2013
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Black Walnut Trees
June 18, 2013
- Black walnut trees have been a part of our natural landscapes forever. This native tree grows along streams in moist, rich soils, and sunny locations. They do not tolerate dry sites, often dropping leaves at the first sign of drought. They have a nice canopy, potentially reaching 100’ in height. They provide light shade and yellow fall color. These trees are very valuable, not only for the lumber it provides – often coveted by woodworkers – but also for the necessary food source it provides for our wildlife. There are problems that threaten our native black walnut. A disease - thousand canker disease – has been introduced to Pennsylvania in Bucks County (southeast PA, near Philadelphia). As a result, a quarantine was directed that no firewood, lumber, nursery stock, or scions can be transported outside county lines. This has been a disease thought to be limited to the western part of the country, but is now here as well. “The disease poses a significant threat to the state's $25 billion hardwoods industry. Black walnut trees, which make up less than half of one percent of hardwood trees in Pennsylvania, produce high-valued lumber used in woodworking and furniture-making. The nuts of the trees are consumed by humans and wildlife.” http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/ Symptoms of this disease include yellowing leaves, reduced leaf cover, and flagging of branches and eventually death.
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Brand May Unstick 'Stranded' Milk Premium
June 18, 2013
- HARRISBURG, Pa. — At one Pennsylvania grocery store chain, customers will know their neighbors supplied the store brand of milk.
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Be on the Lookout for These Garden Pests
June 13, 2013
- Recently I’ve been seeing samples or getting phone calls about some garden pests that are showing up not just in Cumberland County but across the state. The humid and rainy weather, combined with the moderate temperatures of the past few weeks, seems to exacerbate the appearance of garden pests – disease, insect, or weed. Caveat hortus – gardener, beware!
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Choosing the Best Trees for Your Landscape
June 10, 2013
- Well-chosen shade and small flowering trees can greatly enhance the appearance of your home and property. Trees provide shade to cool the environment and screening for privacy. Their beauty can frame the home setting or a view and offer accent points with flowers or seasonal color. Trees are a long-term landscape investment, so it pays to prepare carefully and purchase the best tree every time.
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Try a Summer Cover Crop this Year
June 10, 2013
- Summer covers can add organic matter and nitrogen to soil, provide food for beneficial soil organisms, and help reduce weeds in subsequent cash crops. Keep the soil covered!
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Family Cow to resume production, sale of raw milk
June 10, 2013
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Food Safety at Farm and Farmers Markets
June 7, 2013
- As a Pennsylvania grower of fresh vegetables and fruits, you have worked hard to learn about and adopt GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) on your farm and in your packing house. Now that we are moving into peak marketing season, remember those farm food safety concepts when selling your produce at farm and farmers markets. Food safety practices that extend from farm to fork can help prevent foodborne illness outbreaks.
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Free Pa. Soybean Field Workshops to be Held at Ten Locations
June 6, 2013
- HARRISBURG, PA (June 4, 2013) –This spring and summer, soybean farmers from throughout Pennsylvania will open their farms to share best practices with other growers in Soybean Field Workshops, conducted by Penn State Extension educators and sponsored by the Pennsylvania Soybean Board. The workshops, which are offered FREE to current and potential soybean growers, will be held at ten locations throughout the state.
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Penn State Extension Dairy Team Schedules “Tools for Teams” Webinars
June 5, 2013
- UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – Penn State’s Extension Dairy Team has scheduled five “Tools for Teams” webinars designed for members of dairy advisory teams to provide in-depth information on using whole farm and management tools to achieve maximum profitability.
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PSU Dairy Herd IOFC - April 2013
June 5, 2013
- I am waiting for spring to arrive in Happy Valley. April has been a very cool month and from the cow’s perspective probably very refreshing. We finally transitioned from the bag corn silage to the bunk. Both the bunk and total mixed ration (TMR) were sent out for analyses. We had an in-service training scheduled for our Extension Dairy Team and Travis Edwards (assistant manager) and I were conducting a workshop on how to visually appraise forages and interpret analyses reports. So the timing was perfect to send samples out to check the corn silage and TMR, both for the herd and for the educational opportunity.
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Storage Tips to Ensure Safe Raw Milk
June 3, 2013
- Pennsylvania is one of several states allowing the sale of raw milk for human consumption. Raw milk is simply milk that has not yet been pasteurized.
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INSECTS OF INTEREST: PERIODICAL CICADAS
May 31, 2013
- There has been a great deal of media attention this year on the mass emergence of Brood II of the 17-year cicadas, an insect phenomenon of eastern North America.
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Strawberries: Here's where to pick-your-own in the Harrisburg region
May 31, 2013
- Be patient, strawberry lovers. Local berries - always one of the first signs of summer - are just showing up at some farmers' market stands. They are a little late this year. But the wait promises to be worth it.
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A New Blight on Boxwood
May 31, 2013
- Boxwood (Buxus species and cultivars) has a long history of use in American gardens, dating back to Colonial times. Think of Williamsburg, and boxwood comes to mind. For hedging and topiary, it is a plant without parallel.
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Pa. Ag Department: Raw milk from Chambersburg farm sickens five people
May 30, 2013
- CHAMBERSBURG -- The Pennsylvania Department of Health has confirmed five cases of confirmed Campylobacter infection in people who consumed milk from The Family Cow, 3854 Olde Scotland Road, Chambersburg. The state departments of Agriculture and Health on Wednesday advised consumers to discard raw milk produced by the farm because of potential bacterial contamination.
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Impact of Japanese Knotweed on Our Forests
May 28, 2013
- Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant that is causing increased concern in Pennsylvania.
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Boxwood Blight found in Cumberland County
May 24, 2013
- Boxwood blight was recently detected in a landscape in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Boxwood blight was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2011 in Lancaster County.
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4-H Activity Days Offer Summer Fun and Learning
May 22, 2013
- Cumberland County 4-H is preparing for its 4-H Activity Days, scheduled for July 12 and August 2. The Activity Days will be held in Carlisle and Newville area, concentrating on project exploration. Activity Day I will offer youth the opportunity to complete a project in all of the following tracts: iris paper folding, strawberry jam making, and electricity projects. Activity Day II will offer activities in painting, fun with Frisbees, and woodworking. Participants must be between 8-12 years old and register prior to June 28 for Activity Day I and July 19 for Activity Day II.
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4-H Camp Turns Agricultural Science into Hands-on Fun
May 22, 2013
- Cumberland County 4-H is gearing up for its annual 4-H Ag Science Day Camp, scheduled for June 25 and 26. The camp is held at local working farms and offers children hands-on activities to discover cows, crops, and more. The camp starts at Strock’s Farm in Mechanicsburg where campers harvest and thresh wheat, make ice cream, test soil, and discover seeds. The second day begins at Monroe Elementary School in Boiling Springs, where campers make loaves of bread, explore honeybees, and turn berries into jam. Campers also visit Brymesser’s Dairy Farm to learn about cows and milk products, make butter, and watch a modern milking operation.
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Butterfly Container Workshop June 15
May 15, 2013
- National Pollinator Week is June 17 to 23, 2013. To mark the occasion, join Penn State Master Gardeners in Cumberland County for a Butterfly Container Workshop on Saturday, June 15, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Cumberland County Extension office, 310 Allen Road, Carlisle.
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Garden Questions? Penn State Master Gardeners have Answers
May 14, 2013
- Do you have questions about your garden or landscape? Are you trying to select the right plant for the right place or get rid of those weeds growing in the wrong place? Do you have a mystery plant you can’t identify? The Penn State Master Gardeners in Cumberland County can help you find answers to your home gardening questions at four Plant Clinic locations during the 2013 growing season.
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Uninvited Guests: Spring Insect Pests
May 13, 2013
- The days are getting longer, temperatures warmer and everything is starting to bloom. Insects and many other creatures are also appearing more frequently as the temperature rises. Often these creatures don’t bother us, but sometimes they can become pests. Use IPM to keep pest problems from getting out of control. Below are some general tips for preventing pests and a few helpful hints to manage some common pests this time of year.
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Get Cookin'
May 9, 2013
- Tired of eating or making the same old thing for dinner? Try something different!
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Arboretum Tour at Penn State Mont Alto
May 7, 2013
- On Saturday, May 18, 2013, the public is invited to attend a tour of the Arboretum at Penn State Mont Alto. Penn State Mont Alto Forestry Instructors, Dr. Beth Brantley, Craig Houghton and Dr. Peter Linehan will be conducting tours of the campus and the arboretum. They will also be presenting information on the history of the arboretum and forestry education in Pennsylvania.
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The Key to Lawn Mower Safety is You !
May 7, 2013
- Even though we are well into the lawn mowing season it is worthwhile to review the hazards associated lawn mowers and their safe operation. Each year thousands of injuries are caused by power lawn mowers. Many of these accidents involve children under the age of five years old, and usually result in grotesque injury and/or the loss of fingers, toes, limbs, or eyes.
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Starting Early on IPM for the Season
April 30, 2013
- Late winter and the promise of spring brings with it the beginning of new growth. That includes bugs and rodents on the farm. Depending on how well you ventilated during the winter, conditions could be right for a bug bloom of epic proportions that may not be seen until you pull manure or litter out of your housing. The method of integrated pest management or IPM can help reduce the impact of the first few weeks of spring and certainly prior to manure movement from the farm.
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Cut Hay Early to Improve Quality
April 30, 2013
- This certainly isn’t news to many of you but all too often I see farmers starting to cut grass hay around Memorial Day.
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Plant a Mother’s Day Container with Penn State Master Gardeners
April 24, 2013
- Penn State Master Gardeners in Cumberland County are hosting a workshop for youth on Saturday, May 4, 2013, between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon at the Penn State Extension office, 310 Allen Road, Carlisle. At this workshop, youth can make and take home a colorful container of flowers and herbs for Mom on Mother’s Day, which is Sunday, May 12. The Master Gardeners will also help youngsters leaf-print a card to add a special message to Mom and make a decoration to brighten the container.
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Save the Date for Plant Fest May 18
April 24, 2013
- Save the date of Saturday, May 18, 2013, for great plants at the Penn State Extension Cumberland County Master Gardeners’ ninth annual Plant Fest. The plant sale runs from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., rain or shine, on the grounds of Claremont Nursing & Rehab Center, 1000 Claremont Road, Carlisle, PA. Look for the big tents at the corner of Claremont Road and Army Heritage Drive.
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PA-WAgN Launches Specialty Mentor Program
April 18, 2013
- The Pennsylvania Women’s Agricultural Network (PA-WAgN) is launching a women farmer mentoring program to connect established farmers with new and beginning farmers, aspiring farmers, and seasoned farmers. The mentor program will encourage women farmers to support each other through shared learning and exchange of experiences in workshops and online forums focused on five topic areas: fruit and vegetable cultivation, dairy and cheese production, urban agriculture and nutrition, on-farm education and value-added products, and livestock production.
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Are You Ready for the FDA to Visit Your Farm?
April 17, 2013
- Most farmers would probably say no to that question, let alone become excited or optimistic about such a prospect. In fact, the thought of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration paying a visit leaves a lot of farmers with a dreadful sensation in their gut.
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Native Plants Program
April 16, 2013
- On Saturday, April 20th, at 1:00 pm, the Cumberland Woodland Owners’ Association is sponsoring a “Native Plants” program at Spring Haven Nurseries in Newburg. Spring Haven Nurseries specializes in native woodland plants and shade perennials grown either in propagation beds or in the gardens located there.
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Spring: A Key Time for Plant Diseases and Disease Control
April 15, 2013
- Spring is a key time for disease control. This is especially true for many leaf, needle, and flower diseases, regardless of the type of plant involved.
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Dining with Diabetes Afternoon Classes Start Soon
April 3, 2013
- Penn State Extension is offering its interactive, informative, and low-cost series of classes on diabetes, beginning in late April. “Dining with Diabetes: A Program for Adults with Diabetes and their Families,” is designed to teach those with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes how to manage their condition. The set of 6 classes are offered in a social and interactive setting. A new attraction of the classes is that the series is offered without charge for Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries. For others, the total cost for the first 6 classes is $40 for an individual or $55 for a family of two. The fee includes all educational materials, lab tests and foods served, with scholarships available, based on financial need.
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Pennsylvania’s 2013 Machinery Custom Rates
April 2, 2013
- This year’s machinery custom rates are now available online. Of the 82 rates reported with year-to-year comparisons, 65 increased, 12 decreased, and 5 are virtually unchanged from last year. Overall, custom rates were up 4.45 percent compared to the previous year. Because of the potential variation in size and overall productivity of equipment, a range of reported rates for each job has been included. The range represents the middle 80 percent of all reported rates for each job, thus the lowest 10 percent and the highest 10 percent of all reported values were not published.
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Maintain the Best Soil for Your Crops by Avoiding Compaction
April 2, 2013
- It is that time of year again when homeowners and farmers are getting ready to plant their gardens or numerous acres of crop land. Even though planting is still a couple of weeks away, it is important to keep in mind that what you do to the soil now could affect your entire growing season. This is why it is important to maintain your soil’s fertility, which is its health or quality.
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The Easter Lily
March 28, 2013
- The pure white flared trumpets of Easter lily flowers are a time‐honored symbol of the hope, purity and innocence embodied in the Easter tradition. Lilies grow each year from scaly bulbs deep in the earth, a resurrection if you will, to form majestic plants with sturdy dense green foliage and radiant white flowers touched with sweet fragrance.
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Cover Crop Field Walks Planned Across PA.
March 26, 2013
- Make plans now to come out to one of Penn State Extension’s ten cover crop field walks. Penn State’s Crop Management Team has established cover crop trials on dairy farms across Pennsylvania since 2009. At these walks, we will review results from the first two years, and you will have the opportunity to observe the performance of various cover crop mixtures, and interact with peers and specialists. Mixtures of several different cover crops will be highlighted.
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Speak up!
March 19, 2013
- Whoever said ‘silence is golden’ was not working on a committee or serving on a board. Silence isn’t golden when a community group is at work. In fact it can be toxic.
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Farmer Partners with Butcher to Cut Costs
March 12, 2013
- New partnership enables farmer to cut processing costs in half.
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Food and Wellness Volunteer Program Thrives
March 11, 2013
- Penn State Extension ‘s Certified Food and Wellness Volunteer Training Program is in its second year. It’s a great opportunity to learn and grow, while giving back to the community. We are looking for people with some knowledge and interest in foods, nutrition and food safety who want to become more involved with community wellness. This is an exciting opportunity to join the growing program, which began in early 2012! Graduates have been active presenting to library groups, the PA Farm Show, schools and Kitchen Garden Day.
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Solomon’s Seal – 2013 Perennial Plant of the Year
March 7, 2013
- One of the pleasures of early spring, for a gardener weary of winter, is watching herbaceous perennials emerge from the bare ground, with lengthening stems and unfurling leaves often changing color as they develop into the full-grown plants that will add color, form, and texture to the garden during the growing season.
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Eat Right
March 7, 2013
- Food, Nutrition and Health Tips from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
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Looking Ahead to Spring Pasture Management
March 6, 2013
- Here are some practical tips when looking to manage pastures this spring.
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Moss is Greening up in Pennsylvania Lawns
March 5, 2013
- Moss is one of the first plants to green-up in Pennsylvania lawns during early spring, and many homeowners consider it an annoying weed. This year, moss has made an early arrival, and homeowners are looking for answers on how to keep it from taking over their lawns.
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Farmers Making Their Plans for Spring
February 26, 2013
- Before farmers start their spring planting in March, they complete their winter planning in February. There is plenty to do on a farm — even when the ground is covered in snow. Pennsylvania was home to 62,100 farms in 2012, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Pond & Lake Management Workshop - Lancaster
February 25, 2013
- This meeting will help you prepare for the upcoming pond season. It will help you manage a pond used for recreation, irrigation or a livestock water supply. Get an overview of what happens in your pond, then look beneath the surface of the pond to gain an understanding of your pond’s life cycle. And finally, consider a few basics of the pond structure itself, such as determining the size and condition of the pond. We want you to be able to develop an effective management strategy for your pond. We will explain how to identify weed, discuss weed management options, as well as a provide information about fish and wildlife management.
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A Conflict a Day
February 25, 2013
- It won’t keep the doctor away, but you’re almost guaranteed to get a daily dose of conflict if you’re involved in a community organization. How you handle that conflict can make a difference in your organization’s health. And an apple a day probably wouldn’t hurt, either.
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Heralds of Spring: Early Flowering Bulbs
February 21, 2013
- To remind us that spring will return, snowdrops poke their heads out of the ground, sometimes as early as Groundhog Day; but they are prettier than groundhogs, smell nicer, and stick around longer, even under a blanket of snow.
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Research Continues on Cover Crop Interseeder
February 21, 2013
- EPHRATA, Pa. -- In many parts of Pennsylvania, getting a cover crop seeded after corn or soybeans can be difficult, especially if it gets cold too soon. And while a cover crop interseeder may provide a way to get seed in when a crop is standing, it's not a perfect solution. Greg Roth, professor of agronomy at Penn State, talked about cover crop interseeders Monday during a webinar on cover crop management.
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Winter Educational Meetings for Fruit Growers
February 13, 2013
- Penn State Extension has nine educational meetings planned this winter for tree fruit growers throughout Pennsylvania. The meetings are designed to address current challenges with the latest research based information.
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A New Challenge for Growing Flowers in the Shade
February 13, 2013
- Last season, we at Penn State Extension started getting calls about Impatiens losing their leaves and collapsing long before frost. The best calls were requests for bunny rabbit control as gardeners thought that rabbits had eaten all of their Impatiens’ leaves. It turns out that we have a new disease, Impatiens Downy mildew, that specifically hits what most of us know as the “Common Garden Impatien.”
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StrongWomen Strength Training Program Offered!
February 7, 2013
- Penn State Extension will be offering Strong Women in several locations this winter and spring. This strength training program is geared for middle-aged to older women and men and is based upon years of research on how strength training and proper nutrition improve the health of all ages. The program was developed to help women and men increase their strength, bone density, balance and energy and help them look and feel better. Participants meet two times a week for one hour sessions and there is a fee to participate in this program. Participants may want to provide their own hand weights and ankle weights.
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All-Day Blueberry School in Gettysburg, PA February 27, 2013
February 4, 2013
- Registration is now open for an upcoming All-Day Blueberry School. This school will cover blueberry production from A to Z in one intensive day. Topics to be covered include basics on blueberry plant requirements and establishment; irrigation; fertility; varieties; disease, insect, and weed management; bird control; economics; and marketing pointers.
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Attention Dairymen!
January 29, 2013
- We are now in the heart of the winter season and while many in the farming community are looking forward to springtime and the warmer weather, we must ask ourselves “are we fully prepared for what lies ahead of us in 2013?”
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Restoration of High Grade Forests.
January 28, 2013
- Unsuspecting woodland owners selling timber often fall victim to the practice of "high-grading" or cutting the best trees and leaving the rest. Where this practice has occurred, there generally has been a decline on long term forest health and productivity. How can woodlands impacted by this practice be restored? On Thursday, February 14th at the Cumberland Woodland Owners’ Association meeting, Dr. James Finley, Penn State Professor of Forest Resources, will speak on the “Restoration of High Grade Forests in Pennsylvania.”
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Challenges and Opportunities for Obtaining Capital
January 24, 2013
- A workshop for young, new and minority farmers to gain insight into ag loans and business management. Guest speaker is Clark Seavert, Oregon State University Agricultural Economics Professor.
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Don't Trash the Farm Show Butter Sculpture!
January 22, 2013
- What do you do with a 1,000 pounds of excess butter? The dairy masterpiece will be smushed into manure & other organic waste.
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Extension Programming at the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention
January 22, 2013
- The Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Convention, held January 29 to 31 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, has become the premier grower meeting in the Northeast combining three days of six or more concurrent educational sessions with a large industry trade show and numerous networking opportunities - all designed to enable fruit, vegetable and berry growers as well as direct marketers to stay on the cutting edge of their industries. About 2,200 persons from throughout the mid-Atlantic region and beyond gather each year at Hershey for the Convention. Registration is open to all interested commercial fruit, vegetable and berry growers, direct marketers and allied industry personnel.
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2013-2014 Agronomy Guide Now Available
January 22, 2013
- The Penn State Agronomy Guide is designed for easy reading and quick reference.
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Pennsylvania Farm Safety & Health Quiz Bowl State Finals Results
January 14, 2013
- Teens and safety rarely go hand in hand, but a group of Pennsylvania’s youth is proving that safety is an important part of rural work and life. Eight teams of FFA and 4-H students from throughout the commonwealth displayed a wealth of knowledge during the Pennsylvania State University Farm Safety and Health Quiz Bowl, held at the 2013 PA Farm Show on Wednesday, January 9.
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Attention Agricultural Producers!
January 14, 2013
- Is it possible for you to interact with Penn State Extension Specialists and Industry Representatives all in the same place for only a $10 registration fee? Well, the answer is “yes”! Franklin County is one of 11 sites across the state that is holding a Penn State Extension “Crops and Pesticides: One-Day Seminar”. This seminar will be held on January 31st and it is open to everyone- you do not have to farm in Franklin County in order to attend.
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2013 Winter Turf & Ornamentals School
January 14, 2013
- Short on pesticide recertification credits? No snow to plow? Why not attend the Penn State Extension Winter Turf & Ornamentals School at the Grantville Holiday Inn on Monday, January 28, 2013. This all day program covers a wide variety of ornamental plant and turfgrass issues. Eight out of the ten sessions qualify for pesticide recertification credits. Registration fee includes lunch. For more information, contact Tim Abbey at 717.840.7408 or tma13@psu.edu.
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Mifflinburg FFA and Cumberland County 4-H Top Farm Safety Quiz Bowl
January 10, 2013
- Harrisburg – Mifflinburg FFA and Cumberland County Team A won their respective brackets at the Farm Safety Quiz Bowl on Wednesday, Jan. 9, at the 2013 Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg.
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Southampton teen's Angus named champion at farm show
January 9, 2013
- This is her 4th Farm Show steer!
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Winter Manure Application Considerations
January 9, 2013
- Winter manure application is probably the most sensitive nutrient management issue that farmers face.
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97th Annual Farm Show Begins Saturday
January 2, 2013
- Theme for the 2013 show is 'Made in Pa.; It makes a difference'
