Read it Again: Week of April 3, 2003.

80 years ago this week. Columbiana County Ag Agent C.E. Rowland reports attendance at the county’s various farmers’ institutes this winter totaled 11,449 people. Homeworth’s institute registered 2,730 visitors; Damascus, 2,585 people; Clarkson, 1,180; Fairfield, 965; Winona, 915; New Waterford, 700; and Unity, 600.

“A hog that thinks it is a bear has been discovered at the farm of George Helmick, south of Barberton. The anemic porker was discovered last week under a pile of straw where it had hibernated since last October. At the time of its mysterious retirement, it was one of Helmick’s prize specimens, weighing about 250 pounds… It is believed that the animal lay down to take a nap directly under the blow pipe of a threshing machine. The animal probably kept the feeble spark of life alight by drinking what little moisture trickled through the stack and by occasionally munching the straw that formed its prison.”

50 years ago this week. Notice has just been received by J.T. Darling from the public information office at Lackland Air Force Base at San Antonio, Texas, that his son, Wayne T. Darling, is completing his AF basic airman indoctrination course. He is now ready to enter AF technical training and for assignment in specialized work.

25 years ago this week. The Coggins test for equine infections anemia will not be required of Ohio horses at the 1978 Canfield Fair, according to fair secretary Grace Williams. The Ohio Department of Agriculture will let each fair decide whether to test this year. One reason for this is that it is not certain if the state laboratory will be ready to handle the volume of tests after the laboratory was damaged by a storm in January. There is also a disagreement over how contagious the disease is.

Gasohol mixtures are now sold in several rural areas. The alcohol is presently being sold in farming communities for use “in anything from tractors to Cadillacs.” The mixture is seen as a possible solution to problems facing farmers, including decreased government subsidies and as a possible market for crops farmers are now advised not to produce.