On the Edge of Common Sense

Baxter Black, DVM

Pioneers

One of the qualities that characterize dedicated ranchers and farmers is a joyous commitment to hard work. It’s sort of an odd combination of curiosity, independence and bravado. They actually crave the struggle like long-distance runners crave the race. They love their job!
Ranching is not a sport. It pits man against all that nature can throw at them year after year. It takes a hard-headed person to keep pushing back. That’s how frontiers were conquered and the west was won. Today’s ranchers possess the same qualities exemplified by the 18th and 19th century pioneers. The origin of the word Pioneer comes from the native Indian language Pi, as in “pie in the sky”, and Near, meaning “it’s just over the next hill, Mother!”
They battle the same obstacles encountered by the early settlers; drought, blizzard, disease, despair, and predators both wild and packing guns or toting regulations. It is simply nature trying to take back its own balance.
When we received our Christmas newsletter from long time friends in Wyoming, calmly listing all the highs and lows of the past year, I was inspired. Their mettle is strong as individuals but as a pair they seem invincible. Their union began when he put an ad in the livestock paper for a ranch hand who could cook and keep house. She was, in essence, a mail order bride! One who grew up in suburban California!
With a tip of my hat to Wyoming, it can still be as formidable to settlers today, as it was 150 years ago. It’s one of those places where you always keep coveralls, a bedroll, moon boots and a shovel in the trunk of your car. Where you never take four-wheel drive for granted, keep a generator handy during a snow storm, check the antifreeze in your tractor in September and snow plow the road to the pasture. Not to mention the spring breeze that can turn a hard hat inside out!
But she came, this California maiden, they wed and went to raising corrientes, mules and blue heelers, animals they could relate to! Everything they have gotten out of that tough country they have worked for. He’s a heavy equipment operator, welder, farmer, mule skinner and carries the burden of his daily labor like Atlas. She has that same toughness, nerves of steel, generous heart and can make lemonade out of lemons or jerky out of old reins!
I hear about NASA postulating what will be needed to establish a base on the moon or Mars. They debate the technology required, the clothing, diet, sanity and the structured-monitored work and rest schedule. Then consider intensely the qualifications necessary for the astronauts selected to make the arduous journey.
My first thought was, call Louie and Ann! Give him a backhoe and fencing pliers, her a saddle mule and sourdough starter and come back in five years. You’d have a place good enough to build Wyoming a new community college!

www.baxterblack.com

Whassup with Carp Diddy?

Mary Fern Carpenter

At a baby shower recently, I sat down at a table decorated with an assortment of brightly colored circles and shredded crinkled paper. While sipping my strawberry punch, a little boy of about five sat down across from me. First, he removed the strawberry from his punch with his tiny fist and offered it to the lady next to me who graciously accepted it in a napkin. He doesn’t like his fruit and his punch mixed, you see.
Then he pointed at the crinkled paper and circles and asked me, “What’s this for?”
“It’s table decorations,” I answered.
He inspected the decorations once more, glanced back at me and repeated, “But what’s it for?”
“It’s very pretty and it makes the table look pretty.”
He studied the streamers again and shook his head. “But what’s it for?”
I sighed and shook my head. “It’s a girl thing.”
This response seemed to satisfy him. I was satisfied that I had made inroads into his education in living in the world with women. For the most part, men are pragmatic creatures who think in terms of usefulness. To the little boy, usefulness meant something that could be used as a game or toy. Since I had indicated neither, he could see no sensible purpose for the decorations. Women, on the other hand, are creatures who look at the world in terms of beautification. If the little fellow understands  this, he will save himself years of grief.
For instance, he needs to know that decorator pillows are to be admired only, not to be lain on or thrown. Dainty towels in the bathroom, likewise, are to be appreciated and woe unto him who actually wipes his hands on one. Furthermore, one doesn’t wipe his feet on area rugs meant to dress up the room. They are not the same thing as a doormat on which one must wipe his feet. (I hope you men are reading this. It might keep you out of the doghouse.) Never, I repeat, never refer to expensive silk floral arrangements as “dust-catchers.” I’m sorry to inform you that every woman’s house is booby-trapped with numerous items of beautification and you best be prepared to spot them.
I don’t think my dad ever did completely figure that out. Visiting from college, I had placed a rectangular pumice stone on the tub so I could beautify my feet for sandals. Apparently, Dad had never seen one before. He came to the breakfast table one morning in an extreme state of agitation. “Mary Fern, I don’t know what kind of soap that is you brought with you. I scrubbed myself raw and it never did work up a lather.”
Poor Dad. How could I explain that it’s just a girl thing?

Issues of Life #290

“I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not carnal?” 1 Cor. 3:2-4

Denominationalism had its seeds sown in the first century. It had only been a little over 30 years since the day of Pentecost when Paul wrote his first letter to the church in Corinth. And already there were divisions and sects forming and in his letter he made it very clear that this was not behaving in a kingdom way but in a carnal, immature way. Some declared their allegiance to Paul and others made it known that they were followers of Appollos. Both these men were authentic kingdom men and both were highly respected by their peers as men who were genuinely called by the Lord to be apostles. They were both mature enough to know better than to draw people unto themselves. Their charge was to draw the multitudes to Jesus. And the simple truth of the whole matter is that they were on the same team! That is something that has gotten lost down through the generations, especially in the modern church. Nowadays there is competition among churches. Arguments are waged over who has the most spirit filled services, how many people are in attendance and who has the best preachers. Sad, sad, sad!! The enemy comes at our churches unified and we’re distracted and arguing over who had the most people in church last Sunday. The body of Christ has been fragmented and weakened by sectarianism. We must develop a kingdom mindset so that the church can gain its power back; so we can be the force on the planet to displace darkness with the Light of the Father.

Red Dirt Diaries

Judy Holder

Pick a peck of peppers

Are you like me and my family? To us, peppers are almost as good as fresh grown tomatoes, right out of the garden and peppers aren't near as fussy when it comes to bearing fruit when weather is involved. Peppers will bear when it is extremely hot and dry or when it is humid and the ground is soggy with too much rainfall.
You can find many plant varieties offered for sale about the time of our last frost at several home and garden stores. These large, healthy looking plants at tempting, even at their high price, but don't be tempted to put them straight into the ground when you take them home. All plant taken out of greenhouses or grown on your window sill should be “hardened off,” that is left outside in a sheltered place for a couple of hours and gradually working up to all day. Plant peppers a couple of weeks after our last frost date and keep some sort of covers hardy just in case we have one of those freak cold snaps that happen so often here in western Oklahoma in early spring. Peppers will not take the slightest frost.
Chose a spot that hasn't had a pepper family grown in that ground for three years. That includes tomatoes, eggplant and potatoes. It should be a sunny location as peppers are plants that love a long hot summer. Mix in rich manure compost and loosen the soil to a foot deep, peppers like fertile soil, but will produce in poor sandy soil if given a little boost. Peppers don't like to be crowded so give them 12 to 18 inches between plants. Carrots, onions and radishes are good companion plants for peppers, just don't plant them too close.
There are very few insect pest that bother peppers, blister beetles may be a problem if the weather is hot and dry, but these can be hand picked without a problem. Too much nitrogen can cause lush foliage with few fruits, just as in tomatoes; so be careful not to over fertilize.
Seeds are easily saved from one year till the next, just be sure that your seed are from an open-pollinated plant, not a hybrid. Pick one of your best fruits to save and let it ripen completely. Cut out the stem end that holds the seeds and pulls out the seeds along with the stem. Use a knife or other tool to separate the seeds from the stem and dry them on a coffee filter. After the seeds are completely dry, keep them in a jar that you have marked with the type and the year. Plants that are grown in your garden will be more able to resist disease or insect problems and will be more adapted to your climate.
You can eat peppers green and choose a mild type or red and pick a fiery hot variety. Peppers dry well and, if placed in boiling water, will plump back to their original shape. They will freeze well and are great for canning hot sauce, pasta sauce, or just adding to canned tomatoes.
For the space the peppers pay for themselves in a hurry. High priced at the grocery store and not near as tasty as what you can grow at home, pepper varieties that you know will be a winner at your house a are cost savings treat.
Happy Gardening!

What 's Under My Hat

Monte Tucker

Howdy friends and neighbors. I know, I know, I have been lazy the past two weeks. I missed you, too. But boy do I have gobs to talk about! I had a wonderful chance to go to San Antonio, Texas a couple weeks ago to the National Cattleman’s Beef Association annual convention. Yep, got to do the river walk and take in the Alamo as well as attend some cattlemen’s meetings. I came away with one burning question from the entire trip and from the full gamut of the NCBA meetings and convention. While walking on the river walk I saw a mallard duck that appeared to be sleeping while standing on one leg. Why in the world does a duck sleep standing on one foot? Yeah, I thought I would come back wondering about the supply curve of beef demand and how this inverted pie/point graph corresponded with the theoretical placement that the current cattle cycle would be in, or how the leaders in the beef industry were posed to tackle Washington, D.C., the EPA and the deer tick. But nope, the duck sleeping on one foot has totally occupied my mind! Finally, after two canceled flights back to Oklahoma due to the ice storm and three days of getting an over-exposure to NCBA, we slid into Sunny Point, OK. What a mess!On a more important note, the big take home message I got from the NCBA convention is the fact that I as a cattleman must do more to promote my industry. I will leave the lobbying, politics, finger pointing and jockeying for dollars up to the ones that volunteer to do those things within this industry. I simply need to tell my story as a 4th generation farmer and rancher. At the convention, I got to attend a neat break-out session on how I can use this article to help tell my story as well as how to better use some new fangled stuff like Facebook, Twitter and blogs to tell the truth about production agriculture. “Twitter and Blog” are two words that my granddad would have thought had something to do with a malfunctioning hay baler or words that a carpet-bagger fertilizer salesman would use. He would never have dreamed that I could talk to thousands of people from a handheld device while waiting on some calves to walk across a pasture to my feed truck. Second, he wouldn’t believe that anyone would care what I was saying!Less than 2% of this nation’s population is involved in production agriculture. Yet that 2% feeds this nation as well as others.  In granddads day everyone had a direct tie to a farm or ranch. Everyone knew where food came from. My son’s generation will be at least 4 times removed from a farm. The irony of this is that the technologies that increase food production allow people to be productive (and anti-productive) in other things. We in agriculture are producing more with less every year due to sound science and better uses of natural resources.  In order to continue to feed the world at a price that the world can afford, agriculture must continue to use new technologies.  Period.A major hurdle for farmers and ranchers today isn’t a problem that we can use technology to fix. The obstacle looming in front of us lies in the efforts of anti-agriculture groups and their deceiving efforts to convince the American public and society in general that agriculture and meat eating is “bad for you.” The campaigns of such groups are not based on sound science, but rather emotion and sensationalism. I’ve mentioned in my column before the efforts of such groups as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), who falsely portray themselves in the media as the fundraising organization for animal shelters in the United States. (The HSUS is a deep pocketed lobbying organization with a goal of eliminating animal agriculture as we know it.  The funds they raise via commercials on TV with celebrity spokespersons asking you for $19.95 to help Fido and FiFi in the animal shelters are a ploy. Little if any of the money they raise with such advertising campaigns goes to your local animal shelters; they spend their dollars lobbying to regulate animal agriculture out of business.)  Folks, I am a rancher. My job is to be a steward of the land and livestock in my possession. I cannot be successful in my profession if I don’t treat my land and animals in the best possible way. If you hear of something out there in the media or elsewhere claiming that beef or other agricultural products are bad for you or produced in dangerous ways, please, ask someone who knows the truth and knows the subject both inside and out.  Ask someone who will give you sound information based on science; ask a farmer or rancher.  I will continue this next week but I’m running out of room.  Watch for me on Facebook (I’m working on a fan page for “What’s Under My Hat”), check out my blog at www.whatsundermyhat.com, or continue to purchase the paper you read this in. This is my new angle. I want to tell the truth about production agriculture. What makes me an expert? Again, I’m a 4th generation farmer and rancher. I create wealth by simply and sustainably converting God given natural resources into consumable products.I’m Monte Tucker, and that is what’s under my hat!

My laid back Valentine

April Spencer

Valentine's Day used to be a pretty big event with flowers, chocolate, gifts, and a big dinner out. And then we had kids.
Now, there are usually still flowers and chocolate involved, but gone are the days of dining out on February 14. And, the truth is, I think I like it.
Our new Valentine's Day tradition is a little more low key. Instead of finding and paying a babysitter, getting dressed up, spending hours waiting to be seated(even with a reservation), and being crammed into a full to the brim restaurant with other starry eyed couples, we opt to stay at home. Valentines' Day is now centered around our family, though we do usually try to put the boys to bed early, and enjoy a quiet evening at home.
Sometimes, takeout and a movie are on the agenda. Other times, we prepare a nice meal. If my husband had it his way, every nice and romantic meal at our house would revolve around steak. Sometimes he gets his way, but if I'm looking for something a little more special, I'll turn to this pasta. It's incredibly easy, but looks and tastes as if it takes hours to make.
I'm not saying we won't ever go out on Valentine's Day again. But, I have a feeling, that years from now when a babysitter isn't even needed, and my husband asks what we should do for Valentine's Day, I'll still choose the quiet evening at home.
I originally saw this recipe on thepioneerwoman.com, but there are several variations out there. This is just one of them. I hope you'll make it this Valentine's Day, and enjoy it as much as my Valentine and I do.
Penne a la pink sauce

Ingredients:
1 lb. Penne Pasta
1 lb. of frozen, raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 T butter
3 T olive oil
1/2 white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup white wine (2 T lemon juice plus 1/2 cup chicken broth can be substituted)
1 can tomato sauce (8 oz)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
handful of shaved parmesan
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Thaw shrimp in colander under cold running water.
2. Cook the pasta until al dente, according to package directions.
3. Heat 1 T butter and oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp, and cook for a few minutes, until it turns opaque. Do not overcook. Remove from heat, let cool until you can handle them. Remove tails and chop shrimp into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
4. Finely dice onion. Mince garlic. Add remaining butter and oil into skillet, and saute until onions start to turn translucent.
5. Add wine, stirring occasionally to let wine evaporate.
6. Add tomato sauce, stirring well. Then, add heavy cream. Continue stirring, then turn heat down and let simmer for a few minutes.
7. Chop basil and shave parmesan.
8. Add shrimp back to sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine sauce, shrimp and pasta. Place pasta on serving dish and top with basil and parmesan.

Social Security News

By Shelly Thompson, Social Security District Manager, Clinton, Oklahoma

Social Security Questions/Answers

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME
Question:
What’s the difference between “SSID” and “SSDI”?
Answer:
SSID, or SSI, is the way some people refer to “Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability” benefits. SSI disability benefits are paid to people who have limited incomes and resources. SSDI is the way some people refer to “Social Security disability insurance benefits.” Social Security disability benefits go to people who have worked and paid Social Security taxes for a long enough time to be covered for Social Security. Some people qualify for both “SSI” and “SSDI” if their Social Security benefit is low enough for them to receive SSI. To learn more about Social Security and SSI, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.
Question:
I got an email that says it’s from Social Security, but I’m not so sure. They want me to send in my Social Security number, date of birth, and mother’s maiden name for “verification.” Did it really come from Social Security?
Answer:
No. Social Security will not send you an email asking you to give us your personal information, such as your Social Security number, date of birth, or other private information. Beware of such scams — they’re after your information so they can use it for their own benefit. When in doubt, or if you have any questions about correspondence you receive from Social Security, contact your local Social Security office or call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to see whether we really need any information from you.

MEDICARE
Question:
I didn’t enroll in Medicare Part B back when my Part A started a few years ago. Can I enroll now?
Answer:
Yes—but if you want to do it this year, you’ll have to act soon. The general enrollment period for Medicare Part B medical insurance began January 1 and runs through March 31. Keep in mind that although Part A is free, there will be a premium for your Part B. And in most cases, that premium goes up each 12-month period you were eligible for it and elected not to enroll.
To find out more about Medicare, visit the Medicare website at www.medicare.gov or see Social Security’s online page of resources by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov and selecting the “Medicare” link.