Top of the Windmill News Fall 2017 - Texas A&M AgriLife ...counties.agrilife.org/kerr/files/2013/02/Fall-TOW-2017.pdf · Boerne, Texas - The Cibolo Conservancy Land Trust, in partnership

By: Roy Walston – CEA-Ag/NR

Top of the Windmill News

Fall 2017

Kerr County AgriLife Extension Service

3775 Hwy. 27

Kerrville, TX 78028

(830) 257-6568

[email protected]

Kerr.agrilife.org

Calendar of Events

Aug 18-19 Texas Sheep & Goat Expo

Aug. 25 Boerne Conservation

Easement Workshop

Sept 1st Texas Parks & Wildlife

Seminar

Sept 12 Private Pesticide

Applicator Training

Sept 19 S. Region Landowners

Series Part 1

CEU’s Available

Oct 2 Kerr County Hay Show

Oct 2-3 Women’s Natural

Resource Management

Conference

Oct 2-3 Texas Fruit Conference

CEU’s Available

Oct 10 S. Region Landowners

Major Sheep and Goat Educational Events are Fast Approaching - August 18-19 SAN ANGELO – Officials said plans for the 2017

Texas Sheep and Goat Expo featuring new events are

finalized. The statewide Texas A&M AgriLife event set

for August 18-19 in San Angelo is one of the largest

sheep and goat programs in the world, particularly in the

way it addresses different segments of the industry, said

Marvin Ensor, event coordinator and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

regional program leader in San Angelo.

New this year will be a session on Angora goats, a major youth

component and sheep performance data instruction as well as a sale of

performance tested rams. The expo begins at 1:00 p.m. at the San Angelo’s 1st

Community Federal Credit Union Spur Arena. August 18 activities end at

8:30 p.m. August 19 activities will run from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., also at the

Spur Arena.

“There are other sheep and goat events and educational opportunities across

the nation, but this unique program addresses the Texas area and the

southwest part of the United States by having concurrent sessions that address

wool sheep, Angora goats, meat goats, club lambs and hair sheep,” Ensor said.

“We have all the different segments covered with educational programs to

address the specific needs of the industry. So make plans now to join us as

these are the two educational events, back to back, you won’t want to miss

Series Part 2 this year.

CCEU’s Available Us This year’s event is set for August 18-19 in San Angelo. Early expo

Oct 31 S. Region Landowners registration by August 15 is $40 for adults, while student registration is

Series Part 3 $15 per day. Late registration after

CEU’s Available August 15 is $60. The final expo

Nov 14 S. Region Landowners agenda and online registration is

Series Part 4 available at :

CEU’s Available http://agrilife.org/westresults/

registration

WORKSHOP PROVIDES LANDOWNERS WITH INFORMATION ON

CONSERVATION EASEMENTS Boerne, Texas - The Cibolo Conservancy Land Trust, in partnership with the Hill Country

Alliance, is hosting a landowner workshop from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, August 25, 2017, at

the Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium, 140 City Park Road, Boerne, TX 78006. This workshop

will focus on conservation easements—a tool available to help landowners steward and protect

their land investment in the long term.

Conservation easements are one of the most flexible and effective means to protect

private property. A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that ensures a

property will forever be conserved according to the landowner’s wishes. No public access is

required. This agreement is negotiated between the landowner and the land trust organization

which is responsible for monitoring and enforcing the terms of the conservation easement

agreement.

Many landowners are concerned about conserving those special natural features on

their family-owned property and maintaining the productivity of their land. Landowners face

the challenge of increasing tax burdens associated with land ownership, including the potential

impact of estate taxes on their heirs. This seminar is designed to provide farmers, ranchers and

other landowners with effective tools and resources to help them deal with the issues inherent

in passing family land on to future generations.

Workshop topics include: My Dream for My Land video, narrated by Bob Webster,

Conservation Easement Basics and Income and Estate Tax Benefits of Donating a

Conservation Easement, The Land Trust Role in the Conservation Easement Process, and

Discussion with Conservation Easement Donors.

The workshop cost is $20 per person which includes refreshments and a social

following the workshop. Registration begins at 1:30; walk-ins are welcome and

pre-registration is advised to ensure your seat. Register and find the full program agenda

online at http://www.hillcountryalliance.org/upcomingevents/

More information is available by contacting the workshop coordinator Carolyn Vogel

at [email protected] or 512.633.4995.

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE 2017 SEMINAR

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be hosting free seminars with discussions

on wildlife management and research in the Texas Hill Country. The seminars will be held on

September 1st and October 6th at the Lee and Ramona Bass Conference Facility.

Information will include historical accounts of the Texas Hill Country, white-tailed deer and

grazing management, and prescribed burning and brush control techniques. Updates to

research regarding the development of a toxic bait to combat feral hogs will also be presented.

The program delivers 40 years of nutrition and genetics research

and it's function in white-tailed deer.

For further information and registration contact the KWMA

headquarters at 830-238-4483 or online at

[email protected]

Seminars are from 1-5 pm September 1st and October 6th.

Registration is required.

PRIVATE PESTICIDE APPLICATOR TRAINING OFFERED

Need a license to kill unwanted brush and weeds? If you’re looking

at pricklypear, agarita, and other weedy plants on your land you may find

that to purchase the products that do the best, you need a private pesticide

applicators license . The Private Pesticide Applicator License is needed for

application of state limit use and restricted use pesticides. To become

licensed you must take a course provided by your local office of Texas

A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Once you complete the course you will

be required to take a 100 question exam at an approved testing facility to complete the course

requirements. The private applicators course is a “one time” training course. The course fee is

$50 and the license fee is $60. Once you complete the course, testing and pay your fees you get

a license good for 5 years. The course takes around 4 hour to complete. In order for you to keep the license after

the fifth year, you will need to obtain 15 continuing education credits (CEU’s) over the 5 year

life of the license period. There is a CEU requirement with 2 credits in Laws and Regulations

and 2 in Integrated Pest Management. Training opportunities are offered by the Texas AgriLife

Extension Service offices here in the Texas Hill Country year round. On September 12th, starting at 9:00 AM, there will be a Private applicator license

training conducted at the Kerr County office of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. The

office is located at 3775 Hwy. 27 in Kerrville. Registration fee is $50.00 and this will provide

you with the needed study materials to pass the 100 question test administered by the Texas

Dept. of Agriculture. For more information and to register for the training stop by the Kerr

County Extension office or give us a call the Extension office at 830-257-6568.

SOUTH REGION LANDOWNERS SERIES Texas AgriLife Extension will be hosting a series of multi-county landowner meetings

this fall for those interested. The series will provide a variety of information beneficial to new

landowners. Beginning September 19th from 4 – 7 p.m. in San Antonio, topics will be related

to 1-D-1 Open Space Valuation, Evaluating Resources, Setting Goals, and Land Fragmentation.

The second meeting of the series will be held October 10th with Kerr County Extension

hosting the meeting at the Kerr Wildlife Management Area from 10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (lunch

served). This program will focus on Wildlife and Range management. The third meeting in the

series will be held October 31st from 9 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in Poteet at Chris Jenschke

Enterprises in Atascosa County, focusing on Forage and Pasture management. The fourth and

final meeting of the series will be November 14th from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. in Medina

County with topics on Weed & Brush Management, Plant I.D. and Sprayer Calibration.

Registration for this program may be done by contacting Denise at the Bexar County

Extension office at 210-631-0400. The cost of the program is $15/class for individuals or $30

for the series of 4 meetings. Couples are

invited and may register for $25/class or

$50 for the series of 4 meetings.

Individuals needing CEU’s for pesticide

applicator licenses will have an

opportunity to get CEU’s at these

programs.

KERR COUNTY HAY SHOW

Producers interested in participating in the Hay Show may bring their

hay samples by the Kerr County Extension office by Monday, October 2nd.

Entries will include one small square bale and a producer may enter as many

bales as they wish. In cases of round bales producers may contact the Extension

office to obtain a core sampler or contact Roy and he will be glad to help core

the bales. Entry fee is $10.00 per bale. Classes include; Sorghum Sudan, Winter Annuals,

Legumes, Perennial Grasses, Coastal Bermuda, and other bermudagrasses. Plaques will be

awarded to the Champion and Reserve Champion bales. This is a good opportunity for

producers to get their hay tested and determine how your fertility and management program is

working. For more information contact the Kerr County Extension office at 830-257-6568.

TEXAS FRUIT GROWERS CONFERENCE The Texas Fruit Conference will hold its 6th educational program for new and experienced fruit

growers on October 2nd and 3rd , 2017, at the City of New Braunfels Civic Convention Center.

The components of the educational program this year will include:

Basic Training for New Fruit Growers - detailed information on how to make a

successful start with a new fruit orchard will be provided.

CEU Recertification - more Pesticide CEU’s will be offered this year, with a four-hour

program on Tuesday morning.

The Future of Fruit Growing in Texas - the future of growing fruit in Texas will be

discussed.

Texas Fruit Tasting - Fall-Season, Texas-grown fruits has become an important part of

this annual event, and there will be an expanded fruit tasting this year!

While oriented toward small acreage and commercial production of

perennial orchard crops, the Texas Fruit Conference will be

beneficial to anyone wanting to know more about fruit growing in

Texas.

Early-Bird registration is set at $65/per person for those people

registering by September 10th. Regular online registration from September 11th to September 28th

is $75/person.

On-site registration on October 2nd is $85/person.

All registrations include lunch on Tuesday.

Lodging: Conference rates have been established with two New Braunfels Hotels: Courtyard

Marriott River Village offers rates of $99/night:

(http://www.guestreservations.com/courtyard-new-braunfels-river-village/booking);

Fairfield Inn & Suites New Braunfels is offering a rate of $79/night:

(http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/satbf-fairfield-inn-and-suites-new-braunfels/)

Conference registration is available now at: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/Fruit

WOMEN’S NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE

A conference devoted to helping women manage natural resources in the Edwards

Plateau will take place in Fredericksburg October 2-3 at the Inn on Barons Creek. The

Women’s Natural Resource Management Conference is funded by the Ruth and Eskel Bennett

Endowment, said Dr. Larry Redmon, co-chair and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Bennett Trust specialist.

The women’s conference is an extension of the Bennett Trust Land Stewardship

Conference, which has been held twice in Kerrville, Redmon said. “More and more women

are becoming landowners through inheritance and other means, and we want to help these

women be a success in the management of their natural resources,” he said. “By offering a

ladies conference, we hope women will feel more comfortable with attending and

participating. We also want to encourage mothers to bring their daughters; it is a generational

thing.”

Cost of the two-day conference is $75 and includes all meals, break refreshments and

tour transportation costs.

“Everyone involved in the planning process is excited about

our new Edwards Plateau Land Stewardship conferences,”

he said. “And thanks to the Bennett’s generosity, this will be

a unique learning opportunity for all of us for years to

come.” Dr. Rick Machen, said the conference will include

“the best and wisest, accomplished stewards, visionaries and

legacy-leavers as educators for this conference. Those with a

passion for natural resource stewardship and a love for the

Texas Hill Country will want to be there.”

Among the speakers will be wildlife biologists, animal scientists, range scientists, and

financial planners.

The conference’s preliminary agenda for the first day includes a presentations by Mr.

Steve Nelle, “What is Land Stewardship”. Other topics include Habitat Management, Birding

in the Texas Hill Country, Water in the Hill Country – Our Most Valuable Resource, What do

Women Need to Know about Finances, Pasture Raised Poultry and Agricultural Laws Every

Landowner Needs to Know.

Day two includes a Hill Country Tour to tour area an area ranch, winery, dairy and a

lavender farm. Tour participants will learn about plant identification, wildlife management and

many more interesting topics.

Registration for the Bennett Trust Women’s Conference set for October 2-3, 2017 is

now available at the following: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/BennettTrust.

Information is also available at:

agrilife.org/bennetttrust/.

PRUNING GUIDELINES FOR PREVENTION OF OAK WILT IN TEXAS

While the trees in the Hill Country are part of what makes the Hill Country a special

place attracting people from all over the world, with them comes their challenges. Oak wilt

is one of those challenges. If you or someone you know has not been affected directly by oak

wilt, give it time you will. Oak wilt, caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum, is the

most destructive disease affecting oaks in the Hill Country

and Central Texas. Most of the tree mortality results from

tree-to-tree spread of the pathogen through interconnected

or grafted root systems, once an oak wilt center becomes

established. New infection centers begin when beetles

carry oak wilt fungal spores from infected red oaks to

fresh, open wounds on healthy oaks. Wounds include

any damage caused by wind, hail, vehicles, construction,

squirrels, birds or pruning. Research has shown that both

oak wilt fungal mats on infected red oaks and insects that carry oak wilt spores are most

prevalent in the spring. Below is a brief description of how you can reduce the risk of fungal

spread when pruning.

1) Always paint fresh wounds on oaks, including pruning cuts and stumps, with

wound dressing or latex paint immediately after pruning or live tree removal at all times

of the year.

2) Clean all pruning tools with 10% bleach solution or Lysol™ between sites and/or trees.

3) If possible avoid pruning or wounding of oaks during the spring (currently defined

as February 1 through June 30). Reasons to prune in the spring include:

i) To accommodate public safety concerns such as hazardous limbs, traffic

visibility or emergency utility line clearance.

ii) To repair damaged limbs (from storms or other anomalies)

iii) To remove limbs rubbing on a building or rubbing on other branches, and to

raise low limbs over a street.

iv) On sites where construction schedules take precedence, pruning any live

tissue should only be done to accommodate required clearance.

v) Dead branch removal where live tissue is not exposed.

4) Pruning for other reasons (general tree health, non-safety related clearance or

thinning, etc.) should be conducted before February 1 or after June 30.

5) Debris from diseased red oaks should be immediately chipped, burned or buried.

Regardless of the reasons or time of year, proper pruning techniques should be used.

These techniques include making proper pruning cuts and avoiding injurious practices such

as topping or excessive crown thinning. If you are

uncertain about any of this information, you

should consult with a Texas Oak Wilt Certified arborist,

ISA Certified Arborist, or an oak wilt specialist from a

city, county or state government agency such as the

Texas A&M Forest Service or Texas A&M AgriLife

Extension Service.

EVALUATION OF CONTRACEPTIVE VIABILITY IN WILD PIG

MANAGEMENT

The following is a conclusion from an article on “An

Evaluation of Contraceptive Viability in Wild Pig

Management” written by Josh Helcel, Extension Feral

Hog Specialist. For the complete article go to our

website at:

http://counties.agrilife.org/kerr/files/2014/02/Wild-Pig-Newsletter-Spring-2017.pdf

Wild pigs cause an estimated minimum of 1.5 billion dollars in agricultural

damages in the United States each year. They destroy habitat, negatively impact native

wildlife, degrade water quality, threaten livestock production and the list goes on. These

animals are classified as the most reproductively successful large mammal worldwide, so

developing a means to inhibit the reproductive capacity of this species does seem like a

logical strategy. However, at this time the research simply does not support this means as

a feasible alternative in wild pig management. There is no wildlife inoculation currently

available which would meet the criteria necessary to be effective. Additional challenges of

species specific delivery, repeated dosing, cost, wild pig intelligence, secondary transfer

and others further reiterate wild pig fertility control as currently being impractical. There

is most likely no one “silver bullet” that will solve the wild pig problem, but the reality is

that researchers are much closer to developing a viable toxicant than an

immunocontraceptive.

In the meantime, conventional techniques and

emerging technologies such as remote/suspended trapping

systems coupled with a routine aerial gunning regimen

remain among the best available strategies for abating the

damages associated with wild pigs.

Kerr County AgriLife Extension Office

3775 Hwy 27

Kerrville, Texas 78028