OMarnee
ÍA R O U N D
V THE FARM
ÿ
By
g Don Coin Walrod
Oernonia Cagfe
THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 1966
SU PER
MARKET
5
tantamount to looking for a parti­
cular set of twins in the entire pop­
ulation of the world. Or it is equal
to the dryest of martinis—one drop
of vermouth in 125,000 gallons of
gin!
Still more sensitive equipment
will no doubt be developed. But one
fact will remain: pesticide residues
are not a hazard in the legally per­
mitted amounts. And pesticides
are an absolutely essential weapon
if this county or any country is to
have an adequate, varied, balanc­
ed, and moderately priced food
supply.
When thistle down starts to blow, the program involves on-the-farm
many folks ask if there isn’t some­ training as well as some formal
thing that can be done to require schooling.
compulsory control of Canada this­
After undergoing a session on
tle. There are many ways of con­ orientation and language study at
trolling this noxious weed, but Co­ the Big Bend Community College
lumbia county is not a weed con­ at Moses Lake, Washington, the
trol district for Canada thistle so young men are scheduled to work
Agricultural research se r v i c e
there is no compulsory control pro­ in the pear and apple harvests at
gram.
Hood River and Medford where scientists are producing a crop of
lambs every 8 months at Belts­
Actually, the same Oregon law harvest labor is critical.
ville, Md., with a new strain of
that makes it possible for any
Following this, it is proposed sheep called “ Morlam” (more
area to become a weed control dis­ that individual employment be ar­
lambs) and a new system of sheep
trict applies to the case of Canada ranged with farmers who are will­
breeding.
thistle just as it does in the case of ing to participate in the program.
Top Morlam ewes have produc­
tansy ragwort. Landowners would Of the group, 29 of the young Japa­
need to petition the county court nese are interested in dairy, 9 in ed two lambs per pregnancy or
to have Canada thistle put on the beef, 14 in swine, 8 in eggs, 30 in six lambs in 2 years—the goal of
list.
ornamental horticulture, 10 in tree the project.
By selective breeding, the re­
At one time Canada thistle was fruits and eleven in miscellaneous
searchers
hope to develop in the
vegetables.
named as a noxious weed in Co­
Morlam strain such economically
lumbia county but probably few
Employers will need to pay the
people will remember since this trainees at the minimum wage set important Characteristics as year-
was in 1927. The record isn’t clear by the secretary of agriculture or round multiple births, long wool,
on how great an effort was to keep $1.30 for Oregon. In addition, room hornlessness, and white, open fac­
es.
Canada thistle from spreading. and board would need to be fur­
In farm flocks, sheep normally
However, from what some of those nished.
lamb once a year. However, a ewe
involved tell us, many were dili­
Some other considerations are
gent but too many people were involved, but any farmers interest­ carries her lamb to term in about
little concerned about holding the ed in the possibility of hiring one 5 months, and doesn’t need to
nurse it for more than 2, so in the­
thistle in check.
of the Japanese trainees can se­ ory she could complete three
Unfortunately, the wide range of cure additional information from terms every two years. A produc­
herbicides we have today was not the county Extension office.
tion cycle of 8 months, rather than
available when the Canada thistle
the usual 12, could increase the
program was first initiated. In lat­
Work on tractor instability was lamb crop by 50 percent.
er years some of the hormone typ­ done a number of years ago due
The 8-month cycle presents prob­
es such as 2,4-D were available, largely to troubles with the old lems, however. Sheep generally do
but even so repeated sprayings Fordson. Years have passed but not come into heat between Febru­
were necessary.
the farm tractor and it’s instabi­ ary and July, and they reach peak
Somehow people become apa­ lity problems have not.
fertility in September and October.
Europe seems to be ahead of us Thus, lambs generally are born
thetic about the importance of the
matter and efforts to control Cana­ in applying a safety device on the in early spring when there is plen­
da thistle on a compulsory basis tractor to protect the operator in ty of pasture to supplement milk
were discontinued. The compulsory case a tractor turns over. Experi­ from their mothers.
law remained on the books for mental work has been conducted
Breeds of sheep and individuals
many years afterwards, however, to provide the strength in a canopy within breeds vary in their ability
Canada thistle, along with a num­ and a seat to hold the tractor in to propagate beyond the usual sea­
ber of other weeds such as white case of a roll over, as well as a son. Rambouillets, Merinos, and
top and bladder campion, were de­ seat belt to hold the driver inside Dorsets probably come closer to
leted from the list of noxious when the emergency comes.
year-round fertility than o t h e r
weeds early in 1961.
This canopy can be used as a breeds.
Only tansy ragwort and gorse windshield and also for driver pro­
Since 1961, the researchers have
are on the Columbia list requiring tection from the weather. Some of been selecting individaul ewes that
control. Other counties name vari­ these changes and desirable fea­ could breed in spring as well as in
ous weeds, and Washington county tures come slowly, but one of our the fall.
still requires control of Canada major manufacturers has made
These Morlam ewes are bred in
thistle.
this protection available on their April, August, and December, and
Unless real effort is made to tractor to prevent the tractor from lambs come in September, Janu­
stop tansy ragwort this year, and rolling on the driver in case of an ary, and May.
by all landowners, it is quite like­ upset.
With an ultrasonic analyzer ap­
ly that the battle for control of this
There’s hardly a season that plied to pregnancy diagnosis by
poisonous short lived perennial will goes by but what we hear of local sheep researchers check ewes for
be lost. As is usually the case, situations involving tractor upset. pregnancy 2 months after breed­
most folks have cooperated with Effective safety devices c o u l d ing. If a ewe is not pregnant, it can
the program to the fullest, but a mean the saving of a life.
be rebred with the next group with­
small number are indifferent.
out breaking the rhythm of 8-
Changing habits of consumers month lambings. In conventional
The decline of dairy farms in Co­ have a marked influence upon food sheep breeding, failure to con­
lumbia county and throughout the marketing systems. The proximity ceive during the breeding season
nation is not a sudden development of grocery stores and super-mar­ delays lambing 12 months—or
but rather the climax of a long kets to most housewives has led three times as long.
build up. This is indicated by pre­ to more frequent shopping than
Even with just one lambing a
liminary figures of the Bureau of was true of years ago.
year, however, the Morlam strain
Census comparing the number of
One of the results of this is the would provide the advantage to a
farms reported as selling milk in tendency of a growing number of farm er of supplying lambs at a
the 1964 agricultural census com­ shoppers to purchase their milk season when they may bring a
pared with the number in 1959.
and other dairy products from premium or when extra labor for
Census information is being re­ stores rather than have these lambing is available.
leased on a state-by-state basis items delivered to the home. A
First-generation ewes of hte Mor­
with 20 states accounted for as of consequence of such action was lam strain are still producing in
July 1. These 20 states had a total recently announced by a large the experimental flock and haven’t
of 442,000 farms selling whole milk eastern dairy distributor serving accumulated lifetime records. Re­
at the time of the 1959 census. The the Boston area when it indicated searchers admit it’s too early to
number had shrunk to 328,000 by that home delivery service in the evaluate the overall progress of
the time the 1964 census informa­ metropolitan area would be dis­ the program, but someday we may
tion was gathered. This decline, continued. Services through super­ find we have a new lamb produc­
amounting to about 26 percent, var­ markets, grocery stores, industrial tion program.
ied by states—from a high of 55 catering firms and institutions will
percent in South Carolina to a low be expanded to off-set the change.
One sure way to brighten any
of 5.6 percent in Iowa.
day is to rise above the clouds.
Farm s selling cream in the 20
There are occasions when highly
states dropped by 65 percent—from important and desirable scientific
106,000 in 1959 to 37,000 in 1964.
advances can actually contribute
FOR YOUR BEST DEAL
Oregon figures, which we under­ to public mis understanding and
on a
stand are to be released on a coun­ confusion over widely discussed
ty-by-county basis, are not yet problems and thus lead many peo­
available.
ple to seriously mistaken conclu­
sions.
Twenty-two Oregon counties, in­
An editorial in the National Ag­
or Quality Used Car
cluding Columbia, are now certi­ ricultural Chemicals Association
Call
fied as brucellosis free, according and Pesticide Review points this
to state veterinarians. Current de­ out in regard to the controversy
tection programs include milk over pesticide residues in foods.
ring tests on dairy herds, trace- That controversy reached a height
back tags on cattle going to slaugh­ of excitement not long ago, and a
ter, in dairy and beef herds at fairly widespread belief was im­
the option of the owner.
plied that we were slowly being
A shortage of federal funds elim­ poisoned as we ate our meals.
inated a free vaccination program
A food, for instance, might be
for cattle late in 1965. Since mid- analyzed with the best equipment
January, beef and dairy cattle own­ available at some previous time
ers of the state have paid for their and “zero” residue reported. Later
own vaccination services although a new analysis would be made, and
the state continued to furnish the measurable residues found. The
vaccine.
obvious meaning of this, to the
A number of states are already layman, was that pesticide resi­
certified as brucellosis free. Ore­ dues in foods were on the increase
gon should reach this same status and were multiplying the dangers.
early in 1967 if all goes well.
The truth is quite the opposite.
at
It lies in the increased sensitivity
One hundred eleven young Japa­ to analytical devices. In 1930, an
nese farmers are scheduled to un­ authority on the subject reports,
dergo a special agricultural train­ the sensitivity of equipment was
Ph. 648-4191
ing program in Oregon starting 10 parts per million. Now it is
HILLSBORO, OREGON
this fall. Under the sponsorship of 10 parts per million. Now it is
Res. Ph. 644-3619
the National 4-H Club Foundation, down to onw part in 10 billion. And
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