2013.Celebrating.ag.Tab

7/27/2019 2013.Celebrating.ag.Tab

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August 8, 2013, ~ Celebrating Aicuure 1


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2 Celebrating Aicuure~ August 8, 2013

Carbon County 4-H Clubs & Organizational Leaders 2012-2013

Boyd Bandits

P.O. Box 346Joliet MT 59041

Cottonwood Cow Chips

P.O. Box 373

Joliet, MT 59041

Shane Ridge Rustlers9786 Hwy 212

Joliet, MT 5941

Cole Creek Buckaroos

P.O. Box 247

Joliet, MT 59041

Edgar Eagles

452 Joliet Fromberg RdJoliet, MT 59041

Carbon County 4-H Council

P.O. Box 230

Joliet, MT 59041

Fromberg Gogetters109 Lower River Road

Fromberg MT 59029

Belfry Busy Beavers

143 Dutch Lane

Bridger MT 59014

Rockvale Ramblers

P.O. Box 254Fromberg MT 59029

Beartooth Bums

91 May Rade Road

Red Lodge, MT 59068

Foxie40 Oliver Lane

Bridger, MT 59014

Carbon County

Shooting Sports Club

P.O. Box 282Boyd, MT 59013


3/16


CLUB NAMEORGANIZATIONAL LEADER

PHONE #MEETING DATE/TIME / MEETING LOCATION

Broadview Homesteaders

Karen Schott / LaneMyloLane / Shelley Erickson667-2242 / 669-3156 / 667- 23901st Tuesday 7 p.m. at the Broadview Community Center

Beartooth RamblersDena Griffel / Tammi Kirch322-48681st Monday at 6 p.m. at the Columbus Firehall

Johnnys Buckaroos

Melissa Kramer322-56881st Sunday at 6 p.m. at the Columbus Middle School Library

Molt Happy Helpers

Christina Pierce669-31042nd Tuesday every other month at 6:30 p.m. at the Molt School

Park City Wranglers

Cathy Tebay633-23982nd Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Park City Civic Center

Rapeljacks & Jills

Anna Schladweiler

663-22321st Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Rapelje Evangelical Church

Rosebud Adventurers

Andrea Stampfel322-48101st Sunday 6:00pm Fishtail Community Center

Spring Creek StockgrowersKathryn Fjare / Katrin Chandler328-6487 / 328- 4253

1st Sunday 5 p.m. at the Spring Creek Community Center

Stillwater RanchhandsFinis Sandlin

328-6277

1st Monday 6:30 p.m. at the Nye Fire Hall

Springtime Tumbleweeds

Elisha Lewis

326-2306 set by Members home

Stillwater Ridge Riders

Marsha Schultz

322-5398

1st Monday 6:30 p.m. at the Columbus Evangelical Church

Stillwater Sharpshooters

Kisha Miller

322-8687

To be determined

Stillwater 4-H Leaders CouncilPresident Elisha Lewis

326-2306

6 p.m. on the 3rd WED of JAN, MAR,

MAY, JULY, AUG & NOV at the Stillwater County Courthouse

Stillwater 4-H Teen Leaders

Stillwater 4-H Ambassadors

Lyndsey Clark

328.4708

Stillwater 4-H Cloverbuds

Lindsey Williams

322-9044

2nd Tuesday at 4 p.m. at the Little Stone Church in Columbus

Shooting Sports Leaders

Richard Tebay / Finis & Kyle Sandlin / Kisha Miller

633-2398 / 328-6277 / 322-8687

Archery, Rie-Air & .22, Pistol, Shotgun,

Cowboy Action, Muzzleloader

One leader present from each club and ambassadors to vote on issues brought before the Council. 4-Hers from all clubs in Stillwater County that are

dedicated to promoting leadership skills and help sponsor the 4-H Ambassadors Program. Meets one Sunday per month, with the exception of June.

**Exact date will be set by teens in the prior month.

Stillwater County 4-H Clubs & Organizational Leaders 2012-2013


4/16


By Eleanor Guerrero

CCN Reporter

Earth Day was Monday, April 22.Add a chirp and buzz to your yard by

helping birds and bees all year round.

The Montana list for Species of

Concern for Birds (mt.gov) has some

surprising species listed including

Clarks Nutcracker, the Black Rosy

Finch, the Gray Crowned Rosy Finch,

the Evening Grosbeak, the Loggerhead

Shrike and Great Blue Heron. They

are at risk due to declining popula-tion trends, threats to their habitats,

and/or restricted distribution and may

not be on federal lists.

Montana Audubon stated in 2012

after forty years of citizen science

info gathering there is an alarming

decline nationally of common

birds. All 20 birds on its Common

Birds in Decline list lost at least half

their population including the Boreal

Chickadee, the Little Blue Heron, the Snow Bunting, and

the Evening Grosbeak. Another national study shows the

common American robin and towhee in decline. Some

populations fell up to 80 percent due to habitat loss and

environmental trends. Its website lists citizen actions.

Birds help us by spreading seeds and eating insects, not

to mention their beauty and song.

Meadowlarks and other grassland birds are decreasing

because of suburban sprawl, industrial development, and

mega-farms. Losses of wetlands, and riparian areas affect

water birds. Audubon nds more temperate predatorsmoving north, likely from global warming. Forest birds

like the Chickadee face deforestation from increased

insect and re outbreaks and excessive logging, drilling,

and mining.

As for the bees, the annual value of honey bee pollina-

tion to US Agriculture alone is about $16 billion annu-

ally. Bees pollinate one-sixth of the worlds owering

plant species and 400 agricultural plants.

To increase bee populations and yields we can manage

bees to encourage good pollination. The destructive ef-

fects of the varroa mite, loss of wild bee nesting habitat,low world honey prices, Africanization of bees (aggres-

sive but more resilient) and the use of pesticides make

wild bee conservation imperative.

Wild bees need long-lasting, undisturbed nesting sites

in sunny, relatively bare patches of ground with plants

nearby for nectar and pollen. The greater the variety of

owering plants, the greater the number of bee species.

A major risk to bee and plant diversity is the increasing

fragmentation of wild uncultivated areas.

Without bees, many owering plants fail to set seedand without owering plants, there is no food for bees.

Leave eld margins, ditches, roadside verges and wood-

land edges unsprayed with chemicals and undisturbed.

Leave areas wild and encourage native plants.

Pesticides may kill quickly or, worse, slowly. Aninsecticide may be harmless to bees but inhibit crop

pollination by repelling bees.

Bret Adee, the nations largest beekeeper said, The

national livestock production lists bees right up there in

importance, he stated. If a disaster strikes, however,

we get no farm bill relief, no help. All hybrid seeds need

bees, he said. Its bigger than most people think.

Adee lost 80 percent of his hives just south of Mon-

tana in WYO. He believes state and federal governments

should grant schools money for bee research. The EPAdoesnt fund any research or fully realize bees impor-

tance to food.

All species suffer in drought. We had bees sitting on

sunowers in the upper Midwest where the drought hit

hard, said Adee. There were also tremendous losses

there, 60-100 percent losses of hives. Eastern South

Dakota beekeepers had some 100 percent losses too. He

added, the Dakotas use neonicotinoid compounds. Sun-

owers get systemic seed treatment with the pesticides.

Bees add 15-30 percent to the crop yield and provide

higher oil.Pesticide salesmen are very aware of the synergistic

effects of combining pesticides, he explained. Theyll

tell a farmer, just add pesticide A to pesticide B for a

greater kill rate. Adee is the American Honey Produc-

ers (AHP) representative with the National Honeybee

Advisory Board.

Adee said Congress needs to request the EPA to move

the pesticide review date up from 2018 to help bees.

Adee said, I found the EPA surprisingly unmotivated to

bring it up in schedule. He implores people to contacttheir local congressman.

Adee said fungicides can kill the good microbes, too.

If bees dont have the microbes to break the hard shells

of pollen, they cannot digest it.

He noted the relationship between

disappearing bees and birds, A few

weeks ago, the American Bird Conser-

vancy testied before congress stating,

Theres obviously something wrong.

Western states agencies need to

fund their universities bee research.

Penn State conducts bee research;

some beekeepers are breeding super

queens i.e. those surviving the hive

deaths, to create more resilient bees.

A professor researches neonicotinoids.

Adee said the EPA gives states leadagencies grant money to enforce its

laws but eld data reporting is volun-

tary; there is no accountability.

Bill Dahle owns the major Montana

beekeeping operation, Big Sky Honey,

in Fairview.

In response to Montana

State Entomologist Cam

Lay who said the question

is open on whether there is

sufcient dosage of neo-

nicotinoids by bees in the

elds to compare with study

results he said, Thats not

entirely true. Bees dont go to just one eld, one crop;

they have multiple exposures to multiple chemicals.

The state doesnt understand the scope of the contact,

he explained. We move all over-to all different types

of insecticides, on elds, in the run-offs, settling ponds.

The bees go for a drink of water and can get infected and

return and infect the whole hive. Weve never seen losseson this scale-all ages of loss in the hives. We thought

40 percent was huge, but in California, 80 percent losses

were occurring.

Dahl recognizes that stress from drought can be a fac-

tor but believes there are multiple factors. Its killing

us, its a horrible, detrimental effect. The general public

needs to know how important bees are. Every third bite

will no longer exist. It affects everything-dairy prices,

food prices.

Dahle had to buy more bees from out of state. He said,

I can do it this year, as long as they have bees, as long asI have money. He suffered $2 million in losses for 2013.

Any other farm operation would have help with such a

disaster, he said. His losses for fall and spring totaled

80 percent.

We have always been uninsurable. For 30 years,

weve never been able to buy insurance.

He calls on locals: We need people calling and telling

your congressman how important it is to reschedule the

2018 EPA study date.

For Earth Day, transform your space to welcomediverse species. Most importantly, have that talk with

your family, friends and neighbors about the birds and

the bees.

Talk about the birds and the bees:Earth Day all year


5/16


6/16


Hay Barley:Clean-up Your HayFields

By Dennis Cash

MSU Extension Service

Montana ranchers have really taken hold of barley and other cereals forhay crops. Since 2000, there have been over 300,000acres of these crops, worth about $2.7 million, annu-

ally. Cereal forages provide good hay yields and arenutritious if harvested at the correct stage.

A major issue for most ranchers to consider is thecosts associated with an annual or emergency forage,especially done every year. We recommend that themajor use of these crops is as a rotation option forone or two years between stands of alfalfa or a peren-nial legume-grass pasture. Growing cereals allows aproducer to eliminate weeds and disease problems inalfalfa ground. If hay barley or another cereal is used

for annual hay, we strongly advise you to use goodweed control methods pre-crop, in-crop and after har-vest, so that alfalfa can be re-established onto clean ground. On irrigated

ground, dandelion and quackgrass are readily controlled by crop rotation tocereals, under good weed control.

Good weed control ahead of alfalfa will include both timely tillage andherbicide applications. Many excellent herbicides are available for cereal

crops, and most can be used when cereals are cut forhay. However, a number of EPA restrictions exist

when herbicides are applied to cereal forages (notnecessarily due to mammalian toxicity, but a lack ofdata). For example, some products (Ally, Amber andPuma) have no restrictions for grazing or haying,but many do not allow hay to be harvested followingtreatment (Assert, Express, Harmony Extra and oth-ers). Several products require seven to 60 days priorto hay harvest. Be sure to follow label restrictions,and if you need assistance use a professional applica-tor service.

More detailed herbicide limitations are cited in thearticle by Leon Wrage and Darrell Deneke, SDSU,

http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx8140.pdf

We recommend thatthe major use of these

crops is as a rotation

option for one or two

years between stands

of alfalfa or a perennial

legume-grass pasture.


7/16


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The best bet for ensuring optimal yields is balanced soil fertility going

into the growing season. However, if soil nutrients are marginal and root

growth is slow due to cold or very wet conditions, then roots might notcome into contact with a sufcient amount of nutrients, said Clain Jones,

Extension soil fertility specialist in the Department of Land Resources

and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University.

It is important to determine whether poor crop health is really due to

nutrient deciency. Water-logged soils may actually have increased phos-

phorus availability and disease tends to be a bigger issue in wet condi-

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MSU ExtEnsion:In-season fertilizing with immobile nutrients can boost crops

July 9, 2013 -- MSU News Service


8/16


For generations, our agricultural bankers have lived and workedin your community. They understand the specic nancial needsof ag producers and ranchers. Its the main reason Wells Fargo

is the #1 lender to U.S. agriculture among commercial banks.To learn more about reaching your nancial goals, stop by the

Wells Fargo branch nearest you in Red Lodge.

Red Lodge 1 S. Broadway 406-446-1620

Good ag relationships startwith common ground

wellsfargo.com

2013 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.Member FDIC. (1000771_09023)

_ . . .i

By Eleanor GuerreroCCN Reporter

To feed yourself, the space doesnt haveto be big, expensive or even on the ground.Such was the theme of the unconventionallm Truck Farm, presented at Caf Regison Thursday evening, March 22, as part ofthe Food For Thought Film Series.

Aptly made by Old Gray Dodge Produc-tions, the lm highlights onemans attempt to grow foodin the city of New York in hisold truck. As truck farmerIan Chaney stated, I didntown any land and if I did, thesoil in Red Hook, Brooklyn,is dirty, dirty, dirty. Dirty, heexplained, meant lled withneurotoxins, DDT and petro-chemicals.

In seeking to build his garden, the young man looked

to the methods of roof top gardeners. He drilled holesin the bed of his truck and sought out those who makerooftop garden insulation. Before adding the soil,various linings were purchased: a light-weight mix ofStyrofoam particles, jelly, and peat moss and an erosionblanket as well as a plastic lining comprised of littleround indentations that would allow just enough waterto pool and drain the rest. He noted there are manymixtures for soil, and that glass particles can substitutefor sand and silt (its components) in reaching a desiredmix of sand, silt, clay soil for growing things.

As a learning tool, he set up a solar camera to recordthe growth of his plants every half hour. He grewalfalfa sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos, basil andlavender among other garden produce. He sold hisproduct to city chefs and residents who bought sharesin advance. He winterized his truck bed. He enclosedhis plant beds by building a steel and wood framewith hinged windows on each side. The sunlight onthe metal truck bed and the improvised cover kept theplants warm all winter long.

Vistas of unorthodox growing expanded as he visitedneighborhood urban garden co-ops on former baseball

elds, within domes, on city rooftops and even on abarge for those living on public assistance in StatenIsland (the waterpod project). He visited a Chelsea(downtown Manhattan) farmer growing hydroponic(plants fed by liquid nutrients) greens hanging in herhuge apartment lobby window.

She said, As soon as I saw all that light, I knew I hadto grow something.

The entire lm is sung in ballads discussing Cheneysadventure. Word spread, and he communicated hismessage to a growing public hungry for natural foods.

Considering the miles and miles of suburbs surroundingcities, he lamented, There is so much wasted land.A crisis occurred when Cheneys prized lavender

plant, about to ower, is plucked from its bed while the

truck is parked on the street. The man is de-moralized and depressed. You cant growfood in the city, he sings sadly.

When all hope seems lost, he receives a letter from a

woman growing plants for her doctorate in Denver, in-spired by his story in an article shed read. In the nextscene the young man is driving his truck farm out to

Denver. At the students home, she unwraps a canvascovering a 66 Ford F250 to reveal she is growing alush green garden in an old truck bed as well. It is clearhis message has been communicated across the country.

The lm ends with the balladeer singing aboutchildren he has met and showing their examples of thetiny gardens they have planted-in their lunchboxes, toytrucks, every conceivable place.

He happily concludes, Truck farm has a familynowon trucks, barges, rooftops, in lunchboxes andtoys.

Afterwards, discussion followed with a presentationby Absarokee farmers, Wayne and Connie Burleson,who teach others how to feed themselves all over theworld. They use any available space from wheel bar-rels to boxes. Wayne advised, You dont need moneyto grow your own. Think of the seeds thrown out in thetrash after farmers market.

To handle the challenges of the strong, desiccatingwinds on the ridges outside Red Lodge he advised,After planting, cover each plant. You can use a bucketwith the bottom cut out. Cover the bucket with a piece

of plastic held by clothes pins. It cures the grasshopperproblem and keeps in the moisture. Wayne said there isalways a way.

Photos By Wicked Delicate Films

Left Photo: Truck farm in Brooklyn, New York.

Above Photo: Children nd the truck farm a fun way to learn.

Keep on Truckin:Building truck farms and tiny gardens can change the world


9/16


Though farming was once big business in the United States, by 2012 less than 1 percent of Ameri-

cans were professional farmers. Many challenges face todays farmers, many of which are largely

unknown to the general public.Many people have an outdated view of a farm as a small, family-owned and operated parcel of land

where livestock is raised in open pens and crops are hand-harvested when ripe. The reality is that

modern-day farms have had to overhaul operations to meet demand and remain competitively priced

while adapting to the ever-changing ways technology inltrates all parts of life. Each of these factors

present obstacles for todays farmers.

tEchnology

Rural farming communities are expected to make an effort to integrate modern technology into an

industry that has been around for centuries. But such a transition in rural areas, where communications

systems may not be as up-to-date as those in urban areas, is not always so easy.According to the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, a shift from a resource-based to an infor-

mation-based economy, compounded by the rapid introduction and expansion of new technology in

the workplace, has altered farm operation and the skills in demand. Older workers who have been

schooled in one way of agriculture may have a signicant impact on labor supply and the vitality of

farming as a career. Younger adults who are knowledgeable in technology may no longer seek out

agricultural careers.

DEcrEasEinfarmingasanoccupation

The United States Environmental Protection Agency says that only about 960,000 Americans claim

farming as their principal occupation. As that gure has dwindled, the average age of farmers contin-ues to rise, as the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that roughly 40 percent of the farmers in this coun-

try are 55 years old or older. This has led to concerns about the long-term health

of family farms throughout the United States.

EnvironmEntalconcErns

Many farmers have come under scrutiny for how farming impacts the envi-

ronment. A growing emphasis on sustainability and conservation has led many

people to protest certain farming practices. Protesters claim that certain prac-

tices, such as raising livestock, can pollute water, while the use of fertilizers and

chemical pesticides is bad for the environment. Many farmers, however, have

altered their methods to be more environmentally friendly and self-sustainable

in the process.

Climate change is another environmental issue farmers must deal with.

Strong storms and severe droughts have made farming even more challenging.

financialfall-out

The ongoing recession of the last half-decade has also affected farmers. InNovember of 2012, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicatedthat the unemployment rate within the agriculture, forestry, shing, and hunt-ing industries was at 13.6 percent, far higher than the national unemploymentrate. As a result, many farm families have found themselves stuck between arock and a hard place, as rising costs for equipment and technology are beingcoupled with decreasing prots and rising unemployment.

Further complicating matters is competition from corporations and inter-national food producers who have made it difcult for family farmers to turna signicant prot. Many family farmers rely on loans and lines of credit tosurvive, but thanks to changes in the nancial sector that saw banks becomeless willing to extend lines of credit, some farmers are facing bankruptcy.

Though it can be easy for those who do not work in the agricultural in-dustry to overlook the struggles facing todays agricultural professionals, agreater understanding of those struggles and the challenges that lay ahead canbenet the industry and its employees down the road.

ChallengesfaCingfarmerstodayandtomorrow


10/16


Honey, I shrunk the bees!By Eleanor Guerrero

CCN Reporter

Montanans like honey and bees like Montana. The

state typically ranks in the top ten for honey production.

Montana bees are in demand in California traveling

there each year to pollinate a huge chunk of our na-

tions vegetables. Honey bees are seriously threatened

worldwide and the losses are increasing.

In March, 2013, the New York Times (NYT) reported

on a growing catastrophe in honey bee pollination:

Bret Adee, who is one of the owners of Adee HoneyFarms of SD, the nations largest beekeeper, described

mounting losses. We lost 42 percent over the winter.

But by the time we came around to pollinate almonds,

it was a 55 percent loss, he said.

While a 5-10 percent loss was normal prior to 2005s

colony collapse disorder, bee losses have grown

from one third to as high as 50 percent. Big Sky Honey

owner Bill Dahl, Fairview told NYT he had planned

to bring 13,000 beehives from Montana 31 tractor-

trailers full to work the California almond groves.

But by the start of pollination last month, only 3,000healthy hives remained. He said, Weve been doing

this 30 years, and weve never experienced this kind of

loss before.

In Carbon County, many people are starting to take

steps to promote and protect bees locally.

Deborah Muth of Red Lodge joined the growing

number of hobby beekeepers. After a recent course in

beekeeping in Bozeman, she purchased bees and sup-

plies. She keeps her bees warm in her garage.

With our little bees hive colonies here, she said,

we are assembling and placing them in our gardens soon. She is taking no chances

with their food. I think we really need to make sure that the available food for our

bees within the 3 miles range from where we locate the hives is

clean.

Muth and her friend (and fellow beekeeper) Polly Hawkins

will feed their bees only the organic sugar syrup they make until

the bees start to make their own honey. Her cousin, Robert Yack,

raises his own bees in Utah.

Red Lodge rancher Ivan Thrane permitted hives to be placed

on his land by beekeepers. At the end of season he received a

healthy supply of honey- a win-win situation.The USDA says a quarter of the American diet (others say one-

third) from apples to cherries to watermelons to onions, depends

on pollination. Beef cattle eat a lot of alfalfa, a pollinated crop.

Fewer bees mean smaller crop harvests and hig her food prices.

Europe, Britain and some U.S. researchers believe new, power-

ful pesticides known as neonicotinoids, incorporated into the

plants themselves could be an important factor in colony collapse

disorder.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) labeled the

pesticide clothianidin as being an unacceptable danger to bees.

EFSA found the Bayer CropScience study self-serving. The

EPA has been criticized as the using the Bayer study as its sole basis for neonicotinoid

use approval. The study began after the deaths of 300-500 million bees in German, where

Bayer CropScience neonicotinoid products are used and where the company is based.The EPA has not banned neonicotinoids so far. Montana follows the EPA. State Ento-

mologist Cam Lay said whether the neonicotinoids subtle sublethal effect on honeybees

applies to levels bees encounter in the elds is still an active ques-

tion. He feels drought was signicant in bee stress and 2012 deaths.

Neonicotinoid use in the US is widespread. The Alliance for Nat-

ural Health stated, At least 143 million of the 442 million acres

that is, nearly one-thirdof US cropland is planted with crops

treated with one of three neuroactive insecticides related to nicotine

(a newer class of pesticide called neonicotinoids), all of which are

known to be highly toxic to bees: clothianidin, imidacloprid, and/or

thiamethoxam. Included are many soy and corn crops. Accordingto EFSA, the bee ingests the nectar containing these neurotoxins

and dies; it also kills its larvae.

In California, 1.6 million hives of bees recently nished pollinat-

ing 80 percent of US almonds. Almonds exemplify the crop risk

of disappearing bees. A multi-billion dollar export crop crucial to

California agriculture, it requires almost two-thirds of U.S. commer-

cial hives. Recently, the EPA sent its acting assistant administrator

for chemical safety and two top chemical experts there, to the San

Joaquin Valley for discussions.

Honeybee Centre (Canada) cites a common (unproven) AlbertEinstein quote, If the bees disappeared off the surface of the globe

then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no

more plants, no more animals, no more men. The statement always provokes a buzz.

If the bees disappearedoff the surface of theglobe then man wouldonly have four years oflife left. No more bees,no more pollination, nomore plants, no moreanimals, no more men.

- Honey Bee Centre

Courtesy Photo

Deborah Muth displays some of the parts needed to build a hive.


11/16


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On April 7, Britains House of Commons cited the governments inadequate assess-

ment of neonicotinoid pesticides and effects on bees. It called for a moratorium in the

U.K. on three specic neonicotinoid pesticides by 2014 and an immediate halt of home/

garden use.The USDA National Honey Report showed good growing prospects for February in

Montana in the amount of moisture received east of the Divide. The rst natural pollen

or nectar sources are expected to be available now. Many Montana bees are in warmer

storage sites or in California, pollinating. Strong demand was reported for pollination

and honey.

To support bees you can raise your own bees; share property with beekeepers for a

generous share of honey in return, or plant bee friendly owers such as alfalfa, clematis,

dandelions, early anemones, crocuses and clover.

I do everything I can to support the bees, said Johanna Hergenrider, Bridger. I

plant bee balm and raspberries. I have bottle walls. I report the big, fuzzy (critically

endangered) Bombus bee when I see it. She said Japan lacks enough bees. They

have to pollinate each pear by hand. She warns, If there are no bees, were done!

The BBC states, Global demand for honey constantly exceeds supply, and with bee

colonies mysteriously disappearing in the US and Europe, pure honey is becoming a

valuable and expensive - commodity. The price of honey in the US is rising more than

6% annually, and the market globally is expected to hit $12 billion by 2015. It states

honey is the only food that insects produce that humans eat regularly. Its packed with

healthy micro-nutrients, and for thousands of years honey has been used for its medici-

nal value. It is a healthy and natural sweetener. It is also antimicrobial, antibacterial,

antiseptic, anti-inammatory and antifungal.

Honey was used by the Arabs in 50 A.D. and early Egyptians. The Greeks said Cupiddipped his arrows in the nectar. Honey promotes healing when smeared on wounds.

Production of this liquid gold is a very slow, decentralized process, not articially

reproduced or mass manufactured. You need space, wild owers, time for pollination,

and of course, honey bees.

So, when you cannot afford to buy your sweetheart something rare and precious,

dont despair. If you havent got much money, you might buy your honeyhoney.

Courtesy Photo

(Left to Right) Polly Hawkins and Deborah Muth paint the hivesthey are building.


12/16


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14/16


Managing the Sheep Flock During the Lambing Seasonby Rodney Kott

Extension Sheep SpecialistMontana State University

Lambing season is the critical time when the

sheep producers skill, effort, and concern deter-mine the success of the entire operation. Dozens ofproblems occur. Many, however, can be traced backto poor management, inadequate equipment or anindifferent attitude. Of the three, attitude is the mostimportant followed by management. Poor equip-ment is often blamed for most problems, but goodmanagement and a good attitude can make even poorequipment work.

Perhaps one of the most important and leaststressed management tools available to sheepproducers is observation. A complete knowledgeof sheep production is useless if producers do nothave the ability, or more appropriately stated, do not

take the time to recognize problems as they arise.A part of a producers daily routine should includeclose observation of all ewes and lambs. You wouldbe surprised at the amount of things you would seeby spending just thirty minutes per day looking atyour sheep. After a few weeks you would know yoursheep very well. You would know how they normallyact, move, play, eat, etc. You will be able to tell whenthey are not feeling well. This will give you a headstart on identifying problems during lambing.

LAMBING FACILITIESA new lamb is a 10-to-14 pound sopping wet baby

that has left a warm, well nourished environment fora harsher life outside. Now it must initiate breathingand maintain body temperature. If you cant providethe lamb with a suitable environment you may wantto choose to lamb later when weather is warmer.

The facility components of a shed lambing systeminclude: 1) an area for ewes about 1 to 3 weeks priorto lambing, 2) a drop pen for ewes within a weekof lambing, 3) lambing jugs for newly born lambsuntil they are 24 to 72 hours old, 4) nursery pens fora few ewes and their lambs 24 hours to 3 days afterlambing, and 5) mixing pens for ewes with lambs forewes with lambs 3 to 30 days of age.

The need to lamb 100 ewes in a facility largeenough for only 50 ewes is a common problem.However of 100 ewes, no more than about 35 willlamb per week. Also, after the newborn lamb hasdried off, has been fed, and has had the opportunityto adjust to a harsher environment, it can be movedto cooler and presumably less costly quarters.

DROP LOTThis should be a large outside lot that ewes can

be kept in prior to lambing. This lot usually containsthe ewes that are several weeks from lambing.Ewes closer to lambing are usually kept in a droparea close to the lambing shed. This lot should haveaccess to a sheep working facility and the lambing

shed.

LAMBING SHEDA lambing barn does not have to be fancy nor

does it require a new building. In most cases existingfacilities can easily be converted into workable lamb-ing barns.

The most common facilities used are unheatedlambing barns. They protect the animal from rain,wind and snow and provide temperatures just higherthan outside temperatures. In certain areas heatedlambing facilities may be benecial, with tempera-tures maintained at 35 to 45 degrees F. However,when heated barns are utilized proper ventilation is

more critical. If ammonia can be smelled in the barnventilation is inadequate.Workroom: Optional, but comes in handy for

lamber to stay in, store equipment and take care

of chilled lambs. This room should be heated andprovide access to electricity and hot water.

Drop Area: A space to house ewes that are withina week of lambing during adverse weather will comein handy. This space usually only needs to be large

enough to house about 35 to 50 % of the ewe ock.This area should be large enough to allow 12 to 14square feet per ewe. As lambing progresses less eweswill be in this group. The size of this area can bereduced accordingly making room for mixing pens.Also by dividing the drop band into small groupsof ewes (10 to 20 ewes per pen) it may be possibleto avoid having a night lamber. If you are unable tohouse the drop band inside, a lamber should be onduty at all times during cold weather as the lambsmust be brought inside immediately after lambing.

Lambing Jugs: One lambing jug for every 7 to 10ewes in the ock should be adequate. They should beat least 4 by 4 feet and preferably 5 by 5 feet. Ewes

will usually remain in these jugs from 12 to 24 hours.Nursery Pens: The rst set of nursery or mixing

pens that the ewes are placed in should be largeenough (16 to 20 sq. feet per ewe and lambs) to holdabout 5 to 7 ewes with their lambs. Ewes should re-main in these pens another 24 to 48 hours, therefore,approximately two or three of these pens for every100 ewes in the ock will be needed.

MIXING PENSThese are larger pens where ewes and lambs are

combined into larger more manageable groups asthey come out of the lambing shed. They are usuallydesigned to hold about 20 ewes and their lambs butin certain instances may hold as many as 100 ewesand their lambs. Lambs are still relatively youngwhen they are placed in these pens and thereforesome type of shelter should be available. This shelter,however, need not be very elaborate (it can be aslittle as plastic stretched over a wooden frame andagainst a wind break).

MANAGEMENT

PRELAMBING SHEARINGIt is desirable to shear ewes about two weeks prior

to lambing. This will enable you to house more ewesin the same shed space. Also it is easier for the lambsto start suckling and encourages the ewes to seekshelter from cold and to take their newborn lambswith them.

PRELAMBING WORMINGIn the northern United States a large percentage

of the internal parasites undergo arrested develop-ment (hypobiosis) during the winter months. Mostanthelmintic are only marginally effective againstthese arrested larva. However around lambingsomething occurs to stimulate maturation of theselarva to adults. The result is a periparturient rise inworm egg counts and the beginning of an internal

parasite problem. Just before lambing is an ideal timeto worm the ewes. However, make sure that the drugyou are using is safe for pregnant ewes.

GETTING READYLambs are born about 145 days after the rams

are turned in with the ewes. Make sure you havepurchased supplies and set up the lambing facilitieswell before lambing begins. Once lambing beginsyour time will be better spent looking after the sheep.Also, spend some time looking for booby traps. I canassure you that if you do not nd them, the lambswill.

If you are to have a successful lambing season you

will avoid the following:Trying to nd some boards to build a neededjug panel under three feet of snow at 3 AM in themorning.

Repairing a hole in the lambing shed or a brokenwindow when a sudden blizzard arrives.

Going to town to try and nd lambing suppliesthe day 20 new lambs arrive.

DROP PENIt is most desirable to have all pregnant ewes

in the immediate drop band. However, in mostinstances this is not possible. In these cases it isnecessary to sort off the closeup ewes and placethem in an areas where they can be given the mostattention. About one week before the rst lamb isexpected, sort out 25 to 30 percent of the ewes thatyou think will lamb rst. Ewes closest to lambingnormally have considerable udder development,their vulvas are enlarged and slightly dilatedand the ewes appear heavy through the middle.However, none of these sign is a perfect indicator.Ewes not in the closeup group must therefore be

rechecked several times each day as you will likelyhave some lambs born in this group. Check ewesnot in the closeup drop band every 5 or 6 daysand place any ewes showing signs of being closeto lambing in the closeup band. Do everything pos-sible to avoid having lambs born out in the snow.

DROP PICKINGThe lambers role is to assist delivery when

necessary and to see that the lambs survive. Shortlyafter lambing the lambs should be picked up andthe ewe, along with her lambs, placed in a lambing

jug. A high percentage of mismothering can occurin the drop and therefore it is essential that thelamber be very attentive. If the drop is only beingchecked periodically it is benecial that ewes in thedrop be divided into small groups.

Once the ewes and lambs have been brought in,the naval cord of the lambs should be clipped to alength of 2 and dipped in 7% tincture of iodine.Do not use a spray application of iodine; insteaduse a wide mouth jar and immerse the navel iniodine. This practice is considered essential forpreventing losses from navel ill.

When the ewe and lambs are placed in the jug,a stream of colostrum should be milked from eachteat in order to remove the wax-like plug in the teatcanal. By doing this the lamb will be able to sucklewith less difculty.

This is a good time to access the ewes milkproduction and make grafts if necessary. Shortlyafter the lamb is able to stand it should be assistedin suckling if it cannot do so itself. The value ofcolostrum within the rst 2 hours of birth cannot beoveremphasized. Antibodies developed by the eweagainst infectious organism are transmitted throughthe colostrum to the lamb. These antibodiesprovide disease protection to the lamb for severalweeks following birth. Without early absorption ofthese colostral antibodies, the lamb is susceptibleto disease. The production of and the ability of

the lamb to utilize colostral antibodies decreasesdramatically shortly after birth.If the lamb is weak, the best way to save its life

is to stomach tube the lamb 2 - 4 oz of colostrum.To keep a source of colostrum on hand stealsome from other ewes (cow colostrum from cows1st milking is next best). A lamb needs about 6ounces of colostrum to receive adequate antibodyprotection. Most good milking ewes will producefour times that amount. Freeze this spare colostrumin ice cube trays or in small plastic bags and thawout as needed. Warm colostrum gently (usually ina water bath). Do not thaw or heat in a microwave.The antibodies in colostrum are proteins and can

be destroyed if cooked.Problems and any treatment administered shouldbe noted so that the family can be properly caredfor while in the lambing barn.

LAMBING JUGSAt this point we should be aware of one of the

primary deciencies in newborn lambs -- the lambsthermoregulatory system (internal thermostat) isonly partially functional. It does not become com-

pletely functional until the lamb is about 3 daysold. The lambs body temperature will uctuatewith changes in environmental temperatures.

During the rst days of life the lamb will needto nurse at least 3 times a day. If the lamb becomestoo chilled to nurse, it will soon die of starvation.The stress of chilling also reduces the lambs resis-tance to diseases such as scours and pneumonia.Providing shelter for ewes with newborn lambsis intended to minimize losses in lambs due toenvironmental exposure. The period in the lambingpen is important in forming a strong bond betweenthe ewe and her lambs which will be important inpreventing losses due to abandonment in later life.

Lambs and ewes must be watched for signs ofproblems such as starvation, scours, pneumonia.etc. Early diagnosis is essential to effective treat-ment. To facilitate early diagnosis, ewes and lambsin the lambing jugs should be observed twice eachday. Get all ewes and lambs up. Healthy lambs willusually stretch and try to nurse when chased up.Observe lambs for general appearance and attitude,i.e. droopy ears, hunched up, sunk in sides, etc. Ifthe lamb doesnt look right try to determine thesource of the problem, i.e. hypothermia, starvation,scours, dehydration, pneumonia, physical injury,ewe with mastitis, ewe not letting lamb nurse, etc.

If all is going well the ewe and her new familyshould be ready to move to the nursery pens by 12to 24 hours. If there are no nursery pens available,it is recommended to keep the ewes in the jugsanother day or two. Upon leaving the jug the lambsand ewe should be identied with ear tags, paintbrands, etc. so that if problems arise after they areturned loose they can be brought back together.

NURSERY PENSNursery pens should contain 5 to 7 ewes and

their lambs. These families are still usually lessthan 3 days old and still getting used to each other.Lambs are still extremely susceptible to hypother-mia and starvation. Ewes and lambs should becarefully checked at least twice a day. Check therear end of lambs for scours. If the lamb appearsgaunt or hungry check the number and nd theewe. Does the ewe have adequate milk production?Does the ewe have mastitis? Has the ewe disownedthe lamb? If problems exist a lamb may need tobe bummed or grafted or, in some instances, theyoung family should be returned to the jugs for acouple days. If all is well the lambs can be movedto the mixing pens after the lambs are about 3 daysof age.

MIXING PENS

After a suitable time in the nursery pens ewesand their lambs can be combined into largergroups. These groups usually consist of about 20ewes and their lambs. These pens usually containsignicantly less shelter than the young family haspreviously become accustomed to and thereforethey should be watched fairly closely for the nextcouple of days.

By a couple days the new family should befairly well adjusted to the new environment andwell on their way. However, they will still need tonurse several times each day. If they do not receiveenough milk they may quickly deplete their bodyenergy reserves and become susceptible to hypo-

thermia. Generally lambs in the mixing pens needbe checked daily. Make sure ewes and lambs donot loose each other. Check for bummers or lambsin the wrong pen. Check ewes for mastitis.


15/16


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