Editorial Butler County Extension News
Thursday, February 27, 2014 •
• Clarksville Star • Butler County Tribune-Journal •
Tomato Grafting and Pest Management workshop WAUKON, Iowa -- Grafting tomatoes is centuries old and it has come to the forefront in the past decade for several reasons. Grafting can be used successfully to manage soil borne diseases and improve yields in both hybrid and heirloom tomatoes. Growers also are interested in learning about grafting tomatoes for yield improvement and disease management. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will conduct a tomato grafting and pest management workshop Friday, March 28 at North East Iowa Dairy Foundation Center, Calmar. Iowa State University presenters at the workshop include Ajay Nair, extension horticulturist, and Erika Saalau-Rojas and Melissa Irizarry, plant pathologists with the ISU Plant and Insect Diagnostic Lab. The workshop is co-sponsored by The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. The workshop begins with a 9:45 a.m. registration, followed by the basics of tomato grafting and a hands-on grafting exercise before lunch. Insect and disease identification and pest management strategies and options will be covered during the afternoon session. Live samples will be available to learn how to identify pests and disease, and their symptoms. Master gardeners, home gardeners and commercial vegetable growers will find this hands-on grafting and pest management experience beneficial. To register, contact Teresa Wiemerslage at the Allamakee County Extension Office at wiemer@iastate.edu or 563-7940599.
ISU Extension and Outreach Offers Field Crop Scout School AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will offer a Field Crop Scout School on Saturday, March 8 at the Scheman Continuing Education Building, Iowa State Center, Ames. Designed for beginning crop scouts, the daylong course features workshops on crop growth and development; weed, disease and insect identification; non-pest crop injuries; and scouting methods and techniques. A supplemental Field Scouting Basics class, a new offering in 2014, will be held in May at the Field Extension Education Laboratory. Attendees of the March school will receive discounted registration for the field session in May. Registration for the May session will open following the scout school. “Consider the March school the three credit foundation course and the May class the one credit lab session,� said Stuart McCulloh, extension program specialist and field crop school coordinator. “The agenda for the basics class will be based on feedback from the March school as well as a needs assessment quiz at the start of the May session. Together the two sessions form a comprehensive package.� Doors open at 7:30 a.m. March 8 for the Field Crop Scout School, with sessions beginning at 8 a.m. The school ends at 4:45 p.m. The fee is $100 and includes field guides, course handouts, lunch and breaks. Online registration (VISA, MasterCard or Discover) is available at www.aep.iastate.edu/scout. Registration must be completed by midnight, Feb. 28. Registration is limited to 150 participants and pre-registration is required to attend; registrations will not be accepted at the door for this program. For more information, call 515509-8308 or email smac@iastate. edu.
Conserving Lands and Waters in Iowa Through the Farm Bill By Jan Glendening, Iowa State Director, The Nature Conservancy in Iowa Leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate finally reached a bipartisan agreement on the long-awaited farm bill this week, and moved swiftly to pass that into law. The conservation programs contained in the farm bill are proof that Congress can improve policy, get strong bipartisan support and save scarce federal dollars at the same time. Many people don’t realize that, while the farm bill is primarily about food and farms, it’s also, by far, the nation’s largest investment supporting conservation, restoration and management of private lands in Iowa. This farm bill will be one of the strongest ever for conservation, despite our polarized political climate and budget challenges. The bill includes funding for conservation programs that improve air and water quality, protect our soils and create fish and wildlife habitats, thereby providing meaningful benefits to all Americans, particularly here in Iowa. Iowa’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy is already working to reduce nitrates in our water by 45 percent. That, combined with critical programs funded through the farm bill and investment from the private sector, will help provide a bright future for farming in Iowa. For example: ¡ The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) pays farmers to set aside production on environmentally sensitive farmland and plant native wildlife species. ¡ The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) protects grazing and pasture land from being used for row-crop agriculture or urban development. ¡ The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) can be used to implement practices that keep soil and nutrients in fields and out of Iowa’s streams and rivers, such as reduced tillage, nutrient management and cover crops. EQIP also provides resources for improving wildlife habitat, such as prairie restoration, tree and shrub plantings. ¡ Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) provides financial and technical assistance so landowners can restore and create wetlands, improving habitats for migratory
birds and wildlife, improving water quality, and aiding in flood control and ground water recharge. ¡ Technical Assistance (TA) funding pays for conservation planning, student outreach and landowner meetings. All Americans enjoy the results of good conservation programs and in Iowa, farmers and landowners depend on these programs to provide a safe and abundant food supply while protecting and restoring habitat such as wetlands and grasslands, improving water quality and increasing flood control and wildlife habitat. The conservation programs in the farm bill recognize that the health of the soil, water, and other natural resources in Iowa and around the country is essential to the longterm productivity and economic viability of agriculture; that protecting and managing our natural resources is critical to the future of Iowa’s communities; and that most of our nation’s opportunities for fishing, hunting and observing nature depend on privately owned habitat on farms, ranches and forest land. At The Nature Conservancy, we’ve worked for decades with farmers, ranchers and other private landowners to help them succeed while conserving precious soil and water. As a result of that work, we support this farm bill and can say without a doubt that the conservation programs in this bill will work to serve the short and long-term interests of Iowa and the American people. We deserve cleaner water, better soil conservation, enhanced wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities, increased flood protection and stronger local communities and rural economies and of course, affordable and healthy food. The leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees should be commended for finding a healthy way forward by working together, listening to the people on the ground about what works and leading the way for all of Congress to vote for smart, efficient solutions. Thank you House Representatives Steve King, David Loebsack, Bruce Braley and Tom Latham, as well as Senator Tom Harkin for supporting this important piece of legislation.
The Clover Connection Nancy Jensen Butler County CYC nejensen@iastate.edu
Grain Bin Safety Week Almost every day there are tractors, wagons and semis going past my office window; farmers are hauling corn to the elevator. (My husband is also trying to accomplish this task at home between the snow storms!) Emptying grain bins at any time is dangerous and the fatality rate for grain entrapment accidents has been increasing. Entrapments have usually resulted in a 100% mortality rate. February 23 – March 1 is Grain Bin Safety Week and a time to stop and check on the safety precautions necessary before a person enters a grain bin for any reason. I was able to meet and listen to Arick Baker, a New Providence farmer, who talked at a meeting I attended. If you remember this story from a year ago, Arick was trapped in a grain bin after entering to check on some rotten corn. He found the rotten corn and also managed to hit an air pocket which quickly resulted in corn engulfing him. He said there was about 18 inches of corn above his head. Arick was a grain bin entrapment survivor because of 2 things: 1) A ventilation mask which had just been purchased for him a few days before his accident. While the mask did not produce oxygen, it did filter the air of dust and dirt and allowed him to breathe. One of the major factors in grain bin mortality cases is suffocation. 2) A rescue tube, recently received by the Iowa Falls Fire Department, was placed around Baker (once he was located) to prevent corn from falling around him. The fire department volunteers had spent days receiving training on how to use this device to safely extract people from bins. Arick has no doubt that the mask saved his life; he fought to live and the recovery quickly changed to rescue when his hand was found. He told the audience he had been
taught from a young age that he would die if he was ever in a grain bin accident. There are some tips to entering bins safely as described by Nationwide Agribusiness: develop a rescue plan, develop a written permit system, de-energize and lock out equipment, monitor the air, secure a life line, utilize an observer and train workers. No one enters a grain bin without being aware of the dangers involved, but sometimes safety is not the #1 thing on a farmer’s mind. In Iowa, with all the corn acres and grain bins, it would be ideal if each and every fire department had a rescue tube and the necessary training to use it. Ideal is not always possible, however. This year, Nationwide Agribusiness has partnered with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety, (where I have my Farm Safety Day training each year!) to provide grain entrapment rescue training to 1 nominated fire department or emergency rescue squad. The winning department also receives a rescue tube valued at $2,600 courtesy of KC Supply. If you’d like to nominate your community’s fire department for this training you need to; provide your name, mailing and email address, the name and address of your local fire department and one page describing how the local fire department and community would benefit from this type of training and tube, and how they plan to share the tube and training with nearby departments. Completed nominations can be emailed to agcontest@nicc.edu or mailed to NECAS, Grain Bin Safety Ag Contest, 8342 NICC Dr, Peosta, IA 52068. Contest ends April 30, 2014. Keep your farm workers safe, nominate your fire department today!
Value added Ag Annie’s Project course begins March 7 AMES, Iowa -- Another cen- market information and direct tral Iowa value added agricul- marketing methods ture course is coming to Ames • Production tools, farmland this March. This special value leasing, USDA programs and added agriculture Annie’s Project niche production protocols course takes place in four, six“By bringing local professionhour sessions. Course curriculum als into the classroom, women covers five areas of agricultural considering or involved in adding risk: financial, human resources, value to their on-farm production legal, marketing and production. will develop new networks and The Women Food and Ag Net- be able to utilize new resources work is partnering with Iowa to grow their businesses,â€? said State University Extension and Margaret Smith, Annie’s Project Outreach, Farm Credit Services educator and ISU Extension Valof America and the United States ue Added Agriculture Program Department of Agriculture to of- Specialist. Besides presentations, fer this course. The class will there will be in-class activities be taught over four weeks on and discussions based on particiFridays, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 pant questions, as well as followp.m. March 7, 14, 21 and 28, at up activities to complete at home. the Des Moines Area CommuThose interested in the Value nity College – Hunziker Center, Added Agriculture Annie’s Proj1420 S. Bell Ave. in Ames, Iowa. ect course can find more informaThe registration cost is $75 and tion and register online at www. includes course materials and aep.iastate.edu/annie, or contact lunch each session. Lani McKinney at the Value Annie’s Project educators un- Added Agriculture office at 515derstand the necessity of grow- 294-9483, or lanim@iastate.edu. ing and diversifying small, niche, “The Value Added Agriculture beginning and value added agri- Annie’s Project course I took cultural businesses. was especially nice because of “With the growth and empha- its focus on small niche farms. It sis on local foods, more people wasn’t just focused on corn, soyare interested in pursuing this beans, pigs and cows. The other segment of agricultural produc- people taking the class were in tion,â€? said Marsha Laux, Annie’s the same situation I was, so we Project state coordinator and pro- could share with each other,â€? gram coordinator with Iowa State said Nicole Jonas, who operates University Extension and Out- Red Granite Farm with her young reach’s Value Added Agriculture family in Boone, Iowa. Program. “This requires careful The course is part of the Womplanning and using the right tools en, Food and Agriculture Netand strategies.â€? work “Harvesting Our Potentialâ€? In the Value Added Agriculture program. Funding is provided Annie’s Project course, women by the Beginning Farmer and will learn more about: Rancher Development Program • Financial ratios, balance of the National Institute of Food sheets, budgeting, enterprise and Agriculture, USDA, Grant # analysis and business planning 2012-49400-19573. It is also part • Human resource manage- of the Iowa State University Exment, communication styles and tension and Outreach USDA Risk farm family insurance needs Management Agency Commu• Legal issues, estate laws, nity Partnership Grant # RMAproperty title and employee re- RPG05162. quirements • Marketing plans, access to
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Yard and Garden: When to Prune AMES, Iowa — In a single motion pruning demonstrates both the art and science of horticulture. Perhaps that’s why so many homeowners get nervous and postpone or ignore the task. Understanding how plants grow, why pruning is necessary and which tools to use can remove the mystery surrounding this routine practice. Horticulturists with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach answer pruning questions. To have additional questions answered, contact the ISU Hortline at hortline@iastate.edu or 515-294-3108. When should I prune my shrubs? The proper time to prune deciduous and evergreen shrubs is determined by the plant’s growth habit, bloom time and health or condition. Spring-flowering shrubs, such as lilac and forsythia, bloom in spring on the growth of the previous season. The best time to prune springflowering shrubs depends on the health or condition of the plants. Neglected, overgrown springflowering shrubs often require extensive pruning to rejuvenate or renew the plants. The best time to rejuvenate large, overgrown shrubs is late winter or early spring (late February to early April). Heavy pruning in late winter or early spring will reduce or eliminate the flower display for two or three years. However, the long-term results of rejuvenation pruning are restoration of plant health, improvement in plant appearance and greater bloom. The best time to prune healthy, well-maintained spring-flowering shrubs is immediately after flowering. (Healthy, well-maintained shrubs should require only light to moderate pruning.) Pruning immediately after flowering allows gardeners to enjoy the spring flower display and provides adequate time for the shrubs to initiate new flower buds for next season. Summer-flowering shrubs, such as potentilla and Japanese spirea, bloom in summer on the current year’s growth. Prune summerflowering shrubs in late winter or early spring. The pruned shrubs will bloom in summer on the current year’s growth. Some deciduous shrubs don’t produce attractive flowers. These shrubs may possess colorful bark, fruit or foliage. Prune these shrubs in late winter or early spring before growth begins. Prune evergreen shrubs, such as juniper and yew, in early to mid-
April before new growth begins. Light pruning may also be done in mid-summer. When is the best time to prune shade trees? February through March is generally regarded as the best time to prune most deciduous trees. The absence of foliage at this time of year gives the individual a clear view of the tree and allows the selection and removal of appropriate branches. Also, the walling-off or compartmentalization of wounds occurs most rapidly just prior to the onset of growth in spring. Oaks are an exception. The winter months – December, January and February – are the best time to prune oak trees. Deciduous trees can be pruned at other times of the year with little or no negative consequences. However, if possible, avoid pruning deciduous trees in spring when trees are leafing out and in fall when trees are dropping their leaves. To reduce the risk of an oak wilt infection, do not prune oaks from March through October. Oak wilt is a fungal disease that is lethal to many oaks. It can be spread from infected trees to healthy trees by sapfeeding beetles (“picnic bugs�). If an oak tree must be pruned in spring or summer (such as after a storm), apply latex house paint to the pruning cuts to avoid attracting sap-feeding beetles to the wounds. When should I prune my fruit trees? Late February to early April is the best time to prune fruit trees in Iowa. Summer pruning of fruit trees is generally not recommended. However, water sprouts (rapidly growing shoots that often develop just below a pruning cut) can be removed in June or July. When should I prune my gooseberries? Fruit producing shrubs, such as gooseberries, currants and blueberries, should be pruned in late winter or early spring. In Iowa, pruning can be done from late February until bud break. When is the best time to prune grapevines? The most desirable time to prune grapevines is late winter or early spring. In Iowa, pruning can begin in late February and should be completed by early April. Grapevines pruned at this time of year may “bleed� heavily. However, the loss of sap does not harm the vines.
Master Equine Manager course offered online AMES, Iowa -- -Horse owners and enthusiasts now have an online option for learning horse management. The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Master Equine Manager Program is a comprehensive educational experience that teaches the science of horse management along with riding and training concepts. Master Equine Manager was introduced by ISU Extension and Outreach in 2004 as a face-to-face program. The online option was introduced Feb. 1 and expands access to the popular course. The Master Equine Manager online course covers horse welfare, nutrition, health and selection. Complete details of the online course are posted at www. extension.iastate.edu/masterequine/. “Making a comprehensive Webbased educational series that addresses the science of horse management enhances Iowa’s broad-based horse industry,� said Dale Miller, Master Equine Manager program state coordinator. “Iowa State University Extension and Outreach is responding to the educational needs of horse owners and enthusiasts in Iowa and beyond.� Iowans began enrolling in the course when it became available earlier this month, as did people from the neighboring states of Nebraska, Minnesota and Illinois. Horse owners from Connecticut and Virginia also have expressed excitement at the opportunity to learn and receive their Master Equine Manager Certificate upon program completion. “The new Master Equine Manager Program informs and educates people on quality horse care and responsible horse ownership,� said Peggy
Miller-Auwerda, ISU Extension and Outreach horse specialist. “After completing the online self-study modules and hands-on evaluation/ training, participants will receive their Master Equine Manager certification.â€? Miller-Auwerda said horse owners, enthusiasts, boarding facility managers and industry employees also benefit from increased knowledge and networking with others in the horse industry. The learning modules and topics include: • Welfare of Horses: understanding horse behavior, facilities and equipment, equine quality assurance • Horse Nutrition: forages for horses, feeds and feeding • Horse Health: equine emergency treatment, vaccinations for horses, understanding horse parasites and hoof care • Selection of Horses: conformation and evaluation, unsoundness and blemishes Course registration is open to junior and senior high school students and adults with an interest in horses. Registrations can be made at http:// www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/equine/ register.html. Program fee is $250 for high school students and $325 for all others. Graduates of the program will become certified Master Equine Managers and are encouraged to share their skills and knowledge with others. Continuing education units are available upon request. For more information, visit www. extension.iastate.edu/masterequine/, contact Peggy M. Auwerda at peggy@iastate.edu or 515-294-5260, or contact Dale Miller at dmill@iastate.edu or 641-842-2014.
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