Opinion

Harvest season issues

Monday, October 19, 2009

Fall harvest has been slow this year. The weather doesn't seem to want to cooperate with harvest aspirations. And, as if the weather wasn't frustrating enough, reports are coming in from all over the state about two funguses being found on the grain that has been harvested.

Diplodia ear rot and Gibberella ear rot. Diplodia ear rot is characterized by a grayish or grayish-brown mold on and between the kernels on part of the ear. Gibberella ear rot, also known as Gib, is characterized by a pink to reddish mold, which begins at the tip of the ear and develops toward the base. Gib is easy to identify in the field on intact ears, but is more difficult to spot once the grain has been shelled

According to Purdue expert Charles Woloshuk "If it's Gib ear rot, then there's concern about the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol, or DON, as well as zearalenone. If suspect, the grain should be tested, especially if it's to be fed to livestock".

If it is Diploidia it won't have the microtoxins but it is still not good to be feeding livestock moldy grains. The molds found on the grain can become a problem next year too.

Dr. Woloshuk suggests That infected grains need to be harvested as soon as possible and dried. He suggests adjusting the combines to reduce the amount to small, shriveled or broken kernels being harvested. The infected grains shouldn't be stored over the summer months to help prevent Gib or dipolidia from infecting the crops again next year it is suggested that growers should not plant the same hybrids next year in the infected fields, the crop residue should be tilled under because the pathogens can overwinter on the crop residue, and rotating to soybeans to help brake the life cycle of these pathogens

Small Farms

We are starting the Putnam County Small Farms Workgroup up for the fall this year. The workgroup is for anyone who is interested in growing vegetables for a farmer's market.

Have chickens and want to sell eggs? Have questions about marketing your homemade products? Have a few acres and what to try to make a little money from it? The Putnam County Small Farms Workgroup may be a place to come and work on the challenges of small production.

The goal is to be a working group to help small farm producers and large farm producers looking to diversify with all of the challenges that come with a new or niche enterprise.

We can help you network with other people, get answers to your questions, match the programming to your needs, and help you become successful. We are going to explore how the internet can help you reach you customers and how to use different online tools to help you be a more successful small farm.

We are going to discuss the pros and cons of having an internet presence;What is social media and what can it do for your farm. The next meeting will be Oct. 22, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m. This is a free workgroup. We will be meeting at the gym in the Courthouse Annex at 209 W. Liberty St., Greencastle, IN 46135. If you have any questions please call 653-8411 or email adelchambre@purdue.edu.

If you would like more information about anything discussed please call me Ann Delchambre at 765-653-8411, email adelchambre@purdue.edu, Facebook Putnam County Agriculture and Twitter AgAgent.

Upcoming events

Oct. 22-27: Putnam County Extension Homemakers Week

Oct. 22: Sock Hop/Movie Night, Fairgrounds, 5 PM

Oct. 22: Putnam County Small Farms Workgroup

Oct. 24: Introduction to Starting a Specialty Food Business in Indiana

Oct. 24: Master Gardener Advanced trainingFall Happenings

Nov. 5: Area 5 Purdue/IBCA Beef Cattle Meeting, Fairgrounds, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 6-7: Arts & Crafts Fair, Fairgrounds

Nov. 7: 4-H Achievement and Award Recognition Program, Fairgrounds, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 7: Master Gardener Advanced Training Gardening by the Season

Nov. 10: Bread Making 101, Area 30 Career Center, RSVP by 11/5.

Nov. 25: Vegetable Grower's Meeting- Growing plants and managing pests in commercial vegetables

Dec. 3: Putnam Extension Advisory Council Annual Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 2: Crop Production Clinic

Dec. 10: Bi-State Crop Management Workshop, Beef House, 9 a.m.