OSU Growing July 2016

July-August 2016 Volume 36, Issue 4

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #115 Albany, OR

Extending Knowledge and Changing Lives in Linn and Benton Counties May 2014

Arial Bold 12pt Old Armory, Fourth & Lyon, Albany, Oregon 97321

4-H the Cornerstone of Linn and Benton County Fairs

By Mitch Lies, Growing Editor For many, the Linn and Benton county fairs mean carnival rides, snow cones and national-caliber live music.

For others, such as 4-H members, the fairs provide a chance to showcase their animal husbandry or technological prowess.

To still others, the fairs provide an opportunity to view a demonstration garden, get tips from master gardeners and master food preservers, and observe artwork.

Whether young or old, interested in livestock or show biz, there is plenty for everyone at the Linn and Benton county fairs, said fair backers.

Still, the cornerstone of both fairs are the 4-H exhibits and the animals that 4-H youth stall and show at the respective fairgrounds.

“I think for our community, the youth fair is the highlight of the summer, and of our county fair,” said Linn County 4-H Youth Development Faculty Robin

County Fair is a time for friends and family to get together. 4-H club members work with their projects, then are rewarded with ribbons and the satisfaction of learning.

Galloway. “The public comes to see the kids and all the skills that they are learning

as they work with their animals.”

For 4-H members and the

541-967-3871

parents who assist them, the fairs often are the culmination of a year’s preparation, Benton County 4-H Youth Development Faculty Carolyn Ashton said.

“The Benton County Fair is the capstone event of the year for our members, who get to showcase what they have been working on all year long,” Ashton said. “It is a huge event.”

For many, preparing for the fair starts when they take ownership of a calf or a lamb.

It involves feeding, stalling, grooming and working with their animal day in and day out over the course of a year, whether it’s hot or cold, rainy or snowy.

Parents typically help pay for feed and bedding and often transport youth to sites where their animals are kept.

“Not all of these kids have a barn,” said Joe Calderon, chair of the Linn County Fair Board. “It is quite a commitment for parents and supervisors to make sure that these kids are given the opportunity to properly learn how to groom their animals.

4-H is a big part of the Linn and Benton county fairs, scheduled July 13-16 and August 3-6, respectively, but fair organizers said the fairs offer much more.

“Our fair also has all the other fair elements (in addition to 4-H),” said Benton County Fairgrounds Manager Lynne McKee, “such as the exhibitors, the art displays, the carnival rides, the live music and other entertainment.”

Ditto in Linn County, where Fair Board Chair Joe Calderon said a diverse Fair Board works each year to showcase a variety of drawing cards.

“It starts with our Fair Board,” Calderon said. “We have members that are there to represent the agricultural world, and we have others with expertise in the entertainment business. It is a good mix.”

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Continued on Page 23

Something for Everyone at County Fairs

Inside: Linn County Fair July 13-16. Benton County Fair August 3-6. Don’t Miss the Fun. July/August 2016 — 1

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Who We Are

Office locations and hours

The Benton County office is located at 4077 SW Research Way in Corvallis.

Office hours are 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Telephone: 541766-6750. Fax: 541-766-3549. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton.

The Linn County office is located at 33630 McFarland Rd (on the corner of Old Highway 34 and McFarland Road), in Tangent. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone 541-967-3871. Seed Certification phone 541-967-3810. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn.

Program Staff Phone Numbers

Administration and program support serving Linn County

Office specialist Laurie Gibson Office specialist JoLynn O’Hearn Office manager & Linn County Leader Michele Webster Seed certification Doug Huff, Tamara Fowler

541-248-1088 541-967-3871 541-248-1087 541-967-3810

Administration and program support serving Benton County Office specialist Office manager Office specialist

Kelly Cotter 541-766-6750 Liz McGovern 541-766-6750 Andrea Watson 541-766-6750

Regional Administrator GROWING editor

Derek Godwin 541-967-3871 Mitch Lies 541-967-3871

Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities and materials without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran status. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations to persons with physical or mental disabilities will be provided. Please notify the Extension office five working days prior to the event you are interested in attending to request reasonable accommodations.

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“When they get to the fair,” Calderon said, “it is kind of like the icing on the cake for what they’ve done all year.”

Many parents take vacation time to camp out at the fair, Calderon said, often arriving prior to opening day so their sons and daughters can prepare stalls or static displays for exhibit, and staying after the fair closes to help with cleanup.

“It can get really tough when it gets so hot and people get so tired,” Ashton said. “But everybody keeps a positive attitude and knows we are here for the 4-H members to experience all that fair has to offer. And I think the adults have a positive experience, as well.”

4-H members display their accomplishments in a variety of fashions, including in traditional areas of animal husbandry, cooking and sewing, but also in the fields of science and technology.

“There is a big focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) in 4-H now, and you will see that reflected in the exhibits at the county fairs,” Galloway said.

Rather than compete against one another, when showing at the fairs 4-H exhibitors are judged independently on what is known as the Danish System, which award the equivalent of first, second and third place ribbons.

Nevertheless, showing at the fair is often pressure-packed for

Cloverbud Day at the fair. photo credit Benton County Extension.

Linn County 4-H Youth Development Robin Galloway 541-730-3469 Linn County 4-H Youth Development Andrea Leao 541-730-3534 Benton County 4-H Youth Development Carolyn Ashton 541-766-6750 Benton County 4-H Natural Science and Benton County Leader Maggie Livesay 541-766-6750 4-H Latino Outreach Coordinator Ana Lu Fonseca 541-766-6750 Field Crops* Clare Sullivan 541-730-3537 Livestock & Forages* Shelby Filley 541-672-4461 Dairy* Jenifer Cruickshank 971-600-1222 Commercial Swine & Forage* Gene Pirelli 541-623-8395 Small Farms* Melissa Fery 541-967-3871 Small Farms* Amy Garrett* 541-766-6750 Small Farms & Groundwater Education* Chrissy Lucas 541-766-3556 Community Horticulture* Brooke Edmunds 541-730-3470 Community Horticulture* Pami Opfer 541-730-3471 Forestry, Natural Resources* Brad Withrow-Robinson 541-967-3871 Forestry and 4-H Youth Jody Einerson 541-766-6311 Family & Community Health (FCH)* Jeanne Brandt 541-730-3544 FCH & SNAP Ed* Tina Dodge Vera 541-730-3541 SNAP Ed* Iris Carrasco 541-967-3871 SNAP Ed* Brooke Watkins 541-967-3871 SNAP Ed* Constanza Maureira 541-766-6750 FCH & EFNEP* Leonor Chavez 541-730-3542 * Multi-county assignment

Continued from Page 1 Photo credit Benton County Extension

The Oregon State University Extension offices in Linn County and Benton County offer practical, lifelong learning experiences. We sponsor conferences, workshops, demonstrations, tours, and short courses. We recruit, train and manage volunteers who assist us with community outreach and education.

Our Extension faculty and volunteers answer questions and give advice by phone, in person, through e-mail, and on our Websites. We provide brochures and flyers with specific information on a variety of subjects. We are funded by a cooperative partnership between Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and our local counties.

4-H The Cornerstone of County Fairs

4-H Fair Archery Contest

youth and their parents, Galloway said.

“The kids and adults have been working year-round, and this is the culmination, so there is a lot of emotion and finger crossing,” Galloway said. “You just hope that your animal is healthy or your bread rises enough.”

The lessons that youth gain both from their preparation and participation at the fair often stay with them for a lifetime, and, at times, serve as a catalyst for a

career choice, Galloway said.

“Many times it results in a lifetime commitment of good animal husbandry and these youth then go into some aspect of agriculture, which they learned as they raised their animals in 4-H,” she said.

At the close of the fairs, livestock auctions help families recoup some of the costs that have gone into raising their animals.

Calderon added that the auctions also serve another purpose.

“The most important part of the auction is it teaches kids involved in 4-H the importance of proper nutrition for animals, the importance of properly grooming an animal from the beginning to that point, because they see the results at the auction,” Calderon said. “So there is a business benefit to those kids at that point.”

In addition to the auction, 4-H members typically hold an awards ceremony and barbecue on the final day of the fair. Many 4-H members and their families then stay on site an extra day after the fair closes to help with cleanup, before returning a few days later for a final cleanup.

“We are all very tired by that point,” Ashton said, “but we had so much fun, and we made so many great moments, that it makes doing the cleanup go a lot easier.”

Then there’s next year to begin thinking about.

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Brooke Edmunds 541-730-3470 brooke.edmunds@ oregonstate.edu

Pami Opfer 541-730-3471 pamela.opfer@ oregonstate.edu

Demonstration Garden Classes Offered Keep the garden momentum going this summer by attending our informative and hands-on workshop series. Workshops are free and no registration is required.

Benton County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden Summer Workshops All classes will be held at the MG Demo Garden at Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 SW 53rd St. in Corvallis (enter via parking lot off Reservoir Rd.) • Saturday, July 16, 1-3 p.m.

Garden Irrigation & Planning for Winter • Saturday, August 20, 1-3 p.m.

Common Tomato Problems • Saturday, September 10, 1-3 p.m. Cover Crops & Soil Building Linn County Master Gardener Demonstration Garden Summer Workshops All classes will be held at the MG Demonstration Garden at Linn County Fair and Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Rd. in Albany. Garden is located on the

July-August Gardening Calendar for Western Oregon JULY northside of the Linn County Fair/ Expo Center (behind the hotels).

• Wednesday, July 27, Noon1 p.m. Planting for a Fall Garden • Wednesday, August 10, Noon-1 p.m. Gardening Best Practices • Wednesday, August 24, Noon1 p.m. Garden Questions & Answers

Grow Your Garden with Free Online Resources

By Brooke Edmunds, OSU Extension Do you use a tablet or an eBook reader? Check out these free gardening apps and eBooks from the OSU Extension catalog (catalog.extension.oregonstate. edu).

Mobile Apps Selecting, Planting and Caring for a New Tree. This app covers basic information on choosing a planting site, selecting the right species for the site, proper

planting techniques, and firstyear care of trees. The app has videos explaining the concept of “Right Tree, Right Place” and other issues related to early tree care. It also includes interactive, in-depth tree selection guides to help you choose specific trees for specific locations and purposes, including fall color, under utility wires, tough sites, spring flowering, shade, and water conservation.

Available as pdf, iOS (Apple), and Android tablets.

Link to the download site: https://catalog.extension.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Community Horticulture

oregonstate.edu/ec1438 Fire-resistant Landscape Plants for the Willamette Valley. The Willamette Valley is known for mild, wet winters, but summer droughts leave the valley as vulnerable to wildfires as drier areas of the state. Homeowners can decrease the potential for damage to their property from a wildfire by using fire resistant plants in landscaping. No plant is fire proof, but some are considered

Continued on Page 5

Maintenance and clean up

• If green lawn is desired, frequent watering is necessary during periods of heat and drought stress. Irrigate 0.25 inches four to six times per week from June through August. Measure your water use by placing an empty tuna can where your irrigation water lands.

• Mound soil up around base of potatoes. Gather and eat a few “new” potatoes from each hill when plants begin to flower.

• Early morning is the best time to water vegetable and flower gardens to reduce evaporation. Water the soil, rather than leaves to reduce disease. Water deeply and infrequently to encourage root growth.

• Hanging baskets of flowers or vegetable plantings need careful attention to watering and feeding during extended periods of hot weather.

• Weed and fertilize rhubarb and asparagus beds.

• Mulch to conserve soil moisture with paper, plastic, sawdust, etc.

• Stake tall-growing flowering plants such as delphinium, hollyhocks, and lupine.

• Make compost of lawn clippings and garden plants that are ready to be recycled. Do not use clippings if lawn has been treated with herbicide, including “weed-and-feed” products.

Planting/propagation

• Midsummer plantings of beets, bush beans, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, lettuce, kale, and peas will provide fall and winter crops.

• Dig spring bulbs when tops have died down; divide and store or replant.

Continued on Page 4

July/August 2016 —

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Garden Calendar continued from Page 3

Pest monitoring and management • Watch for cutworm damage in garden. In July, climbing cutworms become a problem and large portions of foliage will begin to disappear on established plants. Use barriers, remove by hand, use beneficial nematodes when soil temperature is above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or spray with Bt-k according to label directions.

• Late July: Begin to monitor for early and late blight on tomatoes.

• Place traps to catch adult apple maggot flies. You can use pheromone traps to monitor presence of pests.

• July 10: Spray filbert trees for filbertworm, as necessary.

• July 10-15: Spray peach and prune trees for peach tree borer, and peach twig borer, as necessary.

• July 17-23: Third spray for codling moth in apple and pear trees, as necessary.

• Cover blueberry bushes with netting to keep birds from eating the entire crop.

• Watch for early and late blight on tomatoes. Correct by pruning for air circulation, picking off affected leaves, and/or treat with approved fungicide.

• Monitor camellias, holly, and maple trees for scale insects. Treat if necessary.

• Monitor rhododendrons for adult root weevils. Look for fresh evidence of feeding (notching). Try sticky trap products on plant trunks to trap adult weevils.

• Spider mites can become a problem on ornamental plants, vegetables, and fruit plants during hot, dry weather. Watch for dusty-looking foliage, loss of color, and presence of tiny mites. Wash infested areas with water or spray with appropriate pesticides.

• Continue monitoring raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry and other plants that produce soft fruits and berries for Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD). If SWD are present, use an integrated and least toxic approach to manage the pests.

• Check leafy vegetables for caterpillars. Pick off caterpillars as they appear. Remove cankered limbs from fruit and nut trees for control of diseases such as apple anthracnose and bacterial canker of stone fruit. Sterilize tools before each new cut.

Continued on Page 13

4 — July/August 2016

Local Community Member Pete Scott Donates to Seed to Supper Program

By Pami Opfer OSU Extension and the Master Gardener program would like to extend their sincere appreciation to Pete Scott. Pete donated $200 to the Seed to Supper program this year. Because of that donation, we were able to purchase the cookbook, Good and Cheap for Seed to Supper participants.

Good and Cheap is a cookbook filled with delicious, healthful recipes created for people on a tight budget—and a cookbook with a strong charitable component: With every copy of Good and Cheap purchased, a second copy will be given to a person or family in need. This cookbook ties in perfectly with the mission of the Seed to Supper program, which is a comprehensive six-week beginning gardening

course that gives novice adult gardeners the tools they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. In 2016, we had roughly 70 adult participants in Linn County, and 100 adult participants, plus 25 children, in Benton County.

Pete wants to continue to support the Seed to Supper program in the future and asked that we please keep him in mind if, for example, we need to purchase more seeds next year (and we probably will). He and his wife are long-time gardeners and educators and they really believe in this project. Thank you, Pete!

We have also secured a grant for 2016 that has enabled us to add a hands-on workshop component to the Seed to Supper program. Participants

are encouraged to continue the garden momentum from the classes earlier in the spring by attending follow up workshops to build upon their knowledge and practice of successful gardening practices.

These classes are offered in conjunction with our free workshop series at both Linn and Benton County Master Gardener demonstration gardens. We want all participants to feel supported and successful within their local garden communities.

It is with the continued support from local community members like Pete Scott, grant funds from the Cooperative Extension service, and most of all, the effort of our MG volunteer educators who make the Seed to Supper program such a success.

2016 Oregon Master Gardener Mini College Registration Now Open Join the Oregon Master Gardeners Association at its annual educational conference that focuses on gardening educational classes.

An exciting Keynote speaker will begin the activities and several advanced training classes for

re-certification will again be offered.

Master Gardener MiniCollege is always open to the general public and to Master Gardeners.

Register online at: http://omga.org/minicollege-2016/.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Linn County Master Gardener Volunteer Spotlight:

Rick Eldridge – MG Trainee, Linn County photo provided by Pami Opfer

Rick Eldridge is a new Linn County Master Gardener. Rick is excellent at working with clients who call into the MG desk with questions; he is a great listener and works hard in his follow up research to find relevant information to help with common garden problems. Rick participated in the Container Day at Wilco in Lebanon, and at the Spring Garden festival in Corvallis. He is very proud of the fact that he does NOT have a smartphone.

We have been working with Rick to get him back into the

Rick Eldridge presented a display on worm bin composting at the Spring Garden Festival in Corvallis earlier this year.

swing of using a computer and entering garden question

information at the MG desk and he has been a trooper about coming back into the technological world. But he mostly enjoys being out in the garden, where it’s quiet and there are no computers. In addition to his own garden, Rick helps runs a 6-acre farm not connected to his house.

We are happy to have Rick on board this year in the Master Gardener program. We hope that we can utilize his quiet, humble energy and enthusiasm for working out in nature in the garden for many years to come!

Congratulation to our Oregon Master Gardener Association award winners for 2016 • Benton County Master Gardener Behind the Scenes: Sophie Grow (co-award winner with Christina Clark) • Benton County Master Gardener of the Year: Kathy Clark • Linn County Master Gardener of the Year: Ranee Webb • Oregon Master Gardener of the Year nominee from Benton County: Lynn Trimpe

Free Online Resources continued from Page 3 fire resistant. This app highlights fire-resistant plants that thrive in Willamette Valley growing conditions. It provides a diverse list of plants by category:

Benton County Master Gardener Volunteer Spotlight:

Christina Clark – MG, Benton County Photo by Pami Opfer

Christina has been a joy to have as a volunteer since the day she started with the Master Gardener program.

She is the sweetest person to work with and is always very supportive and willing to take on multiple projects. She adds good insight into projects and often finds a way to streamline our processes or projects.

She has been an amazing coordinator for the BCMGA Plant Sale “dig and divides.”

She is very organized, timely, and pleasant. She has also spearheaded a movement to create “NPK” (Neighborhood Planters’ Kiosk), which have

Christina Clark in her garden.

partnered with multiple community organizations to post gardening information in busy neighborhoods.

This is a delightful way to

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build community and share gardening information with family, friends, and neighbors. Christina works very quietly, but when you start thinking about all of things that she does for the Master Gardener organization, it is quite astounding. She brings a lot of horticulture knowledge and practical understanding of common garden problems to working the MG desk and Farmers’ Markets. Christina has been awarded the Benton County Master Gardener Behind the Scenes award for 2016.

groundcovers, perennials, woody shrubs and vines, and trees.

Available as for tablets or smartphones on iOS (Apple), and Android tablets.

Link to the download site: https://catalog.extension. oregonstate.edu/em9103 eBook format Conserving Water in the Garden. This eBook provides tips to keep your landscape healthy by developing water priorities, applying water efficiently, and modifying your maintenance practices.

Available as an eBook and a pdf Link to the download site: https://catalog.extension. oregonstate.edu/em9125 Growing Hops in the Home Garden. Want to learn more about hops? This eBook provides instructions on how to select, grow, harvest, and store hops.

Available as an eBook and a pdf Link to the download site: https://catalog.extension. oregonstate.edu/em9115

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Family and Community Health

Jeanne Brandt 541-730-3544 jeanne.brandt@ oregonstate.edu

Tina Dodge Vera 541-730-3541 tina.dodge@ oregonstate.edu

Preserving Oregon’s Sweetest Things: Our Berries Photos by Jeanne Brandt

Oregonians are lucky to have an abundance of fresh berries this time of year. Oregon is a major producer of berries; commercially, wild, and in home gardens. Little of the U.S. has the access to fresh, local berries that we have. We even have popular berries named for our area.

Hood strawberries are known for their flavor and bright color, as well as their fragile nature.

These delicious strawberries rarely cross state lines, but are sold fresh locally and used in commercial products, such as ice cream, where colorful tasty bits of berries are called for. Marion blackberries are a popular type of commercial blackberry: Juicy and sweet, they are bred from the wild native blackberries in our area, but with a few less thorns, and are well trained in their fields to prevent brambles.

This is the season, so don’t delay getting your berry supply for the year. There are many ways to save these little jewels for year-round enjoyment.

Berries are highly perishable, so once you pick or purchase them, keep them cool and handle them quickly to preserve their quality. If left on the counter, they will mold by the next morning. Rinse berries under a gentle spray of cool water just

Clockwise from Top Left: Fresh blackberry cobbler, baked in a Dutch oven, Raspberry and cranberry vinegars, Hood strawberries, and Marion berry pie.

before consuming or using them.

Don’t let them soak. Roll them on a clean towel that you don’t mind getting stained or on paper towels to remove the excess moisture.

Freezing is the fastest and easiest way to put berries by on a hot day. They need no preparation. If you don’t want them to stick together, spread them on a cookie tray and freeze until firm and then pour them into airtight freezer containers.

If you know what you will use them for, pre-measure the amount you need for a recipe and pack them into a container labeled with the quantity. Frozen berries work well for jams, jellies, pie fillings and for juicing.

All berries become soft and juicy when they thaw. This makes it easier to extract the juice, so we recommend freezing berries that you plan to juice. A steam juicer allows you to juice large quantities of berries or grapes

efficiently. These are available where canning and kitchen equipment is sold.

Jams and jellies are an acceptable way to incorporate berries into your menu.

Traditional jam and jelly recipes called for more sugar than berries, which was necessary to get the product to thicken without adding pectin. Using commercial pectin in your products allows you to use substantially less sugar than older recipes. Look for pectin packages that mention “low- or no- sugar options” to ensure your lower sugar products set up as you expect them to. Every supermarket carries a selection of pectin at this time of year. In the last few years, bulk packages of pectin have shown up on the shelves, allowing you to make several batches of jam from one container of pectin. These current pectin products allow for the use of alternative sweeteners such as honey, agave, or sucralose while still getting the sweet spread to jell properly.

Berry vinegars are a creative way to use berries. Combine equal parts berries and vinegar along with your choice of citrus peel, fresh herbs and whole spices to a sterilized canning jar, cover and let steep in a cool

place or your refrigerator for 2-4 weeks. Strain the solids out and then use the vinegars to add interest to meat marinades, as the base for salad dressings, or poured over ice with sweetened soda for a shrub drink, an item growing in popularity on upscale restaurant menus.

Finally, there is pie. No 4th of July celebration is complete without berry pie. Berry pie filling can be prepared ahead of time and frozen or canned.

Canning instructions call for the use of Clear-jel® a corn-based thickener. Other thickeners, such as flour, cornstarch and tapioca can be used for frozen pie fillings, but Clear-jel® is the only one recommended for canning.

For more information on some of these berry-preservation options, see the following publications: http://extension.oregonstate. edu/fch/sites/default/files/ documents/sp_50_736_ flavoredvinegars.pdf http://extension.oregonstate. edu/fch/sites/default/files/ documents/sp_50_616_ fruitpiefillings.pdf http://extension.oregonstate. edu/fch/sites/default/files/ documents/sp_50_780_ preservingberries.pdf

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Dehydrating Foods

Leonor shows off a tray of dehydrated pineapple slices. You can dry almost any fruit or vegetable. It is fun and easy.

canned fruit when you are getting ready for a new canning season and need to make some room in your pantry. With the canned fruits, no pretreatment is needed. After removing fruit from the dehydrator, cool fruit for 30-60 minutes before packaging to avoid moisture build up from occurring. It is also very important not to wait too long to package or it can pick up moisture.

Vegetables need to be pretreated before dehydrating to inactivate enzymes that cause vegetables to mature to prevent off flavors and bitterness and to make them easier to rehydrate. Pretreat the vegetables by water or steam blanching them. Vegetables will have 10 percent moisture when fully dried and will end up with a brittle or crisp texture; however, some vegetables dry like fruit.

Dehydrating foods is something you can experiment

and have fun with; there is no danger of botulism due to all moisture being removed from the foods. There are lots of great recipes and information about dehydrating foods from OSU Extension. And since there is no danger of botulism with dehydrating foods, you can look for some fun ideas online, too.

Ever since I learned about food dehydration, I have been drying everything I can think of, and my family loves it. I recently dried some fruits to take for snacks on a long trip.

Instead of buying unhealthy foods along the road I made some healthy snacks and everyone enjoyed them.

If you are planning your week-long camping trip, how about dehydrating some foods that you plan on taking with you and just rehydrate them when you’re ready to eat them.

Kids love yogurt but you’re afraid you won’t be able to maintain safe enough to eat, why not dehydrate it? If you plan on taking some hikes while you’re camping, but snacks take up too much room and weigh down your back pack, how about some apple chips or banana chips? Once the food is dehydrated it doesn’t take up much space, fruit leathers are a big hit with kids, but we also know that the commercial products are packed with lots of sugar. Here’s a fruit leather recipe that you can use and I guarantee your kids, and even you, will love it.

• 2 3/4 cups fruit juice • 3/4 cup sugar (optional)

• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Clear-Jel® • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Mix sugar and Clear-Jel®. If sugar is omitted, mix Clear-Jel® with a small amount of cold fruit juice. Add Clear-Jel® mixture to fruit juice in a heavy kettle. Heat on medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil one minute or bring to boil in a microwave (5-6 minutes on high power). Stir once or twice as mixture thickens.

Pour the glaze onto plastic wrap lined drying trays sprayed with cooking spray. Dry until no longer soft, it may be tacky depending on fruit used.

The fruit glaze leather can be cut into interesting shapes after it is dried. This is great for a kid’s party or for an anytime snack.

The fruit glaze is also great for cake fillings, icings, short cakes, ice cream toppings, fruit salad dressings, pancake and waffle syrups, etc.

Go to our website and find more information about dehydrating fruits and vegetables at http:/extension.oregonstate.edu/fch/foodpreservation

2016 Linn/Benton County Master Food Preservers A new group of trained volunteer Master Food Preservers (MFPs) joined dedicated and experienced veteran volunteers in early June to share current food preservation and food safety information with our local residents.

Photo by Jeanne Brandt

Drying foods inhibits the growth of bacteria, yeasts and mold through the removal of moisture. It also helps slow down the action of the enzymes that would make the produce continue to ripen, but doesn’t destroy or inactivate them.

Food dehydration has been used widely since ancient times and has once again become very popular for snacks, meals for backpacking, or family camping trips. Carrying fresh fruits and vegetables while going for a hike or camping can be a hassle, they can be damaged or spoil in a backpack where everything else is packed.

There is more than one way to dehydrate foods, however the most effective and recommended way is a food dehydrator with a fan and vents for air circulation, thermostat for temperature control, and durable trays.

When dehydrating fruits, it is very important to pretreat them to help preserve the color and flavor and also to help minimize nutrient loss. Ways to pretreat fruit include blanching with syrup, water or steam, dipping in an ascorbic acid mixture or fruit juice. Fruits should end up with 20 percent moisture and a leathery, pliable texture; there should not be any visible moisture on the fruit.

You can dehydrate fruit that is too ripe to freeze or can. You can also dehydrate previously

photo by Jeanne Brandt

By Leonor Chavez, EFNEP & FCH

Fruit Glaze Leather

Meet the 2016 Linn/Benton County Master Food Preserver class — Standing: Jennifer Pettit, Melodie Mills, Don Page, Jenny Chavez, Mary Molloy-Orr, Wendy Davenport, Rita Adams, Ellen Momsen, Susan James, Jeanne Brandt (OSU Extension). Front row: Karol Schrems, Cindy Miller, Belinda Barnes (lab supervisor), Carol Walsh.

Knit the Rainbow!

Yarn Shop | Classes | Knit Nights | Podcast Stash, LLC • 110 SW 3rd Street • Downtown Corvallis 541-753-YARN • www.stashlocal.com http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

July/August 2016 —

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What Do You Know About Water?

Myth 1: Everyone needs to drink 8 glasses of water a day Not always. You may need more or less depending on your age, gender, medical conditions, physical activity level, and environmental conditions. Also, total water includes drinking water, water in other beverages, and foods containing water.

Mother Earth News Fair was held at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center in Albany on Saturday and Sunday, June 4-5. Master Food Preservers were part of the team that gave presentations and staffed the Linn County Extension booth. Here Jeanne Brandt, Caitlyn Lawrence and Cindy Kitchen prepare to share information on Preserving Tomatoes and the Laws of Salsa.

OSU Extension Service Master Food Preservers are offering a four-part series of hands-on food preservation classes in July and August to help community members learn to preserve our fresh, local produce for year-round enjoyment. Each class will focus on a difference aspect of safe, healthy food preservation.

These classes are appropriate for both novice food preservers and those with experience who hope to update their skills and knowledge.

Classes include: Preserving Fruits: Review of basic techniques and equipment to preserve fruits and fruit products such as pie fillings, jams, jellies and juices. Preserve fruit products in class to practice boiling water canner techniques.

Preserving Vegetables and Meats: Review use and care of a pressure canner as well as drying and freezing tips. Pressure can vegetables in class.

Preserving Tomatoes & Salsas: Review current, safe methods for tomato preservation including “The Laws of Salsa,” and green tomato options. Make and try a variety of salsa recipes.

Pickling: This class covers safe procedures for fermented and fresh-pack pickles as well as selecting and preparing ingredients.

Classes may be taken individually, or you may sign up for the series of August classes.

Classes are on Wednesdays in July and Thursdays in August, from 6-9 p.m., at the Linn County Extension Office, 33630 McFarland Road, Tangent, OR. The office is easy access with lots of parking, located at the corner of Old Hwy 34 and McFarland Rd. Pre-registration is required because of limited class size. Cost is $18 per class, or $60 for the series.

Contact OSU Extension Service at 541-967-3871, or visit http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/family-communitydevelopment-fcd, to register online.

8 — July/August 2016

Myth 3: Sports drinks are the best way to hydrate during/ after physical activity For most people, water is the best way to hydrate.

Myth 4: Dehydration is not that serious False! Dehydration can be very serious. It has negative effects on health, as well as physical and mental performance.

Myth 5: Drinking a lot of water helps you lose weight While drinking a lot of

water alone will not cause weight loss, there are several ways water may help you eat less. There is evidence that drinking water before meals may cause you to eat less.

Also, replacing sugary, high calorie drinks with water will help you reduce your calorie intake, which could lead to weight loss over time.

Water needs to be your primary beverage ALL year, not just in summer. Visit www.foodhero.org to get helpful tips for your family on drinking water YOUR way.

Source: http://edis.ifas.ufl. edu/fy1409 Photo by Jeanne Brandt

Food Preservation Classes Offered

Myth 2: Water is the only way to hydrate your body While it is very important to drink plain water, there are other ways to reach your total water goal for the day. In addition to water, beverages such as coffee, tea, milk, and 100 percent fruit juice provide your body with

water. Water-rich foods— such as soups, fruits, and vegetables—can also provide your body with water.

Get Outdoors Day Get Outdoors Day was held at Peavy Arboretum in Corvallis on Saturday, May 21. Master Food Preservers hosted displays on drying foods for camping and hiking, an example of a well-planned campsite, flavored waters as an alternative to less healthy alternatives, and a much appreciated handwashing station on the way from the fishing to the 4-H snack station. Smokey the Bear even stopped by.

Belinda Barnes, Sabine Deweber, John Trumbly, Shona Trumbly and Leonor Chavez view dried food resources and examples.

Food Preservation Resources/ Food Preservation Hotline The 2016 Food Preservation Hotline will open on July 11 to answer all of your food safety and preservation questions. The statewide hotline operates Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is staffed by trained Master Food Preserver volunteers.

July 11-October 14, 2016 I Toll free 1-800-354-7319 On the Web: Complete food preservation instructions can be found at this link http://extension.oregonstate.edu/fch/food-preservation Did you know? OSU Extension offices in Linn and Benton Counties will test your pressure canner dial gauge for free. Simply bring in your lid or just the gauge and staff will check the gauge for pressure accuracy while you wait. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday for both offices. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Groundwater Protection Education

Chrissy Lucas 541-766-3556 chrissy.lucas@ oregonstate.edu

Nitrate: Is It Hiding in Your Well Water?

The best protection against contaminants harming your family’s water supply is having an annual checkup of your water well system. Yearly screenings for nitrate and coliform bacteria are part of being a well owner. Additional tests are suggested in special circumstances – floods, heavy rainfalls, known chemical spills – to ensure that you always have safe drinking water.

Nitrate contamination is a known problem in many areas of the Southern Willamette Valley.

What is nitrate (NO3-)?

Nitrate is the simplest form of nitrogen that occurs in the natural environment. They are essential nutrients for plants, which absorb them from soil.

The excess nitrate not used by the plants are carried through the soil to groundwater in a process called “leaching.”

Once the nitrate is moved with the water past the root zone it remains there until it is pumped back through the water system, moves in the aquifer to a new location, or is removed by water treatment techniques.

What are sources of nitrate?

Plant fertilizer is a common source in the Southern Willamette Valley.

It is important to follow fertilization directions, and remember that while the right amount is good, over fertilization is a waste of resources that the plants can’t use and contributes to water contamination. Human and animal wastes are also a contributor to nitrate issues.

Large manure piles should be covered during the rainy season to prevent leaching.

Septic systems are important to maintain regularly to ensure that waste is being broken down and treated appropriately. All septic tanks need to be pumped on a regular basis.

Why should I be concerned about nitrate?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a maximum contaminant level for nitrate at 10 parts per million. If your personal water supplies test over 5 parts per million, learn the potential health effects for

your personal situation. High levels of nitrate can cause health problems, including methemoglobinemia, commonly known as “blue baby syndrome.” In short, nitrate interferes with the blood’s ability to carry oxygen to body tissues. This can be an acute condition in which the baby’s health deteriorates rapidly in a span of a few days. It can cause shortness of breath, increased susceptibility to illness, heart attacks, and even death by asphyxiation. Older children and adults are able to withstand higher levels of nitrate, however, there have been reports that nitrates could potentially be linked to gastrointestinal cancer.

How can nitrates reach my private water supply?

Nitrate is very soluble, and does not bind with soil. Once past the root zone, nitrate will move rapidly with water to the aquifer.

How can I tell if my water has nitrate in it?

The one way to know for sure is to have your water

tested because nitrate is colorless, tasteless, and odorless. The OSU Extension Service offers free nitrate screenings in the Linn and Benton County offices during business hours. You can also use a private laboratory to have the water tested. Visit http://wellwater.oregonstate. edu to find a lab near you.

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What can be done if nitrate is in my water?

Reverse osmosis as a whole home or point-of-use system is the best method for nitrate removal. Nitrate is not absorbed through the skin, so you only need to treat water used for cooking and drinking.

Office Hours: Mon-Fri. 9:00-5:30 Sat. 10:00-3:00 405 Landmark Drive, Philomath, OR 97370 (541) 929-2586 • 800-346-0630 Big enough to handle all your needs, small enough to care

July/August 2016 —

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Commercial Agriculture Small Farms Volunteer Opportunity Linn Benton Food Share in collaboration with OSU Small Farms Program is embarking upon a new effort in farming and needs volunteers. Our goal is to provide fresh produce to our network of agencies in Linn and Benton Counties.

The site is the former Helping Hands garden on Hwy 20 just east of Albany. Helping Hands is no longer interested in farming the two-acre site. We would like to get something growing out there. It may very well help with momentum of a long-term plan and project with other community partners. Growing some food and cover crops will also help keep weeds hammered back a little and build soil quality. The kick-off (AKA hard work) event and BBQ was held in June, but there are still many more opportunities to help out.

Things you need to know • All activities will be outdoors and in the dirt – dress appropriately.

• Bring hand tools (limited supply on site).

• Volunteers ages 12 and up only. Ages 12-18 with parental supervision only.

Weeding and Harvesting dates are on the following Tuesdays from 9-11 a.m. July 5, July 26, August 16 and August 30 Interested? Contact Susan James (Linn Benton Food Share) at sjames@communityservice.us or call 541-7306390.

Photo by Amy Garrett

Volunteers hard at work on the first day of weeding and planting at the former Helping Hands garden site.

10 — July/August 2016

Melissa Fery 541-730-3538 melissa.fery@ oregonstate.edu

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

Oregon Farm Link is Live The average age of an Oregon farmer is 60 years old, and between 2007 and 2012, Oregon lost nearly 25 percent of its beginning farmers. As a result, the gap between farmers leaving agriculture and those entering is only increasing, leading to a looming crisis around who will grow our food in the future. Friends of Family Farmers (FoFF), an Oregon non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of socially and environmentally responsible family-scale farmers and ranchers, has one solution to Oregon’s land access crisis: Oregon Farm Link.

Oregon Farm Link is an online hub that connects beginning farmers and ranchers with land holders.

To participate, land holders and those looking for farmland simply create online profiles that describe the types of land, or land partners they are seeking.

In addition to hosting land listings, Oregon Farm Link serves as a portal for those interested in getting involved in agriculture, with a board of job listings and a comprehensive resource library designed to assist farmers of all experiences.

“Young farmers face many obstacles, including limited land availability, rising land costs, and difficulty accessing financing through

traditional means,” said Molly Notarianni, Next Generation Organizer for Friends of Family Farmers.

“That’s why FoFF created Oregon Farm Link the state’s only agricultural ‘land link’ service. Oregon Farm Link allows land holders and those looking for land to connect, helping a newer generation of farmers get on the land.”

Oregon Farm Link is a major upgrade to Friends of Family Farmers’ iFarm land link program, which was originally created in 2009.

Since that time, the iFarm program has facilitated more than 70 land matches around the state, but the site needed major improvements to handle the demands of hundreds of listings. Chelsea Girimonte, farmer at Vee Cee

Farm in Dayton, OR explains, “As first-generation farmers we’re not always sure how to access all the resources in our agricultural community, including land lease and partnership opportunities. iFarm helped us access landholders and start conversations we wouldn’t have had the opportunity for otherwise.”

The USDA anticipates that up to 50 percent of Oregon’s agricultural land will change hands within the next decade. Now is the time to cultivate the next generation of Oregon’s agrarians! List your land, find land, look for a job, & locate resources on FoFF’s new Oregon Farm Link database.

For more information, visit oregonfarmlink.org

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Commerical Agriculture Livestock and Forages

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

Storing Hay to Keep It Dry and Safe

Post baling and hay storage Long-term hay storage on the west side will require the hay to be greater than 88 percent DM (less than 12 percent moisture). If moisture content at baling is too high,

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

the entire bale stack can become a block of mold spores unfit for livestock consumption and a potential fire hazard.

Sometimes a “slug” of wet forage is put into the bale and the surrounding area heats from plant respiration and microbial activity, resulting in mold, dust, and spoilage.

Bales should not be left to lie in the field after baling.

Westside soil surfaces tend to accumulate moisture overnight. The newly baled hay can easily attract this outside moisture, which promotes surface molds. Hay damage will be greater with prolonged field exposure in May and June than in late July or August. In our environment, moisture inside and outside the bale will dictate how long the bale will be a quality food product for your animals.

When you check the hay bales, look at its composition.

A high percentage of legumes or weeds may require a closer inspection for mold and dust compared with a grass-only bale because of the greater difficulty in field drying legumes and weeds compared with grasses. However, don’t assume that grass-only or mixed grass-legumes bales

Baled hay should not be left lying the field for long. On the west side of the state ground tends to pick up moisture overnight and bales left lying in the field are at greater risk of picking up too much moister.

Photo by Shelby Filley

will occur compared to higher quality forage.

Also, heat damage in overlymoist hay can bind the protein that is there and make it less available. Test your hay for nutrient content to answer any questions on quality. Mold can also be detrimental to the hay crop. Make sure the hay is dry and store it properly. Never feed moldy hay to livestock. The possibility of very toxic type molds being present exists. To be safe, discard any moldy hay.

So, just how much moisture is too much? How can you avoid problems? And, how can you deal with them? These are topics included in a great publication called Hay Making on the West Side. An excerpt from it is included below.

Another important publication for you to consider is Hay Fires: Prevention and Control. See http://extension.oregonstate. edu/douglas/lf or call for your copies.

Photo by G Fryer, Roseburg

The west side of Oregon can be wet, green, and beautiful.

But this can interfere with quality production and safe storage of hay. A field that is ready for harvest contains a large amount of high quality forage. However, the environment for baling dry hay can challenge even the best of farmers. The ground can be very wet and late spring showers can add unwanted moisture. Often, hay mowing is delayed beyond what is desired or planned and/or drying and baling of the product is difficult and product quality is lower than desired. Wet hay can heat, spoil, and combust, and so compromises livestock health and farm safety.

When hay is rained on, nutrients can leach out. Prior to baling, freshly cut forage is less susceptible to leaching by rain than when it is nearly dry.

Just how much loss there is also depends on how much is there to begin with. The higher the protein and soluble sugars content, the more is leached on a percentage basis. If the hay is already very ripe (overmature grasses and legumes), it will have a high amount of structural carbohydrates and less nutrients, so less damage

Moisture is the most aggressive and destructive enemy once the hay is stored. Storage is the final step, but if done improperly, you can expect to have problems and all previous efforts and investments will have been wasted.

will not have mold or dust. The key is to examine the bale for mold and dust. Often you may not see the mold spores, but

smelling hay with mold often causes a person to cough and choke.

All hay must go through a “sweat” after baling. The sweat is the final stage of plant and microbial respiration.

The temperature of the hay increases during this time, but does not usually remain elevated for more than a couple of weeks during the sweat. If the bales are stored too tightly immediately following baling, the sweat moisture cannot escape. Thus, the first storage of bales should be loose enough to encourage air exchange and loss of surface moisture.

Tight packing of bales high in moisture content will surely promote long-term storage problems.

Hay stored in a barn is completely safe at 12 percent moisture (88 percent DM).

However, producers have safely stored hay on the west side as high as 18 percent moisture (82 percent DM). Check bale moisture content by collecting a single core sample from each of 20 bales and determining dry mater in an oven (see instructions included in the full publication).

Continued on Page 17

July/August 2016 —

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Commercial Agriculture Field Crops South Valley Field Crop Notes July/August

• Check for vole hotspots during harvest. Broadcast baiting of selected zinc phosphide rodenticides is allowed until August 31.

• Make sure seed moisture is acceptable for storage: below 12 percent for grass seed, and below 14 percent for grain.

• Continue to scout spring wheat and spring-planted grass seed plantings for cereal leaf beetle.

• Soil test after harvest to determine nutrient and liming needs.

Grass

• Scout for adult sod webworm moths in July. Pheromone traps can be used to monitor population buildups.

• Decide your best option for post-harvest residue management. Both full straw load and baling have pros and cons, and can result in successful grass seed yields.

Take into account nutrient removal, fuel cost, and price for bales. See recent OSU grass seed production residue management guide: http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/ xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/33454/em9051.pdf • Be sure to submit modified land history applications before working any ground.

Mint

• Application of N fertilizer on peppermint should taper off in early July to reduce potential leaching losses.

• Scout mint fields for insect pests such as loopers, cutworms, mint root borer moths, and mint flea beetle.

• Contact Clare Sullivan if interested in Coragen for control of mint root borer and cutworms. Most effective application timing is expected to be ~ July 1.

Wheat

• Avoid sprout damage in wheat by not delaying harvest.

Art Deco and Biancor are the earliest maturing, followed

by Goetze, but expect earlier harvests in general this year.

• Expect lower test weights on later maturing varieties, such as Bobtail.

• Storing grain level, not peaked, will help mitigate any problems with temperature, air flow, and moisture.

12 — July/August 2016

South Valley Field Day Re-cap Thanks to all who attended the 2016 South Valley Field Day on June 2nd in Linn County, and helped make it a successful event.

The tour started near Harrisburg at the OSU Winter Wheat variety trial, with a discussion on new varieties and disease management strategies.

At the second stop, research on combining plant growth regulators (PGRs) to boost grass seed production was introduced, and participants walked through a tall fescue field with a variety of PGR treatments. We then moved up toward Tangent to look at a nitrogen rate trial on peas where we discussed the role of nodules, insect pest management in peas, and the benefits of rotational crops to help combat grassy weeds.

The last field site was a malting barley variety and nitrogen rate

Photo by Clare Sullivan

General management

Clare Sullivan 541-730-3537 clare.sullivan@ oregonstate.edu

Growers and industry reps learning about malting barley varieties on the South Valley Field Tour.

trial, and then the tour ended with a delicious barbecue.

I would like to thank all of the growers who volunteered their fields for trials, Blue Moon Farm for hosting the barbecue, local agricultural supply companies for sponsoring the event, and all of the OSU researchers involved in explaining the trials.

If you are interested in further information on any of the research trials we saw, please feel free to contact me.

Keep an eye out for summaries of these research projects in the fall, as we will be collecting yield data this summer. Also, if you have any feedback on the tour, please send it my way.

Looking Toward New Modes of Action Even in agriculture, you can have too much of a good thing.

Axiom is a grass herbicide that is used to keep grassy weeds out of both grass seed and wheat fields here in the Willamette Valley, but the extensive use of the product is becoming a concern. In fields with a long history of annual ryegrass seed production, many growers use Axiom at planting to spray between their drill rows and suppress the volunteer annual ryegrass that is expected to emerge. Many growers have had great success with this approach over the years, and Axiom planting has become a common practice on their farm.

In order to ensure Axiom remains a useful tool for grass weed control in the grass seed system, the Oregon Seed Council is interested in finding alternative products to use for row spraying at planting.

We initiated trials in the fall of 2015 to evaluate nine different treatments for row spraying at planting in annual ryegrass seed crops. In March growers had the chance to visit the plots and observe the effects on crop injury and weed control, and provide feedback to us researchers. Currently we only have observational evaluations, but we will be collecting yield data this summer to compare the treatments. There are

several treatments included that would diversify the modes of action currently used in the annual ryegrass system, including: Matrix, Everest, Kerb, and Alion. Based solely on observations, Metribuzin and Matrix seem to provide the best balance of weed control and crop injury across the two sites.

For a summary of observations so far, please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ Oregon-State-UniversityWillamette-Valley-FieldCrops-604249799615559/, or contact Clare at 541-602-2009 or e-mail clare.sullivan@ oregonstate.edu.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Garden Calendar continued from Page 4

It’s Harvest Time!

AUGUST Photo by Clare Sullivan

Harvest is now in full swing as growers kicked off another early harvest this year – some Fawn fescue and annual ryegrass was swathed as early as June 8th. The warm winter and spring temperatures we’ve experienced put crop growth development ahead of average, similar to the 2014/15 season. Luckily, we received a lot more moisture in 2015/16 unlike the droughty conditions of the previous year. Growers are hoping for better yields this year, after a hard hit to yields last summer. According to OSU’s Grass and Legume Seed Estimates, last year yields were down 18 percent for annual ryegrass, 21 percent for perennial ryegrass, and 14 percent for tall fescue.

Overall, the total poundage of grass seed produced in

• Fertilize cucumbers, summer squash, and broccoli to maintain production while you continue harvesting.

• Clean and fertilize strawberry beds.

• Prune raspberries, boysenberries, and other caneberries after harvest. Check raspberries for holes made by crown borers, near the soil line, at base of plant. Remove infested wood before adults emerge (approximately mid-August).

• Prune out dead fruiting canes in trailing blackberry and train new primocanes prior to end of month.

Planting/propagation

• Plant winter cover crops in vacant space in the vegetable garden • Plant winter kale, Brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips, parsley, and Chinese cabbage.

• Mid-summer planting of peas; use enation-virus-resistant varieties, plant fall crops of cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli.

A forage-type tall fescue, Kentucky 31, being swathed in Linn county in mid-June.

Oregon was off by 19.5 percent – dropping from 734 million pounds to 590 million pounds.

Drive Carefully Please remember to drive carefully during harvest time

and be patient with farming equipment on the roads.

Equipment operators are trying their best to share the road – it is better to take a few minutes driving slow rather than passing unsafely.

radish, grown for seed, known as ‘tillage radish.’

Radish is in the mustard family, and therefore, smells spicy. The seed is grown for the cover crop seed market, and one of its main benefits is the strong tap root that helps break up soil compaction.

If you have questions about any field crops grown in the Valley please feel free to

M CUSTO G N I BLEND LE! B AVAILA

Photo by Clare Sullivan

What is This Crop?

This year I received a lot of inquiries from the public about crops they’re not used to seeing – especially those with noticeable flowers.

Several people wrote in asking “what is the crop that is a couple feet high, with light pinkish-purple or white flowers growing on a green stalk?”

The answer is a daikon

Maintenance and clean up

Pest monitoring and management

• Check apple maggot traps; spray tree if needed.

• Control yellowjackets and wasps with traps and lures as necessary. Keep in mind they are beneficial insects and help control pest insects in the home garden.

• First week: If necessary, spray for walnut husk fly.

• First week: If necessary, second spray for peach tree borer and/ or peach twig borer.

• First week: If necessary, second spray of filbert trees for filbertworm.

• Check for root weevils in ornamental shrubs and flowers; codling moth and spider mite in apple trees; scale insects in camellias, holly and maples. Treat as necessary.

• Watch for corn earworm on early corn. Treat as needed.

• Continue monitoring peaches, plums, prunes, figs, fall-bearing

contact Clare Sullivan at the Linn County Extension office.

Seed Division Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00am–6pm

raspberries and strawberries, and other plants that produce soft fruits and berries for Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD). If SWD are present, use an integrated and least toxic approach to manage the pests.

• Corn may need protection from earworm. Spray new silks with appropriate pesticides if necessary.

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Fall Wheat Fall Oats Fall Barley http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Local Wheat Cover Crops Pasture Mixes

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13

Commercial Agriculture Orchard and Berry Crops

Ross Penhallegon 541-344-1709 ross.penhallegon@ oregonstate.edu

Thirty-three Years of Marvel

After nearly 33 years with OSU Extension, Commercial Horticulture agent, Ross Penhallegon is turning in his local pruners and going international... go to Lane County and run the horticulture program after Craig Riggert’s illness. Horticulture has been a great 28-year career in Lane County.

What have been some of my best memories?

The local Master Gardener programs have been a life changer. The MGs are a very dedicated, energetic, and far-sighted group in Grants Pass, Benton, Linn, and Lane Counties. They have been marvelous volunteers to have to assist with educating local people on gardening topics.

In 2002, with the help of Karen Ailor, Lane County MG, we started to develop a short fact sheet on organic fertilizers, called Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium values of organic fertilizers. The little fact sheet was covered in a story written

by OSU’s Carol Savenon and the office continues to this day to get requests from people all over the US and Canada who want a copy. Seems as though there wasn’t a lot of good fact sheets on organic fertilizers back in the day.

In 1988, I needed to start thinking about classes to present to the public. Pruning came to mind. After talking to the Master Gardeners, they liked the idea of having pruning classes, which then turned into a Master Gardener pruning specialist program that is still active. Since then, there have been more than 560 pruning classes held in and around the south valley. We have reached 18,480 people, and handed out 26,800 pruning publications.

Yearly we give out 660 pruning handouts. Internationally, I have delivered pruning classes in 30 counties, reaching 2,900 people and delivering 1385 pruning implements (560 saws, 560 loppers, 260 grafting knives and 130 hand lenses) worth more than $22,000, which has all been donated by Master Gardeners, service clubs, and concerned community members.

A pruning success story Ten years ago, Ryan Glaser of Mid Valley Farms was starting in the hazelnut growing business.

He asked how to grow hazelnuts

Photo provided by Ross Penhallegon

I have been in agriculture for 57 years, which started in the Wenatchee Valley, Washington.

The Wenatchee Valley is part of the apple capitol of the world. I was raised on an apple, peach, cherry, apricot, and walnut orchard, and this is where I learned a lot about orcharding.

Being the son of an orchardist, we spent many a summer working in the orchard. In 1979, I returned to the orchard, after my dad had a heart attack, and managed the orchard for three years. Boy is it different when you have to make the decisions! In 1981 I went back to Washington State University for my third degree.

In 1983 I applied for Extension positions in Washington and Oregon. In October of 1983 I was hired in Grants Pass where I did a split horticulture/4H assignment.

The marvelous Duane Johnson decided he needed help beta testing the 1234H program and rewriting horticulture manuals. I was able to take more horticulture classes at OSU. I owe you Duane. In November 1988 Steve Woodard asked me to

Ross Penhallegon, pictured with Mr. Bereke and his friend Graminra, has made many trips to Kyrgyzstan to help farmers be more successful orchardists through pruning classes and handing out pruning gear.

better. Pruning was explained to him and how it could double his nut production. After ten years of field data, his yields had doubled and were still climbing.

Eastern Filbert Blight Eastern Filbert Blight (EFB) disease has been my nemesis since the 1970s. Research and breeding has been ongoing at OSU since before 1988. There is currently EFB resistant cultivars available to local growers.

Back in 1991, the southern

area growers decided to make Keizer the stopping point for EFB. They did extensive monitoring, scouted their trees on a yearly basis, and started chemical protections. In May 1995, infected contorted trees made it into the lower valley and the spread has been moving into local orchards. Through Extension programming, orchards with EFB are still producing nuts 21 years after the disease showed up.

Continued on Page 15

“Smith Seed Services supporting Oregon agriculture & OSU Extension for over 60 years!”

Service is our last name — but our first priority.

14 — July/August 2016

P.O. Box 288 Halsey, Oregon 97348 541-369-2831 http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

What Is Happening Tree fruits will have increased apple and pear scab (black fungus) and powdery mildew (white fungus).

Codling moth and cherry fruit flies are out, so use pheromone traps to monitor current insect levels.

Watch for leaf rollers on apples and hazelnuts. Aphids are everywhere, but the predators are doing a great job.

Peach trees had two infections of peach leaf curl. Plum and prune trees had a lot of curled leaves due to aphids early on,

and then a secondary peach leaf curl.

Spotted Wing Drosophila Go the following websites to keep updated on the status of this troublesome insect. http://www.oregon. gov/ODA/programs/IPPM/ InsectsSpiders/Pages/ PestAlerts.aspx or http://swd. hort.oregonstate.edu/ Codling Moths As of June 10, there have been multiple codling moth

Nut Grower Summer Tour catches. The hot and cool temperatures mess up insect emergence, so be aware of weather conditions; place a pheromone trap in your orchards so you know when the moths arrive. Check the local garden stores for pheromone traps. Currently there are very few sprays for the home gardener. What can be used?

Try using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), malathion or Sevin or kaolin clay materials called Surround and general Tree Fruit spray in the garden stores.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) Update

By Nik G Wiman, Extension Orchard Crops Specialist Homeowner nuisance problems have been severe for several years now in the northern Valley. Many growers have asked about traps and we now have a document for monitoring BMSB in the OSU catalog: https://catalog.extension. oregonstate.edu/em9138.

Some good news At the end of last season, one of the key Asian parasitoid wasps (Trissolcus japonicus) was found just across the river from Oregon in Vancouver, Wash., by a close cooperator stationed there by Washington State University.

There is a good chance that the wasp is already present in the Portland area and we

just haven’t found it yet. The wasps are tiny and could easily be transported by air or sea in cargo without being noticed.

This wasp has followed its host from Asia and will potentially make a big difference for management of BMSB in the long run.

More BMSB resources and information is available from stopBMSB.org.

Commercial Horticulture Hints July/August

• Begin trapping for walnut husk fly and filbertworm.

• Watch out for increased

insects on ALL crops.

• Spray for brown rot on peaches and plum/prunes.

• Continue to control codling

moth on apples and pears.

• Control birds in blueberries.

• Harvest raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries.

The Oregon hazelnut growers’ tour for the region will be held on August 3, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year, the tour will be held at the Chapin Dehydrator, followed by a barbecue at Oregon State Fair Grounds in Salem. There will be morning orchard talks and demonstrations and afternoon in-class seminars. The barbecue is free for current Nut Growers Society members.

This is the nation’s only hazelnut specific equipment show featuring 50-plus vendors. Each year we tour local grower orchards, review current literature and research to help local growers become better at growing hazelnuts. Plus, we learn how to manage the ever present Eastern Filbert Blight. Contact Polly Owen, 503-678-6823.

Far West Nursery Show For anyone who has a greenhouse or nursery, the Far West Nursery Show in Portland is the place to go. Even if you are thinking about starting a nursery or greenhouse operation, attend this event. It will open your eyes to how this industry functions. There are many amazing booths, classes, and contacts to be made. The event is August 27-29. For more info, go to: http://www.farwestshow.com

Thirty-three Years continued from Page 14 What my future holds I will continue to do international farmer-to-farmer trips to help developing countries manage their orchards and teach pruning, which doubles villagers’ income. I am assisting the Department of Justice and Bureau of Indian Affairs on tree fruit management in Montana and New Mexico. I am helping establish a 100-hectare apple orchard in Kyrgyzstan, and assisting a farm in Jamaica to develop their achee orchards. There is a huge need for good horticulture assistance in Lane County, in Oregon, and the world. I won’t be bored, as I also need to visit the grandkids in between these activities. I will probably still teach MG classes and a few local pruning classes so I can stay connected to the threecounty community.

My notes show that I have been writing horticulture articles since 1995. Wow, that is 21 years. My goal was to provide useful articles to the people of Oregon.

What a joy life can be!

Ross Penhallegon penhallr@gmail.com

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Forestry and Natural Resources

Brad WithrowRobinson 541-766-6750 brad.w-r@ oregonstate.edu

Jody Einerson 541-766-6311 jody.einerson@ oregonstate.edu

Effects of Drought Continue in Valley

Continued on Page 17

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Douglas-fir dominates conifer forests of the Coast Range and western Cascades.

Photo provided by Brad Withrow-Robinson

Conifer trees around the Valley continue to show signs of last year’s severe drought and heat stress this year.

This should not be news to many readers: I wrote about it in this space last May. Unfortunately, we expect that symptoms will continue to unfold again this year as the season progresses.

What may be different this year is that we will likely see older and larger trees affected than was typical last year.

Unfortunately, this implies potential economic or forest health issues. Larger droughtkilled trees can support

Part of the wonder of living in Oregon is its landscape.

The state has many striking features in its mountains, valleys and plateaus. Each interacts with our climate to create a rich and complex mix of vegetation across the state: forests, prairies and high desert.

Moisture is the key to how the land is draped with vegetation. Moisture blows off the Pacific and is dropped across the landscape in rain or snow as the air flows across the state. More water is wrung from the air with each mountain crossing, giving a dramatic difference in yearly precipitation from nearly 200 inches in the Coast Range mountains of Tillamook county, to less than 10 inches in the southeast corner of Oregon.

Where there is enough moisture, we generally find a forest of some sort. Nearly half of Oregon (48 percent) is covered by forests, our single largest type of vegetation cover, with the remainder in cropland, range, water, or urban cover.

If we take a road trip in our

Photo provided by Brad Withrow-Robinson

Oregon’s Amazing Forest Landscape

Where each of the many forest types in Oregon grows depends on climate, elevation, and soils. Source and map legend: http://oregonforests.org/ content/forest-type-interactive-map.

mind’s eye across the middle of the state from the coast to Idaho, we would find eight or more different kinds of forests reflecting the local climate, elevation, temperature, rainfall, and soil conditions.

Our trip begins in the coastal fog belt where Sitka spruce, hemlock and Douglas-fir grow above nearly impenetrable understories

of salal and rhododendron.

Heading east, most of the Coast Range is covered by forests dominated by Douglas-fir with other conifers and hardwoods mixed in, including western red cedar and alder in draws and riparian areas. Crossing the Valley floor we see remnants of once-dominant oak savanna and ribbons of

Continued on Page 17

Juniper forests spreading across Eastern Oregon.

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Learning in the Woods

Oregon’s Forest continued from page 16 hardwood gallery forests along the Willamette and its tributaries. As we rise into the lower slopes of the Cascades we again enter conifer forests similar to those seen in the Coast Range, although a little drier. Near the summit of the High Cascades the woods change to subalpine forests of true fir and mountain hemlock.

Continuing east from the

summit we leave western Oregon and pass into the rain shadow of the Cascades with a sudden and dramatic drop in moisture. The vegetation too rapidly changes. We pass into mixed conifer forest, then ponderosa pine forest on the way to Sisters. You’ll also see lodgepole pine and juniper woodlands and on the way to Idaho, depending on the road you take. Eventually

it becomes too dry for any tree and the landscape becomes open high-desert sagebrush steppe or grassland, punctuated by areas with tree cover on higher passes and mountains that squeeze a few extra drops of water out of the sky.

I hope you all appreciate and enjoy the great diversity of forest and other vegetation types we have in Oregon.

Storing Hay continued from page 11 When hay is too wet for safe storage in a barn, danger of fire is very real.

Purchase a thermometer that can be pushed at least 12 inches into the bales to check the temperature.

Check the temperature of at least 20 different bales and monitor each daily until the sweat period is over. Bale temperatures should not go much above 100°F in our area – if the temperature is 90°F or below, then storage problems will be minor.

Once bale temperature exceeds 110°F you need to break open the bales to dry them. Certain heat-resistant fungi become active at about 110°F and will drive the temperature of the bales to about 150°F. Above 150°F the danger of fire is very high. Wet hay can ignite spontaneously, depending upon oxygen supply, in less than a month after storage.

Heating bales must be

moved, and perhaps cooled with water, to prevent the stack or barn from burning.

Safety is important and preparation for spontaneous combustion will reduce the risk hazard. This is not a fun task, but quite necessary.

When storing hay in a barn or outdoors, don’t stack more than 8 tiers high before the hay has gone through the sweat. After the sweat when temperatures lower, more tiers can be added to the stack without fire danger.

Proper storage facilities to preserve hay quality and value on the west side are critical.

The barn roof must be in good shape to keep rain off the hay.

If the hay is stored outdoors then it should always be kept off the ground, i.e., on ties, pallets, etc., which are covered with tarps or plastic. The idea is to stop movement of soil moisture into the stored bales.

The top of the haystack should be covered with a

tarp and weighted to prevent blowing off in winter winds.

Bales should be stored on their sides, the bale ties facing outwards so they can be seen when walking by the stack.

Stacking hay in this manner is not easy, but if moisture does get into the hay, this is the best opportunity for the moisture to pass through the hay and out the bottom.

There is a smooth side and a cut side on every bale. The cut side of the bale should be the side that is faced down.

If storing hay outdoors, and with the ties out, on a concrete, gravel, or soil base, the bottom tier of bales will likely be lost due to moisture absorption and bad weather.

Moisture is the most aggressive and destructive enemy once the hay is stored. Storage is the final step, but if done improperly, you can expect to have problems and all previous efforts and investments will have been wasted.

Please visit the Upcoming Events page of the Benton County Forestry and Natural Resources website for more details on these and other events. http://extension. oregonstate.edu/benton/forestry/events Summer Picnic Potluck/Linn Chapter Oregon Small Woodlands Assoc.

• Date: July 30, 2016 • Time: 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

• Location: Henry Wolthius’s property near Sweet Home Summer Picnic and Tour, Benton Chapter Oregon Small Woodlands Assoc.

• Date: Saturday Aug. 6, 2016 • Time: Noon • Location: Fort Hoskins Park and Schmidt Family Forest Linn County Tree Farmer of the Year Tour • Date: Aug 20, 2016 • Time: 4-7:30 p.m.

• Location: Joe and Shirley Holmberg’s property outside Lebanon

Effects of Drought continued from page 16 growing populations of bark beetles, such as the Douglas-fir beetle, which under the right conditions can increase to the point where they can damage other, healthy trees in the stand.

For more information on this, please see this recent article in the Tree Topics blog http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/treetopics/?p=1528 .

Scandinavia Forestry Tour. Find images and stories from the recent woodland owner tour to Sweden and Norway at the Tree Topics Blog http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/treetopics/.

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Benton County 4-H Youth Development 2016 Benton County 4-H Horse Fair

Benton County and Linn County Extension programs may offer opportunities that are only open to the citizens of their respective counties. Please check with your county Extension Office if you have any questions about participation eligibility for specific programs.

Fair: It’s About More Than Just Ribbons…

It’s FAIR TIME! It’s the time of year when we come together and celebrate the hard work of our 4-H members at the Benton County Fair. Here is an article written by University of Missouri Extension staff, Byron Morrison and Becky Fay. It reminds us what fairs are really about.

“Raising Blue Ribbon 4-Hers” The real purpose of 4-H is about rearing Blue Ribbon Kids. In 4-H we’ve had a long history of youth, as well as adults, striving to make their best better, not only for themselves, but for others in the program. Whether the prop is a camera, a cow, or a cookie, the ultimate goal is to help that young person become the best “person” they can become.

4-H is for the kids. If their photo or calf or no bake cookies wins first place, that’s fine. If it doesn’t, that may be even better. With the help and encouragement of their parents, leaders, and others, the youngster with the red or white ribbon has

Photo provided by OSU Benton County Extension

Photo provided by Benton County Fairgrounds

Come watch our Benton County 4-H horse members compete at the county fair. It runs Thursday, July 14- Sunday, July 17, at the Benton County Fairgrounds beginning at 8 a.m. daily. This is a great place to see 4-H members participate in trail, western, and English equitation, dressage, horse psychology, gymkhana, marketing, and other classes. There will also be an Equine Art exhibit, where you can see photography, art, poetry, and educational posters created by 4-H members. There’s no admission charge for this event. These members have worked hard all year and love to have spectators attend.

Maggie Livesay 541-766-3550 maggie.livesay@ oregonstate.edu

Carolyn Ashton 541-766-3555 carolyn.ashton@ oregonstate.edu

AnaLu Fonseca 541-766-6249 analu.fonseca@ oregonstate.edu

the opportunity to grow and learn what they can excel at and what they aren’t as good at, and they can decide in which areas they want to put their time and talents to work. For some, the blue ribbons says “we know all we need to know.” There is no reason to strive to do better.

Fairs, shows and contests give everyone the opportunity to strive to do their best, to learn to cooperate as well as compete, to express their views and concerns, and to get along with others in the process. Have you noticed how much like life a fair is?

You come on the scene, you

participate in some way, you have successes and not so successful experiences, and then it is over. The difference is, there will be another fair; another opportunity to participate. We only have this one life, are we making it a blue ribbon life for ourselves and those that follow us? Winning comes in many different shapes and sizes. Let’s remember that as adults, we need to help our youth develop winning attitudes and a sense of accomplishment no matter what color of ribbon they receive at Fair.

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http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

2016 Benton County 4-H School Enrichment Wrap-up Photo by Stephanie Rhodes, 4-H Wildlife Steward

Goal: Increase environmental science literacy in Benton County youth.

Input: Trained volunteers, teachers, older 4-H youth, community partners and 4-H staff who provide programs to K-12 youth.

Outcomes: More than 1,600 youth/year engage in learning about and exploring local ecosystems.

• 4-H Wildlife Stewards- 17 trained 4-H volunteers & 16 enrolled teachers reinforce science learning outside the classroom door.

• 4-H Wildlife Steward Summit- 209 youth in grades 2-12 share science research projects at one-day event at Jefferson Elementary and participate in natural science exploration.

• FOCUS-Forests, Organisms, Creeks yoU Study- 164 3-5th grade students participate in interactive 5-hour, fieldbased program at Beazell Memorial Forest. Partnership with Benton County Parks & Natural Areas.

• Teen Weed Spotters- 24 Alsea high school students learn invasive plant identification, mapping and inventory.

Projects benefit Benton

Students look for signs of wildlife on Bird Loop at Beazell Memorial Forest.

County Parks. Partnership with the Benton SWCD. • Oregon Season Tracker 4-H Schools- 110 4-12th grade students engage in citizen science climate change research program tracking precipitation and plant phenology (changes) in collaboration with HJ Andrews Experimental Forest LTER site researchers.

• Bird Trippers – More than 600 Benton county students celebrate the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty learning about the incredible journey of birds form two touring ambassadors. Partnership

Volunteers Needed at 4-H Exhibits

with US Fish & Wildlife.

• Get Outdoors Day – More than 500 youth & families participate in one-day event at Peavy Arboretum learning about camping, fishing, & outdoor activities. Bilingual event • Teacher Professional Development - 45 teachers gain science content & teaching techniques in outdoor settings.

Join Us for the Benton County Fair

To learn more about these programs visit our website at http://extension.oregonstate. edu/benton/natural or call our office at 541-766-6750.

The Benton County Fair is August 3-6. This year’s the theme is “Let the games begin!”

Tickets can be purchased on-line at www. bentoncountyfair.net or at the Benton County Fairgrounds Office.

Want to earn a one-day admission pass to the Benton County Fair? Just volunteer 2 hours of your time during August 3rd-6th, in the 4-H Exhibit building, helping monitor the Family and Consumer Sciences, Arts and Sciences Exhibits, and answer questions from the public. We are looking for 2-3 people per shift. Please call the Extension office at 541-766-6750 to volunteer.

Juntos Program Boosts Academic Success Did you know that due to the barriers and hardships associated with arriving to communities without the social infrastructure to meet their needs, Latino youth are at a much higher risk than other ethnic groups for low academic achievement and school dropout? The Juntos program is designed to increase academic achievement and college enrollment and build resilience in Latino families

through intensive yearlong support via three components: Parental involvement in schooling; Child self-efficacy; and Positive peer affiliations.

In the last three years, Juntos has been building a network of connections between families, schools, universities, and communities. This work strengthens relationships and opens doors for young people to gain a professional future, and has proven to be 100

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

percent successful. All young people who have attended Juntos with their families are transforming their academic and personal lives through an action plan with specific goals.

• From the first generation of Juntos in Tillamook, Madras, and Culver, 100 percent of students graduated from school and 100 percent are attending college.

• Families who have served Juntos in past years

Sisters, Madras, Culver, and Tillamook.

• All schools where Juntos offers its program have reported tremendous satisfaction with the results.

come back – not only to continue learning – but also to help other families in their communities, which includes The Dalles,

We are in the second year of the Juntos program in Corvallis. The Corvallis School District has been a key partner for this amazing program. We hope to achieve similar results in Corvallis soon!

July/August 2016 —

19

Linn County 4-H Youth Development

4-H ATV Training Offered Become a 4-H ATV Club Leader. Oregon law requires ATV riders of all ages to possess an Oregon ATV Safety Education Card when riding on public lands. Youth under the age of 16 must possess a card with a hands-on training endorsement.

To certify adults as leaders, they need to attend one of three one-day hands-on classes. The dates are Saturday, July 23, or Saturday July 30 at the Oregon 4-H Conference & Education Center near Salem, Oregon, or Sunday, August 7, at the Baker County Fairgrounds. The cost is $120. Participants bring their own quad or 4x4 and personal safety equipment. For more information contact: Robin Galloway, Robin.galloway@ oregonstate.edu, 541-730-3469.

4-H Cloverbud Camp in the Forest

Cloverbuds are 4-H youth who are 5-8 years old. On Wednesday, July 27, all children of Cloverbud age are invited to attend a day camp at Happy Valley Tree Farm near Lebanon.

They will learn about nature, make new friends, and develop skills while having fun. Activities will include a nature hike, hands-on learning about plants by making a seed sombrero, practicing foots-on science with a stomp rocket, and more.

Each child brings their own lunch and drinks. The camp is free.

Registration information can be found on the Linn County 4-H website.

Support Linn County 4-H and FFA Members at the Auction Everyone is invited come support Linn County 4-H and FFA members at the Linn County Youth Livestock Auction on Saturday, July 16. The event will start at noon with a barbecue lunch prepared by Bo Mack’s, followed by the auction starting at 3 p.m.

Last year’s auction was a record breaking event as 250 businesses and individuals contributed more than $400,000 to 229 4-H and FFA members. This year we will have 50 additional youth members bringing the total to more than 280. We are expecting 35 steers, 130 hogs, 60 lamb, 50 goats, 12 pens of rabbits, and chickens. With this large increase in youth, we are encouraging new businesses to join with our long-term supporters to push the sale total more than half a million dollars.

For those new to the sale, the Linn County Youth Livestock Auction is the culmination of local 4-H and FFA livestock projects.

Photo by Andrea Leao

Benton County and Linn County Extension programs may offer opportunities that are only open to the citizens of their respective counties. Please check with your county Extension Office if you have any questions about participation eligibility for specific programs.

Andrea Leao 541-730-3534 andrea.leao@ oregonstate.edu

Robin Galloway 541-730-3469 robin.galloway@ oregonstate.edu

The Linn County 4-H Leadership team presenting the 4-H donation animal at the 2015 Livestock Auction.

Through their projects, youth members develop practical skills in record keeping, business, livestock management, and nutrition while experiencing the importance of teamwork, responsibility, and dedication. By supporting these members and their

livestock projects, you are equipping youth with the skills necessary to become tomorrow’s leaders.

If you or your business would like to find out more about the auction please visit www.lcyla.com, or email: info@lcyla.com for more information.

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Oregon Master Naturalist (OMN) at GO Day Event with the great outdoors.

This year, the Oregon Master Naturalist (OMN) program had a booth with a demonstration about soil types. The Bark Place of Philomath donated six different soils. Visitors compared the characteristics

Photo by Robin Galloway

Robin Galloway, Jim Johnson, and Jason O’Brien help educate participants about the Master Naturalist Program and offer a chance to literally “play in the dirt.”

Our condolences to the Sallees. On Sunday, June 19 Faye’s mother Betty Udell passed away at the age of 96. Bert and Betty Udell (Bert passed away in 2010) were longtime Extension supporters through forestry and 4-H. They hosted Tree Day on their Happy Valley Tree Farm for 26 years. Betty was a 4-H leader for 54 years.

Jeanne Brandt and Leonor Chavez from OSU Extension Service encourage hikers to “re-think your drink,” and consider flavored waters using fresh fruit and herbs instead of bottled drinks.

Photo by Jeanne Brandt

Photo credit Robin Galloway.

Smokey Bear showed up to greet GO Day participants.

Photo by Jeanne Brandt

Photo by Jeanne Brandt

Photo by Jeanne Brandt

John Trumbly shows how relaxing camping can be when you plan and prepare for the outing.

of the soils to learn about water percolation and soil erosion. They also got information about taking the on-line OMN class and attending ecoregion field trips. For more details see: http:// oregonmasternaturalist.org/.

Sherm and Fay Sallee celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a party on June 18. The event was held at the families’ Happy Valley Tree Farm near Lebanon. The leaders of the Clever Clovers 4-H Club included an entomology 4-H project specimen collecting field trip the same day. Sherm and Fay were honored by a walk down memory lane, highlighting their 4-H Faye and Sherm enjoy a and community contributions as they have journeyed through life together for moment at the 2015 Linn County Fair. half a century so far.

Photo by Robin Galloway

National Get Outdoors Day was held May 21 at Peavy Arboretum in Corvallis.

The free event was hosted

by OSU College of Forestry and OSU Benton County Extension, and featured a variety of hands-on activities to connect youth and families

Sherm and Fay Sallee’s 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

Rita Adams demonstrates proper hand-washing techniques – important even in the outdoors.

The Linn County 4-H horse pre-fair is a learning experience, as well as a competition. After a class, the exhibitor receives a scoresheet with comments from the judge evaluating their performance. Here, Taylor Harrington of Rhinestone Riders and Squeeker review a sheet. At age 28, Squeeker has seen it all!

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7/14/16

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July/August 2016 —

21

Linn County Extension Association

President Sheryl Casteen

Marketing Extension – We’ve Only Just Begun . . .

By Sheryl Casteen In my quest to find out what our community thinks of Extension, I asked my neighbor what she thought of Extension programs. She said Extension what? I said you know, OSU Extension, master gardeners, master food preservers. All I got was a blank stare. So, I pulled out a copy of GROWING, and showed her all the things that

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Yes, I want to support Linn County Extension Association!

Enclosed is my tax-deductible gift. [ ] I am making a one-time donation of: __$250 Sponsor __$100 Benefactor __$50 Sustaining Member __$25 Contributing __ Any Amount $____ [ ] I want to be a monthly donor and give $ ______ per month for ____year(s).

Make check payable to LCEA and mail to: 33630 McFarland Rd, Tangent OR 97389 Name__________________ _ Address _________________ Email __________________ Phone__________________ (Email address will be used to forward confirmation of your donation)

We realize you have many donation choices, thank you so much for choosing to enhance Linn Extension Service!

22 — July/August 2016

Extension does, all the people that Extension helps from professional farmers to young children in 4-H programs.

Here is a person that has lived in Linn County most of her life, raised her kids here, and didn’t know about most of the OSU Linn County Extension programs. She recognized 4-H, but said her children had not been in 4-H. She and her family have always lived in town. Not a farm girl. But Extension, while having a major emphasis on small farms, crops, and forestry, also deals in many other aspects of our community life. There is Family Community Health, and 4-H programs now include robotics, along with sewing, cooking, and other non-farm related programs. Extension’s advice and educational programs are diversified to help all of our communities to grow.

I told her that Master Gardeners help people like herself with gardening issues. She wanted to know what it cost. When I told her it was free, she really was dumbfounded. I told her about the 66 hours of Master Gardener training that people receive from OSU faculty, and how the lessons are easy to understand, with hands on training as well as a large binder full of resources. After they graduate, Master Gardeners volunteer at Farmer’s Markets, county fairs and other events in order to meet the public and answer their plant problem questions. “FOR FREE?” she asked. Yes, for free.

We went on to talk about Master Food Preservers.

Her interest really piqued.

She wanted to know all about the training. I told her about receiving complete training in all phases of home food preservation, up-todate information on food safety, current information on nutrition, and ongoing training as well. Now she was interested.

Master Food Preservers volunteer in the community, show people how to preserve food, and prepare it, often giving free cooking lessons, again, at public events. They also answer the public’s questions free of charge and will test your pressure canner dial gauge if you bring it to the Extension office, again free.

After some discussion, I told her about LCEA and how LCEA markets Extension programs and supports all programs through donations, issuing college scholarships and grants to Extension programs (LCEA is a stand-alone non-profit) obviously she had not been privy to any of this marketing, nor had she ever seen the GROWING publication, as she does not take a newspaper.

Would she donate to LCEA, I asked? Sure, she thought the availability of free plant information would help her in her vegetable garden – cue Extension’s free Seed to Supper basic gardening classes for the public!

Extension supplies free advice, just call 541-967-3871 or go to www.extension. oregonstate.edu/linn.

Donations are very important. Where does your dollar go when you donate and

become a member of LCEA? • $15 could allow a community member with limited resources to attend a handson food preservation class, so they could safely preserve food for their family.

• $25 could pay for a child’s 4-H membership fees for the year.

• $50 could cover approximately half of the training to become a master food preserver, or a master gardener.

• $100 could sponsor a hands-on food preservation class in outlying areas.

Gleaners, food pantries, or service organizations could provide coordination and host the class in their local community. It could pay for supplies for the master food preserver or training for the master gardener student that could not afford to attend otherwise.

• $500 could cover a college-

bound, Linn County resident’s scholarship. LCEA issues five annually.

• $1,000 could cover a grant to any one of the Linn County Extension’s programs, extending our reach to rural areas. * These are just some of the examples of how your donation will extend our reach.

LCEA is an all-volunteer non-profit; no staff, and no administrative costs. Your donations fund Extension programs and scholarships.

Marketing Extension – seems we have a long way to go . . .

Comments, questions, email: linncoextassoc@ gmail.com. Check out our new website: www. linncountyextension association.com

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Calendar of Events for Linn and Benton Counties July 2016 *

*

6 9

Benton County Master Gardeners will be at the Corvallis Farmers’ Market most Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the season Linn and Benton County Master Food Preservers will be at the Corvallis Farmers’ Market most Wednesdays throughout the season

27

4-H Cloverbud Day Camp, 9 a.m., Happy Valley Tree Farm near Lebanon. For more details, visit website coming

27

Food Preservation Class, Pickling, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent

27

Linn County Master Gardener Demo Garden Workshop, Planting for Fall, Demonstration Garden at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center, Albany

Food Preservation Class, Fruits, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent Linn and Benton Master Food Preservers will be at the Albany Farmers’ Market

August 2016 *

Benton County Master Gardeners will be at the Corvallis Farmers’ Market most Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout the season

13

Food Preservation Class, Vegetables and Meat, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent

13-16

Linn County Fair, Linn County Fair and Expo Center, Albany

3-6

Benton County Fair, Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis

14-17

Benton County Horse Fair, Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis

4

Food Preservation Class, Fruits, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent

16

Demonstration Garden Summer Workshop, Garden Irrigation and Planning for Winter, 1-3 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis

4-6

Oregon Master Gardener Association Mini College, Linfield College, McMinville, register online at: http://omga.org/mini-college-2016/

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Food Preservation Class, Tomatoes and Salsa, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent

6

Benton County Small Woodlands Association Summer Picnic and Tour, 12:00 Noon, Fort Hoskins Park, Kings Valley

10

Linn County Master Gardener Demo Garden Workshop, Gardening Best Practices, Demonstration Garden at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center, Albany

11

Food Preservation Class, Vegetables and Meat, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent

13

Linn and Benton Master Food Preservers will be at the Albany Farmers’ Market

18

Food Preservation Class, Tomatoes and Salsa, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent

20

Linn County Tree Farmer of the Year Tour and Picnic Potluck

20

Demonstration Garden Summer Workshop, Common Tomato Problems, 1-3 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds, Corvallis

24

Linn County Master Gardeners Demo Garden Workshop, Gardening Questions and Answers, Demonstration Garden at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center, Albany

25

Food Preservation Class, Pickling, 6-9 p.m., Linn County Extension Office, Tangent

8/26-9/5 Oregon State Fair, Salem

Something for Everyone at County Fairs Continued from Page 1 Among the two fairs’ drawing cards is a carnival that Calderon and McKee rank among the premier carnivals in the nation.

“They try to mix it up and bring different things each year,” Calderon said, “and they are real good about working with the fair and reducing prices for kids.”

For $20 people can purchase a wristband for the Linn County Fair at the Albany Coastal Farm & Ranch Store, which entitles purchasers to a day’s worth of rides.

For the Benton County Fair & Rodeo, all-day carnival

ride wristbands are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

The wristbands are available on the Benton County Fair’s website, www.bentoncountyfair.net. (For the Linn County Fair website, go to http://linncountyfair.com.)

The Benton County Fair features its rodeo on August 4-5. And then there are the musical acts that grace the two fairs’ stages.

“We like to throw a big party,” Calderon said of the Linn County Fair, “and this year we have the likes of Kellie Pickler, Foghat, Parma Lee and Cloverdayle, a young couple from Portland who

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

are now living in Nashville and are on their way up the charts.”

Colverdayle is scheduled for Wednesday night. Pickler for Thursday, July 14. Parma Lee for Friday, and Foghat for Saturday, July 16. All shows start at 8:30 p.m.

Concert tickets are $22 and include free admission.

The performance schedule at the Benton County Fair & Rodeo features Carrie Cunningham and the Six Shooters opening for Kurt Van Meter on August 3; The Olson Bros Band opening for Confederate Railroad on August 4; the Creedence Clearwater

tribute band Randy Linder Band opening for the Journey tribute band Stone in Love on August 5; and Jackson Michelson opening for Home Free on August 6.

All shows start at 7 p.m.

Among daily specials at the Linn County Fair, Wednesday features free admission for all active military personnel. Seniors (age 60-plus) are welcome in free with paid parking on Thursday. Cowboy Blender Bull Riding takes place Friday and a classic car show is slated for Saturday.

The Benton County Fair & Rodeo offers advanced ticket prices of $6 for adults, $4 for

seniors, and $2 for youth.

Prices at the gate are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for youth. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free.

Ticket prices for the Linn County Fair are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, and kids 12 and under are admitted free.

Oregon State University’s County Extension Services will be on hand at both fairs, along with master gardeners and master food preservers, who will provide gardening and food preservation tips.

Also, Benny the Beaver is scheduled to appear the final day of both fairs.

July/August 2016 —

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Celebrate with Us! Older Americans’Day • Friday, July 22 • 8 AM to 1:00 PM FREE and Open to All Mennonite Village is a Not-for-Profit Residential and Healthcare Community Mennonite Village invites you to celebrate men and women age 55 and greater and the many ways in which they enrich our communities.

The day's events, thanks to our generous sponsors, will be free of charge and open to all. Shuttle buses will transport guests to and from the outdoor pavilion throughout the event.

For details about the day’s events, visit OlderAmericansDay.org.

7:30 AM

Walk for Wellness Registration

8:00 AM

Walk for Wellness

8:30 AM

Healthy Breakfast (while supplies last)

8:30 AM

Outdoor Farmers’Market

8:30 AM

Active Living Fair (36 Businesses & Nonprofits)

8:30 AM

Mennonite Village Tour of Homes

8:30 AM

Quail Run Tours and Hospitality

8:30 AM

“A Bridge to the Future”Presentations

9:00 AM

Wellness Activities & Demonstrations

11:30 AM

Free Lunch (while supplies last)

11:30 AM

Music by Larry Wilder and the Americana Trio

12:45 PM

Prize Drawings

Mennonite Village considers and admits people age 55 and older without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

541-928-7232

“A Bridge to the Future” 24 — July/August 2016

www.mennonitevillage.org www.facebook.com/mennonitevillage 5353 Columbus Street Southeast, Albany, OR http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton