It’s hot, and fire season is well underway. If you have not cleared the wildfire-defensible 100 feet around your home, barns and outbuildings, now is the time! CDF not only recommends a 100 foot defensible space, but it is California law. Proper clearance greatly improves your home or outbuildings’ chances of survival in a wildfire, and provides safety for the firefighters who are defending your property. Creating defensible space includes cutting, mowing or tilling in all grass and weeds, cutting brush and low-hanging tree branches, moving woodpiles at least 30 feet away from buildings and installing water hydrants or other sources of water where they can be reachable by firefighters. Rainbow can help! Ask one of our outdoor power equipment specialists about the right tools to prepare your property for wildfire. Rainbow has the largest selection of quality outdoor power equipment in the area, including Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, BCS, Billygoat and more! Choose your tools, from chainsaws, string trimmers, brush cutters, rototillers, riding lawn tractors or walk-behind mowers and make the important job of defending your home from wildfire easier. For more tips and a checklist of things you can do to protect your home and barns from wildfire, see the CDF Defensible Space page.
If you have read about the toxic Blue Green Algae blooms that are making lakes and rivers in the area unsafe for pets and people, you might be wondering if the water is safe for our horses? The answer is, horses and other livestock are also susceptible to this highly-toxic algae. The toxins act so quickly, after ingestion, that most of the time the poisoned animal dies before the owner even sees symptoms. These algae thrive in ponds and waterways that are high in organic matter, fertilizer or nitrogen, and “bloom” when the weather is hot. Be very wary about riding or swimming your horse in algae-infested waters, and don’t allow them to drink it! For more information on Blue Green Algae dangers, and how to avoid them, read these articles:
- Blue Green Algae Factsheet from UC Davis
- Algal Blooms Pose Danger to Livestock from thehorse.com
- Avoid the Risks from Blue Green Algae from Equine News
This time of year, we need all the fly protection help we can get! Save 20% with this month’s subscriber coupon for Absorbine UltraSheild Fly Spray. Two varieties to choose from – download your coupon here>
Rainbow will be at the Redwood Empire Fair, supporting our 4H and FFA youth in the buyers seats at the auction. Rainbow is your headquarters for all your horse and livestock show needs! From buckets to wheelbarrows, shampoo to show sticks, stop by the Rainbow store or booth at the fair and say hi!
During the last decade, a tremendous amount of research has been conducted on equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS). Studies have revealed that more than 90 percent of racehorses and 60 percent of sport and show horses develop gastric ulcers. Learn about EGUS and how to prevent it, in this month’s Purina Spotlight article – read it here>
And … Trivia is back! This month’s question is, CDF recommends and California law requires 100 feet of ….
Enter Here to be eligible to win a $15.00 Rainbow Gift Card!