Are you interested in Purdue soybean research?

Monday, May 7, 2012

By ANN DELCHAMBRE, Purdue Extension

Purdue is looking for a few good research fields. I will be participating in a soybean field sampling survey this summer for Shawn Casteel.

Dr. Casteel is the soybean specialist at Purdue. He started a soybean sampling survey program a couple of years ago. Castell is interested in identifying the distribution of soybean yields' limiting factors.

I will be participating this year, but need a few good fields and willing producers to help me. I would need to be out on your fields three times during the season.

The first time would be early in the season, about 3-5 weeks after planting. This early season survey would take information on stand count, weed presence, diseases such as dampening off, and a possible soil sample.

The second visit would be midseason when the plants are in the full flower to full pod stages. During this survey time I will be looking for any nutrient deficiencies, insect presence, disease issues and weed prevalence.

The last visit would be late season when the plants are in full seed, right before they start to dry down. We would be looking at weed prevalence and disease issues such as sudden death syndrome and brown stem rot. If you participate you will get some really great information.

You would get information on whether you have soybean cyst nematode. You will get a free soil analysis, possible plant tissue sample data and a survey of the yield limiting factors for the field that was surveyed.

Also, you get to be part of Purdue research, which provides data to help all the farmers in Indiana. If you are interested in participating, please contact me, Ann Delchambre. I will only be accepting five fields for this survey. Please contact me at 653-8411 or adelchambre@purdue.edu

Farm machinery safety

Spring and summer days are filled with farming tasks, including planting, making hay, tending to crops, wheat harvest and farmstead maintenance.

Because of increasingly busy schedule and the large number of rural farmsteads, the need for following safe machine operating procedures is more important than ever in minimizing accidents in rural areas.

Machinery operators face many challenges to avoid accidents. Fatigue, stress, and unfamiliarity with the range of capability of the machines have been shown to be factors in farming accidents. This is especially true for those farmers who also work off farm at an additional job.

Purdue Extension offers a few suggestions to help rural equipment operators minimize exposure to farming accidents.

* Make sure that equipment is in good working order.

* Make sure the equipment has proper shields for power takeoffs and is operated without haste.

* Make sure all safety devices are in proper order and are being used.

* Make sure any equipment operators have good site awareness: know where the equipment can be operated safely and avoid unsafe situations.

* Make sure the machinery is being used for its intended purpose.

These are simple ideas that could avoid serious injury or even save your life. For more information please call Putnam County 653-8411 or email adelchambre@purdue.edu

Upcoming Events

May 8 -- Extension Homemakers County Tour of Naptown

May 9 -- Walking Wednesday, DePauw Nature Trail, start from parking lot, 5-6 p.m.

May 10 -- Extension Homemakers County Council meeting, 7 p.m. at Fairgrounds

May 10 -- 4-H Camp Counselor Development Session #2, Fairgrounds, 5-8 p.m.

May 12 -- 4-H sheep and goat wether tagging and retinal scanning, Fairgrounds, 8 a.m.--noon

May 14 -- Extension Homemaker Leader Lesson "Attracting Birds to Your Yard," 7 p.m. at Extension Office

May 15 -- All dairy, goat, horse & pony, sheep, swine, purebred heifer 4-H livestock enrollment forms due

May 15 -- 4-H Camp Registration absolute registration deadline if not already full

May 16 -- Walking Wednesday, People Pathway Fillmore Trail from Fillmore Shelter, 5-6 p.m.