Published: January 25, 2010 10:09 am      

Around and about with Horace McQueen

Maybe that recent spell of freezing weather will knock out many of the insects that often plague East Texas farmers, ranchers and gardeners as spring and summer approach. Would guess that the fire ants were so deep in their mounds that the freeze had little effect on them-but we can always hope.

Boy howdy, looks as if we are going to have some interesting political races coming up locally, statewide and nationally. Two U.S. Senators have already bowed out of running for reelection. And several members of the House of Representatives have also decided to leave after their terms expire. But don't cry for them —they will “retire” with full medical insurance benefits for life plus a monthly pension most working Americans can only envy.

One fellow running for reelection as a state representative is touting (as most of his cohorts are doing as well) his “experience” in office. And he reports that a “newcomer” would take months, or years, to “learn the ropes” in the Legislature. Tell you what, if it took the incumbent years in Austin to figure out what is happening, we sure made a mistake electing him about a dozen years ago. Longevity in political office has given us a morally corrupt set of politicians — it's time to make a change by voting for the new man (or woman) that is ready to serve the taxpayers.

In an upcoming battle at the state level, Governor Rick Perry has a fight on his hands — and the Texas Farm Bureau group is ready for him to go. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson has received the endorsement of Farm Bureau mainly due to her vocal opposition to the Trans-Texas Corridor projects proposed by Perry. But keep in mind a willing Texas Legislature was also ready to go along with the costly, farmland destroying toll road plan before landowners starting objecting. Perry also made the boondoggle of not signing a bill a couple years ago that would have given Texas property owners lots of protection from eminent domain enthusiasts

Perry may also have to contend with a growing controversy over spending $26 million of Texas taxpayer monies to restore the Governors' Mansion in Austin that burned a couple years back. And behind the scenes, Perry is promoting a 3,000-square foot addition to the mansion. The mansion currently has more than 8,900 square feet of living space. That was enough space to accommodate the past Texas governors who made the mansion their home while in office-but Perry is reporting as saying that his family “needs more space”. Senator Hutchison will have to answer to her voting for “pork barrel” projects while in the Senate — like most other politicians she has been on a spending spree with money that was not hers. Meanwhile, several Democrats will be running for governor on their ticket — should be an interesting primary and general election later this year.

Those of us who farm, ranch or keep up a yard may have some problems coming our way soon. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is debating allowing as much as 15% ethanol in our gasoline supplies. When EPA approved up to 10% ethanol in gasoline some time ago, many boaters and others with small engines started having trouble with their engines. Seems the ethanol frees up gunk in the fuel tanks and engines that can clog carburetors and fuel lines. And when a boat motor, lawn mower, tractor or other piece of equipment has to use 15% ethanol-added fuel, the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute says engine failures will be widespread due to the extra ethanol. Does anyone at EPA making these rules and regulations have any common sense?

When winter moved in with a vengeance a short time ago, our winter pastures suffered. Especially where some folks had turned cattle in early before the plants made a strong root system. Give us a month of sunshine and temperatures in the 60's or more and that ryegrass, clover and small grain should be making lots of progress. And once growth starts in earnest, it should be well worth the money to top-dress the crop with some Nitrogen fertilizer. This is especially true if hay supplies are running short.

Did you hear that J.C. Penney is dropping their big catalog? Do you remember when getting the Montgomery Ward or the Sears catalog in the mail box was a big event? Gave lots of us rural folks the chance to gaze at the “wish book” pages for hours on end! Toys, firearms, clothes, appliances, farm tools, and all the rest were laid out in the massive books! Now all three are relics of the past! If you have some of those big catalogs lying around the house, put them in a safe place. That wish book will be a museum piece one day. I still have my 410-gauge shotgun from Sears in my gun case, along with a 22 rifle my Dad got from Wards many years ago. I figure many of our readers have some similar items around the house-or in the barn.

A friend who loves to make a garden called me a few days ago. He reported his dad had a David Bradley walking tractor, with all the implements, when he was growing up. And now he was trying to locate one. We found a few for sale on the Internet, a little pricy but he was ready to buy. I'll bet he will have one in his tool shed pretty soon! Those David Bradley walking tractors were made for stout — and came with about every implement a farmer-gardener would ever need.

To the relief of East Texas timber growers, prices are rising. Not what we would like, but at least better than a few months ago. One factor making a difference is the building of biofuels plants in timber country. At least two are being built in East Texas, and more are in the discussion stage. These plants can produce fuel from the timber and timber products. This might be a way to get rid of some timber that presently has little or no market. My friend Scott Shartle is a top notch consulting forester who lives near Crockett. Scott says within a couple years, these new bio-fuels plans are going to stimulate timber sales considerably. That would be welcome news for our timber growers. Now if something would come on the horizon to stimulate the beef market!

One thing for sure-when cow-calf operators figure up their wintering costs, the figure will be huge. Selling calves at less than $1 a pound is not going to pay the wintering costs. This coming spring and summer will be the time to make some hay-and lots of it! Putting on some ag lime and fertilizer to produce both a quality and quantity product makes a lot of sense. More and more of the cattle folks in the market to buy hay are asking for hay quality analysis. These buyers are willing to pay for quality hay — and little or nothing for the “filler hay” produced from those farms without adequate nutrients added. Sack feed is sold based on quality-protein and other nutrients — and it's time we apply the same reasoning to hay production and sales.

We were just north of Tyler on Highway 271 the other day and ate at Vaughn's Catfish restaurant. Been some time since we were there — but they've done nothing except get better. Catfish is excellent and their hushpuppies and coleslaw is wonderful. I just wish they would open one down the road from our place to save travel time!

Anyway, have a great day and pray for sunshine. That's ---30--- horace@valornet.com