Educating People to Help Themselves

Local Governments • U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating

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IN THIS ISSUE

1 Greetings Baltimore County Farmers and Residents

2 The What & Why of Rotational Grazing

3 Diversifying Your Operation Workshop Series

3 Dicamba Training

3 Plant Sale to Benefit the Master Gardener Program

3 FREE Demonstration Garden Seminars

4 Registration Open for Maryland Farmers Market Conference

4 2019 Maryland Beef Survey

4 Natural Resources Careers Camp

5 2019 Commercial Vegetable Recommendations

5 Flying Dog Brewery

5 Nutrient Voucher Training

5 Where to Find Agriculture Money and How to Get it!

2019 Central Maryland Vegetable Growers Meeting

Greetings Baltimore County Farmers and Residents,It is a privilege to begin my service as the Nutrient Management Advisor for the University of Maryland Extension, Baltimore County.

A native of Florida, I was transplanted to Baltimore County in June 2016 with my wife, Stella (a Baltimore County native), and our firstborn son, Johnny. We have since been blessed with our second son, Hank. We have begun producing hay and beef cattle on the family farm near the little town of Boring. It is through our farming endeavors that I became familiar with UME and the Agricultural Nutrient Management Program.

I am fortunate to have graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Ag and Life Sciences with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management in Agriculture and Natural Resources. My education and recent experience in starting an agricultural operation sparked my interest in the ANMP so when I learned that this position had become available I was excited to apply.

This is a wonderful opportunity that I am grateful to begin and I will strive to perform the duties of this position to the best of my ability.

I look forward to working with Baltimore County’s agricultural producers to ensure efficient on-farm productivity while promoting the overall health of our surrounding environment. Sincerely,John Daniel (Dan) Carroll

www.extension.umd.edu/baltimore-county

AG INSIGHTMARCH 2019BALTIMORE COUNTY OFFICE • 1114 Shawan Road, Suite 2, Cockeysville, MD 21030 • 410-887-8090 • FAX 410-785-5950

The What & Why of Rotational Grazing by Brian Campbell, USDA Grazing Specialist

There are many variations but rotational grazing is essentially a grazing system in which livestock are moved from one portion of the pasture to another as needed to avoid overgrazing and to allow forages a chance to recover. The alternative is continuous grazing, in which livestock are kept on one undivided pasture during the entire grazing season (usually April through November or year-round).

There is a spectrum of options for how intensely rotational grazing is implemented. On the low-intensity end of the spectrum, a farmer could have one undivided pasture and move their livestock into a barnyard whenever that pasture needs a rest. On the other end, a farmer could split their pastureland into hundreds of paddocks (i.e. pasture subdivisions) using permanent and/or temporary fence and move their animals from one paddock to the next every 30 minutes. As grazing gets intensified, you will have more paddocks of smaller size, grazing periods will get shorter (allowing rest periods to get longer), and stocking density (the number of livestock per acre on a single paddock at a specific point in time) will increase. Distribution of manure, urine, and grazing will also become more uniform across the pasture.

Is it worth your time to start grazing rotationally? While any move away from continuous grazing will increase the amount of forage available (because forages will have a chance to regrow), the most impressive benefits come from high-intensity rotational grazing. There is not a standard definition for this but the idea is to provide just enough forage in each paddock for a maximum of three days of grazing and then rotating animals out once the paddock has been grazed to the desired height.

Compared to a continuous grazing situation, high-intensity rotational grazing can increase the amount of forage consumed by up to 4,000 pounds of dry-matter per acre every year (Undersander, Albert, Cosgrove, Johnson & Peterson, 2002).

A University of Georgia study (Hoveland, McCann & Hill, 1997) comparing rotational grazing to continuous grazing on a cow-calf operation found the following results:

• Rotational grazing resulted in increased forage persistence and productivity, more than doubling production during some periods when compared to continuous grazing.

• Forage quality was similar for both continuous and rotational grazing.

• Rotational grazing resulted in up to 39% less hay fed when compared to continuous grazing.

• Rotational grazing increased calf weaning-weight per acre by 37% and allowed stocking rate to be increased by 38% when compared to continuous grazing.

• Cow weight-change, pregnancy rate, and individual calf weaning-weights were the same for both continuous and rotational grazing.

The results above illustrate the significant potential of intensive rotational grazing for increasing productivity, profitability, and sustainability. Likewise, a Pennsylvania State University study (Cunningham & Hanson, 1996) confirmed that intensively grazed pasture is the most economical use of dairy-farm acres. After accounting for production costs and storage losses, intensively grazed pasture was roughly twice as profitable per acre as corn-silage or continuously grazed pasture and it was more than six times more profitable than hay.

If you are considering rotational grazing for your operation or intensifying your current grazing practices, please contact your local NRCS Field Office.

Less-intense rotational grazing

More-intense rotational grazing

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When: March 11, 2019 10 am - 12 pm Registration begins at 9:30 am

Where: Baltimore County Extension Office 1114 Shawan Rd. Cockeysville, MD 21030

Cost: Free, please register ahead of time.

For Commercial & Private applicatorsAny person that plans to spray a registered Dicamba product for the Xtend soybean system in 2019, is required to attend a training.

Meets Certification Requirements and MDA Pesticide CreditsRegister by calling Wendy at 410-887-8090

Diversifying Your Operation Workshop Series

Dicamba Training

FREE Demonstration Garden SeminarsJoin the Master Gardener Volunteers in the Demo Garden to the left (west) of the Baltimore County Ag Center from 10 am – 11 am for informative seminars:

5/4/19 - Oh Deer, Don’t Eat That!5/11/19 - Backyard Composting6/15/19 - Gardening for a Healthier Environment8/24/19 - Herbs: Our Medicinal and Culinary Friends9/7/19 - The Year-Round Pollinator Garden10/12/19 - Choosing and Planting Your Fruit Trees10/26/19 - Winterize Your Vegetable Garden

Plant Sale to Benefit the Master Gardener ProgramWhen: May 18, 2019, 9 am - 1 pm

Where: Baltimore County Ag Center & Farm Park,

There will be Perennials for Sun and Shade Native Perennials & Grasses Vegetable • Flowers Butterfly-friendly Plants

AMG Plant Clinic

Notes: Cash or Check Preferred.

No Credit Cards. Bring carts, wagons, boxes, and bags! No pets, please.

For more information, contact Alexa Smarr at asmarr@umd.edu

SaturdayMay 18

Plant Sale

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When: March 19, 2019 12 pm – 3 pm

Where: Baltimore County Extension Office 1114 Shawan Rd. Cockeysville, MD 21030

What: Come join us to learn how to diversify your operation. We will talk about Agri-tourism and how it might be right for your operation along with marketing strategies, regulations, and connect with local farmers.

Guest speakers will include: UME’s Ag Marketing Specialist, Ginger Myers, UME’s Ag Law Specialist, Paul Goeringer, and many more!

Register online via Eventbrite at https://dyo18.eventbrite.com or call the office at 410-887-8090.

Cost: $5

DIVERSIFYING YOUR OPERATION WORKSHOP SERIES

DIVERSIFYING YOUR OPERATION WORKSHOP SERIES

DIVERSIFYING YOUR OPERATION WORKSHOP SERIES

YOUR OPERATION

Natural Resources Careers Camp Attention, Baltimore County High School Students! Join high school students from across the state to explore careers and college studies in natural resources. The Baltimore County Forestry Board is accepting applications for the 2019 Natural Resources Careers Camp to be held July 21 through July 27. On-line applications are due by March 30, 2019.

Spend a Week in the Mountains of Western Maryland. This week-long co-educational careers camp is held at Camp Hickory in the mountains of Garrett County, Maryland. It is designed for high school students or those who will be entering high school in the fall. Students will investigate careers in forestry and natural resources by engaging in on-the-ground activities in the fields of forestry, wildlife, fisheries, and other natural resources fields.

Tuition Provided! The Forestry Board will provide the $450.00 tuition for two local high school students to attend the camp. Selected students will be responsible for paying a $125.00 camp activity fee. Students will be selected through an interview process and review of applications. Apply Now! View a YouTube video, read student testimonials, see this year’s curriculum schedule, and apply online at www.marylandforestryboards.org/nrcc.cfm Applications must be completed online and are due by March 30th, 2019. Call the Baltimore County Forestry Board at 410-887-3733 for more information.

Registration Open for Maryland Farmers Market ConferenceMDA press release

Registration is now open for the 2019 Maryland Farmers Market Conference. The conference is scheduled for Thursday, March 7, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S Truman Parkway, Annapolis.

Conference sessions will include marketing tips for farmers markets, insurance needs for markets and farmers, food gleaning, and welcoming customers with disabilities. Other sessions will include training for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP), eWIC, and direct marketing. Information on the new Maryland Farms and Families Program will also be provided. The department’s Weights & Measures program will offer equipment certifications for farmers who bring their market scales to the conference.

Interested farmers and market managers are encouraged to register early, as space is limited. Registration costs $35 and includes a locally-sourced continental breakfast and lunch. Registration information can be found on the department’s website.

For questions regarding registration or information about the conference, please contact Weida Stoecker at weida.stoecker@maryland.gov or (410) 841-5776.

2019 Maryland Beef SurveyCurrently, the only way to get information related to the Maryland Beef Industry is via the 2012 Ag Census, which tells us the approximate number, county locations, size of primary operation (herd and acreage), approximate demographics and age. What this census doesn’t tell us is their future plans, greatest challenges, a preferred method of education and outreach and what topics they would like to see in the areas of education programming. To properly develop extension programming that will meet the current and future needs of our producers, we need to establish a baseline of information. The best way to collect this information would be to ask our Maryland Beef Industry producers directly. What information we will collect: operation characteristics including county location, type, and size; age of producers and their tenure in the industry; future plans; greatest challenges; preferred methods of education and outreach; topics for educational programming; production data that will include type of housing, pasture management, nutrition and how producers buy, sell and market their cattle.

Our survey will open February 1, 2019, and remain open for response until April 8, 2019. Completing the survey should take no more than 10-15 minutes with the results being used to offer targeted educational outreach and training on topics

related to beef production. This will help maintain and grow a viable beef production industry in Maryland and help sustain this important agricultural sector of the economy.

All data will be stored on a secure server with access restricted to members of the research team. Your participation in this survey is voluntary, confidential, and will not affect your ability to take advantage of UME programs. This research has been approved by the University of Maryland Institutional Review Board (IRB #1158581-2).

The easiest way to complete the survey is to type the following link into a web browser on your computer: https://tinyurl.com/2019MD-beefsurvey.

You can also request a paper survey if preferred at rslatt@umd.edu or (301) 405-1392.

If you need any further information on the survey or how the results will be used, please contact Racheal Slattery, Beef and Dairy Extension Coordinator at The University of Maryland at rslatt@umd.edu or (301) 405-1392.

~ Erika

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2019 Commercial Vegetable RecommendationsThe 2019 Mid-Atlantic Commercial Vegetable Production Recommendation Guide is now available from our website. You can also purchase a hard copy though Penn State ($25). If you do not have internet access and would like a particular section of the guide, call the Extension office and we can print it for you. This vegetable production guide is intended for the commercial vegetable grower who has to make numerous managerial decisions. Although the proper choices of variety, pesticides, equipment, irrigation, fertilizer, and cultural practices are the individual vegetable grower’s responsibility, it is intended that these recommendations

will facilitate decision-making. Recommended planting dates will vary across the six-state region. Local weather conditions, grower experience, and variety may facilitate successful harvest on crops planted outside the planting dates listed in this guide. This can be evaluated in consultation with the local agents and state specialists.

Diversifying Your Operation

Nutrient Voucher TrainingThe Baltimore County Extension Office will offer one final nutrient management voucher training before the start of the 2019 field season on March 13 at the Baltimore County Ag Center located at 1114 Shawan Rd. Cockeysville, MD 21030 from 9-11 am. This program will satisfy the requirements for renewing your nutrient management voucher. Individuals needing a new voucher may also attend. There is no cost associated with this class, but please call the Extension Office at (410) 887-8090 to register.

Where to Find Agriculture Money and How to Get it!Tuesday, March 12, 2019, from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm at the Baltimore County Ag Center

Anyone looking for grant or loan money for value-added farm or agricultural projects are invited to attend and hear from the experts. The workshop will include speakers from USDA, Farm Service Agency, Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, MARBIDCO, and the Washington and Howard County Economic Development offices. Lunch from Richardson’s Farm Market will be included with registration. Registration is $30.00 Register here online or call Debbie Simpkins at 410-827-8056.

4-H Summer Camps

This summer Baltimore County 4-H has 2 camp opportunities for children. Registration begins March 1st.

June starts our camps off with a 4-H STEM Camp offered Monday, June 24, 2019 - 8:30 am to Friday, June 28, 2019 - 4:30 pm at the Baltimore County Ag Center for youth ages 8-13 yrs old. https://19stemcamp.eventbrite.com

Then in July, we have a 4-H Day Camp offered August 5, 2019 - 8:30 am to Friday, August 9, 2019. from 8:30 - 4:30 for youth ages 5-13 yrs. old. https://4hdaycamp19.eventbrite.com

Flying Dog BreweryWhen: March 1, 2019 3:00 pm Where: 4607 Wedgewood Blvd, Fredrick, MD 21703

Flying Dog Brewery’s hop research with the University of Maryland continues to grow. Using hops from last fall’s harvest, Flying Dog is releasing a second batch of their Field Notes Pale Ale. All of the hops used were grown at UMD’s Western Maryland Research Facility in Keedysville, MD under the guidance of Bryan Butler.

Four-packs of 16 –oz cans will be available exclusively in their tasting room. Sign up for the VIP experience, which includes a four-pack of Field Notes, 2018 Maryland Hops Growers Guide, your first beer, and to hear from Brewmaster, Ben Clark and Lead Researcher, Bryan Butler. VIP experience is $20. Sign up here.

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DATES TO REMEMBERMarch 1 Year 2 Field Notes Release. Flying Dog

Brewery, Fredrick, MD. 3-8 PM. VIP Cost: $20 .

March 11 Dicamba Training and Pesticide Applicator Recertification. Baltimore County AG Center. 10 am-12pm. FREE. Call 410-887-8090 to register.

March 12 LEAD Maryland Money Seminar. Baltimore County Ag Center. 8:30 am - 2:00 pm. Cost:$30. Call Debbie Simpkins 410-827-8056 to register

March 13 Nutrient Voucher Training. Baltimore County Ag Center. 9:00 am - 11:00 am. FREE. Call 410-887-8090 to register

March 18 GAP Training. Baltimore City, MD. Cost: $20. Register email Neith Little at nglittle@umd.edu.

University of Maryland ExtensionBaltimore County Office 1114 Shawan Road, Suite 2Cockeysville, MD 21030

March 19 Agritourism Workshop. Baltimore County Ag Center. Cost $5. Call 410-887-8090 to register.

STAFFErika Nicole Crowl Dan Carroll Trish Moore Extension Agent, Agriculture Nutrient Management Graphic Designer ecrowl@umd.edu jcarro10@umd.edu pmoore@umd.edu

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