A2B-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 5, 2002 Penn State Cooperative Extension Capitol Region Dairy Team NO SOIL SHOULD BE LEFT UNCOVERED Del Voight Capitol Region Extension Agronomy Agent, Lebanon Someone once told me that “no soil should be left uncover ed.” While we need to uncover it (in some cases) to prepare seed beds or to eliminate some other problems, there is a reason for this doctrine, The drought we are experienc ing is similar to the dust bowl of 1932-1936, and out of the dust bowl came the soil conservation service that exists today. If the soil had been covered with vege tation, crops planted on contour or in strips, and protected as it is today, the dust bowl would not have been so widespread. It is “a feather in the cap” for modem farmers along with NRCS and extension employees whom so far avoided one of the most severe droughts since the dust bowl. Cover crops serve to protect, improve, and also provide a har vestable crop for local producers. Area producers commonly till the soil after harvest in the fall and begin preparing land for the spring planting season. Most of the tillage is performed to work animal manure into the soil sur face and to bury crop residue to reduce disease spores and other insect pests. Some of the tillage is recreational in nature and serves no real purpose. This is especially true on fields that have soybean stubble left and no manure ap plied to the field. Once the soil is prepared, many growers will use cover crops to hold the soil in place, provide an additional crop in spring, and also hold nutrients in place so that they will not leach out of the soil over the winter. So how do growers in the region use cover crops? First is the selection of what crop to use as a cover. Any win ter grain crop will serve the pur pose as a cover crop. Oats pro vide growth in fall, but are easily winter-killed so that next year no special activities are needed to kill or harvest the crop. Although many of the small grains such as wheat and barley offer an alter native to rye, they do not mea sure up to the yield of cover crop rye, and the cost to plant is rela tively high. There are many different types of rye available, and growers need to know what type they are using. There are several options for cover crop rye species, and re search is under way to compare subspecies of cover crop rye. UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre menting regulations, collecting Co.) The Kulp Family Dairy, and utilizing data, and testing Inc. in Martinsburg, and the Pro- phosphorus-based feeding, fessional Dairy Managers of Alyssa Dodd, agricultural envi- Pennsylvania invite dairy pro- ronmental policy expert from ducers and advisors to attend Penn State Cooperative Exten- Balancmg Act Reality and s i ollf w iU help dairy producers Responsibilitiesi of NutnenUMan- sort through the regulations and HARRISBURG (Dauphin This program provides the op- meeting at the dairy SUit off er resourc^. Co.) Agriculture Secretary portunity for a5O percent reim- r i son ’ s Cove Memorial Park Oct. D 1 for meeting 18 sl° f° r Sam Hayes announced that the bursement of a company’s eligi- 10. PDMP members and $5O for Pennsylvania Department of Ag- ble international marketing Phil Kulp, partner in the ? onm |"jl? ers ’ T h e program runs riculture (PDA) is partnering activities. The program is focused 1,300-cow dairy will talk about , rOIT I ± with the USDA to provide Penn- on encouraging development, his component system, steward- lunch 18 ‘"eluded. Contact PDMP sylvania agribusinesses funding maintena nce, and expansion of ship, and community relations. ° f f the SP °f° rS f °l V P6 ‘ to market their products and commerdal export markets for Kulp admits the learning curve 5 that . are services for export around the icultura , va i ue . added prod . is steep. “I can’t possibly know interested in joining the orgamza wor‘t*- uct „ all the regulations and I don’t non “ Pennsylvania produces some ' know everything about managing Reservations are required, of the best agricultural products For more information, contact tke se p ara te components.” Please send your payment and in the world,” Hayes said. Dale Good at the PDA Bureau of Phil’s nutrient management RSVP by Oct. Ito Tammy Perk “ Funding through this program Market Development at (717) a dvisers, Bill Fink with TeamAg, ins, 324 Henning Building, Uni can provide Pennsylvania agribu- 783-2323, via fax at (717) Marty Campfield from Nutrient versity Park, PA 16802, or call sinesses with much-needed finan- 787-2387, or visit the PA Power- Solutions, Inc., and Steve Shaw toll-free at (888) 373-7232, fax at cial assistance to enter interna- Port at www.state.pa.us, PA Key- from Cargill will be speaking (814) 865-4686, or e-mail at • • • i tional markets.”' •> ■ *- > - - * 'word: ' - • ' about how*the Ktdp*« are- imple— * tapl o@psu.edu> < *.* - v . There is renewed interest in Italian rye, which is a cereal rye that will regrow after a cutting in the spring and continue to grow. The problem is that it has be come a troublesome weed in fields from southern Maryland to South Carolina. In fact, weed specialists from several states had a special meeting to try to identi fy ways to eliminate it from win ter wheat stands. Again, if a grower chooses to seed that crop, they will need to be sure it does not go to seed if other small grains will be grown in the fu tur^., , In this area, the most widely used crop is winter rye or cover crop rye. It is inexpensive (at 10 cents per pound), can be easily purchased through local dealers, and will tolerate many soil condi tions and planting scenarios. One can drill it, disc, and cultipak it in the soil or even simply broad cast the seed on the soil surface. Cover crop rye will be seeded from now to freeze-out, and it will grow through the winter. In spring, the crop will need to be ei ther harvested as ryelage or killed with glyphosate or para quat to allow the seeding of full season crops. Secpnd, manage according to the crop selected. The goal will dictate the management of the crop. For instance, if I were to plant rye to prevent weeds and offer a mulch in the spring to plant into, I would be sure it is killed before it reaches 12 inches in height in the spring. However, if I intend to harvest it for rye lage, then I will need to harvest it at the boot stage of development, usually in late April or early May. Finally, cover crops are man agement intensive. They attract numerous insect pests because they are the only green plants in February and March for certain insects such as cutworm moths to lay their eggs in. Growers need to recognize this and treat accord ingly. In addition, no-tilling into rye is no easy task. Specially de signed planters need to be adjust ed to properly place the seed into the soil and ensure good seed-to soil contact. Finally, rye is notorious for going from a quality silage crop to worthless if left in the field too long before harvest. Timely har vest is critical. The use of cover crops offers many benefits, and is one more way local growers seek to preserve our natural resources. If gardeners, growers, or others are interested in cover crops, call the extension office in your area for a free copy of “Cover Crops For Conservation Tillage,” or visit the following Web link to download your *copy directly: http.7www.agronomy.psu.edu/ Extension/CT/ucl2B.pdf. Funds Available To Assist Agribusinesses With International Marketing Schweiker Administration Announces 34 Farms In 14 Counties Approved For Preservation HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Agriculture Secretary Sam Hayes announced that 34 Pennsylvania farms totaling 3,719 acres in 14 counties were approved for preservation by the Pennsylvania Farmland Preser vation Board at its August meet ing. “Pennsylvania is the nation’s leader in farmland preservation,” Hayes said. “We are taking every step necessary to preserve agri culture Pennsylvania’s No. 1 industry for future generations.” To leam more about Pennsyl vania’s nationally recognized farmland-preservation program, contact the Department’s Bureau of Farmland Preservation at (717) 783-3167. Berks County • Eleanor, Dennis and Larry Siegfried Maxatawny Town ship. Bucks County • Harold Steely Tinicum and Bedminster Township. • David Wolfinger Nocka mixon Township. Chester County • Naaman E. and Marian L. King West Fallowfield Town ship. • John Kuc Penn and Upper Oxford Township. • Melvin 8., Ruth Mae, Doug las and Wanda Lapp Highland Township. Columbia County • Beaver/Moser Township. • N. Clayton and Jessie M Fetterman Franklin Township. • Allen L. and Pearl F. Miller Roaring Creek Township. Dauphin County • Raymond W. and Lori A. Belack Lykens Township. Franklin County • Bennett G. and Barbara J. Angle Montgomery Township. Holstein Foundation Names Alumni Leader BRATTLEBORO, Vt. David Pierson, chairman of the Holstein Foundation Board of Trustees, has announced that Eric Ooms, alumnus from the 1999-2000 Young Dairy Leaders Institute (YDLI) Class 3, has been selected as the 2002 YDLI Distinguished Alumni Leader. This award is presented to a YDLI alumnus on an annual basis to honor YDLI alumni lead ership contributions to the dairy industry. Ooms serves on the board of New York Farm Bureau and as president of Columbia County Farm Bureau. He is a member of Agrimark/Cabot Cooperative’s • Harold S. and Helen B. For rester Greene Township. • Donald E. and Verna E. Martin Guilford Township. Lancaster County • Elam and Irene Bollinger East Hempfield Township, • Jacob M. Conley Hempfield Township. Lehigh County • John F. Folck No. 3 Wei senberg Township. Lycoming County • Rodney C. and Susan E. Eck Limestone Township. • Philip Winter Limestone Township. Monroe County • Blakeslee Family Hamil ton Township. • Roger and Dianna Cardwell Hamilton Township. • Kyle and Tim Nordmeyer Hagerstown To Host American Dairy Goat Association HAGERSTOWN, Md. The Maryland Dairy Goat Associa tion with the cooperation of the Hagerstown Convention and Vis itors Bureau is finalizing plans for the national convention of the American Dairy Goat Associa tion (ADGA) Oct. 13 - 19 at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center. Locust The traditional showcase of the convention is the ADGA Spotlight Sale of top quality dairy goats. The sale will be con ducted Saturday, Oct. 19, at 12:00 noon. Eighteen does and 11 bucks have been selected for the Spot light Sale by the committee from nominations made by breeders Legislation and Education Com mittee. He is a past legislative di rector of the states’ ratification committee and is a member of the Milk and Legislative Com mittee of New York Holstein. As sociation. Ooms has also found time to volunteer on the Colum bia County Young Republican Committee and on the Town of Chatham Minimum Impact Committee. Ooms farms with his parents and brother on a 335-cow dairy. PDMP To Present Nutrient Management Tips Chestnut Hill Township. • Norman and Brenda Sisco Chestnut Hill Township. Montgomery County • William D. Hutt No. 1 Upper Frederick Township. Northampton County • Ethel Heffelfinger Moore Township. • Clara Johnson Lower Na zareth Township. Somerset County • Mark D. and Joel T. Weaver Paint Township. York County • Gilbert G., Charlotte H., Marvin J. and Janet Malone Peach Bottom Township. • Henrietta I. Mummert Springfield Township. • Barbara Taylor Spring field Township. West Convention from around the country based on performance in the pedigree as well as individual type confor mation. The animals will be on display at the Purina Mills Spot light Sale Tent at the hotel. The convention will feature the traditional ADGA-sponsored events such as the judges training conferences, board of directors meeting and youth program. The ADGA annual banquet and dance is scheduled for Fri day evening, Oct. 18. Registration may be completed online at www.adga.org where there is also more information on the dairy goat association; or con tact Bonnie Kempe, Martinsburg, W. Va. (304) 258-3944. Ooms uses bis YDLI political process training in his active pur suit of public policy to benefit the dairy industry. YDLI is a focused, three-phase leadership and communications skills development program for young adult agricultural partici pants, ages 22-45. YDLI is a part of the Holstein Foundation. To contact the Holstein Foundation, call (800) 952-5200, ext. 4231 or visit the Website at www.hol steinfoundation.org.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers