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Features

Nuisance fruit removal

By John Fulton

[MARCH 24, 2003]  One of the main things to discuss today is the removal of nuisance fruit. You may be thinking about those apples or peaches, but really the nuisance fruit category includes things that are much more a nuisance, like sweet gum balls, maple seeds and crab apples. I used this topic a few years ago in a column, and then there was a product shortage locally, but I think that has been taken care of.

There are several products available to eliminate nuisance fruit. The most common is ethephon, which is used as a foliar spray to reduce or eliminate undesirable fruit or seeds. Some of the trade names include Florel and Ethrel. The product is effective at eliminating much of the fruit without affecting leaf growth and color, and it does not harm other plants that get some spray drift on them. It also does not affect the actual flowering of the treated trees.

With ethephon, the key is in the timing. The application must be made during flowering but before the fruit sets in. For most flowering trees there is a 10- to 14-day window of opportunity. Sweet gums are a little tricky since there are no showy flowers involved, so effective sprays should occur just as new leaves begin to emerge. Sprays should leave leaves wet but not to the point of dripping. Good coverage of the tree is needed, so keep in mind the size of the tree when you are weighing this option.

This product is a growth regulator that naturally occurs. Its natural production is stimulated by stress, so make sure you aren't treating a tree that is under stress from drought, high temperatures, diseases or other environmental stresses. Treating stressed trees can cause severe injury to the plant, such as leaf loss or scorching.

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Lawn care

Normal spring grass seeding times are March 15 until April 1. Seeding now may or may not have much success. The key is in the weather. Spring seedings normally don't have the success of the fall seedings. The worst timing gets new seeds germinated but then frosted before a root system is established. The recommended seeding rate for seeding bare ground is four pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. For over-seeding existing grass, use two pounds. This same time period is also a great time to do core aeration and dethatching

Several people have also asked about weed control. Most broadleaf products are best put on around May 1, while most preventive crab grass treatments are best applied just before seeds germinate (this is based on soil temperature but will be about the same time as forsythia blooms). Several of the winter annual weeds, such as chickweed and henbit, are out now, but concentrate on one item at a time. Seeding would come first, then crabgrass treatments, then broadleaf treatments.

This past week saw the passing of one of the initial class members of Master Gardeners in Logan County. Walt Ebel lost his bout with cancer. Walt was the founder of the Treemendous Tree Contest and also was a true rosarian. His skills and knowledge will be greatly missed, and our heartfelt sympathies to Walt's family.

[John Fulton]

County fourth-graders experience
a 'Celebration of Agriculture'

[MARCH 22, 2003]  More than 300 fourth-graders from Logan County visited the Lincoln Park District Recreation Center Thursday. The fourth-graders attended a half-day agriculture fair designed to give the students knowledge of agriculture and its many uses in today's world. The fair focused on the need people have for agriculture and its importance in their daily lives. Nearly 100 percent of the county's fourth-graders participated. Students attended from 13 schools in the county.

The fair was sponsored by the Logan County Farm Bureau to coincide with National Ag Day.

"Many students from rural areas do not live on working farms," said Lynn Paulus of the Farm Bureau. "The fair gives students an opportunity to experience agriculture and the variety of uses farm products have."

Paulus said, "Three county FFA chapters, from Mount Pulaski, Lincoln and Hartsburg-Emden, helped present the fair."

The fair consisted of presentations that were spread out over two half-hours. The presentations included five breakout stations plus a sheep shearing demonstration.

The fourth-graders saw modern farm machinery, tractors, combines and a diesel truck.

"The tractors are really big," commented Cody Mathis, a fourth-grader from Mount Pulaski. Joe Rankin and Paul Stolzenburg agreed. All three students said that they were enjoying the fair and learning a lot.

The Hartsburg-Emden FFA presented a station that focused on safety and taking safety precautions around farm machinery.

Another breakout station was about corn and its many uses. Corn can be used in many ways, ranging from food products to ethanol fuel to making plastic and even clothing. A wedding dress was made using corn, and shirts are made from materials using corn.

The fourth-graders were very excited about what they did at the corn station. "We made plastic," Dylan Hughes and Ethan Cline said. Levi Clampet said, "It looks like burnt cheese." Connor Cruise said, "Mine looks like blood." The students were obviously enjoying the presentations. They were very excited about the interactive parts of the "celebration."

Other breakout stations covered dairy products, hogs and pork products, and soybeans and soy products.

Drew Olson from the Hartsburg-Emden FFA helped students make ice cream at the dairy breakout station. The students then got to enjoy tasting a sample of their product.

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John Erwin from Beason brought his 7-month-old calf named Topper for the students to meet. He also brought a portable milking machine. The fourth-graders put their thumbs all the way up the tubing on the machine and experienced the suction cows feel when they are being milked. This was one of the fourth-graders' favorite stations.

[photos by Bob Frank]

At the hog and pork station students sampled sausage, met a pig and learned about nonedible products made from pork.

Ben Rekart, a fourth-grader from Lincoln, said, "I learned that buttons can be made from pork."

Ben also learned about hog feed. The sample feed consisted of jellybeans that represented water, M&Ms that represented vitamins, peanuts and raisins that equaled protein, and candy corn and wheat for carbohydrates. These nutrients are what hogs need in their food.

The soy products station included a game of soy bingo featuring soy products as items on the bingo board. MaryLou Klokkenga of the Emden Farm Bureau women's committee also presented fourth-graders with samples of foods made from soy, ranging from soy chocolate milk to soy butter and soy crackers.

The final presentation of the agriculture fair was a sheep shearing demonstration. All of the fourth-graders sat in a circle watching as a sheep was sheared. There were some "oohs" from the audience as the shearing progressed. When the sheep was sheared, one fourth-grader asked, "Does that hurt?"

The fourth-graders from Logan County all seemed to enjoy the agriculture fair. They showed a large amount of interest in all of the stations.

The students will now be asked to write an essay about "The Celebration of Agriculture," which they must submit by April 1. Students from the Phi Theta Kappa honorary society at Lincoln College will judge which five essays are the best. The five winners selected will receive trophies. From the enthusiasm shown by all of the fourth-graders in attendance Thursday, judging the essay contest will be very difficult.

[Don Todd]

[MARCH 17, 2003]  URBANA -- The large range of expectations about the stocks and acreage numbers to be released in USDA reports on March 31 opens the door for some surprises, according to a University of Illinois Extension marketing specialist.

"Add in the wide range of expectations about 2003 growing conditions, the generally low level of inventories and an uncertain export picture, and a case for volatile prices can be made," said Darrel Good. "The uncertainty during the spring and summer months typically offers some attractive pricing alternatives for producers. Hopefully, that will be the case again this year."

Good's comments came as he reviewed the upcoming USDA reports. On March 31, USDA will release the results of the spring planting intentions survey and the March 1 report on grain stocks. These reports will provide additional supply-side information for the corn and soybean markets for the next several weeks.

"The reports will set the tone for these markets, much like the January reports set the tone for the winter markets," said Good. "The January reports featured a surprising increase in the estimated size of the 2002 soybean crop and revealed a much slower rate of feed and residual use of corn during the first quarter of the 2002-03 marketing year.

"Anticipating the estimate of March 1 stocks of corn and soybeans is more difficult than normal this year."

For soybeans, Good explained, the major source of confusion is the large discrepancy between the USDA and Census Bureau export estimates and the resulting large estimate of "residual" use projected by USDA. Through January, there was a 60-million-bushel difference in the USDA and census estimates of exports.

In addition, until the February Census Bureau crush report is released next week, there is some uncertainty about the magnitude of domestic soybean processing during the second quarter of the marketing year. The crush was down by only 2.2 percent during the first four months of the marketing year but was off by 8 percent in January. Where, Good asked, will the February estimate come in?

"Using the Census Bureau estimate of exports, a larger than normal estimate of 'residual' use of soybeans during the first half of this year, and assuming an 8 percent reduction in the domestic crush in February, March 1 soybean stocks should have been near 1.2 billion bushels," said Good. "Using the USDA estimate of exports during the first half of the year and a normal 'residual' use during the first half of the year, March 1 soybean stocks should have been near 1.175 billion bushels. Both figures are well below the 1.336 billion bushel inventory of a year ago, but 25 million bushels one way or another has important price implications."

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For corn, there are two sources of uncertainty surrounding the projection of March 1 stocks. The first is the difference in the export estimates among the various sources. Through January, the Census Bureau estimate of cumulative corn exports totaled 668 million bushels. The USDA export inspection report showed shipments of 636 million bushels and the USDA report on export sales showed shipments of 672 million bushels.

"Since the USDA uses the Census Bureau estimate as the official estimate, the USDA has to account for the difference in making the projection of feed and residual use of corn," said Good. "In addition, expectations about feed and residual use of corn during the second quarter of the marketing year are clouded by the large amount of feed byproducts produced by the ethanol industry. The byproduct substitutes for both grain and protein feed in the livestock ration.

"Our calculations would suggest a March 1, 2003, inventory of corn near 5.2 billion bushels, compared to 5.8 billion on the same date last year."

The early projections from the private sector indicate expectations of about 80.6 million acres of corn planted in 2003. That represents an increase of about 1.55 million acres from planted acreage in 2002. Under normal conditions, planted acreage of that magnitude would result in acreage harvested for grain near 73.6 million acres, about 4.3 million more than the weather-reduced acreage of 2002.

"There is a wide range in private sector expectations about intentions for soybean acreage in 2003," said Good. "Projections are in a range of 69.8 to 72.9 million, compared to 73.758 million planted in 2002. The difference appears to reflect expectations about spring wheat acreage and about total planted acreage of major crops.

"At least one popular private source expects combined acreage of corn, soybeans and wheat to increase by 2.25 million acres in 2003, even with a 1.1-million-acre decline in spring wheat seedings."

[U of I news release]

Farmers could see a break in
seasonal use vehicle registration

[MARCH 17, 2003]  Farmers could save hundreds of dollars each year under legislation sponsored by Sen. Bill Brady, 44th District, that allows special vehicle registration plates for farm trucks and trailers strictly for the months those vehicles are used for planting and harvest.

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[News release]

Honors & Awards

Hartem FFA has three district winners

[MARCH 17, 2003]  Three Hartsburg-Emden FFA members were named District 3 winners at the district interviews for their record-keeping project areas. Winners were Krista Ubbenga, Natalie Coers and Matthew Wrage. These FFA members now advance to Champaign on April 5 to determine the state winner.

Other Hartem FFA members who did not advance past district were Shane Westen (came in second), Nic Alberts, Kory Leesman and Kyle Hoerbert.

[Hartsburg-Emden FFA news release]

[courtesy of Hartem FFA]
Hartem FFA members (left to right) Kyle Hoerbert, Krista Ubbenga, Shane Westen, Matt Wrage, Natalie Coers, Kory Leesman and Nic Alberts

Ag Announcements

Heartland Beef Alliance to meet

[MARCH 24, 2003]  The next meeting of the Heartland Beef Alliance will be March 29 in the Illini Central High School agriculture classroom, beginning at 7 p.m. Dr. Bill Armbruster will be present to update beef producers on health concerns. All beef producers in Logan, Mason, Tazewell counties are welcome to attend.

[Betsy Pech, secretary]

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