Hello,
Fair time is almost here! There has been a large amount of activity at the fairgrounds preparing for this event over the past week. Our Master Gardener Volunteer table is taking shape for the Arts & Crafts Building. See the attached files about the Master Gardener Volunteer program and an enrollment form for our fall training course. You will also want to check out the Garden Club booths while you are in the Arts & Crafts Building, as the theme this year is monochrome colors which should make for some interesting displays. Don’t forget to pick up an Agriculture Hall of Fame application while you are in the Machinery Building reading about the 2013 inductees. Remember to stop by the 100th Anniversary Celebration of Cooperative Extension which will be going on Sunday from 2:00-4:00 pm in the Community Building at the fair. Also, I would like to make you aware of the Live Healthy Live Well Fall Challenge. See the attached flier and go to http://go.osu.edu/Hardinfall14 or contact Kathy Oliver at 419-674-2297 or oliver.1@osu.edu to participate in this event.
This past Friday I pulled the Western Bean Cutworm traps in the county. There were a total of 10 WBC moths caught in four traps over an eight week period, but these levels are well below threshold levels. I would like to thank Jeff Billenstein, Dan Hiller, Paul Ralston, and Jerry Layman for allowing me to put the traps in their fields. Last week I also had the opportunity to travel with Ohio Department of Agriculture Director David Daniels and Congressman Bob Latta as we toured the farms of Jan & Cindy Layman and Steve & Madelyn Lowery. These stops were part of a series of visits to Wyandot and Hardin County farms on that day to gain feedback from local farmers about the needs of agriculture. You might have seen the article in the Kenton Times or the report on WLIO-TV News about this visit.
Although this week’s activities will center around the Hardin County Fair, I have also attached an article and flier about this year’s Carcass Show of Champions, which will be held Tuesday, September 9 at Mt. Victory Meats, starting at 6:00 pm. This program will evaluate the grand champion and reserve steers, barrows, gilts, lambs, and goats on the rail. I have also included information about the upcoming Annie’s Project course for farm women hosted by Putnam County Extension, and a field day for Certified Crop Advisors at the Farm Science Review site. One final thing I would like to mention is that the Extension office will be closed during the fair, so if you would like to speak to any of the Extension Educators during this time, please call the fair office and leave a message. Until then, you may be interested in reading some of the articles that I have included below.
Putnam County Sentinel Annie Project
Mark
BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO KEEP PHOSPHORUS ON THE FIELD – Steve Culman, Elizabeth (Libby) Dayton, Kevin King, Greg LaBarge
Looking at current Ohio field research and the literature available on the topic of minimizing losses of phosphorus at the edge of the field the following recommendations are a starting point to maximizing productivity while minimizing environmental impacts on water quality. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-28/best-management-practices-to-keep-phosphorus-on-the-field to read more about phosphorus rate, application, and timing.
SELECT A LIME SOURCE BASED ON ENP – Ed Lentz, Steve Culman
A soil analysis will tell whether a field needs lime to raise the soil pH. The lime rate per acre will be determined from the buffer pH or lime test index of the soil analysis. Lime recommendations are generally given as tons per acre. Any lime source may be used to correct soil acidity; however, lime sources will vary in price and quality of material. The Ohio Department of Agriculture evaluates all liming sources sold commercially in Ohio. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-28/select-a-lime-source-based-on-enp for lime recommendations.
CORN SILAGE HARVEST TIMING – Mark Sulc, Peter Thomison, Bill Weiss
Corn development has accelerated with the recent warm temperatures. Silage harvest has begun in some parts of Ohio with earlier planting dates. Proper harvest timing is critical because it ensures the proper dry matter content required for high quality preservation, which in turn results in good animal performance and lower feed costs. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-28/corn-silage-harvest-timing to continue reading this article about corn silage.
COVER CROPS PLANTED AFTER CORN SILAGE – James J Hoorman
Farmers who harvest corn silage will often drill cereal rye at 2-2.5 bushel per acre 1 inch deep (no more than 2 inches deep) , apply manure, and then harvest 3-5 wet tons (1.5 to 2.5 tons dry matter) of spring forage before planting corn or soybeans. Manure or extra nitrogen (50-75 pounds actual N) is critical for good forage growth in the fall and spring and to prevent the corn from turning yellow (N deficiency) next spring. Cereal rye will absorb 3-3.5%N and 0.2% of its total biomass as N and P respectively. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-28/cover-crops-planted-after-corn-silage to finish reading about cover crops options.
SEPTEMBER TRAINING FOR NEW AGRICULTURAL FERTILIZER APPLICATOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM – Greg LaBarge
The first of 3 late summer sessions for those who would like to attend the training for the new Agricultural Fertilizer Applicator Certification Program are scheduled for September 12, 25 and 26. Attending one of these training events will meet the requirements for “Agricultural Fertilizer Applicator Certification Program” as established in legislation Senate Bill 150 that is administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-28/september-training-for-new-agricultural-fertilizer-applicator-certification-program to find out the locations and times of these training events.
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