Neighborin'

By Joe Kreger The very best tradition of folks out on the land is when they get together to lend a helping hand.   Country people join their forcesfor the common good. They'll put a crew together right from the neighborhood.   Oh, it might not be as common as it was in former years, but most cattlefolks still "neighbor up" when it's time to gather steers.   Or, when it's time to work the calves, they'll come from miles around to help a neighbor heel those calves and work 'em on the ground.   And the Pennsylvania Amish will make up a local crew. They'll raise a barn in no time. Won't quit until they're through.   My brother wrecked his spray plane. He was very badly hurt, but neighbors came from miles around, and they sure stirred up the dirt.   Seemed like half the county put their shoulders to the load, and they just kept on comin' back 'til his land was tilled and sowed.   And all the neighbor ladies would prepare a big ol' lunch. No volunteer went hungry. They fed the whole dang bunch.   In this age of competitionand high tech operation, there's still a time to "neighbor up" in true cooperation.   Survival, kindness, friendship, that's what it's all about. Neighborin' is when you gather up to help each other out

Wordless Wednesday

National Farm Safety & Health Week

Safety: “A Family Affair”

As an operator, it is important to follow safety guidelines closely. It is also imperative to share safety tips with the entire family. The following tips are offered to help equipment owners and operators start the safety conversation with the whole family:

1. Remind your kids to stop, look and listen when playing outside, especially on the farm. It is very important that children are always aware of their surroundings and understand they should never stand around or behind a tractor, even if it is not moving.

2. Express to your children that tractors are not toys and they should only be operated by adults who are thoroughly familiar with the equipment. Children are generally attracted to tractors and the work they do. However, a tractor's work is not child's play.

3. Be honest, and clear with your kids, letting them know farm equipment is not safe to ride on, even when an adult is present. The tractor only has one seat and it is intended for the operator. Remind them to just say “no” if someone offers them a ride.

4. Encourage your kids to become a “Safety First Sheriff.” Empower your children and educate them on safety precautions like the use of ROPS, seatbelts and why it is so important to take extra precaution with PTOs. This knowledge will allow your kids to remind the whole family to make safety a top priority.

National Preparedness Month

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is supporting National Preparedness Month efforts by asking Texans to ready their families, businesses and communities for a disaster or emergency.

AgriLife Extension is focusing even greater attention on disaster preparedness during September, as this month has been designated National Preparedness Month.  Our goal is to increase public awareness on how to protect against, prepare for and recover from an emergency or disaster.

AgriLife Extension provides objective, research-based information, typically at no cost, to help people with emergency and disaster preparation and recovery. Materials are available through two agency-related websites, as well as through agency personnel in county offices throughout the state.

 

A variety of publications and downloads related to disaster and emergency preparedness and recovery, many of which are available at no-cost, may be found on Texas EDEN and AgriLife Bookstore websites. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)

The Texas Extension Disaster Education Network, or Texas EDEN, http://texashelp.tamu.edu, has information and materials on specific disasters, including drought, hurricanes and wildfire, as well as information on disaster preparation and recovery.

The AgriLife Bookstore website at http://agrilifebookstore.org has a variety of emergency and disaster-related materials, including publications on general preparedness, first aid and home, property and financial recovery.

Most materials from these sites may be downloaded and printed free of charge, and several are available in Spanish.  And many of our preparedness and recovery publications are also available in e-book format for downloading from Texas EDEN to mobile devices like smart phones, tablets and electronic readers.

The comprehensive AgriLife Extension and Texas Department of State Health Services co-authored publication “Preparing for the Unexpected” is among those available on both websites and  a PDF version may be downloaded free of charge.

Families should also have an emergency kit for their home, office and each vehicle, and definitely should know where to go in case of an emergency.  The evacuation plan should cover escape routes, utility shutoff and safety information, family communication and protecting important documents.

An emergency kit should contain enough supplies to take care of the immediate family for at least three days. Some essential kit contents  include water, non-perishable foods, a hand-operated can opener, mouth/nose protection masks, extra clothing, a first-aid kit, gloves, blankets, toiletries, a battery- or hand-powered flashlight, a weather radio, spare batteries, garbage bags, medications and anti-bacterial cleaners or wipes.

A number of safety issues also arise when returning to a home or business after a disaster, including possible structural damage, damage to electrical wires or gas lines, and the risk of contaminated water. After surviving a disaster, people should also be aware of the new dangers that crop up and take the necessary safety measures to ensure they survive the recovery phase too.

For more information on available publications, go to the AgriLife Bookstore or Texas EDEN website. Additional information on preparedness may be found at FEMA’s http://ready.gov website or its Spanish-language counterpart, http://listo.gov.

 

Wordless Wednesday

Can plants actually sun scald?

Yes, they can!

The sun can damage plants in several ways; the most obvious is when you see actual brown, burned spots on the leaves. The intense heat of the sun simply bakes the leaf tissue, killing it.  You may also see sun scald on the fruit of peppers and tomatoes, if the fruit is exposed to the intense light of the late afternoon sun.
 
Another common sun injury is on the southwest side of the trunk of young trees. When trees are young, their bark is not very thick and can be easily damaged by the intense rays of the sun.  The bad news is there’s nothing to be done for sun scald once it’s occurred. Dead plant tissue cannot be repaired.
 
But the good news: sun scald can easily be avoided. First, you should know whether or not your plant can take full sun. The label that accompanied the plant when you bought it may or may not be correct on this issue, so do a little extra research.
 
Also, even plants that can take the full sun need to be acclimated to it if they haven’t ever experienced it. A plant that has been on your porch for several weeks, out of the direct sun, will no longer be able to handle those bright rays, so start by moving the plant into the full sun for a few hours in the morning, slowly lengthening the time to all day before you actually put it in the ground.

Facts on Canning

Interesting facts
In 1809 and after 14 years of experimentation, a Frenchman, Nicolas Appert, produced the first shelf-stable canned food products. His development included air exclusion (hermetically sealed) and a prolonged thermal treatment that rendered the food shelf stable for years. The endeavor was rewarded with a prize from Napoleon who recognized that an “army travels on its stomach” and that there was a great need for transportation of stable foods to troops that were nutritious, safe and flavorful.

Appert went on to use the winnings to start a commercial canning operation. He subsequently wrote the first canning guide, called “The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances For Several Years.” In those days, water bath processing was the only type available and foods were processed for hours in hot water. Glass jars and metal cans (developed in 1810) have become the standard, with little changing except for the types of closures.
During Appert’s time, jars were sealed with a cork, sealing wax, and wire; we now use specialized polymers that act as glues to hold the lid onto the glass jar.

Canning has changed
Our understanding of bacteriology has improved. Pressure vessels shorten the time required to kill the most durable bacteria found in foods such as vegetables and meats. The shortened processing time also improved the quality of the product.

In evaluating recipes for preserving foods by canning, it is important to understand that acidic foods such as fruits require milder processing than acid neutral foods such as vegetables or meats. Thus, a pressure vessel (reaching temperatures of 241°F or higher) is required for vegetables and meats, while fruits (jams, jellies, juices) and many pickles require only a boiling water bath (212° F at sea level). Some recipes that are a combination of acid foods and low acid foods require either additional acid in the form of lemon or lime juice or vinegar and/or are pressure processed.

Recipes that require a pressure vessel are relying upon the higher temperature to kill the common soil bacterium Clostridium botulinum. While water bath processing will not kill botulinum, it does kill many other spoilage bacteria and relies upon the higher acidity of the food to prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum.

Botulinum produces a very potent and deadly toxin in improperly canned foods. It is extremely important to rely upon scientifically sound recipes when canning foods that are low acid or a combination of acidic and low acid foods. Guides such as the Ball Blue Book “So Easy to Preserve” and the recipes at the National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia (http://www.uga.edu/nchfp) are of assistance when choosing recipes