20 Dec 2016 - Ohio County

Ohio County Farm
& Home News
UK 2017 LAMBING SCHOOL
The University of KY /Lambing School will be held
Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at the University of Kentucky C.
Oran Little Research Center Sheep Unit.
The “Lambing School” is designed for new and
prospective sheep producers, although veteran producers
are welcome. Topics of discussion, demonstration and
hands-on include ewe management prior to, during, and
after lambing. The greatest shepherding expertise is
required during the first week after lambing, therefore
attendees will have the opportunity to work with and learn
from ewes that will be lambing at the Sheep Unit on January
17, 2017.
The school begins at 10 a.m. (EST), with lunch on your
own from 12 to 1 p.m., and will conclude by 3 p.m. The
school is free. However, the school does ask that
participants call Dr. Don Ely at 859-257-2717 or email him at
[email protected] prior to January 16, to verify attendance.
Ohio County Beekeepers
Do you currently raise bees or have you been interested
in getting started raising bees for income or just for fun? Then
you may be interested in joining the Ohio County Beekeepers.
The Ohio County Beekeepers organized about 3 months
ago and have been meeting monthly, as well as being active at
several community events this fall.
If you would like to attend their monthly meeting, they
meet on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Ohio Co.
Extension Center at 7:00 p.m. If you would like more
information about the group, contact Kristi Milam at 270-7752446.
Also, if you interested in learning how to get started
raising bees, the Ohio Co. Beekeepers will be hosting a
“Beginning Beekeepers Course” on Saturday, January 21st at
the Ohio County Extension Center. The program will run from
8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and
is free to anyone wishing to
attend.
Bees are the most
important pollinator in the
world. They pollinate the
flowers, so we have beauty
and they pollinate our crops,
so we have food.
Cooperative
Extension Service
Ohio County
P O Box 66
Hartford KY 42347
270-298-7441
Fax: 270-298-4660
http://ohio.ca.uky.edu/
KY FRUIT & VEGETABLE GROWERS
CONFERENCE – JAN 9 &10
Want to get your farm off to a good start in 2017?
Then don’t miss the Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable
Conference scheduled for January 9 & 10, 2017 at
Embassy Suites in Lexington. The registration deadline is
December 16th. The program and registration form can be
found by going to the U.K. Horticulture Department web
site at: http://www.uky.edu/hort/node/1724 .
This conference will be of great benefit to new or
experienced growers that are starting into fruit/vegetable
production or considering growing and marketing a new
crop.
The conference will feature educational
opportunities on production and marketing that will benefit
established growers and beginning farmers. Preconference sessions on Sunday, January 8th, will include
a “Plasticulture Strawberry Short Course” and “Vegetable
and Tree and Small Fruit Round Table” discussions.
This year there will also be sessions on Commercial
Fruit and Vegetable Production, Organic Production,
Farmer’s Markets, Small Fruit Production, Direct and
Wholesale Marketing, Greenhouse and High Tunnel
Production, the Grape and Wine Short Course, Food
Safety and a What to Think About Before You Plant
workshop.
The $40 conference registration fee includes a year’s
membership in the Kentucky Vegetable Growers
Association, Kentucky State Horticultural Society or the
Organic Association of Kentucky, and entrance into the
“Grape & Wine Short Course” and the “What to Think
About Before You Plant” workshop. The conference trade
show will feature approximately 50 vendors.
GMO CROPS HELP REDUCE INPUTS
AND ENHANCE CONSERVATION

Yields: Many farmers believe GMO seeds produce a
higher yield (69%). This finding may also have an
impact on why many farmers believe GMO seeds work
best for their particular farm and region in enhancing
productivity (65%).

January 5 – Winter Wheat Meeting; James E. Bruce
Convention Center, Hopkinsville; 9 a.m. till 3 p.m.
January 9-10 - KY Fruit & Vegetable Conference;
Embassy Suites Hotel, Lexington
January 17 – U.K. 2017 Lambing School; Oran Little
Research Center – Sheep Unit, Versailles, KY; 10:00
a.m. till 3:00 p.m. ET
January 18 – Intensive Soybean Management
Workshop; Sloan Convention Center, Bowling Green;
9:00 am till noon CT
January 19 – KY Commodity Conference; Sloan
Convention Center, Bowling Green
January 19 - Beef Efficiency Conference; Lexington
Convention Center; 8:30 a.m. till 11:30 a.m. ET
January 19 & 20 - KY Cattlemen’s Association
Convention; Lexington Convention Center
January 20 – Forages at KCA Convention; Lexington
January 25 – Ag Expo; Owensboro Convention
Center, Owensboro
February 15-18 - National Farm Machinery Show; KY
Fair & Exposition Center; Louisville
February 18 – Small Ruminant Grazing Conference;
Hardin Co. Extension Office
February 21 – KY Alfalfa & Stored Forage
Conference; Cave City, KY
March 9 – Novel Fescue Renovation Workshop; U.K.
Diagnostic Workshop
March 11 – Small Farm & Garden Conference;
Henderson Co. Extension Center
The following article is information from a report by the
U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance and National Corn
Growers Association.
The majority of U.S. farmers and ranchers indicate
biotechnology and GMO crops as an important solution in
helping raise crops more efficiently, according to new survey
results released today from the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers
Alliance (USFRA) and National Corn Growers Association
(NCGA). With technology shaping today's farms, GMOs
(genetically modified organisms) are one tool in a farmer's
toolbox to enhance production and grow and raise our food
supply more sustainably.
Farmers across the United States were surveyed about
their attitudes toward GMO crops. They were asked to weigh in
on a range of topics regarding the impact of GMO technology
on the environment, pesticide use, and yields, among others.








Findings conclude that farmers believe biotechnology
helps raise crops more efficiently, and that the environment and
sustainability practices will suffer if GMO technology utilization
is reduced in crop production in the future. Seventy-eight (78%)
percent of farmers foresee increased environmental impacts—
including an increase in water usage and application of
pesticides—if GMO seeds were not to be available to them as
a choice in crop production.
When asked about farmer’s ability to lessen their
environmental footprint, 98 percent of those polled ranked GMO
seeds at the top of their list. Additional survey findings include:


Pesticide Use/Crop Inputs: When asked about the
reason for using biotechnology when raising crops,
most farmers indicated GMO seeds allow them to
minimize pesticide/herbicide usage (87%).
Sustainability: Three quarters (78%) of farmers also
expressed being able to engage in advanced farming
practices, such as conservation tillage.
o Another two-thirds (64%) of farmers also
believe GMO seeds allow for efficient
management of resources, specifically, fuel,
time and less wear-and-tear on their
equipment.





For more information about any of the above programs, contact the
Ohio County Extension Office.
Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve
all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate
on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion,
political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression,
pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or
physical or mental disability.
The Ohio County Extension Office
wishes all a blessed Holidays and a
prosperous 2017!!!