Read it Again: Week of March 7, 2002.
Thursday, March 7, 2002
80 years ago this week. The Ohio Fruit Growers’ Cooperative formed in February, and its first priority is to encourage the grading of Ohio apples to better compete with apples from other states. Grading specifications were adopted in consultation with specialists from Ohio State University.
Silver King corn from Portage County showed up well in the state corn show in Columbus during farmers’ week. For northeastern Ohio, the judges placed the corn as follows: First, W.A. Boettner, Charlestown; second, George R. Fear & Sons, Shalersville; third, R.W. Bigelow, Palmyra; fourth, Maurice Stavenger, Windham; and fifth, R.K. Wileman, Ravenna.
50 years ago this week. Ohio showed a 21 percent increase in tree farm acreage during 1951, according to statistics by American Forest Products Industries. The report shows 253 Ohio tree farms with a total of 17,198 acres of tax-paying, crop-producing timberland.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that 1952 crop corn will be price supported at no less than a national average of $1.60 a bushel. Support was announced at a minimum level, subject to upward revision. National support for the 1951 corn crop was $1.57 a bushel.
25 years ago this week. After a public hearing by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, a regulation was adopted stating that breeding or exhibition swine imported into Ohio must have a statement on the required official health certificate indicating that they have not been part of a herd known to be infected with Pseudorabies within the previous 12 months. The animals must also be negative to a serum neutralization test for the disease conducted within 30 days preceding movement of the animals.
“Ohio has been relatively free of Pseudorabies and the purpose of this regulation is to prevent the disease from entering our state. States west of us have had serious outbreaks of the disease and we feel that this will protect our swine breeders,” said John Stackhouse, director of the ODA.
A 50 percent increase across the board in ticket prices for the 1977 Ohio State Fair was approved by the Ohio Expositions Commission. The action raises the ticket price for children to $1, for adults to $3 and for senior citizens, $1.50.
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.