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PEVWOOD MINNESOTA WAREHOUSE SHOWROOMS WOODSTOCK (815) 338-1440 1230 DAVIS ROAD (BYPASS RT.»14 ft 47) ACROSS FROM FARM ft FLEET Hours: Monday ft Friday 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. J Q" Nov. PIv wood Minnesota Warehouse SECTION 2 - PAGE 2 - PL.AINDEAt.ER - WEDNESDAY. APRII. 4.1979 Tov/n-Country Tips by David Plochor, Extension Sarvico 338 3737 - 338-4747 Report Analyzed - You have no doubt heard the results of the Hogs and Pig report of March 21. Farrowing intentions are up and the actual farrowing figures for December, 1978- February, 1979 are up. If figures and reports are ac­ curate farrowings could equal the large numbers of 1970 nd 1971. As you know the intentions are not always what happens. Disease and farrowing problems can change the figures and producers in­ tentions can change. Following though, are a few deductions Tom Hieronymus made at a recent Outlook program. Hieronymus is an extension specialist in Agriculture Economics. "If more pork is produced according to intentions and beef declines and consumers act as expected hog prices should hold firm until August. They will then fall out." "Cattle prices will continue fairly strong until pork supplies increase tremendously. Pork will drive beef prices down from a possible $75-$80 high. We have institutionalized a lot of our food use as consumers increasingly eat out. This does not allow for substitution of other food products as easily. Corn And Soybeans Hieronymus also responded to questions from farmers about the corn situation. "Corn carry over could decrease if hog numbers in­ crease." , "Exports are not going as fast as has been the case. Total exports could be down from 1.95 bill estimated to 1.67 bill by September." If you are holding old crop corn you had better figure how much it is costing you to hold it. Also while you might want to price some of your new crop corn do not be too quick to price all of it until we know what 1979 plantings bring. Increasing exports and feed use of the 1979- 80 crop could digest a great deal of it. In the case of soybeans the 1978-79 crop will leave us with a large residual but the demand is great. Brazil is having trouble -and the domestic demand is holding up even under strong prices. Heironymus explained "many farmers are like us - they are hard core holders. There is money in the bank so we hold on to the crop." Again much depends on the 79-80 planting intentions and actual plantings. You now know some of the predictions. Con­ tact me if you desire a copy of the Outlook Update handouts. Garden Transplants - It's time! Time to start some of those garden transplants. Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce can be started now. Any time soon you could start peppers, tomatoes, and eggplant. I would recommend waiting to the end of April to start vice crop transplants. Several factors are im­ portant to yield nice tran­ splants. First - use a good soil mix­ ture. A combination of ver- miculite or sand. Deat or compost, and garden or potting soil should give you the proper medium. Second - 70 to 80 degrees are good soil temperatures for proper germination. Third - don't let the soil dry out during germination or afterwards. Covering until the sprout stage helps keep moisture in the soil. Fourth - fertilize once a week with & solution of fertilizer and water. Use one tablespoon of water soluare 10-50-10, 20-20-20, or 18-12-6 per gallon of water. Fifth - plants need direct light 12-16 hours per day artificial light will work. A final touch will be to harden plants to the out of door con­ ditions. Com Planting - April is here! Where did March go? Corn planting season is nearly on us. Yields begin to decline in corn planted after midway. Know your machinery capacities and remember we have only 10-11 days of good planting weather those last two weeks of April and the first week of May. In one of every three years we have only 5-6 days to work in the field in those three weeks. If soil temperatures are cool keep seed above the 2" planting depth. If warm and dry you can plant deeper. Be sure to ask your seed corn dealer about his varieties tolerance to high populations if you plan to use high populations, 20 to 25 thousand plants per acre are considered optimum today. Greenhouse Insulation - The March 1979 edition of Illinois Nursery Notes discusses the cost analysis for insulation of greenhouses. To summarize the letter "insulation pays for itself in all cases within a relatively short period of time." Give me a call for the references used in the newsletter. You may wish, to consider a subscription to the newsletter. Cost is minimal. Herbicide Carryover - Don't plan next year's crop or her­ bicide treatments without considering herbicide carryover. Two major herbicide classes may have carryover problems. These two classes-triazine and dinitroaniline-are made up of many herbicide brands whose carryover potential may differ from other herbicides in the same class. How bad the herbicide carryover damage is depends on what crop you plant in the carryover area. For example, corn is tolerant to triazine carryover, while soybeans or small grain are not. Small grain and grass forages are less tolerant to dinitroaniline herbicide carryover than legume forages. For example, atrazine or Princep have an extremely high carryover potential, especially where there's high soil pH and calcium content, he says. Soybean injury increases if producers apply Sencor- Lexone. Small grains may readily show the effects of triazine carryover. Bladex generally does not carry over but, under droughty conditions, small grain and forages may show the affects of Bladex carryover. The dinitroaniline herbicides- -Basalin, Prowl, Surflan Tolban and Treflan-generally don't cause a carryover problem. With normal precipitation and adequate tillage these her­ bicides rapidlv break down. But low moisture and reduced tillage increases the chances of dinitroaniline carryover. Poor application and improper in­ corporation heightens carryover potential. Small grains and corn may show effects of dinitroaniline carryover. Stunting and stand reduction may occur, with affected plants exhibiting root pruning, short thickened roots and a purplish coloration. Lamps Hazardous When • Broken - Broken mercury vapor lighting can be hazar­ dous, according to warnings from the Food and Drug Ad­ ministration (FDA). When the mercury vapor lamp's glass is broken, punc­ tured, or missing, it may emit intense ultra-violet radiation when operated. These lamps, often used on farms, are popular targets for vandals. I would advise you to periodically check lamps for damage. Some people reportedly have suffered skin burns and eye irritation by standing near broken lamps. The FDA also says there is a long-range risk of cancer. Selenium For Ewes - is essential to prevent white muscle disease of lambs, ac­ cording to Tom Wickersham, extension livestock specialist at Iowa State university. Lambs suffering from the disease can be treated by injection, but to prevent problems ask your feed dealer to mix the small amount of selenium needed in the ewe's rations, he added. Fuel Storage - According to our Extension Safety specialist, Ordie Hogsett, the safest way to store fuel is underground. The tank should be set on a firm base at least 2 feet un­ derground. Make sure the tank is kept at least 1 foot from the nearest foundation wall and 3 feet from property lines.. Storing gasoline above ground calls for precautions. Hogsett provides this advice: Keep above ground tanks 40 feet from buildings. Ground the tank to protect it from lightning. Mount tanks that open at the top on timbers or blocks ap­ proximately 6 inches high. Air space keeps the tank's bottom from corroding. In bold letters, paint "Flammable" on the tank and indicate the contents. Use a pumping device to draw out gasoline and make sure the hose is long enough to reach vehicles. Keep the hose or pumping device padlocked and secure from siphoning. The same precautions should be used for diesel fuel. Soil Tests • As production costs increase soil fertility tests pay off. Soil tests are good taken in the fall or spring. Fields should be sampled every four years. Eleven composite samples per 40 acres is recommended. A composite sample means taking several cores to make a sample. Sample depths should be taken to a distance that represents surface 6-8 inches. Keep a good map of your sampling. There are no good tests for nitrogen while there are very reliable tests for Phosphorus CDDfirr CATC EVERYCARPET REDUCED | 9r KllTO aALC 50MOSQYD. Chairman Hendricks has a very personal reason for her interest in the Pass Kit cam­ paign and the problems of kidney disease. She herself is a dialysis patient. "Please read the materials on kidney disease, consider signing an organ donor card, and make a contribution to help support the work of the Kidney Foundation of Illinois," commented Hendricks. "Then simply 'pass' the kit on to the next person on the list." This is the fourth year the Kidney Foundation has used the Pass Kit method because it is an effective way to reach a large number of people at low cost. 0NLY*8" RENTAL and Potassium. Thus far calcium and magnesium soil levels are adequate when the pH is optimum or on the alkaline side. Sulfur is getting more at­ tention, but as yet no good test for sulfur exists. Plant analysis is more useful for determining the status of the soil supply of S, Mn, Zn, B and Cutham are soil tests for these nutrients. I have more details on these tests if you desire it. Keepin' Healthy By signing an organ donor card, a person states that in the event of a fatal accident he "wills" his kidneys or other organs to people who need them for a better life. To a person with kidney failure, it is the "Gift of Life." ONK DOLLAR CFRTIFICATF. This Certificate is worth ONE DOLLAR OFI when presented with any INCOMING ORDER of $5.00 or more ON ALL SERVKE. Staamox Rental Draperies. Etc. Claan Only (Coin Op) One Certificate per Order. Ptpasf Professional Dry Cloaning Loathor Suodo Cloaning EXPIRES: APRIL 21. 1979 SHAMROCK CLEANERS "Jki* SsnthL JmuA. of.I fclaqanoL 4400 W. RTi. 120 McHENRY 395-1944 DAILY 7 to 6 SAT. • to 6 CLOSED SUN. No. 1 in the Fox Valley Area Copyright 1978 Do you know which part of your body is the most injury- prone? Your head? Hands? Legs? No, it's none of those. The most injury-prone part of your body is your back. In fact, two out of every three people will suffer back pain at some time in their lives. The most common back problems are strain, fatigue, fractured vertebra, ruptured ("slipped") disk, injury and disease (infection, arthritis). Conditions which may con­ tribute to back problems in­ clude poor posture, lack of exercise, excess weight, chronic strain, excess stress on muscles and general fatigue, tension and weakness. A lack of exercise can cause abdominal and back muscles to become weak and unable to support the spine. A "pot belly" exerts a con­ stant forward pull on the back muscles and stretches and weakens abdominal muscles. It is a major cause of swayback and resulting back problems. Another major cause of back problems is chronic strain due to your work position, especially if your job requires you to sit or stand partly bent over for long periods of time. Excess stress on muscles can be caused by partial forward bending without change of position. Working too long, too hard or holding the back in a fixed position can cause tension, tired muscles, weakness, less control of movement. In order to prevent or relieve fatigue and strain caused by your work position, try changing your position as frequently as possible. Shift your weight by alternating feet on a footrest during standing jobs. Stretching also helps relieve back strain. Clasp your hands behind your head and bring your elbows back. Then bend forward until your back is horizontal. Learning to relax neck and shoulder muscles is also a help. Let your shoulders and neck muscles go limp. Then, swivel your head and let it droop all the way forward. Your back is an important part of your body. It lets you walk, sit, stand, lift, bend, work, play and sleep. And preventing back problems is a lot easier than correcting them. SHAMROCK CLEANERS 4400 W. ROUTE 120 McHENRY MARKET PLACE 385-1944 Famous brands featured In warehouse- wide Spring Sale! Now's the time to buy beautiful carpet­ ing at the lowest cost of the year During our annual warehouse-wide Spring Sale, we've cut the price of every carpet in stock by 50' to $2.50 per square yard! These savings apply to pre-padded carpets you can lay down yourself in time for Easter, as well as remnants and special order carpets that we install • NO installation charge • NEW fully automatic softeners • TWO year option to buy with • FULL rental fee deducted • ONE phone call can answer any questions 312-259-3393 Farm Program Achievements "The results of our 1978 programs are in and they are good," Jim Lucas, county executive director of the McHenry County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), said. Farm prices closed the year nearly 23 percent higher than in 1977, despite record world and domestic supplies. Net farm income rose nearly 40 percent to more than $28.1 billion. The book value of farmers' assets increased $82 billion in 1978 to $790 billion. However, the farm debt also increased a record $17 billion t leaving farmers with a net equity of $660 billion, up $66 billion from last year. The ASC official said, "The programs are designed to build stability into agriculture so that farmers can plan and profit. We raised target prices to provide income and price protection based on actual cost of production. We established price supports for major crops at levels that would ensure their competitiveness on world markets. And, we have a handle on surpluses." Designed to give farmers the freedom to make their own economic decisions, farm programs have strengthened prices and assured consumers of adequate food supplies. The 1979 voluntary programs are about the same as they were last year. "They will help sustain farm production, maintain stable prices and keep inflation down," Lucas said. 4-H Demonstration Contest Learning by doing is the motto of 4-H clubs throughout the world. Following up on this motto, 4-H'ers will do what they have learned at the upcoming 4- H demonstration contest Wednesday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Farm Bureau auditorium. Members from most of the 50 clubs in McHenry county will be demonstrating their skills related to a project they have enrolled in sometime in the past few years. In a demon­ stration, members spend less than 15 minutes in front of a group showing and explaining the process of completing a project. Some common demonstrations include how to set up a vegetable display or how to do rug hooking. A 4-H demonstration is just So, protect your back from strain, fatigue and injury. And, if your back hurts, see your doctor. not a lecture, illustrated with a few posters. It is a real demonstration, the main thing being actions. What they say should correspond directly to what they do. Ideally at the end of a well explained demon­ stration the audience should be able to perform the task at hand. The contest is free and open to the public. Those with questions pertaining to the contest or any other youth programs in McHenry county, contact the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension service or stop in and look over our publications at 224 W. Judd street, Woodstock. Kidney Foundation in $50,000 Campaign Fifty thousand dollars is the goal of the "Gift of Life" Pass Kit campaign of the Kidney Foundation of Illinois begun in March. "The combined educational and fund raising campaign will reach over one million Illinois residents in 34 northern and central counties," states McHenry County Chairman Barbara Hendricks , of Marengo. The campaign, launched in March, coincides both with National Kidney month and the thirtieth birthday of the Kidney Foundation of Illinois. The person who wants a kidney transplant, however, must wait months, often years, before a kidney becomes available. Because of this severe shortage of donor organs, the Kidney Foundation includes organ donor cards in each Pass Kit. professionally. Included are such famous brands as Mohawk. Masland. Galaxy, Salem and other top names. In a variety of gor­ geous colors and styles that will give you years of dependable wear in any room of your home. All at savings up to $2 50 a square yard below our regular low warehouse prices. So come in this week, and save! Sale prices range from $5.95 to $24.95 sq. yd. 20% OFF on all Prestige Congoleum. For the duration of our Spring Sale, you can get smart Prestige Congo­ leum in your choice of 27 color and pattern combi­ nations. at 20'i off This durable vinyl floor covering is cushioned for comfort and easy to care for. Pro­ fessional installation available. SALE ENDS APRIL 14. HONOR CONSERVATION DIRECTOR - Kenneth Fiske, Woodstock, director of the McHenry County Soil and Water Conservation district for 16 years,receives a plaque from Mrs. Betty Hegner, chairman, on his retirement from the board of directors. Fiske is still closely involved in conservation activities as executive director of the McHenry County Conservation district. DON PEASLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAAREN DODGE