Month: March 2021

Farmer Advocates wanted!

https://youtu.be/5miEieP1vdA

Do you know of a farmer who would be an excellent candidate with leadership, enthusiasm, and passion for soil health and water quality management as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation? You can nominate them by completing an online form. Select the button for the application.

The Nature Conservancy is looking for farmers who are currently utilizing cover crops on their farms in the Maumee River Watershed of the Western Lake Erie Basin. We are looking for a diverse group of farmers; large acreage, small acreage, corn and soy, small grains, livestock, new and experienced, willing to reach out and share their knowledge and experiences with other farmers in their area. Selected farmers will be compensated for their time. Select the button for this application.

If you are interested in being part of this exciting farmer-led outreach project and would like to apply as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation please complete the online application form by selecting the button above.

The application period is open for farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin that are interested in sharing their conservation farming practices with other farmers.  Farmer Advocates will be compensated for their time to attend the training and work with other farmers @ $30/hour.  The focus of the project is to promote farmers learning from each other about building soil health and managing water.

To apply as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation or to nominate a farmer you believe would be an excellent candidate please use the online application and nomination forms on the landing page found at https://sites.google.com/view/farmeradvocate or please contact Stephanie Singer, Stephanie.Singer@tnc.org.

Wheat Growth Stages and Associated Management- Feekes 6.0 through 9.0

By:  Laura Lindsey, Pierce Paul, and Ed Lentz, CCA

It is important to correctly identify winter wheat growth stages to enhance management decisions, avoiding damage to the crop and unwarranted or ineffective applications. Remember, the exact growth stage cannot be determined by just looking at the height of the crop or based on calendar dates. Remember to stage several plants from several areas within your field.

Here, we will focus on staging wheat Feekes 6.0 through 9.0.

Feekes 6.0: At Feekes 6.0 growth stage, nodes are all formed, but sandwiched together so that they are not readily distinguishable. The first node is swollen and appears above the soil surface. This stage is commonly referred to as “jointing”. Above the node is the head or spike, which is being pushed upwards eventually from the boot. The spike at this stage is fully differentiated, containing future spikelets and florets.

Growers should remove and carefully examine plants for the first node. It can usually be seen and felt by removing the lower leaves and leaf sheaths from the large wheat stems. A sharp knife or razor blade is useful to split stems to determine the location of the developing head. A video showing how to identify the Feekes 6.0 growth stage can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iukwznx4DPk Continue reading Wheat Growth Stages and Associated Management- Feekes 6.0 through 9.0 →

Virtual ANR Programming – Week of March 29

Check out the listing below for upcoming Agriculture and Natural Resources virtual programs. Click the program title to register for individual webinars. A complete listing of 2021 ANR virtual programs may be found at https://agnr.osu.edu/events/calendar.

Monday, March 29
Southwestern Ohio Beginner Beekeeping Webinars, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 30
Fruit Production Online Series, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Organic Winter Webinars, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 31
Southern Ohio Farm Show, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group Podcast, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 1
PorkBridge, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Butler Innovative Farm Forum, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Forage Planting – How to Do It Well

By:  Mark Sulc and Jason Hartschuh, CCA

The window of opportunity for spring forage seedings has been very tight the past three years. Are you ready to roll?

Early spring provides one of the two preferred times to seed perennial cool-season forages, the other being late summer. The outlook for this spring is for probabilities of above-average precipitation in April and May. Planting opportunities will likely be few and short. An accompanying article on preparing now for planting along with the following 10 steps to follow on the day you plant will help improve chances for successful forage establishment.

  1. Check now to make sure soil pH and fertility are in the recommended ranges.  Follow the Tri-state Soil Fertility Recommendations (https://forages.osu.edu/forage-management/soil-fertility-forages).  Forages are more productive where soil pH is above 6.0, but for alfalfa, it should be 6.5 – 6.8. Soil phosphorus should be at least 20 ppm for grasses and 30 ppm for legumes, while minimum soil potassium should be 100 ppm for sandy soils less than 5 CEC or 120 ppm on all other soils. If seedings are to include alfalfa, and soil pH is not at least 6.5, it would be best to apply lime now and delay establishing alfalfa until late summer (plant an annual grass forage in the interim). Continue reading Forage Planting – How to Do It Well →

The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface recordings available.

Did you miss out on the live presentations for this winter on The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface? Great news! Recordings are available for the entire series of topics.

In this weekly series, farmers, industry, and academic experts weighed in on practical steps to improve soil health and measure impact on crop yield and farm profitability.

Recordings and Slide Sets are available at https://agcrops.osu.edu/events/webinar-recordings/dirt-soil-health-investing-below-surface-0 or on the OSU Agronomic Crops Team YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYlh_BdeqniJPI5Ga7icO7mbFzDdpK7fr or by clicking one of the videos below.

Does It Pay to Improve Soil Health on Your Farm?

Panel discussion with farmers Nathan Brown (Highland County), Matt Falb (Wayne County), and Les Seiler (Fulton County).

Continue reading The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface recordings available. →

Beef Newsletter

From Stan Smith, OSU Extension

Dear Ohio BEEF Cattle Producers-

Six new articles have been posted in this week’s issue number 1235 of the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter: http://u.osu.edu/beef/

Last week we offered suggestions for seedbed preparation and planting the new forage seeding. This week, Christine Gelley offers detail on forage seed selection. And, it may be March Madness for college basketball enthusiasts, but it’s spring training for Major League Baseball, and the bulls still waiting in the bullpen to get the call!

Articles this week include:

  • Selecting Forages for Your New Seeding
  • Taking the Bull from the Sale Ring or Winter Storage, Making Him the Athlete He Needs to Be
  • Minerals for Beef Cattle
  • Livestock and Grain Producers: Dealing with Vomitoxin and Zearalenone
  • Weighing the Options
  • March 1, 2021 Cattle on Feed Inventory up 1.6% from 2020

Continue reading Beef Newsletter →

Virtual ANR Programming – Week of March 22

Check out the listing below for upcoming Agriculture and Natural Resources virtual programs. Click the program title to register for individual webinars. A complete listing of 2021 ANR virtual programs may be found at https://agnr.osu.edu/events/calendar.

Monday, March 22
Author Speaker Series, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
2021 Ohio Agritourism Ready Conference, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Southwestern Ohio Beginner Beekeeping Webinars, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 23
Author Speaker Series, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday, March 24
Author Speaker Series, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Southern Ohio Farm Show, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group Podcast, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Southwestern Ohio Beginner Beekeeping Webinars, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, March 25
Author Speaker Series, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Online Private Pesticide Applicator Recertification Webinar, 8:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Midwest Women in Ag Community Education Series, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
East Ohio Women in Agriculture Program Series, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Agricultural Fertilizer Recertification Webinar, 1:15 – 3:30 p.m.
Butler Innovative Farm Forum, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Friday, March 26
Author Speaker Series, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Soilless Strawberry School, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Get Involved in On-Farm Research

Is there a product or growing practice you want to test on your farm? If so, consider hosting an eFields on-farm research trial this year. eFields is Ohio State University’s on-farm research program. Each year, a publication is released with trial details and results. You may find the electronic version of the 2020 eFields Report by clicking here. Hard copies are also currently available at the OSU Extension Paulding County office. 

Current eFields projects include the following:

  • Corn Seeding Rate
  • Soybean Seeding Rate
  • Nitrogen Trials (Rate, Timing, Placement, & Source)
  • Sulfur Rate
  • Corn Pop-up Fertilizer
  • Soybean Fungicide
  • Soil Health

You can also work with ANR Educator Sarah Noggle to develop a custom study protocol. If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about hosting an on-farm trial, call 419-399-8225 or e-mail noggle.17@osu.edu.

Expect Farm Liquidity to Decline in 2021

by: Chris Zoller, Extension Educator, ANR, Tuscarawas County

Liquidity is the ability of a farm business to quickly convert current assets to cash to pay short-term (less than 12 months) cash obligations, debt, family living, and taxes. It is one of several measures used to gauge farm financial performance over time. The United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service (USDA-ERS) is forecasting a decline in farm sector liquidity in 2021.  This article will discuss working capital, current ratio, and times interest earned ratio financial measures.

Working Capital

Working capital is calculated by subtracting current liabilities from current assets.  Let’s assume a farm has $300,000 in current assets and $175,000 in current liabilities.  This farm has $25,000 ($300,000 – $175,000) in working capital.   There is no standard dollar amount of working capital needed for businesses as it will vary by farm size.   Comparing total working capital to gross revenues does provide an indicator of whether a farm’s working capital is “enough”.  USDA-ERS forecasts a 13.6% decline in working capital in 2021 from 2020. If realized, this would be the largest decline since 2016. Continue reading Expect Farm Liquidity to Decline in 2021 →

Is It Too Early to Apply Nitrogen to Wheat?—-Yes

From Laura Lindsey and Ed Lentz, OSU Extension

With melted snow and warmer weather in the forecast, is it time to apply nitrogen to the wheat?

The short answer. Wait until green-up to apply N to wheat.

The long answer. Wheat does not require large amounts of N until stem elongation/jointing (Feekes Growth Stage 6), which is generally the middle or the end of April depending on the location in the state and spring temperature. Ohio research has shown no yield benefit from N applications made prior to this time. Soil organic matter and/or N applied at planting generally provide sufficient N for early growth until stem elongation.

Nitrogen applied prior to rapid uptake by the plant has the potential to be lost and unavailable for the crop. Nitrogen source will also affect the potential for loss. Urea-ammonium nitrate (28%) has the greatest potential for loss, ammonium sulfate the least, and urea would be somewhere between the two other sources. Continue reading Is It Too Early to Apply Nitrogen to Wheat?—-Yes →

Projected Returns for 2021 – Increasing Fertilizer Prices May Force Tough Decisions

From Barry Ward and John Barker

The profit margin outlook for corn, soybeans, and wheat is relatively positive as planting season approaches. Prices of all three of our main commodity crops have moved higher since last summer and forward prices for this fall are currently at levels high enough to project positive returns for 2021 crop production. Recent increases in fertilizer prices have negatively affected projected returns. Higher crop insurance costs, as well as moderately higher energy costs relative to last year, will also add to overall costs for 2021.

Production costs for Ohio field crops are forecast to be modestly higher compared to last year with higher fertilizer, fuel, and crop insurance expenses. Variable costs for corn in Ohio for 2021 are projected to range from $386 to $470 per acre depending on land productivity. Variable costs for 2021 Ohio soybeans are projected to range from $216 to $242 per acre. Wheat variable expenses for 2021 are projected to range from $166 to $198 per acre. Continue reading Projected Returns for 2021 – Increasing Fertilizer Prices May Force Tough Decisions →

Transition to Organic Grain Workshop Offered on March 30

As many producers look to diversify their farms and find opportunities to increase on-farm revenues – one potential avenue to consider is organic grain production. A Transition to Organic Grains workshop offered through Ohio State University Extension in Putnam County will take place in Ottawa, OH at the Putnam County Educational Services Center on March 30, 2021, from 9 am to 2 pm. The workshop is designed to answer producers’ common questions when considering a move from conventional to organic production. What do I need to know and what steps do I need to take to transition my fields to organic production? How long will the process take? What markets are available for my grain? How do I approach fertilization, weed management, and pest control? These and many more questions will be answered by industry and extension experts – as well as first-hand experiences of organic farmers.

The Transition to Organic Grains workshop is offered at no cost, but registration is required. Registration includes all handouts and a boxed lunch. To register, please call the Putnam County Extension office at 419-523-6294, visit http://putnam.osu.edu, or email Scheckelhoff.11@osu.edu.

2021 Organic Transition Flyer

The Status and Changing Face of Ohio Agriculture

by: Ani Katchova, Associate Professor and Farm Income Enhancement Chair, Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University

Farmers deal with many stressors, most of which are out of their control: extreme weather, market changes, COVID-19, trade wars, fluctuating market prices, and environmental challenges. In 2019 particularly, a harsh winter followed by high spring and early summer rainfall led to damaged hay fields, delays in the planting of corn and soybean crops, and an inability to harvest early season crops in a timely manner. Tariffs on exported farm products led to declines in soybean and corn prices and contributed to uncertainty about the long-term security of global trade relationships. Continue reading The Status and Changing Face of Ohio Agriculture →

Farm Office Live Continues!

By:  Barry Ward, David Marrison, Peggy Hall, Dianne Shoemaker, and Julie Strawser – Ohio State University Extension

“Farm Office Live” continues this winter as an opportunity for you to get the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, ag economics, farm business analysis and other related issues from faculty and educators with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.

Each Farm Office Live begins with presentations on select ag law and farm management topics from our specialists followed by open discussions and a Q&A session. Viewers can attend “Farm Office Live” online each month on Wednesday evening or Friday morning or can catch a recording of each program.

The full slate of offerings remaining for this winter are:

  • March 10th, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
  • March 12th 10:00 – 11:30 am
  • April 7th, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
  • April 9th, 10:00 – 11:30 am

Topics to be addressed in March include:

  • Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP)
  • Proposed “American Rescue Plan of 2021” – New Stimulus Legislation
  • General Legislative Update
  • Ohio Farm Business Analysis – A Look at Crops
  • Ohio Cash Rental Rates: Outlook and Discussion on Lease Alternatives

To register or view past recordings, visit https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive

For more information or to submit a topic for discussion, email Julie Strawser at strawser.35@osu.edu or call the Farm Office at 614-292-2433. We look forward to you joining us!

Virtual ANR Programming – Week of March 15

Check out the listing below for upcoming Agriculture and Natural Resources virtual programs. Click the program title to register for individual webinars. A complete listing of  2021 ANR virtual programs may be found at https://agnr.osu.edu/events/calendar.

Monday, March 15
County Outlook Meeting, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
2021 Virtual Ohio Agritourism Ready Conference, 6:30 -8:30 p.m.

Tuesday, March 16
Small Ruminant Production Webinars, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 17
Commercial New Applicator Training Webinar (all day)
Southern Ohio Farm Show, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Organic Winter Webinars, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Great Lakes Vegetable Working Group Podcast, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 18
Ohio Beef Expo (all day)
The Dirt on Soil Health:  Investing Below the Surface, 8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Growing Season Weather Outlook and Changing Patterns, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Midwest Women in Ag Community Education Series, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
GAPs Training Webinar, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
2021 Virtual Ohio Agritourism Ready Conference, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Butler Innovative Farm Forum, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Friday, March 19
Ohio Beef Expo (all day)

Call for Cooperators – 2021 Western Bean Cutworm Monitoring Program

Paulding County OSU Extension will be monitoring for Western Bean Cutworm (WBC) moths again during the 2021 growing season. We currently have two farmer cooperators for 2021, with the goal of having five throughout Paulding County. We are especially looking for fields near Paulding, Junction, Grover Hill, and Oakwood.

Moths are trapped by placing pheromone traps (see picture) at the edge of cornfields throughout the county and checked on a weekly basis beginning late June and proceeding through August.

The WBC monitoring program is a state-led initiative to better understand insect populations, and develop management recommendations for growers. Each week, WBC numbers will be published in the C.O.R.N. newsletter. Paulding County WBC numbers will also be published on this blog on a weekly basis.

If you are interested in hosting a trap in one of your cornfields in 2021, please call ANR Educator Sarah Noggle at 419-399-8225 by March 29.

Reminder – Enrollment Deadline for ARC & PLC Programs is March 15

Now is the time to make your decision about whether you will use ARC or PLC for your operation in 2021.  March 15 is THE LAST day to make what is likely one of the most important business decisions you will make for your farming operation this year.  Please contact your FSA County office to set up an appointment today.  There will not be an extension of this deadline.  Producers who fail to elect either Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) by March 15, 2021, will NOT receive a 2020 payment and their 2021 election will default to the prior farm bill election.

Ohio FSA Service Center Status:
Many USDA Service Centers in Ohio continue to restrict in-person office visits. However, all Service Centers remain open for business and our staff will be in the office and will work with our producers by phone, by email, or by using other online tools. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business FSA should call ahead and schedule an appointment.

Top Ten Diseases of Backyard Poultry Virtual Class on Tuesday, March 16th @ 7:00pm

From Tim McDermott, OSU Extension, ANR, Franklin County

There will be a virtual class event on Top Ten Diseases of Backyard Poultry on Tuesday, March 16th @ 7:00 pm.  This class is free and open to the public so bring your friends and your questions.  Registration for this webinar is required and the link is below.

 

You are invited to a CarmenZoom webinar.
When: Mar 16, 2021, 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Top 10 Backyard Poultry Diseases

Register in advance for this webinar:
https://osu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GMQHe9smToiyLJOvJpCBzg

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Any questions about this webinar should be directed to the webinar organizer.

SOLAR ELECTRIC ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WEBINAR SERIES

SOLAR ELECTRIC ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WEBINAR SERIES

Cost: Free, Supported by North Central Region SARE

Registration 

SARE Webinar Brochure 2021 – final

Our SARE PDP grant is coming to an end. We invite you to join us for our last webinar to learn about the economics and feasibility of solar electric systems for farms, residences, and businesses.

 Who should attend:

  • People who work with farmers and citizens interested in solar; Extension Educators, Rural Bankers, Ag service providers, USDA, State government.
  • If you have attended our webinar series before this will be a review, if not this is a great opportunity to learn about solar applications on farms.

Continue reading SOLAR ELECTRIC ECONOMIC ANALYSIS WEBINAR SERIES →

Ohio Farm Business Analysis Program

The message is clear: farms must know their costs of production for corn, soybeans, hay, milk, meat, and any other commodities they produce.  Why?  To make informed marketing, production, and financial management decisions that contribute to the overall profitability of the whole farm business.

Farm business analysis is a tool that can be applied to any farm, regardless of size, crop, or livestock enterprise. Financial management is critical to the success of every farm business, and with analysis, farms are able to better understand the numbers behind their profits or losses. Continue reading Ohio Farm Business Analysis Program →