LAS VEGAS -- The holiday season is a joyous time for most families -- that is -- unless you're a turkey. Thanksgiving is a black day for turkeys, in general.

However, there's one group of birds that's accidentally stumbled into a safe haven. In fact, they might be the safest turkeys in America and they live in Nevada.

The I-Team went in search of these seemingly wily birds.

The typical turkey that is favored at Thanksgiving dinners is not known for being very smart, but wild turkeys are different. Ben Franklin wanted to make them the national symbol instead of the eagle. They are magnificent birds in many respects.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife has been seeding wild turkeys throughout rural areas so they can be hunted. Whether by luck or by wiles, some of the turkeys have ended up in the one place where hunting is not allowed.

Nevada's magnificent Great Basin National Park is a road less traveled, by humans anyway, but it's a place where the deer and the antelope play, and marmots too. But something else is prowling the hills and forests these days, leaving behind odd tracks in the dirt. Foreign invaders have taken up residence inside the national park.

"We've counted over 200 in one watershed so several hundred, if not a thousand, in the whole range I would guess," said Bryan Hamilton, National Park Service biologist.

He's talking about turkeys, wild turkeys, captured in places like Texas and Idaho and then released on multiple occasions, all over rural Nevada. The Nevada Department of Wildlife started the releases back in the 1960s and has continued to uncork them by the thousands so that hunters might bag a big bird for the dinner table. One such release back in 2003 occurred in White Pine County, just outside the national park.

"They pretty much immediately moved into the park," Hamilton said. "We had a pretty good idea they'd want to go up into better habitat, a lot of moisture, better habitat up there."

It's doubted the turkeys could read a "No Hunting" sign, or that they appreciate irony, but they managed to waggle their way into the one place where hunting is not allowed.

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I-Team: These Nevada turkeys could be safest in America

ONGOING research investment in breeding higher yielding varieties that are better suited to processor and consumer needs is set to pay big dividends for South Australian durum growers.

Varietal development has long been seen as the key to uncapping the export potential of the durum industry, with grower groups and industry bodies investing heavily in research and development.

In 2009 former SA Durum Growers Association president John Green identified varietal improvement as the biggest single issue for durum growers, with ongoing improvements needed in the areas of agronomic performance and yield.

Five years on and current president Mark Hill says the commercial release later this year of a new variety with the potential to boost yields by up to 20 per cent, would be a major step forward for the durum sector.

Theres a new variety about to be released commercially in the 2015 growing season which has been performing exceptionally well as far as yields, screenings reductions and proteins, Mr Hill said.

It wont be a silver bullet but we are hoping for a 10 to 20 per cent yield improvement and a reduction in screenings, as well as maintenance of all of the agronomic and climate traits so that we can deliver into the top durum categories to maximise returns.

Durum varieties are tested nationally by Durum Breeding Australia, with the trials in South Australia conducted by South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) with funding provided by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC).

According to the GRDC, domestic durum requirements are currently about 300,000 tonnes per year, but marketers would like a consistent supply of 1 million tonnes to tap into export demand, requiring a considerable expansion in area and/or productivity from average national production levels of 500,000t/year.

Mr Hill said varietal improvements would assist in productivity gains, but good agronomic practices were essential for growers to achieve the premiums traditionally up to $60/t higher than bread wheat prices which make the crop financially appealing.

We realise its a bit of a niche crop thats going to a specialist product and thats pasta production, he said.

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New durum research pays dividends

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Grass Seed|Wildflower Seed|Pasture Seed|Food Plot Seed ...

Ryegrass Seed - Annual & Perennial

Ryegrass seeds were brought to the USA from Europe and ryegrass is planted throughout the country as cool season lawns, pastures and turf. These bunch grasses consist of two basic types; annual and perennial. Each type of ryegrass is planted as a pure strain or used in grass seed mixtures depending on the specific lawn, pasture or turf use desired.

Ryegrasses are adapted into lawns mainly for their fast growing ability as a cool season grass and is sometimes referred to as winter rye grass. Perennial ryegrass is a permanent lawn choice in cooler climate areas, and annual ryegrass is seeded yearly and lives for one season as a winter rye grass.

Browse our menu to the right for information on growing ryegrass and more! We sell Oregon Grown Ryegrass Seed and more!

Ryegrasses ( both annual and perennial) can be grown on their own in the northern states for lawns. In many areas of the country, largely because this grass is so versatile, it is incorporated in grass seed mixtures with other grasses.

Both Perennial and Annual Rye grass can provide a green winter lawn overseeded on warm season grasses that go dormant in the fall/winter. Ryegrass planted on newly seeded lawns of cool and warm season grasses ryegrass acts as an erosion barrier while the permanent lawn develops. Ryegrass also provides any area with an almost "instant" green coverage. This green coverage is the chief purpose for planting annual ryegrass. Ryegrass clippings mown and left on the developing lawn as it grows, providing extra nutrients as the ryegrass decomposes.

Bright green, fast growing, and prolific; the ryegrasses do much for lawns by adding contrasting color to early spring flowers, trees and shrubs as well as nutrients.

Annual Rye grass is one of the most popular seeds sold for lawn and pasture purposes and is planted all over the world on it's own and in numerous grass seed mixtures. The adaptability of this cool season grass to many soils and climates coupled with fast germination and prolific growing rates make annual ryegrass an important grass type in establishing thousands of lawns and pastures in all but the hottest of planting zones.

Annual ryegrass is exceptionally useful as a fill-in grass when planted with slower growing permanent lawns. Ideally suited for short term seasonal use in areas reaching below the transition zone, annual ryegrass is a great fill-in to create green grass on new grass areas. In warmer regions, ryegrass lawns may require watering, fertilization and more frequent mowing.

Annual Ryegrass is a cool season grass generally used as a temporary planting for overseeding warm or cool season grasses. Its uses are many, including temporary pastures, green manure, temporary coverage for erosion control, short term use on reclamation sites, parks, new lawns, and along highway shoulders. Annual ryegrass may be seeded with other grass mixtures, legumes, clovers and small grains. Annual Ryegrass is fast germinating, quick growing and requires low to medium fertilization.

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Ryegrasses - Rye Grass Seed Annual & Perennial - Lawn ...

Final score: La Jolla Country Day 61, Maranatha Christian 21.

Key plays: Maranatha Christian fumbled away two possessions in the first quarter. LJCD converted them into one-play touchdown drives, scoring on a 51-yard run by RB Cole Goldklang and a 6-yard run by QB Braxton Burmeister. Goldklang also caught a short pass from Burmeister and turned it into a 73-yard TD midway through the second quarter. The Torreys had a 38-0 halftime lead.

Quotable: I just want to get into the end zone as many times as I can, said Goldklang. Every time I touch the ball I have the end zone on my mind. That meant full speed all the way.

Key stats: Brown had two interceptions in the game, the first two of his four-year high school career. Burmeister completed 13 of 20 passes for 265 yards and three TDs.

Next up: LJCD plays at top-seeded Holtville, a 34-26 winner over Calvary Christian, in Fridays semifinals. Holtville is the Division V defending champion.

Quotable, too: I was happy with the way we played, but weve got to play better next week, said LJCD coach Tyler Hales. We cant fumble the ball going into the red zone (which they did on the games first drive). We cant get stupid penalties that got us off the field on a couple of drives. ... Weve got to treat every week like a championship game. If we dont win, then we arent moving on.

Making history: This was the first football playoff game in school history for Maranatha, which was playing 8-man football three years ago.

Let there be lights: Maranatha Christians field does not have permanent lights, so the Eagles have to bring in portable lighting for each home game during the season. Maranatha AD Steve Whitley was actually scrambling this week to come up with the 10 light stands that lit up the field against LJCD. The company he had used all season didnt have any lights available. They were sold out because of the time change, said Whitley. Who knew lighting came at a premium after we turned back the clocks? Whitley said it costs $1,100 a game to bring in the lights, plus the cost of gas to run each generator. He said its worth it: Id rather have a home game (than play off campus), and if we can break even Im totally happy with that.

Whats with the grass stains? Hales said earlier in the week he expected the Torreys to play with a chip on our shoulders after getting a No. 5 seed in Division V. The Torreys believed their strength of schedule should have been enough to earn them a higher seed and a home game. That wasnt how things came out with the new power rankings used for playoff seeding. That means the road to the finals is entirely on the road. Perhaps the biggest shock at Maranatha was playing on real grass for only the second time this season (the other was at Castle Park High).

Finishing kick: LJCDs Grayson Lyman got plenty of exercise in the game running on and off the field for kickoffs and extra points. Turns out that was nothing for Lyman, who also competes on the Torreys cross country team. He finished 11th on Friday afternoon at the Coastal Conference championships, clocking a 17:37 on the 3.1-mile course at Kit Carson Park. LJCDs Julius Diehr was the winner.

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Beyond the End Zone: Lights out

Talk to Pro Turf owner Derik Jakusz long enough, and lawns start to sound like ailing patients in the hospital.

Jakusz promotes and uses a product called Turf Medix, a sprayed-on formulation designed to rescue lawns nearly done in by drought, high temperatures and tough watering restrictions.

The goal? Make lawns at least look green, keep the roots alive and hope for better things to come.

Normally, many homeowners this time of year would be seeding their Bermuda grass with rye grass seed. The heat-loving Bermuda turns brown in the winter, but rye grass does better in winter. Water it sufficiently, and youre supposed to have a nice green lawn.

Except oops! Hanford, Lemoore and Avenal are on two-day-a-week lawn watering restrictions until further notice.

Jakusz said those who follow the rules end up with a yellowing lawn that doesnt look good. Anybody with lush, green grass is probably a cheater.

Turf Medix is designed for the law abiders, Jakuszsays, and it keeps the entire lawn a nice shade of green for up to three months, allows for some watering and can be mowed albeit only lightly.

Do it properly and the roots of the grass below stay alive, but go dormant waiting for wetter times to come.

Depending on how wet this coming winter is, there might be plenty of moisture falling to keep lawns green two-day-a-week watering restrictions or not.

According to Jakusz, where the product really shines is in July, August and September. He saw a spike in demand this past summer.

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Green in a time of brown

This is my last article of 2014 regarding caring for your garden. Im listing some tasks that should be taken care of over the winter.

Trees and shrubs: Keep leaves raked off lawn and around shrubs as they can create a hiding place for pests.

Lawns and ornamental plantings: Over-seeding with annual rye grass may make for a green lawn over the winter, but it is harmful to lawns, especially centipede. Clean and winterize your mower for the season. Drain gasoline or add a fuel stabilizer.

Flowers: Plant spring flowering bulbs between Thanksgiving and Christmas. And, dont forget the Master Gardener bulb sale at the Farmers Market! A 2-3 inch blanket of mulch will protect overwintering perennials and help minimize weeds. Label plants with durable markers and consider mapping flower beds as backup.

Vegetables: Hungry for fresh greens? Start a micro-greens garden on your window sill. Sow micro-green seed mixes in shallow trays of potting soil and harvest when seedlings are 3-4 inches tall. You can start a new crop each week to continue getting your salad all winter. The average crop-time for most micro-greens is 7-10 days from seeding to harvest. Kale, cabbage and collards are the hardiest crops. You can continue to harvest them throughout the winter. Carrots can be left in the ground and harvested as needed. Im even trying some out on my back deck in pots this year. If temperatures are expected to dip in the mid-20s, cover lettuce, broccoli, spinach and beets to prevent cold injury.

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Judi Lloyd: Winter is no time to forget about your garden

A popular playground will stay open for winter despite council bosses announcing it would be closed for six months for the grass grow.

Councillor Angus Ross, executive member for environment, revealed the change in heart at last Thursdays Wokingham Borough Council executive meeting.

At the beginning of last month the council announced repairs to the play area at Dinton Pastures would keep it closed until next Easter.

But just six days later families concerns over the closure prompted Cllr Ross to backtrack saying they were exploring ways to keep sections of the play area open.

At the meeting Cllr Tom McCann mocked the councils recent announcement the area was to close as it is not able to cope with children playing on its grass and called for any future facilities to actually be done properly.

Cllr Ross said: The play area has been a great success and we want it back in the splendid condition it was on opening.

We will not close it for six months and plan to make it more robust and able better to withstand the usage of its dedicated users.

After the meeting he added: We will be working on how to best to bring the area back as its been a victim of its own success.

Work will be starting in the next couple of weeks and we wont need to shut the whole area, though we will look at fencing some of it off.

Our decision comes in part following the publics reaction to close it and we are definitely interested in how people find it. We just needed to decide whether we could keep part of it open safely.

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Popular Dinton Pastures playground will now stay open for the winter

The council has learnt a lesson in Tilehurst with the introduction of an experimental footway and verge parking ban, which was made permanent on Tuesday.

Although the ban was widely approved in Tilehurst, Reading Borough Council encountered problems in Mayfair, where residents have room to park off-road between their front gardens and the road on tarmac drives without damaging the wide grass verges.

They challenged the ban, saying it made no sense to displace their cars on to the busy road.

So the traffic management committee made an exception of Mayfair on Tuesday night while confirming the ban on verge and footway parking throughout the rest of the experimental area.

The committee will look into alternative restrictions to protect verges in Mayfair.

Park Lane in Tilehurst also presented problems because despite the 18-month ban on verge parking, the grass has not returned.

In a report to the committee, network manager Simon Beasley wrote: Prior to the ban, the verges had been so badly damaged that even today the verges remain in a terrible state.

Tilehurst councillor Sandra Vickers described the project as a success and called for the reseeding of the grass verges in Park Lane.

'Mad' council transport bosses vote to continue Tilehurst parking ban

She also raised concerns about the continuing pavement parking near shops, banks and cash machines and cited Recreation Road as especially bad.

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Lessons learnt over Tilehurst footpath and verge parking ban

A Maine farm is making a name for itself growing a product you may have never heard of: it is called fodder.

Richard Thibeault's farm isn't typical. It fits in a single room inside a barn.

Thibeault spreads a tray full of barley seeds, and once hooked to the automatic watering system, he'll have fodder in less than a week.

Photos: Made in Maine Fodder

"It gets fed water every two hours for one minute and in six days its ready to go," said Thibeault.

Once it's ready, the fodder is fed to livestock.

On Thibeault's farm, his horses and alpacas graze on grass and hay in the summer, but as the cold sets in that food becomes scares and more expensive.

"This has become something to fill that gap," said Thibeault.

Pam Harwood owns a nearby alpaca farm and is one of Thibeault's regular customers.

"It allows me to know that I'm going to give good nutrition, even if the hay isn't that good," said Harwood.

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Maine farm growing unusual product