Franklin County Agronomy

Where’s the water? What will be the yield?

2010-07-06T08:15:00.003-04:00

With the recent lack of rain in our area and around the state many are wondering where is the water. At the Franklin County Extension office we haven't had a rain give us more than a tenth of an inch since June 9^th. During this same period our estimated evapo-transpiration has averaged about two tenths of an inch per day. This has left us with dry soils and corn that is showing signs of stress. The real question that comes up though is what does any of this mean for yield? For this we need to go back to the physiology of corn and look at what is happening currently and how stress will affect that. In general, when talking strictly about grain yield, our younger corn will weather a dry period without yield losses much better than our older crop. These younger crops are typically developing roots which may be limited due to drought but can recover if good moisture follows. The only real critical time for this young corn is the V-4 to V-5 stage where the number of kernel rows is determined by the plant.

Typically the corn that has not reached V-12 will have little yield loss. At the V12 to V14 stage the corn plant is initiating multiple processes which will set in stone what the maximum yield will be. These include; ear number determination (only on prolific hybrids), ear size, and number of kernels per row. Once these variables are in place we head into the critical time around silking. From R1 to maturity we have to have good conditions for the ear to silk in time for pollen shed as well as pollinated kernels to fill. Drought conditions around the silking time may lead to unfertilized kernels, thus decreasing yields. Once fertilization has occurred moisture and nutrients are still required to push fill.

This may seem like an effort in futility since we have little to no control on the amount of water our crop receives. However, if you are looking to make management decisions based on yield projections now is a good time to make sure you adjust yields if you feel your corn has been stressed to that point.

Manure use and Alfalfa

2010-06-16T08:19:00.003-04:00

As the dairy industry continues to try to find ways to cut costs many are scrutinizing field amendments to attempt to decrease input costs. Obviously we cannot limit nutrients to crops but sometimes simply changing where those nutrients come from may be of economic benefit. A perfect example of this is the use of manures for potassium in alfalfa.

On dairy farms we often have an excess of manure and our manures are typically pretty high in potassium. We also often have lots of acres of alfalfa that need potassium fertilizer. On alfalfa fields we typically use commercial fertilizers to add only the nutrients needed to the sward. One of the main issues with manure on any of our crops is the fact that it is a complete package fertilizer so we get even the nutrients we don't need, in this case nitrogen. If all of the manure could be used on corn, it would be better to save the manure for the corn ground where you will get more of the full value of the nutrients, especially N. In this case you need to push the pencil to see if it is more economical to buy N for the corn or K for the alfalfa.

Excess nitrogen can lead to increased competition in alfalfa stands of grasses as well as other weeds. Because of this the typical recommendation is to not use alfalfa on newly established stands. Older stands will likely be rotated in a few years and may also have a competitive advantage to the young stands when it comes to keeping weeds at bay.

Another important note on using manures in alfalfa is to stay away from manures that may clump or get picked up with future harvests such as dairy pack manure. Dry poultry manure may be used on alfalfa stands but typically our liquid manures are the best option.

Manure application to alfalfa should occur immediately after a cutting is taken. Make sure you have a current soil test as well as manure test and apply to potassium levels to get a lower rate of application. This lower rate will allow less traffic across the field and can limit the negative impact on the alfalfa stand that may be seen from the heavy loads.

So yes, application of manures to alfalfa can be an economic way to get a cheap source of potassium; however some negatives may be realized. Remember the best practices are

Apply to oldest stands or declining stands
Use only liquid manures or poultry litter
Apply directly after cutting
Minimize traffic on fields

Crop costs are set and in the ground.

2010-06-15T08:59:00.004-04:00

As seeds are placed in the ground and even our second pass with herbicides and nutrients are over do you know what your crop has already cost you? If not I recommend you take a hard look at your inputs thus far in this growing season. Input costs are largely set with the exception of harvest for corn as well as many of your other crops. Getting a handle on what your total cost in the field is will be crucial for setting a breakeven price for your crop. Many costs from this point on are easily estimated due to past costs associated with the particular crop. The only variable that cannot be accounted for is weather and thus yield, which will make a tremendous difference in breakeven. From this point on we will keep one eye on the growing crop and one eye on the past production we have seen to try to come to a sound estimate on this year's yield potential. As you hone in on your yield marketing decisions can be made and executed only when you have a firm grasp on the dollars already invested in the crop and the dollars it will take to harvest and transport it.

Even for those of you who don't sell your crops but utilize them on your farm this is a very important time to focus costs. You now have in the ground a significant portion of your feed costs for next year to set a break even on your products you will be shipping off farm. Utilize the dollars spent now to start finding the price points to identify in futures that could keep you profitable.

It is still too early to have a clear picture of what price options we will have during and after this growing season. As we gather and interpret information now the more prepared we will be to make the decisions we need to later in the season to secure profit and/or minimize losses.

Important Corn Pest Information

2010-05-24T14:23:00.003-04:00

This spring Penn State Extension in Franklin County set up a network of eight sites to monitor populations of black cutworm moths and true armyworm moths. One of these sites was in the St. Thomas area. This trap received significant flights of both black cutworm moths and armyworm moths. These numbers raise the risk of damage by these pests, please read the following statements for management considerations.

The most important step for you to take at this time is increase your level of observation and scouting in your corn fields. The distribution of these pests can be very spotty, so it is often the case that very few acres are infested and will need to be treated with insecticides. Specific information pertaining to scouting, economic thresholds and life cycles are important to understand and consider. Initial scouting for these pests involves moth trapping, which indicates a possibility of local populations of caterpillars developing. Unfortunately, higher local populations of moths does not always lead to damaging populations of caterpillar, but the correspondence is strong enough to warrant a warning of potential damage to growers in the vicinity..

Black cutworm moth:

Cutting behavior of black cutworm caterpillars is expected 300 growing degree days after the significant flight. The Penn State Agronomy program in Franklin County has recently established a weather station in Chambersburg Pa and has been tracking growing degree days since the significant flight occurred. The threshold was reached on Sunday 5/23/2010. Now is the time to start scouting corn fields to look for cutting damage. Economic thresholds for treatment are 2, 3, 5, and 7 cut plants per 100 for seedling, V2, V3, and V4 respectively.

Treatment options for at-risk areas vary but can include higher rates of neonicotinoid seed treatments where corn has not been planted and planting lines of Bt corn with activity against black cutworm if seed is still needed; however, growers should recognize that neither of these options are completely effective. The most economical control method for cutworm is scouting fields and applying rescue treatments where cutting activity exceeds economic thresholds.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/black-cutworm , or by visiting the local extension office.

True armyworm moth:

One of the most important management considerations when dealing with true armyworm is to make sure in areas where you have cover crops or heavy weed cover that you allow a 2 week period after the plants are dead until you plant. This would lead producers trying to get a timely planting of corn who have yet to spray to use a quick killing herbicide such as gramoxone instead of glyphosate.

Once corn is established scout fields closely, especially where heavy cover was. If you find more than 10 percent of your corn in a given field has an infestation of armyworms treatment is encouraged. Armyworms typically are found hiding in the whorl of corn during the day and their feeding creates a ragged looking leaf. In bad cases the leaves will be fed on until nothing but the mid-rib is left.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/armyworm, or by visiting the local extension office.

Finally, I would ask that you share this with other farmers in your area who may not receive Agronomy Notes. The greater the awareness of this issue, the less likely we will have economic losses due to these pests. As always, if you have any questions or need hard copies of the fact sheets mentioned above feel free to contact me at the extension office 717-263-9226 ext. 227. I am often away from my desk but check messages frequently.

Rules of the Road: An Update for Agriculture

2010-05-18T14:02:00.003-04:00

There is no question that agriculture and the public are constantly interacting. One of the most common areas, for good or for bad, is on public roadways. The large question that does remain, however, is what public regulations do and do not apply to those who are in production agriculture. This question has received heightened awareness over the past months with new legislation passing in regards to farm operations on public highways. Although, like most legislation, some of the law is written in ways that are not so plain, hopefully this article will bring some clarity to the situation.

In 2007 Pennsylvania's motor carrier regulation were audited by the Unites States Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. As a result of this audit deficiencies were found in our current regulations. These deficiencies had to be changed by March of 2010 in order to stay current with the Federal regulations. After much deliberation the final outcome to those involved in agricultural production is one of little change. The changes to our regulations mainly focus around the operation of farm trucks above 17,000 lbs. GVW.

New Intrastate (within state) Requirements for farm trucks above 17,000 lbs:

Age: Those under age 18 are not permitted to operate a farm truck/trailer combination on public roadways (All licensed drivers can operate straight trucks).

Medical Certificate: Required for farm trucks (straight and combination) operated more than 150 miles from the farm.

Inspections: Pre and post trip inspections for both straight and combination farm trucks

Vehicle Maintenance Records: Required for straight and combination farm trucks

New Exemptions:

Planting and Harvest season has been extended to include all 12 months

Service Hours/Logs: Not required if operating within 100 miles of the farm
Additional Logs: Not required if operating more than 100 miles but less than 150 miles from the farm

Driver History/Testing: Not required for drivers operating within 150 miles of the farm

Custom harvest operators receive 'farming' exemptions

Beekeepers receive 'farming' exemptions

A common question that comes with the increased regulations is often; 'what do I do to get a medical certificate. An online form can be printed from http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/medical/aboutdotexam.htm and filled out by your family doctor. This completed form may be used as the certificate or you may use it to qualify yourself to purchase a medical card.

Another question arises with pre and post trip inspections. The post trip inspection must at least cover the following areas: brakes, parking brake, steering, lighting and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rearview mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims and emergency equipment. The driver must list any conditions found or state that no conditions were found, either way the driver must sign the form. Prior to the next trip the next driver must sign off on the form stating any deficiencies have been corrected or that they do not require immediate attention. If a post trip form lists deficiencies it must be kept with the certification of repairs on file for three months from the date of preparation. A sample form can be found at http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_24476_10297_0_43/AgWebsite/Files/General/Transportation%20Forms.pdf on page 4.

Hopefully this will help you to stay within regulations this season while operating your farm trucks. Just as a reminder, remember that this only applies to vehicles with GVW over 17,000 lbs. These regulations do not apply to tractors operated on the road. Although this may seem like it gives more unwanted record keeping a simple clipboard in each of your trucks with a maintenance record as well as some copies of the driver's vehicle inspection report and a pen should keep you in compliance when you are traveling less than 150 miles from the farm. I might suggest getting something similar to this clipboard (http://www.gemplers.com/product/G58514/8-1-2x12-Clipboard-Removable-Compartment ) for 37 dollars that will allow you to fill and file forms all in the truck.

Nitrogen Confusion Correction

2010-05-18T09:52:00.003-04:00

A few weeks back I authored an article about nitrogen stabilizers available to our producers. In this article I made mention of Twin N as a products that mitigates volatilization and nitrate leaching. Please note that this information is not correct. Twin N is actually a microbial mix of nitrogen fixing bacteria. Sorry for this confusion, however this does bring us back to the fact as stated in the article to make sure you know what type of inhibitor you want, a urease or nitrification inhibitor. Similar to our herbicide and insecticide counterparts if we know the active ingredients and/or pathways we won't have to worry about specific brand names. Again I apologize for any confusion this has caused.

Frost Damage

2010-05-13T15:26:00.003-04:00

With an unusually warm April is seems strange to be talking about frost damage in the second week of May, however here we are. Some of you may have experienced some localized frost damage in corn fields on Sunday to Monday night. If you have recently scouted your emerged corn you may have found water soaked leaves that are unusually dark in color or brown leaves depending on how soon after the frost you may have discovered the corn. These are typical symptoms of frosted corn. If you're wondering what will happen now the best answer is just wait. Prior to making any replant decisions allow a few days to a week for the corn to recover from the frost damage. At the stages that most of our corn is at (emergence-V4) we should be ok. Due to the lack of prolonged cold in our area you will likely find any frost damage sporadic at best with little to no pattern in the field. Low lying fields and areas of fields are more likely to have been damaged as well as fields no-tilled with substantial cover. Again, corn is very resilient at this point in time so give it a little while before decisions are made to replant. I would be very surprised if we have any stands that warrant a replant for frost damage.

Soybeans, on the other hand, are less resilient to frost. I am not aware of any beans that were up and damaged by frost, however if temperatures hold below 30 degrees for any extended period of time beans will die. Again, I would be surprised if we have this type of damage, however localized damage may have occurred in low lying area and could warrant a quick check if you know you had some emerged beans.

IPM Update

2010-05-13T08:18:00.002-04:00

As it seems moth numbers are starting to dwindle all over the state it is a good time to look back on what we have found this spring. As noted previously, St. Thomas was the only area that received significant numbers of true armyworm or cutworm moths. When looking at the graph above you can see the trap locations and the sporadic numbers throughout. Populations of both of these species are notoriously spotty. This year's network, I believe, has confirmed this once again.

Due to their sporadic nature it is very hard to know if and when you may have an issue on your own farm with these species. This unknown is why we typically rely on a pre-season application of insecticide as a little insurance policy against these pests. Two issues arise with this type of management. The first issue is that this certainly does not follow the IPM framework of spraying only when a pest population is present and at threshold levels. The second issue, which also has become apparent this year is the timing of the insecticide application may often be wrong for the pest. St. Thomas's significant flight happened on May 28^th. This means any insecticide applied more than a day or two before would have little to no affect on these pests. The moral of this means you are not limiting your damage simply by placing an insecticide up front with your burn down. If you had an insecticide placed on your fields prior to the significant flight you would still have to scout and possibly spray if thresholds were reached just like your neighbor who did not apply an insecticide.

Another question often raised with these pest centers around Bt corn and its control on these pests. Traited corn has become somewhat a norm in much of our industry, however it is not a solution to all problems. A few lines of Herculex Products do have activity on black cutworm, however none of the Bt lines can claim control of true armyworm.

All of these facts and more lead to the conclusion that we all must be vigilant in scouting for pest pressure and understanding pests life cycles and tendencies. Hopefully you can find some help in information such as these posts, and as always feel free to contact me for any additional assistance you may need.

IPM BULLITEN

2010-05-03T09:54:00.004-04:00

Penn State Extension in Franklin County has established a grid of eight trapping sites across the county to attempt to survey populations of black cutworm and true armyworm moths. We previously reported that true armyworm moths have been found in the St. Thomas area in large enough numbers to call for added scouting in that area. Now we have detected economically significant flights of black cutworm in the St. Thomas area. Growers in the vicinity and surround areas should be aware of a heightened risk to their corn fields. Note that corn fields planted following soybeans can often sustain heavier populations of black cutworm caterpillars.

Now that significant flights have been detected we can begin accumulating degree days. Cutting behavior of black cutworm caterpillars is expected 300 growing degree days after the significant flight. The Penn State Agronomy program in Franklin County has recently established a weather station in Chambersburg Pa and will be tracking growing degree days. This bulletin will be followed by another once we begin to approach the 300 growing degree days. When the second bulletin is received, folks should start scouting corn fields to look for cutting damage. Economic thresholds for treatment are 2, 3, 5, and 7 cut plants per 100 for seedling, V2, V3, and V4 respectively.

Treatment options for at-risk areas vary but can include higher rates of neonicotinoid seed treatments where corn has not been planted and planting lines of Bt corn with activity against black cutworm if seed is still needed; however, growers should recognize that neither of these options are completely effective. The most economical control method for cutworm is scouting fields and applying rescue treatments where cutting activity exceeds economic thresholds.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/black-cutworm , or by visiting the local extension office. Please share this information with others who may be interested in it. Again it appears that the pressure at this point is limited to the greater St. Thomas area. I will continue to keep you up to date if populations build elsewhere.

Nitrogen Confusion

2010-04-28T14:22:00.004-04:00

As the spring season starts off and you are planning your fertility programs a question may arise as to what is the best way to handle nitrogen? When we used to talk about nitrogen management it was largely based on your method of application, were you going to put the nitrogen in the ground or apply it on top. After that we would recommend different fertilizers due to their properties to minimize loss. These approaches still work, however the focus has now been turned to nitrogen stabilization products to help keep nitrogen in the field and crop available.

Before we get too deep into these products we first need a basic understanding nitrogen and the major ways we can lose it. For plants there are two forms of nitrogen they can utilize, ammonium and nitrate. Each of these have their own losses associated with them. It is also important to note that these forms are not static in the soil, for instance ammonium can change forms to nitrate.

The most common form of loss is volatilization. This occurs when ammonium (NH₄⁺) looses a hydrogen ion to form ammonia (NH₃). The ammonia ion is what we associate with some of the manure smell on broadcast applications. This ammonia is a gas and it is lost to the atmosphere. This only happens in our soils with products containing urea such as UAN and manures. The 'old' way to control this loss was to incorporate these products into the soil by either injection or tillage.

The other loss mechanism is leaching. If we think back to basic soils we may remember that our soil has a negative charge. This allows it to hold positively charged ions such as ammonium, potassium, calcium and others. However the negative to this is that our other plant available form of nitrogen, nitrate, is negatively charged. As we all know like charges repel. This means that the nitrate molecules are not held to the soil and can be washed out of the root zone during wet conditions.

Now how do you choose between the products on the market such as Agrotain, Agrotain Plus, N-Serve, Twin N, Instinct; just to name a few. Although there are a many products the answer still lies in what you are applying and how you will be applying it. It is very important to ask your sales representative what form(s) of nitrogen loss their product inhibits. For instance, if you are applying UAN (an ammonium product) with a sprayer or broadcasting dry urea your largest worry is volatilization. This means you want a product that inhibits volatilization. These products are broadly known as urease inhibitors. This actually stops the reaction that changes ammonium to ammonia. So if you are broadcasting nitrogen that is subject to volatilization (UAN, Urea, etc.) you want to use a urease inhibitor. Agrotain is an example of a urease inhibitor.

If you are injecting your nitrogen you are already limiting the losses due to volatilization so you are more likely to be worried about losing nitrate nitrogen. For this situation you will need to use the product broadly called a nitrification inhibitor. It is important to note that these products to not stop the leaching of nitrate already in the soil they simply do not allow the ammonium ion to convert to nitrate. Products such as N-Serve , Instinct, and Guardian are nitrification inhibitors. Nitrification inhibitors have the most value when N is applied long before expected crop uptake and especially on soils at the extreme of soil drainage ie. excessively well drained or very poorly drained soils. For example, a lot of N is fall applied in the midwest and a nitrification inhibitor is essential but that is not a common practice in our area. The last class of nitrogen stabilization products are nothing new but actually a mix of the two previous. Products such as Agrotain Plus and Twin N are actually a mixture that will mitigate volatilization and nitrate leaching.

The important point on all of this is pay for what you need, not what you don't need. For instance, if you are injecting it makes little sense to use a urease inhibitor, but a nitrification inhibitor may be a good option depending on your soil conditions and timing of N application. For those who are broadcasting you have the choice of using just a urease inhibitor to stop volatilization or both urease and nitrification inhibitors. This will largely depend on your rate of application and how long you are depending on that nitrogen. If you are putting everything on up front well before crop uptake you may want to use both inhibitors, if not maybe only a urease inhibitor.

A final note is that the products mentioned are only a few of the total products out there. For products not listed, simply ask what the specific mode of action is for the product. If you have any other questions please contact me or your local extension agent.

Additives	Mode of Action	Example Products
Urease Inhibitors	Inhibit volatilization from surface applied urea containing fertilizers	Agrotain
Nitrification Inhibitors	Inhibits conversion of ammonium N (NH₄⁺) to nitrate N (NO₃^-). Can reduce loss of N by leaching in well drained soils or denitrification in poorly drained soils	N Serve Instinct Guardian
Combination Products	Both urease inhibitor and nitrification inhibitor	Agrotain Plus

IPM Bulletin

2010-04-27T13:09:00.002-04:00

Penn State Extension in Franklin County has established a grid of eight trapping sites across the county to attempt to survey populations of black cutworm and true armyworm moths. Both species have now been found in the county; however, black cutworm moths have not been found at threshold levels. True armyworm moths have been found at most sites with the most in the St. Thomas area, which had 10 moths last week. Other sites had two or less. These findings suggest that populations may be heavy in the greater St. Thomas area for true armyworms and special attention should be given when scouting and making recommendations in this area.

One of the most important management considerations when dealing with true armyworm is to make sure in areas where you have cover crops or heavy weed cover that you allow a 2 week period after the plants are dead until you plant. This would lead producers trying to get a timely planting of corn who have yet to spray to use a quick killing herbicide such as gramoxone instead of glyphosate.

Once corn is established scout fields closely, especially where heavy cover was. If you find more than 10 percent of your corn in a given field has an infestation of armyworms treatment is encouraged. Armyworms typically are found hiding in the whorl of corn during the day and their feeding creates a ragged looking leaf. In bad cases the leaves will be fed on until nothing but the mid-rib is left.

More information on this pest can be found online at http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/armyworm, or by visiting the local extension office. Please share this information with others who may be interested in it. Again it appears that the pressure at this point is limited to the greater St. Thomas area. I will continue to keep you up to date if populations build elsewhere.

The ‘Corn Guys’ have left the county!

2010-04-22T13:34:00.003-04:00

Penn State has established two plots in Franklin County to help you make better decisions when buying next year's corn for grain and/or silage. In cooperation with Professional Dairy Managers of Pennsylvania (PDMP) Penn State established a corn silage hybrid test plot. This plot will include both full season and short season varieties and will be taken to harvest where quality samples will also be analyzed from each hybrid. In addition to the research going on we will also have a field day held at Burk-Lea Farms in association with this plot on August 12^th.

The other plot established in the county is a corn grain hybrid trial. This trial will be similar to the PDMP trial; however it will be taken to yield for grain. Measurements from this plot will include yield and grain quality.

All of this data is then compiled into the 2010 Pennsylvania Commercial Grain and Silage Hybrid Corn Test Report. These reports come out over the winter and are typically available during our winter meetings. The reports give you a way to see local data as well as the other sites around the state. Hopefully this will help you in your future decisions for what varieties may suit you the best.

Wheat Fungicide Trials

2010-04-19T12:24:00.003-04:00

As some may know Penn State Extension is continuing a wheat fungicide trial and we have a site in Franklin County. This trial is looking at early applied (Feekes 5-6) fungicide with a follow up at emergence to the typical fungicide application at boot to emergence. So far there are no notable differences among treatments but it is interesting to note that powdery mildew is present in all treatments. The severity of the infection is quite minimal so little can be said about performance among treatments, however it is present. Dr. Collins of our SE Research station, a pathologist by training, has stated that this fungus likes 50-70 degree weather the best so if it warms up significantly it could slow the infection. Looking ahead at the forecast it appears in the near future we will likely keep conditions favorable for infection. If you are scouting for this pathogen look for lesions as noted on the bottom leaf in the photo. These lesions will have a small amount of white 'fuz' in and around them. This may be visible with the human eye but you can definitely see it with a 10x hand lens. I will keep you up to date as this study continues to unfold.

Cutworm Moth Trapping Update

2010-04-15T09:44:00.003-04:00

So the first moth has been caught. My colleague Jeff Graybill in Lancaster County got a moth this week. When I check the Franklin County traps this week I did not have any moths but it appears we may start finding them. Just a reminder that this does not mean we are at a threshold of moths just simply that they appear to be starting their yearly trek northwards. I will keep you up to date on the progress of these as well as what it means as far as treatment etc. If you want to check out the data yourself as we progress remember to check out PA PIPE. This website has a plethora of information for pest management.

Spring pastures can bring bloat

2010-04-14T08:10:00.005-04:00

Spring time is here and pastures are growing quickly. With this new lush growth also comes an increased concern for bloat. Bloat typically occurs on young fast growing pastures that have more than 50 percent legumes (clover, alfalfa, etc.). Bloat is simply a condition brought on due to excess protein in the rumen which creates foam that will not allow gasses to escape the rumen. This condition leads to excess pressure in the cattle's rumen and in worst cases can lead to death. Bloat can be a major problem on lush spring pastures, however it can be managed.

The first step in managing bloat is to identify your pastures containing more than 50 percent legumes. These pastures will contain high protein levels especially in the spring when all of the growth is new and lush. Identify your pastures that are most likely to be a problem and use extra caution when animals are on those pastures. If all of your pastures contain high portions of legumes you want to take special care to give animals time to get used to the pastures early in the spring.

Management strategies such as feeding grass hay prior to the grazing period and not allowing access to pastures when excess moisture is present due to rain or heavy dew will help minimize the occurrence of bloat. Over eating frequently occurs when hungry cattle are turned onto fresh pastures with high percentage of legumes. Bloat is probable if these animals have not been accustomed to the legume mixture. Feeding grass hay prior to grazing allows the cattle to fill the rumen with a lower protein feed and will decrease the occurrence of over eating and thus minimizes the risk of bloat. Continue to feed hay prior to grazing for 5-6 days. During this time decrease the amount of hay fed until they are dependent totally on the pasture.

Poloxalene is another management option for those dealing with high percentage legume pastures. This chemical reacts in the rumen and decreases the instance of foam and allows excess gasses to escape naturally. This chemical is most easily fed in a molasses, salt, and poloxalene block mix. Allow one block for every 5-6 cattle and keep them in places where cattle typically gather. You may also be able to add poloxalene into any grain mixes you may be feeding. You should feed half a pound of poloxalene per animal.

Finally, the best management strategy will be to check your cattle frequently, about twice a day. This will allow you to observe any problems that may exist. The first visual sign of bloat is a notable increase in the fullness of the left side of the animal. If a cow is struggling with bloat you may be able to alleviate the symptoms by inserting a hose into the rumen to allow gasses to escape. Additionally there are oral products on the market that can be fed to aid in recovery. Consult your veterinarian about these products. If neither of these options work, you may want to attempt to use a trocar or cantula to relieve the pressure in the rumen; however, these should be the last resorts and should be observed by a veterinarian.

Using these steps you should be able to effectively manage bloat in your cattle without instances of emergency management. If questions or concerns still exist call myself or your local extension agent to assist you in your specific situation.

Weather, IPM, Soil and more…

2010-04-05T09:49:00.005-04:00

As spring is kicking off a lot is starting up in the Agronomy program too. I have installed a new weather station at the office and hopefully it will be up online soon to get real-time local data to you. This is especially important with the calculation of degree days for some of our IPM efforts. The station also tracts soil temperature and moisture at 3 inches and 1 foot as well as leaf wetness. I believe this will be a great asset to our local farmers as well as research efforts to have good, consistent, local data.
We have also started our IPM network that has 8 sites throughout the county trapping for cutworm moths and armyworm moths. So far we have had no activity in the traps, which is to be expected, but as we continue to warm we should start some catches. I'll keep you up to date on where the catches are and if we reach the economic threshold. I'll also be posting information on how to react to the levels of pressure I'm seeing.
As soils continue to warm we know planting season is near. Soil temperatures at the office are averaging about 51 degrees at 3 inches. What I have observed so far in the field has been anywhere from 49 to 52 degrees (the field temperatures were taken in the afternoon).
Overall everything seems to be coming together nicely for us. Hopefully we will stay away from extremely wet soil conditions so we can start this growing season of with a timely corn planting. This week looks like lots of sunny weather to catch up on alfalfa planting and get manure hauled if need be.

Your help is needed…

2010-03-30T09:03:00.002-04:00

Due to a major oversight on my part the cover crop flyer was sent out without specific instruction on how to get to the cover crop plot. Please find the directions below. Also if you know of anyone who may be interested in this and does check this blog please share this information with them.

Directions to plot/field day:

Take I-81 to exit 17.

Go east on Walker Rd (left if from north, right if from south).

Continue about ½ mile and plot will be on your right.

Signs will be marking the way from the exit 17.

Sorry for any confusion this has caused.

Thanks,
Jonathan Rotz

Spring has sprung…

2010-03-22T13:04:00.004-04:00

With temperatures over the weekend in the 70's it is certainly feeling more and more like spring. Additionally, all of the small grains, cover crops and perennial forages have taken off. With a little more moisture today things are definitely ready to grow. Now is a great time to be top dressing your small grain fields as well as putting spring nitrogen on pastures and hay fields. Obviously you want to make sure you fields are fit for traffic and haven't gotten too wet lately.

This time of year is also a great time to take an estimate of weed pressure in your winter grain and perennial stands. Make sure you scout not only for weed pressure but types of weeds as well so you can make the best herbicide selection possible.

On another note you can see how my test plots are coming where we are looking into inter cropping rye and radish to allow corn planting in between the rye rows. This will hopefully allow early planting of corn into this live cover crop. If this works the theory is that some of our corn pests such as slugs may be more willing to feed on the rye undercover then venture into the sun to injure the corn. I'll keep you up to date on this as well as the other research I have a going on around the county.

IPM Network Established

2010-03-15T08:37:00.003-04:00

This year I will again be capturing moths to attempt to follow and predict activity. This spring I will be trapping Black Cutworm Moth as well as Armyworm. Many times blanket applications of insecticide are put down to act as an insurance against early season pests such as black cutworm, but is this really needed and thus economical. Last year my site in Franklin County never reached the threshold level of moths to feel that we had enough pressure to worry with cutworms. I also didn't hear of any issues with cutworms locally, but that doesn't mean they didn't happen. The question arose from this study last year, how irregular can these moth patterns be over large areas? In other words, if I scout one area of the county do I really get a full picture of the pressure? Well with the hope to answer this question this year I'll have 8 trapping sites across the county. These sites will be located in State Line, Mercersburg, Mont Alto, Chambersburg, St. Thomas, Shippensburg, Path Valley and Pleasant Hall Areas. Hopefully we will see uniformity in numbers and times of catches with these traps. I will also be updating you on what the pressure is like via this blog. Hopefully we can get great data off of this and start minimizing our reliance on 'insurance sprays.' This will save on our bottom line as well as possibly preserve beneficial insects that can help us control some of our pest populations.

Preparing for Spring…

2010-02-19T13:18:00.004-05:00

Even I have to get ready for spring and in all the meetings of the season that can be a little dificult, however you can help by taking an minute and seeing if you would be willing in participating in any of the following research/demonstration plots this next year. If so please get in contact with me.

· Conservation Innovations (10 acres minimum): This grant will work with farmers who want to try manure injection, cover crops, non-traditional cover crops, and the roller crimper. Ten acres will be used with 5 acres being traditional practice and 5 being the innovative practice.
· Corn Grain Hybrid Trial: Penn State is looking for a cooperator for a corn grain hybrid trial. This trial will have both conventional and modified corn so a conventional spray program will need to be used. All grain from the plot is given to the cooperator.
· Compaction Study: Ten farms on Hagerstown soils are needed. Two soybean fields will be needed per farm. Soil compaction will be surveyed prior to planting. Four farms will be used then to determine yield benefits of sub-soiling (dependent on grant approval).
· Soybean Rust/Aphid Monitoring: Small plot needed for scouting rust and aphids (approx 60x100). Full season beans without seed treatment (in plot the rest of the field can have treated seeds) are needed. This is a non-destructive experiment.
· IPM Trapping Network: Cooperators needed (3) in Path Valley, Waynesboro, and Mercersburg areas. Trapping supplies will be supplied and set up. Traps will need to be checked at least weekly, dead moths collected, and numbers phoned or e-mailed to the extension office.
Demonstration Needs:
· Herbicide Plots: Small plots in corn and soybeans with various spray treatments (single and multiple pass). We will spray the plots and hold a field day at the farm. Footpaths will likely be cut into plots for rating plots and field day.
· Cover Crop Plots: Plots will be established in fall 2010 (typically look for silage ground or fallow wheat) and a fall and spring cover crop walk will be held.

Could it be?

2010-02-12T11:24:00.003-05:00

As we continue to deal with piles of snow and drifting roadways it seems that spring is far off, however some have already started thinking of it. A report that came out a while ago on AOL news was talking about long range forecasting models and what they are showing for this spring. The long range forecast shows that much of the nation and almost all of Pennsylvania may be looking at below average temperatures with above average rain fall. This could mean another wet spring that is hard to prep our fields as well as plant? Of course I'm not too worried about this at this time. It seems like it is a long stretch for most forecasters to get tomorrow's weather right, let alone a few months out. Never the less it does make us think that we may want to take a little extra time to think out a sound strategy for spring time. Make a game plan that is flexible yet can outline steps needed for each field, such as manure, burn down, tillage, etc. Take some time now to do your maintenance on machinery to make sure it is ready to go as soon as your soil is fit. All of these steps will help you to be ready for warm soils and dry weather and more likely to get timely planted crops.

Now is a great time for planter maintenance

2010-01-21T11:48:00.006-05:00

As we start a new year this is an excellent time to pull those planters in the shop and get them ready for the upcoming planting season this spring. Planters that are not operating well can create uneven spacing within the row and/or uneven depth of the seeds. Both of these factors can greatly reduce your yields. Studies have shown that yields can be reduced from 7-15 bushels per acre by poor planting. As you can see this possible reduction in yield potential makes a few parts you may need to increase your planting efficiency very economical. One additional thought. As you check these parts have a grease gun and oil can in hand and make sure all moving parts are well lubricated.

The main areas to check when servicing your planter are bushings, bearings, and openers. Walk around your corn planter and first take a hold of each row unit. Attempt to sway the unit from side to side. If the unit moves side to side your bushings are worn and will need replaced. Additionally, make certain the units do not have a lot of play up and down. This will cause bouncing across the field and thus uneven seed depth.

Next check and make sure all moving parts such as gauge wheels, coulters, and press wheels move freely with no play. If these are not freely moving or they have play in them you may need to replace bearings and or bushings depending on the part.

Lastly on the external check look over your double disc openers. Take two business cards and slide one in between the front side of the discs and one between the back side of the discs. These cards should be 'pinched' with about 2-3" between them (see picture; photo credit John Rowehl). If they pass through or are very close to each other the openers need to be replaced.

Once your ground engaging parts have been checked other areas to pay attention to are seed tubes and your pick-up mechanism on appropriate planters.

First make sure your seed tubes are clear of any obstructions and cleaned so now seed treatment residues exist. Also make certain that the bottom of the tube does not have any wear that would change the path of the seed when being dropped. You will also want to pay attention to where the seed tube is aimed.

Lastly open up your pick up unit (if your planter has one) and check that the motion is smooth and little to no residues are on the plates (this is a good time have someone turn the shaft that powers your chains while you are watching the pick ups).

After all of this is done it is a good time to calibrate you planter to make sure everything is operating properly. A good factsheet is available on line from Perdue that will take you step by step through both the maintenance and calibration of your planter. With a little foresight now you will be ready to go as soon as the soil is warm enough to plant.

Meeting Season is upon us.

2010-01-15T09:56:00.003-05:00

As you may have noticed I'm updating my blog a little less frequently lately. If you have received one of my flyers in the mail recently you may know why. We have a lot going on this winter season in Franklin County. We just held the grazing conference this Tuesday and it was a great success. On Monday we have the grain marketing workshop from 9 to 2:30 at the Ag heritage center. Still to come we have Franklin County Crops day, Pesticide updates, and a fumigation meeting. Feel free to call the Franklin County Extension Office if you want more details or want to register. I'm looking forward to seeing you at these meetings and hopefully they get us ready to jump back into spring when the soils finally warm up.

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow…

2010-01-15T08:33:00.004-05:00

The postal service isn't the only one who keeps going through it all. The local cover crop plot is looking good. The varieties that will winter kill (oats and radish) have for the most part died, however some of the later planting is amazingly still going. I suppose this may have to do with insulation from the snow we have had. Additionally, the radish has be dead for about three weeks now but it seems to be breaking down a lot slower this winter. With a little bit of a break from the cold we will see what comes as far as decomposition. As a reminder there are still signs and information at the plots so feel free to stop by and take a look.

As a side note I have had two in depth conversations with folks not associated with farms while I have been taking pictures and sampling with the plots. This has been a great catalyst for conversations about how farmers are conservation minded and desire to be good stewards.

Grazing Conference is Fast Approaching

2010-01-04T08:53:00.004-05:00

As some of you may have heard we are holding a grazing conference this winter in Franklin County. The conference will be on January 12^th, that's next Tuesday! The cost of this conference is 10 dollars (12 dollars after tomorrow) and that fee will include lunch. Topics for this event include basic soils and nutrient cycling, managing your bottom line, orchardgrass diseases, pasture measurement techniques and Perry County grazier Duane Hertzler will be presenting some information about how he views grazing. If you're interested in this event please contact me to sign up or get more information.

Thanks for the great year!

2009-12-23T08:39:00.003-05:00

As the holiday's are here and 2009 draws to a close, we all have a moment to look back and think of what all has happened in the past 12 months and think ahead of what's to come. This has been a great year for me personally with my move to Franklin County and working with so many great people. I look forward to continuing this work for many more to come. With this year nearly over all we can do is look ahead. I'm looking forward to this year's winter meetings coming up in Franklin County alone I'm planning the first Grazing Conference (Jan. 12^th), A grain marketing workshop (Jan. 18^th), Crops Day (Jan. 26^th), Sheep and Goat meeting (Jan. 30^th), Fumigation Update meeting (Feb. 25^th), and the 2+2 pesticide update meetings for March 9^th. Of course I'll be assisting with other meetings throughout the region as well but just on a speaking basis. I'm really excited with our lineup this year. We have a lot of great speakers and information that will go out. I'm especially looking forward to having some time to catch up with some producers and industry folks to see how the year finished up for them. One of the major focuses this winter is going to be financial margin. As we continue in hard times for most of agriculture I'm hoping we can all work together to identify the areas where our cash flow is weak and strong to get ourselves more fit for 2010 and beyond. If you have any interest in these meetings please just post a comment on my blog with your e-mail or give the extension office a call (my extension is 227). I hope to see you this winter and thanks for a great year!

Still Going?

2009-12-16T16:01:00.004-05:00

Even with the cold temperatures as of late the cover crop plot is still going… well, kind of. This past Sunday we had a descent ice storm that not only shut things down for most of the a.m. it also was a little hard on the radishes and oats. It seems the larger they are the harder they fall. However I was expecting to see more dead and decaying leaves then what I found. Another important note is almost all of the late plantings (September 22^nd)are very dense. These plantings do not have anywhere close to the biomass of the early planting; however they are certainly providing adequate cover for soil conservation. Overall things are still chugging along, however for some, the end is near. Also a quick reminder that signs are still up at the plots so feel free to have a look for yourself!

Will it ever end?

2009-12-09T10:41:00.005-05:00

As snow blankets the area to some it may seem like a beautiful reminder of the season, for others it is one more hurdle dealt by this growing season. As corn and even some beans still stand around the county we may ask 'when will we close this harvest?' Undoubtedly this latest snow and rain event is one more blow to seeing any harvest in the near future. With the ground not yet frozen and now melting snow we can be certain we will not have soils fit for harvest for some time. Our soybeans are certainly the most critical if you still have some standing. In the field I was in this morning I didn't see many open pods, to my surprise, however decisions should be made soon on what the economics look like for harvesting, based on expected yield (leaving the field). Corn is not as critical and can wait. An interesting article from Wisconsin on late season harvest of corn will help you in your decisions of how long to wait to harvest corn. Wisconsin also has a helpful calculator for this same subject.

Regardless of what we want to do it seems like we may have to wait for frozen ground before any more field operations take place. Good luck to all who still are waiting to finish up your harvest.

Budget Savvy Corn

2009-12-04T10:55:00.003-05:00

As markets continue to be volatile and margins are scrutinized we all are looking for a place to save some green, is your corn doing the same? Recently there has been a lot of attention focused on corn hybrids and their use of nitrogen. What if genetic advancements allow us to change our nitrogen recommendations on corn, how about if you use the same nitrogen but increase the yield? Research has already shown that yield response to nitrogen is not only based on amount but also tied to soil type and yield potential so it seems only natural that the specific genetics of the plant may also be a player. Recent research and demonstration has also shown that some of the most striking differences with hybrids is how fast they can recover after a time of stress. Another interesting article was also recently posted on AgWeb looking at some of the possibilities to advancing corn yields in the future by minimizing stress to individual plants. Individual plants must compete with each other for nutrients in order to have consistent growth across the field, so if these plants can get better at competing hopefully they will utilize more of the nutrients available to them in the field.

As we look down the road we may see more ways that corn becomes budget savvy. This shouldn't be a surprise to us since in some sense it has already happened. With new traits we can now plant corn resistant to pests allowing us to spend less on chemicals and applications (while more for the bag of seed) and also saving us some time. As we move forward in the market there is no doubt our corn will continue to get 'smarter' and hopefully widen our margins on the farm.

Food for the Festivities

2009-11-23T09:58:00.003-05:00

The holiday season are here! These celebrations often involve time with family, friends and food. For most of us, food plays a significant role in our celebrations. Food may also even be part of a tradition, like that famous fruit cake recipe passed down through my mother's family. Even in challenging economic times, most of us will have more than enough food for our holiday celebrations. So, during the hectic pace of the season, I challenge you to take a moment and think about how fortunate we are to be served by farmers and others in agriculture who assure us nutritious foods. Whether it is getting out of bed in the wee hours of the morning to go milk cows, or spending seemingly endless hours in the field growing crops for human or animal consumption, Pennsylvania agriculture has a diverse workforce of farmers all unified by one common goal: producing high quality food for those living in the state and around the world.

Pennsylvania is also home to a wide variety of agricultural products. Our state's number one product is dairy, with product valued at over two trillion dollars. The next most valuable agriculture product is cattle and calves followed by mushrooms, corn and greenhouse/nursery products (USDA ERS 2007). Chester County, in Southeastern Pennsylvania, produces over 50% of all the fresh mushrooms grown in the United States. White button, shitake and oyster mushrooms are all produced by Pennsylvania mushroom growers. Pennsylvania agriculture will be well represented on your holiday table from the butter used in those delicious cookies, to the corn that fed the turkey, and the mushrooms in the hors d'oeuvres and salad.

So over this holiday season take a moment to appreciate the local farmers in your community. If you know them, thank them. If they make their food production available for retail sale on their farm, support them with your purchases. But most of all take a moment to think of how much time, effort and love went into preparing your holiday treats before they even reached your kitchen.

Technology Anyone?

2009-11-13T14:57:00.005-05:00

As I was driving to State College yesterday for a meeting I passed an interesting site on my way through Big Valley. It caught my attention enough to stop and be a tourist on the way home, clicking a few pictures. One of these accompanies this post. At first this caught me off guard since it is an odd clash of modern technologies coupled with a very old practice. Does this mean one or the other doesn't belong? Maybe, maybe not, I'll let you decide for yourself. However as I thought about this I thought each farm has this mixture to some extent, new practices and technologies mixed with remnants of the past. The only step is then to identify each. I think this may be an interesting practice for all of us to look at both on and off the farm. What are areas we are excelling in and what areas could use a little polishing. I'm not stating we have to all be immediate adopters of everything that comes down the road, nor am I stating that we leave everything Dad and Grandpa taught us and move on, we simply need a balance that moves us steadily forward. Maybe it's a good time for all of us to think hard about why we do things. Consider what changes may be made, do a small trial and your farm see how it performs. Just like this photo shows, anyone can implement technology on their farm.

Marketing on the mind?

2009-11-06T14:20:00.003-05:00

Does anyone have any idea what to think about the price of corn right now? It seems that the market place is quickly shifting between bullish and bearish views of the crop. Over the past weeks to even the past days we have been seeing large fluxes in prices anywhere from a few cents up to 14-15 cent changes in a day. All of this brings to mind marketing. As many of you know this time of the year becomes filled with days of meetings for me as well as planning for the upcoming winter meeting season. This week has been no different (hence the blog isn't getting updated quite as often). However today at a meeting I was talking with one of our educators from risk management and it looks like we will can get a marketing class to come to the county this winter. For some of us marketing seems foreign since commodities are kept on farm and fed to livestock, however, even if you only feed livestock chances are you are largely effected by the market since you need to decide when to buy and not to buy additional feeds. Hopefully we will get a meeting together for this winter and we can all cut through a little bit of the haze surrounding marketing.

Will it ever stop?

2009-10-30T08:29:00.003-04:00

As we continue to see rain and gray sky's the question arises will this trend ever stop and allow us to get back to the fields? We are under the influence of a cold front moving across the mid west being fueled by an extreme trough in the jet stream. This trough is fueling this moist weather with gulf moisture. This slow moving trough looks like it may release by early next week. Hopefully that brings enough dry weather to get us back into the fields to finish up harvest.

Cover Crop Walk a Success

2009-10-23T12:08:00.005-04:00

The rain held off today for the cover crop walk. We had over 20 individuals come out to learn about cover crops and what they can do for their farm. All the plot signs will now remain up at least for the rest of the fall, possibly through winter. If you want to stop in and see what is there feel free. If you need more information simply contact me at jdr21@psu.edu or by calling the office (717) 263-9226 and I'll be happy to talk with you.

Ready for Friday!

2009-10-21T16:23:00.003-04:00

This post is a friendly reminder of the cover crop field day this Friday from 10:00-12:00. The plot is located on Walker Rd. east of I-81. Signs will be posted on Friday to assist you. Come learn more about the cover crops you know as well as see lots of new species and mixtures.

To Cut or Not to Cut, that really is the quesiton

2009-10-20T14:40:00.006-04:00

With our first major frost behind us many questions arise about what is next and what we should do. One of the most pressing is what if you have standing alfalfa? This perennial crop needs enough energy to get through the winter, but we often don't want to waste what is still in the field. The question arises is alfalfa now dormant and thus OK to cut? I had a discussion with Dr. Marvin Hall today about considerations for alfalfa after a frost. Here are some of the main points.

Depending on your previous management of the crop this may be a mute point. If at any point this season you had 1/10th bloom or better you probably have enough stored energy to get through the winter. If you made every cut for maximum quality (no bloom) you may be short energy.

Alfalfa takes a very hard freeze to go into dormancy. Typically we need to get down around 25 degrees for multiple hours to trigger dormancy. Currently our alfalfa probably is not dormant.

Alfalfa that has gone into dormancy will quickly come back out at the first sign of warm weather. With the forecast and today's temperatures if your alfalfa would have gotten enough cold temps to initiate dormancy it is no longer dormant. Wait till cold temps are the norm, not the extreme.

Another point of discussion I brought up was cutting height. I have typically been under the impression to cut high on the last cutting to offer protection of the crown throughout the winter. Dr. Hall stated this was an OK practice but may be more trouble then needed due to our more southerly location and lower amounts of snow. Cut high if you want to make sure your safe or as normal if you believe this will be a 'normal' winter.

See Dr. Hall's latest article in this weeks Field Crop News on this very topic! (will be posted tomorrow).

First Major Frost

2009-10-19T08:27:00.003-04:00

This morning the thermometer dropped to 28 at my house just before sunrise. This will be the first attempt at a hard frost (below 28 degrees for a few hours) but not successful at least at my house. It does appear we may have a general warming trend over the next few days as high pressure builds in and the trough in the jet stream moves over us. Overall I think we will see some damage on sensitive plants in areas but at this point it appears we have another week of growing season left.

Some Cover Crops are Drawing to a Close

2009-10-14T09:44:00.002-04:00

As frost nears (see last post) we are keeping an eye on our cover crop variety trials. We have a pretty good idea on most of our species that will winter kill, such as oats and radish, however some are unknown how they will behave in this climate. The early planting of oats and radish is doing well with lots of biomass, however our later planting is just starting to slowly take off. It is doubtful this will see major growth in the next few days/weeks prior to frost. Hopefully you can attend the upcoming cover crop walk on Friday the 23rd and see for yourself what the individual species are doing.

First Signs of Frost

2009-10-14T09:39:00.004-04:00

This morning as the dawn began a light frost settled on the grass and my vehicle. Another reminder we are progessing further into fall. The long range shows temperatures in the middle 30's for lows over the next few days. This is far from the hard frost it will take to see damage but reminds us the growing season is drawing to a close. Keep an eye on susceptible crops such as late planted corn. Likely we will begin to see some burn on leaf margins over the next week in some fields, however little actual damage should be done to the crop.

Cover Crops Growing Well!

2009-10-07T08:31:00.005-04:00

The cover crop plots around the county are growing well. It has been amazing with these warm afternoons how much growth some of these species have put on. With a ten day forecast showing warmer temperatures and no sign of frost it will be interesting to see what kind of growth we get out of our later plantings. Their will be a cover crop walk on Friday October 23rd from 10-noon for any interested.

It's Bean Time!

2009-10-02T12:44:00.004-04:00

With combines busy around the county corn, and now beans, are getting to their harvest windows. The field I was in yesterday was averaging around 72-75 bu/ac. Hopefully you will find some high yields in your fields as well. As always make certain your combine is properly set and get out to check what is coming out the back end of the machine. Harvest losses can be very high with poorly set machines. Also if you are no-tilling remember to adjust your choppers so that you have uniform distribution across the header width. This adjustment will pay large dividends next time you plant the field. Regardless of the crop make sure your combine isn't putting a large amount of commodity out the back end. Hopefully you can enjoy a safe and happy harvest with lots of high yields.

Here we go!

2009-09-30T16:15:00.004-04:00

Corn is 'rolling' out of the fields in Franklin County. Though a lot of corn is still standing we are starting to take high moisture off and it looks like quite the crop so far. Today I was in a field that was running about 24% and with a corrected yield of 230 bu. It looks like most of this years corn will be a great crop. This field was an early planted field with 114 day corn. Overall I believe we will see high yields across the county. Most silage has been running around 25 tons on the better soils with highs in the 30's. Some of the less productive ground has been running around 15-18 tons which isn't bad at all! Tomorrow I'm going out to harvest the Franklin Co. bean plots so hopefully I have some information on what the bean crop looks like as well.

Cut Costs, don’t eliminate!

2009-09-28T09:46:00.002-04:00

As I was working on my father-in-law's dairy farm this weekend I couldn't help but think of the current economic situation facing all dairy farmers and most of agriculture in general. Things are tight and because of this costs need to be reassessed. As I was bedding up some cows I thought of how crucial some costs really are. Take the straw I was using at that point. I could have just eliminated the use of the straw to cut costs, however we all know the long term affects of that would be devastating in cattle health and production. This got me thinking about all the upcoming costs on the agronomic side of farming and where we may try to eliminate costs that may hurt us in the long run. Here are some of my thoughts.

Soil testing is a practice we preach all the time, and the fall is the best time to do it. Although this can be a low cost practice it may be one that gets a scrutinizing eye as we hit hard times. Depending on your current testing practices you may have some room to cut costs here, but they should not be eliminated. If you soil test every year you can probably take a year off. Use last year's soil tests along with this year's crop grown and yield to estimate nutrient removal and thus see what nutrients need to be added for next year's crop. If you haven't soil tested in over three year you ought to consider taking soil samples to check where you are at.

Once you have soil tested the question always is where do I spend money first? The most important area in soil health and nutrient availability to the plant is pH. If you have low pH (low depends on crop but typically no lower than 6.0) lime is the best product you can buy. Dollar for dollar this will return the greatest on your investment. Soil pH is a driver in many other nutrient cycles as well as the microbial population in the soil. If you have only one product you can buy for your soils make it lime. This year we have seen many cases around the state of poorly inoculated soybeans, one of the contributing factors to this has been low pH.

Fertility in the form of commercial fertilizers is always a large expense on most farms. Many farms in this area do have the availability of manure, however many of us need to supplement our manure nutrients with fertilizer. One of my biggest concerns at this point in time is potassium. Due to last year's high prices for potassium many decided to take a year off of buying potassium and mine some of the potassium in the soils. This year due to excellent rainfalls many of us have experienced yields at the high end of our expectations; this means more potassium has been used. Now we are in a situation where very few may want to invest again in potassium even thought the price is falling. This could set us up for some deficiencies. If I were to offer one suggestion on potassium fertilizer at this point it would be this. If you have manure at your disposal get it tested for nutrients. If commercial potassium is more expensive then nitrogen, apply your manure at a rate to supply potassium and supplement with nitrogen. If you are going into corn the use of a mid season nitrogen test such as the PSNT or Chlorophyll meter along with sidedressing can save money as will. In addition to potassium make sure you keep an eye on boron levels on alfalfa. This year we have had great yields so therefore if you are harvesting silage of any type, hay, and/or fodder you have a lot of nutrients in your bunkers, silos, and barns.

As we try to manage this current time of tight economics we need to take a good assessment of cutting costs without hurting ourselves in the future. With good soil tests you may be able to find some areas where you can cut costs, however we want to maintain enough nutrition in the soil to allow for good yields in the years to come. Many times if we get behind in nutrition in the soil it will take a long time to get it back. Additionally, if we don't have soil tests we will need to wait until we see deficiency in the crop before we know we are behind. At that time we have lost yield and that can be a costly mistake.

Up and running

2009-09-23T08:43:00.006-04:00

Just about a week after planting the rye/radish mixture is getting to the point you can 'see' my thought process. As you will notice the rye is coming on well and the radish isn't far behind. Typically I have observed the radish to be a little slow in germination but a vigorous grower once germinated. Again the rows of radish will winter kill while the rye will remain. This should allow direct planting of corn in the early spring between the rows of rye.

Great year for beans?

2009-09-17T15:08:00.003-04:00

This year most of our full season beans are looking great! After a year of ample rain and minimal pest pressure over most of the acres we should be set for some great yields. Make sure you are getting ready to get into those fields. Once 95% of the pods are brown you should take to the fields for harvest. This minimizes losses from trying to harvest beans that are too dry. As always make sure to pay attention to the combine adjustments and check your settings once you are in the field and starting to harvest. Hopefully this year will produce some great bean yields for all!

Corn drying well

2009-09-17T15:02:00.003-04:00

I have been taking a few samples in the fields to see where some of the grain corn is at as far as moisture's. To be honest I have been surprised at the numbers I've been seeing. Most early planted corn I have been testing has been around 20-26% moisture. I have noticed a few combines running, and for good reason. If you are looking to shell high moisture corn and have some mid length corn (around 114 day) that was planted in good time this year it may be time to take a sample through the field to see where you are at. We had trouble getting whole plant moisture to the place we needed it for silage, however our ears have been drying well, even on green stalks. Make sure to take a representative sample from your fields, now just the outer rows.

A new cover crop?

2009-09-15T14:47:00.004-04:00

As some may have noticed I have been spending less time on my blog lately. This is because I have been out planting a cover crop trial to test a new method of using cover crops. I'm planing a mixture of rye with tillage radish, which obviously has been done before, however with a slightly different twist. I have alternating double rows of rye and radish (see illustration) that will hopefully allow for corn to be directly planted into the winter killed radish rows in the spring.

So the question may be why do this? Here are a few reasons we are looking into.

We have all heard the benefits of letting cover crops grow to increase soil carbon as well as add a mulch to conserve moisture. However, this practice means you have to give up an early planting date to receive the benefit of the crop. With the alternating rows the rye can continue to grow along with the corn for a short time. Another issue we see often is residue from most cover crops holds moisture and keeps soils cool. Radish leaves little to no residue by spring so the strip they are in should heat up and dry out a little quicker. Lastly pests are often an issue in fields where we have had cover crops. This is the area that this will either perform as desired or be a disaster. Hopefully the corn will grow with little residue immediately around it so slugs will not be an issue. Additionally some observations from last year have made me think that we may be able to get the pests to feed on something other then the corn by having a living crop in the field with the corn.

Some of this may be a stretch but we feel it is worth looking into. I will have more on how this is going in the near future.

Selling Considerations; Shell versus Silage

2009-09-08T10:49:00.004-04:00

As corn dries down many look to prices and markets to see what options they have. In Franklin County we typically have the option of either selling silage or grain depending on what seems to have the most favorable economics. I am not an expert in the markets so I'm not going to tell you that this is black and white, however I do have a few considerations you should make prior to selling your crop.

The main difference on the agronomic side of silage versus grain is the nutrients removed from the field when we take the whole plant versus just the grain. For this example I'm going to look at only phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Nitrogen can also play a role but the system is very complex so it is not clear exactly how much we will keep around until next years growing season either with or without cover crops (this is why we test prior to side dressing N).

So if we look at removal of P and K from silage we can estimate (using Penn State's Agronomy Guide) that we will remove approx. 5.0lbs/Ton of P and 11.0lbs/Ton of K. As a rough estimate we typically consider the conversion from bushels of corn to tons of silage as 6.5-7bu/ton of silage. If we use this conversion for our removal rates for grain end up at 2.8lbs of P and 2.1 lbs of K removed (7*book values for grain removal). This means that roughly twice the amount of P is removed and over 5 times the amount of K is removed when comparing silage to grain.

So let's do a quick example to clarify. Initial estimates show a 150 bu/ac grain yield or 21.5 Ton/ac silage yield in a specific field. We are trying to decide if we should sell it to the neighbor or keep it for grain. December futures are showing a price of $3.09/bu or$464/ac on this yield. The difference between grain and silage in nutrients removed at this yield will be 47.5 lbs of P and 191.5 lbs of K. With today's price of $0.25/lb. P and $0.50/lb. K this is a difference of $107.63/ac. just to buy back the nutrients you lost by selling silage. If we add that into our grain price ($464) we need $572/ac. or about $27/ton (on 21.5 Ton/ac) to break even with our grain price of $3.09. Obviously neither of these take into account the cost of harvest etc. so keep in mind who is paying for that when pricing your corn.

Cover Crop Time

2009-09-04T14:39:00.004-04:00

So here we are with August gone and September under way. Silage harvest is in full swing, finally, and hopefully you are finding the yields you expected for this above average year. As those silage fields get finished off keep in mind this is a great time to plant cover crops. Even for your fields that have little to no slope or are not in close proximity to water cover cropping is an excellent practice. Cover crops not only protect your soil from erosion from water and wind they also help to enhance the soil carbon and add to soil structure through root growth. We also see a better over wintering of mycorrhiza when a similar species is planted as a cover crop (for instance corn to rye to corn is all a grass). The benefits to cover crops are numerous, however try to best fit the cover crop with your rotation. Here are some examples.

For those fields that are bare now and may be some of your last plantings in the spring you may consider utilizing a legume like crimson clover. This can give you some 'free' nitrogen while helping to retain soil over the winter. Crimson clover, like most legumes, need a long growing time to get the most out of the plant, as far as nitrogen production. Don't plant legumes where you are going to want to get a quick start to the planting season.

For those fields that may get a winter or early spring application of manure you should look to utilize a winter small grain. Rye seems to have the best root structure to hold our heavy equipment and grows well over winter. This would also be a good match for those fields you will want to get into earlier in the spring.

Just a reminder we have a cover crop plot here in the county and I'll be holding a fall and a spring walk where we will look at different species and discuss where they may fit. As always feel free to call in with any specific question you have about cover crop selection or benefits and drawbacks of specific species. Have a great weekend!

Corn Silage Update

2009-08-31T16:05:00.005-04:00

As of today our plot is just over 33% D.M. I have noticed a descent amount of silage coming off especially in the southern portion of the county. We are almost where we need to be if we are filling trenches, but we need to be careful we don't push it too quick going into uprights. Again review the comments I have below about setting your kernel processors, I believe this will be crucial.

Check you ears!

2009-08-31T14:39:00.006-04:00

No pun intended actually, we really do need to get into the cornfields and check your ears prior to harvest. I received a call today from a local crop scout who has been seeing and hearing of 'beer can' ears around the county. This is a phenomenon where the bottom few rows of the ear are properly filled while the top of the cob is barren. This obviously can cost a lot of yield.

It is believed that this phenomenon is usually due to a cold snap when the corn plant is forming the ear (V5-V8). This always occurs in this manner since corn will always develop kernels from the bottom of the ear to the top. So what fields are at risk? Well typically it appears that it takes lower 40s to stress the corn so I dove into the this years temperature records to try to pin this down.

It appears the May 14th and 19th are likely the main dates when damage likely occurred. Hagerstown Airport reported a low of 41 degrees for both days. If we look at the fact that it typically takes 4 weeks to reach V8 (where ear development is thought to be complete) and V5 is normally about 3 weeks after planting we can assume the highest risk corn for this abnormality was planted between April 14th and April 28th (due to two dates with low temps). Obviously any fields around this period should be checked. Overall, you may want to check all your early plantings.

The main issue with this abnormality would be decreased yield when shelling the corn. If you have the ability to chop this corn for silage and shell another field it may be advantageous. Of course you will take a hit on energy in your silage as well, however it may be a better option.

Adjust those kernel processors!

2009-08-28T12:32:00.007-04:00

As the corn slowly dries down I'm seeing some drier ears on some very green stalks. If we continue this trend it may lead to some issues in getting available energy in our silage. If you have a kernel processor you are steps ahead in this area already. However, just because you put out the cash doesn't mean it will work without some attention. When you are out harvesting make sure to take some samples early on to see how the processor is working. To check the kernels take a handful or two of silage and place it in a 5 gallon bucket. Fill the bucket with water then slowly pour off the water. Once the water is pretty well gone you should be left with only kernels. Carefully inspect the kernels to make sure they are well processed and cracked. If the kernels are not cracked adjust the processor to a narrower spacing and test again.

Corn Starts to Dry Again!

2009-08-28T09:35:00.007-04:00

I just got done looking at moisture on our plot. In review this was planted on the 29th of April and the variety I'm looking at is a 114 day variety. The moisture this morning finally has moved from the 30-31% D.M. we have been holding at for about a week. Today we are standing at 31.7% D.M. Although this isn't a huge jump it is finally in the right direction. The downside to this is that we are to have rain today and tomorrow which means we probably won't be drying down much going forward. So with all this said it looks like we may be into September before we really get silage harvest rolling. I know many have been pulling into the fields this week but I think for the most part in the county we are still waiting. The silver lining to all of this is that we have quite the crop sitting in the field when we do start in.

Cover Crop Plot Planted in Franklin County

2009-08-26T13:39:00.005-04:00

Today we planted the cover crop plot in Franklin County. This year we have 19 species and mixtures in the plot. It will be interesting to see how each performs. The plants include grasses, legumes and some non leguminous forbs. I will be keeping you up to date on the growth as well as winter hardiness of each species. I will also hold two field days at the plot, one this fall and one in the spring. Until then you can feel free to stop by the plot and see what is happening. It is located on Walker Rd. just east of Chambersburg. I want to say a special thanks to Ron Hoover of Penn State for helping establish the plot and Stanley Burkholder for the use of the land.

Silage continues to wait

2009-08-25T16:47:00.004-04:00

Checked the plots again today since the research team is ready to get started on harvest. It still is hanging around the 30-31% D.M. We are sitting right around 2400-2500 growing degree days (GDD) according to Pa Pipe. This puts us about 100 days behind average. This would explain why we are seeing things so slow to mature around the area.

Soybean Aphids Continue to Dwindle

2009-08-24T15:47:00.005-04:00

After scouting the Chambersburg plot again today for soybean aphids it appears that the population continues to decrease. As I stated before we never came close to the threshold, however now that hot weather has hit we are starting to see the populations react with a decrease in populations. The beans I'm scouting are in R6 so even if we hit a threshold population now (250 aphids per plant) it would not be economical to spray. If you do have late planted or double cropped beans make sure you still pay attention to the aphids. Hopefully the populations are dwidling all around, however you still may have heavy presure in some areas of the county.

Other observations in the corn plot

2009-08-24T11:15:00.004-04:00

Just a quick note of some other observations in the corn plot this morning. The corn overall is very impressive with nice sized ears and good height. I noted that milkline has begun to move on some varieties, however, as noted the total plant moisture has not changed. I also noticed a fair amount of grey leaf spot in the plot, however this will have little to no affect on the plant at this stage. It seems around the county in general we are set to have a great crop this year. Even much of the late corn planted is looking great especially after Friday's rain. Hopefully we will get some real nice corn silage put up so we can make the milk roll once prices return and help fill in the gaps created by this price slump.

Corn Silage Dry Down Slows

2009-08-24T11:02:00.005-04:00

I tested the PDMP plot again this morning and it appears our 1in. + rain on Friday has slowed us down a bit. The plot tested at 31% D.M. which is the same figure as Friday a.m. prior to the rain. This combined with an overcast day with some drizzle on Saturday seems to be holding the dry down off for a bit. The U.S. Weather Service is calling for cooler temperatures the begining of the weak with no precip. Hopefully low humidity and clear skies will help the corn to dry down again. I'll keep an eye on the silage plot and will have another posting on moisture on Friday if not before. Just in review this plot was planted on April 29th so you may want to adjust accordingly for your planting dates.

Corn Silage Dry Down

2009-08-21T10:00:00.003-04:00

I sampled the PDMP plot this morning and I got a result of 31% dry down. That means in the last 4 days it has changed 6%, or 1.5% per day. In all honesty I thought it may be a little faster then that, however if this trend continues we are looking at harvest to start in another 5-6 days. This seems late for typical harvest, however we have had a cooler than normal growing season, so our degree days haven't mounted as fast as typical.

Other observations this morning was that most of the corn was at dent, however very little to any milk line was present.

Bean Pod Motle Virus

2009-08-20T13:12:00.004-04:00

Good news. Monday I scouted for fields for bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) and today I got the results, all negative. The fields were located outside of Shippensburg, Mercersburg, New Franklin, and Chambersburg so they were from a broad area. I scouted only early plantings that had signs of bean leaf beetle feeding, so they were suceptible to BPMV. It would appear this is not a threat for now in our area. If you want to find out more about BPMV check out this information from Iowa State.

Soybean Aphids

2009-08-20T09:51:00.004-04:00

So have you been finding soybean aphids in your fields? I've been scouting fields this summer to help with the information feed into PA PIPE to help them forecast the areas of greater and less pressure this growing season. So far around Chambersburg the populations of soybean aphids have not been near threshold, however I have seen some fields in the Greencastle/Mercersburg area that would have appeared to be at or near thresholds. Soybean aphids are worse in the odd years then the even ones so 2009 should be a year to watch for, however the populations have been spotty. If you have aphids at the threshold (250 aphids per plant on 80% of plants sampled) do you always spray? It would appear that if you are at R6 or later it is not economical to spray so you may want to let it go. Additionally if you don't want to do the old form of scouting (counting up to 250 aphids) a new speed scouting protocol has been developed by the University of Minnesota to see if you are at threshold or not. Go take a look at those fields and I'd be happy to help you if you have any questions on what you find.

Corn Silage Harvest Drawing Near

2009-08-20T09:08:00.002-04:00

Corn Silage harvest is just around the corner and I've started taking moistures on the PDMP test plot we have here in the county. On Monday the plots were at 27% D.M. so a little ways to go until we reach 40. We certainly have varied planting dates and stages of maturity around the county, however I do believe we start to see our earliest plantings getting close in the next week or so. The plot I'm sampling was planted on the 29th of April. I'll take another sample tomorrow and post the details.

So here it begins

2009-08-20T08:44:00.001-04:00

So I have now rocketed into the world of blogging. This blog will be mainly focusing on the area of crop and soil science (agronomy) in Franklin County Pennsylvania. With this being said I will warn you that comments on the dairy industry and livestock production will likely come into play as well. Hope you enjoy this and I'll do my best to keep it up to date with relevant information.