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Articles by Sam Custer
Dry conditions can lead to nitrates in corn
October 14, 2019 Crops, Top Headlines By Peter Thomison, Laura Lindsey, Steve Culman, Sam Custer, Ohio State University Extension Have very dry soil conditions increased the potential for toxic levels of nitrates in corn harvested for silage? Nitrates absorbed from the soil by plant roots are normally incorporated into plant tissue as amino acids, proteins and other nitrogenous compounds. Thus, the concentration of nitrate in the plant is usually low.
Conditions improving (finally) around Ohio
July 8, 2019 2019 Between the Rows, Slider Nathan Brown — Highland County We have missed some of the rains but you don’t have to go very far north, south or west of us and they have caught a lot of the rains. We have been fortunate enough to get some dry spells and get some work accomplished. We got the wheat all run and got the straw baled. We should finish sidedressing today and finish post- spraying the corn and I will start post- spraying beans today too.
Ohio Crop Progress: Summer finally arrives
July 1, 2019 2019 Ohio Crop Progress Update, Top Headlines Last week was the single best week for fieldwork of the 2019 growing season, according to Cheryl Turner, State Statistician, USDA NASS, Ohio Field Office. There were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending June 30. The week was the warmest week in the 2019 growing season and most areas saw their first 90 plus degree day this year.
Average Fall Freeze Dates for Corn Considerations
By Aaron Wilson and Sam Custer In last week’s C.O.R.N. newsletter, Peter Thomison provided useful information on tools available for switching corn hybrids (https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2019-15/more-switching-corn-hybrid-maturities).
Two Tools for Making Prevented Planting Decisions
By Sam Custer, Ohio State University Extension Educator We have reviewed two prevented planting decision tools that can serve as a resource in your decision making process with your crop insurance agent. Both tools also provide resources for determining replant decisions. In a recent Farmdocdaily article Schnitkey, G., C. Zulauf, K. Swanson and R. Batts.
As rains continue, prevented planting decisions loom large
By Eric Richer, Chris Bruynis, and Sam Custer, Ohio State University Extension Certainly, the Prevented Planting (PP) crop insurance tool has become a hot topic this year. Many of you have had the chance to attend PP meetings or speak with your crop insurance agent. If not, we will try to briefly summarize your options and strongly suggest you talk to your agent or utilize one of the calculators to determine which option best suits your farm operation.
Tri-State Farm Bill Summit
April 5, 2019 Country Life, Top Headlines By Sam Custer, Ohio State University Extension The 2018 Farm Bill, passed by Congress and signed by President Trump, now awaits implementation by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), agencies like the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Services, Risk Management Agency and many others. The passage of the farm bill authorizes funding for many of the federal programs producers utilize throughout the growing season.
Lyme disease, other tick-carried diseases on rise in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A steadily rising number of Lyme disease cases are being reported in Ohio transmitted by a tick that can be as small as a poppy seed. Every year since 2010, when Ohio’s first population of blacklegged deer ticks was discovered in Coshocton County, the number of people infected with Lyme disease has increased. Last year’s statewide total of 160 human cases of the disease is more than three and a half times the 2010 total.
Daily Advocate, Greenville OH - www.dailyadvocate.com
DARKE COUNTY — Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is among the most deadly plants in North America and we have it all around Darke County. It is especially prevalent in fencerows, edges of fields, railroad beds, and pastures. This non-native invasive weed contains highly toxic piperidine alkaloid compounds, including coniine and gamma-coniceine, which cause respiratory failure and death when ingested by mammals.
Clearing the fence row and trimming back overhanging branches
The weather is finally beginning to cooperate and we are beginning to get in the fields. As farmers enter the fields this spring they will find that, the fields that are bordered by trees will be a work in progress. The ash trees took a beating by the wind this spring and are going to need to be cleaned up along the fencerows.
Daily Advocate, Greenville OH - www.dailyadvocate.com
I completed the Fall Soybean Weed Survey in Darke County with the assistance of Weed Scientist, Dr. Jeff Stachler, Darke County native and Auglaize County Extension Educator. The good news is that we have several parts of the county where growers are managing their resistant weed problems.
Daily Advocate, Greenville OH - www.dailyadvocate.com
Mark Loux has spent a lot of time educating and warning about Palmer amaranth, but while we were doing this, waterhemp has become a more widespread problem. At the fair this past week I was asked what are we going to do about the neighbor’s waterhemp. Thus I share with you this article containing Mark Loux’s recommendations.
Selling eggs and meat from your farm or home
It’s hard to believe, but local farmers markets will be opening soon. In addition to local farmers markets I am seeing an increase in the number of niche markets that many local farmers have entered into. I hope you will get out and support our local farmers and producers. Or maybe you are thinking of selling agricultural products yourself. One common question I get relates to selling eggs and meat from the farm or home.
Berning to serve as an OSU Extension ACRE Intern
DARKE COUNTY – You’ll be seeing a new face this summer as Lora Berning of Anna, Ohio, will be working with Darke, Mercer, Auglaize and Miami County OSU Extension as their Agronomic Crop Research Experience (ACRE) Intern. Started in 2015, the ACRE Internship is designed for undergraduate students to provide rich training experience and work with county educators on-farm trials.
Selling eggs and meat from your farm or home
It’s hard to believe, but local farmers markets will be opening up in a couple weeks. In addition to local farmers markets I am seeing an increase in the number of niche markets that many local farmers have entered into. I hope you will get out and support our local farmers and producers. Or maybe you are thinking of selling agricultural products yourself. One common question I get relates to selling eggs and meat from the farm or home.
Dry weather makes field fires a safety concern for farmers and neighbors
DARKE COUNTY — This season, farmers are at a high risk of having a field fire. In less than a week, we’ve had numerous field fires in Darke County as well as neighboring counties. What is fueling these fires? We had a tremendous amount of rain this past growing season which in turn produced a corn crop with a lot of fodder. We also have had less than a half inch of rain for most of the county since corn harvest began.
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