Enlist corn and soybean and Xtend soybean are getting closer to reaching the market place. With these new technologies spray drift, herbicide volatility, and tank contamination will need to be addressed. On Thursday, July 14, OSU Extension Auglaize and Mercer Counties will host a Spray Diagnostics Field Day from 10 a.m. to noon at 14739 Kruse Road (Bob Engle farm – north side of U.S. 33 near Moulton).
Spray nozzle selection, herbicide mode of action symptoms, spray drift, and tank contamination will be discussed. Drs. Erdal Ozkan and Jeff Stachler will be presenting. The cost of the program is $10. Pre-registration is requested by this Friday, July 7. Contact the Auglaize (419-739-6580) or Mercer (419-586-2179) County Extension offices to register. Commercial PAT and CCA credits will be available. Come and see the herbicide symptoms on tomatoes, green beans, pumpkins, corn, and soybean.
There are two Nutrient Management and Placement Field Days coming up in July to help farmers maximize yields of crops while minimizing nutrient run-off from fields. The Western Day is from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, at the OARDC Western Ag Research Station, 7721 S. Charleston Pike (state Route 41 south of Springfield). The Northwest Day runs the same hours on Thursday, July 28, at OARDC’s Northwest Agricultural Research Station, 4240 Range Line Road, Custar in Wood County.
Participants will learn how the “4R” principles of the right rate, timing, placement, and source of nutrients can be used for sustainability in production and can address environmental concerns. There will be field activities, field demonstrations, and talks by experts. Attending either Field Day will provide the training needed for Fertilizer Applicator Certification.
Registration for either event is $15 and includes lunch and all activities, including the certification training. Program details and a registration link for the Western event are at go.osu.edu/westernnutrientday and for the Northwest event at go.osu.edu/nwnutrientday. The deadlines to register are July 18 for the former and July 22 for the latter. The contact person for the Western field day is Harold Watters, [email protected], 937-604-2415. Greg LaBarge is the contact for the Northwest event at [email protected], 419-460-0600.
A Summer Grafting Workshop is being held in Wooster’s Secrest Arboretum on Wednesday, July 20th from 8 a.m. to noon. Grafting combines a part from one plant with a part from another to create a whole new plant — typically one with the best traits of both. The original plants usually are related, at least as members of the same genus. So a branch from a crabapple tree that has amazing flowers, for example, can be grafted onto the roots of a crabapple tree that laughs at terrible winters. Result: A crabapple tree with the double benefit of being both hardy and spectacular.
Participants in the workshop will learn the hows and whys of the technique. Then they’ll practice on trees such as apples, crabapples, black gums and sweet gums. (The type of trees to be grafted will depend on donations.) Participants will get to take their grafted trees home to plant.
Registration is $40 and is limited to 10 people. Details on the workshop and a link to register are at go.osu.edu/2016SummerGrafting. The registration fee is paid at the event. Cash and checks will be accepted. Participants will meet in the arboretum’s Jack and Deb Miller Pavilion on Williams Road on the OARDC campus; the main entrance is at 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster. For more information, contact instructor Paul Snyder at 330-263-3761.
Things have been busy on the home-front: Beautiful weather! The wheat is off. Kids are making progress on the house. Sir Loin and Happy Meal are growing. Stanley’s doing great!
