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Archive for the ‘How To’ Category

Tips to Selecting Summer Annual Forage Grasses

Posted in How To, tagged , , , , , , on June 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Are you planning to plant a summer annual grass, maybe to boost cattle numbers or to build hay supply? Which one will you plant? It can be confusing because there are six different types of major summer annual forage grasses — sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, forage sorghum (which we often call cane or sorgo), foxtail millet, [...]

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Do You Need a Public Relations Plan for Your Farm?

Posted in Features, How To, tagged , , , , , on April 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

When Moe Russell went to a public hearing in 2002 to get a building permit for his proposed 7,200-head hog facility in eastern Iowa, he was met by 42 angry community members. Five years later when he went through the procedure for a new permit, only one person showed up—and that person was in favor [...]

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How To Use A Voltmeter

Posted in How To, tagged , , on March 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

If you’ve never used a voltmeter to test electrical circuits on 12-volt farm equipment, cars or trucks, but wanted to learn, here’s how: Voltmeters cost from $15 to $300. $50 will buy an economy-grade unit adequate to test for 12 volts on farm equipment. If you eventually graduate to testing sophisticated electronic circuits related to [...]

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Is Your Planter Ready for Spring?

Posted in Features, How To, tagged , , , , , on March 17, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Even if you still see traces of snow around your farm, you know spring is not far away. Within a few weeks, tractors will start to roll across the Midwest. Farm Journal Associate Field Agronomist Missy Bauer provides a few key steps to make sure your planter is ready for spring. Click Here to read [...]

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Are Tools Only in a Toolbox?

Posted in Features, How To, tagged , , , , on March 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Nobody has every tool they need for every situation. Professional mechanics often improvise or substitute to get jobs done, and I know for a fact (because I’ve done it myself back when I farmed) that farmers are very adept at adapting. For example: -a short  2 x 4-inch or 4 x 4-inch wooden block makes [...]

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How To Keep Your Cattle Moving

Posted in Features, How To, tagged , , , on February 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

When you’ve had a busy week, nothing is better than a little extra time to rest and get back on track. The same is true for pastures. During grazing season, giving forages time to rest and recover can boost plant growth, allow for increased stocking rates and add pounds to cattle grazing. That’s the purpose [...]

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Six Fast Facts for Buying a Bulk Propane Storage Tank

Posted in How To, tagged , , on June 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Should you buy a new or used propane storage tank?  Below are few things you should consider when making the decision to purchase a bulk propane storage tank. 1. Safety factor better with older tanks: As the price of steel continued to increase over time, the Federal Government has allowed tanks to be built with [...]

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Fastline How To: How To Buy a Mower

Posted in How To, tagged , , , on June 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

It is that time of year again- the sun is shining, the weather is warm, and the grass is growing fast. Whether we want to do it or not, we have to get out and mow the grass, because like your Mom always said, the grass isn’t going to mow itself. Buying a mower can [...]

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