The May Issue
For past issues, poems and letters simply scroll down and past posts,
Enjoy - Ralph
Sorry the formating is not better.

The Agricultural View
May 2010
http://theagriculturalview.blogspot.com
by Ralph D. Coffman
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The Ohio Livestock Care Board is appointed and ready to get to work as established with Ohio voters passage of State Issue 2 in 2009. However, here comes the Washington D.C. based political machine (Humane Society of the United States) to deny Ohio’s voters utilizing their nearly 100 million dollar annual budget (99% of which does not go to animal shelters)! They and their partners are currently hiring workers to secure the required number of signatures to put their own initiative on the ballot this fall. Their goal is to get a second chance to try to deceive Ohio’s voters and negate the Ohio Livestock Care Board’s constitutional mandate. Why is HSUS having another group masquerade as the lead group?
Check: HumaneWatch.org & consumerfreedom.org
Be ready once they (HSUS) have bought the required number of signatures – we will need your support.
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Growing up on a Farm
I am so grateful that I grew up on a farm (330 acre dairy farm). I learned responsibility and how to work and that the care of the animals came first the majority of the time. HSUS and its’ supporters have no clue of this – farmers do!
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Cows on pasture need more salt in the spring – make sure it is made readily available to them.
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Abraham Lincoln Portends the Future
*You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
*You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

*You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
*You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred.

*You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

*You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.

*You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence.

*You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

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Say What? The Public School System of Los Angeles attempts to teach in approximately one hundred languages. Can you imagine being a student or an employee involved in that inefficient educational quagmire?
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A Glance Back – by Hugh Coffman
In the 1886 Washington County Fair Book George Washington Coffman (father of Fremont Coffman, and grandfather of Clemens - C.D. – Coffman, and my great grandfather) was listed as a fair board member. The 35th annual fair was Sept. 22, 23 and 24 in 1886. There were no fairs from 1860-67 inclusive due to the Civil War. Also, the best exhibit of pond fish brought $3.00 and second place received $2.00.
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Reminder - Sheep and Goats are ruminants (4 stomach compartments) like cattle. 2

Elephant grass in Brazil grows 1 ½ inches per day.
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Teenage Corner
Your conscious mind is your thoughts. Your subconscious mind is made up of everything you have ever read, heard, written, seen or experienced. Fear (worry) destroys recall memory. For tests, the goal is to get the information from your subconscious mind into your conscious mind (your thoughts) so you can recall the information and answer the questions correctly. A few ways to improve your recall memory are to write everything down, think about it and review later, and also audibly record the information so you can hear it over and over. Study more and improve your listening skills. Be present every day. For memorization the best times are before going to bed and when you first get up in the morning. Do not move your lips or tongue while you are reading (that slows you down and decreases comprehension). To break that habit roll your tongue up against the roof of your mouth.
The law of learning is repetitionJ !
The only way to become a better reader is to read – preferably good works including the Bible. Everyone will need to improve their reading (speed and comprehension) in college.

(Satan’s) The 3 biggest lies for teenagers:
“Once won’t hurt.”
“No one will know.”
“Everybody’s doing it.”
Recommended Book for teenage girls: Dear Barbara (1998) - Check Amazon.Com
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Child Safety Alert
Many years ago a friend told me of the following parental horror story that occurred at King’s Island.
In a very crowded area the couples’ youngest (4 year old) daughter disappeared. In a panic they frantically began to look and fortunately immediately contacted the park authorities.
Imagine the panic as you scoured the area for your possibly abducted daughter. The authorities immediately locked the gates and as the people filed through a single open gate – what signs would you be looking for?
They were instructed to only look at the children’s shoes and ignore everything else as the people passed – seems foolish doesn’t it?
You know your daughter would be upset. You know her clothing and hair. Miraculously they found their daughter thanks to recognizing her shoes. The little girl was drugged (sleeping on her supposed dad’s shoulder), her hair was cut and her clothes changed. Please be careful and alert others.
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Congratulations to the Warren FFA and Advisor Mr. Allen Clark as over 430 parents, members and guests packed the gymnasium at Warren High School on March 13. What a tribute and testimony of the value of Agricultural Education and the FFA. Special recognitions were student achievements, the 50th anniversary of the Warren FFA, and Mr. Clark’s 37 years of exemplarily service, dedication and outstanding instruction.
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APA – AgriBusiness Planning & Analysis (formerly FBPA) is at a cross roads. They are in dire need of funding because the state has cut off funding as of July 1, 2010. The Washington County Career Center will discontinue the program as we know it, and in the near future the program will likely be eliminated. It is a model educational program for farmers. It is current, effective, greatly assists farm families and therefore enhances food production for a starving world. If the program continues the fees farmers pay will escalate forcing more to drop out - Ralph.
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Instructor Marty Clark (APA) is currently working with the Ohio Young Famers Association with hopes of securing some additional funds. If you have any suggestions contact Marty (740-373-6283 Ext. 360).
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Why does the Columbus Dispatch continue to oppose farmers? First they opposed State Issue 2, and now they are attacking the newly appointed Livestock Care Board! Why do they side with HSUS, PETA and their friends?
It appears that they want the board to be composed of those who either oppose, or know nothing about, animal agriculture!
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Soil Testing, pH and Lime
Liming neutralizes acid soil
Liming increases soil bacterial activity and soil tilth
Liming supplies calcium and magnesium
Liming reduces toxic substances
Liming increases plant nutrient availability
A pH of 1 is extremely acid
A pH of 7 (generally ideal) is considered neutral
A pH of 14 is extremely alkaline/base
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Sole Survivors
If you switch back and forth among three pairs of shoes they will last as long a wearing five pairs sequentially.

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FSA states that land cash rent rates for Ohio counties are now available. Jim Ramey reports that the highest crop land cash rent county is Darke County averaging $146.00 per acre. Clark is 10th at $118.00 and Wood is 20th at $111.00. For pasture the high was Wyandot at $65.00, 11th was Knox at $36.50 and the 20th spot was Jackson County at $29.00 per acre.

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Sometimes when I am watching the news the following thoughts echo in my mind – is this America - Am I dreaming? This can’t be happening. I guess I must be getting old!
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If you know of anyone who might enjoy this newsletter – please let me know. Funding has gone well, and I currently have enough funding to pay for five of the six issues in 2010. --

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“A statement made by the Kansas
Teachers Union in 1892”
“If the study of the Bible is to be excluded from all state schools, if the inculcation of the principles of Christianity is to have no place in the daily program, if the worship of God is to form no part of the general exercises of these public elementary schools, then the good of the state would be better served by restoring all schools to church control.”
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The Agricultural View “Insert” - May 2010

Witten
FARM MARKET
& Greenhouses
740-984-4009 16670 St. Rt. 60 Lowell, Ohio
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There is a safe and a toxic level of everything. We should talk about concentration first then toxicity. An example is 30 parts per billion is actually .000003%. All the media wants to talk about is toxicity! Regulators have no biological understanding - nor do they seem to have any interest in it. An example is 64% of selenium in our area comes from burning soft coal, and as the government regulates it out we have less sulfur therefore less selenium for plant uptake. Selenium destroys peroxides (fats) therefore less selenium actually harms us. This same regulation also reduces the Thyroxin (T3) content. (Dr. Jack Cline Retired Professor OSU)
*The advertisers in this issue (A-F) support The Agricultural View and the promotion of agriculture, however, they may not necessarily agree with every point of view within the newsletter. Please support them!

The Ohio FFA Alumni Association
If you support the FFA then become a member of the Ohio, or National FFA Alumni Association, by contacting Lexie Poulson at: 1poulson.bright.net or your local Ag. Ed. Teacher. Annual dues are $15.00 & Lifetime dues are $150.00
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CUT OUT THE MIDDLEMAN
MORE DOLLARS FOR THE FARMERS!
Our packers want your steers and cull cows!
National Farmers Organization
Northeastern OH Jeff Rautseyer 330-749-7793
Southeastern OH Scott Upton 740-517-2577
Western OH Pat Lampert 937-726-2341

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Patriotic Hay
To have a chance to make good hay in Ohio typically you need to make the first cutting near Memorial Day, the second cutting near July 4th and the third cutting around Labor Day. Obviously modern production practices and the weather can significantly affect these timetables. However, regardless of the reason, if the first cutting occurs after mid June the quality/nutrient level progressively declines and a first cutting near July 4 or later would be little more than filler/dry matter for the cattle.

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I refuse to believe that 50% of Americans want the government to take care of and provide for them by taking money from someone else. That is no different than our taking someone’s billfold and taking the money that we want.
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The Cuckoo’s Nest
To better understand the American tyrant within, we look to the character and tactics of the cuckoo bird.
The cuckoo does not build its own nest. Silently, as a thief in the night, it studies the host bird that it intends to deceive and steal its nest. While the marked victim goes about its business, building a

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nest and preparing to raise a family, the impostor watches from a nearby perch.
Perhaps from the weariness of its labor, or its attention to other matters, the victim relaxes its vigil, and leaves its nest unguarded for a moment too long. On silent wings, the cuckoo moves in, and, undetected, deposits its own egg in the nest, to which it had contributed not one straw.
The host pair stupefied by instinct and deceived by the bandit, begin to warm and care for the alien egg. In time, alongside their own eggs, the cuckoo eggs hatches into a baby chick. The host birds are delighted, deceived into believing it to be their very own. Having stolen surrogate parents and nursemaids, the cuckoo contributes not one morsel to the care of its own offspring. The cuckoo chick, likewise a born thief, is more aggressive and demanding than the native brood; so, the deceived pair feed it more and more, to the neglect of their own.
The cuckoo chick, being a despotic bird, has an innate instinct to push with its head against whatever is near it; and, soon it begins to push the newborn chicks over the edge of their own nest. They fall to the ground and die, one by one. Thus the deceived parents, ignorant of the tyrant within, have destroyed their own posterity.
With the true owners of the nest now dead, the cuckoo has full control. The deceived birds worked feverishly for the cuckoo’s survival and their own extinction. Oh, the power of wicked deceit!
Any Ag.Teaching Openings?
Krista Albright, a former student teacher of mine from The Ohio State University, is looking for a teaching job. I highly and without any reservation, recommend Krista. Contact me for further info.

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Remember just as cattle need more energy in the winter to stay warm from the cold, and to warm the cold water that they consume, they also need more energy to dissipate heat in warm weather particularly when the temperature reaches 80 degrees or above (factor in humidity). Increase fat content of the feed by 2-3% to balance production.

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State Farm
Coffman Insurance Agcy Inc
Terry Coffman, Agent
426 Third Street
Marietta, Ohio 45750-2101
740-373-6399

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Say What? Awesome OSU!
The Ohio State University’s Presidential Committee assigned to determine the untouchables of the university – the results? The Oval, the Woody Hayes Football Stadium and the Agricultural and Natural Resources Waterman Laboratory.
These three mainstays are to be set in stone so to speak as to the future of these entities. OSU understands the importance of agriculture!

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H & S
CONSTRUCTION, LLC
Scott Hart Joe Schilling
35 Ray Harr Road
Beverly, Ohio 45715
740-984-0203
COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL
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SEAMAN’S
GENERAL MERCHANDISE, INC.
P.O. Box 10 Barlow, Ohio 45712
Served In The Tradition Of Yesterday
Charles F. Seaman
740-678-2450 1-800-428-2450

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William D. McFarland
Washington County Auditor
205 Putnam Street
Marietta, Ohio 45750
740-373-6623 Ext. 263 Work
740-374-3304 Residence
bmcfarland@wcgov.org

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Thank you for your financial contributions and kind remarks. This goes to about 400 homes and to many Agricultural Education/FFA departments. Thank you to Farm Credit for assisting with some postage costs.

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Please patronize our sponsors and thank them.

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Doug Mercer’s surgery went well and he is regaining his strength – thanks for your prayers.

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Cass Sustein (America’s Regulatory Czar) has written in his book that animals should have the right to litigate against (sue) humans (via human attorneys)! Anti Farmer PETA and HSUS could not have a better friend in the federal government!

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Rainbow
International – Restoration & Cleaning Scott J. Hart – Independently Owned
Water/Fire/Smoke Damage Restoration Expert Cleaning
740-350-2047 740-984-2424
24-hour emergency response
35 Ray Harr Road Beverly, Ohio 45715
Insurance claims from start to finish Deodorization, Carpet, upholstery & drapery cleaning, 3M Scotchguard treatment, pet stain & odor removal, tile, grout & hard-surface cleaning
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Getting down to
Agribusiness Register today!
Washington State Community College www.wscc.edu

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Time is money! Beginning is half done!

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Edward Jones
Ed Long – Financial Advisor
Making Sense of Investments
Lafayette Center 740-984-5437
468 Pike Street Marietta, Ohio 45750
ed.long@edwardjones.com

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