This week promises to be the best one of the summer thus far, with several sequential days of sunshine and warmth, and Cariboo farmers are out hustling through their fields, knocking down everything in sight.
Travelling to 100 Mile House on Tuesday, I spied about six different outfits cutting crops on roadside fields and meadows and, although the crops looked lush, the cut-able area on some of those operations appeared to be considerably less (because of standing water still in the meadows); a direct result of the cool, wet summer weather.
The highway traffic was heavy; holiday travellers seem to be roaming the province in numbers. Not many ranchers are on holidays, but they may be having company and should be mindful of where their guests have come from, particularly those from out-of-country.
Human beings can carry infectious animal diseases and those who have had contact with farmed animals abroad need to be particularly careful.
They need to disinfect all footwear and launder all clothing (wash/dry) at high-temperatures, simple precautions that may prevent a foreign animal disease (FAD) outbreak.
Last but not least. Got weeds? Have the rains left you with a bumper crop that your cows won’t eat? Do you want them to learn to eat weeds?
Well, apparently, educated cows eat weeds.
They can learn, but since you can’t take cows to school, you’ll have to attend, then pass on what you find out! On Aug. 16, the CRD and Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Invasive Plant Committee are hosting a day-long seminar: Teach Your Cows to Eat Weeds.
It takes place at the Pioneer Complex, 5351 Hodgson Rd, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (lunch provided). It is a no-cost seminar, but you must pre-register as space is limited.
To obtain more information visit www.cccic.ca or call: 250-392-3351 (CRD-Emily Sonntag) or 250-392-1400 (CCCIPC-Trisha McKinney).
Liz Twan is a local rancher and freelance columnist for the Tribune.