Year in Review Part 3

Year In Review Part 3. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.
As we wrap up our 2009 ag year in review it is interesting to compare it to previous years although not really fair. Every year has had its ups and downs and 2009 was no exception. We spent quite a bit of time talking about conservation this past year. Wind, geothermal & solar. Vicky Lynne, an engineer with the National Center for Appropriate Technology talked about one such application for solar.

LYNNE: At least in the west a lot of farmers and ranchers have livestock that they are pasturing in remote areas that are far away from power lines by installing a solar powered livestock watering system, they could perhaps use a well or they could pump water from a stream.

The H1N1 virus, incorrectly known as the swine flu was big news in 2009 and especially at fair time, ODA State Veterinarian Don Hansen put out a warning.

HANSEN: Keeping the pigs, as much as we can, away from - a distance from people so visitors aren't allowed to pet the pigs or be in real close contact. That's the best protection.

There were some fun spots in 2009 here on the Ag Network as well. During a trip to the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival I ran into Joe “Hoppy” Sullivan who makes appearances all over the U.S. as Hopalong Cassidy and talked about the costume.

SULLIVAN: A major part of this whole thing really is the costume because I think it was so unique in the fact that it really started out as being all blue. I call it a police officer’s blue that he wore back when he made the movies. It took me probably about 5 years to really get the outfit down as it should be and it all has to be tailor made, all hand made. There’s really nothing you can buy except the hat.

I also had the chance to meet actor Denny Miller who you might remember as Tarzan or Wagon Trains, Duke Shannon. We talked about his getting the part on Wagon Train.

MILLER: I was so bad the first one I heard later that they were going to let me go and Ward Bond and I had kind of a bond because he had been a jock as well and he said give the kid another chance and so 107 episodes later I was at least baptized under fire.

2009 will be remembered for all these stories and more but I think it is important to not dwell on the past but to focus on the future.  That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. We wish you all a very Happy New Year. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.