Fall 2015 Taylor`d Ag News - Cooperative Extension County Offices

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Fall 2015
Taylor’d Ag USDA Ag Service Center News
IN THIS ISSUE
Deworming Cattle, Cow-Calf Meeting ... 2
Grazing Pasture Walk, Land Value … .. ..3
QA w/Curt Pate, FSA Update ................. 4
Hay Sampling, PAT, Scholarship............ 5
Dairy Cow Transition Workshop ............ 6
Nutrient Management, CVTC events . …7
PM Update, Cover Crop Walk, VFD ....... 8
Getting In & Out of Farming, Free QA .. 9
Learning Store, Manure Runoff ............ 10
Corn Silage articles ………….... …....10, 11
First Aid/CPR Certification, MASS ...... 12
Avian Influenza ..................................... 13
Waivers, Immigrants, Harvest of Hope 14
Leasing, Tomato & Potato Blight ......... 15
Alfalfa Harvesting ................................. 16
CONTACT US
Genomics 101 Tour
Thursday, October 15, 1– 3 p.m.
Learn about genomics using Zoetis Genetics technology and tour
Brandner's robotic cross-ventilated calf-feeding facility.
Meet at the Browning Town Hall,
corner of Hwy 64 & Lekie Dr, east of Medford at 1 p.m.
Must wear clean clothing and washable footwear.
No RSVP required, but admittance to Brandner’s is only from the
meeting at the Town Hall.
For more information, contact Taylor County UW-Extension
715-748-3327 ext. 1
County/USDA Ag Service Center
925 Donald St, Medford, WI 54451
Taylor County
University of Wisconsin-Extension
Rm. 103
Website: taylor.uwex.edu
Sandy Stuttgen, Agriculture Educator
715-748-3327 ext. 1
[email protected]
Taylor County
Land Conservation Department
Rm. 104
Ben Stanfley, County Conservationist
715-748-1469
[email protected]
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Taylor/Price County
Rm 102
Melissa Knipfel, District Conservationist
715-748-4121 ext. 112
[email protected]
USDA Farm Service Agency
Clark/Taylor/Price Counties
Rm 101
Deborah Esselman,
County Executive Director
715-748-4121 ext.
[email protected]
If the above time does not work for your schedule,
but you want to learn about Genomics—
same discussion and hand’s on activity will be held at the
Northcentral Technical College Agriculture Center of Excellence
[Hwy K north of the NTC Main Campus, Wausau (north of Fleet Farm)]
in the morning of Thursday October 15 from 10 a.m. to noon
To register call 715-675-3331 and press “1” or visit www.ntc.edu/ce or
contact Continuing Education at 715-803-1230 or email [email protected]
Ask Sandy
A sampling of questions
to Taylor County Agriculture Educator
Sandy Stuttgen
Take a moment to bookmark
our website
taylor.uwex.edu
Q: Do cattle deworming products work?
A: Current research (Merck FECRT Database, Dec 2014) shows the average
efficacy of all the pour-on products (endecticides like Ivomec, Dectomax and
LongRange) which treat gastrointestinal helminths is 58%; while the efficacy of
their injectable formulations is 59%. Efficacy of the oral products such as SafeGuard and Panacur is 99%.
The poor efficacy of endecticides is due to their over- and miss-use. This class of
dewormers is the most used in the US today, and therefore the drug worms are
most exposed to. Helminths have developed resistance to them, passing resistance
on to their offspring. So if you have been using the same dewormer for several
years, stop and ask your veterinarian about switching to a different class, or
perhaps using a combination treatment. Miss-use of the endecticides, which results
in under-dosing the animals, occurs when the animals are not dosed to their correct
weight and the product is improperly applied or injected.
Before treating, first make sure your animals need to be dewormed. Submit feces
for Fecal Egg Counts (FEC) to determine the presence of helminths. Follow up
with a post treatment FEC to determine if the product you used actually worked.
Veterinary parasitologists define efficacy by a 95% reduction in FEC. Work with
your veterinarian when your product does not achieve this level of efficacy.
Check-in to find current information
and programming valuable for your
family, farm or business.
Our Calendar of Events includes basic
information about most of our events.
Also like us on Facebook:
Taylor’d Ag UWEX page
(search ‘taylor wis ag’ on Facebook)
Merrill Cow-Calf Meeting, October 15
Gather October 15 at 5 p.m. at Earl & Linda Schmidt’s, N2592 Hwy 17, Merrill for a far m tour . Andy Schmidt is r aising his
cattle here and will share his operation with us. Andy is a member of NCWCA and the Lincoln County Beef Producers.
Directions to the farm: Follow Hwy 64 east of Merrill (east of US Hwy 51) to Hwy 17, take Hwy 17 north for approximately
2.5 miles. Watch for signs. This is a rain or shine event.
At about 6 p.m. travel to Victory Lane Bar and Grill, W4998 Pinewood Ln, Merrill for dinner and presentations to follow:
 The Meaning of Weaning
Weaning calves doesn't only have a social impact on your herd, it has health and financial benefits too.
Heather Schlesser, Agriculture Agent, UW– Extension Marathon County
 Deworming Relationships, Refugia, and Resistance
Managing parasites doesn’t always mean eliminating them.
Sandy Stuttgen, Agriculture Agent, UW-Extension Taylor County
Cost: $5 per person, collected at Victory Lane RSVP PLEASE! so meal and materials may be prepared.
Call, email, or send registration information by October 12 to:
Taylor County UW-Extension
925 Donald St Rm 103
Medford WI 54451
715-748-3327 ext. 9
[email protected]
Registration Deadline October 12
Please provide the following information for everyone attending:
NAME(S)_________________________________________
MAILING ADDRESS_________________________
PHONE_____________________________ EMAIL_____________________________________________________________
**This Program Qualifies for 1 BQA Continuing Education Credit**
2
North Central Graziers Pasture Walk
Wednesday, October 7th 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Joe & Christy Tomandl Farm #1 @ 7234 Gad Road, Medford
Topic: The ins and outs of organic transition.
Presenter: David Engel, Nature’s International Certification Service (NICS)
Hosted by: The North Central Grazing Network and the Taylor County Land Conservation Department
Well known as promoters of managed grazing throughout Wisconsin, the Tomandl family (Joe, Christy and their three
children) have been operating a successful grass based dairy in Taylor County for many years. Their success generates a good
income to support two farms, while also providing a high quality lifestyle for the farm family members. Joe’s operation
consists of two 170-cow seasonal grass dairy farms, on 520 acres of improved pastures. The organic matter content of the soil
has increased greatly since Tomandl purchased the farm in 1998 and introduced managed grazing. The overall grazing
management utilized by the Tomandls continues to improve pasture productivity on their farm and helps them avoid relying
on expensive organic soil amendments.
This pasture walk will cover looking at the protocol and planning necessary to transition to organic production. When
asked why they are transitioning - Joe stated that he believes the organic market is here to stay and this option was a good way
to diversify revenue between the two farms. On June 1, the cows and their replacements started the first year transition. Joe
has had to buy much of next year’s winter feed as his remaining fields fulfill the three year transition, but also needing to keep
enough acres available for the 2nd farm to utilize. The 2-farm system has worked well during this new venture since Joe was
able to keep the younger animals with the best percentage of grass genetics at the home farm, transfer the better conventional
cows to the 2nd farm and cull the rest.
Joe will also discuss the importance of providing opportunities for longtime employees and his involvement with the Dairy
Grazing Apprenticeship Program. Learn what is it and how you can get involved as both a Master and as an Apprentice.
The Tomandls are working with Nature’s International Certification Service (NICS) located in Viroqua, WI for their
organic certification. NICS is an organic certification agency founded to serve organic producers worldwide with their
certification needs, through a step by step process of organic certification or grass-fed verification. NICS is accredited by the
USDA’s National Organic Program (NOP) to assess the ability of organic operations (including crops, wild crops, livestock,
and processing/handing operations) to implement, comply with and carry out the terms and conditions determined for
organic management and products. More information can be found at www.naturesinternational.com.
Directions from Medford: From the intersection of Hwy13 and 64, take Hwy 64 5-1/2 miles east to County Road C. Turn South
on County Road C and go 2 miles to Willow Avenue (on the curve). Travel on Willow Avenue ½ mile to Gad Road. Turn south on
Gad Road, the farm on the right side of the road.
Directions from Athens: Go north 6 miles on Hwy 97, then turn left (west) on Willow Avenue and go 4-1/2 miles to Gad
Road. Turn South on Gad Road, the farm is on the right side of the road. Watch for pasture walk signs!
For more information, please contact:
Grazing Specialist Robert Brandt at (715) 965-6771, or the Taylor County Land Conservation Dept. at (715) 748-146
Agricultural Land Price Survey and Agricultural Lease Agreements
Wednesday, October 7
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
NTC Wausau - 1000 W Campus Drive Center for Business and Industry Building: Room CBI110
PPA Member: $18; Non-PPA Member: $22 To register, with MasterCard/VISA Call 715.675.3331 and press “1” for registration.
Learn about the current land prices in Marathon County. Arlin Brannstrom from UW-Center for Dairy Profitability, Paul Bunczak
of Bunczak Auction and Appraisal, and Bill Steigerwald of Compass Land Consulting will speak with us about Ag land values and
what they are seeing in the area. After lunch, attorney Terri Smith of Ruder Ware will talk with us about Agricultural lease
agreements. Lunch is included. The Agricultural Seminar Series is sponsored by Northcentral Technical College, in partnership
with the Partnership for Progressive Agriculture and Marathon County UW-Extension. For more information contact Jennifer Lau
at 715.803.1230 or 888.682.7144, Ext. 1230 or email [email protected]
Taylor’d Ag UDSA Service Center News Fall 2015
3
Stockmanship and Beef/Dairy Quality Assurance
Program October 23 & 24
UW-Extension and UW-River Falls are teaming up to offer Beef
and Dairy Quality Assurance certification programs on October
23 and 24. This program will take place at the UW-River Falls
Campus Lab Farm (Farm #1) located at 1475 S. Wasson Lane,
River Falls, WI.
The Friday, October 23rd
program will focus on dairy
cattle, beginning with
registration at 9:30 a.m. The
Dairy Quality Assurance
training and exam will take
place from 10 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. Beginning at 1 p.m., Curt Pate will demonstrate low stress
dairy cattle handling, concluding at 3 p.m.
The Saturday, October 24th program will focus on beef cattle
beginning with registration at 8:30 a.m. From 9 to 11 a.m. Curt
Pate will demonstrate low stress beef cattle handling. At 11 a.m.
Beef Quality Assurance training and testing will begin and will
conclude by 2 p.m. including time for a lunch break.
Curt Pate, a nationally recognized expert in cattle handling and
stockmanship, will be the featured presenter both days. Curt will
be demonstrating his handling techniques during live cattle
demonstrations. His personal experience incorporating effective
stockmanship principles supports a “for profit” mindset and
focuses on highlighting the increased economic benefits of
handling stock correctly. In addition, Curt recognizes the
growing public scrutiny surrounding livestock production and
the impact that improved livestock
handling practices create for the
sustainability of the cattle industry.
Several livestock producers may have
quality assurance certifications
expiring this fall, and this is a great
opportunity to recertify. For those
not certified, this is your chance to become either beef or dairy
quality assurance certified and participate in a voluntary national
program to improve consumer confidence in beef products. The
Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certification program is a
proactive way for you to maximize consumer confidence and
acceptance of beef by focusing on production practices that
promote food safety, wholesomeness, and quality of beef and
beef products.
Beef and dairy producers, veterinarians, and allied industry
professionals are all welcome to attend. Three Veterinary CEU’s
have been requested for this program (two for completing
Quality Assurance and one for stockmanship demonstration).
The cost for the program is $20 for Quality Assurance
certification and for the live cattle demonstrations. Lunch will be
available on site from the UWRF Beef Management Team for
$10 per person.
Pre-register by contacting the St. Croix County UWExtension Office at 715-531-1930 no later than Friday,
October 16. Late registrations and day of registration will
be accepted for $30 per person.
Farm Service Agency (FSA) Updates
It has been interesting this year for FSA to get the farm bill
programs implemented and all farmers signed up. The Dairy
Margin Protection Program sign-up for 2016 will end November
30, 2015. There has been a change in the premium payment
schedule. This past year, you had to pay your buy-up premiums
by February and June of this year. The change is that the entire
premium just has to be paid by September 1, 2016. That should
help producers stretch out the payments if they would like to do
that.
a corn payment projected for 2014, so you must come in and
sign up if you have not done so already.
Fall Crop reports: you must come in by November 1, 2015, to
report any fall-seeded crops. Most perennial crops have been
reported, but any field that you may have changed since the
summer report must be reported now.
Please call for more information or an appointment at
715-743-3164 x 2
ARC/PLC program (that replaced the Direct and Counter
Have a safe harvest,
Cyclical Program) signup ends September 30, 2015. For those
Deb Esselman, County Executive Director
producers that have not been in the office to sign up this fall,
Clark-Taylor-Price County FSA offices
but came in the spring to do elections, YOU ARE NOT
ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM. YOU MUST COME IN
AND ACTUALLY SIGN UP FOR THE PROGRAM EACH
YEAR. Because we are playing catch-up with this program, you
are really signing up for both 2014 and 2015 crop years. There is
4
How to Collect Hay Samples for Analysis and
Interpretation of Results
Developed by UW-Extension Marathon County Agriculture
For more information regarding hay samples, please visit:
Educator Heather Schlesser, the video How to Collect Hay Samples  Sampling Hay, Silage and Total Mixed Rations for Analysis
for Analysis and Interpretation of Results discusses the process of
online at http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/
taking a hay sample. The video also details how to interpret the
A2309.pdf
lab analysis and how to determine if your hay is adequate for the
 Team Forage’s Feeding &
winter needs of your dairy cattle.
Testing Resources at
http://fyi.uwex.edu/
To view the video, go to:
forage/feeding/#sampling
http://fyi.uwex.edu/dairy/how-to-collect-hay-samples-foranalysis-and-interpretation-of-results/
Pesticide Applicator Certification
Pesticide applicators who need to or would like to get certified
or re-certified may do so by attending a training session and
taking the exam on December 1, 2015, at the County/USDA
Ag Service Center, 925 Donald St, Medford.
Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. A copy of this
form is available from the UW-Extension Office. Note that the
form must be notarized. Make sure to have the necessary
identification with you when you come in.
Those attending a training session and taking the open-book
exam need at least 50% to pass. Please register and purchase the
Training Manual at the UW-Extension Office by November 23.
A $30 fee is due when picking up the manual. Call the UWExtension Office, 715-748-3327 ext. 1 or ext. 9, for more
information. Minimum age is 16. We may cancel the certification
session due to insufficient enrollment by Nov 23, calling those
registered.
The exam questions may not be read for another person. You
must notify Sandy Stuttgen, Taylor County Agriculture
Educator, or WDATCP if you have difficulty in reading or
understanding the English language.
The Environmental Protection Agency and the State of
Wisconsin require that all users of restricted-use pesticides be
trained, certified, and re-certified every five years (licenses expire
on December 31). Although principally designed for certification
Certification can also be done by self-study of the materials and of applicators using pesticides classified as restricted-use, this
making arrangements with any UW-Extension Office to take the program is intended for all pesticide applicators whether or not
exam. Self-study applicators must receive at least 70% to pass.
you use restricted-use pesticides. Most private applicators
(farmers, orchardist, greenhouse growers, nursery operator, etc.)
Wisconsin requires that any person taking a certification exam
are certified in the General Farming Base Category, which
must provide positive identification including a photo I.D. (e.g. a applies to production of any agricultural commodity.
driver’s license) and their Social Security number. If you do not
have a Social Security number, you must use the Application and
Affidavit for Professional/Occupational License from the
NCWCA Scholarships Available
Attention youth and adults interested in pursuing
agricultural opportunities, especially in beef livestock
production:
NCWCA scholarships are available to all members, families
of members, and sponsored individuals. Past applicants and
recipients are welcome to re-apply.
The North Central Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association
(NCWCA) is taking applications for its annual NCWCA
Scholarship to be awarded in January 2016.
For an application and directions to submit, please visit the
NCWCA website:
http://ncwcattlemen.com/scholarship-application/
NCWCA is a non-profit organization which supports the
Don’t hesitate to apply! NCWCA would like to help you
educational activities of the beef industry and wishes to
promote higher education in cattle production and marketing. reach your goals!!
Taylor’d Ag UDSA Service Center News Fall 2015
5
Clark, Taylor, & Marathon County UW-Extension presents
Dairy Cow Transition
3 Weeks Pre-Calving to 3 Weeks Post-Calving
10 a.m. Registration
November 5, 2015
10:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Abbotsford City Hall
203 E Birch St, Abbotsford
‘north end of main street, adjacent to the library’
More information at
http://taylor.uwex.edu
10:30 a.m. – noon Dry and Transition Cow Housing, Pen,
Stall, and Equipment Design: Enhancing the Environment
to Minimize Metabolic Disorders in Fresh Cows
David Kammel, PhD, Biological Systems Engineering, UW-Madison
noon - 12:30 p.m. Lunch
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. KetoMonitor: A Research Based Tool to
Improve On-farm Ketosis Management
Taliah Danzinger, Education and Marketing Support Specialist,
AgSource CRI and Sandy Stuttgen, DVM, Agriculture Educator,
Taylor County UW-Extension
1:30 - 3 p.m. Management Practices to Prevent Milk Fever
and Ketosis Larry Baumann, DVM, Extension Specialist and
Professor of Animal Science, UW-River Falls.
Cost: $15 charge per person or $25 for two people same farm/company (share handouts)
Includes lunch and all materials.
Pre-registration with payment is required by October 29.
Name(s) ________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________________________
Phone ____________________________Email _________________________________________
Payment calculator:
 one person attending, $15 due
 two people, same farm/company, $25 due
 three or more people, same farm/company, $15 each x ____attendees = $_____due
Make checks payable to ‘Taylor County UW-Extension’ and mail to:
Taylor County UW-Extension, 925 Donald St, Room 103, Medford, WI 54451
6
Nutrient Management Planning
UW-Extension and the Marathon, Clark, Taylor, and Wood
County Land Conservation Departments are once again
working together to provide a nutrient management farmer
education course.
Classes take place in January and February. Choose to attend
at the Northcentral Technical College in Medford, Spencer,
or Wausau. Call the Land Conservation Department at 715748-1469 for more information.
This course is designed to develop a nutrient management
plan that will meet the NRCS requirements. Participants will
enter soil test information into the software program,
SNAP-Plus, and will develop a plan using the data. Subjects
include conservation plans, field mapping, soil test analysis,
manure management, and crop selection requirements.
Check the Taylor County Land Conservation Department
Facebook page for updates.
CVTC Farm Business Production Management Classes
Chippewa Valley Technical College Farm Business &
Production Management provides producers with the skills
necessary to manage the resources used in the successful
operation of a farm business. The program covers six years of
part-time instruction including at least 45 hours of group
sessions per year and 12 hours of on-the-farm individual
instruction. This is a great way for beginning farmers to gain
management skills they can use on their farms.
Classes are held in Gilman at the City Hall every other
Thursday from 12:30-3:00 p.m. during the winter
months. They are also held in Thorp every other Thursday.
One-on-one on-farm instruction is also available along with
the classes.
Contact Maria Bendixen at 715-937-5058 or send email to
[email protected]
Enrollment is underway now for this year’s topic:
Land Use Management. Instruction is provided on
how to prepare and implement a land-use plan and a
nutrient management plan, take soil samples, and
understand soil testing procedures and reports. Students
will receive instruction to implement fertilizer
recommendation and establish budgets. Included is
instruction on the application of farm manure, chemicals,
soil conservation practices, and the management and safe
use of farm machinery and equipment.
Progressive Dairy Management Peer Group
Kick Off Meeting
Designed for individuals in management positions on farms with multiple employees, this course features both theory and onfarm application of topics related to employee management, business performance, and large scale production issues. Producers
involved in this program will participate in on farm peer group discussions about business and production management issues.
October 27, 2015 — 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Alliance Bank, Osseo WI, US HWY 10 across from Kwik Trip
RSVP by calling: Maria Bendixen at 715-937-5058, [email protected]
or Mark Denk at 715-577-3036, [email protected]
Course cost: $535.62
Contact Maria if you are interested in this program, but can not attend the kick-off meeting.
Taylor’d Ag UDSA Service Center News Fall 2015
7
Pest Management Update Meetings
The 2015 Wisconsin Pest Management Update presentations
will include pest management information for Wisconsin field
and forage crops. Speakers include University of Wisconsin
scientists Mark Renz (weeds), Damon Smith (plant
pathology), Dan Heider (IPM specialist) and Bryan Jensen
(entomology).
Marshfield Location
November 9, 2015
Marshfield Ag Research Station
2611 Yellowstone Dr, Marshfield
Host: Richard Halopka, Clark County UW-Extension
715-743-5121
All meetings begin with registration and coffee at 9:30 a.m.
Presentations start promptly at 10 a.m. and will conclude by 3
p.m. Four hours of Certified Crop Advisor CEU credits are
available of each session. The $40 registration fee per
participant includes a noon meal and information packet.
Chippewa Falls Location
November 10, 2015
Lake Hallie Eagles Club
2588 Hallie Road, Chippewa Falls
Host: Jerry Clark Chippewa County UW-Extension
715-726-7950
Please make your reservation with the host agent at least one
week prior to the scheduled meeting date. Contact the host
agent for more information.
No-till and Cover Crop Field Walk
Wednesday, October 14 at 10:00 am
Pat Socha Farm, R349 County Rd U, Edgar
Pat is in his second year of no-till and is using cover crops. He has planted a mix of clover, barley, and radish.
We will tour Pat’s fields to look at the practices he is using.
Dan Marzu, Lincoln and Marathon County UW-Extension Agricultural Educator, will discuss soil sampling and
fertility considerations when using a no-till management practice. Dan will also discuss the cover crop study on
Pat’s farm funded by a USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant.
In this project, we will be studying the feasibility of planting a cereal rye cover crop after corn silage.
For more information, contact Dan Marzu at 715-539-1078 or 715-261-1240
VFD Rule In Effect October 1
Retrieved Sept 22, 2015, from
http://marathon.uwex.edu/2015/09/17/veterinary-feed-directive/
A Veterinary Feed Directive is a written statement issued by a
licensed veterinarian that authorizes the client to obtain and
use animal feed bearing or containing a VFD drug to treat the
client’s animals. A Veterinary Feed Directive drug is an
animal drug intended for use in or on animal feed that can be
used only under the professional supervision of a licensed
veterinarian who authorizes such use.
VFD drug without a new VFD.
Extra label usage of the VFD drug is not allowed – it needs
to be used in accordance with the approved VFD. Copies of
the VFD need to be retained by the veterinarian, distributor,
and client for two years.
Which feed additives are becoming VFD drugs? Those that
are “medically important” – drugs that are important for
therapeutic use in humans: penicillin, tetracycline, sulfas, etc.
A VFD drug is not allowed to be fed without a valid VFD, so This new VFD rule goes into effect on October 1, 2015, with
the goal to have 100% compliance by January 1, 2017.
if you have a VFD that expires on 10/30/15, but you still
have a VFD drug left, you cannot feed the remainder of the For more information see: http://feedstuffs.com/vfd.aspx
Contact each host or organization directly regarding their cancelation policy for programs
listed in this newsletter. Only cancelations regarding events hosted by Taylor County
UW-Extension will be announced on 99.3 WIGM Medford radio—or give our office a call
at 715-748-3327 x9 to check the status of Taylor County UW-Extension programs.
8
Getting Into or Out of Farming
One way to enter farming is for a

beginning farmer to partner with an
existing farmer for mentoring and possible
farm transfer. In many cases, the
beginning farmer begins to build equity by 
acquiring cattle and slowly working
towards acquiring assets in some cases

renting a facility and eventually buying it.
Assist beginning farmers with an
opportunity to work with existing
facilities and animals in order to start
farming.
Assist exiting farmers to gradually
transition out of farming.
Assist beginning farmers to locate a
facility in order to start farming.
Assist exiting farers in the transition
out of the dairy business.

You want to start farming, but cannot
afford to purchase an entire working
operation at this time.
 You want to get some farming
experience before starting out on your
own.
 You would like to rent or buy a
portion of a current working
operation.

Linking farmers who want to exit farming
If
you
are an individual looking into
with those who want to enter, has been a
entering
farming or a farmer considering
challenge for generations. In an effort to How do exiting farmers qualify to
retiring
but
want to see the farm business
assist retiring farmers meet individuals
participate in the program?
continue,
consider
utilizing the “getting
interested in starting a farming career the  You are thinking about retiring in the
into
or
out
of
farming”
program. If you
Marathon County Dairy and Livestock
next few years.
are
interested,
please
take
a few minutes to
Agent has created a website for collecting
 You are looking to partner with
fill
out
the
form
online
available
at
information. “Getting into or out of
someone to ease your daily work load. http://marathon.uwex.edu/agriculture/ge
Farming” is a program designed to assist
people planning to enter or exit farming in  You are looking to sell your property tting-into-or-out-of-farming/
and business.
the local area.
For more information, contact UW You are already out of farming, but
Extension Marathon County at 715-261What can “Getting into or out of
would like to work with a beginning
1230 or email Heather
Farming” do for the beginning and/or
farmer in order to use the facilities.
at: [email protected].
exiting farmer?
 Your operating or vacant farm is for
 Link exiting and beginning farmers in
sale or rent.
The idea for this project was from the
order to form a partnership or joint
Lakeshore Area Network for Dairy
How do beginning farmers qualify to
venture.
Program.
participate in this program?
Free certification available online now through November 20.
Go to www.bqa.org
Click on ‘free certification’ and follow the prompts.
Taylor’d Ag UDSA Service Center News Fall 2015
9
Don't Let Harvest Rush Lead to
Manure Runoff
http://learningstore.uwex.edu
“Cover Crops for the Home Garden”
How to choose a combination of cover
crops that will provide your soil with what it
needs—more nitrogen, more tilth, more
protection from eroding rains, or all of
these things. (6 pages; 2012).
Publication # A3933-02
“Determining Pasture Condition”
Good pasture condition is critical to a
successful grazing system. Pasture quality
may vary greatly from paddock to
paddock, or year to year, due to
differences in management, environment,
fertility, grazing pressure, or animal
species. The intent of this publication is to
provide graziers with a method of
evaluating pasture condition and help
determine if paddocks are in need of
improvement. It is also a useful tool in
evaluating the impact of management
decisions on pastures (3 pages).
Publication # 3667
“Wisconsin Land Use Megatrends:
Climate Change”
Summary of global warming and resulting
climate change in Wisconsin is presented
with the help of maps and charts that show
the flow of world greenhouse emissions,
the rate of long-term temperature change,
the rate of long-term precipitation change,
and the predicted response of Wisconsin
forests to expected climate change. The
authors discuss how Wisconsin weather is
likely to change in the course of this
century. Electronic download only (16
pages)
Publication # G3995-02
“Sampling Lawn and Garden Soils for
Analysis”
Learn how to get a soil analysis and use it
to develop your own tailored plan to
provide maximum plant growth and
minimize potential water pollution by
applying only the nutrients your plants can
use. (2 pages).
Publication # A2166
management plan. For information
about making a nutrient management
plan, farmers should talk to their crop
As crops come off the field and winter advisors, call their county
looms not so far away, farmers may
conservationists, or visit DATCP's
scramble to get manure pits cleaned
online nutrient management site.
out – and if the autumn is rainy, that
"We know farmers want to get their
can spell trouble.
manure pits emptied before winter sets
"Right now the September-throughin and makes spreading more difficult,
November forecast from the National but right now, there's still time and we
Weather Service gives us equal chances encourage them to use caution – and
of getting above- or below-normal
to use the advisory forecast, " Walling
rainfall, so it could be a rainy fall. One said. "Whenever you have to spread
good downpour or a string of rainy
manure, follow your nutrient
days could carry manure straight to
management plan because it includes
streams if you're not careful," says Sara all site-specific risk areas on your farm.
Walling, water quality section leader
If you don't have a plan, talk to your
with the Wisconsin Department of
crop consultant or county
Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
conservationist to develop one. They
Protection.
may also help you find alternatives to
Farmers have a tool that can help them spreading in risky conditions. You
make decisions about when to spread might be able to stack manure away
manure. The Runoff Risk Advisory
from lakes and streams, drinking water
Forecast is part of the
wells, and sinkholes or exposed
online Wisconsin Manure Management bedrock. If you can't avoid spreading,
System. It provides maps that are
they can help you identify fields where
updated three times a day to show
the risk is lowest. If you don't know
short-term manure runoff risk, taking how to find your county
into consideration soil moisture,
conservationist, check the
weather forecast, crop cover, and
online Conservation Directory."
slope. Farmers can check it to see how
In addition, farmers should have an
risky it will be to spread manure in
emergency plan in place in case the
their watershed basin.
worst does happen. You can find
Along with checking the forecast,
information about emergency planning
farmers who have nutrient
on the Department of Natural
management plans should be spreading Resources website.
manure based on the plan. Almost a
third of Wisconsin's 9 million acres of Spills or runoff must be reported
immediately by calling 1-800-943-0003.
cropland is covered by a nutrient
Retrieved Sept 22, 2015 from
http://datcp.wi.gov/news/?Id=1353
Wondering How to Price Corn Silage?
UW-Extension resources are available for you to use to with
buying and selling corn silage this fall. Visit the Team Forage
website at: http://fyi.uwex.edu/forage/economics/#cs for
the Corn Silage Pricing Aid (Excel spreadsheet free to use
with your inputs) and the factsheet, Buying and Selling Corn
Silage, What’s a Fair Price?
10
You may also request copies be mailed to you by contacting
your county’s UW-Extension Agriculture Agent. The agent
can also help you use the Pricing Aid.
Take Action Now to Prevent Silo-Filler’s Disease
Retrieved Sept 22, 2015 from
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) has a yellowishhttp://fyi.uwex.edu/agsafety/2015/08/21/cautio reddish brown color with an acrid, bleachn-silo-gas-may-be-present/
like color. However, with all the other things
around a silo, smell is not a reliable
indicator.
Silo-filler’s disease is the term given the
injury resulting from exposure to silo gas.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is also formed in this
Inhaling even a small amount can result in
serious, permanent, or fatal lung injury. The process but often not to lethal levels.
Carbon dioxide is of greater concern in
nitrogen dioxide combines with water in
controlled atmosphere (sealed silos).
your lungs to form highly corrosive nitric
acid. High concentrations of nitrogen
Silo gas (combination of nitrogen dioxide
dioxide may make a person helpless in 2-3
(NO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2)) forms
minutes.
within a few hours up to three weeks after
Symptoms of silo-filler’s disease include
coughing, burning, shortness of breath,
chills, fever, headaches, nausea, or vomiting.
While a person may not immediately
experience the symptoms from a mild
exposure, in 3-30 hours there is a slow,
progressive inflammation of the lungs that
results in fluid buildup in the lungs. This
can be fatal!
fresh plant material is added to the silo. It is
a problem in conventional, non-airtight
silos. However, it is produced in horizontal
silos and silage bags as well.
oxygen deficient atmosphere.
When opening a chute door for the first
time after filling, if possible, go a door above
the silage level. Have someone keep in
contact with you from the outside the silo
chute.
Ventilate the silo room adequately for three
weeks after filling, keeping windows and
doors open. Keep the door between the silo
room and the barn closed to prevent silo gas
from killing livestock.
For horizontal silos (bunkers and piles) and
silage bags:
Vents are available for silage bags.
Consider where nitrogen dioxide gas may
drift from horizontal silos and silage bags as
this gas is heavier than air and may collect in
other buildings or low areas.
To Prevent Silo- Filler’s Disease:
For Upright Silos:
Stay out of an upright silo for at least three
weeks after filling. Be alert for bleach-like
Cover immediately when done harvesting.
odors and/or yellowish-reddish brown gases
Observe for any signs of gas when repairing
A unique characteristic of this disease is that in or near silos.
plastic or working around the area.
there may be a relapse in two to six week
If you must enter the silo, e.g., to set up a
after the original episode, which may be
silo unloader, do so immediately after the
Do not puncture bubbles in plastic that may
milder or more severe than the first episode last load is in. Do not wait several hours or
release the gas directly into a worker’s face.
Shortly after green plant material is ensiled, overnight. If you need to wait until the next Use caution when opening the plastic during
day, save the last load to add before
the first three weeks after covering or sealing
oxygen (O2) gets used up by the crop and
entering.
Ventilate
by
running
a
forage
a horizontal silo or silage bag.
bacteria, and the crop begins to ferment.
blower
at
least
15-20
minutes
before
Some bacteria, that normally use oxygen,
If Exposed to Silo Gas:
entering and keep it running while inside.
will use nitrates in the crop instead
If you experience throat irritation or
producing nitric oxide (NO), a non-lethal
A multi-gas monitor can be used to check
coughing in the silo, get to fresh air
gas. As nitric oxide leaves the silage, it
for oxygen deficiency and would to be set
immediately. See your doctor immediately
combines with oxygen from the air
up with a sensor for nitrogen dioxide.
after exposure to silo gas. Remember, this
producing nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen
can be fatal!
dioxide (NO2) is heavier-than-air, and toxic Use of a self-contained breathing apparatus
to humans and animals.
is recommended for entering a toxic and
Toplage Corn Silage
From Midwest Forage Association Forage Focus
Aug 2015, pp. 14-15.
The researchers hoped to create an
alternative where producers can dial-in
specified fiber and starch content by
Producers have adopted ‘high-cut’ silage
modifying the ear-snapper head to cut stalks
(cutting 15-18”, leaving lignified stalk behind below the ear. This alternative is called
to create corn with improved NDFN) and
‘Toplage’.
‘snaplage’ (ear-snapper head used to harvest
only the ear) as alternatives with more
The modified ear-snapper head takes only
digestible fiber and greater starch
the ears on some rows and uses stalk cut-off
concentration than whole-plant corn silage. knives powered by the head gathering chains
To provide additional options, University
to harvest the top part of the stalk and
researchers Kevin Shinners and Brandon
leaves on the remaining rows. These
Nigon along with David Cook from
commercially available knife kits are
BoviSync have investigated corn silage
normally used to harvest sunflowers and
harvest between high-cut and snaplage.
replace the head deck plates on as many
Taylor’d Ag UDSA Service Center News Fall 2015
rows as desired. Using hand tools, it takes a
few minutes per row to install the kits.
Toplage yield and composition can be
altered by the number of stalk cut-off knives
used and the head height. Adding more
knives or lowering the head increases the
fiber content and yield, creating a feed closer
to high-cut silage. Installing fewer knives or
raising the head reduces yield and increases
starch concentration, creating a feed closer
to snaplage. Producers can quickly alter
nutrient composition of the feed on a rowby-row basis. One study harvested
(Continued on page 13)
11
First Aid/CPR Certification for Farms
Accidents and injuries happen on farms.
Do you and your employees know Basic First Aid & CPR techniques?
Knowing lifesaving skills is good for your farm
and OSHA expects farm employers to provide training opportunities for their employees.
November 9, 2015
First Aid Certification
10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
November 10, 2015
CPR Certification
10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Both days held at the County/USDA Service Center, 925 Donald St., Medford, WI
Cost $70 per person for both days, or $40 for only one day
does not include lunch; we will take a half-hour break, so bring your own brown-bag lunch
Each day begins promptly at 10 am, be present a few minutes early to sign-in
RSVP REQUIRED with Payment by October 29, 2015
Name(s) _______________________________________________________________________
Address________________________________________________________________________
Phone ____________________________Email _________________________________________
Payment calculator:
 # attending both sessions _______ x $70 per attendee = $________ total due
 # attending Nov 9 _______ x $40 per attendee = $________total due
 # attending Nov 10 _______x $40 per attendee = $________total due
Make checks payable to Taylor County UW-Extension and mail to:
Taylor County UW-Extension, 925 Donald St, Room 103, Medford, WI 54451
Registration with payment must be received by October 29
Do not wait to enroll. We will hold received fees until November 9. Class size is limited and we reserve the right
to cancel the sessions due to insufficient enrollment by October 29. In case of cancelation due to insufficient
enrollment, those registered will be called and fees refunded in full. Cancellations received less than five days
before the program will be refunded 50% of the fee. NO refunds for failure to attend without notifying
Taylor County UW-Extension by calling 715-748-3327 ext. 9.
This American Heart Association First Aid/ CPR /AED two-year certification is taught by Medford Aspirus Hospital staff.
Taylor County Market Animal Show & Sale
The Annual Meeting of the Taylor County Market Animal
Show & Sale (MASS) will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday ,
October 8, 2015 at the County/USDA Service Center, 925
Donald St. in Medford. The annual meeting agenda includes
elections to the board of directors. Thank you to all who
participate in the Taylor County Mass program. We hope to
see you all at the annual meeting.
12
MASS Orientation will be held on Saturday, Nov 7 at the
County/USDA Service Center in Medford. Plan on attending
this orientation for all details regarding the upcoming 2015-16
program year. Note: the 2016 Taylor County Fair will be held
on Aug. 4th-7th. For all details, follow MASS on Facebook at
their site: Taylor County Market Animal Show and Sale
(MASS).
Fall Migration Raises Concerns Again for Avian Influenza
With the fall migration of birds
beginning, veterinary and human health
officials are again concerned about a
revisit of avian influenza. If you find a
sick or dead bird, don't touch it, report
it. For domestic birds, call us at 1-800572-8981. For wild birds, call the
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources at 1-800-433-1610.
and occurs naturally in migratory
waterfowl. There are many strains of
avian influenza, many of which show
little or no visible signs of illness and
pose no threat to public health. Each
year new strains of AI may appear
throughout the world.
flock after visiting a poultry swap,
exhibition, or other event.
 Do not share equipment or supplies
with others, but if you must, disinfect
it first.
 Wash hands before and after bird
handling.
Prevention
Biosecurity is a set of practices designed
to reduce the risk of spreading disease
from sick birds to healthy ones. We
recommend adding these practices to
your routine:
 Restrict access to your property and
keep your birds away from other
birds.
 Keep a designated pair of shoes to
wear around your birds, wash
clothing after visiting your birds, and
use disinfectants correctly.
 Clean and disinfect cages, poultry
equipment, and car tires after visiting
a farm store, poultry swap, or other
location with birds present.
 Keep new birds separate from your
flock for 30 days; quarantine
returning birds from the rest of your
Clinical Signs of Illness
Many birds with low pathogenic AI may
not show any signs of illness. Poultry
affected by any type of avian influenza
can show many symptoms, including
one or more of the following:
 Decreased food consumption,
huddling, depression, closed eyes
 Respiratory signs, such as coughing
and sneezing
 Decreased egg production, watery
greenish diarrhea, excessive thirst
 Swollen wattles and combs
 High mortality and sudden death are
specific to highly pathogenic AI
Snaplage can be difficult to ensile
because it is harvested at a high dry
matter (DM) and because starch is a
toplage using four stalk cut-off knives
minor source of fermentation compared
on a six-row head, and the head height to fiber. Toplage has lower DM and
was set to just below the ear. Toplage
greater fiber, so it ferments to lower pH
yield was 22% greater than snaplage, but and produces more fermentation acids
24% and 24% less than high-cut or
than snaplage, having improved aerobic
whole-plant silage yields respectively.
stability.
Toplage had greater starch (52%) than
Harvesting toplage may have a potential
high-cut (47%) or whole-plant silages
improvement for kernel processing. In
(42%), but less than snaplage (63%).
preliminary results, kernel particle size
Toplage fiber concentration was
significantly greater than snaplage (19% did decrease as fewer stalks were
processed with high-cut, toplage, and
vs. 9%), and the digestible fraction of
snaplage. More research is needed to
the NDF was also greater for toplage
than for high-cut or whole-plant silages. confirm this.
Stalks and leaves left after toplage
harvest have value as roughage feed. To
facilitate harvest of this material, the
harvester wheel spacing was adjusted to
leave the stalks standing during toplage
harvesting. Stalks were then windrowed,
wilted, chopped, and ensiled to create
‘stalklage’. Similar to corn stover,
stalklage is harvested earlier in fall when
weather conditions are more favorable.
Applying lime to stalklage increases its
fiber digestibility. The combined yield of
toplage plus stalklage was 7% less than
whole-plant silage, but 6% greater than
high-cut yield.
Avian influenza (AI), or “bird flu,” is a
virus that infects domestic poultry, such
as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail,
ducks and geese, and wild birds,
particularly waterfowl. Direct contact
with infected birds, contaminated
objects/equipment, and aerosol (short
distances) can spread the virus which is
found in feces, saliva, and respiratory
secretions.
AI viruses are divided into two groups,
highly pathogenic (HPAI) and low
pathogenic (LPAI), based on the ability
of the virus to produce disease and the
severity of the illness it can cause. HPAI
spreads rapidly and has a high death rate
in birds. LPAI causes only minor illness
Toplage
(Continued from page 11)
For more, visit the WI DATCP website:
http://datcp.wi.gov/Animals/Animal_
Diseases/Avian_Influenza/
Please recycle by passing this newsletter along to others,
helping us expand our outreach.
Taylor’d Ag UDSA Service Center News Fall 2015
13
State Religious Waivers for Building Codes
Retrieved Sept 22, 2015 rom
http://www.leadertelegram.com/News/FrontPage/2015/08/28/Waiver-forms-to-aidAmish.html
The waivers are the result of an
amendment to the 2015-17 state budget
passed this summer that allows for
exemptions to the electrical and
plumbing requirements in the state’s
Distribution of religious waiver forms
uniform dwelling code to residents for
to all 72 Wisconsin counties is expected which compliance would violate longto resolve building code disputes
held religious beliefs.
between Eau Claire County (and other
counties) and its Amish community.
The amendment, introduced by state
Rep. Kathy Bernier, R-Lake Hallie,
allows Amish residents to claim
exemption from installing smoke and
carbon monoxide detectors in their
homes, a step some Old Order Amish
families say is prohibited by religious
tenets that require them to live simply
and avoid modern conveniences such as
anything computerized.
Immigrant Dairy Workers
Retrieved Sept 22 from
percent.
http://www.nmpf.org/washington_watch/immigra
Today, the report estimated that dairy
tion
Half of all workers on U.S. dairy farms
are immigrants, and the damage from
losing those workers would extend far
beyond the farms, nearly doubling retail
milk prices and costing the total U.S.
economy more than $32 billion,
according to a new National Milk
Producers Federation INMPF)
report released in September 2015.
Last fall, NMPF commissioned a
national survey of dairy farms to
examine the role and importance of
hired immigrant labor. Immigrant labor
was considered a major contributor to
the economic sustainability of more
than a third of the dairy farms surveyed.
farms employ about 150,418 workers,
about 75 percent of whom are full-time
and 51.2 percent (76,968) are
immigrants.
WI Farm Center
www.datcp.state.wi.us
Go to “Farms” tab and “Farmer
Resource Database” or “Wisconsin Farm
Center”. Or call 1-800-942-2474 to visit
with the knowledgeable staff who provide
everything from financial consultation,
stress management, and animal health
information.
It concluded that eliminating immigrant
labor would reduce the U.S. dairy herd
by 2.1 million cows, milk production by
48.4 billion pounds and the number of Agriculture & Natural Resources
Extension http://anre.uwex.edu/
farms by 7,011.
Retail milk prices, the report said, would
increase 90 percent if all immigrant
labor was lost. That would drive the
supermarket price of a gallon of milk,
which averaged $3.37 in June, to
approximately $6.40.
The U.S. economy would lose $32.1
billion and 208,208 jobs.
resources and links at your fingertips
Farmer to Farmer buying and selling
corn and forage:
http://farmertofarmer.uwex.edu/
UWEX Dairy Resources
http://fyi.uwex.edu/dairy
http://milkquality.wisc.edu
The survey, an update of one done in
UWEX Livestock Resources
Beef at http://fyi.uwex.edu/wbic
2009 by Texas A&M’s AgriLife
- See more at:
http://fyi.uwex.edu/horse
Research center, shows the number of http://www.nmpf.org/washington_watch/i
http://fyi.uwex/poultry
immigrants working on dairy farms has mmigration#sthash.i5ugtngO.dpuf
http://fyi.uwex/wisheepandgoat
increased by 35 percent – or nearly
http://fyi.uwex.edu/smallfarms
20,000 – in six years. The portion of the
http://fyi.uwex.edu/grazres
http://fyi.edu/swineextension
milk supply coming from farms with
http://fyi.uwex.edu/youthlivestock
immigrant labor increased by 27
Harvest of Hope Fund
Harvest of Hope Fund is a resource for Wisconsin farm families actively engaged in farming who are facing any kind of crisis situation.
Administered by the Madison Christian Community, it grants financial help to pay overdue bills or to simply put food on the table or
fuel in the tank. Application materials are available at www.madisonchristiancommunity.org (Go to “Serving/ Harvest of Hope” in the
drop down menu). Contact Roger Williams at 608-839-4758 or [email protected] for questions or more details.
Farmers need to fill out the application and your UW-Extension Agriculture Agent needs to complete the Financial Planning Statement.
The maximum gift amount is $1,500, and applicants can receive two gifts from the fund over time. A new application is required for a
second gift. There is no repayment required, but families are asked to sign a ‘covenant’ stating they will make a contribution to the fund
when able to do so.
14
Leasing Ag Land & Buildings
The website, Ag Lease 101, has been
created; it answers frequently asked
leasing questions. Various documents
are also available for free download.
Ag Lease 101 helps both land owners
and land operators learn about
alternative lease arrangements and
includes sample written lease
agreements for several alternatives. Ag
Lease 101 was created by and is
maintained by the North Central Farm
Management Extension Committee.
To access, visit www.aglease101.org
Ag Lease 101 is mobile optimized and
socially integrated. Connect on
Facebook & Twitter.
More than half the cropland in the North
Central Region of the United States is
rented. Rental rate and leasing
information is highly sought by both
land owners and land operators.
AgLease101.org includes multi-state
materials which help land owners and
land operators discuss and resolve
issues to avoid legal risk. The website
also guides both land owners and land
operators towards informed and
equitable decisions.
Stop by the Taylor UWEX office to pick
up Leasing Packets, which contain lease
examples and other information to help
you draft the leasing contracts you need.
Tomatoes and potatoes infected with late blight:
Are they safe for eating or preserving?
Retrieved Sept 21 from
http://fyi.uwex.edu/news/2009/08/26/tomatoes
-and-potatoes-infected-with-late-blight-are-they-safefor-eating-or-preserving/
infected fruit, it may be tempting to simply
cut off the infected portion. But the fruit
will taste bitter and may be harboring other
organisms that could cause food-borne
illness.” Ingham also notes that diseased
With the discovery of late blight in tomatoes
fruit, even with the infected portion
and potatoes in parts of Wisconsin,
removed, should not be canned or frozen.
gardeners are wondering whether ripening
tomatoes or freshly harvested potatoes are
What if you have unblemished tomatoes
safe for eating or preserving.
growing on plants with leaves, stems or
adjacent fruit showing signs of infection?
Late blight is a common disease in tomatoes
These can be safely eaten, and even
and potatoes caused by the fungus
preserved, Ingham states. “Don’t be
Phytophthora infestans. According to Dr. Luke
tempted to can or preserve infected
LaBorde, Pennsylvania State University,
tomatoes,” says Ingham. “The virus can
“The disease thrives in cool, moist
cause changes in the acidity of tomato fruit
conditions and can wipe out an entire crop
which is critical in safely preserving
within just a few weeks of infestation. In
tomatoes. However, unblemished tomatoes
tomatoes, the fruits may become infected
can safely be canned, or even frozen,” she
initially with firm, dark brown lesions that
says.
rapidly become enlarged, wrinkled, and
somewhat sunken. The rotted areas are
According to Ingham, tomatoes are the
usually located on the top of the fruit and
most commonly home-canned item. “It’s
important to use up-to-date, research-tested
may remain firm or become mushy.”
recipes to avoid the risk of botulism
Both green and ripe tomatoes can be
poisoning from home-canned tomatoes,”
infected. Potatoes can become infected both
she says.
before or after harvest, with the disease
–Always add acid to tomato products.
appearing as brown, dry and sunken areas.
Whether pressure canning or boiling-water
“The unaffected parts probably are safe to
canning, research published in the 1990s
eat. Tomato sections without blight
shows that tomatoes may not have sufficient
symptoms likely do not pose a health risk to
acid to avoid botulism toxin from forming,
the consumer,” says Dr. Margaret McGrath,
so a small amount of acid is always added.
a plant pathologist at Cornell University and
a specialist in the disease.
–Add acid to tomatoes in the proper form.
When adding acid, use bottled lemon juice
Barbara Ingham, food safety specialist with
because it has a standard level of acidity.
the University of Wisconsin-Extension,
Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per
urges consumers to resist the temptation to
quart and 1 tablespoon per pint. Another
eat diseased tomatoes or potatoes from late
option is to add citric acid, ½ teaspoon per
blight-infected plants. “Since there is no
quart or ¼ teaspoon per pint. Citric acid is
documented harm from eating blightless widely available, but is used mainly by
Taylor’d Ag UDSA Service Center News Fall 2015
large commercial canneries. Other acids
such as ascorbic acid (vitamin C; Fruit
Fresh) or acetic acid (vinegar) are not
recommended.
–Avoid canning tomatoes that are diseased,
harvested from dead vines, or damaged by
frost. According to the USDA, diseased
tomatoes, or those that are frost-damaged or
harvested from dead vines may not develop
the proper level of acidity for safe home
canning.
–Always follow a research-tested, up-to-date
recipe. The University of WisconsinExtension publication Tomatoes Tart and Tasty
(B2605) was updated in 2008 to incorporate
recent changes in the USDA Complete
Guide to Home Canning. It is available
online at
learningstore.uwex.edu/pdf/B2605.pdf
And what about potatoes? “Use firm,
disease-free potatoes for canning or
freezing,” says Ingham. Potatoes showing
signs of late blight infection should not be
used for home canning. Discard the whole
potato rather than cutting off diseased
portions since the fungus may spread to the
interior. Since potatoes are a low-acid food,
they should be pressure processed. Up-todate recipes for vegetable canning in
Wisconsin can be found in the UWExtension publication Canning Vegetables
Safely (B1159) and online at
learningstore.uwex.edu/pdf/B1159.pdf
For complete food preservation
information, visit www.foodsafety.wisc.edu
15
NON-PROFIT
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
Medford, WI 54451
PERMIT NO. 196
925 Donald St., Room 103
Medford, WI 54451-2095
Would you like to receive this newsletter by Email?
If you would prefer to receive your Taylor’d Ag News by
email, send an email to [email protected] with
the subject “Email Ag Newsletter.”
Is your address label correct?
If you are moving or are receiving a newsletter with the
incorrect name on it, please call Cathy at 715-748-3327
ext. 9, or email [email protected].
Still Safe to Harvest Alfalfa?
there is less than 200 GDD; by cutting late, there is little or no plant
regrowth. Residue (stubble) in the field will protect the alfalfa
crowns. Increasing the cutter bar height will provide additional
stubble to protect the crowns. Leaving uncut strips may help catch
If you want good winter alfalfa survival and rapid regrowth next
spring, then you must either cut early enough in the fall to allow for snow to insulate plant crowns.
plant regrowth and replenish root reserves or cut so late that the
Fall is the best time to determine potential yield for the next season
plant does not regrow nor use any root reserves. Forty-two years
and will help you determine to take anther cutting or not. Go into
worth of weather data collected at the Marshfield Ag Research
the field and count crowns (minimum 4 per sq ft) or stems
station found the last half of September to be the riskiest time to
(minimum 40 per sq ft). Dig up some plants and assess them with
cut alfalfa: when less than 500 but more than 200 growing degree
the help of the UW-Extension publication A3620: Alfalfa Stand
days (GDD) occurred.
Assessment: Is this stand good enough to keep? Available at
http://learningstore.uwex.edu/ and search A3620
Cut when there is a potential for 500 GDD, giving time for plant
regrowth and replenishment of root reserves. GDD is calculated as
A fall application of potassium fertilizer may be beneficial if soil test
the average 24 hour temperature, [maximum temperature+
K is optimum or below and applied before the ground freezes.
minimum temperature/2] minus 41°F, too cold for alfalfa to grow;
Potassium is required by alfalfa during the winter hardening
accumulated until a killing frost of 24°F. Or wait and cut when
process.
By Dan Undersander, Extension Forage Agronomist & Richard
Halopka, Crops and Soils Agent, UW-Extension Clark County
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