A personal appeal to those who use chemicals, pesticides, insecticides, herbicides: Stop and dwell on what you are doing. What else will be affected by the use of these deadly poisons, even though they state they are active for a short time?

When is the last time you heard the song of a meadowlark? A ring-necked pheasant, or a covy of quail? Where are the flocks of pigeons? Haven’t seen the beautiful white barn owl for some time, or even heard the sound of the small screech owl.

I have to watch all the migrating ducks and high-flying geese heading north every spring, but it seems I have missed their V-shaped patterns and watched the leaders relinquish their point at the V in order to rest while another one takes its place. Haven’t noticed the call of the malard ducks or the pentails for a while and this is their flyway along the Ohio River.

Farmers were the bread basket for wildlilfe, when they harvested their crops and left the remains of the harvest to be exposed through the winter months. This thoughtful practice fed wildlife and the stubble fertilized the ground and stabilized the soil and kept it in place against the wind and rain.

The large-scale farming practices of today care less about any of this. Profit and GMOs (genetically modified organisms) with the chemical components in our food we purchase from markets are now poisoning the consumer. Are we next to go missing? Think about it!

William J. Shaw

Wheelersburg