By J. Larry Miller
It seems that a mild winter is out of the question this year as temperatures and precipitation have made outdoor activity difficult. Recent rains and snow have made feeding cattle a dreaded task. Rains have also helped to subdue concerns about drought -but I have never lost a crop due to dry weather in January. Recent runoff has helped to raise water levels in ponds and lakes and improve subsoil moisture.
With the cold weather, perhaps some farmers have thought about applying nitrogen to wheat fields with the ground being frozen which was a common practice in years past. Today, we have changed that thought pattern as research has proven that nitrogen is better utilized nearer to the reproductive stage of the growing season.
Farmers are continuing to work on tax preparation and work in shops doing maintenance work on machinery. This process has changed as farmers have improved their working conditions in their shops with heat which makes it easier to be motivated on cold winter mornings. It also helps to realize that spring planting could be as close as 75 days away.
Informational meetings are also on the agenda for farmers and we have two that will be of interest. Dale Durcholz will provide a marketing meeting on Tuesday, January 29th at 7:30 am with breakfast and a meeting to follow at our office. On Tuesday January 26th Doug Yoder and Kevin Rund will provide information on the Farm Bill and trucking regulations at John A. Logan College at 8 am.
The Franklin County Farm Bureau and Farm Credit Services will be hosting a bus to the Louisville Farm Show in Louisville Kentucky. The bus will leave the Farm Bureau office at 6 am and will return at 6 pm. If you would like to go please call the office and reserve your seat because seating is limited. There is no charge for this trip. Call 435-3616 and let us know if you would like to ride the bus.
The USDA has created a new loan program to help small farmers, including growers who want to take advantage of the soaring interest in locally produced food. Agriculture Department Secretary Tom Vilsack told The Associated Press on Monday that new “microloans” of up to $35,000 are designed to help bolster family-run farms as well as minority growers and military veterans seeking to start a farm. “This smaller microloan program really is designed to help a producer that wants to get into the direct-to-consumer sales business or wants to help provide produce to, for example, a farmers market,” Vilsack said. Contact your local USDA office for more details.
Remember we are farmers working together. If we can help let us know.
Speak Your Mind
You must be logged in to post a comment.