Those of you that like & look forward to summer should be fairly happy as of late. We’ve certainly been experiencing our share of soaring summer temperatures out around our parts. Any time the mercury surpasses the century mark, it’s a bit too warm for my likes and comfort. True to form, there are a couple of advantages to dry, hot weather. Pecan Scab and other leaf diseases are a lot less likely to develop and follow-up of mowing and shredding of lawns, lots, orchards, and pastures is not quite as often. Seems like we have more desirable grasses in our range, pasture, orchard, & bottom mix this season as the weeds were pretty much in the majority last year.

Looking at backyard gardens around town & out in the country, I’ve noticed a notable degree of disparity in the quality of certain plants or crops. Certain Tomato plants look downright puny, while some others right alongside seem fine & healthy. Ann Altizer wanted to know what was wrong with her Tomatoes, and after her describing the malady, I had to sympathize with her as Lady Z’s had the identical problem, but we’re not sure what it is. I mentioned that she might take it down to the County Agent’s office. I’ve also had a running battle for 30 years in trying to get Squash growers to treat for Squash vine borers and the proper stage of growth, with little avail for some and just downright absent minded on others. Sevin dust sprinkled around the base of the Squash plant at 1st bloom will usually do the job. It’s one of those cultural practices that cannot be caught up with later on. One other practice that seems to vex me quite a bit is the improper watering of gardens as well as a lot of lawns. Down-the-row is much better for the plants than is sprinkling. It’s easier to get a more even application of moisture over the whole garden with sprinkling, but the water & ensuing humidity on the leaf surfaces enables leaf spots, fungi, and diseases. If you do have to sprinkle, try to get it done by mid-morning so as the grass or garden plants may dry prior to night. If you have an automatic sprinkler setup, you can have it go off about day light and then have all day to dry. It shouldn’t be much problem as of late, what with the windy weather we’ve been getting. There again, we’ve certainly got plenty of Windmill water. This might be one of those years that you could keep half your garden plot tilled and clean, so as to take advantage of the beauty, ease, and fruit quality of the cooler season and fun of Fall gardening.

We got a notice from Llano County Agent’s office lately informing of the upcoming Beef, Range, & Wildlife Field Day. Osbourn states that the educational activity will be held Thurs., June 5th, with registration beginning at 8:30 a.m. in the Llano Jr. High parking lot. The annual Field Day is a joint activity of the NRCS, (Soil Conservation Service to you & me), Llano County Soil & Water Conservation Dist., and the Texas AgriLife Extension Service. There are several San Saba County producers planning on attending, as the program is extremely interesting as well as informative, the BBQ dinner by Cooper’s will pass muster, and we get 6 CEU’s on our pesticide Certification.

The Mayor & yrs. Truly held a brief Council meeting at the Café yesterday noon. I’d had telephone messages from him following the China trip, but no face-to-face. Buddy said they were able to be involved in the rites of passage of the Olympic torch in one city that I can’t pronounce, and that he had lots of pictures. Guess we’ll have to get around to viewing those sometime soon out around—————————————Harkeyville.!!!!!!!!