Agriculture and Natural Resources

C.O.R.N. Newsletter

https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-16

Battle for the Belt: Episode 12
Authors: Taylor Dill, Laura Lindsey, Osler Ortez, Luke Waltz

Episode 12 of Battle for the Belt is now available: https://youtu.be/BnSt0BxWKTE

Planting Soybean in June: What Agronomic Practices Should I Adopt?
Authors: Fabiano Colet, Laura Lindsey

According to USDA-NASS, 66% of soybean acreage was planted in the USA by May 21, 2023. In Ohio, that number is similar, with 63% planted, and it is expected that the acreage planted will increase by the end of May due to dry planting conditions.

2023 Western Ohio Wheat Field Day
Author: Laura Lindsey

Join us for the 2023 Western Ohio Wheat Field Day on June 13 at the Western Agricultural Research Station in South Charleston.

Meet Your New Weed Science Extension State Specialist- Dr. Alyssa Essman
Authors: Laura Lindsey, Amanda Douridas, CCA, Stephanie Karhoff, CCA

Sidedressing Manure into Corn
Author: Glen Arnold, CCA

Most of the corn planted this spring has emerged with good stands. With the dry weather, corn is growing slowly and the opportunity to use manure as a side-dress nitrogen source for corn has arrived.

Late Spring Dry Spell Underway
Author: Aaron Wilson

Memorial Day felt like the typical unofficial start to summer, with highs well into the 80s across the state. This has not been the case much this spring, as average temperatures since April 1st have been up to 2°F below average.

Lep Monitoring Network Update #4 – Trap Counts for BCW, AMW and ECB-IA
Authors: Kylie Harbert, Rebecca DiScipio, Amy Raudenbush, Suranga Basnagala , Mark Badertscher, Trevor Corboy, Dirk Dempsey, Jamie Hampton, Mary Jo Hassen, Alan Leininger, Clifton Martin, CCA, James Morris, Beth Scheckelhoff, Curtis Young, CCA, Andy Michel, Kelley Tilmon

Plot Twist: Time for a New Nozzle List
Author: Abby Welsh

A few years ago, the Ohio State University Pesticide Safety Education Program put together a list of approved sprayer nozzles for applying pesticides.  This list was recently updated in May 2023 and can be viewed at

 

Livestock News

Beef Cattle

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1346 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

The weather the past two weeks across much of Ohio has allowed lots to be accomplished especially regarding making quality hay. This week Christine Gelley talks about the virtues of a timely hay harvest. Let’s hope we catch enough showers in the coming days that we can do it again in a month or so.

Articles this week include:

    • Good Hay Weather!
    • Forages; Not a ‘normal’ year
    • Understanding and Preventing Acidosis
    • Does beef supply impact consumer demand?
    • Pasture Conditions and Market Update

Small Ruminant

Victory Garden Seed QR Code

MORE FREE STUFF!!

If you received a FREE Victory Gardens seed sample kit, THANK YOU for taking part in this program!  At the pick-up site, you may have noticed a QR code that takes you to a short 5-question survey. If you have not filled it out please do so and you will be entered into a drawing for a free gardening tool kit!

Winners will be contacted in a few months!

Potager Article #7

A series of articles presented by Candy Horton, OSU Extension Clermont County Master Gardener Volunteer

In everything new that we start there are difficulties. The garden is fast changing in that some of the onions that I planted last fall are growing wonderfully and I have been harvesting the asparagus for several weeks now. I have the first batch of radishes, carrots, and two different lettuces growing great and will need to plant the next succession soon. I have cabbage, pumpkins, tomatoes, squash, and lots of flower seeds under lights and ready to start hardening off to plant next week. The downside of the garden is that the cold frame has not been as successful as I had hoped it would be, so I need to go back to the starting point with that project, reread about them to make sure that I am doing things correctly and try again. I will keep working on it and I will not really need it until this fall, so I think, I have plenty of time to work on them and get them working the way that I want.

The weather this week looks to be fantastic, so I am working on the layout of my garden and getting the raised beds marked out and laid out to see if I need to move things around or change the size of some of the beds. I am also looking at where I am going to plant my plants and the combinations of plants. This idea has several names, companion planting or intercropping is just a couple of them. The idea behind companion planting is that by planting certain plants close together they will help each other out and you will have a larger yield, healthier plants, and renewed soil. For example, it is said that by planting basil or parsley in among your tomatoes and pepper plants your plants will be healthier, larger and have a better harvest. It is said that by planting marigolds in among your garden, you will repel harmful insects that would damage your crops.

The history of companion planting is one that can be traced back centuries but cannot be pinpointed to one specific place or time. One that I remember reading about as a child was “The Three Sisters” used by the American Indians. The Indians would plant corn, beans, and squash together in the same spot, providing support for the beans, and shade for the squash. The squash provided a type of mulch to hold in moisture, and weed control for all three plants, while the bean replenished nutrients in the soil that all of them needed. Some of the theories are that some plants will add nutrients back into the soil that helps the others grow. Some plants will have an odor about them that will repel insects, some plants release chemicals into the soil that is beneficial to other plants. Another way to use companion planting is by having sun-loving plants in the same bed as shade loving so that the one will provide shelter for the other. Another combination could be shallow rooted plants in with deep rooted plants where the deep-rooted plants will help reduce compaction, aerate the soil, and loosen it up a bit. However, for me, I will need to do a little bit of trial and error to see which combination of plants together will benefit my garden and which ones will not. I am going to be planning some pepper and tomato plants this week. I will be adding some basil in with them to see what happens. I’m planting carrots, potatoes and radishes in several beds to help break up some of the areas of my garden that have a lot more clay so that when I add the leaf mulch next year, the nutrients from the leaf mulch will move further down into the soil than if I hadn’t planted the root based crops.  I hope this gives you a different perspective on how what you plant, which plants you put together and where you plant your crop does truly affect your garden.

Livestock News

Beef Cattle

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1345 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Most of our annual forage growth will have occurred within the next few weeks. This week we look at intensifying forage management now to harvest, graze or utilize as much quality feed as possible.

Articles this week include:

  • Re-Evaluating Pasture Utilization
  • Maintaining a Clean Water Trough for Cattle
  • Forage Maturity Across Ohio, May 22, 2023
  • The effect of feed efficiency classification on visceral organ mass in finishing steers
  • May Cattle on Feed Down 3 Percent

Small Ruminant

Solar Development in Ohio

Here’s a chance to learn more about current issues and trends in solar development and solar leasing in Ohio! Register at go.osu.edu/solarwebinars. Recorded webinars will be available on the Farm Office website at https://farmoffice.osu.edu/our-library/energy-law.

DATES: May 23, 24, 25, 30 and 31

Solar Webinar Flyer

Mental Health First Aid ®

Do you know how to identify signs of worsening mental health? Would you know how to respond and provide support if someone was experiencing a mental health crisis? Nearly one in four Ohioans experience mental health challenges. Behind every number is a friend, family member, colleague, or neighbor. Sign up for our upcoming Mental Health First Aid training and learn how to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health challenges and how to help in a mental health crisis.

Hosted in partnership with OSU Extension & Farm Bureau Brown & Clermont Counties. This is your chance to learn more about mental health in our rural community.

On Monday, July 10, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM at the Brown County Fairgrounds, 325 W State Street, Georgetown, Ohio 45121.

Pre-Registration for the course is required at: go.osu.edu/browncomhfa. You will be asked to complete 1.5 hours of self-paced learning online (access to materials provided approximately two weeks before training). Then, attend the interactive and engaging in-person training.

This course is valued at $170 but is FREE thanks to funding from a USDA FRSAN grant.

Livestock News

Beef Cattle

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1343 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

A wet winter followed by significant precipitation across much of Ohio in recent weeks has not only led to delayed planting progress, but also damage to pastures and feeding areas resulting from the repeated pugging created by animals’ hooves. This week Dean Kreager discusses alternatives for repairing those areas.

Articles this week include:

    • Pasture repairs after a muddy winter
    • A Breeding Soundness Exam: Insurance for Your Breeding Season
    • Rise of craft breweries in the southeastern USA increases supplement availability for beef cattle
    • Considerations for Selecting & Installing an Electric Fence Charger
    • National Feeder and Stocker Receipts Higher to Start 2023
    • Higher Beef Prices Begin to Bite, for Some

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1344 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Earlier this week USDA’s Ag Statistics Service reported hay stocks on Ohio farms were down 3 percent from this time last year, and all hay stored on United States farms as of May 1, 2023, was down 13 percent from the same time last year. This hay stock level for the US is the second lowest amount since records began in 1950. This week Andrew Holden explores if and how this and other factors might impact the value of the hay you might be buying or selling.

Articles this week include:

    • Are you charging enough for your hay?
    • Forage Maturity Across Ohio
    • “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know”
    • Regardless of the Market, Don’t Stop Doing the Little Things
    • Effects of extended days on feed on rate of change in performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers and heifers and Holstein steers
    • Higher Beef Prices Begin to Bite, for Some

Small Ruminant

Extension office hosts Master Gardener classes

OSU Extension is hosting a Southern Ohio Master Gardener Volunteer Training class. Beginning May 31 and ending Aug. 9, classes will be held every Wednesday, 9 a.m.-noon., with an hour lunch break, then 1-4 p.m. You will be required to attend all the classes listed to complete the 50 hours of training.

Training will be offered in-person Wednesdays at Southern State Community College, 351 Brooks-Malott Road, Mt. Orab.

The class costs $200 plus the cost of a required background check. The background check can be done upon acceptance into the class. Register here and pay by cash, check, or credit card. Deadline is May 17.

Brochure

Livestock News

Beef Cattle

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1341 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Proper early season pasture management sets the stage for a summer long productive pasture. That’s a focus this week!

Articles this week include:

    • Act Now to Keep Pastures Growing the Entire Grazing Season
    • “Butterweed” . . . Coming Soon to a Field Near You
    • Internal Parasite Control in Cow-Calf Herds: Impact on Animal Health and Herd Profitability
    • Are Parasite Problems Returning in Cattle Due to Dewormer Resistance?
    • When budgeting consider interest costs
    • April Cattle on Feed – What to Make of March Placements

Five new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1342 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Today, when every pound of calf produced has record (or near record) value, how do we capitalize on gained efficiency within the production system? Garth Ruff explores the answer to that question this week.

Articles this week include:

    • Precision Livestock Farming to Improve Efficiency
    • Strategically Using Pregnancy Diagnosis to Identify Nonpregnant Cows
    • Production practices and value of artificial insemination and estrus synchronization programs of United States beef producers
    • Management strategies for eliminating those pretty yellow flowers
    • 2023 Beef Production Forecasts

Small Ruminant