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
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
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