MyHoofPrints

5th skunk confirmed positive for rabies; rabies "map" now available online

All Larimer County residents are urgently advised to keep their pets, horses and livestock vaccinated and up-to-date, and to avoid skunks that are out in daylight or are behaving strangely.

-- Larimer County

via larimer.org

OK, now we're getting cose to home, just one street over. Remember, a rabid skunk can infect your horse or other livestock. Thank goodness horses now get the rabies vaccine. If your animals are not up to date on their rabies vaccination, call your vet now. (Click on the Larimer.org link above for the full story.)

Earlier coverage: More rabid skunks discovered

Public hearing: 'Next door' becoming part of the city

FORT COLLINS, Colorado -- Who would have thought more than 20 years ago when we came here, that the city would ever come to us? 

The city's Planning and Zoning Board will conduct a public hearing regarding the annexation of the trailer park property on our stable's east border, approximately 1/4 mile east of N. Shields St. on the Poudre River, at 6 p.m.Thursday, City Hall, 300 LaPorte Ave., Fort Collins. 

Developer Gino Campana bought the trailer park property last year with plans to build new homes on the 17.3 acre site, each priced at approximately $450,000. Trailer park residents moved out last month.

Meanwhile, the Fort Collins-Larimer County $5-million project to widen Shields Street and replace the Poudre River bridge on our west border continues. We have a mystery on our hands, as a hand-written document created more than 100 years ago, 1896 to be exact, calls into question who owns extra footage for the widening -- residents or the county?

Read the city's public hearing announcement containing annexation details and a map.

Read also:

No conflict of interest for developer Gino Campana

Fort Collins losing MH home sites to redevelopment

Open letter from Occupy activists: Farmland is for farming

"As you read this letter, East Bay families and farmers continue to seed, weed and water at Occupy The Farm. Public events over this weekend have included workshops by members of the community and the opening of the “Ladybug Patch” children’s area ... In 1997, the UC walked away from the table during the final stages of deliberating a proposal for the Gill Tract drafted by a coalition of UC professors, residents, and more than 30 local non-profits known as the Bay Area Coalition for Urban Agriculture (BACUA). - Occupy activists

via albany.patch.com

What remains unclear here is whether Occupy the Farm expects free squatter's rights for the Gill Tract agricultural land the group has "occupied", or whether "the public" plans to pay for its urban farm. The UC system had planned to develop the property to include, among other things, a Whole Foods store. From the UC and local government (property tax assessor) point of view, development would bring in more revenue. What is more valuabe? Preservation of agricultural and ranching land, or revenue from development? (Click on the albany.patch.com link above for the full story.)

Updating ag land use policy before it's too late

"The general public is agreeing that agricultural land, particularly fertile land with access to water, is important to preserve."- Chrsitopher Kailing

via www.goodfoodworld.com

Property owners need incentives to preserve agricultural or open lands. Otherwise, the high cost of property taxes makes maintaining pretty scenery, lower-density uses, or a place for food to grow an unaffordable proposition. (Click on the goodfoodworld.com link for the full story.)

Read also: Agriculture survey reveals common concerns

Fed child farm rules abandoned

“The withdrawl of the proposed rule is another huge win for Colorado agriculture. Farm Bureau members across Colorado have sent a clear message to Washington: Stay away from our kids. We can all now sleep a little better knowing that our advocacy efforts have helped to save our industry and our rural way of life.” - Don Shawcroft, CFB President

via coloradofarmbureau.com

Hooray for the Colorado Farm Bureau (where I get my insurance)! Hooray for the American Horse Council for taking a stance! Hooray for Investors Business Daily, which took a stance! Hooray for everybody who took the time to comment on this important issue! (Click on the coloradofarmbureau.com link for the full story.)

Agriculture survey reveals common concerns

Declining farm and ranchland, increasing difficulty finding housing affordable for agrarian incomes, issues around regulations, farm interns and costs as well as access to land were common concerns ..

via halfmoonbay.patch.com

I would venture to say that the farmers and ranchers in the Half Moon Bay area of California are not the only ones with these concerns. One of the reasons hay prices continue to climb is that hay fields are fast disappearing. (Click on the halfmoonbay.patch.com link for the full story.)

Invasion of family farm and a ban on its character-building traditions

What farming also isn't is a domain of private life that the federal government can take over.

via news.investors.com

True. (Click on the news.investors.com link for the full story.) We wrote earlier about the "tweaks" to children working on the farm. When I queried my Congressmen last year, one answered back, basically saying this is a done deal. The public had its chance to comment. Perhaps he was wrong. You can find out what your Congress-persons are up to, and e-mail them by going to congress.org.

Read also:

American Horse Council opposes new child farm-labor rules

Kids 15 & under could be banned from 4H, livestock projects

Raccoon woes: A shocking experience

We found this raccoon stuck in the hot wire at 6 a.m. this morning, and had to turn off the charger so he could get out. He appeared to be tired, but survived the ordeal of repeated shocks. Why he decided to climb the fence, we can only guess.

See more wildlife photos from our stable. 

Subdivision proposal spotlights debate over prime agricultural land

"We're trying to talk about maintaining a resource that has potential as time goes by to provide income and food .."-- Fred Stewart, Target Range Resident

via www.nbcmontana.com

These landowners are trapped: They cannot afford to farm the property, nor can they develop it because their local government wants the farmland and irrigation. (Click on the NBC Montana link above for the full story.)

Scary snowpack could hurt farming, grazing

“We’ll take anything we can get at this point.” - Mike Hungenberg, farmer

via www.greeleytribune.com

While there is enough stored water for this year, the supply of new water has dried up. Next year, the situation could be grim for Colorado Front Range farmers and ranchers who depend on irrigation. Know a song about rain? Now would be a good time to sing it.

(Click on the Greeley Tribune link above for the full story.)