In Times of Drought

Dry summers are not that unusual in the Midwest, but this year's dry spell - and now drought in many areas - has come considerably earlier than usual. Summer is just now officially getting started!

Gardeners have a battle on their hands to keep plants healthy when extremely high temperatures are accompanied by lack of rain. During prolonged drought conditions, water restrictions or just limited ability to water to a huge number of plants, you may have to limit watering and prioritize which plants will be rescued - a bit of garden triage, so to speak.  <Read More>

In Times of Drought - Video

This video is a companion piece to the above article and features Rosie Lerner, Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist, covering some basics of helping your vegetable and landscape cope with the drought. 

Indiana Pesticide Clean Sweep Project

Again this year, the Office of the Indiana State Chemist's Pestcide Clean Sweep Project is offering pick-up locations around the state.  The project is designed to collect and dispose of suspended, canceled, banned, usuable, opened, unopened, or unwanted pestcide products.  These include weed killers, insecticides, rodenticides, fungicides, miticides, etc.  The pick-ups are intended for public and private schools, golf courses, nurseries, farmers, agricultural retailers, and municipalities.   

Locally, the pick-up location will be held August 9, 2012 at the Dubois County Fairgrounds just north of Bretzville, IN on SR 162, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM EDT.

Participants are asked to complete and submit a planning form no later than Monday, July 30 in order to participate.  Pick-up locations may be canceled if there is not enough demand, so it is important to submit the planning form prior to attending. 

For more information, please see the flyer and planning form located on the OISC website or call (765) 494-1492.   

Extreme Drought and Heat Wave - Not a Good Combination

In the previous drought post, it was noted that if upcoming rainfall chances did not materialize, we could be at a tipping point for much worse drought conditions.  Well, as we all know, those weather systems did not materialize and we are seeing increasingly widespread drought effects on crops, lawns, and gardens.  This week's US Drought Monitor report has placed the majority of Spencer County in the the "extreme" category and the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service indicates 100+ degree temperatures each day with no chance of rain. 

Purdue Extension and the Extension Disaster Education Network have developed a drought information website that compiles drought management tips and resources for consumers, homeowners, and agricultural producers.  This site will continue to be updated with information as long as the drought conditions persist.  I encourage you to check out this this regularly for updates.   

Also, two articles have recently been released addressing the continued drought effects on corn and soybean production.  Links to those publications are listed below:

Hot & Dry: Stress on the Corn Crop Escalates

Signs of Drought Stress in Soybeans

Weekly Outlook - Soybean Fundamentals Remain Strong

Soybean prices began moving higher in July 2010, starting from about $9.50. July 2012 soybean futures reached a high of about $14.70 in late August 2011, declined to a low near $11.25 in mid-December 2011, and reached a high of $15.12 in early May 2012. Prices have been very choppy the past two months, but the July futures contract is now trading within about $.30 of the early May high. November 2012 futures prices have been lower than July futures, but have followed a similar pattern and are now trading at a contract high near $14.30.

U.S. soybean market fundamentals have been strong for an extended period of time. The strong fundamental factors have included record large exports in 2009-10 and 2010-11 as Chinese demand expanded, a reduction in U.S. soybean acreage in 2011, a relatively low U.S. average yield in 2011, intentions to reduce U.S. acreage again in 2012, and a very small soybean harvest in South America this year. These strong market fundamentals continue in the form of a rapid pace of consumption and concerns about the size of the 2012 U.S. crop.  <Read More>

Drought....and the Potential for More Drought

US Drought Monitor report for Indiana.  For more information, see the Drought Monitor website.

This week's US Drought Monitor Report indicates an increasing area of Indiana is now under a moderate or severe drought, with a portion of southwest Indiana falling under the "severe" category.  While certain aspects of the current drought conditions have some producers and others thinking "1988" in the back of their minds, it is too early to make such a prediction.

So far, Spencer County has fared better than our neighbors to the west and northwest.  Though we are in the moderate drought category, infrequent but timely rainfall, combined with cooler temperatures, especially overnight, have kept drought effects in crops, gardens, and home landscapes from becoming widespread.   

There is a slight chance of scattered showers this weekend but according to staff at the Indiana State Climate Office, the next chance for more widespread, substantial rainfall is not until late next week.  As a result, we are in a bit of a wait-and-see pattern as far as how the drought will progress, with the next 10-14 days being crucial.  If one or both of these predicted systems produce rainfall,  it could be just the timely rain event we need to hold off further drought progression, at least for a few more weeks.  However, if these systems fail to bring moisture, we could then be at the tipping point for something much more severe. 

As we watch how the situation progresses over the next two weeks, we will continue to post drought management information on the Gazette, on our Facebook page, and in our bi-monthly newsletter.  In the meantime, below are two articles addressing the topic.  The first is a recent article covering the effects we are currently seeing in corn and soybean crops.  The second, originally written in 2007, covers tips for home gardens and landscapes.

More Crops Affected as Drought Spreads Throughout Indiana

Help Your Garden Cope with Dry Spell

On Six Legs - Insects Down on the Farm

A couple of weeks ago I was facing a long plane flight and needed something to do while cramped in one of those tight seats. So I grabbed two books to read. One was "The Land, The People" by Rachel Peden.

Peden was a newspaper columnist and book author who wrote about life on a family farm in Monroe County, Indiana. The book chronicled farm life from the 1940s through the 1960s. First published in 1966, the book was republished in 2010 by the Indiana University Press.

I loved reading the book because it captured the time when I was growing up on a farm. Peden was a wonderful writer who accurately and poignantly captured the people and the rapid changes associated with rural America of the time.  <Read More>

In the Grow - Q & A

Q. I have been trying, without success, to eliminate the wild violets from my yard. I have tried many different broad leaf weed sprays with no luck. They seem to be invincible! What can I use that is effective?

A. My yard also has a great population of both white- and blue-flowering violets, but I like them! I welcome their presence and look forward to seeing their lovely blossoms each spring. But I realize I may be in the minority on that.  <Read More>

Weekly Outlook - Update on Export Progress

Much of the attention in the crop markets is rightly focused on the potential size of the northern hemisphere crops. Still, the on-going pace of consumption is an important measure of demand strength and the likely level of year ending stocks. Here we focus on the U.S. export sector for wheat, corn, and soybeans.

For wheat, the 2011-12 marketing year ended on May 31. Cumulative export inspections for the year totaled 1.036 billion bushels, slightly above last month's USDA projection of 1.025 billion bushels. Through April, cumulative Census Bureau export estimates were about 4 million bushels less than cumulative inspections. Assuming that margin persisted through May, marketing year exports were about 7 million bushels larger than forecast. For the marketing year that began on June 1, the USDA has projected exports at 1.150 billion bushels. As of May 31, new sales plus unshipped sales from the past marketing year totaled 235.6 million bushels, near the level of sales of a year earlier. To reach the USDA projection, shipments will need to average about 22.1 million bushels per week this year. Export inspections during the first week of the year were reported at 21.5 million bushels.  <Read More>

Weekly Outlook - Soybean Price Roller Coaster

November 2012 soybean futures reached a high of $14 in September 2011, declined to about $11.20 in December 2011, rebounded to almost $14 in early April and again in early May 2012, and traded to a low of $12.45 in the current trading session. The wide price swings reflect ever-changing supply and demand expectations.

Much of the strength in soybean prices during the first three months of this year reflected deteriorating production prospects in South America. The USDA currently projects production in five South American countries at 4.237 billion bushels, 779 million bushels (15.5 percent) smaller than the 2011 harvest and 833 million bushels (16.4 percent) smaller than the December 2011 forecast. Some believe the crop to be even smaller. The USDA will provide an updated estimate on June 12. Much of the price weakness over the past few weeks reflects growing concerns about the U.S. and world economic and financial conditions and the negative implications for commodity demand.  <Read More>

2012 Purdue Custom Farming Rate Publication is Here!

Back in January I mentioned the new Purdue custom farming rate survey and asked local producers to consider filling it out to help expand the data pool and improve the Purdue Custom Farming Rate publication, EC-130-W.  Well, the surveys have been collected, the data has been compiled, and a new custom rate publication has been written and is now available.  Thanks to the help of 272 farmers, farm owners, professional farm managers, and custom farm operaters from across Indiana, we now have an improved and expanded publication.  Thanks again to all those who responded to the survey.  The new publication is available for download at the link below:

2012 Indiana Farm Custom Rates