Sorted by date Results 76 - 88 of 88
White Butterflies I have been receiving a lot of phone calls the last two weeks about these white butterflies that are flying around everywhere. Whether you live in a rural setting or in town, you have noticed an increase of butterflies. You see them a lot of times in ditches, canola, alfalfa and flowered areas, many are wondering if they are a pest and how to kill them. These butterflies belong to the insect family Pieridae and to the group called Sulphurs and whites, which are either white or...
Is it no longer considered livestock waste? A recent article in AGWEEK talks about the use of animal manure instead of or along with commercial fertilizers. With harvest in full swing in the area, this is something that many farmers are considering. North Dakota, along with surrounding states, used to use manure extensively as a crop fertilizers. With the change in technology, chemical fertilizers became the new go to when it came to adding nutrients to your fields, especially since it is...
This time of year, the beginning of August, can be the start to some of the hottest weather of the summer. Making sure you are well hydrated is important to keep healthy, that is the same mindset we should have when it comes to cattle. Heat stress has the greatest impact in North Dakota when the cattle are exposed to elevated temperature and humidity for a period of time. With the nights dropping down to the 60s, that will give cattle the chance to cool off and to prepare for the next day....
Using Glyphosate in small grains With the growing season starting a little earlier this year, which means harvest is right around the corner. Many of the small grain crops are quickly approaching maturity. Using glyphosate as a pre-harvest grain is a possibility, and the instructions will be listed below. Glyphosate may be used to control both green weeds and to speed up uniform ripening of the crop. It has been proven that glyphosate will reduce the time needed for a crop to reach harvest...
The Elm tree is North Dakotas state tree, but lately we have noticed some of them disappearing. With the worry and finding of Dutch Elm Disease (DED) in North Dakota, there has been research done to create a resistant variety. There are no trees that are immune to DED but six varieties that are shown to be able to withstand a present of DED. The state of North Dakota, along with the surrounding states, have trained arborists on how to identify infected trees quickly and what to do to properly...
Throughout the summer months, we are always seeing insects. Two insects to be on the lookout for when growing wheat in North Dakota are the Armyworms and Wheat Midge. Armyworms are starting to become a concern for the eastern part of North Dakota. When the armyworms are moths, they can invade a new area and their infestations can be sporadic. In fields where armyworms are present, there will be a low number of insects found. The damages are defoliated leaves which are generally only reported...
When Visiting A Farm With it being the middle of July, most of us spend a great amount of time outdoors. We may explore parks, hiking trails or even farms. When you visit a farm, or anywhere dealing with livestock and machinery, there are some safety factors that will need to be considered. Those of us who spend time working with agriculture know of some of the factors to be aware of, but that doesn’t mean that we still are not careful. One of the first things that pops into my mind is proper c...
Sclerotinia Risk Once Canola is in bloom, it becomes susceptible to diseases. One disease that is one to watch out for is Sclerotinia, which is caused by Sclerotinia ascospores which can be found on the canola petals. Once this disease is found on the petals, it will quickly spread to the healthy green tissue and eventually will cause large yield-robbing lesions on the stems and branches. But this disease only occurs when conditions are favorable, which is adequate rainfall before flowering and...
Fair Season Every summer North Dakota counties have a county fairs. One thing that you see at the majority of fairs is kids with their projects or livestock. An interest in Agriculture can start at a young age for some, whether they grow up on a farm or ranch or learn about it in a class. June 24th-28th is the Williams County fair, this is the time for the kids to shine. At the Williams County fair we have static exhibits, which will include sewing, baking, welding, horticulture, crop...
North Dakota soil was one of the main reasons early settlers were so attracted to this area. Keeping the nutrient levels in your garden at a proper rate can sometimes be a struggle. There is one simple way that this can be done, composting. Most people when they hear the words compost pile, think of the smell that sometimes can come with it. But if the pile is taken care of properly, smell should not be an issue. Composting is the gradual decomposition of organic matter such as, coffee grounds,...
Fertilizing your lawn With all of the rain and moisture the last week in Williams County, right now is a wonderful time to be fertilizing your lawn. This rain will be pushing your lawn to grow, along with all other plants. With this rapid growth that will be occurring, the grass can become stressed if it does not have the proper amount of nutrients. With the hot summer days right around the corner, we want our grass to be healthy and prepared. With fertilizer and moisture, that also means more...
Williston N.D.- On Tuesday June 2nd from 9a.m.-3p.m. CT there will be a Land Reclamation meeting held at the North Dakota State University Extension Research Center. This meeting is being held for farmers, ranchers and landowners who have questions or concerns about land development in Western North Dakota. There will be presenters from North Dakota State University with a chance to talk with local Soil Conservation and NRCS offices. The address for the meeting: Williston Research Extension...
With the weather becoming nicer, homeowners are starting to work on their lawns and flower beds. With that being said, white grubs are starting to feed on the roots of your lawn as well. Detecting the presence of these insects might not happen until July when you see dead patches of lawn, which is easily pulled out of the ground. According to NDSU Extension Entomologist Janet Knodel, the action threshold is three to four larvae per square foot in lawns. To detect the amount of white grubs found,...
