New pavilion brings excitement in Pikeville By Brett Wolff, Senior Extension Associate The Pikeville Farmers Market celebrated the grand opening of its brand new pavilion on Tuesday, September 13th. More than 500 were in attendance, including Pikeville residents, lo-cal and state officials, Exten-sion employees, nongovern-mental organizations, and, of course, producers from multiple southeastern Ken-tucky counties. The beauti-ful pavilion is the result of hard work and collaboration among the Farmers Market, the Pike County Extension Office, the Kentucky Depart-ment of Agriculture, and a whole cadre of local and state officials. The opening of this pavilion is another step toward continued growth of agriculture in Eastern Ken-tucky. If the parallel growth of markets in Floyd, Perry, Letcher and other Eastern Kentucky counties is any in-dicator, local food in Eastern Kentucky is on the upswing.

It’s not just farmers markets: Clay County producers Will and Maggie Bowling of Old Homeplace Farm have shared their experiences with operating a buying club tailored to their community. You can read more here. Dr. Cathy Rehmeyer —

What’s insideHigh tunnel profitability .... 2 CCD workshop ................. 4

Coming upOct. 1 - Mountain Proud Field Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Robinson Center for Appa-lachian Resource Sustain-ability, Quicksand, KY. For details, click here.

Oct. 22 - Central Illinois Farm Beginnings, Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, Champaign, IL. First of nine full-day seminars on busi-ness and enterprise plan-ning. Click here for details.

Oct. 24-25 - Kentucky Women in Agriculture Conference, Bowling Green, KY. For more information, visit http://kywomeninag.com/annual-conference.html.

Nov. 9 - Considerations for Beginning Farmers Work-shop, Tri-State Exhibition Center, McDonald, TN. Multiple sessions offered around TN on various dates. For details, click here.

September 2016

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Brett Wolff, EditorChristy Cassady, Editor/Designer

Cooperative Extension Service | Agriculture and Natural Resources | Family and Consumer Sciences | 4-H Youth Development | Community and Economic DevelopmentEducational programs of Kentucky Cooperative Extension serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed,

religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

The grand opening of the Pikeville Farmers Market Pavilion drew a crowd of more than 500.

Photo by Brett Wolff, University of Kentucky

By Matt Ernst, independent writer

High tunnels persist as one of the most popular tools for farms direct marketing vegetables and fruits. That popularity has only increased since 2012, the start of the EQIP Seasonal High Tunnel Initiative. Through that program, USDA/Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has authorized funding toward construction of more than 500 high tunnels in Kentucky alone.

Production benefits from high tunnels are well-documented. High tunnels help create a physical

of Four Petal Farm in Floyd County — markets to individuals, restaurants, schools and other institu-tions, and regularly shares her knowledge and ex-perience growing year-round under low tunnels. The list goes on, but the refrain is the same: there are exciting things happening in local food and specialty crops in Eastern Kentucky.

If your market or community has a story to tell, contact Brett Wolff (brett.wolff@uky.edu).

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Left: Cut flowers and pumpkins are among the many products available at the Pikeville Farmers Market.

Below: Officials participate in the ribbon-cutting cere-mony for the new Pikeville Farmers Market Pavilion.

Photos by Brett Wolff, University of Kentucky

barrier between the plant and the outdoor environment, which can aid in disease and pest management. Well-managed high tunnels will generally yield produce that is more uniform in quality.

High tunnels can also generate very respectable returns on investment, partly due to higher prices obtained in the early or late season. Sample estimated costs and returns for high tunnels in Kentucky, completed as part of the Center for Crop Diversification crop profiles, show producers can

High tunnels continue delivering for good managers

recoup high tunnel production and establishment/construction costs within a year or two after the first harvest of a high-value crop like greens or tomatoes. These estimates include reimbursing a $10 to $15 per hour labor value, assigned to time spent during high tunnel construction and production.

That profitability estimate is in line with high tunnel financial estimates from Cornell and Iowa State; but, there is an important disclaimer. These returns assume that 1) producers bring some production expertise to high tunnel production, resulting in respectable yields; and 2) produce grown in the high tunnel is being marketed at retail prices or other price premiums.

Producers who accomplish those two aims report favorable financial returns from high tunnels, with and without cost-share assistance for high tunnel construction. That is the case for Jessamine County, KY farmers Mark and Velvet Henkle, of Henkle’s Herbs and Heirlooms. The Henkles received EQIP monies for their first high tunnel, constructed in 2013. Their second 2,880-square foot high tunnel went up this May. The farm footed about 60 percent of the bill and received County Agricultural Improvement Program monies for the rest. While cost-share funds lessen the farm’s capital expense, high tunnels pencil out as a good investment for the farm even in the absence of cost share funds. “I think the high tunnels are worth every penny you put into them, in the end,” said

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Mark Henkle.

The high tunnel cost estimates reviewed, while preparing the CCD high tunnel profiles, show the labor and materials establishment cost (gravel, frame, two layers of poly, basic site preparation, etc.) at about $1.30 to $1.50 per square foot for a typical 2,000- to 3,000-square foot unit, including some hired labor. Figure on spending about the same amount, per square foot, for more extensive site preparation (like drains), and for additional systems, like ventilation fans and heating. That brings the ballpark construction cost for a fully functional high tunnel to between $2.50 and $3 per square foot, plus the value of some operator labor during construction and setup.

Mark Henkle said those cost estimates are right in line with high tunnel construction costs on his farm this year. He also noted a labor availability benefit to the high tunnel enterprise: he can do some of the preparation work, like grading and drainage, in the winter, during his produce off-season. He said a main reason the high tunnels have proved a good investment for his farm is because of the returns generated from high-quality tomatoes. “We see a much more uniform product, fewer disease and pest issues when compared to our field production. And we were able to be the first at market with our tomatoes this spring,” he said. That helped him realize a price premium, which he was even able to maintain throughout the summer season, he said.

Growers who bring some production expertise and who market their produce for premium prices can recoup high tunnel production and construction costs within a year or two after harvesting a high-value crop such as greens or tomatoes for the first time. Click here for information on the NRCS High Tunnel System EQIP Program.

Photo courtesy of USDA/ NRCS

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Have you picked your cover crop yet? By Brett Wolff, Senior Extension AssociateWe keep hearing more and more about cover crops. Erosion prevention, soil organic matter improvement, nitrogen fixation, weed suppression — the list of benefits goes on. Cover crops have been one of the commonalities among livestock, commodity and specialty crop growers interested in enhancing the sustainability of their farms. The classic choice has been cereal rye as a winter cover: it can be planted late, puts on lots of biomass (for organic matter building), and has some allelopathic effect on weeds. As with any tool —cereal rye doesn’t fit all situations or goals. Luckily, the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SARE) has lots of free resources available for download. Managing Cover Crops Profitably (available here) is one of the standby resources with a nice overview of lots of different species. eXtension.org has a helpful article on selecting winter cover crops (click here) that you might find useful, including the chart below (click chart to access larger version):

As you plan for cover crops heading into this fall, don’t forget that they can also play an important role in your spring and summer rotations. A crop like buckwheat can cover the soil, feed and attract pollinators, and add organic matter during times when nothing is planted (i.e., between spring and fall green crops). Got a favorite cover crop? Let us know on Facebook.

Thanks for reading!If you know someone who would enjoy our news-letter, or you’re not subscribed yet yourself, visit www.uky.edu/ccd/newsletter and click “Sub-scribe Now.”

Deciding what to plant?CCD to host workshop at January conferenceHow will you decide what to plant next year? The Center for Crop Diversification will host a workshop to guide growers through the process of determining which specialty crops would work best for their enterprises at the 2017 Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Lexington. The workshop, which will be held on Tuesday, January 10th, at 1:30 p.m., will feature the CCD publication, “What to Think About Before You Plant,” and a new version of the UK Department of Agricultural Economics publication, “PRIMER for Selecting New Enterprises for Your Farm.” The latter is based on a set of worksheets to help evaluate the profitability, resource requirements, information needs, marketing decisions, enthusiasm for, and risk associated with a new enterprise. The PRIMER is designed to help users ask the right questions to evaluate the economics of an enterprise, and it can help in developing a whole farm plan, business plan, or marketing plan.

The workshop will include the following topics:• Market options by size and scale of production• Conducting basic market research• Certifications• Insurance and risk management• Management and labor needs• Resources needed beyond the field or gardenThe workshop will benefit established farmers who are considering planting a new crop, as well as new farmers who are just getting started.

The Kentucky Fruit and Vegetable Conference will be held January 9th-10th at Embassy Suites in Lexington. Anyone who registers for the conference will be able to attend the CCD workshop at no additional cost.

Source: White et al., 2015. Making the Most of Mixtures: Considerations for Winter Cover Crops in Temperate Climates. eOrganic/eXtension.org.

Table 1. Characteristics, ability to provide various services, and recommended planting date windows for non-legume winter cover crops commonly used in temperate cropping systems.

Species Opt

imum

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ogen

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enef

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n

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ting

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ost7

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s

Cereal Rye (Secale cereale)

ES to MS

SD to TO

4 weeks prior to 6 weeks after

Narrow window for spring management due to rapid maturity progression in spring; Mature residues can immobilize nitrogen

Triticale (x Triticosecale)

MS SD to TO

4 weeks prior to 6 weeks after

Mature residues can immobilize nitrogen

Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

MS to LS

SD to TO

4 weeks prior to 3 weeks after

Mature residues can immobilize nitrogen

Spelt (Triticum spelta)

MS to LS

SD to TO

4 weeks prior to 6 weeks after

Mature residues can immobilize nitrogen

Annual Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)

MS SD 3 to 10 Mature residues can immobilize

nitrogen

Oats (Avena sativa)

WK-25°

SD 1 3 to 10 Highly competitive against other

species in the mix Sorghum-Sudan grass (Sorghum bicolor X S. bicolor var. sudanese)

WK-32°

TO 1 4 8 to 12 Highly competitive against other

species in the mix; high carbon residues can immobilize nitrogen

Forage Radish (Raphanus sativus var. longipinnatus)

WK-25°

SD 1 2 3 5 3 to 10 Highly competitive against other

species in the mix

Canola (Brassica rapa)

ES to MS

SD to TO 5 /6

3 to 10 Highly competitive against other species in the mix; can host pests of brassicaceaous cash crops

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

WK-32°

TO 1 10 to 14

ES= Early Spring; MS= Mid Spring; LS= Late Spring; WK-32°= Winter-kills after light frosts; WK-25°=Winter-kills after hard freezes; SD = Short, dense; TO= Tall, open; V= Vining; = Excellent ability; =Moderate ability; = Limited to no ability. Notes 1Winterkilled species provide no nitrogen retention in the winter and spring. 2N released rapidly following winter kill of these species is subject to leaching losses. 3Forage radish provides excellent erosion control in the fall, but soil is left bare in spring after winterkilled residues decompose. 4Be aware of potential for prussic acid poisoning. 5 Low soil nitrogen availability can limit the growth of brassicas, reducing their weed suppression capacity. 6Forage varieties of canola (also known as rape) can have excellent feed value. 7Planting date recommendations from Cover Crop Solutions, LLC when available and personal experience otherwise.