Extension Calling

We often talk about the imporatnce of lime in agriculture. Today we dive a little deeper to why soils are acidic and how to properly manage the pH to have healthy, productive crops. Our website has more great resources on selecting and applying lime properly. https://extension.wvu.edu/agriculture/pasture-hay-forage/soil-fertility  

Many believe ticks aren't a danger in the winter. Unfortunately, they are wrong. Ticks do slow down in colder temperatures, but they are still active. Take precautions whenever you are in tick habitats like brush and woods for deer ticks, mown grass for dog ticks, and tall grass for asian longhorned ticks. Also stay vigilant with pets and livestock to protect them from disease and potential death in some cases. Visit https://www.epa.gov/insect-repellents/find-repellent-right-you to make sure the repellent you are using works for ticks. For livestock owners, this is a great watch from OSU Extension:  Checking cattle for ticks https://youtu.be/0bpTitYBFps?si=uVZOTcm-syuZwG_Cfor     

Sweet potato casserole is one of Karen's favorite Thanksgiving dishes. But, are sweet potatoes potatoes that are sweet, or are they yams? Actually, they are neither. They are a tasty root from the morning glory family. Why do they have so many names? Dan and Karen dive into their history and how to grow and cure these tasty roots. 

What makes something a pest is a question not often asked but it is important to help identify when and how to take action. You need to identify what the problem is, what the potential impact of the problem is, what your tolerance for the problem is. Only after these things have been defined can you take the next step to control the problem. This is the foundation for integrated pest management. 

Paw Paws, urban orchards, and general tree care all get air time in today's show as we host guests from West Virginia State University Extension, Liz Moss and Eden Clymyer-Stern. What can we say, when you have three tree nerds in one room who knows what crazyness might ensue. Join us for this funfilled roller coaster, who knows what will happen.

Erosion is one of the most challenging issues for farmers, gardeners, foresters, builders, and well, pretty much anyone. Erosion not only removes valuable topsoil and reduces our ability to grow things, but soil in water causes problems to fish and other creatures reducing their ability to survive. There are lots of things that can be done in urban and rural areas alike: covering your garden, using silt fencing around contsruction areas, following best management practices on farm roads, and so much more. 

Many fond memories come from catching and releasing fireflies. Yet, their numbers are fading. Our destruction and disposal of fall leaves is a large part of the cause. Unfortunately for our gardens, a lack of firefly larvae means more slugs and snails. Help out fireflies by leaving fall leaves where they lay, or making a small place for them to stay.

If you hate the 17 year cicada, I'm sorry to tell you about the spotted lanternfly that's coming soon to a town near you. This insect is not a fly, but a leafhopper. It sucks the juices out of trees and plants using its needle like mouth. It then covers everything in a sticky sweet mess that attracts stinging insects and sooty mold. So what can you do? We invited James Watson from the WVDA to help us out. Tune in to find out!

Do you want to help build the pawpaw industry by growing trees or fruit? Tune in as we discuss propagation, planting, and transplanting pawpaws. They may be hardy, but they're fickle to get started. They need rich, well drained soils but don't mind some acidity. The tap root is the key.

Losing a large tree is never fun, but did you know many tree losses are preventable? If you are planning to plant a tree, you can prevent many unnessary tree deaths (and expenses) by following the instructions in this podcast. Choose the right place, prepare the right space, inspect the base, and you'll have a smile on your face.

Seed saving seems simple, but it isn’t completely basic. Losing all your seeds to mold or having none of them germinate could extend your seasonal depression just as the sun starts to come out. And did you know that crosspollination can cause toxicity in some species? Tune in to learn more about all this, and how to reduce next years disease load while you’re saving your seeds. We used these great resources as references and think you should too: https://extension.psu.edu/seed-saving-basics and https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_h/H262.pdf

One of the biggest concerns with raising sheep and goats is parasite management. There are a lot of things that can go wrong by over treating, even (and perhaps especially) with natural things like copper.  Keeping a close eye on your animals for weight loss or decreased body condition, diarrhea or swelling under the jaw can all be helpful in reducing the severity of parasite loads. If you can, find a FAMACHA training and attend it! Tune in to get an overview and check out this great fact sheet from Mississippi State University Extension for more details! http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/sustainable-parasite-control-for-sheep-and-goats

Stockpiling forage basically means you are avoiding grazing a certain field so you can save it for leaner times in the winter. There's a little more to it, however. Fertilizing, nutritional needs of the animals, body condition scores, and more go into determining feed needs. Could stockpiling be a way for your farm to reduce input costs?

Water is the most important nutrient. Access to clean water is essential to human life and to many of the things we like to consume. But, water quality may not be as straightforward as you'd think. Clear water can be just as dangerous as cloudy, or turbid, water. We discuss bacterial and chemical issues, why they're important, and what you can do.

One of the many calls we get in the summer is regarding Anthracnose on Grapes. Unfortunately, when it comes to fungal diseases, often by the time you see symptoms. Scouting and prevention are key. In this show we discuss how to properly use fungicides, and how sanitation, pruning, and healthy soils will keep your fungal diseases at bay.

Fire is beautiful and sometimes magical, but it is not joke. Fire losses and expenditures total nearly $330 billion annually in the USA. There are many things you can do to reduce the danger of fires. Follow local burning guidelines, always extinguish fires completely, and use fire wise landscaping principles. Note: in the show we wrongly used firewise.org as the web address, it has been updated to https://nfpa.org. 

It's hot out there! With heat indexes hitting 100 this summer, we are rerunning a show from 2019 on how to manage heat stress in livestock. You'll learn to identify the signs of heat stress and what you can do about it. When in doubt, call your vetrinarian!  Livestock Heat Stress: Recognition Response and Prevention by Susan R. Kerr from Washington State University Extension https://hdl.handle.net/2376/5277 

If you are raising livestock you have your hands full. Not only do you need to balance breeding and genetic stock, but you also need to balance minerals and medical. But, at the base of all good livestock production is grass and soil. If you neglect those, you can lose a lot of money.

While we're not technically making burgers out of soil, through a complex series of interactions good soil leads to lots of healthy grasses, which make healthy cows, which then make great burgers. But, if you want a good end product you can't scrimp at the beginning. Feed your soil the right foods, provide the right medicine and vitamins, and you can watch everything improve. 

The best way to manage fireblight is by taking preventive action. But many miss that window or don't know they should take action in February and March. Blackend shepherds crooks show up in June and July well after the prevention time period is over. Is all lost? Perhaps not, but you must be careful in the steps you take.