Extension Calling: advice for the farm, garden, and home

Silvopasture is not a new concept. However, our methods of implementing it have changed. There are indeed ways that cattle can coexist with timber management, but there are significant limitations. We touch on some of those concepts, but if you want to get mooving, we recommend digging deeper by checking out: https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2018/07/six-key-principles-for-a-successful-silvopasture-2...

In the last epsisode we reviewed the importance in identifying the weed you are trying to control. This time we will focus more on the variety of control methods available. It is important to use multiple techniques or an integrated approach. This will help prevent your weed problem from getting worse while also protecting the environment and your pocketbook. 

Weeds are a challenge regardless of whether you are growing a lawn, flowers, pasture, or row crops. The broad variety of weeds means we need to have a variety of treatment methods. Integrated Weed Management is the combination of multiple activities to gain better control of those pesky weeds. This segment discusses how the differences in weeds can be used to help improve your results.

Planning for the future is hard enough without thinking of your own mortality. However, it is critical to make a sound, legal, plan for just that. Will the farm stay a farm after you are gone is a critical question to discuss with your family, one that doesn't have a lot of easy answers. More questions to ask include planning for retirement and long-term care. We recommend working through this fac...

In this second to last installment of our business planning series, we talk about how to know if you business is making money. While you may be showing positive income on your balance sheet, that's not always the whole picture. There are many factors to consider. We dive into enterprise budgeting to help you see which aspects of your farm are making money and where you are losing money. 

Starting or expanding a business requires you to take stock from personal, economic, and physical perspectives. Agricultural businesses are no different. One must examine regulations, possibilities, probabilities, and of course, abilities. To help sort all these steps in your mind, we recommend conducting a SWOT analysis. 

When starting any kind of business, it is essential to know why you are putting in the effort. By working with your family, sit down and talk about what values are most important and how this venture could support or hinder them. 

If you want an annual source of food for your family a fruit tree is a wonderful option. However, buying the first tree you see and putting it in any old spot is a recipe for disaster. Healthy fruit trees take planning and effort. If you avoid either of these you will be unhappy with the results. Save yourself the extra work down the road and make the right choices up front, from soil drainage to...

Quick tips to help you prepare for the upcoming single digits!

Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it can't hurt you. That is why it is so important to call 811 before you dig. We talk about why, when, and how to get your underground utilities marked before taking on big or small digging projects. 

Funding a farm is no small feat and taking out a farm loan is a big deal. Sometimes collateral needs are overbearing, and interest rates are unfairly burdensome. If you applied for a farm loan prior to 2021 you may be eligible for funding now. Jacqueline Keene joins us from Windsor Group LLC to discuss a new federal program to help. We also discuss several amazing opportunities for farm funding th...

We often talk about the imporatnce of lime in agriculture. Today we dive a little deeper to why soils are acidic and how to properly manage the pH to have healthy, productive crops. Our website has more great resources on selecting and applying lime properly. https://extension.wvu.edu/agriculture/pasture-hay-forage/soil-fertility  

Many believe ticks aren't a danger in the winter. Unfortunately, they are wrong. Ticks do slow down in colder temperatures, but they are still active. Take precautions whenever you are in tick habitats like brush and woods for deer ticks, mown grass for dog ticks, and tall grass for asian longhorned ticks. Also stay vigilant with pets and livestock to protect them from disease and potential death...

Sweet potato casserole is one of Karen's favorite Thanksgiving dishes. But, are sweet potatoes potatoes that are sweet, or are they yams? Actually, they are neither. They are a tasty root from the morning glory family. Why do they have so many names? Dan and Karen dive into their history and how to grow and cure these tasty roots. 

What makes something a pest is a question not often asked but it is important to help identify when and how to take action. You need to identify what the problem is, what the potential impact of the problem is, what your tolerance for the problem is. Only after these things have been defined can you take the next step to control the problem. This is the foundation for integrated pest management. 

Paw Paws, urban orchards, and general tree care all get air time in today's show as we host guests from West Virginia State University Extension, Liz Moss and Eden Clymyer-Stern. What can we say, when you have three tree nerds in one room who knows what crazyness might ensue. Join us for this funfilled roller coaster, who knows what will happen.

Erosion is one of the most challenging issues for farmers, gardeners, foresters, builders, and well, pretty much anyone. Erosion not only removes valuable topsoil and reduces our ability to grow things, but soil in water causes problems to fish and other creatures reducing their ability to survive. There are lots of things that can be done in urban and rural areas alike: covering your garden, usin...

Many fond memories come from catching and releasing fireflies. Yet, their numbers are fading. Our destruction and disposal of fall leaves is a large part of the cause. Unfortunately for our gardens, a lack of firefly larvae means more slugs and snails. Help out fireflies by leaving fall leaves where they lay, or making a small place for them to stay.

If you hate the 17 year cicada, I'm sorry to tell you about the spotted lanternfly that's coming soon to a town near you. This insect is not a fly, but a leafhopper. It sucks the juices out of trees and plants using its needle like mouth. It then covers everything in a sticky sweet mess that attracts stinging insects and sooty mold. So what can you do? We invited James Watson from the WVDA to help...

Do you want to help build the pawpaw industry by growing trees or fruit? Tune in as we discuss propagation, planting, and transplanting pawpaws. They may be hardy, but they're fickle to get started. They need rich, well drained soils but don't mind some acidity. The tap root is the key.

Losing a large tree is never fun, but did you know many tree losses are preventable? If you are planning to plant a tree, you can prevent many unnessary tree deaths (and expenses) by following the instructions in this podcast. Choose the right place, prepare the right space, inspect the base, and you'll have a smile on your face.

Seed saving seems simple, but it isn't completely basic. Losing all your seeds to mold or having none of them germinate could extend your seasonal depression just as the sun starts to come out. And did you know that crosspollination can cause toxicity in some species? Tune in to learn more about all this, and how to reduce next years disease load while you're saving your seeds. We used these great...

One of the biggest concerns with raising sheep and goats is parasite management. There are a lot of things that can go wrong by over treating, even (and perhaps especially) with natural things like copper.   Keeping a close eye on your animals for weight loss or decreased body condition, diarrhea or swelling under the jaw can all be helpful in reducing the severity of parasite loads. If you can, f...

Stockpiling forage basically means you are avoiding grazing a certain field so you can save it for leaner times in the winter. There's a little more to it, however. Fertilizing, nutritional needs of the animals, body condition scores, and more go into determining feed needs. Could stockpiling be a way for your farm to reduce input costs?

Water is the most important nutrient. Access to clean water is essential to human life and to many of the things we like to consume. But, water quality may not be as straightforward as you'd think. Clear water can be just as dangerous as cloudy, or turbid, water. We discuss bacterial and chemical issues, why they're important, and what you can do.