Deadline approaches for three Farm Service Agency programs

Douglas County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Jay K. Backowski, reminds producers that the approaching June 1, 2012, deadline is for Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE), the Direct and Counter-Cyclical Program (DCP) and the Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE).

Growing Green - Tree planting tips

This unseasonably warm spring has encouraged avid home gardeners to get a jump start on their veggies. Potatoes, onions, peas, lettuce, spinach and radish have been planted, and it’s just about warm enough to get the tomatoes, beans and peppers in the ground. (You want the soil temperature to reach 70 to have the best success with these crops.)

A trip down memory lane

Donald Hiebel of Bloomington recently took a trip down memory lane.

• Donald Hiebel

Growing Green - Forest tent caterpillars

What are these little buggers, and how can we control them? Here are the facts: These caterpillars live throughout the U.S. and nosh on hardwood trees like balsam poplar, basswood, oaks, ashes, birches, alder, fruit trees, and their favorite, quaking aspen. When they are done munching on trees, they often move to other vegetation, including vegetables, small fruits and nursery crops. They rarely eat red maples or conifers, such as pine and spruce.

• Talk about this topic

2012 dairy princesses crowned

The crowning of the 2012 Douglas County Dairy Princesses was held on Sunday, April 29 in Alexandria.

• Dairy princesses

Sauk River Watershed District 2012 plan and report available online

The Sauk River Watershed District (SRWD) has several new items available on their website for review by the public. In addition, the District has been working on some new features for its website and has added a Facebook page. The District has posted its 2011 Annual Report and 2012 Plan of Operations as well as its audit information online at www.srwdmn.org.

4-H members compete in Regional Project Bowls

The 4-H Project bowl allows youth to study a chosen project more in depth to learn as much as they can about nutrition, breeds, care, genetics, body and conditioning and more. The Minnesota 4-H Project bowl is the second largest 4-H event after the Minnesota State Fair. Patterned after the golden oldies television show “College Bowl,” it challenges teams of three to six youth in their knowledge of certain 4-H project areas.

• Junior General Livestock A
• Junior Rabbit
• Senior Horse
• Senior Poultry

Growing Green - Keep your eyes open for ticks

This early spring has brought more than just flowers. I found a tick on my cat and dog the other day. Yuck! If you have been spending a lot of time outside on the beautiful days we have had lately, chances are you’ve also seen one of these pesky buggers.

• Wood ticks
• Talk about this topic

Growing Green - Healthy soil equals healthy plants

Spring has sprung (albeit the sudden onset of April snow) and many gardeners have asked what chores they can accomplish in their yards and gardens prior to spring planting. One of the top springtime questions I often get is how and when should fertilizer be applied. It is a difficult question to answer without information on the soils in the garden or lawn.

Growing Green - Spring chores for the impatient gardener

The signs of spring have been seen several weeks earlier than normal this year. From the record ice out dates on our lakes to the activity of squirrels to the mosquito and tick sightings, spring just seems to be a train barreling down the track toward summer. With the onset of our early spring, come many consequences we should consider.

• Talk about this topic

Growing Green - Fragrant flowers for your cutting garden

When it comes to selecting flowers to plant in my garden, I am always looking for scented varieties that bring the fragrance of the garden into my home. So many beautiful cultivars have had their sweet aroma bred right out of them.

Extension offers 4-H judges training

Positive youth development is the goal of 4-H, the youth organization of the University of Minnesota Extension. 4-H youth select projects, establish goals, and complete exhibits to achieve or highlight their goals. These exhibits are evaluated by trained, caring adults during county fairs.

Minnesota and National Farmers Union announce scholarship

Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) is offering a $1,000 Tim Henning Memorial Membership and Policy Scholarship to a MFU member or their child who is a college student going into their junior or senior year pursuing an education in agriculture, policy or a similar field.

• Minnesota Farmers Union Scholarships

USDA designates seven counties in Minnesota as natural disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated seven counties in Minnesota as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by the combined effects of excessive rain, excessive heat, high winds, tornadoes and an early fall frost that occurred during the period of April 1, 2011 through September 15, 2011.

Central Minnesotans' insistence on protecting water quality heard at Capitol

Key advocates for clean water in central Minnesota joined others from around the state at the state Capitol as part of a coordinated mission to let legislators know how important the environment is to Minnesotans.

• Sauk River Watershed District