Wildfire Preparedness for Horse Owners

With wildfire season coming up, do you have a plan?  Download the following fact sheet here.

CDA Report on Hemp in Animal Feed

Well it's official.  Agents across the state are getting hemp questions and we have gone into Def-Com 5 in gathering information for potential producers.  We will soon be having meetings on how we are going to approach this and what resources are available to give out.

My new "Hemp" folder in my documents is growing by leaps and bounds.  Hopefully soon we will have all the info we need to answer questions.  In the meantime, I thought you might enjoy this pdf from the Colorado Department of Ag that was written in 2017.

A Stakeholder Review of the Feasibility of Industrial Hemp By-Products as Animal Feed Ingredients

Insect Management Considerations in Hemp Production

With the passing of the new farm bill, we have officially been given the green light to talk about hemp production here at CSU Extension.  I am very early in the process of gathering information to have at the ready, but have been accumulating info as more and more people come looking for knowledge.

The following link came in an email this morning and it is pretty outstanding if you are looking to begin growing hemp.  As always, please call or come in if we can be of any help with your new or existing venture!

Insect Management Considerations in Hemp Production

Livestock Management in the Mountains

It dawned on me this morning that I haven't posted anything this month.  So in my haste, I actually was able to find a great little pdf entitled Livestock Management in the Mountains written by some of my neighboring colleagues.  It is very comprehensive so hopefully you will find something within it that you can utilize on your operation.  As always, please send me questions you would like to have researched.  9 times out of 10, someone else is probably wondering the same thing!

Thanks and use the link below to access the document!

Livestock Management in the Mountains

Hay Rates and Where to Find It

I've been asked more than once recently about hay rates and where to find hay.  Below are some links you can use.  The links should give you real time information, so you can use this post throughout the year!

Colorado Hay Report

Colorado Hay Directory

Internet Hay Exchange

Hayco

Facebook - Colorado Hay for Sale

These are just a few of the resources out there.  I usually have luck typing in hay for sale on Craigslist and Facebook.  Facebook also has some marketplace pages that exist in our area of which you can become a member.  Of course we have some great feed stores in the area as well!

I hope this helps!  Please email or call if I can be of more assistance in this area. Fremont Co. Extension does not promote or endorse any one hay seller.  All we are attempting to do is give you some starting points to make an informed decision when purchasing your next load of hay.

Rocky Mountain Area Fire Potential Outlook

Our Emergency Manager Mykell Kroll sent me this information and thought you would find it interesting!  If you have trouble reading it, press Control and + to make it larger on your screen.

2018-19 Grasshopper Data for Fremont Co

Grass Hay Pasture Budget Tool

One of my goals this year is to get more ag-business type information out to you, the producer.  Luckily, our ABM team has some nifty tools that I can send you in an effort to make our programming relevant. 

The following link is a grass hay pasture management spreadsheet to help you track your haying operations.  All you have to do is enter your information to aid your business decisions.  Simply click on the link below, then find the Grass Hay Pasture Budget Tool link that will download the excel spreadsheet.  Finally, enable editing and save it to your computer.  That's it and I hope it's helpful!

Grass Hay Pasture Budget Tool 

Seasonal Water Needs and Opportunities for Limited Irrigation for Colorado Crops Fact Sheet

Fremont Master Gardener Events

Please check out our flyers for upcoming master gardener events!

Beef Cattle Research Update

Sorry I'm getting this out so late.  It got lost in my melee of emails.  I'm not sure how many people this affects anymore.  I can't think of anyone I know that still implants.  I thought you might find the research interesting nonetheless.

If you have trouble reading it, press control and + to zoom your screen. 

Cowboy's Attention Span

I had to share this article out of Progressive Cattleman Magazine by Marci Whitehurst.  Really resonated with me and conversations my wife and I have lol.  Lately our conversations are based upon whether or not we had a conversation earlier in the week about what we are talking about at the moment.  I'm actually starting to feel sorry for her.  Enjoy!  

Across the fence: The cowboy’s attention span

Marci Whitehurst for Progressive Cattleman Published on 24 January 2019

Researchers now say the attention span of the average American is eight seconds. When you are riding a bronc, eight seconds feels like a long time. An eight-second conversation, on the other hand, doesn’t last very long.

I thought perhaps the research was wrong. Can we really only pay attention for eight seconds? I took notes:

Me: “Honey, we are moving bulls tomorrow, right?”

Hubby: “Yep, moving bulls.”

I fold a load of laundry.

Me: “So … what’s on the schedule for tomorrow?”

Ahhh! A few pairs of socks later … I don’t remember what I’m doing the next day.

I’m not the only one though. One of my kids was reading a book, and I asked him if he’d haul in more firewood. “Sure,” he said.

I headed to the kitchen to start supper. Truly, about eight seconds later, he walks into the kitchen, “Hey Mom, anything I can do to help?”

Me: “Umm, sure, you can haul in some firewood.”

Him: “OK.”

He bundles up and heads out the door.

Overall, I’m choosing to focus on the fact he asked what he could do to help. That made me proud. But truly, eight seconds might be a good goal for me when beginning conversations. Maybe I’ll take a deep breath and get everything out as fast as I can. I could even have a blow horn when time is up.

Me: “I’mheadedtotown. Anyoneneedanything? Iknowweareoutoftoiletpaper, schoolsupplies, andneedalotoffood. I’llhavemycellphone. Callwithinanhour orImightnotgetwhatyouneed.”

Buzzer. Breath. And finish.

Except no one would understand what I said, and the children would think there was something wrong with me. A fair question.

What can you possibly say in eight seconds without sounding like an auctioneer?

It turns out, quite a bit. When we are intentional, we focus on what we really want to say. Consider how some of us cowboy wives beat around the bush:

Me: “So there’s a sale on cast-iron cookware at Western Surplus R Us. Don’t you just love that tea kettle?”

Him: “Western Surplus R Us is having a sale? Let me see that flier.” Grunts, groans, ahhs and uh-huhs … “Ammo is on sale. So are work gloves. And dang, did you see the price of the log splitter? And ohh, there’s a big generator.”

Me: “Did you see the kettle?”

Him: “Kettle? Oh my goodness. They’ve got whatcha-ma-digits. I need some whatcha-ma-digits.” He puts on his boots. “I’m going to town for grain. Do you want me to look for anything?”

Me: “A kettle.”

Him: “What kind of kettle?”

Me: “A cast-iron kettle.”

Him: “Is it on sale?”

Me: “Yeah, I think so …” Face palm. “I’ll come with you.”

If I had just started with: “Honey, when you go to get grain, will you stop at Western Surplus R Us and grab this cast-iron kettle? I need it for the wood stove.” Boom. Eight seconds. Communication is clear.

This focused attention could come in handy in other regards as well. Out in the pasture working cows? Easy as pie.

“Honey, open that green gate. I’m retaining heifer 219.” There isn’t a question as to which heifer or what gate … it would flow. It’d cut down on the hand signals and frustration. Often, when I’m at the gate, all I get is a flailing arm and “get her.”

The reality of the flailing arm and a two-word sentence is understandable, though. You know why? When in the heat of the moment, my brain doesn’t always work as fast or efficiently as I hope. Sometimes I can’t say it in eight seconds because I don’t always think it in eight seconds.

My brain tells me, “Stop that one, yep, go.” Then I have to convert that into an eight-second logical sentence to say, “I like her body condition and disposition. Let’s retain 219. Please, my amazing spouse, open the green gate.”

I guess what we ought to do is be prepared for situations within our reach. In writing, they call it the elevator pitch. You have a few moments (probably eight seconds) in an elevator (figuratively speaking) to tell someone who you are and what you do or to pitch a proposal to an editor. What will you say?

“I raise good stock” or “I write agriculture” is too generic. What makes you different? We all need to be prepared with a quick sentence that sheds a positive light on ranching and the ag industry as a whole. I had opportunity to share a quick line with a cashier.

“We raise quality cattle using low-stress handling practices to produce a viable food product in an ethical way.” The cashier smiled, and hopefully whoever had the PETA sticker on their car was behind me.

Eight seconds, my friends. It’s a ride, but we can make it. Our attention spans depend on … oh look, a rabbit.

What Does it Cost to Own a Horse?

If you're like me, you love to have a horse around.  But, do you know how much they actually cost to keep?  Do you even want to know?

Well if you would like some idea, use the link below, then click on the "What Does it Cost to Own a Horse?" link.  It will download an excel spreadsheet for you to enter your numbers and get a general idea what your horse is costing you to own.

If you're too scared to know, go outside and give feed them a treat!  I'll probably do both.

p.s. If your significant other doesn't like having horses around, don't tell them what you learned for Pete's sake!

Horse Cost Spreadsheet

Utilizing Water Using Ag Technology

During our recent Extension Advisory Committee meeting, advisory members came up with some great programming ideas for us to focus on in the upcoming year.  Using the nominal group technique, committee members came up with ideas for ag business programming, doing a better job of educating the public with what exactly Extension does, and finding ways to get more volunteers as their top three issues.
The fourth and equally important topic was that of irrigation water and is there any way we can get more of it.  A monumental task to say the least but I'm always up for a challenge.  My high school basketball coach used to say "If I could wave a magic wand and make you better, I would.  But I can't, so you have to practice."  When discussing ag programming, I have yet to have a meeting where someone asks "Can you make it rain?"  If I had a magic wand.
That being said, I came across this article that was on posted on the Colorado Department of Ag's Facebook Page while having my morning coffee.  On a rare occasion, profundity emerged in my mind that I might have more luck finding information on how we can utilize what water we have vs. being able to wave my wand and find more.
The following article discusses how Colorado Farmers are using Ag Technology to utilize the resources we have in an effort to increase production.  It is well worth your time to peruse it and jump start your thinking on how we can be more efficient with what we have.  My hopes are that it will prompt you to ask more questions and provide me more research on this topic for all of us to utilize.

Happy Reading!

Colorado Farmers Advance with New Ag Technology

Small Acreage Management Newsletter

I thought I might pass this newsletter on from our Small Acreage Management Team.  It has some great information!  I will also send a pdf version to those on the producer email blast.  As always, if you would like to be on the blast, send me a request at jeramy.mcneely@colostate.edu.  Enjoy!