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Agriculture

  • Plant disease-resistant varieties

    Do you have problems with fire blight, black spot, powdery mildew, Fusarium wilt, early blight, and late blight?  If this is the case, plant disease-resistant varieties this year!

    Sure, old-time favorites are what you are used to, but try something different with them this year.   

    Mail-order catalogs promise a bountiful harvest of fruits and vegetables without much work, but we all know that isn’t how it works.

    However, there is one thing that we can do easily that will save us a lot of hassle this summer: variety selection.

    Click here to read more...
  • Spring vegetable gardening

    Mid-to-late March is an ideal time to plant your cool season or spring garden.  
    Potatoes, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, peas and many other crops can be planted this month.  

    Lettuce can also be planted. However, you will want to cover it with remay fabric (tobacco canvas).

    If you haven’t started cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower etc.) seedlings yet, you should just buy the plants in a few weeks from a trustworthy nursery. This will save you time and trouble unless you are growing a great deal of it.

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  • An update on 4-H programs

    Hopefully the worst of winter is over, and everyone can catch up on all of the activities that had to be postponed.

    Washington County 4-H has rescheduled the 4-H Chili Supper for Tuesday, March 18, 5-8 p.m. at the Extension Office in Springfield.  Tickets can still be purchased at the door.  

    Proceeds go to the 4-H Camp scholarship program to help youth attend summer camp.

    Click here to read more...
  • The future of industrial hemp

    We have had several inquiries about the future of industrial hemp and this is what the University of Kentucky College of Ag has given us on their status of industrial hemp.   

    Many in the CAFE community have been receiving requests for information about hemp lately.

    Click here to read more...
  • Renewing farm tags benefits local 4-H and FFA

    Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture James Comer has pioneered the Kentucky Farm License Plate Program, allowing Kentucky FFA and 4-H to directly benefit from the sale of “Ag Tags.”

    When a person purchases a Kentucky Farm license plate, they have the opportunity to donate $10, which is divided equally between Kentucky FFA, Kentucky  4-H and Kentucky Proud.

    Farmers can make the voluntary donation of $10 when renewing their farm license plates at the county clerk’s office in March.

    Click here to read more...
  • The cold temperatures and alfalfa

    Concern always arises in cold periods over winter about the effect of the low temperatures on alfalfa winter survival. This is of some concern because certainly the alfalfa plant will die if exposed to cold enough temperatures.

    However, generally, alfalfa survives the winter and its periodic cold spells. The reasons are:

    1.) Alfalfa can survive temperatures of -10 to -15°F.

    2.) This is the temperature of the crown, not the top growth.

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  • 4-H News

    The weather has certainly been a factor for many events and activities in the community and school being cancelled or postponed to another date this winter.

    The policy with 4-H is that if school is cancelled, then the 4-H event for that day is cancelled. There are some exceptions if it concerns a district, state or livestock event.

    Often notification is sent out through our office one call system. We ask our 4-H families to be aware of this system and to listen to the messages fully to receive the complete details.  

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  • 10 keys to starting seeds at home

    Have you been looking through the ton of seed catalogs that have been popping up in your mailbox since late fall?    

    Do you look through them and make notes about varieties you want and admire the new exotic looking plants?  

    Do you think, oh, I can just buy one or two of those this spring at the garden center?  

    Think back to last spring: Were you disappointed when you went to buy those new and different varieties and the garden center had the same old petunias, geraniums, zinnias and whatever else you can think of?

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  • WC 4-H volunteer recognized

    Washington County 4-H volunteer, Tana Wells, was recognized by KY 4-H as one of the top five 4-H horse club leaders in the state at the KY 4-H Volunteer Forum Awards Banquet held Friday night at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington.  

    The awards night was a part of the three-day forum held every other year for volunteers across the state. The forum theme was “Celebrating 4-H with the Stories We Tell” and the forum included workshops, 4-H program exhibits, commercial exhibits and recognition events the volunteers attended.  

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  • Prune fruit trees in February

    When we get some relief from the cold weather, this month is the time to do some yard work.

    February is the right time to prune most fruit trees.  

    Apples, plums, pears, cherries and just about any other tree fruit you can think of needs a little help now before they actively start pushing out new growth.

    Peaches are the only ones you should wait on; prune them after flowering.  

    Pruning is a necessary process that will increase your yields, decrease insect and disease problems and give you a healthy tree in the process.

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