Ag Report : Ag Report April 6, 2004

Washington County Ag Report
April 6,2004

Contributors are Sandy Buxton, Colleen Converse, Aaron Gabriel, Laura McDermott, and JJ Schell.

Quote
"As you wander on through life, sister/brother, whatever be your goal, keep your eye upon the donut, and not upon the hole." -- Sign in the Mayflower Coffee Shop, Chicago

Announcements
Sat. April 17 Behind the Scenes of a Vegetable Farm - Schoharie Valley Farms/The Carrot Barn, Schoharie from 2-3 pm. Vegetable production, storage, carrot processing, greenhouse and bakery. To register, call 1-800-41VISIT or email tourism@schohariechamber.com

Sunday, April 18th, 12:30 pm. Southern Adirondack Beekeepers Assoc. will hold a workshop at 11 Country Club Dr., Ballston Spa. (1 mile west of Saratoga County Cornell Cooperative Extension office on Rte 67). Aaron Morris, Master Beekeeper, will conduct a session on Spring cleanup and making splits. He will also demonstrate setting up a new hive by installing a recently purchased package of bees. Bring hat and veil. For further information contact: Betsy LaClair at (518) 377-9317. Rain date is Sat April 24th.

April 21 - 23 - Spring Farmstead Cheese Making Workshops - in Wassaic, NY. Call the Regional Farm & Food Project, 518-271-0744.

Saturday, April 24 - Safe Fencing for Horses - in Burlington, VT. Call Mike Barnaby, 800-531-5908, ext 151

May 8, June 26, & August 28, 2004 - Greening the Farm: Managing Pasture Resources - for farmers and ag professionals that want to build productive pastures and tailor their own grazing system for all classes of livestock. $75 registration is due by 4/22. Call UVM Center for Sustainable Ag, 802-656-3834.

FYI
2004 Cornell Crop Guidelines now available: 2004 Integrated Crop and Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Vegetable Production, 2004 Pest Management Guidelines for Commercial Tree Fruit Production, 2004 Pest Management Guidelines for Berry Crops, 2004 and Cornell Guide for Integrated Field Crop Management. Just released is the 2004 New York and Pennsylvania Grape Pest Management Guidelines.

Weather Data - 2004 and average of 1999 - 2003
COMING IN THE NEXT ISSUE.

Midwest Commodity Prices - from the Wall Street Journal
Corn per bushel $3.08/bu
Cotton Seed Meal per ton NA
Soybean per bushel 9.93/bu
Corn Gluten Feed $85/ton
Hominy Feed per ton 83/ton
Wheat, soft white 4.42/bu
48% Soybean meal per ton 322/ton
Tallow per pound 0.23/lb
These prices are provided only to show where the general market trends are moving and to help you determine appropriate ration ingredients. Local prices will vary due to shipping, processing, and discounts.

DAIRY NOTES: As a dairy producer you struggle with decisions that affect the profitability of your dairy everyday. Decisions like drying off your highest producer at 60 days even though she is producing 60 pounds of milk because "it is the right thing to do" just adds stress to this never ending job of dairy management. First of all where did this magical number of sixty days come from for dry periods? There are a few reasons that support a 60-day dry off period. First, a normal lactation is 305 days plus 60 days equals 365 days. Some dairy scientists did some basic math and preached this duration for a dry off period for years based on a human calendar not a cow calendar. Second university research does support increased milk production. Well recent studies done at Cornell have shown that cows don't need 60 days of freedom from the milking routine like once thought. Cows can regenerate mammary glands during 30-40 days of non-lactation without compromising milk production in the next lactation. Also cows with 0 days dry period have shown to have lower instances of metabolic orders but without a period of non-lactation milk production is sacrificed. Although, cows in their fourth or higher lactations that might be culled due to metabolic disorders, who are higher producers might be considered for this type of management. In times of low milk price and increasing cost of replacements a few hundred pounds drop is better than an empty stall. Finally research is going on right now to see if quality or quantity is affected when it comes to colostrum taken from cows with shortened dry periods. JJ

FARM BUSINESS NOTES: An interesting issue that has turned up in the 2003 Dairy Farm Business Summary so far is both a local and statewide dilemma. The cull rate has been rising. This is both voluntary and involuntary culling of adult animals. But the impact on the bottomline is one of the drivers that is raising milk price and lowering profitability on some farms. There can be a number of reasons for what is happening: 2 years of tough milk prices, high beef prices, tighter farm labor, and forage quality just name a few. However, this is a trend that is not going in the right direction. Seeing more than a couple of farms with 40+% cull rates this year makes me worry about what is happening for the future. Take a look and think about what your number means to the bottomline.

CROPS
Soil Quality: What is your plan for soil compaction in 2004? Eighty percent of compaction occurs in the first pass of a tire. Consider adjusting wheel spacings on your tractors, mowers, rakes, mergers, and other implements so that tires all use the same path. Before tillage test soil moisture to the complete depth of tillage. Dig with a shovel and take a ball of soil in your hand. It should crumble apart and not smear when you work it with your hand. Save fuel and soil tilth by preparing seedbeds with one-pass tillage. Examine the size of soil crumbles in the seedbed by getting off the tractor and digging to the depth of planting. What may look too clumpy on top, may have the correct smaller sized soil crumbles settled between these big clumps.

Beneficial Insects: Outside, beneficial insects get a slower start than the pests. The greenhouse is a good environment to introduce beneficial insects, that can be purchased. Be sure to keep plants in the greenhouse clean of any pests before planting them into the field. Control in the greenhouse is easier because there is less area to cover, compared to a field.

Cover Crops: It is getting to the end of frost seeding time (April 15). Dense, small-seeded crops like clover (white or red) are suitable for frost seeding. Annual ryegrass likes a rich moist soil. Be sure to monitor winter-rye so that it does not get too tall and difficult to turn under. Do not mow rye with a rotary mower then try to plow it under. I tried that once and it plugs up the plow. Having it rooted in the ground prevents it from bunching up. A flail mower is the proper implement for mowing biomass because it chops it up to small lengths.

Alfalfa: Research has shown that even without potato leafhopper pressure, PLH resistant alfalfa varieties have higher forage quality (less fiber which is more digestible fiber) than conventional alfalfa. If your soil potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) levels are decent, then wait to topdress alfalfa until after first cutting. Potassium is more available in moist spring soils and less so when it gets dry. Two hundred pounds per acres of 0-10-40 is appropriate for a gravelly soil testing medium in P and K. Your fertilizer will be put to more efficient use. This year is the time to lime those fields that will be seeded to alfalfa next spring. Base your price for lime on the Effective Neutralizing Value.

Field Corn: Corn starter fertilizer needs no P if, the field tests very high in P, or the field tests high plus it gets manure. Always apply about 30 lbs/acre of nitrogen (N) in the starter band. Remember to plant at 1 ½ " for early corn and 2" deep after early May when it gets warmer. This is especially important to prevent Prowl herbicide injury to corn. If your hybrid is adapted to high populations, Cornell research shows higher yields for the following corn silage planting rates (assumes 90% germination): 36,500 seeds/ac on deep loam soils; 34,500 on well-drained loams and clay loams; 32,250 on sandy loams, clays, or somewhat poorly drained soils; and 30,000 on droughty soils. Give credit for NPK in manure. It is best to have a manure analysis, but on average credit manure for giving 2# of N, 3# of P, and 7# of K per ton, and 4# of N, 12# of P, and 24# of K per 1,000 gallons (when spread and not incorporated immediately). Those nutrients are worth $3.77 per ton and $10.21 per 1,000 gallons. Know what is coated on your corn seed and exactly what pests the treatment will control. READ and Keep the labels.

SEED COATINGS for insect control: Pancho 250, Pancho 1250, Cruiser, Gaucho. Read the label to know which insects they control.

PLANTER BOX TREATMENTS - mixed with seed in the planter box.
Fungicide coatings for seedling diseases: Captan 400, Allegiance, Maxim, Dividend, Apron
Insecticide + fungicide coatings for disease and seedling insects (seed maggot, wireworm, grubs): Captan/Diazinon, Kernel Guard, Kickstart

Grasses: Now is a good time to apply nitrogen: 100 lbs N/acre for 3-cut systems and 50 - 75 lbs N/ac for 2-cut systems of orchardgrass or timothy. Applying too much N to 2-cut systems of bunch-type grasses (orchard, timothy) causes the plant population to decrease. You get a few very large crowns of grass with lots of bare soil between. Typically we recommend that all hay seedings be completed by May 1st to ensure plenty of soil moisture for the plants to establish. Seeding rates are alfalfa 12 - 15#/ac or red clover 8 - 12#/ac, plus grass (timothy or orchard at 4 - 6#/ac, or bromegrass or reed canarygrass at 6 - 8#/ac).

Pasture: Frost seed until April 15. Then it may be too late depending on the weather. Red clover and ladino clover are recommended. There are some very nice improved varieties of ladino clover on the market.

Vegetables: Umass had a great article on trap cropping, check it out at www.umassvegetable.org . It was found that Blue hubbard squash can be a trap crop for winter squash, yellow summer squash, and cucumbers. The pumpkin variety Prizewinner can be used for other pumpkins. Some of the other combinations in the article are : Collards for cabbage, early planted potatoes for the main potato crop, Italian or Japanese eggplant (elongated) for regular eggplant or tomato, Komatsuna for kale and cherry peppers for bells. In trap cropping only the perimeter (trap) crop is sprayed. See the article for more info, combinations and target pests.

Sweet Corn: If you missed it in the HortNews, the risk for Stewart's wilt in 2004 is absent according to the Cornell Forecast.

Greenhouse:
At the recent Greenhouse and Nursery IPM meeting we learned to scout for a wide variety of insect pests and which biological agents are effective at controlling insect pests. The hands-on session involved some scouting at a local greenhouse. Very few pests were found at this location, but elsewhere I have found two spotted spider mites and red spider mites. Vinca vine and marigolds were the hosts in all cases. Aphids are easy to spot as they prefer new growth and the underside of leaves, especially of petunia. Now is a good time to monitor sweet potato vines for whiteflies. Look for adults and eggs. Thrips are active in greenhouses and really love double flowering impatiens. The damage is the first thing you see - this will appear as stippling on the foliage. If you are not sure about how to look for these fundamental insect pest, CALL ME!! I can come to your greenhouse and spend time helping you to look for pests. Indicator cards (yellow and/or blue sticky cards) are only helpful if you know what you are looking for on the card.

We also saw plenty of fungus gnats. For those of you who don't believe that fungus gnats do any damage, think about their life cycle. The fungus gnat larvae can be a huge problem for plugs - literally devour the entire root system of a newly established plug. Monitor for fungus gnats by placing discs of raw potato on the surface of the soil. Monitor the potato disc every 12 hours for 3-5 days. The larvae will burrow up into the potato so it will be very easy to see. Lastly are shore flies. These seemingly benign insects actually vector disease and are indicative of excessive moisture and algae growth. If you haven't cleaned your greenhouse this winter, you may be in for a challenging spring. Keep reading for information about greenhouse cleaning. Although it may be too late for this year, right after the crop has been removed is a great time to sanitize.

This photo of tiny tunia is an example of nitrogen deficiency due to soil temperatures being inadequate for Nitrogen conversion to take place. Examine your fertilizer source to ensure that you have an appropriate balance between nitrate (NO3), nitrogen (N) and ammonium (NH4) for the stage plant that you are growing.

Nursery:
Pests that you should be looking for include:
Balsam Twig Aphid - eggs will be hatching soon and the apids will be feeding on terminal buds of grand fir, Fraser fir, white spruce, Colorado spruce and juniper. Pesticide sprays should be made in late April or early May before the budcaps loosen.
Eastern Tent Caterpillar - Watch for these caterpillars as new leaves begin to unfold, especially on wild cherry. Bt subsp. Kurstsaki should be applied while the larvae are still young.

Check for egg masses and prune out NOW. The egg masses of Eastern Tent Caterpillar encircle the twig and are up to an inch long. The spindle shaped masses appear to be varnished. Forest Tent Caterpillar egg masses are similar to Eastern Tent Caterpillar but the ends are flattened. Gypsy Moth are egg masses that are circular to oval 1.5" wide by .75" wide are felt-like and tan. These are laid on the bark surface and can be scraped off. Viburnum Leaf Beetle are found on the underside of viburnum twigs in a square area that the female has chewed out. The masses are mosaic tan and black and can be removed by pruning out the tips of branches where the masses are seen.

Sincerely,

Aaron Gabriel
Extension Educator
Crops and Soils

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