Articles
The Cutting Edge Podcast Episode #44: Mulberries Part II, Very Mulberry and Habitera Farms with Anil and Smita
A conversation with Anil and Smita, co-founders of the Very Mulberry brand and Habitera Farms, an 80-acre commercial mulberry farm in the Bay Area of California. Habitera Farms is the only large-scale commercial mulberry farm in the United States today. It opened for business this spring and operates primarily as a U-Pick farm. Resources Very […]
The Cutting Edge Podcast Episode #43: Mulberries Part I, Current Research and Historical Context
A conversation with Eliza Greenman, fruit explorer and Germplasm Specialist at the Savanna Institute, and Scott Brainard, Tree Crop Breeder at the Savanna Institute and post-doc at UW-Madison, about the history of mulberries and current research to develop improved varieties for agroforestry systems. Resources Savanna Institute Hog Tree Farm
Drought resources for livestock producers
While some parts of the state have recently received some much-needed rain, forage yield has already been reduced and we don’t know what the rest of the growing season will bring. If you have not begun putting some mitigation plans and practices in place, now is the time to do so. Some of the tasks to be done include:
Should I apply fungicide during a drought?
Foliar diseases will be less common in a dry year. Do not apply fungicides to maintain plant health in absence of diseases. Prophylactic applications of pesticides increase the odds of developing resistance to the product applied. If conditions are not conducive to fungal growth, you will not get a return on applying fungicides.
Managing pastures in drought conditions
Cool-season grasses are highly dependent on regular rainfall, with 1 to 1.5 inches a week needed for sustained optimal growth through the summer. While dry and hot conditions in July and August frequently result in a “summer slump”, longer periods of deficient rainfall can dramatically reduce pasture production. Poor management during drought can slow pasture recovery after the rain starts falling again.
Capture unknown N levels: June is PSNT testing time
Every field and every growing season is different, and determining if added nitrogen will pay off is hard to determine. In early to mid-June take time to collect samples for these two tests: Pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) and early season tissue tests to help you determine how much nitrogen is in the soil and how much is already in the plant.
New Developments in Corn Rootworm and Post-Emergence Weed Control Consideration
The June 14th Badger Crop Connect session features discussions from Dr. Emily Bick, Extension Precision Pest Technology Specialist, and Dr. Rodrigo Werle, Extension Cropping Systems Weed Scientist.
The flash drought of 2023: Ideas and resources
While the early part of the year was characterized by large amounts of precipitation, the May Wisconsin experienced this year was the 4th driest on record. While some areas are receiving scattered amounts of precipitation this week, the speed with which the drought came on and led to the designation of “flash drought” for much of the state led UW-Madison State Climatologist Steve Vavrus to call this time “remarkable.”
Field Notes Episode 9: Strip Tillage
No digg-it-y. No doubt? On this episode of Field Notes we dig into the question: to till, or not to till, or somewhere in between? Strip tillage is not as common in Wisconsin as full width tillage or no till, but it presents an opportunity to reduce soil disturbance and improve soil aggregation, while also gaining some of the benefits of full width tillage like early season soil warming and fertilizer incorporation.
Tower silo capacity spreadsheets
These spreadsheets calculate an estimate of the dry matter capacity when a top unloading and bottom unloading tower silo is filled and after removing some silage.
