Growing up, this is about the time of year I spent plenty of weekends patrolling pastures for eastern red cedar trees to lop off with a pair of shears. It was easier to spot the evergreen saplings amidst the browns and tans of last year’s growing season. My job was to find the saplings growing in fence rows, draws and other areas where the fire we’d set a few weeks later was unlikely to reach them.

History often repeats itself. This phrase used to seem like a cautionary warning but the last two years have transformed it to have a feeling more like a judgmental, “I told you so.” Events I had only read about in history books like a global pandemic, racial unrest as part of the fight for civil rights and the start of war in Europe are actually happening.

Prescribed/Controlled Burning Drought conditions worsen for the area. Phillips County is currently in D1 or a moderate drought.

We have officially entered the countdown to spring break mindset in our household. The recent winter blasts that have netted a few snow days for the kids are no longer acceptable for my children. They are ready for an extended, week-long break from school. And in their eyes, it can’t get here soon enough!

Valentine’s Day Roses If you received roses from a loved one this Valentine's Day, follow these guidelines to help extend the life of your flowers. For floral arrangements: 1) Keep the vase filled or floral foam soaked with warm water.

As I watched the Super Bowl, it occurred to me this is a truly American event only Americans really get. It is a sporting event that is really a national holiday where we celebrate commercials and eat ourselves into oblivion. For most of us the game is the third attraction. Only in the United States would we use the last football game of the season for a reason to gorge ourselves on food we would normally not eat.

Farmers and ranchers face risk every day. Individual producers have tools to mitigate risk, such vaccination and irrigation, but never have complete control over production outcomes. Price risk is one example of the many types of risk that can influence farm income. “Uncertainty” characterizes a situation where outcomes are unknown, while “risky” characterizes situations where potential outcomes are known or understood, but different outcomes can occur.

I can’t remember if I was helping check momma cows during calving season or chopping ice during a spell of cold weather when I was inspired to do something I shouldn’t. I do know it was about this time of year when my grandfather’s storytelling found a set of eager ears and launched a journey that would be completed a few weeks later, just about the time spring break rolled around.

Our household has only one rule about pets. We cannot buy or seek out pets, they must find and choose us. This rule is not my creation, but it is easy to follow because I have always been apathetic to pets.