Ag Opportunities Volume 18, Number 11 November 2007 Saving Seed: Techniques by Tim Baker Horticulture Specialist MU Extension Daviess County For beginning seed savers, start with an easy crop to save seed from. Many species require special techniques when saving seed. Others don't, and they are the ones with which to start. There are two main factors to consider. First, is the life cycle that the plant goes through in our latitude. Is it an annual, biennial, or perennial? Normally, annuals are the easiest to deal with. This would include plants such as beans, lettuce, okra, and tomato. They are considered annuals because they produce viable seeds in their fruit during the same growing season that you planted the seed. Biennials and perennial need a longer growing season to produce seed than we normally have in Missouri. Examples of biennials are beets and carrots. To propagate them, breeders and seed savers select the best roots and store them over the winter. The next spring, they are planted and the seed stalk is produced. The other main factor to consider is how the flower is pollinated. Is it pollinated by insects, the wind, or self-pollinated? This will determine how much isolation is needed to ensure crossing with other varieties of the same species does not occur. Self-pollinated crops are the easiest to deal with. This class includes beans, lettuce, okra, peas, peppers, and tomatoes. Even though they are self-pollinated, some isolation between varieties is best. Insect pollinated plants are more of a problem. You have to come up with a way to keep the bugs out, because you don't want any insects to make an undesirable cross for you. If that happens, the seeds will not bear true to type. Once you have successfully excluded the insects, your work isn't over. That's because you now have to play the part of the insect, and pollinate the flower. Otherwise, you won't get a viable seed. If the flower is wind pollinated, you face similar problems to insect pollinated plants. Except here the exclusion methods are even more critical, since the air-born pollen particles are so tiny. And like the insect pollinated crops, you have to manually pollinate the plant to transfer pollen and produce seeds. Once the fruit has developed and matured, the seeds may then be collected. Some crops are relatively easy to collect seeds from. Beans are a good example. Just let the pods dry out, preferably on the plant, and shell out next year's seeds to plant. Other crops may be more messy. Tomatoes are surrounded by a lot of juicy material which makes it a bit more difficult to get a dry seed. But plant breeders and seed savers have their ways. Simply press or scoop out the juicy material from the tomato along with the seeds into a clear glass container. Don't add water at this point. Then let it sit a few days, stirring daily. As the mixture ferments, the good seed will settle to the bottom, with almost everything else floating. After a few days. you will get a good growth of mold on top (I didn't say it was pretty). When you are ready to collect the seed, add water and stir it up. Slowly pour off the trash on top, until the good seeds on the bottom are about to pour out. Then stop pouring, add water, and pour it off again. Repeat this process several times. Don't worry if you see a few seeds pour off, since the ones that float are usually not good anyway. Each time, you will get rid of more non-desirable materials, and the good seed on the bottom will be cleaner. When it is clean enough for you, drain off all the water and place the seeds on a paper towel to dry. Each plant species has its own traits and special needs when saving seeds. I would highly recommend picking up a book on the subject, which will go into great detail regarding these requirements. You may want to even start selecting your own open pollinated lines, which are best adapted to the environment at your specific location. If you really get interested in this, you can even breed your own varieties. Be aware that this is a very long-term process. Seed saving isn't for everyone. To be done properly it requires planning and care to ensure you are producing the best possible product. But with the proper knowledge and tools, it isn't really all that hard to do. If you've done your homework, and are successful, you may find seed saving to be an enjoyable and rewarding experience. For more information on saving seed, go to the MAC website—http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/links and click on the letter “S” for seed saving. *************************************************************************** Census Give Farmers a Voice in Their Future 2007 Census of Agriculture Coming Soon America’s farmers and ranchers will soon have the opportunity to make their voices heard and help shape the future of agriculture for years to come. That opportunity will come to their mailboxes in the form of the 2007 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the US Department of Agriculture, the Census is a complete count of the nation’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and other topics. It provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation. “The Census of Agriculture provides information that is not available anywhere else – information that benefits agricultural producers and their communities in myriad ways,” said Gene Danekas, Director of the Missouri Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). “For instance, policy-makers factor Census data into decisions concerning agricultural and rural programs. Community planners use Census to target needed services to rural residents. Companies rely on Census data when determining where to locate their operations. And farmers themselves can use Census data to help make critical decisions about their businesses,” he explained. NASS will mail Census forms on December 28, 2007 to collect data for the 2007 calendar year. Completed forms are due by February 4, 2008. Producers can return their forms by mail or, for the first time, have the convenient option of completing the Census online via a secure web site. “We’re committed to making this Census the best count ever. It’s about the future of agriculture and rural communities in our state,” Danekas said. “Regardless of how large or small their operation or what products they produce, Missouri farmers and ranchers will help themselves and their communities by filling out the Census of Agriculture and returning it promptly,” he added. ”We want farmers and ranchers to know: the Census of Agriculture represents their voice, their future and it’s their responsibility.” For more information about the 2007 Census of Agriculture, please contact the NASS Missouri Field Office at 573-876-0950 or visit www.agcensus.usda.gov online. *************************************************************************** 2007 Missouri Farm Land Values Opinion Survey By Rich Hoormann Agronomy Specialist Montgomery County Results of a July survey of Missouri farm land values is now available. Ron Plain, Univ of Missouri Extension Economist, conducted a survey to determine what has been happening to farmland values. The 197 persons responding to the July 2007 survey were lenders, rural appraisers, MU extension specialist, realtors and other related occupations. They provided their Opinions to questions concerning current farmland values and trends but were asked to ex clued information on tracts smaller than 40 acres and land being converted to development or commercial uses. Land value information is organized for three classes of cropland and pasture (good, average, poor), timberland (with valuable trees), and hunting/recreation land (land with little productive ag value but with desirable aesthetic qualities). Classifications of land was left to the judgment of each respondent. Responses are summarized by region in map form for cropland, pastureland, timber/hunting/recreation land, use intentions, percent increase and the forecast for land value. To review map and all the details, stop by your University Extension Center for a copy or go online at http://agebb.missouri.edu/mgt/landsurv.htm *************************************************************************** Solar Water Pumps By Don Day, Natural Resource Engineer Specialist Boone County Solar water pumps can provide water for livestock in remote areas where it would be expensive to run electrical lines. Increasing electrical rates may make solar pumps more practical even where electricity is available. Determining the water requirements for the livestock you are watering is the first step in planning a system. After determining the amount of water needed, you will need to determine length of pipe needed and the size needed. The diameter of pipe needed is determined by the length and the amount of water that will be pumped through it. The volume of water in gallons per minute (gpm) plus the pressure drop through the supply lines, pressure needed at the waterers and the elevation differences between the water supply and the highest waterer will determine the pump size. Most solar pumps are low volume (2-5 gpm. Most solar pumps operate on 12 or 24 volts and 3 to 4 amps of direct current. One horsepower equals 746 watts at 100 percent efficiency so these are low horsepower. The solar array is sized for the capacity of watts needed. They should be sized for 25 percent more amp capacity than the pump requires. The following are some good resources on solar water pumping: *Solar Powered Livestock Watering Systems, University of Tennessee http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/pb1640.pdf *Pumping Water from Remote Locations for Livestock Watering, Virginia Cooperative Extension http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/bse/442-755/442-755.html *Selection of Alternative Watering Systems, University of Tennessee http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/PB1641.pdf *Waterers and Watering Systems, Kansas State University (very long) http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/library/lvstk2/S147.pdf *************************************************************************** USDA Establishes Grass(Forages) Fed Marketing Claim Standard The U.S. Department of Agriculture today issued a voluntary standard for grass (forage) fed marketing claims. The standard will be published as a Notice in the Federal Register and is titled the U.S. Standard for Livestock and Meat Marketing Claim, Grass (Forage) Fed Claim for Ruminant Livestock and the Meat Products Derived from Such Livestock. The grass fed standard states that grass and/or forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal, with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage and animals cannot be fed grain or grain by-products and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) works with industry representatives and others to establish or revise U.S. standards for nearly 240 agricultural products. Industry uses the standards in the marketplace to specify the quality of commodities. Standards facilitate commerce by providing a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the marketing of agricultural products. Increasingly, livestock and meat producers are using production or processing claims to distinguish their products in the marketplace. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service, through its voluntary certification and audit programs, verifies the accuracy of these claims. The proposed standard will establish the minimum requirements for those producers who choose to operate a USDA-verified program involving a grass (forage) fed claim. The standard will be published in the Oct. 16, 2007, Federal Register. Copies of the proposal and more information are available by accessing the Web site at http://www.ams. usda.gov/lsg/stand/claim.htm; from Martin E. O’Connor, AMS Livestock and Seed Programs, Room 2607–S, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0254; or by calling (202) 720-4486. *************************************************************************** **IN THE NEWS** SARE is proud to announce its New Voices contest, which will give "New Voices" in agriculture the opportunity to share their ideas with the leaders of the sustainable agriculture community at SARE's 20th Anniversary New American Farm Conference, to be held March 25-27, 2008 in Kansas City, Missouri. The winning entry will be presented at the closing plenary session of the conference. Top finalists will also be invited to participate in leadership sessions at the conference at SARE's expense. SARE seeks written, audio, and/or video submissions that articulate emerging perspectives and illustrate an inspirational and pioneering vision for the advancement of sustainable agriculture over the next 20 years. The deadline for entries is December 7, 2007. http://www.sare.org/2008Conference/newvoices.htm AgriMissouri has added a new podcast feature to its Web site. The AgriMissouri Showcase allows consumers to listen to farmers and business owners describe how their businesses were started, discuss weather impacts and describe unique ways to use Missouri products. The Missouri Ruralist reports that this month's podcasts focus on why a Missouri restaurant prefers to use local Missouri products, as well as information about barbecue sauces and seasonings produced in the state. The podcasts can be played directly from the Internet site or downloaded to an MP3 player for later listening. http://www.agrimissouri.com/ (Weekly Harvest Newsletter, Aug 22, 2007) As a means to support community-based food systems, strengthen family farms, and improve student health by reducing childhood obesity, the National Farm to School Network launched its new and improved Web site. Farmtoschool.org is the portal for farm to school information in the US, including extensive content with easy access for submitting information about programs, upcoming events, news and funding opportunities, and online discussion forums to dialogue on issues facing farm to school programs. An exciting new feature includes a state profile for each of the 34 states with active farm to school programs. Check out what Missouri is doing in this area by clicking on the picture of our state. http://www.farmtoschool.org/ Strawberry plants grown in compost-filled mesh tubes, or “socks,” had significantly less chance of getting black root rot, a severe threat to yields, than plants grown directly in infested soils in an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) study. The compost socks lay on top of the infested soil. No methyl bromide or any other soil fumigant was used in the study, since they have become too costly for many small growers and non-chemical alternatives are being sought. The sock plants yielded 16 to 32 times more fruit than those from the conventional "matted row" or black plastic mulch systems when grown in infested soil with no soil treatment. http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/070924.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------------- **IN PRINT/ON-LINE** *Disaster Readiness and Recovery: Legal Considerations for Organic Farmers* is a booklet that helps organic farmers prepare for, weather and recover from a range of natural disasters. The 44-page article by the Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Inc. (FLAG) is a part of its on-going information support tool, Farmers’ Guide to Disaster Assistance. The article concludes with information about how natural disaster- and disaster-recovery may affect farmers’ organic certification, and includes descriptions of how federal policy needs improvement to more equitably meet the needs of organic producers. FLAG is a nonprofit law center in St. Paul, Minnesota, dedicated to providing legal services to family farmers and their rural communities in order to help keep family farmers on the land. http://www.flaginc.org/ The National Research Council released a report that revealed if projected increases in the use of corn for ethanol production occur, the harm to water quality could be considerable, and water supply problems at the regional and local levels could also arise. A National Research Council committee was convened to look at how shifts in the nation's agriculture to include more energy crops, and potentially more crops overall, could affect water management and long-term sustainability of biofuel production. The committee that wrote the report examined policy options and identified opportunities for new agricultural techniques and technologies to help minimize effects of biofuel production on water resources. Full report—Water Implications of Biofuels Production in the US—http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12039#toc If you rent out your pasture or farm ground and are unsure about what to charge as land increases in value, you might want to consider putting it up for bids, according to Ron Plain, University of Missouri extension economist. Ron conducts periodic surveys to determine average rates which we have available in our office or at the following website: http://extension.missouri.edu/explorepdf/agguides/agecon/g00427.pdf --------------------------------------------------------------------------- **ON THE CALENDAR** Nov 5-6—MO Grassland Forage and Grassland Council Annual Meeting, Lake Ozark, MO. Nov 8—Women as Landowners & Landowner Partners VII, Concordia. MO. Call 660-584-8732. Nov 17—Small Farms Conference, Peoria, IL. Call 309-685-3140. Nov 29—Tri-State Local Foods Conference (MO, IL, IA), Quincy, IL. Call 217-223-8380. Nov 30-Dec 1—Livestock Symposium, Kirksville, MO. Dec 1—Rural Life Day, Jefferson City, MO. Call 573.635.9127 x 225. Dec 3—NC SARE Farmer Rancher Grants Due, for more info call 800-433-3704. Dec 6-8—2007 Acres USA Conference and Trade Show, Louisville, KY. Call 800-355-5313. Jan 4-5—27th Annual Horticulture Industries Show, Tulsa, OK. Call 405-744-6460. Jan 6-7—Governor’s Conference on Agriculture, St Louis, MO. Jan 7-8—Heart of American Grazing Conference, Columbia, MO. Jan 10—High Tunnels Workshop, St Joseph, MO. Call 816-279-7691. Jan 10—CSA Mini-School, St Joseph, MO. Call 816-279-7691. Jan 11-12—Great Plains Vegetable Conference, St Joseph, MO. Call 816-279-7691. Jan 19, Feb 23—Intensive Mini-school Series for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), Kalamazoo, MI. Call 877-526-1441. Feb 2-4—Midwest Grape and Wine Conference, Tan-Tar-A. Call 1-800-392-WINE. Feb 15—Organic Marketing Workshop—Missouri Organics on the Move, Jefferson City, MO. Call Feb 16—MO Organic Assn Annual Conference and MO Farmers Market Assn Conference, Jefferson City, MO. Call Feb 18-19—Small Fruit and Vegetable Conference, Springfield, MO. Call Feb 22-25—Western Farm Show, Kansas City, MO. Feb 29—MO Assn of Meat Processors Convention and Trade Show, Columbia, MO. Call417-237-0410. March 25-27—SARE’s 20th Anniversary Conference: The New American Farm: Advancing the frontier of sustainable agriculture, Kansas City, MO. Contact outreach@sare.org April 1-3—National Extension Women in Agriculture Education Conference, Oklahoma City, OK. Call Lgw@udel.edu or 302-831-2538. Green Hills Farm Project Farm Walks Green Hills Farm Project welcomes all families to our open farm walks.  Always bring your children!  Please call ahead to advise the host family of the number attending and to get directions.  The host family provides main meat course and drinks.  Please bring lawn chairs and covered dish. Come on out and join us for a great time of fellowship and sharing on our farms! November 15th - 4pm, Ben & Nancy Coleman, Callao, MO, 660.768.5743. Ben and family have been cattle ranching for years.  Come and see their management practices; come early since it will be getting dark soon at this meeting.  Heated outbuilding for meal and meeting.   December - no meeting in December NOTE: The Missouri Alternatives Center has moved to a new location on campus. It can now be found at 234 Ag Eng Building, Columbia MO 65211-5200. The phone number, email and website all remain the same.