Hello,
Where did September go? It was certainly a busy month and October is just around the corner. With the weather forecast of hot temperatures for this week, one could question whether it really seems like October. September brought with it the Hardin County Fair, which saw many of our county youth and adults highlight agriculture to the public. After the Hardin County Fair, we held the Hardin County Carcass Show of Champions. I would like to thank Jenkins Meats in Mt. Victory for hosting this event and also the Hardin County Pork Producers, Cattle Producers, Sheep Improvement Association, and Ag Society for their support. I have attached the carcass show results news release and scores for those who might be interested. The week after the fair, I had the opportunity to do a presentation about soybean seeding rate populations eFields research with an Extension colleague in Fort Wayne, Indiana and exhibit a corn nitrogen rate poster showcasing three years of Hardin County on-farm research with trials conducted in both mineral and muck soils at the National Association of County Agriculture Agents conference.
Carcass Show Results News Release
Hardin County Carcass Show Scores
Upon return from this conference, the same poster was displayed along with a poster from the previous year highlighting our late season nitrogen application trials in corn at the Farm Science Review in the Agronomic Crops tent. I would like to thank our Hardin County cooperating farmers who made this research possible the past few years. In this tent next to the parking lot at the FSR, our Ag Crops team presented ‘Hot Topics’ during the three days of the Farm Science Review. I was able to give a talk “Comparing Corn Yield Response To Nitrogen Rates in Mineral and Muck Soils” at the Small Farm Center at the Farm Science Review as well. If you missed that talk, you can see the attached poster for more information. Our OSU Extension Hardin County Sheep Management Tour of Wayne and Ashland Counties also took place in September, visiting several farms and industry related sites. If you are a sheep or goat producer, you may be interested in knowing about the Small Ruminant Workshop “Addressing Needs for a Productive Season being held Friday, October 4 in Clinton County. I have attached a copy of the flyer if you would like to attend.
FSR Corn Nitrogen Rates Poster
Our Dairy Service Unit has begun its fall cheese sale. Twice a year this commodity group holds this fundraiser so make sure you read the attached article and take a look at the order form. The Agriculture Hall of Fame is currently looking for nominations which are due October 15 for the next class of honorees. In 2018, Jan Layman, Sanford & Paul McCurdy, Carol & Gary Oates, and Gary Shick were inducted. Surely you know of a deserving individual who should be honored this year. If so, see the attached news article and please share the attached nomination form with the family so the committee can begin the process of recognizing those who have made an impact on Hardin County agriculture. The Hardin County Ag Hall of Fame Banquet is always the first Tuesday in December.
Ag Hall of Fame Nominations News Release
Ag Hall of Fame Purpose and Nomination Form
Other information that I have included with this issue of the Hardin County Agriculture and Natural Resources Update include the September 23 Ohio Crop Weather Report which shows only 58% of the corn dented and only 27% of the soybeans dropping leaves. Driving around the county you wouldn’t guess this is the end of September based on the way many of the crops look, but they have come a long way since being planted so late this growing season. How much did it rain in August? Find out by reading the attached August 2019 Rainfall Summary. Because of the heavy rains and accompanying storms, Hardin County has been named to the list of 53 Ohio Counties eligible for U.S. Small Business Association Economic Injury Disaster Loans. See the attached news release for more information about how agriculture businesses can apply for low interest loans. Under this declaration, the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to eligible farm-related and non farm-related entities that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. With the exception of aquaculture enterprises, SBA cannot provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers and ranchers.
September 23 Ohio Crop Weather Report
SBA Working Capital Loans Available in Ohio
Upcoming events this week include Farm Bureau, Tuesday (10/1) starting at 6:30 pm at Ag Credit; Fairboard, Wednesday (10/2) starting at 7:00 pm at the fair office; Ag Council, Friday (10/4) starting at 7:30 am at Kenton McDonalds. The subject of Friday’s Ag Council breakfast are the results of the Hardin County Ag Census, so feel free to join us for our monthly roundtable discussion. I have also included a farm stress fact sheet titled “How To Talk With Farmers Under Stress” and included a few agronomy articles for your reading below.
How To Talk With Farmers Under Stress Fact Sheet
Mark
Yield monitor calibration for fall harvest – John Fulton, Elizabeth Hawkins
Harvest has not yet started here in Ohio, but it is good to remember to make sure your yield monitor is setup and calibrated properly. Geo-referenced yield data (i.e. yield maps) are being used to provide precision agriculture insights and recommendations at the field level. Yield maps not only help growers understand end-of-year performance within fields, but also can be used to characterize in-field variation. Information about this variation is often used by service providers to deliver prescriptions, recommendations, or other information back to the farmer. Read more about calibrating your yield monitor at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-32/yield-monitor-calibration-fall-harvest.
Corn Silage, Too Wet or Too Dry? – Bill Weiss, Mark Sulc
For corn silage ideal moisture concentrations are between about 62 and 70%. They can be harvested a little wetter (maybe up to 72%) if it goes into a bunker. The wetter it gets the more seepage you get (loss of nutrients and potential environmental issues if seepage gets into a water source, (example; Fish kill). Wet corn silage also produces an acetic acid-based fermentation which means a loss of energy (1 mole of glucose is fermented to lactic acid and acetic and 1 mole of carbon dioxide is lost, which is energy). Clostridia is not a major risk for corn silage because pH drops quickly but it can be a major concern for wet grass or alfalfa silage. Finish reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-32/corn-silage-too-wet-or-too-dry.
Drydown In Corn – What To Expect? – Peter Thomison
Many corn growers may encounter slower than normal drydown this fall due to late crop development associated with June planting dates. Much of Ohio’s late-planted corn may not achieve black layer until mid-October or later when drying conditions are less favorable for drydown. Once corn achieves physiological maturity (when kernels have obtained maximum dry weight and black layer has formed), it will normally dry approximately 3/4 to 1% per day during favorable drying weather (sunny and breezy) during the early warmer part of the harvest season from mid‑September through late September. By early to mid‑October, dry-down rates will usually drop to ½ to 3/4% per day. By late October to early November, field dry‑down rates will usually drop to 1/4 to 1/2% per day and by mid-November, probably zero to 1/4% per day. By late November, drying rates will be negligible. Continue reading about corn dry down at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-32/drydown-corn-–-what-expect.
Pricing Standing Forage Crops in the Field – Mark Sulc
How to value a standing hay or haylage crop for sale directly from the field prior to harvest can be challenging. Assigning an appropriate value includes the buyer and seller first agreeing on the market value for the hay and then adjusting for harvest costs and other factors that contribute to the price of hay sold in the open market, some of which are challenging to quantify. Two new factsheets and accompanying Excel worksheets tools are available to help you arrive at a fair price. These resources consider just a single crop of forage that is ready to harvest as hay or haylage. Find out more information about pricing standing forages in the field at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-32/pricing-standing-forage-crops-field.
Will Late Planted Corn Reach Black Layer Before a Killing Frost? – Allen Geyer, Rich Minyo, Peter Thomison
Ohio saw record late corn planting in 2019. According to the Agricultural Statistics Service, only 33% of Ohio’s corn was planted by June 2. The question being asked now is will the June planted corn reach physiological maturity (black layer) before a killing frost? Corn is killed when temperatures are near 32°F for a few hours and when temperatures are near 28°F for a few minutes. A useful tool is available from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (the U2U tool, available at: https://mrcc.illinois.edu/U2U/gdd/) that uses current and historical weather data to predict when corn will reach black layer. The user selects the geographic location that they are interested in, actual planting date and the adjusted relative maturity of the planted hybrid. Look for more good tips about estimating black layer timing in corn at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-32/will-late-planted-corn-reach-black-layer-killing-frost.
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
