Blogging with Brian

The Smith County Extension office will be hosting a Private Pesticide Applicator training and testing class for people wishing to obtain an applicator's license

The class will be held beginning at 8:30 AM on Thursday, August 28, 2008 at the Smith County Extension office (1517 W Front St, Ste 116, Tyler). 

Cost for the course is $25 per person, which includes the study guide which should be purchased and read before the class.  Call 903-590-2980 to register for this event.

This link to the Texas Department of Agriculture descibes the types of pesticide licenses in Texas.

This link to the TDA provides a list of Regulated Herbicides in Texas.

Pasture weed control can be an on-going and expensive process.  Some methods, like mowing pastures, can provide short term 'clean looking' pastures and a perverse form of recreation for some landowners looking for a little alone time, but really do not get at the root (so to speak) of the problem. 

Using herbicides to control pasture weeds can be very cost effective and efficient.  The Smith, Rains, Van Zandt, and Wood County Extension offices have teamed up to conduct herbicide control plots for blackberry/dewberry plants in Rains County.  This year, control plots for Carolina Horse Nettle have been added in a separate location in Wood County.

We are hosting a FREE tour and LUNCH of these plots on Friday, August 29, 2008, beginning at 8 AM and lasting until 1 PM.  We will begin near Hogansville (Rains County) and conclude with lunch in Golden (Wood County).

You must RSVP by August 22 to either b-triplett@tamu.edu or by calling (903) 590 - 2980 in order to help us in the head count and to get directions to the first stop.  Lunch is being sponsored by Dow AgroSciences.

If you are not sure of what blackberries or Carolina Horse Nettle look like, check out these links: Blackberry/Dewberry , Carolina Horse Nettle. 

To view a copy of last year's demonstration report, click on the link: blackberrydemoreport2007.pdf

Time has arrived for Smith County, Texas forage producers to enter the annual hay show.

The show is a platform for local producers to obtain forage test information on the hay they produced this year for a reduced price and to benefit local youth and conservation education efforts at the same time.

Entering the hay show is easy, all we need is a feed sack full of hay from a round bale or an entire square bale of hay from hay produced as small squares.

The hay is analyzed for Crude Protein and Digestibility and then ranked based on a pre-set formula.  The top 25 entries are sold at a benefit auction that takes place September 22 during the Howdy Neighbor Barbecue event at the East Texas State Fair.

Hay can be entered at any one of 13 locations in Smith County on or before August 22.

Click on the document below for a complete set of rules for the 2008 show. 2008hayshowrules.pdf

Hot, dry weather is normally not the best of conditions under which to be tackling major pond related activities.  However, if your fish population has become stunted or if your pond has been overtaken with unwanted species of fishes, hot, dry weather can be your friend.

Last month I wrote about raising your own eggs.  I often also get questions about raising chickens for meat.  Raising your own chickens to produce broilers, fryers, roasters, whatever you want to call them, might not be less expensive than purchasing them from the store, but some people enjoy the peace of mind of knowing where their chicken came from and how it was raised.  Raising your own livestock also teaches children responsibility and helps them make the connection between farming and the food that they eat.