Watering in Winter One of the most important duties is watering. Our landscape needs water in the Winter just not nearly as much as in the Summer. Slow deep watering at the drip line and beyond is best. Remember the roots grow out from our trees not just down. If the ground cracks from lack of rain or moisture the roots of younger trees can and will break setting the tree up to die when the Summer heat manifests itself.

Receipts totaled 949 head for the week. The market was active and demand good with stocker steers selling $3.00 lower and heifers steady after the last few weeks big jump. Feeder steers were $3.00 lower and heifers were steady. One set of 15 Angus heifers for replacements weighing 750 sold for $143.00.

Operation Orphans, Inc. held its fourth hunt of the 2012 hunting season January 12th. 64 boys from 11 children’s homes and foster facilities participated. The 64 boys harvested 64 animals which consisted of 46 whitetail does, 6 spikes, 6 management bucks, 3 hogs, 2 aoudad, and 1 sika. Groups represented were from Still Creek Boy’s Ranch, Bryan; Harding Foster Home, Kerrville; John Carl Smith Home, Mullin; Irma Ramirez Home, Converse; Kidz Harbor, Liverpool; Texas Baptist Home, Waxahachie; H ...

Receipts totaled 1733 head for the week. The cattle offered this week were very attractive and demand was strong. At the end of last week the market was quite a bit higher and we saw the trend continue this week with the stocker steers and heifers selling steady with a set of four 470 lb steers at $196.00 and a set of five 401 lb heifers at $180.00.

Receipts totaled 4231 head for the week. The market kept its aggressive tone from earlier in the week and the demand was strong. Stocker steers and heifers sold $5.00-$7.00 higher while feeder steers sold $5.00 higher feeder heifers sold $3.00 higher. Packer cows sold $2.00 higher with the top cow at $89.00 and packer bulls sold $1.00 higher with the top bull at $103.00.

Registration for the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Texas Brigades summer camps program has begun. This year’s slate of seven camps includes a new one that departs from the traditional wildlife-only topics, according to coordinators. “Our newest addition is the Ranch Brigade,” said Dr. Dale Rollins, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist at San Angelo and founder of the Texas Brigades.

Seems as if we just finished celebrating the New Year coming in and here we are with January gone, the Super Bowl is in the History book, and trying to figure out just what to come up with for our favorite Valentine. The ol’ adage of of time speeding up with increasing of age is becoming a bit of a blur in my case.

Receipts totaled 1792 head for the week. The market continued its strength after last week’s increase. Activity was good and demand was strong. The stocker steers and heifers sold steady and the feeder steers and heifers were also steady. Packer cows were steady to $1.00 higher with the top cow at $87.50.

New Beginnings This is the time of year for dreaming and planning. Have you been setting aside and reading all your seed and plant catalogs? There are very few things that are more fun than sitting in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace and reading and planning your Spring planting.

Receipts totaled 2878 head for the week. The market started strong this week and continued its stronger tone on Thursday with the stocker steers selling $5.00-$10.00 higher with several groups of 4 weights bringing $1.90 up to $2.08 and had several drafts of 5 weights sell from $1.75 up to $1.83 and some 6 weights bringing up to $1.65.

Eight year old Hayden Werley shot this ten point buck with a 19 inch spread on December 26, 2012, while hunting with his grandfather, Gary Reeves. Hayden is the son of Kari Reeves of San Saba.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District Conservationist Mitchell Schroeder announces applications for funding opportunities with the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) are currently being accepted at the NRCS office located at 1606 East Wallace, San Saba, TX. NRCS in Texas has received its initial allocation of EQIP funding in 2013 and will begin ranking and obligating EQIP contracts after February 15th.

Receipts totaled 694 head for the week with numbers limited due to good rains of 2-3 inches that fell over the area. The market was higher and all classes of cattle sold were in strong demand with 2 steers 545 lbs @166.00 and 3 heifers 842 lbs @128.00 while the top packer bull sold for 103.50. Steers: choice lightweight calves 180.00-210.00; choice medium weight calves 150.00-188.00; choice heavyweight calves 135.00-157.00 Heifers: choice lightweight calves 150.00-202.50; choice medium weight ...

Looks like we’ve already been ushered into 2013, ready or not. There have been several checks written by this humble scribe, & it still takes a bit of concentration to pen ‘13 at the end of the day’s date. Actually, we’ve had some extremely good things come to our fair Valley of the Pecan.

Receipts totaled 645 head for the week. The market started off the new year with an aggressive tone with 10 steers at 348 lbs @194.00, 6 steers at 470 lbs @166.00, 5 steers at 506 lbs @160.00 and 7 steers at 625 lbs @145.00. Also, a set of 5 heifers at 496 lbs @151.00 and 11 heifers at 609 lbs @142.50.