2015 CNY Small Grain Workshop addresses drying, storage and variety selection (Part 1)

CEW-MR-1-Small Grains pt 1by Elizabeth A. Tomlin

Nearly 100 grain producers and crop advisers braved the weather to attend the 2015 CNY Small Grain Workshop hosted by CCE Oneida County and the CNY Dairy and Field Crops Team of Chenango, Fulton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Otsego, Saratoga and Schoharie Counties.

Speakers at the event included Dr. Kenneth Hellevang of the Agricultural & Biosystems Engineering Dept at the North Dakota State University; Margaret Smith, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences School of Integrative Plant Science Plant Breeding and Genetics; Weed Scientist, Dr. Russ Hahn, School of Integrative Plant Science, Soil and Crop Sciences at Cornell University; Dr. Gary Bergstrom, Professor of Plant Pathology, Cornell University Department of Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology and producer Donn Branton of Le Roy, NY, who told of his farming experience. [Read more…]

Efficient agricultural lighting systems and energy conservation opportunities

by Sanne Kure-Jensen

A recent webinar, “Lighting Systems: Analysis, Performance, and Energy Conservation Opportunities,” described agricultural lighting system functions and how new systems can improve efficiency and performance. Dan Ciolkosz of Penn State described lighting system vocabulary, design and its impact on people, animals and plants. Kip Pheil of USDA NRCS National Energy Technology Development Team described NRCS practice standard 670 – Lighting System Improvement, used to implement lighting system upgrades.

The lighting industry uses its own terminology. Lumens, foot-candles and lux are measures of light level reaching a set area. Bulbs are called lamps. Fixtures are called luminaires and may include a bulb, ballast, reflector and lens. Fixtures will have a photometric report including performance data and where it can be used. [Read more…]

New York crowns new state Dairy Princess

CEW-MR-5-NY princess296Stephanie McBath, from Schuylerville, NY, was crowned 2015-2016 New York State Dairy Princess during the 52nd Annual New York State Dairy Princess Coronation on Feb. 17. The American Dairy Association and Dairy Council-sponsored pageant was held at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool, NY.

“I was definitely shocked! It was a surprise for me but I am extremely honored and excited to serve New York dairy farmers,” said McBath, a senior at Schuylerville High School, who has spent four years in dairy promotion as Saratoga County Dairy Princess and Saratoga County Dairy Ambassador. McBath’s coronation completes the year-long reign of Casey Porter, of Watertown, NY. [Read more…]

The road to soil health inspires farmers

CEW-MR-3-Soil health3by Troy Bishopp

STATE COLLEGE, PA — So a soil guy, tillage radish developer and an organic grain craftsman meet at a conference. If you use your rural imagination a good joke might be in the offering. When it comes to discussing the attributes of healthy soils and fertility to a packed house of farmers, it’s no laughing matter for the three Microbe-teers.

NRCS Conservation Agronomist Ray Archuleta from Greensboro, NC; cash crop/vegetable farmer and founder of Cover Crop Solutions, Steve Groff from Lancaster, PA and grain farmer and co-owner of Lakeview Organic Grain, Klaas Martens from Penn Yan, NY, led an all-day pre-conference track titled: Agroecology Principles & Biomimicry Strategies for Enhancing Soil Function at the 24th annual Farming for the Future PASA Conference. [Read more…]

Creature comforts

CM-MR-2-Improving cow759by Steve Wagner

Concerns about cow comfort haven’t changed much in 130 years other than to diversify those concerns. “When we look at a cow’s day, 75 percent is spent eating and resting,” said Penn State’s Dan McFarland, a Capitol Region Extension Educator from York County PA. “So time away from the pen becomes pretty important.” McFarland was one of the presenters at the 2015 Lebanon Dairy & Crops Compliance Days at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center. When we think of the creature comforts, cow comfort specifically, it is often a passing thought, another one of those incidentals. Dan McFarland is different. He and a handful of ag engineering confreres who are similarly inclined not only think about it; they think about it from this angle and that. They hypothesize and theorize over creature comfort dimensions and measurements to the nth degree, putting it all under the theoretical microscope of time and motion study. Accordingly, he and his wide range of associates have produced charts and graphs to explain how to make life better for cows during every waking, and sleeping, moment. [Read more…]