March Calendar of Ag Events

I’m Glad I Know Where My Food Comes From

I don’t about you all, but I love to eat.   I’ll admit, eating is one of my favorite hobbies.  In fact, I’m enjoying a hot sausage and egg sandwich as I’m writing this (and the grease on my computer keys proves it).  I also enjoy the fact that while I am eating, I know where my food comes from.  I know the hog farmer that spent countless hours and money maintaining proper herd health and while providing his hogs with the proper nutrition, facilities and medications that they needed.  I enjoy the fact that the eggs I fixed came from my own barn.  I also know that the bread I carefully toasted to perfection to complete my sandwich came from the fields of a well-educated grain farmer. 

 

Growing up on a farm, I had always assumed everyone understood the source of food products.  However, the older I get the more I realize how wrong I was in that assumption.  While many of us do realize the hard work, time and money that is invested in producing our food, sadly there are people that do not understand where their food comes from.  Unfortunately too many of those people would rather believe what they read on social media or listen to bogus rumors about their food sources instead of taking the time to do their research and educate themselves about their food.  If our generation claims to be so health conscious, then I would expect more people to believe the real facts about farming and food production rather than what they read on social media. 

 

We are so fortunate in the United States to have the safest food supply.   Our farmers have the most stringent regulations on grain, fruit, vegetable and animal production put on them by the USDA and FDA.  Even with all the rules, regulations, testing and research that goes into our food, we still pay less for groceries than any other country in the world.  That means our farmers make less from each dollar sold in the grocery than any others.  Yet still, people want to publically criticize farmers and tell them how to do their job. 

 

Not only are our farmers having to jump through hoops for the government rules and regulations, but they are constantly having to attend educational programming and educated themselves on technology, safe uses of pesticides and herbicides, seed varieties, parasite control, marketing, environmental issues, water quality management, business managements and several other important facets of the industry.  Within the Cooperative Extension Service alone, we offer several educational programming for all producers, many which are mandatory such as Pesticide Certification, Beef Quality Assurance, Pork Quality Assurance, and GAP (Good Agricultural Practices).

 

Next time you are led to believe that our food isn’t safe for consumption or you get frustrated because you get behind a tractor on the road, just take a minute to stop and think about what all our farmers do to make sure that your grocery store is stocked with a food supply for you to purchase.  Be thankful that farmers take their job so seriously that they put endless hours into producing and marketing the “product of our toil”, and they care enough to make sure they continuously educated themselves on all facets of the agricultural industry.  They really are a “Jack of All Trades” and deserve our appreciation for all the time, hard work and money they invest in providing all of us with a safe food supply. 

I doubt that you could find a better humanitarian, environmental steward and animal caretaker than a farmer.  So farmers, thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing me and my family with a safe food supply.  I appreciate you and all that you do to protect consumers and meet all of our needs. 

 

If you would like more information on educational programming provided by the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service, please call 273-3690.

Dr. Edwin Ritchey Warns About Applying Nitrogen to Frozen Ground

Some producers are taking advantage of frozen ground conditions to apply nitrogen to

wheat fields or manure to corn fields. While this practice reduces the risk of compaction or

rutting of fields, there are other factors to consider. When applications are made to frozen

ground one must consider what happens if it rains and the ground is still frozen or

saturated. When the soil is frozen or saturated, water is not able to infiltrate into the soil

profile and the water and nutrients can runoff to adjoining properties or waterways. NRCS

Code 590 prohibits the application of manure to frozen ground for this reason (document

attached). Yesterday (January 30th) the depth of frozen soil was measured at Princeton on

a Zanesville silt loam soil and a Pembroke silt loam soil. Soil was frozen to a depth of 6 to 9

inches and no “thawed ground” was observed even though air temperatures were above 32

degrees Fahrenheit. With rain forecasted in the next 24 to 48 hours, little infiltration will

occur and added nutrients will move with the water, often offsite. Although the ability to

traffic a field may be the primary consideration for a producer, they should also think about

what happens if a significant rainfall event occurs (off-site movement of nutrients). In

addition to the environmental consequences, the loss of nutrients is an economic loss.

Although it is tempting to “get over the ground” while it is frozen, be aware of the potential

agronomic, economic, and environmental consequences associated with this decision.

Please make your producers aware of the potential losses that can occur when making

nutrient applications to frozen ground. Be patient and wait to apply nutrients when soil and

environmental conditions are more favorable.

Thank you,

Edwin

Edwin Ritchey, Ph.D., CPSS

Extension Soils Specialist

University of Kentucky

Plant and Soil Sciences

Research and Education Center

Office: 270-365-7541 ext. 301

Mobile: 270-625-8825

Getting Ready for the Upcoming Kidding Season

Now that winter is in full swing, many goat producers are anticipating kiddin  in late January-early March.  Kidding season can be both exciting and exhausting.  Of course, it is best to plan ahead by preparing a herd health program and putting together a “kidding kit” to hopefully prevent some of the exhaustion.

Nutrition is very important in the last two months of pregnancy.  Undernourishment in pregnant does will result in smaller kids, increased mortality and slower growth rates.  During this time, does require feed that provides them with more energy.  This is a good time to increase your sources of energy in goat feed such as corn, oats, dried molasses or dried citrus pulp.  A doe’s appetite will drop off during this time, and because of her growing uterus can only consume small amounts of feed at a time.  Therefore it is important to increase the quality of her feed and her hay.

Not only is it important to provide proper nutrition for your pregnant does, but preventative management also plays a huge role in your herd health program.  Be sure to monitor your does for any worm problems and de-worm any does showing signs one month prior to kidding.  Be sure to read the label on your de-worming medication.  Not all de-wormers are suitable for pregnant does. Vaccination for Clostridium perfringens C and D and tetanus toxiod (CDT) should be given to does 3 weeks prior to kidding season so that immunities can be passed on to the kids.

Having a “kidding kit” readily available is highly recommended.  I have a bad habit of leaving things lying around all over the barn, so having them all in one place and ready to go when does/kids start showing signs of stress could be the difference between life and death in your goats.  To start with, kits should contain a disinfectant soap, examination gloves, scissors and paper towels/shop clothes.  You should also equipment your kit with syringes, needles, feeding tube, small bottle, milk replacer and Iodine 7%.  It is a good idea to have vitamin A, D, E, vitamin B complex and BoSe on hand.  BoSe is a vitamin E and selenium source that can be given to each kid at birth. 

For more information on goat herd management and preparing for kidding, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at 273-3690.

Take Precautions to Help Newborn Calves Survive Bitter Cold

With temperatures and wind chills falling lower than our area has seen in nearly two decades, it goes without saying that our livestock producers’ job just got harder and hours got even longer.  As if calving season isn’t difficult enough, cattle producers need to pay even more special attention to newborn calves.

 

University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment ruminant veterinarian Michelle Arnold said extra precautions would go a long way in helping calves survive.

“A calf’s body temperature often falls below normal due to a slow birth, followed by a delay in standing and nursing,” she said. “That is the immediate concern, and then the next step is maintaining the calf’s core temperature.”

 

If possible, producers should bring cows into the barn to calve in a heavily bedded, clean pen. If cows must calve outdoors, make sure there is dry, clean ground available without a large amount of manure. If cows do calve outdoors and calves show signs of hypothermia, or there are no natural windbreaks, producers should bring calves in until they are warm and dry.

 

Signs of hypothermia include shivering and blood shunting. In the early stages of hypothermia, a calf will show vigorous shivering usually accompanied by increased pulse and breathing rate. Cold nostrils and pale, cold hooves are early signs that blood is being shunted away from the body’s extremities. Watch for erratic behavior, confusion and a clumsy gait. As hypothermia progresses, shivering stops and muscles become rigid and pulse and respiration slow down. Brain cell metabolism slows and impairs brain function. The calf’s level of consciousness deteriorates and signs of life become difficult to detect. The pupils of the eyes will be dilated and fixed, and it may be hard to detect a pulse. The calf may have occasional gasps of respiration, and that may be the only clue that the calf is still alive. Heart failure may be the actual cause of death.

 

“The two most important factors in calf survival are warmth and colostrum,” Arnold said. “Colostrum is a concentrated source of protein, vitamins, minerals and energy, and it also contains antibodies to diseases or vaccines that the mother cow has been exposed to. Before you give colostrum, you need to make sure to warm the calf because the weak ones may not have enough strength to suckle. Sometimes you may need to deliver colostrum through an esophageal feeder.”

 

Dark Karo syrup is a quick source of energy for calves and their bloodstream quickly absorbs it.

 

Ways to warm newborn calves:

·         Place calves next to floorboard heaters of pickup trucks.

·         Submerse wet calves in warm baths and gradually heat the water to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Handlers need to support the calves’ heads to prevent drowning. Continue changing water out to maintain temperature.

·         Place calves next to the heater in the house.

·         Place calves under heat lamps, but be careful to cover the lamp with a screen so the calf will not get burned as it becomes more active.

·         Wrap the calf in warm blankets, but not so hot that they burn the skin. Change the blankets as necessary to maintain warmth.

·         Place the calf in a hot box or warming box, but not so hot that they burn the skin. Some type of venting is necessary to prevent carbon monoxide and moisture. Air movement is important to ensure thorough warming and to prevent hot spots in the warming box.

·         Administer warm IV fluids.

 

“Once the calf is warm, provide colostrum and maintain body temperature,” Arnold said. “If the calf is unwilling to suckle and it’s not possible to milk the mother cow, you should consider commercial colostrum-replacement products.”

 

Calves need colostrum as soon as possible after the suckle reflex has returned, generally within the first six hours after birth, but ideally within the first hour or two. Once the calf is warm and fed, move it back to its mother.  Be sure to monitor calf and check to ensure that the calf can suckle on its own.

 

These tips do not just apply to newborn calves, but can be used for all animals.  For more information, please contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at 273-3690.

Planning Your Spring Garden and Starting Indoor Transplants

I remember as kid I loved to “go get the mail” for my parents.  Getting to ride my bike to the post office and be the first to sort through our mail was a big deal to me.  Now as an adult, walking to the mailbox isn’t near as exciting, especially when the bills come around.  Even though getting mail isn’t near as much fun, there are still a few pieces of mail that I get excited about; seed catalogs.  I could sit and look at seed catalogs for hours, carefully reading every description while trying to decide which varieties I want to plant that year. 

            It is hard to think that spring is just around the corner with all the freezing temperatures that we have been experiencing.  However, now is the time to be planning your spring garden, selecting which varieties you will plant and purchasing your seed (especially if you plan to start seeds indoor).

            When planning your garden, site selected needs to be at the top of your priority list.  Be sure to select a spot that is in full sun for at least eight hours each day, not shaded, relatively level, well‑drained and close to a water source.  Once you have selected a site, map out your garden on paper, carefully selecting which vegetables you plant where.  Make sure you place tall plants (sweet corn, tomatoes, pole beans) on the north or west side of your garden.  This will help ensure that your sweet corn doesn’t block out your okra’s sunlight or that your tomato cages aren’t so close to your cucumbers that they take over the cages. 

            A good piece of advice for all gardeners is plan only as large of a garden as you can easily maintain. Speaking from personal experience, I wish I had followed that advice in previous years.  Beginning gardeners often overplant, and then they fail because they cannot keep up with the tasks required (weed and pest control). 

            When going through those colorful seed catalogs it is easy to get carried away choosing seeds.  Be sure to select varieties that are recommended for our area.  Also, make sure you choose vegetables that your family and friends enjoy eating.  You don’t want to see fresh, homegrown produce go to waste because no one likes to eat it. 

            Once you have selected and purchased your seeds, you can start your seeds indoors.  For indoor growing, sow seeds in a plant tray containing an artificial growing medium of peat moss and perlite available at garden centers. Adding compost to the potting media at up to 25% of total volume can reduce the need for fertilizers later and potentially encourage seed germination.  Enclose the seeded trays in a plastic bag and keep them at room temperature until seedlings begin to emerge. Then, remove the plastic and transfer the trays to suitable growing areas.

            The average windowsill is one location for growing plants, but it usually does not get enough light. So, you have to use artificial light to supplement. Use cool white fluorescent lamps alone, a mixture of cool white and warm white fluorescent lamps, or a mixture of cool white

and plant growth fluorescent lamps. Locate the lamps 5 to 10 inches from the foliage and operate them 12 to 18 hours/day. Be sure to keep seedlings cool enough (60° to 65°F) for strong, sturdy growth after they germinate.  Once a day lightly brush your hand over the tops of the seedlings in different directions.  This will help the seedling develop a stronger stem.

            Plants should be “hardened off ” about two weeks before planting them in the garden. That is, you toughen the plants so that they can withstand the outside environment. To do so, begin exposing them to lower temperatures. One way is to take your transplants outside in

the daytime and bring them in at night. However, don’t let them get caught in a frost. Reduce your watering and fertilizing of transplants to help “hardening off ” about one week before transplanting. Do not let them dry out and wilt.

            Soil preparation for your garden varies from home to home.  Be sure to have a soil test done on your garden site and follow the recommendations accordingly.  Few home garden sites have the ideal soil, but most soils can be modified to provide more favorable growing conditions.  Soil samples can be done through the Extension Office for $7 or you can have them done at the place of your choice. 

            For more information on spring garden planning, starting transplants indoors or home vegetable gardening in Kentucky, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at 273-3690. 

Farmers’ Market Can Provide Many Benefits to County

Eating healthier, supporting the local economy, saving on fuel cost and community fellowship; these are just four great reasons to be a part of a local Farmers’ Market. 

 

Farmers' Markets are becoming big business in Kentucky. The Commonwealth has 147 Farmers' Markets and well in excess of 2,500 vendors. Large markets in Lexington, Louisville, and northern Kentucky offer a vast array of local foods and a carnival-like atmosphere. At the same time, dynamic markets led by dedicated local producers are springing up in rural areas all over the Bluegrass State. More than ever, Kentuckians want to buy local food for their families, and they appreciate the experience of buying it directly from the people who grew or made it. 

 

Direct marketing of farm products through Farmers’ Markets has become an increasingly important sales outlet for agricultural producers. This is mostly due to growing interest among consumers in understanding where their food comes from. Farmers’ Markets allow consumers to have access to locally produced, farm-fresh food and the opportunity to personally interact with the individuals that produced the food.

 

After making visits to Farmers’ Markets in Kentucky and Tennessee, I realized I wanted to take a chance at bringing this to McLean County.  The atmosphere alone won me over.  Even though I grow my own fresh vegetables at home, I still found myself purchasing from other producers at the markets.  The opportunity to hear the producers’ story as well as sharing ideas, recipes and gardening secrets was invaluable.  Plus I enjoy knowing that the money I spent at the Farmers’ Market went into the pockets of the producers. 

 

Starting a County Farmers’ Market isn’t something that can be done by one or two people; it is going to take the efforts of many.  If you would like to be a part of the McLean County Farmers’ Market there will be an informational meeting on Monday, March 10th at 4pm at the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office.  If you have any questions or would like to know more, please contact the Extension Office at 273-3690.

Tips for Profitable Cash Hay Operations

Cash hay sales can be an excellent additional income source for many Kentucky farmers.  Especially when many of us need the hay, but can’t justify purchasing all the equipment to produce our own.  UK Extension Forage Specialist Dr. Garry Lacefield offers these management tips to help you generate the most profit from your hay enterprise.

1.         Do extensive research on the market and your potential customers. Save some bales to show prospective customers or brokers the kind of product you can offer.

2.         Realistically assess your ability to procure labor on a timely basis. Be sure you have labor lined up before committing to supply large quantities of hay.

3.         Base your estimated income on average, not high, market prices for hay. If you can succeed on average prices, you will be in great shape in years when prices are even better. Make a short list of equipment necessary to expand your production capacity and quickly get hay up. Be tight-fisted, but realistic, about the budget.

4.         Target the cleanest, densest and most weed-free fields as those most likely to be good enough for cash hay.

5.         Develop a plan to harvest the heaviest production first and in a timely fashion. This first harvest can be nearly 50 percent of your annual yield on good stands in good years.

6.         Work on storage to provide the capacity and access to the hay that you need.

7.         Consider establishing any new alfalfa fields as pure alfalfa and put grass in later. This will help you manage weeds that are hard or impossible to control in grass.

8.         Develop a plan to market hay that is off quality. Opportunities include your own cattle, other beef herds or even as landscape mulch.

9.         Learn all you can about cash hay enterprises from the experts by talking to experienced growers and attending meetings of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and other educational organizations and groups.

10.       Remember the hay business is a service operation. Your success may depend as much on what you are willing to do for the customer as what you can supply.

11.       Have your hay tested and know its quality.

            For more information on forage production or hay quality testing, contact the McLean Cooperative Extension Service at 273-3690.

Control Lice Before They Reduce Beef Profits This Winter

Lice can suck the profits out of your beef and dairy cattle herds during the winter. These cold-loving pests spread when animals bunch together in response to frigid temperatures, and we’ve already had plenty of those.

 

You can reduce potential lice problems on cattle by keeping new animals separate from your herd until you’ve given them a thorough louse treatment, generally two applications of a contact insecticide.

 

According to Lee Townsend, UK Extension Entomologist, the first application kills active adults and immature lice, but it won’t destroy nits on the hide. A second application targets new hatchlings from the nits and any other lice still around. Be sure to follow the label instructions on treatment intervals. After these two treatments, you can add new animals to the herd with minimal chance of lice problems during the winter.

 

Don’t use systemic insecticides during the winter unless you know the treatment history of newly bought cattle. This is because migrating grubs might be in sensitive locations and cause an adverse reaction this time of year.

 

Winter also is a good time to reduce future weevil problems in alfalfa by letting beef or dairy cattle graze dormant fields. Alfalfa weevils lay a significant number of their eggs in living and dead stems.

 

Winter grazing helps manage alfalfa weevils in two ways. Grazing removes stems holding deposits of weevil eggs, and it removes stems that can serve as sites for females to lay the remaining eggs in the spring. Letting your cattle graze alfalfa fields in the winter can reduce weevil populations substantially, possibly to the level that you won’t need a spring insecticide application.

 

For more information on controlling lice and other livestock insect pests, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service.

 

Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.