Hello,

Are you ready for the Hardin County Fair?  It’s almost here as this year’s county fair runs from September 3-8.  I hope to see you there supporting both the Jr. and Sr. Fair exhibitors.  We’ve been busy setting up displays and booths so hopefully you will visit them and I will get a chance to meet more producers and agribusiness people while at the fair.  If you are available, offer to volunteer in the different commodity group food stands as I am sure they would appreciate your help.

One upcoming event that I have been planning is this year’s Hardin County Fair Carcass Show of Champions.  It will be held at Mt. Victory Meats on September 10, starting at 6:00 pm.  Once again it will feature the grand champion and reserve champion steers, barrows, gilts, lambs, and goats.  Come see how the champions do on the rail.  The event is sponsored by Mt. Victory Meats, the Hardin County Fairboard, the Hardin County Sheep Improvement Association, the Hardin County Cattle Producers, and the Hardin County Pork Producers.  I have attached a press release and flier about the event to this email.

Carcass Show News Release     2013 carcass show flier

The Dairy Service Unit has begun their fall cheese sale.  Order forms can be obtained at the Extension Office (419-674-2297) at 1021 W. Lima St. Suite 103 in Kenton or online at hardin.osu.edu. Deadline for ordering cheese is October 22, with pick-up dates November 1st from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. or November 2nd from 9:00 until 12:00 p.m. at the home of Dan and Molly Wagner.  See the attached press release and order form for more information.

Cheese Sale news release     Cheese sale fall

This week I spent two days scouting soybean fields and noticed both immature and adult lady beetles feeding on aphids.  One field had both immature and adult green and also brown stink bugs.  Aphid populations seem to be on the decline as most beans are now in the beginning-full seed stage.   When you are scouting for stink bugs, look for damage to the pods.  See the article below for more specific information.

Area classes are forming for new Master Gardeners in Union County and Allen County.  Is there anyone out there interested in becoming a Master Gardener?  Interested people can be trained out of county and then serve Hardin County.  Let me know if you want to learn more about this educational program.

This month’s Ag Council meeting will be held a week later than normal due to the Hardin County Fair.  Join us for breakfast and sharing ag information at Henry’s Restaurant in Kenton Friday, September 13 starting at 7:00 am.

Have a nice Labor Day weekend and remember that Ohio State football kicks off tomorrow at noon.  Below are some articles and additional information that you may be interested in reading.

GO BUCKS!

Mark

Statewide Sheep Shearing School – September 20-21, from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. – Dave Cable Farm, 10491 Canal Rd., Hebron, OH 43025.

This program is being provided to hopefully gain people that are interested in learning how to shear sheep.  There is a real need in many areas of the state of Ohio for qualified sheep shearers.    If you know of someone that might be interested be pass this information along to them so that we have an adequate sized class to hold the school.  See the attached flier for more information.

2013 Sheep Shearing School registration form

Late Season Soybean Insects – Ron Hammond, Andy Michel

As the season winds down, soybean growers need to continue scouting their fields, especially those later planted fields that will remain green well into September.  As other fields in the area begin maturing and turning yellow, some insects will migrate to soybeans that are still green and continue their feeding.  Two of those insects, with one being a complex, are second generation bean leaf beetles and the stink bug complex consisting of the green, the red shouldered, and perhaps the brown marmorated stink bug.  These insects feed on the pods and seeds of the plant, causing direct damage to the harvestable part of the soybean.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-27/late-season-soybean-insects to find out more information.

Quality Corn Silage Production – Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator Wayne County

Corn silage has the reputation as a reliable and economic feedstuff. Corn silage is widely used in ruminant livestock rations, particularly with cattle, but I have also seen it used with sheep as well. A good thought to keep in mind is that the quality of the corn silage you produce this fall will affect your livestock for many months in to the future. Producing high quality silage depends upon good management practices at several different steps.  Go to http://beef.osu.edu/beef/beefAug2813.html to read more.

Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle – Ron Hammond, Andy Michel

One of the consequences of this past summer having been a soybean “aphid year” is the development of large populations of the multicolored Asian lady beetle in soybean fields where aphids were numerous.  When walking through such fields, it is easy to see many lady beetle larvae and adults on top of the plants.  From the soybean’s perspective, this is a good thing because the lady beetles will help to reduce aphid populations.  Find out more about this beneficial insect athttp://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-28/multicolored-asian-lady-beetle.

Estimating Soybean Yield  –  Laura Lindsey

To estimate yield, four soybean yield components need to be considered: plants per acre, pods per plant, seeds per pod, and seeds per pound (seed size).  It is difficult to accurately predict soybean yield because of plant variability, but estimates become more accurate as the growing season progresses.  If you want to estimate the yield of your soybean crop, go tohttp://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-28/estimating-soybean-yield to find out how.

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,

This week I had the opportunity to attend the Western Ohio Forage Field Day with Phil Bauer.  This field day focused on grass interseeded into alfalfa, leafhopper resistant alfalfa trials, annual forage alternatives after wheat — conventional, no-till and slurry seeded, nutritional aspects of warm season annuals and corn silage and forage preservation, alfalfa management inputs for high yield, red and white clover variety trials, native grasses for forage and biofuel, grass variety trials, in addition to a hay mower-conditioner demonstration by John Deere and a hay tedder demonstration by New Holland.  I was also fortunate to get a tour of Phil’s Jersey dairy farm and learn how he bases his operation around forages and his new compost manure management barn.  I look forward to attending more field days and events with Hardin County farmers so let me know if you are thinking about attending one in the future.

The Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame Committee has updated its Purpose and Nomination form.  I have attached the updated form in both Microsoft Word and Adobe pdf formats for your use.  The committee would like to see someone nominated for this year’s Ag Hall of Fame from each school district so that we have good representation from the entire county.  Please take a minute to look over the form and if you know of someone who should be nominated, feel free to share the information.  The committee will also have copies of the form available in the Ag Hall of Fame booth in the Machinery Building at the Hardin County Fair.  Applications are due October 15 to the Extension Office.

Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination form 2013     Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination form 2013

There are some insects and late season diseases to be on the watch for in soybean and corn fields.  This week questions focused on soybean aphids and when it is necessary to treat for them.  See the following articles for further information regarding these and other issues that may be of interest to you.

Mark

What Soybean Diseases to Scout for Next  – Anne Dorrance

Downy mildew, Sclerotinia (white mold), Sudden Death Syndrome, and Soybean Rust are included in this article that can be found at http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-27/what-soybean-diseases-to-scout-for-next.  Images of soybean diseases can be found at http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/ohiofieldcropdisease/t01_pageview3/Soybean_images.htm.  Take note of the recommendations for each disease if you see it in your field and be aware of the economic level for that disease when making management decisions about treatment.

Corn Growth and Yield Potential: Impact of Recent Cool Weather –  Peter Thomison

Have recent below average temperatures adversely affected corn growth and yield potential?  No, corn actually yields best with moderate temperatures (and adequate soil moisture). Temperatures that occur in Ohio in July and August (especially at night) are often warmer than optimum for corn. The ideal daytime temperatures for corn are about 80 to 86 degrees F (and higher if moisture is plentiful at all times).  Continue reading this article at http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-27/corn-growth-and-yield-potential-impact-of-recent-cool-weather.

Keep Scab Resistance at the Top of Your List as You Select Wheat Varieties This Fall – Pierce Paul, Clay Sneller, Rich Minyo

Even though we did not have high levels of scab and vomitoxin this year, we still need to keep this disease in our minds as we select varieties to plant this fall. In the past, there were very few Ohio-grown winter wheat varieties with decent scab resistance, and some of those varieties yielded poorly or did not grow well under our conditions. Today we have far more varieties with very good scab resistance in combination with very good yield potential.  Read more about selecting wheat varieties athttp://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-27/keep-scab-resistance-at-the-top-of-your-list-as-you-select-wheat-varieties-this-fall.

Changes to Insecticide Labels Coming Related to Bees -Ron Hammond, Andy Michel

In an ongoing effort to protect bees and other pollinators, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last week that they have developed new pesticide labels that prohibit use of some neonicotinoid pesticide products where bees are present. However, because few products containing these insecticides are used in field crops for foliar spraying especially during flowering or pollination (mainly on soybeans), any label changes should not have major impacts for field crops.  More information can be found at http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-27/changes-to-insecticide-labels-coming-related-to-bees.

Turfgrass Rust – OSU BYGL

Does your yard have rust on the grass?  Rust, a fungal disease (Puccinia spp.) of turfgrass, has been reported throughout the state.  Rust affects all common turfgrasses used in the United States but in Ohio it is most common on Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass.  Turfgrass rust is typically seen in late summer and fall.  Find out more about Turfgrass Rust which is caused by cool temperatures and moist conditions at http://bygl.osu.edu/content/turfgrass-rust.

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,

I have good news to report today as I still have not found any Western Bean Cutworm moths in any of the four traps around the county.  This is the same result for most of the state for the past four weeks.  Also, I have yet to find any Soybean Aphids or Green Stink Bugs as of this time.  If you see any of these pests in your fields, please let me know as Extension is trying to see how bad of a problem we might have in Ohio.

I wanted to remind everyone of the Hardin County Crop Walk program that is going on Tuesday, August 20 from 6:00-8:30 pm. The program will include an emphasis on fruit and vegetable production. The location of the program will be 19809 County Road 200, Mt. Victory, Ohio 43340, which is about a half mile past the Scioto Valley Produce Auction.  See the attached news release and flyer for further information.

Crop Walk News Release            2013 Crop Walk Flier

The Extension office now has Farm Science Review tickets available.  This year’s Farm Science Review is September 17-19 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London.  Tickets are $7.00 presale and $10.00 at the gate.  Children 5 and under are free.  Make sure you purchase your presale tickets by September 16.  If you are a teacher or someone who needs to get a purchase order, now is the time to do the paperwork.  If you are an agribusiness that normally gets tickets to sell from our office, let me know so I can get you an allotment.  This year’s theme is “Break New Ground” so go to http://fsr.osu.edu/ to start to plan your trip to this year’s show.

This week Amber Buzzard, a District Sales Manager with Channel Seeds stopped by the office.  Buzzard lives in Forest and is interested in setting up seed dealers in the county.  Check out their website at www.channel.com for more information about their products and opportunities.  She will be presenting the program for our September 13 Ag Council Meeting.  Below are some articles and other information that you may be interested in reading.

Mark

Soybean Aphid Update  – Ron Hammond, Andy Michel

We are receiving our first reports of soybean aphids reaching levels that require insecticide treatment in counties just south of Lake Erie.  Mid-August is time of the summer when we normally see outbreaks in Ohio.  Because of this, we would urge growers to check their soybean fields to see if aphids are reaching threshold levels.  However, because the majority of reports indicate low population levels, we recommend that growers only treat fields that have been scouted and where thresholds of 250 aphids per plant are reached.  See the fact sheet at http://ohioline.osu.edu/ent-fact/pdf/0037.pdf for further information.

Assessing the 2013 Corn Crop : The Ohio’s Country Journal Crop Tour – August 7-8, 2013  – Peter Thomison

Last week I had an opportunity to participate in The Ohio Country Journal Crop Tour (http://ocj.com/2013/08/2013-i-75i-71-ohio-crop-tour-summary/) which evaluated the status and condition of the corn and soybean crop in 40 counties across the state. I was part of a team that visited 20 fields in the western part of Ohio – the I-75 tour. Another team evaluated corn and soybean crops along I-71. We stopped at fields that allowed an assessment of a corn and soybean field in close proximity. Yield checks were based on the “Yield Component Method” described in last week’s C.O.R.N. newsletter (http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/c.o.r.n.-newsletter-2013-25/estimating-corn-yields-prior-to-harvest). However, time constraints (about 20 minutes per field) limited our yield assessments  to no more than three sites within each field. To continue reading this article, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-26/assessing-the-2013-corn-crop-the-ohio-country-journal-crop-tour-august-7-8-2013.

Common Bagworm – (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) feeding season is coming to an end.  Curtis Young and Joe Boggs reported that bagworm caterpillars in northwest and southwest Ohio, respectively, are beginning to tie their bags to anchorage points and are closing the bags’ openings in preparation for pupation.  While there remains some earlier instar bagworms mixed among older caterpillars, by and large it is too late to treat with an insecticide to effectively manage bagworm populations for next season.  To read more, go to http://bygl.osu.edu/content/windshield-wipes-54.

Stink Bugs on Soybeans –  Andy Michel, Ron Hammond

As we get into the full pod and beginning seed development stages, we need to turn our attention to possible problems with stink bugs, mainly the green stink bug and red-shouldered stink bug.  But before we limit ourselves to those two, keep in mind that we are still anticipating the brown marmorated stink bug becoming a problem on soybeans.  Because stink bugs cause direct injury to the pods and seeds, it takes fewer of them to cause economic losses.  Losing an average of only 1-2 seeds per plant will equal the cost of an insect application.  Thus, growers across Ohio should scout their fields for stink bugs with either a sweep net or by hand.  When sweeping, the threshold for regular soybeans is four or more stink bugs, adults or nymphs, per 10 sweeps.  For soybeans grown for seed or food grade, we would lower the threshold to two per 10 sweeps.  If counting the stink bugs directly, two stink bugs per foot of row throughout the field is the threshold, with just a single stink bug as the threshold for seed and food grade soybean.  However, these levels should be across the field and not only in a few locations.  More information on stink bugs can be found on our newest fact sheet available at http://oardc.osu.edu/ag/images/StB_Factsheet_June_26.pdf.

Check your Walnut Trees for Thousand Cankers Disease – The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has announced that TCD of walnut has been confirmed in Butler County, Ohio.  This disease of black walnut (Juglans nigra) is caused by a fungus (Geosmithia sp.) that is carried from tree to tree by the WALNUT TWIG BEETLE (Pityophthorus juglandis) (WTB); a type of bark beetle.  For more information about how to identify this problem, go to http://bygl.osu.edu/content/thousand-cankers-disease-tcd-confirmed-ohio.

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,

I just returned from the Scioto Valley Produce Auction where I met with Levi Yoder and a couple other Amish farmers who have expressed an interest in a ‘Crop Walk’ program. The event will be held Tuesday, August 20 starting at 6:00 pm. The program will feature fruit and vegetable production issues and will utilize a diagnostic table and three presenters from OSU addressing plant nutrition and soil fertility, insect problems, and disease problems. The address of the program location will be 19809 County Road 200, Mt. Victory which is about a half mile past the auction barn. Anyone with an interest in fruit and vegetable production or gardening is welcome to attend. There will be a flier next week and people are encouraged to bring plant problems, disease samples, or insect pests for identification.

The rainfall reports are in for July and as you know, we experienced more than our share of precipitation. Extension rainfall reporters recorded an average of 7.4 inches of rain in Hardin County. Last year, the average rainfall for July was 3.09 inches. This past month was an extremely wet month as rainfall was 3.21 inches above the ten year average rainfall for the month of July. See the attached press release to see how much rain your township recorded.

July 2013 summary

I have spent the past month meeting with several agricultural groups in the county to get to know people and find out ideas for future Extension programs. During this time, I have enjoyed the welcome and hope to get to know several more individuals. If I have not yet met with your group, please respond back to this email or call the office and I will try to attend your next meeting to share ideas and set priorities.

This week I attended a Precision Ag Tech Day that focused on planters. There are still several more field days coming up in August, so be sure to check our Extension webpage at hardin.osu.edu for a listing of events that may interest you. The following are articles that I think might be worth the read.

Mark

How Late is too Late to Apply Foliar Fungicide in Corn? – Pierce Paul
We have seen positive results in terms of disease control and yield for foliar fungicide applications made before tassel, at tassel, and even as late as R3. However, from year to year, the most consistent results and the greatest benefits are seen when applications are make at tassel or silking (VT/R1). The diseases we are most concerned about in Ohio such as gray leaf spot and eye spot usually develop from the lower to the upper leaves of the plant. Fungicides are applied to prevent these diseases from moving up and reaching the ear leaf and the leaves above the ear leaf before grain fill is complete. To continue reading this article, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/c.o.r.n.-newsletter-2013-25/how-late-is-too-late-to-apply-foliar-fungicide-in-corn.

Foliar diseases are common this year – Anne Dorrance
Frogeye leaf spot and brown spot are very common this year. This is especially surprising for frogeye. There is resistance in northern varieties, so this is a great year to assess the resistance levels in those varieties. Soybean rust is found in the lower to mid canopy of the crop. The rust lesions are found on the underside of the leaf and look like small craters filled with light colored spores. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/c.o.r.n.-newsletter-2013-25/foliar-diseases-are-common-this-year to find out more about soybean diseases and where to send samples for testing for disease problems.

Apple Sooty Mold and Fly Speck – Samples of apple fruits with sooty mold and fly speck could arrive in the OSU Extension offices soon. Sooty blotch and fly speck are two different diseases. Both diseases are widespread throughout the Midwest, and commonly occur together on the same fruit. They are more considered late season diseases. For more information on apple sooty mold and fly speck, go to http://bygl.osu.edu/content/sooty-blotch-and-fly-speck-apple.

Tomatoes Slow to Ripen – There were several reports this week that commercial and backyard tomato crops were ripening slowly, if at all. This is not an uncommon event when the weather turns cool for more than a few days. The hot days and sultry nights that make for poor sleeping are great for many garden plants. The tomatoes, peppers and sweet corn ripen quickly in the constant heat. Cool days and even cooler nights slow ripening to a rate more common to September than August. Rest assured, once daytime temperatures get into the upper eighties and nighttime temperatures stay in the seventies, the tomato crop will ripen much faster than one can make salsa, sauce and ketchup.

The ‘New’ Ohio Beef Quality Assurance Program – Stan Smith, OSU Extension PA, Fairfield County
Many Ohio cattle producers attained their last Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification update three years ago. BQA is a national program that offers sound management practices and guidelines for beef cattle production. The knowledge acquired through BQA trainings provide cattlemen with the tools they need to produce the safest, highest quality beef in the world while also looking at ways to make their operations more efficient and productive. BQA encompasses the principles of both livestock handling and animal welfare programs. To read more about this program, go to http://beef.osu.edu/beef/beefAug0713.html.

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,

Hardin County Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Educator Kathy Oliver asked me to get the word to find out if there are any people out there who would be willing to conduct a hayride this fall for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Goo Crew program. If you are interested in providing a wagon and tractor or team of horses, please call her at 419-674-2297.

I just got back from checking the Western Bean Cutworm traps and there are no adult moths to report so far. No news is good news in this case. This week I put out a fourth trap in the eastern edge of the county so now there are traps in the northern, southern, eastern, and western parts of the county.

This week also produced a few calls about weed control problems in ponds. White Amur (grass carp) are a good biological method that can help control the weed growth. Information about White Amur can be found at http://ohioline.osu.edu/a-fact/pdf/A_4_09.pdf. If chemical control is necessary, go to http://ohioline.osu.edu/a-fact/pdf/0019.pdf to learn more about using aquatic herbicides for managing these problems. When using chemicals to kill weeds in ponds in warm weather, be sure to only treat a portion of the pond as decomposition of dead weeds depletes oxygen in the water that could result in a fish kill. It is recommended to wait 3-4 weeks for additional treatments, depending on the temperature.

Listed below are some events and timely information that may be of interest to you.

Mark

Master Gardener and Christmas Tree College – August 20, 2013 – 4971 Cackler Rd, Delaware, OH 43015 from 7:00 -9:00 pm. The event will be hosted by Cackler Family Farms and there is no charge to attend.

Share the Road with Animal-Drawn Vehicles – Dewey Mann – Safety Research Associate
Ohio averages 140 crashes per year where animal-drawn vehicles and motor vehicles collide. It is projected that the Amish population (not including other horse and buggy groups) will double in less than 25 years, with over 10 new settlements around the country EACH YEAR. What will this mean for rural areas of Ohio? We could expect new areas of the state to see cultures who use horse and buggies as their primary transportation. Ohio counties such as Holmes, Wayne, and Geauga that have large settlements will continue to grow.

What does this mean for horse and buggy drivers? As there are more animal-drawn vehicles on the roadways, there is an even greater need for proper lighting and marking. Increased lighting and marking allows motorists an opportunity to identify the slow moving vehicle, and act accordingly. Fact sheets providing recommended lighting and marking are available from the Agricultural Safety and Health office and online at: http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/pdf/0596_4.pdf and http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/pdf/0596_7.pdf.

What does this mean for motor vehicle drivers? Always be on the look-out for slow moving vehicles (farm machinery, animal-drawn vehicles, etc.). From discussions with horse and buggy Amish in northern Ohio, their perception is that out of town tourists often exhibit more patience and observe proper roadway laws (not passing on a double yellow line) better than some local motorists.

As new horse and buggy communities integrate into our rural communities, let’s work with our new neighbors to keep our communities a safe place to live. An award winning video on safe driving around animal-drawn vehicles can be found online at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b7HuinLPQM.

Soybean Aphid Update – Ron Hammond and Andy Michel
Surveying fields in areas of northern Ohio suggests that the soybean aphid continues to build up in numbers and in fields infested. A revisit in a field near Toledo indicated that over half the plants in that field are now infested, albeit at low numbers. Scouting in Geauga, Wayne, and Wood Counties suggests that aphids are probably also throughout northeast Ohio. However, these newer finds showed very low aphid numbers, with only a small portion of the fields infested at the current time. Most aphids are being found in the new growth at the top of the plant. To continue reading this article, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-24/soybean-aphid-update.

2013 Ohio Wheat Performance Test Preliminary Results Now Available On-Line – Rich Minyo and Laura Lindsey
Preliminary results from the 2013 Ohio Wheat Performance Test are now available on line at http://hostedweb.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/perf. Single and multi-year yield results are currently available for all locations. The results can be accessed by following the links on the left side of the page. Information regarding the growing season, evaluation procedures and disease resistance will be available shortly. Additional varieties will be added as soon as marketing information becomes available.

August Is An Opportunity To Establish Perennial Forages – Rory Lewandowski and Mark Sulc
Rain and wet soil conditions condensed the spring planting season this year and some planned alfalfa plantings got moved to the back burner. August provides another window of opportunity to establish a perennial forage stand and it fits nicely into rotations after wheat grain harvest. Typically the main risk with an August planting is a question of sufficient moisture for seed germination and plant growth. This year if soil moisture is a concern, it is from the standpoint of too much rather than too little moisture. For more information, click on http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-24/august-is-an-opportunity-to-establish-perennial-forages.

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