Agriculture : News
DATE: August 01, 2010
HARDIN COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
201 Peterson Drive
Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701-9370
BY: Doug Shepherd
County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources
Blue Mold Found in Shelby County:
Blue mold was confirmed in a field near Cropper, KY (Shelby County) late Friday. According to Dr. Kenny Seebold, UK Plant Pathologist, it appears that the disease had been present in this field for at least two weeks, if not longer, and very few actively sporulating leaves were found.
As a result, it is important for area growers to be on the alert for blue mold. Tobacco that has been topped and treated for suckers will likely not need to be treated for the disease (do scout for blue mold on suckers that may emerge); however, tobacco more than a week away could be at risk during conditions that favor blue mold (cloudy, rainy weather). Current forecasts indicate that clear skies and hot weather will return to much of the state; however, rain chances will increase towards the end of the week. Growers who would like to ‘play it safe’ should consider an application of Quadris (8 or more ounces per acre for best prevention of late-season blue mold) or Forum (7 fl oz/A) tank-mixed with a mancozeb product such as Dithane DF, Manzate ProStick, or Penncozeb 75DF (all at 1.5 to 2 lb/A). Keep in mind that mancozeb fungicides cannot be applied within 30 days of harvest. Both Quadris and Forum + Acrobat should be applied as directed sprays (drop nozzles) in at least 50 gallons of water/A in order to achieve good coverage and maximum protection against disease. For more information on the status of blue mold in KY, visit the Kentucky Tobacco Disease Information Page at www.uky.edu/Ag/kpn/kyblue/kyblue.htm or the Hardin County Extension Service webpage at www.hardinag.org.
County Tobacco Field Day:
On August 17, at 6:00 PM there will be a Hardin County Tobacco Field Day hosted by Michael Highbaugh in Glendale. Dr. Bob Pearce, UK Tobacco Specialist will be on hand to discuss and tour various UK tobacco research plots that were set back this spring. UK specialists used their no-till tobacco setter on this field. Also a new insecticide recently released by Dupont is also being tested on this field.
We’ll be putting out more details on this event in the next few days, so stay posted. Details will also be on the Ag Events page of the County Extension Webpage.
Ag Village at Heartland Festival:
This year’s Heartland Festival will be much larger and quite different that those in the past. As you’ve probably read the main focus of this year’s festival is a Welcome Home Celebration for Vietnam Veterans. However, there is another major focus and that is highlighting the importance of agriculture to Hardin County’s economy. This segment of the Heartland Festival will definitely offer something of interest to all ages and even those Vietnam Veterans that are here that weekend. You definitely will want to come to the Heartland Festival just to experience the “Ag Village” that will be located on a two acre site just inside the main entrance to Freeman Lake Park, near the bandstand.
Members of the Hardin County Extension Council, local and state agricultural commodity groups, allied industry, youth organizations, Homemakers, Master Gardeners, farmers, the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Hardin County Farmer’s Market, and many more folks and groups have been developing this major undertaking since this spring. The Ag Village will be an educational, fun, and entertaining experience for everyone and will be open from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Saturday, August 28th. And the best part, the Ag Village is free with your admission into the Heartland Festival.
Here’s just a taste of what’s in store for visitors to the Ag Village at this year’s Heartland Festival: A petting zoo with some eleven different types of animals typically found on farms in Hardin County, including a duck slide as seen at the KY State Fair. A Kids Play Area where they can experience many fun things found on the farm - like straw mazes, climbing on hay bales, commodity “sandboxes”, and of course farm equipment they can see, touch and climb into. An Ag Auditorium where you can rest, get some water and view a video segment on Hardin County Agriculture and hear the personal stories of some our county farmers who served their country in the Vietnam war. Also throughout the day, there will be educational presentations on things happening in Agriculture today. A farm safety demonstration will be conducted by Nolin RECC. A large crop display focusing on how farming has changed on local farms since the Vietnam Era will be a major centerpiece of the Ag Village. But most importantly, as you enter the Ag Village the Lincoln Trail Home Builders Association have teamed up with ag interests to build a Vietnam Veterans Living Wall that will not only honor those from Hardin County that paid the greatest sacrifice, but also will serve as a place where all those Vietnam Veterans that attend this year’s Heartland Festival can have their name mounted on a permanent wall that is to be used at future events.
So to say the least, this has been one major undertaking up to this point, and the Ag Village has not even been constructed yet! So if for no other reason, this year make sure you attend the Heartland Festival and experience this once-in-a-lifetime Ag Village because you are in for a real treat! Special thanks to Chuck Crutcher, Ag Village Chair, Donna Thomas and Rita Wooden, layout, logistics and decoration chairs who have spent untold hours developing this project up to this point, as well have all the members of the coordinating committee that have met regularly for months. The Ag Community is especially grateful to Rik Hawkins, E’town-Hardin County Chamber of Commerce President for giving us the opportunity to showcase Hardin County’s and our nation’s most vital industry. “Agriculture: Growing Industry and Heroes” is the theme of the 2010 Heartland Festival’s Ag Village - make sure you come see why!
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