The April-May 2018 Edition of

Nikki’s NewsMarshall County’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Update

In this Issue:

The 2nd Annual Master Gardener

Plant Sale p. 2

Pecan GraftingWorkshop

p. 3

Beef Production Timely Tips

p. 4

Wheat Field Dayp. 5

Farm to ForkDinner

p. 6

Fertilizing Home Lawns

p. 7

Corn and Soybean Risk Management

p. 8-9

Recipe of the Monthp. 10

Cooperative Extension ServiceUniversity of Kentucky

Marshall County 1933 Mayfield Highway

Benton, KY 42025(270) 527-3285

extension.ca.uky.edu

Holy smokes! Its April folks!

For my row croppers, have a safe planting season! While you are waiting for your seed buggy or tender truck, flip to pages 8-9 for corn and soybean risk management information from the UK economist and page 5 for information on this year’s wheat field day. Happy planting!

Beef producers should checkout page 4 for timely tips with Roy Burris. I hope your spring calving season has been effortless. I am doubtful but hopeful.

Gardeners don’t forget the Marshall Master Gardeners and I are teaching gardening classes every third Thursday of every month through July at the Calvert City Library. Last month’s Plant Propagation Class was a big hit!

Everybody come see the Marshall Master Gardeners for their 2nd Annual Plant Sale on May 19th. This fundraising event will also be educational. There will be a free “wind catcher” making activity for youth, the gardening advise tables will be setup for adults and the kickoff of the 2018 MC Farmers Market in the parking lot! So, bring your questions, your kiddos and your wallet. See page 2 for more details. The number of vendors for the farmers market has increased for the 2018 season! This year’s Farmers Market vender’s have indicated that they will be selling a larger selection of products this year. Potential items for sale include: fruits, vegetables, cider, honey, beeswax, maple syrup, eggs, meats, herbs, breads, crafts, and more! Save the date! I have had a lot of demand for a High-Tunnel Workshop so we are doing one on August 23rd. Stay tuned for more information.

The Farm to Fork crew is ramping up for the summer and is looking for farmers. See page 6 for more details. The Agriculture Development Board is taking a year off from the CAIP- County Agriculture Investment Program. The next potential year for CAIP is 2019. Stay tuned for updates on enrollment periods. Pecan Grafting Workshop- This is Dr. Reid’s last year in Extension. If you didn’t know, he is an innovator for northern pecan production and will be doing a hands on grafting demonstration. Take advantage of this opportunity! See page 3 for details. Happy Spring!!!

Need Plants?

The Marshall Master Gardener Association Invites You To Our

Annual Plant Sale

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1933 Mayfield HwyBenton, Ky 42025

270-527-3285

House Plants, Trees, Flowers, Vegetable

Starts, Bulbs, Seeds, and More.

Low Prices &Expert Gardening

Advice

WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Indoor Sale! Come Rain or Shine!

Register For Door Prizes

Bring your kids to learn how to make a wind catcher.

Wind Catcher Workshop With Jeanne Gooude

Horticulture

May 10, 2018 | 9:00am |Daddy's Pecan Orchard

3474 State Route 1684 Boaz, KY

FEATURING DR. BILL REID,

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY

EXTENSION SPECIALIST

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin,

national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or

physical or mental disability.

photo credit- https://www.fannintreefarm.com/tree/pecan/

Beef CattleTimely Tips

Dr. Roy Burris, Beef Extension Professor, University of KentuckySpring Calving Cow Herd• Watch cows and calves closely. Save every calf (you can cull/sell them later). Calves can be identified while they are young and easy to handle. Commercial male calves should be castrated and implanted. Registered calves should be weighed at birth.• Cows that have calved need to be on an adequate nutritional level to rebreed. Increase their feed after calving. Don’t let them lose body condition. Keep feeding them until pastures are adequate.• Don’t “rush to grass” although it can be really tempting. Be sure that grass has accumulated enough growth to support the cow’s nutritional needs before depending solely upon it. Cows may walk the pastures looking for green grass instead of eating dry feed. This lush, watery grass is not adequate to support them. Keep them consuming dry feed until sufficient grass is available to sustain body condition. We’ve spent too much money keeping them in good condition to lose it now!• Prevent grass tetany! Provide magnesium in the mineral mix until daytime temperatures are consistently above 60oF. Mineral supplement should be available at all times and contain a minimum of about 14 percent magne-sium. Make sure that your mineral mix also contains adequate selenium, copper and zinc. You can ask your feed dealer about the UK Beef IRM High Magnesium Mineral.• Make final selection of heifer replacements. Consider vaccinating with a modified-live BVD vaccine.• Purchase replacement bulls at least 30 days prior to the start of the breeding season. Have herd bulls evaluat-ed for breeding soundness (10-20% of bulls are questionable or unsatisfactory breeders). Get all bulls in proper condition for breeding.• If you are going to use artificial insemination and/or estrus synchronization, make plans now and order needed supplies and semen.• Prebreeding or “turn out” working is usually scheduled for late April or May between the end of calving sea-son and before the start of the breeding season (while cows are open). Consult your veterinarian about vaccines and health products your herd needs. Make arrangements now for products needed and have handling facilities in good working order. Dehorn commercial calves before going to pasture.

Fall Calving Cow Herd• Pregnancy check cows now and cull open ones at weaning.• Reimplant feeders.• Consult with your veterinarian about a preweaning working of the herd.• You may let calves creep-graze wheat or rye, if it is available. Calves will benefit from extra feed until spring grass appears.• Plan marketing strategy for feeder calves.

Stockers• Don’t go to pastures too soon, give plants some growing time. Then stock at two to three times the July rate and rotate rapidly.• “Condition” purchased calves prior to grazing. They should be processed and fed a conditioning diet prior to being placed on pasture. You can also use this time to introduce them to electric fences which are used in rota-tional grazing.• Provide a good mineral supplement which contains a rumen modifier (Rumensin, Bovatec, etc.) along with adequate levels of copper and selenium. .....Continued on the bottom of page 7

Small Grains

REGISTRATION: 8 am (CST)

WAGONS ROLL: 8:45 am (CST)

LOCATION: 1205 Hopkinsville St.

Princeton, KY 42445

APPROVED CREDITS CCA: CM 2, PM 1

Pesticide: 2 general

1 specific (1A, 10, 12)

For additional information contact:

Colette Laurent UK Grain Crops Coordinator

claurent@uky.edu (270) 365-7541 Ext 264

WHEAT FIELD DAY

TOPICS INCLUDE:

Wheat Variety Trials (Walk Through)

Why Keep Wheat in the Rotation?

Insecticide Treated Seed: a Tough or Easy Decision for its use on Wheat?

Herbicide Resistance Update

Identifying and Predicting Manage-ment-Related Growth Stages in Wheat

Wheat Outlook, Profitability Potential, and Returns to Storage Economics

Using Wheat as a Cover Crop

Economics of Harvesting Wheat Straw

Fungicide Management of Fusarium Head Blight

MAY 8, 2018 UKREC FARM

Lunch Sponsored by:

Farm to Fork

Turf Fertilization Save money, time and the environment

Richard Durham, Extension Professor, UK Department of HorticultureLawn care can be expensive and time-consuming. By skipping the fertilizer this spring and summer, you can save money and time and also reduce nutrient pollution.Most Kentucky lawns have cool-season grasses, such as bluegrass and tall fescue, which prefer fall fertilization. Spring and summer fertilizer applications could weaken your turf, promote weed growth and increase mowing frequency.Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for growth and development. Most Kentucky soils have plenty of phosphorus and potassium. In fact, many are so naturally rich in phosphorus, adding more increases the risk of polluting our waterways.The most common fertilizer blends for homeowners are marketed as “complete fertilizers” because they contain nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). These blends are often available in a formula like 10-10-10, (N-P-K), but they probably contain more phosphorus and potassium than your lawn needs.Excess or improperly applied fertilizer can end up in storm sewers and contribute to nutrient pollution in lakes, streams and rivers. You don’t have to live near a lake or tributary to contribute to the problem. Excess phosphorus promotes rapid and over abundant algae growth in freshwater. Too much algae disrupts ecosystems, harms wildlife, negatively impacts water recreation and may contain toxins that sicken people and pets.Do your part:- Conduct a soil test to determine what nutrients are needed. Marshall Cooperative Extension office can provide you with instructions for collecting soil for analysis.- Apply only what you need. Excess fertilizer will not make your lawn healthier.- Carefully apply fertilizer. Keep it off paved surfaces and away from drains and water sources.- Fertilize cool-season grasses only in the fall.Contact the Marshall Extension office at (270) 527-3285 to learn more about soil testing and how to sustainability improve your lawn or garden.

Timely Tips- Continued from page 4.General• We’ve made a muddy mess this winter, so be prepared to reseed bare spots.• Make plans to improve hay feeding areas to avoid muddy conditions like we have faced this winter. Consider geotextile fabric with gravel or concrete feeding pads.• Prepare for the grazing season. Check fences and make necessary repairs. Check your corral, too. • Get everything ready to make high quality hay in May! Have equipment serviced and spare parts on hand. Order baler twine now. Be prepared to harvest an adequate supply of hay when you have the opportunity. Re-supply the extra hay that you fed out of the barn. This past winter caused most producers to exhaust their hay supply, so it’s time to re-stock.• Plan now for fly control ... decide what fly control program that you will use but don’t put insecticide eartags on cattle until fly population appears.

Corn and Soybeans2018 Corn and Soybean Risk Management-April

Dr. Todd D. DavisThe budgeted break-even prices for the 2018 corn and soybean crop were discussed in the November 2017 news-letter. Table 15 shows the frequency of the percentage of the days that the December and November 2018 contracts closed at or above the relevant breakeven levels since September 1, 2017. The breakeven prices are adjusted by the three-year average harvest basis to equate a cash market price to the futures market price. The December 2018 corn futures contract is offering protection over inputs but is not at a level to completely protect rent, overhead or family living expense (Table 15). The November 2018 soybean futures contract has been trading at levels that cover inputs and mostly covers cash rent. Table 15 shows that futures price of $10.66 is needed to cover budgeted overhead, and $11.38 per bushel is needed to provide $40/acre for family living assuming $88,000 in family living expense divided by 2200 crop acres.

The December 2018 corn futures contract has a sim-ilar chart as the December 2017 contract. The 2018 corn contract has been trading in a sideways pattern since harvest 2017 but has broken through the resistance at the $4.00 area. The newly established resistance is at $4.15 and again at $4.25-$4.27. Support is at $3.90 and $3.80.The corn market is not providing opportunities to lock in prices at levels that could cover rent or overhead expense. A late-planted corn crop and the potential for acreage changing from corn to soybeans may provide op-portunities for higher prices.

The corn risk plan is to scale-up HTA or CFC sales starting at $4 (HTA) or $3.80 (CFC). The initial quantities and decision dates are provided in Table 16. The plan will require DEC 2018 corn futures to move higher

to reach pricing objectives. If the plan is realized, the average expected cash price is $4.18 per bushel. That price would not cover budgeted overhead and family living expense.

The corn risk plan is to scale-up HTA or CFC sales starting at $4 (HTA) or $3.80 (CFC). The initial quantities and decision dates are provided in Table 16. The plan will require DEC 2018 corn futures to move higher to reach pricing objectives. If the

plan is realized, the average expected cash price is $4.18 per bushel. That price would not cover budgeted overhead and family living expense.

Notice that both the corn and the soybean game plan have targets that will only be reached by changing market fundamentals and increased volatility. The trading range forecasts in Figure 3 and Figure 4 suggest the very low probability of reaching prices above $4.70 for DEC 18 corn or above $11.75 NOV 18 soybeans given current market volatility. At this point, the plans have these higher targets to remind managers of what OK prices might look like. Remember that the plans

exist to help guide the pricing of bushels planned to be sold at harvest. Corn and soybean futures have only traded in the top 1/3 of the annual trading range in October in 22 and 36 percent of the time, respectively, from 2000 to 2017. Prudence suggests protecting price risk on bushels to be sold at harvest as probability favors low prices at harvest. Notice that this plan is not trying to capture the highest possible price. The design of this plan is to reduce risk and to avoid a near fatal blow to the firm’s revenue that creates liquidity and solvency problems.

For more information go to http://marshall.ca.uky.edu/AgNaturalResources

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Plate It Up Recipe