Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources

Good evening,

It’s almost time to gather for Thanksgiving dinner but before that happens, I wanted to get this issue of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update out.  As harvest winds down, the meeting season will soon be upon us.  The American Farmland Trust, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service of Ohio, and Hardin Soil Water Conservation District have joined together to announce three women-dedicated learning circle sessions in northern Ohio.  These workshops will focus on soil health, water quality, and specialty cropping systems for women farmers and land owners.  Learning Circles provide women the opportunity to meet other land owners, share their farm successes and challenges, discuss their goals for their land and access advice and technical assistance.  The first session is coming up November 29 at Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative in Kenton so see the attached news release for details about how to register by November 27 if you or someone you know is interested in attending.

WFL AFT Press Release WLEB Three Sessions

The Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame has announced that Jan Layman, Sanford and Paul McCurdy, Gary and Carol Oates, and Gary Shick will be inducted at the 2018 Ag Hall of Fame Banquet being held Tuesday, December 4 at St. John’s Evangelical Church in Kenton.  I have attached a news release that outlines these outstanding individuals’ contributions to agriculture.  Call the Extension office by November 26 at 419-674-2297 to reserve your tickets to this event.  Tickets cost $12 and can be paid for at the door or purchased from committee members: Dustin McCullough, Robert McBride, Ruth Oates, Kerry Oberlitner, Gary Harpster, Steve Poling, Luke Underwood, Robert Wood, and Mark Badertscher.  We hope you will attend to honor these new members of the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame.

2018 Ag Hall of Fame News Release

Starting in 2019, beef producers will need to have Beef Quality Assurance training to have full market access.  There are several trainings coming up for producers to become certified for a 3-year period.  BQA trainings are scheduled for Hardin and Putnam Counties on December 6 at 7:00 pm, and both Auglaize and Darke Counties on December 10 at other times during the day.  See the attached news release and flyers for more information on the times and locations for these trainings.  The Ohio No-Till Conference will be taking place on December 11 at Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City.  I have attached a copy of the conference agenda and registration information if you are able to attend this event.  According to the Ohio Crop Weather reports from USDA, 82% of the corn and 88% of the soybeans have now been harvested in Ohio.  I have attached the reports for November 13 and 19 for your viewing as I estimate that both of these numbers are close to what has been completed in Hardin County.  Fields continue to be soft, so farmers are most likely waiting for the ground to freeze before finishing if it does not become fit before then.  As usual, I have included some ag crops articles for your reading.  Have a nice holiday.

Beef Quality Assurance News Release

Beef Quality Assurance Flyer – Auglaize

Beef Quality Assurance Flyer – Hardin and Putnam

Beef Quality Assurance Flyer – Darke

No Till Conf December 11 2018

November 13 Ohio Crop Weather Report

November 19 Ohio Crop Weather Report

Mark

 Inversion and Drift Mitigation – Workshop on December 14 – Cindy Folck

Recognizing weather conditions that could cause inversions is important when using certain herbicides in corn and soybeans. On December 14, join a discussion about recognizing inversions as well as ways to improve communication between farmers growing sensitive crops and pesticide applicators. Inversion and Drift Management Workshop, presented by the Ohio State University Extension IPM program will be conducted on December 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. Farmers and pesticide applicators can attend the workshop in-person at the Ohio Department of Agriculture, 8995 E. Main St., Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 or attend virtually through the online webinar link. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-39/inversion-and-drift-mitigation-workshop-december-14.

 CCA Exam Registration Open thru December 14th! – Harold Watters

Exam registration for the February 1, 2019 exam date is open now through December 14th. Interested in becoming a Certified Crop Adviser or becoming certified in one of the specialty certifications (4R Nutrient Management Specialty, Resistance Management Specialist, Sustainability Specialty, and new in 2019 is the Precision Agriculture Specialty)? Find Performance Objectives, registration, and other materials for all exams on the CCA Exam website: https://www.certifiedcropadviser.org/exams. The OSU Agronomic Crops Team offers a basic CCA exam preparation workshop on January 9 and 10 in Sidney Ohio. We provide presentations and guidance on how and what to study for the exam – our goal is to help you pass, but at the same time show you where you may be deficient and need a little more study. The price for the exam preparation class is $250. Secure on-line registration via credit card, debit card or check is available at: http://go.osu.edu/Reg2019class. We are almost full, so reserve your spot soon. Want more information? Contact Harold Watters at watters.35@osu.eduor by phone 937-604-2415.

 2018 Ohio NoTIll Conference December 11 – Alan Sundermeier

The annual Ohio NoTill Conference will be held on December 11, 2018 at the Der Dutchman Restaurant in Plain City, Ohio.  The program starts at 9 am – 4 pm.  Cost is $40.  To register and prepay go to https://ohionotillcouncil.com/. Topics include: Nutrient Application in NoTill; Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus Cycle; Deep Placement of Fertilizer with Strip-till; Cover Crops- It’s All About Timing; Conservation Benefits for Landowners; Digital Ag Apps; and more.

2019 West Ohio Agronomy Day – Monday, January 14 – Debbie Brown

The 2019 West Ohio Agronomy Day will be held on Monday, January 14th at St. Michael’s Hall in Fort Loramie.  A light breakfast will be available starting at 8 a.m. with a marketing update from Cargill and Sunrise Cooperative at 8:30 a.m.  At 9 a.m. the program including Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification credits (Core and Categories 1, 2, and 6) and the one-hour Fertilizer Applicator Recertification Training for those who are already certified to apply commercial fertilizers will begin.  In addition, Certified Crop Advisor CEUs (NM, SW, IPM, CM, and S) have been approved and Commercial Pesticide Applicator Credits in Core, 2A, and 2C have been applied for.  Continue reading about the West Ohio Agronomy Day at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-39/2019-west-ohio-agronomy-day-monday-january-14.

Living Soil Film Released – Alan Sundermeier

The Soil Health Institute released Living Soil, a 60-minute documentary about soil health featuring innovative farmers and soil health experts from throughout the U.S. The film is freely available to download and stream at www.livingsoilfilm.com. Living Soil captures the background of the current soil health movement and its momentum, beginning with painful images of the Dust Bowl, and then transitions to personal experiences of innovative women and men who are managing their land to enhance soil health. The film features rural and urban farmers from Maryland to California, selling everything from corn to bouquets, united by their care for the soil. The Soil Health Institute (www.soilhealthinstitute.org) is a non-profit whose mission is to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Good afternoon,

The weather has continued to keep combines out of the field for the most part.  I have seen a few fields of corn being shelled this week, but with the wet field conditions most have held back.  Statewide, USDA estimates that 70 percent of the corn is harvested and 82% of the soybeans are harvested in Ohio.  Rainfall was reported 1.96 inches in Findlay and 2.15 inches in Lima according to attached November 5 Ohio Crop and Weather Report.  Storage has been an issue for some farmers, as grain bins that haven’t been used in a while have been repurposed or rented to others for use.  I have attached a copy of an article written by Auglaize County Extension Educator Jeff Stachler providing tips for storing corn to prevent loss from molds and insects.

Crop Weather Report

Corn Storage News Release

As deer gun season approaches this fall, keep an eye out for deer crossing the roads.  More will be moving with the corn fields being harvested and as we move into the rut period in Ohio.  Champaign County Extension is holding a Deer Processing Workshop on December 4 in St. Paris.  Auglaize County Extension is planning a New Pesticide Applicator training for December 10 in Wapakoneta.  See the attached flyers for more information if you are interested.  The Ohio No-Till Conference will be December 11 at Der Dutchman in Plain City.  See the attached Oho No-Till News for an article about this year’s event.

2018 Deer Processing Flyer

New PAT Flyer

Ohio No-Till News

Upcoming events in Hardin County include a Men’s Garden Club meeting Monday, November 12 starting at 6:30 pm at Dave McPheron’s home near Kenton.  There is a Sheep Improvement Association meeting Tuesday, November 13 starting at 7:30 pm in the Extension office.  The Soil and Water Conservation District is meeting Thursday, November 15 starting at 7:30 am in the SWCD office.  The Ag Hall of Fame committee is also meeting Thursday, November 15 starting at 6:30 pm in the Extension office.  The 2018 Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame Banquet will be held December 4 starting at 6:30 pm in St. John’s Evangelical Church in Kenton.  More information about that event is coming soon so make sure you put the date on your calendar.  See below for ag crops articles for you to read as we hope to finish harvest soon as conditions permit.

Mark 

 Sampling for Soybean Cyst Nematode – Fall is the time! – Anne Dorrance

As we wait another week for the fields to dry out, this provides some time to sample soil for the SCN populations. The SCN Coalition theme for the next few years is What’s your number? Do you know where SCN is in your fields and what the current population is sitting at? If its high, then there is a second number – what is the SCN type? Which addresses the bigger question can it reproduce on the SCN resistance source PI 88788 or Peking. All of these numbers can impact management of this root pathogen and future losses. To read more about testing for SCN, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-38/sampling-soybean-cyst-nematode-%E2%80%93-fall-time.

2018 Ohio Corn Performance Test Preliminary Results Now Available On-Line – Rich Minyo, Peter Thomison, Allen Geyer

Results from the 2018 Ohio Corn Performance Test are now available on line at: http://oardc.osu.edu/corntrials. Single and multi-year agronomic data is currently available for the Southwest / West Central and North Central / Northeast regions. Upper Sandusky will be harvested when field conditions allow. Results for Upper Sandusky and the Northwest region summary will be updated immediately after harvest. The results can be accessed by following the links on the left side of the page.  Information regarding the growing season, evaluation procedures and traits will be available soon.  Additional hybrids will be added as soon as marketing information becomes available, as will the combined regional tables (which are especially helpful in assessing hybrid performance across locations).

Variable Rate Corn Seeding Considerations – Alexander Lindsey, Peter Thomison, Emerson Nafziger

As producers are planning their seed needs for next year, it is important to think about acreage, hybrids, and seeding rates. Finding the best corn seeding rate is important for efficient production, but the “optimum” corn seeding rate – the one that maximizes profitability – can vary within and among fields with small differences in soils and weather. While adoption of variable rate technology is increasing, there are still questions related to how this technology will impact seeding rates, profitability, and be impacted by yield level compared to using a uniform (or fixed) seeding rate with modern hybrids. In order to help estimate the profitability of variable rate corn seeding in the US Corn Belt, we used results of 93 seeding rate trials in Ohio (2012-2016) to see how variable the response to seeding rates was, and to see if factors like yield level might help us do a better job of setting plant populations.  Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-38/variable-rate-corn-seeding-considerations.

Communicating With Your Landowner Meeting November 15 – Alan Sundermeier

Farmers are invited to attend a public meeting on landowner communication.  November 15 from 9 am – noon at Luckey Farmers, Inc., Woodville, Ohio.  RSVP to Wood SWCD at 419-354-5517.  No cost to attend. Click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/sites/agcrops/files/imce/GLPF%20Flyer%20farmerworkshop%2010%2031%2018%20final.pdf for more information.

FARM: Field Application Resource Monitor – Aaron Wilson

One of the missions of the State Climate Office of Ohio (SCOO; https://climate.osu.edu) is to serve as data stewards to connect Ohioans with the weather and climate information necessary to improve lives. In an effort to provide farmers across the state with sufficient weather guidance, specifically to aid in decisions regarding the application of fertilizer and manure, SCOO has developed FARM, the Field Application Resource Monitor (https://farm.bpcrc.osu.edu/). FARM is a web-based, mobile friendly tool that provides: Real-time high resolution precipitation forecasts to field(s) of interest (up to five locations), Historical precipitation forecasts (back to July 2017), and Daily email notifications if desired (text alerts coming soon). Find out more about this new app at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-37/farm-field-application-resource-monitor.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Hello,

The rainy weather has put the dampers on the grain harvest this week.  According the October 29 Ohio Crop and Weather Report, 75% of the soybeans and 64% of the corn has been harvested in Ohio.  Seventy-nine percent of the winter wheat is in good to excellent condition, with only 16% not  planted at of this late date. For more information about crop status, see the attached USDA report.  Hardin County is mostly done with soybeans except for double crop fields and a few others that were held off on after switching to corn for better harvest conditions.  There remains several corn fields in the county to be shelled, and storage has been an issue in some locations.  Because rainfall is a current issue, I have also attached an article that includes information about a new weather app that OSU has developed to help farmers know when it is okay to spread fertilizer and manure.

Crop and Weather Report

Weather App News Release

With the help of fifteen volunteer rainfall reporters, the Hardin County Extension office has collected unofficial township rainfall data for the past twenty-six consecutive years. The 2018 growing season began with an April rainfall that allowed a good start to the planting season. Rains were spread out through the month which set the tone for the growing season.  See the attached Season Rainfall Summary for more information about monthly rainfall totals and their effect on the crops.  Has the cooler weather brought stink bugs into your home?  If so, I have attached an article about dealing with these pests in the home after they have spent the late summer feeding on soybean pods and other crops.

Season Rainfall 2018 Summary

Stink Bugs

This coming Tuesday, November 6 is election day.  One of the issues on the Hardin County ballot will be the OSU Extension Levy.  This renewal levy provides the local funding for the Hardin County OSU Extension office which is then added to with state and federal funds to provide the services of Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H and Youth Development, and Family and Consumer Sciences (including SNAP education) program areas.  For more details, see the Levy Fact Sheet before you head to the polls.  We hope you exercise your right to vote on Tuesday.

Levy Fact Sheet

Upcoming events include a West Central Ohio Dairy Luncheon Series starting November 21 in New Bremen.  See the attached flyer as the November topic will be Parturition Management by Mark Hardesty.  Beef Quality Assurance Training will be held at the Hancock County Agriculture Service Center, November 29, 7:00 – 8:30 pm.  Garth Ruff, Henry County ANR Agent and certified trainer, will be the instructor for the evening.  Any individual attending this class will complete the certification process to sell to local markets such as Producers.  Ag Council breakfast will be held tomorrow morning, Friday, November 2 at Henry’s Restaurant in Kenton starting at 7:00 am.  The Hardin County Ag Society will be holding their reorganization and annual meetings on Saturday, November 3 at the fairgrounds Arts & Crafts Building starting at 7:30 pm.  Farm Bureau will be meeting Tuesday, November 6 at the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Kenton starting at 6:30 pm.  The Fairboard will also be meeting Wednesday, November 7 at the fair office starting at 7:00 pm.  See below for ag crops articles that you may be interested in reading.

2018-2019 Dairy Luncheon

Mark

Wet Weather Ahead – Jim Noel

The weather pattern will support wet weather into the middle of November with a series of storms now every several days. With clay type soils and reduced evaporation this could lead to standing water in fields in the next few weeks. We expect a wet weather system for the middle of this week followed by another next week. November will be marked with above normal rainfall and temperatures trending from near normal to above or much above normal for the second half of the month. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-37/wet-weather-ahead.

Premature Sprouting of Corn Kernels – Pierce Paul, Peter Thomison

We have received several reports of premature corn kernel sprouting across Ohio. The ear in the picture exhibiting premature sprouting was sampled from one of the Ohio Corn Performance Test plots at the NW Research Station and was associated Trichoderma ear rot. In this particular case, the fungus that causes the ear rot produces compounds that stimulates early germination. However, not all ear rots are commonly associated with premature sprouting. In fact, under the right set of conditions, this phenomenon may occur in perfectly healthy ears, without visual disease symptoms. In addition to ear rots, a combination of other factors, including erect ears, bird damage, and wet weather, may contribute to premature sprouting. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-33/premature-sprouting-corn-kernels.

All Yield Results Available – Laura Lindsey

Yield results from all three regions (north, central, and south) are now available online as a pdf at: https://stepupsoy.osu.edu/soybean-production/variety-selection/ohio-soybean-performance-trial Grain quality results and sortable tables will be available in November. Average yield for the Ohio Soybean Performance Trials by location and trial (early and late) for 2017 and 2018 is shown in the tables. Soybean yield in the north region (Henry and Sandusky County) was much greater in 2018 compared to 2017. (Yield from Henry County was not reported in 2017 due to extremely wet weather causing yield to be variable.) In the central region, soybeans in the early trial yielded greater in 2018 compared to 2018. However, in the late trial, soybean yield slightly decreased in 2018 compared to 2017. Yield in the south region was variable with Preble County yielding less in 2018 compared to 2017 while Clinton County yielded greater in 2018.

Properly Winterizing Sprayers Can Help Mitigate Costly Problems Next Spring – Erdal Ozkan

This is a busy time of year for many farmers, but taking time to winterize your sprayer now can payoff in avoiding problems next spring.  Without proper winterizing before the temperature falls below freezing, you could end up with a pump that is cracked and/or not working at its full capacity.  Here are some important things you need to do with your sprayer this time of the year. Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-36/properly-winterizing-sprayers-can-help-mitigate-costly-problems.

Check Beans for Stink Bug Damage and Plan for Next Year – Kelley Tilmon, Andy Michel

As farmers progress with soybean harvest we encourage you to take a quick look at your grain quality, especially Stink bug damage in soybean at field edges.  We have been receiving reports of the deformed and discolored beans typical of stink bug damage.  If your beans show signs of stink bug damage (or even if they don’t!) consider incorporating stink bug scouting into your management next year, beginning around pod set or early fill.  Stink bugs are scoutable and treatable before damage occurs, and we will provide timely information next season in the CORN newsletter on when and how to monitor for this insect in soybeans.  A quick guide to Ohio stink bugs and their management can be found at https://aginsects.osu.edu/sites/aginsects/files/imce/Stink%20bug%20ID%20card%20ID%209_21_18.pdf.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Good afternoon,

Harvest is progressing as field conditions permit.  There have been many corn acres shelled when soybeans are temporarily put on hold due to weather.  Yield reports are coming in with both soybeans and corn yielding higher than normal.  This past week we were able to harvest both of our corn trials and I also was able to supervise a National Corn Growers Association Yield Contest entry.  See the attached USDA Crop and Weather Reports for October 9, 15 and 22 for more information.  Although crop yields are very good, crop prices continue to be low.  This combined with high input prices has caused cash rents for 2018 to be lower.  I have attached a copy of the Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents 2017-18.  Make sure you look at Northwest Ohio average cropland numbers for 2018 when you read this OSU fact sheet.  It is put together after surveying individuals so the rates may vary compared to what actually is being paid in your area.

October 9 Crop and Weather Report

October 15 Crop and Weather Report

October 22 Crop and Weather Report

Western Ohio Cropland Values and Cash Rents 2017-18

During the month of September, Extension volunteer rainfall reporters received an average of 3.71 inches of rain.  The most rain for this month, 4.71 inches, fell in McDonald Township, as measured by Jerry Stout.  The least rain reported during the month, 2.10 inches, was reported in Blanchard Township by Nutrien Ag Solutions.  During the same month last year, an average of 1.77 inches of rain fell.  The rainfall recorded in September over the past ten years averaged 3.28 inches.  Read more about how the rainfall affected area crops in the attached September 2018 Rainfall Summary.  I have also included an article about our Hardin County OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers who won a couple state awards at this year’s Ohio Master Gardener Volunteers Conference held in Cincinnati.

September 2018 Rainfall Summary

State Master Gardener Awards News Release

OSU Extension has planned its 55^th Annual Income Tax School for Tax Professionals with the closest location being Lima on November 15-16.  December 17 there is an Ag Issues webinar planned that can be watched online or at locations as close as Auglaize and Wyandot counties.  See the attached brochure for registration details for both the schools and webinar if you are interested.  In closing, I would like to remind you of the ag crops articles below that I have included from the CORN Newsletter.

 2018 Tax School Brochure

Mark

Harvest Delays Impact Corn Performance – Peter Thomison, Allen Geyer, Rich Minyo

Leaving corn to dry in the field exposes a crop to unfavorable weather conditions, as well as wildlife damage. A crop with weak plant integrity is more vulnerable to yield losses from stalk lodging and ear drop when weathering conditions occur. Additional losses may occur when ear rots reduce grain quality and can lead to significant dockage when the grain is marketed. Some ear rots produce mycotoxins, which may cause major health problems if fed to livestock.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-35/harvest-delays-impact-corn-performance to read more.

Seed Quality Issues in Soybean – Anne Dorrance

Let’s face it – we’ve had historic rains in parts of Ohio during 2018 and we are now observing many late season issues that come with this.  Seed quality is one of them and the symptoms or warning signs that there could be issues are on the stems.  The stems in some fields are heavily colonized with a mix of disease pathogens that cause Anthracnose, Cercospora, and pod and stem blight.  The bottom line is that all of these diseases can be better managed with higher levels of resistance but ultimately during 2018 – we had a perfect storm, lower levels of resistance combined with higher than normal rainfall conditions and add in the presence of a new insect pest, stink bugs.  Finish reading about seed quality issues in soybean at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-34/seed-quality-issues-soybean.

Delayed Wheat Planting – Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul

Wet weather has delayed wheat planting in many areas of the state. Generally, the best time to plant wheat is the 10-day period starting the day after the fly-free-safe date. When wheat is planted more than 10-days after the fly-free-safe date, there is an increased chance of reduced fall growth and reduced winter hardiness. The effect of planting date on wheat yield is shown in Figure 6-2 of the Ohio Agronomy Guide. (A free pdf of the guide is available here: https://stepupsoy.osu.edu/wheat-production/ohio-agronomy-guide-15th-edition)  You can finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-35/delayed-wheat-planting.

Avoid Forage Toxicities After Frosts – Mark Sulc

As cold weather approaches this week, livestock owners need to keep in mind the few forage species that can be extremely toxic soon after a frost. Several species contain compounds called cyanogenic glucosides that are converted quickly to prussic acid (i.e. hydrogen cyanide) in freeze-damaged plant tissues. A few legumes species have an increased risk of causing bloat when grazed after a frost. Each of these risks is discussed in this article along with precautions to avoid them.  Click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-35/avoid-forage-toxicities-after-frosts to find out more information.

Are Cover Crops for You? Podcast Available – Alan Sundermeier

This podcast is a series of short interviews with farmers and specialists and solving problems on the farm and how cover crops can be a part of the solutions. Episodes include discussion on issues including managing herbicide resistant weeds, improving soil health by reducing compaction and erosion, improving soil organic matter and water holding capacity, and cover crops as a forage. This is a podcast for farmers who may be considering using cover crops and are looking to solve problems on the farm. Episodes focus on practical on-farm solutions and include a variety of different farmers across the Midwest as guest speakers. See an overview of episodes, and listen to the podcast for free online at: http://mccc.msu.edu/podcast-cover-crops/.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Hello,

It’s been awhile since I sent out a Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update so I have a lot of information to share.  I will try to keep this edition brief as I am sure many of you are busy with harvest.  The Hardin County Carcass Show of Champions was held on September 12 at Mt. Victory Meats.  I have attached an article and score sheet if you are interested in knowing how the results of the carcass show came out.  Thanks to all the sponsors who made this event possible.  The Dairy Service Unit is currently collecting orders for their fall cheese sale.  See the attached article and order form if you are interested in ordering cheese from this commodity group’s annual fundraiser by October 17 to support dairy youth in the county.

Carcass Show Results News Release

Hardin County Carcass Show 2018

Fall Cheese Sale News Release

Cheese Sale Flyer Fall 2018

I completed the county weed survey on September 14 in the southern part of the county and September 17 in the northern part of the county.  Read the attached article for information about which weeds were found in 175 soybean fields surveyed.  The good news is that 26% of the fields were weed free.  The bad news is that several weeds are becoming resistant and spreading.  Did you nominate anyone for the Agriculture Hall of Fame yet?  Nominations are due October 15 to the Extension office.  Please share the attached application with a family member of someone you think is deserving.  It’s that time of year for our annual Hardin County Sheep Management Tour.  This year our group is visiting sheep farms in the northwestern corner of the state.  I have included the letter sent out with more information about this event coming up the weekend of October 20-21.

County Weed Survey News Release

Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination Form

Sheep Tour Invitation Letter

We were able to harvest the soybean population test plot this past Monday.  Harvest across the county has progressed in between rains and as field conditions permitted.  See the attached Ohio Crop Weather Reports for September 17, 24, and October 1 for more details.  There are Ag Lender Seminars coming up this month in Urbana, Ottawa, and Wooster.  See that attached brochure for registration information for opportunities to participate.  Finally, the USDA has introduced the Market Facilitation Program in response to tariff retaliation for agricultural commodities.  Check out this brochure to get a summary of these programs that have a sign-up deadline of January 15 at the local FSA office.

Crop Weather 9/17

Crop Weather 9/24

Crop Weather 10/1

Ag Lender Trifold 2018

MFP Brochure

Upcoming events include a Fairboard meeting at the fair office Thursday (10/11) starting at 7:00 pm; and a Soil and Water Conservation District meeting at the SWCD office Thursday (10/18) starting at 7:30 am.  As usual, I have provided some ag crops articles below that you may interested in reading.

Mark

Syngenta Corn Seed Settlement Claims Due Oct.12^th – Peggy Hall

Those post cards advising producers of a $1.51 billion settlement in the Syngenta corn seed lawsuits are legitimate, and corn producers seeking compensation from the settlement must file claims by 11:59 p.m. on October 12, 2018.  The settlement is the result of class action and individual lawsuits alleging that Syngenta failed to receive import approval from China before selling its genetically modified Viptera and Duracade seeds in the United States, which led to the rejection of U.S. corn shipments and a lowering of corn prices from 2013 to 2018.  To read more, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-34/syngenta-corn-seed-settlement-claims-due-oct12th.

Sprouting Soybeans – Laura Lindsey

We’ve received a few pictures from around the state of green soybean pods splitting and also seed sprouting out of pods. While it is not uncommon to see pre-harvest pod shatter just prior to harvest due to re-wetting of dry pods, the pictures we’ve received have been of soybeans at the R6 growth stage.  Splitting of green pods may be related to the recent warm, wet (high intensity rainfall), and humid weather. (The Western Agricultural Research Station in Clark County had a high temperature of ≥93°F over a three day period in September followed by 3.5 inches of rain in a four day period.) Wet conditions at the R6 growth stage results in a large seed size that may split pods. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-31/sprouting-soybeans to read more of this article.

Stalk Quality Concerns – Peter Thomison, Pierce Paul

Poor stalk quality is being observed and reported in Ohio corn fields. One of the primary causes of this problem is stalk rot. Corn stalk rot, and consequently, lodging, are the results of several different but interrelated factors. The actual disease, stalk rot, is caused by one or more of several fungi capable of colonizing and disintegrating of the inner tissues of the stalk. The most common members of the stalk rot complex are Gibberella zeae, Colletotrichum graminicola, Stenocarpella maydis and members of the genus Fusarium. Read more about stalk quality at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-33/stalk-quality-concerns.

Preparation of Grain Bins for Storage of Corn and Soybeans – Curtis Young

(Empty Bin Treatments for Grain Bins for Storage of Corn, Popcorn and Soybeans) First – before using any product to treat grain bins, always read the most current label for the product to assure that the product is used correctly.  This is for the protection of the grain to be stored in the bin as well as for the protection of the applicator of the product.  Labels for products are subject to change from one year to the next, product registrations can be changed and/or canceled and rates may be changed.  Errors made because of not reading the most current label could result in injury to the applicator or contamination of the grain with a non-labeled product making it unsalable.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-31/preparation-grain-bins-storage-corn-and-soybeans to finish reading about grain bin preparation. 

It’s almost that time of year … Don’t forget to calibrate your yield monitor! – John Barker

Remember the old adage … Garbage in = Garbage out.  Many of us use our yield data to make additional management decisions on our farms such as hybrid or variety selection, fertilizer applications, marketing, etc.  Data from an uncalibrated yield monitor can haunt us for many years by leading us into improper decisions with lasting financial affects.  In today’s Ag economy we can ill afford any decision with adverse financial implications. To read more about calibrating yield monitors, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-31/it%E2%80%99s-almost-time-year-%E2%80%A6-don%E2%80%99t-forget-calibrate-your-yield-monitor.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Hello,

I hope that you had the opportunity to get out to the Hardin County Fair this past week.  Now that the fair is over for this year, the next big event on the calendar is the Farm Science Review.  We still have tickets for sale at the Extension office through Monday for $7 per person.  $1 of that total stays in the county and if you wait until the day of the Farm Science Review on September 18-20, you will have to pay $10 at the gate.  The Farm Science Review has increased its size this year, enclosing the Ag Crops Team plots and surrounding area for the ride and drive part of the show.  If you are planning to attend this year’s FSR Tuesday-Thursday of next week, make sure you stop by this new section of the exhibit area.  I will be doing a presentation on Nitrogen Management in Corn in the Small Farm Center Building on Thursday at 10:30 so see the attached poster for details if you are interested.

Farm Science Review Nitrogen in Corn

According to the USDA, corn is rated 79% good to excellent and soybeans are rated up to 80% good to excellent according to the latest Ohio Crop Weather Reports.  I have attached both the September 4^th and September 10 reports for you to read more about Ohio’s crop progress.  I noticed one soybean field partially harvested here locally and they have begun to open up the fields at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London in preparation for this year’s Farm Science Review.  Rain continues to fall here in Hardin County with 4.78 inches recorded in August and 19.60 inches for the growing season as of April 15.  See the attached August 2018 Rainfall Summary for more information about how the rainfall has affected crops.

Ohio Crop Weather Report September 4

Ohio Crop Weather Report September 10

August 2018 Rainfall Summary News Release

Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame nominations are being collected for 2018.  This year’s Ag Hall of Fame Banquet is scheduled for Tuesday, December 4 with nominations due to the Extension office by October 15.  Nominees must have made their major contribution to agriculture primarily as a result of being born, growing up, living in, or working in Hardin County, Ohio. Outstanding agriculturalists may be nominated by individuals or organizations.  Please take a look at the attached news release and nomination form and encourage someone you know to nominate a family member or individual you believe is worthy of this honor.  Often times people are too humble to nominate themselves, so all it takes is a little encouragement to get the person properly recognized.

Ag Hall of Fame Nominations News Release

Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination Form

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced a new sign-up deadline for its Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  The local NRCS office is currently planning for the next crop year, and this October 19, 2018 deadline applies to the 2019 crop year.  EQIP is a very popular and important program for Hardin County farmers and landowners.  In 2018, Hardin County NRCS obligated 22 contracts for more than $1.7M.  Currently Hardin County has 50 active EQIP contracts for almost $6M.  Stop by the Hardin Ag Service Center and see Megan Burgess for more details.  I have attached a copy of the news release which will provide more information about the procedure.

Environmental Quality Incentives Program News Release

Upcoming events include a Pumpkin Disease Diagnosis Field Night October 3 in Piketon.  See the attached flyer for more information.  Locally, Ag Council will be meeting for breakfast tomorrow morning (9/14) starting at 7:00 am in Henry’s Restaurant to discuss waterhemp and Palmer amaranth along with other topics; Ada Harvest and Herb Festival is Saturday (9/15); Hardin Soil and Water Conservation District is meeting Thursday (9/20) starting at 7:30 am in the SWCD office; and the Farm Bureau ATV Tour is being held in combination with Van Scoy Farms ‘Feast on the Farm’ Sunday (9/23).  I have included some Ag Crops articles for you to read as we wait for the crops to be ready for harvest.

Pumpkin Disease Diagnosis Field Night Flyer

Mark

Tropical Moisture Invades Ohio – Aaron Wilson

It was quite the wet week across the state of Ohio! Scattered thunderstorms throughout the week brought isolated 1-2” rainfall amounts. The big story began on Friday night, as a stalled out front provided a path for the remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon to move through the region, bringing steady to moderate rain and gusty winds from Friday night through Monday morning. While rainfall was certainly heaviest across the southern counties of Ohio this weekend, almost the entire state picked up appreciable amounts of rain. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-30/tropical-moisture-invades-ohio to read more about the weather.

Farm Science Review is September 18, 19 & 20 – Harold Watters

The Farm Science Review this year is September 18, 19 and 20 at the London, Ohio location. The parking lots have been reworked, seeded and improved over the past year with more gravel areas added. Drainage has also been improved in the exhibit area to fasten water removal – all to give you a better experience. Tickets can be purchased from your local Extension office and from many ag retailers, or go on-line to the FSR website: https://fsr.osu.edu/onlineticketform. A repeat this year, the Farm Science Review app will help you find and locate what it is you are looking for – look for “Farm Science Review 2018” on Google Play or the Apple App stores. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-30/farm-science-review-september-18-19-20.

Wheat Management for Fall 2018 – Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul, Ed Lentz

Wheat helps reduce problems associated with the continuous planting of soybean and corn and provides an ideal time to apply fertilizer in July/August after harvest. With soybean harvest around the corner, we would like to remind farmers of a few management decisions that are important for a successful crop. For additional information on winter wheat management, download a free pdf of the Ohio Agronomy Guide available here:https://stepupsoy.osu.edu/wheat-production/ohio-agronomy-guide-15th-edition. To read the rest of this article, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-29/wheat-management-fall-2018.

Early Yellowing Soybeans – Anne Dorrance

Soybeans across the state range from ready to harvest to still flowering.  But in some fields, the yellowing was limited to pockets – some was sudden death syndrome or brown stem rot, charcoal rot, Phytophthora stem rot, and soybean cyst nematode.  There are some other early yellowing situations that we are still working on an accurate diagnosis, but yellowing in these cases may be linked to fertility issues and/or related to late flooding injury. To read more, click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-29/early-yellowing-soybeans.

Mexican Bean Beetles Make an Appearance – Kelley Tilmon, Andy Michel, Clifton Martin

Though less common than it once was, the Mexican bean beetle still maintains a presence in Ohio, and we have been getting a few reports of economic populations in soybean this month, largely in the east-central part of the state.  The Mexican bean beetle adult is a small, copper-colored beetle with numerous black spots, while the larva (immature) is yellow with black spines. The adult beetle resembles a ladybeetle because they are members of the same insect family, Coccinellidae. Mexican bean beetles are one of the few members of this family that are plant pests. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-28/mexican-bean-beetles-make-appearance to finish reading this article.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Good afternoon,

The Hardin County Fair is underway!  Make sure you take the time to get out to the fairgrounds to support both the youth and adults who have entries in this year’s county fair.  While you are out there, be sure you stop by the Cattle Producers, Pork Producers, and Sheep Improvement Association food buildings to support these local livestock commodity groups who do projects to support Hardin County junior fair youth.  If you don’t plan to attend this year’s Hardin County Fair, you can also support your favorite non-profit group through America’s Farmers Grow Communities at https://www.facebook.com/AmericasFarmers/videos/10156566110773524/.  You won’t want to miss the Hardin County Carcass Show of Champions being held Wednesday, September 12, 6:00 pm at Mt. Victory Meats.  This carcass show will compare the champion and reserve champion steers, barrows, gilts, lambs, and goats from the county fair.  See the attached news release and flyer for more details about this coming event.

Carcass Show News Release

Carcass Show Flyer

Corn silage harvest has started in the county this past week.  A field of corn was shelled in Darke County with 18.3% moisture.  Today I heard on a conference call that a few soybean fields in other counties are close to being harvested.  See the August 27 Ohio Crop Weather report provided by USDA for numbers specific to Ohio crops.  Before harvest begins, there will be an opportunity for agronomists, Certified Crop Advisers, custom applicators and farmers to attend this year’s Farm Science Review Agronomy College being held September 11 in London.  See the attached flyer for more details and how to register.  Are you interested in learning how to shear sheep?  If so, don’t miss out on this year’s Statewide Sheep Shearing School being held September 14-15, sponsored by the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and OSU Extension.  See the attached registration flyer for more information about this school.

Ohio Crop Weather August 27

Agronomy College Flyer

Statewide Sheep Shearing School  Form

This year’s Hardin County Farm Bureau ATV Tour is Sunday, September 23 in combination with Van Scoy Farm’s Feast on the Farm.  You do not have to be a Farm Bureau member to participate, and this year there is also a car/truck tour that visits the same farms.  See the attached flyer to find out how to experience local agriculture close to home.  Registration for this tour is due by September 10.  Other upcoming local events include Ag Council breakfast on Friday, September 14 starting at 7:00 am at Henry’s Restaurant and the Ada Harvest and Herb Festival, which is taking place Saturday, September 15 in that village.  If you are interested in reading ag crops articles, see the ones below that I have included in this newsletter.  I hope to see you at the fair!

ATV Farm Tour Flyer

Mark

Ear Rots of Corn: Telling them Apart – Pierce Paul, Felipe Dalla Lana da Silva

Over the last few weeks, we have received samples with at least four different types of ear rots – Diplodia, Gibberella, Fusarium, and Trichoderma. Of these, Diplodia ear rot seems to be the most prevalent. Ear rots differ from each other in terms of the damage they cause (their symptoms), the toxins they produce, and the specific conditions under which they develop. Most are favored by wet, humid conditions during silk emergence (R1) and just prior to harvest. But they vary in their temperature requirements, with most being restricted my excessively warm conditions such as the 90+ F forecasted for the next several days. However, it should be noted that even when conditions are not optimum for ear rot development, mycotoxins may accumulate in infected ears.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-28/ear-rots-corn-telling-them-apart to finish reading about corn ear rots.

Late-Season Pod Feeding by Bean Leaf Beetle or Grasshopper – Kelley Tilmon, Andy Michel

We have heard a few reports of either bean leaf beetles or grasshoppers increasing in soybeans.  As we start to approach the end of the growing season the larger concern with these insects is the potential for pod feeding, rather than foliage feeding.  Pod feeding directly impacts grain quality.  Crop stage is also an important consideration.  Late-planted fields or double-cropped soybeans which are still green when other fields are drying down can be “trap crops,” attracting both bean leaf beetles or grasshoppers leaving the other fields.  Such fields bear close watching.  Read the rest of this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-27/late-season-pod-feeding-bean-leaf-beetle-or-grasshopper.

Tillage After Wheat Harvest – A Good Idea? – Steve Culman

After winter wheat harvest, it’s not an uncommon sight in Ohio to see producers tilling their fields to incorporate wheat residue. These fields are often left fallow until the following spring before there are crops planted again. But is this a good idea? Of course, the answer will depend on the goals of using tillage, but from a soil conservation perspective the answer is nearly always ‘no’. Tillage after wheat with no crop planted until the following spring will leave soil exposed for nine months or more, giving the erosive forces of wind and water time to reduce and devalue one of the most important assets producers have – the soil on their farms.  To finish reading this article, click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-25/tillage-after-wheat-harvest-%E2%80%93-good-idea.

Late Season Alfalfa Management – Rory Lewandowski, Mark Sulc

Late season alfalfa management decisions often come down to balancing a need for forage versus stand health and winter survival.  Weather patterns across the state in 2018 have been variable.  Lack of summer rain in some areas have decreased forage yields, frequent rains or too much rainfall in other areas have blown apart harvest schedules and/or resulted in low quality forage inventories.  Taking a fall alfalfa harvest is an opportunity to increase both the quality and quantity of the farm forage inventory.  Like most farming decisions, there are trade-offs and risk factors to consider when making a fall alfalfa harvest. The decision of when to take the last harvest of alfalfa to insure good winter survival and yield potential for the following year can be boiled down to two choices.  To read more about these choices, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-27/late-season-alfalfa-management.

Western Bean Cutworm: Final Adult Moth Update – John Schoenhals, Mark Badertscher, Lee Beers, Bruce Clevenger, Sam Custer, Tom Dehass, Allen Gahler, Jason Hartschuh, Ed Lentz, Cecilia Lokai-Minnich, David Marrison, Sarah Noggle, Les Ober, Eric Richer, Garth Ruff, Jeff Stachler, Alan Sundermeier, Curtis Young, Megan Zerrer, Chris Zoller, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

As Western bean cutworm (WBC) adult trap monitoring comes to an end for the 2018 season, we would like to thank everyone for their participation including land owners and farm cooperators who allowed us to place traps in their fields. Week ending August 25, 2018 was our final week monitoring WBC adult moth catches in Ohio as very few adult moths are being reported in the bucket traps. Overall, 23 counties monitored 69 traps and resulted in a statewide average of 0.7 adult moths per trap (51 total captured). This is a decrease from an average of 1.2 moths per trap (76 total captured) the previous week. See the above graphic for average WBC adult per trap in Ohio counties, followed in parentheses by total number of traps monitored in each county for the week ending August 25, 2018. Legend (bottom right) describes the color coding on map for the average WBC per county.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Good evening,

Rains continued this past week to provide moisture for soybean and corn crops.  According to the attached August 20 Ohio Crop Weather Report, Findlay received 1.37 inches and Lima/Allen County received 0.93 inches for the week.  Although this will help the soybeans fill their pods, it can also bring about possible disease.  Now is a good time to check soybeans for root rot, white mold, and frogeye if you have a history of these diseases in your field.  There have been some reports of sudden death syndrome in soybean as well.  If you have a susceptible variety, you may want to take a look at your seed line-up for disease resistance packages in 2019.  Scouting corn this past week, I did notice some stalk rot in a field that I was checking.  Previously, we have noticed gray leaf spot and northern corn leaf blight in several area corn fields.  This can be expected with the weather we have been receiving this summer.

Ohio Crop Weather Report August 20

Waterhemp and Palmer amaranth continue to be a major concern in western Ohio.  I have noticed the spread of waterhemp in Hardin County.  This past year I estimated it was infesting 4% of the soybean fields in the county, but this year I believe that number will be higher.  If you see waterhemp in your fields now, the only thing you can do at this point is hand pull it or cut it before the seeds become viable.  See the attached articles written by Dr. Mark Loux, OSU Extension Weed Scientist for information about scouting and what to do if you have these weeds.  I have also included an article written by Dr. Jeff Stachler, OSU Extension Educator-Auglaize County for information regarding the number of seeds that each type of weed produces and how long they stay viable in the soil.  The main point is that you want to do everything possible to prevent seed dispersal and prevent infestation with a well thought out herbicide management program in 2019.  If not, these weeds can take over a field and reduce profitability quickly.  If you are not aware of what these weeds look like, I have attached a photo.

Waterhemp-Palmer Amaranth News Release

Weed Seeds News Release

Upcoming events in the area that I have included flyers are Beef Quality Assurance training August 27 and ‘Our Land, Our Water’ farm tour September 9 in Mercer County.  Shelby County is hosting Beef Quality Assurance training September 8 and ‘Drive-It-Yourself Agriculture Tour’ on September 16.  If you need to renew your fertilizer certification, Auglaize County is hosting a fertilizer recertification meeting on September 7.  If you are interested in knowing how the wheat varieties did this year, check out the attached 2018 Ohio Wheat Performance Test.  We now have Farm Science Review tickets for sale at the Extension office for $7 per person.  If you wait until the Farm Science Review on September 18-20, you will need to pay $10 at the gate.

Beef Quality Assurance Flyer – Mercer

Our Land Our Water 2018 Flyer

Beef Quality Assurance Flyer – Shelby

Shelby County Ag Tour 2018 Flyer

2018 Ohio Wheat Performance Test

Fertilizer Recertification Flyer

Upcoming local events include the Hardin County Cattle Producers Picnic Saturday (8/25) starting at 6:00 pm in the Community Building at the fairgrounds; OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers meeting Monday (8/27) starting at 7:00 pm at Harco Industries, Ag Hall of Fame fair booth set-up Wednesday (8/29) starting at 5:00 pm in the Machinery Building at the fairgrounds; Fairboard meeting Wednesday (8/29) starting at 7:00 pm in the Community Building at the fairgrounds; and Farm Bureau meeting/fair booth set-up Thursday (8/30) starting at 6:30 pm in the Machinery Building at the fairgrounds.  I have included some agronomy articles below that you may be interested in reading.

Mark

Soybean Disease Outlook for August – Anne Dorrance

We have soybeans in all different growth stages but the majority of the crop looks great but there are a few highlights based on some scouting and reports from last week. Frogeye leaf spot – the fungicides do seem to be holding this at bay for those fields where it got an early start.  It is now showing up in northern Ohio, but too little too late to do any damage.  The caveat for this will be to monitor these fields to identify the susceptible varieties – and then avoid those varieties in those fields for 2019. Sclerotinia stem rot – white mold is just beginning.  At two of my field research plots there were a few plants with 1” long lesions and white mold.  To read more about late season soybean diseases, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-26/soybean-disease-outlook-august.

Did You See Crop injury from Slugs or Voles in 2017 or 2018? –  Greg LaBarge

We have heard varying reports of crop injury including replanting, treatment with control products or tillage from slugs and vole in corn and soybeans across the state. To get a better feel for where and under what conditions these two pests have been active in 2017 and 2018, a short 6-question survey has been put together. The survey is intended for farmers or professionals. The survey will be available until August 31 and should take less than 3 minutes. Please go to http://go.osu.edu/slugvole. For more information on “Slugs on Field Crops,” visit https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-20. A summary of responses will be posted in an upcoming fall issue of the CORN newsletter. If you have any question please contact Greg LaBarge, labarge.1@osu.edu

Recommendations for Seeding Cover Crops in Late Summer – Alan Sundermeier

Just Do It !! Now is an excellent time to improve your soil by planting cover crops.  Leaving soil bare exposes it to erosion and nutrient loss.  Get it covered and protected. There are many cover crop seed choices when planting after small grain harvest.  You can get complex with various mixtures or keep it simple.  An easy to manage, simple cover crop mix that does well this time of year in wheat stubble is oats (1 bu/acre), crimson clover (12 lb/acre), and radish or rape (2 lb/acre).   Mixtures provide a variety of benefits that outperform single species plantings. When using legumes, be sure to inoculate seed with rhizobia for maximum nitrogen gain.  Also be careful about hosting soybean cyst nematode if planting to soybeans next year.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-27/recommendations-seeding-cover-crops-late-summer to continue reading this article.

Will Soybean Aphids Reach Threshold This Year? – Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

We have heard from a few extension educators and scouts that soybean aphids are starting to make their appearance.  Right now, the number of infested plants is very low (around 5%) and the number of aphids on the plants is also low (average 5-10).  With this level of infestation, it is highly doubtful that soybean aphids will reach threshold, especially in soybean that has already entered the late R stages (R5 and R6).  However, there is a fair amount of late planted soybean that could still be at risk—in fact we were in a field last week that just reached R2.  We recommend that growers continue to scout their fields to make sure that soybean aphid populations remain under the treatment threshold which is 250 aphids per plant.

Western Bean Cutworm: Adult Moth Update – John Schoenhals, Mark Badertscher, Sam Custer, Tom Dehass, Allen Gahler, Mike Gastier, Ed Lentz, Rory Lewandowski, Cecilia Lokai-Minnich, David Marrison, Sarah Noggle, Les Ober, Eric Richer, Garth Ruff, Jeff Stachler, Alan Sundermeier, Curtis Young, Megan Zerrer, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

Western bean cutworm (WBC) adult moth trapping is winding down across the state as very few adults are being captured in the bucket traps. For week ending August 18, 11 counties reported zeros and the statewide average was 1.2 moths per trap (76 total captured). This data was collected from 20 counties that monitored 61 traps. The previous week trap average was 3.0 moths per trap (221 total captured). See more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-27/western-bean-cutworm-adult-moth-update.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu

Good afternoon,

During the month of July, Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 3.76 inches of rain in Hardin County. Last year, the average rainfall for July was 8.23 inches. Although less rain has been received this year during July, adequate amounts have fallen in most areas of the county for crop production.  About a third of the townships in the county were fairly dry in July while three other townships received substantially above average rainfall.  See the attached July Rainfall Summary for a listing of township rainfall amounts and their effect on crop production.  According to the attached August 13 Crop and Weather Report, corn kernels are developing faster than average and soybeans pods are filling faster than normal due to timely rains and warm temperatures.  If you look back to the attached August 6 Crop and Weather Report, most of the corn and soybeans have been in good condition.  If you take a look at the attached USDA Ohio August 1 Crop Forecast, Ohio corn is expected to average 180 bushels per acre, while soybeans are estimated to average 56 bushels per acre in Ohio this year.  If realized, both would be new record average yields for the state.

July 2018 Rainfall Summary

Ohio Crop Weather Report August 13

Ohio Crop Weather Report August 6

Ohio Crop Forecast August 1 

Are you utilizing variable rate seeding with soybeans?  There will be a soybean Variable Rate Seeding Focus Group meeting in Columbus at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center August 21.  Topics include Creating seeding rate zones and ideal seeding rate within each zone- Dr. Laura Lindsey (Ohio State) and Dr. Maninder Singh (Michigan State).  There will be an expert panel featuring farmers and Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins.  Participants will be asked to fill out a survey and be paid $80.  See the attached flyer for details to register to Laura Lindsey- lindsey.233@osu.edu (614-292-9080).  Another interesting opportunity is the Tile Drainage and Soil Health Field Day taking place August 22 near Bucyrus.  Before doing any tiling or field work, make sure you call 811 to locate pipelines, telecommunications, and other buried hazards at least 2-3 days before digging.  I have attached a news release dealing with this topic.  If you are looking for Ohio Farm Custom Rates, I have attached the newly finished document published every two years by OSU Extension.

Variable Rate Focus Group Flyer

Tile Drainage and Soil Health Field Day

Pipeline Safety News Release

Ohio Farm Custom Rates 2018

This year’s Ohio Summer No-Till Field Day is being held in Wooster on August 29.  Local Hardin County farmer Jan Layman is president of the Ohio No-Till Council this year.  Make sure you read about this event in the August edition of the Ohio No-Till News which I have attached.  Another area field day coming up on the same day is the Precision Ag Day, focusing on Data Management near Milford Center.  Check out the attached flyer for an agenda of the day as well as registration information.  Other upcoming local events include a Pork Producers meeting tonight (8/14) starting at 6:30 pm at Ag Credit; Soil and Water Conservation District board meeting Thursday (8/16) starting at 1:00 pm, followed by voting and meal at 5:00, and annual meeting at 6:30 pm.  This event is being held at the fairgrounds shelter house.  The OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers are having a Monarch Butterflies program Saturday (8/18) starting at 9:00 am in the Friendship Gardens of Hardin County located at 960 W Kohler Street in Kenton.  See the attached flyer for more information.

No-Till News

2018 Precision Ag Field Day Flyer

OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers Summer Garden Programs Flyer

Ohio State University Extension is conducting a needs assessment of the Hardin County Community so that we can better serve you!  As a supporter and patron of our office, you may receive the needs assessment survey via email from our Extension Director, Dr. Roger Rennekamp just after Labor Day.  Please watch your inbox for this survey, which will only take 10-15 minutes of your time to complete.  By providing information on the programs you use and the topic areas that you feel we need to address, you will be helping our office develop a plan of work that can have a greater impact on the Hardin County Community.  As always, I have provided some agronomy articles below that I thought you might be interested in reading.

Mark

Estimating Corn Yields at Early Stages of Kernel Development – Peter Thomison

Corn growers often want to estimate grain yields prior to harvest in order to help with marketing and harvest plans. Two procedures that are widely used for estimating corn grain yields prior to harvest are the YIELD COMPONENT METHOD (also referred to as the “slide rule” or corn yield calculator) and the EAR WEIGHT METHOD. Each method will often produce yield estimates that are within 20 bu/ac of actual yield. Such estimates can be helpful for general planning purposes. For information about estimating corn yield, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-24/estimating-corn-yields-early-stages-kernel-development.

Estimating Soybean Yield – Laura Lindsey

To estimate soybean yield, four yield components need to be considered: plants per acre, pods per plant, seeds per pod, and seeds per pound (seed size).  A printable worksheet to estimate soybean yield can be found by clicking on https://agcrops.osu.edu/sites/agcrops/files/imce/Soybean%20Yield%20Estimate%20Worksheet_1.pdf. Proceed with caution when estimating soybean yield. It is difficult to accurately predict soybean yield because of plant-to-plant variability and fall weather conditions can influence seed size.  Estimates are more accurate later in the growing season and on uniform stands.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-24/estimating-soybean-yield for more information.

2018 Ohio Wheat Performance Test – Laura Lindsey

Results of the 2018 Ohio Wheat Performance Test are available online at: https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/wheattrials/. The purpose of the Ohio Wheat Performance Test is to evaluate wheat varieties, blends, brands, and breeding lines for yield, grain quality, and other important performance characteristics. This information gives wheat producers comparative information for selecting the varieties best suited for their production system and market. Varieties differ in yield potential, winter hardiness, maturity, standability, disease and insect resistance, and other agronomic characteristics. Selection should be based on performance from multiple test sites and years.  Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-24/2018-ohio-wheat-performance-test to read the complete article.

Late Summer Establishment of Perennial Forages – Rory Lewandowski, Mark Sulc

Ohio growers experienced another wet spring and compressed 2018 spring planting season.  On some farms, this caused postponement of plans for spring seeding of alfalfa and other perennial forages.  In some areas, the prolonged wet weather affected forage harvest schedules, resulting in harvest equipment running on wet forage fields leaving ruts, compacted soils and damage to alfalfa crowns.  Some of these forage acres need to be re-seeded.  Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2018-24/late-summer-establishment-perennial-forages.

Western Bean Cutworm: Adult Moth Update – Amy Raudenbush, John Schoenhals, Mark Badertscher, Lee Beers, Amanda Bennett, JD Bethel, Bruce Clevenger, Sam Custer, Tom Dehass, Jason Hartschuh, Ed Lentz, Rory Lewandowski, Cecilia Lokai-Minnich, David Marrison, Sarah Noggle, Les Ober, Eric Richer, Garth Ruff, Jeff Stachler, Alan Sundermeier, Curtis Young, Megan Zerrer, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

The number of Western bean cutworm (WBC) adult moth catches are decreasing across Ohio. For week ending August 11, 24 counties monitored 74 traps (Figure 1). Overall, there was a statewide average of 3.0 moths per trap (221 total captured). This is a decrease from an average of 5.6 moths per trap (406 total captured) the previous week. Figure 1. Average WBC adult per trap in Ohio counties, followed in parentheses by total number of traps monitored in each county for the week ending August 11, 2018. Legend (bottom right) describes the color coding on map for the average WBC per county.

Mark A. Badertscher

Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator

OSU Extension Hardin County

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

419-674-2297 Office

hardin.osu.edu