With the spring-like weather these past few days, now’s the time to consider frost seeding as a cost-effective method to improve forage diversity and quality in your hayland and pastures. Frost seeding is a low cost seeding strategy that relies on the action of the soil freezing and thawing to achieve the seed-to-soil contact needed …
Continue reading “Gearing Up for Spring: Improve Your Pasture & Hayland through Frost Seeding”
During 2016, our Northwest Crops and Soils Program began researching industrial hemp. Hemp is a non-psychoactive variety of cannabis sativa L. The crop is one of historical importance in the U.S. and is re-emerging as manufacturers seek it as a sustainable resource for a wide array of food and fiber products. Vermont is among 32 …
This year, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils team conducted an organic hard red winter wheat variety trial–both heirloom and modern day varieties–to determine those that perform best in our northern climate. The following provides harvest results from the trials at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont. The project evaluated 34 winter …
Continue reading “Preliminary Results from 2016 Winter Wheat Variety Trials Give Snapshot of Yields”
While the past weeks have brought some much needed rain to Vermont, above average accumulation of growing degree-days (GDDs) and droughty conditions for much of the growing season has impacted corn growth and development. We expect that we will start our silage corn harvest sometime this week. For more information, please refer to our 2012 …
Although it’s still summer, now is the time to think about fall feed. Exceptionally hot and dry weather this season has really put the pinch on pastures and stored feed. To fill in the gaps, consider planting cool season annuals. These annual forages can provide grazing options into late fall and/or can be harvested for …
Continue reading “It’s Time to Plant Cool Season Annual Forages”
Persistent dry weather has led to poor establishment of many new forage seeding throughout the region. Many farmers are wondering what to do with these failed or very poor stands? The first step is to complete a thorough assessment of the field to see how much of the area did not establish. If the stand …
On the first official day of summer, a crowd gathered in the barnyard of Rogers Farmstead in Berlin, Vermont. The topic was to learn the ins and outs of small grain growing and processing from beginning farmers Nate and Jessie Rogers. This event was the first in a series on grain production offered in collaboration …
Continue reading “Getting Started in Grains: Recap of Field Day at Rogers Farmstead”
As winter grains are heading out and flowering, it’s time to start scouting your fields for loose smut (Ustilago nuda, Ustilago avenae, and Ustilago tritici). Loose smut is found in winter and spring spelt, barley, and wheat, as well as oats. Spelt and barley are particularly susceptible to infection. Loose smut is one of the …
The corn has been growing and, in spite of a brief cold spell, is about to begin its rapid growth phase and peak in its demand for nitrogen! A high yielding corn silage crop can easily require 150 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Much of the required nitrogen will come from manure applications, crop residues, …
Continue reading “Planning Your Mid-Season Corn Fertility Boost”
Planning for the “summer slump?” Now is the time to consider planting summer annuals to maintain forage production during this period of the grazing season when recovery periods slow for cool season pasture perennials, such as timothy, orchardgrass, and clover. Summer annuals are warm-season grasses typically planted in early June (now!) and can be grazed …
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