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The 2009 Missouri Beef Tour will be held and will provide an opportunity to see a broad range of cattle operations in south-central Missouri. The tour begins at 12:30 p.m. and will visit operations in Dent, Phelps and Crawford counties. Stops along the tour include a Hereford seedstock operation, a high stock-density operation, a managed intensive grazing system, a backgrounding operation and a silvopasture facility. The tour is free and advance registration is not required. The first stop will be in Dent County at Oak Knoll Ranch located at 1465 County Road 2090 in Salem. Leon and Helen Kreisler established the ranch in 1985, fall-calve their 123-head commercial Angus-based herd on 480 acres. They winter half the herd entirely on pasture while supplementing the other half with 1,500 to 2,000 pounds of hay for two months in winter. George Barnitz and his son, Senator Frank Barnitz, operate the 142-year-old Barnitz Farms. They manage a 450-head herd of commercial black and red Angus, calving in spring and fall. Barnitz Farms custom-backgrounds calves for South Ozarks Premier Beef Marketers (SOPBM). The Barnitz’ s and SOPBM recently participated in Missouri University distiller’s grains experiments in their back grounding operation. A highlight of the farm is a huge, red barn built in 1868, still in full use and maintained in its original condition. Robert and Gretchen Thompson breed registered Herefords at Glengrove Farm in Phelps County at 12905 County Road 4010 in Rolla. Thompson, a third-generation farmer, stated that his grandfather moved to the present farm location along with my father, who was 9 years old at the time back in 1903.The Thompson’s keep 40-plus cows and calves and about a half-dozen registered performance-tested bulls on 160 acres. They herd calves in the spring and fall. The oldest family farm on the tour, originally known as Parry Polled Herefords, was established by Mary Beth Parry Pogue’s family in the early 1800s. Mary Beth and Denny Pogue, who have full-time jobs outside the farm, run a crossbred Angus herd of about 100 fall-calving cows. The herd grazes pasture 50 weeks a year. The Pogues’ goals are to keep one cow per three acres in the grazing system without feeding very much hay, eliminate fertilizer supplements and sell 70 to 75 calves each year. They plan to fence the exterior boundaries and install free-ranging goats for brush management. The tour will end at MU’s Wurdack Farm in Crawford County. There will be a tour of the managed grazing and silvopasture systems at the facility and a beef dinner for those who registered at tour stops during the day. For more information on the beef tour, call Ted Cunningham at 729-3196.

A Special Meeting of the City of Salem Board of Alderman, called by Mayor Gary Brown, will be held at the City Council Chambers located at 202 North Washington on Friday, August 28^th at 10:00 am for the awarding of asphalt bids and Bill #3178, an ordinance authorizing the Mayor to execute a contract between the City of Salem and Pace Construction Company to install hot mix asphalt over five sections of city streets with specified material, workmanship and requirements. The Special Meeting of the City of Salem Board of Alderman is open to the public. 

It’s illegal to guide hunts for feral hogs in the Mark Twain National Forest, and a Licking man is paying the price. Charles Richard Wade, age 67, was sentenced in federal court to two years of probation. He must surrender his hunting license for six months and also not operate his commercial hunting guide business for six months. Wade pleaded guilty in May to conducting a guided hunt for feral hogs in the Mark Twain Forest in Texas County. In doing so, he violated federal law and U.S. Forest Service regulations.

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Funeral services for Albert Charles King of Salem, age 67, will be held this morning at 11:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Interment will be private. Memorials are suggested to the American Lung Association.

Funeral services for Robert F. “Red” Stewart of Salem, age 78, will be held today at 2:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Interment will be in the North Lawn Cemetery.

Funeral services for Estalla Tucker of Bunker, age 91, will be held Friday morning at 11:00 at the McSpadden Funeral Home in Bunker. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 tonight. Interment will be in the Bunker Cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Hospital or the Ronald McDonald House.

Funeral services for Marian J. Szwiec of Salem, age 73, will be held Saturday morning at 11:00 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Salem. Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 Friday night. Interment will be in the Cedar Grove Cemetery with full military honors. A Rosary service will be held Friday night at 7:30. Memorials may be made to the local American Cancer Society.

Funeral services for Bernice C. James of Vichy, age 78, will be held Saturday at 11:00 at the Visitation Catholic Church in Vienna. Visitation will be Friday night at the James & Gahr Chapel in Rolla from 6:00 to 8:00 and will also be at the Visitation Catholic Church Saturday at 10:00 until time of service. Interment will be in the Walker Cemetery in St. James. Memorials are suggested to the Walker Cemetery or Vienna Knights of Columbus.

A Celebration of Life For James Lynn Stafford of Steelville, age 76, will be held Sunday at 1:00 at the Bass River Resort in Steelville. All arrangements are under the direction of Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville.

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