The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
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By early November, most Foster County farmers had finished or nearly finished corn harvest. Many were pleased with the results. “Corn was our top crop this year, exceeding expectations,” shared one farmer, while another noted, “This is likely my best corn crop ever.” Yields generally surpassed the county average of 150 bushels per acre, with a few fields above 185 bushels per acre. Several producers mentioned that yields would have been even better if parts of the stand hadn’t drowned out in lo...
NDSU Extension is once again offering the Master Gardener Program this winter, and if you’ve ever thought about becoming a certified Master Gardener, now is the time to apply. The deadline to sign up is Friday, Nov. 1. To become certified, applicants must complete two steps. First, they must take a 40-hour online training course, which covers a broad range of topics related to lawns, gardens and even some houseplants. The weekly classes will be held from Jan. 24 to April 4, 2025. The second r...
As we passed fields of harvest-ready soybeans, the agronomist traveling with me commented, “Three weeks ago, I never would have imagined our crops maturing this fast.” I felt the same way. In early September, I was checking corn growth models daily, wondering if the crop would reach maturity before the first frost. But then the rain stopped, and temperatures rose. During the last two weeks of September, we had eight days when the mercury climbed above 80 degrees. The warm temperatures, cou...
A young Foster County 4-H member recently shared her experience with the Foods and Nutrition project this year: “At the beginning of the year, I did a lot of baking with my mom. She taught me how to read a recipe, start the oven, set the temperature, measure ingredients and adjust the mixer speed. “My treats didn’t always turn out because I either forgot an ingredient or measured incorrectly. I have paid closer attention and had fewer mistakes as I have baked more. “By the end of the year, I...
If you are bothered by dandelions in your lawn, now is the time to act. As the weather cools, dandelions begin channeling energy to their roots in preparation for winter. Herbicides applied at this time will also travel to the roots, effectively killing the plants. The best herbicides for broadleaf weeds like dandelions are Trimec formulations, which contain a blend of 2,4-D, mecoprop, and dicamba. Rather than treating the entire lawn, it’s more efficient to spot-treat weeds or problem areas. T...
When my wife and I lived in China, we taught our students that the standard way to greet an American is to ask the question “How are you?” We explained to them that the expected answer is “I’m fine. How about you?” The unfortunate thing is that sometimes, we’re not fine at all. Just this week, at a meeting attended by Extension agents from various counties across our state, I was asked twice, “How’s Jeff doing?” Both times, I hesitated, wondering if I should answer “Fine” or “The truth is, I a...
Who grew the largest pumpkin in Foster County this year? We’ll find out when gardeners bring their entries to be weighed during The Market in Carrington City Park on Sept. 17. Entries will be accepted between 5:00 and 6:15 p.m. The winners will be announced at 6:30 p.m. The contest includes heaviest pumpkin (youth and adult divisions), the best traditional pumpkin (youth only) and the most unique pumpkin (youth only). This year, we’ll also determine who grew the heaviest potato and heaviest oni...
"We need heat," commented the agronomist as we visited about the cool weather and its impact on corn development. Although nighttime temperatures this summer have been close to the long-term average, daytime highs have consistently remained below normal. August has been our coolest month so far, with daytime highs averaging five degrees below the 20-year norm. Corn requires a specific number of growing degree days (heat units) to reach maturity. By September 1, most corn in our county had...
Summer is nearly over, and I’ve barely harvested any tomatoes from my garden. After talking with others, it seems I’m not alone in waiting for the green fruit to finally turn red. Someone suggested trimming the tops of the plants to let more sunlight reach the tomatoes. However, while extra light can increase a tomato’s sugar content, it has little impact on ripening. That process is primarily controlled by temperature and the hormone ethylene. It usually takes 40 to 50 days after flowe...
The wheat harvest in Foster County got off to a slow start in early August, and progress was further delayed by a weather system on August 14 and 15, which brought over 1.6 inches of rain to much of the area. The wind and rain caused some wheat to lodge. Yield reports have been variable, ranging from 60 to 80 bushels per acre, well above our five-year average of 53 bushels per acre. Test weights have been solid, averaging nearly 60 pounds per bushel, but protein content has been lower than...
Who grew the largest pumpkin in Foster County this year? We’ll find out when gardeners bring their entries to be weighed during The Market, Carrington City Park on Sept. 17. The contest includes heaviest pumpkin (youth and adult divisions), the best traditional pumpkin (youth only) and the most unique pumpkin (youth only). This year, we’ll also determine who grew the heaviest potato and heaviest onion. I look forward to weighing your entries. +++ NDSU Extension recommends fertilizing lawns thr...
Warm temperatures in July accelerated corn and soybean growth, but last week’s cool weather caused a setback. Typically, our highs this time of year are around 82 degrees, but from August 4 to 10, temperatures were eight to 17 degrees below that mark. The cool weather slowed the development of both corn and soybean plants. Soybeans, in particular, do not fare well when night temperatures drop to the lower 50s, as low temperatures inhibit the movement of starch from soybean leaves to seeds. Forec...
“I think we should plant perennials next year,” remarked my wife the other day. We’ve planted and enjoyed a large patch of zinnias the last two years. I would probably plant them again, but Melissa is ready for a change. She has an English-style cottage garden in mind. Melissa likes the variety, color and wildness that cottage gardens possess. The question is: what should we plant? I recently found an NDSU Extension publication that could help us decide: “Annual and Perennial Flowers for Nor...
“It just keeps raining and raining,” a farmer remarked during our phone conversation ten days ago. “We had an inch and a half on Saturday, and then two-tenths of an inch on Monday and again on Tuesday.” Most of our focus has been on the amount of rain (13.5 to 15.3 inches) Foster County has received this spring and summer. However, after my conversation with the farmer, I became curious about how often it has rained. Checking the records from the Carrington NDAWN station, I discovered that we...
A teacher in Carrington recently commented to me that although we live in an agricultural community, many of her students don’t know where food comes from. If that’s true of our students, imagine how difficult it is for young people who grow up in urban environments. Last week I toured a project that is attempting to address that issue in a neighborhood of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The non-profit group New Neighbors offers employment to 20 to 25 high school students each year. Half of the stu...
“Of all my crops, the corn is struggling the most,” a farmer texted last week. He continued, “Some, but not all, of our corn may make knee-high by the 4th of July. I’d rather it was waist-high.” The slow development of this year’s corn and soybean crops has frequently come up in my recent conversations with farmers. Cool weather is to blame. Temperatures warmed considerably last week, but overall, our daytime highs have averaged three degrees below normal since corn was planted mid-May. Crops li...
A friend from Indiana called last week, and I patiently listened as he boasted about his thriving garden. “I picked my first cucumber today,” he said, “and my tomatoes look tremendous.” My experience this year has been quite the opposite. My potatoes died after heavy rain left them standing in water for several days. Other vegetables – corn, cucumbers, and zucchini – didn’t emerge at all and had to be replanted. They are growing now, but way behind in development compared to last year. I’m not...
“You couldn’t ask for better weather than we’ve had this year for small grains,” one farmer remarked to me during the Foster County fair. Unfortunately, the cool, wet conditions over the last six weeks haven’t been as favorable for corn and soybeans. Both crops thrive in temperatures around the mid-80s. Last June, we experienced 19 days above 80 degrees, and several producers mentioned they’d never seen corn grow so rapidly early in the season. This year, however, the mercury exceeded 80 degrees...
June has been pleasant, but with July approaching, we can usually expect warmer and drier weather. If keeping your lawn green throughout the summer is important to you, it’s essential to monitor your grass closely. Lawns need about an inch of water each week to stay green and healthy. If we don’t receive enough rain and you notice the grass beginning to wilt, it’s time to irrigate. Don’t wait until the leaves start turning brown. Remember to water deeply and infrequently. The aim is to keep th...
Two years ago, I had the opportunity to judge the 4-H wood-working exhibits at a fair in a neighboring county. I recall one young boy, beaming with pride as he placed his project on the table before me and then took a seat, eagerly awaiting my assessment. My first impression was positive, but when I reached down to pick up the project, my fingers touched paint that was still tacky. “Is wet paint acceptable for a fair exhibit?” I asked myself. I continued examining the project and found that the...
A weather system passed through Foster County on May 23 and 24, bringing cold, wet conditions to the start of Memorial Day weekend. The Carrington REC recorded 1.4 inches of precipitation, with higher amounts near McHenry at 1.9 inches and lower amounts near Kensal at 0.9 inches. Winds gusted up to 40 miles per hour during the storm, and the temperature dropped to 34 degrees on Friday night. The rain halted planting for four to five days. Some farmers, particularly in central Foster County, had...
My mom has enjoyed watching a litter of rabbits grow up in her backyard this spring. The fun wore off last week, however, when the cute furballs began eating some flowers that she had recently planted. “What can I do to get rid of them?” she asked. “Your birthday’s coming up,” I said with a grin. “Maybe I’ll get you a slingshot.” My mom ignored my comment, saying, “I’ve heard sprinkling blood meal around the plants may work. Apparently, the smell scares the rabbits away.” “I suppose there is n...
In 1893, William P. Brooks conducted a classical experiment at the Massachusetts Agriculture Experiment Station. Brooks filled pots with soil that had never been exposed to soybeans. To one group of pots, he sprinkled a pinch of dust collected from the floor where soybeans had been threshed. The remaining pots were left untouched. The outcome was remarkable: Soybean plants in pots with added dust were greener, more vigorous, and higher yielding than plants without dust. Although the mechanism...
A series of weather systems brought precipitation to Foster County at the end of April, boosting our monthly total to well above normal. Farmers had a small window of time to plant small grains before the rain started on April 26. Over the next four days many parts of the county received 1.2 to 1.3 inches of precipitation. The rain put a halt to all fieldwork. Total rainfall amounts in April were 2.6 inches at the Carrington REC, making it the eighth wettest April on record since 1967. Temperatu...
A weather system late last October blanketed Foster County with 11 inches of snow. After experiencing record breaking snowfall in 2022 – 2023, most of us were probably thinking, “Oh no! Here we go again.” But the weather event on October 26 and 27, turned out to be the heaviest snowfall we would see all winter. The Carrington REC received just 27 additional inches in the months that followed, bringing the total snowfall to 38 inches for the winter of 2023 – 2024. Our annual average is 41 inch...
