Rural kids rally: Nature nerding; 4-day school week; hikes instead of detention; farm safety; the 'Little White Duck'

Whether it's discovering a ginormous toad, finding the most gooseberries or uncovering troves of fossils, when kids venture into the great unknown of rural places, adventures unfold. A new graphic novel by cartoonist Tiffany Everett, Diary of a Nature Nerd, celebrates all the discoveries and learning nature nerding youth can make while tramping over hill and dale. "Everett encourages readers to explore new places, keep journals about what they encounter, and think like scientists," reports John R. Platt of The Revelator.

Rural school districts with teacher hiring and retention challenges turned to 4-day school weeks as an employment perk that also saves districts money. The 4-day school week schedule has been criticized as cutting too deeply into student learning time, and yet some rural schools are keeping the shortened schedule because it's a practical fix. "The schedule is especially popular with rural communities, where students and teachers often have to travel long distances to get to school," reports Anya Petrone Slepyan of The Daily Yonder. "But when it comes to assessing how the four-day school week affects students’ educational outcomes, the results are inconclusive."

At the end of the 3 1/2-mile hike, the students grab their 
backpacks and head home. (All Trails photo)

Instead of sitting in detention for breaking school rules, some high schoolers at Morse High School in Maine have opted to take mandatory hikes instead. Morse counselor Leslie Trundy was inspired to start the program after attending an outdoor conference, reports Madi Smith of NPR. Trundy told Smith, "I hoped that time in the woods, like, I could sort of take the skills that I have on the road with them, or on the trail, and be a listener for them and [while students] pay back the time to the school and sort of serve their consequence, [they] also receive more care and attention."

While growing up on a farm may sound wholesome and safe, farms can be dangerous places for children and young adults. The list of risks is long and can include everything from cows and barbed-wire fencing to big tractors and grain bins. To help farming families build safety awareness and habits, the National Farm Medicine Center and National Children’s Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety support the "Cultivate Safety" website, which offers free resources in English and Spanish. For a quick safety check, Rural Mutual shares its "Top Tips" list for farmers and kids to review.

Often remembered as the voice of Sam the Snowman from the classic 1964 Christmas television special "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," Burl Ives also acted and sang. For children who need to calm down after rowdy play or to get ready for bed, Ives' recording of "The Little White Duck and Other Children’s Favorites" is delightfully soothing. Ives’s collection of "traditional folk songs for children is as much fun for the kids as it is for the adults (I dare to say)," writes Jan Pytalski of The Daily Yonder. "Ives was central in promoting traditional folk tunes all the way back in 1940s and continued performing for many decades after."

Exoskeletons could help farm work efficiency and safety, but many farmers don't know about the benefits.

Exoskeletons could help farmers with demanding tasks.
(Graphic by Adam Dixon, Ambrook Research)

Despite the protection exoskeletons could offer farmers, the shelled apparatuses aren't widely used in agriculture. Farmer education and reduced costs could increase exoskeleton integration into farm-labor practices, reports Alfred Poor for Ambrook Research.

Simply put, exoskeletons are mechanical "devices worn on the body to augment the natural capabilities of a human worker," Poor explains. Some exoskeletons are powered, which means they help increase the force a worker has to do a task, such as overhead lifting. Others have passive power that can energize opposing movements like repetitive bending.

From chucking hay bales to checking calf underbellies for ticks, farmers have a massive amount of physical tasks, which an exoskeleton might help with. The problem is, many farmers don't know about it. Poor explains, "Education may be the biggest barrier to more widespread adoption of exos in agriculture; many farmers simply aren’t aware of the products and their potential benefits."

Cost can be another obstacle. "Even passive exos can be costly, and unlike heavy farm equipment, the manufacturers are not set up to provide payment plans or other terms to ease the financial strain," Poor adds.

Some farmers have discovered exos and use them for a range of tasks. Sarah Ballini-Ross, co-owner of Rossallini Farm in Oregon, told Poor, "A lot of the farm work really involves that repetitive lifting from ground to waist level, so my exo is the first thing I grab when it comes to doing hay. . . . I use my exo when trimming the hooves of our sheep."

Poor reports, "As farmers become more aware of the benefits, as the costs continue to come down, and as manufacturers respond more to the specific needs of agricultural tasks, we can likely expect to see more exos down on the farm."

Coyotes can be friends, foe and sometimes just pests. They kill smaller vermin, but they can kill pets or livestock, too.

Coyotes aren't very aggressive, but they are still predators.
(Unsplash photo)

Coyotes have “increased their range more than 40% since the 1950s” and made their way North, East, South, West, onto farms and into your backyard, Whitney McKnight reported for The Edge.

Due to the extinction of wolves and mountain lions, and the near extinction of black bears in Kentucky, smaller predators have taken their place at the top of the food chain, including coyotes, foxes and bobcats.

“Coyotes are partially filling the niche wolves did in the state about 150 years ago,” John Cox, a University of Kentucky associate professor and wildlife management and conservation expert, told McKnight.

Even though they are considered pests, Cox said, “coyotes are good farm inhabitants, given that because of their flexible diet, they can clear a farm of voles, mice, and rats, even if they might also occasionally help themselves to the chickens.”

According to an Oregon State University study, due to coyotes' territorialism and their diet, they can also be beneficial for keeping away other predators. They can make unintentional guards for flocks of sheep, and farmers should consider letting them settle in that area.

While they aren’t often aggressive or bold predators, winter is coyote breeding season and sightings might become more frequent this time of year. McKnight said she has been seeing increased warnings on social media about keeping an eye on small pets and children.

Oftentimes if you see a coyote it is just because they are curious about you. If you do happen to have an encounter, it is important to remember that coyotes are predatory creatures and not to run from them or approach them, as advised by Kentucky wildlife management officials.

Quick hits: A good job for bots; farm safety for kids; double-dairy delights; blueberry contests; what's in your cart?

Dos Rios is also a destination for migratory birds along the Pacific flyway.
(California State Parks photo)

Filled with sunlight and the sounds of nature, California's newest state park steps back in time and into the future all at once. "The park opened this summer, emerging among the never-ending rows of agriculture the valley is known for. It's a lush 2.5 square miles now bursting with hundreds of thousands of native trees, bushes and animals," report Jonaki Mehta, Christopher Intagliata and Ailsa Chang of NPR. "But it isn’t like most state parks. In addition to bringing much-needed green space to an underserved area, its unusual design uses nature-based climate solutions that reinvigorate native wildlife. . . .By restoring the natural floodplain, the park will also help mitigate flooding that threatens residents in the area."

Busy farms can be full of dangers for adults and children. But particularly for farm kids, safety needs to be stressed and modeled, reports Jennifer Shike for Drovers, a beef industry publication. "The leading cause of injury and death for all ages on farms is large equipment. That's why Tawnie Larson from the Kansas Agriculture Safety and Health program urges farm and ranch owners to allow only youth with proper training and experience to drive large equipment. . . . Her advice to adults is simple. Demonstrate how to do things safely when children are young. Then, as they get older, take them to formal tractor safety training."

Caramel Popcorn Mascarpone Ice Cream Sundaes
(Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin photo)

What does joy in July look like for dairy lovers? Ice cream. What do dairy lovers from Wisconsin do in July? They add cheese to their ice cream! You don't have to be from the dairy state to do it. Go ahead, live large -- combine mascarpone cheese or even a cheddar with delicious heavy cream. Try scoops of cheddar apple pie ice cream or a mascarpone caramel ice cream sundae. Not ready to go that far into your dairy dream? A stop at any dairy shack is a delightful way to revel in summer -- while it lasts. 

Photo by Joanna Kosinska, Unsplash

Summer isn't just for animal fairs, it's time for produce competitions. The states of Maine and New Jersey have their blueberry dukes up and are seeking the "best berry" award. "The small blue fruit known for its antioxidants and other health benefits is New Jersey’s top crop. Meanwhile, nearly 100% of low-bush blueberries are grown in Maine," writes Matt Enright of Lancaster Farming. "But which state has the better berries? It depends on who you ask. . . . Ben Perrin, who’s been growing organic Maine blueberries for over 35 years, says it’s no contest. . . . Bill Mortellite notes New Jersey growers were the first to cultivate blueberries, so their farmers there have the most experience." 

How many of us have stood in a grocery store checkout line convinced that watching paint dry is more interesting -- only to have our eyes and minds wander over to the carts around us, quietly taking inventory of what's in the cart compared to the purchaser? "To better understand our relationship to the food we buy, we asked readers to send us their grocery receipts. . .and selected 27 people from across the U.S. to focus on," report Priya Krishna, Tanya Sichynsky and Aliza Aufrichtig of The New York Times. In combing through their receipts. . . we saw how identity, income and geography inform what makes it into the cart. . . .70% bought at least one bag of chips." Go ahead. Take a look.

Autonomous robots can tackle weeding and other field
work. (Photo by Aigen via The Guardian)

Robots can get a bad rap for stealing jobs humans need, but in the searing heat of summer, some bots are doing jobs no person wants. "Clint Brauer watches a team of bright yellow robots churn up and down the rows, tirelessly slicing away any weeds that stand in their way while avoiding the growing crops," reports Cary Gillam of The Guardian. Standing 4 feet long and 2 feet wide "the battery-powered machines pick their way through the fields with precision, without any human hand to guide them. . . . Baurer sees the robots as critical tools to help farmers reduce their reliance on chemicals and be more protective of their health and the environment."

Webinar series that begins this month offers tips and best practices for farm safety

A farm safety notice sign can remind everyone
that farms have hazards. (Adobe Stock photo)

Living and working on a farm requires common sense, prioritizing safety and participating in continuous learning.

Starting this month, a free series of webinars will provide practical tips and best practices for farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers to protect themselves, their families and their operations. Sessions will cover machinery safety, infectious diseases, grain hazards, tractor safety, heat illness, and mental health.

The tentative schedule begins on June 18: Heat Stress & Illness

Aug 20: Farm Safety for Youth: Keeping the Next Generation Safe

Sep 17: Addressing Mental Stress & Health in Agriculture

Oct 15: Resources for Farmers in Crisis

Nov 19: Future of Ag Safety: How AI will transform Agriculture

Register here.

Summer sessions are part of the ongoing series "Cultivating Caution: A Monthly Guide to Farm Safety & Health" co-sponsored by the University of Illinois Agricultural Safety & Health Program, College of ACES, farmdoc and Illinois Extension. 

Rural veterinarians have an unusually tough and unpredictable job; the shortage requires multiple solutions

Ongoing U.S. rural vet shortages can threaten U.S.
food supplies. (Adobe Stock photo)

Rural veterinarian's perfect daydream: Cows never slam their bodies into you. Goats don't dig their horns into the back of your legs while you try to draw blood. And bunnies don't die of fright from routine procedures. Most "patients" get a little treat afterward. . . There's even time for lunch.

Rural vet reality: You work 10 out of 14 days and are on call during off-hours. You're treating colicky horses who require IV sedation alongside ungrateful cows with colds. Your back thighs are bruised and sore because Farmer Joe's goats hate blood draws, and you have to explain to your neighbor's 10-year-old daughter that even indoor bunnies can die of fright.

Given the overall toughness of rural veterinarian practice, it's no wonder the nation is experiencing a significant rural vet shortage. "Speak to anyone in the industry, and they will cite everything from poor mental health outcomes, high levels of student debt, long, often unpredictable hours, physical demands, and difficult clients," reports Lewis Kendall of Ambrook Research. "A recent industry survey found that more than 700 counties across all 50 states are experiencing potential large animal veterinarian shortages."

The shortage has multiple causes and requires varied approaches to be effectively addressed. Oklahoma State University's College of Veterinary Medicine is "piloting a new program that it hopes will help better understand the scale of the issue and offer practical solutions," Kendall writes. "Known as the Center for Rural Veterinary Medicine, the program takes a three-pronged approach: academic research, education, and training for student vets specific to rural environments."

Explaining OSU's philosophy, Martin Furr, assistant dean of clinical programs at the College of Veterinary Medicine, told Kendall, "We need to approach this problem of the rural veterinary shortage in the same way: a scholarly approach, understanding the problems, the dynamics, what is going on, and then developing a strategy to fix it. . . . I would hope that this would be a model for how other universities start to think about the problem and develop their own approaches."

Sarah Wagner spent five years as a large animal veterinarian in rural Virginia before moving into academics, where she is now an assistant dean and a professor of pharmacology at Texas Tech University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. "Wagner has spent a lot of time thinking about the plethora of issues currently plaguing her field," Kendall reports. "She noted that as women make up the vast majority of veterinarians in the U.S., institutional problems like sexism — particularly in rural areas — and the gender pay gap have become increasingly prevalent."

Despite industry organizations working to decrease veterinarians' student debts, rural veterinarian medicine requires grit and dedication that can be tough to find. "Earl Brady, who owns a large animal practice in northern Vermont, told Kendall: "When you’re in school, and you have $300,000 of student debt, you have the option to go work for a small animal clinic and make $120,000 working four days a week with no on-call. Or you go to rural Vermont and start at maybe $85,000 and work 10 days out of a 14-day period and you’re on-call and you’re putting prolapses in in negative degree weather and chasing horses with colic around. It’s kind of a hard sell.”

The rural vet shortage has potential impacts for U.S. food supplies and supply chains. Read Kendall's full article here. 

Farming quick hits: Native Americans are regaining access to land; the best wire cutters; two sisters run this sawmill

Landback.org image

Alongside American colonial expansion during the 1800s came the decimation of many Native Americans' lands and food sources. "Native peoples fought off settler and military encroachment of their hunting, fishing, and gathering territories. Their lifeways — and foodways — were hugely altered and restricted," reports Kate Nelson of Civil Eats. "The Land Back movement is helping communities regain access to both food and land. . . . In Montana, for example, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes now oversee 18,000 acres where bison roam once again. In Nebraska, the Ponca people have been growing their sacred corn on farmland signed back to them in 2018."

Farmer Mahoney liked the strong
cuts and comfy grips.

Doug Mahoney raises sheep, cows and pigs and spends a lot of time fixing fences. "This can mean days at a time of snip, snip, snip," Mahoney writes. "I tested 13 pairs of wire cutters for Wirecutter. . . . I used them to make hundreds upon hundreds of cuts through wire, hardware cloth, and even nails. At the time, I chose the Channellock E337CB Diagonal Cutting Pliers as the best. . . .Since then, they have become one of the most important tools I own."

Meatpacking industry concentration increased during the 1980s and 1990s as producers shifted to larger plant operations. The industry's consolidation "raised questions about competition, particularly as it related to prices paid for cattle and hogs," writes James M. MacDonald in his essay for Amber Waves. "With fewer firms competing with one another, would packers be able to reduce the prices they paid to farmers and ranchers compared with a world with more (and smaller) competing firms? On the other hand, those fewer firms also had lower processing costs, which they could pass on to beef and pork consumers."

Sisters Mary Haag, left, and Nancy Kieffer took over
the sawmill 28 years ago. (Photo by Jacob Moyer, LF)

Sisters Mary Haag and Nancy Kieffer have been operating Moyer's Sawmill in Bernville, Pennsylvania, for 28 years. "The pair took it over from their father, Ray Moyer, whose father and uncle started the business around 1903," reports Dan Sullivan of Lancaster Farming. "The sisters set about running the place, eventually with help from their spouses, initially doing their own logging and cutting everything from 1-by-4s to large custom pieces — up to 34 feet (though they don't necessarily like to advertise that) — for timber-frame homes, barn restorations and the like." 

Known as twilight farmers, some agricultural operators lack an heir, leaving them wondering who will manage their land, equipment and animals once they're gone. But farmers can work to settle out agreements before they pass, reports Lisa Foust Prater for Successful Farming. Forming a corporation and a select type of trust is one answer, but planning is the biggest key to keeping the farm operating.

UNMC CS-Cash photo via Farm Progress

ATVs, UTVs and even golf carts can be farmland workhorses. But like all farming machinery, driving vehicles on a busy farm requires extra care around buildings, animals and workers. "In 2023, there were 291 ATV and 27 UTV fatalities in the U.S., with many of these related to work in agriculture," Ellen Duysen of Farm Progress reports. "In 2019, ATV incidents resulted in an estimated 95,000 emergency room visits." To reduce the risk of injury, death and possible liability, read her guidelines here.

Farm safety quick hits: Create a rescue plan; manure pit accidents; women in ag; ATV safety; mental health first aid

Farming comes with a distinct set of dangers and demands. Sound planning, accident prevention and know-how can improve measures to keep farm workers safe, reports Lisa Foust Prater of Successful Farming. Prater also looks at the medical needs of women in agriculture and mental health for everyone who works the land.

Have a rescue plan before entering a silo, grain bin, manure pit or other confined space. The Department of Agriculture recommends identifying confined spaces on your farm and taking steps to prevent accidental entry. "Workers who do enter must receive specific training and have a permit to enter."

Dirty and deadly, take extra care around manure pits.
(Photo via Successful Farming)

Manure pits are dangerous. "Working in a manure pit is one of the dirtiest jobs on the farm, and it's also one of the deadliest. The majority of people who are overcome by the gases in a storage pit or lagoon do not live to tell the tale. . . . The most common task leading up to these injuries or fatalities in 2022 was performing maintenance tasks in or around manure storage structures, including pump repairs. This is true with all cases documented since 1975."

Whether you're delivering cookies to the back forty or hauling feed, ATVs are speedy, farm-friendly vehicles. Curt Porterfield, health and safety training coordinator at Virginia Tech, offers these tips to keep ATV riding safe: Recognize that ATVs can be deadly, the common hazards associated with their use, and your skill levels. Evaluate your equipment, terrain, environment, and load. Control and maintain your ATV properly. . . .and control your ride by driving safely.

Almost a third of all American farmers are women.
(Photo via Successful Farming)

The number of women in agriculture has increased, but information studies have yet to keep pace with the change. "Despite the fact that 31% of all American farmers are women, health and safety education for the agricultural population is most often aimed at men. . . . Women on the farm fill more roles than ever before – or are at least being publicly recognized for filling these roles – including primary operator, mother, wife, ag implement salesperson, and large animal veterinarian, to name a few. Specific areas of risk include heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, broken bones and chronic pain."

Farming offers many benefits, but mental health often takes a back seat to getting the work done, which can ultimately cause a breakdown. "Becoming trained in mental health first aid allows you to stand in the gap of a crisis until professional help arrives. . . . If the emergency is someone having an anxiety attack, dealing with an opioid addiction, or contemplating suicide, having someone available who knows what to do can mean the difference between life and death."

Female farm workers often victims of sexual violence; researchers want legal working age raised, other steps

Graph from The Conversation from Department of Agriculture data

Americans don't usually connect female farm workers with sexual assault, but maybe that should change.

ABC's "American Crime" opened its third season on a tomato farm in North Carolina, "where it showed a young woman being brutally raped in a field by her supervisor. . . . 'People die all the time on that farm. Nobody cares. Women get raped, regular,' another character tells a police interrogator. The show's writers did their research, report Kathleen Sexsmith, Francisco Alfredo Reyes, and Megan A. M. Griffin for The Conversation, a platform for journalism by academics. Studies show that 80% of Mexican and Mexican American women farm workers in the U.S. have experienced some form of sexual harassment at work. "While violence against women in agriculture may seem like an issue mainly experienced in developing countries, the truth is that it also happens all too often to women and girls on farms in the U.S."

Researchers found that most women are abused "by men in positions of power, such as foremen, farm labor contractors, farm owners and co-workers . . . . Immigrant women farm workers are vulnerable because of power imbalances in their male-dominated workplaces. Women represent 28% of the nation's farm workers, making them a minority on many farms. Most are immigrants from Latin America, and many are undocumented. Girls under the age of 18 are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment and abuse on farms."

Agriculture's unique labor laws may also contribute to abuses. The researchers report: "Children as young as 12 can be hired on farms without a cap on the number of hours they work, as long as they don't miss school. . . . Experts say young girls may be especially vulnerable to sexual harassment and violence on farms because they are less likely to recognize and report abuse. Democrats in Congress have repeatedly introduced versions of the Children's Act for Responsible Employment and Farm Safety Act since 2005. The bill would help address the vulnerability of young girls in farm work by aligning the legal farm working age with other industries."

"As we see it, sexual exploitation perpetrated by men in positions of power instills fear that keeps farm laborers obedient, despite precarious working conditions – and keeps fruits and vegetables cheap," Sexton, Reyes and Griffin write. "We agree with the United Nations that sweeping change is needed to empower women, raise farm productivity and promote human rights in the global food system. As U.S. lawmakers craft the next Farm Bill, they could do enormous good for women around the world by setting an example in American fields and farms."

Based on their research conclusions, Sexton, Reyes and Griffin outline steps to change below:
As a first step, we believe lawmakers should pass the CARE Act, which would raise the legal working age on farms to 14, reducing the number of young girls who are vulnerable to abuse.
Second, legalizing the nation's approximately 283,000 unauthorized farm workers would make those workers less vulnerable to sexual abuse by expanding employment opportunities outside of the agricultural sector.

Third, in our view, efforts to legalize farm workers – most recently through the Farm Workforce Modernization Act – should strengthen labor law enforcement and provide well-funded channels for reporting abuses and changing jobs when abuse occurs.

Grain-related entrapments most numerous in over a decade, and other accidents have increased, Purdue summary says

Grain bins can be death traps. (Purdue University photo)

Farms are full of confined or partially confined spaces that put farmworkers at risk, and 2022 was a hazardous year with "roughly a 40 percent increase in the number of reported cases involving agricultural confined spaces," according to the 2022 "Summary of U.S. Agricultural Confined Space-Related Injuries and Fatalities" from Purdue University. "The annual, widely used summary documents the previous year's frequency and causes of confined space and grain entrapment incidents in the agricultural industry and provides a historical analysis of agricultural confined space hazards," a university press release says.

"In 2022, the summary reported no fewer than 83 cases – 24 fatal and 59 nonfatal cases – involving agricultural confined spaces. This represents a 40.7% increase over the 59 cases in 2021. The authors explain that there are limitations in data collection as not every case may be reported. As a result, these numbers are approximate," the university reports. "In addition, of the total number of confinement cases, 42 grain-related entrapments represented a 44.8% increase over 2021. This was the highest number of reported grain entrapments in over a decade. According to the authors, grain entrapments are the most common type of agricultural confined space incident."

Edward Sheldon, one of the summary's authors, said they pointed out "the role of out-of-condition grain in grain entrapments. Many entrapments result from someone entering a bin or structure to break loose, clumped, spoiled grain. Keep the grain in good condition to eliminate the need to enter the bin. We strongly encourage farmers and agribusiness employers to recognize the hazards presented by confined spaces such as grain bins, silos and manure storage facilities, and use best management practices and effective training programs to keep their families and employees safe."

"Iowa reported the most agricultural confinement cases, at 24, and grain entrapment cases at nine. One female case was documented, which occurred inside a cotton module builder," Purdue reports. "Of 41 non-grain-related cases, incidents involved livestock waste handling facilities, entanglements inside confined spaces, falls from confined space structures and grain dust explosions or fires. . . . Sheldon urges farmers and agribusiness employers to utilize the educational resources outlined in the summary pointing them to other programs like Gearing Up for Safety. . . . This program offers a youth-oriented curriculum, also related to the hazards associated with agricultural confined spaces."

Quick hits: Rural towns wave the flag; fresh charcuterie; farmers and mental health; hauling stuff; eating seeds . . .

Successful Farming photo

Rural towns have beauty, diversity and a lot of national pride. "Rural areas wave the flag proudly all year, but the colors shine extra brightly around Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July, and Veterans Day," Jessie Scott of Successful Farming reminds us. "Sixteen percent of the U.S. population is from rural America, yet 40% of the U.S. military is from those same rural communities. . . . They have a deep love of the flag. . . . Rural residents will find any excuse to proudly display the flag. Wrapping up harvest is certainly one of them."

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Summer is a time for snacking on all sorts of garden treats, from crisp carrots to zippy jalapenos; add cheese bites, summer sausage, and ta-da! You have the beginnings of a charcuterie board. Reminiscent of coffee parties and fondue parties, "charcuterie (pronounced 'shar-koo-tree') boards have caught my eye in recent years. This is another example of an old way of serving that has been adapted for modern times," writes Julie Garden-Robinson of AgWeekly. Here are simple steps to build your own.

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Farmers can't control the rain or shine, but can help each other weather the stresses of living off the land. "Today's farmers are dealing with increased stress, risk of suicide, and other mental health concerns," reports Allee Mead of the Rural Health Information Hub. "However, experts who work with farmers and farmworkers are seeing increased interest in mental health programming and decreased stigma around mental health, which may make it easier for healthcare providers to provide the care that farmers need." Alongside this increase in openness is more programming to support the interest.

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Life can feel cluttered. It also can be filled with clutter. Items we intend to give, pack or put away, but never quite find the time. Consider repurposing those cluttering corners. Is there a donation place for those still-wrapped sheets? The Fence Post columnist Peggy Sanders looks at how clutter might have more purpose than we give it credit for. We might want to take it more seriously.

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Kayaks loaded for a 250 mile trip on (mostly) two-lane
roads. (Photo by Donna Kallner, The Daily Yonder)

Summer and early fall are full of packing, hauling and moving. Whether it's hay to a horse farm, pies to the county fair or 4-H fair, or finally getting to take that kayaking trip, rural America is busy with loads, writes Donna Kallner for The Daily Yonder. "Back when my husband and I sold canoes and kayaks, we heard all the standard lines used by people hauling stuff: My favorite is I'm not going far, followed closely by I'll keep it under 100. So we taught lots of impromptu lessons on how to tie down a load. And most people were grateful. We learned some lessons, too – like to back away slowly when you hear I thought YOU checked it. That marriage ended in our parking lot."

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Seeds are crunchy, nutritious and easy-to-pack snacks, but not all seeds are created equal. See how experts rank the top edible seeds.

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Commandy in her new studio
(Photo by Jamie Larson, Rural Intelligence)

Consider the life of ceramicist Ramah Commanday, whose life as a Napa Valley artist underwent an extreme transformation. She was "dramatically reforged by the intensity of California wildfires," reports Jamie Larson for Rural Intelligence., a mostly online publication for rural areas west of the Hudson River. "Now resettled into her new home and studio in Germantown, the 72-year-old climate refugee saw her home, studio, and decades of creative output destroyed by the Glass Fire of September 26, 2020 – named for Glass Mountain, which she used to see out her former bedroom window. After the fire, as she sifted through the wreckage of her home, she says she felt like an archeologist, unearthing the artifacts of her own life."

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Planning to dig? Call 811 first. "The consequences of cutting buried utility lines can be high. That's not just in the cost of repairs and fines. . . . There's also the risk of injury," Kallnet reports Donna Kallner for the Yonder. "We call Diggers Hotline to get lines marked before digging. . . . Every state has an equivalent service you can call to mark the location of buried utility lines. You can find your state's info online or call 811. After you place your request, workers come to mark the approximate location of buried utilities."

Tractors are the top cause of fatal injuries for farm children; one family tells their story

Jaxon Boomsma at his fifth birthday party. 
He often said he wanted to be a farmer
when he grew up. (Photo provided)

Farming families often allow young children to ride along with an older relative on a tractor, but tractors are the number one cause of fatal injuries to children on farms. 

That's how the Boomsma family in Yankton, S.D., lost their 7-year-old son Jaxon in 2017. His parents and close friends of the family recently told their story to the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety in an effort to bring awareness to the dangers of allowing children on farming equipment. The family has also launched the "Keep His Smile Alive" agricultural safety campaign and is active on social media. 

"I know how hard it is to say no to a child, especially when it’s something they love to do, but we all have to learn to say 'no,'" Jaxon's dad, Troy, told Scott Heiberger. "My dad loved taking the kids around the farm and creating memories with them. He had said 'no' a thousand times before and did everything he could to make the farm a safe and fun experience for the kids. Sadly, it only takes one time."

Heiberger shares several safety resources for those looking to write about tractor safety, including the Keep Kids Away from Tractors campaign and the Cultivate Safety website, which has agricultural safety information and resources for farmers, ranchers, supervisers and reports.

Farm Bureau will honor 18 local affiliates at convention

The American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation's largest agriculture group, will honor 18 county Farm Bureaus at its annual convention, held this year Jan. 7-12 in Atlanta. "The selected winners participated in the County Activities of Excellence program and demonstrated a commitment to offering quality programming to their counties," says a Farm Bureau press release.

Here are just a few of the winners:

• Santa Cruz County, California for partnering with a local hospital, the county health department and other local organizations to become the nation's first county to provide mass coronavirus vaccinations for its farm workers.
• Hillsborough County, Florida for distributing "Ag-Venture" boxes to elementary schools with education materials, videos and instructions for hands-on agriculture learning activities.
• Daviess County, Kentucky for "You're Not Alone," a campaign that sought to educate farmers on the importance of mental health.
• Broome County, New York for partnering with local emergency services to offer free trainings on how to respond to farming accidents.

"These county Farm Bureaus are leading through innovation to support and engage with their local communities despite the challenges brought on by the continuing Covid-19 pandemic," said AFBF President Zippy Duvall.

Next week is National Farm Safety and Health Week

It's time to start planning coverage of National Farm Safety & Health Week, coming up Sept. 19-25. The observance was formerly Farm Safety Week, but now includes health issues, and one of this year's sessions is about the overall health of farmers. This year's theme is "Farm Safety Yields Real Results."

Each day has a more specific theme:
Monday, Sept. 20: Tractor & Rural Roadway Safety
Tuesday, Sept. 21: Farmer Health
Wednesday, Sept. 22: Safety and Health for Youth in Agriculture
Thursday, Sept. 23: Agricultural Fertilizer and Chemical Safety
Friday, Sept. 24: Safety and Health for Women in Agriculture

The annual observance is organized by The National Center for Agricultural Safety. Click here for more information.

New safety booklets aim to improve youth safety on the farm

One of the available booklets

Youth commonly help out on family farms or work after-school jobs on the farms, but it can be dangerous work. Over the past decade, more youth have died working in agriculture than in all other industries combined. 

Three new booklets (available in English, Spanish and French) aim to help youth stay safer on the farm. The booklets were developed by the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety and cover more than 50 commonly performed tasks. Each guideline has warnings about common hazards, tips for important protective strategies and the roles adults play in ensuring a safe work environment.

Each booklet addresses a specific topic: farm equipment operation, working with animals, and gardening. The Children's Center also has a set of information sheets with safety guidelines for hired adolescent farm workers.

Giving older farmers dinner and a show, with safety messages, makes them safer farmers, a study concludes

Deborah Reed
(Photo by Mark Cornelison)

An award-winning program that aims to educate older farmers on safe practices is remarkably effective, a recent study shows. University of Kentucky nursing professor Deborah Reed came up with the idea for Farm Dinner Theater a few years ago after reading research that found that older farmers are more likely to absorb and implement safety advice from other farmers, especially from stories about real situations. 

At Farm Dinner Theater, participants are treated to a free meal while they watch each other performing funny skits about serious topics such as wearing ear protection. A recent study by Reed and other researchers at UK and the University of Alabama backs up her concept, finding that participants were more likely than those who read safety pamphlets to report embracing safer practices on the farm. Participants were also more likely to report making more changes than those who simply read pamphlets. Read more here.

Children on farms pick up risky behaviors from parents, Canadian study confirms; U.S. experts say it applies here

Farm kids learn how to farm from their parents, grandparents and sometimes even great-grandparents. They may also learn risky behaviors that get passed from generation to generation, according to a Canadian study that U.S. researchers say applies south of the border.

The study in the Journal of Rural Health surveyed farmers Saskatchewan farmers. It concluded, "Occupational health and safety risks and protections experienced on farms appear to be transferred between generations. This suggests the need to target farm owner-operators, the responsible authority on the farm, as a focus of primary prevention strategies aimed at injury risks to children and young workers."

The researchers at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Alberta wrote, "Family farms provide an opportunity to pass down traditions of hard work, valuable occupational skills and abilities, and family values. Some of these traditions, however, can have a negative side with respect to rural health. There is a quiet epidemic of traumatic farm injuries that are disproportionately experienced by farm children, which may be related to cultures of safety and risk-taking that are also passed down through generations."

Two leading farm-safety researchers in the U.S. told The Rural Blog that the study is valuable.

“This inquiry into the intergenerational aspects of farming practices is critical in broadening and deepening our understanding of how the social-cultural aspects of risk impact current and future generations of farmers,” said Casper Bendixsen, director of the National Farm Medicine Center at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute in Marshfield, Wis. “While the study is based on Canadian farmers, the findings resonate with me as a U.S. researcher and as the son of farming and ranching. It also grounds what is theoretical, and sometimes mythical, into concrete, quantitative findings.”

Dennis J. Murphy, Nationwide Insurance Professor emeritus of agricultural safety and health at 

Penn State, wrote, “This research is innovative and very applicable to farm and ranch operations in the United States. I think agricultural safety and health researchers and educators have always thought along these lines but there is little, if any, direct research that supports these notions. Their suggestion that injury prevention strategies for the protection of children and young workers should target the responsible authority on the farm or ranch is certainly applicable throughout the U.S.”

Grain Bin Safety Week and National FFA Week Feb. 21-27

Two national observances with rural resonance are coming up next week, so here's a heads up for planning your coverage.

Feb. 20-27 marks the 73rd annual National Future Farmers of America Week. The FFA website has an informational page and toolkit with more information, graphics, and coverage ideas. Read more here.

Grain Bin Safety Week is also next week (Feb. 21-27). Deaths from grain-bin entrapments increased in recent years because of the record wet weather. And, with on-farm grain bins growing ever larger, the risk of injury or death is real. But farmers can take several steps to avoid the risk, Russ Quinn reports for DTN/The Progressive Farmer. Click here for more information about the observance on the Grain Bin Safety Week website.

Click here for more information about a contest to award rural fire departments and emergency response teams with grain rescue tubes and special hands-on training for grain-bin entrapment. Since the contest began eight years ago, four lives have been saved thanks to the program. Nominations are due April 30.

Some farmworkers, with little or no financial security, must decide whether to keep working or risk dangerous infection

The Trump administration declared farm laborers "essential workers" in the spring, but hasn't provided much guidance on how to keep them from getting sick or spreading the infection to others, and that has forced some of them to make tough choices between working and risking infection, Frank Hernandez reports for the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting.

"While some people work from home during the covid-19 pandemic, agricultural workers pick and pack the fruits and vegetables Americans rely on," Hernandez writes. "They do so in potentially dangerous conditions — they often live in cramped housing, ride in crowded buses to job sites and work close to others — and without the federal government guaranteeing coronavirus protections," 

Some counties and "states such as Virginia, Oregon and Washington have created their own enforceable rules to control, prevent and mitigate the spread of the virus among farmworkers," Hernandez reports. "But federal mandates are necessary to ensure that employers are doing enough to protect workers, advocates said."

At least 16 farmworkers have died from covid-19, but there could be many more because of weak monitoring. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn't keep track of covid-19 reports involving agricultural workers, who are mostly migrants with temporary H-2A visas. But OSHA does track such complaints from farm-labor contractors who hire such workers and transport them to job sites, Hernandez reports.

"As of Sept. 6, OSHA has closed nine complaints about covid-19 that involve farm-labor contractors," Hernandez reports. "Twelve complaints about farm-labor contractors remain open. There have also been two COVID-19 complaints related to migrant camps, where some workers live; one has been closed."

Among farmworkers, the virus has disproportionately hit Latinos, who make up more than 60 percent of farm labor. About three-quarters of the nation's 3 million farmworkers were foreign-born as of 2018, most  of them from Mexico, Hernandez reports.

The Mexican government says nearly 2,400 Mexican nationals had died from covid-19 in the United States as of Sept. 14, but didn't keep track of job descriptions for the deceased, Hernandez reports.

Harvest a particularly dangerous time of year for drivers on rural roads; follow safety tips

"Harvest is a high-risk time for crashes on public roads. The sun sets earlier each night and slow-moving farm equipment may not be well-marked or visible, sometimes lacking lights and reflective tape. Speed adds to the danger for motorists and farmers. Additionally, as ownership of agricultural land continues to consolidate, farmers are on the road more hours and driving equipment longer distances, towing implements and products between field and farmstead," according to the National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety.

Farm equipment collisions with motor vehicles on public roads have caused at least 240 deaths and 135 non-fatal injuries since 2015, according to the AgInjuryNews.org database (which is thorough, but not exhaustive, so the total is likely higher).

Read here for tips on how to stay safe on the roads this time of year.