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4 Ag Families-Fall WHATS INSIDE Turning the table 8 A look at how Thanksgiving dinner gets from farm to plate The other side of ag 12 Farmers wives chime in about living the ag lifestyle Plump prospects 20 Couple supplements income raising pumpkins Wings of wonder 22 Retired school teacher finds new passion in raising monarch butterflies Back to the future 26 Veterinarian his father manage backgrounding operation on family farm Other stories 4-H programs for fall 10 New ag careers to consider 11 Rural reminiscence 28 About us Ag Families is a quarterly magazine serving those whose livelihood grows from the ground up in the southern Pennyrile. Inside youll find new and useful agricultural information ideas for cultivating great things on your farm and a host of other fun activities for everyone in your family. Ag Families also seeks to educate readers about the role agriculture plays in the local economy. Executive Editor Eli Pace Editor Zirconia Alleyne Advertising Manager Ted Jatczak Contributing Writers Susan Hurt Tony Hurt Mayra Diaz-Ballard Toni W. Riley Olivia Clark Diane Turner Rhonda Werner Rae Wagoner Janie Corley and P.D. Dickinson. To advertise in Ag Families contact Ted Jatczak at 270-887-3278 or email him at tjatczakkentuckynewera.com 1618 East Ninth Street Hopkinsville KY 42240 270-887-3235 Correction An article on page 22 of the April 2015 issue of Ag Families should have said that Kathy Hacock was the chief operations officer of Christian County Public Schools. Find us online AgFamilies FamiliesMagazine www.agfamilies.com EDITORSNOTE I For the first time ever Im embracing the fall but most of all Im enjoying how creative people are getting with this pumpkin spice obsession. There are pumpkin spice cookies cupcakes cheesecake and even pumpkin spice dessert pizza. I dont even like pumpkin but Im a little curious about sampling the latter. With all this pumpkin spice wafting around Im looking for- ward to whipping up Thanksgiving dinner. Ive always loved to cook but I vividly remember the first year I told my family to leave the turkey to me. I was going to do every- thing except go out and hunt the big bird myself. Boy was I in for a rude awakening. I quickly found out that clean- ing the turkey was a more grue- some task than I had expected. I also discovered exactly what makes that creamy flavorful giblet gravy I slather on top of everything. I wont ruin it for you but I didnt eat giblet gravy after I made it that year. Theres something about knowing where your food comes from that either amps your apprecia- tion for it or makes you gag. In recent years consumers have become more interested in who grows their food and where its coming from but in the same vein many people still think their food comes from Wal-Mart or Old McDonalds and not the one on the farm. On page 8 take a closer look at the plate and join us as we explore how Thanksgiving dinner gets from the farm to the table. As Ag Families Im sure you know exactly how your food is grown but I challenge you to pass on this infor- mation to families who have no connection to farming. Im sure they will be a little more thank- ful when they sit down for dinner this year. Leading up to the big feast there are fall festi- vals from here to Nashville and pumpkin patches everywhere in between. On page 20 learn about the Gripshovers who made their dream of own- ing a farm come true after moving to Logan County. To pay for it the couple started a thriving pumpkin operation. A new adventure to explore with your family is the Bale Trail. The route of creatively decorated hay bales spans across Todd County and each sculpture makes a fun fall photo backdrop for the kiddos. Stop in Trenton and count how many min- ions you can spot on South Main Street. Then go find life-size Nemo Angry Birds Mike from Mon- sters Inc. and more all made of hay along the way. Visit httpexploretoddcounty.combale-trail to print off the list of stops and hop in the car with your family. Its the perfect day trip to keep the youngins occupied while the turkey finishes in the oven or in the deep fryer if you ask me. Best Wishes Zirconia Alleyne Editor ZirconiaAlleyne We should all be thankful for farmers BY SUSAN HURT Fall is my favorite season the one I look forward to all year as we make the transition from summer to winter. I love everything about it the golden hues the wonderful smells the decorations and the cool evenings perfect for a bonfire with family or hayride with friends. With the days getting shorter and the temperatures getting colder it reminds us that winter is right around the corner. Dr. Todd Freeman a local veterinarian shares the follow- ing tips for keeping your pets snug safe and warm this fall and winter. A physical exam is im- portant to identify any physi- cal problems that may make winter hard on your pets. Keep your pets inside as much as possible and if they do go outside stay with them. When you are too cold to be outside they probably are too. Some breeds are more susceptible to colder weather than others. Medical condi- tions like diabetes and heart disease can affect the pets ability to regulate their body temperature. Cats search for warm places like a car engine. Be sure to check carefully before starting your car. If you use fireplaces or space heaters in your homes keep in mind your pet likes heat too. Burns can occur from close contact with flames heating coils and hot surfaces. Be prepared cold tem- peratures bring severe winter weather and power outages can occur. Prepare a disaster and emergency kit and in- clude your pet in your plans. Have enough food water and any medications your pet may be taking to last you a minimum of five days. Prepare outside shel- ters for outdoor pets. Keep adequate bedding solid shel- ter against wind and plenty of fresh unfrozen water. Continue heartworm prevention and flea control through the winter. A warm day in the middle of January can bring mosquitoes out or if its warm in your house they can camp out there. Monitor your pets food intake during the winter and make sure they get adequate exercise in order to avoid ex- cessive weight gain. ToddsTips10waystokeeppetssafethisfall