From the
tractor
Steve Troxler
Commissioner
Weather woes
This has not been the best
of years for North Carolina
agriculture and farmers. First,
an Easter weekend freeze
severely damaged the apple
and peach crops, and now
nearly three-fourths of the
state is experiencing severe
or extreme drought, which
is wreaking havoc with most
other commodities.
Farmers almost always
find themselves at the mercy
of Mother Nature. Irrigation
can help, but with extended
dry periods like we’ve had
this summer, those resources
often become limited or dry
up altogether. Many commu¬
nities across the state have
imposed water restrictions
because of the severity of the
situation.
Nearly every commod¬
ity and every region of the
state is suffering under these
drought conditions. As of
mid-August, 74 percent of
the state’s soil moisture lev¬
els rated short or very short.
Simply put, we need rain;
and even then it may be too
late for a number of crops.
I am particularly worried
about livestock and dairy
producers this fall and winter.
I’ve talked to many growers
and quite a few have already
started feeding animals hay
and other supplemental
feeds because pastures and
fields have dried up or been
extremely short due to the
lack of rain. Unfortunately,
that’s like robbing Peter to
pay Paul, and I know this
will catch up to growers this
winter or maybe even ear¬
lier.
I understand from my
counterparts in other South¬
eastern states that hay sup¬
plies are limited in the entire
region, meaning it will be
(See Weather, page 2)
N.C. Mountain State Fair set for Sept. 7-16
Get ready for ‘ Full Throttle Fun ’ in the mountains!
The livestock shows, such as this Brahman show, are popular features at the N.C. Mountain State Fair. Cattle,
sheep, goats, hogs, llamas, rabbits and poultry are among the livestock shown and displayed at the Fair.
Time to mark your calendars
and buy tickets to the 2007 N.C.
Mountain State Fair coming to
the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher
Sept. 7-16. “Full Throttle Fun"
will be the theme for the 14th
annual fair, and organizers have
lined up more music, more fun
and lots of new sights for this
year’s fair.
“We’re putting the final
touches on preparations, and
I’m excited about the additions
we are bringing to the 2007
fair,” said Fair Manager Matt
Buchanan. “We’ll have almost
non-stop music in the Hospi¬
tality Tent, new grounds enter¬
tainment including a circus, a
magic act centered around ag¬
riculture and a family acrobatic
team. We’re also bringing back
the Sandy Feat sand sculpture
artists who will create a 32-
ton piece of sand art during the
fair.”
Premium entertainment con¬
certs this year include Hotel
California (an Eagles tribute
band) on Monday, Sept. 10;
Jason Michael Carroll on Tues¬
day, Sept. 11; Mark Wills on
Ingles Day, Wednesday, Sept.
12; David Phelps on Thursday,
Sept. 13; and Cherryholmes on
Sunday, Sept. 16. Seats for all
the premium shows are just $5
plus gate admission.
Discount advance tickets are
available at Western N.C. Ingles
stores thro ugh Thursday, Sept. 6,
and also at the WNC Ag Center
and the WNC Farmers Market.
The fair will again celebrate In¬
gles Day on Wednesday, Sept.
12, where a contribution of
five cans of Laura Lynn brand
canned food from Ingles can be
exchanged for a free fair admis¬
sion. All food collected will be
donated to the MANNA Food
Bank serving Western North
Carolina.
A new event for the Moun¬
tain State Fair will allow high
school football fans to enjoy
their games then come to the
fair for some late-night enter¬
tainment. Full Throttle Frenzy
will take place on the second
Friday of the fair only, Sept. 14,
from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Special admission pricing of
$15 will cover gate admission
and unlimited rides from 9 p.m.
to 1 a.m. only. Regular gate ad¬
mission of $5 will still be avail¬
able to those less interested in
carnival rides.
“We’ll have a special free
outdoor rock concert in the
open ring as part of Full Throttle
Frenzy starting at 10 p.m. that
will last until about midnight,
and of course the Midway will
(See Mtn Fair. pg. 3)
Horse Events
Gov. James
В
. Hunt Jr. Horse Complex. Slate Fairy rounds. Rakish. 1919) 733-4845
Sept. 1 & 2 . NCDCTA Dressage Show. Contact Roy Whitlock, (910) 638-8467.
Sept. 3 . Dressage Breed Show. Contact Janine Malone, (919) 269-7307.
Sept. 8 & 9 . NCAHA Summer Extravaganza. Contact Rory Meacham, (9 19) 544-28 1 7.
Sept. 8 & 9 . Carolina Fall Driving Show. Contact Dede Bushneck, (919) 815-4723.
Sept. 15 & 16... Appaloosa Show. Contact Mitch Petway, (919) 467-3377.
Sept. 19-22 . N.C. State Championship Show. Contact Bill Whitley, (919) 481-4675.
Sept. 28-30 . NCQHA Futurity. Contact Becky Poe, (828) 256-5037.
Oct. 3-21 . N.C. State Fair Horse Show. Contact Glenn Petty, (919) 556-7321.
Western N.C. Aericultural Center. Fletcher. (8281 687-1414
Sept. 7-16 . N.C. Mountain State Fair. Contact Matt Buchanan, (828) 687-1414.
Sept. 27 . Arden Horse Auction. Contact Gayna Woody, (828) 775-9708.
Sept. 28-30 . IBRA Tri-State Finals. Contact Linda Jetta, (336) 414-6032.
Sept. 29 . Carolina Horseshoers' Conference. Contact Stacy Miller, (828) 681-5095.
Oct. 4-6 . N.C. Walking Horse Assn. Horse Show. Contact Chris Broach, (704) 822-0515.
Oct. 7 . WNC Open Horse Show Circuit. Contact Doyle Enloe, (828) 697-8785.
Oct. 1 1 . Arden Horse Auction. Contact Gayna Woody, (828) 775-9708.
Oct. 18 . Arden Horse Auction. Contact Gayna Woody, (828) 775-9708.
Oct. 1 9-2 1 . Paint Horse Show. Contact Sharon Church, (336) 973-4288.
Sen. Bob Martin Eastern Aericultural Center. Williamston. ( 2521 792-5111
Sept. 14-16 . Team Josey Barrel Racing & Horsemanship Clinic. Contact Josey Ranch, (903) 935-5358.
Sept. 15 . Eastern N.C. Saddle Club Horse Show. Contact Jamie Beacham, (252) 459-8177.
Sept. 22 & 23... Eastern Hunter Assn. Williamston Indoors Show. Contact Wendy Willson. (252) 753-7780.
Sept. 28-30 8,h Annual Sunnyside Open Horse Show. Contact Trish Andrews, (252) 799-0334.
Oct. 6 & 7 . Just Horsin’ Round 2007 Open Horse Show. Contact Beth Tew, (252) 753-8069.
Oct. 11-13 . 9"' Annual Carolina Classic Benefit Horse Show. Contact Ray Cloninger, (704) 489-2000.
Oct. 20 & 21 .... Eastern Hunter Assn. Fall Horse Show. Contact Mario King, (252) 527-3887.
*Shows subject to change. Call before attending. More horse events listed in Bucolic Briefs.