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Ag and Extension

Ag Briefs

Lincoln County FSA acreage reporting map pick up dates announced The Lincoln County FSA Office will have aerial photos available to pick up in the USDA Service Center parking today from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. and Wednesday, May 27 from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. If someone wants another person, other than their spouse, to pick up their maps, they need to have that person bring a signed statement permitting FSA to provide their maps to the other person. Farmers will need to complete their maps with the crops, shares, planting date, prevented planted areas, and acres if an official field ...

‘Murder hornets’

With the pandemic moving on through the U.S. it may seem like we are at the end of times especially when we hear that now we have to think about “Killer Hornets” or “Murder Hornets.” While those who are susceptible to bee stings and so forth are always concerned about any new threat that insects may pose to their health, these hornets may not be as big of a threat to Minnesotans any time soon. Yes, once again, we can thank good old Mother Nature and our darn cold winters for protecting us from an insect that probably won’t be able to survive through a good old fashioned ...

Ag and Extension Briefs

Managing market hogs destined for local meat lockers With pig harvest at commercial packing plants currently disrupted, consumers have an opportunity to purchase market hogs directly from the farm. These pigs destined for local custom processing facilities may have to wait until they can be harvested. Lee Johnston, Pedro Urriola and Sarah Schieck Boelke have put together a fact sheet detailing how consumers can keep market hogs in anticipation of their harvest at local meat lockers. Pig diets, housing, feed and water equipment, the pigsí environmental needs, and health and ...

Raised gardens

This past week there has been a huge increase in phone calls regarding raised gardens. The time spent at home along with the need to be able to do something positive for our families is driving this interesting increase. There are several different kinds of raised garden beds that you can make. There are simple raised ground garden beds, supported raised gardens and containerized raise beds. You will need to choose one that best fits your needs and gardening abilities. The first raised garden is very simple. You do not need anything more than extra soil. The simplest form of raised ...

Upcoming webinars

While it seems like our world is turning upside down lately, there are still many positive things that we can do for ourselves and our families. It has been an exciting time for me as a Master Gardener because so many people are finding the positive in gardening in some form. I am also excited because the U of M Extension has been able to step up to the plate and provide some very interesting educational pieces for just about everyone including gardeners. If you go to the U of M Extension website to courses and events, you will find a ton of webinars to watch from the comfort of your ...

What to do if your pork packing plant is closed

Are you impacted by a pork packing plant closure due to COVID-19 and have pigs scheduled to ship in the near future and wondering what to do? Below is a list of strategies for you to consider. It is important to note that the strategies outlined below are meant to be temporary for emergency situations. The wellbeing of the pigs should be your number one priority when considering how best to manage pork packing plant closure. Additional pig observation is recommended when implementing any of these options. Communicate with your buyer When facing a plant closure challenge, contact ...