Articles
2013 Archive
From Prairie to Strawberry
A majority of our time at the Noble Research Institute the past few weeks has been consumed by the scholars' annual grazing project, consisting of prairie species identification and what seemed like endless moving of cattle. Through this process, we became relatively knowledgeable about these native grasslands and all that the prairie encompasses, which up to this point I had only read about in books.
Electric cattle guard saves time
Tired of opening and closing gates multiple times a day? The electric cattle guard lets us easily manage our herd without fear of them crossing it and wandering into unwanted areas.
Drought remains a problem for much of Oklahoma
Drought is a normal occurrence. We all realize this, but a large portion of the Southwest has endured a devastating dry spell for almost three years.
Wise management practices improve soil quality
Surface soil produces our food and is vital for life. This precious resource is often called "skin of the Earth" and, just like skin, it is important to protect and maintain its quality.
Producer's perspective: Is it time to restock?
Spring rains have resulted in green pastures for many and the question on everyone's mind - is it time to restock? This decision is difficult and unique to each operation. Cattlemen from Oklahoma and Texas share their thoughts on this topic.
Supply and demand influence corn prices
In a free market economy, price is ultimately determined by the supply and demand for a product or commodity. Short-term price gyrations often occur and can be influenced by market reactions to news concerning such things as weather, government reports and/or policy.
BoarBuster™ thinks outside the box trap
Encounters of widespread damage associated with feral hogs are becoming increasingly more frequent for farmers and ranchers in the South. One study reports that feral hogs cause at least $52 million...
Git Along, Little Doggies
The mob grazing project for the Lloyd Noble Scholars in Agriculture came as a blessing for the early birds in our group, but a rude awakening to the night owls.
A New Breed of Cowboy
The sun breaks over the shrubby horizon, warming the Oklahoma landscape and setting the sky ablaze with the vibrant pinks and oranges of dawn. On the slight ridge that overlooks the cattle pastures of Oswalt Ranch, the cowboy surveys the fields from atop his trusty steed, a green four-wheeler ... wait a second! What happened to his horse?
MIA from MOB
Our Lloyd Noble Scholars in Agriculture group was completed this week with addition of Anna Stehle from the University of Washington. All total, we now have seven girls and one guy. Poor Andrew is hopelessly outmatched.