Harvest 2015

HARVEST

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 The Crescent-News

2015 Fall Farm Supplement

USDA program deadlines page 2

Smaller dairys turn to robotspage 12

Organic agriculture page 17

Lime fields in the fall page 9

1

2 2015 Harvest & Farm Tab The Crescent-News, Defiance, Ohio - Wednesday, October 7, 2015

WAUSEON — The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) has many programs for farm producers with sev-eral deadlines to meet for participation according to John Gaynor, FSA director for Fulton and Lucas coun-ties.

Fall is a busy season for harvest and fall planting of crops. However, it is a busy season for planning ahead for the next crop year whether it is tillage, pur-chases, drainage, or USDA programs.

Natural disasters can strike agriculture at any time. USDA has the Federal Crop Insurance (FCI) pro-gram with reasonable premiums and is offered through private insurance companies and their affili-ated agencies. But, not all crops are insurable.

For that reason, produc-ers can turn to FSA for protection through the Non-insured crop disaster

Assistance Program (NAP). Just about every agricul-tural type production crop can be covered for protec-tion with NAP that includes non-insurable crops for food, forage, fish, fiber, or feed, and specialty, sweets or seed.

There are two versions for NAP; basic or “buy-up.” The basic coverage is with a fee of $250 per crop not to exceed $750 per county.

For higher levels of pro-tection there is the buy-up that is much like the FCI coverage with a premium charged by FSA at the end of the covered crop’s grow-ing season.

The deadlines for some 2016 crops have passed; Aug. 31 for aquacul-ture (fish), floriculture, Christmas trees, sod grass, and a few other crops; Sept. 4 for nursery; and Oct. 1 for rye, barley and speltz. However, Nov. 20 is the final date to apply for NAP

coverage on most fall plant-ed or perennial 2016 crops; apples, forage (hay and pasture), peaches, pears, plums, hops, honey, straw-berries and maple sap to name a few.

March 15, 2016, is the NAP deadline for almost all other crops which are spring planted.

Eligibility for NAP and most all other USDA pro-grams offered through FSA depends on reporting acre-ages and, in some cases, reporting production. Two of the most important FSA acreage and production reporting deadlines in Ohio for 2016 are Dec. 15 and July 15, 2016.

The same dates apply for reporting to FCI agents. Fall planted 2016 crops and most perennials need to be reported to FSA by Dec. 1. A major example crop would be winter wheat. A copy of the FSA acreage report can be provided for

submission to the FCI agent if the wheat is insurable and enrolled in FCI.

However, in Ohio, the final planting date for win-ter wheat is Oct. 20 and, if weather does not cooperate, prevented planting reports need to be filed within 15 days (by Nov. 4). Failure to timely report may result in loss of historical credit or eligibility for NAP, FCI or benefits from many other USDA programs.

Dairy farmers may be interested in that Nov. 20 date for a different rea-son; the Margin Protection Program (MPP).

The deadline to enroll for the 2016 dairy MPP cover-age has been extended to Nov. 20. A $100 admin-istrative fee must be paid with MPP enrollment; how-ever, premiums are not due until Sept. 1, 2016.

As always, more infor-mation and more exten-

Reminder of USDA program deadlines

• USDA, Page 3

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The Crescent-News, Defiance, Ohio - Wednesday, October 7, 20152015 Harvest & Farm Tab 3

sive details about USDA

FSA farm programs in Ohio can be found online at www.fsa.usda.gov/oh. Individuals may also con-

tact your local FSA office located in most coun-ty Agricultural Service Centers.

USDAFrom Page 2

Ag officials talk about farm field runoff programs

COLUMBUS — It will take a lot of money or a lot more regulation and tax consequences to achieve short-term, large-scale reductions in farm field runoff that have con-tributed to the state’s toxic algae issues, according to one Ohio State University economics professor.

And Brent Sohngen, professor in OSU’s Department Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics, said existing programs probably are not sufficient to meet the 40 percent phosphorus reduc-tion being sought by some state officials.

“Individual farms are a minus-cule part of the problem, even if they happen to apply manure in the middle of winter,” he said. “I think that if you’re going to have some actual regulations that would have an impact, they’d have to dig a lot deeper than that. They’d have to get substantially more extensive in terms of regulating the amount of phosphorus and nitro-gen applied every year to have an actual impact.”

Sohngen was one of the speakers featured in a panel discussion on

water quality issues at this year’s Farm Science Review, a large-scale agricultural trade and research show that takes place annual-ly about a half an hour west of Columbus.

One focus of the discussion was this session’s Senate Bill 1, which was passed by state lawmakers in March and signed into law by Gov. John Kasich.

The new law prohibits manure and fertilizer applications onto northwestern Ohio farm fields dur-ing soggy weather or freezing tem-peratures unless the nutrients are injected or incorporated into the soil within 24 hours or applied to growing crops. Farmers who ignore the restrictions could face fines.

Additionally, the legislation requires increased monitoring and testing of phosphorous levels at certain publicly owned treatment facilities and restricts the disposal of dredge material, among numer-ous other provisions.

Lawmakers have said the legisla-tion is not the final solution to the harmful algal blooms that have hit Lake Erie and other areas of the state, and they are eying additional legislation and policy changes to

further address the issue.There’s no silver bullet to fix the

situation quickly, said Sam Custer, an OSU Extension educator from Darke County.

“We have a lot of work to do in this area,” he said. “It’s occurred over many, many years, and it’s going to take some time to work through this and try to come up with a solution.”

Custer said heavy rains in the state through July have added to algae issues this year.

“As I looked at the charts this morning, much of Lake Erie has algal blooms in it,” he said, adding that most of the areas are ranked in the medium range, not severe.

Glen Arnold, state field specialist for manure nutrient management systems and an associate professor at OSU Extension, questioned how much of a role livestock farmers are having in the algae situation.

He used northwest Ohio as an example — the manure produced by livestock in that area of the state provide less than 23 percent of the phosphorus needed by corn, soy-beans and wheat grown annually in the western Lake Erie basin.

“We don’t have an excess of phos-phorus in northwest Ohio by any

stretch,” he said, adding later, “A lot of times in the media, livestock is the whipping boy of the media. It’s just important to point out, I think, that we’re a relatively small percentage of all the phosphorus in the watershed.”

Sohngen said, based on his cal-culations, the recent legislative changes won’t have a huge impact on water quality.

“The state is saying it needs a 40 percent reduction in phospho-rus emissions... that’s an enormous threshold to meet,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any (existing) voluntary/subsidy program ... that would actually get us to that 40 percent reduction. ... We could use the programs we have to get a mea-surable reduction, I don’t doubt that. But it’s not going to be the reduction that everybody says we need to solve the water quality problem we have.”

Accomplishing the latter, he said, will require broader-based programs, different incentives for farmers and regulations on the amount of phosphorus and nitro-gen applied to fields.

“Our current regulatory system or our current subsidy system is not leading to any desired reduc-tion,” he said. “If you want to use these less effective methods, it’s just going to cost more.”

Discuss new fertilizer, manure application laws affecting regionBy MARC KOVAC OhioCapitalBlog [email protected]

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Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Nutrient Reduction Program continues

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Nutrient Reduction Program is a current nutrient reduc-tion program in certain tar-geted watersheds that offers cost-share for soil testing, cover crops and an agro-nomic systems — group combo of soil testing, fer-tilizer placement and cover crops.

One of the targeted water-sheds is the Flatrock Creek Watershed which spans from south of Payne to Defiance. The program will

continue into 2016.The soil testing should be

grid or zone sampling that is no more than 7.5 acres in size.

It is for acres that have not been tested (grid or zone) since 2010, or before.

The soil test should include recommendations for phosphorus, potatssi-um, CEC (cation-exchange capacity), pH and appli-cation maps. The fertiliz-er placement needs to be applied according to Tri-State Fertility recommenda-

tions and placed a mini-mum of 1.5 inches below the surface.

The cover crops require a seed tag for proof of ger-mination and purity of seed along with planting records, seeding date and maps. The cover must be an over-wintering variety and maintained until March 15.

Subsurface fertilizer placement has been proven to be the most effective way to reduce nutrient run-off. In response to the fertilizer placement needs, Mercer

Landmark has invested in a strip till unit.

It has a 12-Row Orthman 1tRipr (for more informa-tion visit http://www.orth-man.com/our-products.aspx?itemid=2048&pagetitle=1tRIPr); Montag Twin Bin; and dual products (phos-phorus and potassium application).

To meet the agronomic systems approach, a pro-ducer would need to broad-cast or drill the cover crop in before using the tool.

For more information about the NRP, contact Deb Hubbard at Paulding County Soil and Water

• PROGRAM, Page 5

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New corn disease — tar spot — found in MidwestA few weeks ago, tar spot,

a new disease of corn caused by the fungus Phyllachora maydis was reported for the first time in the U.S., first in Indiana and then in Illinois.

It was later found as far east as Allen County, Ind., bordering Paulding County in northwest Ohio.

So, although tar spot has not yet been confirmed in Ohio, it is quite possible that it may be present in the northwestern corner of the state.

What does it look like? Even though corn is dry-

ing down, if tar spot is pres-ent, you can still detect it on dry, senescent leaves almost as easily as you can

on healthy leaves. So, please check your

fields to see if this disease is present.

According to Dr. Wise, my counterpart at Purdue University, “Symptoms of tar spot begin as oval to irregular bleached to brown lesions on leaves in which black spore-produc-ing structures are formed... giving the symptomatic areas of the leaf a rough or bumpy feel to the touch… resembling pustules on leaves with rust. Lesions … may coalesce to cause large areas of blighted leaf tissue. Symptoms may also be present on leaf sheaths and husks.”

What causes tar spot and how damaging is it?

Tar spot is caused by the

fungus Phyllachora maydis, but the greatest impact of this disease in terms of yield

loss occurs when P. maydis-infected plants are infected by a second fungus called

Monographella maydis.

By PAUL PIERCEOSU Extension

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PROGRAMFrom Page 4

Photo courtesy of Purdue Extension Service

Symptoms and signs of tar spot on corn leaves is shown, it includes brown lesions and black fungal structures.

Lesions can cause large blighted areas of tissue. Signs of tar spot can resemble saprophytic growth on leaf tissue.

• SPOT, Page 6

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So far, thankfully, only the first fungus has been reported in the U.S. (Ind. and Ill.)

In regions such as Mexico where tar spot has been known to cause substantial yield losses, the two fungi act as a team, with Phyllachora maydis first infecting the plants, followed by infec-tion with Monographella maydis.

Damage tends to be most severe under cool, humid conditions at high elevations.

Where did it come from and will it survive and become established?

At this point it is unclear how tar spot got here.

It is not known to be seed-borne or infect other plant species, so corn seeds and weeds are unlikely to be the sources of inoculum.

However, the fungus can survive and be moved around on fresh and dry plant materials such as

leaves and husks. In addition, since spores

of the fungus can be car-ried by water and wind, there is some speculation as to whether it came in on a tropical storm.

Since tar spot is gen-erally considered a tropical disease (com-mon in Mexico, parts of South America and the Caribbean), it is unlikely that the fungus will sur-vive the harsh Midwest winter and become estab-lished here. However, we’ll have to wait and see and do the research to learn more about this disease.

What should I do if I find tar spot?

If you see anything that fits the description of or resembles (the pic-ture on Page 5), tar spot, please inform your state specialist, field specialist, or county extension edu-cator. Most importantly, farmers and field spe-cialists are asked to send samples to my lab (1680 Madison Ave., Wooster) for testing and verifica-tion.

SPOTFrom Page 5 Keeping a close eye on avian flu

COLUMBUS — State agri-culture officials are keeping a close eye on the skies this fall, as migratory birds pass through Ohio — potentially bringing with them a virus that has devastated poultry flocks in a couple of other states.

This is the time of year that avian influenza could find its way into Ohio farm-ers’ flocks, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture is urging diligence and strict adherence to bio-security measures to ensure chickens and turkeys and other domesticated fowl aren’t infected.

“Migration has already started, so we’ll see what this virus looks like when it comes back down through from Canada,” Tony Forshey, who heads the Ohio Department of

Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health, said dur-ing a recent question and answer session at Ohio State University’s Farm Science Review.

“We’ve stepped up bio-security. We’ve had a lot of education outreach on bio-security for our produc-ers and the public in gen-eral. We will continue that through this fall," he said.

Poultry is big business in Ohio.

The state is the second largest egg producer in the country, with 28 million laying chickens. The state’s poultry industry employs more than 14,600 people and pumps $2.3 billion into the state’s economy, accord-ing to statistics compiled by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

Avian flu, which is believed to be spread by migrating birds to domes-tic flocks, has affected tens of millions U.S. birds, with Iowa and Minnesota hit hard earlier this year.

“This is the worst live-stock disaster this country has ever seen financially,” Forshey said.

“It’s incredibly expen-sive. We’ve learned a lot of things now on cleaning and disinfecting and those sorts of things. Those flocks are

repopulating now in Iowa and Minnesota, and we’re just hoping they don’t get hit again.”

No cases of avian flu have been identified in Ohio in domestic or wild bird pop-ulations. Earlier this year, the agriculture department banned live bird displays at county fairs as a pre-caution against spreading highly pathogenic avian flu in Ohio.

Forshey said the state will reevaluate the fair ban at the end of the year to deter-mine whether to continue to bar live bird displays at next year’s events.

“We essentially disap-pointed 9,000 kids this year by not allowing them to show their birds at the fair,” he said.

“But the positive part of that is I’ve had a lot of con-tact from fair boards after fairs were over saying they had some really good, posi-tive education opportuni-ties this year. They imple-mented some things, very creative, and in fact they tell me next year even if they have birds they’re going to still do some of these things. It’s pretty neat," Forshey added.

The bottom-line message

By MARK KOVAC OhioCapitalBlog [email protected]

• AVIAN, Page 7

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to producers, Forshey said, is to make sure they’re keeping their poultry operations secure and free from outside contaminants, with a focus on “enhanced bio-security — have their plans in place so that they establish clean areas and dirty areas and watch as they move back and forth between those.

"Simple things like where do you park your cars as employees... You don’t park in between buildings, you park them out away from that and then walk in. It only takes on little mistake in bio-security and you have an outbreak," he said.

AVIANFrom Page 6

Jenny Derringer/C-N Photo

Migratory birds, such as geese, may poten-tially have the avian flu. Ohio ag officials are keeping a close eye on flocks and encourag-

ing increased biosecurity measures on farms.

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New opportunities are brewingIn accordance with the

missions of the organiza-tions, an initiative was launched between the CIFT (Toledo) and the Agricultural Incubator Foundation (Bowling Green) to explore the poten-tial for alternative crops with economic viability for

the region and state. Ohio beer manufacturers

send an estimated $4 mil-lion out of Ohio annually by purchasing the flowers of the hop plant, called hop cones, or “hops,” from growers outside the state.

Hops are needed for fla-voring and stability in the

brewing of beer and bal-ance the sweetness of the malt with bitterness there-by contributing to a vari-ety of desirable flavors and aromas.

Ohio State University researchers estimate that within the first year, grow-ers can expect a hops yield

of 200-1,800 pounds per acre, depending on the cultivar, with an estimat-ed value of $2,000-$25,200. In the second and subse-quent production years, yield increases to 500-2,200 pounds per acre valued at $7,000 -$30,800.

Hops are sold on the open market, with the northwest United States supplying the majority of U.S. hops. Currently in Ohio, hops are primarily grown in gardens and by homeowners on a small scale, but there are some growers increasing to a larger production capac-ity.

This project is allowing the hops plant to be grown in Ohio and accommodate to Ohio’s conditions and

soil types. Research has been con-

ducted that evaluated everything from new hop cultivars to different insect and disease control meth-ods.

The ultimate goal of the project is to allow beer man-ufacturers in Ohio to spend their money in Ohio by pur-chasing crops such as hops that are grown locally.

A demonstration plot has been established with 240 plants representing 10 different varieties in order to evaluate productivity, operational requirements, disease stresses, process-ing considerations, and the market potential for this

OSU Extension photo

Ohio State University researchers estimate that within the first year, growers can expect a hops yield of 200-1,800 pounds per acre, depending on the cultivar, with an estimated value of $2,000-$25,200.

• HOPS, Page 9

8Farm


crop in northwest Ohio. Conversations with the

microbrewing industry

solidify the interest in the product and in some cases willingness to pay a pre-mium so the premise is to develop a business model that enables growers to capitalize.

HOPSFrom Page 8

Fall is perfect time for considering liming fields

Fall is an excellent time to test soil pH and determine whether any lime needs to be applied for future crops. Proper soil pH is important for nutrient availability, herbicide activity and crop development.

For most soils, additional lime is not needed every year.

Consider these points before liming your fields:

Do I need lime? Each year we hear sto-

ries of people adding lime to their fields without a soil test. The grower has a source of free waste-prod-uct lime that they pick up and apply to their fields.

In many cases their soil pH was fine, but they did not want to pass up a “good deal.”

Without knowing the soil pH, a grower may inadver-tently raise their soil pH to the high 7’s.

At this elevated pH, cer-tain nutrients may become limited and the productiv-ity of their crop may be reduced and require spe-cial management practices. Western Ohio has the great-est risk of elevating soil pH from careless applications of lime.

A soil analysis is the best step to determine if a field needs lime.

What is the pH of my subsoil?

Generally a laboratory recommends lime when the

soil pH drops two to three units below the desired value.

The desired value depends upon the crop and the pH of the subsoil. In parts of Ohio where the subsoil pH is less than 6 for mineral soils (eastern Ohio), additional lime is recom-mended after the soil pH

drops to 6.2 for corn and soybean, and 6.5 for alfalfa. In other parts of the state (generally western Ohio), the subsoil pH for mineral soils is greater than 6 and lime is not needed until the soil pH drops below 6 for corn and soybeans, and 6.2 for alfalfa.

Private laboratories may

not take in account the sub-soil pH and use recommen-dations based on a subsoil pH less than 6 for all parts of the state, possibly recom-mending lime applications several years earlier than needed for some areas.

By ED LENTZ and STEVE CULMANOSU Extension

• LIME, Page 10

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What is the effective neutralizing power of my lime source?

An important item from a lime analysis report is the effective neutralizing power (ENP) value, which is required for material sold as lime for agricul-tural purposes in Ohio. This value allows a pro-ducer to compare the qual-ity among lime sources because ENP considers the purity, neutralizing power (including fineness) and moisture content.

In other words, the ENP tells you how much of that

ton of lime actually neu-tralizes soil acidity. The unit for ENP is pounds a ton (be careful not to use percent ENP, which may also be on a lime analysis report). The ENP allows a producer to compare dif-ferent lime sources because they can now determine price per pound or ton of actual neutralizing mate-rial.

Should I use “hi cal” or dolomitic lime?

In most situations it does not matter, so a pro-ducer can select the least expensive of the two lime sources. Transportation is often the largest cost of a lime material, so gener-ally the closest lime source

(quarry) is often the most economical.

Several parts of the state are historically low in soil magnesium (eastern and southern Ohio).

Adequate soil magne-sium is important to reduce the risk of such problems as grass tetany for grazing animals.

Soil test magnesium lev-els need to be greater than 50 ppm (100 pounds) for optimal corn, soybean, wheat and alfalfa produc-tion.

Often areas low in mag-nesium also need lime, which has made the appli-cation of dolomitic lime an economic solution for both concerns.

The ratio between cal-

cium and magnesium is important. Soils should contain more calcium than magnesium.

Extensive research has shown that crops yield the same over a wide range of calcium to magnesium ratios and will not affect crop production as long as the calcium to magnesium ratio is larger than 1.

High calcium lime should be used in situa-tions where the soil test cal-cium to magnesium ratio is less than 1, or in other words, the soil magnesium levels are greater than the soil calcium levels.

We have not observed any Ohio soil tests where the magnesium levels are above the calcium levels. Also keep in mind that almost all dolomitic lime sources will contain more calcium than magnesium. Unfortunately, some pro-ducers have been led to believe that magnesium levels in dolomitic lime may be undesirable.

The Ohio State University is currently investigating the importance of calci-um to magnesium ratios in crop production since the last Ohio research was completed in the early 1980s.

For now, the focus should be selecting lime on its ENP rather than its calcium level.

How about gypsum as a lime source?

Gypsum is not a lime source.

It does not have the right chemical composition to neutralize soil acidity, such as carbonate (gypsum is calcium sulfate).

Gypsum is used as an amendment for soil physi-cal properties and/or as a fertilizer providing cal-cium and sulfur.

In summary, make sure you take a soil test to deter-mine if lime is needed, determine if magnesium is needed, know the historic pH of your subsoil, and then use the ENP to select the most cost effective lime material.

A soil test every three to four years will determine the lime requirements for your fields.

Additional information on ENP and lime sourc-es and liming rates may be found at the following location: http://agcrops.osu.edu/specialists/fer-tility/fertility-fact-sheets-and-bulletins/AGF505.pdf.

LIMEFrom Page 9

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USDA extends dairy margin protection program deadlineWASHINGTON —

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that the deadline to enroll for the dairy Margin Protection

Program for coverage in 2016 has been extended to Nov. 20. The voluntary program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, provides

financial assistance to par-ticipating farmers when the margin — the difference between the price of milk and feed costs — falls below

the coverage level selected by the farmer.

“The fall harvest is a busy time of the year for agri-culture, so this extension

will ensure that dairy pro-ducers have more time to make their choices,” said

• DAIRY, Page 12

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Vilsack. “We encourage all operations to examine the protections offered by this program, because despite the very best forecasts, markets can change.”

Vilsack encouraged producers to use the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Agency Service (FSA) online resource at www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool to calculate the best levels of coverage for their dairy operation. The secure website can be accessed via computer,

smartphone or tablet.He also reminds produc-

ers that were enrolled in 2015 that they need to make a coverage election for 2016 and pay the $100 adminis-tration fee. Although any unpaid premium balanc-es for 2015 must be paid in full by the enrollment deadline to remain eligible for higher coverage levels in 2016, premiums for 2016 are not due until Sept. 1, 2016. Also, producers can work with milk marketing companies to remit premi-ums on their behalf.

To enroll in the Margin Protection Program for

Dairy, contact your local FSA county office. To find a local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov.

Payments under the pro-gram may be reduced by a certain percentage due to a sequester order required by Congress and issued pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. Should a payment reduc-tion be necessary, FSA will reduce the payment by the required amount.

The Margin Protection Program for Dairy was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill.

DAIRYFrom Page 11

Smaller dairies turn to roboticsGRANITEVILLE, Vt. (AP)

— Robots have taken up residence at some small- and medium-sized dairy farms across the country, providing reliable and more efficient labor and helping the businesses remain via-ble. Plus, farmers say, the milking technology makes for happier, more produc-tive cows.

Dairy operations here and abroad have used robot-ic milkers for more than a decade. But with more manufacturers and dealer-ships emerging the U.S., the number of smaller farms in Iowa with the technology has doubled over the last

two years, from roughly 20 to more than 40, and family farms in the Northeast also are plugging in.

The cost of not automat-ing the milking process might be greater for some farmers than shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars, experts say. The technology supplants pay-ing for hard-to-find and migrant labor, creates time for other farm duties and collects vital data about the animals. Perhaps most of all, it boosts the number of gallons of milk being produced because cows get milked when and as often as they want, though

it doesn’t affect consumer milk prices.

The reason robots might make sense for many small- and medium-sized farms in the Northeast is because of the challenge of finding reli-able workers and outdated infrastructure that makes the operations inefficient, said Richard Kersbergen, with the University of Maine Extension.

“There’s a lot of farm-ers that are interested but are concerned about the financial costs with it,” noted Kersbergen, who just returned from studying farms in the Netherlands,

AP Photo

In this Sept. 2 photo, a cow voluntarily gets milked by a robot at Lambert Farm in Graniteville, Vt. With trouble finding reliable labor and technology more readable available, some family dairy farms from the Northeast to the Midwest are turning to robots to milk cows to stay competitive.

• ROBOTICS, Page 14

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where he said more than half used robotic milk-ers because of high labor costs.

But the price can be a high obstacle to clear. Jennifer and Jesse Lambert took out seven-year loans for about $380,000 last year to install two robots and retrofit a barn at their organic dairy farm in Graniteville.

They were looking for a more consistent way to milk their cows, more time to spend with their new-born son and more money in their pockets.

They are saving $60,000 per year that used to go to paying one full-time and one part-time employee,

and their cows are produc-ing 20 percent more milk.

“No one wants to milk cows,” Jennifer Lambert said.

“Even when we had employees, the last thing they wanted to do was milk cows, especially on the weekend.”

Plus, cows thrive on con-sistency, she said, some-thing farmworkers can’t always provide but robots do, which she says leads to more relaxed cows.

Ron Lawfer’s cows have produced about 20 percent more milk since two robots were installed in December 2014. The 55-year-old fig-ures he, his wife and son would have been out of the milk business in a couple of years if they hadn’t built a new $2 million facility near the northern Illinois town

of Kent to accommodate a growing herd and the milk-ing technology. They spent $400,000 of that on robots and accessories.

“We weren’t large enough to support two families ... basically that’s what it boils down to, we were not effi-cient,” he said.

But robots aren’t for everyone, said Larry Tranel, a dairy specialist with the Iowa State University Extension.

“It’s a technology that it’s kind of scale-neutral in a sense because every robot can handle about 60 cows,” he said, “and when you start going larger than that people figure out pretty quick that it’s probably cheaper to hire the labor and put in a big parlor. It really becomes a money game.”

ROBOTICSFrom Page 12

Looking at cover crops for winter manure application

A major goal of farmers is keep-ing manure and fertilizer out of surface water and Lake Erie.

Farmers are busy harvesting soy-beans and corn and they will need to get their cover crops planted soon to have a live crop for winter application. The “new” rules state that farmers may apply manure and fertilizer {nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)} in a granular form to a growing crop in the winter.

This article will discuss options for growing cover crops.

The goal with cover crops is to mimic natural processes and to keep soil nutrients recycling rather than running off in surface water. For example, in the early 1800s about 60 million bison (buffalo) roamed the U.S. These bison did not stop eating or pooping in the winter. So we need to learn some lessons from the bison. First, spread your manure and fertilizer nutrients thin and second apply it to a live crop. Some of the best

crops to apply manure nutrients are grasses that survive the winter because they have a fibrous root system and these plants are good scavengers of N amd P.

The biggest problem is getting the cover crop planted in time so that it grows and survives the win-ter, has enough density, and has enough height. All cover crops should be planted as early as pos-sible (August-September) to get as much growth as possible before winter. A general rule is that plants have roughly 50 percent of

their growth above ground and 50 percent below ground at matu-rity. Grasses, however, spend a lot of energy on root production in the winter, taking in nutrients and water all winter long.

The following characteristics are needed for a good cover crop if nutrients are applied in the winter. First, the plant needs to survive the winter and have an adequate root system to absorb N and P. Second, a fibrous root system (grasses) is

By JIM HOORMANOSU Extension

• COVER, Page 15

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generally better than a tap root (legumes like alfalfa and brassicas like radish) that may leach nutrients to surface water. Third, the cover crop needs to hold up equipment in the winter, be easy to kill in the spring, and not cause problems for the next growing crop. If it can be utilized as a forage crop for livestock feed, that is a bonus.

Grass cover crops that fit this description include cereal rye (1-1.5 bushel/acre), triticale (1.5 to 2 bushel/acre because of big-ger seeds), barley (75-100 pounds/acre), wheat (1-2 bushel/acre), and annual ryegrass (18-25 pounds/acre). Generally, wheat is a little harder to kill in the spring and annual ryegrass takes more management to kill it and keep it from becoming a weed. Seeding

rates should be 25-50 per-cent higher than normal rates if you want to win-ter apply manure or fertil-izer. The goal is to have a good dense population of live plants, a tall growing plant, and a healthy root system to absorb nutrients. While oats is a great cover crop, it is not recommend-ed because it dies out in early winter.

Many farmers like to use cover crop mixtures that include brassicas, legumes, or clovers. For brassicas, kale may be seeded by itself at 2-5 pounds an acre or rape by itself at 3-5 pounds an acre. These brassicas generally survive the win-ter if planted before mid-October. If using bras-sicas in a three-way mix-ture, keep a winter grow-ing grass as the main cover crop and add 1-2 pounds an acre maximum brassica seed to the mixture. Plant no more than 1-2 pounds/

acre radish in a mixture but this is not really recom-mended because the radish may get a large taproot, they die in the winter, and they leach nutrients.

For legumes and clo-vers, plant crimson clover at 12-15 pounds an acre by itself or 5-6 pounds an acre in a three-way mix-ture. True Winter Peas (Windham, Lynn but not Austrian Winter peas) may be planted at 12-18 pounds an acre in a mixture and red clover at 8-12 pounds an acre are all good cover crops (grasses are better). Avoid applying manure or fertilizer to old pastures with short grass (no roots) or old alfalfa hay fields (fourth-fifth year) due to thin stands and deep tap roots that tend to leach nutrients. Just remember, your liability still exists for manure or nutrient runoff, even if it is applied to a live crop.

COVERFrom Page 14 Floodplains have an

important purpose

As Mother Nature con-tinues to dump many inches of rain on Paulding County and surrounding areas, flooding is becom-ing a frequent event.

Once the rivers, creeks and streams reach maxi-mum capacity the excess water must go some-where.

The excess water goes into a designated flood-plain.

Floodplains are low, flat, periodically flooded lands adjacent to rivers, creeks and streams. They pro-vide temporary storage space for floodwaters and sediment produced by the

watershed. Floodplains serve many different pur-poses.

When left undisturbed in a natural state, flood-plains store water and dissipate floods with-out adverse impacts on humans, buildings, roads and other infrastructure.

Without floodplain access, which serves the essential purposes of slowing floodwaters and storing sediment, stream banks are subjected to the full power of flood flows, leading to extensive dam-age and erosion.

Water quality is improved in areas where natural floodplain cover

By STACI MILLEREducation specialistPaulding SWCD

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acts as a filter to remove impurities from run-off and overbank flows. Natural floodplains mod-erate water temperature, reducing the possibility of adverse impacts on aquatic plants and animals.

Floodplains provide hab-itat for diverse species of plants and animals, some of which cannot live any-where else.

They are particularly important as mating and feeding areas.

Floodplain management is a continuous process of making decisions about

whether and how flood-plain lands and waters are to be used.

It encompasses the choices made by owners of floodplain homes and businesses, decisions made by officials at all levels of government, development plans made by owners of commercial flood prone land, and the judgment of farmers with pastures and fields stretching to the riv-erbanks.

There are many differ-ent programs and options available to landowners in floodplains. Feel free to contact the Paulding Soil and Water Conservation with any questions about floodplain land and the

options for this land by developing a conservation plan.

It’s very important for people to understand how important floodplains are and use caution when

building in a floodplain as well as using it for agricul-tural land.

If you want more infor-mation about flood haz-ards in our area go to www.fema.gov or www.

floodplain.org. Flooding can happen at

any time and this year has proven to be a wet sum-mer, it’s important to be aware of floodplains and understand their functions.

PLAINSFrom Page 15

Photo courtesy of Paulding SWCD

Blue Creek is shown out of its bank west of U.S. 127 in Paulding County. early this year. Floodplains are low, flat, periodically flooded lands adjacent to

rivers, creeks and streams. They provide temporary storage space for floodwa-ters and sediment produced by the watershed.

Marketing assistance loans are availableNAPOLEON — The

United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers of the availability of Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs).

The Agricultural Act

of 2014 authorized 2014-2018 crop year Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs), with a few minor policy changes.

Among the changes, farm-stored MAL collateral

transferred to warehouse storage will retain the origi-nal loan rate, be allowed to transfer only the outstand-ing farm-stored quantity with no additional quantity

• LOANS, Page 17

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Study highlights opportunities for organic agricultureCOLUMBUS —A govern-

ment survey of U.S. organic farms shows Ohio’s growth in organic sales follow the national trend, and while the number of organic farms in Ohio fell slightly over the past five years, Ohio farmland in organic production has increased by more than 10,000 acres since 2008.

The United States Depar tment o f Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service (USDA NASS) released results from the 2014 Organic Production Survey recently, reveal-ing a 72 percent increase in organic sales since 2008,

as well as a slight decrease in the number of organic farmers and total organic acreage in the U.S.

“While the decrease in the number of organic farms nationally and in Ohio is a concern, Ohio remains in the top 10 of states in the number of organic farms in operation,” said Amalie Lipstreu, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) policy program coordinator.

More than 40 percent of Ohio organic farmers earn between 75 and 100 per-cent of their income from organic farming.

“The data show that organic farming provides

a full-time occupation for many farmers and there is a future in organic produc-tion as demand outpaces supply for organic food in the U.S.,” said Lipstreu.

These results also show a strong commitment to the organic market as more than 40 percent of Ohio’s organic farmers plan to increase organic produc-tion.

In 2015, OEFFA has also seen an increase in the num-ber of farmers seeking certi-fication for the first time.

While 78 percent of organic sales are to whole-sale markets, the first point of sale for 80 percent of all U.S. organic products was

less than 500 miles from the farm.

“The growth of local and regional food systems as well as access to large wholesale markets provide huge growth opportunities for organic farmers,” said Lipstreu.

This study represents the second comprehensive sur-vey of organic agriculture in the U.S.

“The ability to have trend data and analysis of organic agriculture in Ohio and the U.S. provides information critical to the organic indus-try and the farming com-munity,” said Lipstreu.

“Continuing to collect and analyze this informa-

tion will help current pro-ducers as well as those considering a transition to organic agriculture under-stand the growing demand, price premiums, and pro-duction challenges.”

OEFFA is one of the old-est and largest organic cer-tification agencies in the country, and offers educa-tional programming and support to organic farm-ers and businesses, and those looking to transition to organic. For more infor-mation, visit http://www.oeffa.org.

The complete report can be accessed at the USDA Census of Agriculture website.

allowed and will no longer require producers to have a paid for measurement ser-vice when moving or com-mingling loan collateral.

MALs and LDPs provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, corn, and other feed grains, soy-beans, and other oilseeds, pulse crops, wool and honey.

MALs provide produc-ers interim financing after harvest to help them meet cash flow needs without having to sell their com-modities when market prices are typically at har-vest-time lows. A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo

the loan, may obtain an LDP if such a payment is available.

FSA is now accepting requests for 2015 MALs and LDPs for all eligible commodities after harvest. To be eligible, a producer must maintain continual beneficial interest in the eligible commodity.

Before MAL repayments and LDP disbursements can be made, producers must meet the require-ments of actively engaged in farming, cash rent tenant and member contribution.

Commodity loan eligi-bility also requires com-pliance with conservation and wetland protection requirements, acreage reporting requirements, and ensuring that the com-modity meets Commodity

Credit Corporation mini-mum grade and quality standards.

The interest rate for com-modity loans approved in September will be charged 1.375 percent per annum until Jan. 1, at which time the interest rate will adjusted to the interest rate in effect for January 2016.

For more information and additional eligibility requirements, call or visit a local FSA county office.

Area Farm Service Agencies can be reached at the following numbers: Defiance County, 419-782-4781; Henry County, 419-592-2926 ext. 2; Paulding County, 419-399-3841; Williams County, 419-636-2057; Putnam County, 419-523-4871; and Fulton County, 800-877-4691.

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Women in agriculture mentoring network set

WASHINGTON, D.C. (USDA) — From the class-room to the farm to the boardroom, women in agri-culture are helping to pave the way for a better future.

As leaders, it is our respon-sibility to make sure the next generation of women are educated, encouraged and empowered to take on the challenges of meeting

the world’s growing food, fuel and fiber needs.

To help women in Ohio connect with other women leaders in agriculture all across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has established a women in ag mentoring network. Join the conversation by email-ing [email protected] or check out #womeni-

nag on Twitter.Nationwide, there are

969,672 women farmers in the United States. That

means that 31 percent of America’s farmers are women, who farm approxi-mately 301,386,860 acres.

In addition, women in agriculture have a $12.9 bil-lion economic impact in the nation.

USDA Graphic

Women farmers in Ohio create a deep economic impact on the state. Nearly a third of all farmers in the state

are female. Women can now take part in an ag mentoring network via email or Twitter.

Gardner to speak at ag-business breakfastTOLEDO — Serving his first consecutive term

in the Ohio Senate, state Sen. Randy Gardner will address issues facing agri-culture in Ohio at the monthly Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum on Oct. 15 from 8-9:30 a.m, hosted by the Center for Innovative Food Technology (CIFT) at the Agricultural Incubator Foundation.

Senator Gardner pre-viously served in the

chamber from 2001-08. He also served as a mem-ber of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1985-2000, and again from 2008 -12. Among many other awards and acclamations, Gardner has been named Legislator of the Year by the Ohio Disabilities Council, and the prestigious Watchdog of the Treasury Award numerous times for

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Arrive early, as breakfast and informal networking will start at 8 a.m., with the program to follow. The cost is just $10 per person (cash or check at the door) which includes breakfast and networking opportu-nities.

The Northwest Ohio Ag-Business Breakfast Forum is an educational networking opportunity to provide information on current issues, trends and programs available to the agricultural community and those who support its advancement.

The Agricultural Incubator Foundation is located at 13737 Middleton Pike (Ohio 582) in Bowling Green. Walk-ins are wel-come, but guests are encouraged to reserve a seat in advance by contact-ing [email protected]

The Center for Innovative Food Technology is a

developer and provider of technical innovations and solutions for the food pro-cessing, agribusiness and agricultural sectors of the economy in our region, our state and beyond. These innovations and solutions are developed in order to enhance the economic per-formance of the food pro-cessing and agricultural sectors. More information is available at www.ciftin-novation.org.

BREAKFASTFrom Page 18Meeting scheduled on Senate Bill 1

nutrient application restrictions

The Defiance Soil and Water Conservation District, OSU Extension, NRCS, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources will be hosting an informational meeting on Senate Bill 1 regula-tions on Nov. 16 from 6-8 p.m. at the Evergreen Lane Office Complex at 06879 Evansport Road, Defiance. Matthew Lane, with ODNR Division of Soil and Water Resources; Bruce Clevenger, OSU Extension Educator; and SWCD staff will review the new law and answer specific questions that producers may have about manure and fertilizer applications.

Having become effec-tive on July 3, Senate Bill 1 places restrictions on agricultural nutrients, addresses dredging and disposal of dredged mate-rial in Lake Erie, and pro-vides additional restric-tions on waste water treat-ment plants throughout the Western Lake Erie Basin in an effort to curb the transport of algal-fueling dissolved reactive phosphorus to Lake Erie.

This watershed encom-passes nearly 5 million acres throughout 24 coun-ties.

Understandably, the District has received many inquiries about the restric-tions that this law will place on the application of fertilizer and manure. Although the details are spelled out below, it is imperative to keep in mind that this law restricts the application of fertilizer and manure under spe-cific conditions, such as frozen and snow covered ground, saturated soils, and before significant pre-

cipitation events. In addi-tion, the law also provides a few exemptions such as when nutrients are inject-ed into the soil, incorpo-rated within 24 hours, or are applied to a growing crop. Remember that any exemption to Senate Bill 1 is strictly an exemption on the ability to apply manure or fertilizer. The NRCS 590 Nutrient Management Standard still applies regardless of Senate Bill 1 exemption status.

This standard includes guidance on nutrient application rates in addi-tion to specific applica-tion setbacks from resi-dences, wells, ditches, and other features. The 590 standard can be found at: http://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/references/public/OH/11-01-2012_Ohio_590_Standard.pdf.

Also, Ag Pollution

Abatement rules continue to be applicable, with or without exemptions, pro-hibiting the discharge of manure and sediment to waters of the state. Be aware that the precipita-tion and soil saturation stipulations under Senate Bill 1 are applicable 365 days a year; therefore, it is important to check and print off a copy of the weather forecast prior to applying any nutrients.

So, what specifically does Senate Bill 1 restrict? Under the law, no per-son in the Western Lake Erie Basin (see map Page 21) shall surface apply manure under any of the following circumstances:

• On snow-covered or frozen soil

• When the top two

By JASON ROEHRIG District administratorDefiance SWCD

• BILL, Page 21

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Nutrients targeted in Platter Creek

Defiance SWCD has recently been awarded a 319 Nonpoint Source grant for $366,492 to implement best management practices in the Platter Creek water-shed.

The goal of this grant is to establish 6,000 acres of cover crops, 4,000 acres of variable rate fertilizer appli-cation, 4,000 acres of gyp-sum with no till, 10 grade stabilization structures, and three saturated buf-fers. Although these goals

are very ambitious for a small watershed over a three-year period, we look forward to seeing measur-able water quality and soil improvements when the practices are accomplished.

It is estimated that with these practices installed there will be a reduction of about 34,554 pounds of nitrogen, 11,633 pounds of phosphorus, and 4,065 tons of sediment entering into the Maumee River every year! That is a lot of expen-sive fertilizer and valuable soil that can be saved! This will be a significant contri-bution as the entire Western

Lake Erie Basin works to reduce nutrient inputs to Lake Erie.

Monitoring stations have already been sampled since

May 2014 at two locations within the watershed. As practices are adopted, it is anticipated that the water quality results will improve.

Additional sampling loca-tions may be considered to measure improvements.

Interested landown-ers and operators should call the Defiance SWCD to apply. Acres enrolled in another cost share program for the same practice are not eligible. Currently, this program is only available for acres within the Platter Creek watershed.

The cost share rate for each practice will be 50-75 percent of the bills sub-mitted with the maximum amount of reimbursement listed in the chart below. It is not too late to consider cereal rye as a cover crop this year as long as you sign up and plant before Nov. 1. Contact Stephanie Singer at 419-782-1794 for more pro-gram information.

By STEPHANIE SINGER Watershed coordinatorDefiance SWCD

PRACTICE COST BENEFITS SHARE

Cover crops

Gypsum with no till

Variable rate fertilizer

Grade stabilization structures

Saturated buffer

Up to $30 an acre

Up to $20 an acre

Up to $12 an acre

Up to $750 a structure

Up to $3,000

Erosion Control. Adds organic matter, improves soil tilth and productivity. Improves infiltration and water holding capacity. Facilitates nutrient recycling, crop emergence and root develop-ment.

Gypsum has been shown to reduce the amount of fertilizer and soil particles leaving the field. No-till improves soil structure and builds organic matter.

Allows fertilizer to be applied at correct agronomic rates based on grid or zone samples. Savings in fertilizer cost.

Designed to stabilize areas where water is leaving the field. Localized erosion control and less fertilizer leaving the field.

Designed to increase water infiltration and increase the effec-tiveness of filter strips. Creates the ability to hold water back for dry seasons.

Students learn about stream water

Students in Jacob Panico’s Fairview High School Chemistry class received some first-hand experience using their chemistry skills.

The class met with the

By STEPHANIE SINGER Watershed coordinatorDefiance SWCD

• WATER, Page 23

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inches of the soil are satu-rated from precipitation

• When the local weath-er forecast for the applica-tion area contains greater than fifty percent chance of precipitation exceeding one-half inch in a 24-hour period

As mentioned above, restrictions on the surface application of manure do not apply under any of the following circumstances:

• The manure is injected into the ground

• The manure is incor-porated within 24 hours of surface application

• The manure is applied onto a growing crop

In the event of an emer-gency, the Chief of the Division of Soil and Water Resources or the Chief’s designee provides written consent and the manure application is made in accordance with proce-dures established in the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service prac-tice standard code 590 pre-pared for Ohio.

Senate Bill 1 does not prohibit the stockpil-ing of solid manure pro-vided stockpiling is per-formed in compliance with Standards for Stockpiling in NRCS Job Sheet 634.

Small and medium sized livestock operations may also apply for an exemp-

tion through local SWCDs with small operations potentially being eligible for an exemption through July 3, 2017, and medium sized operations potential-ly qualifying for an exemp-tion through July 3, 2016.

Also, for those receiving manure from an ODA per-mitted livestock facility, all recipients must either be a Certified Livestock Manager or have complet-ed the Fertilizer Applicator Certification program.

In addition to restrictions on manure, Senate Bill 1 also restricts the applica-tion of fertilizer. These restrictions are identical to the above manure appli-cation restrictions with the exception of the local weather forecast.

Fertilizer application is

prohibited when the local weather forecast for the application contains great-er than fifty percent chance of precipitation exceeding one inch in a 12-hour peri-od.

As with manure, the fer-tilizer application restric-tions do not apply if:

• The fertilizer is injected into the ground

• The fertilizer is incor-porated within 24 hours of surface application

• The fertilizer is applied onto a growing crop

It is important to note the difference between the local forecast requirements for manure and fertilizer applications and plan applications accordingly.

A weather prediction can be obtained from the National Weather Service

at http://weather.gov. The local forecast can be found by entering the zip code for the area where the manure application will occur. Before applying nutrients, an applicator should check this weather forecast and print a copy to keep with his or her records.

As producers prepare for next year’s crop nutrient applications, it is impor-tant to understand Senate Bill 1 restrictions and make nutrient applications accordingly.

Be sure to read up on the law, attend meetings, and reach out to your local SWCD for guidance.

BILLFrom Page 19

Corn and Soybean Day set in Archbold

ARCHBOLD — Corn and Soybean Day has been scheduled for Jan. 22 at Sauder Village's Founders Hall in Archbold. The annual event has a variety of speakers as well as exhib-itors that share infor-mation on management practices for the upcom-ing crop production sea-son. The event is open to the public. Contact an area OSU Extension office for information.

21Farm

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It’s not too late for cover cropsIt has been a long, tough

and exhausting year for farming. Remember way back when April showers brought May floods and let’s not talk about the rain in June. I’m not sure what those brought.

One thing I am confident in is that your soil spent a significant part of the spring and early summer under saturated conditions which was not good for your crops or for all the biology in your soil. All of that biology is what allows your crops to flourish in the growing season, so it

is vitally important to give our soil a jump start for next crop season. One of the best ways to do this is by plant-ing a cover crop.

Some people may think that it is too late for cover crops to be planted and that is not true. There are species that can be planted at this time of year that will get some growth and be able to survive the winter. At this point in the year cereal rye is your best option.

Cereal rye can be plant-ed as late as November as it has a low germination temperature. Although, I would encourage planting cereal rye as soon as pos-sible to get the most ben-

efit from the rye allowing it to put down soil-building roots this fall.

If at all possible I would also recommend either drilling the rye in the soil or incorporating the cover crop in the soil to get a better stand. If you have a standing corn crop there are highboy applicators and aerial services in the area that can seed your cover crop, but we have seen mixed results with the lack of seed to soil contact that this form of seeding provides. Wheat and triti-cale are also some options for cover crop seeding at this time in the year. Most of the other cover crops will frost kill and at this point would not provide enough benefit to outweigh the cost of planting.

Cover crops provide many benefits to your future crop and your soil. Those benefits vary by species. In general, cover crops scavenge nutrients or are a nutrient source for your coming crop, help-ing to hold your fertilizer in your field and keep it out of Lake Erie. Having a growing crop in your field also makes an ideal time to apply nutrients for the com-ing cash crop that will give those nutrients the greatest opportunity to be utilized instead of being lost off the

farm. They can also build soil

structure as well as loos-en soil compaction either caused by weather condi-tions or man-made com-paction, which will help those fields dry out faster in the spring and hold more moisture during the sum-mer months. Most cover crops prevent erosion and provide lasting residue to help manage soil tempera-ture and moisture for your future crop. They can also help prevent weed pres-sure possibly resulting in reduced herbicide cost.

This plant diversity grow-ing on your farm will also help the soil micro and macro biology to flourish helping your cash crop to earn you more cash.

Like anything that is new to your operation, there are always questions and con-cerns. I would encourage you to try a field and see what you think. I would also tell you to leave a test strip to visually see what that cover crop is doing for you.

One place to go for help on selecting a species and planting dates would be the Midwest Cover Crops Council website http://mcccdev.anr .msu.edu/VertIndex.php.

It has a wonderful cover crop selector and it will tell you what each species will accomplish and when to plant that specific cover crop. That site has a num-ber of articles and resources to look at in order to make an informed decision about cover crops in order to ben-efit your land. Also, the Midwest Cover Crops Field Guide is a handheld book full of cover crop informa-tion to help you make deci-sions about cover crops.

I have a few copies here at the office if you are in need of one and they can also be found at Purdue’s website https://ag.purdue.edu/agry/dtc/Pages/CCFG.aspx, for $5.

Purchasing cover crops can be done at a number of local elevators and seed dealers in the area. I would encourage you to be cau-

By TYLER MILLERDefiance SCWD technician

Photo courtesy of Purdue University Extension

Cereal rye can be planted as late as November because it has a low germination temperature. Frost may kill other cover crops at that point in time.

• CROPS, Page 23

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tious about purchasing seeds from the Internet or from a source that seems too good or cheap to be true because it probably is and you don’t want to cre-ate weed or other problems in your field.

For those of you who don’t have whole fields to seed, there are companies that provide cover crop mixes for gardens that can provide all the same ben-efits as cash crop growers and create a beautiful fall landscape for your garden.

These cover crops can reduce weed pressure which will reduce pressure on your back next spring. There are too many compa-

nies to list so I would just encourage you to do a little research in order to create a user friendly, beautiful garden for next year.

Although it has been a tough year, farmers have to be the eternal optimist, and there is always next year. So let’s get a head start on next year by planting some cover crops.

Then maybe next year’s April showers will just bring May flowers.

If you have further ques-tions contact your local SWCD. Here in Defiance County, you can contact Defiance SWCD at 419-782-1794. You can also contact the NRCS or OSU Extension offices to help you make an informed decision about cover crops on your farm.

CROPSFrom Page 22

Defiance Soil & Water Conservation District Watershed coordinator Stephanie Singer to per-form water quality tests on Platter Creek and Sulphur Creek. The water sampling is part of an effort to col-lect monthly data on local streams. Panico’s students participated in the fall and spring last school year and plan to help again this spring.

The students used a hand held meter to measure the water’s pH and tempera-ture, and a sediment stick to determine the total sus-pended solids, or the clar-ity of the water.

In a more complicated test, they measured the dissolved oxygen in the

water with a redox titra-tion (Does anyone remem-ber doing one of these in chemistry lab and thinking “what could this possibly be for?” — well, here is your answer). They col-lected samples to be ana-lyzed for nitrogen, phos-phorus and dissolved reac-tive phosphorus. The data collected is part of a study of eight watersheds in the Upper Maumee for the purpose of reducing nutri-ents traveling to the river and Lake Erie.

It is very useful because it can help resource pro-fessionals focus on areas with higher nutrient con-centrations directing fund-ing towards programs to improve fertilizer place-ment, increase soil health or to replace failing home septic systems.

WATERFrom Page 20

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Ohio beekeepers to host conference

PLAIN CITY — The Ohio State Beekeepers Association will have its fall conference on Oct. 31 in Plain City.

The conference will be

from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Tolles Career and Technical Center, 7877 U.S. 42. Individuals may register for the conference at www.OhioStateBeekeepers.org.

Cost is $25 for association members if they pre-reg-ister or $35 for members at the door. Cost for non-members are $35. A boxed lunch is $9 and will only be available with pre-paid registration.

The fall conference will feature an open honey judging. Attendees will be able to watch the judging throughout the day. There is no cost to enter the contest, but entries must be pre-reg-istered. Categories include: light extracted honey, wax, flavored granulated honey and gift baskets. Prizes will be awarded for first and second places as well as a best of show. There will also be a team conducting Nosema testing at the con-ference. Individuals need to pre-register for the test (specimens brought in for

testing should not be live bees).

There will be several edu-cational sessions held dur-ing the conference as well as an awards ceremony, elec-tion of officers and business meeting.

During session 1 the fol-lowing individuals will speak: Tom Seeley on “Following the Wild Bees: The Craft and Science of Bee Hunting,” Kent Williams on “Using Nucs for Increase,” Michele Colopy on “Creating Your Own Pesticide-Free Pollinator Habit,” and Reed Johnson on “Nosema — is the Cure Worse than the Illness?”

Session 2 topics include: “Capturing Swarms with Bait Hives” by Seeley; “Small Scale Queen Rearin,” by Williams, “OSBA Apiary Diagnostic

Kit Easy Monitoring for Increased Sustainability” by Alex Zomchek, and “The Basics of Business Legal Structures” by Christie Welch.

Session three will feature Seely on “Forest Bees and Varroa Mites: Lessons for Sustainable Beekeeping,” Williams on “Breaking Your Chemical Dependency,” Welch on “Selling Honey in the Local Food Focused Economy” and Zomechek on an upcoming bee topic.

In addition to gathering information, attendees may also stock up on beekeep-ing supplies from various vendors that will be at the conference. In addition, Hannah Whitehead from Ohio State University will be having a survey regard-ing Ohio beekeepers and their approaches and atti-tudes regarding Varroa control available.

The Ohio State Beekeepers Association is a nonprofit organization with a mis-sion to promote beekeeping in Ohio. Its board is com-prised of 23 voting mem-bers with 18 members rep-resenting nine regions in Ohio. Northwest Ohio is in the Maumee Valley region. The regional director is

The Ohio State Beekeepers Association will have its fall conference on Oct. 31 in Plain City. Individuals are

asked to pre-register for the event at www.OhioStateBeekeepers.org.

• BEES, Page 25

24Farm

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Kingsbury Place, a senior living community by Enlivant, received a Deficiency Free Survey from the State of Ohio for 2015.

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Students in Ohio can visit virtual pig farm

COLUMBUS — Ohio stu-dents can visit farms with-out ever having to leaving their classrooms through a series of virtual field trips to Ohio pig farms, offered throughout the 2015-16 school year by the Ohio Pork Council (OPC) and Farm Credit Mid-America.

The unique, interactive experience transforms ordi-nary classrooms into vir-tual pig farms as students and teachers video chat live with, and have their ques-tions answered by real Ohio pig farmers using Google Hangouts.

Farmers, along with an OPC representative, show their farms and share what it takes to raise pigs, from pregnancy through birth and growth to market weight.

The program is being expanded after positive results and feedback from a pilot program last spring, where three Ohio pig farm-ers welcomed 934 students from 25 school to their farms.

“This program gives student and teachers who would otherwise never visit a farm the opportunity to interact with modern agri-culture in a way that can be

applied to a wide variety of educational subject mat-ter,” said Jennifer Osterholt, OPC’s director of market-ing and education.

The field trips are open to all grades, but are spe-cialized to help grade 4-5 classrooms meet education-al requirements and stan-dards in social studies and science. Ohio FFA students may also participate in the program to gain insight while exploring modern swine production.

Classrooms have three options to join the virtual field trips: an interactive, live session; watching a live feed of a field trip; or watching a pre-recorded field trip.

Teachers are encouraged to learn more and sign up at ohiopork.org/fieldtrip or by contacting Jennifer Osterholt at [email protected] or 614-882-5887.

The Ohio Pork Council was established in 1968. Currently, OPC has approx-imately 2,500 members. Its mission is to serve and ben-efit all Ohio pork produc-ers. To learn more about the Ohio Pork Council, visit www.OhioPork.org or call 614-882-5887.

Dwight Wilson and repre-sentative is Mike Soboleski.

Directors report to the state board regularly. Regional representatives serve for one-year terms and vote as full members of the board.

BEESFrom Page 24

25Farm

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NEIGH Day a success in 2015, to grow in 2016NAPOLEON — From a

concept and formal appli-cation for two grant fund-ing opportunities, NEIGH (Notable Exploration of the Equine Industry Globally & at Home) Day became a reality in 2015.

From the grant propos-als through the Ohio 4-H Foundation and Special Horse Program grant funds through the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association, NEIGH Day became a real-ity.

On April 4, Henry County 4-H provided a first-time program that focused on

youth exploration of equine careers.

While having the oppor-tunity to learn equine spe-cific knowledge/skills from guest speaker profession-als.

NEIGH Day provid-ed 4-H youth enrolled in equine projects and/or have an interest in equine as well as youths not in 4-H, an opportunity to explore traditional and non-tradi-tional equine careers that exist globally and within the United States.

As part of the day-long event a variety of profes-sionals within the common and not-so-common ave-nues of the equine industry

shared their work experi-ence from a personal per-spective.

Those perspectives included education requirements, pros and cons, and day to day tasks involved in the various careers represented.

The professionals also provided, practical appli-cable information through hands-on activities that covered a variety of equine topics. Forty-six individu-als attend this first year, with eight youth stating they were specifically look-ing for information about professions they could pursue.

Twelve equine related business professionals were present to describe and discuss their occupa-tions/businesses with the youth and adults attend-ing. Those businesses include: equine health fields (equine vet assist-ing); nutrition and equine food production; harness horse racing industry; farri-er/blacksmithing; training and breeding; agri-tourism and entertainment; thera-peutic riding; tack and products in the industry; education and writing in the equine industry.

A scavenger hunt was developed for the youth so as to encourage the, to ask questions of the equine

professionals.Henry County is grateful

for being named recipient of the Ohio 4-H Foundation and the Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association special horse program fund-ing. Without the participa-tion of the following equine businesses and individuals, the program would not

have been possible as well: Amber Moffet, Buckeye Nutrition; Debbie Disbrow, president of RAMM Horse Fencing & Stalls; Patty Wolff, owner, and Tracey Lewis, physical therapist at Timber Wolff Stables Hippotherapy Program; Amanda Berges, The Saddle Tree- Saddle Repair & Fitter and equine writer; Jerry Knappenberger, general manager of Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association; Morgan Parcher, veteri-nary assistant-equine at Kessen Veterinary Clinic; Kyle Sharpe, Sharpe Horse Shoeing; Lisa Wylie, owner of WB Ranch; Alex DeWitt, The Ohio State University student in equine stud-ies; Allie Sindel, owner of Good Time Performance Horses; Trish and Brie Ross, stable owners; Jason Perkins, owner of Miniature Horse demon-stration; Lindsay Ferguson,

By LAURA ROHLFHenry Co. OSU Extension

Photo courtesy of Henry County OSU Extension

Amber Moffet of Buckeye Nutrition talks with indi-viduals during the Notable Exploration of the Equine Industry Globally & at Home (NEIGH) Day held in Henry County this year.

• NEIGH, Page 27

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Stock Horse demon-stration. In addition to these individuals being present, Rod’s Western Palace, Tina Bastian and Rachelle Wilhelm, tech-nical writer for Clinton Anderson-Down Under Horse Training, all pro-vided door prizes for the event.

Each person and volun-teer who attended were also provided a draw-string goody-bag with equine related informa-

tion and sample prod-ucts. NEIGH Day 2016 is in the works and in hopes of doubling the partici-pation by professionals offering their experiences and attendees alike.

If you are a professional who works in the equine industry and would like to share your story and information with young people searching for career information, con-tact Laura Rohlf, exten-sion educator, 4-H Youth Development at [email protected] or 419-592-0806 ext. 206.

NEIGHFrom Page 26

Photo contest turns focus on the Black Swamp Nature Center

PAULDING — The Paulding Soil and Water Conservation District is sponsoring a photo contest at the Black Swamp Nature Center.

This is an opportunity for county residents to explore the wonders of the Black Swamp Nature Center and capture the beautiful of nature and its elements. Photos must be taken at the Black Swamp Nature Center between the dates of Sept. 1–May 1, 2016.

This contest is open to all residents in Paulding County.

Each resident may sub-mit up to three photos for the contest.

Age divisions are under 18 years old and over 18 years old. Photos must be 8x10 in size and may not be framed or matted.

The photo should be placed in a clear sheet pro-tector.

Photographs can be black and white or color.

The each photo should have a label or note card attached to the back of it with the resident’s name, address, phone number, email, age division and date the photo was taken.

Photos will not be returned upon completion of the contest. Paulding SWCD reserves the right to use all photographs in pub-lications or for promotional purposes.

All entries are due by May 1 to the Paulding SWCD office at 503 Fairground

Drive, Paulding 45879. Photos will be judged at the 2016 Paulding County Fair.

Prizes will include $25 for first place in each division and $10 for second place in each division.

Contact Staci Miller, edu-cation specialist at 419-399-4771 or [email protected] for additional questions.

The Paulding SWCD wants to encourage county residents to take part in this photo contest and go out and enjoy the wonders of nature at the Black Swamp Nature Center.

By STACI MILLEREducation specialistPaulding SWCD

Photo courtesy of Paulding SWCD

Wild fowl swim near the Black Swamp Nature Center in Paulding. The Paulding Soil and Water Conservation District is

hosting a photo contest at the cen-ter. Photos will be judged at the 2016 Paulding County Fair.

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Harvest 2015