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SportsPulse: NFL reporter Jori Epstein connected with Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb on USA TODAY's virtual radio row. USA TODAY

Football, Chase Winovich says, is the fuel source itself.

The Patriots defensive end takes seriously the time and commitment his NFL career requires. But if football fuels opportunities on and off the field, consider Winovich a proponent of a balanced diet.

I honestly think its healthier, he told USA TODAY Sports by phone of his decision to launch a production company during his playing career. My youth, energy and passion (can) funnel toward something thats kind of flexing a different part of my brain that I believe football doesnt capture.

Im more motivated to play football, more inspired from a general life sense.

The NFL Players Associationdelivered a concurrent message Tuesday in the organization'sthird annual #AthleteAnd workshop. Ninety-eight professional athletes representing leagues including the NFL, WNBA, MLS and NWSL gathered virtually for professional development, networking and perspective on how to chase their passions beyond sports even before the end of their athletic careers are in sight.

Institutional support of off-field development isnt always a given, nine-year NFL safety Michael Thomas said.

I remember very early on, a GM definitely had a conversation like, As soon as you start thinking about anything out of football, youre already out of the game, Thomas told USA TODAY Sports by phone. Im like, Bro, Ive got all type of other passions I want to do.

Chase Winovich has played two seasons for the Patriots after being a third-round draft choice in 2019 out of Michigan.(Photo: Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports)

The #AthleteAnd workshop aimed to encourage diverse exploration. Athletes heard from Saints linebacker Demario Davis; WNBPApresident and WNBA All-Star Nneka Ogwumike; and TV producer and former NFL linebacker Spencer Paysinger on how best to balance their professions and passions.

NFL brothers Sam and Emmanuel Acho, each a published authorandphilanthropist, discussed how players could use their platforms for good. Speed dating-like workshops featured tips on building a LinkedIn presence, maximizing public speaking opportunitiesand strategizing brand growth.

How best to ensure social media accounts are active and fun to follow? How best to attract endorsement deals that meshwith athletes interests and hobbies? Winovich listened closely as he considered how to incorporate the advicetoward House 17, the production company he co-founded.

He now dabbles in creative oversight and business development, both starring in and creating content. A catchy reminder from Opendorse CEO Blake Lawrence resonated: If you chase engagement, you gain followers. But if you chase followers, you lose engagement.

Maybe its because it has the name chase, he joked. But I thought that was pretty profound and relatively simplistic. For whatever reason, that stuck with what I currently have going on.

Athletes exchanged contact information and connected on LinkedIn to compare interests and pool networks. Thomas thought abouthis Capitol Hill externships with Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, his youth football camp that has expanded to included SAT prep and financial literacy courses. Addsocial justice and entrepreneurial endeavors, and he believes his off-field vision is really all starting to come together. How did other athletes find that clarity, he wondered?

Other athletes who see beyond the sport they play what are they up to? Thomas said. Let me see the interest they have because I might have an interest they have or passions we can align and connect.

Really just to connect with a bunch of other athletes. I love the fact that WNBA was included as well.

Each player in the virtual #AthleteAnd room had anon-field or on-court resume. Thomas has played in 97 NFL games, amassing 313 tackles, three interceptions and three forced fumbles. Winovich is coming off his second season in New England, a campaign that featured 5.5 sacks and 48 tackles. But thats the athlete in them, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith reiterated. How about the And?

When we look at our opportunity now to be authentic, I think we now know we should never have a job where we listen to someone say, Just shut up and dribble, Smith said. Or listen to someone who says we should just be confined to a world where we are just someone whos engaged in sports.

Thats not who we are thats what we do.

Winovich said he hears from people who think his pursuits cant coexist, but he disagrees. He sees skeptics as part of an often-toxic social media landscape that he wants to change. His goal for his production company: Reimagine content soit stems from a place of love and respect rather than fear.

These are the things Ive thought about that help me cope with thinking differently and thinking outside the box, Winovich said. Ive always felt like my whole life Ive been shoved and poked and prodded into that box, whereas our gifts are different. What we can contribute to humanity makes us special.

Follow USA TODAY Sports Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.

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Some NFL players are learning to chase their interests beyond football - USA TODAY

First, well talk about growing your own plants for the garden and how simple it can be from seeding to transplanting all by the phases of the moon and signs of the zodiac.

Then, well review a few topics weve been visiting for the last several weeks, all but one of them likely for the last time this year.

Springs barely a month away and we want to be ready! But before we get too excited, lets remember its still winter, and we need to be patient.

Starting your transplants

Every year long about this time I receive lots of questions about seeding to grow your own transplants and should one follow the phases and the signs for this process since, technically, its not planting as in the garden.

The answer is absolutely yes!

There are three aspects of the raise your own plants process:

First is sowing seeds in flats, peat pots or the myriad other latest and greatest methods available.

The second is transplanting the little seedlings to peat pots, yogurt cups, cottage cheese containers whatever is available if you didnt start them in one of those containers in the first place to nurture until the next step.

The third is putting the little plant in the ground where it will hopefully grow, thrive and produce whether that ground is a traditional garden, a raised bed, or a barrel on the back deck. (Thats garden size and well review that in a later column).

The more of these steps you can accomplish in the right moon phase and zodiac sign the better.

For example, the ever-popular tomato. You can be reasonably assured nurseries and plant suppliers dont have the time or luxury even if they might have the inclination to seed hundreds or thousands of tomato plants in the right moon phase which is light, and sign which is one of the four fertile signs or the so-so signs since its a small window and they are planting just to re-sell. Thus, they might hit the right phase and sign and then they might not.

Where they cant, you can because weather and labor are not factors since the plants are started indoors long before they can be planted outdoors. And, at most you may be seeding a few dozen plants more than likely even fewer so time (as in labor) isnt a factor as it is for the mass producers.

As an aside, one of my dreams is to have my own greenhouse and start all plants in the right phases and signs.

Next is transplanting them to peat pots if they didnt start there. All the same information you just read about seeding applies here: right moon phase for above or below-ground producers in one of the most fertile signs.

Finally, what happens when the little plant goes to its forever summer home as in planting in the garden.

If you buy your plants at a nursery or big box store garden center and take them home, this is the only step you can control one of three. But on the other hand, if you do a little research online or elsewhere, assemble the right supplies, and check the phases and signs then you can control all three steps from seeding to planting.

Ready to do it this year? What do you have to lose?

Whats left of today and Saturday would be perfect days for planting snow peas with the sign in Gemini (the arms) and the moon in the light phase. I say would be perfect days except, short of a dramatic warm-up and thawing, your garden probably still has a layer of snow on it and likely as not is frozen given the bitter cold days weve had.

I hate for anyone trying to get peas planted before Washingtons Birthday to miss these days since they dont come around often, but likely as not thats going to be the case this time.

As Ive been writing for some time now, spreading grass seed during the dark moon in February yields good results at least it has for me. The moon, as weve established, is in the light phase now but it moves back to the dark on 27th, which unfortunately is an Ember Day when you dont want to be planting.

If you havent completed your seeding and Im sure many havent I would not hesitate to roll the program over into March, at least during the time the dark moon is in force, which will be through March 12.

According to the phases, there are no bad days during that stretch with the absolute best ones being March 2-3 and 11. The remainder except for Feb. 28 and March 1 (flowering signs) are ruled by the so-so signs that are the second best for planting, in my opinion.

Its ideal if you can sow on top of this snow because as it melts the little seeds are taken into the ground naturally. That, in fact, is the whole premise and hope for sowing in the dark moon of February: snow melt and the gravitational pull of the dark moon puts the seed right where it needs to be.

As my friend Dennis Martin pointed out earlier in the week, this works great if your dogs have done a number on your backyard or their pen. Just pitch out some seed on the area, he said, and the dogs can pound it in the ground.

Sounds like a good idea. Thanks, Dennis.

If you have gravel to pour on a drive or road on your farm, the perfect stretch continues through Feb. 26 with the moon in the light phase. The same applies for stones on a garden path. The sign doesnt matter here since were not trying to grow anything.

Read more here:
Plantin' by the Signs and other things: Growing your own transplants by the phases and signs - State-Journal.com

By James Hoorman, Hoorman Soil Health Services

Many livestock farmers who are being compensated by the H2O Ohio program may be looking for guidance on planting cover crops. NRCS Appendix A (Cover Crops) is your best guide for cover crop seeding methods, planting dates, and planting rates. Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation office or local NRCS representative for additional questions.

What should your cover crop accomplish if you are applying fall manure? First, a live plant that survives the winter and absorbs nitrogen, phosphorus, and reduces soil erosion. Fibrous fine roots systems are better than tap roots which may allow manure nutrients to leach into tile or surface water. The cover crop should be easy to kill, and its a bonus if it can be used for forage (but not allowed under the H2O Ohio program rules).

Generally, grass cover crops with fibrous fine roots absorb manure nutrients the best. Legumes and clovers make their own nitrogen and readily absorb free nutrients but are generally a little less efficient at absorbing soil manure nutrients. Brassicas like radish, have deep roots and are efficient at absorbing manure nutrients, but winter kill and release nutrients quickly and may cause water quality problems. Kale and rape seed (brassicas) have deep roots, survive the winter.Brassicas should be used at low seeding rates and always in a mixture with winter grass cover crops.

Summer annuals include oats, radish, and Sorghum Sudan varieties; which effectively absorb manure nutrients. However, these cover crops die with a frost, so they should be minimized in a fall planted cover crop mixture. Winter grass cover crops are cereal rye, annual ryegrass, barley, triticale, and wheat; which can be planted alone or in mixtures. Winter legumes include vetches (hairy, common), clovers (red, sweet, crimson, Balansa), and peas (true winter peas or Canadian pea) which need to be inoculated. Follow H2O Ohio program cover crop mixtures guidelines to qualify for payment.

Seed quality can be harmed by weed seed (purity) and low germination. NRCS requires adjustment factors (need more seed) if seed purity (too many weeds seeds) or seed germination is less than 86%. See NRCS Appendix A for adjustments. Farmers can use bin run seed or their own seed, but seed testing or seed tags are required for purity and germination to get payment.

There are several seeding methods to plant cover crops at the proper seeding depth and rate to get fast germination. Drilling cover crops and getting good seed to soil contact is usually the best method, but because the farmer needs to harvest the main crop first, this can be difficult. Broadcast seeding with airplanes, helicopters, high boy applicators, or with a broadcast seeder can be successful if done early with adequate moisture to get fast seed germination. Some farmers incorporate seed with tillage equipment, but depth control may be variable. Broadcast seeding can be done quickly and on large acres, but the seeding rate should be at least 20% higher to account for lower germination rates (H2O Ohio program rules).

Most fall planted winter cover crops can be planted from August 1st until around mid-September in Ohio with good results. Farmers located close to Lake Erie have a shorter planting window than those located closer to the Ohio River. NRCS allows farmers to compensate for up to two weeks of planting after the ideal planting window by increasing the seeding rate 20% to compensate for reduced germination and to increase plant biomass.

If you plant more than 2 weeks later than recommended, NRCS does not pay. The longest planting window for grasses is cereal rye (November 1st) followed by wheat, triticale, and spelt (October 22), and barley (October 10).

Since each cover crop seed has a different size and density, seeding rates are based proportionally on the recommended seeding rate for each specie. For example, if equal parts winter rye, winter triticale and hairy vetch mixture was selected use the 1/3 proportional rate of the full seeding rate for each (17, 19, and 5 lb/ac respectively). Insure the sum of the proportions equal at least 1 (1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3 = 1). If addressing water quality (nutrients in surface and ground water) as part of a conservation plan, at least half of the proportional seeding rate must be non-winter killed cover crop species. Keeping our water clean and safe to drink is an important goal of cover crops, soil health, and the H2O Ohio program.

See the article here:
Manure and cover crops Ohio Ag Net - Ohio's Country Journal and Ohio Ag Net

Adopting the ecologically sensitive, low-cost conservation management pasture-cropping practice could help landowners regain the health and resiliency of soils sustaining degradation over the years.

Pasture cropping, a relatively new and innovative land management system, integrates direct seeding of cool-season annual crops into dormant perennial warm-season grasses. It was pioneered by Colin Seis, an Australian farmer.

Now the potential for implementation of the practice in the Southern Great Plains is being investigated by a Texas A&M AgriLife-led team of researchers through theU.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, NIFA, grant-funded project Enhancing Soil Ecosystem Health and Resilience Through Pasture Cropping.

The team consists of Srinivasulu Ale, Ph.D., project lead and Texas A&M University Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering geospatial hydrologist; Richard Teague, Ph.D., Department of Rangeland, Wildlife and Fisheries Management range ecologist; and Paul DeLaune, Ph.D., Department of Soil and Crop Sciences environmental soil scientist, all College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Texas A&M AgriLife Research faculty at Vernon.

They are joined by Tim Steffens, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service range specialist at West Texas A&M University at Canyon, and Tong Wang, Ph.D., advanced production specialist at South Dakota State University. The team is also consulting with Seis as they build and conduct their research.

Ale said while some ranchers have already adopted the practice on smaller scales, many are looking for guidance information on the best crops, the best time to plant and terminate/harvest them, and how benefits vary between wet, normal and dry years.

We expect to be able to answer these questions at the end of our four-year project based on all the data we collect and modeling we conduct, he said.

Continuous and heavy grazing pressure since the introduction of conventional livestock grazing has resulted in degraded grassland soils, largely due to a combination of a lack of species diversity and diminished soil inputs of organic material from plant roots, Steffens said.

The pasture-cropping practice has helped rebuild soil organic matter and improve soil structure, infiltration and water holding capacity in Australia, he said.

The hypothesis is that adding growing roots, root exudates and mycorrhizal fungi in the colder parts of the year provides an additional amount of organic material when the warm-season grasses are not growing, but when decomposition is still occurring, Steffens said. This boost of organic material and the enhanced microbial activity it triggers are what drives better ecological function of the soil.

The project aims to evaluate these soil health benefits through a combination of field experiments, unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV-based measurements, environmental modeling and economic analyses.

Through these measurements and simulations, the team will assess the ranch- and watershed-scale improvements in ecosystem services from pasture cropping and analyze the economics compared to conventional practices under different weather and market conditions.

Soil degradation can result in elevated soil erosion, soil organic carbon loss, nutrient imbalance, soil sealing, acidication, salinization, contamination, waterlogging, compaction and loss of soil biodiversity.

DeLaune said introducing growing plants during the winter months will not only increase microbial activity, but also provide increased soil cover and protection, supplemental forage for grazing and subsequent cycling of soil nutrients.

Our goal is to evaluate the overall effect of pasture cropping on soil health and function, he said. In our cropping systems, we have observed trends in improved microbial activity with an extended period of living roots over the year. Additionally, we have observed improved physical properties that increase water infiltration, reduce runoff and improve water quality.

The pasture-cropping field experiments will be conducted at the West Texas A&M Universitys Nance Ranch near Canyon and at the Dixon Water Foundations Pittman Ranch near Muenster. Modeling efforts will focus on the headwaters of the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River watershed in the Texas Panhandle, which includes the Nance Ranch; and the Clear Creek watershed in North Central Texas, which contains the Pittman Ranch.

The pasture will be grazed short one to two days prior to planting, and then very similar to no-till wheat, the seeds will be drilled directly into the grassland during the fall. The winter wheat will be an added source of green winter grazing that can decrease the cost of supplementary feeding in winter. And, in wetter years, it also might be possible to harvest a grain crop.

However, in most years, prior to the warm-season grasses starting to green in the spring, the wheat will be grazed off so the grass growth is not hampered.

Teague said the process will be conducted on one-quarter or less of the pasture each year, and that pasture will not be grazed again until the other summer pastures have all been appropriately grazed in rotation to allow maximum recovery.

This practice requires excellent adaptive multi-paddock grazing of the native grassland to build soil health/carbon as the base, he said. Doing the pasture cropping more often than every four years would likely negate this or even lower soil carbon in time. Conducting the practice every year would degrade the solid base of the healthy summer growing permanent pasture soil health, even in wetter parts of the world.

Ale said while Steffens, Teague and DeLaune will conduct the field experiments and data collection, he will be evaluating ecosystem models with their data so he can then run long-term simulations.

With modeling, he said he can determine what happens if the practice is carried out for 10 or 20 years, build in projected future weather changes, and assess the potential of pasture cropping in mitigating the negative effects of climate variability and change on soil ecosystem services.

They will be doing these experiments on a ranch scale, but I can model it on a watershed basis measure the holistic benefits if all ranchers in a watershed do it, Ale said.

After conducting the experiments over four years and analyzing the data to compare the various soil health indicators, Wang will provide an economic analysis of all the practices and improvements.

Steffens said once the project is complete, they plan to incorporate their findings into the various in-depth grazing and ranch management schools he conducts.

-30-

Read this article:
Pasture-cropping could improve degraded Texas soils| AgriLife Today - AgriLife Today

At 1700 m altitude, on a jagged limestone ridge often used for training by alpinists, a group of young researchers are clinging to tufts of grass and sharp rock as they scramble straight down the steep mountainside of Mount Orjen, which straddles the border of Montenegro and Bosnia & Herzegovina. What brings them here, with no ropes, one misplaced step away from tumbling to peril? In a word: plants. In practical terms, theyre undertaking a transect, recording population, habitat and threat data, and collecting vital seeds. But the underlying reason theyre here: pure passion and enthusiasm for conservation.

Such is the new wave of plant conservationists in the Mediterranean, and particularly in the Balkans. Stereotypically, the study of plants has been seen as a niche domain of aging, bearded botanists with a focus on scientic research and natural history. Whilst such a botanist could well be found on a steep mountainside, theres a fresh generation of plant experts that use research as one tool of conservation. Driven by local NGOs like EnvPro and E-grupa on Mount Orjen, they will do what it takes to see threatened endemic plants protected.

With many straight out of University, its not easy to begin a career in conservation. But BirdLife (through its role as Regional Implementation Team for the Mediterranean hotspot of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)*) has been able to provide small grants to local NGOs, which can allow them to employ and train such eager, talented people. In total, 14 small grants (and one large grant) have supported 15 civil society organisations in four Balkan countries since October 2018.

Not only is plant conservation new-school, its important. Plants underpin the food chain, endemic plants support endemic insects, and the Mediterranean region biodiversity hotspot is ranked third-richest in the world in terms of its plant diversity. Some remote areas of Balkans are not properly surveyed and Mount Orjen is the only place where some endemic plant species are still found, such as the beautiful Orjen Iris Iris orjenii which hangs on in just a few sites, nestled within patches of long grass.

It was here that EnvPro and E-grupa revealed additional sites of the iris and conrmed its presence on the Bosnian side. The data gathered also allowed them to assess the species on the IUCN Red List as Endangered, as well as an endemic short-toothed sage Salvia brachyodon as Critically Endangered, and capture important habitat data for other endemics such as Edraianthus serpyllifolius.

Every seed counts

Perhaps taking inspiration from the way the roots of the endemic Bosnian munika pine trees grasp bare rock, newly-employed Marija Popovic holds on tight as she peers over an edge looking for any signs of seeding plants. EnvPro are collecting seeds from all target species for a seed bank kept at the University of Primorska, but its especially vital for the iris because the team are working with the Natural History Museum in Rijeka to grow seedlings (ex-situ conservation) which will be planted back in the wild.

Collaboration is a major theme in this movement, which aims to build a network of plant conservationists in the region, leading to better conservation management overall. Throughout the project, EnvPro (from Montenegro) have been helping build the skills and expertise of the Bosnian-based E-grupa, skills that have already led to a major success: plant data submitted helped form the basis of the case for a new protected area on the Bosnian side of Mount Orjen (declared in September 2020), which will help secure a safe future for the plants surveyed there. The Montenegrin side is already officially protected, but the EnvPro project is also aiming to improve the management of Orjen Nature Park for plants. Theyve also worked with the local mountaineering club to redirect a portion of a hiking trail that was heading through a patch of irises.

Balloons to protect bells from fire

This kind of work is also featured in another plant project in Montenegro, where the Loven Bell Edraianthus wettsteinii subsp. lovcenicus, a small perennial plant with tufts of grassy leaves and ne, blue, bell-shaped owers, has its entire range restricted to an area smaller than a football eld. Here, on Mount Loven, just outside the border of Loven National Park, young plant conservationists arent just becoming effective experts, theyre also bringing new and creative ideas.

Living Green, a local NGO, has found an innovative way to protect the plant from the threat of res: water balloons. Theyve installed biodegradable water bags to ensure the plants get an instantaneous dousing, and water canisters coupled with workshops with the local re brigade, park rangers and local landowners allow for a quick reaction to re in this dry area, eight kilometres from any other water source. There have been no res since, and Living Green continue to work on the other aspects of their project: raising awareness of the importance of the plant and work with the National Park to see its range increase.

Albania's red iris threatened by mining

Elsewhere, in Albania, a stunning re-red-and-yellow native tulip species Tulipa albanica is restricted to an extremely small range in a landscape rife with mining activity. The Institute for Environmental Policy (IEP) have been working to discover all of the remaining plants yes, all of them (the population is so small its possible to count them all) with the aim of protecting its habitat, whilst nurturing a new generation of skilled and professional botanists to work on the protection of other endemic plants in the future. Despite the species only being discovered in the last decade, the tulip is now the official emblem of the local town of Kuks testament to IEPs outreach work, and in April 2020 the Municipal Council approved the formal protection of the Albanian Tulip at the local level. Meanwhile the energetic team have been digging their spades into scientifically selected soil to create four new terraces a few kilometres away from the original locality and planted tulip bulbs giving great hope for the future of one of the regions rarest plants.

From Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania and North Macedonia [see below], the new generation of plant conservationists are now equipped with expertise in data collection, fruitful collaborations across borders and with institutions, and great awareness-raising skills. And above all, a passion and love for plants. With all that supporting them on a remote mountainside, who needs ropes?

Innovations across the border

The rst ever seed bank of wild ora in North Macedonia was collected by MASA, with 90% from rare and endemic species; whilst ILIRIA (from Albania) used a drone to record focal species growing on steep cliffs. These two grantees are working in the National Parks of Galicica and Prespa in a collaborative project.

Large grants for rare plants

MES (BirdLife in North Macedonia) are assessing threatened plants in the Jablanica and Dojran Lake areas and setting up a monitoring system. Theyre also supporting protected area managers and local organisations, and work with biology students on chestnut distribution (including using a drone).

Ex-situ ponds

Macedonian Biological Society is also assessing endemic plants with restricted habitats from Galichica including collecting seeds, which theyve planted in newly updated facilities in the Botanical Gardens of Skopje (including a lake for a rare water lily). Meanwhile, theyre training local students and young experts and raising awareness in the local community.

CEPF is more than just a funding provider

A dedicated Regional Implementation Team (RIT) (expert officers on the ground) guide funding to the most important areas and to even the smallest of organisations; building civil society capacities, improving conservation outcomes, strengthening networks and sharing best practices.In the Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot, the RIT is entrusted to BirdLife International and its Partners: LPO (BirdLife France), DOPPS (BirdLife Slovenia) and BPSSS (BirdLife Serbia).

Read the original here:
The new wave of plant conservationists in the Balkans - BirdLife International

The 2020-2021 winter grazing season was finished up here at River Oak on Friday, Jan. 22. That concluded 66 days of grazing our stockpiled fescue and red clover. We were running 104 head of yearling heifers and a pair of lead cows. Overall the program went very smooth with no heavy snow and moderate temperatures for easy water supplies. That winter graze yielded 76 animal units per acre, an impressive amount considering the dry fall we experienced. We did observe the heifers showing some reluctance to consume the very driest fescue leaves, a scenario we usually dont experience.

I am happy with the condition of all the paddocks we grazed, even though there were a few days that resulted in a little pugging from either light rain or melting snow. The condition of our new south 20 paddocks remains undetermined since we were attempting to graze the heavy red clover stand to allow the grass seedlings a head start next spring. We hope that was not overdone. We plan to frost seed fescue and no clover there this month.

Speaking of which, it is frost seeding time. However, I dont think we will be out there with the ATV seeder just yet. We are looking at 10 days of very cold temperatures and as of yet an undetermined amount of snow. I really dont like to place frost seeding in very much snow, since runoff and or pooling can cause losses. A little snow is welcome to help application accuracy. We have several different recipes for different paddocks to try and improve each according to their needs. Most will still receive the common 3 to 4 pounds of red clover per acre.

For those of you who have been traditional and continuous graziers and are thinking about making the change to rotational grazing, you might want to check out the online zoom series entitled Regenerative Grazing Fundamentals that was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Feb. 11 and continues Feb. 18 and 25. You would need to register at: https://thelandconnection.org/event/grazing-series.

Dont be scared off by the term regenerative grazing. Those of us who have been at it for a while, that is, Adaptive Management Intensive Rotational Grazing, didnt coin that term. That new term is what happens when too many soil scientists and desk jockeys get interested in the practices. Also, it sure is a lot harder to say regenerative than rotational.

Jane and I felt good to receive our first COVID vaccine at the local Hy-Vee store on Jan. 27. That was a whole week ahead of when the local bureaucracy, the health department, finally announced a method to schedule free market at work. Stay safe and sane and take in a virtual grazing event.

Original post:
From the Barns: From the ground up AgriNews - Agri News

SPRING opened her locked wardrobe this month with the arrival of La Feile Brid.

Many seem to think that March 1is the official start of spring but Im sticking with the long-established Irish feast day.

A cocks foot, the measure of daylight gained each passing day (since the winter solstice), is not a generous measure, but by now it has added a glorious thirty-five minutes of illumination to our days.

In as many days again, it will have grown to an hour and a half, sometimes more, during bright sunlit days.

For the past eleven months we have not alone been confined indoors by Covid-19 restrictions, but by darkness, and extremely variable weather conditions.

In fact, since autumn we have been challenged by storms, wind, rain, and of late, periods of frost, snow, and biting cold.

But lucky those who have a garden to tend, for there they found refuge in venturing out occasionally to admire at close quarters the brave blooms that shine in winter.

The sun has slowly and imperceptibly risen that little bit earlier each morning, warming the frozen soil and all it contains.

Soon, the hedgerows will stir into new fresh greenery and life will return beneath their sheltering stony skirts.

There is something new to applaud these opening days, not least the many varieties of crocus.

Coinciding with the snowdrops, crocustommasinianusis showing colour but few realise that it is prolific at self-seeding.

A modest batch can turn into an impressive multiple in a very few years.

Mature gardens where it had perhaps been planted in minuscule numbers in the past, can seem filled now with the narrow, mauve flowers which fling back their segments at every burst of spring sunshine.

The most eager of its clan, they really can grow 'like weeds' - but never become a nuisance.

What you do not see are the seeds which lie hidden at the base of each tube.

These are generally thought to be distributed by ants.

However, the real joy of February and later are the camellias, arch deceivers no less, for they look almost too exotic to succeed outdoors as easily as they do.

Unfortunately, a snowflake, a blade of grass, a blackthorn shoot has more perfume.

No spring garden is complete without at least one early variety and the best (and earliest) include those sold under the species name Sasanqua.

Look for stockists on computers or laptops for they are rare enough on garden outlet sales tables.

This charming variety has graced our garden here for decades and it takes top position for reliability and performance year on year (an illustration of Yuletide has appeared on this page recently).

It blooms in the weeksleading to Christmaswith a willingness that staggers and continues to the end of February and later.

Be assured also that they take kindly to pot culture.

Buy a decent sized, terracotta, or glazed pot for one of these, and fill it with a mixture of lime-free soil from the garden, to which has been added a generous dressing of leaf-mould, commercial potting compost, or pine-needles.

Plant into this mixture as big a camellia as you can afford, bearing in mind that the older you are, the more you need to invest in something that will not take a decade and more to reach a commanding size.

Debbie is a later variety for late March/April, a reliable, free-flowering, vigorous variety which I also rate highly, but if red is not in keeping with your gardens colour scheme, opt for Jury's Yellow (very unusual) White Nun or Lavinia Maggi. I have only one word for all OF these: superb.

See the rest here:
Welcoming the true arrival of spring in the garden - Irish Post

Uber Like Handyman App

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The need for handyman services improved a lot and many of them were searching for a service that to be done quickly.

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Different handyman services applications are there to start a business.

Handyman App For Electricians

Electricians app is required for the users because the traditional method was very difficult to have Electricians immediately for the service. The business idea solution is a handyman app for electricians that the user can book the electricians quickly.

A businessman can start an Electricians app by providing an experienced electrician for the users to solve the problem faced.

Workflow

Uber For Electricians App comes with easy signup. The profile information can be updated.

The listing of electricians problems will be listed and the user can select the service. The electricians provider can assign the work after the user requested the service.

The live tracking will be shown to the user and service provider to locate the service place properly and can track the service providers location.

Handyman App For Doctor Consultation

The lockdown fuels the idea of developing an app for Doctor Consultation. Earlier the doctor consultation applications are there but most of them visit the doctor in person to discuss health issues.

During the lockdown, many of them faced health issues. The direct visit to the hospitals is impossible during the lockdown.

Uber For Doctor Consultation paves the way to guide their patients thoroughly mobile at anywhere anytime. The doctors will work for the patients immediately for emergency cases.

So it is a need for the users to have a doctor consultation app. Business-minded people can start an Uber for Doctors application and provide the users with benefits.

The new way to improve the health care system.

Handyman App For Laundries

Laundry is important for many working, college, and old people because they arent able to wash their clothes on time. Many laundry providers are there but one of the main disadvantages is the time they deliver and the quality of washing the clothes.

On-demand app for laundries solves the solution and provides the users to get the clothes on time with quality of the wash. The user can select the particular laundry provider in the handyman app with the ratings and reviews of the users provided.

Handyman App For House Cleaners

House cleaning is more important in the upcoming years because this lockdown COVID-19 makes us improve our cleanliness. Homeowners are prepared to clean and understand the value of sanitizing the homes.

The homeowners will be in different places and arent able to do the services. This paves the way for the handyman app for house cleaning.

The professional house cleaning workers provide the service for the users. The users can get the service immediately or can schedule the cleaning service.

Businessmen can start a house cleaning app by providing the services to the users. The safety regulations should be properly followed offering services to the users.

These are the various services that can be included in theOn-demand handyman app business model. Many businesses like this can be included to start a business with the Trioangles best handyman services script.

ContactThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or visit thehandyman script website to know more about the features and the pricing details.

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Rise Of On-Demand Handyman Business Model And Its Impact - WhaTech Technology and Markets News

How do you know if your current digs have potential to become your dream home? Its a question familiar to Victoria Sass, who founded her Minneapolis-area design firm Project Refuge Studio with a focus on renovations that keep young families in old homes. We get people who want to know, Should I invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in this house or not? she says. At some point, its not a good investment if what you really want is a different house. Its like a marriage: Is this the one, or are you trying to make it into something itll never be? Here are five signs you should stay right where you are, and renovate the house to make it suit your needs.

Whether its the home, neighborhood, school system or other local ties, a deep emotional connection to the property is worth listening to. Thats a really good reason to take the time to change your space to make it suit your needs, says Laura Fenton, author of The Little Book of Living Small. For those clients, we suggest renovation to increase square footage and fit their lifestyle, adds designer Juliana Oliveira, the principal of Dallas firm Beyond Interior Design.

Spending money on a property youre already invested in offers more potential to create additional value. With a renovation, you get a lot more bang for your buck in terms of finishes, says Oliveira. There may be some reconstruction costs, but more of your money will go to details that create a lasting impact. A 2019 study by the National Association of Realtors Research Group estimated that a homeowner could expect to recover between 50 and 60 percent of the cost of most renovation projects in the value of the homea $75,000 boost in value on a $150,000 renovation of a new owners suite, for example. (The biggest impact? Replacing or refinishing wood flooring, which saw a return of 100 to 106 percent.) That said, where you renovate matters if youve got resale in mind: Less than 1 percent of real estate professionals said that a new owners suite helped close a sale, while 20 percent reported that a kitchen upgrade sealed the deal for new buyers.

Old homes often come with quirks and charm that cant be replicated by a new build, even with antiqued or upcycled finishes. Whether its a wonky window or the fact that there are no right angles anywhere, if a homes imperfectionsor at least some of thembring you joy, you should stay.

If youre looking to start fresh due to a temporary dissatisfaction with a home you otherwise love, its probably worth making small adjustments and weathering the storm. A friend of Fentons nearly moved out of a beloved Brooklyn two-bedroom because their teens no longer wanted to share a room. I said, Wait a second. Your daughters going to be moving out in four yearsdo you really want to give up this apartment and neighborhood you love for a relatively short season of life? she recalls. They decided to do a light renovation, and theyre so happy they invested in the home they already have rather than look for a bigger one.

In many parts of the country, build-ready lots are in short supply. As developers struggle to keep up with demand, it drives up land prices and makes it difficult for families to move up to a bigger, newly constructed home, says Clark. If this is the case in your area, a major renovation may be a more cost-effective solution.

Living long-term on a construction site is far from ideal. And even if you think you want to tough it out amid the dust and the noise, designers suggest having a plan B just in case. Clients who think that they can live in the home during a renovation and dont have a backup plan on where they could temporarily stay is a red flag for me, says Oliveira. (Contractors dont like interrupting your life any more than you like having them in their spaceand if theyre tiptoeing around you and your family, youre going to pay for it, adds Irving. If they have to come in, set up and then pack up day after day, its a lot less efficient for everyone, and it may be worth the cost of getting out of your house for a bit.)

No matter how closely you hew to your budget, the costs of a renovation can be staggeringespecially if youve encountered one of those aforementioned unpleasant surprises along the way. Sass says budget fatigue often sets in as the project is winding down. People will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars restructuring a space and doing engineering modifications, she says. But then they go really cheap on something like the knobs on their cabinets. That fixture might feel like a big splurge [after a costly renovation], but in the grand scope of the whole project, that's the piece that you're going to see and pass on to the next generation. Don't skimp on that at the end of the day just because you're tired of spending money.

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The Abilene City Commission will consider accepting bids projected at $445,000 to remodel the second floor of the city building to house the Abilene Police Department.

However, just when that remodel will occur was undecided.

At the next meeting Feb. 22 commissioners will only decide if they want to accept bids.

A feasibility study was presented at Mondays study session.

I think at the stage that we are at now, my understanding is that it is just a feasibility study looking at some options that are available and what it would look like, said Mayor Brandon Rein. Obviously, the next step would be to take it out to bid to see what the exact numbers would come in at.

He said other recent bids have come in below the projected costs in feasibility studies.

I dont think it harms us to move forward to see a closer look at what an actual cost would be, he said.

However, Commissioners Chris Ostermann and Dee Marshall said the timing wasnt right.

Making a decision like this before the actual new city manager, I am hesitant about that only because you yourself (City Manager Jane Foltz) didnt want to fill the fire chief position unless the new city manager was involved, Ostermann said. So, in this process, are we doing this before we make a selection? They wont have any input. That is something I have been thinking about. Maybe they (new manager) would want to do something else.

My thought is, this is a lot of money to be spending right now during COVID and not know for sure what is happening to us, said Commissioner Dee Marshall. I think that is something that should wait a while.

Marcus (Rothchild) will be giving you the 2020 financial review and I think you will be very surprised how well the city is doing, Foltz said.

That could be but I still think we need to tread slowly, Marshall said. I just dont think this is anything we should be considering at this time even though it is a project I think we should do at some point. I just dont think it is feasible right now.

Financial Director Marcus Rothchild said the money will come out of the capital improvement fund which was set aside a few years ago. He said the funds had been collected when the city was considering a new building.

The voters rejected the replacement of the building, he said.

Since we are in an historic building, they would like to see us stay there, he said. But, at the time, money was being set aside each year.

He said the 2020 budget ended with $352,000 in the capital improvement fund. He said the budget includes $350,000 for the capital improvement project.

Marshall said she was concerned about putting all the money to the renovation, leaving little or no reserve.

However, Foltz said tax credits of 25 percent of the project could be available.

It is a great opportunity for us to get some of the cost of this remodel back, Foltz said. Weve already heard from the state historical society, I hear you are remodeling the city building. I said not until we get commission approval. We are just bringing it to the table.

Rothchild said the tax credit could be close to $100,000.

Commissioner Trevor Witt said both Chief Anna Hatter and Assistant Chief Jason Wilkins were involved in the design and that it was important for the users to be involved in the design.

They are the ones going to be using it, he said. It will also help us with employee retainment too, if they have a good space to work in and it is functional and safe.

Architect Bruce McMillan said a key element of the design is bullet resistant glass and bulletproof walls.

This is one area that I would emphasize very strongly and that is the protection of your officers and not having a situation where they are vulnerable, McMillan said. This is a major concern.

Police would take over the second floor and planning and zoning would go to offices on the first floor where the police department is now, Foltz said.

The police department doesnt see people one-on-one much anymore, Foltz said. We have many more opportunities to meet with the public in planning and zoning then we do with the police department.

Current Abilene Police Department facilities on the first floor of Abilene City Hall do not meet the needs of the department, according to the report.

Architect Garric Baker outlined the renovation project.

Space was identified on the second floor of the building that could be remodeled to provide more space and improve the efficiency of APD operations.

The project timeline was estimated to begin late Spring 2021 and conclude in late 2021.

The police department currently resides on the first floor in City Hall, a portion of the fire department area, and it has utilized available space by expanding into the unused auditorium as well.

However, the needs of the department moving forward will see new technology, a need for expanded space, allocated office space, dedicated workstations, an interview room, as well as a functional layout specific to the Department.

Therefore, the Department anticipates moving to the second floor where an open layout can accommodate the needs more suitably than the existing configuration.

The proposed project on the second floor would see the existing landing at the current courtroom receive updates to include finishes, a window for visual security access for the receptionists and new furnishings.

Upgrades within the reception area would entail new finishes, a security door, and bullet-resistant counter and transaction windows. New finishes, modified desks, and storage layouts are provided for the service

center to conduct business in a safe manner.

In the north wing of the second floor, the chief and assistant chief of police would be outfitted with private

offices with direct access to the bullpen, allowing for improved communication with officers. The bullpen would include four workstations, radio docking station, filing and storage space, mailboxes, and a dedicated evidence work area.

Additionally, this space would include a reporting desk where on-duty officers may sit and write their daily reports at the end of their shifts. The patrol sergeant would have a private office. Two investigators would work in a joint office in the northeast corner of the existing space. An interview room located nearest the rear exit and exit staircase would be dedicated for confidential informants, suspects, or individuals being interviewed so they could be escorted into the building, up the stairs, and directly into the interview room in a discreet manner.

Proposed improvements to the existing courtroom include removal of flooring, finishes, court furniture and equipment.

New proposed finishes include installation of an armory, breakroom furnishings with coffee bar, refrigerator, and tables and chairs. Additionally, the space could be arranged in a classroom style layout for training sessions.

Foltz mentioned in her report that City Clerk Penny Soukup said the deadline for filing for the city commission is June 1.

Three commissioners, Tim Shafer, Ostermann and Witt, will be up for election next fall.

Witt was appointed to fill the vacated seat on the Abilene City Commission in 2018.

Voters will elect three commissioners, two to serve four-year terms and eventually be mayor, and one to serve a two-year term.

If necessary, a primary will be held on August 2 with the general election on Nov. 2.

Excerpt from:
Police department renovation on the table | News | abilene-rc.com - Abilene Recorder Chronicle