Air December 1, 1999

Thank you Mark, and good morning everyone. It seems hard to believe that we’re already into December, December 1999. A month from today is the year 2000, the year of fear or so we may have been led to believe. Fear not, your local Extension Office has gone through thorough evaluation and testing and we are Y2K compiant and will be open for business come January 3, 2000. I remember a long time ago thinking about the year 2000 and if I would be around and what a terribly long time it was until then - I was probably ten at the time. The thing that I had the biggest problem comprehending was that I would turn 44 in the year 2000. That’s just slightly younger than my father was at that time.... And he seemed terribly old.....

On to important things this morning. With the rainless weather we had for most of October and November, a lot of you seem to be more caught up with chores than you’ve been in a long time. But are you ready for winter. I know it seems hard to think about winter and snow when we’ve just had the warmest November on record BUT this is Kansas and stranger things have happened than to actually have winter storms in December. What a great time to get cleaned up around the farmstead. Mow down weeds and grass around buildings, bins, corrals, etc. Pick up those odds and ends that have accumulated here and there and either put them away or throw them out. Clean up shops and garages so that critical equipment can be moved inside out of cold weather or snow and rain to work on it or get it started. Locate all that winter emergency gear, check it out for functionality and place it neatly where it can be found. Winterize everything. With the mild weather I know I have put off some of those chores. Drain hoses and disconnect them from hydrants and outdoor faucets. Freeze proof faucets often aren’t if there is still a hose connected to them. I’ve fought through winter storms in clean and organized farm yards and in farm yards that weren’t so organized. I prefer the former. Take a little time to get your livestock feed and forage inventoried and organized so you know where you are for the rest of winter. And why should you do all this now. Well, like I said the weather is good for it, and the other option is to start working on your 1999 financial records. And which would you rather do on these nice days?

This is Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook ’99.

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