Field day to focus on quail habitat

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:50

In an effort to help Kansas landowners make decisions for managing woodlands, riparian areas and wildlife habitat on their property, the Kansas Forest Service will host a landowner field day Thursday, April 18, in Durham.

According to organizers, the goal of the field day is to help landowners manage their woodlands, riparian areas and habitat for Bobwhite quail successfully.

The 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. field day will begin at the Durham Community Center. Participants will travel as a group to the Marion Wildlife area to visit sites where woodland improvements have been completed.

Participants will learn about techniques to improve log quality, enhance tree growth and herbicide use in woodlands.

Woodland improvements demonstrated not...

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Frantz moves from pig exhibitor to show-pig provider

Written by Frank J. Buchman Tuesday, 02 April 2013 12:08

With the home-raised grand champion barrow at the 2011 Kansas Junior Livestock Show in Wichita, Ethan Frantz (right) of Frantz Show Pigs at Hillsboro has been involved in producing and showing hogs all of his life. That experience is put to use raising pig prospects that he sells to youth exhibitors over a wide area. Firsthand experience gives the best perspective of the show pig industry.

Ethan Frantz of Frantz Show Pigs at Hillsboro is just a sophomore studying animal science at Kansas State University. But, he’s already had a lifetime of raising and successfully showing hogs.

“I’ve raised my own pigs to show,” said Frantz, as he took time out from work on a special undergraduate college research project. “When you win with one you’ve bred, birthed, grown, fit, shown and then sell for a profit, there’s definitely more satisfaction.

“My brothers and sister showed hogs, and it was natural for me to exhibit, too,” he added. “I’ve really enjoyed showing hogs all of my life. We started out on the county level, but now I’ve...

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Vannockers say youth can learn a lot showing hogs

Written by Frank J. Buchman Tuesday, 02 April 2013 12:06

Brad and Becky Vannocker evaluate spring litters in the nursery at their Vannocker Show Pigs operation near Hillsboro.Frank J. Buchman photo<p>Brad and Becky Vannocker evaluate spring litters in the nursery at their Vannocker Show Pigs operation near Hillsboro. “The harder you work, the more you get done, and it’ll pay off down the line.”

Brad Vannocker at Hillsboro has that outlook on life, which has been applied and proven true in his family’s Vannocker Show Pigs operation.

“Of course, there are exceptions, but it’s always been our philosophy to keep working, and it’ll turn your way,” Vannocker added.

“We’ve seen every facet of the hog industry, and there’s been every extreme in profitability and hog type,” he said. “Over time, we’ve become strictly show-pig producers, which seems to fit us best.

“However, it’s even more about relationships than show pigs,” Vannocker added. “We’ve made so many friends and acquaintances throughout the Midwest from...

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Snow, rain raise hopes for wetter, normal year

Written by Jerry Engler Tuesday, 19 March 2013 13:45

Hopes for a wetter, or at least normal year, are growing with every snow or rain.

Brian Nickel, agronomist for Cooperative Grain in Hillsboro, said “it looks like we’re not in top moisture conditions” for crop growth and planting, but Marion County and surrounding areas are at least in better shape for soil water content than they’ve been for at least two years.

The wheat is “looking as healthy and as good as it can right now” with breaking dormancy to begin growing in warmer conditions, Nickel said.

He noted that colder weather lasting a little later than it did a year ago has slowed wheat growth to its more normal pattern set for harvest later in June rather than near Memorial Day like last year.

In a similar fashion...

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Snows bring much-needed moisture for crops

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Tuesday, 05 March 2013 14:38

The unusually high moisture content of recent snows may have amounted to more than 2 inches of water added to Marion County soil when it melts, according to both county extension agent Rickey Roberts and the U.S. Weather Service.

The two snowfalls over the county probably averaged 20 inches or more, Roberts said. But he thought it would be difficult to know for sure due to the uneven drifting.

Roberts said the moisture, added to the 1.5-inch rain received over the county earlier in the month, will probably result in the topsoil being well-filled for wheat growth, pasture growth and corn planting.

“It will really help a lot for planting all of the spring crops, and especially help increase wheat yields.”

The main problems...

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