February 21

February 28

March 7

March 14

February 27th is the snow date in case of bad weather.

Market Beef verification sheets will be due March 31st.  These also must be filled out and turned in to participate at the county fair.

Call Chris at the office (297-3112) with questions.

December 22, 2009           

The New Year brings about many educational and informational programs and opportunities.  For us it’s that time of year when we provide Private Pesticide Applicator certification and recertification training.

Who needs to be certified or recertified as a Private Pesticide Applicator?  If you plan to apply any pesticides to an agriculture commodity worth $ 1000 or more, you need to be certified.  It does not matter what pesticide you apply (herbicide, insecticide, or fungicide, etc.) you need to be certified as a Private Applicator.  You have two options to get certified.  You many attend a 3-hour recertification class at any certification site or you may stop at your local Extension Office and pick up the materials to complete the open-book home-study exam. 

I just thought I share a little bit about the exam with you.  For starters, how long is the exam?  There are 66 multiple-choice questions on the exam.  This exam has been re-written since the last time you took it and it has been taking people a lot longer to complete it.  Also, the exam is open-book but not all answers are found within the book.  You will use the information that you have read and will have to think through to answer a few of the questions.    

Why do I need to become certified?  First and foremost, it’s the law but certification gives you the tools to apply pesticides more properly, safely, and profitably.  You must be competent to read and follow a label, calibrate your sprayer, and apply pesticides.  Your certification is good for five years and allows you to buy and apply general and restricted use pesticides.  A private applicator cannot accept cash for spraying applications but can trade agricultural services; for example, you can spray your neighbor’s field if they bale your hay.

A private applicator is required to keep records for two years of all RESTRICTED USE PESTICIDES that they apply.  Record keeping is a requirement for restricted use pesticides but consider keeping records of all pesticide applications as part of a good farm management plan.  Record keeping books and information are available at your local extension office.  There are a certain percentage of individuals spot checked by the State Department of Agriculture every year.

For those of you who are coming to training we hope you will find the program very useful and practical.  We will cover the South Dakota rules and regulations about applying pesticides.  Depending on location, we will also discuss drift management, how to read a pesticide label, and how to calibrate your sprayer.  I was surprised by the number of people who said that they did not know how to calibrate their sprayer and that they were glad that we covered this in our training last year.  The training session is 3 hours long but it goes by fast (I know, because I have heard it more than once!).    

There will not be any charge for attending the private applicator class or taking the open-book home-study exam to become certified or recertified as a private pesticide applicator.

Private applicator training will be held on the following dates, times, and locations:

January 11, 2010  (1:00 pm – 4:00) at the American Legion Hall in Renner, SD

January 13, 2010  (1:00 pm – 4:00) at the Community Building in Parker, SD

January 19, 2010  (1:00 pm – 4:00) at the Community Building in Crooks, SD    

February 2, 2010  (1:00 pm – 4:00) at the Bridges of Beresford meeting room in Beresford, SD

February 3, 2010  (1:00pm – 4:00) at JoDean’s in Yankton, SD

March 23, 2010  (6:30 pm – 9:30) at the Minnehaha County Extension Office in Sioux Falls, SD

Individuals needing to become certified or recertified are encouraged to attend one of the 3-hour private applicator sessions listed above.  I hope to see you at one of our trainings in January, February, or March.  For more information please feel free to contact me at the Turner County Extension Office at (605) 297-3112.

For your information:  We will be having our annual Row Crop Clinic again this year.  The program will be held at the Parker Community Building on January 13 (coffee and rolls sponsored by Farm Credit Services and Dinner is sponsored by Cargill and CENTRAL Farmers Cooperative).  The program runs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Anyone interested may attend.  We will also be having a private applicators training in conjunction with our crops clinic in Parker on January 13, 2010.  To receive pesticide applicator certification you must attend the entire afternoon session from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  You also must bring along your driver’s license or similar government issued photo ID card.  

Due to the weather the Beef Cow Winter Management Meeting was postponed and will be held on January 8, 2010 starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Minnehaha County Extension Office in Sioux Falls, S.D.        Topics covered include the safe utilization of moldy feeds, cow mineral requirements, pre-calving nutritional considerations, body condition scoring, and management of the young cow.  This meeting is free of charge and open to anyone who is interested in beef herd management.  Questions regarding this program should be directed to Lincoln County Extension Livestock Educator Jeff Lounsbery at 605-764-2756.  For weather related cancelations listen to AM 1000KXRB or AM 570 WNAX. 

The fifth annual I-29 Dairy Conference will be held on January 21-22, 2010 in Sioux Falls, S. D. at the Best Western Ramkota Inn & Conference Center.  Registration begins at 3:30 to 9 p.m.  Registration costs $20 per person and includes materials and lunch.  Those who wish to register may also mail contact information and payment to Valerie Denison, SDSU Dairy Science Box 2104, Dairy Microbiology Building, Room 109, Brookings, SD 57007.  For other information, contact organizer J.W. Schroeder of the North Dakota State University Animal Sciences Department at (701) 231-7663 or jw.schroeder@ndsu.edu.

The dates for the 2010 Sioux Empire Farm Show / Sioux Falls Farm Show are January 26-30, 2010 in Sioux Falls, S.D.  The livestock shows are held in The Expo Building at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds and begin Tuesday evening January 26 and run to Saturday January 30 and will feature a Supreme Row, Mayor’s Roundup and Sale of Champions events again this year.  Livestock related vendors will have booth displays set up there as well.

The Sioux Falls Arena and Convention Center will host the Sioux Falls Farm Show portion of the event which runs January 27, 28 and 29 and features the farm machinery and agricultural trade show. This event also features educational events hosted by the South 1 Extension Field Education Unit (Extension Offices in Minnehaha, Turner and Lincoln Counties).  These educational programs sessions will be held in Conference Rooms 9 and 10.  Admission is free.

Here are the educational programs that will be offered:

Jan. 27 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.  .  Grain Storage & Drying - Steve Pohl, SD Extension Structures & Environment Specialist will address how to store and dry wet grain and what to watch for this spring. 

Jan. 28  1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.  Grain and Livestock Market Outlook - Alan May and Matt Diersen, SDSU Extension Marketing Specialists will be on hand to recap the current market situation and to look ahead at what 2010 holds in store.

Jan. 29 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.  Crop Weather Outlook for 2010 - Dennis Todey SDSU Extension Climatologist will review what happened in 2009 and look ahead to possible weather trends for the 2010 spring and summer growing seasons.

December 18, 2009

            It’s that time of year when we expect snow to fall and stick around whether we really want it to or not it is the way of life in South Dakota during the winter.  As of current, the weather forecast is calling for snow right before Christmas and that is when majority of you will be out traveling for your holiday destinations.  I don’t want anyone to be left unprepared for the winter weather so I thought I would highlight a few of our winter weather resources with you.  Now, if only those poor farmers could get out into the fields to finish their harvest before 2010 starts!  It would take the worry and stress off of many this holiday season.

            If you check out our website, http://sdces.sdstate.edu/winter_weather/ you will find information covering a wide variety of topics on winter weather.  The topics covered on this site include: the NOAA’s National Weather Service Winter Weather Page, Food Safety, Safety Tips Offered by SD Health Officials, Coping with Winter Weather, Winter Safety Tips, Generator Safety, and other Winter-Related Resources.  The website also features publications and other websites for more information. 

            Another great resource to check out is the Winter Weather Preparedness Guide at http://dps.sd.gov/emergency_services/emergency_management/documents/Winter09.pdf.  This publication focuses on winterizing your car, what you should have in an emergency supply kit, winter fire safety, wind chill dangers, protecting your pets, winter safety for schools, caring for the elderly, a family communications plan, contact numbers for county/tribal emergency management, Internet resources, and an explanation of winter weather terms.

            Winter driving can be extremely difficult as many times the wind picks up and the road conditions become poor.  With the Holiday season coming up please take the time to put together a winter survival kit to keep in your vehicle in case you get into trouble.  Items that you should put in your Survival Kit include:  shovel, flashlight with extra batteries, First Aid Kit and medications, non-perishable food (such as granola bars and peanuts), candles and matches, extra clothing, sleeping bags or blankets, jumper cables and tire chains, battery-operated radio, cell phone with fully charged batteries, windshield scraper and brush, and a brightly colored cloth to tie on the antenna so your vehicle can be easily located.

            Taking the extra step and being prepared can save your life.  If you do not have access to the Internet and would like some information please feel free to contact me at the Turner County Extension Office at (605) 297-3112 and I would be glad to help.  I hope everyone is staying safe and warm and has safe travels this holiday season!  Merry Christmas!! 

Whether we are ready for it or not, December is here and so was our first snow fall.  There is something I love about the seeing the ground covered with the fresh snow that makes me feel at peace.  Now keep in mind I would feel more peaceful if harvest was completed or just shy of being completed but I still did enjoy this first snowfall.  The first December snowfall (no matter how large or small) always puts me in the Christmas spirit.

Did you know that there are about 36 million trees sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas?  While artificial trees enjoyed increased sales for the past decade, those sales have stagnated and now there is a return to having the traditional tree.  A traditional Christmas tree is also the environmental friendly way to celebrate the holidays.  The average artificial Christmas tree has a life span of six years before it ends up in a landfill.  The traditional Christmas tree, while used only one season, can become valuable mulch, a winter bird feeder or even used as a fish habitat after the holidays.

Here are some tips on picking out the perfect tree.  The way to obtain the freshest tree is to harvest it yourself at a choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm.  This way you are guaranteed a “fresh” tree rather than one that may have been harvested a week or more before.  If cutting your own tree is not possible, here are some ways to check for freshness at a Christmas tree sales lot.  First, give the tree a light but vigorous shake, only a few interior needles should fall off of the tree if it is fresh.  If a pile of brown needles appears on the ground below the tree, particularly from the branch tips, it is not a fresh tree.  Next, reach into a branch and pull the needles gently through your hand as you pull out towards the tip.  The needles should bend, not break, as your fingers run across them and the branch should only slightly bend.

Once you get the tree home, leave it outside while you set the stand up.  The choice of a stand is probably the most critical factor in maintaining the freshness of the tree once in the home.  The stand should be able to hold one-half to one-gallon of water as the tree may absorb up to this amount in the first day.  A good rule-of-thumb is a tree will use one quart of water per day for every inch trunk diameter at the base.  If you have a tree with a three-inch base, it may use three quarts of water per day.

Just before you bring the tree in the house cut the base about one-inch from the bottom.  This will open the sap-filled tracheids – the pores responsible for transporting water - and allow water to be absorbed.  The base cut does not have to be slanted; it makes little difference on the angle.  Once the tree is in the stand add water and then never let the stand become empty.  If the stand is empty for more than 6 hours, the tree’s pores plug up. Water uptake is significantly reduced and the needles will soon begin to fall.  If the tree stand does dry up for half a day or more there is nothing that can be done other than pull the tree out of the stand and recut the base – not a pleasant task once the lights and ornaments are already up.  Nothing needs to be added to the water in the stand to improve needle retention.  The commercial products that say they increase freshness do not significantly increase the life of the tree and the home remedies such as aspirin, sugar, soft drinks and vodka only benefits pets with headaches (which they will have from drinking the vodka).  Note: never give pets alcohol, it may kill them.

Place the stand in a spot that receives only indirect light from the window and not near any heat duct.  This will reduce water loss from the tree and prolong its freshness.  Another tip to prolong freshness is to start out with a clean stand.  Wash the stand out with a solution of about a capful of bleach to a cup of water, to reduce the growth of microorganisms that may also plug up the tree’s pores.

Which is the best tree?  Each species has it good points but the Fraser fir is probably one of the favorites.  The tree is very fragrant, has excellent needle retention and the branches are stiff enough to hold ornaments.  Balsam fir is another good choice though the needles do not last as long and the branches are not quite as stiff.  Canaan fir, another popular fir appears to have qualities similar to Frasier fir and is also becoming a popular Christmas tree. 

Pines are very popular with the Scotch pine probably the most popular tree in the country.  It also is very fragrant, has excellent needle retention and the branches are stiff.  White pine is another pine commonly sold at Christmas tree stands and has a fair fragrance, but the needle retention is not quite as good as Scotch pine and the branches are very flexible meaning heavy ornaments may fall off.  White pines do have very soft needles and if you are going to run into the tree in the middle of the night this is the one! 

Spruces are not a very popular choice for Christmas trees primarily due to their poor needle retention.  If you want to have a blue spruce as your Christmas tree, you might want to wait until a couple of weeks before Christmas as the needles may only last that long.   Once the needles begin to fall, blue spruce are about the worst tree to have as the fallen needles are sharp and seem to find their way into socks and slippers. Blue spruce has the best needle retention of the spruces but does not have much of a fragrance.  The branches are very stiff, however, and can support the heaviest ornaments.  White spruce, or Black Hills spruce is not commonly available though is used out in the Black Hills.  It does make a nice tree, particularly when cut fresh but it does not have much of a fragrance and occasionally the tree can have a slight musky odor.

These are just some tidbits of information that I hope you consider when making that important decision about your “perfect” Christmas tree.  Have fun and enjoy your time together Christmas tree shopping!

For your information:  “Back to the Basics: Marketing 101 Program” which will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2009 at the Parker Community Building in Parker, S.D.  The program starts at 10:00 a.m. and will run till 3:00 p.m.  Dinner is sponsored by Temple Crop Insurance of Lennox and Davis.  Topics discussed include marketing strategies to use, what is basis, what is a call option, what is a put option, how to hedge with a futures contract, what carry in the market means, the role crop insurance plays in a marketing plan, and how to write a marketing plan. 

The mycotoxin survey that I mentioned a few weeks ago is underway and I am still in need of a few samples.  If you are interested in this free assessment please feel free to contact me.  I can either come and get the samples from you (whether that is out in the field, on the farm, or at the co-op) or you could drop off your samples here at my office.  All that is required is about 5 lbs of shelled corn (gallon Ziploc bag) with a description of what field (where in the county it came from) so we can see how the mycotoxin levels play out throughout the state of South Dakota.  It would be nice if you are able to provide the variety, etc. but I will take what I can get!  I am in need of samples from Turner County.  

For more information please feel free to contact me at the Turner County Extension Office at 297-3112 or connie.strunk@sdstate.edu. 

July 20-22 - State 4-H Horse Show

July 23 - State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest at Huron

July 23-25 - Summer Spotlight at Huron

August 16-19 - Turner County Fair

September 2-6 - South Dakota State Fair

      More information will be available as we get closer to the Turner County Fair.

            I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I know that my family sure enjoyed the company and all the good food.  It is so much fun watching Benjamin and Ada interacting with their cousins.  I wish we lived closer to them but when these kids get together there is mischief in the air!  As we drove across the county and southeastern South Dakota it was nice to see the progress that has been made out in the field.  It is always a relief to have the crop out of the field so you can sit back and be thankful. 

The first snowfall of the year is often our wake-up call for the reality that winter is on its way and is here to stay.  Since snowflakes have been in the air, we often find ourselves thinking of all the things that need to get taken care of before accumulating snow actually falls.

            If you haven’t already done it, now is the time to put up your snow fence.  If you have a driveway or access road to your property that tends to drift full in the winter, making it difficult for you to travel, then a snow fence may be a solution.  Snow fences can reduce or stop drifting all together.  Drifts are formed on roadways because an obstacle, such as a ditch or a building, has forced the wind to move around it, causing the wind speed to slow down.  As the wind slows, the snow particles carried in the air have a chance to settle to the ground.  Over time, a drift will form around the object.  Snow fences, whether they are structural, made of corn, or living provide the same results.  They cause the wind speed to slow so the snow particles in the air have a chance to rest, forming a drift.  However, the drift is now located at the snow fence instead of on the roadway or drive.

            You can purchase prefabricated snow fence or materials to make your own snow fence at many local farm supply stores or larger hardware/lumber stores.  Another consideration is planting a living snow fence next year.  Now is the time to start considering what you want to plant for this living snow fence and where you would like/need to plant it.

The appropriate height for a fence depends upon three factors: 1) how much snowfall is common for your area; 2) what type of snow fence is available; and 3) how much snow you want to trap.  Any standard size fence will help stop snow from drifting, but, the taller the fence, the more snow that will be trapped.  One row of eight-foot high fence is recommended for maximum efficiency.  However, multiple rows of shorter fence can also be used.  For driveways or access roadways, one row of four- to eight-foot tall fence is most commonly used.

For your information:  “Back to the Basics: Marketing 101 Program” which will be held on Thursday, December 10, 2009 at the Parker Community Building in Parker, S.D.  The program starts at 10:00 a.m. and will run till 3:00 p.m.  Dinner is sponsored by Temple Crop Insurance of Lennox and Davis.  Topics discussed include marketing strategies to use, what is basis, what is a call option, what is a put option, how to hedge with a futures contract, what carry in the market means, the role crop insurance plays in a marketing plan, and how to write a marketing plan.  This marketing program is open to anyone interested in learning or fine tuning their marketing skills.  There is no cost to this program but pre-registrations are required by December 7, 2009.  Send your registrations to the Turner County Extension Office, PO Box 490, Parker, SD 57053; or call at (605) 297-3112; or send an email to connie.strunk@sdstate.edu.

2009 No-Till Clinic is set for December 9 at the Davison County 4-H Fairgrounds in Mitchell, S.D.  The clinic registration fee is $ 25.  Topics covered include: fertilizer replacement and timing, plants and planting, agriculture’s financial health, precision ag questions and answers, cover crops, mixes for specific goals, and comments on no-till farming.  The program starts at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 3 p.m.  To register, mail payment and contact information to the Davison County Extension Office, 3200 W. Havens, Mitchell, S.D. 57301.  Call the office at (605) 995-8620 for more information.  Participants can receive up to five CCA credits for attending this clinic.  

The mycotoxin survey that I mentioned a few weeks ago is underway and I am still in need of a few samples.  If you are interested in this free assessment please feel free to contact me.  I can either come and get the samples from you (whether that is out in the field, on the farm, or at the co-op) or you could drop off your samples here at my office.  All that is required is about 5 lbs of shelled corn (gallon Ziploc bag) with a description of what field (where in the county it came from) so we can see how the mycotoxin levels play out throughout the state of South Dakota.  It would be nice if you are able to provide the variety, etc. but I will take what I can get!  I am in need of samples from Minnehaha and Turner Counties.  

For more information please feel free to contact me at the Turner County Extension Office at (605) 297-3112.