Master Gardener Class registration continues
The University of Tennessee Agriculture Extension Service Master Gardener Course will be held in McMinnville this winter starting Jan. 11.
The classes will be held on Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. at the Warren County Administrative office building on Locust street. The Master Gardener Course is an intensive educational program that offers 36 hours of instruction in many gardening and landscaping topics. Master Gardeners receive instruction in botany, soils, landscaping, flowers, vegetable gardening, lawn care and establishment, tree and small fruit production, and insect and disease problems and controls for the home garden and landscape. Master Gardeners also receive their personal copy of the TN Master Gardener Handbook. The cost of the course is $70.00 dollars and includes refreshments and your personal copy of the TN MASTER GARDENER HANDBOOK. Couples are welcome and this will be a good opportunity to meet others in our community who are interested in gardening and landscaping.
If you?d like a registration form or more information give me a call here at the Extension office (473-8484)
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Keeping Christmas Trees Fresh
If you are one of these folks that just have to have a fresh or natural Christmas tree for the holiday season start with a fresh tree. If the needles snap or are easily crushed, they are too dry. Fresh needles should bend and not break.
A second test is to lift the tree a few inches and drop it on its stump. Outer needles should not drop off. Look for another tree if an abundance of needles are shed. Interior needle drop is natural, some will fall. These should be shaken off before you take the tree in the house.
When you get your tree home, make a fresh cut, roughly an inch, from the stump and place immediately in water. Keep the tree cool and shaded until you are ready to take it indoors.
Once inside, keep the tree watered. Your stand should always contain plenty of clean, fresh water. Water works as well as any additive in keeping your tree fresh.
Research at North Carolina State University showed that adding bleach and aspirin, a couple of home remedies, actually caused needle loss from fraser fir. Give me a call here at the Extension office for more information.
Feeder Sale Report
Almost 1,800 head of cattle went through the ring last Wednesday night during the feeder calf sale here in McMinnville. Feeder cattle have recovered some from the previous week?s low prices and slow markets due to the storms throughout the mid west.
Prices are listed below for #1 and #2 grade black, black baldy and Charolais X steers and heifers.
Med and Lg 1
Steers Heifers
350-400 lbs 122.50-132.50 100.00-106.00
400-450 lbs 119.00-127.00 101.00-104.00
450-500 lbs 109.50-118.25 94.00-95.25
500-550 lbs 102.00-106.50 92.25-93.00
550-600 lbs 97.50-103.75 91.00-92.60
600-700 lbs 96.25-98.00 88.50-90.00
700-800 lbs 94.50-96.75 87.00-89.50
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Med and Lg 2
Steers Heifers
300-350 lbs ————- 95.00-103.00
350-400 lbs 120.00-126.50 94.00-101.50
400-450 lbs 119.75-125.75 92.00-94.50
450-500 lbs 110.00-116.00 95.50-97.00
500-600 lbs 100.50-107.20 86.25-91.50
600-700 lbs 93.00-96.25 86.00-87.00
700-800 lbs 87.50-93.00 —————–