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Extension
happenings
By John
Fulton
[NOV.
13, 2000]
We’ve
been through a season of ups and downs — no doubt about it. First we had a
lack of rainfall in most areas, then we caught up in one fell swoop, then turned
dry again. We have also watched the prices for ag commodities pretty much head
south — literally. Extension has slated some educational offerings for the
winter season that might help you in your agriculture operation and your home.
In this column, I’ll outline some of the upcoming sessions.
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These
days, technical agriculture is often linked directly with global positioning
systems and all of the bells and whistles that different parts of the puzzle can
offer. After collecting data for a period of time, it is important to put that
data to use. A Nov. 16 workshop with Jay Solomon and Dr. Sufeng Han will focus
on current research and development in this area, and most importantly, how to
put your yield maps and other data to work. The workshop will be from 9 a.m.
until noon at the new 4-H and Extension Center located on the west edge of the
Logan County Fairgrounds. Attendance is limited to 20 participants, and you may
register by calling the office at 732-8289.
"What
Does It Cost To Farm?" is the title given to a seminar co-sponsored by
University of Illinois Extension and Farm Credit Services. The seminar will be
Nov. 29, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the 4-H and Extension Center. Highlighted
will be the various costs of farming including land costs, land values, interest
rates and machinery costs. A complimentary lunch will be served over the noon
hour. Register by calling the Extension office at 732-8289.
Soybean
cyst nematodes have long been an economic pest in Logan County. Extension will
have a fall diagnostic clinic on Nov. 30 at Tri Ag Fertilizer and Chemical at
Emden to help producers determine management strategies to deal with this pest.
At the clinic, you may have two samples analyzed free of charge and additional
samples at $5 each. Samples should be taken like soil samples (6- to 7-inches
deep) and representative of a field or area. Samples taken in advance of the
clinic should be stored in your refrigerator to prevent them from drying out.
[to top of second column in
this section]
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Private
Applicator Pesticide Training is a required class for those wanting to purchase
and apply restricted-use pesticides on ground that you own or operate. This
season’s training and testing sessions will be Dec. 5, 2000, and Feb. 20,
2001. Both sessions will begin with training at 8:30 a.m. and conclude with the
test (most participants should be out of the sessions by 12:30 p.m.). Both
sessions will be at the new 4-H and Extension Center located on the west side of
the fairgrounds. These training sessions will also meet requirements for Worker
Protection Standards training if you have employees that need that designation.
Registration is limited at each session, so call the office at 732-8289 to get
your name on the list. You may actually train at any location in the state, and
each person due to retest this year received a list of statewide clinics. You
may also make an appointment at the Illinois Department of Agriculture to just
take the test by calling (217) 785-2427, but you will have to take the test in
Springfield if you use this option.
Hopefully these
offerings will help you improve your operation efficiencies.
[John
Fulton]
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Hartem
team places fifth in national FFA competition
 [NOV.
2, 2000]
The
Hartem FFA Ag Issues team placed fifth out of 27 teams at the recent National
FFA Convention competition. The team members — Kate Wrage, Matt Duckworth,
Sarah Struebing, Nick Reinhart, Anthony Jones, Nic Coers and Natalie Coers —
presented a forum on genetically modified organisms.
The
team advanced through the preliminaries and into the semifinal rounds. By going
this far, the team ranked as a National Silver Emblem winner.
While at the
convention, the team, along with Hartem FFA members Daniel Eeten and Brittney
Kavanaugh, heard keynote speaker Debra Norville and witnessed the naming of the
American Star Farmer and American Star in Agribusiness, besides taking time to
tour the Agriculture Career Show.
[Left to right: Nick Reinhart, Natalie Coers, Anthony Jones
Kate Wrage, Sarah Struebing, Matt Duckworth and Nic Coers]
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