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Agriculture Newsletter
Last modified
2009-06-23 17:37
A bi-monthly agriculture newsletter dealing with a range of agricultural and horticultural topics.
For more information about Ag/NR in Athens County, contact Rory at lewandowski.11@osu.edu
JULY / AUGUST 2009
In This Issue:
Dear Agricultural Producer,
In early May I had the opportunity to join a small group for an afternoon discussion/conversation with Wes Jackson. Wes Jackson is the founder and president of The Land Institute in Salinas Kansas , http://www.landinstitute.org/. The basis for the work at The Land Institute is research and crop breeding to develop a permaculture or perennial crop agricultural system. The mission statement from the web sites says: “Our purpose is to develop an agricultural system with the ecological stability of the prairie and a grain yield comparable to that from annual crops.” Wes Jackson is cited as an agriculture visionary.
I didn’t know what to expect as I shook his hand and took my chair. I had met other agriculture “visionary types” that were passionate about their subject and scathing in their remarks about mainstream or conventional agriculture. I was half-way prepared for this type of conversation, expecting to make an effort to get past arrogance to sift through some truths. What I found, at least on that May afternoon, was a soft-spoken, older man sharing some big-picture thoughts and philosophy. I thought I might hear about plant breeding techniques and the development of perennial grain crops. While those topics were touched on, it happened briefly and at the end of a conversation that set some of those remarks in context. Here are a few of the notes I jotted down from that May afternoon conversation along with some of my recollections of what the conversation involved:
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Within our worldview and policy decisions we must begin at least to talk about the end of economic growth and population growth. These are hard concepts and in some conversations, taboo topics. The emphasis was that we have a planet and a system we live in that has finite resources. If progress or well-being is defined by growth, there comes a time when that bumps up against limited resources.
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Sufficiency of people vs. sufficiency of capital. Could we be at a point where instead of substituting capital for labor, we now need to consider employing more people? Are people (labor) more plentiful than capital?
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Continent vs. Island view. America was settled and developed with an expansion mindset and a view of rich and seemingly unending resources. That continues in our view of the world today and how we approach problem-solving. In contrast, people who grow up on or settle an island, have an ingrained sense of limits. There are limits to resources and the carrying capacity of the land. Do we need to begin to see the earth as a kind of island and recognize limits?
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Focus on soil. Soil is the basis of our wealth, our production. We must focus on soil, sustaining soil and maintaining soil.
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Nature as the standard. This last point was in relation to some of the plant breeding work being done at The Land Institute in which the development of perennial grain crops seeks to use nature as a standard in regards to perennial plants.
I came away from that afternoon discussion with the impression that human-kind has some big challenges ahead as we stretch the carrying capacity of this earth and that agriculture, with its responsibility to feed this population, is in for some big changes. I also recognized again the unique fit of ruminant animals within a permaculture system of forages. Let’s continue thinking, conversing and listening to each other.
Sincerely,
Rory Lewandowski
Extension Educator, Ag/NR
MONITOR LAMB/KID WORM BURDEN
July - September are critical times to closely monitor the internal parasite burden of lambs and kids. Preferably monitoring would start in June. The internal parasite of principal concern during the summer months is Haemonchus contortus, the barber pole worm. Lambs and kids grazing on pastures that are contaminated with large numbers of infective Haemonchus contortus larvae can go downhill very rapidly in July and August. It would not be uncommon that within a 7 to 10 day period a lamb or kid could go from a perky animal with energy to bounce around a pasture to an animal that is on the threshold of death, lethargic and with little energy to move about. Unless an effective rescue treatment is applied at this stage, the chance of survival is very low.
I sometimes hear sheep and goat owners say that parasites are not a concern to them because they are using rotational grazing or because they have an effective chemical deworming schedule. Neither of these strategies is going to totally prevent high worm burdens from accumulating or do away with the need to monitor lambs and kids during the critical July – September period.
Although rotational grazing is a good strategy to manage pasture health and provide quality forage, it does not prevent Haemonchus contortus from building up to very high levels on pasture. Let’s do a brief review of the life cycle of the worm during the grazing season. Adult worms attached to the stomach of an infected animal lay eggs that are passed in the animal’s feces. Under the favorable temperature and moisture conditions that exist in most summer pastures, eggs hatch to the infective larval stage in 4-7 days. Newly hatched larvae remain near the fecal pellet and pass through 3 stages of larval development termed L1, L2 and L3. The L3 stage is termed the infective stage because this larva will climb up blades of grass and wait to be ingested by grazing animals. Once the L3 stage has been ingested, it molts into an L4 larva stage and then molts in to an immature adult. When adults reach about 14 days of age in the stomach of the infected animal, they begin laying eggs. The entire life cycle from egg to egg can occur in as little as 24-25 days.
In a recent conversation with Dr. Shulaw, an OSU Extension Veterinarian who has considerable experience working with this problem of internal parasites, I asked about the life span of an infective Haemonchus contortus larva on pasture. Dr. Shulaw replied that L3 larvae can live up to 90 days on summer pastures given our climate and general pasture conditions. So, within the grazing season if a pasture is being re-grazed within that time frame and assuming our ewes and does were shedding Haemonchus contortus eggs in their feces on the first grazing pass, then those larvae are there waiting to be consumed in subsequent grazing passes. Since a mature female Haemonchus contortus worm can lay up to 5000 eggs/day, it does not take long for a pasture to accumulate very high levels of infective L3 larvae.
Depending upon chemical de-wormers and a regular deworming schedule is, at best, a short term fix. By now, sheep and goat owners who are serious about long-term production know that chemical resistance is an issue and that there is documented parasite resistance to all classes of currently available chemical dewormers. No chemical dewormer is 100% effective. Used repeatedly over time, the chemical will loose its effectiveness as the percentage of worms resistant to the chemical increase in the worm population on the farm. It’s important to understand that every time a chemical de-wormer is used, there is some selection for resistant worms. Deworming every animal in the flock or herd on a regular schedule is a formula for developing a resistant worm population and chemical failure. Selective deworming of only those individuals that really need some help will help to sustain the effectiveness of a chemical dewormer. That brings us back to the opening statement that animals need to be monitored.
How should lambs/kids be monitored during this critical period? There are two main tools that livestock owners can use; the FAMACHA eyelid score system and fecal egg counts. Both require time and regular application to be effective. Since few producers have the time, expertise and equipment to do fecal egg counts, they will have to depend upon their local veterinarian. The local vet may not have the time and/or staff to get fecal egg counts done in a timely and consistent manner and producers may not want to fork over $10 to $15 per fecal egg count test. That leaves the FAMACHA system.
The FAMACHA eyelid color score system uses a scale of 1-5 to grade eyelid color. The color of the lower eyelid is correlated with anemia caused by Haemonchus contortus burden within the animal. A chart with eyelid color and scores is matched to the live animal’s eyelid color. A bright red color score of 1or 2 indicates low levels of anemia and pale pink to white (scores 3-5) increasing levels of anemia. Generally an animal scoring a 3 or higher would be treated with an effective chemical dewormer. The value of the FAMACHA system is that it allows animals that are most affected by Haemonchus contortus to be identified and selectively treated without using a chemical dewormer on the entire herd/flock.
The most effective use of the FAMACHA system is consistent, regular application. During the critical July- September period, this means checking lamb/kid eyelids every 7 to 10 days. Keep track of scores for individual animals and use this as a record to notice trends that are developing. This is advice that was learned the hard way and here’s the story.
In 2008, I was involved in a small on-farm research project examining early weaning and pasture management to try to control Haemonchus contortus infection levels in lambs. Lambs were FAMACHA scored on a regular basis beginning in May. Towards the end of June over 90% of the lambs were scoring a 1 or a 2 and I thought parasites might not be a big issue. Then, doing FAMACHA scoring on July 8, over 40% of the lambs had to be treated with a chemical dewormer based on FAMACHA scores and backed up by high fecal egg counts. How did the situation change so quickly?
Ever notice how once something goes wrong you have time to go back and correct the mistake or take the time to think through what led to the error? We went back and looked at the FAMACHA scores and Dr. Shulaw did an analysis of FAMACHA percentages over time in the study. Here are some of the results:
May 5: 77% of the lambs scored a 1, 23% scored a 2.
June 5: 36% of the lambs scored a 1, 64% scored a 2.
June 23: 29 % scored a 1, 65% scored a 2, 5% scored a 3 and 2% scored a 4.
July 8: 9% scored a 1, 42% scored a 2, 42% scored a 3, 5% scored a 4 and 2% scored a 5.
Notice the trend toward higher scores over time. The distribution of FAMACHA scores was changing. Once the scores were looked at from this perspective, it was clear that lambs did not go downhill as suddenly as we perceived. The information was there, and a warning bell was sounding. The FAMACHA system can be used as an early warning system, but only if it is used regularly, records are kept and then those records are looked at for trends after each scoring of lambs/kids.
The last point I need to make in this article is that a farm needs an effective chemical dewormer to serve as a rescue option. How do you know if your chemical dewormer is effective or if resistance is developing? One way is by examining worm egg counts in the manure of treated animals, but this involves sampling relatively large groups and having your veterinarian do quantitative egg counts. Another way involves collecting some representative fecal samples and then exposing the eggs to the various chemical dewormers. One such assay is called the DrenchRite assay and is performed by a lab at the University of Georgia . The cost of this test is about $400, but resistance to all three chemical dewormers is evaluated on one composite sample. This makes this method very attractive for small flock/herd owners, and the assay results are available in about three weeks.
Beginning in June, but especially in the July-September period, is a critical time to monitor lambs and kids for internal worm burdens. Livestock owners need to recognize that early season pasture management will have an effect on parasite burdens. If lambs and kids can’t be moved to a safe pasture or feedlot system, then monitoring by use of the FAMACHA system, combined with an effective chemical dewormer, can help to reduce lamb/kid mortality.
For more information about internal parasite control and/or any of the monitoring tools mentioned in this article, contact the Athens County Extension office at 593-8555.
FARM BIOSECURITY MEASURES
I had a call from a farmer after he read the last issue of this newsletter and he asked if an article on farm biosecurity measures could be included, particularly as though measures pertain to on-farm visits. The following information is taken from the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. I have excerpted the information that pertains to the most common types or levels of on-farm visits. The entire document is available on the web at: http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/Biosecure/WVDA.pdf.
Level 1
Minimum Biosecurity Measures
· Avoid livestock areas, pens, barns, etc., unless it is necessary to complete the goal of the visit.
· If practical, park your vehicle on paved or concrete areas, away from production sites on farm, to avoid contact with dirt, mud or manure.
· Wash hands with soap and water or an antibacterial gel before entering and after leaving the premises to avoid transmitting disease agents.
Level 2
Visits to farms where minimal contact with livestock or their housing (barns, pens, hutches, etc.) is unavoidable to attain the goal of the visit, i.e. property appraisals, tour of production facilities. Contact constitutes walking through animal housing or pastures where the animals are not within reach.
· Apply minimum biosecurity measures plus
· Immediately put on clean rubber or new plastic boots upon exiting the vehicle.
· After returning to your vehicle, clean and disinfect any equipment used with a brush and approved EPA disinfectant solution (see listed supplies)
· Clean rubber boots with an approved EPA disinfectant diluted with water. Scrub the bottoms of the boots with a brush to remove all dirt or debris.
· If wearing plastic boots, place them in a plastic bag that should be left on the premises for the owner/producer for disposal or place in a designated “dirty” (plastic bag) area of your vehicle.
· Dispose of disinfectant solution according to the label. Unused disinfectant solution should not be discarded on the ground.
HAY STORAGE
By: Clyde Lane , University of Tennessee Extension
Taken from the OSU Extension Beef Cattle Letter, Issue 639, June 3, 2009
A majority of beef producers in Tennessee are feeding hay stored as large round bales. Although the large round bales reduce the labor required when handling hay, there is a problem. Hay stored outside can have significant storage losses.
Most research and demonstrations show that the method of storage has a major influence on the amount of forage that is lost. Data from a hay storage demonstration in Moore County , Tennessee is presented in Table 1. Bales were weighed and stored in June with reweighing being done in January.
Table 1. Losses of Hay Stored using Six Methods of Storage
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Treatment |
Percentage Loss |
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1. On ground, no cover |
37% |
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2. On tires, no cover |
29% |
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3. On ground, covered |
29% |
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4. On tires, covered |
8% |
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5. Net wrap on ground |
19% |
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6. In barn |
6% |
As can be seen from the table, the losses can be significant. Losses for hay stored in the barn was 6%. Other methods resulted in greater losses. Hay stored on tires and covered had an 8% loss while the loss was 29% when covered but placed on the ground. Storage losses from ground storage and on tires with no cover were equal at 29%. The greatest losses occurred when the hay was stored on the ground and not covered. This resulted in a 37% loss. The data support the idea the losses occur both from moisture getting to the top and bottom of bales.
Producers should strive to store hay in a barn if possible. The next best option is storage outside with the hay lifted off the ground and covered. Do not store hay on the ground or under trees.
ALL PURPOSE VEHICLES: Laws to Change July 1, 2009
Peggy Hall, Director, Agricultural & Resource Law Program, Ohio State University Extension
Ohio law will soon contain new provisions on criminal trespass, registration and operation of all-purpose vehicles (APVs). The General Assembly included the changes in H.B. 2 this spring, which becomes effective on July 1, 2009 . Rural landowners will have interest in the new criminal trespass sections, which increase fines when a trespass occurs with an APV. The law's license plate program will require APVs to display a license plate and validation sticker like other vehicles. APV operators will pay higher registration fees, but on-farm APVs used as a farm implement will be exempt from registration.
According to Ohio law, an “all-purpose vehicle” is “any self-propelled vehicle designed primarily for cross-country travel on land and water, or on more than one type of terrain, and steered by wheels or caterpillar treads, or any combination thereof, including vehicles that operate on a cushion of air, vehicles commonly known as all-terrain vehicles, all-season vehicles, mini-bikes, and trail bikes.” The definition of “all-purpose vehicle” does not include golf carts or utility vehicles that are designed to transport materials or cargo.
Below is a summary of the new law that will go into effect on July 1.
Criminal trespass with APVs. The law contains stiffer penalties for criminal trespass that involves an APV. Criminal trespass is the entering or remaining on another's land without permission or privilege, and is a fourth degree misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $250 and jail time of up to 30 days. Under the new law, when a person commits criminal trespass using an APV, a court must double the fine. Where a person is convicted three times of criminal trespass using an APV, the court may also impound the registration and license plate of the vehicle for at least 60 days.
Registration exceptions. Ohio law currently requires registration of APVs, snowmobiles and off-highway motorcycles, with a few exceptions. The new law changes the exceptions that apply to APVs in two ways. First, the new law removes the registration exception for APVs operated exclusively upon lands owned by the owner or on lands to which the owner has a contractual right. This exception from registration will apply only to snowmobiles and off-highway motorcycles. Second, the law creates a new registration exception for APVs: an owner does not have to register an APV that is used primarily on a farm as a farm implement. The law also increases the penalties for operating an unregistered APV, snowmobile or off-highway motorcycle to no less than $50 and no more than $100.
License plate requirements. The new law requires operators of APVs to display a license plate and validation sticker rather than a registration number after July 1, 2010 . An owner must display the license plate so that it is "distinctly visible" and in accordance with rules to be adopted by the Board of Motor Vehicles (BMV). After an owner obtains a license plate, the BMV will issue a new validation sticker to display on the license plate for each three-year registration period. The new license plate provision does not affect snowmobiles or off-highway motorcycles.
Registration fees. The new law increases the registration fees for APVs, snowmobiles and off-highway motorcycles from $5 to $31.25 for the three-year registration period. The registrar may retain up to $5 of the fee and must deposit the remainder into the state treasury for the state recreational vehicle fund, which also receives amounts from fines issued under the law. Purposes of the fund include enforcing and administering laws regarding registration and operation of snowmobiles, off-highway motorcycles, and APVs, purchasing additional land to provide trails and other areas for such vehicles on state-controlled land and waters, and providing safety programs.
Out of state driver's licenses. The old law requires the operator of an APV, snowmobile or off-highway motorcycle to hold a valid driver's license from the State of Ohio . The new law allows a person holding a driver's license from another state to operate the vehicles.
Impoundment. The new law allows a court to impound the registration and license plate of an APV for no less than 60 days whenever a person is found guilty of operating the vehicle in violation of Ohio law.
See these Ohio Revised Code sections at http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/ for changes to APV law: O.R.C. 2911.21, 4519.02, 4519.03, 4519.04, 4519.08, 4519.09, 4519.10, 4519.44, and 4519.47.
SHEEP GRAZING TOUR
The Ohio Forage and Grasslands Council (OFGC) is sponsoring a sheep grazing bus tour in Noble County Ohio on Friday, July 10. Participants will gather at the Caldwell Elementary School in Caldwell Ohio and board the bus at 9:00 am . The bus tour includes stops at 3 area farms: Somerhill farm, Shriver farm and the Ray family farm. Cost of the bus tour is $30 for OFGC members and $35 for non-members. Pre-registration is requested by July 2. The fee includes the bus trip, lunch and refreshments.
Come to Noble County on July 10 for the sheep grazing tour and stay for the Ohio Sheep Day program the following day, Saturday, July 11 at the Eastern Agriculture Research Center (EARC) in Belle Valley (9:00 am – 4:00 pm).
An informational brochure and registration form for the sheep grazing tour is available on the Athens County Extension web site at: http://athens.osu.edu/Agriculture/ofgc-sheep-grazing-tour. For those who do not have Internet access and would like a copy of the brochure and registration form, contact the Athens County Extension office at 593-8555.
OHIO SHEEP DAY
The annual Ohio Sheep Day will be held on Saturday, July 11 at the OSU Eastern Area Research Station (EARS) located in Belle Valley . Registration is from 8:00 am to 9:00 am and the program begins at 9:00 am . Cost is $5.00 for Ohio Sheep Improvement Association (OSIA) members and $15 for non-members. Lunch is included in the registration cost.
Although the focus is sheep, many of the sessions are applicable to any ruminant animal and particularly to farmers using grazing management to produce livestock. In addition to some general sessions, participants will have the opportunity to choose from various break-out sessions throughout the day. Program sessions that will be offered include:
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EARS Land and Facility Management Tour
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Utilization of Annuals and Perennials in a Pasture Management System
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Ruminant Nutrition Programs with Dried Distiller’s Grains
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Marketing to the Ethnic Population
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Grazing Demonstration Paddock Tour
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The EARS Sheep Handling Facilities
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The Genetics of the EARS Sheep Flock
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Risky Behavior: Parasite Management
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Managing Coyotes and Black Vultures
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Lamb Carcass Cutting and Lamb Cooking Demonstration
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What Makes the EARS Sheep Operation Profitable
The day will conclude at 4:00 pm . Ohio Sheep Day is sponsored by the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, the Ohio Sheep and Wool Program, Ohio State University Department of Animal Sciences and Ohio State University Extension.
For more information or details about Ohio Sheep Day, contact the Athens County Extension office at 593-8555.
PIKETON SUMMER FIELD DAYS
The OSU South Centers at Piketon is hosting several different field days over the next couple of months that may be of interest farmers involved in horticultural or agricultural production.
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Irrigation Management Workshop: Thursday, July 16 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm . The focus will be on micro and drip irrigation systems for horticulture. Registration cost is $5.00/person, pre-registration requested, contact Julie Strawser, (740)289-2071 X223 or via email at: strawser.35@osu.edu
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Horticulture Field Day: Thursday, August 13, from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm . Learn about the results of the 2009 horticulture trials at the Piketon Center , and tour the fields with Piketon specialists during Horticulture Field Night. Cost is $10.00 per person and includes dinner. RSVP to Julie at strawser.35@osu.edu or by phone at 740-289-2071, ext 223.
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Crop, Soil and Water Field Night: Thursday, August 20 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm . No charge.
OHIO SUSTAINABLE FARM TOUR SERIES
There are a number of farm tours scheduled around the state this summer and fall as part of the Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour Series that is sponsored by the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, the OSU Extension Sustainable Agriculture Team, the Innovative Farmers of Ohio, the USDA SARE program, the OSU Organic Food and Farming Education and Research Program and the Ohio Forage and Grasslands Council. Two of the featured tours are being held on Athens County farms:
· Organic Vegetable Production: Saturday, July 18 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Green Edge Organic Gardens located at 16232 Henry Road outside of Amesville. Contact Green Edge Organic Gardens at 740-448-4021 or via email at greenedgegardens@verizon.net for more information
· Hogs/Poultry Production and Marketing: Sunday, September 20 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at King Family Farm located at 3940 Factory Rd. outside of Albany . Contact JB and Charlene King at 740-698-3940 for more information.
For a copy of the 2009 Sustainable Farm Tour Series brochure that contains all the tours, stop by the Athens County Extension office or go to the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association web site at: http://www.oeffa.org/ and click on 2009 Farm Tour Series.
JULY GRAZING COUNCIL MEETING
An Athens area grazing council meeting/pasture walk is scheduled for Thursday, July 23 beginning at 6:30 pm . The meeting will be hosted by Curt Cline at a Meigs County property he plans to develop into a grazing system. The land currently has no fence or water and has been used for hay production. Curt is working with the Meigs County NRCS and SWCD office on an EQIP contract to help him develop the grazing system.
This is a good opportunity to learn about the planning process of developing a grazing system including fencing and watering options. Other topics that will be covered at the meeting include: Making Management Decisions Based on Goals, Soil Fertility, Preparing Pastures for Winter Stockpiling, Use of Hay, Pasture Management and Internal Parasite Control in Small Ruminants. Because there are a number of topics to talk about, the format will be different than our regular grazing council pasture walks. We will begin with a general session and then break into groups and participants can rotate between a couple of different break-out session topics. Resource people include: Cathy Bobo, Athens SWCD, Jason Crislip and Steve Jenkins from the Meigs County NRCS/SWCD office, Daryl Clark, retired OSU Noble County Extension Educator and Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension Athens County . Dr. Bill Shulaw, OSU Extension Veterinarian will conduct the session on pasture management and parasite control.
Curt is planning to provide grilled lamb samples and some light refreshments for the meeting. In order to help him plan the amount needed, please RSVP by contacting the Athens County Extension office at (740) 593-8555 by Monday July 20 if you plan to attend. Participants may want to consider bringing a lawn chair to sit in during the sampling following the meeting.
Directions to the farm: (Doug Lowther property)
From Albany ....Take Rt 32 west to St Rt 143. Turn left on St Rt 143, go approximately. 4-5 miles to Salem-School Lot Rd. Salem School Lot Rd. is just past the Columbia Township Fire Dept. Turn right on Salem-School Lot Rd. and go approximately 2 miles. Farm is on the left. Watch for “Grazing” signs.
Or...Take St Rt 32 west to Co. Rd 71(Columbia Rd Just prior to the airport) Turn left on Columbia and follow it into Meigs county to St Rt 143( approximately 4-5miles). Go across St Rt 143. After crossing St Rt 143 go approximately 2 miles, farm on left. Watch for “Grazing” signs.
HOME CANNING WORKSHOP
A well-tended vegetable garden will produce a bountiful harvest. What will you do with that harvest? Beyond the pleasures of eating fresh vegetables, that harvest can be enjoyed in the future by proper canning and food preservation methods. A series of beginning home canning workshops, sponsored by OSU Extension is scheduled for July. In Athens County , a canning workshop will be held at the Shade Community Center in Shade on Tuesday, July 21 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm . The workshop will be taught by Joyce Shriner, OSU Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science in Hocking County and Shelley England, OSU Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Science in Vinton County . Canner lid testing will be available after the program. There is no charge for this workshop.
For a copy of the Canning Workshop flier with all locations and dates listed, go to the following Athens County Extension web page: http://athens.osu.edu/Agriculture/home-canning-workshop
Questions? Contact the Athens County Extension office at 593-8555
RASPBERRY PRODUCTION WORKSHOP
A raspberry production workshop is scheduled for Tuesday evening, August 25 at the Rod Nippert raspberry farm located at 12861 Parmiter Road near Amesville. The raspberry workshop will begin at 6:00 pm and run until about 8:15 pm . There will be a pre-workshop program entitled “Welcome to the Federal Valley Area” held at 5:30 pm .
Rod has a planting of 800 raspberry plants. He started with 400 about 4 years ago and added another 400 plants in the spring of 2009. Rod has enjoyed good success with raspberries and wants to share some of his production methods and his keys for success. He will focus on raspberry production using organic principles. Rod’s raspberries are fenced to keep out deer and he uses a solar powered drip irrigation system to provide water for his berries.
In addition to Rod, Maurus Brown and Shawn Wright, OSU Extension Horticultural Specialists from the Piketon Centers will be joining us as resource persons for the evening. Information will be provided that will be applicable to both the home and commercial gardener. Topics that will be covered during the workshop include:
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Site Selection and Preparation for Planting
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Variety Selection
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Establishing the Planting
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Care and Maintenance (weed control, irrigation, pruning, thinning, trellising, fertility etc.)
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Handling Pest Problems
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Harvesting and Handling
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Marketing
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Economics
