Around Town April 29, 2020
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Deadline nears for
forestry scholarship
Monday, May 4, is the deadline for applications for four $2,000 scholarships offered by Linn County Small Woodlands Association to students graduating from Linn County high schools who plan to pursue forestry or forestry-related natural resources fields of study in an Oregon college or in a dual-enrollment program (such as LBCC-OSU and LCC-UO).
The scholarships are renewable at $1,000 to $2,000 rates, depending on the success of the group’s Seedling Sales. Academic achievements, honors and awards, school activities and community engagement will be considered.
Application forms, to be postmarked or e-mailed by May 4, are available at Linn County’s high schools and from Katie Kohl, LCSWA scholarship chair (kohl@proaxis.com).
SHAF scholarships deadline May 8
Friday, May 8, is the deadline for Sweet Home High School seniors to apply for scholarships offered by the Sweet Home Alumni Foundation.
In keeping with the medical community’s recommendation of social distancing, graduating seniors can complete their application online at: sweethome.k12.or.us/media/2020/01/SHAF_Scholarship_ApplicationFillable-1.30.pdf. Completed applications should be mailed to be received on or before May 8 to: Sweet Home Aluni Foundation, P.O. Box 83, Sweet Home, OR 97386.
Search and Rescue recruit openings
The Linn County Sheriff Sheriff’s Office is recruiting young men and women, ages 14 to 18, to join the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Team and participate in a 10-day summer training program.
This will be the 27th Search and Rescue Training Academy in Linn County and will be held June 19-29.
Those who are interested in becoming an integral part of the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue mission should have an interest in community service and a desire to be a part of a highly trained and professional life saving organization.
There is an application process that includes oral interviews, a background check and physical aptitude test. Applicants must attend one recruit meeting at the Sheriff’s Office, which is scheduled for 7 p.m. on May 1 to attend the academy. Call for details.
Training will include classes in wilderness survival, shelter building, search tactics, first aid/CPR, map and compass reading, rappelling and many more topics.
For more information about the program contact Lt. Joe Larsen at the Linn County Sheriff’s Office (541) 812-2272 or visit the Linn County Sheriff’s Office website at http://www.linnsheriff.org.
Online applications are available on the website and at the Sheriff’s Office in Albany.
Free firewood in
national forest
Personal firewood cutting will be free to the general public through June 1 on Willamette National Forest.
No permit will be required during that period, the U.S. Forest Service has announced.
Woodcutters can take up to four cords of firewood for personal use. A cord is the amount of tightly piled wood in a stack 4 feet high by 4 feet wide by 8 feet long.
Personal-use firewood cutting allows you to remove downed timber or to cut standing dead trees under most conditions on the Willamette National Forest.
It is important to check with the local ranger district to see what specific local restrictions or requirements may apply.
Woodcutters are also required to follow requirements governing types of trees cut, location of trees, wetlands considerations and skidding and yarding restrictions.
Firewood cutting information and guidelines are available at go.usa.gov/xvrDp.
Handouts will also be made available to pick up from the front doors at the Sweet Home Ranger District headquarters at 4431 Highway 20, by emailing sm.fs.mf@usda.gov, or by calling (541) 367-5168.
Extension offers online ag help
Oregon State University Extension offers a variety of agriculture-related helps and activities for those confined to their homes.
- Science Information for the kids (and you) – http://www.asas.org/meetings/virtual-resources.
This collection of programs has been reviewed by and is being promoted by the American Society of Animal Sciences. It offers online resources for educators and parents in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions.
- OSU Chick-Cam – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50EXdnUQt7c&feature=youtu.be&t=32.
- Gardening – Through the end of April, OSU Master Gardeners are offering free access to OSU’s online Vegetable Gardening course.
The easiest way to get there is to visit workspace.oregonstate.edu/catalog-page#all-courses and scroll down to the “Free Intro to OSU Master Gardener Program.”
For beef farmers, there are a number of options:
- Beef Quality Assurance online training is available.
BQA is a national program that raises consumer confidence through offering proper management techniques and a commitment to quality within every segment of the beef industry.
See more about BQA and find the on-line trainings available at http://www.bqa.org. The BQA program offers several certification options including the following:
– Cow/Calf - For those who breed and sell weaned calves;
– Stocker/Backgrounder - For those who raise and sell feeder cattle;
– Feedyard – For those who feed and sell fed cattle; and
– Transportation – For those who truck cattle (professional driver or farmer-ranch).
BQA certification is for three years. Update yours now if needed or add another certificate on another sector of the beef industry.
For more information on the BQA or other animal husbandry questions, contact Shelby Filley at (541) 236-3016 or shelby.filley@oregonstate.edu.
- Animals and COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Information is available from the Oregon Department of Agriculture http://www.oregon.gov/ODA/agriculture/Pages/COVID-19.aspx or from the federal Center for Disease Control at http://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/index.html (scroll down and click on “”If You Have Animals.”
