It’s no secret that dairy production and management are constantly evolving systems. The day-to-day chores of milking, feeding, cleaning and the fixing of all things that break may sometimes feel redundant. The long term and big picture of these tasks is that we can always do better – make improvements to save money, save time, …
Continue reading “The NOVUS C.O.W.S. Program – A Tool for Making Progress”
Foliar diseases in cereal grains are important to pay attention to as they can suppress photosynthetic mechanisms which are needed to produce a healthy grain head. Foliar diseases can lead to reduced vigor, growth, and yield. If your grain is infected earlier in the season there is a greater chance of yield loss, if favorable …
Continue reading “What’s growing on your crop? Foliar diseases of cereal grains”
Aroostook Hops, Westfield, ME Project Summary (full report available at www.aroostookhops.com) The purpose of this project was to determine if a broad-spectrum OMRI-certified insecticide can be used to control major pests of hops (including leafhoppers) to increase hop productivity without creating other pest management challenges or a reduction in beneficial arthropods. We used pyrethrin treatment …
Rolling and crimping cereal rye is a strategy for cover crop termination in no-till systems, but the timing of rolling and crimping is crucial for success. Now is a good time to monitor the grow stage of your cereal rye. Rye should be rolled when plants reach anthesis (flowering). At this point the rye plants …
Planting corn has begun! If you are planting corn treated with a neonicotinoid insecticide, make sure you are using best practices to minimize any movement of the seed treatment to off-target sites. Neonicotinoids can be extremely toxic to insects and even the dust created during planting can negatively impact beneficial insect populations like natural insect …
Continue reading “Planting with Neonicotinoid Treated Seed (NTS)”
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is a virus historically carried by wild birds and was first identified in 1996. The virus spread to domestic poultry and caused outbreaks in 2022 on U.S. commercial and backyard poultry operations resulting in high rates of mortality. In March 2024, HPAI H5N1 was identified in lactating dairy cattle …
Continue reading “HPAI H5N1 in U.S. Dairy Cattle Updates and Resources”
Alternative market classes of dry beans, such as navy, small red, and pinto, are valued by consumers for their culinary characteristics and visual appeal. Modern breeding efforts have expanded the market classes (beyond black beans) that can be direct-harvested, lowering the barrier to entry by reducing the need for specialized equipment. Current management practices for …
Continue reading “No-tillage and Dry Bean Variety Performance”
It’s almost go time! Be ready for 1st cut to maximize quality. The snow has finally left the fields and while the ground is still wet, the first cut will be upon us within a few weeks. While there is always so much to do, take the time to make sure you’re ready to head …
Winter rye is used as a cover crop in the Northeast because it is cold-hardy and grows quickly in the fall and continues to produce more biomass in the spring. Winter rye can be planted later than many other crop crops and gives farmers the opportunity to plant a cover crop even after harvesting a …
Continue reading “Impacts of Winter Rye Biomass on No-Till Soybeans”
Below is a list of organizations that offer funding that may be applicable to systems and improvements you are interested in pursuing this year. Please click here to view the full document with detailed descriptions for each funding opportunity. You can also feel free to reach out to the UVM Extension Northwest Crops & Soils …
Continue reading “2024 Funding Opportunities for Dairy & Crop Operations”
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