FFA Today – April 29, 2009

Get ideas for summer jobs and check out the Top Ten hottest topics on FFA Nation.

Paint a Barn, Change a Life!

The National FFA Alumni and Campbell Soup Company are “Stepping Up and Standing Out” by reviving, restoring and renewing barns across the country. Barns are the iconic symbol of American agriculture and these projects encourage communities to support the people and places that help grow our food. An Old Hickory Barn just outside Nashville TN, is one five barns to be restored. Take a look at the muddy process. (Produced by Melissa Burniston, TN Farm Bureau Federation)

National FFA Habitat for Humanity Build

National FFA staff members and volunteers from Dow Agrosciences came out in force to build a Habitat for Humanity home on April 16, 2009. Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard and the Habitat homeowner both shared words of support and thanks at this fourth annual event.

FFA Today – April 22, 2009

Get to know the National FFA Officer team and Top 10 reasons to shop FFAUnlimited.com!

Common Landscaping Tools for Every Landscaper

For the avid do-it-yourself landscaper, the right tools are important. After all, if one wishes to save money on the expenses associated with having a well cared for yard, it is best to make sure that he or she has all of the tools necessary to create an attractive landscape. By understanding some of the most common tools used for basic landscaping needs, you can ensure that you have everything you need to keep your lawn in the best possible shape, bringing delight and distinction to your grounds, be they large or small.

Shovels, rakes, trowels, and hand cultivators. These are the most basic of tools when it comes to landscaping. Every home should be supplied with these basic implements. They make just about every landscaping endeavor possible. Shovels to remove sod and turn soil, as well as dig the holes necessary for fixtures like trees and hardscapes, Rakes are essential to smooth out planting beds and prepare ground for things like sod without packing the dirt. Trowels and hand cultivators allow you to perform minute work that requires more attention to detail. All of these tools are necessary to the proper functioning and care of a landscape.

Pruners and shears. These tools are used to improve the appearance of woody plants and trees. They keep plants from encroaching in other areas, and they also promote the overall health of the plants. They help maintain a neat appearance, and if you have topiary concerns, they are indispensable in maintaining a set shape. There are hand pruners, tools that help with the smaller branches and are easier to use, loppers for getting thicker branches that are to large for pruners, and even pruning saws that can help you with the toughest of branches. Hedge shears provide a way for hedges to be trimmed more conscientiously than with electric or gas-run trimmers (although these are widely available and can make maintaining hedges much easier).

Lawnmower. This is perhaps one of the most common and most obvious of landscaping tools. It is meant to keep the grass at a reasonable level, and to keep the lawn neat and healthy. Related to lawnmowers in the trimming department are things like weed wackers, which are very useful in keeping edges that can’t be cut by a mower nice and neat. Additionally, the use of some special machinery, designed to eliminate thick brush is useful to have on hand, even it is only in the form of a machine rented once a year.

Other tools of interest. Of course, there are specialty tools that may be needed depending upon on the features of your landscape. If you have a water fixture, it is important to make sure that you have the proper pumps and filters, and that you have little skimmers that can allow you to remove larger pieces of debris from the water. Automatic sprinklers can make watering the lawn and your other plants much easier, and you should have a garden hose for special watering needs. Regular household tools such as hammer and nails, levels, and drills can be helpful if you have built landscape features like patios, decks, pergolas, and trellises. They can also be useful in building things like containers and creating raised beds.

Wheelbarrow. A wheelbarrow will always be of infinite use for the avid landscaper and improver. Wheelbarrows are very useful for moving debris as well as bringing needed implements to their proper places. They haul dirt and bring in plants. They make it possible to for one person to carry a load that otherwise she or he would not be able to handle. For the serious landscaper, a wheelbarrow is indeed necessary.

When you have all of the tools necessary to take care of your landscape, then you are well rewarded for your hard work. Acquiring the more common tools can also save you money in the long run, as they can be used over and over again. Additionally, many of the more common landscape tools are fairly small in size and easy to store in a garage or a shed. As long as they are kept neatly arranged in place, they are easy to get to when needed, and not hard to find. Proper maintenance of you tools is important: keep them from becoming rusty, and make sure your lawnmower and other gas or electric implements are well oiled and always have plenty of gas. Proper care of your tools ensures that you will be able to properly care for your landscape.

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Article Source: Content for Reprint

A Solution in Search of a Problem?

By Jon Bailey

Editor's note: This is a piece written by our Research Director, Jon Bailey, in our weekly legislative update regarding the Nebraska State Legislature. We thought it would be informative for all our blog readers who may face similar threats in their states.

Thanks to a question from an alert reader, we are providing analysis of a bill that we have not previously included in the Update. LB 263, introduced by Sen. Rogert, seeks to forbid any political subdivision (i.e., any county or municipality) from action prohibiting or regulating “matter regarding the registration, labeling and sale, storage, transportation, distribution and notification of use of seeds, fertilizer and soil conditioners.” The bill was advanced to General File on a 7-0 vote of the Agriculture Committee and was designated a Priority Bill by the Speaker. The bill explicitly protects local zoning authority and zoning enforcement.

LB 263 is nearly identical to a bill introduced in 2006 (LB 834) which also advanced to General File but received no further action in the 2006 session. The bill is also part of a national movement to preempt any local authority over seed and plant regulation. At the end of 2008 state legislative sessions 15 states had adopted statutes similar to LB 263.

Some states – notably California – have witnessed local governments adopting prohibitions against the use and planting of genetically modified seeds. In Nebraska, however, it does not appear that any local government has attempted or is even contemplating such a move. No matter what one thinks of genetically modified seeds, it would be pure folly for any local government in Nebraska to attempt to regulate or prohibit their use. In 2008, 86 percent of corn and 97 percent of soybeans planted were of some sort of genetically modified variety. LB 263, therefore, is in many ways a “solution” in search of a “problem.

In 2006, we opposed LB 834, mostly out of concerns for the Legislature trampling on local control and for the precedent adoption of LB 834 might create. But that probably was an incomplete analysis on our part. Bills like LB 263 actually are examples of corporate interests exerting influence to obtain unnecessary policy in ways that can ultimately hurt attempts by small farms to develop entrepreneurial activities and markets. For example, taking the language of LB 263 to its logical and plain meaning could result in harm to organic farmers by not allowing local notification policies in the case of pesticide or herbicide drift or genetic drift (the winding blowing sprayed chemicals from one field to another, or the genetic characteristics of genetically modified crops pollinating with non-genetically modified crops). The possibilities of drift have the very real potential to ruin organic crops or create legal issues with the corporate dealers of genetically modified products.

If the Legislature is determined to consider bills like LB 263 they should follow the lead of most of the 15 states that have enacted similar laws and also provide resources and a state commitment to entrepreneurial agricultural pursuits such as organic production and locally produced food. Unfortunately, few bills have been introduced to support these efforts and those that have been introduced are stuck in committee (LB 130 included below, for example).

In 2006 we opposed LB 834; in 2009 we will do the same with LB 263.

Extra Time For Ohio Craft Shows

The State of Ohio is part of the American Corn Belt, and as such, we are naturally invested in agriculture. In addition, we have been fortunate over the years to have had many advancements for farming. It is still a time-consuming, but rewarding job; but these new advancements have certainly made this line of work less physically taxing. Farming itself became easier to do, while the yield of crops have dramatically increased since my grandfather’s time.

So unlike the farmers of decades past, the farmer of today finds time to dedicate to himself and to his family. And for me, I am able to put this new time to good use by pursuing some woodcraft that I did not have as much time with as before. It reminds me of a time when I did not have to mind everything in the farm, helping my father do that instead and just carving in my spare time. The memories simply relax me.

It was thus natural for me to have developed an impressive collection of woodcrafts over time. It eventually came to a point where I could no longer keep them stored on my shelves. So I did what was very saddening to me; I kept many of my works in boxes that were kept in the attic. But even those began to pile up and take up too much space. Something had to be done.

Someone, at that point, decided to give me a suggestion; instead of keeping the results of my hobby in boxes that no one will ever see, why don’t I try selling my crafts in one of the many craft shows held in Ohio? I could man the booth myself, and instruct my eldest son to take care of the farm whilst I am away. I could even do some more carving while waiting for the customers to take an interest in my work. It was an interesting idea, and I decided to give it a try.

And boy, was I glad I did! It was one of the things that turned out really well for me. Sure, it was difficult to get the hang of it at first, but whenever I got a potential interest, all I do was simply talk about the particular craft that the person had an eye on. And true enough; I got the hang of it. The income that I make from this is definitely not worth giving up my farmer’s boots for, but it is enough of an extra income to help me give a little something extra for my family. That alone makes it worth it.

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Losing a Nascar race takes class

In a sport as competitive as NASCAR, some teams race with only one plan – to win. There is no Plan B, no other acceptable finish. Of course, on the other side of the spectrum, you have the teams who are simply overjoyed to have qualified for the race. Unlike the top guns, they do not have the money and ultimately, the pressure, to make a great finish.

That said, how should a driver behave after a heartbreaking defeat? There are no rules; raw emotions is one of the reasons the sport is so exciting. Nevertheless, certain standards are expected of drivers. One of them is losing a race without losing class.

Kyle Busch is among NASCAR’s most talented young racers. He wins races no matter what the series, and is building a growing fan base for this reason. He is passionate, perhaps even obsessive, about winning… and that is a good thing. It helps him win. But does it help him handle loss?

In the Nationwide Series at Bristol, Busch had a car that could have easily won the race. But his crew blundered on pit road, costing Busch his glorious finish… and Busch made sure they knew it. Over the radio, Busch gave his crew a whipping, calling them ladies. After the race, he left his car in pit road and disappeared, leaving his crew to push the car all the way back to the hauler.

It would seem that in Busch’s case, the answer would always be yes. A week after his dismal Bristol finish, he lost another race in Martinsville – the Camping World Truck Series. What did Busch do? He parked the car and raced off the track, thus avoiding post-race interactions. Now, most drivers – especially the ones with a lot riding on them – talk to the media even if they lost so badly they did not finish in the top three. But interviews are not compulsory. For the most part, drivers who are too upset over their loss proceed to their haulers or somewhere else more private, where they can rein in their emotions.

The day before Busch’s vanishing act at Martinsville, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin lost to Jimmie Johnson. It was a loss Hamlin would not soon forget. Fifteen laps before the finish line, Jimmie Johnson nudged Hamlin out of the way and out of the win. To say Hamlin was disappointed would be an understatement. He was frustrated and probably furious, too, but he kept his cool and did not avoid the press. Even so, he hinted that when the opportunity presents itself, he will repay Johnson the favor.

In Texas, pit road mistakes cost Roush Fenway Racing drivers Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle the race. Edwards made sure the crew knew why he lost the race. However, he did not insult them in public in any way. “It’s hard,” Biffle points out. “Those guys get down because the fingers get pointed at them for a slow stop. … But it’s not their fault.”

Make no mistake – Edwards and Biffle could have placed first without a sweat. But somewhere between the starting line and the finish, someone made an error that cost the two their finish. They had every reason in the world to run off like a seven-year-old child. Instead, they handled their loss in a way Busch is unable to – with class.

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Sowing Poor Rural Health

Note: This is my latest post over at Change.org.

Still think the health reform debate has little to do with sustainable farming and food?

Think again.

I was struck by two stories on Morning Edition on NPR that drove home the point to me that health reform and healthy food and farming systems are deeply interwoven.

I've said before that if we want sustainable food and farms, farmers need affordable and guaranteed health care options. Unless the farmer has a husband or wife that has a job off the farm that provides health insurance, many farm families find themselves buying expensive health insurance as "individuals", instead of a group plan that shares the costs and risks among many families. As a result, farmers and their families are often stuck with high premiums and deductibles, translating into thousands of dollars of costs if everyone is healthy, and even more if a family member gets sick or injured.

Farmers deserve better than that, and these NPR stories remind me of how broken the system is for people trying to buy health care as individuals.

The first segment I heard featured two women who received cancer diagnoses and thought their respective health insurance plans would be covering the costs. The first woman, Susan Braig, had a "catastrophic policy" covered hospitalization, and Ms. Braig felt sure that it would cover her diagnosis.

When she learned she had cancer, she assumed her policy would cover all of her treatment. "A lot of it was my own inexperience, assuming every cancer treatment was a hospitalization or surgery," says Braig. "I didn't realize a lot of cancers are now being treated like chronic diseases."

Most of Braig's care was conducted out of the hospital. The MRIs, bone density scans, ultrasounds and chemotherapy were all done in her doctor's office. Her medical bills have now put her $40,000 in debt.

What kind of country do we live in that allows people to go into financial ruin for a $40,000 debt she or he did not choose and could not avoid?

The second segment was even more disturbing for me because it sounded eerily similar to something I experienced in my mid-twenties.

During the last economic bust, I [author Sarah Varney] got laid off and couldn't afford the monthly COBRA payments for my health insurance. I applied for an individual plan through Blue Cross.

I was 28 at the time and had no health problems...I got a letter from Blue Cross saying I was denied. They told me it was because my medical records showed I'd gone to the doctor complaining of stomach pain. The pain had long since gone away, but Blue Cross said if I wanted insurance, my doctor would need to fax a note guaranteeing I didn't have stomach cancer. He faxed the letter, and eventually I got a plan.

It makes you wonder, though, if Blue Cross didn't want to insure me — a healthy 20-something — how on earth do actuaries determine who's a good risk and who's not?

The piece went on to say that women pay more for health insurance because we go to the doctor for check-ups more often and because we can get pregnant. Last time I checked it takes two people to conceive a child, but women bearing the costs of reproduction is clearly a topic for another blog post.

I wanted to do some checking of my own, so I went to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska for a comparison. I pick an average plan and compared costs for men and women. Sure enough, the minimum monthly premium for a 30-year-old non-smoking woman was $150, while the same plan for the identical man was $100. If they'll even accept your application.

All this is to say that the health insurance deck is stacked against people, especially women and families, who want to start a farm and thus need to buy insurance on the individual market. It's not right, and we must fix it if we want sustainable farms and food in the future.

Read the rest of the post here, including actions you can take.

FFA Today – April 15, 2009

Get your motors running with a story on Ag Mechanics and check out a story on our Star winners.

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