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.omafra.gov.on.ca
GROWING YOUR FARM PROFITS
by John C. Benham
At the next Growing Your Farm Profits workshop, you will be able to complete a workbook similar to the Environmental Farm Plan workbook and come up with an Action Plan. By taking the workshop you will be able to review your current farm management practices. You will better understand how planning provides a framework for effective decision making. It will help you set goals and priorities for the future. It will identify resources to help you reach your goals. It will help you build on the strengths of your business and identify where you may wish to make changes for improved performance.
For an established farm business, up to $31,400 is available and up to $35,900 is available for a new farm business. These are the maximum cost shares available to improve your farm business management. For more information and to sign up call Liz at 519-638-3268 or register online at: www.ontariosoilcrop.org/workshops.
The next two-day Growing Your Farm Profits workshop will be held on Tuesday, June 5 and Tuesday, June 19 from 9:30am to 3pm in the Elora OMAFRA boardroom. As well there will be a two-day Growing Your Farm Profits workshop to be held in the Wilmot Recreation Centre in Baden on Monday, June 11 and Monday, June 18. Lunch and refreshments are provided. No costs to participants. Call Liz at 519-638-3268.
DON’T BECOME A STATISTIC – TRAIN YOUR WORKERS IN PROPER HYGIENE PRACTICES
by Colleen Haskins, On-Farm Food Safety Program Lead, OMAFRA
Did you know that inadequate worker hygiene is the 2nd leading cause of food borne illness? Are your workers headed towards becoming a part of this statistic? Worker hygiene involves hand washing, worker cleanliness and suitable, clean clothing. With the new season brings an influx of workers to the farm. Are you prepared to provide effective food safety training? Many workers are veterans at the job, but we all forget and (re)training is always a great way to reinforce important messages, especially when it comes to food safety. OMAFRA’s hand washing training easel and new weather durable posters are great tools to assist in training your workers properly. Don’t become a statistic – train your workers in proper hygiene practices.
For these tools and other food safety resources, visit our website at: www.ontario.ca/goodagpractices or call us at 1-877-424-1300. Food safety question? Ask us.
INVASIVE WEEK ALERT
by John C. Benham
Two plants of serious concern are Garlic Mustard and Dog Strangling Vine. Garlic Mustard is very common, while Dog Strangling Vine is not known to have reached Wellington but is right next door. Garlic Mustard is a biennial. The first year is a rosette on the ground. The next year it grows to about 2 to 3 feet tall with very small white flowers. This plant produces abundant seeds and must be stopped by removing the flowers or pulling the plant. The roots of this plant produce a toxic substance that allows this plant to displace other desirable plants or tree seedlings.
Dog Strangling Vine once established very quickly spreads displacing desirable plants. It is a member of the milkweed family but is not a host to the monarch butterfly. It flowers May to June with a small pinkish maroon flower that produces a pod and seeds similar to milkweed. It tends to wrap around itself or other stalks and forms rope like branches.
For more information on either plant, just Google the plant name or call John at 519-846-3394 for a brochure.
UP TO 60% OF THE CORN IS IN THE GROUND – OMAFRA
Corn: Greg Stewart – Depending on the area, 10 to 60% of the corn crop has been planted. Provincially corn planting is estimated at 35%. Soil conditions remain dry and friable in most areas; the lack of soil moisture is an increasing concern and has forced deeper planting especially on light textured soils. Cold temperatures and rain/snow mix has caused some concern over seed or seedling damage due to the uptake of cold water. The most vulnerable time is when the cold water is imbibed by the seed in the first 24 to 48 hours after planting. A relatively dry 14 day forecast should heighten grower’s awareness of soil moisture conservation. Avoid secondary tillage that is too aggressive (too deep, too many passes) and causes excessive drying. Packing or rolling to conserve moisture is advised.
Cereals: Peter Johnson / Scott Banks – Winter cereals are moving forward slowly with the cool temperatures. Cold nights in low heat unit areas (-5oC) continued to stress the crop and show tip burn on leaves. A few more November acres have been targeted for replant with insufficient stand establishment to qualify for crop insurance. Manganese (Mn) deficiency is more prevalent than normal due to extremely dry soils: spray to correct. Disease pressure remains low, with mildew beginning in advanced fields. Cool temperatures and high winds have resulted in the majority of the crop waiting to be sprayed for weed control and/or with early fungicides. This is the correct choice, as later fungicide applications increase yield more than early applications. It is too late in advanced fields to worry about dandelion, chickweed or other winter annual weed control. The damage is done. Advanced spring cereals are at the 4 leaf stage. Herbicides should be applied as soon as weeds emerge and temperatures allow. There is insufficient growth in these fields to consider a fungicide application: weed control and early fungicides applications are best split if weed pressure is high and maximum yields are desired.
COMING EVENTS
May 26 – Wellington Rural Romp: a day in the countryside at over a dozen farms in Wellington County with gardening and baby farm animals on display. Visit: www.guelphwellingtonlocalfood.ca for more details.
May 29 – Wellington County Farm Safety regular meeting at Husky Farm Equipment, Alma at 8pm sharp. For more information, call Walter Grose at 519-846-5329.
June 19 and 20 – Ontario Pork Congress. Mark your calendar; check website: http://www.porkcongress.on.ca/.
June 24 – Local Food Fest: a celebration of local food and copies of the 2012 local food map available at Ignatius Jesuit Centre with children’s area, workshops and more. Visit the website at: www.guelphwellingtonlocalfood.ca.
July 4 and 5 – South West Crop Diagnostic Day, Univ. of Guelph, Ridgetown, 8:15am. Check the website: http://www.diagnosticdays.ca/.
