Stone County Conservation District

09/06/2026

🐛🍂 Old Weather Folklore: The wider the black bands on a woolly bear caterpillar, the harder the winter is said to be.

For generations, people have looked to nature for clues about the season ahead—and the woolly bear is one of fall’s most famous “weather predictors.”

Of course, it’s folklore rather than a scientific forecast, but it’s still a fun autumn tradition.

Have you spotted a woolly bear yet this fall? How wide were its black bands? Tell us where you live! 👇

09/06/2026

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has unveiled a new package of measures aimed at rebuilding the nation’s cattle herds, which have fallen to their lowest levels in 75 years.

09/06/2026

There is a toad on the step under the porch light most nights now, fat as a fist, working the moths that fall out of the bulb. It will not be there much longer.

American toads do not go anywhere for winter. They go down. When the nights turn cold in late September the toad quits the light and starts looking for soft ground, a flower bed or the loose dirt by the woodpile. Then it turns around and digs in backwards with its hind feet, a few inches at a time, until it is below where the frost will reach. In a hard winter it keeps going, inching down each time the frost line follows it.

It comes up in late April, walks to the same pond as last year, and the males sing for two weeks straight. So leave one corner of the bed unturned this fall. Somebody is going to need it. 🐸

09/06/2026

🚜 👩‍🌾 Federal law puts almost no limit on what a child can do on their own parents' farm. Step onto a neighbor's farm, and that changes immediately.

Under the parental exemption in the Fair Labor Standards Act, a child of any age can work any job on a farm owned or operated by their own parent, no age restrictions. But that exemption is narrower than many people assume.

Attorney Audry Thompson with the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law explained during a The National Agricultural Law Center webinar that for kids working on a non-parental farm, the Fair Labor Standards Act sets clear age-based rules for what's allowed and when.

🔗 Full breakdown: bit.ly/Child-Labor-Laws-26

09/06/2026

Number of the Day: 50,611

All across Texas, USDA is using 111 trail cameras to observe wildlife for signs of screwworm. Since June 4, APHIS Wildlife Services has observed 50,611+ animals from trail cams – all part of our effort to look everywhere for signs of screwworm. We’ll use every tool we have, including drones, traps, field exams, and other surveillance tools.

Every observation adds to the picture.

09/05/2026

09/05/2026

What’s that bat?

09/05/2026

All 75 Arkansas counties are now under high wildfire risk, and more than 65 counties have active burn bans. Persistent drought and extremely dry vegetation mean fires can start easily, spread rapidly, and become difficult to control. As we head into the holiday weekend, we’re asking all Arkansans to stay alert and take steps to reduce wildfire ignition.

Please take these precautions:

- Avoid all outdoor burning. This includes campfires, trash burning, grilling with open flames, and any prescribed or controlled burns.
- Never leave any outdoor flame unattended.
- Use caution when driving or operating equipment near dry vegetation. Avoid driving over tall or dry grass, ensure trailer chains aren’t dragging, and do not drive on flat tires.
- Properly extinguish and dispose of cigarettes—never discard them outdoors.
- Report smoke or fire immediately by calling 1‑800‑468‑8834.

Stay informed by monitoring the Department’s county‑by‑county fire map, reviewing active incidents on the wildfire dashboard, and following our updates on social media.

09/04/2026

09/03/2026