Purdue On-Farm Research Opportunities

Over the years, Spencer County has been the site of many field crop research efforts and variety trials, including the wheat variety plot, one of just three Extension-sponsored wheat plots in the state, the soybean cyst plots of years past, and various industry-sponsored research.



Planting Spencer Co. corn seeding rate
trial in 2010



In recent years, Purdue Extension has renewed its focus towards on-farm research. These new research efforts involve full-scale, field-sized research trials in which producers around the state collaborate with local educators and state specialists and host the trials.

On-farm research not only seeks to identify answers to important questions but may also serve to validate previously discovered answers or convince growers that an alternative crop management practice is profitable for their own situations.

Current on-farm research efforts include:
     1) Seeding rate trials in corn and soybeans

     2) Evaluating early-applied foliar fungicides in corn

     3) Nitrogen rate trials in corn

     4) Soybean fungicide efficacy trials in soybeans.

The efforts require very little extra effort on the part of collaborators beyond normal field operations.

We are currently looking for Spencer County producers who are interested in serving as collaborators in any of these research efforts.

Additional information on the five research efforts can be found at the On-Farm Research website.  If you are interested in participating in one of these projects or would like more information, please contact the Extension Office at (812) 649-6022 or nheld@purdue.edu.

New Purdue Custom Farming Rate Survey

The Purdue Custom Rate publication, EC-130, which lists average custom farming rates in Indiana, is one of the most requested Purdue Extension publications in Spencer County and around the state. However, as anyone who uses the custom rate report knows, it is far from perfect. For one, it is only updated every four to five years and as a result, it does not always accurately reflect changes in the current economic climate, such as changes in commodity or fuel prices.

Second, it contains a limited number of field operations, especially when compared to similar reports from Iowa State or Ohio State, and does not always provide all the information producers are seeking. Both of these problems are due, at least in part, to the data collection method and its very limited reach.

To address these problems, the data collection has been changed significantly for the 2012 report. In the past, the survey was a part of NASS surveys and reached only a couple hundred producers, leaving many items on the survey with little or no response. The custom rate survey is now available to any producer in the state who either does or hires custom work or otherwise has knowledge of custom work rates.

Locally, the survey will be available at upcoming events, such as PARP sessions, Crop Day, and Corn and Soybean Day. The survey is also available at the Extension Office and is posted on the Purdue Extension-Spencer County website under the “Hot Topics” section.

If you are involved with any type of custom work, I hope you will consider filling out the survey to help improve and expand this important resource.

Weekly Outlook - Corn Price Swings to Continue

Since early October, corn prices have bounced in a wide trading range.  March 2012 futures have traded between about $5.75 and $6.75 while December 2012 futures have been between about $5.35 and $6.20.

The wide price fluctuations have reflected numerous changes in indications of underlying supply and demand for corn.  Those changing factors included USDA production and stocks reports, South American weather, the rate of exports and export sales, the rate of ethanol production, and expectations about the potential size of the 2012 U.S. crop.  Prices have also likely been influenced by the volatility in the financial, currency, and metals markets.  Currently, March 2012 futures are near the middle of the four-month trading range, while December 2012 futures are in the low end of the recent range. <Read More>

In The Grow - Q & A

Rosie Lerner, Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist

Q. I have a cat that has been digging up the soil in my houseplants. I read in a magazine that mothballs can be used to keep rabbits out of the garden, so I'm wondering if I can use them on the top of the soil to discourage the cat.

A. In a nutshell, don't do it! While it is not uncommon to see mothballs recommended for repelling rodents and other animal pests, it is a dangerous and illegal practice. Mothballs, flakes and crystals are Environmental Protection Agency-registered insecticides, and they are not intended for use in the manner you suggest, in either the indoor or outdoor garden. In fact, they pose serious health risks to cats, dogs, and humans, and perhaps even to the plant you want to protect. In addition to the risk of ingestion, exposure to eyes and skin, and inhalation of the fumes can all lead to serious illness or injury. Further, it is illegal to recommend use of these products in a manner that is inconsistent with the pesticide label.

Mothballs have a high percentage of active ingredient, either naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene. These chemicals vaporize at fairly low temperatures, so they are particularly dangerous indoors at room temperature. Naphthalene is the more toxic of the two, but both have great potential to cause harm. These products should only be used according to label directions. Like all other pesticides, keep them out of reach of children and pets.

For more information on common misuse of moth-repellent products, see
http://www.ag.purdue.edu/entm/wildlifehotline/Pages/pesticides.aspx and http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/ptype/mothball/index.html.

Q. Some of the spring flowering bulbs that I planted this fall are sprouting and showing some foliage above the ground in early January. Is there anything I should do to protect them through the rest of winter?

A. Lots of gardeners are noticing their bulbs coming up, since the weather has been so mild, and there has not been much, if any, snow cover in many areas of the state. The most dramatic response is with early flowering bulbs, such as snowdrops, early tulips, daffodils and crocus. These plants may be showing a bit of their foliage above ground now, especially those that were planted near buildings or other warm, protected locations.

Snowdrops, an early-spring flowering bulb, in Purdue's Horticulture Gardens. (image provided by Rosie Lerner)

These leaves will likely be nipped back once the temperatures drop back down below freezing again. In most cases, flower buds will remain protected inside the bulb below ground. If the warm temperatures continue for an extended period, the flower buds also may break out; some of the really early spring bulbs, such as snowdrops, may already have done so. Those blossoms that do show their heads will be nipped by a hard freeze once more normal temperatures prevail. However, the bulbs themselves will survive and come back next year, even if the flowers don't make it to spring this year.

There's not much a gardener can do to prevent nature from taking its course. Mulching over the plants now might smother them and would actually encourage growth by warming the soil further. And we have a lot more winter to get through before we know how the plants will fare.

Weekly Outlook - Understanding the Surprise in the USDA Corn Stocks Estimate (from 1/17/2012)

The corn market was surprised by the USDA’s final 2011 corn production estimate and the estimate of December 1, 2011 corn stocks.  The March 2012 futures price declined by $0.52 per bushel in the two sessions following the release of the reports. 

At 9.642 billion bushels, December 1 corn stocks were 425 million bushels smaller than those of a year ago and the smallest in 5 years, but were about 240 million bushels larger than the average of the reported trade guesses.  Those guesses were in an extremely wide range of 500 million bushels.  Three of the 15 analyst guesses reported by Dow Jones were 9.55 billion bushels or larger, so not everyone was surprised by the USDA estimate.

Part of the surprise in the magnitude of December 1 stocks came as a result of the average expectation of a smaller 2011 crop estimate.  With the absence of any supporting evidence, it is not clear why, on average, analysts expected a 30 million bushel reduction in the estimated size of the crop.  The USDA estimate was a very modest 48 million bushels (0.4 percent) larger than the November 2011 forecast.  The 78 million bushel difference between expected and actual production accounts for about one third of the surprise in the stocks estimate.  The remainder of the surprise is the result of incorrect expectations about the level of feed and residual use of corn during the first quarter of the 2011-12 marketing year. <Read More> 

Little Insects on the Prairie

Almost everyone has read or heard a story that begins with, "Once upon a time." That phrase is often used to introduce a fable or a tale with its origins in bygone days. For example, "The Story of the Three Bears" begins, "Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks."

Once upon a time in the Midwestern United States there existed a major ecosystem - the tallgrass prairie. It covered some 142 million acres from western Indiana through Illinois and Iowa to the eastern parts of
Nebraska and Kansas.

The first Europeans to see the tallgrass prairie called it a treeless plain and generally did not perceive the land to be of much value. Some of the first farmers agreed, and in the words of one Illinois settler, "The land here is the worst I have seen since I left the banks of the Ohio." Indeed, Thomas Jefferson acquired most of this area for the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase for three cents an acre. <Read More> 

Proper Nutrition Vital for Livestock in Late Gestation

As livestock managers anticipate the beginning of the spring calving season, it's vital that they make sure their cows and heifers are getting the proper nutrition.

Rory Lewandowski, agricultural and natural resources educator for Ohio State University Extension, discussed the issue in a recent Ohio Beef Cattle newsletter, available online.  

"We have some poor-quality hay out there this year, and that's not what you should be feeding cows in late gestation -- or if you do, you need to supplement it," Lewandowski said.  <Read More> 

Weekly Outlook - Focus on South American Weather, USDA Reports

Corn and soybean prices declined sharply in mid-November and remained at the lower level through mid-December.  From mid-December through early January, the cash price of corn in central Illinois increased by $0.78 while the cash price of soybeans increased by $1.21 per bushel.

One of the factors that has contributed to higher prices is adverse weather in parts of Argentina and southern Brazil during a critical phase of crop development.  Periods of extremely high temperatures and well below average levels of precipitation in December have threatened both the corn and soybean crops in those areas.  The adverse weather followed very favorable weather conditions in November.  The weather pattern in those areas has been similar to that of 2008-09 when corn and soybean production was substantially reduced in Argentina.  Some beneficial rainfall in the dry areas is expected this week, but the forecast calls for a return of hot, dry weather next week.  It is difficult to assess potential corn and soybean production in Argentina and Brazil, but the pattern of production estimates in 2008-09 might provide some guidance.  <Read More>

Upcoming Events - Raising Poultry for Pleasure and Profit

An upcoming course hosted by Purdue Extension will cover the fundamentals of small scale poultry production for current and prospective poultry producers.  The course, “Raising Poultry for Pleasure and Profit”, will be held on Thursday evenings, February 2-March 1, from 5:30-8:30 PM, at the Spencer County 4-H Fairgrounds in Chrisney.  The course will be presented via Adobe Connect webinar technology. 

Topics will include the basics of poultry production, keeping the flock healthy and productive, developing a forage and production system, making a profit, and creating a customer-ready product. 

The cost of the program is $40 per person for the five-session series or $15 per person per individual session.  Early bird registration deadline is January 26.  After the deadline, registration cost is increased by $10 per person.  In addition to live, on-site viewing, participants have the option of viewing the sessions from home via a high-speed internet connection.  The registration cost and deadline remain the same for at-home viewing.   

For more information, please contact nheld@purdue.edu. Registration brochures are available are available here. 

January Home, Yard, and Garden Calender

Rosie Lerner, Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist

HOME (Indoor plants and activities)

• Keep holiday poinsettias and other plants near a bright window. Water as top of soil becomes dry.
• Increase humidity around houseplants by grouping plants together, placing them on a pebble-water tray or running a humidifier.
• Check stored produce and tender flower bulbs and roots for rot, shriveling or excess moisture. Remove and discard damaged material.
• Repot houseplants as they outgrow current pots.

YARD (Lawns, woody ornamentals and fruits)

• Check young trees for rodent injury on lower trunks. Prevent injury with hardware cloth or protective collars.
• Keep road and sidewalk salt away from plants. Construct a screen of burlap, if necessary, to keep salt spray off plants.
• "Leaf" through nursery catalogs and make plans for landscape and home orchard additions. Order plants early for best selection.
• Early spring-flowering trees and shrubs, such as forsythia, crabapple, flowering quince, flowering dogwood and honeysuckle, can be forced for early indoor blooms by placing cut branches in water in a warm location.

GARDEN (Flowers, vegetables and small fruits)

• Send for seed catalogs for the garden.
• Sketch your garden plans on paper, including what to grow, spacing, arrangement and number of plants needed.
• Order seeds and plants as early as possible for best selection.
• Wood ashes from the fireplace can be spread in the garden, but don't overdo it. Wood ashes increase soil pH, and excess application can make some nutrients unavailable for plant uptake. Have soil tested to be certain of the pH before adding wood ash.

Upcoming Events - Beginner's Course in Commodity Marketing

Purdue Extension in Spencer and Perry Counties is offering a commodity marketing course for local producers.  The program, entitled “Beginner’s Course in Commodity Marketing” is geared toward any producer interested in learning more about grain marketing topics and strategies, regardless of experience.  The three-session course will feature Dr. Corinne Alexander, Purdue Agricultural Economics Specialist, who will cover topics including futures, options, basis, and hedging as well as basic grain marketing strategies.  A panel discussion by local grain buyers will also be included.  The course will be held on Wednesday evenings, February 1, 8, and 15 at the Perry County 4-H Fairgrounds in Tell City from 6:00-8:30 PM CST. 

The cost of the course is $30 per person which includes reference materials and a light supper each session.  Pre-registration is required and is due by January 27.  Registration forms are available online.  They can also be obtained by contacting Purdue Extension-Spencer County at (812) 649-6022 or nheld@purdue.edu. 

If You Tell the Bees, Will They Listen?

For thousands of years humans have taken advantage of what has been called the “food of the gods.” We’re talking about honey. Honey is a sugar-laden substance produced by a few species of bees as their food.

And somewhere in our history ancient humans got a taste of honey, and we have been eating it ever since.

Of course, bees don’t willingly share their food stores with humans – or other animals for that matter. So the first honey eaters had to resort to stealing from the bees. And such pilferage wasn’t a pleasant thing because, as Shakespeare wrote, bees are “armed in their stings.” <Read More>

How to Care for Your Amaryllis

Amaryllis is a popular holiday gift plant but may have the lucky recipient wondering about its proper care.

Amaryllis is a tender bulb that won’t survive outdoors even in the mildest of Indiana winters. But it can be grown indoors to provide a dramatic show of color during dreary winter months.

The showy flowers range from crimson, scarlet, rose, lavender, white or bi-colored combinations. Although each plant may produce only one cluster of 2-4 blooms, individual blossoms can reach up to 8 inches in diameter at their peak. The flowers are borne on a tall, stout stem about 2 feet tall. <Read More>

Weekly Outlook - Hog Producers Follow Prudent Path

Hog production returned to profitability in 2011, but producers remain cautious about the future. This is evidenced by the modest expansion of the breeding herd as reported by USDA at the end of the year.  Limited expansion would seem to be the prudent path until more is known about 2012 crop yields and feed prices. This suggests no expansion of the breeding herd until mid-summer 2012.

Pork production is expected to rise by 2 to 2.5 percent in 2012, but most of that increase is due to more pigs per litter rather than from larger farrowings. Exports are expected to remain strong so that the per capita pork availability in the U.S. will only increase by about one percent. Pork demand will also be supported by smaller per capita supplies of beef and poultry in 2012. As a result, hog prices are expected to be down only modestly from 2011 levels with similar costs. This means another year of profitability is likely. <Read More>

Sheep and Goat Webinar Series Presentation Videos Now Available

If you missed the recent Sheep and Goat Webinar Series presented by Purdue Extension but are still interested in the topics presented, you're in luck!  Videos of each presentation are now posted online for viewing at www.ansc.purdue.edu/SP/MG/ .  DVDs of the entire series can also be ordered through the website for $15.  In addition to the videos, supporting reference material, including slide presentations and Extension publications are also available.  For the best video quality, a high-speed internet connection is recommended.