Judging by my mailbox, TV and social media, we are in the silly season of politics. Yes, the August primary is drawing near and the last, final and, in some cases, desperate push for your vote is happening. This year is a critical year for those of us in agriculture to make sure ag-friendly candidates are elected. I would also make the case that for those of you not involved in agriculture it is in your best interest as a consumer of food to elect ag-friendly candidates.

Hot weather not only interferes with flower pollination but also can affect how quickly fruit matures. The best temperature for tomato growth and fruit development is 85 to 90F. When temperatures exceed 100 degrees, the plant goes into survival mode and concentrates on moving water. Fruit development slows to a crawl. When temperatures moderate, even to the low to mid 90s, the fruit will ripen more quickly. Tomato color can also be affected by heat. When temperatures rise above 95 degrees F, red pigments don’t form properly though the orange and yellow pigments do. This results in orange fruit. This doesn’t affect the edibility of the tomato, but often gardeners want that deep red color back.

Worries and Routines

Grasshoppers

June is Dairy Month

Wow, we blew right through spring and are bearing down on summer, and in the Farm Bureau world that means annual meeting time is right around the corner. Annual meetings are vital in the life of our organization and something many members look forward to. It is a time to conduct the business of our organization but also a time to fellowship with our neighbors and friends.

There are many fly control options and strategies available to livestock producers to help manage the three fly species that economically impact grazing cattle; the horn fly, face fly and stable fly.

It doesn’t feel like an election year with all that’s gone on in the world these past few months, but in Kansas, primary elections loom in August followed by November’s general contest.