The Progressive Rancher April 2015

April 2015

NCA 2009 President’s Award Recipient

In this Issue...

Riding for the NCA Brand................ 3

Win Ranch Hand Rodeo .................. 28

Nevada Cattlemen’s Assn................. 4

Show Down at Fish Creek Corrals...30

NRRC................................................ 8

Horses on the Highways ................31

Eye on the Outside.......................... 10 NV CattleWomen............................ 11 Beef Ambassador............................ 12 Cattleman’s Connection ................... 15 Nevada Farm Bureau...................... 16 Fumes from the Farm...................... 18 In the Mind of a Millennial .............19 Beef Checkoff.................................. 20

ELKO FEDERAL CREDIT UNION • Share Draft Accounts • Timeshare Certificates • ATM Cards/Debit Cards • IRAs • Visas

• Consumer Loans • Money Orders • Share Savings Accounts • Free Notary

Range Plants For the Rancher..........32 Coloring Page.................................. 33 NWMA President Column........... 34 Look Up........................................... 35 Precipitation Monitoring................ 36 Secretary Jewell.............................. 38 NPAW Leafy Spurge .................... 40

Nevada FFA..................................... 22

Centennial Awards ......................... 44

Weather Variability ........................ 25

Ramblings ...........................................46

Snyder Bull Sale Report................... 27

Edward Jones Financial Focus ........47

The Progressive Rancher Owner/Editor/Publisher – Leana Stitzel progressiverancher@elko.net

Graphic Design/Layout/Production – Joshua Rinard Josh@LifeSpringDesign.com

Cover Photo: by Stacey Butler

Published 9 times each year, The Progressive Rancher is mailed to more than 7,000 approved addresses, and has digital and print readership reaching more than 30,000.

Pray for

The Progressive Rancher is published monthly. The views and opinions expressed by writers of articles appearing in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters of opinion are welcomed by The Progressive Rancher.

Rates for advertising are available upon request. Advertising in The Progressive Rancher does not necessarily imply editorial endorsement. Liability for any errors or omissions in advertisements shall not exceed the cost of the space occupied by the error or omission.

The Progressive Rancher is free to people working and active in the livestock industry. The Progressive Rancher is donated to the agricultural industry. If you are not currently receiving this magazine on a regular basis, and would like to be a part of The Progressive Rancher family, contact us by e-mail at progressiverancher@elko.net, today, so we can include you on our mailing list. If you have moved or changed addresses, please notify us, by e-mail, so we can keep you informed. All requests for the magazine must be made by e-mail.

ELKO

2397 Mountain City Hwy. Elko Junction Shopping Center Elko, Nevada 89801-1496

Phone: (775) 738-4083 Fax: (775) 738-2582

2 April 2015

Leana Stitzel, Owner/Editor

SPRING CREEK

559 W. Spring Valley Ct., Ste. 7 Spring Creek, Nevada 898015-6811

www.elkofcu.org

Phone: (775) 753-6272 Fax: (775) 753-6280

1188 Court St., #81, Elko, NV 89801 (208) 733-1828 • progressiverancher@elko.net

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Food Supply

By Ron Torell, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association President FASCINATING may be the best adjective to describe how a mere 2% of the population in the United States is responsible for producing the bulk of our nation’s food supply. For the most part it is because of this incredible food supply that U.S. citizens have become somewhat accustomed to the abundance of high quality, safe and wholesome foods. Grocery bills today make up less than 10% of the average U.S. household’s disposable income, far less than what is spent in other parts of the world. It’s been documented that many Americans will spend more on taxes in 2015 than they will collectively on food, clothing and housing. This is unlike generations gone by.

Grocery bills during the Great Depression represented over 30% of disposable income. Yester-year citizens had a real appreciation for food and fiber production during that time of food shortage. Finding half a worm in one’s apple was commonplace prior to the application of tested and provensafe pesticides. The only fruits and vegetables available during the winter months in the northern states were canned or frozen. Milk and eggs were produced and consumed on the farm or marketed locally without any of the USDA safety inspections that exist today. Meat was raised and consumed at the ranch level or marketed in entirety through the local butcher shop as swinging quartered beef.

Today we drive to the local grocery store on an as-needed basis for these essentials. Our purchased food products come with a guaranteed fresh “sell by” date and an USDA food inspection stamp indicating the safety of the product as it traveled through the production chain. We purchase fresh fruits and vegetables in the middle of the winter and often complain how they are not quite as tasty as they were during the summer months. The United States today has the most plentiful, safe and wholesome food supply in the world. This can be attributed to the advanced and sustainable farming and ranching technologies utilized by our agriculture community today along with the progression of transportation infrastructure and innovative processing and packaging methods. These practices are environmentally friendly and sustainable.

A huge amount of credit for our country’s food supply must be given to each segment of agriculture and the people they employ including the farmers, ranchers, stocker and feedlot operators, packing industry and retailers. It is estimated that only $0.16 of every dollar spent by the consumer on food in 2015 will go to the farmer. The other $0.84 goes to these other segments of our industry. Farmers and ranchers are part of a team. This team forms an entire food chain. This food chain takes our product, BEEF, from the farm to the plate. The $0.84 pays for the diesel, truck and driver to move agriculture commodities from one ranch to the next segment of the industry, then on to the next and the next, until it reaches the retailer who presents it to the consumer.

As an example, light-weight Nevada calves shipped from our ranch in December often travel to California grass for the winter. In May they are

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shipped back to Nevada grass as a seven-weight stocker. By August a nineweight animal travels to the feedlot, then to the processor, on to the breaking plant, ending at the retail store. Along these various segments of the food chain (of which cow-calf producers are the very first link) a tremendous amount of money and energy is spent in an effort to get a safe and wholesome product to the consumer in a timely manner.

Imagine for a minute the businesses and people that are reliant upon our product, BEEF, to make a living…grain and hay farmers, landowners who sell grass, veterinarians, pharmaceutical companies, video auctions, truck drivers, satellite and databases to track shipments, forklift operators, butchers, meat counters at the grocery store, restaurant chefs, servers… the list goes on and on. My point is that as beef producers we cannot lose sight that we are the very first link in a food chain that is very complex yet efficient.

We are the envy of the world when it comes to our food supply and the infrastructure we employ to move BEEF through the production chain. In reality the U.S. is a bread basket of safe and wholesome food of all kinds.

Nowhere else in the world can the citizens of that country eat for 10% of their disposable income and eat well, confident it is wholesome, safe and healthy.

We even have product left over to make energy such as corn for ethanol.

For the Nevada Beef industry the story does not end here. What I find most fascinating is that the very first link of this food chain, the cow-calf segment, produces that initial calf utilizing a renewable natural resource: Grass. We produce this calf in an environmentally friendly manner that is sustainable and contributes in a big way to local and rural communities of the driest state in the nation. I know of no other method to harvest this renewable natural resource from our rugged rangelands than by utilizing grazing ruminants. The alternative is a range fire.

One final personal note of fulfillment for me and my wife related to our business as seed stock producers and custom artificial insemination.

Like so many of you, we are the first step in the first link of this food chain.

For every cow we artificially inseminate and with every bull we sell to our customer, we are contributing in a big way to our nation’s food supply. Our chosen profession makes us the very first step in the very first link of this fascinating food chain. Proven genetics influences all segments of our industry through improved efficiency. We provide those superior genetics to our customers and ultimately to the consumer. I am sure you will agree, beef production is a fascinating industry and it is rewarding to play a role in it.

The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association’s mission continues to be to promote, preserve and protect a dynamic and profitable Nevada beef industry.

Should you like to visit with NCA staff or leadership feel free to contact NCA at 775-738-9214 or my NCA e-mail address ncapresident@nevadabeef.org

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 3

By Stephanie Licht, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director

S Spring Renews Everything!

haking off the winter grumps is sometimes hard to do.

Cold n’ dark gray mornin’s, don’t help cure those winter “blues”.

Most winters… snow is on the ground, the troughs are filled with ice.

Staying snuggled in my comfy quilt would certainly be nice.

But cows don’t have a turn-off switch to hold them in a trance; So we crawls from bed, drags on our bibs, and starts the feeding dance.

We coffee up, helps open th’ eyes, catch RFD’s weather, n’ their news, Thank our stars it’s not snowin’ or blowin’– n’ go on a quest fer r’ our shoes.

No matter what – th’ dogs r’ charged, to git started with the day, They smile n’ pant, n’ wiggle n’ jump, a’wantin’ to git on their way.

Already dressed in fine fur coats they nudge my knee in glee, Wished I could be jist half as glad fer a day starting off a cool -3°F. Our feed truck’s seen much better days… that t’was back in ’46…

But she coughs to a start, runs pretty good, an’ don’t take a computer to fix!

After yesterday’s run we stacked up the load, to deliver on this mornin’s tour.

We climb in the ride, down th’ lane we glide, th’ dog’s happy to start chores du jour.

The cows see us comin’, to us they start runnin’, their breakfast’s a short time away.

It’s now that I’m glad of the idea we had for the cattle-guard we installed one fall day.

Rockin’ over th’ bars, we put’er in low, n’ out o’er the feed ground we bump, Glad it’s stacked tight, ‘cause t’aint a good sight to see th’ load on the ground in a lump!

Down there on the flat place r’ several new moms, their calves bedded down in old hay.

Trailin’ in behind us is the rest of the “girls” – a-waddlin’ along in their “family way”.

Ol’ “Nellie” th’ truck has some slack in the wheel, but her course on that flat place is true.

Put in waaay Granny low, she moves jist’ right slow, so we kin let’er foller’ her own truck rule.

Swingin’ up on th’ bed we start cuttin’ strings, spreadin’ hay flakes in long fluffy rows.

The sweet smell still stays in last summer’s hays, n’ cows bury their face past their nose.

A long sweeping arc, leaves most all th’ hay, in the great breakfast-bowl of our field.

Tis’ then Nellie finds a depression, jist right… to catch n’ hold ‘er front wheels.

Th’ engine grunts n’ then quits, n’ there’s where we sits, takin’ in mornin’s sunrise and dew; A meadowlark’s call… th’ cow’s soft, frosty bawls… a time to take in the spec-tacular view…

Sun’s warming rays chase frost n’ the haze… sleepy calves awaken… n’ take a long stretch…

Then one bucks and jumps! Now it’s calfy head-bumps! N’ they’s off runnin’ n’ bowin’ their necks!

Cross the fence-line next door r’ sheep n’ their lambs galore… baby’s spring loaded, n’ ready fer fun!

At th’ cue from th’ calves, th’ lambs start their pa-zazz, n’ its’a racey, lamb-packed, NASCAR run!

A few feet away… somethin’ tiny n’ gray… squatted low… eyes closed… ever so tight…

Why it’s Cotton-Tail’s baby… thinkin’ at motionless, maybe… she’s hidden n’ way outta sight.

Up from the crick… comin’ thru th’ thick, cattails, tall grass stands, n’ weeds…

Waddle fuzzy baby ducks, following Mama Duck’s clucks… who’s calling them all out to feed.

In grass under a tree… quite hard to see… is another pile of… unmoving spots.

As I squint to focus… it’s then that I notice… a deer fawn… camoed by her dots.

In the field’s springtime quiet… new life all around… I feel spring… wellin’ up in my chest...

Don’t like to admit it… but I can’t make’em quit it… drops of rain down my face on my vest…

Fer shur spring is here… blues n’ grumps disappear… I see Ma Nature’s again takin’ good care…

Renewin’ th’ earth… with her plan of rebirth… n’ allowin’ my soul its fair share…

4 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

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NCA Fallon Bull Sale Stock Dog Trial held Feb 13 2015

T

his is an invitational event that we raise money to help someone who is in the livestock industry that has cancer.

This years recipient was Rochelle Evans from Vale OR. she has had cancer since 2008 and has just finished another round of chemo.

We raised over $6000 for her. Tom Blasdell donated a started dog that was auctioned off at the dinner. All the money from the sale of the dog went to our recpient. $1325) Dan Wells from Millville Ca also donated $1000 to her. We had many others that stepped up and donated at the dinner.

Thank you for your generosity. We raised over 2900 from our dog trial contestants. There was no pay out all entry fees went to help Rochelle. A special thank you to Monte Bruck and Fallon Livestock Exhange for allowing us to use his facility to hold our event, Ron Giovanetti for donating the cattle. and to all our volunteers.- Andrea Zeller, Ben Matley, Flint Lee, Nancy Chapman, Pete Delmas, Wyatt MacKenzie, Dalton Lowry, Kevin Hancock, Ron Giovanetti,Sherry Giovanetti, Anthony Cory Nowalk, Sqwueezy’s Cafe - Jim & Gail Kerr, & Dee. Thank you so much for your help we couldn’t do it without you.

Results February 13 2015

Open

Draw Handler Dog Placing Handler Dog Score Time Fetch Time 1 Billy Lewis Houdini 120 6.59 0.29 2 Bill Renihan C-Zar 105 7.26 0.40 3 Shannon Wood Kat 80 8.00 0.28

Rancher

Placing Handler Dog Score Time Fetch Time

1 Lance Knudsen Bill 100 7.52 1.05 2 Logan Sampson Poncho 60 8.00 0.21 3 Janece Stitser Pearl 50 8.00 0.43

Intermediate

Placing Handler Dog Score Time Fetch Time

1 Kevin Hancock Ethel 6.22 0.35 2 Janece Stitser Pearl 4.24 0.09 3 Lance Knudsen Bill 4.43 0.15

Futurity

Placing Handler Dog Score Time Fetch Time

1 Dustin Wood DSW Dos 120 5.20 0.26 2 Buster Kyte Spud 120 7.05 0.25 3 Tom Blasdell Shelby 110 6.35 0.50

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Thank you to our Sponsors.

Pinenut Livestock Supply Dave & Chris Matley EH Hursh Choice Cellular

DSW Cowogs Dustin & Shannon Wood

Churchill County Cowbells Berney Realty Big R Hoof Beats Gates and Panels Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority Billy Lewis Stockdogs

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Bonanza Casino - Super 8 Motel Gary Hutchings Tuf Stockdogs Silver State Beefmasters Indian Oaks Ranch - Bill & Sandy Renihan Squeezeys Cafe

Fallon Livestock Exchange- Monte Bruck

Ron Giovanetti Kevin Hancock

Thanks to all who helped with our event.

Billy Lewis and Gayle Hybarger April 2015 5

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NEVADA STALLION STAKES & elko County NRChA

August 29th-30th, Elko, Nevada

elko County NRChA

UPCOMING SALES

SPeCTACULAR

THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH

Judge: Darren Miller, AQhA • NRChA AAA

Catalog Deadline: April 15th

“All classes have herd work”

Stallion Nomination Deadline: August 1st Nomination fee: $200.00

Shasta Livestock, Cottonwood CA

THURSDAY, MAY 21ST Cottonwood CA

Nomination deadline for inclusion in advertising - May 1st Late Nominations will be accepted from Aug 2nd - 28th with an additional $100 late fee.

Catalog Deadline: May 6th

NEVADA STALLION STAKES

AGED EVENTS

Futurity - Derby - Hackamore Two Reined / Green Bridle and Bridle Divisions NRCHA Rules

WATCH & LISTEN TO THE SALE on the Web at:

Nevada Stallion Stakes Show Entry deadline: August 15th with late entries accepted to Aug 28th with additional penalties ECNRCHA Show Entry Deadline Aug 28th.

Entries forms available at www.elkocountyfair.com E-mail entries to elkocountyfair@hotmail.com

Mail entries and payments to: Elko County Fair Board, PO Box 2067, Elko, NV 89803

For details call (530) 347-3793 or the representative nearest you:

Gary Nolan

Mark Venturacci

(775) 934-5678

(775) 427-8713

elko, NV

For More Information contact: JJ Roemmich 775-397-2769 or elkocountyfair@hotmail.com

Fallon, NV

Steve Lucas

Paradise Valley, NV

(775) 761-7575

Brad Peek— — (916) 802-7335 or email us at wvm@wvmcattle.com Look for the catalog and pictures on our website www.wvmcattle.com

Market your cattle with the professionals!

www.elkocountyfair.com www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 7

Nevada Ranchers Caretakers of our

Rangelands

Cowboys and sheepherders produce food and fiber for the nation. Growing food on Open range is a natural biological process.

Grazing actually benefits the land with hoof action and natural fertilization. Plants are healthier and regenerate faster after the herds move to a new range.

Antelope and other game animals and birds take advantage of the improvements made by ranchers.

Over the past 5 years the Nevada Rangeland Resources Commission (NRRC) has funded a series of documentaries which have addressed the many obstacles affecting public land ranchers. The series has been produced by Dennis Golden and broadcasted by KNPB Channel 5 in Reno, NV. The series includes the four DVD’s pictured. To request a copy of the DVD from any of the Stewards of the Rangeland series please contact the NRRC at 775-738-4082 or e-mail nrrc08@yahoo.com.

Beautiful 31+ acre Gentleman’s Ranch475,000

$

Grazing cattle and sheep coexist peacefully with native wildlife and, in fact, make a friendlier habitat for many species.

Ruby Mountain Livestock, Lower Lamoille Road, Lamoille, Nevada

• 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Spacious home

• Outstanding Views • Water rights

• Outbuildings • Fenced & Cross fenced

Perfectly set up for the small rancher/farmer to raise livestock.

Extraordinary 43+ acre High Desert Oasis Sheep often graze on steep terrain and can control cheatgrass, a major fuel for wildfires.

Nevada Rangeland Resources Commission was created by the State of Nevada to promote responsible public land grazing.

Representatives come from Nevada state grazing boards, Nevada Woolgrowers, Nevada Farm Bureau, and Nevada Cattlemen’s Association.

4780 East Idaho Steet, Elko, NV 89801 • 775-738-4082 WWW.NEVADARANGELANDS.ORG This ad is funded through the NRRC’s assessment of 10 cents an AUM paid by public land ranchers.

8 April 2015

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MLS# 2014

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414 Shadybrook, Spring Creek, Nevada

• 4 Bedroom, 3½ Bath, 6,348 sq. feet • Fully Fenced and Gated • Good horse Property

• Private Landscaped Grounds • Panoramic Views • Wet Bar

• Custom Woodwork • Loft Offi ce and Library • Gourmet Kitchen

Carol L. Buckner, ABR,

Broker /Salesperson

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700 Idaho Street, Elko, Nevada

Cell: 775-777-4235 • Office 775-738-4078

The Progressive Rancher

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OFFICe: 775-423-7760

JACK PAYNe

Cell: 775-217-9273 Alt: 775-225-8889

email: nevadalm@yahoo.com

Full-Service Cattle Sales & Marketing serving the Fallon, Nevada and Outlying Areas.

Sales Results from MARCH 18th 2015 REGULAR BUTCHER COW AND BULL SALE

Seller

City

Weight

Price CWT

Lamar Roche

Parma 1

BLK HFRT

885

$145.00

Chris Hicks

Fallon 1

RED HFRT

605

$140.00

Tyson Torvik

Fallon 1

BLK HFRT

945

$133.00

Karl Weishaupt

Fallon 1

BLK HFRT

1105

$123.00

Lynn Broyles

Fallon 1

BLK COW

1660

$116.00

R & E James

Wadsworth 1

CHAR HFRT

1340

$111.50

BLK COW

1195

$107.00

LHNX COW

870

$107.00

John and Jhona Bell

#Head

1 1

Desc.Type

TJ McCauley

Reno

Giovacchini Family Trust

Genoa 1

WF COW

1615

$106.00

Roger and Nancy Johnson

Win 1

BLK COW

1200

$106.00

Karl and Dana Weishaupt

Fallon 1

BLK COW

1195

$105.00

Bruce Humphrey

Fallon 1

RED COW

800

$104.00

Roger and Theresa Lambert

Fallon 1

LHNX HFRT

785

$100.00

Richard and Mary Bradbury Midas 1

BBF COW

1185

$98.00

Jessie Rose Dairy

Fallon 1

HOL COW

1135

$118.00

Mike Olsen

Fallon 1

JER COW

885

$109.00

Whitaker Dairy

Fallon 1

HOL COW

1585

$108.00

Hi Test Products

Fallon 1

HOL COW

1730

$106.50

Oasis Dairy

Fallon 1

HOL HFRT

1270

$105.00

Lacas Vacas

Fallon 1

HOL HFRT

1405

$100.00

Joe Gomes

Fallon 1

HOL COW

1745

$100.00

Thayne Gomes

Fallon 1

HOL COW

1150

$98.00

Lance Gomes

Fallon 1

HOL COW

1910

$97.00

Sandhill Dairy

Fallon 1

HOL COW

1460

$96.00

Nick Gomes

Fallon 1

HOL COW

2320

$96.00

JM Gomes

Fallon 1

HOL BULL

2365

$130.50

Karl Weishaupt

Fallon 1

BLK BULL

2205

$130.00

NEXT Feeder SALE

in conjunction with our Regular Wednesday Sale

Thursday, April 16th SA LE

Every Wednesday Small Barn at 10:30 AM Butcher Cows at 11:30 AM Feeder Cattle at 1:00 PM

Feed Buck Café Open on Sale Days from 8-2

Daily specials along with our famous Tri Tip sandwiches.

We have 4 cattle trains available for your cattle hauling needs.

We can haul approx. 80,000# of cattle per load either to our sale or in the country. Give us a call for pricing.

TO ALL OF OUR CONSIGNORS & BUYERS www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

Sales Results from MARCH 19th 2015 Feeder Sales

Seller City # Head Lynn Broyles Fallon 1 David and Corine Buckingham PV 5 Cave Valley Horse and Cattle Ely 7 Renfroe Ranch Lovelock 3 Renfroe Ranch Lovelock 4 Jersey Valley Cattle Co Win 10 Steve Medlin Alamo 14 Steve Medlin Alamo 29 Windy R Ranch Washoe V 1 Kylie Amos Fallon 2 Crawford Cattle Co Win 26 Crawford Cattle Co Win 51 Crawford Cattle Co Win 18 James and Bethany Thompson 11 Ted Renfroe Fallon 1 Robert and Barbara Baker Fallon 1 Wesley Viera Fallon 3 Jared Brackenbury Caliente 8 Branton Genco Alamo 1 Tami Blasingame Alamo 4 David Lima Fallon NV 4 Peraldo Brothers Fallon 5 Seven Dot Cattle Co Golconda 6 Aaron and Donnell Williams Fallon 7 Stix Cattle Co Fernley 81 Trevor and Jake Wade Alamo 8 Les Northcutt Malin 2 Linda Bowmer Fallon 3 Glorene Guerrero Wadsworth 1 John Guerrero Wadsworth 2 Luz Coronado Fallon 1 Randy Osterhoudt Round M 2 Ed and Greta Moreda Yerington 13 Borsini Ranch Inc Yerington 6 Kenny Smith Win 2 Robert James Wadsworth 1 JM Gomes Fallon 12 JM Gomes Fallon 10 Tri T Farms Yerington 2 James Estill Lovelock 1 Kunzler Ranch Park Valley 1 Cave Valley Horse and Cattle Ely 4 Cave Valley Horse and Cattle Ely 12 Renfroe Ranch Lovelock 5 Jersey Valley Cattle Co Win 14 Crawford Cattle Co Win 42 Mathews Farms Panaca 25 Mathews Farms Panaca 10 Jared Brakenbury Caliente 9 Seven Dot Cattle Co Golconda 11 Pinson Golconda 2 James and Bethany Thompson Win 22 Juniper Mountain Fallon 11 Wesley Viera Fallon 2 Trevor and Jake Wade Alamo 8 Grace Iratcabal Sparks 4 Marge Shepard Fallon 1 Jake Northcutt Malin 6 Roger and Margot Mills Fallon 4 Woodrow and Linda Cunrod Reno 1 David and Corine Buckingham PV 5 Chance and Jay Guerrero Wadsworth 2 Richard Hucke Fallon 10 Matthew Torvik Fallon 1 John and Vella Torvik Fallon 1

Desc. Type Weight Pair Young 350# Calf BLK STR 427 BLK STR 367 BLK STR 435 BLK STR 453 BLK STR 431 MIX STR 350 BLK STR 400 RED STR 345 BLK STR 448 BLK STR 513 MIX STR 584 MIX STR 688 BLK STR 453 BLK STR 465 BLK STR 335 BLK STR 508 BLK STR 581 MIX STR 376 MIX STR 376 CHAR STR 570 MIX STR 583 MIX STR 556 MIX STR 560 MIX STR 602 MIX STR 630 BBF STR 303 BLK STR 525 CHAR STR 625 MIX STR 608 BLK Bull Calf 650 BBF Bull Calf 763 BLK HFR 796 BLK STR 828 BLK STR 903 CHAR STR 860 HOL STR 436 HOL STR 578 BLK Bull Calf 1085 RBF STR 780 BLK STR 975 BLK HFR 196 BLK HFR 278 BLK HFR 374 BLK HFR 437 BLK HFR 491 BLK HFR 556 MIX HFR 581 BLK HFR 537 MIX HFR 545 MIX HFR 545 MIX HFR 455 BBF HFR 517 BLK HFR 443 MIX HFR 619 MIX HFR 561 BLK HFR 595 MIX HFR 619 RED HFR 598 BBF HFR 590 BLK HFR 621 CHAR HFR 658 BLK HFR 861 RED HFR 695 RED HFR 895

Price CWT 3,050.00 HD $330.00 $328.00 $322.50 $315.00 $320.00 $315.00 $310.00 $312.50 $311.00 $305.00 $293.00 $240.00 $304.00 $300.00 $300.00 $277.00 $275.00 $275.00 $275.00 $270.00 $270.00 $270.00 $266.00 $264.50 $264.00 $255.00 $230.00 $230.00 $230.00 $220.00 $211.00 $209.00 $201.00 $180.00 $177.50 $180.00 $161.00 $158.00 $147.50 $132.00 $395.00 $360.00 $309.00 $300.00 $292.00 $284.00 $265.00 $277.00 $268.00 $268.00 $268.00 $264.00 $262.50 $247.00 $246.00 $235.00 $231.00 $230.00 $230.00 $229.00 $211.00 $200.50 $170.00 $152.00

April 2015 9

By Joseph Guild

L

egislatures and Congresses take on unique qualities from their predecessors. The Mitch McConnell led United States Senate will very soon be perceived as much different than the Harry Reid Majority Leader Senates.

Likewise the 2015 Nevada Legislature is already taking on a unique face of its own after just a little over 30 days in action. The pace was quick from the start with hearings on bills and passage of those bills in very short order compared to other experiences I have had in over 30 years of dealing with Nevada’s legislative branch.

As many of you already know, Republicans are in charge of both houses of the Legislature for the first time over 20 years. With power comes responsibility and an ability to do things which have been thwarted for a long time while being in the minority party. For instance, the Republicans are pursuing an agenda which has been criticized as anti- union by some observers. The Republicans in both houses say some pro- business reforms are long overdue.

And so it goes, politics is always interesting if you take the time to delve into the specifics of the issues and observe closely the diverse personalities who occupy the seats voters elected them to serve.

An example of the above difference of opinion played out recently in the efforts to pass SB 119. This bill eliminated the requirement in the law that “prevailing wages” be paid on school construction projects. Prevailing wages are those paid for a majority of workers within a particular area and which are set by a government agency such as a State Department of Labor.

They usually reflect union wages which are sometimes generally higher. The argument against paying this wage, especially in a rural area, is there are not enough qualified workers and the wage that has to be paid by law is more reflective of an urban area.

The bill also contained a bond rollover provision which would let school districts construct projects under bonds approved by the voters within the last 10 years so that every new project did not have to go back through a voter approved process every time. Rather than comment on the merits of these conflicting positions, my real purpose is to point out when there are radical political changes, the pent up frustrations of being in a minority for a long time naturally spill out and produce radical reactions from the other side. In an earlier column right after the election I mentioned that a form of restraint should be employed by the new majorities because too much movement to the right could come back to haunt those new to power as early as the next election.

Where this will really be a challenge for the new majorities is in the realm of taxes. The reason for this is the chief proponent of taxes and what the agenda is for the use of those new revenues if they become law.

10 April 2015

The Governor is that chief proponent and his agenda is for a great deal of education reform and enhanced funding for existing programs. There is irony laced throughout this whole legislative effort like so many sequins on a western singer’s performance togs- seeming to evoke a cowboy tone when such clothes are the last thing a real cowboy would wear.

The most Republican Nevada government since the 1920s should evoke “normal” republican images. But the majority is led by a Republican who ran on a platform advocating defeat of a tax proposal on the ballot championed by the state teacher’s union; that same Republican Governor is about to roll out a very aggressive tax plan as I write this to bring in more revenue from Nevada business. These are the same businesses which spent a great deal of campaign contributions to try and elect as many pro- business officials as possible.

So the Democratic agenda has been taken over by the other party and all the Ds can do is watch and applaud from the sidelines. What amazes me is the lack of interest in politics by the bulk of our population especially among our younger generations. What about the above ironic rendition of the political climate in Nevada is not interesting?

It is hard to argue our educational system doesn’t need more resources.

When Nevada shifted from a property tax based educational funding system in 1981, what was mostly lost was a stable source of funding for education.

We were forced to rely on less stable funding which was tied to discretionary spending. Also, in that same tax reform era voters in Nevada passed a Constitutional Amendment which forbade an income tax. This desire of the voters effectively took an option off the table to help legislators decide on a more stable tax system. Believe me, I am not complaining or advocating here. I am trying to give the readers some context and point out what I think is the obvious- politics is neither predictable nor is it always what the voters thought they were getting when they voted what they thought was an obvious scenario.

How will all this turn out? Please refer to the above paragraph re: predictability and obviousness. There are a group of Republican Assembly members who are unalterably opposed to new taxes. By different accounts they are as many as 15 and as few as 8 or 9. Under Nevada law it takes a 2/3 majority in each house of the Legislature to pass new taxes and fees. This means 15 members of the Assembly can defeat a tax. So, the proposal for significant new taxes is by no means a foregone conclusion.

The Senate Majority Leader has already said the legislature will stay in session until a tax package funding the needs the Governor has identified is passed and he is prepared to stay all summer until the goal is achieved.

Meanwhile, not much has been heard from the almost 80% of voters who defeated the tax the Governor campaigned against in the last election. And so the political wheel turns but we know not where it stops. I’ll see you soon.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Greetings from the Elko County CattleWomen

G

reetings from the Elko County CattleWomen. I would like and new baby were presented with a gift basket full of goodies at to take this opportunity to introduce you to our new Of- the hospital. Our 2015 Baby New Year belongs to Eddie Lewis and ficers that were sworn in on October 9, 2014: Mariah Mouse of Elko. A daughter born at 10:09am New Year’s morning, weighing 8lbs, 6oz and measured 21 inches. A picture of the proud parents, baby girl, their NNRH nurse and Sidney WinShelly Satterthwaite-President termote was featured in the Elko Daily Free Press.

Ruthe Agee- President Elect We were also involved during the Cowboy Poetry Gathering Kimberly Satterthwaite-Secretary that took place the last week of January this year. Elko Co. CattleRachel Buzzetti- Treasurer Women don our traditional red aprons to provide and serve our Kathi Wines-Historian famous “Cowbell’s Meatballs” in three mouthwatering flavors, Janice Connelly-Parliamentarian BBQ, homemade Marinara and homemade Sweet and Sour Sauces.

This event is for the Western Folklife Center Member Appreciation The Elko County CattleWomen is comprised of a dedicated, Reception held in the GThreeBar Theater, chaired by Shelly Sathard-working group of women that care deeply about the ranch- terthwaite. It’s an evening full of good food, drink, laughter and ing community and the beef industry. We have several fundraising entertainment. For many that we serve this is an event that they events that we put on through the fall and winter, and would like to wholeheartedly look forward to, as we are told, there are no meatshare what those events are and what the funds are used for. balls as good as ours! We sincerely appreciate the support from Starting in November we had the Machi’s Fundraiser Dinner, Amy Mills and the staff at the Western Folklife Center every year. chaired by Angie Heguy, in which tickets were sold and Machi’s February is set as our “Beef Month” Promotion. This is a perfect restuarant owner, John Lemich, puts on an amazing dinner using time for us to advertise on the radio and through social media to recipes from the Elko Co. CattleWomen’s Cookbook. The proceeds bring awareness of the goodness of beef. Not to mention the hard then go to purchasing beef roasts for our Beef for Seniors charwork and sacrifice that is involved in raising cattle and what goes ity, chaired by Lorey Eldridge. The beef is personally delivered by Lorey Eldridge to our Senior Centers throughout Elko County in into getting it from the ranch to your dinner plate. As part of this promotion the Mayor of Elko, Chris Johnson, read a Proclamation December. during a meeting at City Hall, proclaiming February 2015 as Beef December is a busy time for our members. This is when we host Month. ECCW member and past president, Sidney Wintermote the Holiday Tour of Homes Fundraiser, chaired by Rachel Buzzetti and current ECCW president, Shelly Satterthwaite presented the and Kathi Wines. It was featured on KENV Chanel 10. This is a very Mayor with a Tri Tip Roast to commemorate Beef Month and in popular and well attended fundraiser. We have had the most generous and gracious homeowner’s kindly volunteer to decorate and appreciation of his support.

On March 7, 2015 the Elko County CattleWomen provided salshare their charming homes with the public every year. The tickets are sold at designated locations in mid-November. Ticket holders ads and desserts for AG in the Classroom for Elko County teachers are then given a map and addresses to the 4 homes showcased in who chose to participate. Sharon Slagowski was in charge of this the tour. The event took place on December 6, 2014 in the evening. event. The luncheon was held at the Gallagher Ranch in Lamoille.

Ticket holders arrived at the homes and were greeted with beef Barbequed Tri Tip Beef was served by Mike and Tana Gallagher. appetizers, hot chocolate and more, provided and served by the We appreciated being part of this wonderful opportunity to share ECCW and the homeowners, along with the tour of these festive in the education of farm and ranch life with our area teachers.

We have Scholarships! We are currently accepting applications and beautifully decorated homes. It always makes for an inspiring evening and creates an environment that gets everyone into the for 3- $500 scholarships to be awarded to eligible Elko County holiday spirit. The proceeds from this event go into our budget for High School seniors. We ask that interested seniors contact their purchasing future donation items, expenses and scholarships. school guidance counselors for more information. We also have On to January where we celebrate the birth of Elko’s First Baby the requirements posted on our Facebook page under Elko Co. Born in the New Year, chaired by Sidney Wintermote. The family CattleWomen.

www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 11

April brings us to our annual Mother of the Year/Businessman of the Year Banquet. The officers of the ECCW voted at our January meeting and decided on a CattleWoman who we felt best deserved the Mother of the Year award and also voted on who we felt best deserved our Businessman of the Year award. The Banquet will held on Wednesday April 22nd at 5:00pm at the Western Folklife Center in Elko. There will be a catered dinner thanks to Ramone Zugazaga, previous owner of the Basque restaurant, Biltokis. Plaques will be presented to those nominated for the award. This Banquet is reserved for our award winners, their families and members of the Elko Co. Cattlewomen exclusively.

It must be mentioned that in our group of amazing and talented ladies, we are fortunate enough to have several that are “Tech Savvy”. As a result of their dedication to CattleWomen’s we are now active on the social media sites Facebook and Instagram!

Please take a few minutes to check us out and like our page/follow us and let us know what you think! We are posting great information on beef as well as our own news and upcoming events.

We have a limited number of our Elko County CattleWomen’s Cookbooks available for sale. They make a memorable gift or favorite addition to your cookbook collection. All the recipes gathered within are from local ranch families. This unique cookbook is full of old photos, historical information, stories and poems. Please call Shelly Satterthwaite at 775-340-1050 for more information. They are also available for purchase at the Northern Nevada Museum, the Western Folklife Center, Evergreen Floral Shop or Cucina Fresca.

Lastly we would gladly welcome any women, involved in ranching or not, to join us in becoming a member of the Elko County CattleWomen. We are always looking for women who share our ideals and have an interest in supporting ranching, agriculture, farming and local/national policies that affect our lands and our rights.

Contact Shelly Satterthwaite at 775-340-1050 for more information.

We are thankful for the legacy that has been left to us to continue. It is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow as members and to serve our families, friends and community.

A YEAR IN REVIEW M

y yearlong term as the 2014 Nevada State Beef Ambassador is quickly coming to an end. I cant express how thankful I am to have been given the opportunity to represent the state. It may sound a bit cliché but competing for the title has been one of the most life changing decisions I have made. Throughout the year I have traveled thousands of miles, met hundreds of people, and continue to learn new information about an ever-changing industry.

When I first decided to apply for the competition I was a full time college student taking 17 credits along with working a part time job in the Nevada Department of Agriculture Livestock Identification office. I questioned the amount of dedication I would be able to give to the state but somehow I managed it. Here is what I’ve done throughout the year: 12 April 2015

Ashley Buckingham

Consumer Promotions

• April 7th, 8th, and 9th. Clark County Fair-Nevada Beef Council Booth • May 9th. Great Basin College Aggies Fundraiser- One of the speakers and had handouts available.

• June 15th. Paradise Valley Fireman’s Father’s Day BBQ- Helped announce raffle ticket winners, took meal tickets, and had display board with handouts available.

• July 30th and 31st. Superior Livestock Sale-Helped sell raffle tickets and assisted with the golf tournament.

• August 7th and 8th Ruby Mountain Relay- Prepared over 600 beef information packets that was added to runner and volunteer registration bags.

Set up booth at one of the main exchange points. Handed out beef sticks and brochures to approximately 600 consumers including runners, volunteers, and supporters.

• September 6th and 7th. Sam’s Club- - By the end of the weekend I had distributed over 150 recipe cards of the featured top sirloin cut, along with all of the 75 confident cooking brochures. I also handed out numerous Beef Mag, Beefman, and bumper stickers to kids that were shopping with their parents. The conversations and interest from consumers were great!

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Education/Youth Outreach:

• April 7th, 8th, and 9th 2014. Clark County Fair-Proctored 4H Skill-athon and judged project record books • April 25th Great Basin College Date Night-Taught lesson I created a lesson focusing on cattle in general, beef byproducts, and location of cuts on the cow.

I read one of the series of the Chaney Twins Ag Series, titled “Our Star Goes Wesf’. I then donated the book to the preschool facility we were at.

• July 21st Lake Tahoe 4H Camp-Taught a lesson focusing on beef nutrition.

• July 21st. Carson City Boys and Girls Club-Taught a lesson focusing on beef nutrition.

• March 6-7th Bulls for the 21st Century Sale- Spoke with FFA and college students on the Master’s of Beef Advocacy Program along with the Beef Ambassador Program.

Media Interview

• July 7th. Phone Interview done by Humboldt Sun Newspaper reporter, Joyce Sheen. My interview made the front page. The headline was, Local Youth to Attend National Competition. I shared inftormation about the beef story, my family’s ranch and resources for consumers to find more information.

• August 5th. Interview with Jill Schofield, Nevada Beef Council, featured in The Additional • May 29th. Nevada Beef Council Executive Board Annual Dinner • July 10th. Elko County CattleWomen’s Meeting- Beef Ambassador update.

• August 5th. Beef Ambassador Training with California/Nevada Beef Council • September 26th and 27th National Beef Ambassador Competition- Denver, CO • October 9th Elko County CattleWomen’s Meeting- Beef Ambassador update.

• Blog, From the Mind of a Rancher’s Daughter, ashhbuckk@ blogspot.com • Completed the Master’s of Beef Advocacy Program.

The Beef Council and the Nevada Cattlemen fund the Beef Ambassador Program. Nevada has not had a state beef ambassador for many years. I hope that producers will feel more confident as to where our beef check off dollars are going. After my year I have made many great connections and was able to network with leading individuals within the industry. I am now working for the Nevada Beef Council as the Nevada Education Coordinator where I will continue to travel and share the beef story.

There are many individuals and organizations that I could list thanking them for their support such as the Nevada CattleWomen and The Nevada Beef Council but I feel there are two groups that deserve to be given the most thanks. Thank you to the cattle producers and the cowboys. Without you there would be no story to tell. Thank you for continuing to live out the ranching lifestyle while raising a safe, wholesome, and nutritious product! www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 13

Ship ’Em To

LLON A F

MARKET REPORT March 10th, 2015

Weight

TOP OFFERINGS Steers

300-400 325.00-362.50 400-500 324.00-350.00 500-600 268.47-310.00 600-700 241.85-256.00 700-800 194.16-214.00 800-900 185.59-196.00 Lite Holstein (under 600#) Heavy Holstein (over 600#)

Heifers

307.70-350.00 267.86-307.00 238.15-260.00 209.17-224.00 194.00-204.00 183.90-189.00 130.00-156.00 110.00-122.00

*Single, small framed or plainer cattle 40.00 to 70.00 less than top offerings

BUTCHER COWS & BULLS

Livestock Exchange, Intc. www.fallonlivestock.com

11th Annual Spring Turnout Special Calf and Yearling Sale Tuesday April 21st at 1:00pm The market is strong right now.

Buyers are looking for cattle, so call us today and consign your good cattle.

Call for further information or to arrange your trucking needs.

Fallon Livestock Exchange, Inc. 775-867-2020

OR

Monte Bruck, Manager 775-426-8279

Fallon Livestock Exchange, Inc.

2055 Trento Lane • Fallon, Nevada 89406 • 775-867-2020

Breakers (Fat Cows) Boners (Med Flesh) Cutters (Lean) Holstein Cows Butcher Bulls Shelly (Thin) Bulls Shelly Cutters (Thin) Young Feeder Cows Heiferettes Holstein Heiferettes Holstein Bulls Feeder Bulls Cutting Bulls Used Roping Steers Preg Tested Cows (3, 4, 5 yr. old solid mouth) Bred Heifers (6 to 7 months bred) Pairs (solid mouth) 4-5 yrs Pairs (older)

92.00-100.00 100.00-110.00 70.00-80.00 60.00-80.00 95.00-128.50 75.00-85.00 20.00-40.00 95.00-117.00 95.00-120.00 102.00-125.00 NT 85.00-95.00 95.00-120.00 80.00-100.00

1700.00-2350.00 NT NT NT

TODAY’S COWS Top Cow Top 10 Cows Top 50 Cows Top 100 Cows Top Butcher Bull Top Holstein Cows

Avg. Wt 1560 1396 1220 1119 1905 1600

Avg. Cost 117.50 114.67 106.23 101.64 127.00 96.00

CALVES-SHEEP-GOATS-PIGS-HORSES

Beef Calves (HD) Dairy Calves Feeder Lambs Fat Lambs Ewes (CWT) Top End Bucks (CWT) Top End Small Goats (under 65 lbs.) (HD) Large Goats (over 70 lbs.) (HD) Weaner Pigs Feeder Pigs Top Hogs Butcher Sows Horses (under 1100 lbs.)

Horses (over 1100 lbs.)

150.00-585.00 2.00-70.00 150.00-190.00 140.00-170.00 40.00-70.00 40.00-60.00 30.00-95.00 95.00-150.00 45.00-110.00 60.00-130.00 75.00-91.50 20.00-45.00 10.00-20.00 25.00-35.00

MARKET TREND: Feeder cattle sold on extreamely hot market, $10.00-$30.00 higher, 100% country, one owner cattle, quality ran deep where the buyers liked what they saw on the same kind depending on quality, flesh and fill. Fallen livestock is a key market for the industry, where buyers and sellers meet each week with a professional staff with over 50 years of experience in marketing livestock.

PLEASE call us ahead with your consignments. It helps us market your cattle. We talk to buyers all the time - they want to know what’s coming in. We are seeing good demand on weigh up cows & bulls. It sure makes a big difference on how they are sorted. Ranchers, don’t send your cows directly to kill right now, most cows will bring a premium over kill price. To feed or go back to the country call us for details!

Let our crew sort and class your cows. This will help you receive full market value for your cows.

See you and your Friends at Ringside Soon!

14 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

2015 Sale Report Spring Cove Ranch & JBB/AL Herefords

• • • • • • • • •

150 Angus bulls averaged $7775 42 Registered Angus yearling heifers averaged $2689 15 Commercial yearling Angus heifers averaged $2083 12 2 yr. old Hereford bulls averaged $5291 6 Fall yearling Hereford bulls averaged $6450 22 Yearling Hereford bulls averaged $5022 17 yearling Hereford heifers averaged $2520 3 Red Angus bulls averaged $4256 3 Red Angus heifers averaged $2100

High selling Angus bulls:

Lot 33, Spring Cove Broken Bow 4205, selling to ABS Global, Madison , WI for $20,000 Lot 52, SCR Cedar Ridge DVB 4206, selling to Stucky Ranch, Kingman ,Kansas for $19,000 Lot 107, Spring Cove TL Consensus B37 , selling to Spring Ridge Farm, Hartwell, GA for $17,500 Lot 64, Spring Cove Emblazon 4214, selling to Rabbit Creek Ranch, Elko, NV for $15,500 Lot 15, Spring Cove Longevity 4319, selling to P Lazy J Livestock, Elko, NV for $14,000 Lot 24, Spring Cove Longevity 4713, selling to Morgan Ranches, Jordan Valley, Oregon for $14,000 Lot 34, Spring Cove Broken Bow 4021, selling to Morgan Ranches, Jordan Valley , Oregon for $14,000 Lot 13, Spring Cove Longevity B24, selling to Miles High Angus, Altamont, UT for $14,000 Lot 2, Spring Cove Longevity 4033B, selling to Sierra Del Rio Ranch, Murphy, ID for $13,500 Lot 35, Spring Cove Broken 4015, selling to Rabbit Creek Ranch, Elko, NV for $13, 500 Lot 67, Spring Cove Emblazon 4208, selling Rabbit Creek Ranch, Elko, NV for $13,500 Lot 10, Spring Cove Longevity 4105, selling to Morgan Ranches, Jordan Valley, OR for $13, 500 Lot 69, Spring Cove Emblazon 4232, selling to Rabbit Creek Ranch, Elko, Nevada for $13,000 Lot 3, Spring Cove Longevity 4060, selling to Salmon Falls Land & Livestock, Hagerman , ID for $12,000 Lot 31, Spring Cove Broken Bow 4239, selling Russ Abbott, Utah for $12,000 Lot 149X, Spring Cove Horizon 4564, selling to Morgan Ranches, Jordan Valley, OR for $12,000

The high selling bred Angus heifer was Lot 166, Spring Cove Star 339,selling to Jack Clark, Blackfoot, Idaho and the high selling yearling Angus heifer was Lot 175 TL Rachel 4174, selling to Kristi Tomera,,Spring Creek, NV for $3400.

High selling Hereford & Red Angus Lots:

Lot 228, JBB 1101 About Time 4038, selling to Salmon Falls Land & Livestock, Hagerman, ID for $7500 Lot 210, JBB 0152 Domino 3089, selling to Wolfe Ranches, Dell, MT for $7250 Lot 212, JBB/AL 0152 Domino 3093, selling to Wolfe Ranches, Dell, MT for $7250 Lot 223, JBB Mr Bennett 4023, selling to Sun Eagle Farms, Ontario, OR for $7250 Lot 215, JBB/AL 153T Prince 3126, selling to Salmon Falls Land & Livestock, Hagerman, ID for $7200 Lot 239, JBBC Thor 2809Z 4072, selling to Yolo Land & Cattle, in Woodland, CA for $7000 Lot 201, AL 3027 Dom 3025, selling to Petan Ranch, Tuscarora, NV for $7000 Lot 236, AL 2809 Thor 4062, selling to Jeff Phillips Ranch, Baker City, OR for $6750 High selling Red Angus bull was Lot 247 JBB/AL Conquest 2683Z 4061 selling to Funkhouser Livestock, Fairfield, Idaho $4250 Second high selling Red Angus bull was BHAR Pinnacle 4049, selling to Diamond A Livestock, Gooding , Idaho for $4500

High selling Hereford female was Lot 250, AL MS 88X Ribeye 4009, selling to Devin Timm, Callao, UT for $4250.

Second high selling Hereford female was Lot 258, JBB MS 3027 DOM 4056 selling to Barry Hereford Ranch, Madras, OR for $3500 High selling Red Angus Heifer was Lot Lot 267 JBB/AL MS Conquest 2683Z 4074 selling to Quarter Circle Spear, Bliss,ID for $2100 www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 15

NNevada Farm Bureau evada Farm Bureau

Water Curtailment Limits Farmers in Mason and Smith Valley A

By Jessica Fagundes, Nevada Farm Bureau Director of Communications

recent decision by the Nevada Division of Water Resources will dramatically impact farmers in Mason and Smith Valley this year.

The division issued an order Feb. 3, 2015 that required a curtailment of 50 percent of all supplemental irrigation groundwater rights in both valleys for the 2015 irrigation season.

“We have just finished up three years of drought and it appears we are about to enter our fourth. We’ve seen unprecedented groundwater level drops to the tune of 30 to 40 feet over the last three years alone. That equates to eight to 10 feet per year,” Nevada State Water Engineer Jason King says. “Given these facts, we felt like we had to take immediate action. When you talk about those levels of declines, you have the possibility of wide spread well failure.”

According to King, curtailment of supplemental groundwater rights was not a personal attack on agriculture but rather the most logical solution to help prevent the water table level from dropping.

“Supplemental water is the lion share in the basin. We’ve issued about 55,000 acre feet of water rights in Smith Valley and 43,000 of that 55,000 are supplemental groundwater rights,” King says. “In Mason Valley, we’ve issued 149,000 acre feet and of that 100,000 are supplemental groundwater rights. This is the biggest group of pumping and it is occurring at the times when there is drought.”

King and others at the Nevada Division of Water Resources hope that the curtailment will prevent the aquifers in those valleys from dropping even more than they currently have in the last three years.

“We believe that in doing this, we will hopefully help the aquifer to recover despite entering the fourth year of the drought,” he says.

The decision has left many farmers in both valleys worrying about their ability to grow crops in the coming year. For Peri & Sons Farm owner David Peri in Yerington, the curtailment will force him to farm only half of his 10,000-acre operation.

“We are going to fallow 5,000 acres and put all of our water sources toward the vegetables. So we’ll roughly be farming half the acres,” Peri says, adding that Peri & Sons Farms will be not growing any rotational crops in 2015 as a result of the curtailment.

Peri & Sons employs nearly 750 full and part-time employees at their operation. According to Peri, his focus will be to keep as many people employed at his operation as he can and to continue to positively impact Mason’s Valley’s economy.

Peri’s situation is somewhat unique to the valley as the farm primarily grows vegetables, which use less water than rotational crops like alfalfa.

“We are in a little different situation than most because we are vegetable growers, and some of our crops use less than an acre foot 16 April 2015

of water. Very few use the full four feet,” he says. “We’re fortunate that we are going to survive, but it’s going to hurt. And most guys, they are growing cattle or alfalfa; they are going to get hit the worst.”

For Lyon County President and farmer Darrel Pursel, the curtailment will more than likely limit him to farming less than 50 percent of his operation.

“They were looking at a zero percent allocation for our surface water from the Walker River. So the guys that have wells now with a fifty percent curtailment, basically they are going to be only able to farm about half of their ground,” Pursel says. “And in some cases, not even that much because some farmers’ wells may not be for the total acres that they farm.”

Pursel’s operation is 160 acres, but his well is only permitted to pump for 121 acres, meaning he and some other farmers in the area will farm less than half of their land this irrigation season.

Despite the cutback, Pursel says that the curtailment could actually help his operation.

“The water table has dropped so much that my well isn’t producing as much. So if the water table comes back or doesn’t drop anymore, it will actually be better,” Pursel says, adding that his situation is unique to the area.

This curtailment is the first one to be issued in Smith and Mason Valley, making it more difficult for farmers who have never experienced this situation before.

“It’s unprecedented that you’re not going to be able to use your supplemental water like you have in the past during a drought,” Peri says.

According Peri, the curtailment could affect more than just the farmers who are immediately impacted.

“The economic impact to Smith and Mason Valley, because we are two ag communities, is going to be devastating,” Peri says.

State Engineer King recognizes the negative impact the decision will have on farmers and sympathizes with their situation.

“We understand that people’s livelihoods are tied to water use and for those farmers that use supplemental water rights, this is going to impact their businesses,” Kings says.

And despite the dramatic curtailment this year, King is optimistic that the curtailment will only last for 2015 and says that a decision about the 2016 curtailment would be made early next year.

“Let’s see how the aquifer recovers; let’s see what kind of winter we have next year,” King says.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

N Farm Bureau Nevada evada Farm Bureau

Farmers & Ranchers of Nevada: A Holistic Management Approach to Ranching A

Written By Austin Wright, Nevada Farm Bureau Intern

typical day for White Pine County rancher Jacob Carter begins bright and early with irrigation. After that, Carter and his crew start the daily rotation of moving his cattle from one pasture to the next. Moving cattle from pasture to pasture is the most important part of Carter’s operation. This process is a practice used in holistic management and is often referred to as rotational grazing. However, for Carter, the term rotational grazing does not explain his entire approach.

“I use the word rotational grazing because it’s easy,” Carter says. “But individuals that teach holistic management don’t call it rotational grazing. It’s really all about timing. It’s all about rainfall and how you do it.”

Using this approach, Carter is able to maximize the number of animals per acre while also ensuring his pasture can regrow daily. This process is largely done with fences and involves partitioning livestock to a specific part of a pasture at any given time. While cattle graze in one part of the field, the other parts of the field are allowed some time to regrow.

“We’ve been able, in many cases, to double our forage base because of that type of grazing, and we do it, not only on our private land, but also on BLM land,” Carter says.

Although the idea of rotational grazing seems straight forward, Carter goes on to explain that in practice, it takes a great deal of knowledge and experience to be able to read the land.

“After you’ve been doing it so long, you can just tell how the land is,” he says.

“And it’s not easy to get started. It takes a lot of time on the ground knowing your land, knowing grass and knowing how it all works.”

Carter built this knowledge and experience through a life growing up on the ranch. A fifth-generation rancher, Carter’s family originally started ranching in the White Pine Valley as early as 1898.

During the late 1890s, his grandfathers settled the valley and began to split up the land. Throughout the next 20 years, one of Carter’s grandfathers bought out the others in order to grow his operation. By the early 1970s, his operation had grown from 100 cows to 300 cows. In the early 1980s, it increased to 800 cows. Now that operation stands at about 1000 to 1200 cows. Carter credits a large part of this progress to methods the ranch started to adopt in the 1980s.

“We started studying Allan Savory,” Carter says. “That’s what really helped us move forward as we started to run holistic management and those principals of managing your land properly and managing your operation with low overheads.”

Holistic management involves managing all available resources in a connected, systematic way. Ranchers that use this practice manage land, wildlife and cattle together. By taking not only the cattle but also the other factors, animals and environments affected by grazing into consideration, the health of the land and cattle is benefited, and a larger profit can be obtained.

Although holistic management is a main goal for Carter’s operation,

it does not address the most pressing issue facing Ne-

www.progressiverancher.com

vada ranchers today in his opinion. Regulation constraints and a lack of young and upcoming ranchers are the problems Carter finds most alarming.

“We don’t have a lot of young people coming up to fill those positions in federal government and other agriculture agencies for whatever reasons,” Carter says. “Sometimes I wonder if I should have done it. It is a lot of work, but you have to have a love and enjoyment for it.”

Carter offers young people a chance to come work and learn about ranching by hiring high school students during the summer months. Their job duties include helping with fencing, irrigation and farming.

Carter made the decision to be a rancher at the age of 22. Before ranching, he attained his associate degree in business administration. Later, he also attended Texas Christian University where he studied ranch management. He returned to run his family’s ranch in 2005.

Carter tries to stay active in his community and has been an Nevada Farm Bureau member since 2008. Since then, he has been involved in various ways, including serving as a White Pine County board member.

While Carter is busy on the ranch, his wife, Aubrey Carter, is busy raising their five children – Isabelle, Neil, Dallin, Jenevieve and Legrand – and getting them ready for life on the ranch.

“She’ll come out and ride with the kids. She is trying to teach the kids how to ride, how to work the horses and how to work the cattle,” Carter says adding that his wife also supplies support by occasionally cooking for the ranch crew.

Despite the challenges facing young ranchers, Aubrey feels hopeful for the next generation and is very proud of how her kids are being raised. Unlike Jacob, Aubrey was not raised on a ranch and is excited that her kids are getting that opportunity. She sees the knowledge her children are learning as an invaluable resource.

“I feel very encouraged that my kids get to learn these skills and talents especially while growing up,” Aubrey says. “I’m excited for them to learn processes of animals and plants and have a better understanding of where food comes from. I think that’s very important.”

Carter is also excited for where his ranch is going and sees a positive future ahead. Attending trainings every year, his main focus is on moving his business forward, increasing profit and keeping up with the future.

“We have a really good private land base as well as some BLM land,” Carter says. “We have really good relationships in our community, the cattle market is phenomenal, and I continue to believe that food is going to be scarce in the next 10 to 15 to 20 to 100 years,” Carter says. “As farmers and ranchers, we are going to be the biggest contributors to the world.”

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 17

FUMES FROM THE FARM

B

By Hank Vogler

oy, this old age is coming at a really bad time. At forting that he too is down for the struggle. It reminded me of the old my age, getting lucky is walking into a room and days when the television commercial came on for “Leave it to Beaver”, remembering what I came into the room for. The the man dressed as a doctor would come into the staged doctors office biggest lie I tell myself is that it’s a waist of time to in a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck and proceed to set on write it down; I’ll remember it. the edge of the desk and fire up a smoke. He would then hold the pack Since they whacked part of my pancreas off, the amount of insulin of unfiltered Chesterfield cigarettes up and say “For my patients who and enzymes flowing into my digestive system is no longer adequate. smoke, I recommend Chesterfields for that full satisfying flavor”. Guess Adjusting my, already compromised, “age challenged”, life style is not all this actor slash doctor had never been in a ranch bunkhouse about four that bad. I can eat meat, dairy products, eggs and then a bunch of fruit thirty in the morning when the occupants of said bunkhouse in a grand and vegetables. Maybe I am becoming a carnivorous rabbit. Also does chorus were trying to hack up a lung? this make me a part time vegan? Well, if you can call a horse, a quarter During the conversation my agnostic doctor with a Jewish name, a horse, have I become a quarter vegetarian? penchant for Irish Whiskey, and an obvious liking for Marlboro smokes, Every three months, I must go to the hospital and have blood drawn told me one of the things that would help me manage my diabetes issue so my doctor can see if my blood sugars are staying in the proper bal- was exercise. It seems that you burn blood sugar with a brisk walk or ance. The lab technician draws about four little vials of blood for the Doc other forms of physical activity. Guess he didn’t know my routine. The and the hospital takes about four quarts of blood out of my insurance alarm goes off at four. Usually coffee is on and I must walk back to the company. No wonder there are more heart attacks now days. It’s kind bedroom to turn the darn alarm off. Newspaper is next, me no savvy the of a form of population control. You get the bill and you either have to texting and such. Now I do a walk about looking for my Seeing Eye dog, slit your wrists so your life insurance policy will cover the doctor visit or aka, reading glasses. I buy them by the bushel so they should be easy to sell the gold in your teeth to cover the bill. When you can’t afford to see find, WRONG!!!!!! After at least five laps around the house one pair of the doctor, your tribe should send you off glasses with the really bad scratches will into the hills as being more of a burden The trick is reading labels and after a while, surface, along with an apple core, an old than useful and you can fend for yourself.

Skoal can, and a jar of uterine boluses you find that all the good stuff is not for you. that have been missing for as many years All the sugars and carbohydrates I am supposed to avoid haven’t really hurt ago as I quit chewing. Next you sprint to me. The trick is reading labels and after a while, you find that all the good the library to get shed of the three cups of coffee consumed. OOPS, forgot stuff is not for you. I just like to see if any one besides me really cares. to let the beefeater out of the garage. He wags his tail but has a yellow Just to see if anybody is paying attention, just before they draw blood, I look in his eyes and sprints outside to the nearest tire. Now you rememeat a bag of candy or some French fries, or some pasta. Got to keep those ber that the aroma coming from the kitchen is the bacon that you forgot folks on message. There is nothing like blowing five hundred and have to turn the heat down on earlier because you were just going to warm the nurse come running in wondering why your not comatose. the pan up, is now looking like a nuclear fusion of unrecognizable tissue.

The real downside is that my little sister Bonnie has more degrees Well maybe old beefeater’s teeth can handle the crunch. Now another than a thermometer. You guessed it, they are in nutrition and she spe- series of wind sprints looking for your coffee cup, this usually will net cializes in diabetes. I have become her eighth grade science project. This you four or five cups, just not the one you filled this morning. With a little could have been a bad choice for her. I can’t remember what I had for luck after getting the bad news from the market report and the weather breakfast but my recollection of all the things that in her earlier life she report, which puts your blood pressure off the chart, out the door you go. told me not to eat, are now back in vogue like cranberries, they were a You now put on your five buckle overshoes that are so muddy that they carcinogen, butter would clog you arteries, eggs would over load your have a heartbeat, and the beefeater is trying to roll on them like they cholesterol levels, red meat bad, animal fat bad and a plethora of other smelled dead or something, you remember that you left the lights on. things also bad. Nearly everything you were not to eat has come full So you undress again only to get back outside and then undress again to circle. It’s only a matter of time before smoking will be healthy for you. return to the library and then get dressed again. You get into the pickup The rule still is, all things in moderation. It was as though if it tasted only to realize that the keys are in the office. FINALLY, you drive off only good you were to spit it out. If it tasted like the Styrofoam container it you can’t remember if you unplugged the coffee pot. Back to the house came in, it was all right to eat. once again you do deep knee bends and boot removal to find out that you When I went to the doctor last week, I saw my doctor outside and did unplug the coffee pot; but you didn’t shut the stove off which is now went over to say Hi. He was on break and having a smoke. We chatted melting the cast iron skillet with the bacon grease as a catalyst for a few minutes about his favorite Irish whiskey. He was astute enough into the newest warped steel crater in the stove. Well doc about whiskey that he told me that Irish whiskey is spelled with an E. other than that little routine, I hardly get any exercise in it, whereas Scotch whisky does not. When your doctor has some of of a morning but at least a little exercising is done the same failings that the rest of us have, it is com- while working. Hang and Rattle! Hank

18 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

In the Mind of a Millennial

By Jill Scofield, Nevada Beef Council After several of these “In the Mind of a Millennial” updates, you’re probably feeling well-versed in all things related to the Millennial generation.

And hopefully, you have a pretty good sense of why this segment of the population is so important to us in the beef industry. This month, rather than provide additional consumer trends about the Millennials, I’m going to share some specific and targeted efforts by both the Beef Checkoff and the Nevada Beef Council that aim to address this generation’s preferences to ensure Millennials feel confident in purchasing and eating beef.

Driving Consumers to Beef Information

Recently, the Beef Checkoff conducted a Content Search Analysis Research Study. The title sounds a bit complicated, but the overall objective of the study was to uncover the content needs of consumers actively seeking information about beef and competitive proteins online. This study identified how consumers are searching for this information on the web through tools such as Google and Bing Search. Data shows that cooking method searches online have increased year-over-year, specifically slow cooker, with more than 2,000,000 monthly searches.

While a majority of “slow cooker” searches happen in the fall and winter, the search volume remains substantial throughout the rest of the year.

To capitalize on this consumer search activity, the “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” website created a recipe collection that is focused solely on Slow Cooking beef recipes, and the checkoff utilizes digital advertising to ensure that consumers are aware of these delicious and nutritious recipe options.

The Nevada Beef Council also capitalized on that consumer trend by launching a promotion with Raley’s supermarkets and Crock-Pot ® slow cookers last fall. By providing shoppers with point-of-sale literature offering best practices for cooking with slow cookers, as well as specific beef recipes, the NBC helped educate consumers about a cooking method that combines convenience with ease – two major factors for millennial consumers when planning meals and making food purchasing decisions. For more on this promotion and how it translated to higher beef sales at participating retailers, read this month’s Nevada Beef Council update in the Progressive Rancher.

Expanding Social Media Presence

Millennial consumers oftentimes are watching TV and are on Twitter at the same time, sharing their thoughts about the shows through online social media with their followers. The “Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner” Twitter handle, @Beef, takes advantage of this “second screen” movement by tweeting alongside popular food television shows including “Beat Bobby Flay,” “Cutthroat Kitchen,” “Top Chef” and “The Chew.” The effort has been pretty successful so far—consumers have been interacting with the checkoff’s @ Beef handle at twice the industry standard, garnering more than 2,000 consumer engagements in less than one month. If you’re on Twitter and are interested in following the conversation, be sure to follow @Beef to see each and every beefy tweet.

Locally in Nevada, the NBC has also been ramping up social media engagement, particularly on Facebook. The NBC team has focused on growing the Facebook audience over the last several months, and is up to nearly 2,000 followers. Each time we post a delicious recipe, share information about beef’s nutrition, or help shed light on the best (and most proper) ways

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to cook with different cuts, it’s shared with our Facebook followers, who can then share it with their followers. We’ll work to continue ramping up the social media presence and, thus, the opportunity to engage with more consumers on a popular platform.

Beyond Millennials

With all this talk about Millennials, however, it’s also important to note that our efforts on a state and national level reach beyond this demographic.

While the Millennials are clearly our target audience (and for good reason), our communication methods and marketing efforts also reach other generations who might also have “millennial tendencies,” as well as other demographics that play an important role in food purchasing decisions (such as women between the ages of 25 and 50). By driving consumers to our online and digital properties, as well as deploying campaigns that seek to increase online engagement, we’re reaching a broad cross-section of people who can have a strong influence on purchasing.

Pull-out box How Millennial are you?

Whether or not you are a member of the Millennial generation, just how many “millennial tendencies” do you have? The Pew Research Center has a fun quiz you can take to determine just where you fall on the generational spectrum. For example, yours truly got a score of “43” on the quiz, putting me in the “older millennial” age range and actually closer to a Gen Xer – which is exactly where I am in age.

The questions range from topics covering your television viewing to whether or not you’ve interacted with a government official. Here are a few examples: In the past 24 hours, did you…

• Watch more than an hour of television programming?

• Read a daily newspaper?

• Play video games?

• In terms of your telephone use, do you have a cell phone, a land line, or both?

• How many text messages did you receive in the last 24 hours?

• Have you contacted a government official in the last 12 months? The contact could have been in person, by phone, by letter, by sending an email, or posting a message on their website or social networking page.

• Have you ever created your own profile on a social networking site, such as Facebook, My Space, Twitter, etc.?

• How many tattoos do you have?

To take the full quiz, and find out just how millennial you are, visit www.pewresearch.org/ quiz/how-millennial-are-you/ Jill Scofield is Director of Producer Relations for the Nevada and California Beef Councils. You can reach her at jill@calbeef.org.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 19

CHECKOFF NEWS: Measuring Results E

very year, the Nevada Beef Council (NBC) partners with a number of retailers throughout the state to promote beef at the meat case, as well as offer incentives for consumers to purchase our delicious product during their visit to the supermarket. These partnerships – which allow the NBC to work directly with the retailers who have a direct connection with consumers as they’re making purchasing decisions – comprise an important and beneficial program that the NBC team carries out on behalf of Nevada beef producers.

But just as important as providing consumers with offers and incentives that will hopefully encourage more purchasing of beef is ensuring these partnerships are on-point and effectively reaching the overall objective of increasing beef sales in Nevada.

That’s why the NBC works with our retail partners to measure the results of each and every promotion. To provide some insight about all the factors involved in these partnerships and how they impact beef sales, we wanted to share the results of two recent promotional programs.

SaveMart Supermarkets (September 7 to October 11, 2014)

This promotion featured a variety of partners, including the NBC, SaveMart, Reser’s Fine Foods, and Entercom Communications. The fiveweek promotion featured on-pack instant redeemable coupons (IRCs) when beef and Reser’s were purchased together, cross-merchandising displays with the Reser’s salads and beef in the meat department, and a full-page ad in SaveMart’s In Good Taste magazine, which is available to shoppers at store check stands. What’s more, the promotion featured a radio broadcast element, social media, digital advertising online and an online consumer contest that offered shoppers with a chance to win barbecues and barbecue tool sets. These elements focused on “easy dinner” and “tailgating” themes coinciding with back to school and football tailgating timing, as well as hitting the “convenience” factor, which is a key element for the millennial consumer when making decisions about food and meals.

Overall results:

promotion by Raley’s and the NBC, and a guest blog post by NBC Director of Food and Nutrition James Winstead featured on the Raley’s Seasons blog. In addition, the NBC provided specially designed slow cooker recipe cards to the Raley’s stores. The cards, featuring three simple steps for slow cooking, were made available to shoppers at each store’s meat case. Lastly, radio advertising, digital advertising, and a consumer contest and giveaway of slow cookers, which were donated by Crock-Pot ®, added to the marketing elements of this promotion and enhanced the visibility of beef promotion messaging among Nevada consumers.

Overall results:

Raley’s saw a 17.8 percent increase in sales of popular slow cooker roasts that were on feature during the promotion period, which included Beef Brisket, Beef Chuck and Beef Round.

All featured cuts saw an increase of 3.5 percent, as well. These figures are based on comparisons against beef sales during the same time period during the previous year, which is made all the more impressive when considering the increase in beef prices that took place over that time period.

For more information about the NBC’s retail partnerships and programs, e-mail your questions to askus@nevadabeef.org. To learn more about retail outreach efforts on a national level, visit www.beefretail.org.

Beef movement during the five-week promotion had an 18 percent Beef and Good Health: Continuing the Conversation increase over the five weeks pre-promotion, which included the Labor Engaging with Nevada’s community of health and dietary influencDay holiday. Beef movement continued to remain strong in the Nevada ers continues to be an important activity for the NBC. As a recent case Save Mart stores post-promotion. in point, our Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Director of Food Raley's (October 22 to November 18, 2014) and Nutrition Outreach James Winstead joined the American Heart This unique partnership program aimed to increase beef sales at Association for its Northern Nevada “Go Red for Women” luncheon in participating Nevada Raley’s stores by promoting beef, specifically February. The event, held in Reno, offered a chance for Winstead to help slow-cooker beef options, to consumers through an integrated market- raise awareness and answer questions about beef’s role in a heart healthy ing strategy. In addition to the NBC and Raley’s, the other promotional diet with the participants, which included registered dietitians, doctors, partners included Crock-Pot ® and Entercom Communications Corp. nurses and other health professionals. Educating health influencers Promotional elements included integration with Raley’s popular Some- about beef’s nutritional profile and its scientifically proven health benthing Extra mobile app offering a $3.00-off beef coupon, social media efits is just one way the NBC puts your checkoff dollars to work.

For more about the Nevada Beef Council, visit www.nevadabeef.org.

20 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

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News From the Nevada Beef Council

Beef Sausage and Egg Muffin Cups We all know how important a good breakfast is. Starting off with a protein-packed meal is an excellent way to fuel your body for a busy day on the ranch (or your kids for a busy day at school). This recipe can be made in advance and reheated the next morning for a quick and delicious on-the-go breakfast.

Total Recipe Time: 45 to 50 minutes Makes 4 servings INGREDIENTS

Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage Combine 1 pound ground beef, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper in large bowl, mixing lightly but thoroughly. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add beef mixture; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.

Drain fat, if needed.

1 recipe Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage 1 can (4-1/2 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained

BEEF SAUSAGE & EGG MUFFIN CUPS

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 12-cup standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage. Stir chilis and cheese into beef mixture. Evenly divide mixture into prepared pan.

5 large eggs 1/4 cup milk

Whisk eggs, milk and hot sauce, as desired, in medium bowl. Evenly divide egg mixture over beef mixture in muffin cups.

1 to 2 teaspoons regular or chipotle hot pepper sauce Salt and pepper Toppings (optional): Chopped green onion or chives, chopped tomato, salsa or additional hot sauce

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Bake in 375°F oven 17 to 20 minutes or until egg mixture is set and just beginning to brown. Let stand 2 minutes.

Loosen edges; remove from muffin pan. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with Toppings, as desired.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 21

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22 April 2015

NEVADA FFA High school students make their mark on the community during Nevada FFA State Convention Members volunteer at Boys and Girls Club and High Desert Farming Initiative

S

PARKS, Nev. - Things are looking “Blue and Gold” as Nevada FFA State Convention comes to University of Nevada, Reno. This week, over 500 Nevada FFA members from across the state will make their mark as they attend the 86th Nevada FFA State Convention. In celebration of state convention, FFA students will help the community by taking part in two service projects.

“The annual project helps teach students the importance of service and community relations,” said Heather Dye, Nevada FFA Association Executive Director. Each year, convention attendees take part in a community service project. This year’s theme is “Make Your Mark” and FFA members will do so by visiting the Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows and the High Desert Farming Initiative.

Throughout the year, FFA members perform thousands of hours of community service. In 2014, with 56 per- cent of Nevada FFA students reporting, 6,912 community service hours were performed within and outside their schools.

On Tuesday, fifty FFA members will read to 120 kids at the Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows. FFA members will read “The Apple Orchard Riddle” by Margaret McNamara. The book was selected because it tells an accurate story of farming and inspires readers to learn more. Media interviews are available from 4:30 p.m. -5:30 p.m. This event is sponsored by Washoe County Farm Bureau and Buy Nevada.

On Thursday, fifty FFA members will help prepare hoop houses at UNR’s High Desert Farming Initiative. They will also help harvest vegetables for campus. They will be joined by National FFA Advisor Dr. Steve Brown. Brown is an Educational Program Specialist for the U.S. Department of Education. Media interviews will be available from 9:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the University’s Valley Road Field Labs and Greenhouse Complex.

“The Nevada FFA State Convention serves as a celebration of FFA and an experience full of educational rele- vancy for students,” added Dye. “It is a continuation of the agriculture education classroom where students apply the lessons learned to real-world situations based in science, math, and literacy.”

The Nevada FFA Association will hold the convention at the UNR from March 17-20th. During the week, 554 students will travel from counties across Nevada to compete in agricultural career development events, to volunteer and to attend motivational sessions.

The Progressive Rancher

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April 2015 23

68% drought not 100% Walk the allotment and look at it

Appropriate drought response actions will be determined on a case by case basis and will be specific to the situation and condition of your permitted allotment(s).

 24 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

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Weather Variability Creates Need for Flexibility

in Grazing Management

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Sherman Swanson, Kent McAdoo, Brad Schultz, Ryan Shane, and Kelly McGowan

eather Variability Creates the Need for Some Flexibility in Livestock Grazing Management, especially on Sagebrush Rangelands with Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) Whether the impact of a grazing animal on vegetation is favorable or unfavorable depends at least as much on when grazing occurs (timing) as on defoliation intensity. Annual heavy grazing of perennial bunchgrasses in the boot stage puts their persistence at the greatest risk because soil moisture usually is declining and the probability is low of sufficient rainfall to permit adequate restoration of the leaf area to replace carbohydrate reserves. Long grazing periods without animal movement to other areas facilitates repeated defoliation and reduced leaf area, which is especially harmful. Grazing that enables rapid regrowth within and among years sustains perennial grasses. Grazing cheatgrass in the early spring has long been studied as a possible strategy for shifting moisture to bunchgrasses, harvesting high quality forage, and consuming fuel. However, the amount of cheatgrass available for forage is usually not known until only a few weeks before livestock typically shift their forage preference to perennial grasses (if present). Animal preference suddenly shifts to bunchgrasses within patches and variably across pastures. Optimal grazing management of landscapes with a mix of cheatgrass and perennial grass uses timing variation among years and

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animal movement during the growing period, especially when and after cheatgrass forms seeds and palatability declines.

Cheatgrass can become preferred forage by cattle after the perennial grasses become dormant and the cheatgrass drops most of its seeds. Unless rain or time has leached or degraded nutrients, cheatgrass can have up to 6% crude protein late summer, fall, and early winter. Energy rich fine stems remain highly palatable. Protein supplements make energy rich forage more sought after. Thus, cheatgrass which is both forage and fuel can be consumed in the fall with little worry about cattle shifting preference to or damaging perennials that are quite important to rangeland resilience. However, fall grazing may impact wildlife winter forage plants like bitterbrush if present. Fall; more than spring, grazing can be tremendously useful for economic fuels management using preplanned grazing or criteria-based temporary nonrenewable grazing. Most big fire years occur when residual fuels from wet years remain abundant. This fuel could have been grazed in the preceding fall at negative risk to the resistance and resilience needed for sagebrush ecosystem persistence. Ecological site descriptions, range conditions, and grazing prescriptions assist in planning for greater flexibility in permitted grazing that could benefit perennial grasses, manage fuels, and increase rangeland resilience strategically across landscapes. Research and demonstrative management applications are needed for new paradigms to develop.

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 25 

Snyder Bull Sale Report

S

nyder Livestock’s Bulls for the 21st Century Sale on March 8 set an all-time record for Nevada bull sales. A crowd of over 300 people purchased 115 bulls averaging $6257. The 2 high selling bulls were calving ease Angus bulls both going to GJ Livestock. Bar LR of Benson, AZ consigned the bull sired by Poss Total Impact 745 which sold for $10750 and Amador Angus of Modesto, CA consigned the bull sired by AAR Ten X 7008 SA which sold for $10000. The high point bull, a son of Connealy Earnan 076E and consigned by Dennis Lopez, sold to Gary Silva for $8250. The high selling Charolais, sired by LT Bluegrass 4017P, went to Steven James of Wadsworth, NV for $6000.

Herefords averaged $6125; with 2 Bell ranch consignments going for $8000 each. A son of R&R M326 Bennett 009K 9215 ET went to Los Banos Creek Ranch and a son of CRR 719 Tulo 928 went to Aggie Brailsford of Emmett, ID. The LimFlex boasted the highest breed average of $6917. The high seller, sired by PA Power Tool 9108, was consigned by Tom Easterly and sold to Casa Rosa in Woodland, CA. Red Angus averaged $5858 with calving ease Red Angus averaging $6150. 3 Calving ease Red Angus sold for $7000. Philips consigned a son of Mushrush Impressive CA U236 that was purchased by the DeRosa Ranch of Paicines, CA. Trotter consigned a Messmer Packer S008 son that was purchased by the Tullock family of San Diego. Moore Creek Red Angus consigned the champion Calving Ease Red Angus, a son of Beckton Nebula M045, that sold to Moura Ranch of Lovelock, NV. The high selling SimAngus, a Circle Twin VP U006 son consigned by Chris Gudel, was sold to Bently Agrowdynamics of Gardnerville, NV. Snyder ramped up their annual Bulls for the 21st Century event this year with the addition of a workshop on Saturday aimed at helping producers access value-added programs that enhance sale price of calves and profitability of the ranch. The program included Age and Source programs, Vaccination programs, Low Stress Cattle Handling, and information about efficiency EPDs. A BQA certification program was included and sponsored by Zoetis and Western Video Market. Nearly 45 producers and employees earned BQA certificates and 130 people attended the seminars and demonstrations.

The annual bull buyer’s seminar, starting with the awards presentation, was a hit. Winners of the 2015 bull test were Dennis Lopez, high point bull; Amador Angus, Calving Ease Angus Champion; Moore Creek Red Angus, Calving Ease Red Angus Champion; Fred Jorgensen, Charolais and Calving Ease Charolais Champions; Lilla Bell, Hereford Champion; and Tom Easterly, Other Breed Champion. Thorenfeldt Angus won the best consignment award. Each year, the bull sale office staff chooses 26 April 2015

a favorite consignor. The winner of this award has paperwork in on time, positively promotes the sale, and is cooperative, helpful, and friendly to office staff. Kris Gudel is the 2015 recipient of the prestigious Lucy’s Award.

Gary Sides of Zoetis defended the technology we use in beef production today in a fast paced talk with some amazing slides reminding participants of why we do not want to revert to 3rd World production practices. A strong point Gary drove home was, “3rd World Agriculture is brutal to women; in these production systems they are no more than beasts of burden.”

Gary Taubes, author of Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It, gave an outstanding presentation. He used 58 minutes to build to a 2 minute final conclusion, “Carbohydrates drive insulin, insulin drives fat.” It can be shortened to “Carbohydrates drive fat.” The implications for the beef industry are huge: it is carbohydrates that cause obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and the entire array of western diseases.

IT IS NOT BEEF AND IT IS NOT FAT. The presentations were followed by an amazing array of long-on-beef hors d’oeuvres prepared and served by Yerington Rotary Club at an outstanding Bull Buyers’ Social.

Here is a list of averages 43 Angus $5987 38 Calving Ease Angus $7163 1 Balancer $3750 9 Charolais $4606 6 Hereford $6125 3 Limflex $6917 3 Red Angus $4883 10 Calving Ease Red Angus $6150 1 Sim Angus $7500

Lucy Snyder Reckel, Rick Machado, and John Rodgers getting ready to sell some bulls .

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

March 8th 2015

The high point bull son of Connealy Earnan 076E consigned by Dennis Lopez

Fourth high point bull was a Jorgenson Ranch bull number 5908

Second high point bull was the Tom Easterly bull number 5851

Fifth high point bull was Moore Creek Angus bull number 5601

Third high point bull was an Amador bullh 5082

6th high point bull was the Jorgenson Ranch bull 5903

Seventh hight point bull was a Bell Ranch bull number 5702 www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 27 

Winnemucca Ranch Hand Rodeo 2015

J

By Michelle Hammond

OHN FALEN NAMED RECIPIENT OF 2015

RANCH HAND AWARD

WINNEMUCCA, Nev.— Longtime Humboldt County rancher John Falen was honored Saturday, February 28, as the 2015 recipient of the “Ranch Hand of the Year” award.

The award is sponsored by the Agricultural District No. 3 as a way to recognize those men and women who make their living as ranch hands, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

Past recipients include Frank Loveland, Loui Cerri, Harold Chapin, John and Tim DeLong, Buster Dufurrena, Jane Angus, Larry Hill, Louie and Frank Bidart, and Sammye and Dan Ugalde.

“We wish to recognize the outstanding ranch hands who have contributed so much, not only to the ranching community, but to cowboy heritage itself,” said Kim Petersen, Director of the Agricultural District No. 3.

Humboldt County Commissioner and longtime Ag 3 member Garley Amos presented John with the award Saturday before the kickoff the 26th annual Ranch Hand Rodeo in the Winnemucca Event Center.

Reading a short history of John’s life compiled by his wife, Sharon, Amos honored the rancher for his “lifelong dedication to the legacy and lifestyle of the working cowboy.”

John Falen was born in 1937 in Caldwell, Idaho. By 1941, his dad, Les Falen, had bought a ranch located on the south side of South Mountain in Owyhee County. It was there on the L-F Ranch that John would grow up.

His family traveled to the Boise Valley once a year in September to sell their calves, purchase all their supplies and visit family and friends.

His grade school years were held from spring, when they could move a teacher in, to sometime in the fall when they had to get her out before the winter storms hit.

Jordan Valley, Oregon was the closest town, but in order to go to school in their district, John and his brothers batched in Marsing, Idaho to attend high school.

After graduation in 1955, John decided a college degree was the next step and enrolled at the University of Idaho. Four years later found him with a degree in Animal Husbandry, a wife Sharon, and a baby daughter Cindy.

John did a variety of things in the beef industry. By 1963, he had a son, Frank, and moved his family to Rupert, Idaho where he built and managed a feedlot for Jack Simplot.

After three years he went to work for Idaho Meat Pack in Caldwell, Idaho, learning the packing phase of the industry he loved. Daughter Judy was born there before the family moved to Wilder, Idaho where he was a partner in a feedlot, trading cattle with many customers located in northern Nevada who are now neighbors. John’s youngest daughter, Johnna, was born while there.

In 1973 John sold his interest in the feedlot and returned to his first love—a cow and calf operation, leasing a ranch in Oreana, Idaho.

At that time he also leased his dad’s L-F Ranch and the C Ranch out of Jordan Valley.

The end of these three years had John looking toward Nevada. It 28 April 2015

would be nice to have everything on one place. And although he was short on money, he was long on desire—and no one worked harder than John.

The first few years at the Home Ranch in Orovada, Nevada, John’s family was his buckaroo crew; son-in-law Loyd Sherburn joined them in 1979 and is now the ranch manager. About this time, they leased the UC Ranch that son-in-law Hank Kershner now manages.

Over the years John has become more and more involved in the issues that affect the cattle industry. He feels a driving commitment to help preserve an industry, culture and way of life called ranching.

For years now he has not missed a Nevada State Convention where he has served as president along with many other positions, or a National Cattlemen’s Beef Convention, just recently returning from San Antonio.

He was president of both Region 6 and of the Public Lands Council (PLC) and has made many trips through the years to Washington DC to fight the issues on the front lines.

He is currently serving on the Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board and is a charter member of the Wild Horse and Burro Foundation, whose goal is to control the numbers of wild horses on the public lands.

The family now owns the Home Ranch and John asks why retire when there is nothing else he would rather do!

Pictured

John Falen

Thank you

The Humboldt County Cattlewomen want to thank STOCKMENS INSURANCE, and VESCO RANCH for purchasing our scholarship heifers for many years.

Thank you Stockman’s for paying for H.C.C. Liability Insurance for this year!

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Ranch Hand Rodeo Results

Winnemucca Cow Dog Trials

1st- Mackenzie Ranch- Jordan Valley, OR 2nd- Five Acre Ranch- Nampa, ID 3rd- TL Ranch- Bruneau, ID 4th tied – JJJ Bucking Bulls- Reno, NV

Pictured left to right: Sheree Tibbals, Tim DeLong, Lee Dagget, Sam Mackenzie, Josh Mackenzie, Lexi Mackenzie, Jason Duby and Jared McFarland (not pictured).

Brace Class Champion Dean Thompson with Mia and Bandit

Ranch Class Champion Pam Schwenkfelder with Snap

Stock Horse Challenge

Open Pro Champion Brian Jacobs with Moose Nursery Champion Brian Jacobs with GS Peso

Open Ranch Horse Champion

IX Smart Starlight- Owner Liz Younger Badasci- Rider: Matt Hoekenga

(Matt Hoekenga winner of the Gene & Jody Christison Memorial Award for highest score) Open Snaffle Bit/Hackamore Champion

Cats Party Mix- Owner: Gale Hunt- Rider: Flint Lee Open Two-Rein/Bridle Champion

Tula Moon – Owner: Jan Little– Rider: Wade Reaney

(Tula Moon winner of the High Point Sale Horse) Non-Pro Snaffle Bit/ Hackamore Champion

Gus – Owner: Casey Bieroth – Rider: Casey Beiroth Top Hand in honor of John & Dutch Zabala Non-Pro Two-Rein/Bridle Champion

Playboy Tango – Owner: Christina Ward – Rider: Christina Ward Sam Mackenzie- Mackenzie Ranch Limited Non Pro Bridle Champion Presented by Ray Zabala

LHR More Time To Play- Owner: Lynette Phillips- Rider: Lynette Phillips

Ranch, Rope & Performance Horse Sale Overall average - $ 5,784 Top ten average - $9,900 High selling horse- Lot 3- A Little Spoonful - $16,500

Consignor: Gail Sprenger – Genoa, NV Buyer: Woody Bell- Paradise Valley, NV

Matt Hoekenga on IX Smart Starlight Owner: Liz Younger Badasci

Winnemucca Invitational Bull Sale Overall average of 26 bulls sold- $5,456

High selling bulls- Sold for $7,000 each Lot 6- FMCC Thunder 301 - Consignor: Flyin’ M Cattle Co.- Tracy, CA - Buyer: Ken Buckingham – Paradise Valley, NV Lot 35- RR Party Combination - Consignor: Robison Ranch – Boulder, UT - Buyer: Conley Land & Livestock – Eureka, CA

Overall Breed Champion & Champion Angus Michelle Hammond, Tabor Dahl, Catherine Dahl, and Kim Petersen

Consigned by Robison Ranch from Boulder, UT and purchased by Conley Land & Livestock from Eureka, CA.

High Selling Horse & Woody Bell Buyer www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 29

Show Down at the Fish Creek Corrals

I

By Jennifer B Whitley

t has been said that Nevada and the Great Basin are constantly either entering into or coming out of a drought. I sincerely hope we are on the tail end of this drought we are in right now. Springs have dried up, ranchers have voluntarily (and some involuntarily) removed their livestock from the public lands they have grazed for years. Many have been forced to haul water not only for their livestock, but for wildlife as well.

A good steward of the range leaves forage for the next year. If the grass isn’t coming like it should, they wait to turn their livestock out. If conditions get too harsh, there isn’t enough water or grass, they bring their livestock in early. They develop springs and put in water troughs and haul out mineral and salt, not just for their livestock, but the wildlife as well. There aren’t any ranchers that don’t enjoy seeing a nice buck, new fawn, or even a small band of wild horses from time to time when out checking their livestock. The problem is they are seeing more and more wild horses and less deer and other wildlife. With this being another drought year, the range isn’t having an opportunity to renew itself because it is constantly hammered by horses. It is also crowding out other wildlife species.

The Fish Creek HMA is a prime example. The Fish Creek HMA is located just a few miles south of Eureka, Nevada in the Antelope and Little Smokey Valleys and in the Antelope and Fish Creek Mountains. The area is approximately 252,813 acres in size and is 25 miles wide and 28 miles long. The majority of the HMA is comprised of north-south trending mountain ranges that include all or portions of the Fish Creek Range, the Mahogany Hills, and the Antelope Range. Elevations range from 6,030 feet in the wide valley bottoms, reaching 10,100 feet at Nine Mile Peak. In the last 17 years, they have had at least 5 gathers and removals of horses from this HMA due to drought conditions, removing over 1,000 horses from the area (http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/battle_mountain_ field/blm_programs/wild_horse_and_burro/Fish_Creek_Wild_ Horse_Gather/About_the_HMA.htm).

Area ranchers have been forced to take cuts in the numbers of livestock they can graze on their public land permits, and have had to pump their ground water and haul water for horses, even when their cattle have been removed from the public land. Since 2009, the average actual use within these allotments has been 62% of the permitted use. In 2014 use was 49% of permitted use. Eureka County, like most of Nevada is in a severe drought.

In 2014, the BLM determined that the Fish Creek HMA’s appropriate management level (AML) to be 170 horses, and estimated numbers to be closer to 550 horses, and planned a gather for February 2015. The BLM proposed to gather 500 horses. Up to 200 head were to be removed for adoption. 150 mares were to be treated with Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP) which is a short term fertility control treatment. After treatment the 150 mares, and 150 stud horses would be released back to the Fish Creek HMA, nearly 200% of the 30 April 2015

Fish Creek AML. The BLM estimates that it will take the Fish Creek herd to reach it’s AML 10 years with this course of action.

“This gather is part of a population growth suppression program for the Fish Creek HMA that is designed to achieve and maintain AML of wild horses over 10 years. Severe and extreme drought conditions have been recorded in the Fish Creek HMA since 2012, as documented by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Drought conditions, coupled with an over population of wild horses exceeding AML, have necessitated water hauling since 2012 to maintain wild horse health. Removing the excess wild horses will help prevent further deterioration of range and water resources, help restore a thriving ecological balance within the HMA, and ensure the long-term and viability of wild horse herds in the Fish Creek HMA.” (BLM Fish Creek Herd Management Area Factsheet 2/2015).

On February 20th, 2015 the Eureka County Commissioners filed an appeal requesting an immediate stay to hold all of the horses that were meant to be returned to the HMA. If conditions are so poor that ranchers need to bring their cattle off early and are running 50% of permitted use, why are we putting double the amount of horses on the range than what the BLM has determined appropriate?

Local ranchers and community members felt it was inhumane to return horses to an area in such a severe drought. Battle Mountain BLM District Manager Doug Furtado refused to back down and BLM law enforcement was called in as ranchers protested at the sight, not allowing the BLM to turn the gathered horses out while they waited for the judge to make a ruling on the appeal.

In a phone call to Eureka County Commissioner J.J. Goicoechea, Furtado claimed “I have no drought or body condition issues with the horses.” Yet the horses were gathered due to “extreme drought conditions?” The horses would be turned out. Fortunately, individuals close to the gather worked with others on scene and it was determined that it was inhumane and unethical to return the horses to the range, with the potential to have to gather them again. Not to be deterred, BLM administrators threatened to haul the horses themselves or open the gates and release the horses at the holding facilities half a mile from Highway 50. After several hours of phone calls and involvement from local and state elected officials along with BLM leadership in Washington DC, the horses were hauled to Palomino Valley and Fallon the next day.

In a perfect world, there would be no drought. There would be abundant grass and water for livestock and wildlife. Wild horses would be run within their AML’s, and ranchers wouldn’t have to take cuts in their AUM’s on public lands.

There is a possibility the horses will be brought back to the Fish Creek HMA. Goicoechea states “You cannot catch, treat, and release horses at over AML, continue to haul water, and ever hope to bring the population to levels consistent with natural ecological balance.

We are due our day in court. You just can’t put over 200% of AML back on the range after being gathered. Now we wait.”

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Horses on the Highways They Breed Like Rabbits

T

March 8th 10:30 am

by Leana Stitzel

he small band crossed the highway in front of me just before the stop signal in Silver Springs that takes the traveler to Carson City Nevada or right to Fernley or left to Yerington. The small band does not read road signs nor believes the road and all the rights belong to the cars and trucks on the road. The cars in from of me had to stop quick and I had more time, I pulled into the first wide space to the right of me, which turned out to be where the horses were traveling to a 10 ft by 10 ft water pond left from rain. My pick up was perked only 8 ft from the water and here they came. They had no fear from my pickup and no fear when I stepped out to take their photos while they drank and looked around.

The predominately buckskin very small herd was lead by a bay mare with a colt about 30 days old, a buckskin mare about 30 days away from foaling a big buckskin mare with a yearling stud colt following her, the big feather legged 1200lb. dark buckskin stud followed behind in wild horse fashion but they were not the typical small type wild horse these were feral horses some one had to have turned loose as the size and type were not typical of the wild horse with a very short hip, short neck and owly head. I’m just glad no one hit the horses as they crossed from the south side of the highway to the north. Very dangerous in the night !

BLM Nevada News

NEVADA STATE OFFICE NO. 2015-012 FOR RELEASE: March 17, 2015 CONTACT: Jason Lutterman, 775-861-6614, jlutterman@blm.gov

BLM Wild Horse and Burro adoption center extends hours, now open Saturdays

R

ENO, Nev. – The Bureau of Land Management announced today that, beginning April 4, the National Wild Horse and Burro Center at Palomino Valley (PVC) in Reno, Nevada, will be open to the public every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. PVC will continue to be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on federal holidays.

In 2013, the BLM reduced PVC’s weekend hours to the first Saturday of each month due to budget constraints and a low public visitation and adoption rate.

PVC is the largest BLM preparation and adoption facility in the country and can provide care for up to 1,850 wild horses and burros. It serves as the primary preparation facility for wild horses and burros gathered from public lands in Nevada and nearby states.

PVC is located approximately 20 miles north of Reno. From Interstate 80, take Exit 18 (Pyramid Way/State Road 445) and travel right about 20 miles to Ironwood Road. Look for the National Wild Horse and Burro Center Palomino Valley sign. Turn east on Ironwood to reach the facility.

Visitors wishing to adopt a wild horse or burro are encouraged to call PVC prior to arrival at (775) 475-2222. For more information, visit http:// bit.ly/PalominoValley.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska.

The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2014, the BLM generated $5.2 billion in receipts from public lands. www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 31

RANGE PLANTS FOR THE RANCHER

By Paul T. Tueller, Ph.D., CRMC

Medusa Head

M

edusahead Rye has slowly been increasing on many range sites throughout northern Nevada. It is an annual grass that should be identified by every rancher.

Taeniatherum caput-medusae (L.) Nevski is a winter annual grass that is 8-24 in. (20.3-61 cm) tall and has distinct bristly seed heads and few leaves. The leaves are less than 0.13 in. (0.32 cm) wide. One or more stems arise from the base of the plant which can be as much as 2 ft. (0.6 m) tall. Each stem produces a single, short, spike-type seed head.

Flowering occurs in late spring, when flower heads develop at the apex of the stems. The seed heads are what distinguish this plant from other annual grasses. Awns twist as they dry. The longer of the two awns in each spikelet is barbed. These barbs catch on fur or clothing. Plants invade dry, open lands with frequent disturbance. This species was first found in the United States in the 1880s near Roseburg, Oregon. It is speculated that it first arrived from Europe with imported animals, either in bedding or attached to their fur. It is native to the Mediterranean. The mature plant has a slender stem with narrow leaves. Roots can grow at cold temperatures and seeds mature quickly. Plants are rich in silica, and its litter breaks down more slowly than most other grass species. Medusahead is often found on sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)-dominated habitats in western Great Basin.

The growth habit, life cycle, and adaptations of medusahead and cheatgrass are similar, and they often grow together. In some areas, medusahead may out-compete cheatgrass to become dominant. This has occurred on disturbed sites with clay soils. Medusahead is invasive due primarily to rapid fall germination and root growth throughout the winter, prolific seed production, and accumulation of litter. It maintains its dominance on sites where native vegetation has been severely reduced by overgrazing, cultivation, or frequent fires.

Medusahead is of major concern to the range livestock industry because it can suppress desirable vegetation. It is unpalatable to livestock.

Essentially useless as forage, medusahead has been estimated to reduce the carrying capacity of infested rangeland by 75 percent for domestic livestock. As the plant matures it develops the long barbed awns that can cause injury to the eyes, noses, and mouths of grazing animals. They have little or no feed value to livestock at any stage of growth. However, it has been noted that livestock utilize it when other feed is limited. Palatability

32 April 2015

of medusahead is variable. Some researchers conclude that the annual grass is unpalatable at all times, while others determine it may be “reasonably palatable” in early vegetative stages with rapid decline in palatability as it matures. In early spring medusahead is sometimes lightly grazed by all classes of livestock, especially if medusahead is associated with more desirable forage. However, infested areas tends to be avoided by livestock as soon as flowerheads appear. Although medusahead remains green and succulent approximately 2 weeks longer than cheatgrass, it is less palatable., Medusahead is not very important as a wildlife forage. Plants are less palatable to ungulates than cheatgrass. Its seeds are not digestible by upland game birds, which are large consumers of cheatgrass seeds. Medusahead seed appears to be largely indigestible to chukar and other wild birds. Rabbits may occasionally graze medusahead.

Fire, herbicides, disking, and intensive early grazing can all reduce medusahead infestations, but revegetation with desirable species is vital to prevent medusahead from regaining dominance after control treatments.

A slow hot fire after medusahead seeds ripen, but before they drop, can reduce medusahead. A Nevada study found that sites with sparse native plants are more susceptible to medusahead invasion. Jim Young and others determined that low sagebrush communities are most susceptible to medusahead invasion, while big sagebrush (A. tridentata) communities are more resistant. Because this grass is potentially a negative for livestock grazing every rancher should be acquainted with this species and be concerned when it increases on your grazing areas.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Progressive Rancher - Coloring Page

www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 33 

NWMA President’s Column

by Betsy McFarland

W

by Betsy Macfarlan, President

elcome to 2015 and one of the warmest and driest years Nevada has seen in a very long time. I am based in eastern Nevada about 30 miles southwest of Ely. We normally have had several good snow storms by this time of year. This year we have had a few rain showers but not enough to put a dent in the drought. The western side of the state is looking at dry reservoirs and no snowpack to fill them. Farmers in Yerington are being told they will only be able to pump a portion of the water they normally do and in other areas the wells have already run dry. Agriculture is the third largest industry in Nevada, but this year’s conditions are going to make it very difficult for farmers and ranchers across the state.

The sad reality of the drought is, that we will have significant reductions in agricultural commodities, ranchers may not be able to turn out on to their grazing allotments, but the weeds will still grow and go to seed this year. In fact because of the drought and very mild winter you may see weeds sprouting earlier than ever and going to seed before they get very tall. This will make staying on top of your weed control program even more critical.

Since our last newsletter the NWMA Board has met several times and continues to move forward with the planning of the 2015 Nevada Weed Conference. The conference will be held in Sparks October 26-29 at the Nugget. The first two days of the conference will actually be a regional Medusa head conference, including a tour on Tuesday afternoon. The NWMA portion of the conference will begin on Wednesday morning and run through Thursday. There will be opportunities for those needing CEU credits to obtain them during the conference.

The NWMA Board has also taken on the challenging task up updating the Nevada State Weed Plan. The Board’s tentative goal is to have this task accomplished by this fall.

I would like to welcome Vance Weems of Soil Tech to the NWMA Board. Vance joined us last fall to fill Michelle Langsdorf’s position. We are currently looking for a representative from southern Nevada to serve on the Board.

In January several of the NWMA Board members attended Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalitions’ (ENLC) annual Winter Weed Conference. This year ENLC decided to change the format and brought in a facilitator and invited people from across the state and the West to discuss Nevada’s current weed management program and start the conversation about changing Nevada’s weed program. Over 90 people participated in the two day conference, and with the help of John Cantlon, of Cantlon Resources, ended the conference with a rough outline of goals and a rough ask that can be shaped for future legislative sessions.

The key issues that were identified by the conference participants are: 1. Invasive species are borderless pests that flow in and out of Nevada’s borders via water ways, vehicles, railroads and air traffic. Awareness and education of the negative situation is inadequate for aquatic and terrestrial species. There is a critical lack of cooperation and coordination within state, local, private and Federal interests. Federal lands have become breeding grounds for invasive species to spread onto private lands.

2. Current Cooperative Weed Management Areas (CWMA) are not able to detect, curtail or eradicate invasive species populations over the entire state. Additionally, the criteria or protocols needed to manage invasive species are not consistent.

3. County Commissioners are not unified or implementing current law or addressing infestations or new invasions consistently.

4. Harm to land and water assets include but are not limited to: • Reduction in the volume/capacity of streams, lakes, reservoirs for fish and wildlife habitats.

• Degradation of water resources for human use including drinking water, energy production and irrigation systems from aquatic species such as quagga mussels or land deterioration due to erosion.

34 April 2015

• •

Noxious plants are harming domesticated animals and their habitat.

Decreased real estate property value and increased property development costs from unmanaged and undesirable plants or other pests.

Decline of aesthetics and recreation use and value of parks, open space, deserts and forests from noxious plants.

Loss of land diversity from wildfire given annual cheatgrass invasion.

Reduction of crop yields and quality along with forage quality for livestock.

Increased threat and numbers of threatened and endangered species from loss of ecosystem diversity to species such as sage grouse or desert tortise.

• • • •

The directives that came out of the conference are spelled out below.

• •

1. Legislative

• • • • •

Mandate counties to establish a state wide Weed District program.

Define 17 counties into a structured and one funding source program under the Department of Agriculture.

Allow multiple counties to join forces as necessary.

Redefine laws to capture new structure and funding levels.

Rewrite law to include all-taxa vs just weeds.

Insert shall vs may language.

Support pending US House Bill (HR3994) on a national level to improve control and management of invasive species on federal lands.

2. Funding • • • • •

3.

• •

Costs are increasing as invasive species invade and/or spread. Provide consistent, non-sun setting funding levels to curb escalation.

Fund counties $100,000 each annually.

Initiate a $5 million endowment fund for a cost-share program.

Define and implement taxes, matching funds, trusts or revolving budgets.

Improve on the ground efficiency on federally managed lands to 75% of every dollar allocated for control and management.

Public Awareness & Education

Promote, utilize and implement a state wide mapping data base to define infestation levels and strategic plans.

Convey information to legislature and Nevada residents.

4. Coordination & Cooperation •

•

Prepare a state wide invasive species strategic plan through a newly organized invasive species council representing State, local, tribal, private and federal interests under the Governor and legislative review to identify funding sources and that sustainability.

Engage key Nevada businesses and implementation stakeholders to manage resources state wide from the County level. Include interests from mining, gaming, agriculture, ranching, recreation and not exclude legislative delegation, municipalities, water users, energy providers, DOT, Conservation Districts or the hook and bullet interests.

5. Marketing • • • •

Unify the issue, message and solutions recommended to the Nevada residents and business interests via a professional medium.

Convey to rural and urban populations the harm occurring from invasive species pests in the state and region.

Use facts, figures, charts and graphs to define the issue.

Be transparent to the public money used for invasive species management.

Your NWMA Board will be reviewing the results of this conference and the conversation will be continued during our conference at the end of October. I’m hoping ENLC’s efforts will help fan the fires to change Nevada’s noxious weed program.

Until next time, here is to continued hopes for a really wet late winter and spring.

The Progressive Rancher

www.progressiverancher.com

Aren’t Cows Funny?

I

by Pastor Diana Gonzalez

Call or Stop By!

re!

he Spring is

Jason B. Land 2213 N. 5th St. , Elko, NV 89801 775-738-8811, 800-343-0077 www.edwardjones.com www.progressiverancher.com

Jesus doesn’t drive us, He leads, and if we’re His sheep (and smart) we’ll follow Him. But to get into the Jesus flock, we have to come through the Jesus Gate (or door). In John 10:7-9 Jesus said, “I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

(Good pasture.)

Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” There’s no other way to the truly good pasture.

Acts 4:12 says – And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved. No other way.

Jesus said, “I am the door.”

You may say, well I know some folks who look like they are grazing in pretty tall grass, and they’re perfect heathens. In John 10:1 Jesus said, “Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door (Jesus is the door) into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.” He is a goat.

Let’s read in Matthew 25:31-46 and see what happens to goats.

Not pretty, is it? Folks, let’s make sure we get cut into the right pen. Let’s at least be as smart as a sheep or a cow. Let’s be like my good little spotted cow. She’s only a 2-year-old, but when she comes to the gate she’s supposed to go through, she throws her ears forward, looks down the trail she’s supposed to go on, then goes through the gate and the others follow her through to the good pasture. Spot has a good future with us; she’s a good leader. However, we have another 2-year-old that’s a goat cow. She doesn’t go through the right gate; she enters over the fence where she’s not supposed to be. Even though she gets to feed that looks good to her, her future isn’t so bright. She’s about to get cut into the goat pen.

Happy trails. May God richly bless you. We love you and would love to hear from you. If you would like someone to pray with, or just have a question, please give us a call at (775) 867-3100. ‘Til next time….

You are invited to COWBOY CHURCH!

You are invited to COWBOY CHURCH!

1st Saturday of every month Standish, CA @ 6:00 p.m.

Hwy. 395 /A3 — Standish 4-H Hall

3rd Saturday of every month Lovelock, NV @ 7:00 p.m.

1035 Cornell Ave. — Old Variety Store

Are you having a Rodeo or Livestock event? Give us a call.

We would love to come to your event or ranch and host Cowboy Church for you.

Harmony Ranch Ministry 3767 Keyes Way Fallon, NV 89406

Tom J. Gonzalez | Diana J. Gonzalez, Pastor threecrossls@cccomm.net

The Progressive Rancher

(775) 867-3100 Cell (775) 426-1107

Real Estate

Spec ializing in hunting, ranching, and horse properties Howell Ranch

Located in Elko County, nestled on the hillsides of the East Humboldts, north end of the Ruby Mtn. Range. Water-righted meadows that produce 1200 average ton of hay a year. 4 homes with mature landscape.

Multiple barns, shops, storages, chutes & corrals. Pond stocked with fish. Gravel pit on property. Only 10 minutes to schools, stores & restaurants. $5,000,000

640 AC N. Fifth Street (Elko, NV) Section 25, Twp.35N, Rge.54E. Water Well and seasonal creek through property. Close to Elko’s Snow Bowl ski area. Easy access, Great views of the Ruby Mountains. $400,000

Wells Arena (Wells, NV)

Old Clover Road. 12+ Acres with 15,400 sq. ft. metal building & storage shed. Power, private well. Wire and panel fenced. $480,000

Shadow Mtn. Ranch

12.5 Acres in Duck Creek Basin in Nevada.

Beautiful spacious 4,000 sq. ft. home with 4 bedrooms/3 bathrooms. Water Rights Hunting and Fishing Galore! $995,000

464 Pioneer Way (Western Hills, Elko, NV)

SALE PENDING

sn’t it funny how some cows just line out and move when you are changing country with them, and then there are the other ones who fight you all the way. They try to stay in the same old dried-up pasture instead of going through the gate that leads to the tender new grass. They will try and out-dodge your horse, brush up or just plain insist on going the wrong way. They are the ones that hang up in the corner with the gate two feet away, then try and jump the fence.

Now the trail that leads to green grass might have some rocks and hills to climb, but you get your cattle there sure enough. The cows that lined out for you get there with ease; the ones that fought you got more tired and put sweat on your horse, but they all got to the new, tender grass just the same. Funny how the ones that fought so hard to stay where they were are now the most hungry and are eating with more relish than the calmer, wiser cows.

I had a very deep and profound revelation one day. I figured out that God gave us cows so we would know what He has to put up with. However, God doesn’t handle His sheep quite the same way as we handle our cattle. He doesn’t rope us and drag us through the new gate. He doesn’t tie us down and beat on our heads with a rock so we look for new pasture (not saying I’ve ever done that). No, God is a gentleman. The Bible says He stands at the door and knocks. You have to open the door and let Him in.

Revelation 3:20 -- Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine (eat) with him, and he with Me. NAS Praise God, the very One who bled and died for us is willing to abide with us.

In John 10:11 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep”. Isn’t that exactly what He did? John 10:14, “I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know me.” NAS Now I don’t have much use for sheep, but if Jesus says I’m His sheep, then I’m His sheep -- end of story.

John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” NAS

Allie Bear

42 acres. Beautiful 2,640 sq. ft. Custom Home. Spectacular Mountain & Lake Views.

3 bedroom/3 bath – walk out basement with master suite. Barn with power & water, storage shed, garden area. $330,000

Clear Creek Ranch

South of Winnemucca, Nevada.

Approximately 10,000 Deeded Acres. 11 Month BLM Lease Approx. 740 irrigated acres, 2 large diameter irrigation wells. Ranch Manager’s home & equipment yard. Log Cottage

Starr Valley Pasture

Unique fenced 1,104 acres on Boulder Creek bordering U.S. Forest Service in Starr Valley, Nevada. Water-righted with nice meadows. $1,400,000

Recanzone Ranch

Neat ranch in Paradise Valley, Nevada.

900+ acres, 300 AUMs, right by town.

Original Sandstone House. Easy access to Hinkey Summit & surrounding mountains. Includes Barn, Outbuildings and Corrals. $1,390,000

View complete listings at:

www.ARanchBroker.com

775-738-8535 Allie Bear, Broker/Realtor 775-777-6416

April 2015 35

Precipitation Monitoring to Accurately Depict Drought Conditions on your Allotment

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Charlie Clements, USDA ARS; John McLain, Resource Concepts Inc.

evada public lands permittees have recently been subjected to sometimes onerous and costly decisions being imposed on livestock turn out as a result of Nevada BLM drought policies, and agency use of broad scale precipitation data generated across a wide expanse of the state. Use of this information, while of value at the landscape level, does little to provide basin by basin precipitation as may actually occur in a given year. Variable, and sporadic storm events across the state can leave measureable precipitation in one mountain or basin area, while completely avoiding adjoining or nearby areas. Every bit of measureable precipitation can influence plant growth and help to counter perceived drought by BLM as denoted in the landscape scale maps. This in turn can influence if, when, and how proposed grazing limitations

might be imposed. Establishing portable precipitation stations on your allotment is not a time consuming, nor high cost process, but clearly one that should be high on every permittees list of priorities.

While it may not help to defend growing conditions on your allotment on a given year due to drought and no measureable precipitation, it will very likely provide the defense you need on another year as a result of storm events that are accurately recorded to support range conditions for a more reasonable turnout. The following is a simple means of establishing precipitation monitoring stations on your allotment(s) and the kind of easy to use equipment you should consider: The Great Basin rangelands Research Unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service has been reading numerous precipitation gauges throughout the Great Basin for more than three decades. State climatologists, land owners and researchers have obtained data from this long-term monitoring effort. The construction and application of using these precipitation gauges is quite inexpensive. The proto-type, 26” circular base, 8” width x 13” height cylinder can be constructed at the local sheet

Photo 1: Portable precipitation gauge with ruler and beaker utilized by USDA ARS to measure precipitation on rangelands.

36 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

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Table 1.

Divide total (mL) by the factor based on container opening diameter (inches) to get inches of rain.

Based on the formula (mL/16.4297) / (0.785 x diameter2) = rain inches.

Dia. factor

5 332.4

5.5 390.15

6 464.31

6.5 544.92

7 631.97

metal shop for about $36 or possibly even constructed in your shop for less. The sheet metal gauge is dependent on the weight that you prefer which can aid in keeping the precipitation gauge in place during very windy conditions. They do not have to be all that heavy as they lay on the ground and we do not typically experience that problem. The precipitation gauge can be read at whatever interval the user prefers. At ARS we read our precipitation gauges monthly (1st of the month give or take a couple of days), or in some cases quarterly do to distance from field office. You simply add in oil (300 mL) in summer months and for winter months oil (200 mL) and anti-freeze (300 mL). At each monitoring date you empty the precipitation gauge into a graduated cylinder (we use 1000 mL), subtract the oil and/or anti-freeze amount and divide by 826 and you have your precipitation for that time period in inches (see table). Empty and discard oil and anti-freeze into a disposable container and add new oil and anti-freeze. In the early 1990s

7.5 725.48

8 825.43

8.5 931.84

9 1044.69

9.5 1163.99

10 1289.74

a permittee in northern Nevada was experience difficulties with some resource managers regarding plant growth. The resource managers assumed the habitat had experienced a certain amount of favorable precipitation, our precipitation gauge actually pointed out that the specific area they were commenting on did not receive favorable precipitation. Just recently another permittee was kept off of an allotment due to drought maps, yet spring precipitation recorded in the precipitation gauges in the area revealed a different story as did the excellent plant growth that had taken place.

Precipitation gauges are excellent tools to better understand the variation in precipitation across a small area, over a landscape and allotment as well as provide an incentive to accurately record this data and further understand the true meaning of favorable precipitation. The table below will help to determine the proper factor to use based on the diameter of the cylinder opening.

Photo 2: Portable precipitation gauge with anti-freeze and motor oil utilized with appropriate mixes to fit seasonal changes.

Beaker used to measure mL of fluid.

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The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 37 

Secretary Jewell Issues Strategy to Protect, Restore Sagebrush Lands for 2015 Fire Season

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Jessica Kershaw Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

eport advances work with Federal, state, Tribal and non-government partners to protect economic activity and wildlife habitat vital to the Western way of life WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell today released the first of two reports developed by the Rangeland Fire Task Force. This initial report includes actions to be implemented by Interior’s bureaus to immediately address the threat of rangeland fire to Western sagebrush-steppe landscapes and improve fire management efforts before the start of the 2015 wildfire season.

“Cheatgrass and other invasive species have contributed to making rangeland fire one of the greatest threats in the Great Basin – not only to sagebrush habitat, but to wildlife, ranching, and other economic activities that depend on a healthy landscape,” Secretary Jewell said. “As we head into the 2015 fire season, the actions recommended in this report will help ensure that our preparedness, response and recovery strategies better align with the threats facing the West.”

Secretarial Order 3336, signed by Secretary Jewell on January 5, 2015, called for the development of a comprehensive, science-based strategy to reduce the size, severity and cost of rangeland fires; address the spread of cheatgrass and other invasive species; and position wildland fire management resources for more effective rangeland fire response. The Order called for the creation of an implementation plan, initial report, and final report. The Implementation Plan, completed on January 31, 2015, established a roadmap to accomplish the objectives of the Order. This initial report released today outlines actions and activities that the Department, in collaboration with partners and interested stakeholders, can take prior to the onset of the 2015 Western wildfire season. The goal is to protect, restore and conserve vital sagebrush landscapes and productive rangelands, particularly in the Great Basin region of Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Oregon and California.

Many of the recommendations in the initial report draw on the comments received and the ideas generated by the November 2014 conference, “The Next Steppe: Sage-grouse and Rangeland Fire in the Great Basin.”

The increasing frequency and intensity of rangeland fire in Great Basin sagebrush ecosystems significantly damaged the landscapes relied on by many tribal and local communities, ranchers, livestock managers, sportsmen, and outdoor enthusiasts. The unnatural fire cycle puts at risk the landscapes that, for generations, Westerners have depended on to sustain their ways of life.

In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) found that these developments present a significant threat to the greater sage-grouse in the Great Basin portion of its remaining range. Once occupying more than 290 million acres of sagebrush in the West, the greater sage-grouse, known for its flamboyant mating ritual at sites called leks, has lost more than half of its habitat since then. Settlers reported millions of birds once took to the skies; current estimates place population numbers between 200,000 and 500,000 birds in 11 states and two Canadian provinces. The FWS is now considering whether protections under the Endangered Species Act are warranted.

The recommended actions in the Initial Report involve targeted, strategic investments of Departmental resources to immediately enhance the management of rangeland fire in specific portions of the Great Basin, consistent with the Federal Government’s trust responsibility to American 38 April 2015

Indian tribes, in partnership with states, private land owners and land users, and in cooperation with other statutory requirements and obligations. The recommendations include the following: •

•

• •

•

Designing and implementing comprehensive, integrated fire response plans that prioritize protection of the landscapes most atrisk to detrimental impacts of rangeland fire and invasive species.

This will include increased training and use of veterans crews, rural and volunteer fire departments, and Rangeland Fire Protection Associations to increase their capacity to address rangeland fires.

Prioritization and allocation of resources to reflect that this is a critical natural resource and fire management priority for Department agencies and bureaus by emphasizing the need to protect, conserve, and restore the health of sagebrush-steppe ecosystem.

Accelerating efforts to restore rangelands damaged by wildfire with genetically appropriate plant materials and grasses to help improve the health of this ecosystem.

Developing a comprehensive strategy for acquisition, storage, and distribution of seeds and other plant materials. Restoration and rehabilitation of the greater sage-grouse habitat areas requires a reliable supply of genetically appropriate and locally adapted seed, as well as seeding technology and equipment for successful and expanded effective restoration of the sagebrush-steppe ecosystem.

Designing and creating tools and maps to make information on areas of concern, landscape conditions and fire more integrated and readily available.

The Task Force will continue its work through collaboration with Federal, Tribal, state, and local governmental partners and stakeholders to identify and recommend longer-term actions to improve the efficiency and efficacy of rangeland fire management, fire prevention, fire suppression and post-fire restoration efforts at a landscape scale. This long-term report is expected to be delivered to the Secretary by May 1, as called for in the Secretarial Order.

As with the development of the initial report, a draft version of the final report will be shared with Tribes and interested partners and stakeholders with the invitation to review and provide comments. In addition, a Tribal consultation session will be held on April 7 in Reno, NV to hear comments and receive feedback on the draft final report prior to its completion. Dates and information regarding these outreach activities will be posted here.

“These efforts will enable us to more efficiently coordinate and use our existing resources so we can benefit from better science and technological innovations, react more quickly, put our resources where they’ll do the most good, and have a more effective impact,” said Deputy Secretary Michael Connor, who oversees the Task Force. “This report demonstrates our commitment to working with our partners to reduce the likelihood and severity of rangeland fire, stem the spread of invasive species and restore the health and resilience of sagebrush-steppe ecosystems.”

Interior’s work to reduce the size, severity and cost of rangeland fires is a key part of a larger, unprecedented federal-state partnership to provide strong habitat protection and conservation measures on public and private lands to protect the greater sage-grouse. More information on the ongoing, collaborative work to conserve the sagebrush landscape is available at www.fws.gov/greatersagegrouse.

The Progressive Rancher

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The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 39 

Nevada’s Priority Agricultural Weeds:

Brad Schultz, Extension Educator, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Winnemucca, Nevada

Leafy Spurge

L

eafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is a long-lived perennial forb that is native to Eurasia. It was first observed in the United States in 1827, and currently grows throughout the 11 western States and much of the area north of a line from Oklahoma to North Carolina. Leafy spurge also occurs in all of the southern Canadian provinces and as far north as the Yukon. In Nevada, leafy spurge has widespread populations across much of the state and was identified as a problematic agricultural weed in all counties except Churchill, Douglas and White Pine.

For the remaining counties, leafy spurge was ranked problematic by at least 15% of the agricultural producers in Elko (29.2%) and Humboldt (17.9%) counties and between 5% and 15% of agricultural producers in the other counties. Just over 24% of weed managers for public lands considered leafy spurge problematic on areas they administer. In the 25 years from 1979 to 2005, the amount of land nation-wide that is occupied by leafy spurge has expanded from 2.5 million to 4.6 million acres.

Leafy spurge inhabits a wide variety of habitats, including waste areas, disturbed sites, roadsides, abandoned fields, pastures, rangeland, , riparian areas and woodlands.

Disturbed areas are readily invaded because there are few desired plants to capture the resources (nutrients, water and sunlight) needed for plant growth, and invasion occurs whether or not the disturbance is the result of human activities. Recently flooded riparian areas with abundant bareground are particularly susceptible to leafy spurge becoming established from root fragments.

Root segments typically have many buds that can form new plants and these fragments are often buried at shallow depths following a flood. Once leafy spurge plants become established they can survive flooded soils for as long as 4 to 5 as long as some of the shoots remain above the water surface.

Once established, leafy spurge typically forms dense patches that expand laterally year after year. Weed density increases dra-

40 April 2015

matically and competition from leafy spurge may exclude desired forage species for livestock and/or plants important for wildlife.

Across the nation, annual economic losses from leafy spurge are estimated at $130 million per year.

Plant Biology Leafy spurge is an upright perennial forb that typically grows 8 to 36 inches tall. Lateral branches spread from the main stem(s) and produce many leaves. Most stems will be capped by flowers that typically reside above the leaves and can intercept an applied herbicide when the application angle is from directly above the plant. When the stems are broken they ooze a white milky fluid with a latex texture. A steady flow of this latex like sap indicates that the plant’s photosynthetic rate and ability to move carbohydrates, hence systemic herbicides, to the root system

is high. Weak flow of the white sap from midsummer into the fall indicates poor movement of carbohydrates to the roots.

First-year plants do not develop seed, but plants at least one-year old develop viable seed about 30 days after pollination.

Seed is produced in capsules that burst upon maturity, projecting the seed (i.e., potential plants) up to 16 feet from the mother plant.

Seed production can range from about 140 to over 420 seeds per flowering stem, which equates to as much as 4,000 pounds per acre (74 to over 744 seeds per square foot).

Dispersal can be much further when the seed encounters flowing water; is encased in mud that becomes attached to animals, boots, clothing, vehicles or farm equipment;

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is part of contaminated crop; or resides in fill dirt moved from an infested sites to another location.

Sheep, goats, deer, and a suite of birds consume the seed of leafy spurge and for almost all species about 10 percent or more of the excreted seed remains viable. The exception is adult mourning doves which have almost no intact seeds in their feces. For mammals, seed generally passed in about 4 to 5 days and in birds from 2 to 4 days; thus, viable seed can be transported long distances in those relatively short timeframes.

For comparative purposes, only about of dry-stored seed germinates after five years.

The longest recorded viability is 13 years for seed stored at room temperature in metal containers. Most germination occurs in the first two years after dispersal.

Leafy spurge seeds can float long distances and survive underwater storage. For seed submerged 3 to 6 months, about 22 percent of can germinate while 11 percent can germinate after 24 months of continuous submergence. A very small proportion (<1 percent) can still germinate after 60 months of submergence. When seed density is over 400 per square yard that suggests there may be 1 to 4 viable seeds on that square yard after five years of continuous submergence.

Buried seed retains high viability and germination, and its viability increases with depth of burial. After 3 years, seed buried 4 and 8 inches deep had 43 and 64 percent viability, while seed buried 1 and 2 inches deep had 12 and 18 percent viability, respectively.

Shallow buried seed has the best germination rate, with the optimal depth zone for germination and emergence being just below the soil surface to 2 inches deep. Seed is not known to germinate from depths greater than 6 inches, but it will retain high viability for at least 4 years. Deeply buried seed is a source of future leafy spurge plants when a management action brings those seeds into the optimal germination zone. Clay soils tend to have better seed germination and seedling emergence than course soils.

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Soluble carbohydrate concentrations in the roots (i.e., energy reserves for regrowth) typically are is lowest in the early spring and reach their maximum level from mid-summer to early fall. Carbohydrate reserves begin to accumulate after flowering which typically occurs from late May into July. New root buds generally develop in from late summer into the fall, which suggests substantial carbohydrate translocation to the roots at that time. The duration of carbohydrate flow to the roots after flowering ultimately depends on soil moisture levels. In a dry year carbohydrate movement may occur for a relatively short period in mid to perhaps late summer, while in a wet year, or on damper landscape locations (e.g., riparian areas), translocation to the roots may continue well in to September or later.

Leafy spurge’s root system is large, both spatially and by total biomass. Root depth may reach over 25 feet on deep soils, with a lateral spread of at least 15 feet. The annual lateral spread may reach 11 feet. Reproduction occurs from buds located on almost all of the roots. Most new shoots come from buds located in the upper 1 foot of the soil, but new shoots have been produced from buds which originated 10 feet deep. Research has found that buds buried three feet deep can produce new shoots, but it may take about one-year for the shoots to emerge. Seedlings can develop root buds (i.e., become perennial) within a week of emergence and plants as young as 15 days old can have 5 or more root buds. Sixty percent of root fragments 0.5- inch long can develop into new plants. A 2-inch long root segment can develop stems 10 inches tall, with vertical and horizontal roots 43 inches and 12 inches long, respectively, in only 3 months. Soil texture also influences root development. For fine textured soils, more horizontal (lateral) roots tend to concentrate at shallower depth (surface 6 inches), but in coarse soils the roots are more dispersed throughout the surface 30 inches of depth.

Control Approaches Non-chemical Mowing or other mechanical treatments that remove only the stems are largely ineffective: the treated plants always regrow from the root buds. For mechanical treatments to be effective the treatments have to occur on a regular basis every 2 to 4 weeks, across several years, or longer. Repeated, regular treatments prevent seed production and slowly deplete the energy reserves in the roots. Mowing, however, can improve the uniformity of the regrowth canopy, which may improve herbicide effectiveness. Multiple cultivations to at least 4-inches deep can reduce infestations, espe-

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cially if the soil is dry and air temperatures warm. Root fragments left on or near the soil surface for several warm and dry dehydrate to low moisture levels (<13%) which typically results in high mortality (>80%). Regrowth from buds on the deeper roots will use more stored carbohydrates, which depletes plant energy reserves. This should improve the effectiveness of subsequent herbicide applications, provided they occur before the plant has time to rebuild its energy reserves and there is enough soil moisture and warm enough temperatures to facilitate high photosynthesis and carbohydrate movement to the roots.

Fire is not an effective control method of mature plants. The roots and associated buds survive all fires and rapidly resprout. Burning, however, may remove old (or other) growth that could intercept an herbicide, potentially improving herbicide treatments to subsequent regrowth. The effect of fire on seed survival is variable: germination rates decline after some fires but increase after others. The outcome, in part, probably depends on the amount of fuel present, which influences the duration and intensity of the heat load. Fire that harms the residual perennial grass community is likely to increase the spread or density of leafy spurge.

Grazing has limited effectiveness for controlling leafy spurge. The plant is toxic to cattle and horses, but sheep and goats readily consume leafy spurge. Sheep and goat grazing will not eradicate leafy spurge but can control seed production, help decrease stored energy reserves, and increase the abundance of desired grasses. Spurge infestations should be grazed intensively before seed production and until the livestock begin to switch their forage selection to the more desired grasses. Re-graze the leafy spurge regrowth to prevent seed production, while also reducing plant energy reserves. A grazing treatment should not occur for so long that it adversely affects the desired plants because they are needed to occupy the site after the spurge is controlled. If the growth of desired plants (especially perennial grasses on wildlands) is not encouraged the site will be left susceptible for reinfestation by either the existing weeds or some other undesired species. Goats tend to prefer forbs over grasses; thus, they probably can remain on a grazed site longer than sheep without hurting the desired grass species.

Maintaining a vigorous dense stand of desired perennial grasses on rangeland and pasture, and the desired crop species on planted fields, is the best approach to reducing the risk of leafy spurge becoming established. Minimizing the amount of bareground or sparsely vegetated areas reduces the number of sites

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where optimal germination and establishment can occur. On sites where bare ground is desired or the vegetation is thin, the area should be checked regularly for seedlings so they can be controlled before they develop their first buds (these are the easiest plants to kill), or the young plants develop a long-lived seedbank and a large expansive root system that is hard to kill.

Fifteen insect species have been approved for release to help control leafy spurge, with the best success occurring the in the northern Great Plains. Five flea beetle species: Aphthona cyparissiae, A. czwalinae, A. flava, A. lacertosa, and A. nigriscutis have provided the best control. As of 2004, flea beetle populations were established throughout most of the western United States and northern Great Plains.

Flea beetles do not eradicate leafy spurge but can reduce its abundance and decrease its negative impacts. The successful establishment of flea beetle populations requires understanding their habitat requirements, which are often reflected by differences in stem density, soils, and climate. Generally, the best flea beetle release sites occur on south-facing, sunny slopes with dry, loamy soils; however, there are differences among the beetle species. Recommended release dates are from mid-June to mid-July, and establishment improves with increased abundance of flea beetles released.

Research has found that releases should disperse at least 1,000 beetles per drop point. For a more complete review of biocontrol of leafy spurge see: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/ feis/plants/forb/eupesu/all.html

Photos: © Barry Rice 2009. Cal Photos Project

April 2015 41

Chemical Control There are 13 active ingredients and about 109 products labeled in Nevada for application to leafy spurge (Table 1). There is at least one active ingredient labeled for each of Nevada’s major crop, wildland, and non-crop environments. Seldom, if ever, will any of the labeled active ingredients result in a complete kill of mature leafy spurge with one application. Multiple treatments are usually necessary and almost always a few plants are likely to emerge from the large root system or from viable seed in the soil. Some level of treatment will have to occur as long as viable seed inhabits the site.

The comparatively small leaf area, compared to the massive root biomass, makes it very difficult to have sufficient herbicide uptake through the leaves and subsequent movement throughout all of the roots, to effectively kill all of the buds on the roots.

Herbicide treatments typically kill the topgrowth, and some to many of the root buds, but regrowth usually occurs from a few buds that almost always survive the treatment.

One-time herbicide treatments are most effective when seedlings are the only age-class present, but such treatments should very shortly after seedling emergence because one-week old plants can develop root buds,

and two-week old plants can have multiple root buds. Well timed initial herbicide treatments, however, should result in successful follow-up treatments to the regrowth, that require less time and chemical than the initial treatment.

Some of labeled active ingredients only provide suppression, which results in excellent control of the top-growth, but much less and perhaps no effect on the root system.

Suppression, however, may be an appropriate management strategy in some weed control situations. A properly applied herbicide that only provides suppression will prevent seed production and should result in some decline stored energy reserves. Repeated application with the initial, or preferably some other active ingredient (to prevent selecting for herbicide resilience), can eventually result in high mortality of leafy spurge provided retreatment occurs before the regrowth restores energy reserves or produces viable seed.

The movement of a foliar applied herbicide from the leaves to the large root system largely follows the movement of carbohydrates from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Leafy spurge plants typically have their lowest carbohydrate reserves during the flowering growth stage. The plants typically translocate Figure 1. The annual change in stored energy reserves (non-structural more carcarbohydrates) of leafy spurge roots. The translocation of carbohydrates, hence bohydrates herbicides, to the roots typically is greatest in the post-flowering growth stage.

On the x-axis, 1 = January. to the roots (and continue to build energy reserves) from the postflowering period through the fall until the first hard freeze.

This is the best time to apply a systemic foliar herbicide because: 1) the leaf area is From: Mitchell et al. 2007. A physiological basis for controlling leafy spurge on large which Nebraska Rangeland. Applying herbicides at the appropriate physiological stage increases the is an important consideration to effectively control leafy spurge. Rangelands. potential for 29(6):12-14.

42 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

maximum herbicide uptake; 2) there is more movement of the active ingredient deep into the weed’s root system, potentially affecting buds furthest from the leaves; and 3) complete kill of the top growth is possible and would coincide with low amounts of stored energy reserves for regrowth (if application occurred soon after peak flowering).

Subsequent regrowth would further decrease stored energy reserves, which should improve the effectiveness of any follow-up herbicide treatment on the regrowth. An important caveat in the Great Basin is to ensure there is enough soil moisture to permit high rates of photosynthesis at the time of application and for at least several weeks after the herbicide treatment. On landscape positions where leafy spurges roots can tap the shallow groundwater, active growth is likely to occur until the first hard freeze.

On drier sites, photosynthesis may slow down or stop completely much earlier in the summer; thus, the optimum time for an herbicide treatment would be shortly after the end of flowering growth stage. Herbicide treatments applied during the pre-bud (vegetative) through flowering growth stage often have excellent top-kill but typically are followed by rapid regrowth from buds on the roots 4 to 6 weeks later.

No single active ingredient is the best chemical for all infestations of leafy spurge.

Every situation is unique and herbicide selection should be based on site-specific conditions. Some factors to consider are: 1) do you need an herbicide that is selective and will not adversely affect any desired residual species that occupy the site; 2) are your short- and mid-term management objectives compatible with a chemical that leaves a residual amount of the active ingredient in the soil; 3) what will be leafy spurge’s growth stage(s) when you have the time to fit an herbicide treatment into your overall farming or ranching operation; and 4) can you make the commitment to any required follow-up treatments to achieve excellent control. Some chemicals will result in less long-term control than the other active ingredients, and treated leafy spurge populations will require extensive follow-up applications. Most, and perhaps all, weed control and management programs for leafy spurge should use an integrated approach

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Alfalfa

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Method 50 SG

x

x

Banvel, Sterling Blue Herbicide

x

x

Dichlobenil

Barrier Casoron 4G

Fluroxypyr*

Starane Ultra, Vista

Fosamine ammonium salt Glufosinateammonium

x

x

x

Krenite S

x

Reckon 280 SL, Rely 280

x

x

Imazapic

NuFarm Plateau

x

x

Picloram

Tordon 22K Trooper

x

x

x

Edict 2SC, Vida, ET Herbicide

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Saflufenacil*

Paramount Detail, Sharpen

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Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

x

x

x

x

x

Quinclorac

x

Yes

x

Pyraflufen ethyl*

Soil Residual

x

Accord, Roundup and many others

Glyphosate*

Selective

x x

x

x

x

xh

x

x

No x

x

effectiveness of an herbicide treatment on any weed that has root buds on deep roots should not be judged early in the following growing season. Buds on the deepest roots can survive long periods without input of new carbohydrates and still draw on large energy reserves to produce growth.

The next weed addressed in this series will be curlycup gumweed spurge (Grindelia squarrosa) an herbaceous forb that develops new semi-woody stems each year, and may act as an annual, biennial or short-lived perennial, depending upon the specific growing conditions.

Potatoes

Corn

Many

Mint

Smll Grains

Dicamba

Bareground

Aminocyclopyrachlor

Fallow

2,4-D

Representative Products

NonCrop

Active Ingredient

spurge and a rapid response to the first few plants that appear provides the best opportunity to prevent large scale establishment and costly multi-year treatments, particularly when the first few plants can create seedbank that will persist at least 5 to 8 years.

An important question of any herbicide treatment is, was I successful? Your level of success cannot be determined until at least (and perhaps later) than the middle of the first growing season after your initial treatment(s) is applied. Leafy spurge shoots can take a year to reappear when the surviving buds are at least 3 feet deep. The

Range & Pasture

that applies two or more methods of weed control across time. Very seldom does a single approach work, year after year.

Furthermore, all approaches, except for the purposeful management of an area for bare-ground, must consider how to establish and/or increase the desired species on an infested site. A dense, vigorous stand of desired perennial grasses (or crop species) provides the best opportunity to prevent the rapid large scale establishment of leafy spurge, particularly when combined with periodic scouting to find the initial colonizers and eliminate them before they develop large root systems. Early detection of leafy

x

x

x

The Progressive Rancher

None to very short None to very short

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

ShortYes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

At higher rates

Growth Stage

Postemergence at flowering or to fall regrowth Postemergence but before flowering or fall rosettes Postemergence to actively growing plants before a killing frost Preemergence with soil incorporation. Controls seedlings better than mature plants Postemergence when plants are small and actively growing for suppression of mature plants Postemergence after plants begin to bloom Postemergence to actively growing plants Postemergence to unstressed plants after reaching bud formation or in fall. Mowed plants > 12 inches tall Postemergence in late summer or fall before killing frost, with good soil moisture and milky sap flow occurs when stems are broken high Postemergence at true flower stage (best) or to fall regrowth before killing frost Postemergence to seedlings ≤ 4 inches tall or rosettes ≤ 3 inches in diameter. Top kill only on mature plants Postemergence in spring at yellow bract (prebloom) or in fall before first killing frost Postemergence at yellow bract stage (typically pre-bloom period in late spring/early summer) when tank-mixed with imazapic

April 2015 43

T

Centennial Awards

he Nevada Centennial Awards Program recognizes agricultural families who have owned and operated the same land for 100 years or more. Forty-nine families have been inducted into the program that began in 2004. The awards program is sponsored by the Nevada Agriculture license plate funds, Nevada Farm Bureau, Nevada Agricultural Foundation, Nevada Department of Agriculture, Nevada Cattlemen’s Association and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The Johnson Ranch

In the name of the Johnson and Springmeyer families, we honor the original ranch, formerly the Lazy J Ranch in Douglas County. Chris Johnson was born in Denmark, and his wife, Celia, was from Germany. It is said that they came to the Carson Valley in the 1870s with Mormon Settlers, where they purchased the ranch and raised a family at their Mottsville Lane property.

After Chris Sr. passed away, Chris Johnson Jr. retained the ranch and partnered with Knox William at the nearby Judge Hickey ranch to raise Hereford cattle and hay. Knox William passed away in 1934 after falling off his horse on Mottsville Lane. After his death, his wife Stella Van Dyke Johnson, a single woman with three small children, took over the cattle operation on her own until her son, Knox Van Dyke continued to operate his portion of the ranch while grazing in the summer at Lake Tahoe.

On his retirement in 1992, Knox Van Dyke leased the ranch to Helen Kolbe.

Helen Kolbe Johnson took the reins and continued to raise Hereford/Angus cross cattle on Knox’s ranch with the help of their son Drew Kolbe. Therefore, Drew raises cattle on the same property as his great, great grandparents.

Majorie Springmeyer retains ownership of her portion of the J Lazy J

Ranch with her daughter-in-law Bonnie, and her grandchildren: they lease it to a local rancher.

The Nevada Centennial Award is presented to the Johnsons and Springmeyers for the longstanding contribution to Nevada agriculture and the rich heritage they have given to the state.

The Triple S Ranch

The Triple S Ranch of south Reno raises cattle, sheep and bees. The original operation was acquired in 1874 by Ferdinand Ritter but is now held by the Lorraine Dodge Family Trust.

Originally purchased for $2,600 in gold coins, the property encompassed 160 acres. Ritter initially bought the property to keep his four sons and daughter safe from the “many wild and rowdy inhabitants of Virginia City.”

The land was lush with springs and even attracted some gold mining claims. Ritter and his son Herman used the ranch for their own food and to sell vegetables in Virginia City.

In the 1960s, the ranch was leased to family friends who took over its operation.

Now, Lorraine Dodge’s daughter Michelle, and her husband Jack Spencer Jr., have assumed the ranching and farming. The Triple S Ranch was named to honor past and present family members—Sullivan, Savery and Spencer—who envisioned the property as a place for future agricultural production. Jack and Michelle Spencer, along with their sixth-generation boys, Hunter and Chase Archer, carry on the tradition of ranching and farming by immersing themselves into the production of cattle, sheep, bees and pasture land. Hopefully, this small but highly desirable property will prosper for another 140 years.

The Nevada Centennial Award is presented to the Spencers for continuing the legacy of Nevada agriculture established at their property 100 years ago.

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The Progressive Rancher

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Eureka Fair & Progressive Rancher Magazine Partner for Photo Contest For a second year The Progressive Rancher Magazine will be partnering with the Fair. The winner of the contest will have their photograph published on the cover of an issue of the Progressive Rancher. Winner will be announced Saturday August 8 at 6:00 p.m.

Rules: 1. Submission deadline and entry fee is the same as for all photography exhibits.

2. Photo(s) must be taken by the exhibitor.

3. Entrants are allowed one (1) photograph per Class.

4. All entrants must submit both a hard copy print and a computerized/digitally formatted high (300) resolution megabyte copy. Entrants who do not submit both a hard copy print and computerized digitally formatted high (300) resolution megabyte copy will not be judged.

5. Photographs must be 8” X 10” or larger. Vertical prints are preferred however, horizontal photos will be accepted as well.

6. All hard copy prints must be matted or dry mounted as all hard copies will be displayed in the Exhibit Hall during the fair. Dry mounts can be either matte or foam core board (1/8” to 1/4” thick) or cardboard.

7. Mattes or mounted material should fit the photo.

8. All Photos must contain one or more cattle 9. No photos of animals being choked down, mistreated will be considered. Animals must be healthy and any photograph submitted must convey that the animal is well cared for.

10. Entrants must be at least 18 years old.

Judging & Awards: 1. A top photo from each class will be chosen by judge(s) selected by the Exhibit Committee. The winner of the photography contest will then be chosen from among those top six (6) photos by Leana Stitzel and Kathy Bengoa.

2. Premiums and ribbons (blue, red, white or peach) will be awarded as outlined on page 2 of the Premium Book. No Rosettes will be awarded.

Submissions: 1. Entrants may register online or in person as outlined on page 1 of the Premium Book. Hard copy prints may be brought to the Exhibit Hall during registration hours the week of the Fair or may be mailed to the following address: Eureka County Fair Board P.O. Box 53 Eureka, NV 89316 2. Digital copies may be submitted on a thumb drive with hard copy prints either in person or by mail or may be emailed to the Exhibit Committee at fair@eurekanv.org 3. Any digital copies submitted on a thumb drive must be picked up in person as outlined in the Premium Book under Removal of Exhibits.

Please read ALL rules carefully. Any entries that do not comply with the rules will not be considered.

Class 01 Ranching Crews 02 Child Cowboy/Cowgirl with animal(s) 03 Scenic 04 Eureka County Fair 05 Western Adult 06 Western Miscellaneous

www.lifespringdesign.com www.progressiverancher.com

The Progressive Rancher

April 2015 45

of a Ranch Wife

Spring is in the Air!

Cows are calving, birds are singing, flowers are starting to bloom, and the grass is greening up.

Spring is my favorite time of the year. Everything is fresh, new, and we don’t have to wear a heavy coat everywhere we go.

The Cowboss weighs a new calf with a Sullivan Supply Calf scale. It is so much easier than lugging around a big scale and trying to lift some of those heavy calves off the ground.

We’ve put away most of the heavy clothes and muck boots. Every morning when we go out to feed cows there are new baby calves to tag, ear mark, and weigh. We love watching them buck and play as they run across the feed ground.

If you needed further proof that it is spring, Killdeer are out also. The boys and I will have to be on the lookout for their nests. They build them on the ground and I always worry I will drive over one with the side by side!

QT is ready to turn the cows out and be done feeding. He is “one tough, good little cowboy” (his words not mine, but I do agree!). He works pretty hard feeding cows and making sure mom doesn’t miss anything on the feed ground, but feeding is getting old, and now that the weather is nicer he has other things he would rather be doing.

46 April 2015

Growing up, it wasn’t spring until my grandma Mabel bought Peeps (those disgustingly sweet sugar coated marshmallow candies), and we could find Buttercups growing in the pasture we walked through on the way home from school. We would gather handfuls of them to bring home to her. Now I start looking as soon as the snow is gone for these little yellow flowers. This is the earliest I’ve ever seen them.

The Progressive Rancher

Spring is early this year and it isn’t looking good for water for the summer, but there is nothing cuter than a new baby calf. We will go with the flow and take things as they come. Fingers crossed for a wet, miserable April and May! www.progressiverancher.com

Financial Focus P re sente d by Ja s o n L a n d , F in a n c ia l A d v is o r, E d wa rd J o n e s i n E l k o , N e v a d a 2 2 1 3 No rt h 5 t h S t re e t , S u it e A | 7 7 5 -7 3 8 -8 8 11

Protect Seniors From Financial Abuse

I

t’s unfortunate but true: The elderly population is targeted for financial abuse or exploitation. In fact, by some estimates, this type of targeted abuse results in billions of dollars in losses each year. If you have elderly parents, what signs should you watch for to determine their vulnerability? And what can you do to help protect your parents from being victimized?

transfers of assets to a relative or someone outside the family.

In regard to the first question — signs of vulnerability — the most important thing to watch for is your parents’ mental state. As you know, many people go through their entire lives with their faculties intact — but even if this is the case with your parents, you still may want to be on guard against them falling prey to unscrupulous operators. And if you have noticed your parents becoming forgetful, confused, overly agitated or showing any other signs of possibly diminished mental capacity, you may want to be particularly vigilant for the appearance of financial irregularities.

Your parents have done a lot for you. You can help repay them by doing your part to help protect them from threats to their financial security.

• Know the professionals. Your parents may not be totally at ease involving you with their financial and tax advisors. However, using your discretion, see if you can accompany your parents when they meet with their advisors. If these people are legitimate professionals, they will not object to your interest in your parents’ affairs — in fact, they should welcome it.

Edward Jones, its employees and financial advisors cannot provide tax or legal advice. You should consult your attorney or qualified tax advisor regarding your situation.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

If you don’t think your parents are, as yet, victims of fraud or abuse, you can take steps to help protect them. Most importantly, maintain constant communication with them and be aware of what’s going on in their lives. Also, consider the following actions: • Advise parents on precautionary measures. Suggest to your parents that they take several common-sense steps to avoid financial scams. For example, urge them to never give personal information over the phone or in response to emails. Since these types of requests are the most common methods used to perpetrate scams, encourage your parents to put all such solicitations — as well as requests for money — in the “trash” folder. Also, ask your parents to remove paper mail promptly from their mailbox — resourceful identity thieves have been known to steal mail and extract key pieces of personal information from financial statements or correspondence from Social Security. And if your parents don’t already have a paper shredder, present one to them as a gift — and show them how to use it to delete old statements, credit card offers and similar documents.

• Check for legal documents. Your parents, like everyone, should have a will and a durable power of attorney. These documents will enable someone they trust implicitly to handle their finances if they can’t. Discussing these types of issues with your parents may not be easy — but it’s certainly important.

• Review parents’ situation regularly. Many parents are not comfortable sharing the specifics of their financial situation with their adult children. Yet, as much as you can, try to periodically review your parents’ insurance, banking and investment statements. These meetings give you good opportunities to look for irregularities or suspicious activities, such as significant changes in their spending patterns, unusual cash withdrawals or transfers from their bank accounts, or sudden

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Ranch Properties now available

Rim Rock Ranch: 640 acres fencend and crossfenced in Independence Valley at the foot of the Pequop Mountain Range. Modern Manufactured Home with it’s own power plant (solar backed up by generator). Nice place to live and have a few head of livestock. Price: $375,000.

Heard Ranch/Farm: Diamond Valley 173 acres with Irrigation well only $195,000.

PENDING

Morrison Ranch-Eureka County: 160 acres with well in Antelope Valley. $280,000.

Hwy 50 420 acres approx. 30 miles West of Eureka . Water rights were removed but the well could possibly used for other permitted uses such as stockwater and domestic. No warranty on well! Price: $300,000. Great access!

Elko Co. 10,706 deeded with BLM Sheep permit: These private sections are in the checkerboard area and are intermingled with public lands. The ranch has historically been a Spring Sheep range. The BLM permit is only 29% public lands. Price includes 50% of the mineral rights on all but 320 acres. Oil & Gas Lease might pay a big portion of the purchase!

Price$1,500,000. Considering adding the property below to it to make a year around unit.

Elko Co. Humboldt River Property: 650 acres located between the Ryndon and Osino Exits on I-80.

This property has over 300 acres of surface water rights out of the Humboldt River. The BLM permit for the 10,706 acres above is a short distance from this property with a stock driveway on this property.

Price:$1.2 million.

Current Mountain Ranch: Wanting to own a self sustaining property where you grow all you need? check this one out. Lots of fruit trees including; Pear, apricot, cherry, nectarine, apple, grapes, blackberry, and more including Almond’s. One center pivot with Alfalfa plus other meadow pastures. Ponds with Trout, bass and bluegills. Lots of Deer and wild turkeys. A meat house with cooler and cutting room. 3 homes. Price. $1,900,000.

Ruby Valley : 1136 deeded acres of which approx. 129 acres have water rights. On paved State Rt.229. Only 45 minutes from Elko. Good summer range. Would make a great place to live! Price: $700,000

PENDING

North Butte Valley Ranch: 550 deeded acres with Spring fed meadow and hay ground and approx.

BLM aum’s for 150+ head for 4/15 to 12/22 in private allotment. Six pastures in BLM allotment. Home is off the grid with power from Solar panels and back-up generator. Located on County road approx. 50 miles South of Wells, Nevada. Price: $950,000.

SOLD

For additional information on these properties go to: BOTTARIReALTY.COM

Paul D. Bottari, Broker paul@bottarirealty.com

1222 6th St., P.O. Box 368 Wells, NV 89835

The Progressive Rancher

Work: 775-752-3040

Home: 775-752-3809 • Fax: 775-752-3021

•

www.bottarirealty.com

April 2015 47

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit # 3280 Salt Lake City, UT 48 April 2015

The Progressive Rancher

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