Farming

I can’t believe this heat already. I was hopeful that this summer was not going to be a repeat of last, but it looks like we are on track for some serious heat this summer.  
Some vegetables will surely respond to temperatures in the 90’s … some will be good and some will be bad. I know we can’t change the ambient air temperature on a 90 degree day, but we can provide some shade for our plants on the hottest days of the summer with reasonable results.

Powdery mildew is probably the most common garden fungus around. It is not too terribly picky about where it spreads, it likes humid weather, thrives in the heat of the summer and is hard to control once it has started.  
The trick is to prevent it from happening by proper plant selection, spacing, pruning and treatment before it spreads.
Powdery mildew is caused by several different fungi, I won’t bore you with their names because they all act the same way.  
The spores of the fungus are carried by the wind and by splashing water.

Kentucky USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director SED John McCauley announces that the 2010 Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) production certification deadline has been extended to Sept. 1, 2011.
Note: The dealine has not been extended for agricultural producers to participate in FSA’s Direct and Counter Cyclical Program or the Average Crop Revenue Election Program during the 2011 crop year. Applications must be submitted by June 1 to be eligible for the 2011 program.

On May 4, President Obama declared 14 Kentucky counties as disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred from April 26, and continuing. Those counties are Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Carter, Fleming, Gallatin, Kenton, Lawrence, Morgan, Nicholas, Oldham, Owen and Washington.
As a result of the declaration, 29 Kentucky counties were named as contiguous counties where eligible family farmers may qualify for FSA EM loan assistance pursuant to Section 321(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act.