Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources | Mark Badertscher, OSU Extension Educator

Conservation Tillage Club Breakfast Series Planned

December 28, 2021 at 5:45pmDecember 28, 2021 by Mark Badertscher

Hardin County – The 2022 Conservation Tillage Club breakfast program series will begin on Thursday, January 13 at the Plaza Inn Restaurant in Mt. Victory. Each session will start at 7:30 am with a complimentary buffet breakfast followed by the program at 8:00 am. Other sessions will be held on January 27, February 10 and 24.

On January 13, the program will feature Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Ohio State University Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology and OSU Extension Soybean Disease Specialist. Lopez-Nicora will give a brief overview of soybean diseases that infest local crop fields and steps producers can do to help prevent their occurrence and how to manage them if they are present. He will also discuss Soybean Cyst Nematode testing and management to prevent yield loss. This pest is often unknown in soybean fields as it is not visible, however reduces yield performance if present in large enough numbers. Opportunities for soybean growers to participate in grant funded testing of soils for presence of soybean cyst nematodes and recommendations will be offered to local farmers in attendance.

The January 27 program will feature a presentation on water quality. Brian Brandt, Agriculture Conservation Innovations Director and Mark Wilson, Farming for Cleaner Water Project Manager, American Farmland Trust will discuss a local project for crop producers in the Upper Scioto River Watershed. American Farmland Trust has received a grant for improving water quality in the Upper Scioto River Watershed. Farming for Cleaner Water Project is an American Farmland Trust water quality initiative in central Ohio based on two goals: Drive Awareness and Adoption of the best farming practices to achieve both cleaner water and farmer/landowner profitability; and, Use a market-based approach to facilitate an Agricultural-municipal Partnership designed to achieve cleaner water and farmer/landowner profitability.

February 10 Bailey Elchinger, Risk Management Consultant – Grains, International FC Stone will present a program on the Grain Marketing Outlook. Elchinger will provide information to help crop producers successfully market their corn, soybean, and wheat commodities based on global supply and demand with an emphasis on market trends. Elchinger works with grain elevators, farmers, and livestock producers to help them manage their risks in the grain futures markets. After experiencing an above average yielding growing season this year with high grain prices, farmers are looking for marketing tips to make the new year more profitable. Her presentation will also provide some insight about grain marketing options to consider and tools that producers might use to help reduce risk and gain better insight to help make better marketing decisions.

The February 24 program will feature Ray Archuleta with a discussion of soil health. Archuleta is a Certified Professional Soil Scientist with the Soil Science Society of America and has over 30 years experience as a Soil Conservationist, Water Quality Specialist, and Conservation Agronomist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). After his retirement from the NRCS in 2017, Ray founded Understanding Ag, LLC, and Soil Health Academy, to teach Biomimicry strategies and Agroecology principles for improving soil function on a national scale. Ray also owns and operates a 150-acre farm near Seymour, Missouri that he operates along with his wife and family. He will discuss how crop producers can use strategies and principles for improving soil function, resulting in increased soil health and better productivity. His presentation is sponsored by Logan Land Trust.

The Conservation Tillage Club breakfast program series is jointly sponsored by OSU Extension and the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Hardin, Logan, and Union Counties, and in cooperation with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Breakfast is courtesy of the generous support from agricultural lenders and agricultural businesses. All events are open to the public and no advance registration is required. Continuing education credits for Certified Crop Advisers is pending.

January 12, 2022

January 12, 2022 at 1:58pmJanuary 21, 2022 by Mark Badertscher

Good afternoon,

I hope that you had a good holiday season and are ready for the winter meeting season. There are a host of meetings and classes being offered by OSU Extension for you to take advantage. I have decided to try provide links to information in this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update as opposed to using all attachments so I hope you enjoy this format to start the year. Tomorrow morning starts the Conservation Tillage Club breakfast series at the Plaza Inn Restaurant in Mt. Victory. Meetings are planned for January 13 on Soybean Diseases & SCN, January 27 on Water Quality, February 10 on Grain Marketing Outlook, and February 24 on Soil Health. Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Ohio State University Assistant Professor of Plant Pathology and OSU Extension Soybean Disease Specialist will kick-off the series tomorrow morning starting at 7:30 am with breakfast followed by a discussion on SCN and SDS. He will also provide an opportunity for farmers to have two fields tested for Soybean Cyst Nematodes at no cost. See the Conservation Tillage Club news release and flyer by clicking on the links below.

We are providing an opportunity for individuals to prepare for the Ohio Private Pesticide Applicator Class with our New Pesticide Applicator Class being held on January 26 at the OSU Extension office in Kenton. I have provided links to the news release and flyer below for you to read about this opportunity. This class will include books and help prepare individuals to take the test for Core and Category 1 (Grains and Cereal Crops). See the links below for more information. You can read the read the news release and flyer if you are interested. Our office will also be providing a Master Gardener Volunteer Training Course starting up January 25 here at the OSU Extension office in Kenton. It will be a new format, combining 6 evening classes with a self-paced online course. People who complete this horticulture series will be able to serve the county as a Master Gardener Volunteer upon successful completion. Check out the news release and flyer below for more information and how you can register.

The Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame recognized its 2020-21 class in December. See the linked news releases to read about the accomplishments of these individuals below. This past month, Ron Cronley, John Knedler, Ira Marshall, Jerry McBride, and Dave Russell were inducted. Nationally recognized farm broadcaster Joe Cornely was the guest speaker at this banquet. You can read about the Ohio No-Till Conference that was held in December at Der Dutchman Restaurant in the link below with local farmer Jan Layman presiding. In October, I led a Statewide Sheep Tour to Indiana which visited three sheep farms along with Hunter Nutrition that you can read about in the links below. The Farm Science Review was held during the month of September, which featured a lot of new equipment and technology as you can read about below. Earlier in September, I did the Hardin County Weed Survey, checking 95 soybean fields. The good news that you can read about below is that waterhemp control improved this year, with the problem weed being found in 23% of the fields checked. The good news is that 38% of the fields checked were considered to be weed-free.

Other articles that I submitted to local news media can be accessed below at the link provided. These articles include information about Nitrogen Recommendations, Tillage Disease Management, Tar Spot, and Fall Armyworms. You can read about the August 2021, September 2021, and Season Rainfall 2021 Summaries. There are articles about the Hardin County Carcass Show of Champions, along with articles about programs held this fall in the Friendship Gardens of Hardin County by the OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers dealing with garlic and pumpkins. I’ve also included some articles from the CORN Newsletter if you are interested in reading about more ag crops topics.

Mark

2022 Ohio Weed University – John Barker, Mark Loux, Tony Nye

Are you concerned about the effectiveness of your herbicide program? Want to sharpen your weed id skills? Not sure which nozzles provide the best control options? Is herbicide resistance REALLY that big of a problem? These topics and many more will be discussed at the 2022 Ohio Weed University. Are you concerned about palmer amaranth? Did you know that palmer amaranth, waterhemp and other invasive weeds can now be found in most Ohio Counties? One female palmer amaranth plant can produce 1 million seeds. I have it … now how do I control it? How did I get it, how is it spread? These issues will be discussed at the 2022 Ohio Weed University. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2022-01/2022-ohio-weed-university

Winter Application of Manure – Remember Setbacks – Glen Arnold

Some Ohio livestock producers will be looking to apply manure to farm fields frozen enough to support application equipment. This is due to the wet weather in later October, November, and December that also stretched out the crop harvest season. Permitted farms are not allowed to apply manure in the winter unless it is an extreme emergency, and then movement of manure to other suitable storage is usually the selected alternative. Thus, this article is for non-permitted livestock operations. Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-41/winter-application-manure-remember-setbacks

2021 Ohio Corn Performance Test: Regional Overviews – Rich Minyo, Allen Geyer, David Lohnes, Matt Lowe

In 2021, 121 corn hybrids representing 16 commercial brands were evaluated in the Ohio Corn Performance Test (OCPT). Four tests were established in the Southwestern/West Central/Central (SW/WC/C) region and three tests were established in the Northwestern (NW) and North Central/Northeastern (NC/NE) regions (for a total of ten test sites statewide). Hybrid entries in the regional tests were planted in either an early or a full season maturity trial. These test sites provided a range of growing conditions and production environments. Find out more information at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-40/2021-ohio-corn-performance-test-regional-overviews

2021 Ohio Soybean Performance Trial – Final Report Now Available! – Laura Lindsey, Allen Geyer

The purpose of the Ohio Soybean Performance Trials is to evaluate soybean varieties for yield and other agronomic characteristics. This evaluation gives soybean producers comparative information for selecting the best varieties for their unique production systems. A pdf copy of the trial can be downloaded here: https://stepupsoy.osu.edu/sites/hcs-soy/files/2021_OSPT_final.pdf The data will also be available soon for download on the Ohio Crop Performance Trials website- https://u.osu.edu/perf/ The 2021 trial included 19 brands of soybean tested in six Ohio counties (Henry, Sandusky, Mercer, Union, Preble, and Clinton). Entries included non-GMO (conventional), Xtend, Enlist, XtendFlex, sulfonylurea-tolerant, and Liberty Link/glyphosate tolerant (LLGT27). Soybean yield varied across the state. In Henry County, soybean yielded ranged from 26.0 to 52.0 bu/acre due to wet weather in the spring and fall; while in Clinton County, soybean yield ranged from 63.7 to 88.2 bu/acre with good growing conditions.

Alternative Spring Burndown/Postemergence Strategies when Herbicides are in Short Supply – Mark Loux

There is a lot of speculation about herbicide shortages for the 2022 growing season, and some products are apparently getting more expensive and/or scarce now. This will affect herbicide buying and weed management decisions for the 2022 season. The two main active ingredients that we’re hearing about right now are glyphosate (Roundup, others) and glufosinate (Liberty, others), for which prices have increased substantially. There will likely be limited supplies of other pesticide active ingredients as well, but in the short term, a shortage of these two active ingredients poses some major challenges for corn and soybean production. The purpose of this article is to discuss ways to minimize the impact of herbicide shortages, primarily glyphosate, on corn and soybean production. As you search for alternatives to these two herbicides and others, the weed control guides and technical guides produced by University Extension and industry are an important tool for planning weed management programs and herbicide purchases. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-40/alternative-spring-burndownpostemergence-strategies-when

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

New Pesticide Applicator Class

January 6, 2022 at 2:12pm by Mark Badertscher

Hardin County – A class to help farmers prepare to become private pesticide applicators has been planned for January 26 at the Hardin County Extension office, 1021 West Lima Street, Kenton. In Ohio, pesticide applicators are required by law to have an Ohio Pesticide Applicators License in order to purchase and apply restricted-use chemicals. These pesticides include but are not limited to herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. This class will begin at 12:30 pm and end at 4:30 pm. There is a $30 registration fee which covers books for those enrolled.

The class will emphasize the two main categories that most Hardin County pesticide applicators need, which are Core (applying pesticides properly and safely), as well as Grain and Cereal Crops. Resources will be shared for other categories that are available for certification, which include Forage Crops & Livestock, Fruit & Vegetable Crops, Nursery & Forest Crops, Greenhouse Crops, Fumigation, and Specialty Uses. Once a trainee has properly prepared for their pesticide license, they can schedule to take a test at an Ohio Department of Agriculture testing site. Ohio Pesticide Licenses are good for three years, and then the applicator must recertify by attending a three-hour recertification meeting before license expiration or re-test.

There are several reasons why someone may wish to become a private pesticide applicator. These reasons may include that they plan to take over the pesticide certification for their farm due to retirement or a change in responsibilities, they plan to use restricted-use chemicals in addition to general-use chemicals to have more options to control problem weeds or pests, or they are new to spraying pesticides on the farm. The course is not designed for commercial pesticide applicators, as they must get training directly from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Instructors for the class include Extension Educators Dennis Riethman, Mercer County; Matt Schmerge, Shelby County; and Mark Badertscher, Hardin County. Those planning to participate in the class need to call the Extension office at 419-674-2297 by January 19 to register.

Master Gardener Volunteer Training Offered

January 6, 2022 at 1:16pm by Mark Badertscher

Hardin County – The Hardin County OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers will host a Master Gardener Volunteer training course for new Master Gardener Volunteers this winter. The Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program provides intensive training in horticulture to interested Ohio residents who then volunteer their time assisting with educational programs and activities for Ohio residents through their local Ohio State University Extension county office. Volunteers are not required to have gardening skills or knowledge; but a passion for learning about gardening and sharing this knowledge with others is a must!

Training will be a combination of a self-paced online course combined with in-person classes held at the Hardin County Extension office beginning with orientation on Tuesday, January 25 from 6:00-9:00 pm. Other scheduled in-person classes are February 1 and 15, March 1, 15, and 29 from 6:00-9:00 pm. Additionally, new interns will gain hands-on training working alongside current Master Gardeners at the Friendship Gardens in Kenton. Spring garden seminars will be an option for meeting training requirements. The training course is open to interested volunteers from any county with the volunteer commitment to be completed in the volunteer’s home county program.

Specialists from the Ohio State University Extension and experienced Master Gardener Volunteers will be teaching sessions along with some local experts. Some topics include botany, soils, entomology, plant pathology, plant propagation, herbaceous and woody ornamentals, lawns, vegetables, herbs, fruit, pollinators, integrated pest management, pesticide safety, backyard wildlife, houseplants, and therapeutic horticulture.

The cost of the training is $150.00 and includes the training manual and materials for the class. There is also a requirement for a background check at the volunteer’s expense. The program requires 50 hours of classroom training and a commitment of 50 hours volunteer time to become a certified Master Gardener Volunteer. Registration deadline is January 18. More information is available at https://mgvolunteers.osu.edu or by calling Mark Badertscher at 419-767-6037 at Hardin County OSU Extension. For more information about the Hardin County OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, visit their Facebook page.

2021 Ohio Sheep Production Tour to Indiana

October 1, 2021 at 7:38pmOctober 14, 2021 by Mark Badertscher

Trip Itinerary

Friday, October 22

7:30 am – Breakfast at Smokin’ Buckeye Barbeque (formerly Southside Restaurant) – 3050 S Main St, Findlay, OH : Meet as a group in the back room to enjoy breakfast together and plan our route. After breakfast we will leave at 8:30 am to park our cars and depart by van to Indiana.

10:30 am – Richert Lincolns – New Haven, Indiana

11:30 am – Lunch

2:30 pm – Hunter Nutrition – Brookston, Indiana

4:30 pm – Check into hotel

5:30 pm – Dinner

Saturday, October 23

10:00 am – Poe Hamps – Franklin, Indiana

11:30 am – Lunch

1:00 pm – Viking Show Lambs and Genetics

6:00 pm – Arrive back in Findlay

Check back for updates and more information

Contact Mark Badertscher at 419-767-6037 or badertscher.4@osu.edu if you would like to join us on this 2021 Ohio Sheep Production Tour to Indiana

Sheep Producers,

A sheep production tour of Indiana has been planned for Ohio Sheep Producers the weekend of Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23. The tour will originate from Findlay, Ohio with a breakfast meeting at Smokin’ Buckeye BBQ (formerly Southside Restaurant). Producers and other tour participants will then park their cars and load into vans provided by the Ohio Sheep and Wool Program to head to Indiana. Along the way, they will visit sheep farms and other sheep industry locations to learn production and marketing tips for lamb and wool.

The first farm stop will be at Richert Lincolns in New Haven, Indiana. Owner Anita Richert is on the Board of Directors for the National Lincoln Sheep Breeders Association and opens-up her ranch for tours and other educational events. Tour participants will receive hands-on training with wool evaluation and be able to judge Lincoln sheep in fleece. The Lincoln, sometimes called the Lincoln Longwool, is a breed of sheep from England. The Lincoln is the largest British sheep, developed specifically to produce the heaviest, longest, and most lustrous fleece of any breed in the world.

The next stop on the tour will be Hunter Nutrition in Brookston, Indiana. Hunter Nutrition, Inc. is a regional livestock feed manufacturer. The company formulates and makes highly fortified specialty livestock feeds. The business manufactures all forms of feed: Texturized, Pelleted, and Mineral/Premix. Available bagged, bulk bags, and in bulk. Hunter Nutrition has been manufacturing feeds since 1990. Owner Jeff Hunter has been involved with ruminant livestock nearly all his life and have been formulating livestock feeds since 1981.

The second day of the tour the group will visit Poe Hamps in Franklin, Indiana. Stanley Poe is the owner of this farm that raises Hampshire and Hampshire crosses. The farm has been in operation since 1945, utilizes hoop buildings, raises small grains and hay to feed their sheep, and conducts their own A.I. (artificial insemination) Day along with hosting several judging teams and tours each year. Currently they are in the middle of fall lambing season.

The final stop on the tour will be Viking Show Lamb and Genetics in Morristown, Indiana. As commercial and registered sheep breeders, Viking Lamb, LLC uses a highly-concentrated and systematic approach to ensure their flocks reach their full genetic potential. Their herds of rams, lambs, and ewes have been carefully selected and bred for superior genetics and performance based on longevity, milkability, mothering, soundness, records, and bloodlines. Owner Terry Knudson has expanded the farm business operations to be the sole lamb purveyor for the ever-expanding Cunningham Restaurant Group as they opened their 9th Bru Burger, Nesso (Italian restaurant), as well as other various restaurants.

The Ohio Sheep Production tour group will then return home after two days of educational tours. Producers who are interested in joining the group can contact Hardin County OSU Extension Educator Mark Badertscher at 419-767-6037 or badertscher.4@osu.edu for more information about how to join the tour. Also, interested producers can visit https://go.osu.edu/ohiosheeptour for more details. The tour is sponsored by the Ohio Sheep and Wool Program, which has provided a grant to cover transportation expenses. Tour participants will be responsible for their own hotel room and meals. Please respond as soon as you can to assure room availability if you are interested in attending this trip.

Mark

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

August 20, 2021

August 20, 2021 at 12:34pmAugust 24, 2021 by Mark Badertscher

Good afternoon,

I hope this issue of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update finds you in good health. OSU Extension Water Quality Associate Boden Fisher and I have been busy doing some crop yield estimates around the county and have found some very good corn and soybean fields. The two corn fields we checked both came out to about 205 bushels per acre and the two soybean fields had some variation but we look for them to produce about 60 bushel per acre based on our current field checks. You can find videos that we made on the Hardin County OSU Extension Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/hardincountyosuextension) for these fields on both the western and eastern sides of the county. Of course our estimates of yield potential in these fields depend on rainfall and how the crops finish the growing season. Hardin County is still behind on growing season rainfall and you can find both the June and July Extension rainfall summaries attached to this email. Statewide, according to the Ohio Crop Weather Report from August 16 that also is attached, 81% of the corn is in the good to excellent category, while only 73% of the soybeans are in the good to excellent category.

June 2021 Rainfall Summary

July 2021 Rainfall Summary

Ohio Crop Weather Report

The big concern is that we have found tar spot in corn in the northern part of Hardin County. This is a new disease first spotted in Ohio in 2018 that can decrease yields by 30 bushels per acre. Often infections come later in the growing season during mid to late grain fill (R3-R6) with temperatures of 60-75 degrees and relative humidity greater than 75%. From what we have been able to find from scouting, is that certain hybrids are susceptible to this disease and can still be infected even after treatment with fungicides at R1 growth stage. You can read more about this disease in with a fact sheet at https://crop-protection-network.s3.amazonaws.com/publications/tar-spot-filename-2019-03-25-120313.pdf; an article from Purdue University at https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/newsletters/pestandcrop/article/tar-spot-and-southern-corn-rust-update-in-indiana/; and a fungicide efficacy chart at https://crop-protection-network.s3.amazonaws.com/publications/fungicide-efficacy-for-control-of-corn-diseases-filename-2021-07-14-205804.pdf. So if you haven’t scouted your fields lately, you might want to go out and look at them to see if you have this disease in your corn.

I have included articles that I have submitted to the media since my last e-newsletter that you may want to read if you missed them earlier. These include news releases about the fruit and vegetable Crop Walk, Corn Fungicides, Soybean Foliar Products, and the Totally Tomatoes Master Gardener program. I have also included flyers for an upcoming Drainage Tools Workshop, the Phosphorus Load-Reduction Stimulus Program for the Shallow Run watershed in the Blanchard River watershed, and a save the date flyer for a future Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Crop Walk News Release

Corn Fungicide News Release

Soybean Foliar Products News Release

Totally Tomatoes News Release

2021 Drainage Tools Workshop Flyer

Phosphorus Load-Reduction Stimulus Program Flyer

CSA Conference Save the Date Flyer

Locally, if you haven’t already registered for the Hardin County “Seeding the Harvest” event sponsored by the Hardin County Farm Bureau in partnership with the Hardin County Chamber & Business Alliance, make sure you do that by August 23. The event will feature a three course dinner, door prizes including a quarter of beef, and an educational program on planting, growing, and harvesting crops with equipment displays at DuLynn Farms LLC (9970 Township Road 120, Kenton) on Saturday, August 28 starting at 4:00 pm. Online registration is available at https://ofb.ag/seedingharvestreg with a cost of $20 per adult and $10 per child 12 an under. The Farm Science Review is coming up September 21-23 and we now have tickets to this annual farm show at the Extension office for $7 each. Avoid the rush and get yours at a reduced rate compared to buying them at the gate. I’ve also included some ag crops articles below for your reading.

Mark

It’s Time To Clean Your Grain Bins (And Everywhere Else Around Your Grain Bins) – Curtis Young

Late spring, summer and early fall are the times of the year that insects are most active, flying and walking around to disperse to new locations near and far, reproducing, building in populations and infesting new food resources. The stored grain infesting insects take advantage of these times of the year as well. With only a few exceptions, most of the store grain infesting insects can fly in the adult stage to move from location to location. If they find a food resource when they arrive at a new location, they can infest that food resource and begin building in population through the rest of the growing season. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-27/it%E2%80%99s-time-clean-your-grain-bins-and-everywhere-else-around-your.

Remember soybean aphids? They might be in your fields – Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

Soybean aphids have always been around Ohio, but it has been a while since we have had many fields with high populations. Based on recent scouting, we have noticed increasing populations of soybean aphids. As we go into the critical growth stage of soybean, this is also the most important time to check your fields for soybean aphids and see if you have exceeded the threshold of an increasing population of 250 aphids per plant. Continue reading about soybean aphids at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-27/remember-soybean-aphids-they-might-be-your-fields.

Don’t get burned by hopperburn—check alfalfa for potato leafhoppers – Andy Michel, Mark Sulc, Curtis Young, Kelley Tilmon

Potato leafhopper (PLH) adults arrived in Ohio during the last week of June and first week of July. Since then, the eggs have hatched and we are now seeing late stage nymphs and adults infesting alfalfa fields. A few fields are showing the typical “hopperburn”, which is a triangular yellowing from the center of the leaf to the leaf margin. The more mature the crop of alfalfa is since the last cutting, the more the hopperburn symptoms will be showing. Hopperburn will also become more pronounced in areas of the state that are short on rain or are predicted to become drier because the alfalfa will not be able to outgrow the feeding activity of PLH. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-25/don%E2%80%99t-get-burned-hopperburn%E2%80%94check-alfalfa-potato-leafhoppers.

Get your Waterhemp Populations Screened for Herbicide Resistance – Mark Loux

We have been screening a random sample of waterhemp populations for herbicide resistance over the past two years. Herbicides used in the screen include mesotrione, atrazine, 2,4-D, fomesafen, and metolachlor. Results of our research show that it’s possible for Ohio waterhemp populations to have some level of resistance to one, several, or all of these herbicides. Glyphosate is not included because we assume almost all populations are already resistant to this. We are also part of a regional project that has been screening for dicamba and glufosinate resistance with populations that we supply, although none has been identified to date. Find out more information regarding screening waterhemp at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/24-2021/get-your-waterhemp-populations-screened-herbicide-resistance.

Does Pipeline Installation have a Lasting Effect on Crop Yields? – Steve Culman, Theresa Brehm

Numerous underground oil and gas pipelines have been installed through Ohio farmland over the past several years. This has left many growers wondering if this installation will have lasting impacts on their soils and crops. Last fall, we collected soil and yield samples from 24 different farms impacted by pipeline installation in seven counties throughout Northern Ohio. The Rover, Utopia, and Nexus pipelines were targeted because of their recent installation, with each pipeline installed within the last 3-4 years. Grain crops like corn and soybeans were the primary focus. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/24-2021/does-pipeline-installation-have-lasting-effect-crop-yields to learn about the results of this study.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

July 15, 2021

July 15, 2021 at 5:00pmJuly 20, 2021 by Mark Badertscher

Hello,

Winter wheat harvest in Hardin County is mostly completed with he exception of some fields that were late and have been held back by recent rains. I noticed corn beginning to tassel this past week in some early fields around the county while several soybean fields have begun flowering. According to the latest Ohio Crop Weather report dated July 12, 69% of Ohio wheat has been harvested, 10% of the corn is silking, and 43% of the soybeans are blooming. Wheat yield reports are coming in with high yields around the county, some ranging from 95-120 bushel per acre with good test weights and good grain quality. Later harvested wheat fields may be at risk to lower test weights, decreased yields, and possible grain quality issues if left in the field too long. Rainfall reported in the county for the April 15-30 time period was 1.29 inches less than the ten-year average rainfall as noted by our township rainfall reporters. For the month of May, the average rainfall in the county was 4.08 inches compared with 4.73 inches in 2020. Rainfall for May 2021 was 0.33 inches less than the ten-year average rainfall for the month setting the stage for beginning of the crop season. See the attached April and May rainfall summaries for more information about how local rainfall affected the county crops.

Ohio Crop Weather

April 15-30 Rainfall Summary

May 2021 Rainfall Summary

Since the last Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update, I have submitted several articles to the local news media that you might be interested in reading if you missed them earlier. These articles included “How Long Will Crop Emergence Take?, Corn Replant Decisions, Recommendations for Soybeans Planted in June, Invasive Pests Topic of Evening Garden Affair, Don’t Delay Wheat Harvest, Double Crop Soybean Recommendations, and Friendship Gardens Open House. Most of these articles touched on timely topics regarding crop production, while others focused on efforts with our consumer horticulture educational programming. Upcoming regional events that you may be interested in include the Manure Science Review being held August 10 at MVP Dairy in Mercer County, the Tri-State Precision Agriculture Conference being held August 11 in Henry County and a Sheep 101 Field Day being held August 14 in Morrow County. I have included flyers for each of these events with this email that includes further details and registration information.

Crop Emergence News Release

Corn Replant Decisions News Release

June Planted Soybeans News Release

An Evening Garden Affair News Release

Wheat Harvest News Release

Double Crop Soybean News Release

Friendship Gardens Open House News Release

Manure Science Review Flyer

Precision Ag Day Flyer

Sheep 101 Field Day Flyer

Other local events that you may be interested in knowing about include tonight’s Allen County Ag Hall of Fame Banquet, where long time Hardin County Extension Agent Gene McCluer is being inducted. Another event that you may be interested in is the Friendship Gardens Open House, hosted by the Hardin County OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers happening July 22 starting at 6:00 pm. The Friendship Gardens of Hardin County are located at 960 W Kohler Street in Kenton. The Farm Bureau is having a board meeting the same evening starting at 6:30 pm at Layman Farms. As usual, I have included some ag crops articles from the CORN Newsletter that you may be interested in reading.

Mark

Fungicide Efficacy for Control of Corn Diseases – Pierce Paul, Stephanie Karhoff

Many corn fields in Ohio are rapidly approaching silking (R1), and foliar diseases such as Gray leaf spot have been observed where the environment has been conducive to disease development, prompting growers to consider fungicide applications. The information below was developed by the Corn Disease Working Group as part of the Crop Protection Network. The Crop Protection Network is a multi-state and international collaboration of university and provincial extension specialists, and public and private professionals who provide unbiased, research-based information to farmers and agricultural personnel. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/22-2021/fungicide-efficacy-control-corn-diseases.

Soybean Defoliation: It Takes a lot to Really Matter! – Curtis Young, Kelley Tilmon

The mid-season defoliators are beginning to show up in soybean fields across Ohio. These defoliators include first generation bean leaf beetles, Japanese beetles, grasshopper nymphs and several different caterpillars such as silver-spotted skippers, painted-lady butterflies and green cloverworms. Since all of these insects collectively add to the defoliation of soybeans, their collective feeding is used in the threshold to determine the need for an insecticide treatment, but it takes a lot of feeding to add up to significant damage. It often looks worse than what it truly is. Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/22-2021/soybean-defoliation-it-takes-lot-really-matter.

Nutrient Value of Wheat Straw – Laura Lindsey, Ed Lentz

Before removing straw from the field, it is important farmers understand the nutrient value. The nutrient value of wheat straw is influenced by several factors including weather, variety, and cultural practices. Thus, the most accurate values require sending a sample of the straw to an analytical laboratory. However, “book values” can be used to estimate the nutrient values of wheat straw. In previous newsletters, we reported that typically a ton of wheat straw would provide approximately 11 pounds of N, 3 pounds of P2O5, and 20 pounds of K2O. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/22-2021/nutrient-value-wheat-straw.

Steps to Speed up Field Curing of Hay Crops – Mark Sulc, Jason Hartschuh, Allen Gahler

The rainy weather in many regions of Ohio and surrounding states is making it difficult to harvest hay crops. We usually wait for a clear forecast before cutting hay, and with good reason because hay does not dry in the rain! Cutting hay is certainly a gamble but waiting for the perfect stretch of weather can end up costing us through large reductions in forage quality as the crop matures. As we keep waiting for perfect haymaking weather, we will reach the point where the drop in quality becomes so great that the hay has little feeding value left. In such cases, it may be better to gamble more on the weather just to get the old crop off and a new one started. Some rain damage is not going to reduce the value much in that very mature forage. Learn more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/22-2021/steps-speed-field-curing-hay-crops.

Western Bean Cutworm Numbers Begin to Increase Across Ohio – Amy Raudenbush, Suranga Basnagala , Aaron Wilson, Olivia Lang, Kyle Akred, Angela Arnold, Mark Badertscher, Jordan Beck, Frank Becker, Lee Beers, Bruce Clevenger, Tom Dehaas, Taylor Dill, Nick Eckel, Allen Gahler, Jamie Hampton, Andrew Holden, James Jasinski, Stephanie Karhoff, Alan Leininger, Ed Lentz, Cecilia Lokai-Minnich, David Marrison, Jess McWatters, Sarah Noggle, Les Ober, Maggie Pollard, Eric Richer, Beth Scheckelhoff, Clint Schroeder, Mike Sunderman, Curtis Young, Chris Zoller, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

Western bean cutworm (WBC) numbers for the week ending July 11 have increased to the point where scouting for egg masses is recommended in Fulton, Henry, Lorain and Lucas counties. Traps were monitored from July 5 – 11 and resulted in a statewide average of 3.9 average moths per trap, though higher in the counties noted. Average Western bean cutworm adult per trap followed by total number of traps monitored in each county for week ending July 11, 2021. We used growing degree day calculations to predict approximate percentage of adult WBC flight as of Sunday July 11th. At this time, the majority of counties in NW Ohio are seeing approximately 25% adult flight, whereas counties in central and NE Ohio remain at 10%. Once GDD numbers accumulate to 2704, approximately 50% of WBC flight will have occurred. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/22-2021/western-bean-cutworm-numbers-begin-increase-across-ohio for more information.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

May 11, 2021

May 11, 2021 at 10:15amMay 12, 2021 by Mark Badertscher

Hello,

This has been an interesting planting season so far. What started out as dry and warm, has changed to wet and cool and even added snow and frost in addition to the latest heavy rains. Statewide, USDA has corn planting at 27% and soybean planting at 20% completed. I believe Hardin County is further along than that number with some corn fields being able to row and a few soybean fields emerging. Hopefully soil temperatures will warmup and fields will become fit again soon so planting can resume. The same attached Ohio Crop Weather report for May 10 has 79% of wheat rated good or excellent.

Ohio Crop Weather

Planting was the topic of conversation at Friday’s Virtual Ag Coffee Hour and June’s meeting will focus on On-farm Research. Speaking of on-farm research, I encourage you to take a look at past studies at https://digitalag.osu.edu/efields or stop by the Extension office for a copy of the latest eFields book for ideas to try on your farm and let me know if you have interest in a field trial. Lately, I have been checking four sets of armyworm and black cutworm traps around the county. See the article below for information about that project. Just this past week, I set two European Corn Borer traps on both the east and west ends of the county to monitor the New York and Iowa strains of this corn pest.

If you haven’t kept up on reading Hardin County OSU Extension AgNR news releases either in the paper or online, I’ve included recent articles about Spring Pesticide Reminders, Anhydrous Ammonia Safety, 2020 County Crop Yields, Alfalfa Weevil Damage, and Cold Weather Corn and Soybean Emergence.

Spring Pesticide Safety Reminders News Release

Anhydrous Ammonia Safety News Release

Crop Yields News Release

Alfalfa Weevil News Release

Cold Weather Corn Soybean News Release

Are you planting any non-GMO soybeans this year and looking for recommendations for weed control? If so, check out the new attached fact sheet written by OSU Extension Weed Scientist Mark Loux. On-farm research and fact sheets are two of the many ways that OSU Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension serves Ohio residents. See the attached ANR infographic for many more examples of impact from our programs.

Herbicides-nonGMO Soybeans Fact Sheet

2020 ANR Inforgraphic

If you are a cattle producer and still need Beef Quality Assurance Certification, I have included a flyer listing both virtual and in-person opportunities being offered by Crawford County Extension. If you are a backyard poultry producer, you may be interested in the upcoming Virtual Poultry Clinic being offered May 25 by Jefferson County Extension that is included with this email.

Beef Quality Assurance Certification

Backyard Poultry Clinic

As I wrap up this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update, I want you to be aware that USDA is improving and retargeting existing programs, creating new efforts to reach a broader set of producers, and bringing a new perspective and outlook to how USDA delivers assistance to producers in need. See the attached information sheet for details of this USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers. I have also included a flyer for a May 26 webinar “Principles of Soil Health” for dairy feed suppliers sponsored by American Farmland Trust. Below are ag crops articles posted below that you may be interested in reading.

CFAP2 USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers

Principles of Soil Health Webinar

Mark

Numbers of Black Cutworm and True Armyworm Moths Increasing but Remain Relatively Low – Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon, Curtis Young, Clifton Martin, Lee Beers, Beth Scheckelhoff, Eric Richer, Cindy Wallace, Mark Badertscher

Over the past few weeks, we have caught an increasing number of both black cutworm and true armyworm moths in our traps (see https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yl_FeI5IJKkBVfdvKJuE6pWkd58OVhCyHeZ6SZM-ePE/edit?usp=sharing ). While our weekly total may be high (119 for true armyworm, and 111 for black cutworm) the numbers are much lower when we look at the number of moths caught per trap and per day. Most of our traps are reporting far less than 2 moths trapped per day. Of course, these traps only indicate that flight is occurring. As we progress through the season, growers should continue to monitor these counts and check both corn and wheat fields for any early appearance of feeding or damage. On wheat or a rye cover crop, look for evidence of defoliation. Armyworms can often be found on the ground underneath debris and its best to look for them on cloudy days, or during dusk/dawn. Black cutworms are more difficult to spot, so look for the presence of corn that has been cut, or holes near the base of the plant. See our fact sheets at our webpage (https://aginsects.osu.edu/home, under Extension Publications).

Growing Degree Days vs. Calendar Days – How Long Will Emergence Take? – Alexander Lindsey, Greg LaBarge

When we examine crop emergence post-planting, two factors can impact speed of emergence – soil moisture content and soil temperatures. If soil temperatures are lower, it can take more calendar days for emergence to occur meaning rowing corn may take a little more time. In the Ohio Agronomy Guide, emergence should begin to occur after approximately 100 air GDDs. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/13-2021/growing-degree-days-vs-calendar-days-%E2%80%93-how-long-will-emergence

Adapting Burndown Programs to Late-Planted Situations – Mark Loux

It’s déjà vu all over again. We have run this article every few years, and it seems like maybe the frequency is increasing as we deal with wet and cold weather that delays planting. The questions about this have not changed much, and neither have the suggestions we provide here. One of the most common questions, predictably, is how to kill glyphosate-resistant marestail and giant ragweed and generally big weeds in soybeans when it’s not possible to delay planting long enough to use 2,4-D ester. Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/13-2021/adapting-burndown-programs-late-planted-situations

Wheat Between Feekes 8 and 10 and Disease Concerns – Pierce Paul

Additional authors: Maira Duffeck and Marian Luis

Wheat is now between Feekes 8 (flag leaf emergence) and Feekes 10 (boot) across the state. Feekes 8 marks the beginning of the period during which we recommend that you begin scouting fields to determine which disease is present and at what level. Septoria tritici leaf spot is usually one of the first to show up, and it has already been reported in some fields. So far, it is restricted to the lower leaves and severity is low in most of the affected fields. This disease is favored by cool (50-68F), rainy conditions, and although it usually develops early in the season, it really does not cause yield loss unless it reaches and damages the flag leaf before grain fill is complete. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/12-2021/wheat-between-feekes-8-and-10-and-disease-concerns

Alfalfa Weevil Infestations Becoming Severe in Some Fields – Mark Sulc, Aaron Wilson, Kelley Tilmon, Greg LaBarge, Curtis Young, Andy Michel, Beth Scheckelhoff

Alfalfa fields across Ohio have been observed with alfalfa weevil infestations, some with high numbers and severe feeding damage to the alfalfa. Accumulation of heat units (growing degree days or GDDs) for alfalfa weevil growth have progressed across Ohio and are now in the 325 to 575 heat unit range indicative of peak larval feeding activity. We are about 2 weeks ahead of GDD weevil accumulation last year. Find out more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/12-2021/alfalfa-weevil-infestations-becoming-severe-some-fields

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

April 1, 2021

April 2, 2021 at 1:39pm by Mark Badertscher

Good evening,

This week we completed Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification make-up trainings for 2021. If you have not yet completed your recertification for either 2020 or 2021, the deadline has been moved back to July 1, 2021 because of the pandemic. Online options still exist to get this done if needed at pested.osu.edu or I can still do video recertifications by appointment if needed at the Extension office. Join us for our monthly Virtual Ag Coffee Hour to discuss county agriculture and issues in Hardin County tomorrow morning at 8:00 am. We look forward to you joining the discussion this month to find out what is happening on the farms in your area. I also plan to share information about our online rainfall collection effort through CoCoRaHS, the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network. Currently, Hardin County has 26 stations with 9 being active so far this spring. See the attached flyer and register for this meeting at go.osu.edu/hardinagnr to join us on Zoom or by telephone.

Virtual Ag Coffee Hour Flyer

Recent articles submitted to local media include information about vomitoxin in corn grain bins, frost seeding red clover, topdressing wheat, projected crop returns for 2021, National Ag Week, and planting forages. These articles have been included with this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update. If you are knowledgeable about cropland values and cash rents, OSU Extension is encouraging you to complete our annual survey at OhioCroplandValuesCashRents202021 which will be used to gather data for the next Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rental Rates document. Also included is a Quick Guide to the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations Changes brought about by the recent update of this document by research conducted in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.

Grain Bin Vomitoxin News Release

Frost Seeding Red Clover News Release

Wheat Topdress Nitrogen News Release

Crop Projected Returns 2021 News Release

National Ag Week News Release

Planting Forages News Release

Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations Changes

Speaking of research, currently we are planning on-farm research studies for the 2021 crop year. These trials will be included in the next eFields book. If you are interested in conducting fertilizer, seeding rate, fungicide, soil health, cover crop, or other research, give me a call and we can discuss your ideas. If you would like to see what other producers have already done with on-farm research, we have eFields books at the Extension office. I have also included a flyer for Soil Health for Dairy Feed Suppliers to this e-newsletter. These are programs for supporting dairy feed suppliers in Mercer, Paulding, Van Wert, Allen, Auglaize, Logan, and Hardin Counties. If you are a beef cattle producer and still need Beef Quality Assurance Training, I have included a flyer from Crawford County which includes several opportunities to get certified.

Soil Health for Dairy Feed Suppliers

Beef Quality Assurance Trainings (Virtual/In-Person)

Finally, I am currently looking for fields to put out armyworm, black cutworm, and eventually western bean cutworm traps. Throughout the spring and summer I will check these traps to monitor these insect pests around the county and report results to OSU researchers. Recommendations then will be provided if there are issues with these pests. So let me know if you are interested as this is also a good way to scout crops throughout the growing season. As usual, I am providing articles from the CORN Newsletter that you may be interested in reading.

Mark

Should you expect any freeze damage to winter wheat? Most likely, no. – Laura Lindsey, Alexander Lindsey

The incoming cold temperatures are not likely to impact winter wheat. The magnitude of freeze damage depends on: 1) temperature, 2) duration of temperature, and 3) wheat growth stage. Prior to the Feekes 6 growth stage, the growing point of wheat is below the soil surface, protected from freezing temperatures. Most of the wheat in Ohio is at the Feekes 4 (beginning of erect growth) or Feekes 5 (leaf sheaths strongly erect) growth stage and should be unaffected by the incoming cold temperatures, predicted to be mid- to low 20s on Wednesday and Thursday. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-07/should-you-expect-any-freeze-damage-winter-wheat-most-likely-no

Time is now to purchase the right nozzles for your spraying needs – Erdal Ozkan

This is the time of the year you must complete shopping for nozzles because the spraying season is just around the corner. Each part of the application equipment plays a critical role in achieving maximum performance from the sprayer. Therefore, each component must be selected carefully and must perform successfully the tasks associated with it. Although nozzles are some of the least expensive components of a sprayer, they hold a high value in their ability to influence sprayer performance. Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-06/time-now-purchase-right-nozzles-your-spraying-needs

Spring control of winter weeds in hay and pasture – Mark Loux

Now is the time to scout hay and pasture fields for the presence of winter annual and biennial weeds, especially those that are poisonous to livestock such as cressleaf groundsel. These weeds are resuming growth that started last fall and they are most effectively controlled with herbicides while still small. In addition to cressleaf groundsel, weeds of concern that should be treated soon include the following: poison hemlock, birdsrape mustard (aka wild turnip), wild carrot. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-07/spring-control-winter-weeds-hay-and-pasture

Wheat Growth Stages and Associated Management– Feekes 6.0 through 9.0 – Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul, Ed Lentz

It is important to correctly identify winter wheat growth stages to enhance management decisions, avoiding damage to the crop and unwarranted or ineffective applications. Remember, exact growth stage cannot be determined by just looking at the height of the crop or based on calendar dates. Remember to stage several plants from several areas within your field. Read more about wheat growth stages and associated management at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-06/wheat-growth-stages-and-associated-management-feekes-60-through

Topdressing Wheat with Liquid Swine Manure – Glen Arnold

Wheat fields are firming up across Ohio and topdressing with nitrogen fertilizer has started. We have had less precipitation than usual, and more livestock producers may be considering applying liquid swine manure as a topdress for wheat. The key to applying the correct amount of manure to fertilize wheat is to know the manure’s nitrogen content. Most manure tests reveal total nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and organic nitrogen amounts. The ammonia nitrogen portion is readily available for plant growth. The organic nitrogen portion takes considerably longer to mineralize and generally will not be available when wheat uptakes the majority of its nitrogen before mid-June. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-06/topdressing-wheat-liquid-swine-manure

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

February 19, 2021

February 19, 2021 at 3:06pmFebruary 22, 2021 by Mark Badertscher

Good evening,

Are you a beef or dairy cattle producer interested in assuring the best possible bids for your market cattle? If so, you might be interested in participating in our Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification training coming up Tuesday, February 23. The webinar starts at 6:00 pm and you need to pre-register to get the link sent to your email. There is limited seating for Hardin County cattle producers who are unable to watch it on a computer because of poor internet or access. See the attached news release and flyer for information about how to participate. Since in-person seating is limited to 10 individuals seated 6 feet apart with a mask, you will need to call me at 419-767-6037 if you are interested in attending at the Extension office in Kenton. No walk-ins are permitted due to the pandemic as per OSU and county health department guidelines.

Beef Quality Assurance Training News Release

Beef Quality Assurance Training Flyer

Have you enrolled your farms in ARC/PLC for the 2021 crop year yet? Producers will need to make sure they have enrolled their FSA farms and made their elections with the FSA office before the March 15 deadline. Don’t wait until the last minute to make your 2021 crop year elections. There is not much information out there yet but it may be in your best interest take a look at how things have changed. You will want to watch the recording of one of our Hardin County OSU Extension ARC/PLC seminars held this past week available now at Hardin County ARC-PLC Webinar for more information. You can view parts of the webinar or the entire program at your own pace, and I have also included the slides with notes with this email in case you are interested in further study. If you have questions, feel free to contact me. In addition, there is another statewide OSU Extension ARC/PLC webinar coming up February 25. You can see the attached flyer for more details about how to connect to this live webinar.

ARC/PLC 2021 Crop Year Decision Slides

Statewide OSU Extension ARC/PLC Webinar Flyer

I heard that the Northwest Ohio OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Newsletter booklet has finally arrived in mailboxes so make sure you take a look at it if you received one to read about available OSU Extension programs and specifically, pesticide and fertilizer recertifications. As explained in previous e-newsletters, there are both online and in-person options for you to get your private applicator licenses renewed if this is your year to get that done. I have included a news article about this subject, describing the options for Hardin County. Make sure you take a look at it as most of these local recertification update classes happen the first week of March and you need to pre-register for whichever method you decide to use to get recertified. Again, there are no walk-ins due to limited seating at the different locations. Also, if you need to get certified for fertilizer for the first time (apply fertilizer on 50 acres or more of crops for sale), there is an upcoming Fertilizer Certification training in Lima on March 3 that I have attached a flyer with details about how to register to attend. Our next Virtual Ag Coffee Hour is coming up Friday, March 5 so check out the attached flyer about how to participate in our roundtable discussion and learn about Ohio Farm Custom Rates.

Pesticde-Fertilizer Recertification News Release

First Time Fertilizer Certification Flyer

Virtual Ag Coffee Hour Flyer

The next “Water Quality Wednesday – Best Management Practices for Water Quality” webinar is coming up February 24. The same day, there is a 2021 Ohio Cattle Feeding School in the evening. The Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference (CTC) is also virtual this year. This annual agronomy and soil health event, which is normally held in Ada at Ohio Northern University, will be held online March 9-12. A “new” crop to Ohio, hemp, will be the subject of the 2021 Ohio Land Grant Hemp Conference being held March 5-6 virtually. Participate in this conference if you are curious about the potential of this crop in Ohio. See the attached flyers for information about how to register for these upcoming events. As an added bonus, I have included the latest Ohio Fruit News that you may be interested in looking at if you produce fruit or hops on your property. In addition, there are some ag crops articles included below for your reading.

Water Quality Wednesdays – BMP Flyer

2021 Ohio Cattle Feeding School Flyer

2021 Virtual CTC Flyer

Virtual Hemp Conference Flyer

Ohio Fruit News – February 2021

Mark

Health and Safety Recommendations for On-Farm Grain Bin Facilities – Wayne Dellinger, Dee Jepsen

In the ten-year period from 2009 to 2018 Ohio had 9 fatalities in grain handling and grain storage facilities. Five of these fatalities were from suffocation and 2 were from falls from the structure, while the others involved auger entanglements. Purdue University reported 38 grain entrapments across the U.S. in 2019. Twenty-three of these entrapments resulted in a fatality. Read more about grain bin safety at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-04/health-and-safety-recommendations-farm-grain-bin-facilities.

Summary of Multi-State State Research on Soybean Row Width, Planting Date, and Plant Population – Laura Lindsey

With funding from the United Soybean Board, soybean agronomists across the US came together to summarize soybean row width, planting date, and seeding rate research trials. (Ohio-specific research trials were funded by Ohio Soybean Council.) Here’s what we found: Row width: Soybean row width varies across the US. In Ohio, most farmers plant soybean in 7.5, 15, or 30-inch row widths. Across the US, narrow rows (7 to 15 inch) out-yielded wide rows (≥ 30 inches) 69% of the time. Narrow rows tend to out-yield wide rows due to earlier canopy closure which facilitates light interception and drives photosynthesis. Click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-04/summary-multi-state-state-research-soybean-row-width-planting to learn more about this multi-state soybean research.

Corn and Soybean School: Q and A on Corn Disease Management with Fungicides – Pierce Paul

On Feb 11, 2021, I gave a talk entitled “Management of Gibberella ear rot and Vomitoxin in Corn with Fungicides: Lessons Learned from Head Scab” as part of the 2021 Virtual Corn and Soybean School. I summarized years of fungicide efficacy research on head scab, a disease of wheat caused by the same fungus (Fusarium graminearum [Gibberella zeae]) that causes Gibberella ear rot (GER) in corn. Head scab and vomitoxin in wheat have been more widely studied than GER and vomitoxin in corn, as a result, a lot more is known about fungicide efficacy against scab/vomitoxin than against GER/vomitoxin. I therefore used lessons learned from head scab research, coupled with data from a limited number of GER fungicide efficacy studies to provide guideline on GER and vomitoxin management in corn. More than 220 people attended the 40-min-long program, asking questions covering various aspects of corn pathology. Continue reading at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-04/corn-and-soybean-school-q-and-corn-disease-management-fungicides.

Register Now for Virtual CTC – Mark Badertscher

Have you registered yet for this year’s Conservation Tillage & Technology Conference (CTC)? This annual conference, which is normally held on the campus of Ohio Northern University in Ada will be virtual this year. Four days of topic related programming will be provided March 9-12, 2021 (Tuesday-Friday). There is still time to register and get your snacks ready for this year’s conference. Each day will start at 8:00 a.m. (EST) and will have 5 hours of great value, ending about 2:00 p.m. That adds up to 20 hours of presentations on current topics important for farmers, crop consultants, and educators. Because the program is virtual and therefore travel is not an issue, the planning committee has put together a list of national experts from universities, agencies, industry professionals, and others. Finish reading about the CTC at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2021-04/register-now-virtual-ctc.

Updated Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendation Webinar – Ed Lentz, Eric Richer

A virtual walk through the Updated Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations for Corn, Soybean, Wheat, and Alfalfa will be offered on February 23 at 8:30-10:00 a.m. and again at 7:00-8:30 p.m. Private and commercial fertilizer recertification 0ne-hour credit will be offered to those who participate during the ‘live’ programs. Each participant will receive in the mail a copy of the Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations; hardcopy may not arrive prior to class. Cost for the program is $15. Register and pay for the program at the following link: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abl3hg2w8MFWmou. The zoom link for the program will be sent to your email one day before the webinar. Instructors and contacts for the program include Eric Richer – 419/337-9210, richer.5@osu.edu and Ed Lentz – 419/422-3851, lentz.38@osu.edu

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

1021 W. Lima Street, Suite 103, Kenton, OH 43326

419-767-6037

hardin.osu.edu

Posts