Drip Irrigation Workshop

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

2:00-5:00 pm

Southwest Research Center, Mt. Vernon, MO

Gain the knowledge and experience you need to install a drip irrigation system. You are invited to participate in an upcoming irrigation workshop lead by:

• Patrick Byers, University of Missouri Extension Horticulture Specialist
• Ed Browning, University of Missouri Extension Ag Engineer Specialist
• Bob Schultheis, University of Missouri Extension Ag Engineer Specialist
• Sarah Becker, Lincoln University 2501 Program Educator, Horticulture Specialist

Come for discussion and a hands‐on practical experience of what it takes to install a drip irrigation system from beginning to finish. Whether you are a backyard gardener, commercial farmer or hobby farmer you can master the basics of drip irrigation and reap the benefits it offers this 2011 growing season!

A registration fee of $10 per person will be charged to cover costs of refreshments and printed materials.

Please direct questions to Sarah Becker at (417) 597-4412.
Pre‐registration is required by Monday, April 25th with registration fee of $10* per person. Make checks payable to University of Missouri and mail to: Sarah Becker, 14548 Hwy H, Mt. Vernon, MO 65712

* Scholarships available upon request to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers as defined by USDA.

Pine Straw: A “New” Mulch for Missouri

Pine straw, the accumulation of naturally shed needles of pine trees, is an excellent landscape mulching material. It is commonly harvested in 20-30 pound bales and sold in the southeastern U.S., where it is the primary mulching material used in landscape plantings. However, loblolly pine, the predominant species used for pine straw plantations in the south, may not be tolerant to Missouri winters. Shortleaf, the only pine species native to Missouri, is not well suited to pine straw production because its needles are too short to bale.

That said, many sites in Missouri are suitable for pine straw production. Work is underway in the MU Center for Agroforestry to evaluate the potential of cold-tolerant selections of loblolly pine and pitch x loblolly hybrid pines for production of pine straw in Missouri. These trees have cold hardiness for Missouri with a similar needle length to loblolly.

Pine straw is a multi-million dollar industry in the U.S. A well-managed plantation in full production can gross up to $1,000 per acre from the sale of pine straw bales. While a tree can only give its bark once, it can give needles every year; pine straw production is sustainable agriculture. However, from a tree health standpoint, it is best to harvest only a portion of the plantation in a given year to allow trees to benefit from needle accumulation between harvests. Since pine straw is actually a leaf (needle), it benefits the landscape in much the same way as decomposing leaves benefit the forest floor by recycling nutrients and maintaining soil organic matter. In contrast, hardwood bark mulch, If overused, can cause a buildup of calcium and potassium in the soil, increasing pH and causing an imbalance in soil minerals that can interfere with nutrient uptake. The minerals in pine needles are balanced and therefore, their decomposition does not create an imbalance in the soil. Hardwood and pine bark mulch can wash away in a strong rain. Pine straw knits together and holds in place during heavy rain, helping to prevent soil erosion. Contrary to popular belief, mulching with pine straw does not make the underlying soil too acidic to grow most landscape plants.

The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry is working toward creating a pine straw industry in the state of Missouri through research, product development and education, designed to encourage producers, retailers and consumers to adopt the use of this renewable, sustainable, natural mulch material. Numerous pine genotypes have been evaluated at the Horticulture and Agroforestry Research Center (HARC), in New Franklin, Mo for their potential for pine straw production. Ultimately the goal is to establish a seed orchard from trees shown to be superior. Then, Missourians will be able to use the seed created to plant their own pine straw plantations.

At present, Missourians who wish to try mulching with pine straw will have some difficulty locating vendors. Some nurseries in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia are selling pine straw. However, this is mostly being shipped in from suppliers in Florida. Hopefully, some of the Missouri landowners who have already planted hardy loblolly and pitch x loblolly hybrid pines will be harvesting needles in the not too distant future.

To read information about pine straw check out this web page from the Center for Agroforestry.
(by Christopher Starbuck, Associate Professor, MU Horticulture)

Share the Gift of Blackberry Plants this Spring

Upright blackberries need dormant pruning to ensure adequate berry size, promote vigorous canes for next year’s growth and keep the fruit off the ground, says a University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.

“In addition to pruning, older plantings of upright blackberries may require thinning in order to keep the planting within reasonable bounds in the landscape or field,” said Marlin Bates. “When thinning mature plantings, consider reserving healthy plants for distribution to friends and family.”

Dormant pruning consists of reducing lateral shoot growth to a length of 12-15 inches, Bates said. “This reduces the number of flower buds that will develop, but results in larger fruits and ensures that the plant can support the expected crop load.”

Unlike trailing blackberry plants, which produce new shoots only from the crown, upright blackberries produce new shoots from both the crown and the surrounding root system, he said. An ideal upright blackberry row should be 12-18 inches wide. During dormant pruning, remove any canes that develop outside of the row.

“If the blackberry planting is healthy, the canes that require removal can be used to expand the planting or potted up to be shared,” Bates said.

When the crown region of upright blackberries begins to become too dense with shoots, you can divide the entire plant. “The 12- to 18-inch row of blackberry canes should have a density of about six to eight strong canes per linear foot,” he said. “Dividing the crown of established blackberry plants is a good way to establish the proper density of the planting. Again, the plant portion that is removed from the row can be used to expand the planting or given away as long as the plant is healthy.”

For more information on pruning and dividing bramble plantings, see MU Extension publication G6000, “Pruning Raspberries, Blackberries and Gooseberries.”

AgrAbility

The  AgrAbility Project was created to assist people with disabilities employed in agriculture. The project links the Cooperative Extension Service at a land-grant university with a private nonprofit disability service organization to provide practical education and assistance that promotes independence in agricultural production and rural living. The AgrAbility Project assists people involved in production agriculture who work both on small and large operations.

The Missouri AgrAbility project engages Extension educators, disability experts, rural professionals, and volunteers in offering an array of services, including:

- identifying farmers, ranchers, or farmworkers with disabilities and referring them to appropriate resources;
- providing on-site technical assistance on adapting and using farm equipment and tools,
- providing on-site technical assistance on modifying farm operations and buildings;
- providing agriculture-based education to help prevent further injury and disability;
- providing training to help Extension educators and other rural professionals upgrade their skills in assisting farmers, ranchers, farmworkers with diseases, disabilities or disorders; and
- developing or coordinating peer support networks.

Those eligible for Missouri AgrAbility services may have any type of disability – physical, cognitive, or illness-related, for example:
- amputations
- arthritis
- back pain - blindness or vision impairments
- cancer - cardiac problems
- cerebral palsy - deafness or hearing impairments
- diabetes - mental retardation
- multiple sclerosis
- muscular dystrophy
- post polio syndrome - respiratory problems
- spinal cord injury - stroke
- traumatic brain injuries

If you are interested in AgrAbility services (e.g., training, site visit, on-farm assessments, technical assistance, or information about working directly with the farmer, rancher, or farmworker), please contact by telephone at 1.800.995.8503 or e-mail us at address provided below. For a complete listing of the Missouri AgrAbility staff, please jump to the webpage Team.

Food Safety for Marketing to Consumers Workshop

Thursday, April 14th 6:30 p.m.
Warren County Extension, 107 West Walton, Warrenton, MO 63383

This workshop is for people who want to grow or make foods for sale to consumers.

 Virginia Phillips, MO Dept. of Health will discuss food safety concerns associated with producing and marketing for sale.

 Don Falls, Missouri Milk Board will discuss safely producing and marketing milk.

 Martha Orr, MO Dept. of Agriculture will discuss safe egg production and marketing practices.

 Tony Anderson, MO Dept. of Agriculture will provide tips for successful marketing at farmers markets.

 Matt Herring, University of MO Extension Agronomist will discuss soil and manure management for vegetable production.

Please register by calling the Warren County Extension Center at 636-456-3444 by Wednesday April 13th.
 
Sponsored by the University of Missouri Extension and Lincoln University Cooperative Extension.

2011 Goat and Sheep Initiative Conference

(These regional goat and sheep conferences are partially sponsored by the MO Beginning Farmers Program.  debi kelly)

Lincoln University Carver Farm
Jefferson City, MO
April 16, 2011

8:15-8:45 am  -- Registration: $ 10 for pre-registration (to cover materials and lunch); $15 at the door.

8:45-9:00 am -- Welcome

9:00-9:45 am -- Factors in Getting Started – Dr. Jodie Pennington and Dr. Helen Swartz, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension

9:45-10:30 am -- Animal Health, What’s New – Dr. Charlotte Clifford – Rathert Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Service, Jefferson City and Dr. Scott Poock, University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbia

10:30-10:40 am -- Break

10:40-11:15 am -- Market Grading: what producers need to know for uniformity – Rodger Parker, AMS, USDA

11:15 am-2:30 pm -- You Need to Know About: Stan Cook, Missouri Dept. of Agriculture

12:30-1:00pm -- Lunch

1:00-1:30 pm -- BioSecurity: Rules and Regulation Updates—Rachel Heimericks, Missouri Department of Agriculture Jefferson City, MO.

1:30-2:00 pm -- Producers View: Susan Everhart, Madison, Missouri

2:30–3pm -- Production Demonstrations (8 minute rotations) 1) hoof trimming 2) deworming, injections, 3) weight estimates, body condition scoring, and 4) bio-security on the farm.

3:30pm -- Evaluations, and Adjourn

This conference series is designed to bring the information to the producers. Each region will benefit from the same information on herd health, production, business finance, and marketing. Local producers have been asked to share their success stories.

Dates
April 16, 2011 at Lincoln University, Carver Farm
April 30, 2011 Kirksville, Truman University
May 14 Fredericktown Fair Grounds

Registration Fee

$10 Pre-Registration; $15 at the door  (Fees cover the cost of lunch provided and take home materials)
Questions, please call Vonna Kesel 573-681-5312 or Dr. Charlotte Clifford-Rathert 573-681-5169 or

April 16 conference registration deadline: April 11
April 30 conference registration deadline: April 25
May 14 conference registration deadline: May 10

MO Specialty Crop Block Grant

The Missouri Specialty Crop Block Grant applications (SCBGP) are now being accepted for projects that "solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops". Specialty crops are defined by the USDA as fruits and vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, maple syrup, honey, horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture). Applications are due May 10, 2011.

Applicants may request up to $30,000 in SCBGP funds for a two-year specialty crop project. Applications will be considered on a competitive basis and ranked by a peer review panel. Selected applications will be included in the Missouri Specialty Crop State Plan and reviewed and approved by the USDA.

Projects must impact and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public rather than a single organization, institution or individual. Single organizations, institutions and individuals are encouraged to participate as project partners. Grant funds may not be used for administrative overhead. Awarded projects cannot begin until Oct. 1, 2011. Applicants must be a legal entity and have the legal capacity to contract. Applicants are encouraged to provide a cash match for their projects.

Note: Farmers’ Market improvement and expansion projects should be done through the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program (FMPP). This program was created through a recent amendment of the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976. The grants, authorized by the FMPP, are targeted to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities.

Grant applications must be received by mail or fax and recorded by the Missouri Department of Agriculture before 4 p.m. on May 10, 2011. Late applications will not be accepted. In addition to mailing or faxing one hard copy, e-mail a copy of the entire application to the Ag Business Development Division.

Mailing Address
Missouri Department of Agriculture, Jennifer Brooks, SCBGP, 1616 Missouri Blvd., P.O. Box 630, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0630, abd@mda.mo.gov

View the Specialty Crop Block Grant-FB Guidelines

View Project Plan Examples (Sample Grants)

Specialty Crop Block Grant Recipients for State Fiscal Year 2011

Specialty Crop Block Grant Recipients for State Fiscal Year 2010

Specialty Crop Block Grant Recipients for State Fiscal Year 2009

Background
On Dec. 21, 2004, the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note) authorized the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants to state departments of agriculture solely to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

The Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill) amended the Specialty Crops Competiveness Act of 2004 and authorized the USDA to provide grants to states for each of the fiscal years 2008-2012 to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops.

Please contact Jennifer Brooks at 573-751-7213 if you have questions.