Feeder sale numbers stay high
The feeder calf sale earlier this month had over 2,300 head go through the ring. Now that’s about 1,000 head less than the June sale, but it’s still a lot of feeder cattle. Listed in the graphic at right are the prices for number one and two grade cattle.
Hey, if you don’t think grade makes a difference, take a look at the 600-700 lb steers. Compare the #1 and #2’s. You can improve the grade of your feeder cattle with a meatier, thicker, more muscular bull. The state of Tennessee will also pay 35 percent of the purchase price of the bull. Call me for more information (473-8484). The next feeder calf sale in McMinnville is Aug. 1.
”
CHANGES COMING TO BEEF CATTLE GRANT PROGRAM
Good news is coming from the department of Agriculture in Nashville. Wendy Loftis works with the cattle grant program and she told me Monday that Commissioner Ken Givens has made the decision to increase the cap on Cattle Handling Facilities!
Now, they will be reimbursing producers up to $3,500 (maximum) for their equipment purchases. They have left the percentages the same, 35 percent for non-Master Beef producers and 50 percent for Master Beef producers, so that Master Beef graduates still have added incentive.
Secondly, Mr. Jimmy Hopper and Dr. Charlie Hatcher have added to the eligible dairy equipment list and the department of Agriculture will be mailing the details to all dairies across the state. The following is a list of all eligible dairy equipment for the 2007-2008 fiscal year.
On a different note, as of last week, they had only received just over 900 hay storage applications. Considering the blow that farmers have had to endure with the freeze and lack of rain, it is understandable. The department of Agriculture had budgeted to build approximately 2,000 barns this year. There’s still time to submit an application to get a barn grant. They will reimburse producers up to $3,500 to build a hay storage barn. If you’re going to be trying to purchase hay; a barn to store it in will save you money.
”
NO Tennessee PEACHES THIS YEAR BUT SWEET CORN AVAILABLE AT MARKET
Coming back from Murfreesboro last week, I saw a fellow selling peaches beside the road. I didn’t have time to ask but I wondered where he got them.
Tennessee commercial peach producers suffered a complete loss due to a hard freeze the first week of April. Peaches across the state were especially vulnerable during this period because of unseasonably warm weather during March that contributed to an early full bloom. This is the first total loss since 1985.
Production in the southeastern U.S. was also affected. The South Carolina peach crop is forecast at 8,000 tons, equal to the June 1 forecast but 87 percent below 2006. Damage was reported across the entire State with severe losses reported. Georgia’s peach crop is forecast at 13,000 tons, down 24 percent from the June 1 forecast and 68 percent below 2006. In addition to frost damage, the State’s growers reported smaller fruit size because of the dry conditions
North Carolina’s peach crop, at 1,000 tons, is down 82 percent from a year ago. Alabama’s peach crop has suffered substantially due to untimely freezes in early April dry weather throughout the spring and summer.
What’s it all mean? Higher prices for fresh peaches during the next few months that southern peaches are available.
”
FREEZE BLASTS STATE WHEAT YIELD
Based on a recent survey administered by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Tennessee Field Office, the State’s 2007 winter wheat yields are expected to average 39.0 bushels per acre, the lowest since 1991, and 25 bushels below last year’s record of 64.0 bushels per acre.
Producers seeded a total of 450,000 acres last fall, up 61 percent from the previous year and the highest since 2002. Harvested area for grain, at 300,000, is up 58 percent from the previous year. With the increased acreage, total production, at 11.7 million bushels, is down only 4 percent from 2006. Although yields are down drastically from 2006, results are better than originally expected after an Easter freeze which took a tremendous toll on the crop. Farmers experienced ideal harvest weather during June, allowing them to virtually complete harvest by the end of the month, surpassing the normal pace.
”
Irrigation or Rain Can Cause Flower Problems
If you have been irrigating or received recent rains, your landscape beds with summer color from bedding plants should just about be at their peak. Canopies have closed and mass plantings look like a mound of color.
However, there may be a problem. Rhizoctonia web blight is often observed in beds with waxleaf begonia, vinca and petunias. Little air movement and high humidity within the canopy of a bed of annual flowers is perfect for Rhizoctonia to do its damage. Cob-web like mycelium can be seen running from leaf to leaf; leaves die but don’t fall to the ground because of the webbing. This disease doesn’t usually kill but it can make you think of pulling the plants and replacing with cool season annuals earlier than you would like.
Control of web blight is achieved with fungicide sprays. Home gardeners can pick one of these fungicides which are available at garden centers: chlorothalonil (many trade names), tebuconazole (Bayer Advanced) or myclobutanil (Immunox). These sprays should be applied once the canopy closes and with sufficient pressure to move the fungicide into the canopy of the plants. Give me a call for more information.