f Berries And Brambles Resource Night In Ohio PIKETON, Ohio Berry pro ducers can learn about potential benefits and drawbacks of early harvest thanks to research at the Ohio State University Centers at Piketon. This and other research at the Center will be highlighted on July 18 during the Horticulture/Soil and Water Re sources Night, at 1864 Shyville Road, shortly off of U.S. Route 32. Black raspberries typically are not harvested until several years after the brambles are planted, said Shawn Wright, an Ohio State University Extension horti culture specialist. Researchers at the Center harvested black rasp berries early in hopes of benefit ing local berry growers. “Growers may be able to re coop from some of their invest ments quicker by not waiting until the third year,” Wright said. “It’s not done commonly, but with increasing costs of pro duction, anything will help.” Brambles usually are planted the first year, pruned the second and allowed to produce berries the third. Growers do not get a full crop the second year because the brambles are establishing their crown and root systems, Wright said. The “baby crop” would aid in getting income to the grower a year early. “Some growers think that it’s not worth the risk to the plant, but if you need cash for your op eration, this may be a way to do so,” Wright said. The experimen tal brambles will be monitored to kinds of b6*f and j dairy cattte, hogs, * k horses, sheep and poultry * Any m delivered L or call for at ferm. : Esbeashade Itokey Farm see if the earlier berries affect the traditional eight-year production cycle. Along with the bramble re search, the field night will high light topics ranging from black berry variety trials to fertilization application to produce for an eth nic market. The event, which be gins at 6 p.m., is free and open to Planted Acreage Reporting Deadline POTTSVILLE (Schuylkill Co.) July 15 is the final date to re port planted acreage of 2002 crops at the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Acreage reporting is re quired to receive many of the benefits offered growers under the new Farm Bill. The regulations open the loan deficiency payment and market ing assistance programs to all producers of soybeans, com, wheat, barley, and oats. These two programs provide farmers with a benefit when commodity prices are low. All acreage of the above-named crops is eligible for benefit as long as your acreages are reported to FSA by July 15. FSA presently is preparing to administer several other pro grams under the new Farm Bill. We expect to conduct a signup late this summer for growers to enroll in the new improved pro duction flexibility program. public. The Horticuiture/Soil and Water Resources Night is spon sored by the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Cen ter and Ohio State University Ex tension. For more information, contact Shawn Wright at wright.7os@osu.edu or (740) 289-2071. This program runs from 2002 through 2007 and all growers will be eligible to enroll later this year. Reported acreage of planted crops will be the basis for partici pation in this program as well. Farmers can call or visit the FSA office on the Gordon Nagle Trail to retain their eligibility for all the management tools offered by USDA. Out-of-county produc ers should contact their area FSA office. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 13, 2002-A27 Pennfield Feeds Hosts Open House MONTROSE (Susquehanna Co.) For the first time since it was built, farmers across the Northeast had the opportunity to tour Pennfield Feed’s state-of the-art feed mill located here, re cently, at Pennfield Feed’s Open House. According to Herb Bonnice, Pennfield’s Northern Regional Manager, sixty farms were represented at the daylong event adding up to 300 to 400 people. The plant, which produces steam flaked com, steam flaked barley, pellets and forage replacer to make all types of dairy feed, is located at the site of the Kintner Milling facility, which Pennfield purchased in November of 1998. The new facility has been in oper ation since the fall of 2000. “We built the new facility be side the old plant,” said Bonnice. “We still use the old facility for storage of incoming ingredients and for blending meal type feeds.” During the event, guided tours of the mill were offered, and Pen nfield nutritionist Dr. Tim Snyd er, and Penn State Dairy Econo mist Dr. Ken Bailey were on hand to answer producers’ ques tions. “We were doing particle size analysis for anyone who wanted to bring a sample of their TMR (Total Mixed Ration) to have it analyzed,” said Bonnice. “We also had samples available for people to look at.” Visitors could also mingle with representatives from First Union Date Change For Ohio Muck Crops Field Day WILLARD, Ohio Weather has put many things on hold for the early part of this summer, in cluding the Ohio Agricultural Re search and Development Cen ter’s Muck Crops Field Day. Originally scheduled for June 27, Muck Crops Field Day is now scheduled on July 25 from 10 a.m. to noon. The field day will take place at the OARDC’s Muck Crops Branch, located two miles south of Willard on State Route 103 South. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. “With the rescheduling of this field day to July 25 it will allow us to provide more meaningful information for vegetable grow ers, processors, and the agricul tural seed and crop protection chemical industries” said Ken Scaife, assistant to the director, field operations, at OARDC. This year’s program holds a Bank, Zinpro Corporation, Al pharma Animal Health Division, Arm&Hammer and American Farm Products. Pennfield’s safe ty coordinator, Mindy Cosner also had a display about farm safety. Pennfield Feeds The element of fun was not forgotten at the event, as kids were welcome to bounce in a large inflatable jumper, play games and eat lots of cotton candy and popcorn. Hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken barbecue and all the milk you could drink was provided for the guests and the day was topped off with Hillside Farm ice cream served by the Susquehanna County Dairy Court. “We wanted to have a family day,” said Bonnice. “Everything came together really nicely. We were real happy with it and ev eryone there had a great time.” great variety of topics to interest ed attendees. Presentations will be given on weed control, cover crops, variety evaluation, and in sect and disease control on many different vegetables. The Muck Crops Branch’s fields will be open for viewing and presenters will be available for questions. Scaife said the event will be of particular interest to commercial vegetable farmers, crop advisers, seed and crop protection chemi cal representatives and home gar deners. “People will come away with information on new varieties and options for weed, insect and dis ease control,” Scaife said.
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