Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : Waiting for the big Kahuna -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Joseph G. who wrote (11498)	12/13/1997 5:41:00 PM
From: William H Huebl	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 94695

Well Joe, The market just told me to tell you it goofed! Since you are looking for something to read... Dec 12 1997 Horses Use Leftovers For Warmth At Oaklawn by Mary Freeman Extension Communications Specialist Division of Agriculture The leftovers in some of Arkansas County's wheat fields help keep expensive thoroughbreds comfortable at the Oaklawn Park and Louisiana Downs racetracks. At $3.25 a bale, the wheat straw also provides a few extra dollars for producer Carl Raabe of Almyra. "We usually generate about 15- to 20,000 bales," Raabe says. "Most of it goes to Oaklawn." Raabe says he's been selling to trainers since the 1980s. "We knew the guy at the (track) gate and the trainers are always wanting straw and he got us set up with Don Von Hemel and Terry Dunlavy and Richard Jackson," Raabe says. Von Hemel was one of Oaklawn's leading trainers during the live season that ended in April. He sent out 13 winners and his starters earned over $410,000. Dunlavy saddled eight winners during the meet, while Jackson had seven. Many horsemen prefer straw to wood shavings. "It's easier to dispose of and easier to clean up," says Extension horse specialist Steve Jones. "It decomposes pretty quickly." Wheat straw allows trainers to breathe easier, because their horses do. "It's definitely not as dusty as wood shavings," Jones says. "Plus, it's easier to haul and it's just easier to handle all the way around." Raabe makes it as easy as possible for the trainers. "Some of them come pick it up and most we haul over," he says. Sometimes his neighbors hit him up for a bale or two for Thanksgiving or Halloween displays. He often fills those requests for free and he has other takers as well. "We sell it to gardeners and the highway department a lot" for mulching and to stop erosion, he says. The practice of selling wheat straw isn't very widespread. "It's pretty much a local niche thing here," said Phil Simms, an agricultural Extension agent in Stuttgart. Bill