Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Yard & Garden
Yard
and Garden
April
11, 2015
Q. I
have an old tree stump in the place I was thinking of putting a compost
bin. Will it hurt to just build compost over the stump and hope it rots
or should I dig the stump out?
A.
The stump may cause some problems as you try to turn the compost, or it may
form a back-stop to help you turn the compost. The pile of decomposing
material, properly moistened around the stump should speed the decomposition of
the stump. Another option is to cut the stump as close to the ground as
possible so that it is less a hindrance as you turn the compost. To speed
the decomposition of the stump you can drill holes in the stump to allow even
more contact with the decomposing materials of the compost and the
microorganisms that will cause the decomposition of the stump. Use
one-half in to one inch spade bits on a drill to make the holes.
However, since you said “old” stump I wonder what kind of tree produced the
stump. If the tree was a juniper or Arizona cypress tree the wood is very
resistant to decomposition and may take longer to decompose than most other
tree stumps. In that case cutting it out of the way and drilling the
holes may make even more sense. If the tree was a cottonwood or willow,
the wood will decompose quite rapidly once the composting environment
develops. Frequent additions of high nitrogen materials such as manure or
kitchen scraps and water will help any stump decompose. The end product
of the decomposition of the stump will be good compost along with the compost
formed from other materials.
If it is important to get rid of the stump quickly, you can dig it out, cutting
the roots and then pulling with a vehicle or with a pulley system. Most
trees do not have deep root systems that will make removal difficult. I
have heard of people burning the stumps as well. If the stump is in a
location where burning is not hazardous to structures and surrounding
vegetation that is an option, but be very careful. To make the burning
more complete you
can
drill the holes described above and fill the holes with kerosene or diesel
fuel. Do no use gasoline or lighter fuels. Allow the fuel to soak
into the wood, perhaps refilling the holes several times over several
weeks. Once the wood has absorbed the fuel ignite the stump. Be
sure the area around the old stump for a considerable distance is free of
combustible materials and watch over it carefully. Do this when there is
no wind forecast for several days. It may take quite a while for the
stump to completely burn and wind could carry embers to areas where the fire is
not wanted. Personally I prefer the idea of turning the old stump into
compost. It is safer and the end product is more useful, but composting
will take longer.
Send
your gardening questions to Yard and Garden, Attn: Dr. Curtis Smith, NMSU
Agricultural Science Center, 1036 Miller Rd. SW, Los Lunas, NM 87031. You may
also send to cwsmith@nmsu.edu or leave a message at https://www.facebook.com/NMSUExtExpStnPubs. Curtis W. Smith,
Ph.D., is an Extension Horticulture Specialist, retired from New Mexico State
University’s Cooperative Extension Service. NMSU and the U.S. Department
of Agriculture cooperating.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Cow Calf Corner
COW/CALF CORNER
The Newsletter
From the
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
April 6, 2015
North American
cattle situation: Canada
Derrell S. Peel,
Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist
The
North American cattle and beef market is a complex set of cattle and beef flows
among Canada, Mexico and the U.S. These trade flows played a role in the
unprecedented production and prices that occurred in 2014 and will play a role
in 2015 and beyond. Trade impacts among the NAFTA countries were
generally as expected in 2014. Beef imports from Canada increased while
beef exports to Canada decreased compared to 2013. Cattle imports from
Canada and Mexico also increased year over year along with beef imports from
Mexico. Canada and Mexico accounted for a combined 31.1 percent of U.S.
beef exports and 30.9 percent of U.S. beef imports in 2014. The impact of
Canada and Mexico on the U.S. cattle and beef market may be different in 2015.
More detail on the Canadian situation follows.
U.S.
imports of Canadian beef increased 11.9 percent in 2014 compared to one year
earlier. Canadian cattle slaughter and beef production increased year over year
in 2014 as cattle inventories continued to decline. However, cattle
slaughter and beef production are expected to decline in 2015. Canadian
beef exports are expected to close to 2014 levels in 2015 due to tight
supplies. Nevertheless, U.S. imports of Canadian beef are up nearly 14
percent in the first two months of 2015. U.S. beef exports to Canada have
continued to fall in 2015 with January and February combined beef exports to Canada
down 20.9 percent.
Canadian
feedlots have struggled with competitive disadvantages to the U.S. and limited
cattle supplies. Feedlot placements in Canada dropped sharply in the
second half of 2014. Feedlot placements in Alberta and Saskatchewan were
down 16.9 percent year over year in the four months from last November through
February. March 1 cattle on feed inventories in Alberta and Saskatchewan
were down 11.7 percent from one year ago. Feedlot marketings in these two
major Canadian cattle feeding provinces were down 14.6 percent in January and
February compared to the same two months last year. Fewer feedlot
marketings in Canada impacts Canadian beef production and slaughter cattle
exports. Combined January and February U.S. imports of Canadian slaughter
cattle were down 34.6 percent year over year, including a 55.1 percent decrease
in slaughter steer imports; a 40.8 percent decrease in slaughter heifer
imports; and 21.4 percent fewer cull cows imported for slaughter.
Record
high U.S. feeder prices and a strong dollar favor Canadian exports of feeder
cattle to the U.S. U.S. imports of Canadian feeder cattle increased 37.8
percent in 2014 over the previous year. This increase consisted of a 60
percent year over year increase in feeder heifers exported to the U.S. along
with a 7 percent increase in feeder steers exported to the U.S. In the
first two months of 2015, total U.S. imports of Canadian feeder cattle are up a
more modest 7 percent; the result of a 51.2 percent increase in feeder steer
imports combined with a 12.6 percent decrease in feeder heifer exports.
January
1, 2015 Canadian cattle inventories confirmed that cattle herd liquidation
continued in 2014 with a beef cow herd of 4.78 million cows, down two percent
from the previous year. Beef replacement inventories were down one
percent as well, indicating that herd expansion has not yet started in
Canada. This is consistent with slaughter and export data indicating that
heifer slaughter in Canada was up 9 percent in 2014; 24 percent more slaughter
heifers were exported to the U.S. and 60 percent more feeder heifers were
exported in 2014 compared to 2013. Decreased feeder and slaughter heifer
exports so far in 2015 may indicate that heifer retention is beginning in
Canada.
Decreased
beef production in Canada in 2015 will hold beef exports close to 2014 levels
despite favorable exchange rates. U.S. imports of Canadian beef may
moderate in the coming months from the strong year over year increases posted
in January and February, though the U.S. may be picking up a larger share of
total Canadian beef exports. Slaughter cattle imports from Canada are
already down year over year and will likely remain lower due to decreased
Canadian feedlot production. Herd rebuilding may result in fewer cull cows
exported to the U.S. for slaughter in 2015. U.S. imports of Canadian
feeder cattle may also moderate in coming months as a result of tight Canadian
cattle supplies and increased heifer retention in Canada. Compared to
2014, Canada is likely to contribute relatively less to U.S. beef supplies,
slaughter cattle supplies, and feeder cattle supplies in 2015.
Oklahoma State
University, in compliance with Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, Executive Order 11246 as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and other federal laws and
regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national
origin, sex, age, religion, disability, or status as a veteran in any of its
policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to
admissions, employment, financial aid, and educational services.
References within this publication to any specific commercial product, process,
or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer, or otherwise
does not constitute or imply endorsement by Oklahoma Cooperative Extension
Service.
Cattle Outlook
CATTLE OUTLOOK – Ron Plain and
Scott Brown
Ag Economics, MU April
3, 2015
This week’s fed cattle prices were
the highest since early January.
Through Thursday, the 5-area
average price for slaughter steers sold
on a live weight basis was
$166.67/cwt, up $2.67 from last week’s
average and up $15.24 from a year
ago. The 5 area average dressed
price this week for steers was
$264.72/cwt, up $4.72 for the week.
The March jobs report is not
encouraging. The economy added only
126,000 non-farm jobs last
month. That is the lowest monthly number
since December 2013. Slow
growth is not good for meat demand.
USDA’s March Prospective Plantings
report put 2015 corn acres at
89.199 million, down 1.5% from
last year; soybean planting were
predicted to be 84.635 million
acres, up 1.1%; and wheat plantings at
55.367 million acres, down 2.6%
compared to a year earlier. USDA’s
estimate of corn acres is higher
than the average of pre-release trade
forecasts while soybean and wheat
acres are lower. The May corn
futures lost 4 cents this week but
May soybean futures gained 19
cents.
This morning the choice boxed beef
cutout value was $255.97/cwt, up
$5.54 from the previous Friday and
up $26.80 from a year ago. The
select carcass cutout was
$249.47/cwt this morning, up $2.85 from last
week and up $31.02 from a year
ago.
Cattle slaughter this week totaled
525,000 head, down 1.7% from the
week before and down 10.5% from
the same week last year.
Year-to-date cattle slaughter is
down 7.3% and year-to-date beef
production is down 5.2% compared
to the same period last year.
The average steer dressed weight
for the week ending on March 21 was
871 pounds, unchanged from the
week before and up 15 pounds compared
to the same week last year.
Steer weights have been above year-ago
each week since June 14, 2014.
Feeder cattle prices at Oklahoma
City were mostly steady to $3 higher
this week. Prices for medium
and large frame #1 steers by weight
group were: 400-450# $312-$328,
450-500# $276-$316, 500-550#
$289-$296, 550-600# $257-$284,
600-650# $230-$262.25, 650-700#
$233-$252, 700-750# $217.50-$235,
750-800# $205-$220.50, 800-900#
$192-$214, and 900-1000#,
$184.50-$198/cwt.
There was no futures trading today
due to the Good Friday holiday. On
Thursday, the April live cattle
futures contract settled at
$163.02/cwt, up 40 cents for the
week. June fed cattle settled at
$153.37/cwt, also up 40 cents from
the previous Friday. August fed
cattle lost 13 cents this week to
settle at $149.82/cwt. October live
cattle ended the week at
$151.40/cwt.
The April feeder cattle contract
ended the week at $220.37/cwt, up
$1.10 for the week. May
feeders settled at $217.45/cwt which is 67
cents lower than the Friday
before. The August contract ended the week
at $218.55/cwt.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Yard & Garden
Yard and Garden
April 4, 2015
Q. Last year I grew
tomatoes for the first time on this property. I want to grow them again
this year, but I was told that I should not grow them in the same space.
Is this true? Why? I really do not have another location available
this year.
KDAZ radio
call-in
A. Crop rotation, moving plants to different
locations in the garden is a good idea. The reason for not growing the
same plant, tomato or other crop, in the same location year after year is to
reduce the accumulation of disease organisms in the soil at that site and to
allow better nutrient utilization.
If the same crop or related crops that
are subject to the same diseases are grown year after year in the same
location, the disease organisms may build up to levels that cause crop
failure. Changing to crops that do not harbor the same disease organisms
helps reduce this problem. Addition of well-made compost also helps
reduce the incidence of disease accumulation in the soil. Tomatoes,
potatoes, chiles, egg plants, and some other plants in the Solanaceae plant
family should not follow each other in a garden. Beans (Fabaceae family),
corn (Poaceae family), squash (Cucurbitaceae family), and certain other plants
are better choices for following tomatoes. The tomatoes should be rotated
to different areas and not returned to any previous location for about 4 years
if possible.
There are disease organisms that can
infect several of the plants listed as good for following tomatoes in the
garden. Properly made compost added to the garden soil will help reduce the
chances of these organisms accumulating by putting beneficial organisms in the
soil to compete with the disease organism for niches in the soil
environment. If diseases do develop over time, it may be possible
to reduce the problem by solarizing the soil. Solarization is the solar
heating of the soil to a pasteurization temperature (160 degrees) by covering
the moistened soil with clear plastic. The edges of the plastic should be
sealed to the ground by covering with soil, rocks, or boards. Sunlight
passing through the plastic warms the soil. The plastic with a layer of
condensed moisture on its underside hold the heat in by the greenhouse
effect. In the New Mexico environment, the temperature of the soil will
rise fairly rapidly, especially in the summer. A soil thermometer, or longer
stemmed compost thermometer, can be used to determine the depth to which
pasteurization temperatures penetrate the soil. Sticky tape can be used
to seal the hole after checking the soil.
Having said all that, since you have
only grown tomatoes in that location once before, if it is not possible to move
them to another location this year the chances of a disease developing are not
great. You should plan for crop rotation in the future.
Another reason for rotating crops is
that by changing crops to those that use different proportions of nutrients
from the soil, you can help maintain soil fertility and allow recovery from the
depletion of nutrients by each crop. Addition of compost also helps with
this. Soil testing periodically to determine the nutrient status of the
soil and to identify nutrients that should be applied as supplements to the
soil is also a good idea. Applying fertilizers to replace nutrients
without knowledge of the nutrient status of the soil may not result in good
crop production. Your local NMSU County Extension Service office can help
you find a soil testing laboratory and help you understand the test results
that you receive from the laboratory.
Send your gardening questions to Yard and Garden, Attn: Dr.
Curtis Smith, NMSU Agricultural Science Center, 1036 Miller Rd. SW, Los Lunas,
NM 87031. You may also send to cwsmith@nmsu.edu or leave a message at https://www.facebook.com/NMSUExtExpStnPubs. Curtis W. Smith, Ph.D.,
is an Extension Horticulture Specialist, retired from New Mexico State
University’s Cooperative Extension Service. NMSU and the U.S. Department
of Agriculture cooperating.
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