Good evening,
It’s Friday again. Where do these weeks go? Today I finished pulling all of the Western Bean Cutworm traps that were placed around the county. I want to thank Dan Hiller, Jerry Layman, Steve Poland, and Paul Ralston for volunteering their fields for use for this study. This growing season did not produce any confirmed Western Bean Cutworms in our Hardin County traps. This is good news for area corn producers and was standard for much of the state. Today also marked the start of the fall weed survey. Thanks to Glen Arnold, OSU Extension Manure Management Specialist and former Putnam County Agriculture Extension Educator for training me for this project. We worked in the northeast corner of the county, recording weed data from soybean fields, mostly seeing Marestail, Giant Ragweed, and volunteer corn in the 25 fields we surveyed. Other weeds noticed in smaller numbers included Lambsquarter, Pigweed, and Giant Foxtail. We did see several fields that were mostly weed free.
The August rainfall report numbers are in from our Hardin County township reporters. During the month of August, there was a reported average of 1.94 inches of rain in the county. Last year we received 3.84 inches of rain during the same month. That puts us at 18.48 inches of rain for the growing season, which is 1.11 inches below the 10 year average for the same time period in the county. For more details, see the attached press release.
This week was the Hardin County Carcass Show of Champions. The results turned out to be interesting as the reserve champions won every class except for the gilts. I will include the official results in next week’s email as I still need to summarize the information. Don’t forget that the big event in Ohio agriculture this coming week will be the Farm Science Review on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Our office will be sending in remaining pre-sale tickets on Monday afternoon. Enjoy your weekend and if you are interested, below are some articles might be of use to you.
Mark
“Nosing Back” and “Zipper Ears” in Corn – Peter Thomison
Recently I’ve received reports of corn ears exhibiting “nosing back” symptoms. This condition, also referred to as “tip-back”, or “tipping back”, is not unusual and we encounter it every year although the magnitude of the problem varies greatly. Tip dieback is associated with unfertilized ovules and aborted kernels at the ear tip. Even in fields that receive timely rains, corn ears with unfilled tips may be common. No kernels may be evident on the last two or more inches of the ear tip. Several factors may cause this problem. To find out more about these factors, go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/c.o.r.n.-newsletter-2013-29/nosing-back-and-zipper-ears-in-corn.
Important Wheat Management Guidelines: A 2013 Update – Ed Lentz, Ron Hammond, Andy Michel, Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul
As growers make preparations for planting wheat this fall, we would like to remind them of a few management decisions that are important for a successful crop. Nearly every farm in Ohio has a field or two that could benefit from planting wheat, if for no other reason than to help reduce problems associated with continuous planting of soybeans and corn. Consistent high yields can be achieved by following a few important management guidelines. Read more at http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2013/2013-30/important-wheat-management-guidelines-a-2013-update-1 for recommended wheat guidelines.
2013 Eastern Agricultural Research Station Beef School – October 3 and 10, 5:45-8;00 pm – 16870 Bond Ridge Road, Caldwell, OH 43724
Topics for this beef school include – October 3: Livestock handling and working facilities, Forage quality concerns, Pocket ag apps for beef producers. October 10: Biggest health concerns for cattle and calves, Pregnancy blood test kits. If you are interested in finding out more about this training, see the attached flier.
OSU Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership Campus Visit Days – September 26, October 18 and 25
Do you have a son, daughter, or grandchild interested in majoring in Agriscience Education, Agricultural Communication, or Community Leadership? The Department of Agricultural Communication, Education, and Leadership at The Ohio State University will be hosting three visit days this fall for interested high school students to tour campus, meet faculty and staff, and learn more about the major of their choice. Parents and teachers are also welcome to attend, as there will be sessions on financial aid and supporting your new college student in addition to group tours and lunch. For more information, check out the attached flier.
QR Visit Days Poster (Classrooms)
Fall Webworm Update – Dave Shetlar, Curtis Young, Gary Gao, Joe Boggs
There have been some calls the past couple of weeks regarding fall webworms. Fall webworm moths typically have two generations per year in Ohio and despite their common name, first generation nests usually appear in late spring. Fall webworm caterpillars only feed on the leaves that are enveloped by their silk nest. As caterpillars grow in size, they expand their nest by casting silk over more leaves to accommodate their expanding appetites. For more information about this pest, go to http://bygl.osu.edu/content/fall-webworm-update-0.
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