Daily Dunklin Democrat: Columns: At Your Service

Happy New Year (01/01/12)
Happy New Year and welcome to 2012. It is hard to believe that 2011 is over. Today marks the traditional start of the news year's resolution. One that should be considered is "to do better" at those things which are completed each year. Not only can this resolution make it to the end of the year but it improves as the year moves on, providing a sense of accomplishment as it is attained...

Drought more than skin deep (12/11/11)
I have made a habit to periodically check the US Drought Monitor to see if our abnormally dry condition had changed. I noticed that we were considered to have made it back to normal in the November 29 report. This report is located at http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/...

Pecan Shells (11/20/11)
As the pecan harvest in 2011 moves closer to completion what remains are piles of pecan shells. Whether these shells are available in large quantities from an orchard or in small supply from the backyard some have asked what alternatives there are available other than burning the shells?...

Pros and cons of cellulosic ethanol (10/30/11)
Several weeks ago, I wrote an update on cellulosic ethanol. This is a bio-fuel produced from wood, grasses, or the non-edible parts of plants. While the use of bio-fuels has been controversial, their use is mandated by Congress by the The Energy Policy Act of 2005...

Cover Crops (09/25/11)
Many of us may harvest that last vegetable and then forget about our gardens until spring. We have discussed here that we should be taking soil samples and adding amendments now so that our garden will be ready to go in spring. What else can be done to aid our garden soil?...

More good news about Missouri cotton (09/18/11)
I received a request to review an article from the University of Missouri Alumni Association today about a local cotton producer. I was asked to provide a link for Missouri?s cotton production compared with the other states. One of the references that I found was from a Missouri Department of Agriculture Blog, ?Thinking Outside The Barn.? The featured article was, ?Cotton Crop is Valued in Missouri.? This was posted on September 24, 2010 during the Sustainable Cotton Summit conducted by the University of Missouri?s Textile and Apparel Management Department. ...

Perennial Food Care in Fall (08/28/11)
In the fall you need to do a little extra to make sure your perennial food sources will be healthy once spring comes around again. Let's talk about the perennials asparagus, strawberry and rhubarb. In each case fall clean-up is a must before letting the plant go dormant in fall...

Abnormally dry conditions return to Bootheel (08/07/11)
When the drought broke in our area with the much higher rainfall that we experienced in March and April, I knew with our normal weather patterns that we could be in a rainfall deficit before the end of the cropping season. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor as of August 2, much of our prime cotton region in Missouri is now considered abnormally dry. ...

Bacterial blight alert (07/24/11)
According to the Compendium of Cotton Diseases, Bacterial Blight has been around for over 100 years. This disease is caused by the organism (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Malvacearum). I have seen this disease in the past but I have never seen it cause economic yield loss. ...

Brambles (07/17/11)
Blackberries and raspberries are both brambles from the Genus Rubus and related to the rose. Blackberries are ripe when they lose their shine and raspberries are ripe when they separate at the core. Blackberries are drought tolerant once established but still require regular watering during fruit development. Raspberries are grown in many climates. Both should be fertilized with a complete fertilizer after harvest to ensure good growth and preparation for winter...

Stink Bug and Squash Bug (07/03/11)
Two voracious pests are letting us know they are present in the garden. They have begun to infest many fruits and vegetables around our homes. In each case they leave a great amount of damage. Squash bugs feed on cucurbits such as watermelon, cucumber, squash and pumpkin. ...

Whatever happened to DDT? (06/26/11)
According to Wikipedia, DDT is a chemical with a long, unique and controversial history. It was synthesized in 1874 by a German Chemist, Othmar Zeidler. Its insecticidal properties were not discovered until 1939, by a Swiss chemist, Paul Muller. After he discovered that it killed flies, mosquitoes and other insects...

Flooding has been a game changer this season (05/15/11)
This has been an unusual year and the weather continues to have an impact. According to the Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending May 8, planting of all crops was almost nonexistent for last week. In the Southeast Region, only .1 days was available for fieldwork with the state average of 3.4 percent...

Soil test results show need for soil testing (04/03/11)
A few weeks ago, I received the newsletter from the Plant Protection Program at the University of Missouri. One of the articles was about the Soil Test Summary 2010 for soil samples sent to the university soils labs located at Portageville and Columbia. ...

Extension production and educational meetings (02/20/11)
The beginning of the year is a very busy time for extension agricultural specialists. We attend training, make plans and conduct meetings. At the present time, I am one of three agronomists in the Southeast Region. When I arrived here over 20 years ago, we had nine regional agronomists. Only one of the positions is currently open and that is the position in New Madrid County...

The new harvest, agricultural innovation in Africa (12/10/10)
On August 1, 2009, my article that appeared in the Daily Dunklin democrat was entitled, ?Africa could feed the world.? This was based on two reports. The first report was compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The second was issued jointly by the FAO and the World Bank. This report concluded that 988 million acres straddling 25 African countries are suitable for farming...

Cotton's sustainability and environmental footprint Headline (11/28/10)
As I read many popular news articles, I learn that environmentalists do not like our U.S. crop production systems, our government farm programs, and in particular do not like cotton. By using mechanized equipment, chemicals and synthetic fertilizers U.S. producers are among the most efficient in the world. Compare our production system with the Chinese in which humans provide the labor. I will admit that the Chinese cotton is cleaner since it is all hand harvested...

Will our weather change this winter? (10/31/10)
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, large portions of Dunklin and Pemiscot County are classified as being in the extreme drought category. The remainder of both counties is classified as severe drought. Regardless of how you look at our situation, we are dry. Within the past several weeks, I have been contacted by our state extension climatologist, Pat Guinan, and by the National Weather Service in Memphis regarding our crop situation and what to expect during the winter...

GrandFamily conference scheduled (10/17/10)
A GrandFamily conference has been scheduled for Friday, November 12 at the Pemiscot County Special School District from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The Special School District is located at 1317 W. State Highway 84 near Hayti, Missouri. This is the second conference organized for grandparents...

Grass (09/26/10)
Sometimes the ideas for these articles call to me, literally. I have received many calls in the last week surrounding the main topic of grass. Inquiring individuals want to know what type to grow, when to fertilizer, how to seed it and when to seed...

SE regional crop and climatic update (09/19/10)
This has been such an unusual year. We had spring flooding earlier in the year but we were able to get our crops planted. Then it turned hot and dry. A considerable amount of soil moisture was lost by early July. We were without significant rainfall in much of Dunklin and Pemiscot County until the rains we received last week. While they helped settle the dust for a short period of time and greened up the grass, we still have a long-term moisture deficit...

Farmers selling directly to consumers (09/05/10)
The new Amber Waves e-magazine has been posted to the Internet. This is a publication from the USDA Economic Research Service and can be found at http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/Septe.... One article that caught my attention was ?Urban Areas Prove Profitable for Farmers Selling Directly to Consumers.? This was written by Steven Vogel and Sarah Low. ...

Blame it on the jet stream (08/22/10)
The jet stream on earth is very important because of its impact on climatic changes and because of its impact on commercial aviation. According to the Wikipedia, the jet stream on earth is caused by a combination of the earth?s rotation and solar heating. Information can be found on this phenomenon at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_stream...

Fall Webworm (08/15/10)
Although I would not call it fall, it is still August and it is HOT, I have noticed that fall webworm have begun to build nests and defoliate trees. Fall webworm infests more than 100 different tree species in the United States and Canada including forest, shade and fruit varieties. The most notable sign of an infestation is the large white webs that encompass the tips of trees...

Heat is having an impact on SE Missouri cotton (08/08/10)
According to the Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending August 3rd, our cotton is 24 days ahead of last year and 20 days ahead of normal. The higher temperatures this year have led to a much earlier crop and the loss of yield potential for the non-irrigated cotton. ...

Healthy Yards (08/05/10)
With the lack of water and high temperatures our plants are in stress. The heat of late summer can do as much or more damage to plants as winter ice. How can we better prepare our lawns and plants to withstand severe weather conditions? Soil tests are a great way to begin a healthy relationship with your yard and garden. ...

Problems with Roundup Ready weed control (07/25/10)
On July 14, I attended the Integrated Pest Management Field Day at the University of Missouri's Bradford Research and Extension Center located near Columbia. As one might expect, the primary theme was dealing with weeds that are resistant to the Roundup Ready system in a number of crops. The trails that we saw dealt with soybeans, corn, and grain sorghum. Southeast Missouri is the only area with cotton and rice, so there was no discussion about these crops...

Sow Seeds for the Fall (07/19/10)
For many of you, we are finally beginning to harvest produce from the garden and although the heat and lack of water are causing much concern for our plants, we are enjoying the reward that goes with our labor. Congratulations on your accomplishments...

Japanese Beetle (07/04/10)
Although the Japanese beetle has been in Missouri for over 20 years, it has just recently began showing itself as the highly destructive pest in our landscapes, gardens and orchards. The adult Japanese beetle is about 1 inch round beetle with a green and orange or copper metallic back and black sides with white spots of small hairs. It has a veracious appetite for green vegetation and does not differentiate between herbaceous ornamentals, fruit, vegetables or trees...

Weather still impacting our cotton (06/27/10)
The Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending June 20 contains both good and bad news. Cotton squaring has reached 47 percent which is 14 days ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of normal. We now have blooms on some plants and when blooms appear it is considered the day that the bolls begin to set. Cotton condition is rated 7 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 64 percent good, and 3 percent excellent...

Climate factors affect cotton production (06/13/10)
In talking with many people in the last few weeks, I realize how fortunate that we have been in Missouri during this planting season. According to the Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending June 6, our percentage of fields with squares is six percent which is 16 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. ...

Flea Beetle (06/06/10)
Now that the heat has arrived the garden plants are growing like weeds. If you are like me you have been fighting against the weeds in your garden and working to keep fungi from taking over during the wet weather. Instead of fungi, how many of you have had your vegetable plants mutilated by many small holes, sometimes referred to as 'shot hole' in their leaves?...

Eastern Red Cedar (05/23/10)
While many of us might consider the Eastern Red Cedar a "weed tree", when fully grown the tree, which is actually a juniper, can be a great part of a landscape. One of the best attributes of the tree is the ability to block unwanted views both in summer and winter or to function as a hardy wind break...

Missouri can be proud of 2009 cotton crop (05/17/10)
I received the May 12, 2010 Cotton and Wool Report from the USDA on Wednesday. I was very pleased with the information that it contained. Table 11 of this 17 page on-line report gives the final acreage, yield, and production figures for 2009. This report is located here at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/cur......

Winds help dry soils after rain (05/02/10)
According to the Missouri Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending April, 25 we are about where we were last year. We are two days ahead of last year but about 2 days behind normal. A look back at last season, we had a good start, but the rains set in. We were behind all planting season and the crop did not catch up with our heat units until late in the season...

Large patch on Zoysia (04/25/10)
For those who have zoysia or bermuda grass lawns, be aware spring and fall are good times to look for rhizoctonia large patch. Although it can attack bermuda grass, large patch is usually more of a problem for zoysia grass. Large patch disease creates large brown spots in the lawn that will increase in size as they age. ...

Lawn Care (04/11/10)
Green grass is sometimes an elusive desire of those who manage their own lawns. Many problems that are seen in lawns are a result of poor mowing or improper fertilizer applications. If signs of disease show up in a lawn the causes usually happen earlier in the year...

Mississippi River Basin Initiative (03/28/10)
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that money would be available to improve the water quality in the Mississippi River Basin. The Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) will provide approximately $320 million over the next four years for voluntary projects in priority watersheds located in 12 key states. ...

Spring is upon us (03/21/10)
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack recently announced that money would be available to improve the water quality in the Mississippi River Basin. The Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) will provide approximately $320 million over the next four years for voluntary projects in priority watersheds located in 12 key states. ...

The future of biopesticides (01/10/10)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a link on their website entitled, ?What are Biopesticides? This link explains that they are pesticides derived from natural materials as animals, plants, bacteria, and certain minerals. For example, canola and baking soda have pesticidal applications and are considered biopesticides. Another biopesticide that is very frequently sold for roaches, ants, and fleas is boric acid...

Holiday Plants (12/20/09)
One of the most popular plants that we see this time of year is the Poinsettia. Many are sent as gifts to family members or to businesses with the idea that they will sit out for 1-2 months and then be tossed into the garbage with all the other disposable decorations. The truth is that you can keep a poinsettia alive all year and use it again for the next winter season...

Removal of government controls impact peanut and tobacco markets (11/29/09)
An article in the December 2009 Amber Waves e-magazine produced by the USDA Economic Research Service got my attention. This article is entitled, ?Removal of Government Controls Opens Peanut and Tobacco Sectors to Market Forces,? and it was written by Erik Dohlman, Linda foreman, and Michelle Da Pra. The whole article can be found online at http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/Decem......

Sweet or Sour (11/08/09)
The story I remember as a child was that my father talked my mother into eating a persimmon in September and because of that one taste, she won't eat them to this day. Sour (pucker your lips sour) is what a persimmon tastes like when it has not ripened. Pick one up from the ground that is soft to the touch and orange in color and you will bite into a sweet little fruit unlike anything you normally get from the store...

GrandFamily conference scheduled (10/18/09)
The theme of the conference is ?Sharing and Caring, Challenges and Triumphs; Resources for Relatives Raising Children.? The conference is free, but pre-registration is required to insure adequate seating, materials and lunch. To register, you may call Jackie Dover at 1-800-392-8771. Or you fill out a registration form on the brochure and mail to SEMO Area on Aging, 1219 N. Kingshighway, Suite 100, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. The registration deadline is November 3rd...

'MUMS' the word (09/27/09)
Fall is officially here. If you didn't know it by the date then you might know it by the sight of chrysanthemum's blooming in your neighbor's yard. What is it that makes this plant so loved by many? Chrysanthemum means "golden flower", from the greek chryos, meaning gold and anthos, meaning flower. ...

Walk and Roll 2009 (09/06/09)
University of Missouri Extension's mission is to provide educational opportunities to help our citizens. The broad areas of concerns are related to Human Environmental Science, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 4-H and Youth, Community Development, Business Development, and Continuing Education...

At Your Service
At Your Service

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