Machinery
Pinch points should be shielded on farm machinery. If they are not they can pull hands, hair and clothing into the pinch point and the person can be injured. Always replace guards and shields.
Slips and falls are responsible for many farm workplace injuries. They become immensely more dangerous around equipment. The potential for slips and falls can be greatly reduced by using good judgment and practicing good housekeeping on and around equipment.
Horse safety
Most serious injuries to equestrians are caused by being separated from (propelled from or fall off) the horse while riding or by falling with the horse.
Hay
When transporting large round bales, try to keep the bale on the up-side of the tractor. This will provide the best stability for the tractor to prevent an overturn.
Never try to stop a rolling bale, even with a tractor. A bale gains momentum as it moves. You wouldn't try to stop a car free-wheeling down a hill, likewise, don't try to stop a large round bale.
Stack bales on the wagon in alternate layers to give more stability to the stack and better footing. Don't permit anyone to ride on top of the bales.
Keep the bales low to maintain balance. Traveling over rough ground, stumps, or ruts can cause a tractor carrying a large round bale to overturn.
Hot day safety
Giving off excess body heat becomes more difficult when the humidity is high. Sweating does not cool the body unless the moisture evaporates. High humidity retards evaporation. Since humid air contains a high percentage of moisture it cannot easily absorb more. Wiping sweat with a cloth also prevents cooling from evaporation.
Accidents are more frequent in the heat because physical performance and mental alertness are lowered. Increased body temperature and physical discomfort promote irritability, anger, and other emotional states which could cause workers to act rash, careless, or distract them from hazardous tasks. A worker's psychological state usually will have a substantial effect on safe performance.
Lawnmowing
Cut grass on slopes carefully, so you don't slip, fall, or overturn the mower and come in contact with the spinning blade. That means you should push a walk-behind mower across slopes.
Designate a play area
Please have a designated area for children to play in that is away from machinery, livestock and chemicals. Playing on the farm should be both fun and safe!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Fire up that Grill !
Gearing up for Grilling Season
Amanda Nolz May 19th, 2009
Slipping on a crisp apron, the confident chef grabs his gleaming stainless steel grilling tools. He lights the coals and lays his tender beef cut on the grill. The steak sizzles as the fire dances below. As the succulent steak is finished to a perfect medium rare, the chef knows he will soon bite into a little piece of heaven. Is your mouth watering yet? Good, that means you love a good steak on the grill just as much as me. Now, the challenge is to remind the consumers how much they love beef, too!It’s as easy as starting up a conversation in the grocery aisle. Perhaps you could recommend a good recipe or give advise on which cut would work best. If that’s not your style, why not share your love for the website, www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, where consumers can find excellent resources for all their beef questions. It’s really simple…if we are to be successful in the cattle industry, than the consumer needs to demand our beef products. Today’s challenge is to connect with someone and share your love of beef with that person. It only takes a minute, but it could be the deciding factor between a veggie pizza or steak fajitas for supper that night.
Yesterday, I ran across an excellent article to gear up for grilling season, and it should help give you a few talking points when you’re making conversation today with strangers. Printed by the Asheville Citizen-Times, the article was titled, Here’s the beef: Master the art of grilling 5 great cuts. It gives tips and tricks for grilling skirt steaks, tri-tip, flat iron, top strip loin and boneless ribeyes to heavenly perfection. Kudos to this media group for their positive coverage of America’s favorite protein!
Amanda Nolz May 19th, 2009
Slipping on a crisp apron, the confident chef grabs his gleaming stainless steel grilling tools. He lights the coals and lays his tender beef cut on the grill. The steak sizzles as the fire dances below. As the succulent steak is finished to a perfect medium rare, the chef knows he will soon bite into a little piece of heaven. Is your mouth watering yet? Good, that means you love a good steak on the grill just as much as me. Now, the challenge is to remind the consumers how much they love beef, too!It’s as easy as starting up a conversation in the grocery aisle. Perhaps you could recommend a good recipe or give advise on which cut would work best. If that’s not your style, why not share your love for the website, www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com, where consumers can find excellent resources for all their beef questions. It’s really simple…if we are to be successful in the cattle industry, than the consumer needs to demand our beef products. Today’s challenge is to connect with someone and share your love of beef with that person. It only takes a minute, but it could be the deciding factor between a veggie pizza or steak fajitas for supper that night.
Yesterday, I ran across an excellent article to gear up for grilling season, and it should help give you a few talking points when you’re making conversation today with strangers. Printed by the Asheville Citizen-Times, the article was titled, Here’s the beef: Master the art of grilling 5 great cuts. It gives tips and tricks for grilling skirt steaks, tri-tip, flat iron, top strip loin and boneless ribeyes to heavenly perfection. Kudos to this media group for their positive coverage of America’s favorite protein!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Supporting E-15 to EPA today
What A Move to E-15 Would Mean to Indiana. 05/12/2009by Gary Truitt
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking public comments on the request to increase the amount of ethanol in the US gasoline supply. Currently about 70% of the nation’s gasoline has 10% ethanol in it. The ethanol industry has requested the EPA increase that level to 15%. Greg Noble, manager of the POET biorefining plant in Jay County, told HAT this move would bring jobs and income to Indiana, “Nationally it will produce about 135,000 new jobs and pump $24 billion into the economy. Here in Indiana the move from 10% to 15% will put $607 million into the economy and create 3,400 new jobs.” He stressed these would be “green” jobs that could not be outsourced overseas. While not impacting a car’s performance, the move to 15% will have a big impact on the corn market, “It will create a greater demand for corn.” Noble said the time is coming soon when corn growers will need that source of increased demand to keep corn prices profitable. Noble urges the ag industry to get behind this move and write a letter of support to the EPA to counter the negative publicity that is being generated against renewable energy. He said this is a test to see just how much support there is for ethanol in ag and rural Indiana. Not only will a higher ethanol blend provide jobs and growth in corn demand, it will help revitalize the ethanol industry that has been suffering during the current recession. Noble said the increased use of ethanol will also reduce the amount of imported oil the US requires, “Moving to a 15% blend of ethanol in our gasoline supply would mean the US would have to import 700 billion fewer gallons of imported gasoline a year.”
The Environmental Protection Agency is taking public comments on the request to increase the amount of ethanol in the US gasoline supply. Currently about 70% of the nation’s gasoline has 10% ethanol in it. The ethanol industry has requested the EPA increase that level to 15%. Greg Noble, manager of the POET biorefining plant in Jay County, told HAT this move would bring jobs and income to Indiana, “Nationally it will produce about 135,000 new jobs and pump $24 billion into the economy. Here in Indiana the move from 10% to 15% will put $607 million into the economy and create 3,400 new jobs.” He stressed these would be “green” jobs that could not be outsourced overseas. While not impacting a car’s performance, the move to 15% will have a big impact on the corn market, “It will create a greater demand for corn.” Noble said the time is coming soon when corn growers will need that source of increased demand to keep corn prices profitable. Noble urges the ag industry to get behind this move and write a letter of support to the EPA to counter the negative publicity that is being generated against renewable energy. He said this is a test to see just how much support there is for ethanol in ag and rural Indiana. Not only will a higher ethanol blend provide jobs and growth in corn demand, it will help revitalize the ethanol industry that has been suffering during the current recession. Noble said the increased use of ethanol will also reduce the amount of imported oil the US requires, “Moving to a 15% blend of ethanol in our gasoline supply would mean the US would have to import 700 billion fewer gallons of imported gasoline a year.”
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Putnam County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
Putnam County Farm Bureau's Annual meeting will be June 9th at 6pm in the Putnam County Fairgrounds Community Building. Randy Kron, Indiana FB Vice President, will be our guest speaker. The agenda is full and will follow another great meal by Lois Bixler. Please make plans to attend by contacting Farm Bureau at 653-9797 to make your reservations to help us prepare.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Dealing with Crop Diseases
Wet Sping May Bring Crop Disease 05/01/2009by Gary Truitt
There have been more days of rain than days of sun this spring in Indiana, and that is likely to bring on more crop diseases this year. Randy Myers, with Bayer Crop Science says a combination of factors will increase the likelihood of disease in corn and soybeans, “A wet sping will provide the chance for diseases to develop even though they may not show up until later in the year.” Another factor that will contribute to the increased likeliood of diseasses is the delay in planting, “Later p lanting will mean crops may be more vulnerable when the disease outbreak comes.” The use of fungicides by midwest growers is a relativly new occurrence, but Myers told HAT growers are getting better at managing these products, “The timing of the application and the rate used to be sort of hit and miss but now we hve a lot more experience.” He said application of products such as Stratego®, should be planned for and just a reaction when disease hits. He recomends application on corn around the brown silk stage and around R3 to R4 for soybeans. Stratego® fungicide offers broad-spectrum disease control under a wide range of environmental conditions in corn, soybeans, wheat, and other crops. With its unique plant surface retention and redistribution
There have been more days of rain than days of sun this spring in Indiana, and that is likely to bring on more crop diseases this year. Randy Myers, with Bayer Crop Science says a combination of factors will increase the likelihood of disease in corn and soybeans, “A wet sping will provide the chance for diseases to develop even though they may not show up until later in the year.” Another factor that will contribute to the increased likeliood of diseasses is the delay in planting, “Later p lanting will mean crops may be more vulnerable when the disease outbreak comes.” The use of fungicides by midwest growers is a relativly new occurrence, but Myers told HAT growers are getting better at managing these products, “The timing of the application and the rate used to be sort of hit and miss but now we hve a lot more experience.” He said application of products such as Stratego®, should be planned for and just a reaction when disease hits. He recomends application on corn around the brown silk stage and around R3 to R4 for soybeans. Stratego® fungicide offers broad-spectrum disease control under a wide range of environmental conditions in corn, soybeans, wheat, and other crops. With its unique plant surface retention and redistribution
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