Agriculture

The Invasive Species Conference, the first statewide conference to focus on the threat to the state from invasive plants, pathogens and insects, will be Dec. 12 and 13 in Lexington.

Dry weather conditions this summer, following another dry season last year, have resulted in grazed pastures with areas that have thin vegetative cover and bare soil. Much of these areas already has evidence of weedy vegetation, such as common ragweed and other summer annuals. As these plants die back naturally, cool-season weeds such as common chickweed, henbit and purple deadnettle will fill in the voids. Other weeds such as buttercup and musk thistle will likely be more prevalent in the coming spring.

Nearly half of Kentucky’s land is forested. The casual observer might classify those lands as unused acreage, but University of Kentucky foresters know that those “idle” lands are behind the employment of more than 30,000 Kentuckians, double the number employed in the state’s coal industry.

Now that Halloween is upon us and fall decorating is in full swing it makes me reminisce about Halloweens past and how times have changed. Yes, I said it, sounding like my parents and grandparents, but times have changed since I was a trick or treater.

When I was a kid, Halloween and the prospect of getting bags full of candy and trick or treating was something my siblings, cousins and I looked forward to almost as much as Christmas, almost…?