Children love to ride on a carousel, large or small. Well, at a special dairy in north Georgia, cows get taken for a ride every day -- not once, but three times. In about 90 minutes the operator of the carousel dairy can milk their 500 cows because the carousel brings the cows to the worker. Warren Gilson, a scientist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, says the carousel saves the dairyman a huge amount of time, which helps solves a huge labor problem. "Tight labor market, labor's almost non-existent out there in the farm community," says Warren Gilson with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds the cows are fully contented with the world as they give milk while taking their gentle spin on the carousel. The ride reduces their stress, which means each cow gives more milk, about a pint a day. The carousel system is also quicker, which means the dairyman gets to spend more time at home. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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C.M. Stripling of Mitchell County provided 133 acres of his farmland, farmland that has been in his family for half a century to science. Twenty years ago, the 80 year old farmer predicted water could become agriculture's most important issue. By donating the farmland, Mr. Stripling hopes to stop the finger pointing at farmers, who get blamed for the state's water problems. Jim Hook, a scientist with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, says the farmland is just right for irrigation research. It hasn't grown a crop in three years, has dirt so sandy that water almost immediately passes through it and is located near the Flint river. "Basically, how little water can we get by with and keep the production and profitability where it needs to be," says Jim Hook with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds these and other answers could help Georgia farmers stay in business by cutting their production costs, while using water more efficiently. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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Many landowners transplant long leaf pine seedlings during November, so they can get empty timber stands re-forested. But a dry October created dry conditions in most of the state's empty timber stands. David Moorhead, a forester with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says long leaf pine seedlings transplanted in dry soils will have a hard time surviving. "Successful planting requires adequate soil moisture, and presently across much of the state the upper six inches of soil lacks the necessary moisture to insure good early planting survival," says David Moorhead with the Warnell School of Forest Resources. While waiting on the rains, Moorhead advises landowners to go ahead and sub-soil the stand, especially if seedlings will be transplanted on sites that were once fields or pastures. Sub-soiling will break up hard pans that formed on these sites over the years, allowing the roots to penetrate deeper into the soil, and more moisture to sink in. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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University poultry scientists predict there will be fewer turkeys on the market for the 2000 Thanksgiving season. But despite the slight decrease in supplies, consumers should find plenty of turkeys when they go to the grocery store. Shoppers will probably notice a price increase, but it will be minimal, and consumers should still find bargain prices at the meat counter. Bill Dozier, a poultry scientist with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says there are advantages of a smaller turkey supply. "On the bright side of this is I believe our consumers will find fresher turkey this year, as opposed to last year when we had so many turkeys. A lot of the meat was stored in refrigeration-coolers for a longer period of time," says Bill Dozer with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, who adds none of the turkeys in grocery stores are Georgia grown. Most of the turkeys come from farms in North and South Carolina, as well as Virginia. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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During late fall and winter, landowners like to set fires in their timber stands to conduct a control burn. But drought conditions have made it almost impossible to use fire as a cleaning tool, and this year is no exception. David Moorhead, a forester with the University of Georgia Extension Service, says burning off a dry timber stand can damage the stand in several ways. "Burning on dry soils damages tree roots and increases tree and stand stress which brings on mortality and bark beetle insect attacks," says David Moorhead with the Warnell School of Forest Resources, who adds landowners should hold off burning until the stand receives a soaking rain of at least one inch, so enough moisture can build up to conduct a safe burn. Once some moisture gets stored in the soil, set the fire right after another rain of one quarter to one half inch provides extra protection. You must also contact your local Georgia Forestry Commission office and secure a burn permit before conducting a control burn. John Harrell, University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, reporting from Tifton.

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