P.5 PUMPKIN PRODUCTION IN KENTUCKY P.7-8 WINTER PLANTS OF INTEREST P.4 HOW DOES POPCORN POP? P.6 DONT LET COVER CROPS BECOME A PEST P.2 TIME TO TALK TURKEYS P. 3-4 COW CALF CONFERENCE P.9 RAISING THE STEAKS P.9 INTRODUCTION TO BEEKEEPING SERIES P.10 KY PROUD PORK CHOPS

IN THIS ISSUE:

Nikki's NEWSLETTER

CROPS

The November 2019 Edition of:

LIVESTOCK

HORTICULTURE

Cooperative Extension ServiceUniversity of Kentucky 

Marshall County 1933 Mayfield Highway 

Benton, KY 42025(270) 527-3285

extension.ca.uky.edu

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Marshall County’s Agriculture and Natural Resources Update

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture says that these are the major application changes for 2020:* KDA will accept grower applications from Nov. 15th, 2019, to March 15th, 2020.* KDA will accept processor/handler applications beginning on Nov. 15th, 2019.* The KDA will host an online application on their web page.* The new online application will include a mapping function that will automatically upload the GPS coordinates. If you are considering growing hemp in 2020, then take advantage of this great local opportunity:

Hemp Update

It's that time of year when talk turns to turkeys. Technically, there is only one breed of turkey, with several varieties, although many people incorrectly refer to these varieties as breeds. Turkeys are raised only for meat. They are not raised for egg production, as with chickens, ducks and quail. As a result, turkeys do not produce very many eggs. The most common type of commercial turkey raised in the United States is the Broad-Breasted White. It has a larger breast than the other varieties of turkeys. The term heritage turkeys refers to naturally mating turkey breeds native to the Americas. These varieties date back to early Colonial times. They are Beltsville Small White, Bourbon Red, Jersey Buff, Narragansett, Royal Palm, Slate, Standard Bronze and White Holland. Heritage turkeys grow at a much slower rate than Broad-Breasted Whites. The result is a smaller bird but one with a more balanced dark-to-white meat ratio; a more intense, sometimes gamey flavor; and a thicker layer of fat surrounding the breast. A young male turkey is called a Jake and a young female is called a Jenny, while a baby turkey is a poult. Older females are called hens, and older males are called toms. Adult males are sometimes called gobblers. Turkeys have brightly colored growths on their throat called caruncles and a flap of skin that hangs over their beak called a snood. They also have a wattle, which is a flap of skin under the beak. You will see all these things turn bright red when a tom is upset or courting a female. As turkeys get older, it is easier to tell the toms from the hens.  Toms are typically larger overall than hens and have larger snoods and caruncles than the females. There are two species of turkeys, both native to the Americas: the North American (Meleagris gallopavo) and the Ocellated (Meleagris ocellata) turkey. The North American wild turkey is the species from which all domesticated varieties of turkeys originated. The Ocellated turkey, sometimes called the Mexican turkey, is native to the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Raising wild turkeys is illegal in some states, including Kentucky. The prohibition includes domestic strains of wild birds. The law is meant to protect native populations. The wild turkey was first domesticated by the Aztecs. Turkeys provided a source of protein, and the feathers were used for decorative purposes. Very little genetic selection was used with these early domesticated turkeys. The explorers took these turkeys back to Europe with them. After some early genetic selection in Europe, these turkeys were re-introduced into America with the first settlers. While the initial genetic selection of domesticated wild turkeys occurred in Europe, the different varieties were developed in the United States, with the possible exception of the White Holland. Many options are available for those interested in starting a small flock of turkeys. If fast growth and good feed efficiency are important, the commercial strains of turkey are your best option. The Midget White, a smaller version of the Broad-Breasted White, is well suited for small farms.If you are looking at raising heritage turkeys there are several varieties to choose from. The Bourbon Red was developed in Kentucky and is suitable for small flocks.  If you would like to enter your turkeys in poultry shows, purebred varieties are required. Choose one of the eight varieties recognized by the American Poultry Association in their Standard of Perfection. The Royal Palm turkey is primarily an ornamental variety, but any of the other varieties are well suited to the small flock.For more information about turkeys or other poultry, contact the Marshall County Cooperative Extension Service.

Time to Talk Turkeys 

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Jacquie Jacob, Extension Poultry Project Manager

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See Page 4

forSchedule!

How does Popcorn Pop?

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(times may vary across locations) 9:00 Introduction: Cow-calf Budgeting and Key Profit Drivers? -Jonathan Shepherd 9:30 Managing Overhead Costs on the Cow-calf Operation: Focus on hay production. -Greg Halich 10:15 Break 10:30 Hay Production Costs on Their Impact on Cow-calf Profitability -Jonathan Shepherd 11:15 Understand Breeding Stock Depreciation: How much is too much for a bred heifer? -Kenny Burdine 11:45 Lunch 12:30 Improved Winter Feeding Practices -Greg Halich 1:30 Keys to Cowherd Management: Weaning rate, culling strategies, lot size, and cow size -Kenny Burdine 2:15 Break 2:30 General Farm Management: tax strategies, common errors, etc. -Jonathan Shepherd 3:15 Profitable Stocking Rates: The Stocking Rate / Hay Feeding Tradeoff -Greg Halich 4:00 Evaluation and Adjournment 

Cow-calf Conference Schedule

Did you know that the average American eats 68 quarts of popcorn a year! Not only is popcorn a delicious snack, but is also nutritious since it is considered a whole grain. Of course if you slather butter on it, the nutritional benefits may be negated. So how does popcorn pop? Some Native American tribes believed that there were spirits that lived inside each kernel of popcorn. The spirits are content until someone heats the kernel. This made them angry, in fact they got madder the hotter the kernel was heated. The kernels begin to shake with anger when the heat was to much to bear. At that point, the spirits would burst out of their homes and into the air as puffs of steam. The scientific explanation is less creepy! Each hard kernel of popcorn has a small amount of water stored inside a sphere of soft starch. As the kernels are heated, the water expands as it turns to vapor. The pressure eventually breaks the hard outer surface as the starch inflates and basically turns the kernel inside out. For this to work well the kernel has to be relatively small, and the hard outer shell of the kernel must be quite strong to resist the increasing pressure. This explains why popcorn has kernels that are smaller than most field corn. Popcorn is grown here in Kentucky. In fact, you can grow it in your own garden! Many garden catalogs offer different varieties of  popcorn. Varieties offer a broad range in kernel color, including blue and red. However, the popped corn will be white or pale yellow. For more information on growing popcorn, check out www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/2000/7-21-2000/popcorn.html.

Amanda Sears, Agent for Horticulture, Madison Co.

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The use of cover crops in Kentucky is on the rise with more farmers looking to gain an edge wherever they can.   Cover crops have many benefits including keeping soils in place over winter, improving soil quality, and in some cases suppression of winter annual weeds.  Although, like all agricultural practices there can be drawbacks if a cover crop is not managed properly.  As we quickly approach the time to plant cover crops let’s look at how to gain the benefits of cover crops and avoiding the situation of a cover crop becoming a pest or introducing a pest. Usually one of the first considerations when purchasing seed or planning a cover crop is the

Don’t Let Cover Crops Become A Pest

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Travis Legleiter—Extension Weed Scientist 

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selection of species.  The use of annual ryegrass as a cover crop is highly touted for its underground biomass system, ability to grow in a multitude of growing conditions, and rapid establishment and growth.  Farmers should be aware though, that annual ryegrass can also become a weed and the attributes that make it a good cover crop also make it an excellent weed.  Annual ryegrass can be very difficult to terminate in the spring and a farmer must be knowledgeable of how to properly terminate annual ryegrass.  Annual ryegrass should only be grown by experienced cover crop growers and should be avoided by wheat producers as ryegrass is a major pest in wheat.   A second consideration when choosing a cover crop is understanding the differences in species, and more specifically two species with very similar names.  Annual ryegrass and cereal rye are two different species and care should be used to make sure the two are differentiated.  As mentioned above annual ryegrass should only be grown by experienced growers, whereas cereal rye is a much more forgiving cover crop and is an excellent choice for those growers new to cover crops.  If you decide to use cereal rye as your cover crop, make sure you are clear when you go to the seed counter that you want cereal rye and not ryegrass as a mix up at this stage can have lasting effects down the road. A final consideration when planning your cover crop is whether you are going to plant a single species, multiple species, and where you are going to buy the seed.  Unlike our major commodity crops that are supplied by a handful of companies with stringent regulation on seed quality, you can buy cover crops from a variety of sources.  Cover crop seed can be purchased from a cover crop dealer, your local feed and seed store, or even the internet if you so choose.  With so many choices of cover crop species, seed mixes, and vendors the assurance of quality of that seed is not guaranteed.  The one seed quality that is of particular concern is contamination of weed seed.    Purchasing seed that has not been screened or tested for the presence of weed seed can lead to a situation of introducing a new pest to your field and/or neighborhood.  For example, the state of Iowa encountered an invasions of Palmer amaranth due to conservation reserve program seed mixtures that were contaminated with Palmer amaranth seed.  The good intentions of cover crops will be quickly nullified if a new major pest is introduced.   To assure that you are not introducing a new weed, buy seed that has been tested for the presence of weed seed and has the documentation to prove it.  When purchases a premix of species make sure that it is known that all species in the mix have been screened for weed seed.   A little bit of homework by the farmer now to assure he is purchasing clean seed will help avoid future pest problems, while capturing the benefits of cover crops.  

River or “black” Birch, Betula nigra provides year-round interest and grows well near water or low areas. It has bright yellow foliage in the fall. The dark colored bark stands out in winter and has a peeling texture. Mature heights can reach 40-70 feet and spread 35 feet attracting birds.River or “black” Birch, Betula nigra provides year-round interest and grows well near water or low areas. Hellebore, Heleborus orientalis also called the Lenton rose is an herbaceous perennial that forms clumps. It typically blooms from January to April providing pops of purple, pink, red, yellow and green color. The foliage is evergreen and may be scorched by extreme harsh winters. Be sure to plant in an area that you can enjoy viewing every day. Prefers part to full shade and are rabbit and deer resistant. They grow 12-15 inches tall.It has bright yellow foliage in the fall. The dark colored bark stands out in winter and has a peeling texture. Mature heights can reach 40-70 feet and spread 35 feet attracting birds.River or “black” Birch, Betula nigra provides year-round interest and grows well near water or low areas.

Winter Plants of Interest

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Julie Steber, Kentucky Extension Master GardenerWinter is knocking on the door across Kentucky. For many gardeners this is a welcome time to sit back and relax. As the brilliant colors of summer gardens and fall foliage fade don’t despair; all is not lost in the winter landscape. With proper planning and planting you can enjoy points of color, texture and contrast in your winter garden. Think of vertical plantings with interesting bark and branch structures as opposed to ground covers. It would be a shame to bury the landscape should we ever get another 23 inch snow fall. If you enjoy watching the birds, don’t forget plants that provide a food source during the winter. Here are several plants to consider as you plan your winter landscape.

Bayberry, Myrica pensylvanica is a deciduous shrub prized for its showy silvery-gray colored berries in winter. The waxy coating on the berries has been used in candle and soap making.  It is a tough plant that tolerates poor soil as it is a good nitrogen fixer. It can be grown in dry sandy to wet marshy areas. It is a good choice for planting along drives as it is tolerant of salty conditions. The foliage is very fragrant through summer and fall. It is a natural deer repellant. Plant both male and females to assure pollination and fruit. The shrub is semi-evergreen in the south and spreads to cluster. Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana is a deciduous shrub that grows 3-6 feet in height and spread. It has green foliage during summer with lavender, pink blooms from June to August. It produces cascades of glossy, iridescent magenta, purple berries that wrap the stem which birds will love. This plant tolerates clay soil and is pest free.

Hollies: American Holly Ilex opaca is an evergreen that probably is one of the most common winter plants of interest used in Christmas decorating.  Most holly has bright red berries, but some have fruit that is yellow, peach or orange colored. Use caution when selecting a species of holly as some may have a mature height of 70 feet tall. * Winterberry Ilex verticillata is deciduous holly shrub that will lose levees in the fall allowing us to see the berries. It has a height and spread of 3-12 feet.*Holly plants are male or female and require pollination to produce fruit. It is best to plant within the same species to assure the best pollination for fruit. Birds will love you. Ornamental Grasses: Perennial grasses can add to the contrast and beauty of landscape year-round. Some maintenance is required to cut back the grass in spring. They provide movement in the yard and have interesting seed heads in the fall and winter. Plume grass or Ravennae Grass, Erianthus ravennae, Maiden Grass or Eulalia Grass, Miscanthus sinensisand Crimson Fountain Grass, Pennisetum seaceum  are just a few that are well suited for Kentucky. Red Twig (or Red Osier) Dogwood, Cornus sericea is a deciduous shrub that provides year round interest displaying white spring flowers, variegated leaves during the summer, berries in the fall, and showy red to burgundy bark and twigs in winter. Mature height and width can be up to 8 to 10 feet. It attracts birds and butterflies. It grows in wet locations with full sun to part shade. Witherod Viburnum, viburnum cassinodes is a shrub that provides year-round interest with pretty fragrant off-white flowers against dark green foliage in spring. The foliage turns to dark maroon in the fall and display clusters of berries that chameleon from pink to red and end as dark blue. Birds are attracted to it. Plant a group of several for naturalization and cross-pollination. This shrub tolerates moist boggy soil and grows in full sun to part shade to around 6 feet.

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Sources: missouribotanicalgarden.orgHO-79 Ornamental Grasses for Kentucky Landscapes 

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For more information go to: http://marshall.ca.uky.edu/AgNaturalResources

or follow us on Facebook @marshallcountyanr

Marshall County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent

Educational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability. UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AND KENTUCKY COUNTIES, COOPERATING 

2 Kentucky Proud pork chops (w/bone) Salt and pepper (to taste) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 Kentucky Proud apple (sliced) 1 Kentucky Proud onion (sliced) 1 cup chicken stock or apple cider, to deglaze1 tbsp butter (optional)

Credit: Kentucky Proud Kitchen Prep. Time: 15 min.Cook Time: 45 min Servings: 2

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season well with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on high heat and brown the pork chops well about (3-4 minutes per side). At this point, the pork chops will be well-browned, but not cooked all the way through. Transfer chops to a separate platter. Add the apple and onion to the pan and cook until softened and nicely caramelized. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock or apple cider. Nestle the pock chops back into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Simmer until pork chops are cooked through and season with salt and pepper. Add butter to the sauce at the last minute for extra richness, if desired. Serve with Apple, Kale, and Sweet Potato Hash.

Bone-In Pork Chops with Apples and Onions