Once spring has arrived, we generally look forward to warming temperatures, greening of the landscape and fieldwork. The March 24-25 snow dump dampened the seasonal optimism of many with the half foot or so of the heavy white stuff, slowing everyone’s attempts to be productive. Multiple vehicles off the road, rescheduled Easter egg hunts and school closings made the news headlines, but little if any was reported about additional challenges endured by farmers due to the snow.

The adverse weather conditions were certainly the opposite of what was experienced in 2012, when a country driver could row a few corn fields spiking at this time. Crop planting was well underway with warm temperatures and drying conditions. Pastures were firming up and hay and wheat fields edged towards rapid vegetative growth stages.

Early last week, the snow layer made feed deliveries more difficult, grain hauling hazardous and eliminated the field application of manure and commercial fertilizer. One Ohio prosecutor even resorted to giving some celebrity groundhog the death penalty for false predictions of an early spring. Most farmers routinely execute those destructive pests regardless of any foolish weather forecasts.

According to Jim Noel, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, the forecasts is for a cooler than normal weather pattern through early April. He expects 4-inch soil temperatures to be below normal in April, with delayed planting as a result. Noel stated in last week’s CORN Newsletter (available at http://corn.osu.edu) that the risk for late season freezes in April is elevated due to record cold temperatures received in March. By the way, the CORN Newsletter is now available on a weekly basis and will continue to be throughout the growing season. Articles in last week’s publication included articles on fine tuning and calibration of sprayers, the Asiatic Garden Beetle (which caused significant stand losses in some northern Ohio fields last year) and protecting bees during spring planting.

Research is ongoing relative to possible bee kills due to the use of neonicotinoid seed treatments. When mixed with talc, which is used to allow seeds to flow more easily in planters, escaped dust can settle on flowering plants and weeds. 

As bees access those plants, it is theorized that the seed treatment material sticks to the bees and is carried back to hives, resulting in significant bee mortality. Ohio State University Extension entomologists Ron Hammond and Andy Michel shared some ideas that farmers may be able to utilize during the planting season in this article.

The Spring Ohio No-Till Field Day on April 10 requires your immediate attention if you plan to attend. Save $15 if you date your check for April 3. Make the check for $35, payable to the Ohio No-Till Council. To guarantee your registration, go to http://WalnutCreekSeeds.com or call 740-756-4436.

The program is slated for the Dave Brandt Farm, located at 6100 Basil Western Road, Carroll, Ohio, with the agenda stretching from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Speakers and topics include:

•Ray Weil from the University of Maryland on “Soil and How It Changes With Covers;” Ray Archuleta NRCS North Carolina - “Soil Health and Water Infiltration Demo;” Jay Fuhrer NRCS North Dakota - “Using Proper Blends for Biodiversity;” Dr. Richard Haney from Texas on “Nutrients in Soil from Biodiverse Covers;” Jim Hoorman, Dave Brandt, Mark Scarpitti - “Corn Planter and Drill Demos;” and Dave Brandt on “Crop Rolling for the Destruction of Covers.”