MMPA awards nine scholarships
Beginning in 1971 the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) has annually supported dairy education by sponsoring scholarships for members, their children and employees enrolled at Michigan State University and in 1999, MMPA added a scholarship for members or their children attending Purdue University.
For the 2018-2019 academic year, MMPA awarded nine scholarships, totaling over $20,000. The scholarship recipients were honored and introduced to MMPA members at a member meeting on Nov. 20 in East Lansing, Michigan.
MSU scholarship students were honored at an MMPA meeting on November 20. Back row, from left: Nolan Wieber of Fowler, Gerrit Baker, Adam Wiles and Adam Jones. Front row, from left: Jacob Arens of Westphalia, Shania Drakes, Olivia Walker and Wyatt Lamb. Not Pictured: Josh Perkins.
The scholarship fund aims to assist young students pursuing a career in the dairy industry. Scholarships are awarded based on academics, involvement in the dairy industry and letters of recommendation.
“Supporting young people to pursue careers in agriculture, specifically dairy careers, is important to the future of our industry,” says Ken Nobis, St. Johns dairy farmer and MMPA president. “MMPA invests in scholarship and leadership programs to help students explore different facets of the dairy industry and find a career that suits them, therefore, strengthening the dairy sector of agriculture.”
The MSU scholarships available are for students enrolled in the Dairy Management Program. According to the MSU Institute of Agricultural Technology, the program delivers innovative, educational programs that develop career-ready graduates through intensive, practical learning and skill enhancement. Students in the dairy management program, advised by Dr. Joe Domecq, undergo a two-year, hands-on training program for careers in the dairy industry. A key component of the program is the completion of an internship at a dairy farm different than the student’s home farm.
Scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 academic year are due in September. for the MSU scholarships.
MSU Second-Year Scholarships
Jacob Arens, Westphalia, MI
Gerrit Baker, Byron Center, MI
Adam Wiles, Middleton, MI
Nolan Wieber, Fowler, MI
Compact Outdoor Cookware: Ideal for Backpacking and Camping
by Bob Holzhei
Our four children, wife and I have camped throughout our lives beginning first with a 9 by 9 tent, then moving up to a pop-up camper, a travel trailer, and finally we purchased a fifth wheel travel trailer with four slide outs. Maximizing space throughout the years was a priority; after all there’s no use packing things that may not get used.
From a few pieces of blue enamelware products and campfire accessories, GSI Outdoors continues to “grow and expand” into the outdoors.
Their design, manufacturing, sales and marketing of durable and innovative line of outdoor cookware, tableware and accessories is second to none. My compact 4-person outdoor ware (Pinnacle Camper Set) Includes pots, pans, dishes and a 3-liter pot, a 9-inch frypan and 2 straining lids. That’s not all. Included are four 14-ounce bowls, plates and mugs-complete with sip-it-lids, all included. It’s my ultimate outdoor eating solution integrated into one package that fits into a backpack at under 3.7 pounds and the 9 by 9 by 6 compact size completes the package. I could not believe it either.
“GSI Outdoors is a small, privately held, family company founded in 1985 by Don, Ian and Kathy Scott.” GSI Outdoors “expand into the design, manufacturing sales and marketing of an innovative line of outdoor cookware, tableware and accessories.
“Today GSI Outdoor Products are distributed worldwide and the company is noted for their “superior quality, technical performance” and the company’s love of the outdoors.
Four 14-ounce bowls, mugs with sip-it-lids, complete the package.
The compact design is ideal for summer backpacking or camping when saving space needs to be maximized, whether hiking, boating trips, or a visit to the beach.
GSI Outdoors answers to its customers; its freedom is modeled to the natural world and customers and bringing people together in the outdoors.
A Look Back – Hospital Personnel
by Barry Clark Bauer
Dr. A.C. Henthorn and Dr. P.F. Stoller sit at a table while Nurse Clare Haske in the glasses and an unidentified nurse look on. This photo was taken in 1968, most likely at the Clinton Memorial Hospital which is now known as Sparrow Clinton Hospital.
Letters – More about Barry’s Look Back tractor
The machine in the Clinton Tractor picture is a hammer mill, used to grind grain for animal feed. The large tank is used to hold the processed feed, and also to mix supplements with the feed so each animal receives a balanced ration. These machines are commonly known as “grinder-mixers”, and were popular on the small farms of the 1960s because the farmer could process animal feed without hauling grain to the feed mill in town and back to the farm.
My father, Allen Schultz, bought a new Ferguson TO-30 from Ken Penix about 1956. It proved to be a good tractor, because it is still owned by our family. Allen also bought a new Massey-Harris Clipper pull-type combine about the same time. In the mid-1950s Massey-Ferguson maintained two lines of tractors, Ferguson and Massey-Harris.
I used to wonder about Allen’s Massey-Ferguson equipment because the rest of our family all used Oliver equipment. Years later, my mother informed me that Allen’s best friend, Wayne Smith, was a salesman for Massey-Ferguson.
Glenn Schultz
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Does Your Cat Have Whisker Stress?
courtesy of Dr. Sarah Wooten
If you are noticing that your cat is all of a sudden making messes with her cat food, pulling food out of her bowl to eat on the floor, or is more finicky about her food, some say that whisker stress could be to blame.
The whiskers on your cat’s face are sensitive feeling organs that cats use to gather information about their environment. Cat whiskers collect and send information to their brain—you can think of them as sensitive little antennas that cats use to ‘see’ in the dark.
They are so sensitive that they can determine subtle changes in movement and pressure. Also known as vibrissae, whiskers function to help cats find food, relate spatially to their environment, and avoid potential dangers by detecting movement from potential predators.
What Is Cat Whisker Stress?
Whisker stress, also referred to as whisker fatigue, is a fairly new concept, and like most new ideas, a controversial one. No studies have been done to validate the claim, and without studies backing it up, veterinarians are hesitant to get on board with the idea.
Although there isn’t any research that supports the concept of whisker stress, there have been reports from pet parents who say that their cats experience whisker stress and that their cat’s eating habits improved when they changed the way they fed their cat.
The concept of whisker stress makes sense. If you constantly touch a highly sensitive spot anywhere on the body, it can tend to fatigue the area, and in some cases, even cause stress. If a cat’s highly sensitive face antennas are constantly stimulated every time the cat puts her face in a cat bowl, it could potentially be stressful and painful.
How Do You Know If Your Cat Has Whisker Stress?
Those who uphold the concept of whisker stress point to the following signs:
– Pacing in front of a food or water bowl
– Acting hungry, but doesn’t want to eat from a bowl
– Pawing food out of a bowl and eating it on the floor
Because issues with eating can also be signs of disease or other health problems, always rule these out by taking your cat to the vet.
How Can I Prevent Whisker Fatigue?
If your cat is exhibiting any of the above symptoms and you’ve ruled out health issues, and you suspect whisker stress, then it is time to change the food bowl. An easy first step would be to put the food on a small, flat plate or a mat like the Van Ness dinner mat or Omega paw hungry pet food mat. Or try a bowl with low sides like Dr. Catsby’s whisker relief cat bowl and see if the symptoms dissipate. If they do, then whisker stress could be the culprit.
When it comes to whisker stress, don’t forget about water bowls. Many cats prefer drinking from a flowing, fresh water source that can be provided with a cat water fountain. A Drinkwell pagoda pet fountain is a stylish way to entice your cat to relax and drink more water—something that is good for all cats.
If you are tempted to trim your cat’s whiskers to solve any potential whisker stress, STOP! Trimming whiskers can be very upsetting and uncomfortable for cats. In general, I do not recommend trimming cat whiskers.
What If It Isn’t Whisker Stress?
In addition to whisker stress, there are many reasons that can cause a cat to develop a finicky appetite or other eating problems. Cats that have painful dental disease can exhibit the same symptoms as whisker stress. Cats that have liver disease, kidney disease, inflammatory bladder conditions or inflammatory bowel disease can also develop eating problems.
Cats can also bully each other around the food bowl, which can cause a cat to develop abnormal eating behavior. Anything that can make a cat feel nauseous can also cause a cat to stop eating.
If you change the bowl and still notice that your cat is exhibiting abnormal eating behavior, it is time for a checkup with your local veterinarian. Remember that cats are masters at hiding their pain and discomfort—a cat has to be suffering significantly before she will let it show. Don’t wait—seek prompt veterinary attention if you notice your cat’s eating behavior changing significantly or if your cat is losing weight.
Now and Then – Meanwhile on the breakwall in Alpena
by Jean Martin
So far it seems to have been kind of a dreary dry winter, relieved only by the odd freezing drizzle, in St. Johns.
Meanwhile on the breakwall farther north at the Alpena municipal harbor, the freezing windy weather has filled in the walkway with sandy frozen waves. It is an interesting sight to behold. It is solid ice with some areas as high as the top rail.
As ever, winter in not for the faint of heart.