Pumpkin Enterprise Budget

The Pumpkin Enterprise Budget below is the product of team work led by Eric Richer, Associate Professor, Farm Management, OSU Extension and supported by Jim Jasinski, Professor, Integrated Pest Management, OSU Extension, Rob Leeds, Assistant Professor, OSU Extension-Delaware County, Logan Minter, Associate Professor, OSU Extension-South Centers and Barry Ward, Leader, Production Business Management, OSU Extension.

For more than two decades, Ohio State University Extension educators and faculty from Plant Pathology, Entomology and Horticulture and Crop Science, have supported the production and pest management needs of pumpkin growers throughout the state. The focus of this work has predominately been to help growers produce a better quality and higher yielding pumpkin crop based on solid production and IPM practices. To complement our focus on production, we have developed a new tool to help growers understand the financial aspects and profitability of raising pumpkins in Ohio.

Screenshot of overall budget spreadsheet

For the first time in 25 years, an updated Ohio Commercial Pumpkin Enterprise Budget has been released on the Farm Office website! This downloadable interactive spreadsheet (www.go.osu.edu/commercialpumpkinbudget) can be used to predict your cost of production; calculate profit per acre, per ton, and per bin; and help growers set prices accordingly.  The tool was developed and refined by OSU Extension Specialists, educators and growers over the past few years who have a passion to understand the economic aspects of pumpkin production.

The budget is based on a standard jack-o-lantern production enterprise with three default yield and cost columns based on low (5 tons/A), average(10 tons/A) and high production systems (15 tons/A).  The spreadsheet is designed so growers can enter their individual information in yellow cells and the resulting calculations in blue cells will determine their cost of production and potential profitability. Current market prices for input costs (fertilizer, labor, pesticides, etc.) were used based on industry standards.

Receipts section

The budget begins with a Receipts section that allows growers to break out their production by retail, wholesale or other sale methods based on percentage of yield.  The receipts section also allows for percentage spoilage and customization in price per market segment.

Variable costs section

In the Variable costs section of the budget, growers can input their desired row spacing (between row and in-row spacing) and projected seed costs. The default seeding and fertilizer rates are based on the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide but can be modified per the grower’s production practice. The herbicide, insecticide and fungicide application sections are perhaps the most improved from our last iteration. Growers can utilize the standardized pesticide recommendations and updated industry costs or choose to modify the pest management program based on their current production practices, farm history and seasonal pest levels. Also included are custom spraying charges in case a grower does not spray their own pumpkins.

The remaining Variable costs include bee hives (if used), labor, marketing cost of bins, trucking, fuel/oil/grease, repairs, irrigation, and operating interest.  These costs can vary greatly by grower, but standardized values were used where standardized costs could be found.

Fixed costs section

After variable costs, the budget tool estimates Fixed or overhead costs related to operating a commercial pumpkin enterprise.  As in most enterprise budgets, these Fixed costs include owner’s labor and management charges, machinery and equipment ownership costs and a land charge. Again, producers can enter their individual values for each of these categories if they know them for a more accurate output.

Total costs section

The Total Costs section at the bottom of the budget helps growers determine their overall costs on a per acre, per ton and per bin basis depending on actual pumpkin harvest yields.

The last six lines of the Total Costs section are used to understand profitability. These are broken down on a per acre basis into Returns Above Variable Costs, Returns Above Variable and Land Costs, and Returns Above Total Costs. Growers generally associate Returns Above Total Costs as their profit per acre. There are more sophisticated measures of profitability such as Return to Land, Return to Labor and Management, and Return to Land, Labor and Management if growers care to dive deeper. The “Return Above” and “Return To” measures of profitability are explained in greater detail in the footnotes associated with the budget.

If you have specific questions about the Pumpkin Enterprise Budget, please contact Eric Richer, richer.5@osu.edu.

Pumpkin Enterprise Budget video

If you prefer to digest this information by watching a video where Eric explains the various budget sections, it can be viewed on the OSU IPM YouTube video library here: https://youtu.be/RkNMqGezVaU?si=7eMSTxx5xPU5q5Qs

Additional crop and animal enterprise budgets can be found on OSU’s Farm Office website at www.farmoffice.osu.edu/farm-management/enterprise-budgets.

Screenshot of OSU IPM YouTube video library

To view the pumpkin IPM video library created to help growers identify and manage key pests and other topics, check out go.osu.edu/osuipm.

This article was excerpted from the CORN newsletter #19 and written by Alyssa Essman, Assistant Professor, Extension Field Crop Weed Specialist, Dept. of Horticulture and Crop Science.

We’re entering a period of hot, dry weather and the long-term forecast for this season suggests that these conditions are likely to persist during the summer and through harvest. With variable planting dates across the state, there is also a range in current crop growth stages and overall status, which means there are also different weed management activities taking place over the next month. There are some considerations to keep in mind as we aim to manage weeds when temperatures are high, and rainfall is scarce.

• Residual Herbicides – The incorporation or activation of residual herbicides can be insufficient in areas that receive less than ~ 0.5 to 1 inch of rainfall. Without some sort of incorporation or activating rainfall, the product does not enter the soil solution and is not available for uptake by germinating weeds. A layered residual strategy for the control of waterhemp is still recommended, especially where crops were planted early and preemergence herbicides are starting to decrease in concentration and lose efficacy. Rain will still be needed to incorporate these later-applied residual herbicides into the soil profile for maximum efficacy.

• POST Applications – Plants respond to drought stress in part by increasing the thickness of the cuticle, or the waxy outer layer of the leaf, to preserve water. This can result in decreased herbicide absorption, and translocation and metabolism within the plant are also affected. Systemic herbicides are especially at risk of reduced efficacy in these conditions. The use of the right adjuvant product and rate can help to increase absorption by improving leaf coverage and product uptake. Follow the label and herbicide/adjuvant manufacturer recommendations to determine the best adjuvant type and rate in these conditions. Some labels also include specific information related to applications in dry weather. Be aware that an increase in activity from the use of adjuvants can also lead to increased crop injury, and that applications early or late in the day may reduce the risk of injury. Contact herbicides are also more active when applied during hot weather, and crop injury from applications of these products may increase as well. Where residual herbicides were less effective due to lack of rainfall, a two-pass POST program should be considered to manage the potentially higher weed densities.

• Weed Emergence – Dry conditions can delay the emergence of weeds to some degree, especially those in the upper portion of the soil, and those that emerge from smaller seeds. Larger seeded species and those at lower depths will be less affected, as they have more energy reserves and access to more water for imbibition and growth, respectively. In dry weather patterns, weed emergence flushes may occur periodically following rainfall events.

• To Wait or Not to Wait – One question that often comes in when rainfall is limited is whether it’s better to apply POST herbicides soon, when weeds are smaller, or to wait until after a rain event and the potential following flush of weed emergence. Weeds are most effectively controlled when they are smaller and are actively growing. Drought and heat stress can impede control efforts and herbicide efficacy, and large weeds are more difficult to control. This is especially true if the stress-inducing conditions persist and weeds “harden off”. For this reason, it is a good strategy to wait for the extremely high temperatures to pass before making an application, for greater crop safety and herbicide efficacy, and to ensure weeds are actively growing. However, it’s not necessarily better to wait for a rain before making a POST pass. As mentioned, plants that persist through hot and dry weather often produce thicker cuticles, and it can be difficult for herbicides to get into the plant and be effective. For this reason, it might be best to spray when weeds are as small as possible unless there is some definite rain in the forecast.

The Integrated Pest Management Program along with OSU Extension educators across the state are monitoring five key pests this season. Monitoring sites are set up on farmer’s fields across the state and will be updated weekly.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug – This insect will not be monitored for until late July though it is currently active in a broad range of specialty crops.

Spotted wing Drosophila – A total of three sites have been set up in Greene and Ross counties. SWD has not been reported or detected at any sites but growers with ripening brambles, blueberries, peaches and other soft skinned fruit should be aware of this pest so that proper management can be started when detected.

European corn borer – Two sites are set up in South Charleston (Clark Co.) and Fremont (Sandusky Co.), both reporting zero (0) moths captured. Additional sites should start reporting next week.

Corn earworm – Four sites are set up in Clark, Sandusky, Fayette and Crawford counties. Clark county trapped fewer this week than the previous week (28 moth to 9 moths). The other three sites reported capturing zero (0) CEW moths this past week.

Squash vine borer – There are eight sites currently trapping for this pest in Clark, Greene, Ross, Seneca and Morrow, Summit and Williams counties. Clark, Greene and Ross sites are reporting low single digit captures of SVB moths; the other four counties reported capturing zero (0) moths. Expect moth captures to go up this next week.

Growers can access and view the monitoring data directly at this site.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T4Uk8VKH-fY4qms4FlEwQvz8o1Lxk-t8LLHVz97kxNU/edit?usp=sharing

The Integrated Pest Management Program along with OSU Extension educators across the state are monitoring for five key pests this season. Monitoring sites are set up on farmer’s fields across the state and will be updated weekly.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug – This insect will not be monitored for until late July though it is currently active in a broad range of specialty crops.

Spotted wing Drosophila – Two sites were set up this past week in Greene county. Several other county sites will be set up later this week. SWD detections will be reported next week.

European corn borer – Two sites were set up so far in South Charleston (Clark Co.) and Fremont (Sandusky Co.), both reporting 0 moths captured. Additional sites will start reporting next week.

Corn earworm – Four sites were set up so far in Clark, Sandusky, Fayette and Crawford counties. All sites reported capturing CEW moths except Sandusky County.

Squash vine borer – Five sites were currently set up in Clark, Greene, Ross, Seneca and Summit counties. All sites are reporting captures of SVB moths except for Seneca county.

Growers can access the monitoring data directly at this site.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1T4Uk8VKH-fY4qms4FlEwQvz8o1Lxk-t8LLHVz97kxNU/edit?usp=sharing

Produced by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Zoonotic Disease Program (ZDP).

Tis the season for ticks. I went for a stroll on a mowed path through a local meadow three days ago and picked up 3 American dog ticks about 6mm in size. I just came back from mountain biking and somehow picked up another American dog tick about 3mm in size. These arthropods are out in their habitat actively questing for a host to take a blood meal and maybe transmit a disease like Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, or several other serious pathogens. Read on and find out how to minimize your chance of being bitten.

Ohio now has five medically important ticks (Blacklegged, American dog, Asian longhorned, Lonestar and Gulf coast) that you might be exposed to on a daily basis depending on your location in the state and the kind of work you perform.

While most growers likely work from a tractor or within a planted field with little tick habitat, walking across grassy lanes between fields or walking through a cover cropped field can expose you several types of ticks (American Dog, Blacklegged, Lonestar). Working with livestock can expose you to other types of ticks (Asian longhorned, Gulf coast which has only been found on cattle).

Tim McDermott DVM featured in a tick prevention video.

Tim McDermott (DVM), Ohio State University Extension, created a video to highlight how to best reduce your chances of encountering ticks. Since growers need to be in the field to carry out their work, the option for staying out of those areas is not practical but Tim’s advice to consider making your clothes tick repellent via washing or sprays may be reasonable to try. Growers can also try clothing with repellent compounds impregnated into the fabric. No amount of prevention will remove all risk of ticks therefore frequent and thorough tick checks need to be part of a routine a few times a day, especially at night. Check out the short video and see what else Tim has to say about tick prevention.
https://youtu.be/GNc6hQdq9TE?si=Ki7hNy6juVtHibNP

How to remove ticks safely.

What happens if I find a tick on me, how do I remove it? Watch this short video for the safest way to remove ticks and avoid infection. Spoiler alert, this video does not include or recommend using lit matches, gasoline, kerosene, nail polish, duct tape or Vaseline as a safe removal method.
https://youtu.be/-hLHmKVWWAg?si=WV5XfknXEeIwrEsW

The five medically important ticks in Ohio.

How do I know what species of tick is on me? Concise summaries of all 5 medically important ticks in Ohio.
https://kx.osu.edu/bite/site/ticks

Want even more information about ticks in Ohio? Read this from the Ohio Department of Health.
https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/zoonotic-disease-program/diseases/tickborne-diseases

Striped cucumber beetle adult.

Mating squash bugs.

It’s mid May on the calendar but given how warm it is, it might seem more like late May or early June to some early season cucurbit pests. Based on our biweekly fruit and vegetable conference calls, no cucumber beetles or squash bugs have been reported in the state.

As growers begin to plan for direct seeding or transplanting, keep an eye out for striped cucumber beetles and squash bugs in particular.  Earliest planted fields will likely be infested soon after emergence or when placed in the field. For growers who purchased seed treated with FarMoreFI400, striped cucumber beetle populations should be controlled for 2-3 weeks. After this period if scouting reveals beetles in excess of plant stage threshold, foliar treatments are an option.  For growers who did not purchase systemic insecticide treated seed, remember to scout plants frequently in multiple parts of the field, edge and interior, and if the damage exceeds the following thresholds, consider treating with a foliar insecticide to knock these pests down. Foliar insecticide options can be found here: https://mwveguide.org/uploads/pdfs/Cucurbit-Crops_2023-12-20-141555_pieo.pdf

Systemic insecticide use and guidance on cucumber beetle thresholds based on crop type is listed in detail below based on an excerpt from an earlier VegNet article from J. Jasinski and C. Welty (2020).

Characteristic striped cucumber beetle feeding. FarMoreFI400 should prevent significant feeding and therefore limit bacterial wilt spread.

Systemic Insecticide Use Considerations
Seed treatments containing thiamethoxam (FarMore FI400, Cruiser) offer maximum protection against cucumber beetles and other pests for about 2 to 3 weeks after seedling emergence. Seed treatments offer little protection to transplanted crops. For transplants and direct-seeded plants over 3 weeks old, the concentration of insecticide from seed treatment is no longer strong enough to kill beetles but can still harm bees due to sublethal doses in the pollen and nectar. Treated seed should never be used in combination with at-plant soil drenches with flupyradifurone (Sivanto), imidacloprid (Admire or generics), or thiamethoxam (Platinum). At-plant soil drenches used alone, with non-treated seed, offer similar protection to treated seed for beetle control. Due to increased residues in nectar and pollen, in-furrow applications should be considered last and applied at the lowest recommended rate that provides control. Non-systemic foliar applications of insecticides can be used to control cucumber beetles if seed or in-furrow treatments were not used, or were ineffective. Once flowers are present, applications should be made in the evening when flowers are closed and bees are not actively foraging, which minimizes the risk to pollinators.

Thresholds range from 0.5 to 1 beetle per seedling, and 1 to 5 beetles per plant for plants after 4 leaf stage. The threshold for cantaloupe melons and cucumber is lower because these crops are susceptible to bacterial wilt, which is vectored by cucumber beetles. Pumpkin, squash, and watermelon have higher thresholds because these crops are less susceptible to bacterial wilt, but beetle feeding can occur on the fruit rind by both adult and larvae, causing marketable loss. Beetles found in pumpkin or squash flowers do not pose a risk to the plant but as flowering decreases, rind feeding may increase.

Pumpkin playlist on OSU IPM Video Library.

OSU IPM Video Library
Newly added this spring are additional resources in the OSU IPM Video Library. These resources help growers identify and manage all of the key cucurbit pests including striped cucumber beetle, squash bug and squash vine borer plus a new potential pest, the melonworm.

Videos on weed control, disease control (powdery mildew, plectosporium) and hybrid selection are also in this playlist collection.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0HRPaZDLHyH64oVLKdX5icKQFzqQ5nCA

Map of projected cold snap.

From Aaron Wilson,  Ag Weather and Field Crop Specialist.

Our regional partners are elevating awareness concerning an increasing risk of cold temperatures next weekend on the back side of the storm system coming through this week. Our forecast models are handling this a bit differently, but this is worth watching.

Temperatures may fall decently below freezing across Ohio late in the week after several days of above normal temperatures Sunday-Thursday.  No specific temperature forecasts for now, but I just wanted to raise awareness for those with ag/horticulture interests.

If you have transplants that cannot withstand these projected cold temperatures, you may consider keeping them protected until the cold spell passes.

Attention pumpkin growers! Start your New Year off right by getting your pumpkin production skills in shape! No matter if you just started growing this crop or are an experienced grower, this workshop will feature both basic and advanced topics to help you grow high quality fruit for your customers. Topics and speakers will include:

-Hybrid Selection, Fungicide Selection and Efficacy (J. Jasinski)
-Weed, Disease and Insect Management Programs (C. Galbraith, F. Rotondo, A. Leach)
-Labor Issues, Marketing Tips and Measuring Profitability (M. Jodlowski, R. Leeds, E. Richer)

The workshop will be held January 30, 2023 from 10am-2pm at the OSU Extension Delaware County Office, Byxbe Building, 1610 SR 521, Delaware, OH 43015.

Registration for the event is required by Jan. 23, 2024. Cost of the event is $25 and includes lunch plus handouts. Use the URL or the QR code below to pay for the workshop using a credit card or to pay by check. We are currently seeking pesticide license CEU’s from ODA for this event. Don’t delay – Commit to do better in 2024!

For more information, please contact Jim Jasinski, Jasinski.4@osu.edu, 937-484-1526.

https://go.osu.edu/pkinbootcamp24