Cooperative Extension Service Wolfe County 20 N Washington Street PO Box 146 Campton, KY 41301-0146 (606) 668-3712 Fax: (606) 668-3732 https://wolfe.ca.uky.edu

Wolfe County August 2016

Ag Newsletter Greetings!

I hope this newsletter finds you doing well and surviving the (very) hot and humid weather that we

have been experiencing.

Many of you have called with questions regarding CAIP funding (commonly referred to as cost

share). Applications will be available beginning August 1st and can be picked up at the Soil Con-

servation Office or the Extension Office. They will need to be returned by August 19th at 4:00pm to

the Soil Conservation Office. Please note, no completed applications will be accepted at the Ex-

tension Office.

The 2016 Eastern KY Hay Contest will be October 1st. If you would like to submit a sample, or sam-

ples, to the contest, let me know. I would be more than happy to come out to your farm and take

a sample for you. All samples must be turned in to me by August 25th.

A few other upcoming events you will want to mark on your calendar:

There will be a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training on Tuesday, August 16th at 6:00pm at

the Wolfe County Extension Office

Mountain Cattlemen Association meeting August 29th (time is TBA) at the Morgan County

Extension Office. Dr. Jeff Lehmkuhler from UK and Mr. Warren Beeler, Executive Director at

the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, will be speaking to the group.

As always, If there is any way that I can help you, give me a call or stop by I’d love to hear from

you!

Until next time! Be safe, be healthy, and be happy!

Heather K. Graham

“Take a rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” - Ovid

Preventing Hay Fires On the Farm Source: Tom Keene, UK hay specialist

You can prevent hay bale or barn fires if you bale hay

at appropriate moisture levels and monitor the tempera-

ture of recently baled hay.

Generally, hay will begin a heating phase within one

to two days after baling. During this time, you should mon-

itor hay to make sure it does not reach temperatures that

can damage the hay or lead to spontaneous combustion.

It is not unusual for the temperature within a bale of

hay to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and may go as high

as 130 degrees before beginning to decline. If the temper-

ature peaks below 130 degrees, there may be some loss

of quality but no danger of fire. With free air circulation

around a bale, both heat and moisture can easily dissi-

pate. A single bale rarely heats enough to catch on fire,

but when they are placed close together or stacked with

other bales that are also heating, it is much more difficult

for the heat to leave the bales. A good practice is to leave

bales scattered in the barn or in the field for 3 to 4 weeks

before placing them in a stack.

If the bales are wetter than they should be, the tem-

peratures can easily rise above 130 degrees. At 140 to

150 degrees more microbial growth and chemical reac-

tions within the hay cause it to generate heat at an in-

creasingly rapid rate.

If hay temperatures reach 150 degrees, you will need

to move bales to allow for better air circulation and you

should check the temperature at least two to three times

per day. At 180 degrees fire is imminent, and at 200 de-

grees it is likely to be present. In either case, the fire de-

partment should be notified. It is best to wait for them to

arrive before removing the hay from the stack in case of a

flame up.

Smoke from hay that has been treated with an acid

preservative may contain toxic fumes, so keep people

away from the smoke and inform the firefighters of the

treatment that was applied.

To check the temperature of hay, you can use several

types of thermometers. Find one that is durable and easy

to use and will measure up to 200 degrees.

One way to use a simple glass thermometer is by at-

taching a string or thin wire and lowering or pushing it into

a probe that has been inserted into the center area of the

hay stack. Do not insert them directly into the hay be-

cause they break very easily. It is best to use only spirit-

filled glass thermometers. That prevents any risk of acci-

dentally contaminating hay with mercury from a broken

thermometer.

You can also use electronic thermometers with re-

mote sensors and a digital readout. Avoid LED displays

because they are often hard to read in bright light. An

LCD is a better choice. If you are are also moisture testing

your hay, some of the electronic moisture meters also

measure temperature.

Long stem thermometers, commonly called compost

thermometers, are probably the most rugged and reliable

when measuring temperatures in one bale at a time. With

these types, the price increases with the dial size and

length of the stem. It may be tempting to stick these di-

rectly into a hay bale, but the stem can easily bend and

destroy the accuracy or operation of the thermometer.

It is best and necessary in most cases to use some

kind of hay probe. You can easily make one yourself us-

ing steel pipe or electrical conduit. You can also purchase

commercial probes.

When you are using a thermometer, measure the wet-

test hay first. Probe square bales from the side and round

bales from the end. You should insert the probe near the

center of the bale. In round bales, if the core is loosely

formed, probe six to 12 inches away from the center

where the hay will be more tightly packed.

In large stacks, it may be difficult to reach the center,

but it is important to get at least five to 10 feet down from

the top or in from the side. The most critical factor is to

reach where the wettest hay is stored. It is best to probe

at several locations and at different depths within a stack

to locate the warmest spot.

When checking hay for moisture and temperature,

always err on the side of caution. If temperatures are in

an upward mode, monitor hay until it becomes stabilized

under 130 degrees Fahrenheit or until the interior of the

bale or the hay stack reaches ambient temperature.

Harvesting Blueberries and Blackberries

Source: John Strang, UK Extension Fruit and Vegetable

Specialist

Summer months are the harvest season for blueber-

ries and blackberries, both of which have the potential to

grow very well in Kentucky. Harvest time for blueberries,

which are native to North America, is from early June

through early August. Blackberry harvest is from mid-June

to early October. These delicious fruits offer several health

benefits, and they capture the essence of summer in their

sweetness.

Blueberries are an excellent choice for both home and

commercial growing. They are long-lived as fruit trees, with

few pests or diseases. They also have a late blossom time,

so frost rarely causes damage on well-chosen sites. Black-

berries also have a long fruit-bearing life and will produce

for a decade or longer in Kentucky.

Blueberries require an acidic soil, which means you’ll

need to amend most Kentucky soils to properly suit their

needs. They also require a high organic material content,

so you should mix peat moss (do not substitute other mate-

rials) with the soil at the time of planting. You’ll need to irri-

gate during the summer, because blueberries have a shal-

low, limited root system. Insufficient irrigation can compro-

mise both this year’s and next year’s crop.

Gardeners need to prune, fertilize and irrigate black-

berries for best results. Pruning technique varies, depend-

ing on the type of bramble.

Blueberries in a cluster do not ripen at the same time,

and only fully ripe berries should be picked. Fruit need at

least one to two days after turning blue to develop full flavor

and can be left on the bush for up to 10 days without a loss

in size. Flavor does not improve once the fruit is picked;

consequently, you should leave blueberries on the bush for

as long as possible to develop sweetness and flavor.

For best results at harvest, pick carefully, rolling blue-

berries from the cluster with the thumb into the palm of the

hand. Handle as little as possible to avoid rubbing off the

bloom (the light waxy finish on the skin) and reduce bruis-

ing. Harvest only when berries are dry. Refrigerate prompt-

ly to slow ripening and decay.

Blackberries for commercial sale are picked “firm ripe,”

but home growers have the luxury of picking soft, fully ripe

and juicy fruit. Pick fruit twice a week, and during hot rainy

weeks, every other day. Harvest after the morning dew has

dried. Pick carefully to avoid bruising the fruit, and as with

blueberries, refrigerate quickly to limit fruit rot. The sweet-

est, best tasting fruit is produced during dry sunny weather

when nights are cooler.

For more information, see UK’s publications on growing

blueberries and blackberries available online at http://

www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ho/ho60/HO60.PDF and http://

www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ho/ho15/ho15.pdf.

Thanks to a grant that the Wolfe County Conservation

District received, Wolfe County residents are able to get

free soil testing!

Residents may get up to 5 free soil tests.

Soil probes are available for checkout at the Wolfe

County Extension Office.

Photo source: University of KY

Free Soil Testing!

“I think using animals for food is an ethical thing to do, but we've got to do it right. We've got to give those animals a decent life and we've got to give them a painless death.

We owe the animal respect.” - Temple Grandin

Timely Tips for Beef Cattle

Adapted from 2016 IRM Calendar

General

Keep a good mineral mix available at all times

Don’t give up on fly control. Methods may need to be

combined (i.e. spraying “tagged” cattle)

Ensure access to clean water and to shade. Cattle need

13-20 gallons of water in hot weather

Soil test pastures and hay fields to determine fertilizer

needs

Continue to watch for pinkeye and treat if necessary

Maintain a weed control program in pastures and “spot

spray” thistle, honey locust, etc.

Check pastures for downed wild cherry trees

Spring-Calving Herd

Bulls should be removed from the cow heard.

Creep graze or advance graze calves

Fall-Calving Herd

Consider giving a scours vaccine to pregnant cows

and bred heifers

Observe first-calf heifers closely now. Expect calving

difficulty and intervene if:

- no progress after 60 minutes of labor

- calf is backwards

- calf’s head and two feet are not visible

You Can Control Corn Earworm In Sweet Corn

Source: Ric Bessin, UK entomologist

One of the most potentially damaging problems fac-

ing sweet corn producers is controlling insects that feed

on the ear. During the summer months, if you grow sweet

corn, you need to watch for corn earworm.

Earworms are moderately hairy larvae that vary in

color from yellow to green to red to brownish-black, but

they all have a brown head without markings and numer-

ous microscopic spines covering their body. You may find

them feeding in the ear tips following silking. The larvae

are cannibalistic, rarely is there more than one per ear or

whorl.

Corn earworm is potentially the greatest threat to

sweet corn production in our state. Because it feeds di-

rectly on the ear, is difficult to control and is common in

high numbers at the end of the season, most insecticides

used on sweet corn target this pest. Once earworm be-

comes established within the ear, controlling it is impossi-

ble. Earworms spend a relatively short period of their life

feeding in a site that can receive an adequate insecticide

application. An effective program, especially forcorn plant-

ed later in the season, is necessary to ensure a minimal

amount of damaged ears.

Currently, the primary insecticides used for corn ear-

worm control in sweet corn belong to the pyrethroid class.

There is concern that corn earworm in some regions of

the Midwest has developed resistance to this class of in-

secticides. Some field failures have been reported.

You can start a preventive program against corn ear-

worms when 10 percent of the ears are silked. Repeat

sprays at three-to-five-day intervals until 90 percent of the

silks have wilted. This strategy should give a high per-

centage of worm-free ears during early and midseason.

Control is more difficult late in the season. Even shorten-

ing spray intervals may produce only 90 percent clean

ears.

Corn earworm larva

Establishing Late-Summer Forages Source: Garry Lacefield, Professor Emeritus and Exten-

sion Forage Specialist

The period from late summer into early fall in Ken-

tucky is the best time to establish the common cool-

season grasses such as orchardgrass, tall fescue, timothy

and bluegrass for pasture or hay. These four grasses

make up 95 percent of pasture acreage.

Many years of research have shown this time frame

is the best opportunity for successful establishment. Moth-

er Nature has a hand in this because seed produced in

late spring remains dormant until late summer and then

early fall rainfall provides the moisture necessary for the

seed to germinate.

To increase your success rate, remember these four

points:

First, address soil fertility needs. Take soil samples

now to determine fertility needs and to give you enough

time to supply the needed nutrients. Inadequate levels of

phosphorous, potassium or limestone can limit the suc-

cess of late-summer seedings. For pure grass stands,

apply nitrogen at the rate of 40 to 60 pounds per acre.

Second, control competition. Late-summer seedings

most often fail from competition and lack of water. When

you control existing vegetation with herbicides or tillage,

the emerging seedlings will have access to whatever wa-

ter and nutrients are present without having to compete

with weeds.

To maximize the success of seedings, use a burn-

down herbicide to kill annual weeds. Translocated herbi-

cides can be used where labeled to kill or suppress per-

ennials such as johnsongrass.

Remember to wait two to three weeks after spraying

translocated herbicides before you plant in no-till situa-

tions. This will allow time for killed weeds to dry out and

for residual effects of the herbicide to decay.

Third, select high quality seed of an adapted variety.

Planting high quality seed is an essential step toward es-

tablishment and longevity of a pasture. These seeds have

high percentages of germination, low percentages of

weed seed and freedom from noxious weed seed.

Certified seed meets or exceeds minimum standards

for purity, germination and quality. The certified seed

should be from an “improved” variety adapted to your

farm. “Improved” means the variety has been selected for

improved yield, quality, persistence, disease resistance or

other positive traits.

Varieties greatly differ in yield, persistence, disease

resistance and cost. Expensive varieties aren’t necessari-

ly good, and the cheaper ones aren’t necessarily bad.

If you’re uncertain about a variety’s adaptation

and performance, you can obtain information on the lead-

ing performers in the University of Kentucky forage variety

tests by contacting me at the Wolfe Cooperative Exten-

sion Service, or by going to the following website: http://

www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/ForageVarietyTrials2.htm

Then, scroll down to the reports that you wish to

see. You can find reports as far back as 2001 on this site.

Fourth, seed at the proper time and depth. You

should seed legumes and grasses before mid-September.

Grasses are less sensitive to later seeding than legumes.

The major cool season grasses will not do well if you

simply broadcast them onto existing overgrazed or

mowed pastures. Forages should be seeded no deeper

than one-fourth to one-half inch.

Late-summer alfalfa seedings are susceptible to

sclerotinia stem and crown rot. If sclerotinia has been ac-

tive in your area or farm, strongly consider waiting until

next spring to seed.

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Ingredients

Homemade Salsa

2 large or 4 small tomatoes 1/2 small onion 1 jalapeno pepper 1/3 cup roughtly chopped cilantro 1 large or 2 small cloves garlic Juice of 1 lime Salt, to taste

Directions

Cut the tomatoes, onion, and jalapeno into large chunks. If you prefer a mild salsa, remove the seeds and

ribs from the jalapeno. If you want a spicy salsa with a lot of flavor and punch, keep them in!

Put the garlic in the food processor and blend until minced. Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, and cilantro

and pulse to create a chunky salsa or process longer to puree. Season with lime and salt.

Source: Kentucky Proud Kitchen

In This Issue

Preventing Hay Fires on the Farm

Harvesting Blueberries and Blackberries

Timely Tips for Beef Cattle

You Can Control Corn Earworm in Sweet Corn

Establishing Late-Summer Forages

Flyers

CAIP Info

Homemade Salsa Recipe

Wolfe County 20 N Washington Street PO Box 146 Campton, KY 41301-0146 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Upcoming Events

BQA Training

August 16th 6:00pm Wolfe County Extension Office

Mountain Cattlemen Association Meeting

August 29th TBA Morgan County Extension Office

East KY Replacement Bred Heifer Sale

September 17th 1:00pm Lee City Stockyards

2016 East Kentucky Field Day & Hay Contest

October 1st 10:00pm-2:00pm (Hay Awards presented at 12:00pm) UK RCARS

Samples need to be to me no later than August 25th