Recent confirmation of the coronavirus in the state of Ohio has led to public health concerns related to disease transmission. As a result, The Ohio State University has been proactively implementing protocols for insuring the safety and health for our students and clientele. After consultation with the college and university leadership, many OSU Extension events have been cancelled or postponed. If you were planning to attend a meeting or event hosted by OSU Extension through the end of March, please check with the organizer to see if it will still be held.
We understand this may cause an inconvenience to you and your business. Please feel free to reach out to us at your local Extension office for individual assistance in advancing your farm or agricultural business. It is with greatest respect to you that we share this information and look forward to interacting with you in the future.
Good evening,
Monday, March 9 is our annual Hardin County Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification training being held at the Plaza Inn Restaurant in Mt. Victory starting at 9:00 am. We will go until noon with pesticide recertification, have lunch, and then do our fertilizer recertification after lunch. If your pesticide or fertilizer license expires on March 31, 2020 you can still attend on Monday as a walk-in or wait until the March 31 Make-up/Specialty Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification training being held at the Extension office. See the attached news article and flyer for more information. Tuesday evening is the Dairy Service Unit annual meeting. Dr. Mark Sulc, our Extension State Forage Specialist is coming to Kenton to discuss seeding and harvesting of forages. There is a meal at 6:30 pm followed by the guest speaker at 7:00 pm. After that, the Dairy Service Unit is having their business meeting. If you would like to hear Dr. Sulc’s forage presentation and ask him questions while he is in the county, you are welcome to attend this meeting. See the attached news release for details.
Pesticide Recertification News Release
Last week was the H2Ohio meeting held at Ohio Northern University in Ada. The Mcintosh ballroom was filled with producers wanting to learn more about this new state program to help reduce phosphorus loading and improve water quality. I have attached a set of fact sheets that show each conservation/nutrient management practice and the amount of incentive payment per acre to this email. All of Hardin County is included in this program, no matter which watershed your fields drain into. Read it over and make sure you get to the Soil and Water Conservation District office before March 31 to sign up for the next four years. Another deadline coming up is the March 15 ARC/PLC Farm Bill sign-up for 2019 and 2020. If you haven’t already made your appointment with the FSA office, time is running short. I have attached a couple fact sheets of important dates and an overview of these program electives. Hardin County yields were released on February 20, with corn coming in at 138.1 bu/acre, soybean at 47.9 bu/acre, and wheat at 52.6 bu/acre. You can plug these county yields into the OSU decision tools at https://aede.osu.edu/research/osu-farm-management/2018-farm-bill/arcplc-decision-aid-tools to see if it affects your program election. Tuesday and Wednesday of this week was the annual Conservation Tillage Conference (CTC) at Ohio Northern University in Ada and we had over 775 people attend each day, so a lot has been happening in Hardin County with agriculture.
H2Ohio Practices and Incentives Fact Sheets
ARC/PLC Important Dates Fact Sheet
Upcoming programs that you may be interested in include ‘Women for the Land: Lunch & Learn’ on March 11 at the Extension office with OSU Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Educator Jami Dellifield speaking on “Supporting ourselves and our families during stressful times.” See the attached flyer if you or someone you know might be interested in attending. March 19 is the OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteers spring garden seminar at Mid-Ohio Energy Cooperative in Kenton. This day long seminar is called ‘This is How Your Garden Grows’ and is open to any gardener who would like to attend to learn from four expert speakers. See the attached news release and flyer for registration information. Other regional and state programs include the 2020 Ohio Agritourism Conference Saturday, March 21 in Mt. Sterling; a Pesticide Applicator Exam Preparation Course being held in Wapakoneta on March 23, and the annual OSU Junior Swine Day being held in both Columbus and Wooster on March 28. Take a look at the flyers and brochure if you are interested.
Women for the Land: Lunch and Learn Flyer
Spring Garden Seminar News Release
This is How Your Garden Grows Brochure
2020 Agritourism Conference Flyer
Pesticide Applicator Exam Preparation Course Flyer
2020 Junior Swine Day Brochure
Other local events happening soon include the Hardin County Beef Banquet starting at 6:00 pm at the Community Building at the fairgrounds on Saturday, March 7; the Hardin County Lamb Banquet starting at 6:30 pm at St. John’s Evangelical Church in Kenton Saturday, March 7; Pork Producers meeting starting at 6:30 pm at Ag Credit on Tuesday, March 10; the Hardin County Agriculture Society Consignment Sale starting at 9:00 am at the fairgrounds on Saturday, March 14; the Hardin County Pork Banquet starting at 6:30 pm at St. John’s Evangelical Church in Kenton Saturday, March 14; and Soil and Water Conservation District meeting starting at 7:30 am at the SWCD office Thursday, March 19. See below for ag crops articles that you may be interested in reading.
Mark
2019 Challenges Linger – Alan Sundermeier
As farmers are preparing for the 2020 cropping season, the challenges of 2019 may still linger. There are basically 3 scenarios which will influence 2020 cropping practices. Corn or soybeans were planted. Yes, there were some acres of corn planted last year in NW Ohio. Storage of low test weight and higher moisture corn is creating mold and damaged grain. Above normal winter temperatures and humid air have interfered with proper aeration of storage bins. Farmers need to monitor grain bins and be prepared to unload before spring temperatures rise. Also, fall tillage was not done due to wet soil conditions. This may change tillage plans this spring. No-till soybeans into corn stalks are a better alternative. Read more at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-05/2019-challenges-linger.
Rhizobia Inoculant Following the 2019 Season – Laura Lindsey, Stephanie Karhoff
Following wet weather conditions and fallow fields, some producers are wondering if they need to inoculate their soybean seed with Rhizobia. Soybean plants have a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in which the bacteria fix nitrogen from the atmosphere into a plant-available form of nitrogen. In soybean, nitrogen fixation is associated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum (commonly referred to as just Rhizobia). Generally, fields with a history of soybean production have an adequate population density of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. In our research trials, we have measured a yield increase of approximately 1.5 to 2.0 bu/acre when soybean seed is inoculated and the field has a history of soybean production. However, statistically, this is only at the 70% confidence level (e.g., I’m 70% confident there is a 1.5 to 2.0 bu/acre yield increase when soybean seed is inoculated when the field has a history of soybean production.) Continue reading this article at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-05/rhizobia-inoculant-following-2019-season.
Cover Crop Termination – Mark Loux
Alyssa Essman was the lead author on this article. The 2019 growing season came and went and left many fields in a state of disarray heading into 2020. Many growers that were unable to plant decided to use cover crops, to reduce soil erosion and provide some weed suppression during the extended fallow period. Terminating these cover crops using the right methods at the right time will be critical to ensure timely planting and prevent the cover crops from competing with cash crops. The three main methods of cover crop termination are natural (species that winter kill), chemical, and mechanical. Cover crops may also be bailed, grazed, or harvested as silage. Most species require some sort of management decision for termination. Cover crop species, growth stage, weather, and cover cropping goals should all be considered when planning termination method and timing. These decisions require a balance between growing the cover long enough to maximize benefits and terminating in time to prevent potential penalties to the following cash crop. Finish reading at https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-05/cover-crop-termination.
Omitting residual herbicides in soybeans – really – we have to have this argument again? – Mark Loux
According to our network of sources, the effectiveness of new soybean trait systems has some growers once again thinking about omitting preemergence residual herbicides from their weed management programs. Some people apparently need to learn the same lessons over and over again. Having gone through this once in the early 2000’s when Roundup Ready soybeans had taken over and we all sprayed only glyphosate all day every day, we think we’re pretty sure where it leads. We’re sensitive to concerns about the cost of production, but the cost-benefit analysis for residual herbicides is way in the positive column. Go to https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-05/omitting-residual-herbicides-soybeans-%E2%80%93-really-we-have-have to read more of this article.
Transition to Organic Grains Workshop – Eric Richer
Is your farming operation looking for alternatives to commodity corn and soybeans? Have you been wondering how to add value to your operation? On Tuesday, April 7th from 9 am to 2 pm at the Robert Fulton Agriculture Center, 8770 State Route 108, Wauseon, OH, OSU Extension will be hosting a discussion of the opportunities and challenges associated with growing a value-added, organic grain crop. This discussion will be open to current, transitioning, or interested organic farmers, farmland owners, venders and grain buyers. The workshop will address three primary hurdles for transitioning to organic grains: market options, weed control and organic documentation. Click on https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2020-05/transition-organic-grains-workshop to find out more about this upcoming event.
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
