As the spring season approaches, it’s crucial to remember that training is mandatory for any use of dicamba products. Links to the dicamba manufacturer applicator trainings are available below.
Frost Seeding Red Clover
By Clint Schroeder OSU Extension
The weather forecast for the next several days is ideal for frost seeding. Frost seeding is a very low cost way to establish new forages in existing fields or pastures by broadcast spreading the seed and letting the freezing and thawing cycles of the soil to pull the seed below the surface. With night time low temperatures in the mid 20s and daytime highs reaching the mid 40s over the next 4-5 days there will be several opportunities to broadcast the seed in the morning when the ground is frozen, before it thaws during the day. The chance of rain and higher temperatures in the 6-10 day forecast will be beneficial for germination and establishment.
Red clover generally works best for frost seeding because it is a heavier round seed that has a better chance of making seed to soil contact in this environment. Traditionally, red clover has shown a high seedling vigor that can be easily adapted to a wide range of soil pH levels and fertility conditions. Seeding rates can vary between 2 to 10 pounds per acre. Established pastures or forage fields that need supplemented will use lower rates. Small grain fields like wheat and barley will often require seeding rates at the higher end of that range.
More information on frost seeding can be found at these links.
https://mccc.msu.edu/statesprovince/Ohio/
Ohio Farm Business Analysis Program
The message is clear: farms must know their costs of production for corn, soybeans, hay, milk, meat, and any other commodities they produce. Why? To make informed marketing, production and financial management decisions that contribute to the overall profitability of the whole farm business.
Farm business analysis is a tool that can be applied to any farm, regardless of size, crop, or livestock enterprise. Financial management is critical to the success of every farm business, and with analysis, farms are able to better understand the numbers behind their profits or losses. Continue reading Ohio Farm Business Analysis Program
Resource Kit Available for Those Exploring a Meat Processing Business
A team of Ohio State business and meat science specialists have compiled a Meat Processing Business Tool Kit for people who are exploring the meat processing business. Designed as a decision making aid for people exploring investing in or expanding a meat processing facility, this online tool kit can help entrepreneurs evaluate the business and navigate business planning. The Meat Processing Business Tool Kit may be found linked here on the OSU South Centers webpage.
This “Tool Kit” is designed to be intuitive as entrepreneurs move through the business planning process.
Word of the Week – Allelopathy
By Amy Stone OSU Extension
This week’s word of week was suggested by BYGL reader, Kathy Estabrook. Thanks to all readers who have suggested a word, or words for future BYGL alerts. Keep the suggestions coming by emailing me at stone.91@osu.edu with the subject line Word of Week for easy sorting and organzing.
Today will we be covering the word ALLELOPATHY. The meaning of the word is actually derived from two separate words. The first word is allelon which means “of each other”. The second word is pathos which means “to suffer”. It refers to the chemical inhibition of one species by another. The “inhibitory” chemical is released into the environment where it affects the development and growth of neighboring plants. It is important to note that it doesn’t necessarily inhibit the growth of all plants, but the effects can cause issues in both the landscape and garden when a plant giving off an alleopathic chemical is present, and you want to grow certain plants that find this biological phenomenon challenging. Continue reading Word of the Week – Allelopathy
Pesticide/Fertilizer Recertification
Do you still need pesticide recertification for 2020 or 2021? Private and fertilizer applicators whose licenses expired in March 2020 or will expire in March 2021 now have until July 1, 2021 to recertify. Commercial applicators who expired in 2020 now have until July 1, 2021. The deadline for commercial applicators expiring in September 2021 has not changed.
Pesticide recertification options have expanded for 2021. Please note that there will be additional programs in neighboring counties as well. Currently, your options for 2021 are:
1. IN-PERSON. There will be three opportunities to attend an in-person recertification program in Allen County in 2021. The in-person events will be held in the Youth Activities Building on the Allen County Fairgrounds on the following dates and times. The cost to attend an in-person event is $10 for fertilizer recertification and $35 for pesticide recertification. Seating is limited to 50 people for each event. Pre-registration is mandatory. Continue reading Pesticide/Fertilizer Recertification
Forage Focus: Native Clovers and Their Roles in Grassland Ecosystems
Most forages commercially grown in the United States today have origins in other continents. Many native plants, including grasses, clovers, and forbs, have been forgotten and underutilized since the time prior to European settlement of North America.
In this episode of Forage Focus, host Christine Gelley, Extension Educator, Agriculture & Natural Resources in Noble County is joined by guest Jonathan Kubesch, Ohio Native and current Ph.D. Student at Virginia Tech to discuss the history, use, and preservation of native clovers. Jonathan shares information about conservation efforts through academic research, agency sponsored programs, and citizen science groups that are working together to keep these plants from being lost in time.
Understanding FSA’s 2021 ARC/PLC Election and Enrollment
Producers can now make elections and enroll in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2021 crop year. Producers can elect coverage and enroll in crop-by-crop ARC-County or PLC, or ARC-Individual for the entire farm. Although election changes for 2021 are optional, enrollment (signed contract) is required for each year of the program. The deadline to enroll and make amendments to program elections is March 15, 2021.
Join The Ohio State University Extension Service as they host a webinar to discuss the ARC/PLC decision for the 2021 program year including updates on current market outlook and decision-tool calculators available to evaluate options and deadlines.
There is no cost to attend these meetings, but registration is required. To register visit: go.osu.edu/arcplc2021
- The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 9:00 am – 11:00am EDT.
- For more information or to ensure your question is addressed during the webinar, please send questions to Mary Griffith, Griffith.483@osu.edu or 740-852-0975.
Updated Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations
After 25 years, the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations for Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, and Alfalfa has been comprehensively updated and is now available. The full version can be downloaded as a free pdf, or a printed copy can be purchased through the extension office or online at https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/search.php?search_query=974§ion=product
A summarized version of findings can be found here: go.osu.edu/fert-recs
Continue reading Updated Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations
Farm Management Needs Pulse Survey
The Ohio State University Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources program works to improve production and maximize profitability while promoting environmental stewardship.
We are reviewing our farm management resources and ask you to rank your “top 3” areas from the following list for your farm management needs and support wanted.
- Agricultural Finance: farm income, farm business analysis, financial management, budgeting, and investing, agricultural taxes, benchmarking, record keeping
- Agricultural Human Resources: farm succession planning, labor law and policy, human resource management/labor management, liability
- Agricultural Law: legal issues within the agriculture system and estate planning
- Agricultural Marketing: marketing and price analysis, commodity trading
- Agricultural Policy: Farm Bill/Agricultural Policy, environmental and resource policy agricultural trade
- Agricultural Production and Risk Management: risk evaluation and management, land use, crop and livestock production, crop and livestock insurance
- Agricultural Supply Chain Stability and New Market Access: stability of upstream and downstream supply chains during disruptions, identifying new markets
- Rural and Community Development: infrastructure – broadband access, community resources, health care, non-agricultural small business support; rural/urban interface
Please complete the survey at: https://go.osu.edu/FarmMgmtNeeds by December 18, 2020.
Thank you.