Community Vision Survey

For those of you that are unable to attend any of our community forums, we invite you to take the online survey.  By clicking on the link below, you can answer the same four questions that forum participants had the opportunity to answer.  There are no right or wrong answers and the possibilities are endless.  Please do not hesitate to answer a question a certain way just because you feel like it may be impossible.

https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3l8PSKzPcJNFWAt

We want to create a future that represents what the residents of our county believe is best for them and their children.  Our future is something that we can create.

All ideas are welcomed.  We need to be creative and expand our vision of the future beyond the constraints of today.

All of the ideas generated (online, at forums and at organization meetings) will be summarized and presented at a later date.

Thank you so much in advance for taking the time to complete this survey.  Your opinion is valued and we appreciate your time and effort.

Preparing Your Lawnmower for the Off-Season

Photo from thisoldhouse.com

I know some of you may not be excited about the weather turning cold.  However, others are looking forward to putting away their lawnmowers for a couple of months and not worrying about keeping their lawn at the perfect height.  Before you put those lawnmowers up for the season, I strongly recommend that you prepare it for storage first.

Lawnmowers really should be cleaned thoroughly with a degreaser or soap and water before it is stored.  Dirty engines and parts can potentially attract moisture that can lead to corrosion and rust.  Be sure to oil internal parts to prevent any rust that may cause the piston rings to seize and prevent the crankshaft from rotating.

Another pre-storage recommendation is to drain the fuel tank.  Gasoline should not be allowed to remain in a fuel system for a long time.  Oxygen in the air causes gas to oxidize, which can turn the gas into a thick gum.  Some equipment companies recommend a fuel stabilizer be added to the fuel to prevent any oxidation.  Fuel with this stabilizer does not have to be drained for short-term storage.  Also note that you should not store outdoor equipment with gasoline in the fuel tank in any heated garage or basement.

The last thing you should do before storing your lawnmower for the winter is to remove and evaluate the battery.  The battery should be kept in a warm, dry area on a wooden board.  It is not advised to store a battery on concrete because the dampness of concrete causes the battery to discharge.  Do not allow the battery to freeze.  Frozen battery electrolyte will break the battery case.  Before putting the battery away, be sure to check for any cracks or bulges in the case, leaks, damaged insulations on battery cables, corrosion buildup and loose or missing hardware.

Winter is also a good time to have blades sharpened so you may want to remove blades before storing your mower as well.

For more information on winter storage and preventative maintenance of outdoor lawn equipment, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

McLean County Forums aimed at engaging residents in building community development plan

McLean County Forums aimed at engaging residents in building community development plan

BY AUSTIN RAMSEY Messenger-Inquirer


The University of Kentucky Extension Office is working in cooperation with the Community and Economic Development Initiative of Kentucky to host five forums in McLean County next week that are designed to engage residents in shaping a future improvement plan.

CEDIK, an outreach arm of UK's College of Agriculture Food and Environment, will send Dr. Lori Garkovich, who is an extension specialist for community and economic development with the program. Garkovich will travel to each of McLean County's largest population centers in Calhoun, Livermore, Island, Sacramento and Beech Grove, where she is expected to guide locals through a specially-crafted survey from which answers will form what officials are calling a community development plan.

That plan, says local agriculture extension agent Cary Hicks, could be useful in developing a better future for the county. Hicks said she commonly refers to plans like these as county development initiatives because in rural communities such as McLean County, there is a real sense of cohesiveness between cities. It's partly necessary for each of the county's individual communities — large and small — to work together to toward a common goal.

In this case, Hicks said, that goal will be a singular, county-wide plan that broadly represents many unique family, business, agriculture and quality of life interests.

McLean County's community development plan will join almost 60 others in the state. These plans, Hicks cautioned, are not sponsored by any particular government or civic organizations, so they lack the capacity of compulsory enforcement. Where the plan may lack in formal execution, though, she said, it makes up in broad representation. That's why she said she is encouraging any and all to attend any of the forums listed below.

"In some ways, this is really more of a vision as opposed to a plan," Hicks said. "We come together as a county and identify challenges that we face as a county, opportunities that we have as a county. Then we evaluate our assets, and from that, we kind of draft a vision for the future of the county."

Hicks said everyone should stake a claim in developing McLean County

"It's sort of like voting," she said. "You can't really complain about the elected official if you didn't get out and vote. You have to help shape the future of where you live."

Garkovich is expected to ask residents four broad questions that are key in helping her develop her data into a single, succinct plan. They are organized around the general topics of heritage, change, vision and action. Those questions are as follows:

• What aspects of life in McLean County do you cherish and you feel like should be protected and preserved for the next generation?

• If you could change just one thing to make McLean County a better place to live and and work for you and your family, what would you change?

• Imagine McLean County as you would like it to be in 20 years. What would be different that would make it a better place to live and work than it is now?

• What do we need to start doing now so that we can get your vision of what you want McLean County to be like in 20 years?

Hicks said once Garkovich has released her report in the form of a McLean County plan, she will present it to McLean Fiscal Court, each local city council and various civic organizations who would like to be involved. She said she hopes it will inspire some people to take action. After all, she said, a plan itself can do very little. It takes people who are willing to follow it.  "We can create a future that represents what our county residents believe is best for them and best for their children," she said. "It's something that we can create together and take ownership of."


Community Forum Schedule

• 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 at Island Methodist Church

• 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 at the McLean County Public Library in Livermore

• 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Beech Grove Fire Department

• 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29 at McLean Co. Extension Office in Calhoun

• 7 a.m. Friday, Oct. 30 at Blue Jay Café in Sacramento

Fall Spider Control

Photo from bugguide.net

I feel like we are being taken over.  Every time I step into the garage it seems like a herd of wolf spiders are on the move.  I make sure to always wear shoes out there in the fall (especially this fall) so that I can step on and kill every one of those nasty creatures that I can.

Wolf Spiders or ground spiders are very common creatures, especially this time of the year. Most are hairy and dark brown in color.  They look fierce and their rapid movements make them seem aggressive, however they will not “attack” humans.  If they do bite (which is a rare occasion), they are not poisonous and their bite feels similar to a bee sting.

Even though my first instinct is to smash it, in most cases wolf spiders benefit humans by feeding on all sorts of insects, including crop pests.  Wolf spiders are rarely pests, but they sometimes wander into houses, where their large size often frightens homeowners, or in our case a 4-year-old.  Wolf spiders that are found indoors have wandered in by mistake.

Wolf spiders are active hunters that patrol the ground for insects, small spiders, and similar prey.  They do not use webs to capture prey.  They are perhaps the most common Kentucky spiders and can live by the thousands in leaf litter and grassy areas.  Some wolf spiders build small burrows and defend a territory, while others are free-roaming.

The following measures can be used to control not only wolf spiders, but all spiders:
 Routine, thorough house cleaning is the best way to eliminate spiders and discourage their return. A vacuum cleaner or broom effectively removes spiders, webs, and egg sacs.
 Spiders prefer quiet, undisturbed areas such as closets, garages, basements, and attics. Reducing clutter in these areas makes them less attractive to spiders.
 Large numbers of spiders often congregate outdoors around the perimeter of structures. Migration indoors can be reduced by moving firewood, building materials, and debris away from the foundation. Shrubs, vines and tree limbs should be clipped back from the side of the building.
 Install tight-fitting window screens and door sweeps to exclude spiders and other insects. Inspect and clean behind outdoor window shutters.
 Consider installing yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs at outside entrances. These lights are less attractive than incandescent bulbs to night-flying insects which, in turn, attract spiders.
 To further reduce spider entry from outside, insecticides can be applied as a "barrier treatment" around the base of the foundation. Pay particular attention to door thresholds, garage and crawl space entrances, including foundation vents. Carbaryl, bendiocarb, chlorpyrifos, or any of the synthetic pyrethroids are effective, but may need to be reapplied periodically throughout the summer. Wettable powder or microencapsulated ("slow-release") formulations are most effective.

For more information on spider control, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Industrial Hemp Applications Are Now Being Accepted

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Farmers, processors, universities, and others interested in conducting an industrial hemp pilot project in 2016 are invited to apply, Agriculture Commissioner James Comer has announced.

“The industrial hemp pilot projects have yielded valuable information the past two years,” Commissioner Comer said. “We look forward to another successful round of projects and encourage applicants to submit proposals to research hemp production, processing, manufacturing, and marketing. This work will help establish Kentucky as the epicenter of America’s industrial hemp industry once the remaining legal barriers to hemp production are removed.”


Applicants must complete an application and submit it to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture no later than Nov. 5, 2015. Applications and instructions are available on the KDA’s website at www.kyagr.com/hemp.


 The department received 326 applications and approved 121 in 2015. This year’s planting intentions totaled more than 1,700 acres, of which more than 922 acres were planted. In 2014, the first year of industrial hemp pilot projects, projects totaled just over 30 acres.


 The 2014 federal farm bill permits industrial hemp pilot programs in states where hemp production is permitted by state law. Legislation passed in the 2013 Kentucky General Assembly established a regulatory framework for industrial hemp production in Kentucky. Commissioner Comer led a bipartisan effort in support of the legislation, known as Senate Bill 50.


 For more information, contact the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Program at (502) 573-0282, Option 1, or hemp@ky.gov.

Benefits of Fall Soil Sampling

Photo from www.ipm.iastate.edu

As the crops leave the fields, your grass begins to slow down and gardens are put to rest, it is time to think about soil sampling.  I am a firm believer that one of the most important tools you can own is a soil probe.  Knowing your soil’s fertility levels and pH is key to having healthy and productive land.  It also has a huge impact on managing your inputs to help maximize outputs.

Fall soil sampling allows you ample time to implement research-based fertility recommendations before spring planting.  When you receive the soil test results, read the pH and lime recommendations.  You may need to apply lime to neutralize soil acidity.  To be fully effective, agricultural lime should be applied in the fall because it takes about six months to break down and react with the soil.  So, the earlier you spread lime, the better.

The turn-around time for samples is much faster in the fall, usually within a few days, because fewer people are submitting samples this time of year.

All recommended fertilizers, except nitrogen, can be applied this fall.  Buying fertilizer in the fall usually will save you money because prices are cheaper due to lower demand.  Also, we usually have drier soil in the fall making it easier to get the spreader truck into the field.

Farmers who don’t test fields and pastures can only guess at fertility needs.  Estimating how much fertilizer is needed often results in applying more than necessary. And this is an unnecessary expense, not to mention the negative environmental effect.

The McLean Cooperative Extension Service has soil sample bags, details on taking accurate samples and other pertinent information.  Soil samples analysis cost $7.

Your soil analysis report is based on that little pint of soil you submitted. So for the most accurate report, take the best soil samples possible.

You’ll need to take different samples for various land uses such as agricultural fields, lawn, garden, fruit trees, ornamental shrubs and azaleas because these may have distinct fertility and acidity or alkalinity requirements.

Take a sample from poor growing area and from adjacent areas of good growth. Mark each sample with a letter, or numbers on a field map.  Collect at least 10 soil cores for small areas and up to 20 cores for larger fields.

 How deeply you take cores for farm use depends on the tillage system used. For tilled areas, take cores from the surface to plow depth, usually six to eight inches.  Take cores down to a four-inch depth in no-till fields and pastures. For home lawns, take cores from the surface down to four inches. For gardens, ornamentals and fruit trees, take cores down to six to eight inches.  Be sure to take all cores from an area at the same depth.

After you’ve collected soil cores, put them in a clean, dry plastic bucket, crush the soil and thoroughly mix it.  Allow this to air dry in an open, contamination-free space.
When it dries, fill the sample bag and completely fill out the information sheet. A separate sheet is needed for agricultural soil, home gardens, lawns and turf grasses and commercial horticultural crops.

It’s a good idea to take core samples around the same time each year to compare results from year to year.

For more information about soil sampling, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Fall Nitrogen Considerations for Wheat in 2015

Fall Nitrogen Considerations for Wheat in 2015
Edwin Ritchey, Lloyd Murdock, and Josh McGrath – Extension Soil Specialists, University of Kentucky


Many producers have completed or almost completed corn harvest and getting ready to start drilling wheat. One question that keeps coming up is the need for a fall nitrogen (N) application. In most years there is adequate residual N following corn. However most areas in Kentucky in 2015 had very good corn yields and a considerable amount of rainfall earlier in the season. Good corn yields coupled with high rainfall probably means that there is very little residual N remaining in the soil profile. Numerous studies at UK have not shown a consistent yield advantage to fall N applications for wheat. However, fall N does stimulate growth and establishment of the stand. Too much fall N could reduce yields by causing excessive growth and more winterkill.


What does this mean for fall wheat growth and what should be done? Some states (e.g. Maryland) will not allow an N application prior to March 1st unless a soil nitrate tests indicate very low levels of soil nitrate (less than 10 ppm) in the soil profile. The University of Kentucky does not make N recommendations based on soil nitrate for wheat, but typical baseline soil nitrate values are around 8-10 ppm nitrate collected to a depth of 12 inches. If you are at or below this range, 30 lb N/A will probably not cause too much fall growth that would lead to management issues later in the season. The later wheat is planted, the more beneficial an N application will be to stimulate fall growth. Producers that decide to make a fall N application can easily achieve this if DAP (18-46-0) is being applied at or near wheat planting. A strict N source like urea or UAN can also be used with little potential for volatilization losses, but make sure to not exceed 40 lb N/A in the fall. For producers that are not applying DAP fertilizer in the fall, a good option is to wait to observe fall wheat growth and make N adjustments as needed. If yellowing or slower than normal growth is observed, then topdressing with 30 lb N/A is an option.

If you decide to not apply fall N, but are still curious as to whether it would have provided benefit, you can conduct your own research trial. Simply put three or more strips with 20 – 40 lbs N/A in random locations in your field this fall. Mark these “treated” locations with gps and/or flags. Follow the same spring N program for the entire field and then check your yield monitor data at harvest to see if there was a benefit. For more information or help conducting you own on-farm research contact your county extension office.

Winter Feeding for Cattle

As we move closer to cold weather, it is a good time to think about strategies for winter feeding of livestock. The cost of winter feeding the cow herd makes up 40 to 50% of the total variable costs of producing a weaned calf. Because winter nutrition is vital to calf health and cow reproduction, you must supply adequate nutrition while avoiding feed waste.

The goals of a winter feeding program may vary by calving season. Most beef herds calve in the spring or fall. In either case, we want to provide an economical ration that meets the cattle’s nutritional needs. Calves must be vigorous at birth since many are born during periods of cold stress, and the cows need to have an adequate milk supply.  After calving in the spring, cows need to cycle early and be in good condition so that pregnancy occurs before periods of extreme heat (in July).  The goals for fall calving herds are similar, but cows need to rebreed in December/January (accumulated fescue can work well for this). Calves also need supplemental feed from Feb. 15 to Apr. 15 when pastures are not normally available.

Dr. Roy Burris, UK Extension Beef Specialist explains that cattle in different developmental stages have different nutrient needs. You can meet these needs by separating the herd into groups with similar nutrient needs. You also make the most efficient use of feed resources this way. Not all facilities may be able to accommodate all the different groups of cattle you may have so stick with whatever amount of grouping you can do. If you can only do limited grouping, separate the animals having the greatest differences in nutrient needs and feed accordingly.

You also must consider the special problems of cold winter weather. Cold increases the rate at which feed passes through the digestive tract. Less time in the digestive tract means less digestion of nutrients. In other words, a high-fiber, lower-digestible feed provides even fewer nutrients in cold winter weather.

Cold weather also increases the cattle’s nutrient requirements, especially for energy. As wind chill drops below the low critical temperature for the animal, the amount of energy required for maintenance increases. Thus, prolonged cold periods decrease the digestion of nutrients from feed and increase the animal’s energy requirements. Producers can cope with long periods of cold by increasing the quality of the forage being fed or by substituting concentrates for a portion of the forage.

Certain nutrients, such as water, require specific attention in winter. If water intake is limited by freezing or cold weather, feed intake, especially of hay, decreases. Producers must keep water sources open in the winter and, if possible, above 40°F for maximum feed intake.

Vitamin A is critical. This is especially true in winter. Cows consuming high-fiber, low-quality hay and coming out of a hard winter will have used most of the vitamin A in their bodies. Supplement the vitamin in the winter by either feeding or injecting.

The greatest out-of-pocket expense for winter feeding is generally protein supplementation. Test your forage for protein content before you add a protein supplement. If a supplement is needed, do not purchase on price alone. Instead, purchase a supplement that is useful; that is, one high in natural protein. High NPN supplements have limited usefulness for cows being wintered on low-quality hays.

For more information on winter feeding of cattle, contact the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service at (270)273-3690.  Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Ohio Valley Small Farm Conference Helps Local Producers Plan, Improve Farm Operations

University of Kentucky and Purdue University Extension Services have teamed up to once again offer the Ohio Valley Small Farm Conference to help current, beginning, and prospective small farmers in the Tri-State plan, improve, and diversify operations.  

The day-long conference is filled with an array of small farm presentations and demonstrations.  Presentation topics will include backyard poultry health and nutrition, sheep and goat parasite management, growing tree fruit and brambles, pond management, nuisance wildlife management, organic soil amendments and pest control, high tunnel production, food safety and preservation, and small farm and niche marketing.

Demonstrations ongoing throughout the day will include sheep and goat hoof trimming, drip irrigation, nuisance animal trapping, cover crops, beekeeping, and more.

Conference participants will receive information on production methods and processes from a variety of local experts to plan for new ventures, improve profitability, and diversify current operations.  

The conference will held Saturday, October 24 at the Henderson County Cooperative Extension Service Office, 3341 Zion Road, Henderson, KY.  Registration begins at 8:30 AM CDT.  Presentations and demonstrations will run from 9:00 AM-3:30 PM.  Registration fee is $10 per person by October 19 or $15 per person at the door.

For more information or to obtain a registration brochure, contact Cary Hicks at the McLean County Cooperative Extension Service (270)273-3690 or cary.hicks@uky.edu.

Wheat for Hay Trial Results