Bits and pieces from the pasture

It is only mid-June, but it looks and seem like August already. The temperatures are in the mid-90s, lawns and pastures are brown and the Cubs are 5 games under .500.

Not only are the pastures already starting to burn up, there have been several reports of severe infestations of army worms in Bureau, Marshall and Putnam counties. West of Putnam, one pasture was lost due to army worm devastation, and many more had to be sprayed. The pests were also found in wheat fields west of Henry. A 26-acre field of corn by Tiskilwa was lost, and army worms were found in hay fields around Neponset. Short pastures and small yields of hay, already this summer, don’t bode well for cow-calf producers. Hay prices could skyrocket this winter. We need rain!

This weekend is Father’s Day, and for many years this has been a significant holiday for the beef industry. Last year, 74 million Americans participated in a barbecue on Father’s Day, and on a very large portion of those grills, steaks and hamburgers were sizzling. Fifty-two years ago the American National CowBelles (now the American National Cattle Women) launched a nation wide “Beef for Father’s Day” promotion that is still held in many communities across the United States. A signature gift to a new dad was a beef roast, weighing the same as the new baby. One of the group’s early taglines was, “Keep Pappy Happy with Beef,” a good idea, yet today. So, to all Dads out there, especially mine, Happy Fathers Day, and enjoy the day with beef.

Beef made a triumphant return to the Boston Marathon this year when a volunteer beef brigade served up 4,000 beef samples and promoted lean beef during the nation’s most famous foot race. A lot of spectators had second and third servings and the beef volunteers were able to answer questions and talk about beef nutrition. The beef team also promoted the Healthy Beef Cookbook. The beef industry even had its own official protein-powered runner, Lucinda Harnish, the daughter of a Pennsylvania veal producer wearing a beef and veal runner’s jersey. Another runner commented that he always ate a steak before running the marathon.