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Spring Road Safety With spring in full swing (we hope) there are some things to keep in mind when traveling in more rural areas. Perhaps the most important thing, for those of you that run into farm equipment on the roads, slow down. On all farm equipment whether it’s a sprayer, water pickup or seeder, there will be a slow moving vehicle sign, which is the bright orange triangle. That sign shows that this vehicle/machine will only be going 25 mph or slower. Please be patient and take your t...
Square Foot Gardening Gardening has been a great outdoor activity for many for years, but there is a new trend in gardening that is allowing those with little room to have successful gardens. Many of us love to have fresh produce every summer, but some that live in an apartment or confined spaces might have some difficulties. Square foot Gardening (SFG) is a trend that we are seeing pop up more and more. Square foot gardening is a method of intensive gardening, which is very practical for...
North Dakota State University is offering a series of workshops for gardeners. A team of 12 university experts will present information on timely topics in gardening and landscaping. The Spring Fever Garden Forums will be held on Monday nights in April (April 4, 11, 18 and 25). Sessions run from 6:30 to 8:45 CDT. “Over 1,000 gardeners will participate in this event,” states Tom Kalb, Extension Horticulturist. It is a great opportunity to learn of gardening trends and see the latest research fro...
Williams County Extension Service will be hosting an event titled; Behavioral Health 101 for Your Community. This event will cover topics such as mental illness, substance use and suicide prevention. The mental illness topic will include common psychiatric diagnoses, signs and symptoms, in children, adolescents and adults, including a discussion on autism. The substance use topic will have a discussion about addiction, common substances and effects of use. The suicide prevention topic will...
Tree Pruning With March upon us, we are in the perfect time to prune our trees and shrubs. Late winter to early spring is ideal because the tree is still dormant. Both deciduous and coniferous can be trimmed right now with no damaging results. One reason to do trimming is for safety reasons, physical and driving safety. Removing low hanging branches will help keep pathways clean and removing dead branches can prevent injuries from falling branches. The other reason to remove branches is for...
Private Pesticide License Trainings Those with expiring North Dakota private pesticide applicator license will be receiving a letter from the Extension Office reminding you that you are due to be recertified. During the KUMV Farm and Ranch Show held March 15th and 16th we will be doing pesticides on the FIRST day. In past years this training was always held on the second day, but we will be switching the date this year to the first day, Tuesday March 15th. From 9:30a.m. to 12:30p.m. The...
Private Pesticide License Trainings This week, Feb. 29 through March 4, those with expiring North Dakota private pesticide applicator license will be receiving a letter from the Extension Office reminding you that you are due to be recertified. During the KUMV Farm and Ranch Show held March 15 and 16 we will be doing pesticides on the first day. In past years this training was always held on the second day, but we will be switching the date this year to the first day, Tue., March 15, from 9:30...
Right now on the roads we are seeing dozens of grain trucks hauling to the elevators. Some might think that winter is a vacation for farmers, but that is not the case. Farmers are busy getting ready for the next growing season and still finishing up tasks from the previous. When on the roads, as always, drive cautiously around large vehicles. Grain trucks haul heavy loads and have a hard time stopping suddenly, unlike smaller vehicles. Farmers have to be cautious on the road and also while loadi...
Weak Calves John Dhuyvetter, North Dakota State University Extension Livestock Area Specialist out of North Central Research Extension Center in Minot recently wrote an article about how to prevent weak calves. For some ranchers, calving could start in as little as a few weeks. Dhuyvetter talks about how there are a number of factors that can add to the chances of having weak calves at birth. Calves that can easily become cold at birth, slow to stand and fail to nurse soon after birth can...
NDSU Extension Beef Specialist, Kris Ringwall, recently wrote an article about Maternal Breed Indexes. The article was featured in North Dakota State Universities BeefTalk: Visit Your Breed Association Website for Maternal Breed Indexes. Ringwall states that the hidden treasures for beef producers are the various breed association websites. These websites help ranchers understand the performance of cattle available within each breed. One newer addition to sire (male) summaries is a selection ind...
With 2016 upon us, so are winter educational opportunities. Fri., Jan. 15 there will be a Cow-Calf Management School focusing on forage, grazing and feeding. This will be in Watford City from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. located at the McKenzie County Courthouse. The cost is $20, preregistration is appreciated, please call 444-3451 for more information. The National Hard Spring Wheat Show will be February 2-4, at the Grand Williston Hotel. This event has speakers from Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and...
With the start of a new year, there are many “New Year Resolutions” that some of us may create for ourselves and our families. But what about for our livestock? Carl Dahlen, NDSU Extension Beef Cattle Specialist wrote an article a few years back which will always be an important issue. “The 5 W’s of Managing Feed Delivery” talks about the “Who,” “What,” “Where,” “When,” “Why,” and “How” of feeding situations. https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/cattledocs/ranch-hand-newsletter/the-5-w201...
National Hard Spring Wheat Show The 63rd Annual National Hard Spring Wheat Show is coming up quick. This year we have a great line up of speakers for the Feb. 2-4 dates. On Tuesday, Feb. 2, will be the popular “Bread Fair” for area 5th graders. The “bread fair” allows students to learn about where the bread comes from, and how this region is very important for bread making. With many of the supplies being donated, the students are able to make a loaf of bread for them to take home and bake la...
Joppa Durum In 2015, North Dakota State University decided to release a new durum variety called Joppa Durum that was created in 2013. Williams County had five producers decide to grow this newly released variety, and the results were as good as expected. Joppa durum has been tested at multiple sites across the state, including the Williston Research Extension Center. For their 2015 growing season, on their dry land research fields, the protein was at 16.1%, and the standing height was at 20...
For farmers and ranchers in the state of North Dakota, there are some important deadlines coming up at the end of December. The first deadline is on December 23, this is for all pesticide users in the United States, whether private or commercial. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed regulations on Pesticide certification and training, which could change the way that North Dakota registers and administers the exams. Andrew Thostenson, NDSU Pesticide Program Specialist, created...
9 Cropping Decisions Around this time of year, farmers are finishing up with their current years crop and already thinking about the next year. 2016 is right around the corner, so now is the time to start making some decisions for your farming operation. On Thursday Dec. 10, North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension Service will be putting on a program at the Williston Research Extension Center. This program is called Cropping Decisions for 2016: Putting the Profit Back In Your Crop....
During the winter months, especially in western North Dakota, one of few options ranchers have for feed is grass. During the summer months they wait until the right time, start to middle of July, to cut and bale their hay fields. Feeding this grass hay may raise some questions for ranchers, is this hay healthy enough for my cattle? Raising cattle is a yearlong job, winter time can be tough on the ranchers just as much as it is tough on the cattle. Testing feed for nutritional value may be on...
The state of North Dakota currently has a pipeline restoration and reclamation oversight program in place through the Department of Agriculture. This program was created to connect landowners and tenants experiencing pipeline issues, reclamation and restoration, with an independent ombudsmen. After the ombudsmen has been notified of the issue, they will contact the landowner or tenant to asses and discuss the issue. The ombudsman will then write a report, contact the specific pipeline company...
With harvest being almost complete for most farmers, we are seeing some changes when it comes to the fields. Those that have cattle, are letting their cattle do some fall grazing. This helps remove extra stubble from the fields and lets the pastureland get some rest before the cold winter and snow comes. Driving around the country side at night, you might notice more fires than those from oil flares. We hope that the majority of the time, those would be planned or prescribed fires. Fires can be...
Educational Opportunities There will be a Winter Grazing forum Nov. 4-5 in Streeter, ND. This will be held at the North Dakota State University Central Grasslands Research Extension Center with a hotel available at the Quality Inn in Jamestown. This forum will include topics on; winter grazing of cover crops, soil health, swath and bale grazing, livestock nutrition, case studies, integrated systems, manure distribution and water quality. There will be NDSU staff there to provide information and...
8 SCN Soil Testing Program The NDSU Extension Service and the North Dakota Soybean Council are working together to coordinate a SCN soil testing reimbursement program again in 2015. County Extension agents in most counties of North Dakota have SCN soil testing bags available to producers who want to sample their field for soybean cyst nematode. The best time to sample is right before or after harvest. The North Dakota Soybean Council is funding reimbursement for soil samples in 2015. Growers...
Fall Tree Care With the leaves starting to change colors, which means it will soon be time to start yearly fall clean up, many people will bag or discard the leaves that lay on their lawn. But what does one do to take care of trees. When cleaning up the leaves on your lawn, make sure you remove the leaves that are around the base of the tree to lower the potential of leaf and canker diseases. Preventing those diseases is important to protect the health and to keep the beauty of the tree. A lot...
Fall Weed Control in Lawns Right now is the best time to try to be taking care of the weeds that occur in your yard. Most people believe that spraying in the spring is the best idea so they do not grow all summer, in fact spring and summer are the worst times to spray for weeds. Right now all plants are starting to store sugars in their roots to make it through the long winter, so killing them now before they go dormant is the best option. Next year’s dandelions have already germinated so p...
New Silage Advice Silage corn in western North Dakota is becoming more of a known item to be growing. With our area normally not receiving enough moisture to grow corn without irrigation, the option of field corn for livestock gives ranchers a chance for a different feedstuff. Some producers might be thinking they want to start harvest because the corn is drying up, but not wanting it to get too dry or it will be no good for silage. Creating silage can be a bit of a challenge. If the moisture...
Hardy Plants For North Dakota Chrysanthemum are great fall bloomers that will provide bright colors heading into the cold winter months. Mums are an annual plant that will grow and thrive year after year. Sedum, sometimes known as stonecrop, is one of the most drought tolerant, low-maintenance and hardy plants available for North Dakota. Sedum works well for harsh rocky soils, hence its nickname. Sedums will have year round appeal, with the thick leaves in the spring and summer that provide...
