Welcome to the 2010 and Issue 1 (January) of The Agricultural View - Enjoy - Ralph Coffman
If you continue to scroll down..... you can see last year's 6 issues and select agricultural poems as well (posted from 2009). coffman_ralph@yahoo.com


The Agricultural View January 2010 Issue 1

From the View’s Desk
Welcome to year two of the View. I wish to thank those who have made contributions. Please help promote the View by sharing this newsletter with others. Have a great 2010. Any mistakes are all mine – Ralph.


The most neglected nutrient for livestock in the winter is fresh water (water controls feed intake which controls production).


The Waterford FFA Parliamentary Procedure team finishes #1 in Ohio - Congratulations Mr. Hartline and team! Placing first is a monumental accomplishment. Note: Waterford and Warren (Mr. Clark) have been two of the top FFA Parliamentary Procedure teams in Ohio for several years.


FBPA – What’s New? A new name - AgriBusiness Planning & Analysis and working to secure additional funding with the Ohio Young Farmers. 1


Agriculture and FFA Does your local program have a full time annual program with 50 or more days of extended programming? It continues to be a trend in the entire field of agriculture to be whittled away at. I guess food is just too safe, plentiful and overall too cheap. As long as store’s shelves are full of food it seems that nothing will change and that the farmer’s plight will continue. Have farmers simply worked too hard and done too good of a job? I guess so. How many other industries have matched farming’s record of improved efficiency, quality and low costs?


Animal Rights The next time you see a TV commercial featuring movie stars and music that tugs at the heart and pictures of neglected animals enticing you to contribute to HSUS, PETA or another huge multi-million dollar animal rights group - get out your checkbook and write out a check to: Your LOCAL Humane Society (if you want your money to actually help needy animals). 2


A, B, C - I miss! Arnold (Jerry) – I miss my talks with Jerry as he unloaded water at my home. We talked about topics including farming, construction, society’s lack of work ethic and the water table. His wisdom and knowledge was vast and I appreciated the times that I could talk to him. He certainly taught his family the importance of character, working very hard and producing a product of the best quality. Barnett (Ed) – I miss my talks with Ed while riding to county agricultural meetings and in his Ag room. You could count on Ed to be at his best when there were challenges facing the FFA or agriculture. He loved the FFA, agriculture, The Ohio State University and America’s religious and conservative principles. He always talked of his love for his family including two squeezes for I love you. He told me to wear rubber galoshes in the winter, especially when you get older, to keep your feet warm and dry. Combs (Don) – I miss my talks with Don and his huge smile. If he did not see me passing by his house I would honk the horn and once he saw me his smile would beam and literally brighten my day. 3
Don also had enough faith and trust in Alta and I that he (Beverly Citizens Bank) loaned us the money to buy our small home and farm. I also miss his yard signs, belief in good people and the American free enterprise system.


State Issue 2 & HSUS Update 1. Implementation legislation will soon be introduced to provide greater detail as to how the Livestock Care Board will operate. 2. The bill, once introduced, will have hearings over the following few weeks. *HSUS continues to speak publicly about a constitutional ballot measure for 2010. Beyond their public comments there are few other clues that they are indeed preparing to gather signatures. To date no petition language has been cleared by the Secretary of State. Be ready!


A Glance Back – By Hugh Coffman In the early 1800’s one farmer traded 1600 acres of land for a purebred Marino ram. By 1820 hard times for farmers prevailed because there was low demand for their produce (does that sound familiar?). 4


Teenage Corner Teenagers have a need to feel needed. If they do not feel needed in their family they will fill that void elsewhere. I use to tell my students that I had great respect and admiration for them because I could have never dealt with all of the challenges that they face today. The pressure that a significant number of students feel in school between academic and extracurricular demands is, at times, monumental. An excellent obstacles, goals and rewards story is 1st Samuel 17 (David & Goliath).


Student Classroom Greeting As a teacher I always greeted my students daily at the door with a firm handshake, eye contact and a verbal greeting. I knew immediately where they were at mentally that day. The handshake was also great training for future job interviews.


Winston Churchill “Some people regard private enterprise as a cow they can milk. Not enough people see it as a healthy horse, pulling a sturdy wagon.” 5



Wind Chill and Livestock For each 10 degree F drop in the temperature below 30 degrees the wind chill can cause a significant increase in the livestock’s energy needs. The livestock needs to be able to get out of the wind whether that is in a barn or in low areas (valleys) of the field. Even in near zero temperatures if the temperature in the barn is at least 10 degrees warmer then outside temperature that generally is sufficient. Protection from the wind is key as well as the increased energy needs (especially if they are lactating). Livestock can handle low temperatures but not low temperatures with much wind. Side Note: In the most frigid areas of the earth Eskimos have to put snow in their mouth before entering their ice caves so their teeth will not crack. They also build their ice caves with the opening near a tree so when they get buried by several feet of snow they will know where to dig to go outside – up the tree. ---------------------------------------------------------


Ohio’s % of Land Covered by Trees According to Dr. Jack Cline (Retired OSU Professor as stated in April of 1997)): 1788-90% 1900-17% 1940-13% 1997-34% 6