Benton Ag Plus - August 19, 2023

Novak’s Grown-Right Vegetables grows three sizes of cukes: pinky-sized up to 3.5 inches, medium 3-4 inchers and large chubs. Joan Paggen said more people are canning this year and learning about benefits of fresh vegetables.

AG BENTON Plus

Ivy Novak keeps a careful eye on Novak’s Grown-Right Vegetables’ sorting machine Aug. 9 as a load of harvested cucumbers is processed and sized in rural Foley. Cucumbers from the Foleyarea based farm are used by St. Cloud State University’s Community Garden.

Pickle partnership

cultivates unique bond

Rural Foley farm supplies ‘cukes’ for campus project

BY TIM HENNAGIR STAFF WRITER

Novak’s Grown-Right Vegetables continues to cultivate a unique bond with St. Cloud

State University.

The Foley-area based produce supplier is the exclusive cucumber connection for a massive pickling event.

Tracy Ore is a professor of sociology and director of the SCSU Community Garden, which builds bridges between the university and larger community.

The garden has deep roots in sustainable agriculture and a local farm connection.

Last year, community garden members produced quart jars lled with pickling cucumbers that were prepared in the Garvey Commons dining hall kitchen on the SCSU campus.

Novak page 2B

University of MN Extension

by Tyler Rice

Day-to-day we might think of our agricultural crops as singular species with homogenous genetics multiplied by plant population throughout any given eld. Distinct crops require individualized management sustained by prescribed plant and soil nutrition, maintenance of water requirements, plant protection and elimination of any obstacles that inhibit optimum crop performance. Crop plants require us to support their habits by adapting our tools (machinery) to precise seed placement and, ultimately, the most ef cient biomass or seed collection en masse. The details matter, let’s not forget that, because as stewards of a crop, it is the return on investment — however that be measured — that will keep us in this agriculture business.

If I can get philosophical for a moment, though, we aren’t only stewarding a grain, forage or food crop. If you think about it in a parallel universe where the literal fruits of your labor are mostly protein and energy destined for whichever end source provides the best return, then life doesn’t seem so complicated.

Crops page 3B

Sauk Rapids Herald

Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023 Serving rural Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties

PHOTOS BY TIM HENNAGIR

Novak from page 2B

Volunteers help wash and sort the bushels of cucumbers delivered by Paggen on a Friday morning, preparing garlic and dill for the pickle baths.

The next day, volunteers return to campus and pack dozens of quart canning jars.

The cucumbers quickly transform into pecks of pickles that are sold as a garden fund-raiser.

The supply side of the operation really gets rolling after the cucumbers are picked from a eld on the Novak’s Grown-Right Vegetables farm 4 miles north of Gilman.

The sorting process is unique.

“About four years ago, Greg and I bought a cucumber-sorting machine,” Paggen said. “I ran across a guy in Wisconsin who was retiring. He had built his own machine. It saves us hours of time when sorting.”

Ivy Novak is one of Paggen’s skilled sorters. She will be a 10th grade student this fall at Foley High School.

Ivy is a “pickle professional,” Paggen said, watching as Novak turned on the big green machine that shake-sorts the cucumbers by size.

Novak’s grows three sizes of cukes: pinky-sized up to 3.5 inches — which are the most popular and the type used by Ore—, medium 3-4 inchers and large chubs.

“Our family has been raising pickles all

Crops

from page 1B

How does this apply to my farm right now?

For perennial forages like cool-season grasses, clover and alfalfa, energy xed from carbon dioxide and sunlight in photosynthesis is converted into carbohydrates in the vegetative material (leaves). As we approach fall, these non-structural carbohydrates are channeled into the roots and crowns, storage structures for energy to weather the coming winter months, and emerge in the springtime with vigor.

With the possibility that total forage resources this season are becoming scarce, it may be tempting to continue

Growing your education

University of Minnesota Extension Soil Solutions Field Day

Farmers and agricultural experts from across the region are set to gather from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, for the University of Minnesota Extension Soil Solutions Field Day.

season. What we don’t use at home ourselves is sold at ve different farmers markets around the area.”

When canning, Paggen suggests a dependable recipe and well or natural spring water. Vinegar must have 5% acidity, and it’s best to can the pickles promptly.

Fresher is always better, she said.

“A lot more people are canning and freeze-drying vegetables this year,” Paggen said. “They are learning more and more about the bene ts of fresh vegetables.”

Paggen is amazed at Ore’s passion for canning, and admires her push to produce a quality pickle product with her group of SCSU Community Garden volunteers.

The event – which takes place at West Central Research and Outreach Center, located at 46352 Highway 329, Morris – aims to explore innovative methods to enhance farm productivity through the promotion of healthy soil.

A wide range of sessions will be offered throughout the day, covering various topics such as tillage choices in soil conditions, water management through cover crops, planting green during dry years and the detrimental impact of soil erosion on crop productivity.

For additional information about the event and to assure a complimentary lunch, individuals can visit z.umn.edu/Sept7.

For inquiries, contact Jodi DeJong-Hughes at dejon003@umn.edu or 320-815-4112.

Women in Ag Field Day for Productive Soil

University of Minnesota Extension Women in Ag Network is hosting the Thriving Roots Field Day from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at the West Central Research and Outreach Center, 46352 Highway 329 Morris.

of our lives,” Paggen said. “We celebrated being a Century Farm in 2013. Our grandparents bought their rst car with pickle money, selling to the Gedney Co. That was a big part of how they made a living.”

grazing already short pastures or take one last cut of hay. The truth is that reduced vegetative canopy now will likely result in reduced energy stored for the next season and may even affect the crops’ ability to survive the winter.

A grain crop like corn is making the transition from energy xed similarly through photosynthesis in the leaves to those carbohydrates delegated to individual corn kernels, and in latter ripening stages, accumulated as starch.

The key here is to retain as much leaf area as possible through grain ll. With the threat of hail damage to crops now in reproductive stages (speci cally damage to leaves), resulting kernel weight and seed size can be affected reducing

Canning has been passed down in the family as a great skill and craft, Paggen said.

“Nothing tastes as good as home-canned pickles and knowing the ingredients that are in them,” she said. “We can about 200 quarts a

total yield. A similar story is true for soybean as protein and energy stored in the leaves will in large part be assimilated into the seed as the cropping season winds down.

Livestock producers may be starting to think about cutting droughtstressed corn silage and accompanying potential for nitrate toxicity in the forage. Typically, nitrogen may be taken up by a corn crop in the form of nitrate but then is rapidly converted into protein (Yes, protein, even as we think of corn silage as a high energy, lower protein feed source). This process happens in vegetative tissue and does not usually accumulate to toxic levels. During times of prolonged drought and especially after the

“She’s very pleasant to work with,” Paggen said. “We enjoy having her as a continuing customer. It’s led into a longtime friendship that we’ve valued for years. Tracy is always generous is sharing her completed product and special recipe.”

rst hints of moisture, nitrogen fertility may quickly be converted to nitrate by microbiology in the soil and quickly be taken up by the corn plants in excess. Taking precautionary steps to minimize nitrate toxicity concerns can be as simple as getting your silage tested, harvesting at a higher stubble height and ensuring chopped material is ensiled before feeding which can reduce nitrate levels.

Agriculture is not that simple. The oversimpli ed version only emphasizes the importance of keeping the big picture in view while we’re busy giving our attention to the details in all of life and especially on the farm.

The event is designed for women passionate about farm productivity through healthy soil. Extension educators, soil specialists and topic experts will offer hands-on sessions on topics that include tillage in soil conditions, cover crop roots and their effects on soil, planting green information about cereal rye crops, methods to reduce soil erosion and the economics of cover crops.

For more information and to register, visit z.umn.edu/Sept8. A complimentary lunch and beverages will be provided.

Benton County Tour of Practices

The Benton Soil and Water Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service will host it annual Tour of Practices from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8.

The tour, which takes place via a coach bus, will depart promptly at 9:30 a.m. from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center, 14 Second Ave. W., Foley. It consists of visiting sites and learning about projects of the Benton SWCD and NRCS.

The free tour includes complimentary lunch. Attendees must register by Friday, Sept. 1, to participate by contacting Renee Thell at 320-968-5300, ext. 3 or renee.thell@mn.nacdnet.net.

Beef Quality Assurance Training Online

The University of Minnesota Extension and Minnesota Beef Council will host online Beef Quality Assurance training at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14. Producers attending the free workshop will receive a three-year certification.

Certification is voluntary, but, over the last three years, people have been asked to complete to program in order to market to certain processors. Only one person from an operation is required to be certified to ensure the entire operation is following standards.

Register for the two-hour online training at z.umn.edu/BQASept14.

PHOTOS BY TIM HENNAGIR

Cases of Ball mason jars are stored in the basement of Garvey Commons on the St. Cloud State University Campus Aug. 11 before the start of a mass pickling project in St. Cloud. Each year, the effort is organized by the SCSU Community Garden as a fundraiser.

Tracy Ore, a professor of sociology and director of the St. Cloud State University Community Garden, wheels a cart filled with bushes of freshly picked cucumbers through the basement of Garvey Commons Aug. 11 in St. Cloud. Ore and a group of 20 volunteers used the commercial kitchen prepare and can 488 quarts of pickles this year.

MDA seeks input before 2024 legislative session

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is gathering ideas as the department considers proposals for the 2024 Minnesota legislative session.

Farmers, food businesses and others impacted by food and agriculture systems are invited to share policy and program suggestions.

The MDA is hosting two virtual public input sessions where people can share their ideas directly, in addition to an online form for written submissions open through Sept. 1.

The two sessions will take place on Zoom. Participation is free, but registration is required. The sessions are scheduled for:

— Noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21.

— 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22.

The online form and links to the Zoom registrations are found at www.mda.state.mn.us/2024-legislative-ideas.

The next legislative session begins Feb. 12 where the MDA may bring forward proposals to change state law. Gov. Tim Walz and the Legislature set a two-year budget in the 2023 session and may consider other additions or revisions in the 2024 session.

Information about the MDA’s mission, leadership and responsibilities is available at www.mda.state.mn.us.

DNR to fund analysis of water use conflict solutions in Little Rock Creek Area

ST. PAUL – The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has committed funding to develop independent conceptual designs and cost estimates for potential solutions in the Little Rock Creek Area. The work will further clarify what may be needed to implement the proposed solutions laid out in the Sustainable use of Groundwater in the Little Rock Creek Area Plan. This is an important next step to understand how irrigation water can be supplied while maintaining healthy ecosystems in Little Rock Creek, according to the DNR.

The DNR’s technical analysis of stream habitat and groundwater flow indicated that groundwater use is negatively impacting stream habitat. As a result, permitted groundwater use in the Little Rock Creek Area is not yet aligned with sustainability standards set out in Minnesota Statutes. The DNR’s 2016 Little Rock Creek Action Plan includes several water use options to achieve sustainable use. Stakeholders helped inform the list of water use options. DNR hydrologists then analyzed how effective these options were to sustain stream flow necessary to support a healthy stream ecosystem.

This new work will build on years of DNR studies on how groundwater moves near Little Rock Creek and how groundwater pumping can affect ecosystems in the creek. However, there are additional types of analyses needed that require different kinds of knowledge and expertise, such as conceptual engineering plans, estimates of implementation costs and funding needs, governance and operational considerations, development schedules, and economic evaluations of lost revenue.

The DNR is drafting a request for proposals that would cover all the items listed above. Input from irrigators and other interested parties is important and will be one of the tasks called for in the RFP. An RFP will be issued later this year, with proposals due in fall and the contract awarded to the contractor likely this winter. The deliverables would likely be produced in spring or summer 2025.

For more information on the Little Rock Creek area groundwater project, visit www.mndnr.gov/littlerock.

Benton-Sherburne Corn Growers Association

awards scholarships at county fair College freshman, sophomore each receive $2,500 to further education

BY TIM HENNAGIR STAFF WRITER

Recipients of this year’s Benton-Sherburne Corn Growers Association scholarships praised educational mentors for assistance that sparked interests in agriculture.

Blake Arnold is attending diesel mechanics classes at Alexandria Technical and Community College.

The Foley High School graduate is a college sophomore this year and will live in Alexandria.

Kylie Knopik graduated from Little Falls Community High School this year and is attending St. Cloud Technical and Community College.

She plans to study architectural drawing as a college freshman.

Each year, the Benton-Sherburne Corn Growers presents two $2,500 scholarships before or during the annual Benton County Fair corn feed.

This year’s scholarships were presented the afternoon of Aug. 4.

Al Stemper is the association’s student scholarship committee chair. He is a retired

Foley High School teacher, who taught at the school for 36 years. He currently works at the St. Cloud Country Club.

“If you want to get good people into ag and keep it local, you have to encourage kids with scholarship money,” Stemper said.

Arnold was one of his former students. He said he tried to take

as many ag classes as possible while in high school. His plans for the scholarship money include using it to pay for classes and housing while attending ATCC this fall.

“It’s fun to be away from home,” Arnold said. “The program they have in Alexandria is really hands-on.”

Arnold credited diesel mechanics

instructors Andy Greive and Dustin Schilling with making his rst year of college memorable.

Students in the ATTC diesel program are employed in a number of industries, including transportation, agriculture , construction, logging, mining and power generation.

Arnold’s Benton County Fair memories include showing beef market steers and market gilts and barrows.

Knopik participated in Little Falls Future Farmers of America in high school.

She credits agriculture teacher Matt Petrowitz with helping her learn about the industry. Agriculture economics was one of her favorite classes.

Coursework in Knopik’s Economics in Ag class provides information related to the study of global economic systems with an emphasis on ag and natural resources.

Covered topics included industry supply and demand, production, and personal nance. Knopik had high praise for the class.

“This was my rst year at the Benton County Fair,” Knopik said. “Mr. Petrowitz really helped out a lot with my education.”

Knopik said she wants to learn more about the environment while attending SCTCC.

PHOTO BY TIM HENNAGIR

Blake Arnold (from left) and Kylie Knopik are recipients of $2,500 Benton-Sherburne Corn Growers Association scholarships presented Aug. 4 at the Benton County Fair. Arnold is attending Alexandria Technical and Community College, and Knopik is attending St. Cloud Technical and Community College this fall.

Drought assistance programs for livestock farmers

With drought conditions persisting throughout central Minnesota, Farm Service Agency continues to administer drought assistance programs: Livestock Forage Program for grazing acres, emergency haying and grazing of Conservation Reserve Program land, and Emergency Livestock Assistance Program for feed and water transportation to livestock.

If you are suffering losses from drought that may t these programs, contact the FSA of ce as soon as possible.

General CRP signup results

The United States Department of Agriculture is accepting more than 1 million acres in this year’s General Conservation Reserve Program signup. This is one of several signups FSA is hosting for the program. The results for General CRP signup re ect the continued importance of CRP as a tool to help producers invest in the long-term health, sustainability, and pro tability of their land and resources.

Offers for new land in the General CRP signup totaled about 295,000 acres nationwide. Producers submitted re-enrollment offers for 891,000 expiring acres, re ecting the successes of participating in CRP longer term. The total number of CRP acres will continue to climb in the coming weeks

once FSA accepts acres from the Grassland CRP signup, which closed May 26. Additionally, so far this year, FSA has received 761,000 offered acres for the Continuous CRP signup, for which FSA accepts applications year-round. The number of accepted acres that are enrolled in General CRP will be con rmed later this year. Participating producers and landowners should also remember that submitting and accepting a CRP offer is the rst step, and producers need to develop a conservation plan before contracts become effective Oct 1. Each year, during

the window between offer acceptance and land enrollment, some producers decide not to enroll some accepted acres without penalty.

The General CRP signup ran from Feb. 27 through April 7. Through CRP, producers and landowners establish long-term, resourceconserving plant species to control soil erosion, improve soil health and water quality, and enhance wildlife habitat on agricultural land. In addition to the other well-documented bene ts, lands enrolled in CRP are playing a key role in climate change mitigation efforts across the country.

In 2021, FSA introduced improvements to the program, which included a new Climate-Smart Practice Incentive to increase carbon sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This incentive provides an annual 3%, 5% or 10% incentive payment based on the predominant vegetation type for the practices enrolled –from grasses to trees to wetland restoration.

2014 F150 2014