November 2003

Back Issues: September '98, October '98, November '98, December '98, January '99,
February '99, March '99, April '99, May '99, June '99, July '99, August '99, September '99,
October '99, November '99, December '99, January '00, February '00, April '00, May '00,
July '00, August '00, September '00, October '00, November '00, December '00,
January '01, February '01, March '01, April '01, May '01, June '01, July '01,
September'01, October '01, November '01, December '01, January '02, February '02(NA),
March '02, April '02, May '02, June '02, July '02, August '02, September '02, October '02,
November '02, December '02, January '03, March '03, April '03, May '03(NA), June '03(NA),
July '03, August '03, September '03, October '03

Referendum Vote Scheduled For WA Wheat Growers & Landowners By Eric Zakarison, Washington Wheat Commission Proposed March 2004 vote would determine assessment rate increase, ratify technical corrections. In the wake of mounting export competition and dwindling support for research, Washington wheat growers and landowners may be asked to vote in March 2004 to consider raising the assessment rate paid on wheat produced in the state to finance a more aggressive self-help program. The proposed rule making was presented October 22,2003 by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. In addition to considering an assessment increase, Washington wheat growers and landowners would be asked to ratify technical corrections to the state's wheat marketing order. The changes were unanimously approved by the Washington state legislature this year, but must be ratified by each commodity commission operating in the state. The changes, which include refinements to supervision, governance and operation of the Washington Wheat Commission (WWC), will help wheat growers and landowners to continue funding research and market development programs while avoiding the kinds of legal challenges that brought about the demise of the Washington Apple Commission earlier this year. The grower-led WWC board asked Washington State Department of Agriculture director Valoria Loveland to increase the assessment on wheat grown in Washington from a half-penny per dollar to three-quarters of a penny, collected at the first point of sale. The WWC decided to approach Loveland after an appeal was made to them by wheat grower-leaders. Loveland will determine whether to proceed with the March referendum item on raising the assessment after holding a hearing this December in eastern Washington. "The wheat check-off program is the only means growers and landowners have to directly support market development and research programs, but current funding simply doesn't go far enough to mount a strong response to new export competition and support vital research," said Tom Mick, CEO of the Washington Wheat Commission. Mick said wheat prices are under pressure in the Pacific Northwest due to intense competition in the wheat export market, where five-of-six bushels grown in the state are sold. Importing countries can now buy both soft and hard milling wheat from non-traditional suppliers, such as India, the former Soviet Unions and Eastern Europe, in addition to traditional suppliers like Australia, Canada and the United States. Intense global competition has caused the U.S. share of world wheat exports to shrink from 50 percent just 30 years ago to 22 percent in the past marketing year. Mick also said research funding is dwindling as the state cuts its funding for higher education and research. Last August, Washington State University's agricultural research budget was cut another $1.2 million, with additional cuts to agricultural research possible as the state strives to balance its budget. Mick said it is impossible with current funding levels to stay ahead of grower needs in regard to varietal development, testing wheat quality and researching ways to control disease and pests. He further state that additional support is needed to defend U.S. food aid programs supplying wheat to fight hunger around the world, and to continue advocacy for transportation infrastructure improvements, which are at risk due to activism and neglect. If given the go-ahead by the state director of agriculture, the referendum covering both matters will be conducted by mail in March 2004, with ballots distributed to all growers and landowners who produced and sold wheat in Washington in the last three years. The last time producers and landowners were asked to vote on a wheat referendum was 15 years ago, when 78 percent of those voting approved an assessment increase from a quarter-penny per dollar to a half-penny per dollar of the net selling price. Wheat is the fifth highest grossing agricultural commodity produced in the state. Over the last five years, the average annual value was #358.1 million. The overall economic impact to the state reaches nearly $1.2 billion annually, according to a study completed by Washington State University. The Washington Wheat Commission is offering information to assist growers in making informed decisions in the upcoming referendum vote. Those wanting to learn more should contact the commission at 509/456-2481 or visit www.wawheat.com. You Can Lead Livestock To Water... From Forever Soil & Water, publication of the Nez Perce Soil & Water Conservation District There's no one right structural "fix" for watering livestock. Every situation is different and it takes planning to get the right solution for you. The first step to find out how much water your livestock drink. Water use depends on animal size, reproductive status, and weather. Plan according to the number of animals that you have or anticipate to have. Animal Average Drinking Needs* Beef cow &endash; 12 gallons / day Pig &endash; 8 gallons / day Sheep &endash; 4 gallons / day Horse &endash; 12 gallons / day Llama &endash; 5 gallons / day Goat &endash; 4 gallons / day Location, Location, Location! The location of the watering site determines herding behavior and drinking patterns. Here are some suggested watering locations: In each pasture Animals tend to drink one at a time if water is provided in pastures 10 acres or less in size. A flow rate of 2-6 gallon per minute will keep a 25-30 gallon tank full. Change the tank location along the fence line to allow sod to recover in former watering areas. A trough in each pasture will keep animals and manure on the grass and out of the lanes, Away from feed, minerals and shade Distribute these items through the pasture. This will discourage loitering in one area and disperse grazing. Provide water outside of the barn or livestock may stay in the barn on hot days and not pasture at all. More than 100 feet from open water Animals concentrate manure and mud at watering sites. This can create "hot spots" for erosion and polluted runoff. Leave a healthy buffer between watering sites and watercourses. Less than 500 feet between water sources If water is far away or located outside the pasture, then animals will travel as a herd to the water and drink as a herd. In a herd situation, livestock will graze unevenly, concentrate in the watering area, and "boss" animals may prevent timid animals from drinking. If this situation can't be avoided, be sure to have enough space at the water source for 10 percent of the herd to drink at any time Each drinking animal should have 20 inches of space at a circular tank and 30 inches at a straight tank. Research At OSU Helps Contain The Threat Of Sudden Oak Death By Peg Herring, Oregon State University A team of plant pathologists at Oregon State University is helping officials battle a pathogen that threatens sudden death. The disease, sudden oak death, is not always sudden and does not always cause death. But because it affects far more than just oaks, it could inflict a multi-million dollar wound upon Oregon's nursery industry. Everett Hansen, an OSU plant pathologist, is a world expert on forest Phytophthora, a family of notorious pathogens linked to the Irish potato famine and the die-off of Port Orford cedars. These are cousins of Phytophthora ramorum, the pathogen that causes sudden oak death. Hansen has been part of the investigation of sudden oak death from the moment it was first diagnosed in 2000. Since then, the OSU team has expanded to include Jennifer Parke, a plant pathologist in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences, and Bob Linderman, research plant pathologist for the U.S.D.A. Agriculture Research Service in Corvallis. Working with researchers from the University of California, USDA, the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Forestry, the scientists have found that sudden oak death infects more than just oaks and tanoaks. Less severe signs of the disease have been observed in Douglas fir and redwoods - discoloring needles and small branches. Dozens of plants that define Oregon landscapes can harbor the pathogen, including rhododendron, big leaf maple, madrone, camellia, viburnum, and huckleberry. The OSU team has found hundreds of other plants that are susceptible, native as well as ornamentals. It is the threat to horticultural plants that has prompted new rules for reporting and inspecting nursery stock imported into Oregon. In 2003, sudden oak death was reported for the first time in nurseries in California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. Oregon's nursery industry is one of the state's largest grossing agricultural industries, and second in the nation in the production of woody plants. When Canada briefly closed its doors to Oregon nursery products, the state faced losses of $20 million, according to Dan Hilburn, an Oregon Department of Agriculture spokesman. Trade resumed after survey and eradication procedures were set in place to contain sudden oak death. "The ultimate potential impact for the nursery industry is tied to consumer perceptions," Linderman said. "If consumers are led - or misled - to believe that horticultural plants may harbor the pathogen, they may simply quit buying. Even after a few years of research effort on sudden oak death, the unknowns still outweigh the knowns." In California, where the disease first surfaced in 1995, the pathogen was too widespread to contain or eradicate by the time it was identified. By contrast, in Oregon rapid identification has made it possible to contain the disease and limit new cases, according to Parke. "Oregon has responded with an eradication effort that so far, is keeping the disease in check," said Hansen. "We support the eradication program by providing diagnostic and survey methods including molecular probes for the pathogen." Almost immediately upon discovery of the pathogen in Oregon, the OSU team has focused on methods of diagnosis in order to understand more about this pathogen, how it spreads and how it infects plants. The detective work continues. With the Oregon Department of Forestry monitoring the forests and the Oregon Department of Agriculture scouring nurseries, new infestations can be identified and quickly contained. When something suspicious is uncovered, Hansen's lab extracts a sample for DNA analysis to determine if the sudden oak death pathogen is the culprit. This summer, the OSU team uncovered a new type of the disease in infected nursery plants. Their analysis revealed a second source of infection, not from the forest but from imported nursery stock, probably from Europe. "This European type is more aggressive, causing disease more rapidly than the forest type," said Hansen. In addition, having both types makes genetic mixing possible, which could result in new forms of the pathogen. "Following the diagnosis, the ODA response was rapid and aggressive," said Hansen. "All known infected nursery material has been destroyed." "These investigations are expensive," said ODA's Hilburn, "and they are being conducted with no additional funds from the state." However, the Pacific Northwest congressional delegations, led by the support of U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley, have helped secure federal funding for continued research and diagnostics at OSU that will help protect Oregon's nursery industry. Conifers Need A Lot Of Water After Drought Montana State University News Spruce branches with leaves browning due to drought. Photo by Wes Gibbs, MSU Extension Agent, Judith Basin County. Most Montana conifers are going to need a lot of water this fall after a summer of drought stress, says a Montana State University Extension Service forestry specialist in Missoula. In fact, says Peter Kolb, conifers will tell you they need help by excessive loss of their needles. "Conifers shed their least efficient needles in the fall," says Kolb. "Usually they keep their needles for three to seven years, depending on their health. After a drought year or when infested by insects, they may suddenly drop two- to four-years worth of needles." That's the time to check for insect damage as well as make sure the trees get the water they need. Just how much water a conifer needs may shock some people. "A 10-foot-tall spruce tree may have 128 square feet of leaf area and roots that spread through 1200 cubic feet of soil. A clay-loam soil could hold 628 gallons of water in that space. During the summer, when the relative humidity can drop to 20 percent, that spruce tree can use 20-30 gallons of water a day. The roots can obtain enough water for the tree to function up to 30 days, but that's in a good soil. The soil may only be able to hold enough water for four days if it's mainly sand," says Kolb. To recharge the soil with water, trickle irrigation works best, and the trickle may need to be left near the roots for days, not hours. As you recharge the soil around the tree, the water will be drawn off to the soil surrounding the roots. For best effect, water should be allowed to penetrate 4 feet into the soil. "For a healthy loam, it could take 240 hours of slow watering to recharge the soil, and clay soils require even slower and longer watering." On the other hand, water trickles right through a sandy soil, so 48 hours worth of irrigating may be all the soil can hold at a time. Water will penetrate into most soils very slowly, between an eighth of an inch and a third of an inch per hour for loamy soils. Clay soils absorb water even more slowly and the surface layers can also become over-saturated with water to the point that suffocating the roots is a possibility. So for clay soils, water two days and then wait two days before applying the trickle irrigation again, advises Kolb. Most trees can be watered at any time of year, says Kolb. That's not the case for trees that have been fertilized after the last significant rain or watering, he adds. Where fertilizer has been applied, people should wait until deciduous trees drop their leaves, since watering flushes fertilizer into tree systems and can cause regrowth that doesn't have time to harden before winter. However, in an unfertilized area, conifers can be watered at any time and should be done frequently during drought. In general, trees should only be fertilized in late spring after the last frost risk. If you have taken care of the water needs of your conifer, the next step is to look for evidence of insect feeding. Insect attacks on plants often coincide with drought years. "Trees that are drought stressed stop photosynthesizing during the summer and therefore start to starve. The tree loses is its ability to produce secondary defense chemicals, which makes it an easy target for pests," says Kolb. There are two types of insects to look for: those that actually eat the needles and those that feed on twig and needle sap. Defoliating insects such as sawflies and spruce budworm actually eat the needles. They prefer young soft needles, so needle loss will be on the tip of the branch and leave older needles intact, says Kolb. These pests are active in the spring and early summer and produce visible caterpillars that can be dealt with using insecticides. Sap feeding insects such as aphids, scale insects and mites are more difficult to detect. Of the several species that infect Montana conifers, most are small enough to go unnoticed even with a magnifying glass. They feed by jabbing their syringe like mouths into the plant, sucking out the sugars and depleting the tree of energy. Scale insects are in the crawler stage in early summer when they move to new twigs. There they fasten themselves to the stem, shed their legs and develop a hard reddish-brown covering that looks identical to a newly forming tree bud. They are almost always found on the twig intersections with lateral twigs and can be distinguished from real buds because they are relatively soft and can easily be squished with a fingernail, exuding insect guts rather than the woody green plant tissue. In the fall, they are often dried up shells with eggs underneath that are easily dislodged. Each mature scale can produce thousands of crawlers. Other evidence of feeding by sucking insects are tiny white or yellow pinprick spots on the needles, the result of feeding by mites and aphids, or black sooty mold covering branches. The later is the result of mold colonizing the sugary honeydew that aphids excrete. During the summer ants commonly cover infested trees, eating honeydew and protecting aphids. If insect damage in found, controlling these pests is an important part of restoring vigor to the trees. The best control of conifer needle pests can be gained by treating newly emerging needles in the spring and early summer. Insecticide or oil spraying spaced 2-4 weeks apart when new needles are half and fully developed has proven the most effective. Scale insects are more difficult to treat once they have dropped their legs and formed a protective shell. Whether or not insect damage is found on the tree, poor needle retention is most likely a result of drought. The Wish A mother was telling her little girl what her own childhood was like "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing made from a tire; it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl was wide-eyed, taking this in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd gotten to know you sooner!"

Forces Line-Up For Record High Cattle Prices, Says Economist Montana State University News Cattle prices in Montana and around the U.S. are poised at record-high levels, thanks to several supply and demand factors that have worked to the advantage of cattle producers, says a Montana State University economist. "The worldwide ban on Canadian beef as a result of the BSE outbreak has had a positive impact on U.S. cattle markets," says Kevin McNew. Among the reasons are that Canada has been an important supplier of beef and cattle to the U.S. market representing about five percent of all beef supplies in the United States. So the ban on Canadian beef coming into the United States has helped push beef supplies down. In addition, other countries have turned away from buying Canadian beef and have begun to purchase U.S. beef. As a result, exports of U.S. beef were up nearly 30 percent following the ban on Canadian beef. While the USDA is starting to lift the ban on some Canadian beef entering the U.S., it will likely be next year before we see the Canadian cattle ban lifted completely. Last week, Mexico announced they would allow some Canadian beef into their markets. McNew says that a second factor in current cattle prices is the continued decline in U.S. cattle inventories and beef production. Since peaking in 1996, U.S. cattle and calve numbers have dropped by seven percent as a result of poor economic conditions for beef production in the late 1990s and the extended drought in much of the West in the past few years. Montana has been especially hard hit by drought, which has taken its toll on its cattle inventory&emdash;dropping 13 percent since 1996. On the demand side, McNew says U.S. consumers have returned to beef after a nearly 30-year slide. With a booming economy in the late 1990s, U.S. per-capita beef consumption began to increase for the first time since 1975 when health perceptions led consumers to shift to more poultry consumption. However, even with a weak economy and relatively high prices of beef in the grocery store, consumers are still on the beef bandwagon. The latest data from 2002 shows U.S. per capita beef consumption was up two percent for the year. McNew says cattle prices probably will not stay at record highs for long. "High prices have a way of curing high prices," says McNew. Supplies of beef will continue to increase with current feedlot inventories running seven percent ahead of last year. Also, the sharp increase in cattle prices has been slow to work its way up to the retail sector, but that will likely change. Retailers will be forced to either pass on higher beef prices to consumers or feature more pork or poultry on retail shelves. Finally, Canada will have the ban on its cattle completely removed, but whether it happens in the next month or six months is unclear. When this happens, however, the Canadian beef and cattle will flow quickly into U.S. markets and into markets abroad, which will cut into U.S. exports. All combined, the next three to six months could be a nervous period for cattle producers as the potential for lowers prices seems likely. MSU Researchers Look For Coalbed Methane-Compatible Forages By Suzi Taylor, Montana State University News Services Many people fear the water that is extracted as a byproduct of coalbed methane development, but a Montana State University researcher is searching for crops that thrive in the typically salty environment. On test plots near Bozeman, MSU researcher Jim Bauder and undergraduate intern Allison Levy planted 14 different forage varieties. Bauder, a soils specialist with the MSU Extension Service and Levy, a junior from Goshen, N.Y. who is majoring in land rehabilitation, selected a silty clay loam, a soil type common to eastern Montana, where most coalbed methane extraction takes place. Another MSU student, Amber Kirkpatrick of Canton, Ohio, spent several months finding a nearby cache of the mucky soil, so the 2 million pounds for the research plot could be trucked only 30 miles rather than 300. This summer, the plants were watered with standard irrigation water. Next year, the same plants will receive water that is sodic and salinic, like coalbed methane product water. The research team harvested this year's crop and measured yield, quality and other characteristics. They will record the same measurements next year, after the plants are irrigated with CBM water. Bauder hopes to make recommendations to eastern Montana producers on which forage varieties grow best in areas of CBM development. He said producers near the Powder River and Tongue River are particularly interested in the results, as is the Northern Cheyenne tribe. The test-plot forages were planted in a 15-foot by 35-foot soil-filled "pool" that is lined to prevent water from leaving the site. One angle of the project is researching which forages irrigated with CBM product water will produce good livestock feed. The project is funded by the Montana Department of Commerce in hopes of contributing to Montana's livestock industry. Other funders for the overall project include the Department of Energy and Bureau of Land Management. "We want to use this water," said Bauder. "We want to turn a waste stream into a income stream." Bauder said several related CBM-related studies involve MSU students like Kirkpatrick, who built simulated streambeds to provide an environment for studying the impact of CBM product water on native wetland plants. Bauder has studied saline-sodic water much like coalbed methane water and soils for 20 years, and says his number-one goal is to "stay neutral" by providing research-based information that producers, landowners and energy companies can apply to long-term soil and water conservation. A 51-second MP3 file of Jim Bauder speaking while harvesting hay barleys is available on the web at: http://www.montana.edu/wwwpb/ag/JimBauderEdit51seconds.08002003.mp3 The recording includes some background noise of clipping the barley. This was duplicated, now being 10 seconds of the tape instead of five as it was in the actual taping. Unfortunately, the clip also has some noise distortion. Feds Show Continued Support For Small Fruits Research By Carol Savonen, Oregon State University Small fruits are big business and support many small farms in the Northwest. In 2002, the farmgate value of berries and wine grapes was $109 million in Oregon alone, according to Bernadine Strik, Extension berry crops professor in the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University. "It's crops like blueberries, marionberries and other high-value cane berries and wine grapes that sustain small-acreage family farms," said Strik, berry crops specialist with the OSU Extension Service and faculty member of OSU's Horticulture Department. "Small fruits, on relatively small acreages, are big business and crucial to the quality of life in western Oregon, especially the Willamette Valley," she added. Processed, small fruits were worth about $350 million in 2002, said Strik. Overall these products had an estimated gross economic impact of $900 million. The Pacific Northwest congressional delegation, with the special support of U.S. Rep. Darlene Hooley, recently announced funding of $397,000 for the Northwest Center for Small Fruits Research (NCSFR) in Corvallis, for the fiscal year 2004. "These funds are of immense benefit to Oregon's small fruit industry," said Strik. "They'll help OSU, and the berry and wine industry to stay competitive globally. In addition, MCSRR funds can often leverage dollars from other granting agencies including grower organizations or commissions." The NCSFR, housed adjacent to the Oregon State campus, is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and conducts collaborative research in genetics, pest management, berry and grape processing, production, physiology and wine. The center is a consortium Oregon State University, Washington State University and University of Idaho Agricultural Experiment Stations and Extension Services, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service and Oregon, Washington, Idaho grape and berry growers and industries. "It is not just one center," said Strik. "It's a consortium of people, industries, programs and research stations working in unison to meet common goals." The NCSFR, established in 1990, provides a forum for Northwest small fruits producers, processors and wineries to share problems, determine priorities and direct federal grant dollars that augment state funded programs to create research solutions. It is nationally recognized for its unique approach of unifying organizations with a common goal. Research findings and new varieties developed through the work at NCSFR and OSU have helped berry and wine grape growers improve the economics of their operations. Successes include research on high-density plant spacing in blueberries, including using trellises. "The economic gains from trellising in blueberries are astounding," Strik said. "We've found that machine-harvest losses are reduced 3 percent to 8 percent of total yield each year. In a mature blueberry planting, that can mean an extra 1,000 pounds of fruit per acre that you are retaining. "At 50 cents a pound," she added, "you've paid for the cost of installing the trellis for a 30-year planting in one year." Stubble Burning Can Cost You Money By Jack Miller, NRCS, in Forever Soil & Water, a publication of the Nez Perce Soil & Water Conservation District At today's fertilizer prices, every acre of stubble burned destroys about $9 worth of fertilizer, which will have to be replaced for future crops over several years. Even after you factor in average fall tillage costs (two passes for about $7.75 acre), you're still ahead by not burning stubble. For example, when you burn residue from a 40-bushel-per-acre wheat crop you also lose about: 19 lbs/acre N (nitrogen) 4lbs./acre P205 (phosphate) 4.5 lbs./acre S (sulfur) ------------------------- $9/acre in fertilizer costs Straw, stubble, and chaff left after harvest helps bind soil particles and improve the soil's structure, keeping the soil healthy and productive. Good structure improves the ability of the soil to deliver water and nutrients to crops. Burning crop residue lowers the soil's ability to produce high yields. Over 60 percent of the nutrients stored in crop residue are lost through burning! So what are the alternatives? Chopping and spreading the straw makes it easier to adopt alternatives to burning. In heavy straw areas one or two fall tillage operations will return the chopped straw to the soil where it can go to work building yield potential. In moderate or lower residue areas minimum or zero tillage will increase crop production and improve the farm's bottom line. In all areas, chopping and spreading the crop residue is a necessary first step. But there is one more alternative. You can also sell straw off the field for livestock bedding and to companies making such products as strawboard and paper. Water-Winter-Ewes By Roger G. Haugen, Extension Sheep Specialist North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota During cold winter months, many times ewes are maintained on extremely cold water in troughs and even sometimes on snow. Both circumstances lead to a reduced water intake. Ewes prefer and will consume larger quantities of warm water than cold. Water intake increases by the third month of gestation, is doubled by the fifth month, and is greater for twin-bearing ewes than for ewes carrying a single fetus. It is estimated that lactating ewes require 100 percent more water than nonlactating ewes. If you ever wonder why your ewes are not milking enough, don't overlook the possibility that they're not drinking enough water because it's too cold. Voluntary water consumption is two or three times dry matter consumption and increases with high-protein and salt-containing diets. A significant relationship exists between total water intake and dry matter intake. Ewes denied water for more than 24 hours may eat little or no dry feed. A lack of water accompanied by a severe depression in feed intake predisposes ewes to all sorts of problems, namely unthriftiness, malnutrition and, possibly, pregnancy disease in the case of multiple bearing ewes. Ewes in drylot require about 1 to 1.5 gallons of water per day during gestation and between 2 to 3 gallons during lactation. Ewes on winter ranges will drink about .75 gallons per head per day when no snow cover is available. In late winter, when temperatures go up and the ewes are farther along in gestation, daily consumption will go up to 1.5 gallons and, if the forage is extremely dry, a ewe could consume over 2 gallons per day. Salt is also important during the winter. Remember that if ewes are drinking cold water, they tend to self-regulate their salt intake. This is fine as long as salt is available at all times. However, sometimes we forget to check the salt and it runs out. This is when we can get into problems. After long periods without salt, ewes get hungry for salt and when it's re-introduced they can over-consume. These ewes, especially if they are drinking less water because it's cold, can become salt poisoned. Therefore, be aware of both the water your ewes are drinking and the amount of salt they are consuming. REMEMBER! Adequate intake of good-quality water is essential for ewes to excrete excess toxic substance such as oxalates, ammonia, and mineral salts. Make Sure Your Kitchen Isn't Too Lively This Winter From University of Idaho's HomeWise Do fall's brisk winds and chilly nights bring out the hairy little hoarder in you? Are you feeling driven to stock your cupboards with cereal, flour, rice, beans and other dry foods and to pile bags of pet food and birdseed on your pantry floor? The ability to store food helped our ancestors survive and live more comfortably. But, like them, we may also be sharing our larder with such nasty nibblers as sawtooth grain beetles, flour beetles, Indian meal moths and carpet beetles, all of whom want to survive and live more comfortably, too.If you discover disagreeable signs of life inside your cupboard some winter morning, first try to track down its source, advises a University of Idaho Extension publication entitled "Controlling Stored-food Pests in the Home." Peek inside bags and boxes and also behind and under cupboards, cabinets, drawers and appliances where food particles may have accumulated. Examine corners and crevices especially carefully. After isolating the source of the infestation, clear the storage or problem area of dishes, foods and shelf coverings and start vacuuming. Discard the vacuum-cleaner bag, then roll up your sleeves and scrub the target area with very hot water and strong detergent. Rinse well and let dry. In most cases, it's not necessary to apply insecticides, but the publication includes instructions should you want to do that. If grain or flour was only lightly infested and you don't mind the extra nutrition, you don't need to toss the product out. You can treat small quantities at a time by either heating or freezing them: Bake grain or flour in a shallow pan, at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, for about 30 minutes&emdash;or microwave it on high for about 10 minutes. Both processes destroy the insects as well as the grain's germinating ability. Place small packages in a freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below for at least four days and larger packages for at least seven days. From now on, resolve to clean up any spilled foods promptly and store grain in airtight metal, glass or hard plastic containers designed for food storage. Set the containers in a clean, cool, dry place at least 18 inches off the floor and away from damp areas. Rotate supplies frequently. For more information, order CIS 850 ($1.00 plus shipping, handling and Idaho sales tax) by calling UI Ag Publications at (208) 885-7982 or sending e-mail to agpubs@uidaho.edu. You can also download the publication in PDF format from http://info.ag.uidaho.edu. Beauty Within An elderly woman and her little grandson, whose face was sprinkled with bright freckles, spent the day at the zoo. Lots of children were waiting in line to get their cheeks painted by a local artist who was decorating them with tiger paws. "You've got so many freckles, there's no place to paint!" a girl in the line said to the little fella. Embarrassed, the little boy dropped his head. His grandmother knelt down next to him. "I love your freckles. When I was a little girl I always wanted freckles, she said, while tracing her finger across the child's cheek "Freckles are beautiful!" The boy looked up, "Really?" "Of course," said the grandmother. "Why, just name me one thing that's prettier than freckles." The little boy thought for a moment, peered intensely into his grandma's face, and softly whispered, "Wrinkles."

Top of Page