October 28, 2014

Good evening,

Corn and soybean harvest was happening again with several farmers switching back to soybeans after recent rains.  Now with today?s rains, things will need to be put on hold again for a while.  I am hearing above average yields on corn and soybeans, but much of the later planted crops are still in the fields.  Harvest progress is behind last year, but that can be expected with the planting season we had this spring.  Fortunately, crop prices seem to be on an upswing, which may help producers with their outlook on this harvest season.  With all of the activity in the fields this past weekend, I almost forgot that Halloween is coming up.  I have attached an article written by Ed Lentz that might add some new agricultural knowledge to this familiar pumpkin carving holiday.

Pumpkins

Final arrangements have been made for the upcoming Dairy Farm Bill program training.  There will be an informational meeting for dairy producers about the 2014 Farm Bill to discuss options for participation in this program.  This meeting will be jointly hosted by OSU Extension and Farm Service Agency and will be held November 6 at the Union County Services Building, 940 London Avenue in Marysville.  The meeting will take place from 1:00-3:00 pm.  The goal of the November 6 meeting is to help dairy farmers understand the details of this new voluntary program, and give them the tools they need to help make the decision of which options might be best for their operation.  If you have specific questions about this new program, please be prepared to ask them at the meeting or contact our local Hardin County FSA Executive Director, Doug Dyer.  Enrollment deadline for the new dairy MPP program is November 28, 2014.  I have attached a Dairy Farm Bill USDA Fact Sheet, USDA letter, and OSU Extension letter to this email.

Dairy Farm Bill Meeting

Margin Protection Program for Dairy Fact Sheet

MPP-FSA Dairy Letter

This past evening, the Hardin County Master Gardeners met and the volunteers were recognized for their recent statewide awards received at the State Master Gardener Volunteer Conference.  See the attached news release for more information about this group?s accomplishments this year.  Saturday, November 1st the fairboard will be meeting at the fairgrounds office starting at 7:30 pm.  Also, you will find some articles below that you may be interested in reading.

State Master Gardener Awards News Release

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

According to the USDA/NASS ( http://www.nass.usda.gov/ ) as of Sunday, Oct. 19, 23% of Ohio?s corn was mature, compared to 30% for last year and 32% for the five-year average.  Persistent rains have delayed corn harvest across the state and are not helping with field drying.  Many growers are delaying harvest until grain moisture drops further.  However, 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.  The widespread root lodging that occurred as a result of wind storms in July is contributing to this problem.  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 http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-36/harvest-delays-impact-corn-performance to continue reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

More on Fall Herbicides with Regard to the Enlist System  – Mark Loux

The USEPA last week issued approval for Enlist Duo, the glyphosate-2,4-D premix for use in the Enlist corn and soybean system, in six states, including Ohio.  The approval came with a number of conditions that set a new precedent really, and we will cover these in more detail later this fall.  Dow informed us that they would provide more information in the near future about intentions for the scope of the 2015 launch of Enlist.  They are still working on export clearances for some countries and as with most new things, availability will be limited initially anyway.  We obviously have problems with herbicide resistance in Ohio, which have reduced the utility of some herbicide sites of action.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-36/more-on-fall-herbicides-with-regard-to-the-enlist-system to continue reading this article on fall herbicides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Potential for Corn Ear Rot and Mycotoxin Problems in Ohio  –  Pierce Paul

It is already the third week of October and most of the corn is still standing in the field.  Some of the earlier-planted fields are being harvested, but at relatively high moisture levels.  This is causing some concern among producers as to the potential for ear rot and mycotoxin problems.  In fact, we have already received several samples of moldy ears from some fields, but so far the problem does not seem to be widespread, with only a few fields affected.  Moreover, not every ear rot is associated with vomitoxin or other mycotoxin contamination of the grain.  However, ear rots could potentially become more of a problem if it continues to rain and the corn remains in the field for an extended period.   Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-36/potential-for-corn-ear-rot-and-mycotoxin-problems-in-ohio to continue reading about potential corn ear rot and Mycotoxin problems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Corn, Soybean, Wheat and Alfalfa Field Guide Available for Fall Evaluations –  Harold Watters

With late crop development this year, we still have a lot of crops to check.  One excellent tool is the Corn, Soybean, Wheat and Alfalfa Field Guide – updated and in a new format this year – will help with this chore.  The Field Guide is available for sale on OSU Extension?s eStore, or may be ordered from any county Extension office as well. This link will take you to the store for the hard copy: ( http://estore.osu-extension.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=2845 ); the price is $12.50.  Many use their droid, iPhone or iPad in the field for that there is a digital version available now too: ( http://estore.osu-extension.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=2841 ), for $10.00.  Reasons to buy the Field Guide now: ear rots, stalk rots, soybean seed molds, insect identification (for those that are moving into your house), updated fertility recommendations, weed identification, yield estimates, and so much more.

 

 

 

 

 

EPA Finds No Benefit with Neonicotinoid Seed Treatments –  Andy Michel

Last week, the EPA determined that there is no benefit from neonicotinoid seed treatments on soybean.  There complete ruling can be read here ( http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-10/documents/benefits_of_neonicotinoid_seed_treatments_to_soybean_production_2.pdf ), and is based on an analysis of data published comparing treated and non-treated soybean.  They conclude that ?Published data indicate that in most cases there is no difference in soybean yield when soybean seed was treated with neonicotinoids versus not receiving any insect control treatment.?  Furthermore, they find that the seed treatments only last during the first 3 – 4 weeks after planting, which does not overlap with activity of the more important soybean pests.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-36/epa-finds-no-benefit-with-neonicotinoid-seed-treatments to continue 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

October 21, 2014

Hello,

Friday we were able to harvest the corn population test plot.  The combine yield monitor measured 201-225 bushels per acre with a moisture range of 20-22%.  The test weight was between 55-56 pounds per bushel.  We had six different seed populations repeated four times across the 40 acre plot.  I haven’t had a chance to look at all of the data yet, but was able to pull ears from each test strip in half of the plot.  I would like to thank Paul Ralston for cooperating with the test plot as part of our Hardin County OSU Extension on-farm research.  I will share the data after I have had a chance to put everything together.

 

Soybean harvest is on again, off again with the rains.  It seemed like it rained about a tenth of an inch each day with three to four tenths this past Tuesday, enough to slow down those who were trying to get work done in the fields.  I have attached the Extension rainfall report for September.  We are 2.79 inches behind with our growing season rainfall when you compare our normal ten year average. Between now and Thanksgiving, some will be applying fall burn down herbicides to help control problem weeds.  One of the weeds recently discovered somewhat close to us in Putnam County is Palmer Amaranth.  Read the attached article written by Ed Lentz for more information about this new resistant.

September 2014 summary

Palmer Amaranth

This past weekend I attended the State Master Gardener Volunteer Conference in Delaware.  Our nomination of Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative was selected as a state winner for the Friend of Master Gardener Volunteers award and our own Dave McPheron was named one of 5 Outstanding Master Gardener Volunteers in the state of Ohio.  He was also a state finalist for Outstanding Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator.  Additionally, our county MGV group was recognized for being a state Gold Standards of Excellence winner.

 

Saturday and Sunday, October 25-26 will be our Hardin County Sheep Management Tour of central and eastern Ohio.  20 area sheep producers and others will be participating in this annual tour.  Don’t forget to order your Dairy Service Unit Cheese by October 31.  I have attached an order form in case you still want to send in an order.  Below are some articles that you might be interested in reading.

Cheese sale fall

 

Mark
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frosted Forage Precautions – Mark Sulc

Jack Frost will be visiting us soon.  Several forage species can be extremely toxic soon after a frost because they contain compounds called cyanogenic glucosides that are converted quickly to prussic acid (i.e. hydrogen cyanide) in freeze-damaged plant tissues.  Others species have an increased risk of causing bloat when grazed after a frost.  Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-35/frosted-forage-precautions to read about these forages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soybean Pod Shattering – Laura Lindsey

Soybean pod shattering is not completely understood.  Through breeding efforts (beginning approximately 5,000 years ago when soybean was first thought to be domesticated), soybean plants have gained pod shattering resistance (Dong et al., 2014).  However, certain environmental conditions can lead to pod shattering. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-35/soybean-pod-shattering to read more about soybean pod shattering.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Does Black Layer Form When Corn Is Frosted? – Peter Thomison

Black layer is the stage in corn development at which kernel growth ceases and maximum kernel dry weight is achieved (also referred to as “physiological maturity”).  A killing fall frost prior to physiological maturity can cause premature leaf death or whole plant death.  This occurred over the weekend when temperatures dropped below freezing in some late planted Ohio corn that had yet “black-layered”. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-35/does-black-layer-form-when-corn-is-frosted to finish reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Five Things to Know about Fall Herbicide Treatments – Mark Loux

There is plenty of information on fall herbicide treatments in the C.O.R.N. newsletter archive and on other university websites.  Our philosophy on this has not changed much over the past decade.  A few brief reminders follow: When to spray?  Anytime between now and Thanksgiving will work, and possibly later.  We have applied into late December and still eventually controlled the weeds present at time of application. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-35/five-things-to-know-about-fall-herbicide-treatments to finish reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prussic Acid Testing in Forages – Mark Sulc

Some forage species can develop prussic acid poisoning potential when harmed by frost and management practices should be followed to prevent poisoning of livestock (see accompanying article).  If doubt remains regarding the safety of the forage, it can be tested for prussic acid (cyanide) content. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-35/prussic-acid-testing-in-forages to learn more about Prussic Acid testing for 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

October 13, 2014

 

Hello,

After a brief switch to corn harvest in some areas due to rain, soybean harvest has resumed in the county.  There has also been more wheat planted in the past week, while some fields planted soon after our Hardin County Hessian Fly-free Date of September 26 have emerged.  I have attached an article written by Ed Lentz, Hancock County Extension Educator about planting wheat. This article includes information about variety selection, planting date, planting depth, seeding rate, and plant nutrition.  Some producers have decided to plant wheat this year as an alternative to corn.  Wheat also offers opportunities to help control soil erosion and weeds while improving soil tilth.

Wheatplanting

With the start of fall harvest, we must consider the possibility of accidents on the various roads.  Differences in speed and width of farm equipment are two factors that play a role in the chance of an accident on the roadways.  See the attached article written by Ed Lentz and edited by Putnam County Extension Educator Jim Hoorman for tips on fall harvest roadway safety.  Dairy Farmers will need to make a decision about which option they will choose to participate in the new Farm Bill by November 28 at the Farm Service Agency office.  Hardin County Dairy Farmers are invited to attend a regional Farm Bill meeting to learn about more about making this decision.  This regional Dairy Farm Bill meeting will be held November 6 from 1:00-3:00 pm at the Union County Services Building, 940 London Avenue, Marysville.

Share the Road

Master Gardener Volunteer training has been happening each Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:00-9:00 pm at OSU-Lima.  This Friday and Saturday will be the State Master Gardener Volunteer Conference at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware.  Other events this week are the Jr. Fair Livestock Sale Committee Meeting, Wednesday, October 15, starting at 7:00 pm at the fair office.  The Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting is Thursday, October 16, starting at 7:30 am in the SWCD office.

 

In addition, the SWCD annual Forestry Day is coming up Sunday, October 19, from 1:00-4:00 pm at Rushcreek Sportsmen’s Club (17950 County Road 85, Belle Center). Don’t forget that the Agriculture Hall of Fame applications are due this coming Friday, October 17.  I have attached a news release about this as well as both Word and pdf files of the application.  The committee hopes to receive nominations from around the county.  Below are some articles that you may be interested in reading.

Ag Hall of Fame Nominations News Release

Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination form 2014

Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination form 2014

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ohio Weather Outlook for October – Jim Noel

We are now in transition season.  We expect the rest of October to become more active with rain chances every 2-4 days.  We will be in a battle zone between high pressure near the East Coast and low pressure near the central U.S. leaving Ohio and the Ohio Valley in the transition zone for stormy weather.  Temperatures will swing from above to below to above normal with the overall trend close to normal for temperatures.  Frost and freeze chances will be increasing but we are on track for about a normal frost and freeze season in October. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-34/ohio-weather-outlook-for-october to continue reading this article about October weather.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Not Too Late to Plant Wheat…If the Weather Cooperates – Laura Lindsey

Cool, wet weather and delayed soybean harvest may result in planting wheat late.  Generally, the best time to plant wheat is the 10-day period starting the day after the fly-free-safe date.  In northern Ohio, we are close to the end of that 10-day period.  In central and southern Ohio, we still have about a week before the end of the 10-day period.  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. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-34/its-not-too-late-to-plant-wheat…if-the-weather-cooperates to continue reading about wheat planting.

 

 

 

 

 

Soybean Aphid Prediction for 2015 – Andy Michel

Two observations on soybean aphids surprised us in 2014.  First is that we saw soybean aphids at all.  Since 2001-when soybean aphids were first detected in Ohio-we have had aphid outbreaks every other year (i.e. in odd numbered years).  But in 2014, soybean aphids could be easily found in most areas and, in a few fields, even reached economic threshold.  Part of the saving grace was that the aphids came on late, and most soybeans made it to R6 before aphids reached threshold. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-34/soybean-aphid-prediction-for-2015 to continue reading about soybean aphids.

 


 

 

 

 

 

There’s Still Time to Identify and Eliminate Weeds in Hay and Pasture Fields – Mark Landefeld

Highly productive pastures and hay fields do not happen just by accident. Weed and pest control, nutrient management and properly timed harvests all have their role. Weeds can reduce forage quality, quantity and stand life of desirable plants. Weeds often reduce the palatability of forages and certain weed species are potentially poisonous to grazing livestock making plant identification even more important. The Ohio and Indiana Weed Control Guide (Bulletin 789) suggests the best way to control weeds in established stands of alfalfa is to maintain a dense healthy forage stand through proper fertilization, cutting management, and insect control. More than 95% of the weeds can be controlled through good management practices.  To read more about weed control in hay and pasture fields, go to http://u.osu.edu/beef/2014/10/01/theres-still-time-to-identify-and-eliminate-weeds-in-hay-and-pasture-fields/#more-466.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Backyard chickens in the United States: A survey of flock owners – Poultry Science Association Inc.

Although it has become increasingly popular to keep backyard chickens in the United States, few studies have provided information about these flocks. An online survey of backyard chicken owners was conducted, advertised through Master Gardeners’ websites, social platforms, and other sites. The survey had 56 questions about flock history, husbandry, health care, and owner attitudes and demographics. Surveys received came almost equally from urban, suburban, and rural areas. Most respondents owned fewer than 10 chickens and had kept chickens for less than 5 yr. Major reasons for keeping chickens were as food for home use, gardening partners, pets, or a combination of these. Go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Elkhoraibi%20C%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=25193256 to continue reading about this survey.

 

 

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

October 6, 2014

Hello,

More soybean fields were being harvested this past week before the rain.  I was able to complete the county weed survey in the southern half of the county on Wednesday.  While doing this, I spoke to a farmer who ran a couple fields between 57-60 bushels per acre.  Results of the weed survey came in similar to last year with 100 fields surveyed that represented approximately 3360 acres checked. 32 fields with Marestail, 24 fields with giant ragweed, 13 fields with volunteer corn, 4 fields with foxtail, 1 field with pigweed. Several soybean fields were weed free.

 

The first Tuesday in December will be the Hardin County Agriculture Hall of Fame Banquet.  Now is the time to nominate deserving individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to agriculture.  I have attached a copy of the Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination form.  This form can also be downloaded from hardin.osu.edu or picked up at the Extension office.  Please check out the application and consider nominating someone, or having someone else nominate a person by Friday, October 17.  Also, if you are planning to attend this year’s Hardin County Sheep Tour, the October 10 deadline for making hotel registrations and calling Madelyn Lowery is this Friday.  See the attached news release for more details.

Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination form 2014

Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination form 2014

Sheep Tour News Release

Nutrient Management are two very often used words after this summer’s algal bloom in the western Lake Erie basin.  See the new attached brochure or go to nutrienteducation.osu.edu to find out the procedure for obtaining fertilizer certification.  Also, I have attached an article shared by Darke County Extension Educator Sam Custer about Manure Regulation in Ohio.  Although manure is not part of the new fertilizer certification, there are guidelines for livestock farms to follow.  Below are some articles that you may be interested in reading.

steps to be fertilizer licensed brochure

Manure Regulation in Ohio

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stalk Rots Showing Up in Some Corn Fields – Pierce Paul, Peter Thomison

As corn harvest beings across the state, reports of stalk rot are coming in from some locations. Several factors may contribute to stalk rot, including extreme weather conditions, insects and diseases. Although it is often difficult to distinguish between stalk rots caused by these different factors, mid- to late-season northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) may have been the culprit this year. NCLB reached fairly high levels in some fields, particularly in those planted with susceptible hybrids. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-33/stalk-rots-showing-up-in-some-corn-fields to continue reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs on the Move into Homes and Buildings – Andy Michel

With the cooler night temperatures, shorter day lengths and maturing crops, there is not much left for brown marmorated stink bugs to do except get ready for winter.  The “marmies” prefer to spend the winter in homes or buildings, where they tend to be insulated from the cold temperatures.  They overwinter as adults, and then emerge the following spring and lay eggs. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-33/brown-marmorated-stink-bugs-on-the-move-into-homes-and-buildings to continue reading this article.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corn Grain Test Weight – R.L. (Bob) Nielsen – Purdue

Among the top 10 most discussed (and cussed) topics at hometown cafes during harvest season is the test weight of the grain being reported from corn fields in the neighborhood. Test weight is measured in the U.S. in terms of pounds of grain per volumetric bushel. In practice, test weight measurements are based on the weight of grain that fills a quart container (32 qts to a bushel) that meets the specifications of the USDA-FGIS (GIPSA) for official inspection. Certain electronic moisture meters, like the Dickey-John GAC, estimate test weight based on a smaller-volume cup. These test weight estimates are reasonably accurate but are not accepted for official grain trading purposes. Go to http://corn.osu.edu/newsletters/2014/2014-33/corn-grain-test-weight to read more about corn grain test weight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ohio’s Demi Snider (right) Earns Seat on National Beef Ambassador Team – Kathy Sautter – Ohio Cattlewomen

Last weekend, Demi Snider of Hardin County (Ohio) joined Rachel Purdy (Wyoming), Will Pohlman (Arkansas), Alicia Smith (Texas), Kalyn McKibben (Oklahoma) in being chosen as the 2015 National Beef Ambassador Team at the annual National Beef Ambassador competition. This competition is funded in part by the Beef Checkoff and managed by the American National CattleWomen, Inc, contractor to the beef checkoff. 20 senior contestants ages 17 to 21, were judged in the areas of consumer promotion, education and outreach strategy, media interview technique and issues response at the event held in Denver.  Go to http://beef.osu.edu/beef/beefOct0114.html to finish reading this article as well as other beef cattle articles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Development of Strategies to Improve Sow Productive Lifetime – Jason W. Ross – Iowa State University

Numerous factors, including herd-life (length in days), removal parity, total piglets born and the number of piglets weaned, impact sow productive lifetime. Like many complex traits that are controlled through numerous loci and that are subject to environmental influence, sow productive lifetime can be lowly heritable. This project was conducted to facilitate the identification of physical and blood markers that could be utilized by the swine industry through incorporating this information into the replacement gilt population. Go to http://www.pork.org/ResearchDetail/1745/DevelopmentofStrateg.aspx#.VDIUSkuENBU to find out more about Pork Checkoff research.

 

 

 

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