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Agriculture

  • Home-grown potato and onion storage tips

    If you are trying to get your fall garden started, you have probably run into a problem.  

    You need to harvest your onions and potatoes but now wonder what in the world you are going to do with them to keep them from spoiling before you eat them.

    Well, you are not alone. I have the same problem. I usually store them as best as I can and take my losses, but there are some things that can be done to increase the storage time for these vegetables.

    With potatoes, there is one thing to keep in mind.

    Click here to read more...
  • Stable flies a pest for livestock

    The stable fly is a blood-sucker that looks like a house fly but has a piercing-type mouthpart that projects forward from the front of its head.

    Males and females feed on warm-blooded animals and humans, usually around the lower leg or ankles. They will also attack dogs, biting them mostly on the ears.

    Stable flies are not limited to barns and stables; they will rest around houses and attack people, too. Stable flies are strong fliers; they can cause problems at least two miles from their breeding sites.

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  • WC youth perform well in 4-H Talk Meet program

    One of the largest fears for many people is public speaking.  

    Over the years, hundreds of Washington County youth have learned to conquer that fear through the 4-H Talk Meet program held in cooperation with the local schools.  

    For three Washington County youth this summer, they were able to take their public speaking skills to an even higher level with their participation in the State 4-H Communications Day.  

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  • Squash and cucumber problems?

    There a few problems that have been showing up in gardens lately, specifically cucurbits.  This includes cucumber, squash, and melons. 

    Bacterial wilt is showing up sporadically and I am sure it’s going to hit many of you who have cucurbits in the next few weeks.  Bacterial wilt causes plants to wilt slowly over a few days; they freshen up at night and then wilt during the day and eventually wilt and die.  The problem is a bacteria that enters the plant and blocks the flow of water and nutrients.

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  • Pest facts

    I found a couple of interesting articles in the Kentucky Pest News that I thought I would share with you this week.

    Cicada Killer Wasps Active Across Kentucky
    Mild-mannered female cicada killer wasps are active across Kentucky. They are intent on their tasks of
    1. Digging underground burrows and
    2. Provisioning themselves with paralyzed cicadas that will be food for their grub-like larvae.
    3. The wasps will focus on these tasks over the next few weeks, generally oblivious to the stress and anxiety that they may be causing.

    Click here to read more...
  • Fresh summer corn

    Let’s keep our summer garden series rolling with another popular veggie: fresh summer corn.

    The season for corn is July through August.  Corn is low in fat and full of fiber and B vitamins. Look for ears of corn with green shucks, moist stems, and silk ends that are free of decay.  Kernels should be small, tender, plump, and should fill all the spaces in the rows.  When storing fresh corn, keep it unshucked, wrapped in damp paper towels, inside a plastic bag in the refrigerator until ready to use.  The shelf life is usually four to six days.

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  • 4-H brings home honors

    Good work ethics need to be instilled at an early age.  Parents go about helping their children learn responsibility and to finish a job in many different ways from home chores to holding a local job to working on the family farm.

    In 4-H and many other youth organizations, seeing youth reach a goal through hard work and perseverance, is rewarding not only for the youth, but for the parents and other adults who may have supported those youth in their endeavors.  

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  • Time for late summer seedings

    Many of you are preparing to seed or re-seed various forage grasses and legumes. Successful establishment of a new pasture or hay field does not come about by accident, but by attention to details. One of the important details is what variety or varieties you will use. We have a lot of valuable Kentucky-tested results available on grasses and legumes important to Kentucky. For our complete list of species and varieties, see your county extension agent or go to our website at http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage/ForageVarietyTrials2.htm.

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  • State fair time in Kentucky

    A great way to complete your summer is with a family trip to the Kentucky State Fair.

    This year’s state fair will run Aug. 14–24.  Registration for many of the events and activities are due in July or early August.  Washington County 4-H members have one final opportunity to qualify exhibits for the fair on Friday, Aug. 8.

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  • How to: tasty tomatoes

    Cabrina Buckman

    Let’s continue the summer garden series with a new vegetable of the week: tasty tomatoes.

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