Growing (September 2014) by Mid-Valley Media

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #107 Albany, OR

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014

Old Armory, Fourth & Lyon, Albany, Oregon 97321, Phone 541-967-3871

VOL. XXXIV No. 7

PICKLE PROWESS T

Interest sparks in the ancient art of fermentation BY MARY STEWART

he home garden harvest is on. Are you wondering what to do with your bounty of beans, cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and zucchinis? OSU Extension Master Food Preserver Lyn McGuire says, "Pickle them!" Lyn is a "go to" volunteer expert on fermented foods in the local area. "The ancient food preservation method of fermentation encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria that develops flavor, and deters the growth of pathogenic organisms that spoil food," explains Janice Gregg, OSU Extension Faculty for Family and Community Health in Linn County. The earliest record of fermentation dates back as far as 6000 B.C. in the Fertile Crescent according to Robin Foroutan, MS, RD - and nearly every civilization since has included at least one fermented food in its culinary heritage. From Korean kimchi and Indian chutneys to the ubiquitous sauerkraut, yogurt and cheese, global cultures have crafted unique flavors and traditions around fermentation.

Safety Factor "There is a growing interest in fermentation and other food preservation, and you want to make sure you are doing it right," says Lyn. As an OSU Extension

Master Food Preserver, Lyn teaches residents how to preserve foods safely. "If you have a low acid vegetable, such as beans or carrots, and you don't preserve it correctly, you can get botulism and that can kill you," says Lyn. Low acid vegetables have to be pickled in order to safely process them in a water bath. Lyn advises preservers to always use tested recipes. "New safety practices have been adopted, so recipes published before 1990 may not be totally safe," she points out.

PHOTOS

MARY STEWART

Master Food Preserver Lyn McGuire is an expert on fermenting foods, including pickled pearl onions.

A Taste for Fermentation Lyn discovered her passion for pickling when she took her training as an OSU Extension Master Food Preserver in 2012. "For some reason the fermenting and the pickling just grabbed my fancy," she says. At public education sessions, such as "Preserve the Harvest," she demonstrates how to make sauerkraut or other fermented novelties, and offers an extensive tasting table of fermented foods. "Last year I made shrubs," says Lyn. A shrub is not a bush, but fruit syrup, preserved with

vinegar and mixed with water or alcohol. The oldfashioned favorite high in Vitamin C was taken to sea by Colonial-era sailors to prevent scurvy. Shrubs have made a comeback, especially on cocktail menus. Making shrub syrup at home is a fun way to preserve any seasonal fruit. In addition to drinks, you can use the brightly flavored syrup in salad dressings, as a glaze for meats, or add a splash to homemade jam. See the article on shrubs in the enclosed Food Supplement. To learn more about Fermentation: â&#x20AC;˘ The OSU Extension Service website http://extenSee PICKLES on page 3

SEPT/OCT 2014

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

OSU Linn County Extension

office is moving! The rumors you have heard are true. The OSU Linn County Extension office will be moving in the near future. We don't have an exact date yet - some minor remodeling will need to happen first - but planning has begun to tackle the daunting task of moving from a location that we have been at since the 70s. Our new facility will be located at 33630 McFarland Rd, Tangent (former site of the Farm Service Agency and NRCS offices). We are excited about the move and hope that our folks in east Linn County and those in south Linn County will like the convenience of being located right off HWY 34 and 99. And maybe best of all, parking will be plentiful! Stay tuned for more details.

Summer Garden Club members visit their watermelon patch at Sunrise Elementary School in Albany.

GENERATION WHY? BY IRIS CARRASCO

SNAP ED NUTRITION PROGRAM

e live in an instant gratification culture where, if we wait in line too long or our internet shopping package is backordered, we quickly show signs of panic or low tolerance of being made to wait. Why is that? I am not sure (don't freak out) but I would like to suggest the simple act of gardening to help reduce the amount of anxiety, frustration, and blame we experience when things don't go our way. Of course, this expectation of "Now, now, now," is a very generation X point of view. For generation Y or Z, there is still hope. The research shows acres of reasons why tweens or young children should garden. Gardening provides a variety of engagement for children, including designing, planting, and maintaining gardens; harvesting, preparing, and sharing food; working cooperatively in groups; learning about

science and nutrition; and creating art and stories inspired by gardens. I can continue to quote research article after research article as to the benefits of children gardening. For example, "Third, fourth and fifth grade students who participated in school gardening activities scored significantly higher on science achievement tests than students who did not experience any gardenbased learning activities," (Klemmer, Waliczek,& Zajicek, 2005). However, research only goes so far. I have worked at OSU Extension as a Nutrition Educator for the past six years, and in that time I have observed that kids in the garden is just plain brilliant. Kids' gardening is economical and provides endless educational possibilities that continue into adulthood. I have observed: • kids become leaders and have helped guide this growth • provided exposure to new tastes of fruits and vegetables • fashioned socially challenged

kids to befriend anything from ladybugs to a first BFF (best friend forever) • empowered students to problem solve among themselves and present their creative answers to their peers • practiced with kids a food harvest for food security's sake • community building • watched kids as they enjoyed the physical activity and hard work of completing a project from beginning to end • have always been challenged to lead by example Lastly, gardening teaches kids (and me) that greatness does not happen instantly. Time is required because there is personal growth that happens in the process of all this amazing learning. When kids learn this lesson about patience, it can be applied to every aspect of their lives. You can find many reasons why kids should be in the garden learning, but the fun is in letting kids discover it for themselves and then having them tell you why.

GROWING Extending knowledge and changing lives GROWING is a monthly publication owned and administered by the Linn County Extension Association, a 501(c)(3) federal income tax exempt organization. The Albany Democrat-Herald, under a contract with the Linn County Extension Association, prints GROWING. Content of GROWING is furnished by Linn County Extension Association members, Linn County Extension service agents

and other organizations that contract with Linn County Extension Association to print a newsletter for their constituencies. Advertising is provided by the Albany Democrat-Herald and does not reflect any product endorsement by the above Association, Agents or Service. The Albany Democrat-Herald is located at 600 Lyon St., S.W., Albany, Oregon. Telephone 541-926-2211.

EXTENSION OFFICE HOURS The Linn County office of the OSU Extension Service is located in the Old Armory Building on the courner of Fourth Avenue and Lyon Street in Albany. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Phone 541-967-3871. Seed Certification phone 541-967-3810. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION FACULTY AND PROGRAM ASSISTANTS SERVING LINN COUNTY 4-H Youth Development — Robin Galloway 541-967-3871 x 2399 CA Field Crops — Clare Sullivan 541-967-3871 x2394 CA Livestock & Forages — Shelby Filley* 541-672-4461 CA Orchard & Berry Crops — Ross Penhallegon* 541-344-1709 CA Small Farms — Melissa Fery* 541-766-6750 CA Small Farms — Amy Garrett* 541-766-6750 Community Horticulture — Brooke Edmunds 541-967-3871 Family & Community Health (FCH) — Janice Gregg 541-967-3871 x 2830 Community Horticulture — Pami Opfer 541-967-3871 x 2836 FCH Oregon Family Nutrition Program (OFNP) — Tina Dodge Vera 541-967-3871 x 2392 FCH OFNP — Adejoke Babatunde 541-967-3871 FCH OFNP — Iris Carrasc• 541-967-3871 FCH OFNP — Leonor Chavez 541-967-3871 FCH OFNP — Ana Lu Fonseca 541-967-3871 Forestry, Natural Resources — Brad Withrow-Robinson* 541-967-3871 ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT SERVING LINN COUNTY Office Manager — Rosemary Weidman 541-967-3871 x 2396 Office Specialist — Laurie Gibson 541-967-3871 x 2391 Office Specialist — Michele Webster 541-967-3871 County Leader — Robin Galloway 541-967-3871 Regional Administrator — Derek Godwin 541-967-3871 Communications, editor -— Mary Stewart 541-967-3871 SEED CERTIFICATION** Doug Huff, Tamara Fowler

541-967-3810

LINN COUNTY EXTENSION FAX NUMBER: 541-967-9169 LINN COUNTY EXTENSION WEB SITE: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn Laurie Gibson

GROWING MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Robin Galloway Mary Stewart, Editor

Kate Schell

LINN COUNTY EXTENSION ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS Kent Burkholder Joy Chase Melissa Corrick Peter Kennagy Rich Little Tess Cersovski Tim Rice Jess Ropp Al Severson Sheryl Casteen Oregon State University offers educational programs, activities and materials — without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and disabled veterans or Vietnam-era veteran status — as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Oregon State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Linn County Extension Association President, Joy Chase

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http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

SEPT/OCT 2014

Autumn at the Extension office BY JOY CHASE LCEA PRESIDENT

s summer starts to slowly fade into autumn, our activities are also changing. The Linn County Extension Office is here to help. Below are just a few examples of services offered by the folks at Linn County Extension. Many residents are canning or preserving vegetables from their gardens. The Extension Office has publications on all types of food preservation, from canning seafood to pickling vegetables.Staff can test your pressure canner gauge to make sure it is

safe. There is a Food Safety and Preservation Hotline staffed by Master Food Preserver volunteers that is available through October 17 at 1-800-354-7319. Gardeners can find help at the Extension Office to prepare the garden and yard for winter. Master Gardener volunteers can provide information on pruning, fertilizing, pest control, watering, maintenance, and cleanup. Along with schools, 4-H starts a new year. Youth development programs include animal projects, art, cake decorating, ceramics, photography, foods and nutrition, knitting and sewing, gardening, shooting sports, forestry, sci-

ONLINE • OSU Extension Disaster Preparedness site: http://extension. oregonstate.edu/tough_ times/emergency/ natural-disasters • Ready.Gov: www.Ready.Gov • Red Cross: redcross.org/prepare ence projects, and many more. The Extension Office can help with information about projects and what clubs are available. September is National Preparedness Month and FEMA asks us to "Be A

Force of Nature" when it comes to being prepared. From past events, we have learned that during large emergencies or disasters, the law enforcement, fire departments, and rescue units can only reach and help so many people. It also takes time for State and Federal agencies and other organizations to respond. The most important step all of us can take in helping responders is to be able to take care of ourselves and those in our neighborhood. The more we are prepared, the quicker the community will recover. For more information, you can contact your local governmental agency.

LCEA Scholarship Winners Announced To encourage higher education, the Linn County Extension Association provides financial scholarships for local youth to attend colleges.

The recipients for the 2014 academic year have been chosen. They are: • Garret Sims, Harrisburg • Michael Tolle, Sweet Home,

• Katie Virtue, Sweet Home, • Jennifer Minten, Scio; and • Katie Smith, Brownsville. Congratulations!

JOIN LCEA! YES, I want to support the Linn County Extension Association. Here is my annual membership donation. Name______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address____________________________________________________________________________________________ City____________________________________________________ Zip____________ Phone______________________ Email_________________________________________________ ___$250 Sponsor ___$100 Benefactor ____$50 Sustaining Member ____$25 Contributing $______ Any amount Make checks payable to “Linn County Extension Association,” P.O. Box 1851, Albany, Oregon 97321

PHOTO

MARY STEWART

A few pickled items.

PICKLES Continued from page 1

sion.oregonstate.edu/community/foodpreservation, includes links to several online food preservation publications. • OSU Extension publication, Pickling Vegetables PNW 355, is available hard copy $3.00 in the Extension office or free online. • OSU Extension booth at Albany Farmers Market - September 13, October 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 4th & “THE INFORMATION Ellsworth FROM OSU Streets, Albany; advice, EXTENSION KEEPS samples, and YOU SAFE, AND recipes. THAT’S THE REALLY • OSU Extension Food BIG THING.” Preservation LYN MCGUIRE, Hot Line. OSU EXTENSION 800-354MASTER FOOD 7319, M-F, 9 PRESERVER a.m.-4 p.m. through OcVOLUNTEER tober 17.

Clare Sullivan 541-967-3871 x2394 clare.sullivan@oregonstate.edu

Commercial Agriculture

Field Crops

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

SEPT/OCT 2014

2014 Fall OSU

JUMPING

Extension Seed Crop & Cereal Production

MEETINGS Tuesday September 16 8:30 a.m.-noon - Roth's Hospitality Center, 1130 Wallace Rd, West Salem 1:30-5 p.m. - Linn County Fair and Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Rd, Albany Wednesday September 17th 8:30 a.m.-noon - Forest Grove Elks Lodge, 2810 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove • Special Guest Phil Rolston, Senior Seed Researcher from New Zealand, will be speaking on the Ryegrass 4000 Model to increase yields in perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. • Managing grass weeds in wheat and seed crops - Andy Hulting OSU Weeds Specialist • Survey of Septoria tritici fungicide resistance - Christina Haggerty, OSU Graduate Student • Choosing winter wheat varieties, 2014 fungicide and PGR data Mike Flowers OSU Cereals Specialist 3 ODA Pesticide Recertification Credits will be available.

IN WITH BOTH FEET New extension agent hopes to help growers get the most out of their farms PHOTO

CLARE SULLIVAN

Stacked bales of straw residue from an annual ryegrass field.

ello there! My name is Clare Sullivan and I am the new Field Crops Extension Agent for the Southern Willamette Valley — perhaps more commonly known as "the new Mark Mellbye." I have been in my position for just over two months, having moved to the Willamette Valley from Abbotsford, BC. Yes, I am Canadian and apparently I do pronounce 'ou' differently. Arriving on the job at harvest I certainly hit the ground running, but it seems to have been a blessing. I learned so much about the local cropping systems in just a couple of months by wit-

nessing grass seed, wheat, meadowfoam, radish, mint, and clover harvest first hand. Having the opportunity to walk through seed cleaning facilities and watch mint being distilled was really fascinating. I have also had the chance to visit Eastern Oregon, and surveyed the Willamette Valley from the sky — it has been a busy couple of months! My Extension responsibilities cover Linn, Benton, and Polk counties, and I have really enjoyed getting to know these areas. Since arriving I have spent most of my time meeting farmers and soaking up production information. The

agricultural community has been extremely welcoming and engaged. Growers have extended invitations or been open to me just inviting myself over, and have shared time out of their busy schedules to show me around. From farm to farm I have visited with growers in windrowers, combines, trucks (as they wait for some invariable emergency!), warehouses, and my personal favorite — over harvest meals. In addition to getting to know each other, the visits have given me a chance to survey farmers' needs and find out what they want from Extension.

There is no shortage of common challenges amongst growers: slugs, problematic grass weeds, voles, need for rotational crops, assistance with public relations… to name a few. Growers in the Valley seem excited to have a fresh set of eyes in the field, and expect Extension to support them through innovative research and the dissemination of information. There is a strong history of collaborative research between OSU and local industry that I plan to continue while tackling these challenges. I have met with OSU researchers, agricultural chemical distributors, and seed council

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

SEPT/OCT 2014

SOUTH VALLEY CROP NOTES General Sep/Oct management:

PHOTOS

CLARE SULLIVAN

Above: Meadowfoam being combined and transferred to a bankout wagon. At left: Swaths of mint being chopped and collected, to be brought to the distillery and made into peppermint oil.

representatives, and am really looking forward to working together on creative solutions for farmers. This fall I will be busy meeting more growers, attending Farm Bureau and commission meetings, and working with on-farm research. I am looking for grower cooperators interested in wheat variety and weed control trials, and will be partaking in slug research trials. I am also part of the fall Extension meetings September 16 &17, in Albany, Salem, and Forest Grove. The meetings will be a great opportunity to hear about recent research findings and a nice chance to meet more growers. As I settle into this position I will be thinking of longer-term ways I can serve growers' needs through my expertise and interests. My background is in soil and nutrient management, and I am very interested in integrative approaches to address issues creatively. I hope to work with farmers interested in longer-term rotational projects and explore some new crop ideas. I also come from a Valley with a very tight urban/rural interface and have experience dealing with challenges that arise in such environments. I am interested in exploring new ways to bridge

communication between urban residents and farmers, in addition to staying involved in organizations such as Summer Ag Institute and Oregon Women for Agriculture. I have just begun to tap into the vast knowledge that exists in this Valley, and am excited to develop my professional network. All in all I am very happy in my new position and with the move to Oregon. I have been surfing at the coast, camping in the mountains, floating the rivers, and had family visitors I got to show off around the Valley. Returning recently from a visit to Canada, it felt surprisingly good to be welcomed by the familiar smells of grass and mint harvest — a good sign I think. That is not to say I do not miss home… I continue to welcome any family dinner invites! My home office is in the Linn County Extension office in Albany. Feel free to drop by or contact me by telephone/email: 541-967-3871 or e-mail Clare.Sullivan@oregonstate.edu. I would love to hear from you with questions, concerns, interests, opportunities you see, or to come out and learn about your farming operation!

• Test soil pH and lime as needed. Watch for pH stratification in no-till fields. • Monitor soil test P and K levels, especially if removing straw. • Aim for timely burndowns of weeds prior to planting. Efficacy of herbicides increases when plants are actively growing after some moisture (0.5-1" rain). • Begin scouting fields for slugs, European crane fly, black cutworms, and winter grain mites once 2-3" of rain have fallen. • Slug bait timing is just as important as product choice! Ideally soil is moist (>2" of rain) but bait is applied early before steady rains begin. • On fall planted wheat and grass seed crops, limit N and K placed with the seed to 25 lbs/ac each or less.

Grass • August 31 was the last day for broadcast application of zinc phosphide bait for vole control. Baiting down holes may continue throughout year. • Best window for carbon seeding grass fields is late Sept.-early Oct. • On carbon seeded plantings use ethofumesate pre-emergence for annual bluegrass and volunteer wheat control. Do not wait for rain to dissipate the band for effective control of these two species. • On new perennial grass seed plantings at the 2-3 leaf -1 tiller stage, consider using a low rate of oxyfluorfen (1-3 oz/ac) with glufosinate (10 oz/ac) herbicide in the fall. This can follow a pre-emergence ethofumesate treatment to improve annual and roughstalk bluegrass and volunteer wheat control. • In established grass seed fields complete pre-emergence herbicide applications by early October for maximum effectiveness and crop safety, coinciding with the onset of fall rains. • Scout for adult billbugs and leaf feeding in orchardgrass and control (Oct 15-30). Pyrethroid products are suggested for control.

Wheat • Review the performance of 2014 wheat varieties, and consider the traits you are interested in for 2015. Attend the fall Extension meetings for 2014 results and learn more about your variety options (see inset for dates). • Plant Bobtail and Rosalyn in Oct. Other varieties may be planted later. Yamhill is still recommended for wetter soils. • Review N management program using

PHOTO

CLARE SULLIVAN

Soft white winter wheat harvest in early August.

wheat protein levels. Grain protein of 810% is optimum. Below 8% suggests N rate was low and some yield may have been lost. Over 10% indicates excessive N fertilizer or another factor significantly reduced yield. • Soil pH below 5.4 can limit wheat growth. Check for pH stratification in no-till fields. • In wheat, pre-bait for slugs before crop emergence and use in-furrow or dribble banding in no-till fields where slug problems are expected. • Winter wheat planting should be delayed until mid-Oct to avoid BYDV (transmitted by aphids) and help reduce take-all. Earlier plantings require an insecticidal seed treatment. • Conventional wheat drilled mid-Oct should be seeded at 60-100 lb/ac. Later and no-till plantings should be drilled at 110-140 lb/ac. If broadcasting, increase seeding rate by 1.5-2 times. • In wheat, use Axiom or Zidua (pyroxasulfone - a new product labeled in winter and spring wheat this year) for control of grass weeds. Ensure wheat is seeded 1-1.5" deep and the majority of wheat has germinated and is emerging to maximize efficacy and provide good crop safety. Axiom is not recommended for use on Yamhill wheat because Yamhill is sensitive to the metribuzin component of Axiom.

Mint • Sample for mint root borer larvae in the first 2 weeks of Sep (not August!). Take square foot soil samples 2" down, and take ~ 20 samples/100 acres. • Consider sampling residual soil nitrogen to check your fertilizer program efficiency.

Commercial Agriculture 6

Shelby Filley, 541-672-4461, shelby.filley@oregonstate.edu

SEPT/OCT 2014

Time to wean W

Livestock & Forages

PHOTO

DAN DRAKE, UNIVERSITY

CA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

Fence-line weaning is a method of low-stress weaning.

eaning time for many spring-born calves is here. We all know that weaning is the removal of a suckling calf from the cow. But, what might not be so obvious are all the stressors and impacts associated with weaning, for the calf, cow, and owner. As animal managers, we should try and make weaning as stress-free as we can, while keeping productivity and profitability in line with our goals. There are many considerations for weaning, including time of weaning, preparation for weaning, method of weaning, and postweaning management. Different strategies of weaning affect performance of the calf (market weight, health, etc.) and the cow (reproductive efficiency, cull weights, health, etc.), and, therefore, can affect profitability.

of a surrogate cow may be the best way to raise the calf until weaning. Bottle-fed calves can be weaned after one month of age, while calves nursing cows are weaned between 3 and 8 months of age. It is usually best to wean at the older age. If forage is in short supply or cow body condition is low, calves can be weaned early (before 8 mo). This preserves cow energy reserves to allow for development of the new calf inside her and keep her in good shape for timely re-breeding after that calf is born. Most calves are born in the spring and weaned in the fall. This causes the supply of weaned calves to be highest in the fall. This high supply leads to seasonally low calf prices. Consider how changing calf weaning date can affect sale weight and price.

idea to make sure that, before weaning, calves are used to eating the intended post-weaning diet. Make sure that the diet is appropriate for the age of calf, including forage quantity and quality, a vitamin/mineral mix, and plenty of fresh, accessible water. For the very young calf, this means a special calf starter diet, either bagged or specially formulated feed. For older calves, good quality forage (fall pasture re-growth, irrigated summer pasture, or very good quality hay/balage) will suffice, depending on target performance. Make sure they can safely reach water and know how to drink it. If the calves are unfamiliar with drinking water from a trough, let the water over-flow a bit, so that it makes a trickling sound.

Preparation for Weaning

Weaning Method

Time of Weaning

Preparing calves well in advance to actual weaning time has benefits well worth the effort. Because immune function and response is lower in times of stress, and weaning can be stressful, many veterinarians suggest that vaccinations be given 3-4 weeks prior to weaning and that deworming be done after weaning. Also, it is a good

Whether your weaning consists of total separation of cows and calves or the relatively new, lowstress technique of fence-line weaning, make sure you address nutrition and health measures. Total separation weaning can be accomplished with good success if pre-weaning and post-weaning management addresses stress,

Several factors can influence time of weaning, including loss of dam, forage resources and cow body condition, sale time, and other ranch activities. Calves can be weaned any time after their digestive system can process whole feeds. If a newborn calf is unable to nurse its dam, use

OSU Forage Management Series:

IT'S NOT TOO LATE! There is still time to attend part of this multipart series including sessions on forage assessment, harvest management, irrigation, renovation techniques, and fertility and includes indoor. We will have a "project ranch" that we work on together, including site visits and an

on-line document sharing and blog. The project ranch will be the Wilson Farm, the OSU sheep facility with sheep and cattle grazing the pastures. You can also work on your own ranch as a side project if desired. The objective of the series is to improve knowledge about managing forage on properties in the Willamette Valley. • Instructors: Shelby Filley (lead), other OSU faculty, and local experts • Fee: $25 per evening session (per individual

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http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

health, and nutritional management sufficiently. It is best to have cows and calves together in the place where calves will stay. Remove cows to a new location out of sight and sound from calves. Leave calves in familiar surroundings. It is normal for cattle to bawl for several days. In fence-line weaning, cows and calves are placed on opposite sides of a strong fence (woven wire or multiple-strand, high-tensile wire). As with total separation weaning, cows are moved and calves remain in the initial pasture. Although the cattle are seldom seen challenging the fence, they have some nose-to-nose contact, but spend the majority of time grazing away from the fence. By the end of one week, the fence-line visits decrease and the weaning process is complete. Studies have shown these calves bawled less and gained more weigh than with complete separation weaning.

Post-weaning Management Much information is available on post-weaning management. Preconditioning is a nutrition and health management practice that prepares calves as stocker/feeder cattle in the next phase of production. Study the information on this important topic and consider having a pre-conditioning period for calves before they are moved to their next destination. A 45-day post-weaning period before shipping has been shown to be beneficial in comparison to shipping calves immediately after weaning. If you cannot provide this preconditioning period, make sure newly weaned calves are rested, fed, and watered before shipping. Please call Shelby Filley for more detailed information on weaning.

or ranch family/group). Pre-register at extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas/sites/ default/files/documents/lf/2014/ofs14lf.pdf • Location: Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility, 3521 SW Campus Way, Corvallis, • Wednesday Evening Classes (6:30-8:30 p.m.): September 10, 2014 - Renovation Techniques; October 1, 2014 - Fertility • Farm and field visits will be 10 a.m. on the day following each evening program.

Breakfast Meetings Resume! Linn & Benton County/OSU Extension — Livestock & Forages Breakfast Meetings • Enjoy breakfast and visit and network with fellow producers • Agenda - Linn County Livestock Association brief business meeting followed by an educational program with guest speakers from the university and local area experts • Meetings are from 6:30 to 8:00 a.m. • Dates and Locations September 9 Marketing Options Management (S. Filley, OSU Ext. Service) Pioneer Villa Restaurant (Truck Stop), I-5 at Exit #216, Halsey October 14 - Targeted Grazing for Weed Control & Forage Selection Rusty Skillet Breakfast Kitchen, Brownville Oregon (ask for directions) Subsequent meetings will be the 2nd Tuesday of each month from November to May at the Pioneer Villa Restaurant (Truck Stop), I-5 at Exit #216, Halsey For more Info: Call Shelby Filley (541) 6724461 or Joel Pynch (541) 466-5344 For a list of all the breakfast meetings (and other programs), please visit the Regional Livestock & Forages website at extension.oregonstate.edu/linn, and look for the livestock link on the left side of the page. You can also call the Extension Office at 541-967-3871, or e-mail shelby.filley@oregonstate.ed u, and ask for a schedule to be mailed to you.

Melissa Ferry

Commercial Agriculture

541-766-6750 melissa.fery @oregonstate.edu

Small Farms

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Some simple ways

EVERYONE CAN PROTECT GROUNDWATER

veryone can and should do something to protect groundwater. Why? We all have a stake in maintaining its quality and quantity. For starters, 99 percent of all available freshwater comes from aquifers underground. Being a good steward of groundwater just makes sense. Not only that, most surface water bodies are connected to groundwater so how you impact groundwater matters. Furthermore, many public water systems draw all or part of their supply from groundwater, so protecting the resource protects the public water supply. If you own a well to provide water for your family, farm, or business, groundwater protection is doubly important. As a well owner, you are the manager of your own water system. Protecting groundwater will help reduce risks to your water supply.

Groundwater protection Before examining what you can do to protect groundwater, however, you should know that sometimes the quality and safety of groundwater is affected by substances that occur naturally in the environment.

Naturally occurring contamination The chemistry of the groundwater flowing into a well reflects what's in the environment. If the natural quality of groundwater presents a health risk, water treatment will be necessary. Examples of naturally occurring substances that can present health risk are: • Microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, viruses, and parasites; these tend to be more common in shallow groundwater) • Radionuclides (i.e., radium, radon, uranium) • Heavy metals (i.e., arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, and selenium). Public water systems are required to treat drinking water to federal quality standards. However, it is up to private well owners to make sure their water is safe.

Contamination caused by human activities Human activities can pollute groundwater, and this is where every person can help protect groundwater. Some common human causes of groundwater contamination are: • Improper storage or disposal of hazardous substances

• Improper use of fertilizers, animal manures, herbicides, insecticides, and pesticides • Chemical spills • Improperly built and/or maintained septic systems • Improperly abandoned wells (these include water wells, groundwater monitoring wells, and wells used in cleaning contaminated groundwater) • Poorly sited or constructed water wells. An emerging concern in recent years is the occurrence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water. Much research remains to be done to assess the health risks of trace amounts of these items.

Water conservation Americans are the largest water users, per capita, in the world. In terms of groundwater, Americans use 79.6 billion gallons per day the equivalent of 2,923 12-oz. cans for every man, woman, and child in the nation. Agricultural irrigation is far and away the largest user of groundwater in America at 53.5 billion gallons a day followed by public use via public water systems or private household wells at a combined total of 18.3 billion gallons per day. More efficient use of water in either of these areas could save a huge amount. At the household level, the greatest amount of water used inside the home occurs in the bathroom. The remainder of indoor water use is divided between clothes washing and kitchen use, including dish washing, according to the U.S. EPA. Depending on where in the country you live, outdoor water use can vary widely. ACT — acknowledge, consider, take action! On Protect Your Groundwater Day, NGWA urges you to ACT. Use this day to begin doing your part for protecting one of our most important natural resources - groundwater 1. Acknowledge the causes of preventable groundwater contamination — Everyone • There are common hazardous substances in all households • Most household water use occurs in a few areas of the home. • If you own a water well • Wellheads should be a safe distance from potential contamination sources • Septic system malfunctions can pollute groundwater

• Poorly constructed or maintained wells can facilitate contamination • Improperly abandoned wells can lead to groundwater contamination 2. Consider which apply to you — Everyone • What specific hazardous substances are in and around your home? • Where do you and your family use the most water? • If you own a water well • Is your wellhead a safe distance from possible contamination? • Is your well/septic system due for pumping? • Are there any abandoned wells on your property? 3. Take action to prevent groundwater contamination — Everyone •When it comes to hazardous household substances: — Store them properly in a secure place — Use them according to the manufacturer's recommendations — Dispose of them safely • When it comes to water conservation — Use less overall — Install water-saving devices — If you own a water well: • Move possible contamination sources away from the wellhead • Get current on your septic systems pumping • get an annual water well system inspection • Properly decommission any abandoned wells Reprinted from http://ngwa.org/eventseducation/groundwater-day

Amy Garrett 541-766-6750 amy.garrett @oregonstate.edu

SEPT/OCT 2014

World's foremost Permaculture farm planner visits Oregon in September Australian Darren Doherty is among the world's most accomplished Permaculture farm designers, with nearly 2000 property development plans in 47 countries.

FREE Talk by Darren Doherty "Regrarianism: Rebooting Agriculture for the next 10,000 years" When: September 25, 2014 Time: 7 - 8:30 p.m. Where: OSU Campus @ the LaSells Stewart Center in the Construction and Engineering Hall Darren Doherty will also be offering a 3-Day Workshop at a farm in Albany, OR September 26-28th. For more information visit: http://www.permaculturerising.com/darrendoherty-oregon-workshop/ This event is sponsored by the OSU Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems, Permaculture Rising, and the Permaculture Program at OSU's Department of Horticulture.

Community Horticulture

Brooke Edmunds 541-967-3871 x2397 brooke.edmunds@oregonstate.edu

SEPT/OCT 2014

Gardening in the PNW Series: Fall 2014 OSU Extension and Linn-Benton Community College are co-sponsoring a series of short lunchtime sessions on popular gardening topics for Linn County gardeners this fall. Classes are at noon on Wednesdays at Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Avenue SE, and noon on Thursdays at the LBCC Sweet Home Center, 1660 Long St. The talks are free and no reservations are required. Bring a sack lunch and meet other gardeners with similar interests.

Fall Schedule October 8 & 9 — Culinary Herbs; Rose Marie Nichols (Nichols Nursery & OSU Master Gardener) October 15 & 16 — Container Gardening; Sheryl Casteen (OSU Master Gardener) October 22 & 23 — Planting a Garden for Wildlife; Brooke Edmunds (OSU Extension) October 29 & 30 — Starting Seeds; Betty Goergen (OSU Master Gardener) November 5 & 6 — The Real Dirt of Garden Myths; Rich Little (OSU Master Gardener) November 12 & 13 — Getting Started with SmallScale Aquaponics; Josh Gullivar (OSU Master Gardener) November 19 & 20 — Incorporating Hardscape and Water Features into Your Garden; Bill Marshall (Stutzman Services)

Pami Opfer 541-967-3871 x2836 pamela.opfer@oregonstate.edu

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Like working with plants and people?

Visit the

Demonstration

Garden this fall The Linn County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden is located at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center, in the northeast corner of the fairgrounds, 3700 Knox Butte Road, Albany, Oregon. You can find it via the north walkway. Plus, there are signs directing visitors to the garden, which is open through October.

Become a Master Gardener Volunteer!

PHOTO

PROVIDED BY

BROOKE EDMUNDS

Pear ripening on the espaliered fruit trees at the Linn County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden.

Linn County Master Gardener of the Year

Congratulations to Dave Krieger! David Krieger was named the 2014 Linn County Master Gardener of the Year. This award is presented to one OSU Master Gardener from each county by the Oregon Master Gardener Association (OMGA) working cooperatively with Oregon State University. Dave became a Master Gardener in 2010, and has been very active in the association. In the Demonstration KRIEGER Garden, he has worked to install and keep the drip system in shape. His vegetable plot is always the topic of conversation when visitors come to the Demonstration Garden. Dave enjoys experimenting with different varieties. His grafted tomatoes

are amazing! With a strong knowledge of vegetable gardening, Dave has taught classes and is always willing to share his know-how. His leadership helps keep the Demo Garden humming. Dave (aka - Diamond Dave) has faithfully set up the Master Gardener research materials at the Albany Farmers Market Plant Clinic and often works the plant clinic. He volunteers at Calapooia Middle School Gardens, is on the Linn County Master Gardener Board, and helps with many projects throughout the year. His generosity, knowledge, humility, and quick praise of others make Dave a wonderful asset to the master gardening program. Congratulations Dave!

The Oregon State University Master Gardener™ Program is an Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service program that educates Oregonians about the art and science of growing and caring for plants. This program also facilitates the training of a highly educated corp of volunteers. These volunteers extend sustainable gardening information to their communities through education and

outreach programs. Interested in becoming a Linn County Master Gardener volunteer? The first step is to apply for the winter 2015 training program. Visit our website to download the application form (http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/ osu-extension-mastergardener-program-0) or contact the Extension office. Applications are due December 1. You will be notified if you are selected to participate in the Master Gardener Volunteer program by mid-December. The fee for the training program is $120, plus the required sixty-six volunteer hours. Scholarships may be available.

Fall 2014

Food for Your Family Nutritious, Safe, Plentiful

Food preservation training

About this issue

MAKES A DIFFERENCE "I have learned the most recent methods for preserving food and in the class we learned from each other. Many people are afraid of a pressure canner so have avoided canning and also many folk recently have wanted to have gardens so they could can their own food and this is a perfect opportunity for teaching. My granddaughter said she works with young ladies who want to learn canning and their mothers never taught them, so I'm looking forward to showing them. I have also been introduced to other methods of preserving that I have never known how to do." Ruth Falk, Harrisburg

Volunteers in the Master Food Preserver Program were asked how it had helped them. I would like to share with you some of the responses: "Due to the MFP class, my husband and I have been able to preserve huge amounts of fruits and vegetables we grow as well as venison, elk, fish, and other meats. We made soups, pickles and more. All this safe and delicious (amazing!) Friends, neighbors and others seem to become interested in these things and ask questions: "How can I preserve this extra butternut (squash) I grew?" "You think I can make kraut?" "How long can my eggs be kept in the fridge?" Many people who'd planned to use an old family recipe or one off the internet changed their minds. People who kept their food unsafely learned to do it differently." Lynne Sjoberg, Lebanon "The knowledge I acquired about pressure canning gives me confidence to preserve low acid foods safely. I'm looking forward to home canning tuna. I also enjoyed learning how to make quest fresco/quick cheese. I will teach my friends at church how to make it. Understanding the importance of research-based canning recipes will help me know which recipes to safely use. My neighbor canned some applesauce but didn't know why it molded in the jar that was sealed.

PHOTO

PROVIDED

Ruth Falk and Anne Jones make Strawberry Rhubarb Jam.

Now I can explain to her why and how to safely process and can it." Shannon Keesecker, Jefferson "I learned so much about preserving food safely. This will help me be more aware of saving money and using fresh ingredients for my friends and family." Sarah Sorte, Corvallis "The MFP program has helped me â&#x20AC;Ś by teaching me how to prepare food safely for my family. Although I work outside of the home as a pharmacist and use the latest research in my professional life, I would come home and use cooking techniques from my grandparent's generation. It's nice to know I'm up-to-date in all aspects of my life. The program introduced me to

way of critical thinking and valuable resources that have allowed me to evaluate the safety of old family canning recipes as well as the safety of my preserved food from last year. My family now eats with confidence. Being up to date has allowed me to share preserved foods with people, knowing I have canned them using the latest food science research." Michelle Becker, Toledo "I have done basic canning before, but sometimes followed recipes I found online. Learning to use only research-based recipes and instructions has probably saved me and my family from poisoning! I also learned how to analyze recipes and methods for both safety and quality." Dean Robinson, Lebanon

"This program has helped me immensely to gain confidence in safe food preservation techniques. I also have a lot more confidence in advising others with so many valuable publications that I can refer to. Just posting pictures on social media has sparked so much interest with people I know in getting involved in preserving their own food. I am excited to get people of my generation back into this exciting and valuable skill. For me, I was fairly confident with canning and this reinforced my understanding of safe practices, but I learned a ton about other techniques like drying, cheese making, etc. It has been a phenomenal experience and I feel so fortunate that OSU extension offers this service." Caitlin Lawrence, Corvallis

BY JANICE GREGG OSU EXTENSION FACULTY

This year gardens and orchards have been bountiful (and early). It is my hope that families have been able to take advantage of the abundance by harvesting and using fresh and local fruits and vegetables throughout the summer. It is great to be able to obtain produce from GREGG the home garden, community garden, or at local farms, at the farmers market, or from the supermarkets that buy locally. At OSU Extension Service the Master Gardeners help the home gardener to be successful with their harvest and the Master Food Preservers help all who want to preserve their harvest to do it safely. All summer the Nutrition faculty and educators have been working with school gardens to encourage children to grow and eat food from the garden. Enjoy this supplement to GROWING. I hope it can encourage you to continue to provide nutritious, safe, and plentiful food for your family. In the past few years there has been growing interest in one kind of food preservation, and that is fermentation. No, not beer or wine, but fermenting vegetables. In this issue I will share some information and recipes that might appeal to you as well.

SEPT/OCT 2014

Food For Your Family â&#x20AC;˘ http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

At right, from top: SOMETHING GOES HERE For home fermenting tips, see page 4.

FERMENTATION: DIGESTIVE BENEFITS? For thousands of years fermented foods are among people's oldest attempts to preserve food. Today these foods are newly popular for their purported health benefits. Fermented foods, ranging from sauerkraut to yogurt, are increasingly being seen as a boon to the gut-and in turn to benefits not only for digestive health, but possibly for allergies and even weight loss. "But don't count on fermented foods alone to keep you healthy. "This is an area very prone to exaggeration and hype," cautions Robert M. Russell, MD, emeritus professor at Tufts' Friedman School. Good for the Gut: It makes sense that fermented foods might improve digestive health. In fermentation, whether for yogurt or beer, bacteria or yeast feed on the natural sugars in foods. These microorganisms create compounds such as lactic acid or alcohol, which help preserve the foods. The fermented foods also wind up filled with "friendly" bacteria such as those touted in probiotic products, as well as helpful enzymes. The bacteria "predigest" certain food components, making them easier for your gut to handle and for nutrients to be

absorbed when you eat them. People who are lactose-intolerant usually tolerate yogurt or kefir, because the lactose sugar in these products has been partly broken down by the bacteria in them. Even vegetables can benefit from fermentation: Making cabbage into sauerkraut or kimchi increases glucosinolate compounds believed to fight cancer. Because the gut is the largest component of your immune system, introducing friendly bacteria into your digestive system may also help keep illness away. Evidence suggests that gut health could affect inflammation, allergies and autoimmune disorders in the body as a whole. A study published in the International Journal of Obesity even found that some types of probiotics promoted weight loss. But the jury's still out, and the same research found that other probiotic strains can actually contribute to obesity. Consumer Cautions: Be aware that not all traditionally fermented foods still contain probiotic bacteria. And even those that do often come with downsides, such as high amounts of added sugars or sodium. Most fermented foods you can buy in supermarket jars or cans have been pasteurized and cooked at high heat, killing any friendly bacteria. You'll have to make

your own pickles or sauerkraut to retain those products' bacterial benefits. (If you take basic precautions in fermenting your own, there's little risk.) You can also make your own yogurt, can be cost effective. Commercially available fermented dairy foods do typically contain probiotics; check the label for the words "live cultures." Beware, too, of added sugar and calories in flavored yogurts. Plain, low-fat yogurt can easily and healthfully be flavored with fresh fruit as well as whole grains. High levels of sodium are the downside to savory fermented foods such as pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso and soy sauce. Look for low-sodium products when possible, or make your own to control added salt; in any case, use in moderation. Tempeh, which like miso and soy sauce is made from fermenting soybeans, is low in sodium and makes a good protein alternative, similar to tofu (which is not fermented). So go ahead and join the fermentedfoods trend, enjoying the benefits of a process almost as old as civilization itself. But make sure you're really getting those friendly bacteria-and not too much unfriendly sugars and sodium. Adapted from Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter, February 2014

SEPT/OCT 2014 3

Food For Your Family • http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Prevent buckling canning lids In recent years canning lids have changed several times, so the recommendations for using them and sealing jars successfully have changed, too. Perhaps the most common concern is buckling lids, but this problem can be prevented. The USDA recommends using two-piece lids. One piece is commonly referred to as a flat. It is a relatively flat circle of metal with an inner liner and a ring of sealing compound that resembles rubber. The other piece is a metal ring that is screwed down over the flat and jar to secure the flat to the jar during the canning process. USDA guidelines say to fill the jar according to the procedure for the particular food that is being canned, wipe the rim of the jar with a clean paper towel to remove any liquid or particles that may be present, and place the flat on the rim of the jar. Then tighten the ring. Although one might want to tighten the lid as tightly as it will go, manufacturers recommend finger-tip tight. This means that once the ring stops turning freely, it is tight enough. The lid needs to be adjusted properly in order for the canning process to be effective. During canning, air trapped in the headspace between the

bottom of the lid and the top of the food is forced out of the jar. When lids are too tight, the air cannot easily escape so it forces its way out by deforming the lid. This leads to the buckling or crinkling effect. The seal on a jar with a buckled lid has a very high failure rate so this food would not be safe to store. Prepare the jars and lids according to the manufacturer's instructions. Recent information from the Ball/Kerr manufacturers indicated that the lids no longer need to be heated before putting on the jar when canning. Just wash them in soap and water along with the jars. If you still want to heat the lids, just warm them be sure they are not boiled. Boiling water causes the compound to melt so that it has already begun to change shape before being placed on the jar. This often leads to the jar not sealing properly. When canning, follow USDA and manufacturers recommendations to increase the likelihood that all jars have sealed properly and no food goes to waste. After canning is complete and jars are cool, clean the outside of the jar and remove the ring band for storage. Ring bands left on in storage may rust shut. Store jars in a dry, dark, cool place, ideally 50-70° F. Dampness may corrode metal lids, break seals and spoil food.

The USDA recommends using two-piece lids.

Food Preservation RESOURCES

PROVIDED

PHOTO

CAN YOUR ‘CHOICE SALSA’ SAFELY People have often asked if it is possible to use their own salsa recipe and can it safely. In the past the best response was: no, use it fresh or freeze it. Now there is a tested, generic recipe that allows for creativity without giving up safety. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has released their guidance on preparing and canning what they call "Choice Salsa." This recipe is included in the new revised PNW publication, Salsa Recipes for Canning, PNW 395. This revised publication also includes additional fruit salsa recipes. Find it on line at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fch/foo d-preservation or get one at the County Extension Office. Choice Salsa provides the required proportions of each ingredient to insure that the final product can be safely canned in a boiling water canner. The recipe to make about 6 pint jars is simple: • 6 cups peeled, cored, seeded and chopped ripe tomatoes • 9 cups diced onions and/or peppers of any variety • 1½ cups commercially bottled lemon or lime juice • 3 teaspoons canning or pickling salt The directions then specify the partic-

ulars. For example, tomatoes can be any variety or color but should be peeled and cored, the seeds removed, and chopped into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces. Likewise, the onions and peppers should be diced into 1/4-inch pieces. The onions and sweet peppers used should be cored and the peppers' seeds and membranes removed. For the hot peppers, if used, the amount of seeds removed depends on how hot a salsa is desired — more seeds means more heat. There are also some notes specific to keeping this recipe safe. For example, it says, "Do not alter the proportions of tomatoes, vegetables and acid… The chopped tomatoes and diced peppers and/or onions are to be measured level in dry measuring cups; the lemon or lime juice is measured in a liquid measuring cup." The commercially bottled lemon or lime juice provides the acid that is needed to make the recipe safe, "to standardize a minimum level of acidity in the recipe." Lemon and lime juice were tested over vinegar to maximize flavor. Because of a difference in acidity, do not use vinegar in place of the juice. Also, key lime juice is not sufficient to maintain safe acidity levels. The full recipe for canning Choice Salsa is also available at: http://nchfp.uga.edu/ how/can_salsa/choice_salsa.html.

There is a lot of information available on how to preserve food for your family on the internet. Some advice can be very dangerous, other advice is safe. It is important that you find information that has a research base. "Research" does not mean that "we have used this recipe for years and no one has gotten sick!" You can find good information from landgrant universities in the Extension System and the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Here are national and local sources to go to on the internet: • http://extension. oregonstate.edu/fch/ food-preservation/ • http://nchfp. uga.edu/ These websites also have links to other sources of information that is reliable. Local Extension offices also have copies of all of the resources found on the internet; some may cost one or two dollars.

Food Safety and Preservation HOTLINE 1-800-354-7319 9 AM to 4 PM Monday - Friday July 14 - October 17, 2014

Food For Your Family • http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

SEPT/OCT 2014

MAKE YOUR OWN

Families take pride in their

FERMENTED FOODS HOME GARDENS Vegetable fermentation can be fun and delicious if you create the right environment for the growth of the right bacteria. Following accurate measurements and directions; keeping the vegetables at the right temperatures can create a successful product. If you want to begin fermenting, pick out a food that you know you will like. If you don't care for kimchee, don't start there. Make sauerkraut - an easy food to begin with. In addition, cabbage is readily available and relatively inexpensive. Sauerkraut is made from thinly shredded cabbage that is salted and then fermented in its own juice. The first sauerkraut was made in China, about 2,000 years ago, during the building of the Great Wall. The Germans however are known for their kraut. In the 16th century they perfected the fermenting process of mixing salt and cabbage and allowing it to ferment. This process is still used today to make kraut around the world. Ingredients for a small batch: • 5 pounds of shredded cabbage • 3 Tablespoons canning or pickling salt

Equipment Needed Fermenting containers should be food grade. One gallon glass or plastic jars work well for a 5pound batch. (Do not use copper, iron or galvanized-metal containers or garbage bags and trash liners.) Use a very large stainless steel or plastic bowl for mixing cabbage and salt before putting into fermenting container. For shredding cabbage use a large cutting board and sharp knife or mandolin.

Making the Sauerkraut Select mature heads of cabbage that are disease free. The best kraut is made from the mid to late season crop. When picking fresh it is best to wait 1-2 days after harvesting to make the kraut. Kraut can be made from both red and green varieties. For 5 pounds of shredded cabbage you will need between 6-7 pounds

of fresh cabbage. Remove outer leaves and rinse heads with cold water and drain. Cut the heads in halves or quarters and remove the cores, trim and discard any damaged tissues. Shred or slice cabbage using a sharp knife or kraut cutter. The shreds should be long and thin, about the thickness of a quarter. Place 5 pounds of shredded cabbage in a large bowl and sprinkle 3 tablespoons salt evenly over cabbage. With clean hands thoroughly mix the salt into the cabbage. You will notice cabbage will begin to wilt as the salt is mixed in. When all the salt is dissolved and the cabbage is juicy, begin packing the cabbage firmly into the food grade fermenting container. Use your fist or wooden mallet to firmly and evenly press the cabbage into the jar or crock. As you pack you will notice the juice coming from the cabbage. You will need enough juice to cover the cabbage. It is important to leave at least 4-5 inches of head space. Once the fermenting container is adequately filled and the juice is covering the cabbage you are ready to put a weight on the kraut to keep the liquid covering the cabbage during the fermentation period. Be sure to wipe the edges of the jar or crock before putting the weight on top. When fermenting in a glass jar you can weigh down the kraut using a freezer weight plastic bag filled with brine made of 1½ tablespoons salt to 1 quart of water. For crocks use a plate and weigh it down with a jar of water or a plastic bag filled with brine. The amount of brine in the plastic bag can be adjusted to give enough pressure to keep the fermenting cabbage covered with brine. Once the weight is in place, cover the fermenting container with a clean tea towel or cheese cloth to reduce mold growth. For glass containers you can cover the jar with a brown paper bag to keep the light off of the kraut while it is fermenting. This helps retain nutrients and also preserves the color of the kraut.

BY LEONOR CHAVEZ NUTRITION EDUCATOR and MFP VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

PHOTO

LEONOR CHAVEZ

Big zucchini, happy kids. The squash was stir fried with tomato and onion and some scrambled eggs for breakfast burritos. Yummy!

“I am very happy be able to share my experience with the community.” LEONOR CHAVEZ

Would a garden benefit my family? How will I keep up with a garden, work and home? Those were the questions that came to my mind every time I thought about starting a garden at home. It wasn't until this year when I took the Master Food Preserver training that I actually felt confident to handle a garden and it wasn't until then that I realized how much my family would truly benefit from it. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to take the MFP training this year, and not only did I learn a lot about how to preserve food safely, but I also had the opportunity to meet new people and get some advice from them, as well. I work at the OSU Linn County Extension as a nutrition educator and have noticed that throughout these last couple of years the Latino population has shown a lot of interest in preserving their food. They want to provide the best for their families. When it comes to food preservation, whether it's canning or drying, it is very important to take the proper steps to make sure that you are providing your family with nothing but the best. I am very happy be able to share my experience with the community to help them, and ensure that they are keeping their family well fed and safe. Having a garden at home benefits my family in many ways, and not only my son, but my nieces and nephews, as well. It is such a wonderful feeling to see their faces full of excitement as they see the garden grow. It has helped to keep them outside and more active. And has helped me in ways I didn't expect. The kids are now looking forward to every crop and want to taste the corn, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and watermelon where before they would see it and not have any interest in it. If anyone were to ask for my opinion on whether or not they should start their own garden, I would definitely recommend that if they have the space, "go for it!" It keeps families busy, eating healthy, and making healthier choices.

Commercial Agriculture

Orchard & Berry Crops

Ross Penhallegon, 541-344-1709, ross.penhallegon@oregonstate.edu http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

INSECTS AND DISEASES TO BE AWARE OF T

his year has been another weird year. Insects have been slow or in lower numbers in many areas. Diseases have been rampant from April to August. Almost everything has been affected by rust, fungus, or bacteria. There will be a lot of infected plant materials to deal with this fall. • The spotted wing drosophila (SWD) was early to arrive, but numbers haven't been high so far this year. Considering it's early arrival, SWD could have been really bad this year. • Codling moth numbers are down this year. Usually we have hundreds of catches, but so far this year, it hasn't been too bad. We have a while to go before the season is over, though, so stay tuned to see if this trend continues. • Only a few Filbertworms have been caught in mid-valley orchards so far this year. • Flea beetles have been really bad twice this season, and so has the spotted cucumber beetles. • Apple and pear scab is really bad due to the rain we had this spring and early summer. The last heavy rain on July 28 means another infection period. • As of August 4, we still have not seem much powdery mildew in the gardens. • The chard and beet leaf miner came on early.

SEPT/OCT 2014

Commercial Horticulture Hints SEPTEMBER • Harvest late blueberries. • Control bacterial canker before fall rains. • Begin pruning raspberries and blackberries. • Continue harvesting pears and apples. • Control apple anthracnose and apple maggot. • Control walnut husk fly. • Prepare for harvest of walnuts and hazelnuts.

OCTOBER • Pick fall strawberries and raspberries. • Control weeds in all horticulture crops. • Erect raptor poles to attract hawks and owls for voles, mice. • Harvest hazelnuts and walnuts. • Apply winter clean-up sprays.

Hazelnut crop expected to be low to average Growers are very optimistic about the hazelnut crop in Oregon. The crop is forecast to be medium in the lower valley, so far. Depending on the sites, some orchards look like they will have a medium to good crop of hazelnuts. With the late rains, less stress happened in August, but the last two weeks are showing burn on trees in stressed and gravelly areas. Nuts falling during mid- to late-September are usually blank and need to be flailed or destroyed before the good nuts fall. We haven't seen any damage lately, but watch for it again in the early fall.

Control options for insects and diseases Clean up sprays — organic or conventional - are critical to reduce the spore/bacteria populations by spraying in October/November (depending on the crop), and again in March. If it is allowed in your area, burning infected plant materials is one way to destroy the contaminated materials; placing the contaminated material in the garbage to go to the landfill is an option, but we are trying to reduce organic materials going to the landfills; putting heavily infested material into the compost pile is OK if we can get the

pile to cook at around 140 degrees, which can be difficult. If the pile is too cool, we spread the diseases back to the garden area next year. Diseased materials can go into a cold compost pile. I just put all of the diseased materials into the cold compost. My cold compost pile sits at the back of the property. I pile the diseased materials in the pile and mix occasionally; I cover the pile with a tarp and let it slowly decompose over two years. After two years, the materials have turned into nice soil, and I am being good to the environment (not burning, not filling the land fill, and not re-infecting my garden.) And we thought gardening/ farming was easy! Slugs/snail — Beware: activity builds in the cool,

fall weather. Hazelnuts — the filbertworm can still be active in September. Powdery mildew — Do a cleanup spray on grapes and apples. Or if in small areas/amounts, just prune off the powdery mildew. Walnut Husk fly — protect walnuts. Apples — any fruit left hanging on the tree may have codling moth and/or apple maggot infestations. Feed to the local livestock, make juice, or dry. For more controls, see: • PNW Insect handbook http://insect.pnwhandbooks.org/ • PNW Disease handbook http://pnwhandbooks.o rg/plantdisease/ or • PNW Weed handbook http://pnwhandbooks.o rg/weed/

Robin Galloway 541-967-3871 x2399 robin.galloway@oregonstate.edu

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

SEPT/OCT 2014

Statewide Expressive Arts Training The fall educational training is an ambitious one, covering Art; Ceramics & Pottery; Leathercraft, and Photography. Participants will be exposed to two projects areas of their choice on Friday evening, and then will focus more in-depth on one of the project areas on Saturday. A session on mounting and matting for all participants will wrap up the training on Saturday afternoon. There are two opportunities to attend this training around the state. • October 10-11 — Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, and • October 17-18 — Deschutes County Fairgrounds, Redmond. Friday session goes from 5-8:30 p.m. and Saturday session goes from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Cost is $45 and includes Saturday lunch and materials. For more information, contact Pamela Rose, pamela.rose@oregonstate.e du, or call 503-559-5059, or see: http://oregon.4h. oregonstate.edu/sites/ default/files/expressive_ arts/2014_expressive_arts _training_flyer.pdf.

New 4-H Year Enrollments All primary club leaders will receive a packet in the mail with information to re-enroll 4-H clubs. The 4H year is October 1September 30. All leaders and members must fill out new paperwork each year. Keep watching the weekly email and checking our website for details.

4-H Youth Development

4-H MARINE AMBASSADORS CAMP

new group of 4-H Marine Ambassadors sailed into educational activities the first week of August. Linn County 4-H members Marika Stock, Kaitlyn and Brittany Poteet, and Faith Black attended the camp held on the OSU Campus and in Newport. Christy Poteet, a 4-H Leader and Mom, worked as the camp medic and busy chaperone. The camp was run by 4-H agents from around the state, with Virginia Bourdeau, State 4-H Camping Specialist as the team Captain. The teen campers were engaged with hands-on activities at a wide range of venues. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) classes were the focus of camp. Educational and fun events included: Hinsdale Wave Research Center at OSU, Oregon Oyster Farm, Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport — where they built Remote Operated Vehicles, and dissected fish, sailed on the Marine Discovery ship, saw the masses of plastic debris which end up in the ocean, did community service to collect garbage off the beach, walked with a park ranger on a native plant and dune ecology trail, kayaked in an estuary and learned about the habitat, contemplated ocean currents with a temperature and density lesson, tested water quality, and investigated ocean acidification with an experiment they can teach to younger kids. One requirement of attending the camp was that every new 4-H Marine Ambassador will teach a lesson in their commu-

PHOTOS

nity. The Ambassadors selected the topic they will do, and shared it with others at camp. Each person wrote down their topic, and will report back on the results during the winter. Knowledge gained at camp should have a lifetime impression on all who attend.

ROBIN GALLOWAY

Above: A fish dissection lab at Hatfield Marine Science Center was smelly, messy, and fascinating, according to the operators. One good thing about the surgery was that the patients were already dead. At left: Studying tide pools at Yaquina Head gave the campers a chance to practice citizen science. They used a transect to identify aquatic life within a specific area.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

SEPT/OCT 2014

Keeping Up With 4-H News

PHOTOS

ROBIN GALLOWAY

Above: Special thanks to Cabela's for donating practical prizes in the Beef division of the 4-H/FFA county fair. Support from many sponsors shows youth that their hard work pays off â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and it's good advertising for the business, too. At left: Ginormous belt buckles were awarded to winners of several divisions.

Good times

County fair competitions are intense times when adult judges evaluate the youthful exhibitors. This young goat showman got some direct advice from the judge at the conclusion of the showmanship class.

at the fair Jack Smalley was a Scio farmer, everyone's friend, and dedicated supporter of the Linn County fair. This poster was hoisted high in the livestock barn, where Jack's presence was felt, and his memory honored.

At left: Volunteer judges, including Rich Little in Entomology, meet the exhibitors and give them constructive feedback on their exhibits.

UPCOMINGEVENTS Please confirm dates by checking on website.

SEPTEMBER 5 4-5 pick-up State Fair exhibits at the Extension office 10 4-H Static Leaders meeting, 7 p.m., Evelyn Downing Room, Old Armory Building, Albany

15 4-H Livestock advisory council, 7 p.m., Evelyn Downing Room, Old Armory Building, Albany 18 4-H Executive Council, 7 p.m., Evelyn Downing Room, Old Armory Building, Albany 25 4-H Horse Leaders meeting, 7 p.m., Evelyn Downing Room, Old Armory Building, Albany

Staffing update While change can be challenging, it also provides the opportunity for something new. Karissa Dishon is no longer our Educational Program Assistant (EPA). Fortunately, we will be able to re-fill the position and keep two 4-H staff in Linn County. The job will be advertised through the OSU Human Resources department. We hope to have a new EPA back in the saddle this fall. Thanks for being patient while we're short-handed.

Now that GROWING is coming out bi-monthly, it isn't the most accurate source for finding timely information. There are three places to see what's happening. 1. We send out a weekly 4-H email, usually on Wednesday. If you'd like to be added to that list send a request to 4-H secretary michele.webster@oregonstate.edu. 2. The link to our Linn County 4-H website is http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/linncounty-4-h. We post upcoming events and other important information here. 3. The Linn county 4-H Facebook page https://www.facebook.co m/pages/Linn-County-4H-Oregon/362489718497. There are fun event posts and links to current events and timely information. Need project materials, 4-H forms, or event schedules? These are lots of items available on our OSU Linn County Extension website. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/linncounty-4-h Enrollment Forms http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/4-h-enrollment-forms Project Area Resources http://oregon.4h.oregonstate.edu/projects 4-H Linn County and Other County Events http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/events

Family and Community Health

Janice Gregg 541-967-3871 x2830 gregg.j@oregonstate.edu

SEPT/OCT 2014

• Dried and canned beans are great foods to keep on hand. You may want to stock up when they're on sale. • Dried beans are often cheaper than canned beans for the same amounts but do take more time to cook. Cook some and freeze what you don't use for later.

Longer Storage How long will beans last in storage?

tina.dodge@oregonstate.edu

Refried Beans

Beans

Shop and Save

541-967-3871 x2392

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

PICK OF THE MONTH Be a "Food Hero" by creating and serving recipes with beans. Not green beans, but dry beans, such as kidney, pinto, black, white, and garbanzo. Each has a unique flavor, but you can substitute one type for another in most recipes. Use what you have or buy what is cheapest or on sale. Most beans are a good source of fiber, phosphorus, and folate. You can use 2 cups of cooked beans for 1 pound of meat in many recipes.

Tina Dodge Vera

Ingredients:

• Dry beans will keep for at least one year in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place. Label with the date you bought your beans, using tape and a marker. • Canned beans keep for 2 years or longer.

How to store cooked beans: • Refrigerate within 2 hours. Use within 5 days. • Freeze in recipe-sized portions for longer storage. Place beans in freezer-safe containers or bags then cover with water or the liquid they were cooked in.

Leave at least half an inch of space between the liquid and the top of the container or bag. Label the container or bag with a date and quantity, and use within 2 to 3 months for best quality.

Cook dry beans in 3 Easy Steps 1. Sort and Rinse - Sort to remove stones, seeds or damaged beans. Rinse well to remove dust. 2. Soak- Soak to speed up the cooking time. Choose a long or quick soak depending on how much time you have.

• Long Soak — Cover beans with plenty of water (8 cups of water for every 2 cups of beans); soak for 6 hours or overnight. • Quick Soak — In a large saucepan, cover beans with plenty of water (8 cups of water for every 2 cups of beans) and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them soak for 1 hour. 3. Cook — Drain and rinse the beans. In a large saucepan, add fresh water to cover the beans by at least 1 inch. Bring the beans and water to a boil

1¼ cups or 1 can (15 to 16 ounces) cooked beans (pinto or other type) 1 Tablespoon oil 2 Tablespoons chopped onion 1 teaspoon garlic minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (or try substituting 1/2 teaspoon chili powder) Directions: 1. Drain beans and reserve liquid. (Rinse canned beans to reduce sodium.) 2. Heat oil in skillet. Add onion and garlic. Sauté until soft. 3. Mash beans and cumin into onion mixture in skillet. Use a potato masher or back of a spoon. 4. Add reserved liquid or water (1 Tablespoon or more) until desired consistency is reached. 5. Cook and stir bean mixture on medium heat until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. 6. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Yield: 1¼ cups; 5 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to heat on stove.

then reduce heat, cover and simmer until the beans are tender. Add water if needed to keep the beans covered with liquid during cooking. Cooking time varies for different beans, but is usually from 1 to 2 hours. Beans are done when you can easily mash them with a fork. • Tip: Wait until the beans are tender before

adding salt or acidic ingredients such as tomato products, lemon or vinegar. If added too soon, these ingredients will delay softening of the beans. Quick Fix: You can add beans as a salad topping, use in soups, or spoon beans into quesadillas for quick meals. Go to FoodHero.org for easy, tasty bean recipes.

WE ARE ALL FOOD HEROES BY TINA DODGE VERA EXTENSION FACULTY

Food Hero is an initiative of Oregon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed), which was developed by Oregon State University Extension Service. Food Hero's mission is to help low-income Oregonians im-

prove their health through the increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and more family meals cooked at home. However, we believe "We are all Food Heroes." Recently, Linn and Benton County Family and Community Health and 4-H received funding to broaden this initiative region-

ally through the Healthy Communities Outreach Project in partnership with Bob's Red Mill and OSU Moore Family Center. Linn and Benton County FCH and 4-H will use community-based social marketing and capacity building to help improve community be-

havioral environments - at home, in school, and in the community - to make healthy eating and activity options the easy and preferred choice. FCH and 4-H integrated programs will better reach and serve low-income and diverse audiences of youth and families. Our goal is for all youth,

parents, school, and lunchroom staff to become Food Heroes. Take a look at the Food Hero website to check out the recipes and monthly magazine. Check out the tips and tool for shopping and preparing healthier meals for your family: https://www.foodhero.org/

Teach kids about money during school shopping Many families are busy with buying new clothes, shoes, book bags, and school supplies. And there will be many more expenses after school starts, such as school lunches, afterschool snacks, fees for extracurricular activities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the list goes on and on. It's obviously a very expensive time of year. Since these expenses are related to children, this is a great time to begin helping them learn to handle money. From a very early age, children start using money, so why not help them learn to use it wisely? Start by taking a look at where children get their money. Usually this is from one of three general sources: cash gifts, earnings, and allowances. Use these to teach children money management skills. MONETARY GIFTS

Cash gifts, often received on birthdays and holidays, are "surprise" money and shouldn't be included as a part of dayto-day expense money. Children should be given leeway to spend it as they wish. However, parents can discuss with children ideas for how the money can be used. EARNINGS

Earnings may be from in-home jobs or jobs outside the home. Many children are paid money for extra work they do around

the house. The amount received for various tasks should be agreed upon by the parents and the child. When children are old enough to work outside the home, they still need guidance in money management. Teens should begin developing longer-term financial plans and an adult awareness of money, work, time, and their own needs. ALLOWANCE MONEY

An allowance is a child's share of family income and should be used as the child chooses on certain defined expenses. With an allowance, children can have some hands-on experience with managing money. They can plan their spending and learn to set some money aside for future use. Allowances can help children learn that money is limited, that income must first cover needs and that the family's financial situation affects the amount of money each member can use. An allowance should be enough to cover necessary expenses, leaving some money for the child to spend as he or she chooses. When starting an allowance, parents should teach children how to set up a budget or spending plan, keep records and set money aside for savings. Be sure and gear the information to the age and ability of each child. Source: Missouri Families eNewsletter

CLASS OFFERED When: Thursday, September 25, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Where: Lebanon Senior Center Topic: The Genius of America Explore the innovation and inventions in a society that encourages free expression. What have Americans brought to the world to make it better in the area of communications, transportation, medicine, all the "better mouse traps"-inventions that make our lives easier, healthier, and more interesting.

Watershed Council Lance Wyss, 541-466-3493 â&#x2014;&#x2020; lwyss@calapooia.org http://www.calapooia.org, http://northsantiam.org, http://www.sswc.org

SEPT/OCT 2014

RESTORATION ON MCDOWELL CREEK ick Bates has lived on McDowell Creek his entire life, witnessing the changes of the local community and the surrounding landscape first-hand over the years. Thinking back to his childhood, he remembers a time when the roads in Lebanon were lined with gravel instead of asphalt, attending kindergarten through eighth grade at McDowell Creek School, spending long days bailing hay for local producers, and bonfires along the banks of the South Santiam River on Friday nights with friends. He and his family have worked alongside McDowell Creek since 1943, having run a dairy, a small-logging operation, a cattle business, a row-crop and seed crop operation, and even raising a few horses over the years. Bates takes great pride in having raised his family on the same land in which he was raised and having instilled in them a strong work ethic and knowledge of their landscape. With some of his grandchildren now living on the same land, four generations of the Bates Family have worked and lived along McDowell Creek. In 2009, Bates was contacted by the South Santiam Watershed Council about participating in a streamside restoration project. While he was initially skeptical of working with the Council, he agreed to allow Council staff to conduct a stream survey and walk his property with him to look for resource concerns. Bates identified that he was having some issues with streambank erosion, which could be partially attributed to livestock access on the stream. He had been thinking about fencing off the stream for quite some time. Other resource concerns included elevated stream temperature, invasive weeds, and a lack of native trees and shrubs on the bank. After researching possible alternatives, Bates decided in 2009 that he wanted to enhance his streamside vegetation, install livestock exclusion fencing, and an off-channel livestock watering facility to address some of his resource concerns. He was also

able to install a grass waterway, gutters on his barn, and upgrade a culvert through funding and technical assistance provided by the Linn Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). In addition, large wood structures were placed in-stream to provide habitat for fish and other aquatic species. When asked why he decided to participate in restoration after some initial hesitation, he said that the Council had approached him at the right time. "We were thinking about fencing off the creek anyway, so it was just good timing," says Bates. In the spring of 2010, Bates enrolled three acres of streamside property into the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), which is a United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency program designed to provide landowners with incentives and technical assistance for implementing conservation practices in streamside areas. The Council partners with many local, state, and federal agencies and organizations and seeks funding from programs like CREP and organizations such as the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, the Meyer Memorial Trust, and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation among many other generous funders in order to implement its restoration program. The Council uses this funding to hire professional contractors to do restoration work such as planting and maintenance of native trees and shrubs or installation of large wood structures. After identifying options for funding that best suited Bates' needs, his property was prepared for planting in the summer and fall of 2010. In the winter of 2011, streamside areas were planted with native trees and shrubs and livestock exclusion fencing was installed. Weed control and maintenance are still ongoing on his property. Maintenance is conducted by the Council for about 5 years after planting, or until the plants are "free to grow." Three large wood structures were installed in the summer of 2011 to provide habitat

for fish and other aquatic species. When asked what he thinks about his restoration project now, Bates says he is proud. Having lived and worked on McDowell Creek his entire life, he is glad to see that his project brings attention to the watershed and the people working and making a living on the landscape. "People want to see the project," says Bates. "They are interested in what I am doing here and want to learn about it. Children come out with their classmates to see the project and learn not only about fish and wildlife habitat, but about agricultural production and rural communities." Bates became a member of the South Santiam Watershed Council in 2012 and frequently hosts visitors on his property who are interested in seeing his project. Whether it is neighbors, school groups, agencies and organizations, or Watershed Council tours, the Bates' project has become a model for other projects and for outreach and education. "Dick Bates and his family are an asset to our organization and a pleasure to work with. As a leader in the community, Dick's outlook on life and sense of humor brings people together. We are grateful that Dick allows us to bring so many tours and interested groups to see his project," said Eric Hartstein, Coordinator of the South Santiam Watershed Council. Bates was one of the first landowners in the McDowell Creek area to work with the Council on streamside restoration. Since 2009, several landowners in McDowell Creek have partnered with the council to restore more than 30 acres of streamside. If you are interested in learning more about restoration or the South Santiam Watershed Council, please do not hesitate to contact Eric Hartstein at 541-367-5564 or visit us online at www.sswc.org. Authors: Kelly Foley (who is no longer with the Watershed Councils), Eric Hartstein, and Lance Wyss, Regional Projects Coordinator (North Santiam, South Santiam, Calapooia Watershed Councils)

Linn County Farm Bureau Don Cersovski, 541-995-8310 14

SEPT/OCT 2014

Linn County Farm Bureau annual meeting plans LCFB Annual Meeting will be held on November 20. Plans are in the making with location and details to be published in the next issue of GROWING. Invitations will be mailed to the membership.

Linn County Farm Bureau regular meeting notice The next regular LCFB board meeting will be held on Monday, September 8. This is the first regular meeting of LCFB after taking the summer off. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at 33254 Highway 99E, Tangent.

First Aid, CPR and AED training class at Ag Expo BY MARY G. GRIMES

Back by popular demand, November 19 is the tentative date for the Linn County Farm Bureau First Aid, CPR and AED training class that will be taught during the Willamette Valley Ag Expo held at Linn County Fairgrounds. The class size will be limited to 30 participants. This four hour course is taught by an American Assn. (AHA)-trained teacher that will include lecture, demonstrations, hands-on training and materials at an approximate cost of $47. All participants will receive a workbook and two year certification card.

Soil & Water

Conservation District Kevin Seifert, 541-926-2483 â&#x2014;&#x2020; linnswcd.org/

PRECISION AG THROUGH DRONES

hat "drones" means to a growing number of farmers is simply a low-cost aerial camera platform: either miniature fixed-wing airplanes or, more commonly, quadcopters and other multibladed small helicopters. These aircraft can be equipped with an autopilot using GPS and a standard point-and-shoot camera controlled by the autopilot; software on the ground can stitch aerial shots into a high-resolution mosaic map. Whereas a traditional radio-controlled aircraft needs to be flown by a pilot on the ground, in autopilot drones the autopilot does all the flying, from auto takeoff to landing. Its software plans the flight path, aiming for maximum coverage of the fields, and controls the camera to optimize the images for later analysis. This low-altitude view (from a few meters above the plants to around 120 meters, which is the regulatory ceiling in the United States for unmanned aircraft operating without special clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration) gives a perspective that farmers have rarely had before. Compared with satellite imagery, it's much cheaper and offers higher resolution. Because it's taken under the clouds, it's unobstructed and available anytime. It's also much cheaper than crop imaging with a

PHOTO

PROVIDED BY

KEVIN SEIFERT

Quad copter style drone hovering over production field.

manned aircraft, which can run $1,000 an hour. Farmers can buy the drones outright for less than $1,000 each. The advent of drones this small, cheap, and easy to use is due largely to remarkable advances in technology: tiny MEMS sensors (accelerometers, gyros, magnetometers, and often pressure sensors), small GPS modules, incredibly powerful processors, and a range of digital radios. All those components are now getting better and cheaper at an unprecedented rate, thanks to their use in smartphones and the extraordinary economies of scale of that industry. At the heart of a drone, the autopilot runs specialized software-often opensource programs created by communities such as DIY Drones, rather than costly code from the aerospace industry. Drones can provide farmers with three types of detailed views. First, seeing a crop from the air can reveal patterns that

expose everything from irrigation problems to soil variation and even pest and fungal infestations that aren't apparent at eye level. Second, airborne cameras can take multispectral images, capturing data from the infrared as well as the visual spectrum, which can be combined to create a view of the crop that highlights differences between healthy and distressed plants in a way that can't be seen with the naked eye. Finally, a drone can survey a crop every week, every day, or even every hour. Combined overlays to create a time-series animation, that imagery can show changes in the crop, revealing trouble spots or opportunities for better crop management. It's part of a trend toward increasingly datadriven agriculture. Farms today are bursting with engineering marvels, the result of years of automation and other innovations designed to grow more food with less labor. Tractors autonomously plant seeds within a few centimeters

of their target locations, and GPS-guided harvesters reap the crops with equal accuracy. Extensive wireless networks backhaul data on soil hydration and environmental factors to faraway servers for analysis. But what if we could add to these capabilities the ability to more comprehensively assess the water content of soil, become more rigorous in our ability to spot irrigation and pest problems, and get a general sense of the state of the farm, every day or even every hour? The implications cannot be stressed enough. We expect 9.6 billion people to call Earth home by 2050. All of them need to be fed. Farming is an input-output problem. If we can reduce the inputs-water and pesticides-and maintain the same output, we will be overcoming a central challenge. Agricultural drones are becoming a tool like any other consumer device, and we're starting to talk about what we can do with them. Farmers want to irrigate less, use less pesticide, and ultimately produce better crops. More and better data can reduce water use and lower the chemical load in our environment and our food. Seen this way, what started as a military technology may end up better known as a greentech tool, and our next generation will grow up used to flying robots buzzing over farms like tiny crop dusters.

Forestry & Natural Resources SEPT/OCT 2014

Brad Withrow-Robinson, 541-967-3871, brad.w-r@oregonstate.edu, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

WEEDS WE LOVE TO HATE...

The Butterfly Bush BY JODY EINERSON OSU BENTON COUNTY EXTENSION

re you kidding, butterfly bushes are a weed to hate? But yes, this common landscape plant, Buddleia davidii, has spread from yards to become a weed problem in open areas along streams, in forests, and disturbed sites. Although more common in some of our adjoining counties, it has the potential of becoming a real problem in our area too. The butterfly bush is a perennial woody shrub that can grow to ten feet, with lance-shaped leaves alternately spaced along the twigs. The leaves are 4-10 inches long and have a deep green top with whitish undersides. In

PHOTO: RICHARD OLD, BUGWOOD.ORG

Butterfly bush in flower. Pretty, but invasive.

summer the bush is covered in long cylindershaped flower heads made up of tiny individual flowers and can range in color from white to pink to purple. These showy flowers have a strong unpleasant odor up close. A single flower head can produce 40,000 winged seeds! And, these winged seeds are easily dispersed by

wind or water for miles. Without flowers this shrub can easily be mistaken for one of our shrubby native willow species and is frequently found in the same habitat. The butterfly bush forms dense thickets along riversides and crowds out native vegetation; native vegetation which provides food and shelter for wildlife. The

flowers do attract butterflies hence the name, but the plant is of no value as a larvae host plant, which our native willows are. The first line of defense is to prevent your yard from being a source of this invasive. Deadheading can prevent seeding if done diligently early and often. If you have a bush consider replacing it with one of the new sterile interspecific hybrids (ODA has a list of approved varieties), that will not escape your yard. Or even a native plant, such as the Douglas spirea. Be on the watch for escaped plants, and pass that information on to the local Soil and Water Conservation District or Watershed Council, which often has a weed mapping and control program.

Operations Notification process is changing DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

In a quest for more efficient forestry, the Oregon Department of Forestry has developed a Notification of Forest Operations process with a simple 21st century solution, e-Notification. EFFICIENCY: E-Notification gives everyone in forestry flexibility and efficiency when submitting Notifications of Operations. Starting October 1, 2014, anyone filing a Notification for Operation and Permit to Operate Power Driven Machinery (a Notifier), will be able to use the Oregon Department of Forestry online eNotification system. The e-notification system was developed over the past year with the help of landowners, the public, and forest industry to meet goals to:

• increase efficiency • streamline communications, and • simplify the process FROM 20TH TO 21ST CENTURY BUSINESS: E-mailing, e-filing, and e-Notifying match today's business and regulatory needs for speedy information flow. The Department of Forestry continues investing significant resources to meet these demands. Currently, landowners, timber owners, and operators file a paper notification. Next, Department staff manually enters it into an electronic system. Finally, the notifier receives a printed copy by mail. With e-Notification, notifiers can submit notifications from anywhere they have internet access and quickly receive an email with a copy of their completed Notification.

So You May Not Be Able to Change the Wheather …But you can help understand it better by volunteering to observe and report on precipitation (rain and snow) and plant phenology (timing of plant growth stages). Along the way, you will learn more about your own local microclimate and environment while contributing to a bigger picture that will help scientists who are working to improve the weather, forecast and better understand changes in natural processes. Oregon Season Trackers is a new program connecting OSU scientists with community volunteers who will help monitor local seasonal patterns. The program will recruit, coordinate and train community members to become "Citizen Scientists" who collect precipitation and phenology data at their home or rural

property. Season Tracker volunteers will help OSU Extension and HJ Andrews Experimental Forest scientists develop a better understanding of our weather and how it affects plants locally and across the State. In the workshop, volunteers will learn how to participate in two national citizen science networks: • CoCoRaHS collects rain and snowfall data used by the National Weather Service, climate modelers, emergency managers, and others. • Nature's Notebook observers report on seasonal plant changes in key plant species identified across the state. Season Trackers is a great opportunity for Extension community partners, including Master Gardeners, small wood-

land owners, farmers, and 4-H members to get involved in the science they use every day. In fact, your contribution may be especially valuable if you live, or have property in a remote rural area, especially in the foothills or mountains. You can observe precipitation, or phenology, or both. It is easy to participate, and suitable to involve your entire family. All you need is: • an approved rain gauge and a place to set it up • a willingness to check your gauge daily (or as frequently as possible) • one or more plants to observe periodically during the season • a computer or smartphone so that you can log in and record your data We will have several trainings sched-

uled in the Willamette Valley with one in Tangent on October 25, 2014. See the Benton or Linn County Extension website for details, or contact Jody Einerson jody.einerson@oregonstate.edu, or the Benton County Extension Office 541-766-6750.

UPCOMINGEVENTS Season Trackers Precipitation and Phenology monitoring Workshop • Saturday, Oct 25 • 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. • Central Electrical Training Facility • 33309 HWY 99E, Tangent, OR

shttp://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

SEPT/OCT 2014

BIRDS OF A FEATHER ...

PHOTO JOURNAL

Above: Mist nets are set up in the pre-dawn light where birds move around during normal feeding activities. At left: Captured birds rest peacefully in cloth bags awaiting banding and data collection.

BY BRAD WITHROW-ROBINSON

OSU FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES EXTENSION FOR BENTON, LINN, AND POLK COUNTIES

n the Birds of a Feather series we try to make a connection between the birds you find in a place and the habitat conditions there. Because habitat is something we can create or alter by our forest practices, this illustrates an opportunity for interested landowners to manage their properties to improve woodland habitat conditions for particular birds. While we focus on birds, it is an illustration that applies to all woodland fauna. Animals tend to be quite responsive to habitat conditions. Birds are fun, abundant, and easy to observe by watching and listening, which makes them a good group of animals for landowners to key in on. In fact, lots of what we know about birds, and how they use different places (migratory arrivals and departure, where the feed and nest) has been gained through careful observation. But capturing and banding birds is another important tool available to researchers that lets them add another layer of information. By capturing birds, we can learn about their general condition (weight, fat reserves) gender, and age distribution, which gives insight on things such as general health or their readiness for breeding or migration. And when we are lucky enough to recapture a banded bird, we learn valuable details about how they have moved and fared in the time between captures. I recently caught up with a team of scientists and volunteers out in the pre-dawn light to band birds on a private woodland in Benton County. Dr. Joan Hagar, US Geological Survey Wildlife Biologist, led the team that also included scientists from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and OSU Extension. Here is a brief photo journal of the morning.

Above: Disentangling captured birds is delicate work even for skilled handlers. At top left: Determining a birds and gender takes careful work. You can't just check their driver's license! At top right: Measured and wearing a new bracelet, this Swainson's thrush is ready to fly away!