Field Crop Update, September 22, 2022
Erik Smith, Area Field Crop Specialist/Team Leader
Central New York Dairy and Field Crops
1. Fall Field Prep
a. Cover crops:
Yes, there is still time for cover crop seeding! Attached is a very comprehensive guide to cover crops used in the Northeast, while here is a Cornell factsheet outlining the Nitrogen benefits of winter cover crops, and here is a very useful guide from the Univ of Nebraska for cover cropping after corn and soy crops. If you have more questions about cover cropping, please get in touch with Erik Smith at 315-219-7786 or eas56@cornell.edu.
b. Hay harvest considerations:
We're getting closer to the time when taking your last cutting of alfalfa will cause minimal risk of winter injury. Be sure to leave around 6" of stubble to trap snow and further reduce the risk of winter injury. A good time to take this final cut is after our first killing frost (<29F for at least 4 hrs). Here is a PRO-DAIRY article discussing fall alfalfa harvest.
c. Weather outlook:
Speaking of frost, some of us in the valleys may see some frost Saturday morning - the entire Central NY region is at risk (see map in section 3). If your corn or soybean crop is still a ways from maturity, here is some info outlining options for frost-damaged corn and soy.
2. Reminders from last week:
Reminder 1 - Free soybean cyst nematode screening:
With soybean harvest approaching, please be on the lookout for any parts of the field that look like the picture below. This field turned out to be infested with soybean cyst nematode (SCN), a microscopic soil-borne roundworm that can rob as much as 30% of your yield before plants show any symptoms. In this field, plants dried-down and defoliated prematurely, showing me exactly where to sample. This year we have funding from the NY Corn and Soybean Growers Association to sample up to 75 soybean fields in NY for this pest. Some growers have already heard from me regarding sampling their fields this year, but if you haven't and you would like me to sample one or more of your fields, please contact Erik Smith at 315-219-7786 or eas56@cornell.edu.
Reminder 2 - The effect of rain on corn silage dry-down:
During our recent rainy weather, Cornell's silage trails showed some very interesting data. While a rain event lowered DM% for around a day, dry-down was right back on-schedule very soon after:
The stalks will take up the moisture from a rain event, but that effect is very short-lived. The ears are not taking up moisture in the same way and are continuing to dry down.
Check your silage crops' whole plant dry matter to make sure you're ready to harvest - your crop may be ready before you know it. See our recent emails regarding Corn Plant Dry Down and Kernel Processing. Here's a reminder from Joe Lawrence (PRO-DAIRY):
"The status of the corn crop is highly dependent on where you are in the state this year but in areas with drought stress (but not complete plant death from drought) it will be really important to watch kernel maturity in combination with whole plant dry matter. In these fields the plants look pretty ugly but the kernels continue to attempt to mature. You will see in the attached that the year and health of the plants makes a difference in how much ear DM contributes to whole plant DM vs. stover DM. For this droughty scenario this could look more like the data from 2019 where the plants are not healthy and therefore contribute slightly more to whole plant DM but ear DM is still driving the dry down process and patience is needed to allow this to happen. Read the full article here.
To assess the effectiveness of this year's nutrient plan, see this factsheet and this factsheet on the Corn Stalk Nitrate Test.
3. Growing Degree Days as of 21 Sept: See: Climate Smart Farming Growing Degree Day Calculator
Growing degree days (GDD) are calculated by taking the average daily temperature and subtracting the base temperature for development of a given organism ((High + Low)/2 - base temp = GDD). For corn silage, we are using base 50/86, as corn development starts at 50 degrees F and ceases above 86. Check your location, planting date, and silking date. Silage corn needs 750-800 GDD (depending on hybrid maturity) after silking to reach a whole plant DM of 32%. Under typical late season dry down conditions we can expect the crop to reach 35% DM four to seven days later (Remember that we can expect to accumulate 20-25 GDD per day, or even up to 30, so this is not a large window). For more details, see this article. No matter what the numbers say, always check your crop to see how close you may be to harvest:
Blue: Time to make plans (35% DM anywhere between 5 - 11 days from now, depending on maturity)
Green: Gas up the harvester and the trucks (35% DM in 2 - 8 days, depending on maturity)
Yellow: See you in the field (35% now or in a few days)
Red: It's either already in the bunk or it's going in the bin or for high-moisture corn (DM likely > 35-40%)
Field Crop Update, September 22, 2022 (pdf; 1837KB)
Upcoming Events
Farm to School Summit
November 20 - November 22, 2024 : Farm to School Summit
Syracuse, NY
Please join us at the inaugural NY Farm to School Summit, on November 20-22, 2024, at the Syracuse Oncenter.
Labor Roadshow VIII
December 11, 2024
December 13, 2024
December 17 - December 18, 2024 : Labor Roadshow VIII
Two in-person locations to choose from, along with a virtual option. Join them in navigating agricultural labor issues, connecting on common challenges, and exploring possible solutions.
2025 Dairy Day
January 7, 2025 : Dairy Day - Hamilton
Hamilton, NY
SAVE THE DATE! New Location!
January 8, 2025 : Dairy Day - Ballston Spa
Ballston Spa, NY
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Announcements
Sign Up for Our Weekly E-Newsletter
We send out a bi-weekly e-newsletter that has announcements, upcoming programs, and opportunities for you! Registration is quick, easy, and free. Click here to sign up today!Document and Share Storm Damage
Mother nature has really been difficult over the last few days. Significant damage has been seen throughout NYS. Please let us know what types of damage your farm may have sustained during this time. This could be in the form of property damage, lost power, milk dump due to lost power, loss of livestock, loss of stored feed or growing crops.Farms are encouraged to DOCUMENT AND SHARE any impacts the weather may have had on their home or business. This could include structure damage, crop loss, inventory loss due to power outages, damage to equipment or fencing, and more.
If your farm experienced any sort of damage, please reach out to any of the folks listed below (or all of them). The more impact information that is collected, the greater the likelihood of a disaster declaration which can bring vital emergency support and awareness. The CNYDLFC Team will continue to collect detail and submit to NYSDAM and the EDEN network.
Reporting Weather Related Impacts (For your home or farm business)
- First, ensure that all the people and animals on your farm are safe, and that there aren't any unsafe working conditions created because of the weather (check your structures!). If there's an emergency, call 911 - don't try to manage it all on your own.
- Second, document all negative weather impacts for your farm and their estimated financial cost. Take photos, make estimates, and put it all in a safe place.
- Reach out to your insurance providers - farm, vehicle, crop, etc. to initiate the claim process as needed.
- Then, share your farm's damage with any (or all) of the ag support agencies listed below. We all work together to collect storm damage information and funnel it up to Ag and Markets which can initiate a natural disaster declaration.
- Chenango: 607-334-5841
- Fulton/Montgomery: 518-853-2135
- Herkimer: 315-866-7920
- Madison: 315-684-3001
- Otsego: 607-547-2536
- Schoharie: 518-234-4303
- Saratoga: 518-885-8995
- Erik Smith: 315-219-7786
- Daniela Gonzalez: 315-749-3486
- Ashley McFarland- 315-604-2156
Your county USDA/FSA service center.
- Chenango: 607-334-3231
- Fulton/Montgomery: 518-853-4015
- Herkimer: 315-866-2520
- Madison:315-824-9076
- Otsego: 607-547-8131
- Schoharie: 518-295-8600
- Saratoga: 518-692-9940
Your county farm bureau manager
- Region 3: Bailey Coon: 518-937-0566
- Region 5: John Wagner: 315-761-9770
- Region 6: Natally Batiston: 518-937-0269
- Region 7: Todd Heyn: 518-431-9338
Please let us know how we can help you.
Cash Rent and Custom Harvest Survey
To date, there is limited information available about rental rates and fees for crop harvesting. Farms can use this valuable information for their farm business planning to help improve decision making and profitability.Farmers Can Join MeatSuite For Free!
MeatSuite.com is a free resource provided by Cornell University where NY meat farmers can create a farm profile and list their bulk (wholes, halves, quarters) and bundled (i.e. Grilling Bundle) meat products.Why should farmers join?
1. It's free and easy!
2. Connect with more local customers. In the past year the MeatSuite.com farm directory had 8,300 visits from New York consumers. Farm profiles get as many as 25 views per month from potential local customers. We also spotlight MeatSuite farms on social media and bring attention and purchases to farms through highlights and giveaways.
How do I join?
Farmers can visit https://www.meatsuite.com/farmers/ to create a free farm profile. You must list at least one product for your farm's profile to go live. You'll also have access to Cornell's free Meat Price Calculator, a helpful tool for pricing your meat to make a profit.
While you're on MeatSuite, check out the "Creating Consumer-Friendly Bulk Meats" publication on the log-in page. It has tips on how to create bulk meat products that are easier for first-time buyers to say "yes" to.
If you have any questions as you create your farm profile or products, we're here to help! Please email Matt LeRoux at mnl28@cornell.edu.