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Michiana Crop Conference Set for December 4, 2009 at the Bluegate in Shipshewana 

The Michiana Crops Conference is slated for Friday, December 4th, 2009 at the Blue Gate Restaurant, Shipshewana Indiana from 9:00 - 4:15 pm.  Don't miss this opportunity to check out Purdue and MSU Specialists talking about marketing, corn and soybean research and a wrap-up of the tumultuous 2009 cropping season.  Featured speakers include, Purdue's Corn Agronomist, Dr. Bob Nielsen, Nutrient Specialist,  Dr. Brad Joern, Pathologist, Dr. Kiersten Wise, and Economist, Chris Hurt.  Dr. Dale Mutch will present information on cover crop research as well.  Registration for the Conference is $35 per person before November 30th, $40 per person after November 30th.  Lunch is provided family style at the world famous Blue Gate Restaurant.  Don't miss this chance to learn about your business from the specialist to our south.  It is a great opportunity to bring along the spouse to do some pre-Christmas shopping while you are at the meeting.  Hope to see you there.

Michiana Irrigation Workshop Set for December 11, 2009 at the Bluegate in Shipshewana 

The 2009 Annual Meeting of the Michiana Irrigation Association will be held on December 11, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery in Shipshewana, Indiana.  Registration is required by calling the St. Joseph County MSU Extension office at 269/467-5511.

Topics to be covered include:  How much water is available for irrigation?  Current status of Michigan water use legislation and implementation; Meeting the Great Lakes requirements for irrigation water use – an Indiana perspective; Update on Indiana water legislation; Southwest Michigan Farmers for Responsible Water Use, Inc.; Irrigation scheduling options for Michigan and Indiana; Overview of dollars available from NRCS programs in Michigan and Indiana; Are ten year irrigation investments a good idea?  A long term economic outlook.

Speakers for the event include:  Bill Northcott, MSU Irrigation Specialist, Steve Miller, MSU Biosystems Engineering Professor, Andrew LeBaron Water Withdrawal Investigation Unit, Mark Basch, IDNR Head, Marlin Stutzman, Indiana District 52 Representative, Dan Ganger, MAISCO Irrigation, Steve Davis, Michigan NRCS State Conservation Engineer, and Chris Hurt, Purdue Department of Agriculture Economics.

Cost for the meeting is $30, which includes lunch and dues to the association.

Slow Drying Conditions, Drought Set the Stage for Corn Mold

November 13, 2009:  This summer's drought may have helped to set the stage for molds that we are seeing in area corn fields this fall.  Many type of molds are increased in incidence following dry conditions during pollination, especially when the drought is followed by wet conditions later in the growing season.  So far, the molds seem to be on the surface of the kernels.  This may mean that there is less chance for toxins from the mold to affect grain quality.  Testing at grain terminals has revealed that much of the corn delivered has been below the 3 ppm level of toxins.  If you have some mold in your fields, there are some things you may want to consider in handling procedures that may help to improve storability of the grain.  Producers should strive to keep kernels as free from damage as possible.  At the combine level, this means that cylinders and rotors should be adjusted for clearance to allow for shelling, but to limit cracking.  Cylinder or rotor speed should be minimized to limit grain cracking while allowing for complete shelling.  Fan speed should be increased to remove cracked or lightweight kernels.  At the dryer, keep the temperatures low enough to avoid stress cracking the seed coats.  Patience will be a virtue this season with higher moisture levels in the field.  Be prepared to dry corn down to a lower moisture percentage this year.  Fines that come out of the dryer can also tend to contaminate bins, so either clean with a grain cleaner or be prepared to core the bins. 

For further Agricultural and Natural Resources Information/Assistance, contact the following Regional/District Agents: