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Good evening,

I hope harvest has been gone well for you since the previous edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update. Locally, most of the corn is now off, with about 20% still in the fields. I have heard moisture ranging from 19-21 a week ago, with yields approaching 200 bushels per acre. Some corn is coming off even drier with the favorable November weather. Soybean harvest is now completed for the most part with most yields being reported around 60 bushels per acre. Cover crops are still being seeded, manure being spread, fertilizer is being applied, and fall tillage is taking place in several area fields. See the latest Ohio Crop Weather report from November 13 to compare with rest of Ohio. Feel free to share your harvest information with me if you would like.

Ohio Crop Weather

The big news in county agriculture is that the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame has announced the 2023 honorees to be inducted at the twentieth annual Agriculture Hall of Fame recognition banquet. The 2023 inductees include: Robert Allen Barrett, Samuel and Marilyn Dalton, Wheeler McMillen, Harold Oberlitner, and Daniel J. Wagner. The banquet will be held on Tuesday, December 5th, beginning at 6:30 pm at St. John’s Evangelical Church on East Carrol Street in Kenton. Tickets for the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame Banquet must be purchased in advance through November 21. Tickets are $15 and can be reserved by calling the Hardin County Extension office (419-674-2297) or purchased from the committee members: Mark Badertscher, Doug Griffith, Gary Harpster, Genny Haun, John Knedler, Bob McBride, Zac McCullough, Kerry Oberlitner, and Bob Wood. See the attached news release for more information.

Ag Hall of Fame News Release

The 2023 Soil Health Tour goes live! This year’s tour is fully virtual, showcasing seven tour stops across Northwest Ohio with practices that promote soil health. We invite you to view the interactive StoryMap at go.osu.edu/SoilHealthTour2023, and attend the wrap-up event on November 30th at the Paulding County Extension Office. A meal will be provided free of charge at the wrap-up event, but registration is required. Dr. Manbir Rakkar, statewide soil health and fertility specialist, will be the guest speaker for this event. Check out the attached flyer for more details.

Soil Health Tour Flyer

A research team from The Ohio State University is looking for farmers based in the Maumee River Watershed who are interested in participating in a USDA-funded project designed to help better understand benefits and tradeoffs associated with integrating cover crops into corn-soybean rotations. A total of 16 fields will be needed for this project which meet the criteria of one of the following four treatment categories:

The project involves cover crops and their benefits/penalties in the Maumee River Watershed in NW Ohio. Volunteer fields should fit the criteria of one of the four treatment types:

• Fields in a corn-soybean rotation, with no history of winter wheat or cover crop integration (within the past 5 years).
• Fields in a corn-soybean rotation, with a recent history of winter wheat, but no history of cover crop integration.
• Fields in a corn-soybean rotation, and with less than 3 years of cover crop (specifically cereal rye) integration.
• Fields in a corn-soybean rotation, and with more than 5 years of cover crop (specifically cereal rye) integration.

Participants will not need to alter their management, and we will work to keep them informed regarding our in-field activities. Monthly data collection (for 2024-2025) will include soil, gas emissions, and minimal tissue/biomass sampling as well drone imagery. The only farmer input requirements will be calibrated yield/harvest data (but could also include any other information they would be willing to offer). We would be happy to talk to any interested parties and to provide any more information. We will be reaching out to those individuals whose fields might fit into the above categories. Let me know if you are interested in this project and I will put you in contact with the proper people. Read more about this project in the attached OSU-USDA Cover Crop Project Recruitment flyer.

OSU – USDA Cover Crop Project Recruitment Flyer

I hope that you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday with your family and for those of you who are done with harvest and would like some additional reading, I have attached a few articles that may be of interest to you.

Mark

Harvest Delays – Light vs. Temperature – Alexander Lindsey, Aaron Wilson, Osler Ortez

There has been a lot of discussion about the crop yields from 2023 in Ohio, from early reports of crop stress in May and June to greater than anticipated yield values for many producers this fall. Yield reports of >110 bu/ac wheat harvested in July were reported in parts of Ohio, and better than anticipated yields in some corn and soybean fields while others have experienced lower than anticipated yield. Many questions have been raised on the role that haze from Canadian wildfires may have played on seasonal crop growth this year. Ohio experienced three major episodes of wildfire impacts on June 6-7, June 27-29, and July 16-17, with several more days throughout the two-month period of less intense smoke-filled skies. Get the full story at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-39/harvest-delays-light-vs-temperature.

Harvest Complete? It’s Time To Assess SCN Levels In Your Fields! – Horacio Lopez-Nicora

Soybean cyst nematode poses a significant threat to soybean production, with potential yield reductions occurring without visible symptoms. To effectively manage SCN, it is crucial to know the presence and population levels of this destructive pathogen in your fields. Fall presents an ideal opportunity for sampling soil and testing for SCN, allowing growers to plan ahead and implement effective management strategies. In this article, we highlight the importance of fall sampling for SCN and provide valuable resources available to Ohio growers. Read more about SCN fall sampling at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-39/harvest-complete-its-time-assess-scn-levels-your-fields.

2023 Ohio Soybean Performance Trials: Results for All Trial Locations – Laura Lindsey, Allen Geyer

Results for the 2023 Ohio Soybean Performance Trials are available for all locations: https://stepupsoy.osu.edu/sites/hcs-soy/files/all%20yield%20data.pdf. We will update the report with seed protein, oil, and size as we finish analyzing samples. Sortable yield data will be available in the upcoming days on the Ohio Crop Performance Trials website: https://u.osu.edu/perf/. 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 system.

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

Good afternoon,

This past week I just returned to work from participating in a two-week Sheep and Agriculture Study Tour of New Zealand. As I write this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update, soybean harvest is nearly done in the county and 89% complete statewide. Corn harvest is about halfway completed, with progress being slowed down by high moisture corn that needs to be dried. Statewide corn harvest is at 45%, and 76% of wheat has emerged. Wheat emergence in Hardin County is looking good, with decent stands. As of the end of September, rainfall for the growing season since April 15 average precipitation in the townships was 15.94 inches, ranging from 13.07 inches in Liberty Township, to 19.50 inches in Pleasant Township. After falling behind in seasonal rainfall this growing season, the average rainfall is 6.35 inches under the ten-year average for Hardin County without adding additional rain in the first half of October. See the attached Ohio Crop Weather report and September 2023 Rainfall Summary for more information. Soybean yields have been reported as above average this fall around the county.

Ohio Crop Weather

September 2023 Rainfall Summary

Upcoming events that you may be interested in attending include the Climate Smart: Farming with Weather Extremes program coming up November 30 at Der Dutchman in Plain City and upcoming “Planning for the Future of Your Farm” workshops which will be taking place in nearby Celina on December 7 and Urbana on January 26. See the attached flyers for more information about these events and how to register. This program is also available through a Zoom webinar if you would rather participate in that manner. Recent attached articles that you may be interested in reading include Statewide Sheep Tour to Michigan, State Master Gardener Awards, Carcass Show Results, Children’s Program at the Friendship Gardens, Latest Innovations at the Farm Science Review, and Finish Line in Sight for Grain Farmers.

Climate Smart Flyer

Planning Future of Your Farm Workshop – Celina

Farm Succession Workshops – Urbana

Statewide Sheep Tour

State Master Gardener Awards

Carcass Show Results

Children’s MGV Program

Farm Science Review

Crop Development

Make sure you save the date for the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame Banquet, which is scheduled for Tuesday, December 5. Don’t forget that this coming Tuesday, November 7 the Hardin County OSU Extension Levy is on the ballot. This is a renewal levy for .35 mills that raises $209,000 per year for 5 years to support Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H Youth Development, and Family and Consumer Sciences Extension programs locally. I hope you exercise your right to vote. As has been the case in the past, I have included some recent CORN Newsletter articles that you may be interested in reading. Good luck with the rest of the harvest season and I look forward to hearing about your crop yields and other harvest information.

Mark

Considerations for Drying High Moisture Corn – Elizabeth Hawkins, Jason Hartschuh

Corn harvest progress in Ohio has been behind pace as field drying has been slower than expected. Currently only 29% of the corn crop has been harvested compared to a 5-year average of 49%. With the recent rainfall and colder temperatures in the forecast, it will become much more difficult to field dry corn creating a need to send high moisture corn to the dryer. As the weather turns cooler, it can become much more difficult to manage wet grain. It also becomes more difficult to determine moisture since most moisture meters are not accurate when grain temperature falls below 40 F. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-38/considerations-drying-high-moisture-corn.

The EPA’s Proposed Herbicide Strategy and What it Means for Herbicide Use – Alyssa Essman

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 was passed by Congress in an effort to protect endangered species and their habitats. In recent years the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been under fire for not meeting the obligations outlined within the ESA, which ultimately left them vulnerable to legal ramifications. In early 2022 the EPA released the ESA workplan to address this issue. The herbicide strategy is one part of this larger workplan to protect the 900 plant and animal species classified as endangered. The proposed herbicide strategy was released in July 2023 and outlined the EPA’s plan for meeting ESA obligations with respect to herbicide drift, runoff, and/or erosion. Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-38/epa%E2%80%99s-proposed-herbicide-strategy-and-what-it-means-herbicide-use.

Battle for the Belt: Episode 33- Wrap Up – Taylor Dill, Laura Lindsey, Osler Ortez

Episode 33 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4igcFhvU16k. In episode 33, we talk with our Soybean and Small Grain Specialist Laura Lindsey, and Corn Specialist, Osler Ortez about the season and upcoming winter extension programs. The season started out cold and wet at all three locations with emergence starting three weeks after planting the first planting date. This caused stand issues at the Wooster location in soybeans specifically. Early season disease presence at the Wooster location in soybeans was observed and sampled. The early season disease data will be shared in the near future. After this wet and cool period, all locations experienced very dry weather. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-37/battle-belt-episode-33-wrap.

Fall-applied Herbicide Considerations – Alyssa Essman

Harvest is progressing in much of Ohio, though recent rains have slowed field activities in some areas. As crops continue to come off it’s a good time for a reminder about the value of fall-applied herbicides. Rains this past week may stimulate winter annual weed emergence to some extent. This is the best time of year to control winter annuals and some of the more difficult to manage overwintering weed species. Biennial and perennial plants are now sending nutrients down to the root systems in preparation for winter. Systemic herbicides like glyphosate and 2,4-D applied at this time will be translocated down into the roots more effectively than if applied in spring when nutrients are moving upward. This results in better control. In addition, the increasingly unpredictable spring weather patterns we have experienced in recent years can influence the timing and efficacy of spring burndown applications. Fall-applied herbicides can lead to weed free situations going into spring until early emerging annuals begin to appear in April and are an essential component in the control of marestail and other overwintering species. Click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-36/fall-applied-herbicide-considerations for more.

Register Now for the January 4-5 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference – Eric Richer

Registration is open for the 2nd annual Ohio State Organic Grains Conference, January 4-5, 2024 at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center near Toledo, Ohio. The 2024 conference offers programming for experienced organic growers, growers transitioning to or considering organic, and consultants or educators who support these growers. Featured speakers will include Klaas Martens from Lakeview Organic Grain in New York; Léa Vereecke from Rodale Institute; former Ohio State soil fertility specialist Steve Culman; and Eugene Law, currently of USDA-ARS, but soon to be an Ohio State assistant professor in weed ecology. Read more about this conference at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-36/register-now-january-4-5-ohio-state-organic-grains-conference.

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

Good morning,

As I begin this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update, we have received some needed rain, but the hot temperatures received recently have caused evaporation and more rain is needed. Most corn fields are at R1 or later and are pollinating or will soon. Most soybean fields have reached R2 flowering, with some early fields at R3 beginning pod. Growth has been slow, but both crops are looking much better than this time a month ago. Weeds are dying in soybean fields because of the recent post herbicide applications. Hay continues to be made, with some mowed hay having been rained on. Oats are being harvested in the county, and some preventative fungicide applications have been made to corn. See the attached Ohio Crop Weather report dated July 31 for more details. Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 3.16 inches of rain in Hardin County during June. Last year, the average rainfall for June was 2.29 inches. Rainfall for the month was 2.38 inches less than the ten-year average rainfall in the month of June. I am just now receiving rainfall reports for the month of July. See the attached Extension Rainfall Report for June. With the dry weather you may want to read the attached article about scouting soybean for aphids.

Ohio Crop Weather

June Rainfall Summary

Soybean Aphid News Release

I have included recent articles about the Drainage Installation Field Day that took place at Ohio State – Lima, and the Hardin County Fruit and Vegetable Crop Walk that was held near Mt. Victory. Upcoming field days that I have included flyers for are the Agriculture Technology Field Day (August 23) in Fulton County, Pumpkin Field Day (August 24) in Clark County, and the Northwest Agronomic Field Day (August 31) in Wood County. If you are interested in pre-purchasing your Farm Science Review tickets for this year’s FSR to be held September 19-21 in Madison County, you can do so at go.osu.edu/fsrhardin2023 for $10 per ticket. This saves you $5.00 per ticket at the gate and provides a $1.00 donation to the Hardin County OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension program. See the attached flyer for more information about the FSR. If you are a gardener, you many be interested in attending the Master Gardener Volunteers Diagnostic Workshop (August 25) in Hancock County. Check out the attached flyer for registration information. I would also like to remind you of our Hardin County Master Gardener program on “Growing Cabbage, Broccoli, and Kohlrabi” (August 17) in the Friendship Gardens at 960 W Kohler Street in Kenton starting at 6:00 pm. See the attached flyer for MGV program information.

Drainage Field Day News Release

Crop Walk News Release

Crop Walk Flyer

Ag Tech Day Flyer

Pumpkin Field Day Flyer

NW Agronomic Field Day Flyer

Hardin County FSR Flyer

MGV Diagnostic Workshop

Summer Programs in the Friendship Garden

If you have unwanted farm pesticides that you want to dispose of free of charge, please note that the Ohio Department of Agriculture has released the dates and locations of this summer’s Clean Sweep program. Farmers from any county can take pesticides to these locations to properly dispose of them and you do not need to pre-register. Please note that the times are from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm. Household chemicals and commercial retailers are not included in this disposal program. As before, I have included some timely ag crops articles below that you may find interesting.

Mark

Protecting Wheat Seed and Rye Seed While In Storage Before Planting This Fall – Curtis Young

It is not uncommon for a farmer to save some of their wheat or rye crop in a grain wagon for seed to plant their next crop in the fall. Once their wagon is full, it will be shoved into a barn or shed for the rest of the summer until it is needed in the fall. Occasionally, when they return to retrieve their seed, they discover that the wheat or rye has been infested by Indianmeal moth (Plodia interpunctella) and possibly other stored grain pests as well. The activity of these grain infesting insects results in reduced germination potential and/or seedling survivorship requiring an increased seeding rate to compensate for the damaged seed. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-25/protecting-wheat-seed-and-rye-seed-while-storage-planting-fall.

Battle for the Belt: Episode 21 – Taylor Dill, Laura Lindsey, Osler Ortez, Stephanie Karhoff, Luke Waltz

Episode 21 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPd3diZNFsU In Episode 21, we talk with Dr. Stephanie Karhoff, Agronomic Systems Field Specialist about scouting for tar spot in corn. Tar spot is a relatively new disease to the state of Ohio, but it can be problematic, especially in Northwest Ohio. When scouting for tar spot, visit multiple locations in your field and answer these questions: Is tar spot present? To what severity? Is it increasing over time? To continue reading this article, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-25/battle-belt-episode-21.

August’s Stealthiest Insect Pest: Stink Bugs in Soybean – Kelley Tilmon, Andy Michel

Why are stink bugs the stealthiest insect pest near the end of summer? It’s because their method of feeding is so subtle. You won’t see damaged leaves or sickly-looking plants with stink bugs. They have straw-like mouthparts which they poke through the pod directly into the developing seed. If this happens early enough in seed development the seed will simply abort. If it happens later, the seed will be shriveled and shrunken. Either way, this reduces yield and/or reduces seed quality, though you will not see the damage unless you carefully inspect the pods for missing or damaged seed. To finish reading about stinkbugs in soybean, click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-25/august%E2%80%99s-stealthiest-insect-pest-stink-bugs-soybean.

ANR Factsheet Available for Understanding Corn Abnormal Ears: When and Why Do They Develop? – Osler Ortez

Much of the corn has started to tassel (VT) and silk (R1) around the state. These mark the beginning of the reproductive stages and include the grain-filling period in corn. As ears develop and grow, abnormalities can develop at different times and due to various factors. If you find abnormal ear development this season and want to understand development timing and causal factors, ANR-0139 Factsheet has the just of it: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-0139. To continue reading this article, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-25/anr-factsheet-available-understanding-corn-abnormal-ears-when-and.

Lep Monitoring Network Update #13 – WBC Numbers Remain High, Continue Scouting! – Rebecca DiScipio, Stephanie Pflaum, Amy Raudenbush, Trevor Corboy, Suranga Basnagala , Mark Badertscher, Nic Baumer, Frank Becker, Nick Eckel, Allen Gahler, Don Hammersmith, Mary Jo Hassen, Alan Leininger, Ed Lentz, Kendall Lovejoy, Clifton Martin, Sarah Noggle, Jordan Penrose, Beth Scheckelhoff, Mike Sunderman, Frank Thayer, Kyle Verhoff, Brooks Warner, Curtis Young, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon, Jamie Hampton, Les Ober

The Ohio Lep Network is continuing to monitor moth pests across Ohio. We are in our 13th week of monitoring, and we are continuing population reports for Western bean cutworm (WBC), corn earworm (CEW), and both variations of European corn borer (ECB – IA & NY). Read more about the crop insect scouting network at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-25/lep-monitoring-network-update-13-%E2%80%93-wbc-numbers-remain-high.

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

Good afternoon,

As I write this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update, we received a brief shower in Kenton. It seems like the rain has been hit and miss and the crops are growing slowly because of the lack of rain and cool temperatures. Fortunately, we have not had too many 90 degree days to put additional stress on the crops in the field. The most recent Ohio Crop Weather report for June 20 that I have attached shows that 96.4% of the state has been abnormally dry or worse. 97% of corn has emerged statewide, but most of it in Hardin County is V9 growth stage or less. 95% of soybean plants are emerged statewide, but many fields that I have looked at in Hardin County are at V10 growth stage or less. Wheat is in Feekes 11, still in the dough stages but that could change soon with the dry weather. Most of the field crops in the state are rated in the “Good” category. Refer to the attached May 2023 Rainfall Summary for more local rainfall and crop information. For the period of May 1-May 31, Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 2.47 inches of rain in Hardin County. Last year, the average rainfall for the same time was 5.41 inches. Rainfall for May was 1.62 inches less than the ten-year average rainfall for the month.

Ohio Crop Weather

May 2023 Rainfall Summary

I have attached a couple related articles that you might find interesting including one looking back on Hardin County Crop Yields from 2022 compared with surrounding counties. I have also included one that takes a look at Dry Weather Crop Impacts. There is a West Central Ohio Hay Day coming up July 6 near Urbana, so I have included a flyer with information about how you can register to attend. Also, if you are cleaning out the grain bins this summer, I encourage you to participate in OSU’s “Farmers’ Exposure to Dust and Noise Hazards at On-Farm Grain Facilities” study. See the attached flyer for more information about how you can get involved with this research. Speaking of research, I have been trapping for True Armyworm, Black Cutworm, European Corn Borer, and Corn Earworm for the past couple of months around the county. Currently I am putting up traps for Western Bean Cutworm, and later will add Fall Armyworm. You can read about our statewide OSU Extension crop insect monitoring and recommendations in the CORN Newsletter (corn.osu.edu). Most insect pest activity has been low, with the exception of Black Cutworm moth flight in a couple fields that I have been monitoring.

Crop Yields News Release

Dry Weather Crop Impacts News Release

Hay Day Flyer

Grain Bin Dust/Noise Research

If you are a gardener, I would like to invite you to attend tonight’s “An Evening Garden Affair” being held at the Friendship Gardens located in Kenton on 960 W Kohler Street. It begins with a garden tour and snacks at 6:30 pm, followed by a 7:00 pm program in the Simon Kenton School gym by Hancock County OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer John King presenting on “Small Space Vegetable Gardening.” I have included a news article and flyer with this email with more details about this event. In addition, there is a series of Summer Garden Programs being offered at the Friendship Gardens of Hardin County for which I have included a news release and flyer. You are welcome to attend these events as well that are being held by the Hardin County OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers the next few months. Topics include “Hugelkulture,” “Worm Composting,” and “Growing Cabbage, Broccoli and Kohlrabi.” As always, I have included some timely articles from the CORN Newsletter below that you may like to read with a cup of iced tea on these summer afternoons, hopefully during a rain event.

An Evening Garden Affair News Release

An Evening Garden Affair Flyer

Summer Garden Programs News Release

Summer Programs in the Friendship Garden Flyer

Mark

What happened with crop yields during 1988 and 2012? A recap – Osler Ortez, Laura Lindsey, Greg LaBarge

After a couple of weeks of dry conditions in the state, “the skies opened up” during the last week or so. Showers and storms moved across the state during this period. Prior to these rainfall events, we heard comments “This is starting to look like 1988”, but thankfully, we think that we did not get there. The recent rains and cooler temperatures have alleviated (at least to some degree) the drought concerns in areas of the state. We still need steady rains throughout the growing season, and we hope we get them. For now, the next 7-day forecast has rains for most regions. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-19/what-happened-crop-yields-during-1988-and-2012-recap.

Battle for the Belt: Episode 15 – Taylor Dill, Laura Lindsey, Osler Ortez, Pierce Paul, Joe Davlin, Matt Davis

Episode 15 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTgin3qPtoU. In Episode 15, we have a conversation with Dr. Pierce Paul, Cereal Plant Pathology Specialist about corn disease concerns and scouting, along with a field update from the Northwest and Western research stations and an Allen County farmer who planted soybeans first. See the summary article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-19/battle-belt-episode-15.

Lep Monitoring Network Update #7 – Trap Counts for CEW and ECB (IA & NY) – Stephanie Pflaum, Rebecca DiScipio, Amy Raudenbush, Suranga Basnagala , Mark Badertscher, Trevor Corboy, Jamie Hampton, Mary Jo Hassen, Clifton Martin, Curtis Young, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

The Ohio Lep Network is continuing to monitor moth pests across Ohio. As we have begun our seventh week of monitoring, we are happy to begin reports for corn earworm (CEW) monitoring as well as continuing to monitor for European corn borer (ECB) IA and NY populations. As mentioned in our most recent Lep Network newsletter, monitoring for black cutworm (BCW) and true armyworm (AMW) for this season has come to a close. For more resources on these pests and many others, check out our website: https://aginsects.osu.edu. Finish reading the insect trapping article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-19/lep-monitoring-network-update-7-%E2%80%93-trap-counts-cew-and-ecb-ia-ny.

Dicamba Deadline Reminder – Alyssa Essman

Crop progress is highly variable this year. Some early planted crops have emerged and have had decent growth following recent rains. Dry weather has delayed the emergence of some later planted crops. This means there will also be variability in growth stages, which can have implications for POST application timings. The deadline to apply dicamba over-the-top (OTT) in Ohio is coming soon. For OTT applications of the dicamba products labeled for this use, the cutoff is up to and through June 30th, or the labeled growth stage. There are cutoff dates and/or soybean growth stages for the different products. Find out more details at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-19/dicamba-deadline-reminder.

Keep an Eye on the Horizon for Dry Weather Insect Pests – Kelley Tilmon, Andy Michel

While nobody knows what the future holds regarding weather, recent dry conditions have made people think about the potential for drought this summer.  In field crops, certain insect pests tend to be worse under dry conditions – either because hot and/or dry weather favors their biology, reduces the impact of natural enemies that help control them [particularly insect-killing fungi], weakens the plants’ resistance to the insects or increases the physiological damage potential, or some combination of these factors.  While you can’t control the weather, stepping up scouting efforts in drought conditions can help you control unexpected damage from these dry-weather insects. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-19/keep-eye-horizon-dry-weather-insect-pests.

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

Good afternoon,

Good to see that the weather is finally cooperating with spring planting after some field work allowed for early planting in mid-April. According to the attached May 15 Ohio Crop Weather report, 26% of corn was planted and 28% of soybean was planted a week ago. Winter wheat is mostly rated in good condition with this spring’s cooler temperatures and wet weather. As of April 30, Hardin County township rainfall reporters recorded only 1.72 inches of rain from April 15-30, but frequent rains in early May and cool temperatures slowed down evaporation rates. See the April Extension Rainfall Report for more information.

Ohio Crop Weather

April 15-30 Rainfall Summary

Recent news articles that I have included with this edition of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update include topics such as scouting for Alfalfa Weevil, Soybean Cyst Nematode sampling, and Planting Considerations for Corn and Soybean. If you are a gardener, I have included an article about free Ohio Victory Garden Seeds that are available at the Extension office, and an article and flyer about our OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers Plant Sale that is taking place tomorrow morning at the Friendship Gardens located at 960 W Kohler Street in Kenton from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm.

Alfalfa Weevil News Release

Soybean Cyst Nematode Sampling News Release

Corn-Soybean Planting Recommendations News Release

Victory Gardens News Release

Hardin County Plant Sale News Release

MGV Plant Sale Flyer 2023

Upcoming webinars and events that you may be interested in include a free webinar series beginning next week on Solar Development in Ohio for which I have attached an article and flyer with details about how you can register to listen in on this free program while you are working in the fields or from the comfort of your office. Topics include Solar Development Overview and Trends, Leasing Land for Solar Development, Connecting to the Electric Grid, Solar Project Approval in Ohio, and Construction and Post-Construction. Registration and additional information about the free Zoom webinar series is available at go.osu.edu/solarwebinars. Those unable to attend can view webinar recordings on the Farm Office energy law library at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/our-library/energy-law.

Solar Development Webinars News Release

Solar Development Webinars Flyer

The next Ag Council breakfast meeting will take place Friday morning, June 2 starting at 7:30 am at the Kenton McDonalds restaurant. Join us this coming month for a roundtable discussion on the spring planting season and get updated on agricultural issues and events. I hope the weather cooperates with you from this point forward and wish you a safe spring planting season. As provided in the past, I have included some ag crops articles from the CORN Newsletter that you may be interested in reading.

Mark

If You Planted and Heavy Rainfall Affected Your Fields…  – Osler Ortez, Laura Lindsey

According to the USDA-NASS report for the week ending 05/14/23, 26% of Ohio’s corn and 28% of Ohio’s soybean acres were planted. About 8% of corn and soybean was reported emerged. Ohio’s planting (and emergence) progress is coming along for both corn and soybean crops. However, there are still significant acreages to be planted yet, and weather does not always help. Heavy rainfall (1-2 inches of rain) events were reported for some areas of Ohio last week. Heavy rainfall can negatively affect planted and emerged fields, planted and non-emerged fields, and yet-to-be-planted fields. If you are in one of the areas with concerns about heavy rainfall, read about how to manage these issues at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-14/if-you-planted-and-heavy-rainfall-affected-your-fields%E2%80%A6

Forage Maturity Across Ohio – Jason Hartschuh, Amanda Douridas, Kendall Lovejoy, Carri Jagger, Beth Scheckelhoff, Ed Lentz, Les Ober

Warm weather this spring especially over the last couple of weeks has rapidly progressed forage maturity. Harvesting forages at the proper time for the livestock you are feeding is critical to farm profitability. Poor quality forages must be supplemented to maintain livestock. In the southern part of the state, many forage grasses are in head while in the northern part of the state, some species are in head but most are still in the vegetative stage but will be in head within a week. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-14/forage-maturity-across-ohio.

Interested in Soil Health? Learn together with OSU Extension – Jason Hartschuh, Elizabeth Hawkins, Amanda Douridas

Improving soil health can provide a variety of benefits including improved water infiltration, increased water holding capacity, and increased nutrient availability. However, it can be challenging to quantify these benefits in the field. With funding from Ohio Soybean Checkoff, the eFields program is continuing an effort to help better understand how management practices influence soil health and ultimately crop yields. OSU Extension has worked to identify a few soil tests that can provide helpful indicators of improved soil health. We are looking for farmers interested in soil health and who want to participate in a statewide field survey collecting soil health data from fields under various management practices, specifically conventional tillage, no-till, manure application, and cover cropping. Find out how to get involved at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-14/interested-soil-health-learn-together-osu-extension.

Lep Monitoring Network Update #2 – Black Cutworm & True Armyworm – Amy Raudenbush, Kylie Harbert, Suranga Basnagala , Mark Badertscher, Lee Beers, CCA, Trevor Corboy, Dirk Dempsey, Jamie Hampton, Alan Leininger, Clifton Martin, CCA, Beth Scheckelhoff, Curtis Young, CCA, Kelley Tilmon, Andy Michel

We are currently in our second week of monitoring for black cutworm (BCW) and true armyworm (AMW) moths in Ohio. Both moths are early season pests in Ohio that migrate to the state and lay eggs in fields. Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars cause damage to the emerging corn plants. Counties with high trap catches should be prepared to scout high risk fields. In addition to BCW and AMW, European corn borer (IA & NY) traps were set last week and numbers will be reported in next week’s newsletter. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-14/lep-monitoring-network-update-2-%E2%80%93-black-cutworm-true-armyworm to learn more about this effort.

Cressleaf Groundsel Identification – Alyssa Essman

Fields of yellow flowers can be found all over the state. Issues with cressleaf groundsel can bring about questions concerning toxicity to livestock. Previous C.O.R.N. articles have covered management and can be found at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-08/cressleaf-groundsel-scouting. Cressleaf groundsel may be confused with members of the mustard family, or other species with yellow flowers that bloom this time of year. Below are some key ID characteristics and pictures that can be helpful in differentiating cressleaf groundsel from other species. To continue with identifying this weed, go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-13/cressleaf-groundsel-identification.

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