3/27/17

New Weed Fact Sheets


Two new fact sheets have been released by UF/IFAS to help nursery growers with problem weeds...
 

Biology and Management of Goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) in Ornamental Plant Production
This six-page fact sheet provides information about the biology and management of goosegrass, including preemergence and postemergence control options. Written by Shawn Steed, Christopher Marble, Nathan S. Boyd, Andrew MacRae, and Kiran Fnu and published by the Environmental Horticulture Department.
To check it out click on this link.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep538



Biology and Management of Thickhead (Crassocephalum crepidioides) in Ornamental Crop Production
Typically found in shadehouses and shaded areas of nursery production, thickhead grows aggressively in containers and can outcompete nursery crops for water, nutrients, and light. This erect, sparingly branched, herbaceous annual, grows up to 4 feet tall and germinates over a wide range of pH, salt, and temperature conditions. This four-page fact sheet describes thickhead (Crassocephalum crepidioides) and various methods for its control in ornamental crop production. Written by Allison Bechtloff, Shawn Steed, Chris Marble, and Nathan Boyd and published by the Environmental Horticulture Department.
Here is the link to this fact sheet.  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep534

Production Classifieds

A few nurseries have mentioned openings for growers and managers. 

A grower is seeking used shadehouse poles to erect a new shadehouse.

If interested in either post please give Shawn a ring or shoot him an email.

3/24/17

Pesticide Applicator Class Available

Please join us for Private and Core Prep Classes being held in Balm at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center on Thursday, March 30th

 
General Core (both 432 &487) Prep.
This is from 8:30 to 10:30.  2 Core CEUs available.  The cost of the class is $15.00.  The exam follows the class if you choose to take it.    
Private Applicator Prep.
Exam(s) follow.  This is from 10:45 to 12:45.  2 Private CEUs available. The cost of the class is $15.00.  
 
If you have any questions, please contact Veronica or Martha at 941-722-4524, ext. 223 or 255.

3/18/17

Evening Social and Fertilizer Trial/Demonstration

Join us for a cook out at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Balm and for a look at the trial UF/IFAS Extension ran with six different controlled-release fertilizers.  We planted liners to a three gallon pot a year ago and took data at eight months and a year.  Some of you may have seen the trial beginnings at our last woody production field day.  We looked at plant growth and chlorophyll levels to help you make better fertilizer decisions.  Grab a bite to eat, hang out and chat with fellow growers, and see how your fertilizer compares.  

Event date:  March 30, 2017, 5:30 pm.  
Location:  14625 Co Rd 672, Wimauma, FL 33598.  
Cost:  Free.
Meal:  Provided by Bruce Rumph, Mid-Florida Nursery
Drinks:  Provided by Shawn Steed, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County       

3/10/17

Health Insurance and Farming

How does health insurance affect farmers and ranchers? Help influence rural health policy in upcoming survey

Farmers and ranchers: How does health insurance affect you? Help influence rural health policy by participating in an upcoming USDA funded survey. Your responses will help researchers understand how health-insurance policy affects farmers’ and ranchers’ decisions to invest, expand, and grow their enterprises.

Selected participants received a letter about the survey in February.

If you did not receive a letter and survey but would like to participate follow this link:  https://survey.uvm.edu/index.php/132344?lang=en

This survey is a chance for farmers and ranchers to make their voices heard about their experiences with health insurance and how that affects both their economic development and family’s quality of life.

"We’re interested in hearing from multi-generation, beginning, and first generation farm and ranch families across all ages and  sectors of agriculture. We want to understand what parts of health insurance are working well for farmers and ranchers and what types of policy and program modifications need to be made. Results will be shared with agriculture and health policy makers,” said lead researcher, Shoshanah Inwood, rural sociologist and professor at the University of Vermont. All responses will be confidential and only summary statistics will be reported.

"We know from our prior research that farmers identify the cost of health insurance as a key barrier to growing their farms or farming full-time,” said Inwood. This study is a joint effort with the NORC Walsh Center for Rural Health Policy, and the four USDA Rural Development Centers. Findings will be used to guide the development of training materials for professionals who work with farmers and ranchers—such as Extension Educators, farm consultants, and tax accountants—so that they can support farmers’ and ranchers' ability to make well-informed decisions regarding health insurance.

The survey questions are based on interviews conducted in 2016 with smaller groups of farmers and ranchers in the 10 states being researched. This study is a four-year national project exploring how health insurance options impact the farm and ranch population in the U.S. The project, titled “Health Insurance, Rural Economic Development and Agriculture” (HIREDnAG), is funded by a $500,000 USDA Rural Communities and Regional Development grant. States included in the study are California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.

Project partners include the Northeastern, North Central, Southern and Western Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs); University of Vermont Center for Rural Studies; University of Vermont Extension; Center for Rural Affairs; University of Maryland Extension; and, the Farm Foundation.

For more information, visit the HIREDnAG website: http://www.hirednag.net/
Or contact Katlyn Morris, HIREDnAG Project Coordinator at katlyn.morris@uvm.edu or by phone at 802-656-0257.