000 acres or 1/4 an acre.  I feel like McLean County and its Agriculture is the best kept secret west of 65 and our producers do not get the recognition and appreciation that they deserve.  We are blessed here in McLean County and I am so fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work with such great people and talented farmers.  I hope that in return for me being blessed with this opportunity I can help better someone's quality of living through sustainable agriculture, increase someone's farm income and make a positive difference in the lives of the great people of McLean County.

Hopefully between the above quote from the great Greg Henson, in addition to what I added, you know what we do as extension agents and more importantly, why we do what we do.   Hope everyone has a great week!  Stay warm and be safe out there!  God Bless!