With last week’s rain showers leaving much of the area saturated, there were limited opportunities for farming or even yardwork. I took advantage of the soggy conditions here in NW Ohio and headed south on Friday to a fairly productive couple of days in Morgan County. We had a good chance to winterize and store all of the hay equipment and tractors that we typically don’t use during winter time. Continue reading
Month: November 2018
Event Notice – OCA Replacement Sale
Several members of the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) will sell nearly 115 consignments in the OCA Replacement Female Sale on Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, at 6 p.m. at the Muskingum Livestock Auction Company facility in Zanesville, Ohio. Consignments include approximately 40 mature cows less than five years of age and cow/calf pairs and approximately 75 bred heifers. Continue reading
Event Notice – Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium
By: Roger A. High, OSIA/OSWP Executive Director
The 2018 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium (BSS) will once again concentrate on a diversity of topics related to the success of the sheep operation both now and in the future.
This event is Nov. 30 through Dec. 1 at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Shisler Conference Center, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, OH 44691. Continue reading
Sampling for Soybean Cyst Nematode – Fall is the time!
By: Anne Dorrance, OSU Extension Soybean Disease Specialist
SCN in Ohio
As we wait another week for the fields to dry out, this provides some time to sample soil for the SCN populations. The SCN Coalition theme for the next few years is What’s your number? Do you know where SCN is in your fields and what the current population is sitting at? If its high, then there is a second number – what is the SCN type? Which addresses the bigger question can it reproduce on the SCN resistance source PI 88788 or Peking. All of these numbers can impact management of this root pathogen and future losses. Continue reading
New Phosphorus Research Project for The Maumee Watershed
By: Ohio Ag Net staff
Some farm fields in northwest Ohio’s Maumee River watershed have more phosphorus than their crops can use. Called “elevated phosphorus fields,” such fields may be at higher risk of contributing to Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms.
That’s the premise of a new five-year, $5 million study that hopes to learn about those fields and lower that risk by creating new public-private partnerships.
Led by Jay Martin, an ecological engineering professor with The Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), the study plans to monitor and manage more than a dozen elevated phosphorus fields, all in the Maumee River watershed. Continue reading
Livestock Building Rental Considerations
By: Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator Wayne County
Recently I have gotten some questions about rental of livestock buildings, specifically dairy facilities. Typically, callers want to know a charge per square foot or a rental rate based on a per head basis or, for a dairy facility, based on number of free stalls. The reality is that there is no one right or correct answer. Continue reading
From Across the Field – Keep Critters Out
Well where did October go? As I look at the calendar it feels like things are getting a bit hectic as we plan for Northwest Ohio Crops Day (February 8th), pesticide certification, and all of our other winter programming. Seems like the holidays will be here before we know it.
Significant progress was made in the last two weeks with regards to harvest, but with the recent and forecasted rainfall, it is looking like the remainder of harvest will be delayed for the time being. With a significant rain system heading our way and poor drying conditions it may take a while before fields are firm enough to access. This has raised some concerns over the standing corn stalk quality. Of course late harvest crop standability is largely weather dependent, however one can expect some lodging if a heavy wind come through the region. Continue reading
6 After-Harvest Finance Questions to Answer
By: Sara Schafer, Editor
Previously published by AgWeb
Harvest marks the end of one season and the beginning of another. After you park the combine for the year, you should head to the office to grade your financial success and start planning for the next crop cycle.
“Just as the combine gives you absolute production yield, an office-centric mind will give you absolute profitability yield,” says Chris Barron, director of operations and president of Carson and Barron Farms in Rowley, Iowa. “Once harvest ends, take time to understand your production cost.” Continue reading
New Dicamba Restrictions
By: Bob Hartzler, Professor of Agronomy at Iowa State University
I feel obligated to write something about EPA’s dicamba announcement, but will confess at this time I still have several questions that I’m seeking answers for. But here are my initial thoughts regarding the new approach to dicamba management.
- 45 days after planting.I’m not sure if this restriction replaces the previous restriction that limited applications up to and including the R1 soybean stage. Regardless, I see very little value to this new restriction. According to USDA-NASS Crop Progress reports, the 5-year average for Iowa soybean planting is 51% planted on May 20. Thus, applications would be allowed into July for much of Iowa’s soybean acres. In 2017, 90% of dicamba misuse complaints to IDALS were associated with applications made after June 15. I believe a date restriction would be more appropriate, a date in mid-June would be my preference.
Soybeans Vs. Corn: Which to Plant Next Year?
By: AgWeb Guest Editor
Previously published on AgWeb
Tariffs on soybeans could mean more producers will be switching to corn next year. This year, farmers planted more soybeans than corn for the first time in more than three decades, assuming it would be in high demand, but those Chinese tariffs are causing big problems. It’s leading to lowers exports and lower prices. Now, some analysts are saying farmers could convert as much as four million acres from soybeans to corn next spring. That would be roughly equal to the size of Connecticut.