April 9, 2009 — To help Oklahoma companies, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities explore the many business and economic development opportunities involved with Oklahoma’s emerging wind industry, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce will hold Wind Commerce 2009: the Future is Now, June 23-24, at the Embassy Suites Norman Ok.
Cross Honors Laverne Jenkins
This cross stands 25 ft tall on a hill west of Campo, Colo. in memory of Laverne Jenkins. An engraved stainless steel plate has been added that reads, In Memory of Laverne Jenkins, 1937-2008, Lifetime friend and business associate, Clyde and LaVada Rodgers. 
(Don’t forget you can view this photo in color online at www.campoco.org. under community news.)
By: LaVada Rodgers
This 25 ft. tall cross made from 8 inch steel well casing was recently erected west of Campo on land owned by Clyde and LaVada Rodgers.
Rodgers stated that he had a dream about erecting a memorial to Laverne Jenkins, a life long friend and business associate. Laverne lost his life in September 2008 in an accident involving an ATV 4-wheeler. Rodgers stated that it would be appropriate to erect the monument on land bought and paid for in part by cattle dealings with Laverne.
Laverne often recalled a time when he and his young granddaughter came to help work cattle at the Rodger’s ranch. Suddenly a large swarm of bumble bees came out of nowhere. Laverne told his granddaughter to run and get in the pickup. Well, we always relate bees with something sweet, honey, flowers, etc, so that let Clyde off. Those bees sure took after Laverne and LaVada. They were buzzing around LaVada’s head and in her hair. She had her head down shaking her hair. Laverne was grabbing bees out of her hair. They attacked Laverne and got behind his eyeglasses and stung him a few times. Most of the bees left just like they came, leaving behind a few to keep us on our toes. After that, Laverne always called Rodger’s ranch “The Honey Bee Farm.”The cross is best viewed from road 21 between roads J and M. We hope this is a blessing to family and friends as we remember Laverne. The cross will remind us also of the hope we have through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We appreciate the friends who helped build this cross and get it moved and erected on a difficult place to work. It required some special equipment to get this job done. Thank you Brent Schroder, Brett Johnson, Joe Dixon, Eugene Nidey, Les, Zane and Katie Jenkins.
Laverne was a very special guy and will always be remembered.
STATE HAY DIRECTORY CONNECTS BUYERS WITH SELLERS
Oklahoma City- If the groundhog’s prediction is correct Oklahoma livestock producers have a lot more winter to deal with this year and some may be in danger of running low on hay. The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry’s online hay directory is available and up to date for both buyers and sellers.
”We’ve been receiving an increased number of calls from both buyers and sellers recently so we need to remind everyone about the directory,” said Glen Schickedanz, ODAFF market news coordinator. “The directory is kept up to date as we delete all entries after 60 days unless sellers tell us they still have hay for sale and wish to remain listed.”
The Oklahoma hay directory is online at www.oda.state.ok.us and the hay hotline is still open at 1-800-580-6543. Schickedanz can be contacted through the hay hotline or by email at glen.shickedanz@oda.state.ok.us.
Keller Speaks For Generation Energy
by C.F. David
Karl Keller, of Generation Energy, speaks to a crowd about wind generation and the company’s vision for Cimarron County.
Generation Energy’s spokesperson, Karl Keller explained to a capacity crowd at the Cimarron County Show on Tuesday afternoon, how his company discovered Cimarron County. Keller explained that his company was a member of the Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative, and that Cimarron County Commissioner John Freeman had found them on the O.W.P.I. website and invited them to look at Cimarron County. They were excited by what they found and have applied to the Southwest Power Pool to sell electricity. “You only had one negative, no transmission lines,” Keller said. But he added that the problem of transmission lines wasn’t insurmountable.
Horse Disease Could Affect Oklahoma Breeders
Oklahoma City-Oklahoma agriculture officials are warning horse breeders of a rare, contagious disease that can result in infertility in mares. Contagious Equine Metritis was confirmed last month in Kentucky and one Oklahoma mare has been identified as having been in contact with an infected stallion. The mare is under quarantine and is not considered a health threat of any kind.”This is a disease that poses no threat to humans but it could potentially pose a serious economic threat to our state’s horse industry,” said State Veterinarian, Becky Brewer. ”It is transmitted between animals during breeding and at this time we have no documentation that it can be spread through artificial insemination.”Infected stallions can carry the CEM bacteria yet show no clinical signs of the disease. She said detecting the disease is difficult and requires multiple tests over a period of about a week to determine if a horse is infected. Infected horses can be successfully treated with antibiotics.”The most important thing for Oklahoma horse breeders to know at this point is that the disease is here and biosecurity measures are critical,” Brewer said. ”We have no knowledge of any infected stallions in Oklahoma and owners should be cautious before shipping a mare out of state for breeding. ”Breeders collecting semen for artificial insemination should also make sure they thoroughly clean and disinfect collecting equipment after each use,” she said. ”This is how it is being spread and keeping this equipment clean is important.”CEM was first diagnosed in the U.S. in Kentucky in 1978 and then a year later in Missouri. Both outbreaks were quickly eradicated. More information is available on the USDA website at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom/hot_issues/cem/index.shtml.
OKLAHOMA TRADE MISSION RETURNS FROM CUBA
Oklahoma City-An Oklahoma agricultural trade team led by State Secretary of Agriculture, Terry Peach, returned from Cuba this week saying negotiations have begun for future wheat sales as well as other commodities.
“In addition to wheat, the Cubans wanted to explore possible sales of forest products and dairy cattle,” Peach said. “There are some logistical areas that need to be worked out but we’re confident that we will make a delivery of wheat sometime in the coming months.”
Lake Carl Etling gets Trout
Lake Carl Etling received its first load of rainbow trout for the 2008-2009 trout season. Fishermen are reminded that a trout stamp is required from Nov 1, 2008 through April 30,2009 when fishing in Lake Etling regardless of what species of fish is being fished for. Pictured is Black Mesa State Park employee Toby Barnum displaying a four pound rainbow trout prior to being released in the lake.
Animal Cruelty Charges Will Be Filed
In spite of heroic efforts by a few Cimarron County citizens and city and county officials, the horse above died on Thursday from starvation, and the pair below were siezed by county and city officers at the same site in South Boise City. Cimarron County Sheriff Keith Borth said animal cruelty charges would be filed. The animals’ owner was identified by Borth as being Jose Angel Rodriguez.
School Land Auction
Eddie Allen registers as a bidder with officials from the land officefor the annual school land lease auction Tuesday morning.
State School Land Leases are Auctioned by C.F. David
With a warning that grazing restrictions on school land were being lifted but could be reimposed, the annual school land lease auction kicked off Tuesday morning.
There were 30 different units for lease varying in size from a few hundred acres to several thousand.
The auction itself was bland with only one unit inviting any bidding competition; the others sold for the minimum bid except for three parcels which received no bids. That property will be up for bid until December 31 and then available by sealed bid only.
Acreage of about 40,000 acres, brought approximately $131,700, minus the three parcels which didn’t lease.
Oklahoma House Studies Use of ATVs and UTVs as Street-legal Vehicles
OKLAHOMA CITY-
Oklahomans could soon be zipping around town and up-and-down county roads on four-wheeled all-terrain and side-by-side utility vehicles under proposed legislation being studied at the state Capitol.
The House Transportation Subcommittee today held interim studies requested by state Representatives Wallace Collins (D-Norman) and Joe Dorman (D-Rush Springs) to determine the viability of licensing “street-legal” all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility vehicles (UTVs) and allowing citizens to operate them in town and on county and state highways.
Land Owners Beware of Carbon Credits Fine Print.
Farmers, ranchers and other landowners should be careful when selling carbon credits generated by practices on their land and should closely review the terms of any carbon contract according to Clay Pope, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD). “Landowners throughout Oklahoma are being approached by numerous groups and individuals in search of carbon sequestration credits generated by land management practices,” Pope said. “While this is a great source of new income for landowners, you should always look at the details of the contract before you sign on the dotted line. The devil is always in the details and no one wants to get locked in a bad deal that may limit their ability for higher income in the future.”
ANNUAL CONSERVATION POSTER AND ESSAY CONTESTS
The Cimarron County Conservation District is again sponsoring their annual poster and essay contests. The general theme for the 2008 contest is “Water is Life” which includes management practices, quantity and quality of water, wildlife, forestry, etc., as they relate to soil and water conservation.
The essay contest is for 6, 7, and 8 grade Cimarron Co. students and the poster contest is for K-12 grade Cimarron Co. students. The District will provide poster board for each student entering the poster contest. Entries must be received in the District office by 5 p.m. on 10/2/08.
Awards will be given for the top four entries in each division. The District’s first place entries in each division will be entered in the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts’ Area I contest in Cherokee, OK October 30. Winners at the Area I contest will be entered in the state contest in February 2009.
For contest rules and more information contact your school office or the Cimarron County Conservation District at 580-544-3048. You can also stop by the District office at 210 S. Cimarron in Boise City.
New B & B in Boise City, Ok.
The Branding Iron Bed and Breakfast is located 9 blocks north of the town square in Boise City, Oklahoma. 2 blocks off Hwy. 287. Hosts Jerry and Susan Farmer are 4th generation ranchers along the Cimarron River. They have instilled their love of the cattleman and the western lifestyle into their ranch style home in Boise City to combine country living atmosphere and town convenience. If you are visiting Boise City on business or pleasure the Branding Iron offers 3 guest rooms each with its own theme. The Headquarters room has a king-size bed and private bath with shower. The Branding Iron room has a queen size bed and large bath with soaker tub. If you are traveling with children or family the Lil Hombre room with a full size bed is adjoining the Branding Iron room. If you are going to be attending family or business activities for several days you may want to consider our non-host rental where you can be at home away from home. The kitchen will be outfitted with all the essential cooking supplies except the food allowing you to prepare your meals at your own leisure. As your hosts, we are as close as a phone call yet not interfering with your privacy.
Each room has satellite TV and wireless internet. Guests have full access to washer and dryer and ironing board is provided. Major Credit Cards are accepted. Because we care about our guests, we ask for no smoking and no pets. Reservations in advance are preferred but drop-ins are welcome.
You Can Check Out Their Site: Branding Iron Bed & BreakFast
Letter To Editor About Wind Energy
From
Jack L. Perkins
Chief Executive Officer, TRI-County Electric
Dear Editor,
Wind generation is in the news in our area frequently. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t hear at least one question about it myself. I would like to publicly answer a few of the more common questions we receive about wind generation. In addition, I make myself available to anyone whose question is not answered here. Our door is always open for our members at Tri-County Electric.
A.I.M. Land Donation Gives Ag Farm New, Bigger Home For a Variety of Projects
by C.F. David
Discussions of three months have landed the Ag Farm southeast of Boise City a new home across town. The farm, which at present lies in the path of the construction of the Ports-to-Plains Highway. “They came to me looking for some land,” said Jarrod Stewart of the A.I.M. Agency. “I had told the FFA Alumni Association to look for land and Cole Twombly gave me Jarrod’s name,” said FFA Instructor Troy Mayfield. The 14 acres located northwest of Bartlett Grain, will be about three times the size of the present farm, and Stewart hopes, and Mayfield plans, to have more than just livestock at the site. Stewart said the property will be deeded to the Boise City Schools.
