Reduce risk in a variety of areas
Risk management reduction is also a major reason for employing these structures. While risk management can mean many things, we think of 1) soil health/organic matter, 2) crop diversity, 3) direct marketing and 4) season extension.

Promoting soil health is a basis of organic production systems and is integral to successful agriculture regardless of production system. Increases in soil organic matter, often through compost applications in the PSGHs and by cover cropping in the field, can improve soil health and subsequently benefit plant health. Increases in soil organic matter improve water absorption and water holding capacity, thereby mitigating runoff common during heavy rains and buffering the effects of drought. In the PSGH, soil organic matter contributions to moisture availability are important for the rapid growth under the protected conditions. The soil organic matter is also the primary source of nutrients. A steady and somewhat limited supply from biological availability can maintain production without leading to lush, damage susceptible growth.

From experience, it is safe to say that nearly all crops grow better in the properly managed PSGH than in the field. That being said, it is important to determine which crops are worthwhile to grow in such valuable space. While we could grow only tomatoes in the spring, summer and fall, by doing so we risk losing the entire crop if there is a crop failure. By increasing crop diversity in the PSGH we are able to reduce risk. Peppers, summer squash, eggplant, melons and basil are crops that do well in the summer season PSGH. Cutflowers and herbs can also be profitable. What we are growing is dependant upon the season. We are not talking about tomatoes in December. For the winter, cold tolerant crops like spinach, kale, chard and dozens more are good choices. There is still time for early tomatoes—our first this year were harvested on June 14.

By selling directly through CSAs, farmers’ markets, restaurants, and on-farm markets, more of the dollar comes back to the farmer. While this is not exclusive to PSGH producers, the structures allow farmers to offer customers something unique and to keep customers buying all year. Production in the PSGH is still susceptible to weather variations and can be used as a tool to teach customers about the impacts of weather on production.

Another advantage of the PSGH is the potential to decrease disease and insect pressure. Many of the fungal diseases common in the field have lower incidence in the properly managed PSGH as the plastic covering excludes rain and therefore minimizes the wet foliage environment under which fungal diseases prosper. There is also a marked decrease in insect pressure within the PSGH with good techniques such as sanitation and crop rotation.

As the use of these structures increases, more questions have been asked about the economics of year-round production. The C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University has partnered with the MSU Student Organic Farm, Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS) and nine farmers throughout the state to investigate the economic viability of year-round production in PSGHs through on-farm research. In addition to the economic aspects of this three-year CSREES-funded project entitled “Enhancing small and medium farm viability through season extension technologies: Economic and environmental implications,” there will be a comparison of the embedded energy in these structures and the food that is produced within them with the energy consumed by food production and transportation to Michigan from outside the state. For further information about this project, please contact Dr. David Conner at connerd@msu.edu.

The focus groups consisted of seven to 12 people and discussed experiences and ideas, resources offered, and possible ways to enhance the relationship and areas of technical needs. During these sessions I have had the pleasure (and I say this with sincerity) to listen to farmers and Extension educators on separate occasions share their experiences of working or attempting to work with the respective groups as well as ideas on how service can be improved. Now granted, some farmers are not interested in obtaining help from Extension educators and that is fine. There needs to be a variety of sources of assistance and technical information to accommodate the wide variety of needs and preferences.

After speaking to many farmers and Extension educators, I became keenly aware that organic farmers are looking beyond MSUE for production information. Many organic farmers who have practiced organic farming rely on fellow farmers and classic text for information, such as ATTRA and New Farm Network. There is little information specifically available for Michigan (or North Central U.S.) organic farmers. This lack of information makes it difficult for the Extension educator to provide off-the-shelf answers. That is not a justification but merely an open door, identifying the need to provide information.

Many Extension educators are not familiar with organic production practices so they do not feel capable of providing answers, but I can see that times are changing. When the number of organic farmers was small, most farmers relied on one another for information and recommendations so few relationships developed between organic farmers and Extension educators. Today, as the number of organic farmers grows, the demand for information is growing and the market is becoming more competitive. Extension educators have a role to fill together with experienced farmers. Established organic farmers are typically very willing to help fellow farmers, but are a little over-stretched. This is a great opportunity for Extension educators to team up with experienced farmers and offer organic production information to entering farmers. I see this as the road ahead for Michigan and other great agriculture states in the North Central region. To increase the availability of organic, local food, we need to team up to build technical resources, tapping from different sources and building new relationships along the route.

Given the diversity of organic farming operations, there is a wide-range of agricultural technologies. Some relevant information is available but needs to incorporate organic and area-specific information. Synthesizing and reaching out is a challenge that Extension educators are attempting to address. Creating opportunities for educators to work with experienced organic farmers, researchers and colleagues from within the MSU C.S. Mott Group is essential to identify and incorporate relevant organic production information. My goal is to help catalyze the review of technical information using a team approach, conducting on-farm testing and discussions with farmers to insure that practical, relevant information is offered to new organic farmers.

I am also promoting programs that offer Extension educators and organic farmers the opportunity to meet, greet and learn from one another and build a body of knowledge (and mutual respect) that we can offer to entering organic farmers. One thing that was emphasized to me during these focus groups is that organic farmers AND Extension educators are typically passionate about their profession and are interested in exchange of knowledge and experiences. The focus groups helped to identify a few priority areas for action. One is to develop a collection of resources (book and web-based), and make them available at Extension offices so that whoever is the first person a farmer speaks with will have information to share. Also, to offer Extension educators greater opportunities to become familiar with organic farming and meeting organic farmers will provide opportunities of awareness and experiential learning (aka “seeing is believing”). Agricultural production information that already exists in Extension publications, newsletters and fact sheets often includes technical information appropriate for organic production. Extension bulletins and technical information that address organic production along with conventional will offer all the opportunity to see how organic production is managed and offers educators (Extension and beyond) consolidated information so that they can serve a wide audience.

Supported by a GREEEN grant, I will be facilitating organic farmers and MSU researchers coming together to the same table to learn, discuss and build collective knowledge. This team will be visiting with organic farmers to develop “learning modules,” including fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations and useful references in the form of books and Internet links. The initial topics include soil building, organic certification, organic production of cucurbits and organic asparagus production. The unique aspect of these modules is that they will be built by a team of expert farmers, expert agribusiness persons, MSUE educators and researchers; building on all their strengths. My hope is that as we build resources together, our strengths will be enhanced and weaknesses addressed through complementary knowledge and experiences of organic farmers and Extension educators. This is in the spirit of the New Ag Network.

Someone on today's organizational call for the New Ag Network asked about materials for squash bug control. The following publications both mention neem and pyrethrum, and the second suggests that trials with neem have had promising results.

1) Squash Bug in Vine Crops by R. Hazzard, U. Mass Extension
http://www.umassvegetable.org/soil_crop_pest_mgt/insect_mgt/squash_bug.html
2) Resource Guide for Organic Insect and Disease Management, B. Caldwell etal., Cornell University.
3) Material fact sheets neem
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/mfs/08neem.php
4) Crop management practices cucurbit crops
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/resourceguide/cmp/cucurbit.php#i2

One quarter of the U.S. honeybee population has been lost to colony collapse disorder (CCD), and interest is growing in alternative pollinators such as native bees.  A new Michigan State University (MSU) Extension bulletin is available for farmers and other landowners interested in exploring practices to enhance native pollinators on their property.

“Conserving Native Bees on Farmland” (E-2985 ) provides straightforward information about creating attractive environments for native bees. The bulletin teaches the reader about various native bee species and gives recommendations about nesting sites and food resources.

Honeybees are the most economically important pollinator and are used widely for pollinating crops, but they are also susceptible to diseases and parasites. Colony collapse disorder is a mysterious condition that has appeared recently in which adult honeybees abandon their hives for what appears to be no reason at all.

“With honeybee health problems, focusing on native bees is a strategy to reduce the risks of sole dependence on honeybees,” said Rufus Isaacs, associate professor of entomology.  “Our goal is to help growers make sure they can pollinate their crops and have reliable production on their farms every year.”

Entomology graduate student Julianna Tuell did native bee research with 13 growers in conventional blueberry farms and semi-abandoned blueberry fields. She studied a variety of native bees, their habitat needs and feeding preferences. The bulletin compiles her research into recommendations for farmers, gardeners and anyone growing crops that rely on bees for pollination.

“The native bees contribute to pollination, but they won’t replace honeybees,” Tuell said. “The good news is that native bees do not seem to be affected by colony collapse disorder, perhaps because they do not live in large colonies.”

“Conserving Native Bees on Farmland” (E-2985) can be purchased through the MSU Bulletin Office for $2 per copy by calling 517-353-6740 or visiting http://www.emdc.msue.msu.edu/. Discounts are available if the bulletin is purchased for use with MSU Extension programming. You can also print and view a copy through the pdf file at: http://www.nativeplants.msu.edu/pdf/E2973.pdf

Project GREEEN (Generating Research and Extension to meet Economic and Environmental Needs) funded the entomology research and also supported another new bulletin describing the relationships between native plants and beneficial insects.  “Attracting Beneficial Insects with Native Flowering Plants” (E-2973) was written by Isaacs and Tuell, along with MSU entomology researchers Douglas Landis and Anna Fiedler. 

Visit http://www.nativeplants.msu.edu for more information on MSU native plant and beneficial insect research. A companion site helps identify natural enemies in crops.

(This news release provided by one of the project funders, Project GREEEN, a cooperative effort between plant-based commodities and businesses together with the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU Extension and the Michigan Department of Agriculture.  To learn more about Michigan’s plant agriculture initiative at MSU, visit: http://www.greeen.msu.edu/

Over the past weeks we have been busy trying to get a handle on the weed population that has gone crazy after the rains came in. Our tillage activities included tilling under rows of spinach, radishes, carrots and beets that did not germinate sufficiently during the dry period and were taken over by weeds in a matter of days. Hand-weeding just was not going to be possible or economically feasible. We have finished making additional cages for our heirloom tomato crop and got all of them in place. We have also been able to keep up with our Florida weave on the non-heirloom tomatoes. Planting activities include fall potatoes, beets, carrots, okra, lima beans, green and wax beans, shelling peas, a third tomato planting, sweet corn, Indian corn, broom corn and lettuce in flats for transplanting. We also transplanted strawberries, raspberries and asparagus.

The field and farm activities in our plan for the upcoming weeks include more tillage to control weeds in the vegetable plots, as well as tilling under of plots that have been harvested. We will continue to harvest for our farmer’s markets and subscription families. Items to be harvested include cucumbers, squash, beans, onions, beets, lettuce, kohlrabi, potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, basil and leeks. With our onion crop coming on we will have to be setting up the drying racks and preparing to get onions out of the field and under cover. We plan on working up the soil in one of our high tunnels and seeding it to buckwheat in preparation for our fall greens crop in that tunnel. The fall raspberry plants are getting rather large and will require that we get the temporary trellis in place this month.

South Central Indiana, Brown County—Dale Rhoads
Although we have had some rain, water could be an issue for us this year. Typically we drop the water level in our pond that we use for farm irrigation by three to four inches in the months of July and August. Typically June rains continue to keep the pond full, but we are entering July with the water already 18 inches below max, setting up a situation where we could get a little thin on water before the year is out. I want a big rain – a gully washer to fill my pond.

Temperature-wise we are running a little on the cool side this year, and that is fine with me. We are still harvesting lettuce, and while ready to put up shade over salad greens, we have not had to do so yet according to the criteria we follow. The hot-cool-hot weather cycle this year seems to have significantly reduced insect pressure. Most noticeable is cabbage looper and tomato horn worm populations, which are very low so far.                    

While not weather-related, I would like to report on some informal field trials we are doing this year with planting some squash, peppers and sweet corn in a roller-crimped rye cover. Weed suppression has been good, but not total. It seems that the crimped areas had significantly slower plant growth in squash and peppers than other areas that had been tilled, planted and a rotted sawdust mulch applied or other bare ground area. I think the dark mulch and the bare areas raised soil temperatures and gave faster early growth. Now the crimped plantings are starting to grow larger, but still are not going to reach the same size. Hum, I wonder—allopathic problems, soil temperature? I do not think it could be fertility, but I have not checked either.

Another non-weather item is that we are having good success in growing arugula in a partially shaded greenhouse to keep it away from flea beetles. Mizuna and tatsoi are not doing so well; they don’t seem to tolerate the heat. We are growing red Russian kale and baby chard outside to add to the salad mix and that is working fairly well, more so on the chard which adds some nice color to our summer mix.

We are currently harvesting lettuce, salad greens, kales, basil and squash. Tomatoes are ripening. I have been doing some heat-related things—prepping shade covers, opening up greenhouse to keep tomato blooms from getting killed, etc. My wife was on vacation last week so I basically harvested, delivered and weeded salad greens. Tomatoes are continuing to grow fast now and need work tying them up.

During the next two weeks and for several months we will be doing much of the same.

We got through the corn last week with the cultivator. Where we had gotten hog manure on it was so big I just barely got through it. Where there was no manure the corn is much shorter and I am sure yields will be much shorter too. I am planning to get soybeans cultivated this week.

During the next two weeks I need to continue cultivating soybeans and start mowing road sides and fallow ground.

Question
We bought some organic stuff for rust on organic soybeans a couple of years ago and never needed it. They said it had a two-year shelf life. What should I do with it?

West Central Illinois, Fulton County – Anne Patterson
We had one inch of rain the morning of July 4. This was fine as I got to enjoy the holiday without feeling guilty not working in the field. This was perfect timing as the bush beans and many other crops were flowering and the rain has really helped.
 
All the garlic is out of the field. It is time to plant those beds to buckwheat, followed by an early fall cover in September. The onions look like they will come out earlier than usual this summer. Basically we are done with transplanting vegetables and flowers with the exception of some later cabbages. We are behind and probably will not catch up with weeding now. I’ve been known to mow between beds and I may do that this season. The raised beds are in good shape; however, the other fields are not. We do have deep mulch around all tomatoes. I have had to extricate squash vine borers from winter squash plants and mound the soil around those stems I cut into. I’ve never done this. I have never done a preemptive strike with pyrethrin/rotenone combo to prevent pests in my squash and every year I have problems. I decided to go ahead and spray all winter and summer squash with approved spray as I can’t afford to see all of them die. We are working to keep new lettuce, basil and flower transplants alive in the brutal heat. I shift to a more loosely defined work schedule working earlier, breaking middle of the day and then returning to work later in evening.

The cover crops of buckwheat and cow peas will need to be mowed and then worked in and followed by a shallow disking over several weeks to kill off  summer weeds. We will continue to weed or at least mow to keep them from going to seed. Most of our work is now harvest and post-harvest handling to keep produce in good shape for markets. I want to put in a cooling room in the barn. I’m working to get ready for a field tour on July 30. I’m trying to keep my life in balance with market gardening and family obligations.
       
Questions
What do you do to prevent squash vine borer and squash bugs? Does anyone use foil crops and with what success?

West Suburban Chicago, Lake County – Steve Tiwald
Lack of rain in our region is significantly stressing the plants. Last night we received six tenths of an inch, but we are several inches short for the year. We are irrigating using drip tape, but our well has limited water pressure so we are unable to keep up with demand.

We are doing lots of harvesting, as we are in the fifth week of CSA pickups. We have had four weeks of broccoli (four different varieties, maturing at different rates), and this week will be the end of that. Cauliflower has now started and we will get a couple weeks of that. Our spring cabbage crop is maturing, and we have had lots of kohlrabi from our first planting. We had beets last week, and this week we will be harvesting turnips. Our carrots had germination problems in the dry, hot days of May; we now have some growing, but they are not large enough for harvest yet. Our kale and Swiss chard have been doing fine, and we are harvesting those every week. The summer squashes are now hitting full stride. Basil is coming along strongly, and we are harvesting that frequently. We continue our periodic seeding of lettuce into greenhouse trays.

During the next two weeks, harvesting of many crops will continue regularly, of course. Garlic is a one-time harvest, and we will dig that up in the next few days. We are done with leaf lettuces, but our romaine lettuces are coming along and we will start harvesting them next week. Soon we will start harvesting cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants and peppers. As strips get finished for the season, such as snap peas, broccoli, cauliflower and garlic, we will do light tillage and plant summer cover crops of either buckwheat or sorghum-sudan grass. We are starting to seed our fall crops – kohlrabi, cabbage, bok choi, broccoli and cauliflower – in the greenhouse. Of course we are doing lots of weeding. Since we have drip tape for irrigation, we are doing lots of hand-weeding because mechanized cultivation would damage the tapes.

I’m getting the combine ready to harvest fall triticale. I am not expecting much in terms of yield or quality, but it won’t be a disaster either. The flax will follow in a couple of weeks. It is much less weedy than the past two years, but the drought has affected the yield also. I also have some manure to haul to the compost windrow.

Currently we are harvesting summer squash, cucumbers, cabbage, greens, potatoes, onions and garlic. We are irrigating.

In the next two weeks we will plant carrots, beets, radish, fall greens and more beans. We will finish garlic harvest and begin green bell and hot pepper harvest.

East Michigan, Lapeer County – John Simmons
Hot dry conditions continue to dry soils. Spotty rains have some fields in good shape, moisture-wise. Others within two miles are hurting. Lots of “pineapple corn” on hot days. Tillage decisions on fields that were marginally dry or too wet are showing up in suffering crops. Organic fields seem to be taking the heat/dry better. The hot, dry, windy weather has made it easy to “put the hurt” on quackgrass and Canada thistle. Hot dry weather appears to be favoring seed set in clover seed fields. Corn has good color.

We are currently working on corn/soy/sunflower/soybean weed control. We are prepping fields to plant buckwheat later this week. Some early conventional wheat fields were harvested yesterday; no news of yields or quality.

In the next two weeks we will use weed control measures on corn, sunflower and soybean. We will prepare combine for small grain harvest. Second cut hay harvest is starting; re-growth is limited.

Questions
Any news of aphids? Rust? (Editor’s note: See national updates with local reports at http://www.sbrusa.net/ )