In this issue:
- Powdery mildew of muskmelon – by Dan Egel, SW Purdue Ag Program
- Buckwheat cover cropping for vegetables
- Alfalfa harvest, getting it right will return big dollars
- Summer annual forage grasses for emergency crops
- Introduction to High Tunnels streaming video available on-line
- Gift to support organic high tunnel research and outreach in Southwestern Minnesota
- University of Minnesota field day to highlight organic innovations
- Wisconsin organic fruit field day
- A farmer‚s experience with cover crops
- Reports from organic growers


Next issue: June 11.
New Agriculture Network is a joint venture between the University of Illinois, Purdue University, Michigan State University and organic farmers.

Can't see the new issue?
Click refresh/reload button on your Internet browser. (how to use refresh/reload: http://ipm.msu.edu/refresh.htm)
You are invited to use any of the information from the web site in your local newsletters, web sites and other information resources. All you need to do is use proper credit that includes:
- New Agriculture Network www.new-ag.msu.edu <http://www.new-ag.msu.edu/>
- Author and institution as noted with the article.
- Publication date at the New Agriculture Network
You do not need permission for use if the above credit is given. To help us continue to secure funding for the web site and related research, please send a brief email to newagnet@msu.edu telling us about your use of the information.

New Agriculture Network
Vol. 5, No. 3 - May 28, 2008

Powdery mildew of muskmelon
Dan Egel
Southwest Purdue Agriculture Center

The best way to combat any plant disease is through resistant varieties. Muskmelon (cantaloupe) growers have been able to use cultivars resistant to powdery mildew for the last several years. However, that resistance may not serve growers much longer in the future. This article describes powdery mildew of muskmelon, the host resistance situation in the United States and possible management options.
Powdery mildew of muskmelon appears as a talc-like powder on the leaves of muskmelon plants Upper and lower surfaces of leaves may be affected. The disease is caused by a fungus (Podosphaera xanthii) that is readily windborne; the fungus may be blown many miles from field to field. Unlike most fungal plant diseases, this fungus does not require leaf wetness, only high humidity—a commodity in great supply during most Midwest summers. Severe infections may reduce the vigor and yield of plants, and in some cases, reduce fruit quality. Fortunately, the fungus does not survive well in soil; a 2- to 3-year rotation will suffice to manage the disease, but remember, the fungus may blow in from long distances
Many plants are susceptible to powdery mildew. However, there are several different fungi which cause powdery mildew. The fungus which causes powdery mildew of muskmelon also affects pumpkins, squash, gourds, zucchinis and other plants in the cucurbit plant family. The powdery mildew on your lilacs, for example, will not affect your muskmelon.

Several years ago, muskmelon varieties were introduced that had good resistance to powdery mildew. Those of us associated with muskmelon production in the Midwest began to forget about scouting for the disease or the management options. Last year, it was reported out of the southeast United States that powdery mildew was observed on cultivars previously known to be resistant to the disease. Similar reports have surfaced this year already. It appears that at least in the southeast, the fungus that causes powdery mildew has mutated into a new race or form that overcomes commercially available resistance of powdery mildew in muskmelons.     powdery mildew on muskmelon
Powdery mildew has a talc-like appearance on muskmelon leaves.
Although so far the reports of resistance breakdown have not reached the Midwest, muskmelon growers should scout fields for the presence of the disease. Organic growers should follow these management recommendations.

    * Continue to purchase cultivars that have good resistance to powdery mildew.
    * Follow at least a 2-year crop rotation.
    * Some muskmelon growers may already be applying fungicides for Alternaria leaf blight and gummy stem blight on a regular basis, if cultural practices do not provide adequate control. These applications, starting at about vine touch within a row, should also help to protect vines from powdery mildew. Fungicides that may help to protect vines from powdery mildew include:
          o Formulations with the microbial ingredient Bacillus subtillus strain QST 713 (including Serenade).
          o Formulations of copper such as copper hydroxide.
          o Formulations with sulfur.
          o Fungicides with an active ingredient of potassium or sodium bicarbonate.
          o Fungicides with the active ingredient of hydrogen dioxide.

    * It is best not to apply microbial-based fungicides in combination with the other fungicides since the copper/peroxide/bicarbonate may limit the effectiveness of the microbial pesticide.
    * Scout fields for symptoms of powdery mildew and report possible problems to the Extension representative in your state or area.

Organic growers should always check with their certifying agencies to be certain that all products and management practices are allowed.

Buckwheat cover cropping for vegetables
Dan Brainard
Horticulture

Buckwheat can be used as a cover crop to improve soil health and fight weeds in any six to seven week window in vegetable production systems. Now (mid-May) is a good time to sow buckwheat in fields that will be planted with a late vegetable crop. Buckwheat is also a good choice following early-harvested vegetable crops like peas and before winter grains. A new Cornell University handbook (http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/bjorkman/buck/Buck.html ) provides practical information on the use of buckwheat in several cropping systems.

Why plant buckwheat?
Buckwheat is an ideal smother crop for weed suppression. Its rapid growth blocks sunlight and prevents weeds from establishing successfully. In idle fields with high weed pressure, two successive plantings of buckwheat can suppress annuals and weaken tough perennial weeds like quackgrass. Our recent studies have shown that incorporated residues of buckwheat can selectively suppress germination of several weed species including redroot pigweed; certain vegetables, including peas can also be inhibited, but only when planted into fresh residue. Buckwheat is also reported to extract phosphorous and improve soil aggregation through secretions from its fine roots, mellowing the soil for establishment of subsequent crops. In addition, many beneficial insects are attracted to buckwheat. Among the 19 plant species examined by MSU entomologists, buckwheat ranked fifth in the number of beneficial insects attracted (http://nativeplants.msu.edu/fagesc.htm).

Limitations
Buckwheat is sensitive to frost, so it cannot be planted as early or as late as alternatives like oats or mustards. Buckwheat is also sensitive to several herbicides including atrazine, Pursuit, Sandea and Reflex and therefore cannot be successfully planted following crops using those herbicides. Some growers report problems with volunteer buckwheat in subsequent crops if mowing and incorporation is delayed.

Management tips
Drill at 50 lbs/acre at one inch or less for most effective establishment. If broadcasting, use 70 lbs/acre and shallow incorporate. To reduce risk of buckwheat seed production, mowing and incorporation should occur within 10 days of flowering (about 40 days after sowing). Buckwheat does well on a wide range of soil types and can perform well on infertile soil, but does not tolerate excessively dry or wet conditions very well.

For more information about buckwheat and other cover crops, attend the upcoming workshop “Cover Cropping in Vegetable Systems-An Essential Tool for Sustainable and Organic Farmers” on June 12 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Kellogg Biological Station. For registration and the agenda, please go to http://www.michiganorganic.msu.edu/ or call the MSUE Oceana County office at 231-873-2129 or email Kathy Walicki: walicki@msu.edu.

Alfalfa harvest: Getting it right will return big dollars
Rich Leep
Forage Agronomist
Crop and Soil Sciences

Alfalfa is an important forage for dairy cows because it provides fiber that effectively stimulates chewing while also providing energy and protein for milk production. The measure of fiber most commonly used to balance diets of lactating dairy cows is neutral detergent fiber (NDF).The optimum concentration of NDF for alfalfa is 40 percent. Alfalfa containing 40 percent NDF allows reasonable grain concentrations in the diet while maintaining adequate diet NDF concentrations. The protein concentration of alfalfa with 40 percent NDF is usually moderate (approximately 20 percent of DM), and additions of low protein grains such as corn allows flexibility in diet formulation for rumen-undegraded protein while avoiding excessive protein concentrations.

Delaying alfalfa harvest increases NDF percentage and reduces protein concentration. More grain will be required to increase energy density and decrease the NDF concentration (and filling effect) of the diet. In addition, more supplemental protein will be required to meet the cows’ protein requirements and dry matter intake and milk production will be reduced.

There are now better ways to determine the best time to cut first- and second-crop alfalfa for optimal quality than looking at stage of maturity or the calendar. Using an alfalfa quality “PEAQ” stick or calculating heat units, known as growing degree days (GDD’s), is more accurate. Visually analyzing the alfalfa for the best time to cut is subjective. What’s early bud stage to one grower isn’t necessarily early bud stage to another.

The PEAQ (Predictive Equation for Alfalfa Quality) method was developed in the 1990’s by University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. It uses plant height and maturity stage to estimate the alfalfa’s quality.

Alfalfa growers can track GDD’s on the alfalfa crop themselves as soon as plants break dormancy and actively start growing, which in Michigan is near March 1, using a base of 41°F. However, Alfalfa GDD’s are reported via DTN, and can be obtained for specific sites in Michigan at the Michigan Automated Weather Network (MAWN) http://www.agweather.geo.msu.edu/mawn/.We are near 600 GDD’s now in East Lansing and in early bud stage of growth in alfalfa as of May 22.NDF increases about 0.04 point for each GDD. The heat units accumulate anywhere from 10 to 40 units per day, which translates to NDF increases of 0.4 to 1.6 units per day.

We recommend growers take their first cutting when GDD’s hit 750 (base 41°F).That will give you 40 percent NDF, which is ideal for high-producing dairy cows.

A few years ago, MSU Extension educators tested alfalfa quality at many sites on Michigan farms. Alfalfa was harvested based on the information from tracking GDD’s, using the PEAQ stick, looking at the calendar, and at physiological indicators like bud formation. Samples were harvested and analyzed using wet chemistry.

In the first cutting, the PEAQ and GDD’s were equally effective at predicting the 40 percent NDF target. In the second cutting, the PEAQ stick narrowly edged out GDD’s as the more accurate method. Both were better than the other two. However, GDD’s and the PEAQ sticks didn’t work as well with subsequent cuttings because we tend to get into drier weather in July and August.We recommend once you get to later cuttings, use either hand clippings for analysis or growth stage.

Whether to use the PEAQ stick or track GDD is a matter of personal preference. GDD can be tracked on a computer, but using a PEAQ stick in the field gives you the opportunity to scout for insects and monitor plant health at the same time.

Growing degree days and using PEAQ does not work for fields containing grass.If grass is present, then harvesting in the late boot stage of maturity will result in better forage quality.

Summer annual forage grasses for emergency crops
Richard Leep
Crop and Soil Sciences

Summer annual grasses are used for summer pasture, green chop, hay, and silage. Annual grasses are normally used as emergency forage. The most common annual grasses used in Michigan are sudangrass, hybrid sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, and forage sorghum. A relatively new annual grass called teff, has been grown to a limited extent in Michigan with varying results, however, some growers have had good experience growing it.

Desirable characteristics, such as rapid growth, excellent drought resistance, and good response to fertilizer and water, make summer annual grasses attractive to use in an overall management scheme for forage production.

Sorghum-sudangrass hybrids produce about the same amount of feed as sudangrass when used for pasture. When used for green chopped forage, yields of sorghum-sudangrass hybrids usually exceed sudangrass or forage sorghum. Forage sorghums are best suited for silage. Making sorghum-sudangrass into hay is difficult because of the slow drying time. In 2007, Teff produced over 5 tons of dry matter at a demonstration in East Lansing under three cuts for hay.

Sudangrass and Brown Mid Rib (BMR) sudangrass
True sudangrasses have fine stems, tiller extensively when conditions permit, and can regrow rapidly. Thus, they are more suited to pasturing than other types of sorghum, and are more popular for annual hay and late summer pasture. Piper sudangrass is low in prussic acid content and has good drought and disease tolerance. It is a Wisconsin release that has good regrowth after pasturing and is the leading sudangrass hybrid. BMR sudangrass is more palatable and contains significantly less lignin making it more digestible than normal sudangrass.

Hybrid sudangrass
Hybrid sudangrasses result from a cross among true sudangrass strains that are available primarily as commercial varieties. They are similar to true sudangrass varieties, but yield slightly more in a three-cut green chop or hay system. Their prussic acid content is generally between that of true sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids.

Sorghum-sudangrass hybrids
Sorghum-sudangrass hybrids are the most numerous of the various types of summer annual grasses. Most of these are available as commercial hybrids. They are high producing forage grasses, but more than 50 percent of their yield usually comes from their stems. Their rate of regrowth after repeated clippings or grazing is lower than that of sudangrass. Thus, animals graze or being fed sorghum-sudangrass hybrids sometimes result in less gain or milk production, than those consuming other summer annuals, apparently due to lower energy content. When these hybrids are cut at immature stages, quality is higher, but yields are much lower.

Sorghum-sudangrass Brown Mid Rib
Brown Mid Rib (BMR) increased digestibility of the stems by reducing the quantity of digestible lignin. Lignin content is reduced approximately 40-60% depending upon environmental conditions. The reduction in lignin increases cellulose and hemicellulose content, both are more digestible than lignin. Since lignin is a structural component of the stem, its reduction stems are somewhat softer and more limber. BMR annual forage grasses should be planted at the same rate as Sorghum-sudangrass.
Teff
Teff, Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter, is a warm season annual grass native to Ethiopia (see Figure 1). It is adapted to environments ranging from drought-stressed to waterlogged soil conditions. The seeds are extremely tiny, containing about 1.25 million seeds per pound. Despite its small seed size, teff is an aggressive competitor once established. In its native habitat maximum production occurs with a growing season rainfall of 17 to 22 inches and a temperature range of 50 to 85°F. Teff can be used as a livestock forage or pasture crop, and is primarily grown in Africa, India, Australia and South America. In the United States, teff is grown on limited acres in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest. Teff is a warm season annual grass which has shown good promise as an emergency forage crop in New York. Recent research from the Oregon State University Klamath Experiment Station and the Cornell Cooperative Extension Associations of Jefferson, St. Lawrence and Rensselaer Counties indicate good promise for teff as a forage crop.     teff grass
Figure 1. Teff, Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter, is a warm season annual grass native to Ethiopia
Our teff demonstration planted in East Lansing in early July 2007 resulted in a dry matter yield of over 5 tons per acre dry matter with three cuttings. The forage quality of the hay showed crude protein of 15%.Seed of teff is available through many farm seed dealers in Michigan this spring. We will be evaluating teff in research trials in Michigan this summer comparing it to other warm season annual grasses and determining nitrogen application timing, and forage quality.

Forage sorghum
Forage sorghums are usually tall growing, and mature late in the growing season. Often called “sweet sorghum,” forage sorghums often have sweet and juicy stems, and many have relatively small grain heads.

Forage sorghums usually yield more silage dry matter per acre than corn without irrigation. However, yields of total digestable nutrients (TDN) per acre are usually lower from forage sorghums than from corn.

Grazing forage sorghums is not recommended. They usually contain much higher levels of prussic acid than other summer annual grasses and can be dangerous to graze even when plants are completely headed, especially when young shoots are present. Forage sorghums can be cut for hay, although their stems dry very slowly after cutting.

Pearl millet
Pearl millet is a tall, warm season, annual grass. It originated in Africa and India where it was used for both forage and grain. It was introduced into the United States in the 1850s and became established as a minor forage crop in the southeastern and Gulf Coast states. Improved varieties or hybrids are generally leafier and shorter than older varieties. The solid stems are often densely hairy and usually 3/8 to 3/4 inch in diameter. Leaves are long, scabrous, rather slender, and may be smooth or have hairy surfaces. Leaves, as well as stems, may vary in color from light yellowish green to deep purple. A good stand of pearl millet will produce plants with relatively fine stems and profuse leafy growth. Pearl millet has a significantly higher leaf to stem ratio than other forages such as sudangrass, sorghum-sudan and foxtail millets.

The plant tends to tiller profusely under favorable climatic conditions and can compensate for uneven stand establishment. Prop roots arise from the lower nodes to help support the maturing plant. Regrowth potential after harvesting is comparable to sudangrass and much greater than foxtail millet.

Siberian foxtail millet
Siberian foxtail millet is the most commonly grown hay millet in the upper Midwest. It is a early maturing hay millet, ready for harvesting 55-65 days after planting. Siberian is extremely hardy and drought tolerant, making excellent quality hay.

German foxtail millet
German foxtail millet is a longer season type than Siberian, being ready to harvest 65-70 days after planting. German millet is taller with a coarser stem than Siberian. German millet can produce more forage than Siberian and because of its increased stem size it takes better management than other foxtail millets

Japanese foxtail millet
Japanese foxtail millet is distinctly different from other foxtail millets. Japanese is much taller and produces very coarse hay that contains fair feed value. This high tonnage annual forage works well in some rotations.

Utilization of Summer Annuals

   1. Summer pasture. Sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass can provide supplemental summer pasture when cool-season grasses go dormant and the feed supply is short.
      Sudangrass and pearl millet produce better pasture than sorghum-sudangrass because they are usually leafier. They also provide a more uniform supply of feed for grazing and support higher daily gains or milk production. Sorghum-sudangrasses produce higher yields, but are better used to support livestock on maintenance or lower productivity levels.
      Graze the summer annual grasses in a short, rotational grazing system. Subdivide fields into three or more pastures so that each pasture can be grazed down in 7-10 days. Stagger the date of planting each pasture by about 10 days so that grazing will begin on each pasture when growth is at the appropriate height. This rotation system allows maximum production of quality forage.

      Graze sudangrass when it reaches 15-20 inches in height and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids when they are 18-24 inches tall. Danger from prussic acid poisoning will be low when grazing is delayed until grass is this tall. Graze down rapidly to 6 inches of stubble before moving livestock to a fresh pasture, and do not graze regrowth until 18 inches of growth accumulates. If growth is more than 36 inches tall, harvest as hay, green chop, or silage since grazing cattle will trample and waste much of the forage. Regrowth will be more rapid following cutting this taller growth, than if it is trampled.

      Summer grazing lasts about two months. During this time each acre of these pastures can provide feed for one to six mature dairy or beef animals. Grazing management and soil fertility and moisture will determine total production.
      Sudangrass, sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, and forage sorghum pastures are not recommended for horses because kidney ailments may develop.

   2. Green chop. Sorghum-sudangrasses are well suited to a green chop program. Under a 3-4 cut system, the forages produce higher yields than other summer annual grasses. Field losses are less from green chopping than from grazing or haying. However, the fast growth rate of sorghum-sudangrass results in variable amounts and quality of feed throughout the growing season. When grass is young and growing rapidly it may contain 20 percent crude protein and produce a highly succulent feed. As the crop grows taller and nears maturity, the protein content may drop to 7 percent or less, and fibrous, low quality green chop is produced. Nitrates can become a problem in a green chop program under certain growing conditions. Do not feed green chop that has heated in the wagon, feed bunk, or stack, or that has been held overnight. Nitrates are converted to nitrites as plants respire; nitrites are about 10 times more toxic than nitrates.

   3. Hay. For good quality hay, harvest sudans and sorghums before heads emerge or when they are 30-40 inches tall. These hays will contain slightly less protein than alfalfa hay and as much energy as good quality alfalfa hay. Use of a conditioner will aid in field drying. Field drying will usually take several days to dry to satisfactory levels.

   4. Silage. Forage sorghums for silage usually have about 75 percent of the energy value of corn silage per unit of dry matter, while other summer annual grasses have 60-75 percent of the value of corn silage. Most summer annuals need to be wilted or mixed with dry feeds to make satisfactory silage. Silage is often cut after frost to reduce moisture, especially with forage sorghums.

Seedbed preparation
A firm, well-prepared seed bed is needed for good seed-soil contact and rapid germination. Conventional, minimum, or no-till drilling can be used for establishment.

Date of seeding
Sudangrass and sorghum are warm-season grasses. Seed should be planted into soils when average soil temperature is above 60°F. Plan the seeding date to produce desirable feed when needed. Stagger planting dates to aid rotational grazing. It takes at least six weeks after planting before usable forage is available. Later plantings will result in lower yields due to summer droughts and fall frosts.

Planting rates
Recommended planting rates depend on row spacing. Broadcast and narrow-row spacing are preferred for sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids because they result in shorter plants with finer stems. Total forage yield will be similar for different row spacing because sorghums and sudangrasses tiller. Removing the primary growing point at the first cutting enhances tillering. First-cut yields are usually higher for broadcast or narrow-row seedings than for 20- 40 inch rows. If planting with a grain drill, plant 15 to 20 lbs/acre seed of pearl, German, Japanese or Siberian millet. Forage sorghums should be planted at 12-15 lbs/acre with a grain drill. Use 6-12 lbs/acre for pearl millet. Sudangrass and sorghum-sudangrass are seeded at 20-30 lbs/acre in 7 inch rows with a grain drill. Higher seeding rates help in producing finer stems, which is desirable for grazing and hay.

Planting depth
Seed to a depth of 1-2 inches, depending on soil moisture conditions. Seeds planted too deep do not emerge well and poor stands may result.

Fertilization
Summer annual grasses have fertilizer requirements similar to those of corn. With rapid growth, apply sufficient nitrogen at planting to ensure establishment and high first-cutting or grazing yields. Apply 40-80 pounds of nitrogen per acre at planting and an additional 50 pounds after the first cutting or grazing. Phosphorus and Potassium should be applied based upon soil test recommendations.

Prussic acid poisoning
Cellular damage to sorghums and sudangrasses from frost, wilting, bruising, drought, excessive soil nitrogen, or deficiencies in soil phosphorus or potassium can result in prussic acid poisoning in cattle. Prussic acid poisoning consists of the following sequence of events: plant cells rupture and cyanic acid (HCN) forms from cyanogenic glycosides; cattle consume forage with elevated HCN levels; HCN is absorbed from the rumen; HCN binds to hemoglobin; asphyxiation and death occur. Poisoning is most likely after a frost when animals consume the leafy regrowth. Regardless of season, plants less than 18-24 inches tall should not be grazed. Suspect forage should be harvested as dry hay or silage. Both harvest methods tend to reduce hydrocyanic acid levels.

Nitrate poisoning High dietary nitrate levels can overload the animal’s ability to detoxify this chemical and can result in death due to asphyxiation. In the rumen, nitrate is reduced to ammonia, which is absorbed into the bloodstream or converted into microbial protein. High dietary nitrate levels that overload this microbial reduction system cause an accumulation of nitrite in the rumen. This nitrite is then absorbed into the bloodstream where it binds to hemoglobin in place of oxygen. This deprives the tissues of oxygen and causes abortions and asphyxiation.

Sorghums and sudangrasses can accumulate high levels of nitrate during environmental conditions that decrease plant growth rate, including water stress, lack of sunshine and high nitrogen fertilization. Plants usually absorb nitrogen as nitrates and synthesize protein. However, during stress, the synthesis rates decrease and nitrates accumulate. Cattle should not be fed forages with nitrate levels greater than 2 percent. Nitrate analysis can be obtained from numerous commercial laboratories.

Seed availability
Most commercial suppliers of seed carry varieties of sorghums, sudangrasses, BMR sudangrass, hybrid-sudangrasses, and sorghum-sudangrass hybrids, Sorghum-sudangrass BMR, and millets. Check with your local supplier for availability and variety characteristics. Because of low hay carryover from last year’s crop, there will be higher demand for annual forage crops. Michigan State University does not routinely test varieties of annual grasses and therefore does not provide variety recommendations.

Introduction to High Tunnels streaming video available on-line
Liz Maynard
Dept. of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Purdue University

Earlier this spring, Extension at Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State and University of Illinois collaborated to present a program about growing vegetables in high tunnels and hoophouses. The program was recorded live and is now available for viewing as a streaming video. The video along with speaker handouts and links to other references is available at tristateorganic.info under the ‘Hoophouses and High Tunnels’.

Gift to support organic high tunnel research and outreach in Southwestern Minnesota
Jim Riddle
Organic Outreach
University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center (SWROC) is pleased to announce receipt of a $20,000 gift from the Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools (CROPP). CROPP is an organic-farmer-owned cooperative of the Organic Valley Family of Farms products, based in LaFarge, Wisconsin.

The CROPP gift will aid in the initiation of an outreach and research program at SWROC in the use of high tunnels for organic vegetable production. High tunnels are polyethylene-covered, greenhouse-like structures where crops are grown directly in the ground.

Terry Nennich, Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota Regional Extension Center in Crookston, has been investigating the use of high tunnels in Northwest and Central Minnesota for the past five years. According to Nennich, the primary advantage of high tunnels is their ability to increase air and soil temperatures inside the tunnel and thus extend the growing season earlier in the spring and later in the fall. Additional benefits include decreased pest pressures and higher yields.

In Lamberton, CROPP gift funds will be used to aid in set-up, infrastructure, and labor costs for a high tunnel being built in May 2008. This tunnel will be used to begin a program in Southwestern Minnesota in high tunnel organic vegetable production research and demonstration. Gift funds will also help support a symposium on high tunnels at the SWROC in the fall of 2008.

Future plans include the construction of additional high tunnels and the expansion of high tunnel research at Lamberton. Research objectives will likely focus on fertility management, and will be based on experience with the high tunnel in 2008 and discussion generated at the fall symposium.

According to Carmen Fernholz, UMN Organic Research Coordinator, There is a growing market for local and organic produce. Vegetable production in high tunnels could be extremely beneficial to Minnesota and the rest of Upper Midwest where the growing season is short, to help expand the availability of fresh, local produce.

To tour the new high tunnel, attend the UMNs Organic Field Day, to be held July 10, 2008, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM at the SWROC in Lamberton. For updates on the UMNs high tunnel project and other organic agriculture research, visit: www.organicecology.umn.edu

For more information on the project, contact Kelley Belina, UMN Research Fellow, at 507-752-7372 or by sending an email to beli0019@umn.edu

Additional resources about use of high tunnels

For more information on high tunnel production and research, visit:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/source/fall07/fall07-03.html

http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008a/080313NelsonHightunnels.html

http://plasticulture.cas.psu.edu/H-tunnels.html

http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~horteng/hightunnels.htm

http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/manuals/m00173.htm

http://www.hightunnels.org/

http://hcs.osu.edu/news/detail.lasso?id=480

http://www.anrcats.msu.edu/press/050107/052407_plastictunnels.htm

University of Minnesota Field day to highlight organic innovations
Jim Riddle
Organic Outreach
University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota’s Southwest Research and Outreach Center (SWROC) in Lamberton, Minnesota, leads an extensive organic agriculture research and outreach program, exploring the science of organic agriculture. On Thursday, July 10, from 8:00 AM to 4 PM, the Center will hold its annual Organic Field Day to present the latest research-based information about organic no-till production, high tunnel season extension, weed management, cover crops, soil quality, and crop variety selection.

Light refreshments will be served at 8:00 AM. Beginning at 8:30 AM, University of Minnesota faculty and guest researchers will conduct field tours to present ongoing research on weed management strategies, organic soybean planting date and variety trials, corn variety selection, organic no-till production, alternative crop rotations, forage and cover crop establishment, and forage effects on soil quality.

The field tour will feature a demonstration of the SWROCs new roller/crimper, a tool used by organic and conventional farmers for one-pass, no-till incorporation of cover crops at planting. A discussion of organic no-till will be lead by Dr. Patrick Carr of NDSU. There will be a tour of the Centers new high tunnel demonstration facility, which will be used for season extension research for organic vegetable crops. Dr. Paul Porter of the UMN will also be on hand to demonstrate an on-farm oilseed press.

Keynote speaker, Walter Goldstein, Ph.D, is the Research Program Director at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in East Troy, Wisconsin. Dr. Goldstein has worked at the institute since 1986, conducting studies of biodynamic, conventional and organic farming; breeding and developing corn varieties; and leading or assisting in instructional projects for farm planning, biodynamic production, and fertility management. The major focus of his present work is on developing corn hybrids with enhanced nutritional value for organic farmers. The emphasis is on corn with higher contents of carotenoids and essential amino acids such as methionine, to fit the needs of organic poultry production. Dr. Goldstein will discuss his research to breed high-methionine corn varieties.

The field day will include a delicious organic lunch, with plenty of time to network and visit exhibits. The Organic Field Day is free and open to the public. A $5.00 fee will be charged for lunch. If you plan to attend, please register in advance by contacting the SWROC at 507-752-7372 or by sending an email to werne022@umn.edu. For more information, visit: www.organicecology.umn.edu

Wisconsin organic fruit field day
Deirdre Birmingham
Midwest Organic Tree Fruit Growers Network

There will be a field day at Hoch Orchard and Gardens starting on Friday afternoon (June 27) and on Saturday (June 28) from approximately 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on. Registration information will be coming shortly at: http://www.mosesorganic.org/treefruit/intro.htm

There will be three distinct features to this event, each ticketed separately.

   1. Friday afternoon will focus on the new value-added fruit processing
      business at Hoch Orchards, and on markets and pricing.
   2. There will be a special on-farm dinner Friday night at Hoch Orchard
      featuring local and organic products.
   3. Saturday will focus on orchard production.

One can register for one, two, or all three of these options. It should be a special event and rare opportunity to learn from the Hoch's, guest speakers, and all who participate.

Please see the Spring 2008 issue of Just Picked  for more information on Hoch Orchard and visit their website at http://www.hochorchard.com

A farmer’s experience with cover crops
Ivan Morley
Michigan organic farmer

I would like to welcome everyone to the 2008 organic reporting session. The reason I am speaking with you today about cover crops goes back many years. In 1961 I graduated from Standish-Sterling High School, soon to be 47 years ago. I was very active in my ag class, and was sure my ag teacher could do no wrong. I would do anything to please him. He was just starting his career in education and we were lucky to have him.

The summer of 1961 was very similar for other students; getting ready for our careers was the focus. I had signed up to attend the two-year Ag Tech program at MSU in Production Agriculture. As I recall, I came down to East Lansing with my folks to get enrollment information, rooms, to meet other students, and so on. Soon, I was in class, loving every minute of it. We now were in college, no longer high school kids. Soon we would go home on weekends and know more about ag than our friends and sometimes our parents! I’m sure my Dad had no idea in a few short weeks I would know more about ag than he did. Sometimes he didn’t seem to grasp this, and I had to point it out to him. My dad was quite well versed on ag, however, I knew he could see that I had surpassed him. My mother also noted how advanced I had become. They started to realize that after about two months in the ag short course program, I had turned into a brain about most everything. They were sure proud.

Before Christmas that year (1961), my folks had this one-sided conversation with me about my education. They were sure at the speed I was going I would know more than anyone at MSU and outgrow the place. Boy, were they proud!

When I went back to school after the holidays (we had an eight-week session in the fall, and eight weeks in the winter), I signed up to take a class in soils, among others. My soils teacher’s name was Lynn Robertson. His nick-name was Buzz.

Buzz was familiar with high school boys and he soon had our respect. I quickly learned how little I really knew about soils and life in general. We spent a lot of time studying soil life and rotations. He was very big on rotations, and how we would do much better with some form of rotation. Continuous corn was just getting started in the Corn Belt and he told us it would be very expensive and have some long-term effects that would be hard to handle. He turned out to be very right. I didn’t realize it at the time, and had no idea that the information I gained back then would be so valuable today.

About three years ago, I was asked by Dale Mutch from MSU if I would serve on an organic farm study board. I enjoyed coming to the meetings, but was unable to continue as I developed some health problems. In the short time I had with Dale, I became very curious about what would happen if we left cover crops for one additional year instead of plowing or working in during the seeding year. What I was proposing was normally I would inter-seed red clover in oats, wheat and spelt in the spring. Late that fall, I spread chicken or turkey manure and then incorporate this in the soil with the clover. The following spring this would be worked more to finish killing the red clover, then plant corn or soy beans.

During my two-year program, the second year I clipped the clover two times during the growing season. The fields I chose are all from 6-9 acres each, with varied soil types. Two fields are 50’ tiled, the other two have some random tile.

[Mr. Morley included a diagram of the fields he described above, providing notes about the cover crop history of each field.]

Field 1: 9 acres, about ½ heavy clay, ½ sand.
2005: Interseeded spelt in spring, clipped 1 time in fall.
            2006: Clipped twice, worked in fall twice.
            2007:  Planted soys June 9. Very clean.

Field 2:
            2005: Wheat interseeded in spring, clipped 1 time in fall.
            2006:  Clipped twice, worked in fall twice.
            2007: Planted to corn May 24. Cult. June 11. 102 Bu./Acre yield.

Field 3: 6.5 acres.
            2005: Oats with clover. Just clipped oats and clover.
            2006: Clipped field twice, worked in fall.
            2007: Planted to soys June 2. 16 Bu./Acre.

Field 4:
            2005: Spelt interseeded in spring.
            2006: Clipped twice worked fall.
            2007: Planted to soys June 2. Weeds took over, worked down and put to spelt.

Reports from organic growers

Illinois
Northern Illinois – Dave Campbell
Dry weather for most of the past two weeks has allowed me to make some progress in fieldwork. The majority of soybean ground has been plowed, and ground going to corn is 70 percent planted. Planting took place last Friday and Saturday (May 23-24). Cool weather has slowed growth of hay crop considerably. Harvest will take place a week or two later than normal, with first cutting tonnage expected to be below normal, despite more than enough moisture this spring. Oats are looking better, with the exception of low pockets and clay knolls.

One inch of rain this past late Sunday evening, followed by today’s cool, damp and cloudy weather, will set fieldwork behind another three to four days. Today’s forecasted high is 55º. I hope to get back into the field to finish planting corn by Thursday, May 29, and also plan to do the first rotary-hoeing of corn planted late last week sometime between late Wednesday and Friday of this week.

I hope to do some tillage in fields being planted to soybeans later this week. I intend to plant soybeans early in June, probably late in the first week or second week. I plan to rotary hoe all ground being planted to corn, twice. During the week of June 9, I may start cutting/harvesting hay.

Question
I was wondering how the emergence of organic corn has been for others.

West Central Illinois, Fulton County – Anne Patterson of Living Earth Farm
It continued to rain off and on the past week of May 19-26. We had hail, strong winds and cooler temperatures with less drying out. I only got one field worked last week for planting. When the weather is good, there is too much transplanting and direct seeding along with weeding for one person and one part-time employee to do. Some family obligations have kept me out of the field on a few good days. Currently farming practices include:   

    * Twice a week harvesting for e-customers.
    * Transplanting lettuce, pac choi, sweet and hot peppers, sweet potatoes completed as well as all winter squash and some summer squash were just completed.
    * Trying to keep up with the weeds.
    * Re-mulching asparagus aisles

In the next two weeks plans include:

          o Finish transplanting all summer crops/melons, cucumbers, egg plant.
          o Weed, weed. Lots of hand weeding in beds.
          o Mulch all summer crops and finish mulching broccoli plants
          o Transplant Brussels sprouts
          o Plant buckwheat and summer soil builder in spent winter-overed beds of early greens

West Suburban Chicago – Nathan Hutt-Tiwald
After receiving over 3.5 inches (according to our farm’s rain gauge) of rain in the first 10 days of May, we finally did some drying over the last two weeks. Save a few light thundershowers (.2 inches each) we have been able to catch up on tillage and do a fair bit toward catching up on planting and other field operations. Our weather has remained cold with temperatures during the day 5 to 15 degrees below normal and at night dipping into the mid 30’s. We received a pretty good frost on Thursday, May 16 that killed some squash and defoliated about 80 percent of our peppers. We are expecting to get quite cold the next two nights as well and are contemplating putting row covers on as much sensitive crop as possible.

We are catching up with planting and cultivation now that the ground has started to dry out. Weekly we are direct-seeding radishes and at longer intervals green beans, beets, and carrots. We have started to tray-seed our fall brassicas and final rounds of summer squash. We have mostly completed the transplanting of the cold sensitive crops and are holding on top the rest until this cold snap passes. We are also in the middle of installing our deer fencing- one field done and one to go.

Over the next two weeks we will be continuing to transplant summer squash, cucumbers, winter squash, watermelons, head lettuce, Brussels sprouts, and finish the celeriac. We will be doing our final spring tillage and starting to mow down the cover crop on our “resting” fields. We will begin our Bt spraying as the cabbage moths have started to emerge as well as starting to lay out our posts for tomato stringing. Within a week or two the potatoes will also