A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30am to 5pm.
For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
WE’RE LOOKING FOR IDEAS ON LOCAL FOOD
You know that buying local food makes sense on many different levels. It supports local farmers and it boosts jobs and economic activity in local communities.
But best of all, buying local means good, tasty, wholesome food for the people of Ontario.
Whether you grow, make, serve, sell or eat Ontario food – we want to hear from you.
We’re asking you to share your ideas about how to encourage more people to ask for – and enjoy – local food. Please provide your comments by July 31. Share your ideas at: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/localfood.htm.
TICK BITES CAN CAUSE LYME DISEASE
Know the bug – Black-legged ticks are very small and hard to see. They are usually found low to the ground, on tall grass blades or on shrubs. If you find a tick on yourself, remove it with tweezers.
Know the bite – Tick bites are usually painless and are not itchy. You may not even notice you have been bitten. Some people may develop a bull’s-eye-like rash.
Know what to do – If you have been bitten by a tick, visit your health care provider to see if you should be tested for Lyme disease. Early treatment with antibiotics is usually successful in most cases.
Know the symptoms – A circular rash referred to as a “bull’s-eye” rash could be one of the earliest symptoms of an infection. If you develop a “bull’s-eye” rash, fever, chills or extreme fatigue or feel like you have the flu, see your health care provider. Be sure to tell them if you have been camping, fishing or have been active outdoors.
Diagnosing Lyme disease can be challenging since symptoms can appear like many other ailments. Left untreated, Lyme disease can cause serious health problems. The good News is that if caught early, Lyme disease can be treated.
GROWING YOUR FARM PROFITS – by John C. Benham
The next Growing Your Farm Profits two-day workshop is planned for Aug. 20 and Aug. 27 at Everdale Farms, 5812 6th Line Erin from 9:30am to 3pm Lunch and refreshments will be provided at no cost to you.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to look at your farm business management and come up with a plan to make improvements with financial assistance from the Cost Share program.
For more information, call Liz at 519-638-3268 or sign up electronically at: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/workshops/.
RECORD BREAKING CORN PROGRESS REPORTED – OMAFRA
OMAFRA Field Crop Report – Corn: Greg Stewart
The corn crop continues to develop rapidly, pushed by above-average temperatures this week. Record early tassel emergence was evident in some fields mainly in the southwest. Moisture stress is showing up in some areas, particularly on soils with lower water holding capacity.
The period surrounding pollination is critical in yield determination. High photosynthetic rates driven by healthy crop canopies, adequate soil moisture and warm temperatures correlate with increased kernel numbers.
Scouting your fields for leaf disease pressure can contribute to improved decision making around fungicide applications. Knowing which disease is present is important because some have a greater potential of impacting yield than others.
The “big three” in terms of corn leaf diseases for Ontario are Northern Leaf Blight (NLB), Common Rust (CR) and Gray Leaf Spot (GLS). Other diseases such as eyespot can be at high levels, but their overall yield impact is much lower then NLB, CR and GLS.
COMING EVENTS
Aug. 7- Wellington Federation of Agriculture, monthly Board meeting, at OMAFRA Boardroom, Elora at 7:30 p.m. For information, contact Lisa Hern at 519-848-3774 or email: jplh@golden.net.
Aug. 10 to 12 – Drayton Agricultural Fair, Drayton. Call for more information: 226-444-6500.
Aug. 17 to 19 – Hanover Agricultural Fair, Hanover. For information, call 519-364-4443.
Aug. 21 & 24 – Open Farm Days for the whole family at Ignatius Jesuit Centre, 5420 Hwy. 6 North from 3:30- 6:30pm Visit: http://ignatiusguelph.ca for details.
Aug. 22 & 23 – Hasting County Plowing Match and Farm Show, Donnandale Farms, 10620 Hwy 62 N., Centre Hastings. Check the website: http://www.hastingsfarmshow.com/.
Aug. 23 to 25 – 4-H Conference Crop Sen$e at 1:00 p.m. at the Ridgetown Campus. Check the website at: http://www.4-hontario.ca/youth/opportunities/conferences/default.aspx.
Aug. 24 to 26 – Palmerston Agricultural Fair, Palmerston. For more information, call 519-343-3427.
Aug. 25 – Tractor Pull at Grand River Fair, 7445 Wellington County Rd. 21, Elora. Call: 519-846-8879.
Aug. 28 – Wellington County Farm Safety regular meeting at Husky Farm Equipment, Alma at 8:00 p.m. sharp. For more information, call Walter Grose at 519-846-5329.
Aug. 31 to Sept. 3 – Orangeville Agricultural Fair, Orangeville. For information, call 519-942-9597.
Sept. 1 to 3 – Mount Forest Agricultural Fair, Mount Forest. For more information, call 519-323-4871.
Sept. 6 to 9 – Arthur Fall Fair. For more information, check the website at: www.arthurfallfair.ca.
Sept. 11 to 13 – Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, Canada’s Outdoor Park, Woodstock. Watch for details on this show at: www.outdoorfarmshow.com/.
Sept. 18 to 22 – 2012 International Plowing Match, Waterloo Region, “Cultivate Country Celebrate Community”. Check for regular updates at: www.ipm2012.ca/.
