UPDATE people helping people grow
APRIL 2014
Old Armory, Fourth & Lyon, Albany, Oregon 97321, Phone 541-967-3871
VOL. XXXIV No. 4
From Horticulture to Hoedown OSU’S OREGON SMALL FARMS CONFERENCE BY MARY STEWART
E
very year between the end of harvest and the beginning of the growing season, farmers gather at OSU Extension’s Oregon Small Farms Conference to learn how to sharpen their tools — and not just shear blades for shearing sheep or loppers for pruning trees, but sharpening their intellectual tools of farming knowledge.
Learn the Latest Techniques At the 14th annual conference in February, 751 farmers, agriculture professionals, food policy advocates, students, and managers of farmers markets traveled from Oregon, Washington, California, and New Mexico to attend the daylong event. Their common reason for coming was to learn the latest strategies in successful small farm management. According to Chrissy Lucas, conference registrar, the 2014 conference had the third highest attendance on record.
Network with Others Conference attendees also came to make connections with fellow growers and other experts who might hold solutions to their farming issues. “The conference attracts such a diverse group of farmers — from those just starting out to those who have been doing this for more than 30 years and
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BY
MARY STEWART
Small farm owner Paul Harcombe visits with a USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service staff about soil health practices. The Oregon Small Farms Conference included vendors, educational sessions and the chance to meet and learn from other small farmers.
even a lifetime,” says Melissa Fery, an OSU Extension faculty who co-manages the Small Farms program in the mid-Willamette Valley with Amy Garrett.
Solutions to Unique Issues Paul Harcombe, 68, is a North Albany small farmer who came to this year’s conference to learn how to improve production on his five-acre farm and to find people who might be a source of small-size farming equipment
built in the 30’s, 40’s or 50’s. The old-time tractors and other implements Paul is seeking have a short handling radius, which makes them the perfect tools for navigating narrow growing plots of vegetables and specialty seeds. “In a farm as small as mine, a standard combine would barely have room to turn around,” says Paul with a smile.
A Choice of 24 Sessions In addition to networking,
Paul attended five of the 24 sessions, including Grain Quality and Storage for Small-Scale Producers; Schools and Hospitals: Good Markets for Small Farms?; Transition to Organic 101; Small Farm Profitability; and the Keynote Session with Michael Ableman — Coming of Age: Stories, Images and Manifestos from the Frontiers of Food and Agriculture. The 24 class sessions were carefully selected by a planning
team of OSU Extension faculty and staff. “We try to create sessions on topics that are relevant, timely, and will hopefully meet the many needs and wants,” says Melissa. “Keynoter Michael Ableman was the highlight of my day,” says Paul. “I found him to be an inspiring guy, and he really lit a spark in me,” he adds. Paul grew up in the Willamette Valley and returned five years ago after teaching for 35 years at Rice University as a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. “I left the valley to go to college and always planned to return to live and farm,” he explains. Now Paul produces corn, beans, and squash for a seed company, soft white winter wheat and new varieties of barley grain sold at the Farmers Market and Delicata, sweet meat and butternut squashes for direct market and restaurants.
Hoedown Celebration According to Amy Garrett, many chose to cap off the day by attending the SFC hoe down. The event offered square dancing (no experience required), live music, locally-produced food and beer. The hoe down extended the opportunity for conference-goers to interact, to learn from each other, and to build lasting friendships.“In fact,” says Amy, “this hoedown marked the wedding day of a couple who met at the Oregon Small Farms Conference a year ago.”
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APRIL 2014
New Extension publications available! The following Extension resources are now available online: EM 8328, 2014 — hazelnut pest management guide for the Willamette Valley Authors: Jay W. Pscheidt, Ed Peachey, and Vaughn Walton Revised: March 2014, 16 pages, NC • https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/ bitstream/handle/1957/46564/em8328.pdf
EM 8329, 2014 — cherry pest management guide for the Willamette Valley Authors: Jay W. Pscheidt, Ed Peachey, and Steve Castagnoli Revised: March 2014, 15 ages, NC • https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/ bitstream/handle/1957/46566/em8329.pdf
EM 8421, 2104 — walnut pest management guide for the Willamette Valley Authors: Jay W. Pscheidt, Ed Peachey, and Vaughn Walton Revised: March 2014, 7 pages, NC • https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/ bitstream/handle/1957/46565/em8421.pdf
EM 8362 — Prune and Plum: 2014 Pest Management Guide for the Willamette Valley Authors: JJay W. Pscheidt, Ed Peachey, and Steve Castagnoli Revised: March 2014, 11 pages, NC • https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/ bitstream/handle/1957/46750/em8362.pdf
EM 8418, Apple — 2014 Pest Management Guide for the Willamette Valley Authors: Jay W. Pscheidt, Ed Peachey, and Steve Castagnoli Revised:March 2014, 14 pages, NC • https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
Oregon Master Naturalist Course BY ROBIN GALLOWAY
One of the wonderful aspects of being employed by OSU Extension is hearing about continuing educational opportunities. I just completed taking the Oregon Master Naturalist (OMN) course through the Professional and Continuing Education department at OSU. With Oregon Master Naturalist Online, you can learn about natural history, ecology and natural resource management practices by studying many aspects of Oregon’s environment. This research-based course is offered each year in January and September. The next session runs Sept. 8 to Dec. 5, 2014. The class is designed for those interested in Oregon’s natural history and how our state’s natural resources are sustainably managed. Chapters are written by Extension and other experts in their field. Our own regional administrator, Derek Godwin was a co-author on the Oregon Watersheds chapter, written back when he was the OSU Extension Watershed Management Specialist. We learned about: • Natural history of plants, animals, habitats and geology. • History and processes of landscape change.
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PROVIDED
Extension forester Brad Withrow-Robinson teaches a class at Oregon Master Naturalist training.
• Relevant topics in present-day sustainable natural resource management. There are two parts to the class currently: An on-line term-long course, and an Ecoregion section, which is on-site field trips. Students
passing the course can become a certified Oregon Master Naturalist. The online cost is $225; including an Ecoregion is $325. Jason O’Brien, with Forestry and Natural Resources Extension at
Oregon State University is the program coordinator, instructor for the course, and did a super job as the website facilitator. There were about 46 students from all over Oregon taking the course. Each week had interesting course modules to read, we got to do an assignment which pertained to the topic and our personal interest, took a selfassessment exam, and interacted with other through the Blackboard discussion tool. There was also a final exam (note to self — study a bit next time before taking it!). Jason made personal comments on every student’s homework occasionally during the course. There got to be some really interesting (and sometimes controversial) discussions about managing Oregon lands, opinions on global warming, etc. These interactions were totally paced by the student, and we could get really involved, or do the minimum. I highly recommend this class to adults who want to continue their knowledge of Oregon natural resources, in a self-directed study. And it’s a good way to become introduced to the new-fangled technology of on-line classes they do on them-there computer thingies!
Extension offers woodland reading BY BRAD WITHROW-ROBINSON
Extension has an extensive catalog of publications and videos about forestry and natural resources, aside from the monthly page in UPDATE (see page 16). Here are some new and revised Extension resources now available online: Managing Woodland Roads: A field guide (PNW 641), 2013. Steve Bowers & Paul Adams. 104 pages, ordered on line $11.00. A full-color field guide to building and
maintaining unpaved roads in woodland areas. Contains information on road shapes and surfaces, cross-drainage structures, stream crossings, wet-weather operations, and inspection and maintenance regimes. Discusses legal issues and contracts; culvert sizing; designs for fish passage; road capacity; and filtering methods. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/abstract.php?seriesno=PNW+641 Identifying and Managing Mountain Beaver Damage to Forest Resources
(EM 9063), 2013. Jimmy Taylor, Donivan Sphar & Glenn Ahrens. 8 pages. • http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/ xmlui/bitstream/handle/1957/41675/ em9063.pdf Attracting Birds of Prey for Rodent Control (EC 1641) 2012. Shilah Olson, Karen Lamson, Mike Omeg, Brian Tuck, Susan Kerr and Ellen Hammond. 2 pages, with links to audio files. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/ec/ec1641_toc.pdf
Linn County Extension Association UPDATE — people helping people grow UPDATE is a monthly publication owned and administered by the Linn County Extension Association, a 501(c)(3) federal income tax exempt organization. The Albany Democrat-Herald, under a contract with the Linn County Extension Association, prints UPDATE. Content of UPDATE is furnished by Linn County Extension Association members, Linn County Extension service agents
and other organizations that contract with Linn County Extension Association to print a newsletter for their constituencies. Advertising is provided by the Albany Democrat-Herald and does not reflect any product endorsement by the above Association, Agents or Service. The Albany Democrat-Herald is located at 600 Lyon St., S.W., Albany, Oregon. Telephone 541-926-2211.
EXTENSION OFFICE HOURS The Linn County office of the OSU Extension Service is located in the Old Armory Building on the courner of Fourth Avenue and Lyon Street in Albany. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Phone 541-967-3871. Seed Certification phone 541-967-3810. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION FACULTY AND PROGRAM ASSISTANTS SERVING LINN COUNTY 4-H Youth Development — Robin Galloway 541-967-3871 x 2399 4-H Youth Development — Karissa Dishon 541-967-3871 x 2395 4-H Youth Development — Anne O’Rourke 541-967-3871 Commercial Agriculture (CA) CA Livestock & Forages — Shelby Filley* 541-672-4461 CA Orchard & Berry Crops — Ross Penhallegon* 541-344-1709 CA Small Farms — Melissa Fery* 541-766-6750 CA Small Farms — Amy Garrett* 541-766-6750 Community Horticulture — Brooke Edmunds 541-967-3871 Family & Community Health (FCH) — Janice Gregg 541-967-3871 x 2830 Community Horticulture — Pami Opfer 541-967-3871 x 2836 FCH Oregon Family Nutrition Program (OFNP) — Tina Dodge Vera 541-967-3871 x 2392 FCH OFNP — Adejoke Babatunde 541-967-3871 FCH OFNP — Iris Carrasc• 541-967-3871 FCH OFNP — Leonor Chavez 541-967-3871 FCH OFNP — Ana Lu Fonseca 541-967-3871 Forestry, Natural Resources — Brad Withrow-Robinson* 541-967-3871 ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM SUPPORT SERVING LINN COUNTY Office Manager — Rosemary Weidman 541-967-3871 x 2396 Office Specialist — Laurie Gibson 541-967-3871 x 2391 Office Specialist — Michele Webster 541-967-3871 County Leader — Robin Galloway 541-967-3871 Regional Administrator — Derek Godwin 541-967-3871 Communications, editor -— Mary Stewart 541-967-3871 SEED CERTIFICATION** Doug Huff, Tamara Fowler
541-967-3810
LINN COUNTY EXTENSION FAX NUMBER: 541-967-9169 LINN COUNTY EXTENSION WEB SITE: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
Laurie Gibson
UPDATE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE Robin Galloway Mary Stewart, Editor
Kate Schell
LINN COUNTY EXTENSION ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS Kent Burkholder Joy Chase Melissa Corrick Peter Kennagy Rich Little Tim Rice Jess Ropp Al Severson Oregon State University offers educational programs, activities and materials — without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and disabled veterans or Vietnam-era veteran status — as required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Oregon State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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UPDATE is Getting Updated! hange is hard, but inevitable in everything. UPDATE is a partnership between the Linn County Extension Association (LCEA) and OSU Extension in Linn County. The monthly newspaper has had a very similar look every month for decades. There are articles written by the LCEA President, OSU Extension staff, and features done by both staff and a contracted writer. It’s been a tool for sharing innovative new programs, and highlighting the amazing range of educational opportunities offered by OSU Extension in Linn County. Over the years, the LCEA Board of Directors and OSU Extension staff kept a close eye on the costs to produce, print and distribute the paper. Bob McNitt was the paper’s Champion, caretaker, and eagle eye manager regarding finances. In the 1980s, it was lovingly typed up at the Brownsville Times by Ralph Sands and his staff. They waxed the copy, carefully stuck it onto sheets of paper, and hur-
C
EXTRA EXTRA Here’s the Hot Scoop! The new format for UPDATE is in process. We can reveal a few changes which have been decided so far. • UPDATE was a great name in 1985. However, in 2014, it’s being updated to be called GROWING. Growing families, growing crops, growing 4-H youth, growing livestock, growing LCEA’s ability to support OSU Extension in Linn County … you get the root of the idea. • GROWING will be an every-other-month paper. The first issue of the new and improved paper will hit your mailbox around May 1st. That’s all the news that’s fit to print. Next month we’ll know more, and keep you updated (see, that’s still a good term)! ried to Corvallis to get it printed. If words were slightly crooked by the time it was in reader’s hands that just added to the hometown feel of an ag-oriented piece! Robin Galloway was the contracted feature writer, then became the business manager after Bob put down his pen. One constant was the financial, editorial, and hands-on support by LCEA. For many years the Extension Homemakers Study Groups assembled at the office to put mailing labels on the papers, sort
JOIN LCEA! YES, I want to support the Linn County Extension Association. Here is my annual membership donation. Name______________________________________________________________________________________________ Address____________________________________________________________________________________________ City____________________________________________________ Zip____________ Phone______________________ Email_________________________________________________ ___$250 Sponsor ___$100 Benefactor ____$50 Sustaining Member ____$25 Contributing $______ Any amount Make checks payable to “Linn County Extension Association,” P.O. Box 1851, Albany, Oregon 97321
by zip code, and then mail out to thousands of eager readers all over the country. As far as we know, the farthest readers were Bob’s parents back in New York, and a Poodle named “Puddles” in Brevard, North Carolina! A new era began when the Albany Democrat-Herald (DH) started printing the paper, and inserting it into the DH at the beginning of every month. This move improved the appearance, the production process, and gave UPDATE more exposure to the general public. Our partner-
ship with the DH has been a wonderful method to share the knowledge of OSU Extension staff with readers. As Extension staff has changed, so has the ability to write for the monthly paper. Way back when, UPDATE was the primary tool for agents to communicate with their clientele. Nowadays they use e-mail, Facebook, texts, maybe even tweets, etc. Social media has provided an instant tool to get out the most up-to-theminute information — making a monthly publication outdated by the time it’s printed. That means information needs to have a different purposed determined by the media method. Readers now can view the paper on the internet, through the OSU Extension webpage at http://extension.oregon state.edu/linn/. We know that many people still like to sit with a real paper copy, too, and plan to accommodate readers in a variety of formats.
4-H Garden Club wraps up with a party The Santiam 4-H Garden Club’s winter session ended on a high note. Curious eyes focused on the seed experiment and the germination results. As a recycling project, children brought in old t-shirts and made them into tote bags. They also snacked on Cuban baked bananas topped with low-fat vanilla yogurt, a recipe that can be found on www.foodhero.org.
Future gardeners also learned about soil components and what makes healthy plants. With their new repurposed bags they were able to carry their radish, sunflower, nasturtium and kale plants home. Special thanks to all the volunteers - Heather, Jackie, Bill, Jo, and Linda for making it a success. Gardening. Get good at it.
Melissa Ferry
Commercial Agriculture
541-766-6750 melissa.fery @oregonstate.edu
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Small Farms
Amy Garrett 541-766-6750 amy.garrett @oregonstate.edu
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
APRIL 2014
New Small Farms Center at OSU PROVIDED
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Learn about Raising Pigs If you are new to raising pigs or planning to get started soon, this is the class for you. Gene Pirelli, Swine Specialist, and Dr. Charles Estill, VMD, both with OSU Extension Service, will be teaching about basic health topics including vaccinations, diseases to be aware of, feeding and nutrition. There will be plenty of time built in specifically for addressing your questions, so don’t miss this opportunity to get the answers you’ve been looking for. The class will be held Tuesday, April 8 at the Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility on the OSU Campus in Corvallis from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Preregistration is required. Online registration is available at: http://smallfarms.oregons tate.edu/south-valley/events, or by contacting Chrissy at Chrissy.Lucas@oregonstate.edu or 541-766-3556.
Oregon State University has launched a new center that aims to strengthen small farms and community food systems. OSU’s Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems is an outgrowth of the OSU Extension Service’s Small Farms program. It expands the program’s work with small farms production and marketing to provide a platform for collaboration across OSU and Oregon, which will help the Center support farmers and build strong local and regional food systems. The Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems was established to expand OSU’s leadership in this area, integrating outreach and Extension with teaching and applied research. The Center reaches across OSU and Oregon to engage with public and private sector partners to develop and deliver programs that achieve our goals: successful, resilient small farms, robust community food systems, and students
with high “food IQ.” The OSU Small Farms Program is nationally recognized for Extension and applied research. For more than 15 years, the Program has broken new ground, with beginning farmer education; whole farm management; women’s farming networks; annual small farms conference; small acreage stewardship; organic farming research; and market channel research. Through these initiatives, the Program has helped build strong local food systems in Oregon. The Center broadens and deepens this work, building on this success in four specific ways: 1. Expand the Extension Small Farms Program by adding new field faculty around Oregon. This is a key goal. 2. Act as a hub and catalyst at OSU for innovative, cross-disciplinary research and outreach relevant to small farms and community food systems.
Extension Service offering free well water screenings A portion of the Southern Willamette Valley has been designated as a Groundwater Management Area by the Department of Environmental Quality due to elevated nitrate levels in well water. While it is especially important for households with pregnant women or newborns to test for nitrate because of a rare type of blue-baby syndrome, all
homes with private wells should be aware of their nitrate level. For a free nitrate screening, bring ½ cup of untreated well water in a clean, water-tight container. You may either wait for your results (the test takes 5 to 10 minutes if the well water clinic is not busy), or leave your contact information for the results
to be delivered after the clinic date. Clinics are currently scheduled for: • April 12 at the Junction City Community Showcase, 1755 Juniper St, Junction City from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. • April 30 at the Monroe High School, 365 North 5th Street,Monroe from 5-8 p.m. A water quality educator will be available during
clinic times to answer questions about well water and septic tank issues. For additional information on well water and septic systems, free Rural Living Basics classes, and other nitrate screening events, visit the OSU Extension Service website http://extension. oregonstate.edu/benton. For more information, call 541-766-3556.
3. Enhance engagement with Oregon’s growing network of statewide and community-based food and farming non-profits. These organizations help shape Center priorities and strengthen our long-term mutual capacity. 4. Offer college courses that use a “connecting field to campus” approach to train the next generation of farmers, consumers, scientists, and community leaders. The OSU Extension Small Farms Program has always been about more than just small farms. We have always understood that for small farms to be successful, there needs to be consumers who are both willing and able to buy local food, businesses that want to sell it, and policy that supports it. These are all part of a successful and
sustainable local food economy. Establishing the center allows us to take this work to the next level. Rural and urban communities in Oregon are engaging with their food systems around issues of human health, long-term community economic development and access to healthy food for all Oregonians. This effort puts OSU on the map as explicitly valuing a food systems approach. We are building a 21st century Center: lean, entrepreneurial, and sustainably funded. A crucial ingredient to adding more Extension Small Farms positions in areas of Oregon that are currently not served is through private donations. Help us build an endowment to expand our work. For more information contact: Jack Holpuch, OSU Foundation, 541-737-9636.
Commercial Agriculture
Livestock & Forages
Shelby Filley, 541-672-4461, shelby.filley@oregonstate.edu
◆
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
Sheep Production Starts with Evaluation
H
ow’s the sheep business going for you? Do you really know how productive your sheep are and where you stand in overall efficiency of production? The dreary days and long nights of winter are an excellent time to evaluate your sheep enterprise. And, I have just the thing that can get you started on an evaluation for your flock. Jim Thompson, OSU Extension Sheep Specialist, has written an excellent publication titled Evaluation of Flock Production. The article provides a comprehensive list of important performance indicators, along with the formulas to help you calculate them and explanations on interpreting the results. You can use the data to evaluate your flock’s performance and to make improvements if needed. The specific performance indicators in the evaluation include the following: • Percent of ewes exposed that lamb • Percent of ewes that settle on first cycle • Percent of lamb crop born of ewes exposed • Percent lamb crop born of ewes lambing • Percent of lamb mortality from birth to weaning • Average weaning weight
PHOTOS
BY
SHELBY FILLEY
Local sheep producer sorts ewes by productivity.
At right, aim for ewes to birth, raise, and wean twins.
I encourage you to get the article, go through the calculations, and use the information to make any changes necessary to ensure good production in your flock! The article is posted to the Regional Livestock & Forages Website. Find it now at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/douglas/L&F/pdf/LnF0703EvalSheepProd.pdf. You can also call the Linn Co. /OSU Extension Service to obtain a printed copy.
Linn-Benton Livestock & Forage Breakfast program Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2014 Time: 6:30 - 8 a.m. Location: Pioneer Villa Restaurant — Truck Stop off I-5 at exit 216 Speaker: Dr. Brad LeaMaster, Oregon Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian
Topics: Brucellosis in Cattle, Sheep, and Goats Fee: Free to all (supported by Linn-Benton County OSU Extension Service) Dr. LeaMaster will give a presentation on Brucellosis in cattle,
sheep, and goats. Dr. LeaMaster will provide information on the reproductive diseases caused by Brucellosis and how to control them for improved productivity in our flocks and herds. He will also have a publication or two on the
topic. Please take this opportunity to join us, and as always, feel free to bring a friend. For more information contact: Joel at 541-4665344 or jkpynch@centurytel.net, or Shelby at541-672-4461 or Shelby.filley@oregonstate.edu.
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OSU Forage Management Series This is a multi-part series including sessions on forage assessment, harvest management, irrigation, renovation techniques, and fertility. We will meet on weekday evenings indoors starting in early April and run through October of 2014 (except July and August). To demonstrate the principles of the series, we will have a “project ranch” that we work on together, including site visits (time and date determined by the group) and an on-line document sharing and blog. The project ranch will be the Wilson Farm, the OSU sheep facility with sheep and cattle grazing the pastures. You can also work on your own ranch as a side project if desired. The objective of the series is to improve knowledge about managing forage on properties in the Willamette Valley. Please contact shelby.filley@oregonstate. edu or call Shelby at 541672-4461 for more information and to let her know you are interested. Instructors: Shelby Filley (lead), other OSU faculty, and local experts Fee: $25 per evening session per individual or ranch family/group ($100 for the series of five sessions) Dates/Locations: Wednesday, April 9, 2014, 6:308:30 p.m., Oldfield Animal Teaching Facility in Corvallis; other meetings dates will be determined by the group; other meeting locations will include site visits to the project ranch and possibly other participants’ ranches.
Commercial Agriculture Field Crops 6
APRIL 2014
SOUTH VALLEY
CROP NOTES APRIL • Watch for outbreaks of striped rust in wheat. • Control septoria on winter wheat when the flag leaf is emerging, usually late- April to early May (Feekes growth stage 8). This is also a critical spray timing for rust control. • Don’t forget to sign up your Seed Certification Crop Inspection forms. The deadline is April 15. • Complete N fertilizer applications on grass seed fields to meet the peak uptake demand that occurs during April. • As temperatures warm in April, prevent phenoxy drift problems by using less volatile herbicide formulations, drift reduction nozzles, and good spraying practices. • Application of Bravo on orchardgrass at boot and early head emergence remain the two most cost effective times to control headblight. Watch for boot stage in mid to late April. • Control billbugs with insecticide if needed in early April on orchardgrass seed fields. • Begin plant growth regulator application on grass seed when you can easily detect two nodes in the stem. • Scout fields for aphids and Cereal Leaf Beetle in wheat and grass seed fields through May.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
Your Spring Wheat Options for 2014 Variety Y ield Potential Alturas High Diva High Louise High Whit High Alpowa High-Medium Babe High
Stripe Rust MR/MS MR/MS MS MS MS MS
Hessian Fly S MR/R MR R S MR
Lodging Risk Medium-High Medium-High Medium-High Medium-High Medium-High Medium-High
S — susceptible, MS— moderately susceptible, MR— moderately resistant, R— resistant BY NICOLE ANDERSON
This year there will be several spring wheat varieties available for growers to consider. The accompanying table lists the soft white spring wheat varieties in the preferred order for the Willamette Valley based on OSU spring wheat variety trial data. All varieties can be planted after midFebruary with the general thought that yield potential is greater with early plantings. Later plantings will benefit from irrigation.
The recommended seeding rate is 33 seeds/ ft2. This will result in 120150 lb/acre depending on seed size. Approximately 1 lb/acre of N fertilizer per expected bushel is recommended and can be applied at planting or just before jointing. Generally, all of the available varieties are susceptible to stripe rust and will require at least one fungicide application. It is important to scout for insect pests like cereal leaf beetle and treat with a registered insecticide as needed.
There are several plant growth regulators (PGRs) now available for use on cereal crops. If lodging is a concern, PGRs are a good tool to keep the crop standing however significant yield increases should not be expected if lodging is not a problem. Recent OSU yield data for the Willamette Valley can be found online at: http://cropandsoil.oregon state.edu/wheat. Nicole Anderson is an OSU North Valley Field Crops Agent & Mike Flowers, OSU Extension Cereal Specialist.
South Willamette Valley Extension Field Crops Position Update The Field Crops position held by Paul Marquardt was approved to be refilled immediately after Paul announced his resignation in early January and we began the search process. The position had a full consideration closing date of February 28, and from the pool of more than 30 applicants in
place at that time, two well qualified applicants were selected for interview in early April. Additional applications will be reviewed following the final closing date of March 18, and additional interviews will be scheduled if warranted. We hope to have the new person in place by this summer if at all possible.
With this new faculty member on board, we will be back to a Willamette Valley county-based field crops staff of two. When budgets improve, our intent is to add a third position back to the Mid-Valley. Update provided by Russ Karow, Head, CSS Crop and Soil Science.
Linn County Farm Bureau Don Cersovski, 541-995-8310
AGFEST
Celebrating 26 Years BY MARY G. GRIMES
W
hat comes to mind that happens each April? Ag-Fest! The Linn County Farm Bureau is helping staff Oregon Farm Bureau Women’s Advisory Council Booth at this year’s AgFest, on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 & 27, at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem.
Here we are some 26 years later with more than 30,000 Dirt Babies and other assorted agricultural created crafts made, and AgFest is still going strong. What a great way to educate children about agriculture…fun and play while learning. Linn County Farm Bureau will be helping staff the OFBF WAC booth, which is a title sponsor. The popular Dirt Babies craft is free and lots of fun. Since 98% of the population is removed from the natural resource community, AgFest is an opportunity for a touch-and-taste experience of where food and fiber come from and how they are produced. Many agriculture groups will be setting up shop with lots of free fun things for kids (and adults) to do. Children up to age 12 are admitted free, those over 12 will pay $9. Parking is free. Bring the family and make it a day of learning about osmosis, germination, and photosynthesis when you make a Dirt Baby in the OFBF booth. Learning is fun and growing Dirt Babies is science! Imagine that!
Soil & Water Conservation District Kevin Seifert, 541-926-2483 ◆ http://www.linnswcd.org/
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Respiration Testing Your Soil By now, there is probably no one producer left in Oregon who is not at least somewhat aware of the important relationship between nutrient management and water quality excess nutrients in fields lead to excess nutrients in water. The trick, of course, is knowing the amount of nutrients actually needed in the soil to maximize crop profitability. Soil labs and field agronomists have traditionally been reluctant to offer soil biology tests, partly due to costly, complicated (and outdated) methods. Renewed interest in soil quality (read any farming periodical) is increasingly motivating researchers and growers. It’s been believed that soil biology is of academic interest only — or an exclusive domain of organic growing alone. Why test soil microbes? The quantity of active soil microbes — fungi and bacteria — can be represented by actual living carbon associated with respiring (live) cells producing CO2 within a soil system. These living microbial activities are associated with many positive properties such as transforming chemicals, aiding pesticide degradation, facilitating the release of nitrogen from organic matter and contributing to soil aggregation. The latter property alone may account for more than 50% of a soil’s ability to resist erosion. These perennial questions have been the subject of recent research by the USDA’s Agricultural
Understanding a Haney Test.
Research Service at the Grassland, Soil and Water research laboratory in Temple, Texas. Rick Haney is an ARS soil scientist at the facility. He has been collaborating with NRCS and Districts this spring to share with farmers the innovative changes in soil testing that he has been working with recently to benefit both water quality and farm profitability. The test referred to as the Haney Test or CO2 burst method. The research combines the old and the new when it comes to soil testing. Haney and colleagues have been running comparisons of soil respiration and nitrogen mineralization using a number of traditional methods. One
test called 7-day N-min, has shown surprisingly good correlations to the rapid CO2-burst method that USDA has developed. The 7-day N-min measures microbial activity and nutrient-release in an indirect, time-consuming process, and labs are hesitant to use it, or if they do, they have to charge more than farmers may be willing to pay. Yet the information is vital to understanding how to save costly nitrogen fertilizerwithout losing any yields plus it shows you something important about soil biological health. Researchers haven’t been able to account for it before because they haven’t been able to see it. Since they haven’t seen
the water extractable organic nitrogen pool before, they are shocked at what they are finding, especially if you have been applying poultry litter or manure. They see this huge shift from inorganic nitrogen to an organic nitrogen pool and that is really important. They’re starting to understand why manure supplies nutrients for years instead of just one growing season. That pool is four times bigger than they thought it would be. Researchers are going kind of old school on some of it. They are extracting the soil with water because that is what the soil actually sees out in the field. Then they’re doing a microbial respiration test that they haven’t really had the
ability to do before. Researchers are looking at organic nitrogen compounds out of soil from the water extract that they weren’t able to see before, but they can see it now because of the technology. They’re using a more integrated approach to try to understand what is happening in these systems. Instead of trying to figure out a whole lot of things from one thing, they’re using a whole lot of things to figure out one thing. Since they are looking at the organic nitrogen compounds in the soil as a whole, they’re seeing $15 to $20 per acre savings in nitrogen. With the new soil testing methods, researchers can get a more accurate handle on how much nitrogen is actually available to plants. The per acre savings in nitrogen use have clear environmental benefits, but they also have significant economic benefits. In one of Haney’s recent studies, three fertilizer rate treatments were evaluated: no fertilizer (control), traditional rate, and reduced rate based on his enhanced soil testing method at nine sites in Texas. At each location, fertilizer data (formulation, rate, cost, and application date) and crop data for wheat, corn, oats, and grain sorghum (yield, price, and harvest date) were recorded, and the net profit for each crop was determined. In the fouryear study, fertilizer rates were reduced 30% to 50% and fertilizer costs were reduced 23% to 39% based
on enhanced soil test method recommendations, but yields were not significantly reduced (06%). The oat yields actually increased 5%. Even if it is saving just $5 or $6 an acre, if you are farming 1,000 acres, that is a significant amount of money. Haney is saying, they’re trying to help you get as much out of nature as you can and then supplement the rest you need. We need to accurately measure what is there to begin with because that is better for everything. The profitability decreased less than 1% for corn and increased 7% to 18% for wheat, oats, and grain sorghum with reduced fertilizer rates. Although these changes were not significant, they do represent potential benefit through increased profit and decreased input cost and production risk. In only 6% of the time was the traditional fertilizer rate the most profitable, compared to 51% for the unfertilized treatment and for the 43% for the enhanced soil test treatment. These results do not indicate that fertilizer application should be avoided, but that fertilizer rates should be carefully chosen considering all sources of plant available nutrients to ensure that fertilizer is applied at the optimal rate. Finding uses for this test in the Valley is of interest to the District and NRCS. If you interest in the CO2 burst test or would like more information Contact your District or NRCS District Conservationist.
Barbara Fick 541-967-3871 x2393 barb.fick@oregonstate.edu
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APRIL 2014
Community Horticulture
Pami Opfer 541-967-3871 x2836 pamela.opfer@oregonstate.edu
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
The 2014 Master Gardeners INTRODUCING THE LINN COUNTY CLASS! BY PAMI OPFER
PHOTO
BY
PAMI OPFER
Meet our new 2014 Master Gardener trainees! Back row from left to right: Dean Robinson, Susie Kuebrich, Ann Kinkley, Michele Webster, Jon Peek. Front row: Louise Fassio, Iris Carrasco, Michele Ecker.
SPRING GARDEN FESTIVAL Mark your calendar for the 27th Annual Spring Garden Festival on Sunday, May 4, 9 a.m.to 4 p.m., on The Arts Center Plaza, 7th and Madison, in Corvallis. Each year, the Festival features dozens of vendors and information booths offering gardening products, advice, and inspiration that will help you limber up your green thumb. The new Master Gardener trainees will be showcasing eight different and exciting gardening topics. We hope to see you at the Spring Garden Festival.
The new Master Gardeners are wrapping up their classroom training and are getting ready to start serving their volunteer payback hours in the community. We have a great group of volunteers this year, albeit a bit smaller than previous years. Quality not quantity, right? And these volunteers are gearing up to provide quality horticulture information and workshops to the folks of Linn County. Are you wondering how and when to prune your fruit trees? Need some advice on how to control those pesky slugs that keep eating your garden greens? And what about those weird spots that develop on your rose foliage every year? Master Gardeners are trained and ready to tackle questions like these as a FREE service to home owners, offered through our many “plant clinics.” We have a
plant clinic at our main Extension office in downtown Albany on 4th and Lyons St. Or you can reach us there by calling 541-9673871. Additionally, we have plant clinics scheduled at most of the Farmers Markets in Linn County: Albany, Lebanon, Sweet Home, and Brownsville. So please feel free to come visit our booth with your questions or just to talk gardening! New to gardening? Feel free to contact us and we will happily provide you with some good starting points and beginners tips. Or, you can get more of a hands on feel (and maybe even a tasting of our delicious garden produce) by visiting our demonstration garden that is always free and open to the public during the main gardening season. It is located at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center, in the northeast corner of the fairgrounds. We are all getting very excited about the upcoming gardening season and we want to encourage new and seasoned gardeners to get outside and play in the dirt as much as possible this year!
Seed to Supper
Farmers’ Markets opening soon!
Ten Rivers Food Web (TRFW), in partnership with program developers Oregon Food Bank, and the Oregon State University Extension Service Master GardenerTM Program, is proud to bring Seed to Supper to Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. Seed to Supper is a comprehensive five-week beginning gardening course that gives novice, adult gardeners the tools and confidence they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. Nearly twenty Master Gardeners from Linn and Benton counties will be serving as Seed to Supper Volunteer Educators this spring! Seed to Supper classes are designed for adults gardening on a budget. Class size ranges from 8-25 participants, depending on the location and population served. Community organizations such as health departments, senior centers, food pantries, affordable housing units, and parenting groups with an existing client base will be primary locations for outreach for Seed to Supper students. Neither participants nor agencies are ever charged for Seed to Supper classes. • In Lebanon at the River Center, 3000 S Santiam Hwy., Thursday evenings, March 20-April 17, 6-7:30 p.m. • In Sweet Home at Sunshine Industries, 1333 Clark Mill Rd., Thursday evenings, April 24-May 22 To learn more about Seed to Supper, or to register, visit www.tenriversfoodweb.org.
The County Farmers’Markets will soon be opening for another season of bringing together the very best selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables, garden starts, plants, herbs, flowers and specialty foods. Albany Farmers’ Market opens April 20. Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 4th Ellsworth, downtown Albany. Brownsville Farmers’ Market opens June 15. Open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Park Ave. and Main St. Lebanon Farmers’ Market opens May 23. Open Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Grant and Main streets. Sweet Home Farmers’ Market opens June 1. Open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Thriftway parking lot (HWY 20/228). For more information, visit oregonfarmersmarkets.org/.
PHOTO
BY
BARB FICK
Master Gardener, Debbie Mode potting up some flowers at container planting day.
Container Planting Days There will be two container planting day events at Wilco Farm Store in Lebanon on Saturday, April 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and at Tom’s Garden Center on Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Master Gardener volunteers will be available to pot newly purchased plants into containers that you purchase or bring. Soil medium will be provided. Come on down to either event and visit us, get your plants potted, and talk gardening with some friendly volunteers!
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
APRIL 2014
Got Bad Soil? Try Raised Beds BY DENISE RUTTAN
Afraid gardening and your soil are not compatible? Raised beds can come to the rescue. “By building raised beds, you instantaneously can have good garden loam,” said Ross Penhallegon, a horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. “Raised beds answer the question of how we garden in inhospitable areas that are too sandy, too wet or have too much clay.” Raised beds should be built in March and April. First select the plants you want and learn how deep their root systems grow. Raised beds are generally six to 12 inches high depending on the depth of the plant’s roots, Penhallegon said. Raised beds are typically three feet wide so you can reach across easily to weed and maintain the plants, he said. The bed can be as long as you want. After you build the structure framing the raised bed, fill it half way with loam. Using a three-tined garden fork, mix in an equal amount of organic matter such as compost, leaf mulch or animal manure. After the first season of growing vegetables in the raised bed, add two to four inches of compost in October. Then in March or April, mix the compost into the soil using a garden fork. To build your raised bed, Penhallegon suggested using the following materials: • Straw bales — Use straw from wheat, barley or other grains but do not use hay because it can contain weeds and seeds, he said. Bales should be free-standing. Dig a hole in the straw for each plant. The bales are especially good for growing carrots and potatoes. You can also plant peas or pole beans in them if you use a trellis. Fertilize and water by hand or use a soaker hose. The straw slowly composts for the plants, feeding them nutrients.
• Raw wood — Cedar is a good choice because it is fairly resilient, Penhallegon said. Coat boards with exterior latex paint, which is not as strong as chemical preservatives and can resist moisture. In choosing between raw and treated wood, decide how often you want to replace the wood as it decays faster when wet, he said. • Treated wood — Wood that is treated with preservatives such as pentachlorophenol, creosote and linseed oil lasts longer in rainy climates, Penhallegon said. Research shows that there is little likelihood of wood-preserving substances contaminating the soil, he added. Nevertheless, he still advised covering the wood with plastic sheeting or exterior latex paint to reduce the risk. • Old tires — Old tires stacked on top of each other work especially well for potatoes. • Concrete blocks — Concrete lasts a long time, absorbs heat well and is water-resistant, Penhallegon said. Stack one, two or three blocks high. Keep in mind that it is more expensive than wood. Look for inexpensive blocks that are cracked or chipped, he said. • Railroad ties — Whether railroad ties are safe to use is hotly debated among researchers and the general public, Penhallegon said. “It’s been shown that there is very little creosote leakage out of railroad ties,” he said, “but that depends on how old they are, whether they’re damaged and how long they’ve been around. It’s very tough to say absolutes.” He recommends covering railroad ties with plastic sheeting to protect your plants. Extension’s “Growing Your Own” guide offers suggestions for building raised beds. Also check out Extension’s guides Raised Bed Gardening and How to Build a Raised Bed Cloche.
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Garden Calendar Planning • Write in your garden journal throughout the growing season. • Prepare garden soil for spring planting. Incorporate generous amounts of organic materials and other amendments, using the results of a soil analysis as a guide. • Prepare raised beds in areas where cold soils and poor drainage are a continuing problem. Incorporate generous amounts (at least 2 inches) of organic materials. • Use a soil thermometer to help you know when to plant vegetables. When the soil is consistently above 60 degrees Farenheit, some warm season vegetables (beans, sweet corn) can be planted.
Maintenance and Clean Up • Allow foliage of spring-flowering bulbs to brown and die down before removing. • Apply commercial fertilizers, manure, or compost to cane, bush (gooseberries, currants, and blueberries), and trailing berries. • Place compost or well decomposed manure around perennial vegetables, such as asparagus and rhubarb. • Cut back ornamental grasses to a few inches above the ground, in early spring. • Cover transplants to protect against late spring frosts. • Optimum time to fertilize lawns. Apply 1 pound nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. Reduce risks of run-off into local waterways by not fertilizing just prior to rain, and not over-irrigating so that water runs off of lawn and onto sidewalk or street. • Western Oregon: Optimum time of year to dethatch and renovate lawns. If moss was a problem, scratch surface prior to seeding with perennial ryegrass. • Western Oregon: Prune and shape or thin spring-blooming shrubs and trees after blossoms fade.
Planting/Propagation
PHOTOS
BY
BARB FICK
Top: Get the whole family involved in gardening. Raised beds are great for making gardening accessible. Middle: Peas grow on a decorative trellis, spinach in the front left side and rows of beets on the right side of this raised bed. Bottom: Tomatoes grow well in raised beds and can be planted early in the gardening season using protective “Walls of Water.”
• Plant gladioli, hardy transplants of alyssum, phlox, and marigolds, if weather and soil conditions permit. • It’s a great time to start a vegetable garden. Among the vegetables you can plant, consider: • Western Valleys, Portland, Roseburg, Medford: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, chives, endive, leeks, lettuce, peas, radishes, rhubarb, rutabagas, spinach, and turnips.
Family And Community Health
Janice Gregg 541-967-3871 x2830 gregg.@oregonstate.edu
10
APRIL 2014
tina.dodge@oregonstate.edu
Quinoa Salad
Eat more whole grains Quinoa is called the “mother of all grains” by the Incas, who considered it sacred. Quinoa from the Andes is known for being rich in high-quality protein. There are more than 120 varieties, in many different colors. Pale yellow quinoa is most common, though red quinoa contains significantly more phenols and has higher antioxidant activity. It is not a true grain (often classified as a pseudo-grain), but is a seed from a relative of lambs quarters or spinach. Quinoa cooks up fluffy with a nutty flavor. Because the seeds are naturally coated with bitter
541-967-3871 x2932
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
PICK OF THE MONTH
QUINOA
Tina Dodge Vera
compounds (saponins, which defend against insects), they must be washed before cooking. Even if the package says the seeds were washed, it’s a good idea to rinse them to remove any remaining bitterness. When the seeds are cooked they become translucent and the germ band pulls away slightly; they are delicate, pretty, and seem very “light” for a carbohydrate dish. Quinoa has become more and more popular to use in salads, as a side dish and in soups. It is a popular ingredient in vegan and vegetarian diets because of its nutritive profile: high in protein, and good sources of phosphorus, calcium, iron, Vitamin E, and other B Vitamins.
Healthy Choices, Whole Grains Research using data from the Framingham Heart Study refutes the claim that ‘wheat packs on the pounds.’ It has been found that adults who consume three servings of whole grains per day (including whole wheat, rice, oatmeal, etc.) have lower visceral adipose tissue, which positively impacts health. The data also show that replacing (not adding) refined grains with whole grains is likely to translate into greater health benefits. Also, most observational data suggest that eating whole grains as a part of a healthy diet leads to less weight gain over time. Rather than getting your entire wholegrain intake from wheat, choose a variety of whole grains, including brown rice,
oats, quinoa, popcorn and so on.” Almost everyone recommends eating more whole grains. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines, for instance, advise that at least half your daily grain intake be whole grains. That’s easier said than done, in part because it can be hard to identify truly “whole grain” foods. Whole grains retain the bran and germ and thus all (or nearly all) of the nutrients and fiber of the grain. But in many breads, cereals, granola bars, pastas and other products labeled “whole grain” or “multigrain,” the whole grain sits midway down the ingredients list, playing second fiddle to “wheat flour” (also called “white,” “refined” or “enriched” flour) and added sugars.
PHOTO
Ingredients: 1 cup quinoa (dry) 2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth 2 large carrots, peeled and diced 3 large celery stalks, diced 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced 3 green onions, sliced 3 tablespoons minced parsley 1 /2 cup rice vinegar 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped Directions: 1. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh wire strainer under running water for 1 minute. 2. Bring the water or broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly add the quinoa and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. When cooked, spread out on a baking sheet to cool. Refrigerate until cool. 3. Meanwhile, prepare all the vegetables and place them in a salad bowl. 4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside. 5. Add quinoa to the vegetables. Add the dressing and toss well. 6. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Recipe from: https://www.foodhero.org/recipe
PROVIDED
Classes Offered at Senior Center Go Green: Growing and Enjoying Leafy Greens When: Thursday, April 24, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Where: Lebanon Senior Center Ah vegetables! It is easy to get into a rut (iceberg lettuce, tomato, carrots, green beans) when preparing meals. Leafy greens like kale, chard, and collards can expand the variety in our meals and they all pack a wallop of nutritional value! Do greens seem too pricy in the store? It is very simple to grow your own in a garden or in containers. Greens grow well in a winter garden, too. Growing instructions and easy
recipes will be included in the lesson. Cost: $1.00. Contact: Please call 541-967-3871 to register for this class. The lesson can be re-taught; call to request leader and participant materials.
Lunch and Learn at senior center When: April 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Jams and Jellies; and April 28, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Pickles These one hour classes will be taught by Master Food Preservers. Contact the Lebanon Senior Center at 541-451-1139 to register, and for more information about the class series.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
APRIL 2014
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Be a Food Hero for Your Family Census gives ag snapshot The mission of the Food Hero program is to help low-income Oregonians improve their health through the increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and more family meals cooked at home. Whether you’re a beginning cook or a kitchen pro, www.foodhero.org can be your go-to site for quick, tasty, healthy recipes and helpful tips - you’ll find something new for your family to enjoy. With Food Hero, you will be able to budget for, plan, and create countless healthy, super tasty meals. Here are some tips to make mealtime family time.
• Eat meals together when possible. • Start eating meals together as a family when your kids are young. This way, it becomes a habit. • Plan when you will eat together as a family. Write it on your calendar. • Try to have family meals most days of the week. • Focus on the meal and each other. Turn off the television. Take phone calls later. • Talk about fun and happy things. Try to make meals a stress-free time. • Encourage your child to try foods. But don’t lecture or force your child to eat.
Coming Soon!
Training for Master Food Preserver Volunteers Master Food Preserver Volunteer training will again be offered in Linn and Benton Counties in 2014 every Thursday (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) beginning May 1 through June 19. All potential volunteers are required to attend the afternoon orientation meeting on Thursday, April 24. Training will be held in the Evelyn Downing Room, Linn County Extension Office in Albany.
Volunteers are trained to teach Oregonians about safe food handling and storage/preservation. They learn “why” as well as “how” to preserve food by freezing, canning, drying, and more. Persons with interest in learning and sharing information about healthy food; how we get it, keep it safe, and prepare it for family for immediate and future use will be interested in the pro-
gram. Trained volunteers will support Extension foods and nutrition programming in communities/areas in which they live throughout the summer and fall months. If you are interested in these learning opportunities and wish to attend, please visit http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/linn -benton-county-masterfood-preserverprogram/, or call 541-967-3871.
Oregon is reporting a smaller number of • The amount of land in farms in Oregon fell farms, a larger average size of farms, and an slightly to 16,301,578 acres in 2012. older average age of farmer and rancher, ac• The number of farms dropped in all catecording to preliminary data from the 2012 gories of size and all categories of income with Census of Agriculture just released by the the exception of operations with more than U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National $250,000 in annual sales. The number of farms Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS). The reporting $1 million or more in annual sales process of collecting and tabulating infor- increased in Oregon from 858 in 2007 to 989 in mation from the nation’s farmers and 2012. The biggest category drop was farms ranchers has been completed. A quick look reporting less than $50,000 in annual sales. at the figures shows that Oregon is gener• Market value of agricultural products sold ally following the trend seen throughout increased 11.3 percent in 2012 to $4.8 billion, the rest of the nation in many areas. which is a whopping 52.8 percent increase “The number of farms in Oregon is down significantly from the previous census, even from the market value reported 10 years ago. • The percentage of principal operators in by a greater percentage than the rest of the Oregon reporting something other than farmnation,” says Dave Losh, state statistician ing as their primary occupation with the Oregon field office of is still in the majority, but has NASS. “But like the rest of the “The number dropped from 54 percent to just nation, the decrease has taken of farms barely over 50 percent. place in all income categories • The average age of operator of farms except those operain Oregon is down tions that reported more than is now 59.6 years, up from 57.5 significantly.” $250,000 in income for 2012.” years in 2007 and 54.9 years in The Census of Agriculture 2002. Oregon’s average age is DAVE LOSH is conducted every five years, higher than the national average. STATE STATISTICIAN and is the most ambitious and More detailed statistics, inimportant compilation of all cluding county level data, will agriculture surveys. Data from all fifty be released in May. states has been gathered and is being anaLosh says economics and the higher cost lyzed following a comprehensive survey of of being a farmer is probably most responnearly every known farmer and rancher in sible for the exit of part-time farmers and the United States. some of the small-scale operators. The federal government shutdown in “We’ve seen farm expenses increase since October came at a critical time and delayed the last census, and that could be making it the analysis of this preliminary, partial redifficult for those without a scale of prolease of the data. duction to continue at this time.” Among the national highlights: Losh is also pleased with the participa• There are more than 2.1 million farms in the tion in the census by Oregon agriculture. US, but that is a 4.3 percent decrease from the “Oregon had a good response rate. Nearly 2.2 million farms counted in the 2007 census. 83 percent of our producers took the time to • Despite fewer farms, the average size of US complete the Census of Agriculture, which farms is 434 acres, which is an increase over the is better than the national average of about 418 acres reported as an average size in 2007. 80 percent.” “This census data once again shows the • The decrease in number of farms nationalstrength of Oregon agriculture and its conly is registered in all size categories with the tribution to our state’s economy,” says exception of those farms a thousand acres or Katy Coba, director of the Oregon Departmore. ment of Agriculture. “I’m still very con• Average age of operator is 58, up from the cerned about the increasing age of our average of 57.1 years old reported in 2007. farmers and ranchers, and if the number of • Oregon’s preliminary census data shows farms and total farm acreage will continue that the state is headed in the same direction to decrease in Oregon. I will be very interas the rest of the country in key categories, but ested to see additional details from the cento a greater degree. sus, including some of the production and • The number of farms in Oregon is 35,439, sales numbers for specific types of crops down 8.1 percent from 2007 when there were and livestock as well as what is taking 38,523 farms reported. Going back 10 years, place in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. This there has been an 11.4 percent drop in the snapshot is extremely important and I’m number of Oregon farms. grateful for the majority of operators who • Average size of farms in Oregon increased recognized the value of participating in the to 460 acres- up 8.2 percent from 2007. survey.”
Commercial Agriculture 12
APRIL 2014
Orchard & Berry Crops
Ross Penhallegon, 541-344-1709, ross.penhallegon@oregonstate.edu http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
Useful publications at your fingertips
Getting ready for the growing season
New Spray Guide
It is April, 2014... The prune trees started blooming in midFebruary and are still blooming, the peaches are near bloom, the pear and cherry trees have been pushing for two months and we still have more than a month of potential freezes - just like every year. The damage from the very cold December, and icy, branchbreaking February are still to be evaluated. I have seen many shrubs with brown, freeze-damaged leaves, camellia bushes dropping their blooms, and roses
New spray schedules will be available for backyard and commercial plantings of cherry, plum, walnut, filbert (hazelnut), peach, apple, and pear. The Extension and Experiment Station communications people say the publications should be available the second week in March. The guides are a complete spray schedule for the different pests that affect tree fruits. The spray schedules are updated and reviewed yearly to keep the public informed of current control practices. With the reduction of many pesticides, biological, cultural, and mechanical controls, it is important to have the most up-to-date information. The guides can be obtained at the local Extension office or visit http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/, and type in the fruit you are interested in. Among the many publications about the desired fruit will be the spray guides.
Pacific Northwest Handbooks The three Pacific Northwest Control Handbooks Weed, Insect, and Disease are available at: • http://pnwhandbooks. org/weed/ • http://pnwhandbooks. org/insect/ • http://pnwhandbooks. org/plantdisease/ If you are interested in obtaining a copy, contact Publications Orders, Agricultural Communications, OSU, ADS A422, Corvallis, OR 97331-2119, or call 541737-0796.
Orchard and Berry Fertility First fertilization should be applied by April 1. Check your leaf analysis and soil tests to see what nutrients you need for 2014. Many Natural Resource Conservation Service offices are doing soil testing. Check your local NRCS office to see if they are still providing this service. Soil tests should be done at least every 3-5 years. Fertilize while there is still moisture/rain to move the fertilizer into the root zone. Remember to look at the plant and see how well it grew this past year. Hint: On most tree fruits, the terminal sucker growth should have been between 12-18 inches. If the growth is less than 12 inches, the tree was under stress or didn’t have sufficient fertilizer. If the growth was over 18 inches, the tree is very vigorous, so begin reducing the total amount of nitrogen being applied. Berries also need a good application of fertilizer to keep them healthy and producing good quality fruit.
freeze-burned back 6-12 inches; on top of this, plants are really early this year. Hazelnuts began leafing out before March 1. Maple buds have been huge and ready to burst for a month also. Many house shrubs have leafed out. Daffodils have been up all month and tulips are following. So, with early leafing and emergence, there is a great potential for freeze damage. With temperatures being very chilly one day and then upwards of 60 degrees the next day, this really does confuse plants, as
they key off of day light and temperatures. So if we look at the “average” it looks like we are about a week or two ahead of normal. (But what is normal for the Willamette Valley?!) It looked like the peach buds broke clear back in mid-January, so we may see a huge peach leaf curl problem again this year. The snow was a blessing as the ground had frozen 8 inches already, and if the snow had not come, we would have lost roses and blueberries. Tree fruits are continuing to develop, and with
Protect your trees To effectively manage diseases and insects in your orchard, you’ll need to combine a number of techniques. In addition to using pesticides, there are cultural and biological practices that can help prevent and/or manage diseases and insects. • Cherry trees have had disease problems for several years. The symptoms are brown spots on the leaves, causing them to die and fall. Rake up the old leaves and destroy them. Brown Rot Blossom Blight can be controlled similarly to cherry leaf spot. Remove any mummified fruit, prune out dead branches, and begin sprays at early popcorn, full bloom, and petal fall. • Apple scab is a big problem most years. If growers have not applied any copper or lime sulfur clean-up sprays, apple scab will be a major problem.
• Sycamore anthracnose is a common fungus which lives year-to-year on infected sycamore twigs. The disease occurs when the trees leaf out in cool, wet weather. Young leaves turn brown and die as they emerge from the buds, and infection may occur late, causing irregular spots on the leaves. Use copper or Daconil in March, plus clean up old leaves and branches. • Dogwood trees were hammered last spring due to the wet and warm weather. Leaf infection happens during the wet spring weather. Dogwood anthracnose is a fungus that over winters on dead twigs and leaves on the tree, or fallen leaves. The disease is common on native dogwoods. Use copper and Daconil. For more information on controlling problems in tree fruits, see the following website: http://pnwhandbooks.or g/plantdisease/. Always follow label instructions.
the typical last hard freeze around mid-April in the valley, some of the fruits will probably have some freeze damage. Cold weather and rain can cause poor pollination. If the weather turns wet, then the fruit will have increased disease problems. Keep up with fungicide cover sprays. If possible, spray the trees before it rains, so the blooms and leaves will be protected. With the fruit set from the huge crop last year, thinning will be less critical, and the trees will typically have less fruit.
Commercial Horticulture Hints APRIL • Control blueberry mummyberry. • Begin strawberry replant. • Keep up with apple and pear scab sprays.
• Begin peach popcorn and full bloom sprays. • Control dead bud and bacterial canker in cherries. • Begin tree fruit fertilization April 1.
Robin Galloway 541-967-3871 x2399 robin.galloway@oregonstate.edu
4-H Youth Development http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
Karissa Dishon 541-967-3871 x2395 karissa.dishon@oregonstate.edu
APRIL 2014
13
Winning and learning at livestock clinic Right: Loyal Burns teaches sheep fitting and showing at the 2014 Linn County 4-H Livestock Clinic. Despite the fact that the clinic had to be cancelled and rescheduled due to snow in February, more than 300 people attended this highly informative clinic at the Benton County Fairgrounds on Sunday, March 2. Left: Here is our Grand Prize winner from our Livestock Clinic. He gets to take home a TON of Showmaster feed of his choice. A big thanks to Coastal Farm & Ranch and the Benton County Fairgrounds for sponsoring and hosting this event!
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Teens as teachers!
W
ANTED! Youth in grades 9-11 interested in becoming trained to teach elementary aged youth in environmental and nutritional health related topics! Learn the skills necessary to become a terrific teacher! Through this program you will:
• Learn how to create and present health related lesson plans • Learn to effectively teach elementary aged children • Gain leadership, public speaking, facilitation skills, and confidence! • Have fun with other teens and younger children! How to get involved? It’s a competitive process. Interested teens should complete an ap-
plication and attend a Teens as Teachers Training and interview on Saturday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Benton County Extension Office. (lunch will be provided). At the training, teens will be selected. Team members will be expected to attend two supplemental trainings: • April 17 from 5-7 p.m. • April 30 from 5-7 p.m.
If selected, Teens as Teachers Team members will be given opportunities and expected to teach several sessions in health related topics to area elementary school aged children. For more information and to be sent an application, please contact Carolyn Ashton at Carolyn.Ashton@oregon state.edu, or Maggie Livesay at Maggie.Livesay @oregonstate.edu.
BY
KARISSA DISHON
Some fun facts for April • April is National Garden Month and National Volunteer Month. • April 5 is School Librarian Day. • April 10 is National Garlic Day. • April 21 is Kindergarten Day. • April 22 is Earth Day and 26 is Arbor Day. • Pears grow best in volcanic soil. • Unlike apples, pears do not float. • About 99% of agriculture today depends on 24 plant species. • The peach is related to the almond. • Radishes can be red, black, white or green. • Cattle have an acute sense of smell, able to smell something up to six miles away. • Garlic is considered a vegetable and an herb. • Leeks are related to garlice and onions. • Garlic was once believed to ward off heart disease, cancer, colds and flu.
14 APRIL 2013
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
You pick the theme!
UPCOMING EVENTS FEBRUARY Foods Contest The annual Linn County 4-H Foods contest is April 11 and 12, in Brownsville. Members must be enrolled in the foods project area to participate in the contest. Classes included in the contest are After School Snacks, Breakfast Quick Breads, Foods of the Pacific Northwest, Mini-Meals, PrePackage Preparation, Measuring Contest, Quick Fix Meals, and 4 for 6-8-10. Full class descriptions can be found online with the rest of the Foods Contest materials. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. The contest is held at the Brownsville Christian Church and there is a great viewing area. If you have any questions regarding the contest, please contact Suzanne Wallace at 541-466-5859 or wallace.3sn@centurytel.net.
Fashion Revue Following last year’s successful inaugural event, Linn County will once again be hosting a Fashion Revue contest. The Linn County Fashion Revue and Presentation Contest will be held Saturday, April 26.Registration forms are available online. Fashion Revue will include two ready-made divisions, as well as the traditional contests. “My Favorite Outfit” is an outfit of the members choosing that they already own. This can be a favorite dress that they wore to a special occasion, a team uniform that is special to them, or an outfit that highlights their fashion style. The second readymade division is based on consumerism. The member selects one article of clothing for $25 dollars or less, and then accessorizes it with items from their own closet. The traditional divisions are modeling an outfit or article that the member has made. For more information, contact Karissa Dishon at karissa.dishon@oregonstate.edu.
Communications Contest The communications contest will be held in conjunction with the Fashion Revue contest on Saturday, April 26. Registration forms are available online. This contest includes presentations with visual aids, demonstrations (starting with an unfinished product and showing how to complete the product), public speaking, and impromptu speaking. There are opportunities for members of any project area at these contests. Members do not have to be enrolled in Clothing or Communications in order to participate. The only exception would be if the members want to exhibit an article of clothing that they sewed. Call or e-mail Karissa Dishon for more information at 541-967-3871 or karissa.dishon@oregon state.edu.
Get Outdoors Day is May 31 OSU MCDONALD FOREST HOSTS FAMILIES BY MAGGIE LIVESAY
Again this year, OSU College Forests and OSU Extension Service, Benton County and many community partners will be hosting a National Get Outdoors Day event at Peavy Arboretum north of Corvallis.
The event will be held on Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is a no-cost event and will feature a variety of hands-on activities for youth (including free fishing for youth under 12) and bilingual (Spanish & English) guides will be involved in the activities. A number of local organizations will be on site to introduce participants to the outdoor activities and opportu-
Everyone Say “CHEESE!” LINN COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHY CLINIC Are you working on a Photography project and want to expand your skills? Do you enjoy taking pictures and want to learn more about the mechanics behind photography? If either of these sentences fit you, the upcoming Linn County Photography Clinic is for you. We will be holding a photography clinic on Sunday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center. The clinic will be held in the conference rooms and participants are encouraged to bring your own
lunch. You must pre-register for the clinic by April 9, in order to attend, and space is limited so don’t delay. Registration forms are available online. A minimum of 20 participants is required in order hold the clinic. We have industry professionals coming to help teach including Kris Stalnaker of Stalnaker Photo Studios who will be teaching action photography. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to learn from the best in the business! Other topics include learning about camera to subject distance, composition, macro photography, preparing to take a photograph, and camera positioning.
nities for families in the OSU College Forests and other outdoor areas in the Willamette Valley. National Get Outdoors Day is a national effort to connect youth and firsttime visitors to the great outdoors. Join us and discover the forest in your backyard. For more information, contact OSU Extension Service, Benton County at 541-766-6750.
We are hosting a contest for the best 2014 fair theme, and it is open to all 4-H members and groups. Ideas should be submitted to Karissa.dishon@oregonstate.edu and they must be received by April 15. This theme will be used in decorations and our promotion of fair events. Get those creative juices flowing and start sending in your great ideas!
Weigh In dates April 5 — Second beef weigh in 9-11 a.m., Linn County Fair and Expo May 13 & 14 — Sheep, Swine, and Goat weigh in 4-8 p.m., Linn County Fair and Expo
State Ambassadors State Ambassador applications are due in the state office by June 1, 2014. Youth in grades 911 may apply. Application and reference forms are available on the state website. (This application is new this year, so make sure youth are using the correct form.) Go to : http://oregon. 4h.oregonstate.edu/ ambassador-program/. Applicants must attend Summer Conference for a training session and an
interview. Youth who are currently State Ambassadors must reapply to remain on the team. State Ambassadors help at many state events and serve on state committees. Their main function, however, is to promote 4-H in their counties and across the state. They do this by visiting schools, presenting to service organizations, talking to the media, and a variety of other activities.
Some fun facts for April • Wheat is the primary grain used in the U.S. • A bushel of wheat makes 43 lbs. of flour. • Over 50% of corn grown is for animal feed.
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
APRIL 2014
15
What is Camp Counselor Selection Day 4-H Camp? PROVIDED
PHOTO
Potential counselors attended Selection Day in Linn County on March 8.
One of the most important components of 4-H camp is having teenage counselors to stay with the younger campers. Potential counselors attend a Selection Day, which was held March 8th at the OSU Extension office in Linn County. This year there were
40 interested applicants from Linn, Benton, Lincoln and Tillamook Counties. They got to get acquainted with new friends and re-connect if they have been at camp in past years. Learning new songs and short games was a highlight of the day. Those skills help to manage younger campers
by keeping them busy in down time, and during the evening campfire entertainment. The number of counselors who were selected will be determined by the number of campers who register. This year’s camp will be held from June 20-24 at the Oregon 4-H Center near Salem.
Annual Soup Bar Fundraiser Staff and volunteers from OSU Extension in Linn County support the community in many ways. For thirteen years, we have joined Oregon State University’s challenge to raise money or donate food items for Linn Benton Food Share. The Master Organizer each year is Janice Gregg, our Family and Community Education agent. Janice plans the menu, buys the food, does preparation; other Extension staff and volunteers set up, serve, and clean up — all to raise money for this organization that provides food for pantries, food
kitchens, and Gleaners. OSU Extension staff and Master Food Preserver volunteers prepare five different soups, which are sold to the public. The event is especially popular with Linn County employees from downtown Albany, who make it a point to fill up on delicious hot soup every year. In 2014, $475 was raised by the lunchtime event. This year the Clever Clovers 4-H Food club from Lebanon made chocolate chip cookies to sell, with all proceeds also going to the food share.
A fun time for any one who has completed 4th-8th grade. Held at the beautiful 4-H Center in the foothills of West Salem.
4-H Summer Conference 4-H Summer Conference will be held from June 25-28, at the OSU campus. Registration for Summer Conference will open
May 1 and run through June 1. The plan is for registration to be done online. One advantage of this will be that youth will
know immediately what classes they will be in. Visit http://oregon. 4h.oregonstate.edu/4hsummer-conference for more information.
Forestry & Natural Resources 16 APRIL 2014
Brad Withrow-Robinson, 541-967-3871, brad.w-r@oregonstate.edu, http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn
UPCOMING EVENTS APRIL Additional details of these and other events can be found on the Forestry and Natural Resources website for Benton, Linn and Polk Counties http://extension.oregon state.edu/benton/forestry/events, and will be sent out electronically through the Needle. To subscribe to the Needle please email Jody Einerson (jody.einerson@oregon state.edu).
Discover Your Forestland This is a guided discovery of information available on-line. Learn where to find aerial photos, topography maps, soils maps, and other useful information pertaining to your land. Co-sponsored by Linn County Small Woodlands Association and OSU Extension. Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 Time: 7 - 8:30 p.m. Location: Lebanon Center LBCC, Computer Lab Event is free, and registration not required.
2014 Starker Lecture Series The 2014 Starker Lecture Series “Working Forests Across the Landscape” continues in April and May. http://starkerlectures.forestry.oregonstate.edu/ May 29 — Capstone Field Trip: The field trip will visit and discuss the “Cool Soda All Lands Project” in the Sweet Home area of Linn County, a 10,000 acre collaborative project among local landowners. Featured speakers include Dave Furtwangler, Cascade Timber Consulting, Eric Hartstein, South Santiam Watershed Council, and Cindy Glick, Willamette National Forest. The field trip will leave at 9 a.m. and return at 4 p.m. Note: Registration for the field trip is open until May 20, or until seats are full http://starkerlectures.forestry.oregonstate.edu/capstone-field-tripregistration.
Linn County Twilight Tour The tour will focus on early stand management and three Douglas firplantations (origin dates of 1998, 2003 and 2008). Discussion will include: • Number of trees per acre planted, and did they plant the right trees? • Vegetation management and early seral vegetation. • Non-timber products: broom sticks, essential oils, furniture poles and firewood. • Impact trees per acre have on tree diameter and limb size. • When do you have too many trees and need to do your first precommercial thinning (PCT), or commercial thinning. Date: Tuesday May 13, rain or shine Time: 4 p.m. Location: Dave and Karen Bateman property, 42755 Fish Hatchery Drive, Lacomb Directions: At the end of the pavement on Fish Hatchery Drive take the left fork uphill for a half mile to their driveway on the left at the top of the hill. If you can see Weyerhaeuser’s gate, you just missed the driveway. Phone 503-394-2051. Early Essential Oil Distillation Demonstration: Jim Merzenich and Dave Bateman recently purchased a still to cook essential oil out of conifer needles. Process takes about 2-hours. They plan to fire up the still around 2:30 p.m. You are welcome to come early to watch or help.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER ...
Spotted Towhee/Rufous-sided Towhee BY SARAH KARR POLK COUNTY MASTER WOODLAND MANAGER
As I write these words, icy cold rain is falling on about 17 inches of snow outside my window. When you read these words, daffodils should be making an appearance, and migratory birds will be singing to one another in our forests, hoping to pair up with the perfect mate. While realizing the mix of birds in our woods will be quite different in a couple of months, I am writing today about a bird that has been with us through the winter and will continue to be here even as those flashy migrants settle in: the Spotted Towhee. The Spotted Towhee, once known as the Rufous-sided Towhee, is a beautiful bird with a distinctive, buzzy “chweee” song. Smaller than the American Robin by an inch or so, it has a glossy black head and neck, a white-
spotted black back, rufous sides, and a white belly. The female is only slightly paler. It is in the same family as most of our sparrows, along with the Dark-eyed Junco. During the winter months, you may have seen the Spotted Towhee double-scratching through leaf litter. It has been looking for seeds and any bugs it can find. Kicking up the top layer of leaves and needles allows it to reach all of these favored food items. It typically searches for food at the edge of brushy areas, not deep inside and seldom out in the open. Cover minimizes the chance that it will be spied by its major predators: the Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s Hawks. Once spring arrives and nesting season begins, the Spotted Towhee’s diet shifts to one that is higher in bugs...beetles, moths, caterpillars, ants, spiders. Nests, active in our area from late April into July, are usually located on or just above the ground. Because of
this, predators such as Western Scrub Jays and ground squirrels, not to mention feral and domestic cats, can become a threat to the eggs and nestlings. Spotted Towhees are monogamous and territorial. The males will fight one another aggressively to maintain their favored patch: brushy vegetation. Spotted Towhees live, nest, and hunt for food where there are thickets and other vegetation that offer deep cover and shrubby edges. When managing forests, to encourage these birds, remember to leave things messy. So, as spring rolls in, don’t forget that along with all of the colorful, melodic activity of migratory songbirds, just under the edge of that poison oak thicket is a bird that has been with us all winter long, the Spotted Towhee. The full version Birds to know appears in the Compass electronic newsletter.