Taylor Herbert, Extension educator With spring just around the corner, alfalfa fields are greening up and it won’t be too long before we are thinking about the first cut of hay. The goal of the Alfalfa Harvest Alert program is to help forage producers make a decision on the first cut of alfalfa to optimize forage yield and quality. This project is in its 28th year and is a collaboration between the Central Minnesota Forage Council and University of Minnesota Extension in conjunction with various agribusinesses sponsors, and farmers. Cooperator sites have been arranged in Stearns, Benton, Morrison, Wright, McLeod, Sibley, Nicollet, and Carver counties. How the program works Estimating alfalfa quality using the PEAQ stick. This project kicks off when alfalfa reaches between 14 to 16 inches tall. Cuttings of sample fields will be taken on Monday and Thursday mornings and sent for analysis to determine Relative Feed Quality (RFQ), Relative Feed Value (RFV), Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), a
Join us for the 2024 launch of Strategic Farming: Field Notes when we welcome Dr. Debalin Sarangi, Extension weed specialist, and Bruce Potter, IPM specialist, for updates on weed and insect concerns for the 2024 growing season. The new webinar series begins May 8 and continues throughout the growing season on Wednesdays from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Field Notes features a live, interactive webinar with specialists addressing in-season issues as they arise. Crop producers and other ag professionals are invited to join us for timely topics including weather impacts, insect and disease issues, soil fertility concerns, agronomics, and more. Can’t make the live session? No problem. The discussion-based series will be posted immediately following the webinar to your favorite podcast-streaming service to listen to at your convenience. Register for the series For more information, visit the Strategic Farming webpage .