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More Frisco

Well after a fun night traveling in some very questionable parts of Oakland courtesy of BART after the Giants game on Wednesday we decided to take our rent car to San Francisco and find a good steak and maybe some crab legs on Thursday. With a little help from cityreview.com and one of our Canadian friends from Montreal we decided to take the Bay Bridge to the city and check out a place called Bobos The Steak The Crab and it was.

Absolutley the best crab and steak I have ever eaten.

As the designated driver, I led us on another adventure through the streets of San Francisco. All I can say is, Wow!

More after I get home.

Thanks for a little time off too.

San Francisco

Well my first trip to San Francisco was quite an adventure that started with a ferry ride across the San Francisco Bay from Jack London Square in West Oakland. Here is a photo of the Bay Bridge from the ferry as it crosses the Bay.

Contributed by: Luther Dunlap, CEA-Ag/Natural Resources - Coleman County

Wheat Newsletter

August 20, 2007
Gaylon Morgan - State Small Grains Specialist - College Station
Chris Sansone - Associate Dept Head, Extension Entomology - San Angelo
http://varietytesting.tamu.edu

Reduce Insects and Viruses by Managing Volunteer Wheat and Summer Weeds:

We throw the term integrated pest management around a lot but many times the tactics chosen are usually designed around one pest whether the pest is a disease, insect or weed. Rarely is there an opportunity to manage all three pests with one relatively simple tactic. However, now that small grain planting season is near, producers have the opportunity to manage three diseases and four insects just by managing weeds and volunteer small grains prior to planting.

Producers should consider proper management practices as a method to manage risk. Taking the time and effort to manage weeds and volunteer small grain may not keep you out of early season problems, but the lack of weeds and volunteer grain certainly improve the odds in the producer's favor.

Most studies indicate that weeds and volunteer small grain should be destroyed at least six weeks before planting to have the maximum impact. This does not mean that if you missed that opportunity to control the weeds that the tactic will not work. We have anecdotal evidence to show that weeds and volunteer small grain destroyed at least two weeks prior to planting will reduce insect and disease problems. However, the sooner the weeds are destroyed the more moisture saved and the fewer insects present in the field.

Fall armyworms have been present throughout most of the state this year. The above average rainfall and mild temperatures have greatly increased populations in 2007. Destroying the weeds and volunteer small grain will go a long way in keeping the moths from laying eggs in the fields prior to planting. This tactic is also effective in managing wheat curl mite, which is primarily responsible for spreading wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and High Plains virus (HPV). By reducing the early season population of the mite, producers can delay the onset of the virus until later in the season when its impact will not be as great. A survey conducted by Dr. Carl Patrick, Extension Entomologist in Amarillo, showed that 85% of the volunteer wheat had the mite and symptoms of WSMV. These early fields not only have problems with the disease but also serve as a reservoir to infect other fields.

The destruction of weeds and volunteer wheat will also help in managing Hessian fly populations. This insect has become a continuing problem in the southern part of the Rolling Plains in the past ten years and had a devastating impact on wheat in the northern Blacklands for the first time in fifteen years. The idea is to limit the first generation of the Hessian fly so populations do not build up to high numbers in the fall. While destruction of the weeds and volunteer wheat will not prevent an infestation, evidence exists to show that it can be the difference between having grazing in January and February.

Finally, destruction of the weeds and volunteer small grain can help with managing greenbugs. The increase in acreage of grain sorghum has helped increase the numbers of greenbugs present in the system. While natural enemies have helped manage the greenbug in grain sorghum, more fields were treated this year in most of the production areas. Destroying the weeds and volunteer wheat will take away the bridge the greenbugs need to transition from grain sorghum to small grains. Destroying the weeds will also help in managing other aphids that are responsible for Barley Yellow Dwarf virus (BYDV). Again, the later the aphids, which transmit the virus, enter the small grain fields, the less impact the disease will have on the wheat.

Optimize Your Input Costs by Determining Soil Nutrient Levels:

Wheat yields were extremely variable across the state this year. Because of this yield variability, producers need to take a hard look at their fertility programs this season. For example, in the Concho Valley where wheat yields were very low, some residual nitrogen may still be available from the previous crop. However, in the High Plains with 60+ bu/a dryland yields, the soil may have been depleted or several critical nutrients. For this reason, it is very important to quantify the amount of soil nutrients available for this growing season by soil sampling. After all, there is no use paying for fertilizer that is not needed or applying nitrogen fertilizer when phosphorous or potassium is the most limiting nutrient.

There is one concept that everyone should be reminded of before planting the 2008-09 wheat crop. The most limiting nutrient creates the ceiling on the yield potential. Typically, this is nitrogen; however, other nutrients can also limit the yield potential, if they are not readily available. This is why it is critically important to have a balanced fertility program. For example, if only enough phosphorous is available for a 20 bu/a yield, then any nitrogen fertilizer applied beyond a 20 bu/a yield is more-or-less wasted. Another example would be the Concho Valley, where yields were extremely low this year because of the late-freeze. In this situation, there may be residual nitrogen still available in the soil for this year's crop; however, without a soil test there is no way to determine how much.

Remember: Additional nitrogen fertilizer can be applied anytime prior to the jointing growth stage; however, other nutrients should be applied prior to planting the wheat crop.

Soil sample bags and forms can be obtained from your county extension agent. Additional information on sampling methods can be found at http://soiltesting.tamu.edu

This newsletter can be found at http://varietytesting.tamu.edu.

Gaylon D. Morgan, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor and Small Grains Specialist
Rm 349B Heep Center
Texas Cooperative Extension - Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-2474

Coleman County Telephone Annual Meeting

Coleman County Telephone Cooperative held it's Annual Meeting Friday at the Santa Anna Civic Center.

Extension 4-H Volunteers Honored At Silver Clover Banquet

Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Debbie Hailey, 325-625-4519

Texas Cooperative Extension’s annual Silver Clover Recognition Banquet celebrated its 40th year Aug. 9 with a banquet at the Original Zentner’s Steak House in San Angelo. This year’s event recognized 30 individuals and institutions who are instrumental to the success of District 7's 4-H youth program.

The Coleman County honorees were Synda Smith and Todd and Sherry McMillan. The banquet is sponsored by the rural electric cooperatives serving the area covered by the 23 counties in Extension’s District 7, West Central Texas.

California Sunning

Well I am once again back in California, this time thanks to Southwest Airlines.

Tocker Foundation Contributes to Santa Anna Library

Photo and story contributed by Tex Wright

The Tocker Foundation has selected the Santa Anna Library for a new collection of books. The Library has been blessed with this honor twice before. The Tocker Foundation was established in 1964 by Phillip and Olive Tucker. He was president of The Outdoor Advertising Assoc. of America. In 1992 the Tocker Foundation decided to focus their endeavors on small town libraries (12,000 or less in population).In 1993 and 1994 Mr. and Mrs. Tocker endowed the foundation with their estates. The Foundation has provided books, buildings, automation, and other needs from this to help small town libraries serve the community.

There are 18 books in the new collection – ready for check-out. In fact 6 of the books are out now! Come by the Santa Anna Library and learn something new. These books were published by Aytz Chaim Books of Austin, Texas.

Thanks to the Tocker Foundation small libraries like Santa Anna can continue to grow and supply books for the enjoyment and education of the entire community.

Rain

Tex Wright reported .30 of rain on Friday. I noticed over an inch or so in my gauge when I took out the trash this weekend but didn't get a chance to dump my gauge.

Grandpa Robinett said he had an inch and three tenths or so and Uncle Ray had an inch and a half.

I am not sure whether or not I can trust Uncle Ray's report... he has been known to exagerate and has shown some bad judgement on previous occasions!

But he is part of the Robinett clan by choice, just like me, and that must be a good thing.. right?

On second thought maybe we both have shown some bad judgement... must be something about those Robinett girls!

Just kidding Grandma... have a good week!

And the survey says...