Pesticide certification class Thursday

Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Extension office I have scheduled a pesticide certification class for area farmers. This class will qualify you to receive your Private Applicators Certification card from the state Department of Agriculture. Farmers need this card to purchase restricted use pesticides for their farm operations. All pesticides cards expire this fall. This is one of a series of meetings that I will hold over the summer months to provide producers the opportunity to renew their certification. This meeting on Thursday is for those folks who don’t have a card expiring in October or those who’ve never had a card. The cost of Thursday’s training is $30, and can be paid with a check payable to the Warren County Extension office. If you need more information give me a call at the Extension office (473-8484). ” HAVE YOU BALED SOME HAY YET? A lot of hay is being cut across the county and now’s the time to cut grass hay if we want to get good quality feed for our horses and cattle. It’s hard to get spring hay up without getting a shower on it and many times this will lead to farmers baling hay a little green. Most of the time nothing happens. With some parts of the county getting some showers almost every day everyone with hay on the ground is interested in getting it up before it gets wet. Lots of hay often gets baled a little green. Let’s talk about what is going on in the plant when we cut and bale hay. First we have to understand that the most common cause of hay fires is excessive moisture. Fresh cut plant materials are not dead. They continue to respire and produce a small amount of heat. As the moisture decreases respiration will finally stop. Forage crops have countless microorganisms. If after baling a small air supply and favorable moisture can cause the microorganisms to feed and multiply generating a lot of heat in the process. When the temperature reaches 130-140 degrees the heat tends to kill off the microorganisms. Depending on the conditions the temperature may fall slowly at this point. Over the next few weeks the hay may go through several heats but the highest temperature will be lower each time. The first time the hay reached 130 degrees is important. If there had been some thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria present and the heat was retained, as it could be if the hay was stacked closely a second heat phase could have started. This phase may generate temperatures as high as 160-170 degrees before the bacteria are killed. The thermophilic bacteria and the heat they generate convert the hay to a form similar to a carbon sponge with microscopic pores. In this form and at high temperatures the hay combines readily with oxygen and can self ignite. New hay which is stacked in the barn should be checked frequently for heating. If temperatures reach 130F, move the hay to allow increased air circulation and cooling. If hay temperatures continue to rise or reach 175 degrees fire may be imminent or nearby call for help. At 200 degrees you have a fire. Regardless of the temperature if you see or smell smoke dont move the hay without having the fire hose charged and ready to go. Exposing a hot spot to air could cause ignition. A temperature probe can be made with a 3/8 inch pipe or even a metal rod. With the pipe you can lower a thermometer into the pip by a wire and leave it in a few minutes to get the temperature reading. Even a metal rod will give you a feel for whats happening in the hay stack. Drive the rod into different areas and wait 10-15 minutes. If its too hot to handle when you pull it, youve got a problem. Getting in a hurry to bale before the rain is worthwhile if the hay is cured, but even with good curing conditions dont forget to keep an eye on and feel the temperature of hay that you already have in the barn. If youd like more information on hay curing or storage call the Extension office (473-8484). ” EARLY BLIGHT IN TOMATOES By far the most common disease problem in tomatoes is early blight. This disease is caused by a soil borne fungus that is splashed up on the plants by tillage, or rainfall. It infects the leaves and stems of plants and will cause a water soaked, target like spot on the leaves and stems of the tomato plants. The spots enlarge over time and will eventually drop from the plant. Mulching the soil around the plants will reduce the effect of tillage and rainfall splashing fungus spores onto the plants. Mulching will also conserve moisture and reduce weed competition. Staking the plants will also serve to reduce infection by keeping the plant on the ground. Fungicide sprays will help prevent infections. Use a fungicide that contains Chlorothalonil or Maneb. Start spraying when the plants become established in the garden and spray every 7-10 days. Chlorothalonil is the active ingredient in many home garden disease control products. As with all pesticides read the label and use only if the crop you want to spray is listed on the label.