From Across the Field – Looking Ahead

As the weather has been a bit warmer across NW Ohio, there has been some planting progress made across most of Henry County in the last week or so.  On the crop disease front head scab in wheat in barley is of moderate concern. When considering to apply fungicide treatment for head scab, timing is critical as the ideal time is during anthesis or flowering. As for insects we had had optimal conditions for slug feeding this spring, especially in fields with standing residue and cover crops. Continue reading

Late Planting Corn Considerations

By: Harold Watters, Ohio State University Extension

With some “late” planting some folks are concerned already about whether or not we might be caught by a fall frost before maturity without a change in maturity selection. Not to worry. The corn plant has the ability to adapt to the later planting by advancing more rapidly through the growth stages. Continue reading

Know When to Use Granular Vs. Liquid Fertilizers

By Sonja Begemann, Farm Journal Seeds and Crop Production Editor
Previously published on AgWeb Daily

You know as well as the next farmer fertilizer is critical to promote healthy, high-yielding crop growth. When it comes to nitrogen how you buy fertilizer can have a strong impact on how well your crop grows, and your wallet. Continue reading

It’s Just $5 an Acre…

By: Harold Watters, Ohio State University Extension

It seems everyone has a “package” that gives an extra yield bump. Many of these packages contain micronutrients. In Ohio, because we generally have clay in our soil and reasonable levels of organic matter, we don’t usually see a yield impact from applying micronutrients. But should we be concerned about micronutrients?

Our soil tests are most reliable for pH, phosphorus and potassium and can work reasonably well for zinc, too. We usually use a combination of soil and tissue tests to determine micronutrient deficiencies. Soil pH can also help us know where to look for deficiencies. Continue reading

ELD, Hours of Service Fixes for Livestock Haulers Proposed by Senators

By: Wyatt Bechtel, Previously published Farm Journal’s Pork online

Eleven Senators proposed a bipartisan bill that would help alleviate the strain of transportation laws such as the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) and hours of service rules for truckers hauling livestock.

The Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act was introduced by a bipartisan group led by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on May 23.

The bill provides some fixes for the hours of service and the ELD through the following measures: Continue reading

New Research Confirms: Flies Can Spread PEDV

By: JoAnn Alumbaugh, Previously published Farm Journal’s Pork online

Flies have been part of pig operations as long as people have been raising pigs. But now producers have another good reason to think about fly control: A study conducted earlier this year confirms that even a few flies have the ability to infect pigs with porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). Although PEDV isn’t zoonotic, it can be devastating for herds that contract the virus because of high death loss, particularly in baby pigs. Continue reading

From Across the Field – Year One in the Books

If you have been keeping track of the weather and planting progress across the state, there is tremendous variation on acres planted and soil moisture. That same variation exists here in Henry County as well. In general, State Route 281 has been the dividing line between the heavy and moderate rainfall events. With the rain over the past couple of weeks it is almost like déjà vu of spring in 2017 all over again. Continue reading

Beef Quality Assurance – June 18th

The beef cattle industry is quickly evolving. In the coming years beef buyers such as Wendy’s and Tyson will only source beef from producers trained in Beef Quality Assurance. To ensure that you have complete market access get BQA Certified at one of the following meeting dates.

June 18th: Henry County Fairgrounds Ag Hall. 821 S. Perry St. Napoleon, OH 43545. Dinner provided by Henry County Cattleman’s Assoc. RSVP to Henry County Extension Office, 419-592-0806 by June 11.

June 25th: Williams County Extension Office, 1425 E. High St. Bryan, OH 43506. Light supper will be provided. RSVP to Williams County Extension Office, 419-636-5608 by June 21.

The Season for Slugs

By: Kelley Tilmon and Andy Michel, OSU Extension agronomy entomologists

Late planting in many areas, the small size of both soybean and corn plants, and damp, cool conditions in some areas all lead to a greater damage potential from slugs.  Although all fields should be scouted for slugs, focus on no-till fields or those fields with cover crops, a history of slug problems, poor weed control, or a lot of residue left on the field.  We don’t have good economic thresholds for slugs in corn or soybean, yet the following guidelines are to helpful in scouting for their presence and intensity. Continue reading

Wheat and Barley Diseases and Treatment

By: Pierce Paul, Ohio State University Extension plant pathologist

It is wet and rainy outside and the forecast calls for more rain throughout this the second week of May (May 14–19). Therefore, growers’ concerns about diseases and the need for fungicides are understandable. However, although most of our common diseases of small grain crops are favored by wet, humid conditions, it does not automatically mean that you have to apply a fungicide this week. Continue reading