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THE PERKINS JOURNAL, Thursday, April 21, 2016. A3
Hooten chosen as Oklahoma FFA Intern
The Oklahoma FFA
Foundation recently
announced the partici-
pants in the Foundation's
2016 Leadership Intern
Program. Hailea Hooten
of the Perkins-Tryon FF
A was selected for the pro-
gram. Kendall Brashears,
Executive Director of the
FF A Foundation made
the official announcement
this week,
The intern program is
designed to provide high
school FF A members with
the unique opportunity
to observe firsthand the
development and man-
agement techniques used
to construct and facilitate in setup of the Foundation
the Oklahoma FF A Con- and Alumni booths, have
vention experience, one on one sessions with ....
Participants develop various state staff and By Charles Wall
a profile of their FF A
leadership program in
an application form and
those applications are
then judged by a statewide
panel from the Founda-
tion Board of DireCtors.
Four high school juniors
are selected from FF A
Chapters across the state.
The two boys and two girls
report to the Cox Conven-
tion Center in Oklahoma
City on Monday April 25th
for their three day experi-
ence. Students will assist
other convention profes-
sionals, assist with various
banquets and leadership
sessions, escort VIP guests
to various functions, and
much more.
Students will have time
in their schedules to attend
leadership workshops,
attend various banquets,
and spend time with their
home chapters during eve-
ning events. Interns will be
Foundation guests and will
receive complimentary
accommodations at the
Renaissance Hotel and will
also receive a stipend for
meal functions not covered
during the Convention.
Other Oklahoma FF A
Foundation Leadership
Intern participants include
Dawson Haworth of
the Fairview FFA, Brey-
den Codding of the Guthrie
FFA, and Bayli Hyde of
the Burlington FFA.
PERKINS
MARYCARE
Stillwater Medical Center
In the spring of the year
we think about things that
we can grow, whether it is
in the flower bed, garden
or field. I remember some
of the methods we used to
practice on the farm.
I had another remem-
brance about the control
of Johnson grass. In a
permanent cow pasture, it
can be eliminated because
the cattle kill it out. It is so
palatable that when cattle
have continuous access
to it, they keep it eaten
down to the ground, and
it doesn't have a chance
to recouperate. Its roots
die. But you can't turn
the cows into the cotton or
corn fields or the garden.
They will eat and trample
the desired plants.
I have seen that domestic
geese will eat the unwanted
grass in a strawberry patch.
Cultivating and hoeing
were not only used to con-
trol Johnson grass but also
to control crab grass and
broad leaf weeds. Back
in the 20's and 30's when
cotton was king, even ber-
muda grass was considered
an invader.
yler Candles now at
Perkins Drug
$
Experience The Difference
Crops like cotton and
corn were planted in rows
so that the space between
the rows could be culti-
vated. Vegetable gardens
still use rows for many
varieties of veggies.
The blades that tilled
the soil an horse-drawn
cultivators were called
shovels, but the blades on
tractor cultivators were
sweeps. Sweeps had a
wing on each side. They
were six or seven inches
wide. Sweeps were good
for Johnson grass because
they went through the soil
and cut the roots.
There was a downside to
sweeps that was observed
and discussed. On the
third and last cultivation
the sweeps might get too
close to the corn roots
and injure them. Espe-
cially if the weather was
droughty and the roots
didn't recover quickly.
Our neighbor Palmer
Sadler expressed a concern
about this. There were two
remedies.
One was to adjust the
sweep shanks so they
would be farther away
from the row. Another was
to use a half-sweep on each
side of the row. The wing
next to the row would be
cut off so there wouldn't q
be so much aggressive
action against the corn
roots.
Cultivation of corn is
not necessary with recent
technology, so the corn
roots can grow in peace
and not in pieces.
Also, the soil is in health-
ier condition when not
cultivated. The earth-
worms and beneficial soil
organisms can do their
work undisturbed.
No matter what method
of weed control was used,
the idea was that the corn
plant, with its rapid rate of
growth, could get ahead
of the weeds and go on to
make big ears of corn.
The roasting ears would
be ready for the Fourth of
July, then there would be
some nice ears to show at
the county fair in August.
There are a variety of
methods available for
farming and gardening,
and we are thankful that
we have the freedom to
make choices among these
methods. Each farmer
can pick and choose the
methods that fit his or her
situation and experience.
We do not wish to lose
that right to farm.
Live Musicians • Great Gospel Music • Everyone Welcome
in Concert
Saturday, April 23, 2016 • 7 p.m.
(Doors open 6:30 p.m.)
Free Admission
Church of Perkins
121 E Stumbo Ave • Perkins
Live Musicians • Great Gospel Music • Everyone Welcome
..................... !! ! ....... *_ .......
