Volume 1, Issue 1 Steve Musen

Jessamine County Extension Agent

Agriculture and Natural Resources

t 502-

Cooperative

Extension Service

Jessamine County

95 Park Drive

Nicholasville, KY 40356

(859) 885-4811

www.jessamine.ca.uky.edu

Inside this issue:

Upcoming Events

in Agriculture 2

Plate it up!

Recipe—Asian

Asparagus Salad

2

Creep Pens Ben-

efit Calves 3

Creep Pens Ben-

efit Calves

(cont.)

4

KDA Nuisance

Weed Spraying

Program

4

Can I Garden

Over My Septic

System?

5

AGRICULTURE NEWS Jessamine County

Agriculture

March, 2020

Private Applicator, Pesticide Certification Training Thursday, March 19th, 6:30 pm Jessamine County Ag. Center

Are you a tobacco, livestock or forage producer, commercial fruit or vegetable grower, who requires the use of restricted-use pesticides in your farming opera-tion? Make plans to attend this Pesticide Training at the Jessamine County Exten-sion Office.

Please call the Extension Office if you plan to attend

Home Bramble Production

Thursday, April 2, 5:30p

Jessamine County Library

By: Dr. John Strang, U.K. Extension Horticulture Specialist

This presentation will provide home fruit producers information on some of the

best blackberry and raspberry varieties to grow in central Kentucky. Site

selection, soil preparation, plant spacing, planting, trellising, pruning and

harvesting will also be covered. Insect and disease pests will be discussed as well

as control options. Each participant will receive a few blackberry and raspberry

seedlings.

Space is limited so call the Jessamine County Public Library at (859) 885-3523 if you plan to attend

Upcoming Training Opportunities through the

Jessamine County Extension Office

March 2 Hemp Production Meeting (see flyer)

8:30a @ Fayette Co. Extension

March 6-7 OAK Annual Conference

Louisville, KY (see flyer)

March 12 Jessamine County Goat Producers

6:30p @ Jessamine Co. Extension

March 16 Jessamine County Cattlemen

6:30p @ Jessamine Co. Extension

March 19 Private Applicator Pesticide Training

6:30p @ Jessamine Co. Extension

March 24 East-Central Kentucky Turf Profes-

sionals Training

10:00a @ Estill Co. (see flyer)

April 2 Home Bramble Production

5:30p @ Jessamine County Library

April 23 Small-Scale Poultry Production

5:30p @ Jessamine County Library

Upcoming Events in Agriculture

Page 2 AGRICULTURE NEWS

For more information on any of these programs, please contact the Jessamine County Extension Office

“Mud can

cause a

multitude of

problems

including

weak calves,

wasted hay,

destroyed

fields and

erosion.”

Page 3 AGRICULTURE NEWS

Creep Pens Benefit Calves

Each winter, Kentucky farmers find them-selves contending with the effects of mud. Mud can cause a multitude of prob-lems including weak calves, wasted hay, destroyed fields and erosion. Creep pens may be a way to ensure calves get off to a good start and reduce the amount and effects of mud on your farm.

Creep pens allow you to designate a space for calves to rest and, in some cas-es, get supplemental feed and access to clean water without having to compete with or be in the way of adult cattle. These pens can improve calf health and reduce their risk of being trampled by adults. UK’s Eden Shale Farm in Owen County, which is operated by the Ken-tucky Beef Network, has had great suc-cess using creep pens for their calves.

Calves instinctively want to rest in dry spaces. Oftentimes, this means they lay in wasted hay in the feeding area, but this increases their risk of being trampled. By installing a creep pen, you are allowing only calves to have access to one area of your farm. These pens are created by us-ing creep gates, which have smaller open-ings. The creep area should provide a dry, comfortable area for calves using bedding or grass. Placing a heavy traffic pad at pen entrances will cut down on erosion and mud. Within the area, a producer may want to give the calves a place to seek shelter and/or supplemental feed. By providing supplemental feed you also can jump start your weaning program.

Find a dry, well-drained area of your farm to place a creep pen. This area should be near the calving area. You can maximize its use by positioning the pen in a loca-tion where there is access to multiple

pastures. Ideally, it would be near your winter-feeding area, hay storage facility and machinery storage to help reduce fuel costs and time. Being near the feed-ing area can also help calves pair up with their mom after they finish eating.

To install a creep area, you will need gates, fence, geotextile fabric, gravel and possibly access to feeders and waterers. You can reduce installation expenses by using materials you have on hand and repurposing an area of your farm that fits creep pen criteria. While you still may have some upfront costs, the cost of los-ing one calf would pay for this project’s implementation.

Additional information, including a sam-ple design, is in the University of Ken-tucky Cooperative Extension Service pub-lication, AEN 143, Calf Areas, Pens, or Pastures: A Case Study, which is available online at http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/

pubs/AEN/AEN143/AEN143.pdf or by con-

tacting your Jessamine County Extension office.

By: Dr. Steve Higgins, Director of Environ-mental Compliance for the Kentucky Agri-cultural Experiment Station

Cows and calves with full access to round bales

Page 4 Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 4 AGRICULTURE NEWS

“This program

is designed to

target weeds

that have a

negative

impact on the

participant’s

agricultural

production.”

There is an astronomical amount of in-terest for growing hemp in Kentucky, yet many new growers may not realize that applying to participate in Kentucky’s pro-gram is an involved process that requires fairly significant leg work on their part.

To grow hemp in Kentucky, you must submit an application and receive a li-cense from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. The application deadline to grow hemp this year is March 15. Here are some tips to help you with that pro-cess.

Before you do anything, KDA asks growers to assess their financial risk before entering the industry. The hemp marketplace is still in its infan-cy. The supply chain is still develop-ing; hemp varieties are unpredictable and many regulatory issues remain unresolved at the federal level.

To be considered for the program, you must get the background check application from KDA’s website and submit it to the Kentucky State Po-lice. Once you receive the results, you can upload them to your KDA grower application. Background checks are required for individual applicants and key participants with-in a business. These must be com-pleted 60 days or less from the time the application is submitted to KDA. The program only approves appli-cants who have not been convicted of a felony or a drug-related misde-meanor in the past 10 years.

Each field must be at least a quarter of an acre, and producers must be able to plant 1,000 plants. You can-not grow hemp in your yard or within

1,000 feet of a school or public park.

Know where you want to grow. You must provide KDA with a growing location for your hemp. If you change your growing location after sub-mitting an application, you will be charged a $750 site modification fee. All growing locations must have a Kentucky address. If the property doesn’t have an address, you must estimate one. The online application software includes a mapping feature that enables the applicant to identify hemp fields, greenhouses and stor-age areas.

The KDA has a Summary of Varieties List that includes more than 200 test-ed varieties to help educate farmers about their THC testing history. This tool helps producers select varieties that are likely to test below the legal limit of 0.3%. If you want to grow a variety that is not on that list, after obtaining your license, you must sub-mit a “New Hemp Variety or Strain Request Form” along with a certifi-cate of analysis that shows the varie-ty has a total THC not more than 0.3%. The KDA does prohibit some varieties due to their THC testing his-tory in Kentucky, where they consist-ently test above the legal limit.

You must secure your own seeds and a buyer for your product. You should read these business contracts care-fully and be comfortable with their requirements.

Hemp is eligible for crop insurance in 2020. Contact your local crop insur-ance agent for more information be-fore the crop insurance sales closing

Growing Hemp Considerations in 2020

“As we start

to think about

gardening and

lawn care this

year, one

question may

pop up: Can I

garden on my

septic

system?”

Page 5 AGRICULTURE NEWS

Hemp Considerations (cont.)

date of March 15.

Once approved for the program, keep copies of your grower license within easy access and near hemp materials. You may be required to display it for KDA officials or law enforcement.

More information and the hemp grower application is available on the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s website, https://www.kyagr.com/marketing/hemp

-pilot.html . More information on UK’s hemp-related agronomic and economic research is available at https://hemp.ca.uky.edu/ or by contacting the Jessamine County Extension office of the University of Kentucky Cooperative Ex-tension Service.

By: Doris Hamilton, Hemp Program Man-ager, Kentucky Department of Agriculture

As we start to think about gardening and lawn care this year, one question may pop up: Can I garden on my septic sys-tem? Well, there are a couple of ques-tions to consider:

Can a garden be contaminated by bacte-rial and viral hazards which may be found in septic drainfields? A properly operating septic system will not contami-nate the soil with disease organisms, but it can be difficult to tell if the system is working at optimum efficiency. Also, the soil type can make a difference. Clay like soil will eliminate any organism within a few inches of the system, while a sandy soil could allow for movement of bacteria several feet. Since it is hard to be sure if your septic system is working an opti-mum level, I do not recommend planting a garden in this area. An ornamental, such as grass, would be a better fit for this area. But, I know many of you will still attempt to raise a garden in this area anyway. So if you do, stay away from rooting crops such as carrots or potatoes. Also avoid leafy vegetables such as

lettuce or kale, since water may splash up from the ground during rains. Plants that grow up off the ground, such as toma-toes, may be a better fit. Be sure to trellis any vining crops, such beans or squash up off the ground.

Is it safe for the septic system to have a garden growing over it? The simple an-swer is no. While walking or light digging over a drain field is not a problem, plow-ing, tilling, or building up soil for a raised bed can damage the system. According to Marvin Dixon at the Madison County Health Department, gardening on a septic system can damage components and lead to erosion in that area. He recommends gardening no closer than ten feet from the drainfield.

With all of that in mind, stay at least ten feet from the septic system. The health of you and your family is too important to be put at risk and the cost to repair a sep-tic system is too high to chance it.

By: Amanda Sears, Agent for Horticulture, Madison Co. Cooperative Extension

Can I Garden Over My Septic System?

East-Central Kentucky

Turf Professionals Training

Pre-register by March 20th. Please call 606-723-4557.

Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Time: 10:00 a.m. EST

Agenda:

9:30 Registration and

morning refreshments

10:00 Turf/Ornamental Pest ID & Mgmt

11:00 Difficult Turf Weeds & Controls

12:00 LUNCH (provided)

1:00 Turfgrass Variety Selection &

Establishment

2:00 Pesticide Laws & Regulations

3:00 Adjourn

Location:

Estill County Extension Office

76 Golden Court

Irvine, KY

Certified Pesticide Applicators: Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture continuing education units approved.

CEU’s: 3 general and 1 specific for categories 3, 10, 12, 14, 18, & 20

DIRECTIONS: See back page

Make checks payable to ECESL

9th ANNUAL OAK CONFERENCE “Healthy Soils, Healthy Farms: Reshaping Kentucky with Organics”

March 6-7, 2020 in Louisville, KY

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION FORM

Save with OAK membership and early registration!

Online registration is recommended at www.oak-ky.org. Please note conference tickets are non-refundable.

OAK Member

(by 1/15/20)

Non-Member

(by 1/15/20)

OAK Member

(After 1/15/20)

Non-member

(After 1/15/20)

Walk Ins

# of Tickets

SUB TOTAL

TWO DAY CONFERENCE REGISTRATION (includes 4 locally sourced and organic meals)

$170 $200 $190 $220 $250

ONE DAY CONFERENCE ONLY (FRI or SAT) (includes 2 locally sourced and organic meals)

$110 $130 $130 $150 $160

TWO DAY STUDENT REGISTRATION (includes 4 locally sourced and organic meals)

$140 $140 $140 $140 $200

ONE DAY STUDENT REGISTRATION (FRI or SAT) (includes 2 locally sourced and organic meals)

$90 $90 $90 $90 $110

Annual Membership (renew or join): $40 Individual; $70 Family Farmer; $120 Supporter; $500 Agribusiness. See website or call for membership details and benefits.

Grand Total:

1) MEALS at Conference 2020: Registration includes locally sourced and organic meals on day(s) attending.Friday includes lunch and evening reception (+2 drink tickets). Saturday includes breakfast and lunch. Coffee bar available both days.

2) In the shaded gray columns at top, please circle the box(es) that corresponds with register by date and OAK membership status.Registration must be postmarked or completed online by 11:59pm January 15, 2020 to receive the early bird discount.

3) Write the number of registrations and subtotals in corresponding far right boxes.4) Join OAK or renew annual membership to save on conference registration and member discounts (see www.oak-ky.org for details).5) Complete online or mail with check or credit card information to: OAK, P.O. Box 22244, Lexington, KY 40522

Name(s):

Address:

City, State, Zip: Farm/Business:

County: Phone: Email Address:

If you selected One Day Registration ONLY please circle the day you will attend: Friday Saturday

Circle all that describe you: Farmer, Processor, Distributor, Educator/extension, Student, Consumer, Home Gardener, Other

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Please make all checks payable to “OAK”

Check# Visa Mastercard Discover American Express

Name on card:

Billing Address (if different from above):

City, State, Zip:

Card#: Exp: CVV:

See you at the conference! Louisville Marriott East: 1903 Embassy Square Blvd, Louisville, KY 40299

Contact us if you have any questions: info@oak-ky.org or 502-219-7378

Jessamine County Extension Service 95 Park Drive Nicholasville, KY 40356

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED