The Gibson County Fair went very well this year. Despite the heat present that week, I am very glad we were able to avoid the heat of the previous two weeks. The Vanderburgh County Fair is on the slate this week, with Farm Bureau Young Farmers working the Evansville Dairymen ice cream booth on concert night, Wednesday. Should be a good day to attend the fair, with the dairy show occurring earlier on Wednesday.
The following week takes us into the county/state fair weeklong break. There's a No-Till Planter Workshop on August 2nd that I'll be sure to take in. SW Indiana SWCD districts have come together to bring down Barry Fisher for some educational entertainment. What really draws me in is the topic on potential farm bill cuts and NRCS programs. With the farm bill not coming back into official focus until 2012, this will be the first chance to speculate on what Congress is going to do to agricultural spending. Did I mention that it's also on August 2nd? Sounds like a good day to discuss government spending either way. We'll be around Boonville for the field day. For more information and how to RSVP, just click here.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Weekends
I have this weekend off of everything. It excites me to no end to have two days with absolutely nothing scheduled. No meetings, weddings, conferences, or conflicts. The family celebrated Father's Day yesterday, so that one is a freebie as well. I may mow the lawn Saturday, but that is the only day I guarantee getting out of bed.
Now that I have professed my laziness to the world, I am also pretty excited about the weekend of June 25th. Events that Saturday include the DHIA picnic and Obert Farms Open House, coincidentally the same event. Oberts will open up their new dairy facility to the public for tours at 9, 10, and 11 A.M., as well as 4 and 5 P.M. From 12 -2 P.M., lunch will be served. I plan on heading that way immediately following the Adventures with Nature Field Day at Tipsaw Lake. I get to present on weather just before lunch. With 30 minutes to present, I think we'll make cloud viewers. After heading over to Obert Farms, the North Posey Relay for Life gets a special treat this year with homemade ice cream being available. Rumor is 12 flavors, which would be nearly every flavor that the group that makes it can come up with. (I suspect Evansville Young Dairymen, but perhaps it's a SW IN Holstein effort. Hard to keep track of all these groups.)
The following two weekends should be blocked off for the Gibson County Fair. Mark your calendars!
Now that I have professed my laziness to the world, I am also pretty excited about the weekend of June 25th. Events that Saturday include the DHIA picnic and Obert Farms Open House, coincidentally the same event. Oberts will open up their new dairy facility to the public for tours at 9, 10, and 11 A.M., as well as 4 and 5 P.M. From 12 -2 P.M., lunch will be served. I plan on heading that way immediately following the Adventures with Nature Field Day at Tipsaw Lake. I get to present on weather just before lunch. With 30 minutes to present, I think we'll make cloud viewers. After heading over to Obert Farms, the North Posey Relay for Life gets a special treat this year with homemade ice cream being available. Rumor is 12 flavors, which would be nearly every flavor that the group that makes it can come up with. (I suspect Evansville Young Dairymen, but perhaps it's a SW IN Holstein effort. Hard to keep track of all these groups.)
The following two weekends should be blocked off for the Gibson County Fair. Mark your calendars!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Looking for Tomorrow
Today has been a good chance to dry out from the thunderstorms of yesterday, but we're looking to tomorrow for a pretty good chance of seeing thunderstorms again. On the plus side, river levels are still receding, but we are far too close to June for comfort in the fields at this point. They do say that, by state average, 50% of a crop can get planted in one dry week. Now, where did that one dry week go?
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center is your one-stop-shop for severe weather prediction data. Head over and check out the Day 2 Convective Outlook to see a Moderate (45% probability) Risk area engulfing Southwestern Indiana. Batten down the hatches for another storm as we wait for a third chance to continue the planting season.
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center is your one-stop-shop for severe weather prediction data. Head over and check out the Day 2 Convective Outlook to see a Moderate (45% probability) Risk area engulfing Southwestern Indiana. Batten down the hatches for another storm as we wait for a third chance to continue the planting season.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Emergency Preparedness
It's been a big day in news around the U.S., maybe even the globe. Here are some highlights that your friendly neighborhood Agriculture and Natural Resources educator is happy to point you toward:
The CDC finally has it together enough to recognize the impending zombie apocalypse. You can find out what makes an Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome threat different from or similar to, say, H1N1 here: http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp. I'm not kidding in the slightest here (at least about these links existing). The University of Florida might want to reconsider taking down their emergency plan for zombies a few years ago after this most recent expert recognition of the topic.
Apparently, after reading a full page ad in the USA Today on West Lafayette's campus today, the world begins to end on Saturday at 8 P.M. CDT or so with a massive earthquake. Interesting to note that the interview with the proprietor of this world's end theory does contribute the Chinese "exploding watermelon" craze as a sign of these end times. And here all along I thought misuse of forchlorfenuron (registered in Indiana for use on bushberries, mainly) as a plant growth regulator was the cause.
Finally, the real emergencies lie in the poor residents of the floodwaters now in the Mississippi Delta, the cleanup after the flooding in our area, the nuclear accident and tsunami in Japan, a debt-ridden Greece possibly reaching 15 percent unemployment in the near future, the ever-exploding powder keg of instability and human rights issues in the middle east, and numerous other humanitarian and environmental issues around the globe. Another day in the human comedy (oh so delicately related to tragedy) that is life. Purdue Extension in Gibson County still has hard copies of "First Steps to Flood Recovery" for those in need, as well as information on other natural concerns. Sadly, there is no official recommendation at this point for biting midges, but we're working on it.
The CDC finally has it together enough to recognize the impending zombie apocalypse. You can find out what makes an Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome threat different from or similar to, say, H1N1 here: http://emergency.cdc.gov/socialmedia/zombies_blog.asp. I'm not kidding in the slightest here (at least about these links existing). The University of Florida might want to reconsider taking down their emergency plan for zombies a few years ago after this most recent expert recognition of the topic.
Apparently, after reading a full page ad in the USA Today on West Lafayette's campus today, the world begins to end on Saturday at 8 P.M. CDT or so with a massive earthquake. Interesting to note that the interview with the proprietor of this world's end theory does contribute the Chinese "exploding watermelon" craze as a sign of these end times. And here all along I thought misuse of forchlorfenuron (registered in Indiana for use on bushberries, mainly) as a plant growth regulator was the cause.
Finally, the real emergencies lie in the poor residents of the floodwaters now in the Mississippi Delta, the cleanup after the flooding in our area, the nuclear accident and tsunami in Japan, a debt-ridden Greece possibly reaching 15 percent unemployment in the near future, the ever-exploding powder keg of instability and human rights issues in the middle east, and numerous other humanitarian and environmental issues around the globe. Another day in the human comedy (oh so delicately related to tragedy) that is life. Purdue Extension in Gibson County still has hard copies of "First Steps to Flood Recovery" for those in need, as well as information on other natural concerns. Sadly, there is no official recommendation at this point for biting midges, but we're working on it.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Getting Your Hands Dirty
Never pass up an opportunity to get your hands dirty. Today, I had the pleasure of being a presenter at the 4th Grade Farm Fair at the Gibson County 4-H Fairgrounds. We talked soils, including the layers and types, and attempted to make soil ribbons from sand and sandy loam. Needless to say, a lot of hand soap was expended. Other speakers discussed topics from composting to forestry, swine, quilting, recycling, and wagon rides. Definitely a fun day for both kids and presenters.
Other opportunities to get our hands dirty during the growing season abound through volunteering with the Southern Indiana Cooperative Weed Management Area. Their May newsletter came out very recently, to be found at their homepage, http://www.sicwma.org/. Those wanting to protect their hands can sign up for the Weed Watcher program, an observe and report program for invasive species that allows one to avoid having to pull any of the noxious weeds.
Also, the Gibson County Master Gardeners are picking up their volunteer work for the year. There will be a landscaping blitz at Lyles Station School in the near future, and all are invited to help. For more information on the blitz or the Master Gardener program, let me know (ph: 385-3491 or email hschmitz@purdue.edu)!
Other opportunities to get our hands dirty during the growing season abound through volunteering with the Southern Indiana Cooperative Weed Management Area. Their May newsletter came out very recently, to be found at their homepage, http://www.sicwma.org/. Those wanting to protect their hands can sign up for the Weed Watcher program, an observe and report program for invasive species that allows one to avoid having to pull any of the noxious weeds.
Also, the Gibson County Master Gardeners are picking up their volunteer work for the year. There will be a landscaping blitz at Lyles Station School in the near future, and all are invited to help. For more information on the blitz or the Master Gardener program, let me know (ph: 385-3491 or email hschmitz@purdue.edu)!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Flying on Fungicide in Wheat
$35.00/acre, give or take. That's what we're up against. Flying on fungicide in local wheat, while expensive, may be necessary this year, as the rains butted up against head emergence and flowering in wheat, exposing acres to the risk of Fusarium head blight (FHB). FHB infects and quickly ruins a wheat plant for any commercial use by rendering spikelets useless and accumulating mycotoxins that are dangerous to consume.
What makes an application of fungicide so expensive? Look for low flying yellow planes in the next few days. Wheat cannot be driven through at this point without a significant loss of yield, so the fungicide must be applied via plane at a higher cost.
Do the economics side with spraying? Even with a high risk of infection, the economics are a bit more difficult to justify. Assuming the risk turns real, total loss of a field is not out of the question. In this case, it is most likely justified to absorb the cost of spraying. If infection were not to occur, or not to be very severe, taking a DON dock at the elevator may be preferential to the extra cost. Either way, waiting until disease is present is not a wholly viable option. There is no curative for FHB, only preventatives. Those qualified to fly on fungicide will also get much more busy should FHB be found in the area.
For more information on fungicide decision-making, Purdue Extension specialist Kiersten Wise has a nice write-up in the latest Purdue Pest and Crop Newsletter.
What makes an application of fungicide so expensive? Look for low flying yellow planes in the next few days. Wheat cannot be driven through at this point without a significant loss of yield, so the fungicide must be applied via plane at a higher cost.
Do the economics side with spraying? Even with a high risk of infection, the economics are a bit more difficult to justify. Assuming the risk turns real, total loss of a field is not out of the question. In this case, it is most likely justified to absorb the cost of spraying. If infection were not to occur, or not to be very severe, taking a DON dock at the elevator may be preferential to the extra cost. Either way, waiting until disease is present is not a wholly viable option. There is no curative for FHB, only preventatives. Those qualified to fly on fungicide will also get much more busy should FHB be found in the area.
For more information on fungicide decision-making, Purdue Extension specialist Kiersten Wise has a nice write-up in the latest Purdue Pest and Crop Newsletter.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Flood Resources
Despite the threat of severe weather ebbing for a time, the flooding in Gibson County has been widespread, continues to be widespread, and will likely be a threat for the near future.
To ease the burdens of those dealing with flooding, emergency managers and organizations in the county are mobilized. To ease the troubled minds of any in the county, Purdue Extension has ample information (the best way to fight fear) on mitigating flood damage or cleaning up after the damage has been done.
For paper copies of any publication, please call the Gibson County Purdue Extension Office. One of the better resources we have to offer is called "First Steps to Flood Recovery," and this publication is currently available in our office, at the Red Cross office in Princeton, the USDA offices of SWCD, FSA, and NRCS in Princeton, and at the Gibson County Heath Department. A web link to the information is available at this address: http://www.extension.purdue.edu/floodpub/.
The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) is the main source for extension materials on natural disasters. By going to http://eden.lsu.edu/Topics/Hazards/Floods/Pages/Default.aspx, you can prepare yourself.
If you've been watching any of the broadcast meteorologists, you've heard the grim report that, despite all the tornadic activity in the Southeast and Midwest thus far, May is the month when most tornadoes occur, on average. Please prepare accordingly: http://eden.lsu.edu/Topics/Hazards/Tornado/Pages/default.aspx.
To ease the burdens of those dealing with flooding, emergency managers and organizations in the county are mobilized. To ease the troubled minds of any in the county, Purdue Extension has ample information (the best way to fight fear) on mitigating flood damage or cleaning up after the damage has been done.
For paper copies of any publication, please call the Gibson County Purdue Extension Office. One of the better resources we have to offer is called "First Steps to Flood Recovery," and this publication is currently available in our office, at the Red Cross office in Princeton, the USDA offices of SWCD, FSA, and NRCS in Princeton, and at the Gibson County Heath Department. A web link to the information is available at this address: http://www.extension.purdue.edu/floodpub/.
The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) is the main source for extension materials on natural disasters. By going to http://eden.lsu.edu/Topics/Hazards/Floods/Pages/Default.aspx, you can prepare yourself.
If you've been watching any of the broadcast meteorologists, you've heard the grim report that, despite all the tornadic activity in the Southeast and Midwest thus far, May is the month when most tornadoes occur, on average. Please prepare accordingly: http://eden.lsu.edu/Topics/Hazards/Tornado/Pages/default.aspx.
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