Winter is coming. If you are raising chickens for the first time this can be a daunting realization, especially if you live somewhere like Butte, Montana, where it is not uncommon for temperatures to plummet into the negative 20s in the winter months. So, what can you do to ensure the safety of your chickens this winter? The first step is to realize that chickens are fairly cold-hardy. So, take a deep breath. Your chickens should be able to easily survive the winter. That being said, there are things you can do to ensure their safety and happiness. >>more
Thankful Thanksgiving Day — a bit of history
Throughout history, American Presidents have issued Thanksgiving Proclamations thanking Almighty God for His blessings. Here is the first one, given by President George Washington. Who can doubt what he meant for this day to be? Enjoy:
A Proclamation.
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
G. Washington.
Wheat response to cold temperatures
By Ryan Flaming, County Extension Agent, Agriculture & Natural Resources
The sudden sharp drop in temperatures across Kansas this week will certainly cause the wheat crop to go into dormancy. Whether it will injure the wheat to any degree depends on several factors. The moisture level in the topsoil will be important. Soil moisture was generally good in most of the state going into October. But the warm temperatures in October caused some of the wheat in the state to put on excessive amounts of top growth, which dried out the soil. The cold temperatures will be more likely to cause injury to wheat if the plants were showing drought stress symptoms. Also, dry soils will get colder more easily than wet soils.
Last fall, there was a severe cold snap in early December that helped lead to winter injury on some wheat. But soils were generally both dry and fluffy last fall and winter, leaving the wheat somewhat exposed to damage. This year, even where soils have become a little dry they are generally much firmer than last year. This should help the wheat withstand cold temperatures a little better. Another important factor in wheat?s response to the cold is whether the wheat had time to become properly cold hardened. Although the weather was warm overall in October and early November, there may have been enough cold nights to have allowed the wheat to develop cold hardiness. The extent of the unusually large and rapid drop in temperatures from well above normal to well below normal is a concern. If the wheat did not develop sufficient cold hardiness, it would become more susceptible to injury from the recent cold snap. We likely won?t know for sure until next spring as the wheat comes out of dormancy.
The first thing we?ll be seeing is a lot of burndown of the wheat from these cold temperatures. If the wheat was bigger than normal, the plants may look ?rough? with a lot of brown dead-looking foliage on the soil surface. That doesn?t mean the plants are dead, however. The important factor will be whether the crown below the soil surface remains alive. Having a well-developed secondary root system will help the plants survive.
Roger’s view from the hills: A holiday that anyone can agree on
AN OPTIMIST IS A PERSON WHO
STARTS A NEW DIET ON
THANKSGIVING DAY”.
Irv Kupcinet
If there is a holiday that as a whole this country can get along with it is Thanksgiving. Since it is primarily a US holiday the people who object to holidays, that are primarily church related, can’t get too worked up. Because it is about a bunch of illegal immigrants showing up where they were not wanted, and almost died because they did not know what they were doing.
The hard core can just put it off as being thankful for the Indians (native residents) as much as for there faith that kept them in trouble back in England. This is the same group that would later burn witches and put people in stocks.
It also is the group that inspired such a great work of literature THE SCARLET LETTER as a great warning about the honor of the unwed mother and the secret dishonor of the father, that could not bring the fact that leaders are just people also.
Thanksgiving is that point where people can gripe about the Christmas sales and promotions starting after Halloween, that great holiday where monsters, demons, devils, and curvatious females are honored. Haunted houses and beer are very much in style.
So much are the undead in style that Budweiser is dropping the Clydesdales for Zombies this year to try and win back that coveted 20 – 27 age crowd. Let me tell you what, you can have Elvira back for those horses and a little dignity.
Thanksgiving is a great little holiday because you can have a nice time to thank what ever you are thankful to without some group from Wisconsin trying to change your public displays. You do not have to spend money and can be with people you like. We like our folks that come out.
On the next day I can marvel at the stupidity of those who fight for bargains that were cheaper last month. Where you can set back with that Bud, sleep to the favorite game of the day, eat some good food, and get ready for the next 5 weeks of insanity.
Really, can anyone get real worked up about guys that wear knee stockings, shoot blunderbusses, and wear belt buckles on their hats?
It also is the group that inspired such a great work of literature THE SCARLET LETTER as a great warning about the honor of the unwed mother and the secret dishonor of the father, that could not bring the fact that leaders are just people also.
Thanksgiving is that point where people can gripe about the Christmas sales and promotions starting after Halloween, that great holiday where monsters, demons, devils, and curvatious females are honored. Haunted houses and beer are very much in style.
So much are the undead in style that Budweiser is dropping the Clydesdales for Zombies this year to try and win back that coveted 20 – 27 age crowd. Let me tell you what, you can have Elvira back for those horses and a little dignity.
Thanksgiving is a great little holiday because you can have a nice time to thank what ever you are thankful to without some group from Wisconsin trying to change your public displays. You do not have to spend money and can be with people you like. We like our folks that come out.
On the next day I can marvel at the stupidity of those who fight for bargains that were cheaper last month. Where you can set back with that Bud, sleep to the favorite game of the day, eat some good food, and get ready for the next 5 weeks of insanity.
Really, can anyone get real worked up about guys that wear knee stockings, shoot blunderbusses, and wear belt buckles on their hats?
