Rural Living
Related Photos
Persimmon trees loaded with fruit
As the weather gets cooler and cooler deer hunters should have something to cheer — a whopper of a persimmon crop.
Persimmon trees across East Texas have been loaded with persimmons this year, which could be a boon to the local wildlife population, according to Cherokee County AgriLife Extension Agent Rene McCracken.
“Deer and the goats love them (persimmons,)” Mrs. McCracken said of the East Texas fruit. “And if you wait until they’re good and ripe, most people would love them if they tried them.”
The most likely reason for the bumper crop, according to Mrs. McCracken, has to do with the weather.
“Right when the trees started putting on persimmons we had some good rain,” Mrs. McCracken explained. “Then as it got dry other things quit growing, and when the rains came back the persimmons had no competition.”
As far as livestock goes, Mrs. McCracken said there isn’t much to worry about with persimmons, unlike oak trees and acorns, persimmons do not contain tannic acid and pose no threat to cattle.
On the other hand, acorns can be lethal when eaten by cattle due to the tannic acid, and this year’s acorn crop could be plentiful.
“The easiest way to keep your cows healthy is to not have them in the pasture (with acorns,)” Mrs. McCracken said. “I would suggest fencing them off away from pastures with acorns.”
To help keep the cattle from gravitating toward the acorns, Mrs. McCracken said producers should give them adequate feed and hay.
“If all a cow has to eat is acorns, then that is what they are going to eat,” Mrs. McCracken said. “By the time you notice damage from acorns its already too late.”
The tannic acid from acorns and from green oak leaves can damage liver and kidney function. Some cows, though, even if they are well fed develop a taste for acorns and can’t be kept from them.
“It’s kind of like crack for cows,” Mrs. McCracken said. “It turns them into a walking bag of bones, but you can’t keep them from it.”
As for goats, they tend to thrive off acorns.
“Acorns actually helps with goats,” Mrs. McCracken said. “The tannic acid will actually work as a wormer.”
For now, though, keep cattle well fed and away from danger.
- Rural Living
-
-
Migrating birds find warm welcome in Texas
ANAHUAC — Driving through Chambers County, , mere miles from the Gulf of Mexico, rice fields are green and birds are swooping through the air while rain showers build and dissipate on the horizon. This tranquil coastal scene is a sharp contrast to what some coastal counties in the United States are facing now that oil from the Deepwater Horizon well has reached their shorelines, their wildlife and habitat.
-
Birth of America's Breadbasket
Most of the 33 million schoolchildren in this country today have never set foot on a farm. In fact, only two of every 100 Americans now live on a farm, and less than 1 percent of the 300 million people in our country claim farming as their occupation.
-
Keep a family dairy cow and enjoy milk, cream, cheese and more
A dairy cow provides lots of practical benefits. Perhaps the most notable is that cows eating a grass-based diet can provide great-tasting dairy products that are more nutritious and flavorful than those you can buy in most grocery stores. Raising a family dairy cow is a fun experience, plus it’s a great step toward self-sufficiency and food security. Surplus dairy products from the cow and meat from calves could even bring in extra income for your family. Keeping a homestead dairy cow is a big commitment though, so you’ll want to prepare carefully.
-
Texas-Style Tiny
As the owner of Discovery Architectural Antiques in Gonzales, Brad Kittel hated seeing piles of excess building materials go to waste. When he started putting them to use creating one-of-a-kind tiny dwellings, Tiny Texas Houses was born.
-
A pickling frenzy
Ask a hundred people what their favorite pickle recipe is and they will probably give a hundred different answers.
-
Cherokee County AgriLife Extension hosting block party
The Cherokee County AgriLife Extension Agency wants to build a stronger community by helping build stronger families – starting with yours.
-
Bee List: Tips for June
It appears that the Tallow flow has already begun. You need to make sure that your bees have enough room too store the nectar. Back in the 70's and 80's we used to pile on the supers and come back a couple of weeks later to make sure they still had enough room.
-
Pest-Free Naturally
In many climates, warm weather brings bugs. While a few ants, fleas or silverfish can be a nuisance, an invasion may tempt you to reach for the bug spray. Don’t do it! This heavyhanded approach can unleash toxic compounds that put your family’s health at risk.
-
Beekeeping the chemical free way
It’s been more than 40 years since Dennis Brown first started working with bees after he saw a demonstration hive at a store in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
-
Bee adventures
Armed with my book, “First Lessons in Beekeeping,” a veil, a hive tool and a hive of bees, Christina and I began our quest to raise some backyard bees.
- More Rural Living Headlines
-
