Here are this week’s top stories from Farm and Dairy:
1. Thirteen cows dead after trailer overturns on Interstate 80
On April 20 at 8:46 p.m., the driver of a tractor-trailer drove off the right side of Interstate 80 near Austintown, striking the cement guardrail and overturning his trailer. Thirty-seven cattle were in the trailer and three died in the crash.
The cattle fled the scene of the accident and were rounded up by Ohio State Highway Patrol, several area fire departments and police departments and others.
2. Purdue expert gives tips for buying new and used farm machinery
Believe it or not, buying used farm equipment may not be the best deal in the long run.
Robert Stwalley, a Purdue University assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, explains that farm machinery will only operate at maximum efficiency for a certain period of time, so buyers need to determine the number of useful hours that a piece of equipment has left before finalizing the purchase.
3. 5 DIY bath and beauty products
If you love DIY projects, online columnist Ivory Harlow has several bath and beauty items that you can make with natural materials you might already have at home.
Scented bath salts, massage oil, DIY deodorant, cider vinegar hair rinse and super lavender body scrub are great for home use, or they can be given as gifts and party favors.
4. Share the road: Slow down and stay safe during busy planting season
In 2014, there were 101 crashes and seven fatalities involving farm equipment in Pennsylvania. Even though getting behind a tractor can be frustrating, it’s important to remember as planting season approaches that drivers need to slow down when there is farm machinery on the road.
It is legal for farm machinery to travel on public roadways, so motorists need to be courteous and patient and also obey slow-moving emblems on farm equipment in order to ensure safety for farmers, other motorists and themselves.
5. Pipelines are coming — landowners encouraged to make a ‘scorecard’
New pipelines and infrastructure are on their way to central and western Ohio. In Wayne County and surrounding counties, the Rover, Utopia and Nexus projects are being pursued as energy companies look to transport natural gas to new markets.
Landowners, especially farmers, must consider the effects of pipelines across their crop land before signing a pipeline lease. Landowners should also make sure that their leases stipulate what can and cannot be done on the land.
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