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Around the County

Frequent information updates for agricultural audiences

April 21, 2008

2008 Field Crop Scouting Workshop Series

Date

Host

Educator

SW

NM

IPM

CM

May 14

Blair Hoerbert

2506 100th Ave.

San Jose, IL 62682

(309)247-3547

Matt Montgomery

County Ext. Dir,

Mason Co.

0

.5

.5

1

May 28

John Adams

1659 2500th St.

Atlanta, IL 61723

(217)648-2338

Bill Dickerson

District Conservationist

Natural Resources

1

.5

.5

0

June 11

Richard Martin

542 1800th St.

Lincoln, IL 62656

(217)732-3349

John Fulton

County Extension Director,

Logan County

0

.5

1

.5

June 25

AgLand FS

153 St. Rte. 10

New Holland, IL 62671

(217) 445-2222

Matt Montgomery

County Extension Director, Mason

County

0

1

.5

.5

July 9

Broadwell Farm Center

204 Jacobs St.

Broadwell, IL 62634

(217)732-7895

George Czapar

IPM Educator,

U of I Extension

1

0

1

1

July 23

AgLand FS – Mt. Pulaski

1758 St. Rte. 54

Mt. Pulaski, IL 62548

(217)792-5027

John Fulton

County Extension

Director,

Logan County

0

.5

.5

1

The Field Crop Scouting Workshop series offers a combination of hands-on and classroom experience in integrated pest management and crop growth and development. CCA continuing education credits have been applied for at all sessions.

Session will be from 9-11 am each time at the listed cooperators farm, except the July 9 should include some additional time for a pond inspection. If you would like to be on the email reminder list for sessions, please send an email to fultonj@uiuc.edu . Of course, if you received this by email, you're on the list!

Please try to bring a lawn chair for the classroom portion of the sessions.

Posted by John Fulton at 2:40 PM | Permalink |

April 17, 2008

Soil Temperatures

With the kind of spring we have had, many are concerned about the soil temperatures. As we head for planting, are soils warm enough? The April 16 10 am bare soil four inch soil temp was between 46 and 48 degrees throughout Logan County. While still on the cool side, it has been increasing about two degree per day for the last three days.

Continued upward trend is expected at this time of year. And, as we head into next week, we have to start paying attention to the calendar as much as the soil temperatures. At greatest risk are early planted soybean acres. Several producers have begun early planting as a way to try and increase soybean yields. With the rather poor germination of many group 3 soybeans this year, it would probably be wise to delay soybean planting until more traditional planting dates in May.

Posted by John Fulton at 11:24 AM | Permalink |

April 8, 2008

Costs of Operation with higher diesel fuel

We are still operating off of cost of operation sheets from 2006, but what are the ramifications of $3.50 diesel fuel? The 2006 set of rates used a fuel cost of $2.50 per gallon, and now we are in that $3.50 ballpark.

Tillage rates such as a chisel plow we would add $1.33 per acre for the extra fuel cost. Other increases would include $2.36 per acre for moldboard plow, $1.64 per acre for a disk/chisel, and $.73 for a tandem disk. Annhydrous ammonia application would have a $.61 per acre increase. This works out to about a 35% increase in the breakout category for fuel and lube for all the rates.

The original rates at $2.50 diesel fuel are copied here http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/logan/agnews/i2966_601.html#4

The 2008 custom rate survey from Iowa is located here http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/FM1698.pdf

Remember that Iowa used an actual charged rate survey, while Illinois has traditionally calculated the cost of the operation for the machinery owner.

Posted by John Fulton at 8:01 AM | Permalink |