Agriculture

By Rick Thomason

UT/TSU-Johnson County Extension Director

It was so good seeing lots of hay harvested during the last two weeks of May this year. In the 40 plus years, I’ve been living and working in Johnson County, I’ve never seen haymaking weather as good in the month of May as it was this year.
In Hamblen County, where I grew up, we always started putting up our hay in May. However, in the mountains, the weather usually doesn’t cooperate with us enough to put up hay this early. It is either not hot enough to cure the hay, which means that you have to leave it mowed down in the field for a longer period or it rains every other day which increases the risk for getting the hay damaged.
This year, however, we had two good weeks of hot, dry weather for farmers to get in their hay fields early. I sure hope that you took advantage of this time to put up some of your hay crops. Your livestock will undoubtedly appreciate it this winter when you start feeding them this hay.
Now, why is this so important to get the hay up this early? The stage of growth greatly influences hay quality.
When grasses are in what we call their vegetative or leafy state that is when they are the most nutritious for feeding livestock. Once the grasses start into their reproductive stage (making seed heads), the quality of the hay drops significantly.
Most years in Johnson County due to our weather, the hay crop gets overripe before our farmers have a chance to get it harvested. This makes for some poor quality hay to feed the livestock in the winter. The hay has large sturdy stems and is not very nutritious, which means that the farmers have to supplement it with some grain.
Another good reason to get the hay up early is that with our short growing season in the mountains, this will allow for more re-growth this summer to use for a second cutting of hay this fall. If you were one of the ones who got up some of your hay crops during the last two weeks of May, I would highly encourage you to get the bales out of the field as soon as possible so that it won’t hinder the re-growth of the grasses in your hay field. I don’t like to see rolls of hay left sitting in the fields for weeks and even months in the summer.
It is recommended that you store your hay inside if at all possible to preserve the quality of your hay. Just make sure the hay is dry before storing it in the barn. High moisture will cause the bales to heat up, which increases the chance of barn fires.
If it is necessary to store some hay outdoors, try to keep it off the ground using pallets or large stones and covered with a tarp if possible. Do not store hay in fencerows, under trees or in the shade of buildings as this increases spoilage of your hay. Arrange your hay rolls with the ends facing north to south and if the bales are going to be left uncovered, leave some space between your hay rolls to allow for more air movement. Hay rolls stored outside uncovered will have losses of about 1/3, so feed these to your livestock first this winter.

By Max Phelps

Many newly constructed homes look like plastic houses from a Monopoly game—all alike, and all rowed up along the street. (If a large healthy native tree or two could have been left, that would have helped immensely.)
These homes, along with fresh concrete drives, walks or patios, and fresh unpainted decks of treated pine, almost have the appearance of a skeleton with naked bones. It’s little wonder most cities now require a few shrubs or trees be planted. (Unfortunately, most designers or builders are only interested in meeting the technicalities, not in pretty landscaping, so good intentions have not translated into eliminating the Monopoly house look hardly at all. Two maple trees and six shrubs does not a good landscape make!)
Why put trees in yards? And why are two red maples or two callery pears not good landscaping? Some folks just want to get out of where they are and into a new home, and I get that. But, with time, there is the need to make the yard look more natural, like it probably did before the land was cleared and the bulldozers flattened the hills (and the topsoil was scooped up and sold). Most homeowners eventually want to apply their personality, or that of their spouse, to the yard and dress it to compliment the house.
This is really when the trees should be planted; this is where planting trees can be justified. When the owners are ready to make the place look more like an individualized paradise rather than a cookie cutter house.
Trees play many useful roles in the landscape. They can frame the house to show it off better, or they can be planted to hide the house from the street. Moderating the temperature with shade, moderating the wind with a windbreak, creating privacy, screening eyesores, attracting wildlife, producing fruit or nuts, are some of the ways trees can be used to meet our needs as homeowners. Then, there is also simply personal preference or likes.
Well placed and carefully chosen trees can add greatly to the looks and comforts of a home. Be sure to select a tree or two that will age to perfection; most fast-growing trees become problems in 20 or 30 years. Try mixing up the trees, for diversity is good for many reasons.
Specimen trees can add much to a yard’s looks. But, “specimen” by definition, isn’t “several”. Rather, it’s one tree that is outstanding. (Any nurseryman that tries to sell you on several specimen trees at one time is thinking of his next vacation more than how your yard will benefit!)
Shade trees are what the name says; they provide shade. Any large tree can be a ‘shade’ tree. Even evergreen trees—although they typically are recommended for the north or west side of the house.
What are some good shade trees? Well, it depends on where you live. Trees that are planted for shade in Ohio are not the same as those planted in Florida. In in my area, oaks, maples, sweet or black gum, tulip poplar, and the ubiquitous Bradford pear are used extensively. Sycamore, linden, elms, catalpa, buckeye, walnut, hickory, ash (until the borer problem), cypress, willow and zelkova are sometimes chosen. Southern magnolias, America hollies, pines, firs and spruces are evergreen options.
Breaking the wind from hitting your house full strength is best done with shrubbery, trees in the middle, then more shrubbery…a multi-layered planting. True windbreaks are planted some distance from the house…certainly not close enough that they would blow down and damage the home.
Screening either things we don’t want to look at, or to keep others from looking in on us, this is what we mean by planting trees for screening purposes. There are so many possibilities, so I’ll not try to list them. Both big trees, small trees, or shrubbery can be employed in screening. Even large clumps of grass or lawn ornaments or outdoor structures can serve in this function.
Greenery is good at muffling noises. Planting a row of trees or a hedge between you and traffic, the neighbor’s parties, or even between a cozy spot and your own home, can help with enjoying your place. Plus, the greenery cleans air pollution. (Well, some trees contribute pollen which is called pollution at times I suppose. Female trees would be best in that regard, but most people select males because of no nuts or seeds and make pollen problems worse.)
Shrubs (shrubby little trees, really) are useful where something tall isn’t required. Hiding the trash cans, doghouse, or gas tank come to mind. And, in a large lovely layered landscape, tall, medium and short plants create the most luxurious look.
Wildlife prefers less lawn and more trees. For food, shelter, nesting, hiding, and various other reasons.
Trees make our homes prettier, and our neighbors nicer. Another good reason to plant trees.
Spending a few hundred dollars on trees to make your two hundred thousand dollar home look better is a no-brainer! Even the tiny cottage benefits from good greenery around it.
Hiring professional help can get it done speedily and correctly, but if economics is a factor, small trees from a nursery or even those from a mail order house that come in a big box can work out fine. And our grandparents simply went to the woods or roadside and dug up something and took it home and planted it in their yard.
Fleshing out the seleton of your place with trees and shrubs should be a fun adventure. Think of it as putting clothes on a naked body, and it will take on more appleal
if you’re having trouble getting excited about tree
planting!

Staff Report
CNASHVILLE — Tennessee’s farmers markets are providing more than just a place to find fresh food. They are furnishing an environment that allows the community to flourish. This year, many farmers markets are hosting special events for families and communities to enjoy, while fostering personal connections to those who produce nutritious food across the state.
The Van Buren County Farmers Market is celebrating the week of Independence Day with additional market days and fireworks the evening of July 3. “Right now it’s not quite time for produce in this area, but we are looking forward to
ramping up business during the upcoming harvests,” Van Buren County Farmers Market manager and County Mayor Greg Wilson said.
For 2019, the Henderson Farmers Market plans to have special Friday events, including a kid’s day, a community health day
sponsored by local health companies, a Tennessee Beef Month celebration, and
more.“The Henderson Farmers Market is all about community, and this community has patiently waited for a farmers market for years,” Chester County extension agent and market manager Steve Rickman said. “Our customers come out to
shop and to socialize with their friends. Every Friday is truly a special event in this community. “
The Pikeville Farmers Market in Bledsoe County has grown from hosting 15 vendors to 50 in the last 3 years. The market now has a meat vendor offering
beef, lamb, and pork and
will have live music, cooking demonstrations, and food trucks. “It’s a big deal to have this market,” Pikeville Farmers Market manager Melissa Mooneyham said. “To see what it’s done for our community is something I’m really proud of.”
The Tennessee’s farmers markets directory can be accessed at www.PickTNProducts.org and via the Pick TN mobile app.
Follow Pick Tennessee on Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram for seasonal
updates and information about farm related
events, activities, and products.

By Sarah Ransom

The pantry is empty, and the refrigerator is bare. You know what time it is . . . time to shop for groceries. You can get groceries at any shopping center, but there is a great way to support your local farmers and get the freshest produce (as well as some other delicious treats).
To help you make the most of the farmers’ market shopping experience, here are some suggestions:
1. Arrive early, but not too early. For the best selection, be sure to arrive early to the farmers’ market. However, do not arrive too early. Many farmers’ markets have strict start times. Vendors may not be able to sell to you before the market officially opens.
2. Bring a bag. It is a good plan to bring a bag or basket with you to the market. Unlike a grocery store, many vendors do not provide bags for your items.
3. Have fun! Farmers’ markets are social, festive events. Take time to talk with your fellow shoppers and the vendors selling your food. Who knows? You may learn a new way to prepare your favorite fruit or vegetable.
4. Bring a cooler preferably one with wheels. Using a cooler helps protect your perishable items (cheeses, meats, dairy products) while you shop. In addition, a cooler will help you get these items home safely.
5. Talk to the vendors. Unlike the grocery store, farmers’ markets allow you the opportunity to talk – in most cases – to the person who grew the food you are purchasing. Use this opportunity to your advantage and ask away.
6. Be prepared for choices – lots of them. At the farmers’ market, you may find more than one variety of the fruits or vegetables you are needing. Deciding on all these choices can be overwhelming. To help, talk with the vendors and the other shoppers. Both can help you make a selection that best meets your food needs.
7. Ask questions. Don’t assume that all the foods at your farmers’ market are organic, grown in your community, or even grown by the vendor selling them. Markets have very different rules governing the types of items that can be sold. Asking the vendor is the best way to find out the information you need.
8. Seek out the information booth. Almost all markets have an information booth where you can ask questions about the market.
So, grab your favorite shopping bag and head out the door – it’s a great way to support your local farmers and enjoy consuming agricultural products from your neighborhood.

Staff Report

Despite the wet start to spring, sweet and juicy strawberries are prime for picking in most areas of Tennessee. If you are looking for the freshest berries, you need to go straight to the farm.
“We are seeing more ripe strawberries by the day.” Mitchell Hyde of Hyde Farms in Loudon County said. “The more sunshine, the more berries we will have ready to pick!”
One West Tennessee farmer has already started a reservation list for people who want to pick their own. “We are picking heavily this week—lots of strawberries are ripe and ready,” Timothy Brady of Dixie Chile Ranch in Obion County said. “All you have to do is let us know how many 5 quart buckets you intend to pick and we’ll let you know what times are available.”
In Middle Tennessee, berries are selling fast. “We sold 65 gallons of strawberries within the first hour of opening,” Jon Kelley of Kelley’s berries in Trousdale County said. “The first week in May is generally the best time to visit the strawberry patch. However, we will have ripe strawberries well into June.”
Never picked fresh strawberries before? To learn more about the picking process for the farm you are going to visit, all you have to do is call and ask. Farmers also suggest calling ahead of time to ensure that berries are available. If you want fresh strawberries without the work, many farms provide the option for customers to purchase already-picked strawberries.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the number of Tennessee strawberry farms has increased by almost 4% during the last five years.
The traditional season lasts about four to six weeks, depending on weather—so the best tasting strawberries you’ve ever had won’t last long.
Support your local economy and buy fresh strawberries from your local farmer today. Go to www.PickTNProducts.org or use the free Pick Tennessee mobile app to find a farm near you.
To learn more about seasonal recipes, products, and activities.

Press Release

NASHVILLE – Are you a landowner looking to establish or enhance your woodland or a logger looking to improve your harvesting capacity? The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) is offering cost share programs to assist forest landowners and industry with improving forest health and sustainability.
“More than half of Tennessee is covered in trees,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said. “We are working to promote and support agriculture in Tennessee, and our forest resources are a significant part of that. These cost share programs for forest establishment, improvement, and forest industry play a main role in our work to encourage landowners to implement forestry practices.”
Forestry programs under the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) and Southern Pine Beetle Initiative (SPBI) were developed to promote long-term investments in Tennessee’s forests by providing cost share incentives to qualifying landowners.
The programs promote sustainable forest management practices on family forestland, which provide multiple resource benefits such as timber, wildlife habitat, clean water, and soil protection.
Forest landowners are eligible to receive a 50% – 75% cost share reimbursement for funds spent with a combined maximum reimbursement of $15,000 per year. The landowner cost share sign-up period begins May 1 and ends May 31.
TDF also offers TAEP and SPBI financial assistance for forest industry to help protect stream habitats and overall water quality by utilizing forestry Best Management Practices. Forest industry practitioners, such as loggers and sawmill owners, are eligible to receive a 50% cost share reimbursement for funds spent. The TAEP and SPBI programs each have a maximum reimbursement of $15,000 per year, allowing eligible recipients to receive up to $30,000. TAEP cost share for forest industry is available for sign-up year-round, while SPBI sign-up period is between May 1 to May 31.
Those interested in TDF forestry practices cost share programs should contact their local Area Forester to determine eligibility, implement a plan, and sign-up.
For Area Forester contacts and more information about cost share programs, visit https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests/landowners/financial.

By Sarah Ransom
sransom@utk.edu

Gardeners can maintain their gardening environment to enable crops to grow for extended periods of time. With careful planning, crops can be extended a few days or weeks.

There are two main ways of doing this: management practices and structures or materials to alter temperatures. This week, we are going to focus on structures and materials.

Several methods for seasonal gardening may focus on absorbing or trapping the radiation from the sun to warm up the environment for your crops.

Dark mulches absorb light and conduct heat that warms the soil below; clear plastic covers transmit and trap light which increases the air temperature.

Agricultural plastics have made a lot of progress to improve seasonal planting. The biggest question is how much money to invest in materials and how much time goes into each structure and material used.

Passive systems, rely only on natural air movement and natural sunlight. These are the most flexible, most cost efficient and applicable for home gardeners.

Mulch can be used to influence soil temperature by absorbing the light and heat and then reflecting the light. Solid black and woven plastics also help warm the crops environment.

Mulch and plastics can also help reduce heat loss that comes from evaporated water or changing nightly temperatures.

Another structure that can be used is a floating row cover, also known as direct covers. These are plastic films, agricultural fabrics or buckets that can be laid or placed over a crop to hold heat. This type of structure is often secured by the soil, wooden posts or other materials.

These covers often need less irrigation, it depends on the type used, and how long they are placed, one benefit is they can reduce the speed of rainfall, which decreases erosion and crusting and can help protect against insects. Row covers are typically only used for temporary measures in the spring and fall.
Low tunnels are very similar to row covers and can be used to help extend the growing season. Low
tunnels give the appearance of a miniature greenhouse.
These need to be made sure they are appropriately vented to allow enough airflow, so crops do not get overheated.

Shade structures can help reduce the amount of heat in the crops environment, and this can allow for cool-season crops, such as leafy greens, to be grown longer in the spring.

If you are looking for a permanent fix on structures, you can build cold frames, high tunnels, and greenhouses.

All of these structures provide more control over your crop’s environment and can significantly alter the ability to extend your harvest season.

Regardless of how you choose to garden, there are many options for extending your fresh vegetable intake!

To check out additional information on seasonal gardening, read
www.extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W346-F.pdf.

By Sarah Ransom

A fundamental fact to gardening is that crops grow, develop and produce based on the temperature and environment. Gardeners must be sure to carefully plant cold and warm season crops in the appropriate times to maximize their harvest. Gardeners can also alter their gardening environment to enable crops to grow for extended periods.
With careful planning, crops can be extended a few days or weeks. There are two main ways of doing this: management practices and
structures or materials to alter temperatures. This week, we are going to focus on the first way of seasoning gardening.
Management practices are going to focus on proper site selection, raised beds and transplanting. Crops close to a body of water tend to stay more moderate throughout the seasons, plants near buildings tend to stay more protected from the wind and cold, crops planted on slopes can assist with draining water away from plants. With raised beds, soil temperatures can impact seed germination, root growth, as well as water and nutrient intake. Raised beds allow for the soil to drain quicker, bringing warm air into
the ground and heating the area faster. It also can increase the exposure to the warming effects from the sunlight.
However, as the seasons change, soil can cool down much quicker in the fall. Raised beds are easy to cover with plastic, low tunnels, mulches or row covers to assist with early and later plantings. Lastly, gardeners can extend their growing season by transplanting their crops. Some of the best crops to start early and transplant include tomatoes, peppers, cabbages, broccoli and more! The conditions after transplanting will affect the growth of the crops.
Pest pressures may also be reduced by early planting, and transplanting later in the season. Planting can also be delayed with the transplant method.
Regardless of how you choose to garden, there are many options for extending your fresh vegetable intake! To check out additional information on seasonal gardening, read https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/W346-F.pdf

TDA Press Release

NASHVILLE– The State Veterinarian has announced that several horses returning from out-of-state events have been sickened by equine influenza virus (EIV) in Tennessee.
Equine influenza is highly contagious, and the virus is spread by contaminated stable equipment and infected, coughing horses. Symptoms in horses may include fever, nasal discharge, cough, loss of appetite, and weakness. Sick horses cannot directly infect people with EIV.
“With EIV, it is much
easier for horse owners to take preventive measures than to provide treatment,” Interim State Veterinarian Dr. Doug Balthaser said. “Maintaining hygiene procedures with stable equipment and vaccinating your horses is a great start for prevention efforts. Your veterinarian can help you decide the best vaccination plan for your horse.”

Other tips include:
•Isolate newly introduced horses or horses returning from events for two weeks.
•For events or stables, restrict entry to healthy horses only.
•Don’t share equipment or supplies between horses, especially if one spikes a fever, has nasal discharge, or is coughing.
The C. E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory now offers a full line of equine disease testing, including WNV, equine infectious anemia (EIA), equine herpes virus (EHV), equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), and equine influenza virus (EIV). Contact your veterinarian for more information.

TDA Press Release

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) is requesting input on the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) through an online survey. TAEP has transformed the state’s rural economy by helping farmers make strategic investments to increase their efficiency, safety, and profitability.
With the survey responses, TDA plans to identify opportunities to improve cost share offerings and set the program’s future strategic direction. Farmers and producers, agribusiness affiliates, extension agents, agricultural educators, industry association representatives, and others are invited to participate in the survey.
TAEP provides cost share dollars to agricultural producers for the purpose of making long-term investments in Tennessee farms and communities. Participation allows producers to maximize farm profits, adapt to changing market situations, improve operation safety, increase farm efficiency, and make positive economic impact in their communities.
“TAEP has made a real difference and has been a true resource for rural Tennessee,” Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M said. “We want to ensure that the program continues to serve producers’ needs by helping them adapt to the rapidly-changing production environment and marketplace.”
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s Human Dimensions Research Lab, the UT Center for Profitable Agriculture, and TDA collaborated to prepare the TAEP survey. The survey is available online at https://tiny.utk.edu/TAEPsurvey and will be accessible now through March 27. It can be completed in less than 15 minutes.
For more information on the evaluation and survey of TAEP, contact Keith Harrison by emailing keith.harrison@tn.gov or by calling 615-837-5336.