National Farm Safety Week

Following these tips, especially during harvest season, could save lives.

Use the buddy system to load and unload grain
Always know where all workers and family members are (especially children) at all times when handling grain in a wagon or storage bin and never work alone.  A 12-inch layer of grain can weigh as much as 300 pounds, enough to entrap a grown person or suffocate a child.

Farm Safety For Just Kids recommends locking all access doors to grain storage structures and locking out power to all types of grain-handling equipment when not in use. Also, never permit children to ride in grain wagons or enter grain storage areas. Adults should wear a body harness with a lifeline or use a boatswain’s chair.

Allow plenty of time for rest
Farm workers often put in long days to harvest crops in favorable weather conditions. It’s important to get enough rest to avoid accidents in the fields or on the roadways. Teens (ages 10-17) require 8.5 to 9 hours of sleep and adults need 7 to 9 hours, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Make sure slow-moving vehicle signs are installed and easily seen
For 50 years slow-moving vehicle emblems have alerted drivers to a vehicle moving less than 25 mph. With the increased tractor and wagon traffic at harvest time, watch for slow-moving vehicles on roadways and be prepared to slow down. If you’re driving a tractor or combine, make sure the slow-moving vehicle emblem is mounted properly and is visible from the rear of your vehicle.

 

Ladybug

Fall Flower Planting

 

For gardeners, the delight of fall is not only the cooling temperatures, but that it is time to plant. This sounds strange but roots continue growing here during our mild winters, so fall is the best time to plant. Fall planting makes your plants ready to withstand the stress of high temperatures next summer. The exception to recommended fall planting is tropical plants such as lantana which are best planted in spring to develop strong enough root structure to withstand cold temperatures.

 

Now is the time to plant seeds for spring bloomers like columbines (in shade), larkspur (in part sun/ shade), and poppies (in full sun.) The spring bloomers take advantage of spring moisture. Then, when summer stress comes, they have done their show and are ready to rest. Very water wise! You can wait until late spring to sow seeds for summers bloomers like cosmos, but now is the time for planting spring bloomers.

 

Whether from a local nursery or mail order, purchase seeds of native wildflowers from a reliable source. Seeds planted now will give you months of color next spring, as well as the fun of seeing little green seedlings coming up through the winter.

 

1. Rake the soil surface smooth, removing rocks and sticks. If there is mulch, poke holes for planting.

2. Sow seeds evenly over soil; use rake to barely cover them; press seeds to make contact with soil.

3. Water gently; keep evenly moist first couple of weeks to ensure germination. After that, Mother Nature should take care for them unless it is an unusually dry fall/winter.