Mosquitoes can be one of summer’s biggest annoyances, and with the moisture we’ve gotten lately it seems as though they are everywhere. Not only can mosquitoes be a pest when you are trying to enjoy your time outdoors, but they pose a health threat as well. They can spread diseases very rapidly throughout an area. While there is no magic solution to eliminating mosquitoes completely, there are some remedies that can help to control their impact on you and your activities. Using an insect repellent containing diethyl toluamide… Read More →

While I believe everyone is incredibly thankful for the recent rainfall we have been receiving, the sudden downpours and strong wind can cause issues for your trees and gardens. When assessing damage to trees after a storm it is most often a question of whether the tree can survive or not. If the main trunk of the tree has been split or the bark has been split deep enough to expose the cambium, the cell layer underneath the outer and inner bark, the tree is more than likely… Read More →

I am loving the fact that my lawn is green and growing without having to turn on my sprinklers lately! All of this rainfall is getting me hopeful that this year’s garden will be the best it has ever been- and now is the time to start thinking about your garden and planning your planting timeline. You should be preparing your gardening spot now. I like to rotate the location of my garden each year as to not risk soil-borne diseases affecting my crop. If moving the entire… Read More →

It seems as though every week I’m getting a report through my email about another rabies case being found in the Panhandle. So far there have not been any reported in Collingsworth County, but residents should be proactive and take steps to safeguard themselves and their pets. Rabies is a very serious issue for humans as well as pets. Pets should be vaccinated by a veterinarian; this can help to keep your pets safe. Additionally, keep a close eye of pets to ensure they avoid contact with strange… Read More →

Spring roundups are happening! This is the time of year when cattle owners gather their livestock, take stock of their herd health, sort through cows and work calves. There are several actions that typically take place during these workings; including vaccinating, branding, castrating and tagging. Vaccinating calves and cattle is an important part to any ranching operation. It helps to keep them healthy and safeguard against diseases that could potentially lead to death. While buying the vaccine and actually giving it to the animal is imperative, there are… Read More →

The chance of severe weather is a risk that we all take by living in a town situated in “tornado alley”. Already this year our neighbors in Oklahoma have seen some deadly storms, and we are not immune from that happening in our own community. Tornado season is typically from April through June; however they can happen anytime during the year if the conditions are right. There are several precautions that can be taken to help keep you and your family safe in the case of a tornado… Read More →

Planting time is approaching rapidly for farmers, making it necessary to start making some expensive decisions regarding seed varieties. When making decisions about planting choices the more informed you are the better off you are. In the past few weeks there has been multiple seed company meetings put on by competing companies in the industry. These meetings have offered useful information about new seed varieties that are hitting the market this year, what the characteristics and traits are of the respective new variety and where they will work… Read More →

If you looked down at the ground this past week you probably saw an interesting site.  Swarms of winged, red ants were milling around.  While the number of these ants in the area seemed alarming, they were going through a natural occurrence in their life cycle.  They were completing the mating process.  These ants were the common Red Harvester Ants.  Both males and females are winged until the mating process is complete.  Once complete, the males die while the female will find a site to lay eggs.  She… Read More →

One of the keys to health is adequate water consumption, for humans and animals alike.  In these hot summer months of the Texas Panhandle, with temperatures typically being in the 100s’, it is essential to make sure that pets and livestock have a steady source of water that is easily accessible.  Water is the most important component of their diet.  The general rule of thumb is that animals require about 1.5 quarts of water per pound of solid feed eaten; and these requirements increase due to weight, lactation… Read More →