Imagination Library Marks Eight Years 

    Franklin County's Imagination Library is now eight years old. 2016 saw the enrollment of the one thousandth preschooler into the local program. It is interesting that this enrollment coincided with founder Dolly Parton's 70th birthday.

   Since its beginning in 2008, the ILFC has provided a book each month to over 300 preschoolers in Franklin County. As of June 2016, 697 children have "graduated" (turned five years of age) from the program. Currently there are 336 children receiving books monthly.   The printing cost of the books is paid for by the Dollywood Foundation and shipping and handling is funded locally through donations from individuals and groups, grants, an endowment, and fundraisers. The cost for the local organization to provide a child with a book each month is approximately $30 per year.

    Imagination Library of Franklin County board members are unpaid volunteers and meet monthly at the Brookville Public Library. Since its inception, the ILFC has been a "no frills" operation, focusing only on "books for kids". The emphasis of the program is to help develop early childhood literacy. Research indicates that exposure to books and being read to on a regular basis can prepare a child for success in school and foster a lifelong love of reading.

    Any child between birth and 5 years old who is a resident of Franklin County is eligible for the program and can be enrolled at either of the local public libraries. 

   Current ILFC board members pictured: clockwise starting with red shirt in center: Melody Gault, Nancy Hawkins, Nancy Bodnar, Larry Back, Charlie Ratz and Don Jobe. Not pictured Patti Wilhelm, Jane Klenke and Melinda Brown.
     Your contribution will help this valuable program to continue making a difference in early childhood literacy in Franklin County. Donations by check should be made payable to the Imagination Library of Franklin County and mailed to Brookville Public Library, 919 Main Street, Brookville, Indiana, 47012

Bovine Tuberculosis Meeting Aug. 29,

Disease Found in Wild Deer

 

   Cattle owners and other residents in Southeastern Indiana are invited to attend a public meeting about the current bovine tuberculosis (TB) situation in the region. During the meeting, staff from the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) will explain plans for expanded disease surveillance in area cattle after the discovery of TB in a wild, white-tailed deer. Representatives with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will also speak to the impact on the upcoming fall deer hunting season.

 

   In mid-August, bovine tuberculosis (commonly called "TB") was discovered in a wild white-tailed deer in Franklin County. The 2-year-old doe was culled on the same premises where the disease was diagnosed in beef cattle in April. This marks the first time TB has been found in a wild animal in Indiana. The discovery of the infected wild deer means BOAH must expand the testing zone from 3 miles to 10 miles, as well as a corridor along the Whitewater River where the likely presence of infected deer is greater.

   Based on premises registrations with the Board of Animal Health, nearly 500 cattle farms are located in the surveillance zone. The 10-mile surveillance circle extends from the southern portion of Fayette County to encompass most of the western half of Franklin County, including a portion of the eastern edge of Rush and Decatur counties. The zone also includes a 2-mile-wide swath of properties along the Whitewater River as it extends into Dearborn County, all the way to the Ohio state border.  Farmers with registered cattle premises in the surveillance zone should receive a letter from BOAH during the week of August 22.

   The goal of this initiative is to maintain Indiana's bovine TB-free status, which the state has maintained since 1984. Under U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements, surveillance testing must expand. Free status allows beef and dairy cattle farmers to move their animals with fewer restrictions.

   For more information about bovine tuberculosis and the current situation, visit the BOAH website at: www.in.gov/boah/2396.htm . Web visitors will be given the option to subscribe to email updates in the future.

     Franklin County and the City of Batesville each received $1 million in matching grant money for road and bridge repairs, as confirmed by Will Wingfield, spokesperson for Indiana Dept. of Transportation. The Town of Brookville also received $99,919.50.

 

Food & Growers Assoc. Annual Meeting

 

   The Food & Growers Association (FGA) members and the public are invited to attend the annual meeting, to be held at Michaela Farm in Oldenburg, Thursday, September 15, in conjunction with the September FGA Potluck.

   This special potluck will feature local pork by Small Acres Farm, prepared locally by BBQ Street, and homemade desserts prepared locally by the FGA board. All tableware and drinks will be provided as well. A tour of Michaela Farm will begin at approximately 6 PM, followed by dinner at 7 PM in the big red barn. At 7:30 PM we will have a short business meeting followed by our featured speaker from Indiana Grown.

   All this for the one low price of your potluck dish! Please bring a dish prepared with local, sustainable, whole foods if possible. Don't want to cook? The price is $10 at the door for the public, $5 at the door if you are a member of FGA.

   Reservations are appreciated by September 9 and can be made by calling Deanna Hookway at 812-212-5432 or emailing: contact@foodandgrowers.org. Please indicate if you will bring a dish or pay at the door. Said you were coming but cannot make it? RSVP regrets to the same address by September 13.

 

Consider Crop Risk Protection before Deadlines

 

   The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers to review available USDA crop risk protection options, including federal crop insurance and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage, before the applicable crop sales deadline. The NAP application closing date for value loss crops for the following year (flowers for fresh cut, onion sets, turfgrass sod, Christmas trees, aquaculture, ginseng, mushrooms, etc.) is September 1, 2016. The NAP application closing date for, garlic, wheat, barley, rye and mint for the following year's crop is September 30, 2016. For more information on NAP, service fees, premiums and sales deadlines, contact the Franklin County FSA office at 765-647-2651 or visit the web at www.fsa.usda.gov/nap.