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Purdue Extension Martin County Blast September 12, 2022

INDIANA STATE FAIR 4-H PROJECT PICK UP times

Static Projects, prizes and associated awards are ready for pick up from the Extension Office now through September 23, 2022 during normal office hours, 8 am – 4 pm Monday through Friday. Individual scheduling beyond those hours is available by calling 812-295-2412 or emailing heldd@purdue.edu.   Items not claimed by September 23rd will be repurposed or thrown away.

 

Twenty Terrific Days of 4-H Enrollment Martin County!

4-H is open to ALL youth in grades 3-12 ($20 enrollment fee) and Mini 4-H is grades Kindergarten -2nd (no enrollment fee.) Here is the great opportunity!  Enroll from October 1 – October 20 the $20 enrollment fee is paid by the Martin County 4-H Council! Starting October 1st, plan to enroll at https://v2.4honline.com/. Call 812-295-2412 with any questions!

 

2023 Martin county 4-H fair – date changed!  Friday, july 7 to tuesday, july 11, 2023

Leadership 4-H Leadership Summit and Foundation Scholarship Luncheon SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29:  SAVE THE DATE

Mark your calendar and get ready to meet future leaders and National 4-H Hall of Fame inductees Dr. Norm Long and Jeff Holland. Also, enjoy lunch from a Hoosier favorite – Jonathan Byrd’s Catering! RSVP’s due by October 14.

AgrAbility National Training Workshop Encore Webinars
Register below for any or all of the webinars.
Each webinar begins at 2:00 p.m. EDT on the given Thursday. For session descriptions and more information, visit http://www.agrability.org/ntw-encore/.

  • September 29: "Making Lemonade When Outreach Events Hand You LEMONS!"
  • October 13: "Build Resilience into Your Farm: Let Nature do the Heavy Lifting"
  • October 27: "Low Stress Marketing for Farmers"

A question & answer period is scheduled for each presentation. To participate in any of these free webinars, click here to access the online registration form. Please pass on this invitation to others you believe may be interested. Contact AgrAbility at 800-825-4264, visit www.agrability.org/ntw-encore, or email agrability@agrability.org if you have questions.

 

2022 Hoosier Hay Contest

All are encouraged to check into the 2022 Hoosier Hay Contest!  For rules and entry form go to: https://indianaforage.org/

Entry deadline: September 30, 2022

Overall awards given in categories of dry hay and baleage

First place: $250 and one-year IFC membership

Second place: $150

Third place: $100

 

DIVERSE CORN BELT PROJECT SEEKS FARMERS FOR FOCUS GROUPS, IN-FIELD TESTING

The Diverse Corn Belt project—a multidisciplinary project exploring alternative crops, longer rotations, integrating livestock and perennials that could help increase resilience in Midwest agriculture—is seeking farmer input through focus groups and in-field research. The project's 30 partners are exploring diversification at the farm, market and landscape level that can broaden new opportunities for Midwest farmers and rural communities, says Dr. Linda S. Prokopy of Purdue University, who leads the five-year, $10 million project.

The study focuses on Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. The team will conduct research, extension and modeling in all three states. 

"We are seeking farmer involvement at every stage of the Diverse Corn Belt project, starting with understanding how different producers define diversity, and getting their direction on the questions they want us to explore," Prokopy says. "We want to know what is working for them in the current system and what the barriers are to diversification.

"Guided by what farmers tell us they're facing and what they need, we will be exploring a wide range of approaches to diversification of production systems and markets that can help producers and rural communities become more economically and environmentally resilient in the future," she adds. "This project goes beyond delving into the production aspects of various options for diversification—the agronomics, economics, and animal productivity angles. We will also be exploring the social, infrastructure and policy changes needed to make them viable."

Help Wanted

Prokopy says farmers can participate in the Diverse Corn Belt in a variety of ways, including:

  • Focus groups, in which producers with a wide range of approaches—from traditional corn/soybean rotations to highly diversified operations—gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities posed by diversification.
  • Hosting in-field research, allowing agronomists, entomologists, hydrologists and soil scientists to study farmers' existing management systems, ranging from conventional corn/soybean rotations to more complex cropping and/or grazing programs. Host producers will not be asked to change their management; researchers will share and help interpret data produced on participating farms.
  • Joining Reimagining Agricultural Diversification (RAD) Teams, engaged conversations among producers, agricultural advisors, community leaders, and others. RAD Team members will work closely with the research team—and each other—over the next five years to share their insight on research findings, explore policy implications, and envision what the agricultural landscape of the Midwest should look like in the future.

"We are developing a vision of a Corn Belt beyond the corn/soybean system and its infrastructure, a future that provides farmers and communities with a more profitable and resilient agriculture," notes J. Arbuckle at Iowa State University. "To do that, we're working with farmers with highly specialized systems that are prevalent today and with highly diversified farmers who provide examples of what's possible.

"Of course, context is critical, so we will also be researching ways to facilitate markets, infrastructure, social networks and policy for diverse systems, as well as modeling a wide range of systems," he adds. "This holistic approach will help us map pathways to more diverse, prosperous and resilient farms and rural communities."

The Diverse Corn Belt project is funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture through an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative competitive grant. Members of the research team represent land grant institutions, federal agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Interested farmers and other stakeholders can learn more about the Diverse Corn Belt project at diversecornbelt.org, and volunteer to participate at https://bit.ly/GoDCB.

For more information, contact:

Emily Usher (765) 496-0997; eusher@purdue.edu

Steve Werblow (541) 951-4212; steve@stevewerblow.com

 

Southern Indiana Area Cattleman's Beef Tour

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Gate opens at 1 p.m. EDT

Program begins at 2 p.m. EDT

Registrations are currently being accepted for the Southern Indiana Area Cattleman's Beef Tour at the Greg & Angela Hoagland & Family Ranch in Eckerty, Indiana. The event is being organized by local area Cattleman's Associations from Crawford, Dubois, Harrison, Orange & Perry Counties in partnership with Elanco, Purdue Extension, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Superior Ag, Crawford County Soil and Water Conservation, Lost River Water Shed, Orange County Soil and Water Conservation, Farm Credit Mid-America, St. Anthony Mill and Schnellville Mill, INC.

Topics for the field day include viewing the Hoaglands’ cow herd and pastures; “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” cooking demonstration; and “Current Beef Industry Trends” with keynote speaker Dr. Robin Falkner DVM, from Elanco.

The field day, scheduled for October 1st begins at 2:00 p.m. EDT and is free to all. Ribeye dinner is included in the event. Program partner will have vendor tables setup for viewing at 1:00 p.m. EDT.

To learn more and register call Purdue Extension Crawford County at 812-338-5466 or email Molley Hasenour, 4-H Youth/Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator at scott422@purdue.edu.

 

Indiana Watershed Leadership Program

The Academy, organized by Purdue University with support from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other Indiana conservation agencies and organizations, gives participants the chance to:  

  • Engage in basic and advanced level watershed topics covering leadership principles, conservation, education and outreach, watershed science, organization and communication, technology and GIS, stakeholder involvement techniques and policy skills
  • Meet, learn from, and engage with others who work in watershed management
  • Interact with topic experts
  • Gain strategies, skills, and resources for successful watershed management
  • Earn a Professional Certificate in Watershed Management 

Enrollment deadline: November 4, 2022

Web site: For the online application and information about the Academy, visit: https://engineering.purdue.edu/watersheds/academy.html

Recognition: Participants who complete all requirements earn a Purdue University Continuing Education Professional Certificate in Watershed Management.

For more information, please contact Sara Peel, speel@purdue.edu

 

Dubois Martin County 4-H Leader Training Series

All are invited to the following Professional Development 4-H Leader Training Series.  Current leaders and prospective new leaders are targeted, but anyone with an interest is welcome to attend! RSVP requested but not required: Dena Held at heldd@purdue.edu or 812-295-2412 or Lauren Fenneman at lhaase@purdue.edu or 812-482-1782.    

Wednesday, October 12, 2022 6:30 pm – 8 pm: Mastery: Opportunity for Mastery, Engagement in Learning including What makes 4-H FUN, Hands on activities.

Location: Cedar Crest Intermediate School Cafeteria, 4770 South State Road 162, Huntingburg, IN 47542

Wednesday, November 9, 2022 6:30 pm – 8 pm: Independence: Opportunity to see oneself as a participant in the future, Opportunity for self-determination and will include information about 4-H Online and Fair Entry, Officer Trainings, Executive Committee Meetings in the club and information about Camps and Trips.

Location: Cedar Crest Intermediate School Cafeteria, 4770 South State Road 162, Huntingburg, IN 47542

December 2022 (date pending) 6:30 pm – 8 pm: Generosity: Opportunity to value and practice service to others and includes community service ideas, best practices for kicking off the 4-H year in January and best practices to close out the 4-H year from June to September.

Location: Cedar Crest Intermediate School Cafeteria, 4770 South State Road 162, Huntingburg, IN 47542

January, February, March & April Sessions: SAVE THE DATES!   

Thursday, January 26, 2023 6 pm

Thursday, February 23, 2023 6 pm

Thursday, March 9, 2023 6 pm

Thursday, March 30, 2023 6 pm

Location: Martin County 4-H Fairgrounds, Community Learning Center, 2666 US Hwy 50, Loogootee, IN

 

As Soybeans Mature, Watch for Pod Feeders Moving in Late

By: Christian Krupke

  • Many Indiana soybeans are at or near R6
  • Stink bugs and bean leaf beetles are attracted to soybeans at this stage
  • Scouting and timely insecticide sprays will minimize damage

As the soybean crop begins to mature and the plants “shut down”, many insects are no longer interested in these plants. However, for a different group of insects this is effectively ringing a “dinner bell” – the olfactory signals from developing pods indicate a rich protein source for insects that are doing some fall feeding before going into overwintering stages – these include bean leaf beetles and various stink bug species.

We’ve written about stink bugs several times in recent years, as they are one of the few insect pests that are actually on the rise in recent years. Key points to remember are that they are not readily controlled by earlier (i.e. R3) insecticide applications, and they can cause serious quality losses by feeding through pods and introducing fungi and yeasts into the seeds inside.

Similarly, bean leaf beetles, although primarily interested in leaf feeding and not as able to penetrate the pods will feed on and scar pod surfaces – sometimes penetrating to the seeds beneath. In both cases, it’s not the yield loss due to direct feeding, but the opening of the pod to a range of pathogens that can erode grain quality, including in storage.

To assess risks of both pests, the solution is walking fields and scouting. A sweep net is also useful (but not mandatory). Both of these pests are active during the day, and you will see them and evidence of their feeding quite readily. Even if these are fields you scouted a week or two ago, it is important to return – as the “ripening” pods are the attractant, particularly for stink bugs. They often don’t enter the fields in large numbers until the later stages of pod development. At or near 5% of pods with visible bean leaf beetle damage and/or more than 10 beetles/foot of row are thresholds for bean leaf beetles. Stink bug damage is very difficult to see from the outside of the pod, so a threshold of 20 stink bugs/100 sweeps is recommended. Once the pods are no longer green, stink bug numbers will decline rapidly as the pods are far less attractive when brown and dry.

 

AN SNAPSHOT OF PURDUE EXTENSION

The Cooperative Extension Service is one of the nation’s largest providers of scientific research-based information and education. It’s a network of colleges, universities, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serving communities and counties across America.

In each and all of Indiana 92 counties, Purdue Extension delivers practical, research-based information. We provide relevant, high-impact educational programs that transform the lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities in Indiana and the world.

The Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service program areas are:

  1. Agriculture and Natural Resources – Extension educators with agricultural and natural resource specialties offer programs and information on agricultural production and financial management for farmers, food and fiber processors, manufacturers and consumers. We also provide expertise in environmental issues, natural resource conservation and land use.
  2. Health and Human Sciences – Health and Human Sciences Extension specialists and educators provide education to people. We:

- Help communities analyze, identify and meet the needs of families.

- Train volunteers and paraprofessionals to assist in areas of critical concern to families.

- Motivate people to become leaders and address community issues.

- Collaborate with agencies, community organizations, and educational groups to address the needs of families.

  1. Community Development – Purdue Extension Community Development strengthens the capacity of local leaders, residents, and organizations to build strong, vibrant communities by using research-based resources to guide their decisions.  It provides local support and resources in the areas of leadership and civic engagement, community and organizational planning, economic and business development, local government education, and creating quality places.
  2. 4-H Youth Development – A dedicated network of Extension educators, parents, local leaders and volunteer staff makes Indiana 4-H one of the most valued youth programs in the Purdue Extension youth educators develop individual talents, life skills and leadership abilities among Indiana’s young people through the traditional venue of 4-H clubs and county fairs, but also through field-tested school enrichment materials and local-led community programs.

It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service that all persons have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and facilities without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a veteran. Purdue University is an Affirmative Action institution. This material may be available in alternative formats.

 

 


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