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Market rally could influence planting decisions
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MARCH 2021
By JILL SCHRAMM
Senior Staff Writer jschramm@minotdailynews.com A rally in market prices for corn, soybeans and wheat this winter has area producers taking their time making planting decisions this spring. Tony Smith, grain division manager at CHS SunPrairie, said the company has been getting numerous calls and questions from farmers related to planting. “I am not sure that a lot of decisions have been made,” he said. “Some in our area are really dry so they need to take that into consideration. They are concerned about what to plant because of that.” Kayla Burkhart, general manager at Dakota Midland Grain, said the National Agricultural Statistics Service report at the end of March on acreage intentions is expected to show less spring wheat and increases in corn and soybeans. “The biggest thing that people have been paying attention to is really the corn and bean markets that have been coming up like crazy. When we see this, it presents some of the best selling opportunities for new crop,” she said. Agriculture is a game of managing risks, though, and prices could fall with good crops at harvest. On the other hand, locking into a contract can create problems if circumstances, such as the drought currently affecting key U.S. growing areas, cause a harvest to fall short. “I am not super confident that prices will be at today’s level come harvest See MARKETS — Page 4
Combines bring in the 2020 grain harvest near Minot. Strong commodity demand has caused prices for wheat, corn and soybeans to go up this winter. Jill Schramm/MDN
MARCH 2021
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MARCH 2021
Ward/McLean team sweeps horse contests at Black Hills Stock Show On Jan. 30, four 4-H members from Ward and McLean Counties travelled to Rapid City, South Dakota to compete in the Black Hills Stock Show Hippology and Horse Quiz Bowl Contests. The combined Senior Team included Emily Fannik, Max; Olivia Lebrun, Berthold; Anne Schauer, Carpio; and Mikaela Woodruff, Garrison. Hippology is divided into four phases: horse judging, written exam, stations, and team problem. Points are combined by the top three scores in each category. Age divisions are split into Junior (ages 8 to 10), Intermediate (11 to 13), and Senior (14 to 18). The eight teams that attended the Black Hills Stock Show Hippology Contest were from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The Ward/McLean County team won. Individually, Woodruff won highpoint with a score of 231. Schauer was second with a score of 201. Horse Quiz Bowl has only two age groups, Junior (ages 8 to 13) and Senior (14 to 18). Youth are quizzed on any subject pertaining to horses; whoever buzzes in with the correct answer receives points for the team. Individual team scores were kept during the contest. Whenever an individual answered a question correctly, they earned points. If an individual answered incorrectly, they lost points. Fourteen teams from North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming participated in the Black Hills Stock Show Horse Quiz Bowl. The Ward/McLean County team had a bye during their first round. The team then faced three more rounds; they won all three and earned the title of champion. Individually, Woodruff earned the most points. Schauer tied for third with a youth from Hutchinson County, South Dakota. Congratulations Fannik, Lebrun, Schauer, and Woodruff on your incredible accomplishments. Special thank you to their volunteer coaches Kathy Baer, Garrison and Paige Brummund, Donnybrook; and to Brummund for being the team’s chaperon and transportation.
Markets
Continued from Page 2
time,” Burkhart said. “The reason we are rallying like this is because there’s a supply shortage.” The expectation for the short term is that prices will remain higher because U.S. stockpiles have declined due to increased export de-
Submitted Photos
mand. That demand, especially for soybeans in China, isn’t going away, Smith said. Farmers have been moving commodities this winter to capture the higher prices, according to Smith and Burkhart. However, there’s been a limited amount of soybeans that wasn’t already sold off the farm. An early frost last fall also hurt
some of the soybean crop in the Minot area, although Smith said it was a good bean harvest overall. Various factors still could affect prices going forward, but producers are viewing the current levels as a good sign for this year’s market prices, Smith said. “The feeling now in the market is that they will be a little bit better, just for the
fact that we are at a high starting point,” Smith said. Burkhart said wheat prices might have a tougher time remaining at the higher level because there is a good supply in storage. “That’s going to be the market that gets really interesting. We aren’t likely going to see an acreage increase on wheat, but by the same token, there’s a lot of
wheat in the countryside,” she said. Spring and winter wheat prices tend to move together, and markets are waiting to see what effect recent cold temperatures might have had on winter wheat areas, she said. Drought conditions that last into spring could concern the markets as well as farmers. Midwestern states
have been in a somewhat better position, with dry conditions less widespread, while dry conditions predominate across much of the Great Plains and to the west. However, with weeks to go before planting begins in North Dakota, farmers are hopeful. “It’s the spring moisture that really matters,” Smith said.
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Supporting our farmers and ranchers during unprecedented challenges By Sen. John Hoeven
Every American benefits every day from the highest-quality, lowest-cost food supply in the world. As the Ranking Member on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I am focused on ensuring that our producers have the tools they need to succeed and that federal farm programs remain farmerfriendly. Over the past several years, we’ve provided support for producers to overcome challenges from natural disasters to market disruptions. Among other priorities, we worked hard to secure strong support for our producers as part of COVID-19 assistance packages. Last year, as the chairman of the Senate Ag Appropriations Committee, I secured more than $40 billion in COVID relief funding to help farmers and ranchers. That includes the $13 billion approved in December on a bipartisan basis to support farmers, ranchers and the agriculture sector. Instead of continuing to find consensus on additional
COVID-19 assistance, the Biden administration is forcing through on party lines a $1.9 trillion package that goes far beyond COVID relief. At this point, their partisan package provides USDA dollars to a limited number of producers, instead of supporting producers across the board like we’ve done in previous rounds. At the same time, the Biden administration ignored congressional intent and put a freeze on certain Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments that we secured in a bipartisan manner under previous COVID response legislation. That’s why, during his confirmation hearing, I pressed Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to ensure that USDA understands the priorities and programs important to North Dakota producers. That includes: – Delivering the $13 billion in agriculture assistance appropriated by Congress in December. USDA needs to finish distributing the remaining funds under the CFAP and provide producers with these funds as Congress directed.
– Following through on the recently-finalized Quality Loss Assistance (QLA) program that we advanced to help producers recover from quality losses due to natural disasters in 2018 and 2019. Last year, I secured an additional $1.5 billion for the Wildfire, Hurricane and Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+) and QLA programs to ensure program funding is sufficient to meet demand from producers. – Safeguarding Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funding for the USDA to administer the programs required by the Farm Bill, like Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). – Improving competition and price transparency in livestock markets. In legislation approved at the end of the year, we directed USDA to create a livestock dealer trust to help ensure livestock producers are paid their due when a dealer defaults on payments. This trust comes as part of our broader efforts to support our ranchers and provide them with access to fair and transparent markets. To this end, I supported a Depart-
ment of Justice investigation under the Trump Administration into allegations of price manipulation in the cattle market. I also continue advancing legislation to make needed market reforms, such as a bill I cosponsored last Congress to require that a minimum of 50 percent of a meat packer’s weekly volume of beef slaughter be purchased on the open or spot market. Moreover, we continue to support better access to foreign markets and trade for all of our producers and will press the Biden administration to build on the progress we made in the past four years with the U.S.Mexico-Canada Agreement, as well as with China, Japan, the European Union and other nations. While we continue to advance these priorities, we’ll also work to hold the new administration accountable. That includes ensuring that any new USDA initiatives do not come at the expense of existing programs. Additionally, during his confirmation hearing, I made it clear to Secretary Vilsack that any new carbon reduction programs, like a carbon bank, need
to be voluntary, farmer-friendly and benefit producers directly. At the same time, we will work to stop the new administration from increasing the regulatory burden on our producers, such as the reinstatement of the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule or any unworkable climate change mandates. We need farmer-friendly programs. Our producers have continued to provide food, fuel and fiber to meet our nation’s needs despite unprecedented challenges, and we’ll continue working to ensure that they have the support they need from Congress and the new administration to get past these difficult times and return to a stable farm economy.
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MARCH 2021
Survey detects potential canola insect pest in ND An NDSU Extension trap survey detected a new insect called the canola flower midge (Contarinia brassicola) in canola fields in northern North Dakota during 2020, said Janet Knodel, North Dakota State University Extension entomologist. According to NDSU Agriculture Communication, the canola flower midge belongs to the family Cecidomyiidae (gall midges) in the order Diptera (flies). The canola flower midge recently was identified and found to be widespread in Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada. “We obtained 10 pheromone lures from Canada to monitor for canola flower midge for the first time in 2020, mainly along the northern tier of North Dakota,” Knodel said. “At the end of the trapping, six of the 10 traps sites were positive for canola flower midge in five counties: Bottineau, Cavalier, Pembina, Towner and Walsh. The Langdon Research Extension Center in Cavalier County had the highest number of canola flower midge trapped, with a total of 344 midges captured in 2020,” Knodel said. The adult canola flower midge is a small (less than 2 millimeters long), nondescript brown fly. “Farmers and scouts are not likely to notice them in the field due to their cryptic color and small size,” Knodel said. The immature stage is a small, white maggot like larva. Larvae feed and injure the flower buds by causing a swelling (or gall) that prevents flowers from opening. Damaged flowers do not produce pods or seeds. Damaged flower buds are elongated and bottle-shaped, and form a closed flower gall. “Canadian entomologists do not know the economic impact of this new Contarinia midge in canola,” Knodel said. “There is little known about its pest management. “Canadian entomologists observed
that early planted canola (mid-May) had more midge-damaged pods compared with late-planted canola (early June),” she added. “Insecticide seed treatments were tested for control of the canola flower midge, but no negative impact on midge injury to pods was found. This is not surprising because the adult midge emerges about four to six weeks after seeding, whereas insecticidal seed treatment activity wanes about three to four weeks after seeding. “Future trapping and field scouting will be essential for early detection and population monitoring of canola flower midge in canola grown in North Dakota,” Knodel said. “This will help the canola industry, so we will know when these midges are present at high populations and pose a threat to canola production in North Dakota.”
The Northern Canola Growers Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Crop Protection and Pest Management-Extension Implementation Program supports the survey.
RIGHT: The adult canola flower midge is a small, nondescript brown fly. Photo from NDSU. BELOW: Six of 10 canola flower midge trap sites were positive in the 2020 survey. Photo from NDSU. Submitted Photos
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MARCH 2021
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Co-op sparks interest in fire to improve N.D. grasslands for cattle, wildlife
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Submitted By USDA NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE On a sunny day last May, Craig Larson saw 110 acres of grassland on his ranch in Sheridan County go up flames. Driven by a steady breeze, the fire chewed quickly through the heavy thatch on the soil surface. The two-foot tall orange flames seemed alive as they leapt over each other. White smoke billowed into the blue sky. But Larson didn’t despair. It was a planned burn being done by the North Dakota Prescribed Fire Cooperative (NDPFC) – a coalition led by Audubon Dakota that provides landowners with prescribed burns to improve grasslands for cattle and wildlife and demonstrate the value of fire as a grassland management tool. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and Audubon Dakota created the cooperative with support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, North Dakota Game and Fish, Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever and The Nature Conservancy. Before European settlement, the prairie burned regularly, maybe once every decade, said Sarah Hewitt, Audubon Dakota conservation programs manager.
MARCH 2021
Photo by The Nature Conservancy
A fire crew watches over a prescribed burn in North Dakota.
Lightning or human activity would spark fires that would burn until rain put them out or they ran into natural fire breaks. Fire, along with grazing disturbance, helped maintain the diversity of plant species on the prairie. It suppressed cool season grasses, trees and brush and increased stands of native grasses and forbs. “In the Northern Plains grasslands were driven by three disturbances – grazing by large ungulates, drought and fire,” said Mark Hayek, North Dakota NRCS state rangeland management specialist. “Grazing and drought are drivers that are still in the Northern Plains today, but with fire taken out of the equation it may be the reason we are seeing a reduction in biodiversity and an increase in woody species invasion.” See BURN — Page 12
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MARCH 2021
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MARCH 2021
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MARCH 2021
Farm Rescue supporters spread generosity on Giving Hearts Day Annual day of giving provides boost to nonprofit’s assistance efforts HORACE – Farm Rescue, a nonprofit organization that provides planting, haying, harvesting and livestock feeding assistance free of charge to farm and ranch families who have experienced a major illness, injury or natural disaster, received a generous boost to operations through Giving Hearts Day. Giving Hearts Day is an annual fundraising campaign that benefits charitable organizations in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. The 24-hour online day of giving allows individuals to maximize their contributions thanks to matching funds provided by generous donors. This year, Farm Rescue supporters raised $66,081 for the North Dakota-based nonprofit, surpassing the organization’s previous Giving Hearts Day record of $42,186 set in 2020. This year’s sum was provided by
Burn
Continued from Page 8
Today, safety is a big issue with fires. That’s where the NDPFC comes in. NDPFC conducts fires for members and provides landowners, land managers, natural resource professionals and rural fire departments with prescribed fire education workshops. Staff from NRCS and other agencies and organizations teach skills necessary to conduct prescribed burns safely and effectively. Workshop topics include fire and grassland ecology, fire behavior and prescribed fire equipment, practices
Submitted Photo
Bill Gross, Farm Rescue founder and president, is shown with seeding equipment. Farm Rescue supporters raised $66,081 during Giving Hearts Day for the North Dakota-based organization. Photo from Farm Rescue.
533 donors from 21 states, com- many COVID-related challenges its 700th family in crisis. The orpared to 474 donors from 20 in 2020, Farm Rescue reached an ganization also expanded its states just one year ago. Despite important milestone by assisting service territory to include a sev-
and planning. In Larson’s case, NDPFC experts wrote a detailed plan on how to best manage a prescribed burn on his property. Fire breaks were created. The burn boss carefully selected the perfect day for the fire. The wind was light, but steady. There was plenty of lift in the atmosphere to carry the smoke afloat and disperse it. The humidity was high enough to keep the fire from getting too hot or moving too fast. Eight experienced firefighters and trainees were on site to control the fire. Larson saw a significant change in the burned rangeland. Big bluestem, Indiangrass and other native grasses
germinated quickly after the heavy layer of thatch was removed. Forbs flourished. Kentucky bluegrass and bromegrasses, both invasive species to the Northern Plains, were suppressed. “It made a difference in the quality of the grass and the amount of forage produced,” he said. Larson has burned more than 1,700 acres of grass over the past 10 years. He has seen similar results each time. He’s convinced that fire doesn’t hurt grasslands. “It revitalizes them,” he said. The ultimate effect fire has on grasslands depends on several factors, including
where the grasslands are in the state, the time of year the burn occurs and how hot the fire gets, according to Kevin Sedivec, North Dakota State University range scientist. In some cases, fire can replace unpalatable grasses with new, more lush plants that livestock prefer and are more nutritious. Research at the Central Grasslands Research Extension Center near Streeter and the Hettinger Research Extension Center showed higher livestock performance in cow/calf pairs grazing patch-burned areas compared to both continuous and rotational grazing management of non-burned areas. Fire can reduce invasive
enth state – now offering support to farmers throughout Kansas. All donations received on Giving Hearts Day will be used to continue Farm Rescue’s volunteer-based planting, haying, harvesting and livestock feeding efforts in 2021, as more rural families realize assistance following unexpected crises. “A huge Thank You to everyone who participated in supporting our mission on Giving Hearts Day,” said Bill Gross, founder and president of Farm Rescue. “Your donation has a direct impact on our ability to continue helping farm and ranch families throughout the region. Thank you for being a Farm Rescuer!” As a whole, this year’s Giving Hearts Day campaign raised nearly $22 million for more than 500 North Dakota and northwest Minnesota charities. Farm Rescue provides assistance to families in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Applications for assistance are currently being accepted and can be obtained at 701-252-2017 or www.farmrescue.org.
grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and smooth bromegrass without hurting cool-season native grasses while enhancing warm-season native grasses. When invaded tree sites are burned, native plant species composition increases as the trees die off, creating a more sustainable, properly functioning ecosystem. In research studies conducted at Central Grasslands Research Extension Center patch burn grazing also increased floral expression of native forbs, increasing pollinator habitat for bees and butterflies while creating a heterogeneous landscape that
attracted more species of birds and higher populations compared to traditional continuous grazing management. “These benefits clearly indicate that fire is a tool that should be included in management strategies for range and grasslands in the Northern Plains,” Sedivec said. “Fire, in combination with grazing, is the best tool we have available to combat the invasion of exotic cool-season grasses and undesirable woody encroachment. We will not stop expansion of Kentucky bluegrass, smooth bromegrass, crested wheatgrass or woody encroachment onto native range without prescribed fire.”
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Dakota Gardener:
Grow lights for seed starting Artificial lights are key to starting seeds indoors successfully By CARRIE KNUTSON
I tried many times to start garden seeds using south-facing windows instead of using artificial lights. Sadly, my seedlings didn’t receive enough light and were tall, thin and floppy. The Spring planting is a seedlings did not do well when I transfew months away and soon many gardeners will planted them outside. I learned the hard way that artificial lights are key to startbe starting their garden ing seeds indoors successfully. seeds indoors. Artificial light needs to mimic sunStarting your own seeds can be a fun activity light to grow sturdy seedlings. Sunlight has different wavelengths. for your family and allows Think of the colors in a rainbow. Plants you to explore different garden vegetables and va- use mostly the red and blue range of rieties.
NDSU Extension Agent, Grand Forks County
Knutson
See LIGHTS — Page 15
Submitted Photo
Artificial light needs to mimic sunlight to grow sturdy seedlings. (NDSU photo
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MARCH 2021
How to protect or heal trees damaged by snow By LEE REICH Associated Press
The deadly winter storms that have wreaked havoc in large swaths of the country recently can also damage trees and shrubs. Snow can of course enhance the look of yards and gardens, visually knitting together the plants, fences, even lawn furniture in a sea of white. But it also can bring down branches. Or worse, snap a major limb on a tree or split a bush wide open. Most trees and shrubs will recover from such trauma, sending up new sprouts in the spring to replace missing limbs. But there are steps you can take to mitigate the damage and help the plant heal. There also are ways to help protect trees from the weather.
TREE FIRST AID The ragged edge from a broken branch exposes a lot of surface area, which slows healing, so cut back any break cleanly to leave a surface that heals better. Many gardeners’ first inclination, however, before doing any pruning, would be to save what is broken, merely putting the broken limb back in place and holding it there the way a doctor sets a broken bone. It can be done, just as if it were a large graft. As with any graft, success is most likely if plant parts are lined up, held See TREES — Page 15
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Pines are among the few trees that will not send out new sprouts from old wood. You can sometimes Continued from Page 14 still coax such a plant back to its still and not given the opportunity former glory by bending a younger to dry out. So attempt this fix imbranch near the break to about the mediately, especially for everposition of the lost limb. The stub greens, which lose water through from the lost limb makes a conventheir leaves all winter. Re-align the ient handle on which to tie the break and then immobilize the younger replacement, but should joined parts with stakes and splints. eventually be cut back cleanly to its After binding everything together origin. tightly (I like to use electrical tape), seal in moisture by painting every TAKE STEPS cut part with “Tree-Kote” or some TO AVOID DAMAGE other moisture-resistant barrier. Limb breakage, like many other Leave the “cast” in place gardening problems, can in large throughout the next growing season. Keep an eye out for strangula- part be avoided by thinking ahead. tion from the bindings, slitting and Like deciding what to plant: Expect reapplying them if they become too more limbs on the ground beneath tight. Depending on the size of the fast-growing trees such as silver branch, it may need some staking maple, willow and cottonwood, befor an additional year. cause their wood is weaker. There’s really no harm in atAnd any tree is stronger if tempting to “set” a broken limb. If trained in its youth to have just a the repair fails, the plant most single, upright main leader, off likely will send out a new sprout which grows well-spaced branches below the break, just as if you had at wide angles. The reason the cut it back. In that case, do cut the widely planted, ornamental Bradbroken stub back cleanly. ford pear trees have such a ten-
dency to split their heads — from snow or even just age — is their natural tendency to grow many upright limbs clustered together. Limiting the number of upright limbs on an evergreen such as arborvitae leaves fewer to break off, and a narrower top to better shed snow. For at-risk plants, forget about shoveling your walkways when you see snow starting to accumulate. Instead, run outside with your broom to brush snow from plant limbs. Don’t knock the branches and don’t bother with them at all if ice has formed, or they might snap off. Sweep snow gently upward and off. Tying up evergreen shrubs helps avert damage; just brush off the snow and loosely tie the limbs upright.
Trees
Lee Reich writes regularly about gardening for The Associated Press. He has authored a number of books, including “Weedless Gardening” and “The Pruning Book.” He blogs at http://www.leereich.com/blog. He can be reached at garden@leereich.com.
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Lights
PAGE 15
Seedlings should get about 16 hours of light a day to ensure proper deContinued from Page 13 velopment and prevent light, and seedlings will floppy plants. An autoneed the red and blue matic timer is a good idea range of light for strong to help manage the chore stems and leaf growth. of turning the lights on Fluorescent and light- and off at the correct emitting diode (LED) are time. common home artificial The distance from the light options. seedlings to the light Fluorescent lights can source is another imporbe sold as “grow lights,” tant consideration. Lights which provide the red and should almost be touching blue light range. Using cool-white and warm-light seedlings after they germinate. Move the lights up fluorescent light tubes is as the seedlings grow, another option. LEDs keeping the lights no come in different colors more than 4 to 6 inches and intensity of light. from the plants. Blue (cool-colored) and I have a long list of red (warm-colored) are seeds to start this year. common. Incandescent lights do Parsley, Savoy cabbage not work well for starting and calibrachoa are a few. seeds. They generate a lot My grow lights are busy of heat and the light pro- growing microgreens until duced is not in the correct the time to start my garlight range needed for den seeds. plant growth. Happy gardening!
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MARCH 2021
Inside
Submit a “Farm Family’ Submit rm amily’ you you think should be in our think r next nextshould issue. Write a short issue. Write on hortwhyaragraph paragraph this onfamily represent y the All esent the All American “Farm American “Farm Family.” If your nomination is Family. ” ur ination chosen,they theywill will visited chosen, bebe visited by an Inside Ag reporterwill an by nside reporter and will ry have a story have nextin our next issue. .A ME ????????????????????????????????????????????????????? !DDR E S S ????????????????????????????????0HONE ????????????? & A R M & A MI L Y .A ME ???????????????????????????????????????????? !DDR E S S ????????????????????????????????0HONE ?????????????? 0A R A G R A PH ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
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MARCH 2021
PAGE 17
They need to chill. Tips for turning seeds into trees By LEE REICH Associated Press
How exciting to think of a full-size tree locked up within each seed still clinging to the branches of sugar maples, hornbeams, oaks, sycamores and other trees at the end of summer. It was with such visions that I dropped an apple seed into some potting soil in an 8-inch clay flowerpot one autumn day years ago. I wish I could write that the seed has now been transformed into a majestic tree. But no, the seed germinated, started to grow, then stalled at about 4 inches high. The reason for the lack of growth was that apple seeds, like the seeds of many other trees native to cold climates, need pre-treatment before they will germinate or grow well. I was lucky the seed germinated at all! Since then, I’ve learned the tricks of growing trees from seeds.
FOOL THE SEED
If an apple or maple seed grew as soon as it touched ground in late summer or early fall, the life of the tender young seedlings would be short indeed, snuffed out with the first frost. So most tree seeds that ripen in fall are able to stay dormant until they’re convinced that winter is over. You can fool such seeds into growing sooner by keeping them cool and moist for a couple of months. Pack the seeds into plastic bags with moist potting soil, then put the bag in the refrigerator or garage. This process is called “stratification” because nursery growers used to do it by alternating layers of seeds with layers of soil in boxes. Of course, you could also just sow seeds directly outdoors and let them wait out the winter naturally, but then they face hazards like squirrels, birds, flooding and more.
AP Photo
This undated photo shows yellowhorn tree seeds sprouting in New Paltz, NY. With its chilling hours fulfilled in the refrigerator, these seeds feel that winter is over, and have sprouted. and other hard-coated seeds is to nick them with a small file. Dank warmth will accomplish the same thing as nicking with a file. Pack the seeds into plastic bags, as directed above, but leave them in a warm room for two or three months before stratification. Sycamore and catalpa are among the few fall-ripening seeds that don’t need stratification. Perhaps this is because FURTHER CONSIDERS they hang on the trees late IN SEED GERMINATION enough into winter so that, by Some seeds have a hard coat- the time they drop to moist ing which must be made perme- ground, temperatures are too able to water before the seed is cold for germination. Or else it stratified. One way to let water is spring, and just the right time into redbud, juniper, hornbeam for germination. It is cool, not cold, temperatures that awaken a seed from sleep. Hours of chilling accumulate only when it’s between about 32 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. So chilling might begin in autumn but not finish until late winter or spring, thus reducing the likelihood of a seed sprouting during a February warm spell. Or all the chilling might take place in late winter or spring.
SPROUTING IS THE FIRST STEP
the trouble of planting these seemingly delicate seeds when you can just buy a sturdy young Stratified seeds usually sprout tree at a nursery? Hey, you’re as soon as they have accumureading this, aren’t you? You’re a lated the number of chilling gardener; you like to grow plants. hours they need. For sugar Not to mention the satisfaction maple, that means three to four you’ll get years from now as you months; for dogwood, four look up into the branches of a months; for apple, two to three tall tree you planted from seed. months. Keep an eye on stratifying Lee Reich writes regularly seeds, because one week they’ll about gardening for The Associbe asleep and a week later — ated Press. He has authored a bingo! — they’re sprouting fat, number of books, including white roots. Once seeds sprout, either pot them up or keep them “Weedless Gardening” and “The cool enough to hold back growth Ever Curious Gardener.” He blogs until it’s time to plant them out- at http://www.leereich.com/blog. doors. He can be reached at You might wonder, why go to garden@leereich.com.
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Vilsack confirmed for 2nd stint as US agriculture secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to confirm Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary, his second run at the Cabinet post. The former Iowa governor spent eight years leading the same Department of Agriculture for former President Barack Obama's entire administration. He was confirmed Tuesday on a 92-7 vote. "We're going to be a USDA that represents and serves all Americans," Vilsack said after the vote. "I am optimistic about the future and believe our brightest days are ahead." In his testimony, Vilsack, 70, heavily endorsed boosting climate-friendly agricultural industries such as the creation of biofuels, saying, "Agriculture is one of our first and best ways to get some wins" on climate change. He proposed "building a rural economy based on biomanufacturing" and "turning agricultural waste into a variety of products." Vilsack also pledged to work closely with the Environmental Protection Agency to "spur the industry" on biofuels. With systemic racial inequity now a nationwide talking point, Vilsack also envisioned creating an "equity task force" inside the department. Its job, he said, would be to identify what
he called "intentional or unintentional barriers" that prevent or discourage farmers of color from properly accessing federal assistance programs. Vilsack also heavily backed the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — commonly known as food stamps, or SNAP — as a key instrument in helping the country's most vulnerable families survive and recover from the pandemic era. His Trumpera predecessor, Sonny Perdue, had sought to purge hundreds of thousands of people from the SNAP-recipient lists. Vilsack received minimal pushback or criticism during confirmation hearings. One of the "no" votes came from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. Sanders later said that Vilsack would "be fine" but he would have liked "somebody a little bit more vigorous in terms of protecting family farms and taking on corporate agriculture." Vilsack's approval was hailed by the Food Research and Action Center, which focuses on food security and equity. The organization said Vilsack's department faces a looming challenge to "protect and strengthen federal nutrition programs to help address our nation's hunger crisis that has been deepened by the COVID-19 pandemic."
AP Photo
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who the Biden administration chose to reprise that role, speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., Dec. 11, 2020.
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