Getting the tough work completed in backyards, barns and animal or hay lots just got easier with the new Bobcat T110 compact track loader. The T110 is the seventh compact track loader available from Bobcat and at only 47-inches wide the machine can squeeze through narrow gates and get into stalls with ease. But with its incredible flotation and traction this little loader is able to push, pull, dig and do just about every other task you would ask of a much larger loader, and it is comfortable powering all kinds of non-digging kinds of attachments.

Bobcat offers 26 attachments for the T110, including hydraulic breakers for demolishing concrete or asphalt; pallet forks for fertilizer and seed; soil conditioners and tillers for preparing garden beds; augers for planting trees and installing fence posts; snowblowers for clearing snow; and trenchers for installing utility or irrigation lines. And to top it off, the T110 comes standard with Bobcat’s Bob-Tach mounting system and 12.5 gallons-per-minute auxiliary hydraulic flow to make sure those attachments go on and off easy and have plenty of power to get the work done.

This 5200 pound, nearly 42 horsepower machine is no toy, but it is sized to be a perfect partner around the farm or acreage. Check the T110 out at a Bobcat dealer near you.

I have written about the annual invasion of Asian multi-colored lady beetles a number of times. Remember these are the lady bugs that bite … well, pinch anyway. The introduced aphid fighters do good work during the growing season, but they don’t like to spend North American winters outside. And no matter how well you think your house is sealed, when the cool weather comes, you will find several to vast numbers of these orange, black and cream colored beetles on your ceilings, walls, floors, lights, curtains and virtually every other beetle-friendly place in the house. Although they are little more than a nuisance, if you disturb Asian multi-colored lady beetles they emit an unpleasant-odor-producing liquid that also stains. If you just squash them, they leave a mark on your lovely white walls and ceilings. What to do?

Until now, about the only thing you could use to fend off the Asian lady beetle invasion was a vacuum. I have already dumped several dust-buster-bin sized loads of beetles this year. But, thanks to Agriculture Research Service scientists, I can now add catnip to my limited invasion-fighting arsenal.

According to ARS scientists, catnip oil contains compounds that naturally repel the beetles without harm. In one extensive study, 95 percent of adult male and female lady beetles altered their course when they encountered filter paper impregnated with nepetalactone, one of many compounds found in catnip oil.

So, do you need to purify the nepetalactone, or at the very least extract catnip oil from your catnip to repel the Asian lady beetles this fall? ARS scientists haven’t yet made that jump, however since catnip is easy to grow and lovely to look at in the garden, why not harvest a short ton of the feline-frolic-inducing herb and place dried bundles of it inside your storm windows, and the other lady beetle landing zones that are truly hot? If dried catnip doesn’t work on the beetles, you can always toss the bundles to your feline friends and enjoy a good show.

Read more about the possibility of using plant secondary products to deter Asian multi-colored lady beetles here.

Andy G. Schneider, the national radio personality known as the Chicken Whisperer plans to give away 500 baby chicks on Saturday, April 11^th starting at 8:00 AM at the Greenwoods on Green Street restaurant in Roswell, Georgia, located at 1087 Green Street 30075. The Chicken Whisperer’s plan is to promote the keeping of backyard poultry and to get folks thinking about growing more of their own food with this “Chicken Stimulus Package.”

Schneider, host of the nationally broadcast radio show Backyard Poultry with the Chicken Whisperer, and his station manager at Radio Sandy Springs came up with the idea after the city of Roswell went after one of its citizens for keeping pet chickens in his backyard. According to Schneider, the big chicken give away has the support of citizens and former lawmakers alike.

All baby chicks have been donated by hatcheries across America.  Only two chicks will be given away to each family and they will come with a starter bag of feed, care instructions, and a map to North Fulton Feed and Seed in Alpharetta where they can pick up additional supplies. “This is our very own small economic stimulus package for the people of Atlanta,” the Chicken Whisperer says. “In the middle of layoffs, foreclosures, and a poor economy we want to teach people how to become a little more self-sufficient, and keeping backyard pet poultry is a good start.”

 As a huge fan of backyard poultry, I am pleased to see that the Chicken Whisperer has been able to put the chicken feed right where the municipal beak is … so-to-speak. With any luck at all, the Chicken Stimulus Package will stimulate local lawmakers to rethink the whole topic of backyard poultry in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Folks, it’s time to take back your right to produce clean safe food … and to keep chickens as pets, of course.

Award winning environmental author, Richard Manning says we can reduce water pollution, increase soil-water percolation, decrease flooding, decrease soil erosion and sequester millions of tons of carbon each year by switching from a corn-based animal protein finishing system to one that lets animals harvest their own food from a perennial pasture. And to top it off, we can do all of that and make more money to boot.

In a recent article published in Mother Earth News magazine, Manning makes the claim that farmers and ranchers can produce the same amounts of animal protein using perennial pasture as they currently do using the industrialized feedlot finishing model, if a proportion of corn acres are restored to some semblance of native grassland. We can save the environment and produce much healthier meat at the same time.

I have been a proponent of meat production models that take advantage of the animals’ natural abilities for decades, so grass finished meat is a no-brainer to me. Animals raised and finished on pasture live a much better and healthier life, aren’t prone to becoming obese, and are more able to fulfill their genetic destiny. Healthy and happy animals produce healthy meat. I don’t care what any industry pundit says … fresh grass-finished beef is better for you than box-store meat that’s been injected with “flavor enhancers.”

As a child and student of the prairie, I am also thrilled that Manning makes the point that perennial grasslands, in conjunction with large herds of grazing animals, are precisely what built the fertile, farmable soils that we grow most of our corn and soybeans on in the first place. Plowing a prairie or pasture releases incomprehensible amounts of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere … and over time, the once fertile soil is depleted to the extent that it is little more than a medium for planting seed that will be nurtured with artificial fertilizers. It’s time to pay attention to how prairie soils were made and to use that knowledge to pull carbon back out of the atmosphere.

It’s not only about carbon and the air, however. It’s also about clean water and flooding Many folks don’t realize that water runoff percentages from tilled fields are surprisingly close to those from paved parking lots. If water was air, then perennial grasslands would be the lungs that pull that air back into the earth. Soils high in organic matter (exactly the kinds of soils that develop beneath perennial pastureland and prairie) have excellent water filtering abilities and sponge-like water storage capacities. You only have to look at a lush green stand of Kansas Big Bluestem in August to know that there is plenty of water down there … even though it hasn’t rained for a month.

I don’t suggest that all farmland should be converted back to perennial grasslands, but I am pleased that Manning challenges conventional agriculture and conventional environmentalism to rethink the role that animals might play in creating a healthier and safer food supply and a healthier and more sustainable environment. There is no magic bullet for these global problems. No single lifestyle change, no single food production model, no amount of legislation will fix the messes we have made. I believe that integrated solutions achieved with balanced thought will keep us keeping on ... not anti-intellectual zealotism, no matter how empassioned.

Manning’s analysis points to the importance of open-mindedness to the process. So let’s remove the single-issue blinders and face the true complexity of our environmental and food issues. I know we can do it.

It used to be that we just put used coffee grounds in the compost heap or directly into the garden, but now it seems that used coffee grounds make a great feedstock for making biodiesel. I have just gotten used to the smell of french-fries emanating from the tail pipes of  some city buses and a few pickup trucks … the smell of coffee might be more than I can handle.

According to a study carried out at the University of Nevada Reno, coffee, the dregs of most used beverage in the world have value as an oil source for the production of high-quality biodiesel. In an article published in the March issue of Biodiesel Magazine, Susanne Retka Schillthe reports that the concept of using coffee to produce diesel fuel has been around for a few years anyway. It seems that bio-fuel pioneers down in Brazil have been using excess and reject coffee beans to make biodiesel for some time now. The new research indicates that used coffee grounds contain from 11 percent to 20 percent oil that results in a stable, but sulfur-rich biodiesel. In order to meet ASTM standards for on-road diesel fuel, the sulfur needs to be removed first.

the University of Nevada, Reno study concluded that if all the coffee grounds were collected from Starbuck’s they could be processed into about 2.9 million gallons of biodiesel each year. And once the oil is extracted from the coffee grounds, the remains can be turned into pellets and used as a heating fuel. The scientists working on the project realize that coffee grounds can really only amount to a small fraction of fuel needs globally, but I believe that their work is important because it makes clear that solutions to our fuel issues can be found in unlikely places, if only we can see them.

I know I would gladly run coffee biodiesel in my tractors and pickup, if I could find it. It makes more sense to me to take a waste product and turn it into biodiesel than it does to grow a crop like soybeans just for that purpose. What do you think?

With the hubbub surrounding the honey bee’s plight, folks are turning to promoting native, wild bees for crop pollination. I say it’s about time. I have nothing against honey bees, and I even like honey on steaming hot cornbread fresh from the cast-iron skillet, but with monoculture of any kind, disaster is always just around the corner. Colony Collapse Disorder, mites, you name it and the non-native honey bee is in a world of hurt. Since so many fruit and vegetable crops depend upon bees for success native bees are finally getting noticed, even though there’s no honey or wax byproduct involved.

One of the principal ways to promote a healthy population of native bees around your place is to offer them places to nest. Nesting spots can be as simple as a bundle of paper drinking straws placed in a strategic location. But it is important to protect those straws from the elements. The corrugated plastic totes used in mail handling are perfect for just that.

Agricultural Research Service scientist James H. Cane says that female wild bees will readily use a properly placed, nicely furnished tote as a shelter for their nests. Turned on their long side, the totes can be held firmly in place on a wooden or metal post by means of a lightweight steel chain and a metal support frame.

Folks who want wild bees to live near and work in their fields, gardens and orchards, can use the totes to house nesting materials. Wild female bees like the blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria (see photo), can use the straws as homes for a new generation of pollinators. A single tote can accommodate as many as 3000 young, which would be sufficient to pollinate an orchard up to about an acre in size.

Read more about this discovery here.

Photo courtesy ARS: Jack Dykinga

Erin, my eldest daughter and I are more likely to pay one another visits on the comment pages of this blog, than in person. It isn’t ideal, but yet another way that we keep some connection going. Imagine my excitement when Erin, who is between quarters in the Social Service Administration Master’s program at the University of Chicago, called to say she would like to come to the farm to wind down for a few days.

To say that I was excited would be an understatement, but suffice it to say that Erin jumped in her VW early yesterday morning and arrived at the farm around 5 PM. We had a wonderful visit and supper that consisted of smoked beef brisket and banana cake. I had been working on wiring the new shop all day so I fell asleep early; her arrival was an awesome ending to a productive day.

I know the dogs and other animals are tickled to have Erin around too. Valentine and Jack, our donkeys are especially pleased with the peppermints she feeds them. I look forward to another couple of nights of visiting and at least one lunch date too. And hopefully, we will get her car into the barn before the hail hits (if it hits) later this afternoon. I’d hate to send her home with a dimpled reminder of her most recent visit.

This year’s vernal equinox came and went while I was driving to work this morning. In fact, I was just passing the Carbondale, Kansas exit on U.S. 75 when the clock hit 6:44 AM CT… the official Vernal Equinox time for the Northern Hemisphere. Although I didn’t witness it, what really happened is that the sun was, for a split second, shining directly over the equator somewhere. And for those many of us who care, it is now officially spring.

Most folks think that the vernal equinox is a time when day and night are of equal lengths. And they are mostly right, but actual day length depends on where on earth you are located and in actuality the true period of equal day and night length occurs before the vernal equinox … but hey, when it comes to seasonal changes, who really cares about that kind of precision.

I look forward to the vernal equinox each year because it tells me that winter is passing. I was raised, and lived most of my life in places far more northerly than Kansas, so getting on with spring was a relief I anticipated for months.

As I walked the farm last evening, thinking about the impending vernal equinox, I couldn’t help but marvel at the new life all around me. From the cool-season grasses to the meadow daisies to the clovers, I could see that the prairie was coming back to life. Songbirds, birds of prey, wild turkey and bobwhite seemed to be celebrating. Even some of the most cautious of trees couldn’t help but pump enough sap create a glorious bud swell; the more optimistic species have already popped tender young leaves.

I know spring will come again next year, and the year after that. But to me this season is still nothing short of a lovely miracle.

I just discovered that Cub Cadet has finally redesigned its website as a single point of information for all of its constituents. Folks can now easily access homeowner-rated equipment, Volunteer utility vehicles, commercial products and Cub Cadet Yanmar machinery through one dynamic, easy-to-use website. In the past, you had to jump from one site to another to capture the scope of Cub Cadet products … think that was a pain? It was.

Cub Cadet’s redesigh is based on some market research that indicated that potential and existing customers turn to the internet long before stepping into a dealership or retail store. Cub Cadet’s new website provides visitors with an experience that compliments their in-store experience by providing in-depth information on all products, including zero-turn riding mowers, compact utility tractors, commercial mowers and more. Browsing through all four product lines can finally be accomplished from one location, with the click of a button.

“Short of entering into a dealership or retail store, we set out to make CubCadet.com the go-to resource for all things Cub Cadet,” says Jeff Salamon, Cub Cadet’s director of marketing.  “We are giving consumers a central location to experience what we call the fundamentals of Cub Cadet products – innovation, progressive thinking, high performance and premium quality.  We want them to leave our website with the confidence and reassurance they need to feel that their investment is well-placed.”

In addition to showcasing Cub Cadet’s products, the new website connects visitors to dealers and retailers. After reviewing products and comparing details, website visitors can add products to a shopping list and with the click of a button and proceed to check-out. CubCadet.com then allows visitors to arrange purchase from the nearest dealer.

What’s even more exciting to me is that this convenient purchasing process extends to parts. With 20-something vintage Cub Cadet garden tractors in my collection, online parts ordering is a real plus.

I don’t often wax excited about corporate websites, but Cub Cadet’s website redesign is refreshingly useful … enough so that I am really excited. Click on in to www.CubCadet.com to marvel at the depth and breadth of cool tools and machinery the company offers.

Some time ago, the good folks at FURminator Inc. sent me a little care package containing one of their deShedding Tools, a bottle of deShedding Shampoo and a package of deShedding Dog Treats. I was thrilled because we have six dogs at the farm and they are constantly in need of grooming. In fact, the need for routine grooming is so great that it sometimes just doesn’t happen … imagine a West Highland white terrier that is a greenish-brown that’s not just reminiscent of the color of a fresh steaming pile of ….

Anyway, we have put all three of the products through their paces this mud season and all of us are pleased with the results. First of all, the deShedding Tool is one of the few combs or brushes that our canine crew universally tolerates. And while most of our dogs don’t tend to shed out in clumps, the deShedding Tool has definitely decreased the amount of dog hair flying around the house. I particularly like the deShedding Tool because I can use it to remove some of the caked-on mud and tangled debris with no protest from the dogs.

Of course, good farm dogs know how to devour treats of all kinds. All six of ours love the deShedding Dog Treats, although I can’t say for sure that there is any difference in their coats so far. I know that the anticipation of receiving a deShedding Dog Treat is motivation to jump in my lap for a good working over with the deShedding Tool. Even Gus, our super-sensitive, lean, 50-pound border collie tolerates the tool when a treat is involved … my lap doesn’t totally love that.

Iris, our youngest Westie has been rolling in cow pies so regularly the past couple of weeks that we know she really loves the deShedding Shampoo. We used the entire bottle on her … she was white again last night, but I know she is already green today.

If you struggle with indoor dogs and/or cats that shed, I can’t recommend the deShedding Tool from FURminator highly enough. If you have farm dogs and like to keep them looking somewhat civilized, the deShedding Tool makes grooming easy and a lot more fun.

I believe that spring has arrived at my Osage, County Kansas farm. I walked the perimeter and ponds last evening when I got home from work. It was breezy, but not uncomfortably so. It took me a few minutes to notice, but it became quite clear when I crossed the big grassy waterway, that my walk was accompanied by a chorus of frogs singing their little hearts out, seemingly in celebration of spring. To be quite honest, I don’t know whether it is the frogs or the toads … but I am writing about frogs today.

My farm is blessed with a large and healthy population of frogs. We have bullfrogs in the draw pond and plains leopard frogs practically everywhere. They say we have crawfish frogs too, but I haven’t seen any that I know of. And then there are the gray tree frogs that appear from time to time, most usually on the ribs of the umbrella that shades the picnic table on the patio.  

I can’t tell you which frogs accompanied me on my walk last evening, but I can tell you that there is no sound quite like the sound of courting frogs to let you know that spring has finally come.

Leopard Frog: iStockphoto: Creative Imagery

Bullfrog: iStockphoto: brm1949

Gray Tree Frog: iStockphoto: Cathy Keifer

Last January, John Deere added a pair of special edition GATORS to its award-winning family of heavy-duty UTVs. This time, the special machines share a common platform with the XUV 620i and come with special paint and other unique features.  

The Special Edition XUV 620i models are offered in either Midnight Black or Metallic Silver.

“With the release of these special edition models we are meeting the demand from a growing audience of outdoor enthusiasts, interested in custom vehicles,” says Kevin Lund, utility vehicle group product marketing manager for John Deere. "These new models provide our customers with unique vehicles they can further customize, depending on how they use their vehicle and what they want their vehicle to say about them.”

The Midnight Black features a carbon-fiber pattern that is professionally applied with an exclusive Final Finish® process on the hood and steering wheel cover. It also sports premium SLX polymer high gloss black fenders that deliver a quality painted look in a mold-through color that resists UV fading and marring. The Metallic Silver Edition is coated with high quality paint on the hood, fenders, cargo box and tailgate.

Both special edition models come equipped with five-spoke alloy wheels, 21- inch high-back sport seats, billet aluminum controls and a special edition nameplate on the front fenders. Custom options include adventure lights, a high-performance slip-on exhaust, a heavy-duty brush guard, heavy-duty fender guards, several windshield options and more.

If you are looking for something special in an ATV or UTV this spring, you need look no further than your local Polaris dealer. The company released several limited edition Sportsman ATVs and Ranger UTV machines that will make your work seem more like play and your play more fun.

The Sportsman line of ATVs will now include three limited edition models, including one that is really tricked out for farm and ranch. The limited edition 2009 Sportsman 850 EPS LE comes with a Tequila Gold paintjob that’s sure please, but the package is much more than cosmetic. This new work machine comes with electronic power steering, an extreme front bumper PIAA lights, rear work lights, rear rack extender, winch, front storage box and much more. This 4-wheeler would make an excellent partner for riding fences, hunting, checking cattle and general utility work around your place. Hose it off at the end of the workday and you can head on into town … or at least to your local recreational trail and do some pleasure riding.  Other limited addition models are based on the Sportsman 800 Touring and Sportsman 500 H.O. chasses.

Among its Ranger and Ranger RZR UTV offerings, Polaris is adding seven limited edition models. I am most intrigued by the , which includes Stealth Black painted hood, dash and glove box, custom cut & sew Browning seats with buck trademark, factory-installed 4,000 lb. Warn winch, dual lock and ride rifle scabbards and 12-inch Crusher rims with PXT tires among many other hard-working features. This machine is set up for hard work, back-country exploration and agressive play.  

In the RZR lineup, the limited edition models that really grab my attention are the 2009 RANGER RZR and RANGER RZR 170-Passion Pink & Pink Power. I am not sure just who would want a pink-colored Ranger RZR, but it is a boldly colorful move by Polaris. Additional features on the RANGER RZR limited edition model include: Passion Pink painted hood, dash and box panels, custom cut & sew stitched pink and charcoal carbon deluxe seats, white painted front and rear suspension springs, 12-inch Black Crusher Rims with Maxxis tires and much more.

Designed to look just like the RANGER RZR, the RANGER RZR 170 comes with several standard safety features including safety whip flag, two helmets and side nets. The recommended minimum age to operate the RANGER RZR 170 is 12 years. Additional features on the RANGER RZR 170 limited edition model include: pink Power bodywork, limited-edition graphics, special Pink Power upholstery, and silver painted wheels.

Check out all of these Polaris limited edition vehicles here.

Bobcat recently announced its Great Bobcat Tractor Pull Contest with a grand prize that includes a nicely outfitted compact tractor with implement package. All you need to do is visit the contest’s website and describe how a Bobcat compact tractor would pull you to new levels of productivity at your place.

 According to the contest rules, beginning March 6 (last Friday) Bobcat will pull five winners weekly through August and feature their entries online. Entries will be judged on creativity, quality, completeness and originality. From these weekly winners, 10 monthly winners will be chosen and will pull in the limited edition copy of Bobcat: Fifty Years of Opportunity, written by Marty Padgett. This is a wonderful book ... yes, I read it cover to cover.

All weekly and monthly winners qualify for the grand prize, a new Bobcat CT230 compact tractor and implements package. The second-prize winner will be awarded a new Bobcat 2200 utility vehicle. Ten third-place winners will pull on a Bobcat jacket.

The first 500 entrants will receive a gift from Bobcat. The final day to submit an entry is August 31, 2009. This contest is limited to residents of the continental United States and Canada. For a complete list of rules and an entry form, visit www.bobcat.com/tractorpull.

Here's your chance to put your creative juices to work. Good luck.

It seems like a no-brainer and revolutionary grassfarmer Joel Salatin has been saying it for decades … it’s official now though, diversity in the pasture matrix is good for grazing animals.

According to a fantastic article in the current issue of Rangelands, which is published by the Society for Range Management, as higher costs and environmental concerns about fossil fuels push more people to buy locally produced food, demand for livestock raised on pastures and rangelands—rather than in feed lots—is spurring a return to greater reliance on native rangelands and cultivated pastures.

“By focusing on a few species, people transformed the diverse world of plants into a manageable domain that generally meets energy and protein needs and limits  intake of toxins,” writes Frederick D. Provenza and his coauthors in the article, “Value of Plant Diversity for Diet Mixing and Sequencing in Herbivores.”

But this practice limits genetic plant diversity and health benefits to livestock from combinations of available plants nutrients, while threatening ecosystems reliant on biodiversity to avoid catastrophe. The researchers suggest a new alternative for livestock grazing that calls for having animals eat a variety of complementary plants. They suggest that these varied plants would provide a range of primary and secondary nutritional compounds, along with greater health and nutritional benefits. No surprise there, but good for the SRM researchers for taking a stand.

The article, “Value of Plant Diversity for Diet Mixing and Sequencing in Herbivores,” is available in its entirety, here.

Two of my favorite companies, Bobcat and Polaris recently announced a long-term strategic alliance that will include co-development of work vehicles, global distribution of highly differentiated work vehicles and technology sharing. The first products resulting from this alliance should launch by the second half of 2010. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.

“We are thrilled about the long-term implications of this alliance,” sas Richard Goldsbury, president, Bobcat Americas. “Bobcat’s and Polaris’ long traditions of innovation, product passion and similar cultures complement each other very well.”

Scott Wine, Polaris Industries CEO, says Polaris initially will produce and sell highly differentiated work vehicles to Bobcat for sale through the Bobcat dealer network. The breadth and depth of cooperative efforts will eventually include co-developed vehicles for both Polaris and Bobcat as well as other technology sharing efforts.

“We are combining the strengths of the number-one compact construction equipment manufacturer with those of the number-one off-road vehicle manufacturer to deliver innovative product solutions for our customers,” Goldsbury says. “This alliance will enable both companies to extend our customer bases and provide profitable growth.”

Stay tuned as this cooperative effort unfolds.

I was disappointed to miss the event, but on January 26, 2009, more than 90 food professionals, chefs, food writers, and food connoisseurs converged at Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, VA, to participate in a blind-tasting which compared pork from eight rare heritage hog breeds and one commercially line.

This so-called Pig Pageant was sponsored by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Humane Farm Animal Care, Slow Food U.S.A. , and Ayrshire Farm, an eclectic group of organizations and individuals committed to saving heritage genetics, promoting a saner animal production paradigm and bringing flavor back to the table.

The pig breeds in question evolved to fit various regional and farming practices and some are known for producing plenty of lard, while others are naturally lean. For example, the Tamworth is a lean grazing pig shaped to produce plenty of bacon, while the Ossabaw Island is a feral breed that stores large amounts of fat for winter survival.

 Once the results were tallied, the Mulefoot was on top, but with the exception of the Large Black, all heritage hogs out tasted the commercial breed. The specific results were as follows:

1. Mulefoot

2. Gloucestershire Old Spot

3. Red Wattle

4. In a tie: Tamworth and Guinea

5. Hereford

6. In a tie: Ossabaw Island and commercial

7. Large Black

According to Ayrshire Farm’s Large Livestock Manager, Don Schrider, this event was the largest comparison of pork breeds in North America to date and it successfully demonstrated that each of the breeds is valuable for the unique culinary experience it offers.

Special thanks go out to the farms that supplied the meat. If you are in the market for some awesome pork, or foundation herd stock for a swine project of your own, be sure to check out what these folks have to offer.

Tamworth – Cove Branch Farm, Charles and Marilyn Barnes, New Castle, VA

Red Wattle – Sloans Creek Farm, Nathan and Ellen Melson, Dodd City, TX

Ossabaw Island – Marle Hill Farm, Byron and Ruth Childress, Manquin, VA

Mulefoot – Maveric Heritage Ranch Company, LLC, Arie McFarlen and Bret Kortie, Dell Rapids, SD

Large Black – Cabbage Hill Farm, Nancy and Jerry Kohlberg, Mount Kisco, NY

Hereford  – Whitmore Farm, Will Morrow, Emmitsburg, MD

Guinea Hog – Maveric Heritage Ranch Company, LLC, Arie McFarlen and Bret Kortie, Dell Rapids, SD

Gloucestershire Old Spots – Ayrshire Farm, Upperville, VA

This makes me ever more eager to get our Mulefoot pig production model up to speed.

Read more about our Mulefoot pigs here.

On February 13, 2009, the United States Patent office formally rejected Siegers’ 25 claims on cucurbit warts. Patent examiner Ann R. Kubelik issued a non-final rejection of the entire package, however, Siegers has an opportunity to rebut and appeal the decision within 6 months (if all the deadline extensions are implemented). This is indeed good news for gardeners, breeders and pumpkin growers everywhere.

The patent was rejected for a number of reasons related to a somewhat sloppy application and for a number of reasons relating to the prevalence of warts on cucurbits historically, and the fact that warted pumpkin seed has been, and still is, for sale by other vendors.

Read Dr. Kubelik’s 9-page Non-Final rejection document here (click on “Non-Final Rejection” on that page).

Read my other posts on this topic here.

Thanks to GRIT blog commenter DLR for bringing this to my attention.

Until last Saturday, my experiences ice fishing included plenty of frostbite, cold feet and hands, and little more than several layers of Carhartts and a nylon-fabric tent for protection. Late last year one of my buddies from up north won a weekend with Distinct Builders Inc.’s Grand Lodge Fish House. Well, he didn’t actually win the weekend, he won the silent auction for the weekend. And we got to take advantage of his hospitality in the frozen north last Saturday. All I can say is wow, there’s nothing like coming in out of the cold to experience the amenities of home … complete with indoor ice holes. I will let the photos speak for the Grand Lodge Fish House, because I am still somewhat at a loss for words about the entire luxury experience.

The Lodge line of fish houses are built in Brookings South Dakota, and they take the ice fishing experience to a whole new level.

If you have ever wanted to do some ice fishing, but were afraid of freezing something important, you should give it a try with a Lodge Fish House hooked to the back of your truck.

When it comes to fishing through the ice, my buddies and I like to maximize our potential to catch fish by setting the maximum number of lines we legally can. In many of my winter fishing spots, that means four lines apiece. We usually reserve one ice hole apiece in the shack for jigging or bobber fishing … we set our other three holes with HT Enterprise’s Polar Tip-Ups. The HT Polar Tip-Ups are economical, almost foolproof and heck on fish. Setting them can be heck on your hands at minus 12 degrees in a 20 mile-per-hour wind too, but hey … ice fishing is all about braving the elements, right?

One of my friends used to be a professional fishing guide in the northern plains and he is a master at setting the HT Polar Tip-Up for maximum effectiveness in varying conditions. His approach is to drill the ice hole in a shallow snow drift after scraping a trough in the drift that’s parallel to the wind. After cleaning the slush out of the hole (often with his bare hands) he clips a several-ounce weight to the hook (attached to the line that’s spooled on the Polar Tip-Up) and runs the line through the hole to the bottom of the lake or river. He pulls the line up about 3 inches and marks it with a small split-shot right where the line and spool meet (this makes it unlikely that you need to check the depth again for that hole). He next pulls up the weight and hook, removes the weight and baits the hook with a live minnow or chub … depending on whether he is after Walleye or Northern pike. With the hook back in the water, the Polar Tip-Up is placed in the trough and the spring-loaded flag is tucked under the trigger.

After setting the Polar Tip-Ups, all you need to do is head to the shack to warm up and dangle a line or watch a bobber in comfort. Look out the window now and then to see if you have a flag up … when the fish takes the bait, it releases the trigger and the spring-loaded flag pops up. It’s all very exciting. Etiquette requires one to call out “flag up” whenever a flag is, well, up. Mild pandemonium ensues as heavily insulated less-than-coordinated guys scramble onto the ice for that adrenaline-building 100-yard (or more) dash to the ice hole.

Once the hole is reached, etiquette requires one to call out “still turning” if the fish is still taking line from the spool. Once the complete entourage has trundled out to the hole, the hole’s owner may carefully pull the Polar Tip-Up from the ice, gently caress the line and slowly take up the slack. Once significant resistance is met, a tighter grip is required and a small tug should set the hook. If it is a big pike, the line will go racing out again. If it is smaller there will be just a bit of tugging. Either causes another adrenaline release. With any luck, the fish is eventually maneuvered head-first into the bottom of the hole and in a final effort will come shooting up through the hole and onto the ice. That’s when the speculation on size and weight begins … and when the entourage begins to move back to the comfort of the shack. It’s also the place where fish stories are born.

I know I promised it today, but I will report on the luxury ice-fishing shack tomorrow. Stay tuned.

I apologize for not pulling off a blog from the ice on Friday ... let's just say that brutal winter weather got in the way.

The end of last week was just about the worst time to head north to chase after monster pike, but I did it anyway. I had neglected to look at a weather report before heading out, but when it comes to ice fishing, you can just about never have enough clothing, so I was well insulated when the arctic blast swept down upon the northern plains and dumped snow and sub-zero temperatures all over the place. I also tossed a box of DueNorth All Purpose traction aids into the truck to help my less-than-coordinated buddies keep their footing when sprinting toward tip-ups (check tomorrow's blog for more on tip-ups) that some of my mischievous buddies like to spring. They get a kick out of watching eager anglers race to the ice hole with anticipation, only to pull up the chub they had set 10 minutes earlier.

At the end of the day, the DueNorth traction aids performed like a charm, though. The Over Sized model fit even the largest (monster-sized) LaCrosse Pac boots in the group and large easily fit the more reasonably-sized winter footwear. On the second day of my trip the weather turned brighter and the DueNorth grippers made it possible to take advantage of a bit of walleye action … not all 100 yard dashes were in vain.

Seriously, I have used all kinds of foot-traction devices for getting around safely on the ice, and the DueNorth grippers are reliable, light and very easy to use. One of my friends said that they were easier to put on than any other creepers he has tried. Another friend noted that it was nice to be able to drill a hole in the ice without the augur spinning him around (he’s kind of slow). A third friend was really impressed that the little spikes on the DueNorth grippers didn’t catch on the indoor-outdoor carpeting in the luxury ice shack that we used one of the days … I’ll have more to say about that shack and its amenities tomorrow.