Farming

Leaf raking is an autumn chore that only children enjoy because they get to undo it in one fowl swoop. We rake and pile and they jump. I propose a new approach that just may make us all happy:  adults can still rake a little, children can still play and trees will benefit from some mulch and fertilizer. At the farm raking leaves is passé; we let them stay where they fall (with reason, of course) which is usually beneath their canopy.

When it comes to bulbs we don’t always meet with consistent success. And, before you blame the chipmunks, the girl who mows the grass or the bulb company for their lack-luster performance, consider some of the other factors that influence how well flowering bulbs flower.  
Sunlight; crowded bulbs; pre-mature removal of foliage the previous season; or a winter rest period that wasn’t cold enough or long enough may play a role in poor performance.  

Have you ever heard someone say, “All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti?”  
Have you ever wondered what the difference is?  
Well, in the most basic sense, cacti are succulents that do not have leaves.  However, the mere presence of spines (the prickly part of cacti) is not the sole indicator that a plant is a cactus. The various families are actually determined by flower form (just like the orchid).  

The Kentucky Beef Conference will be held at the Fayette County Extension Office on Thursday, Oct. 31.  The program will begin at 9 a.m. with registration and the program at 10 a.m. The program is available to any producer in central and eastern Kentucky.
The title of the program this year is “Todays Challenges, Tomorrows Opportunities.” The highlight of the program includes Troy Applehans from Cattle-Fax.  He will discuss what the beef industry is dealing with now and what the future outlook is.