Month: May 2021

Management Considerations for Beef x Dairy Calves

Regardless of the genetics of cattle, you’re feeding, you will find value in listening to this three-part webinar series.

This article originally appeared in the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter at https://u.osu.edu/beef/2021/05/12/management-considerations-for-beef-x-dairy-calves/

During the first session (embedded below) held on April 21 the focus was on marketing dairy beef calves and featured Larry Rose and JT Loewe of JBS as they discussed the quality of the cattle they seek to purchase, their pricing structure, and the demands they have for high quality, consistently sized and correctly finished dairy crossed beef cattle. Regardless of the genetics being fed, the speakers shared a strong message for the value of consistency and proper finish the market is demanding in all fed cattle. Garth Ruff, Ohio State University Extension Beef Field Specialist, and Jerad Jaborek, Feedlot Systems Extension Educator at Michigan State University, hosted a three-part webinar series on management considerations for beef sired calves from dairy cows that covered a variety of topics related to marketing, genetics, and management of crossbred beef x dairy cattle.

Continue reading Management Considerations for Beef x Dairy Calves →

Summer forage Field Days across the state

Join one or all three field days with forage producers across the state. Dates are June 25 (Crawford County), July 9 (Wayne County), August 28 (Licking/Knox Counties). Registration is located at http://go.osu.edu/foragefielddays2021 or by scanning the QR code in the article. The cost for the events will be $10 per location with a $5 discount if you are a member of OFGC (Ohio Forage and Grassland Council).  2021 OFGC Field Day Flyer

Poison Hemlock and Wild Parsnip are Bolting and Blooming

By Joe Boggs (Published on May 16, 2021)

Additional note from Sarah Noggle, Extension Educator in Paulding County. In 2020, Poison hemlock has been found in Paulding County. The densest populations have been located along the railroad beds, overgrown areas along woods, and also old fence rows. Help beautify Paulding County by controlling the weeds along the edges of your property but use caution if you find Poison Hemlock.

Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is one of the deadliest plants in North America.  Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) sap can produce severe, painful skin blistering.  Both are commonly found growing together in Ohio and both are beginning to “bolt” and bloom meaning the clock is quickly winding down for controlling these non-native nasties.

Wild parsnip

Poison hemlock

Wild parsnip

These non-native weeds are members of the carrot family, Apiaceae.  The old name for the family was Umbelliferae which refers to the umbel flowers.  The flowers are a key family feature with short flower stalks rising from a common point like the ribs on an umbrella.  Queen Anne’s lace (a.k.a. wild carrot) (Daucus carota) is often used as the poster child for carrot family flowers.  This non-native blooms much later in the season. Continue reading Poison Hemlock and Wild Parsnip are Bolting and Blooming →

What’s going on with Lumber Prices?

By Brent Sohngen, Professor Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, The Ohio State University

In case you haven’t noticed, lumber prices have increased a lot over the last year.  Based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Lumber Price Index, which you can find here, lumber prices have increased 180% since April 2020.  This increase started last fall and has continued ever since. So, why have they risen, and how high will they go?

Let’s start with the first question, why have they risen?  The economic explanation is relatively straightforward: Demand rose rapidly due to pandemic-related building, and supply is really inelastic, as we say in economics.  Thus, while the demand for wood has increased dramatically, the supply of wood hasn’t been able to keep up.  Let’s break this down.

Consider the demand side first.  The construction sector, specifically building and remodeling houses, is one of the largest demanders of lumber in the US and around the world.  New home starts and construction spending cratered at the beginning of the pandemic, but they rebounded pretty quickly.  Remodeling in particular seems to have picked up a real head of steam. Continue reading What’s going on with Lumber Prices? →

Purdue Corn and Soybean Monthly Outlook Webinar on Friday, May 14 – 12:30 – 1:30 PM

Register Now

Upcoming Webinar

MAY CORN & SOYBEAN OUTLOOK UPDATE WEBINAR

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. EDT

Date: Friday, May 14, 2021

Join us for our free monthly corn and soybean outlook webinar series

Purdue ag economists Michael Langemeier, Nathanael Thompson, and James Mintert will host a free Corn and Soybean Outlook monthly webinar series for the remainder of 2021. Each webinar will follow the release of that month’s U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports. Continue reading Purdue Corn and Soybean Monthly Outlook Webinar on Friday, May 14 – 12:30 – 1:30 PM →

There’s Still Time to Enter the National Wheat Yield Contest!

By Eric Richer, OSU Extension Fulton County,

Many Ohio farmers are reporting good to excellent wheat ratings this spring. A couple good looking wheat with a nice run-up in price and this may be the year that you want to enter the National Wheat Yield Contest!

The contest is a friendly competition that will help farmers stay focused on raising high-quality, high-yielding wheat while evaluating agronomic and economic decisions at the field level.  Each registered contestant must be a member of their state’s wheat growers association (in Ohio, www.ohiocornandwheat.org). Contestants can enter more than one variety but each variety has an entry fee of $125.

Click here to review the rules and requirements for this year’s contest, and create your application to enter: https://yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.org/. May 15th at 5:00 pm EST is the last day to enter the contest.  The link to the rules and requirements can be accessed directly here: https://yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.org/Content/RulesPDF/NWYC%20Entry%20Harvest%20Rules.pdf

In Ohio, each district’s 1st and 2nd place winners will be recognized at the 2022 Celebration of Ohio Corn & Wheat and will receive recognition for themselves and their seed dealers.  The overall Ohio winner will a 1-year free lease on a seed tender from J & M Manufacturing.  The Ohio runner-up will receive free fungicide from BASF.  National winners traditionally receive a trip to the March 2022 Commodity Classic, which will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Alfalfa Weevil Infestations Becoming Severe in Some Fields

GDD

Figure 1: Accumulated growing degree days (base 48°F sine calculation method) for January 1- May 2, 2021, at several CFAES Ag Weather System (https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weather1/) locations and additional NOAA stations around Ohio (data courtesy of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center (https://mrcc.illinois.edu).

By Mark Sulc, Aaron Wilson, Kelley Tilmon, Greg LaBarge, CPAg/CCA, Curtis Young, CCA, Andy Michel, Beth Scheckelhoff

Alfalfa fields across Ohio have been observed with alfalfa weevil infestations, some with high numbers and severe feeding damage to the alfalfa.

Accumulation of heat units (growing degree days or GDDs) for alfalfa weevil growth have progressed across Ohio and are now in the 325 to 575 heat unit range indicative of peak larval feeding activity (Figure 1). We are about 2 weeks ahead of GDD weevil accumulation last year.

From the road, severe weevil feeding can look very much like frost injury (Figure 2). Do not be fooled, get out and scout! We have observed very minor frost injury to alfalfa from last week’s cold nights, so if you see “frost injury” in alfalfa, it is more likely to be severe alfalfa weevil feeding damage.  For more information on scouting and signs of damage, see the April 20 article in this newsletter: (https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/10-2021/alfalfa-weevil-%E2%80%93-it%E2%80%99s-closer-you-think). Continue reading Alfalfa Weevil Infestations Becoming Severe in Some Fields →

Wheat Between Feekes 8 and 10 and Disease Concerns

Septoria on wheat

Septoria on wheat

By: Pierce Paul, Maira Duffeck and Marian Luis

 

Wheat is now between Feekes 8 (flag leaf emergence) and Feekes 10 (boot) across the state. Feekes 8 marks the beginning of the period during which we recommend that you begin scouting fields to determine which disease is present and at what level. Septoria tritici leaf spot is usually one of the first to show up, and it has already been reported in some fields. So far, it is restricted to the lower leaves and severity is low in most of the affected fields. This disease is favored by cool (50-68F), rainy conditions, and although it usually develops early in the season, it really does not cause yield loss unless it reaches and damages the flag leaf before grain fill is complete. Continue reading Wheat Between Feekes 8 and 10 and Disease Concerns →

Are Periodical Cicadas a Threat to Field Crops?

Are periodical cicadas a threat to field crops? The quick and dirty answer to this question is NO. Are they a threat to the health and welfare of anything? There is no quick and dirty answer to this question.

The best way to answer the second question is to start by looking at what the periodical cicada is, what it feeds on, where one would expect to find them, and its life cycle.

The periodical cicada or 17-year cicada is an insect with an extremely long life cycle that takes 17 years to get from the egg stage to the adult stage. Some people mistakenly refer to this insect as a locust. Unfortunately, locusts and cicadas are not one-in-the-same.  Locusts are a type of grasshopper (Order Orthoptera).  Cicadas (Order Hemiptera) are not grasshoppers. And the 2 look nothing like one another.

grasshopper

Grasshoppers

Dog-day cicada Continue reading Are Periodical Cicadas a Threat to Field Crops? →

Science for Success: Answering Soybean Questions

With funding from United Soybean Board, soybean agronomists across the U.S. are hosting a ‘Notes from the Field’ webinar series the first Friday of each month beginning May 7. Join research and extension specialists from Land Grant institutions for a monthly informal discussion on production topics of timely relevance. Bring your questions!

When:  May 7, June 4, July 9, and August 6 at 9:00 AM eastern time

Want to plug in:  Register to attend (via Zoom) for each monthly session and you will receive Zoom login information. Register at:
https://ncsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEkdeiqrTIqHNMYI3FuXRVPgsC87mavL6hs

If you have any questions, please contact Laura Lindsey (lindsey.233@osu.edu or 614-292-9080).

What Influences Soil Health? – Dig Deeper with eFields Soil Health Statewide Survey

99How do your soil type and past management practices influence soil health? Find out by participating in the eFields Soil Health Statewide Survey. For this trial, we are seeking fields with various management practices, including:

20th Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale held on Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15

Plants, plants, and more plants will be available at the 2021 Paulding County Master Gardener Volunteer plant sale on Friday, May 14th, 2021, from 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday, May 15th from 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM. The sale will take place at the Paulding County fairgrounds inside the Block Building at 503 Fairground Drive, Paulding, OH 45879.

The sale will include perennials, annual flowers, herbs, vegetables, trees, and shrubs. Most items are between $1-$10 each. The proceeds from the sale will go back into the community Master Gardener Volunteer projects and programs. Past projects include trees for Oakwood Park and the Payne Park, planting the bed at the Reservoir Park, assisting with the landscaping at the Habitat for Humanity projects, plants for the fairgrounds and 4-H club projects, assisting the Friends of the Paulding Park Board, the native garden at the Black Swamp Nature Center, downtown Antwerp Village flowerpots, Fort Brown, and MGV memorial garden. Continue reading 20th Annual Master Gardener Plant Sale held on Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15 →

Overholt Drainage School Virtual in 2021 -Free but Registration Required

Wed., June 9, 2021, 9 AM to 12 Noon. 

2021 Overholt Drainage Workshop Official Flyer – Announcement

Join OSU Extension for a webinar focused on drainage design, installation, and management including updates on recently passed H.B. 340 – Ohio’s “petition ditch laws” that address the installation and maintenance of drainage works of improvement in Ohio. A panel of professional engineers representing state and federal agencies, drainage contractors, and tile manufacturers will discuss some standard practices, common issues, and troubleshooting associated with drainage design, installation, and repairs.

The half-day webinar will feature a panel of professional engineers from state and federal agencies, drainage contractors, and tile manufacturers, who will discuss standard practices, common issues, and troubleshooting associated with drainage design, installation, and repairs. Dr. Peggy Kirk Hall, Agriculture Law field specialist, will provide an update on recently passed H.B. 340 – Ohio’s “petition ditch laws” that address the installation and maintenance of drainage works of improvement in Ohio. The event is supported by the Ohio Land Improvement Contractors of America – OLICA. Continue reading Overholt Drainage School Virtual in 2021 -Free but Registration Required →