Free Republic

WAPELLO, Iowa -- The winds came to Wapello on Monday. Damages to trees and some roofs were evident around the Wapello area. Probably the most devastating damage hit grain bins in this rural area. Farmers Elevator and Exchange sits along highway 61. They had two grain bins succumb to the high winds. A 200,000 bushel grain bin was totally disintegrated while a second bin of the same size was seriously damaged. The second bin was close to being lifted off of its foundation too.

I just bought two milk goats, and I'm thrilled with them! Are you thinking of a similar purchase? If so, you may want to read up on goats and milking. This article is meant to help new goat owners by giving them an outline of sorts. Think long and hard before buying a goat, but enjoy them if you get one!

Wow..be listening to Becks show this morning..you will understand what's going on. It is in fact the immigration bill. Bohner, Grahmn and McCain are threatening GOP members who are standing firm against immigration bill. There are 50 of them and some have chairs that are being threatened by GOP and Bohner.

As a child, the first show we ever watched was "Gunsmoke". We watched it as a family, and Marshal Dillon had a profound effect on the way I looked at life then and now. I continue to watch "Gunsmoke" reruns daily; it's a great refresher of the lessons I learned so long ago. True Friends

I would like to know if anyone has the name of the guy who had his vehicle highjacked. Also, do you have a picture of him?

Jan. 1, 2014, will find the fat lady singing for my husband and me. That is when smokers will have to "cough up" extra money for their health insurance because of a provision of the Affordable Health Act. I am 60, which means that I will pay $5,000 extra. My husband at 54 will pay more than $4,000 extra each year. Mind you that this is on top of the insurance payments we already make.

When I saw Fox News reporting that women were starting to poll higher for Mitt Romney, I could relate. I have three girlfriends in Iowa, and we're all willing to vote for Romney. Oddly, none of us backed him in caucus early in the year. My first choice was Ron Paul; my friend Cathy's was Newt Gingrich; Pat's was Herman Cain and Kim did not have a favorite. Needless to say, this little political bunch of women had widely varying views of what we wanted in a president.

I don't like early voting, and think it should be reserved for the military and some seniors. This year is a great example of why debates could sway voters. Foreign affairs, the deaths of Americans in Libya, the truth about our country's financial future are all up for debate. They are serious issues and all answers will be viewed, not only by Americans, but by the world.

Swamped with grapes and not much time to make juice? Thankfully there is a quick method to make grape juice with whole grapes. No need to remove the skins or seeds. This recipe is easy, and beginners will have no problem making grape juice for the first time.

Do you love fishing as I do? Did you give it up because of fibromyalgia? Instead of giving up, start preparing before you go! I have been fishing again for the last three years. I have specific things to take with me, and if you make a list, it will be no problem getting back to the sport you love!

In a new forecast, the National Weather Service is predicting a continuing drought for the Midwest. The drought is being felt from eastern Nebraska through Iowa and Missouri and affects Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. As the drought continues, expectations of high yields are dropping. Could Tropical storm Debbie be on the verge of dampening these dire drought predictions? Maybe.

Pfizer Inc.'s drug Lyrica has gotten FDA approval for use in treating nerve pain due to spinal injuries. Lyrica, a pain drug, is Pfizer's second-biggest selling drug. It is expected that this new approval will help Lyrica pass Lipitor, the company's largest-selling drug for reducing cholesterol.

This is a step by step article on how to freeze peaches. So, grab a cup of coffee and start reading this easy method. Remember, this is how I do it, be sure and check with your extension office.

On Monday, "Swamp People" star Mitchell Guist died in his boat. A Baton Rouge news program said a passenger in his boat saw him suffer what seemed like a seizure. Guist fell in the boat and efforts to revive him failed. Mitchell and his brother Glenn shot to fame on The History Channel's "Swamp People." The show features alligator hunters, but the Guist brothers brought a whole different view of the Louisiana swamp life.

I am an avid canner, and I also buy flour in bulk. I was intrigued by the 15-20 year storage life for canned dry goods. If you like sales and buying extra flour, rice, dried beans and cornmeal, this may be a great help to you! You don't need a pressure canner, just your oven.

I'm almost 60 now, and my OCD has changed dramatically. Looking back, a direct connection between my severest symptoms, and the lack or abundance of Vitamin D, seems clear. As a child, I was allergic to milk and was raised on soybean formula. I practically lived outside and took jobs, like bean row walking and picking tomatoes. I did not start suffering from OCD until I started working in factories and restaurants. I spent a few years farming, and the OCD ebbed. Next I started trucking and worked in confinement hog buildings. I did a total tailspin and the OCD...

The ISO to be imposed on April 1 considers all but eight breeds of hogs to be feral. Those eight breeds are used in confinement buildings. That means the DNR can drive onto farms and homesteads that raise other breeds of swine and kill them on the spot.

When it comes to the homestead, high gas prices hits us hard. If the farmers pay higher fuel costs, they are going to pass that cost on to consumers. We have to buy hay for our livestock. The farmers we buy from will raise the hay prices to cover their added fuel expenses. This in turn, has small livestock owners like ourselves, selling off breeding stock.

A dispute over contracts for paper products like toilet paper and paper towels has reached crisis mode in Trenton, N.J., reports NJ.com. Employees and visitors alike may be crossing their fingers and their legs while in city-run public buildings. In the basement of the city hall, there is half a box of toilet paper and one case of paper towels left.

Two years ago, I started reading about vitamin D deficiency. In articles by Dr. Frank Lipkin and on Natural News, they explained the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. Guess what? To my surprise and curiosity, a lot of the symptoms were like fibromyalgia. I went back through my paperwork and saw that the nurse had indeed told me to take vitamin D.