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: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
WEED MANAGEMENT: MIKE COWBROUGH
from OMAFRA Field Crop Report – July 4
WANTED: weed specimens from around the province that are found in fields or that border those fields and especially weeds that you can’t identify, but want to know what they are!
What if while you were taking soil cores for nutrient testing in the fall you could also get an analysis of annual and perennial weeds found in that field? What if you could probe hay bales or silage to determine whether a poisonous plant existed? These are the type of diagnostic tools that could be developed but first we need to collect weed specimens, have them identified and map their DNA.
Dr. Steven Newmaster (University of Guelph) is looking for weed specimens from Ontario for his DNA barcoding project. He will identify them for free, but you have to send them to him. Below are instructions on how to do it. The plant samples should arrive at the herbarium no later than 3 weeks after they are collected.
Samples should be placed in NewsPAPER and placed under some kind of weight until mailed. If the specimen is thick or succulent use more Newspaper. The idea is to flatten and dry the specimen as quickly as possible. Specimens placed in plastic go to mush very quickly and even with my extensive identification skills, I will not be able to identify the mush.
Information about the sample should include…..
Location: Latitude and Longitude OR County, Township, Lot and Concession OR Global Positioning Co-ordinates OR description of the location, eg. 500 meters east of the junction of Hwy. 58 and Stanley St. in Ayr. Habitat: For example, found on the edge of a corn field or found in a ditch beside a tobacco field or found along a stream bank or found along the highway shoulder. And you can describe the type of soil or drainage if you know it. eg. low depression in a corn field which floods when it rains.
A couple of digital pictures would be ideal, a close-up (flower or fruit or some notable characters) and a long shot (whole plant). E-mail the photos to: botcal@uoguelph.ca.
Remarks: These are optional. You can put sample found with about 100 other plants of the same kind or single plant found with other weeds or flower colour a bright orange.
Date: The date you collected the sample.
Collector Name/contact information: The person who collected the sample; may be more than one person.
Put the flattened Newspaper between cardboard even if the sample is not dry and mail it to:
Carole Ann Lacroix, Science Complex, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1.
KEEPING THINGS COOL…
Want to keep your horses cool this summer? Horse Barn Ventilation:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/10-059.htm
Keep livestock cool this summer and improve energy efficiency! Energy-Efficient Mechanical Ventilation Fan
Systems: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/06-057.htm
Want to reduce heat stress in livestock and poultry? Tunnel Ventilation for Livestock and Poultry Barns:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/00-085.htm
Interested in designing, installing and maintaining a barn ventilation system? Ventilation for Livestock and Poultry
Facilities – Publication 833: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/engineer/facts/vent_p833.htm
Learn about Ontario’s plan to manage low water conditions. Ontario Low Water Response – Working Together to
Manage Low Water: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/environment/facts/low_waterbr.htm
If you need a hard copy of the above factsheets, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941.
NEW PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
Through a special project offered for the 2012 cropping year with support provided by the Canada-Ontario Farm Stewardship Program (COFSP), additional cost share funding is available to support commercial greenhouse, landscape nursery and vegetable farms implementing selected Best Management Practices (BMP) focused on improving water quality, water quantity and water management issues.
Funding provided through this new project will result in activities aimed at enhancing the environmental performance of commercial greenhouse, landscape nursery and vegetable farms in a practical, straightforward and economical way.
If you have a deemed appropriate Third Edition Environmental Farm Plan and you operate a legal farm entity with a Farm Business Registration number or the equivalent and are interested in participating, call John Benham at 519-846-3394.
COME TO THE FAIR
Fair season kicks into high gear in Ontario in August and September!
The last week of August and the first two weeks of September are the busiest, with dozens of communities running fairs then.
For a complete list of all fall fairs, by date and district, check out the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies’ website at www.ontariofairs.com which also includes information about the Ontario society and other farming events.
COMING EVENTS:
Aug. 1- National Farmers Union Waterloo-Wellington Local, monthly board meeting at 7:15pm at Husky Farm Equipment, Alma. (They meet every first Wednesday of the month).
Aug. 7- Wellington Federation of Agriculture, monthly Board meeting, at OMAFRA Boardroom, Elora at 7:30pm. For information, contact Lisa Hern at 519-848-3774 or email: jplh@golden.net.
Aug.*10-12 – Drayton Agricultural Fair, Drayton. Call for more information: 226-444-6500 (*part day).
