NCDA&CS Reports

Beginning Nov. 1, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will no longer routinely mail out paper copies of agronomic reports. This policy will apply to reports for soil tests and nematode assays, as well as plant tissue, waste, solution and soilless media analyses.

All these reports are readily available through the NCDA&CS Agronomic Division’s Web site, www.ncagr.gov/agronomi.

“By making the switch to electronic-only reports, the NCDA&CS will work within its limited budget to save significantly on postage, printing and paper costs,” said Dr. Colleen Hudak-Wise, director of the Agronomic Division. “Although environmental and fiscal benefits are driving this change, clients should also see increases in convenience and efficiency. Online reports are available to clients faster than mailed reports and make record keeping much easier.”

“Copies can be easily downloaded and saved, and the analytical data can be exported into spreadsheet format,” Hudak-Wise said.

Eventually, the NCDA&CS would like to notify all clients via e-mail when their reports are available online. Clients who provide a valid e-mail address on their sample information form, or who register an e-mail address with the Agronomic Division online, can receive electronic notification. In the interim, all other clients will receive a postcard with instructions on how to find their reports.

Clients who visit the Agronomic Division home page should select the “Find Your Report” link from the left-column navigation bar. This link takes visitors into the division’s laboratory-information site, known as PALS. For most people, using the “Quick Report Search” link is the most convenient way to access reports.

Basic instructions are outlined at www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/reportsearch.htm. Anyone who has difficulty using the PALS report-search feature or has questions can call (919) 733-2655 for assistance during regular weekday office hours.

Cutflower Production Workshop

Are you interested in adding cut flower production to your operation?
Are you currently growing cut flowers and looking for the latest
production information? The NC Cooperative Extension Service, McDowell
Center is offering a program on cut flower production for small growers.
The program will be held on Thursday, October 22nd, at 2:00 pm in the
Extension Conference room, 60 East Court Street in Marion NC.

Craig Adkins, Extension Area Specialized Agent - Commercial Horticulture
will be speaking on all aspects of cut flower production including, site
selection, species selection, fertilization, pest control and more.
Meredith McKissick, of Sweet Earth Flower Farm will be speaking about
her experience growing and marketing cut flowers. Meredith has
experience growing flowers and marketing them at tailgate markets and
for weddings and other events. She will also be talking about 3-5
different annual cuts that can be easily grown for each spring, summer,
and fall.

This program is free but pre registration is required by calling the
Extension Office at 652-8104 or by emailing Jane McDaniel at
Jane_McDaniel@ncsu.edu by October 20th. For additional information
please call 828-652-8104.

Burning Guidelines: Part II

Below is the section of the memorandum of understanding between DENR and NCDA&CS that pertains to burning of Christmas tree and nursery plants and plant parts.

Christmas Tree. Nursery and Ornamental Burning

Open burning of Christmas trees, ornamental trees, shrubs, and other misc. ornamental
plants, and annual prunings from these trees and shrubs, is considered an acceptable
agricultural practice by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer
Services. This applies to all commercial Christmas tree farms, nurseries and
greenhouses that grow these plants. Burning will kill many primary insect and disease
pests that live in this wood and pose a hazard for nearby Christmas trees, nursery and
greenhouse crops. Burning is recommended in a timely manner to prevent the spread of
these insect and disease pests to healthy trees, shrubs, and other ornamental
plants. Piling, mulching or transferring to landfill increases the risk of spreading
disease. Any burning with prevailing winds towards a public road should be a minimum
of 250 feet from the edge of the public road. No burning is allowed within 1,000 feet of
another property owner's occupied structure without a signed written waiver at the time
of the burn from the property owner(s) within the 1,000 feet boundary. Such a waiver
must be approved by the Division of Air Quality Regional Supervisor in the respective
area prior to the burn being initiated.

Burning Guidelines

The memorandum of understanding between the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Division of Air Quality and the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services sets guidelines for acceptable burning at farms, primarily to control diseases or pests as well as some crop residues. Although it remains illegal to burn man-made materials, the state open burning rule allows some exceptions for the burning of plant materials — such as land-clearing and acceptable agricultural practices.

The following website is a news release from NCDA&CS announcing the burn law. You can also get a free brochure from the Division of Air Quality describing what can and cannot be burnt.

http://www.agr.state.nc.us/paffairs/release/2009/8-09agburning.htm

http://www.ncair.org.

Weed Update

Weeds don't take holidays.

While we are thinking about a holiday trip to the mountains or the coast -- weeds are going to keep doing what they do best -- reproducing. Summer annual weeds are going to seed with wild abandon. Although you cannot stop seed production you can sure reduce the amount of seeds produced by controlling summer annuals now. While herbicides like glyphosate work on mature weeds, the time it takes to die from glyphosate treatments will allow a lot of seeds to mature before plants succumb to the inevitable.

Fall applications work better you say?
I had a salesman once try to explain to me how bentazon (Basagran TO) worked really well on Yellow Nutsedge in early Fall. My response was -- "well, so does frost". Seriously, nutsedge has been making tubers for months but it is still a good idea to kill what you still have to prevent even more tubers from forming. Nutsedge can be controlled by glyphosate or glufosinate or bentazon But please, next year resolve to get serious about nutsedge earlier in the season.

Fall applications of glyphosate do work better on many perennial weeds. In particular, deciduous woody weeds are generally well controlled with late summer or early fall applications of glyphosate. But, you often don't see the results until next spring when plants begin to grow -- ahh, then the fun begins. New growth, if it occurs, will be stunted, malformed, and yellowed. Plants usually die back but often will start new growth after a time. When this occurs, treat again with an appropriate herbicide such as glyphosate or triclopyr for the one--two punch that knocks your weeds flat.

But don't forget to plan ahead --
Winter weeds have already started to emerge in some areas, so get your preemergence herbicide applications out soon to prevent winter annuals like henbit, chickweed and annual bluegrass from turning your Thanksgiving celebration into another gardening labor day.

Joseph C. Neal
Professor and Extension Specialist -- Weed Science
Department of Horticultural Science

Fall Twig Aphid Control

Fall is normally not the time when growers are considering doing treatments for Balsam Twig Aphids. That is until a few growers got to experimenting with treatments and found that a fall treatment might just prevent them from having to treat the following spring when they are busy with other chores. That would be great in a year like this one where it was raining every other day and growers couldn’t find a good time to spray for twig aphids. It appears that the window for making these fall twig aphid treatments is wide open. Growers can start with treatments during August, September or October. Even treatments later in the year may work. The insecticide that seems to be working the best is Talstar. Growers will still need to scout for twig aphids, rust mites and spider mites in the spring, but this could be a good alternative to a calendar based application. To learn more about these fall applications, plan to attend the Mitchell Co. Christmas Tree Growers’Assn. meeting on September 14th.

Tree Farm Event

Here is a terrific event for private forest landowners.

To: Forest Landowners

From: Daniel Smith, County Extension Director

Subject: Tree Farm Meeting in McDowell County

The North Carolina Tree Farm Program of the American Tree Farm System announces a private forest landowner’s workshop at BSA Camp Grimes on Vein Mountain Road, in Dysartsville NC. The workshop will be on Thursday, September 17, 2009 from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M.

The morning session will feature speakers on sustainable forestry practices and wildlife habitat, non-timber forest products and a panel discussion of working family forest conservation easements. 2008 National Tree Farmer of the Year, Dr. Bob Cooper of Forsyth County, NC, will be the featured luncheon speaker.

Following a complimentary lunch workshop attendees will tour the managed forest on the Scout Camp, which has been certified by the American Tree Farm System as a NC Tree Farm. The afternoon forest tour will feature field discussions of both pine and hardwood management practices, improving habitat for wildlife, developing recreational opportunities in the forest and protecting water quality in forestry operations. Transportation for the field tour will be provided. The workshop is provided free of charge courtesy of the North Carolina Tree Farm Program and local supporters.

Call the NC Cooperative Extension Service office in McDowell County at 828-652-8104 or by email at Jane_McDaniel@ncsu.edu to register for the workshop. Registration is free. The cut-off date for advance registration is Monday, September 14, 2009.

Directions: From I-40 Exit 86 take NC 226 south. Go south approximately 8 miles to Club House Road. Turn right and then turn slight right on to Vein Mountain Road, and go 0.3 miles to the camp entrance on the left.

For Additional Information Contact:
Jim Sitts
Columbia Forest Products
Old Fort, NC
828-724-4191 ext. 2205
jsitts@cfpwood.com

Mitchell Co. Business Survey

We need your help! North Carolina Cooperative Extension is a collaborative member of the Improving Mitchell County Business Survey Project. Businesses of all types are being asked to provide information that can be used to help improve existing businesses as well as help to create an environment conducive to new businesses. Agriculture is a critically important business in the county and regardless of how small or large your operation is we are asking that you complete the survey at http://tinyurl.com/lwpd6p. The AMY Regional Library is coordinating the data gathering so if you have any questions at all, please call Dan Barron at 828-682-4476 or director@amyregaioanlibrary.org.

The project is a collaborative effort of the Mitchell County Economic Development Commission's Mitchell County Certified Entrepreneurial Community Committee, Toe River Economic Alliance, NC Cooperative Extension, Mitchell County Chamber of Commerce, Mayland Community College's Small Business Center, Toe River Arts Council (TRAC), AMY Regional Library, HandMade in America, Spruce Pine Main Street and Bakersville Merchants' Association.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Ag Option Grants

Grants totaling $225,000 are available to Western North Carolina farmers who are diversifying or expanding their operations in 2010. Managed by the NC Cooperative Extension County Centers in the West District, the WNC Ag Options Program works with producers who demonstrate ways to increase farm income to other transitioning farmers, particularly
tobacco growers. WNC Ag Options works in partnership with RAFI-USA’s Tobacco Communi-
ties Reinvestment Funds and the NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission sponsors the program.
“This grant opportunity is an excellent resource to help offset the financial risk for farmers wanting to expand their operations or diversify into crops they may not be very familiar with,” said Ross Young, Madison County Extension Director. “The success of small family farms is the focus of this project. By providing financial assistance, this project is enabling farms to
create more sustainable farming enterprises, which will have a long-term effect on the economy as well as farmland preservation.” Interested applicants should see the agricultural agents at their local Cooperative Extension Center by Nov. 23, and can visit http://mitchell.ces.ncsu.edu/ to download an application. Projects should increase the sale of farm products and lead to the long-term sustainability of the farm business. The postmark deadline for applications is January 8, 2010.

White Clover Seeding

Fall is a good time to establish white clover in your Christmas tree or ornamental fields. Below are a few tips to get your clover started off right.

▪ Seeding dates are August 15– September 15.
▪ Apply a herbicide 1-7 days before seeding. This is to cut down on the competition once the seeds germinate.
▪ Find and purchase white Dutch clover ONLY. Figure on a rate of 15 lbs. per acre.
▪ Inoculate Clover - You will need to inoculate the seed by following this process: Measure out one gallon of clover seed with measuring cup, pour into 5 gallon bucket. Add 1 & 1/2 tablespoons of soft drink to the bucket of clover seed and stir well. Measure 1/4 cup of inoculant and add to the wet clover. Stir again, mixing well to coat all the seed with inoculant.
▪ Using the Spreader: Pre-set a Earthway 3100 spreader between the #6 and #7 setting, then close the trigger. Empty the one gal. of inoculated seed into spreader. Walking at a comfortable but steady pace, open the trigger and start down the second row in the field. The spreader should throw a 12-foot wide pattern, covering three rows, one to your left, the one you are walking in and one to your right.
▪ Calibration: After you empty the spreader with the first gallon of seed, stop and step off the area you have just seeded. Get the length and width footage, then using your calculator, multiply one by the other and get the square footage covered. This first gallon of seed will weigh between 8 & 10 lbs. and should cover somewhere between 20,000 & 25,000 sq. ft. This would put you between 15 and 20 lbs. per acre and that is close enough. If your square footage covered is not between 20,000 & 25,000 sq. ft., adjust lightly the setting on the spreader and do another gallon of seed until you are satisfied. Periodically, recheck
your calibration.

Fall seeding should result in emergence within three weeks and growth of 3-6 inches before cold weather sets in. If the pre-seeding herbicide treatment was successful you shouldn’t have any weed competition at all during the remainder of the fall season. You can begin chemical mowing rates, 8 oz. of Roundup, in the spring when needed.

Farm Expo

The Ashe and Alleghany Counties Cooperative Extensions, the Ashe and Alleghany Counties Christmas Tree and Cattlemen’s Associations and the NC Dept. of Agriculture are hosting an all inclusive Farm Expo on Saturday, August 29 from 12:30 p.m. until dark at the Upper Mountain Research Station in Laurel Springs, NC. The 2009 Farm Expo will highlight research projects at the Upper Mountain Research Station, farm diversification opportunities, and have vendors showing off new farm equipment, conservation opportunities, farm related funding, area banks and many other for profit and non-profit agricultural services. Farmers interested in attending this Farm Expo should contact the Mitchell County Extension Center at 688-4811 by August 14.

Elongate Hemlock Scale

Elongate Hemlock Scale is a relatively new pest of Fraser fir in Mitchell County, but it seems to be spreading pretty rapidly. This time of year the crawler stage of the insect crawls around to new needles and begins sucking plant sap and producing new covers. The crawlers are very tiny and yellow. The insects feeding turns the needles yellow and continues to enlarge the scale coverings. The female coverings are elongated, parallel sided and light to dark brown. The male coverings are white. When they mature, the male insects emerge from beneath the coverings and fly to the wingless covered females. They mate and the fertilized female produces eggs under her scale cover. The scale covers are waxy and may be so numerous that the needles have a whitewashed appearance.

Treatment for this pest runs through the month of August. The combination of Asana XL+ Dimethoate has seemed to give the best control. Most of the scales are on the interior of the tree, so excellent coverage is very important. Growers with only a few trees infested with Elongate Hemlock Scale may be able to get control by doing spot treatments. Consult your local Cooperative Extension Agent to help make this treatment decision.