Pheasants Forever to host workshop for landowners

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 23 April 2013 13:03

Pheasants Forever will be hosting a workshop Thursday, May 8, for landowners who would like to learn more about the upcoming Conservation Reserve Program signup.

The meeting will be at 1 p.m. in the basement of Marion City Hall. Pheasants Forever will serve refresh­ments.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency will have its CRP general signup from May 20 through June 14. CRP is a voluntary program that helps agricultural producers use environmentally sensitive land for conservation benefits.

Producers enrolled in CRP plant long-term, resource-conserving ground cover to control soil erosion, improve water and air quality and develop wildlife habitat.

In return, FSA provides participants with rental payments and...

Read more: Pheasants Forever to host workshop for landowners

Marion/Florence FFA receives donation

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 16 April 2013 12:57

Hillsboro High School senior Tyler Burst proudly escorts his friends and classmates Letitia McClelland, Taylor Thiessen and Moriah Truitt during the promenade Saturday prior to the prom. Hillsboro was one of three of the schools in the Free Press distribution to celebrate prom that evening. Marion and Goessel also gathered for their annual celebration. Photo slideshows featuring the students at all three promenades are available for viewing at hillsboro­freepress.com.<p><p>Phyllis Richert photo

 

Jacob Cope, president of the Marion/Florence FFA chapter, accepts a donation of $1,107 from Jim Fink, owner of Clark Farm & Home in Strong City. The business joined forces with Red Brand for the donation through the Red Brand Home Grown program. This is the second year Clark Farm & Home has donated to the Marion/Florence FFA. In all, more than 700 FFA chapters nationwide receive annual funding from the Home Grown program.

 

 

Prairie Viewwelcomes newpsychotherapist

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 16 April 2013 12:55

Wilson A desire to continue working toward her personal mission statement —“to promote home, school and public environments which encourage children to develop into happy, healthy and productive members of our community”—led Patricia Wilson, a licensed clinical psychotherapist, to join Prairie View’s staff.

She comes to Prairie View with 26 years of experience providing psychological and psycho-educational services to children, adults and families. She earned her master of education and specialist in education degrees from Wichita State University.

“As a young college student searching for a career path, I was able to have educational experiences which exposed me to a wide variety of children from different backgrounds and with...

Read more: Prairie Viewwelcomes newpsychotherapist

Wildcat Ranch grows reputation with Red Angus

Written by Frank J. Buchman Tuesday, 16 April 2013 12:52

Wildcat Creek Ranch exhibited the grand champion Red Angus bull at the 2012 Tulsa State Fair in Oklahoma. Judge Craig Sand is with Kale Robert Watchous, Lane Reyburn Watchous and Victoria Lyn Watchous, who along with their sister, Tessa Kathleen Watchous, purchased Red Angus cattle as youth projects, and the family herd developed from that. “Our children are actually the ones responsible for starting our Red Angus herd.”

While that’s not real uncommon, few if any operations have grown as rapidly in size and quality as Wildcat Creek Ranch east of Peabody.

Clarifying that initial remark, owner Klee Robert Watchous (whose first name is pronounced “Clay”), at his Newton headquarters office, said, “We got into the Red Angus business, along with horses, hogs, even rabbits, really, because our children wanted to show animals in 4-H.”

It was just a bit more than three years ago when Watchous’ oldest son, Kale, then 11, was at a Red Angus sale with his grandpa, Dale Phares, and called Dad to see if he could buy a pair of heifers.

Verifying that Phares, his...

Read more: Wildcat Ranch grows reputation with Red Angus