Out Standing in the Field

Deck the halls with news of NAFTA. Extension Educator Doug Gucker isn't usually a grinch, but he doesn't have good news when it comes to how the trade agreement may affect farmers. And small farmers who sell direct to consumers need to take heed new Food Safety Modernization Act exemption rules. And to wrap it all up Illinois Extension is back at it again with its Small Farms Winter Webinar Series...

The rain Central Illinois has been waiting on finally came and with it wet soils and the possibility of compaction. Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker talks about that and soil temperatures and fall nitrogen, the winter weather outlook and pesticide applicator training programs. Follow Doug on Twitter @soilwaterdoug or subscribe to his blog "Acres of Knowledge" at web.extensio...

Central Illinois got some much-needed rain the first week of October which gave farmers a bit of a break from the 2017 harvest which is halfway complete. In this issue, Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker discusses soil testing, cover crops and new decreased fertlizer recommendations. Follow Doug on Twitter @soilwaterdoug or subscribe to his blog "Acres of Knowledge" at web.ext...

Harvest is underway in Central Illinois. Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker is talking about field conditions, a growing number of stink bugs and what a dry fall has to do with tractor maintenance and insurance. Follow Doug on Twitter @soilwaterdoug or subscribe to his blog "Acres of Knowledge" at web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/eb263/.

It's harvest season, which means farmers and vehicles are sharing the road. Extension Educator Doug Gucker provides guidelines on rural road safety from leaving plenty of room when passing to making sure SMV emblems on equipment are visible. Also in this episode, moderate drought conditions in Central Illinois (map: https://goo.gl/QCN1wc. ) and how crops are responding. Follow Doug on Twitter @soi...

In Illinois, 75% of farmland is owned by non-farming landowners. University of Illinois Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker talks about what farmers in Central Illinois need to know about this year's projected yields to renegotiate effectively. Don't forget the solar eclipse is Monday, August 21. Miss out on getting a pair of glasses? Here's a video on how to make a pinhole pro...

Moving into August, Extension Educator Doug Gucker touches on field conditions for corn and soybeans in Central Illinois, market price expectations and how to give input for the Illinois Farm Bill. He's also thinking ahead to later this month when Extension will be at the Farm Progress Show in Decatur and the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. Follow him on Twitter @soilwaterdoug or subscribe to...

Extension's Doug Gucker is talking all about the weather this week from heavy dew mornings and how a wet spring followed by a dry stretch means corn is shorter than normal in parts of Central Illinois. He touches on crop progress and prices. Follow him on Twitter @soilwaterdoug or subscribe to his blog "Acres of Knowledge" at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/eb263/.

Here is the drought map for Illinois - http://bit.ly/2tQS3Em. Notice that yellow swath with DeWitt, Macon and Piatt Counties right in the middle? Extension Educator Doug Gucker talks about what drought conditions mean for crops as well as a rally in prices, herbicide drift, pests and upcoming Extension events. Follow Doug on Twitter @soilwaterdoug

Extension Educator Doug Gucker talks corn! This week he's covering everything from foliar diseases to redundant fungicide applications to how deep corn roots grow as well as insect issues with forage. Subscribe to his blog Acres of Knowledge for updates on Central Illinois farming: http://web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/eb263/.

Extension Educator Doug Gucker hits on current crop conditions, herbicide, forage quality and upcoming programs, including a noxious weeds program at the University of Illinois. Follow him on twitter @soilwaterdoug or check out his blog Acres of Knowledge at web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/eb263/

It's been a wet spring here in Central Illinois. Extension Educator Doug Gucker breaks down what that means for crop emergence and uneven stands, spring diseases and haymakers.

Grain prices are still low while water levels are rising in fields. Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker covers what you need to know about both as well as checking fields for insects in the May edition of Out Standing in the Field. Follow him on Twitter at @soilwaterDoug.

Local Food Systems and Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker is back at it again with information on the 2017 corn and soybean price outlook, a warning about grain bin temperatures and tips for using using herbicide, especially dicamba. Follow him on Twitter @soilwaterdoug or his blog "Acres of Knowledge" at http://web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/eb263/.

It may feel like winter, but we're gearing up for spring in this month's Out Standing in the Field. Extension Educator Doug Gucker is talking about potential freeze damage to wheat crops and fruit trees, a new study showing palmar amarath can become resistant to the herbicide Dicamba in as little as three years and being careful if you plan on double planting your soybeans.

The calendar says February, but the ground hasn't been frozen in Central Illinois since January 10 so we're looking ahead to spring and the possibility of an El Nino. Local Food Systems, Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker talks 2017 soybean price expectations, an update to phosphorus and potassium recommendations for corn, soybeans and wheat and the total solar eclipse in Southern Illinois in August...

In this month's Out Standing in the Field, Educator Doug Gucker is talking about a new University of Illinois study about growing herbicide resistance in Illinois fields (http://bit.ly/2jVbvHP), grain bin safety with fluctuating winter temperatures and what NOAA has to do with Ground Hog's Day.

It may be the dead of winter but there's a lot going on Central Illinois agriculture. Local Foods/Small Farms University of Illinois Extension Educator Doug Gucker talks about some 2017 law changes to worker protection standards and the FDA vet feed directive and upcoming events. Learn more about the new worker Protection Standard Rules in 2017 on Doug's "Acres of Knowledge" blog: bit.ly/2j1y1yU....

This month's episode is packed with Central Illinois agriculture news on antibiotics for livestock, tips from the Farm Economic Summit, more on Xtendi Max herbicide and upcoming events. - You can sign up for the winter webinars mentioned in the podcast here: http://bit.ly/2gJ5DE9. - And register for our Piatt County agriculture forum here: http://bit.ly/2fmAoLF.

Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker talks about being cautious driving this time of year with deer on the move, a new XtendiMax™ and the lengthy instructions that come with it. We also have a series of forums asking Central Illinois farmers what programs they'd like to see Extension provide. Dates and details here: http://bit.ly/2eWzVgM. Learn more about XtendiMax™ here http:...

In the October issue, Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker talks about two reports released by the USDA - The World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report and the Crops Production report. Here is the link to the farmdoc report on deflated prices by Carl Zulauf: http://bit.ly/2e0cXb0

In our last podcast for September and before harvest starts picking, Extension Local Foods, Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker covers why soybeans may have grown too well this season, corn disease and harvest road safety for farmers.

Extension Educator Doug Gucker talks about the fantastic field conditions in DeWitt, Macon and Piatt Counties, the status of double crop soybeans and preparing for harvest by making sure everything is in working order. Learn more about our Local Food Systems & Small Farms programs at web.extension.illinois.edu/dmp/localfoods.html.

Extension Small Farms & Local Foods Educator Doug Gucker talks about the status of east-central Illinois corn and soybeans (the good), an invasion of black moths (the bad) and the revenue projections for 2016 (the not so good).

Local Food Systems & Small Farms Educator Doug Gucker talks about weather scares, market swings and kids driving tractors in episode 2 of Out Standing in the Field for July 15, 2016.