A couple of weeks ago, Ed and I had to make a fast trip to Oklahoma. It is always interesting to go there. We heard a lot of talk about the oil wells that are being drilled. Read an article in the local paper where a person was offering a reward for someone to sample his water to determine why his chickens and livestock were dying. He thought it was the water. Heard stories of families lighting a match when turning on their faucets and flames shoot out. Glad we took plenty of bottled water with us. Drank a lot of ice tea that was in a one-gallon container that we bought at the store. The only thing is, it was sweet and we do not like sweet tea.
My brother-in-law, that works for an oil company explained that the oil companies do a lot of fracking. He tried to explain what fracking was. He said the oil and gas companies drill the wells. Then they take water, mix it with chemicals, and blast it at high pressure into the well. Wastewater shoots up and is stored in a water pit. The water pit is lined with two different types of high-grade plastic to prevent tears so the wastewater does not soak into the ground. Eventually the water will evaporate. He also said they would drill down 13000 to 16000 feet well below the water table. From there they will drill horizontally to establish more wells. Some of the people that live there feel that with all of the drilling, that has caused earthquakes that they have never experienced before.
I know the town is booming with all of the activity. They have doubled their population in the past ten years. A small one-bedroom home, rents for about $1,300 to $1,800 a month depending on the condition of the house. I noticed there are several small RV parks now as some of the workers have their own homes on wheels. The town where we were has three new motels since last July. Two of the higher end motels had been completely reserved by Halliburton for all of their employees working there. Halliburton was constructing walls 40 feet high and 1 foot thick as insulation to deaden the sound of drilling 24 hours a day around the drilling ridge, as the city itself is having three wells dug inside the city limits. I am so glad they are not my neighbors! Couldn't take the noise the drilling makes and the high powered lights that are on all night long.
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Judy Sheppmann has reported that recently, the San Joaquin Cattlewomen participated in the Ag. Venture at the Lodi Grape Festival in Lodi. Some 3,500 children attended and they learned about agriculture and where their food comes from. Rianna Fleck from Linden talked about beef cattle. The children were delighted to pet and touch the calf. Most of the children have never had the experience of being around farm animals. Candy Peterson of Farmington, explained about cattle ranching as she showed a diagram of an operating cattle ranch. Doreen Dumlao from Oakdale taught the children about the beef industry.
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Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 14th. Judy Sheppmann, past president of the Linden Community Garden Club, wants to share information about the Linden Community Garden Club hosting their "Annual Plant Sale" from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 7440 North Jack Tone and Comstock roads, Linden. More details about this event later.
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Happy Anniversary to Bob and Toni Ladiges on Monday March 19th.
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Happy St Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17th.
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I would still like to hear from you. Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
My brother-in-law, that works for an oil company explained that the oil companies do a lot of fracking. He tried to explain what fracking was. He said the oil and gas companies drill the wells. Then they take water, mix it with chemicals, and blast it at high pressure into the well. Wastewater shoots up and is stored in a water pit. The water pit is lined with two different types of high-grade plastic to prevent tears so the wastewater does not soak into the ground. Eventually the water will evaporate. He also said they would drill down 13000 to 16000 feet well below the water table. From there they will drill horizontally to establish more wells. Some of the people that live there feel that with all of the drilling, that has caused earthquakes that they have never experienced before.
I know the town is booming with all of the activity. They have doubled their population in the past ten years. A small one-bedroom home, rents for about $1,300 to $1,800 a month depending on the condition of the house. I noticed there are several small RV parks now as some of the workers have their own homes on wheels. The town where we were has three new motels since last July. Two of the higher end motels had been completely reserved by Halliburton for all of their employees working there. Halliburton was constructing walls 40 feet high and 1 foot thick as insulation to deaden the sound of drilling 24 hours a day around the drilling ridge, as the city itself is having three wells dug inside the city limits. I am so glad they are not my neighbors! Couldn't take the noise the drilling makes and the high powered lights that are on all night long.
*****
Judy Sheppmann has reported that recently, the San Joaquin Cattlewomen participated in the Ag. Venture at the Lodi Grape Festival in Lodi. Some 3,500 children attended and they learned about agriculture and where their food comes from. Rianna Fleck from Linden talked about beef cattle. The children were delighted to pet and touch the calf. Most of the children have never had the experience of being around farm animals. Candy Peterson of Farmington, explained about cattle ranching as she showed a diagram of an operating cattle ranch. Doreen Dumlao from Oakdale taught the children about the beef industry.
*****
Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 14th. Judy Sheppmann, past president of the Linden Community Garden Club, wants to share information about the Linden Community Garden Club hosting their "Annual Plant Sale" from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 7440 North Jack Tone and Comstock roads, Linden. More details about this event later.
*****
Happy Anniversary to Bob and Toni Ladiges on Monday March 19th.
*****
Happy St Patrick's Day, Saturday, March 17th.
*****
I would still like to hear from you. Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
