Land Stewardship

The future look of urban Texas landscapes

24Jun

By: Kerry Halladay

The Texas landscape is changing and becoming more urban. In her new role in Dallas — one of the fastest-growing cities in the country — Dr. Becky Bowling hopes to see that urban landscape become more water efficient and uniquely, beautifully Texan in the future.

“I would say conservation is my passion,” Bowling said. “And I’m really interested in it from an urban perspective.”

As the new Texas A&M AgriLife Extension specialist for urban water, Dr. Becky Bowling (formerly Becky Grubbs) hopes to help make Texas landscapes more water efficient.

Bowling is an assistant professor in the Texas A&M University Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension specialist for urban water. But, very much like the interconnected nature of water, her new role at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas connects many different elements under the AgriLife umbrella.

In March, Bowling moved to Dallas with a new joint appointment with AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M AgriLife Research at the Dallas Center. There she will work closely with the center’s Water University group, as well as doing work for the Texas Water Resources Institute.

“I saw a really neat opportunity in this new role to explore some ideas in urban landscape management that maybe have not been fully explored yet and to engage with parts of the population that we may not currently have a relationship with.”

New connections

Bowling sees Dallas as an opportunity to make new conservation connections in Texas’ growing urban landscape.

“Historically, there’s always been a lot of focus on large-scale producers farming conventional agriculture,” Bowling said of water conservation overall.

“But I think now we’re starting to recognize that the average homeowner, especially when you’ve got 8 million of them concentrated in one area, can have a really significant impact on the environment, particularly in the city where they’re living.”

More and more people are living in Dallas these days. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metroplex saw the largest increase in resident population of any metro area in the entire country, adding 1,206,599 new residents between 2010 and 2019.

“Dallas is a really great place to launch some exploration into understanding what grabs people’s decision making and how to adapt to different audiences to have the greatest impact,” Bowling said. She added that reaching out to previously under-engaged groups that can play a big role in urban water conservation is a big part of her goals for the future.

“Some of my research looking at this from a multi-faceted approach is not just looking at the end-user, the homeowner, but also looking at the role that some other entities play.”

Bowling explained that groups between the municipal water utilities and the homeowner can play a big role in how residents use water in the urban landscape, making them important players in urban water conservation.

For example, homebuilders can have a significant influence on a landscape’s initial design. Homeowners associations (HOAs) can control homeowners’ subsequent landscape decisions. Professional landscapers also are a source of advice and information to homeowners on maintenance decisions. All these groups can be important players in urban water conservation. However, these mid-level influencers have not been the focus of much water conservation outreach in the past.

Bowling wants to find out how to change that.

“How we can get everybody on board to consider conservation and prioritize conservation as resources become increasingly more limited in our state?” she asked. “I would like to build more and more resources to strengthen our relationship with anybody who’s involved in the landscape.”

Perspective shift

One of the things Bowling hopes to see in Dallas’ — and Texas’ — future is a perspective shift when it comes to how communities define a beautiful urban landscape.

The average home owner can have a significant impact on the environment through how they choose to use water in their urban landscapes. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

“There is this surprisingly uniform idea of what a landscape should look like — regardless of where you are or what socio-economic bracket you fall into — where the goal is monocultural turfgrass lawn, green and weedless, with a short list of landscape options,” she explained.

But what if the motivations informing urban landscape decisions were who can be the “greenest” or who can conserve the most water? Bowling thinks Dallas is a good place to find out.

“I would love to see Dallas be a leader in what that could look like. As a rapidly growing urban population, it could be an example of a different type of value and a different type of aesthetic.”

Beautiful and sustainable are not mutually exclusive, Bowling said. Her vision of an ideal Texas aesthetic would celebrate uniqueness and recognize the variety of Texas’ many ecosystems and work with them.

“I would love to see landscapes that are very unique to not just Texas, but where you are in Texas. Native and native adapted plants that really represent your geographical region and are beautiful without a lot of extra work and effort because they’re designed to be there,” she said. “I would also love to see a little pressure off of turfgrass areas to be perfect and a more flexible mindset that allows for periods where turfgrass can go dormant during drought periods.”

“Texas is in a unique position to set an example or model what conservation can look like for urban areas that are in different ecosystems. We have several major cities that are in very different environments, get very different precipitation, experience very different annual temperatures and very different soil characteristics,” she said, adding that she sees Texas as one of the few states with such an opportunity.

“There’s an opportunity to create sustainable urban models that can set examples for other parts of the country.”

Conservation and sustainable agriculture highlighted at field tour

26Mar

by Beth Ann Luedeker

A seeding rate trial including mustard, oat, and winter pea is one of the research projects currently underway in the Brazos bottom. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

Conservation and sustainable agriculture practices aim to address our world’s need for food and fiber products with minimal impact on the soil and available water resources. Farmers who implement these practices may qualify for federal funding if certain standards are met.

The standards are set by the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), based on land grant university research, and disseminated to producers through the NRCS and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension efforts.

group of people looking at mustard plants

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension specialist Jake Mowrer, Ph.D., discusses a a research project he is conducting with mustard. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

To help facilitate the communication between these groups, Jake Mowrer, Ph.D., held a “train the trainers” conservation and sustainable agriculture field tour at the Texas A&M University farm in College Station March 3. The workshop was designed to help them better promote the adoption of sustainable agriculture practices.

“Texas is lagging behind other states in the adoption of sustainable practices. Communicating the most current research to the scientists that work directly with farmers is key to changing practices,” said Mowrer, an Assistant Professor and AgriLife Extension Specialist in Soil Nutrient & Water Resource Management in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.

Field day participants had an opportunity to tour a trial containing 26 different cover crop species. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

“More than fifty percent of the ag and natural resource county agents have less than five years of experience, and many could use more depth of training in our ag sciences,” he said. “There are many who were not raised on farms and whose degree training does not cover the breadth of the ag sciences.”

Mowrer points to the wide variety of agricultural enterprises across the states and the varying needs of the counties.

He believes that providing regionally relevant workshops will help ensure that those who are assisting the state’s producers are aware of current research that will best address those producer’s needs.

group of people in field by device that captures emmissions from soil

Research being led by Diana Zapata, Ph.D., and Nithya Rajan, Ph.D., was of particular interest to participants at the field tour. The trial compares CO2 emissions, crop yield, and biomass productivity in organic and conventional corn and sorghum production. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

At the March 3 workshop, 47 people from AgriLife Extension Districts 9 and 11, NRCS zones 3 and 4, and Prarieview A&M University Extension took part.

Mowrer plans to hold another workshop at the Stiles Farm in Thrall, TX, on summer cover crops, double cropping, and tillage practices. Derrick Banks, Fort Bend County Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources, plans to hold one at PVAMU later in the spring.

These workshops are funded by a grant from Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE).

Texas A&M AgriLife Research Specialist Daniel Hathcoat discusses research on the suitability of 26 different cover crop species based on biomass, weed suppression and impact on soil moisture. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters program held

12Aug

Everyone with a lawn has the opportunity to be an environmental steward.

This was part of the message presented at the recent Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters program at the Guadalupe Water Conservation District office in Seguin by John Smith, an AgriLife Extension program specialist focused on water quality, Reagan Hejl, a research associate in turfgrass science, and Ward Ling, an AgriLife Extension program specialist in watershed protection.

Reagan Hejl discusses the importance of site preparation for turfgrasses during the Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters program in Seguin. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

Turfgrass lawns are a resource that can help prevent soil erosion, dissipate heat, filter chemical pollutants, improve surface water quality and more, as well as enhancing your property value, Hejl, told those gathered for the program.

However, proper management of turfgrasses is important, he said. Improper management can lead to wasted water resources and pollution caused by displaced fertilizers and pesticides.

Hejl explained that good turfgrass management begins with site preparation.

“Plants are healthier, require less irrigation and tolerate stress better when they are grown in a deep and non-compacted soil, so good site preparation prior to planting is critical,” Hejl said. “Start with a pre-plant soil test to establish nutrient availability and identify future problems like salinity or pH issues.”

The soil test will also help determine what nutrients are needed, and helps prevent unnecessary fertilizer applications.

Hejl said it is important to know the strengths and weaknesses of the different turfgrasses. Some grow better in shade, others are more drought tolerant, some can handle foot traffic better than others.

AgriLife Extension Program Specialist John Smith explains the benefits of rainwater harvesting during the Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters program in Seguin. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

“It is important for the homeowner to select the turfgrass that is best suited to meet their needs,” he said.

With many municipalities initiating water saving protocols for lawn irrigation, rainwater harvesting is becoming increasingly popular.

Smith provided an in-depth look at rainwater harvesting, the capture and storage of rainwater for later use.

“This is a conservation practice that can reduce storm water runoff, and so reduce pollutants entering our water bodies,” Smith said. “And rainwater is better for lawns and landscaping as it is sodium free, zero hardness and a nearly neutral pH.”

Homeowners can collect the rain that runs off the roof of their house or other building, and stockpile that water until they need it for their lawn and landscaping, Smith explained.

Emily Bush, an intern in the Department of Soil and Crops water program, sets out informative papers for participants at the Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters program in Seguin. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

“In the winter months, November thru February, the plants are dormant. The water from those months can be diverted to storage tanks and saved until the warm, dry summer months when the plants need it for growth,” he said.

Smith explained how to create a rainwater catchment and discussed the different tanks available for holding the water, filters which could be used, first flush diverters and more.

Ling provided an update on the Geronimo-Alligator Creeks watershed protection plan which is being implemented in the Seguin area.

three people by rain barrell made from 55-gal plastic drum.

Ward Ling, left, and John Smith, right, presented the 55-gallon rain barrell to Carson Manning, a participant in the Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters program held in Seguin. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

The Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters programs are presented statewide. For more information contact John Smith at johnwsmith@tamu.edu

2019 Hill Country land stewardship conference set for April 25-26

12Feb

Writer: Kay Ledbetter, 806-677-5608, skledbetter@ag.tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Larry Redmon, 979-845-4826, l-redmon@tamu.edu

The Hill Country has its own special needs when it comes to managing livestock and wildlife and incorporating the millions of individuals who come to vacation, hunt and relax in the ranching environments.

The sixth annual Hill Country Land Stewardship Conference hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offers a chance for landowners in the region to learn more about addressing issues that arise when ranching and tourism combine, said Dr. Larry Redmon, AgriLife Extension program leader, College Station.

man pouring water into trays with different types of ground cover

Matt Brown demonstrated water runoff rates at the 2018 Bennett Trust Land Stewardship Conference in Kerrville. (Texas A&M Soil and Crop Sciences photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

“We keep coming back and offering speakers on everything from grazing to prescribed fire and legal issues to wildlife management because our clientele in the region say they want to learn more,” Redmon said.

The 2019 conference will be held April 25-26 at the YO Ranch Hotel and Conference Center in Kerrville. On-site registration, check-in and breakfast begin at 7:30 a.m. April 25 at the Y.O. Ranch Hotel, 2033 Sidney Baker St. The program will begin at 8:30 a.m.

The conference fee is $75 and includes all meals, break refreshments and tour transportation costs. Registration is now open and preregistration will be available through April 15 at agriliferegister.tamu.edu/bennetttrustor 979-845-2604.

Redmon said several speakers will offer insight on some of the less-thought-of aspects of ranching or land ownership.

Topics and speakers include:

Managing for Unwanted Plant Species, Dr. Robert Lyons, AgriLife Extension range specialist, Uvalde.
Birding in the Hill Country, Dr. Maureen Frank, AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, Uvalde.
Top Laws Texas Landowners Need to Know, Dr. Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist, Amarillo.
Using Prescribed Burning on Your Property, Dr. Morgan Treadwell, AgriLife Extension range specialist, San Angelo.
How to Incorporate Exotics, Charly Seale, Exotic Wildlife Association executive director, Kerrville.
Managing Your Whitetail Deer, Redmon.

The second day of the conference will be dedicated to tours. Attendees will pick from tours of the Hillingdon Ranch in Kendall County, where legacy management will be discussed, or the Cimarron Ranch in Kerr County, where wildlife management will be the topic.

For more information, contact Linda Francis at L-francis@tamu.edu or an AgriLife Extension agent in the region, or go to http://agrilife.org/bennetttrust/.

Participants at the 2018 Bennett Trust Land Stewardship Conference in Kerrville learned about different animal tracks from Annalise Scoggins from Texas Parks and Wildlife. (TAMU Soil and Crop Sciences photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

More mature cover crops help retain moisture longer

25Oct

By: Kay Ledbetter

Often producers planting cover crops are worried about moisture use, but more important is the longevity of the crop residue and its beneficial results, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist.

Dr. Paul DeLaune, an AgriLife Research environmental soil scientist at Vernon, said when he talks about the residue management of cover crops, one question he always gets concerns termination timing and the use of soil moisture by the cover crop.

Early cover crop termination can result in residue that rapidly degrades or blows away.

Cover crops are designed to keep soil from blowing and improve soil quality. DeLaune has included Austrian winter field pea, hairy vetch, crimson clover, wheat, rye, turnips and radishes as cover crops in the various studies.

“We use neutron probes here to monitor soil moisture year-round, and yes, the cover crop does use soil moisture,” he said. “But one thing we’ve found is that soil moisture is quickly recharged and your crop is back to status quo if you get a rain between termination and the planting of your cotton.”

This information is based on eight different cover crop studies by AgriLife Research in the Rolling Plains where soil moisture is monitored throughout the year, some continuously since 2012, he said, discussing the studies at the recent Rolling Plains Summer Field Day in Chillicothe.

More important, he said, is the termination timing of that cover crop. In comparing two different termination timings utilizing a wheat cover crop, he said the duration of the residue is increased with the maturity of the wheat.

“I like to let it go ahead and mature out to about 50 percent heading or so, and then plant cotton four to six weeks after termination,” DeLaune said. “This year, we had to terminate a little earlier due to a drift issue – mid-March versus toward the end of April.

“What we determined is if you terminate too early, you’re not going to have lasting residue. The residue in a vegetative stage degrades very rapidly. If you can allow wheat to reach heading, you can see lasting residue for about 18 months.”

So for those producers who are working with a cover crop, his advice is to consider delaying termination timing to ensure it results in lasting residue.

“Your soil moisture will be replenished, especially if it is on irrigated cotton, and it will pay off in the long term to build up your soil organic matter in your system,” DeLaune said. “It will cover your soil and protect your soil much longer.

“Although soil organic matter is slow to build up in our environments, we have seen more immediate impacts off cover crops on soil physical properties such as soil strength and infiltration,” he said. “Within the Rolling Plains, we have not observed depleted soil moisture behind cover crops during wheat and cotton growing seasons in dryland cropping systems.”

DeLaune said he understands there is greater risk in dryland systems and drier environments moving further west. However, Dr. Katie Lewis, AgriLife Research soil scientist at Lubbock, has noted the same trends in irrigated cotton systems at Lamesa.

cotton field with heavy cover crop residue

Waiting to terminate a cover crop leaves lasting residue.

Both locations will continue to evaluate cover crops, he said.

Water quality training October 9 in Austin will focus on Shoal Creek

27Sep

Contact: Michael Kuitu, 979-862-4457, mkuitu@tamu.edu
Joanna Wolaver, 512-565-0812, joanna@shoalcreekconservancy.org
Noel Troxclair, 512-854-9600, noel.troxclair@ag.tamu.edu

A Texas Watershed Steward workshop on water quality related to Shoal Creek will be held from 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. October 9 at the Lamar Senior Activities Center, 2874 Shoal Crest Avenue in Austin. Interested persons are also invited to attend an 11:00 a.m.-noon Shoal Creek stakeholder meeting immediately prior to the workshop.

The workshop is presented by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board in cooperation with the Shoal Creek Conservancy and Texas State University Meadows Center for Water and the Environment. The training is free and open to anyone interested in improving water quality in the region. Light refreshments will be provided. Participants are encouraged to preregister at the Texas Watershed Steward website at http://tws.tamu.edu.

“This training is designed to help watershed residents improve and protect their water resources by becoming involved in local watershed protection and management activities,” said Michael Kuitu, AgriLife Extension program specialist and coordinator for the Texas Watershed Steward program, College Station. Kuitu said the workshop will include an overview of water quality and watershed management in Texas, but will primarily focus on Shoal Creek.

The training will include a discussion of watershed systems along with types and sources of water pollution. There also will be a group discussion on community-driven watershed protection and management.

Shoal creek running under a stone bridge

A Watershed Protection Plan is being developed for Shoal Creek, which runs through parts of Austin. (Photo by: Ted Eubanks)

“Shoal Creek is an incredible asset of the Austin community, providing resources ranging from recreational use to flood control,” said Joanna Wolaver, Executive Director of the Shoal Creek Conservancy.

Wolaver noted that even though Shoal Creek is not designated as impaired by the state, bacteria in the creek is often reported at concentrations in excess of state standards during routine water quality monitoring. “Therefore, we are working toward developing a watershed action plan for Shoal Creek to address the challenges presented in this urban watercourse,” Wolaver added.

With funding assistance from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Shoal Creek Conservancy will work in partnership with local stakeholders and Texas State University’s Meadows Center for Water and the Environment to develop the plan. More information on this project, including how to become involved, will be presented at the workshop.

“In addition to discussing the Shoal Creek watershed, the workshop will offer a variety of continuing education credits for multiple professional disciplines,” said Noel Troxclair, AgriLife Extension agent for Travis County.

Troxclair said he wants to encourage local residents and other stakeholders to attend the workshop to gain more information about water resources and water quality improvement and protection.

Attendees of the workshop will receive a copy of the Texas Watershed Steward Handbook and a certificate of completion. The Texas Watershed Steward program offers four continuing education units in soil and water management for certified crop advisers, four units for professional engineers and certified planners, four credits for certified teachers, and two credits for nutrient management specialists. A total of four professional development hours are available for professional geoscientists. In addition, three general continuing education units are offered for Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide license holders, and four for certified landscape architects. Four continuing education credits are provided to certified floodplain managers. Four continuing education credits are also offered for each of the following Texas Commission on Environmental Quality occupational licensees: wastewater system operators, public water system operators, on-site sewage facility installers, and landscape irrigators. Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists may also earn continuing education.

“Participating in the Texas Watershed Steward program is a great opportunity to get involved and make a difference in your watershed,” said Wolaver.
The Texas Watershed Steward program is funded through a Clean Water Act §319(h) nonpoint source grant from the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information on the Texas Watershed Steward program and to preregister, go to the website or contact Kuitu at 979-862-4457, mkuitu@tamu.edu; or Troxclair at 512-854-9600, noel.troxclair@ag.tamu.edu.

For more information about watershed protection efforts for Shoal Creek, visit www.shoalcreekconservancy.org/watershedplan, or contact Wolaver at 512-565-0812, joanna@shoalcreekconservancy.org.

Rainwater harvesting, turf management training Sept. 20-21 in Boerne and San Antonio

18Sep

By: AgriLife Today
Contacts: John W Smith, 979-845-2761, johnwsmith@tamu.edu
Dr. Becky Grubbs, 979-845-3041, bgrubbs@tamu.edu
Dr. Diane Boellstorff, 979-458-3562, dboellstorff@tamu.edu
Reagan Hejl, 979-845-5252, Reagan.hejl@tamu.edu
Lee Marlowe, 210-302-3624, lmarlow@sara-tx.org

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program is hosting two residential rainwater harvesting and turf management trainings in Boerne and San Antonio on Sept. 20 and 21, respectively.

The first training, in collaboration with the Upper Cibolo Creek Watershed Partnership, will be from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Cibolo Nature Center, 140 City Park Road in Boerne.

The second training, in collaboration with the San Antonio River Authority, will be from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 21 at the river authority, 100 E. Guenther St. in San Antonio. Lunch will be provided at the San Antonio training.

The Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters Program is hosting trainings in Boerne and San Antonio. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Kay Ledbetter)

Both events are free and open to the public. Participants at either training can have their soil tested free of charge. Both trainings will review how to access soil test results and provide nutrient recommendations.

The Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program aims to improve and protect surface water quality by enhancing awareness and knowledge of best management practices, coordinators said. At the trainings, attendees will learn about the design and installation of residential rainwater harvesting systems and appropriate turf and landscape species based on local conditions.

Seating is limited, so attendees for either program are requested to register at the Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters website.

Those attending the program in Boerne should register at https://hlhw.tamu.edu/workshops/2018/september-20-boerne/. Those planning to attend the San Antonio program should register at https://hlhw.tamu.edu/workshops/2018/sept-21-san-antonio/.

Those interested in either program can also contact John Smith, AgriLife Extension program specialist, College Station, at 979-845-2761 or johnwsmith@tamu.edu.

Dr. Becky Grubbs, AgriLife Extension turfgrass specialist, College Station, said management practices such as using irrigation delivery equipment, interpreting soil tests and understanding nutrient applications can help reduce runoff and provide additional landscape irrigation water.

“These trainings can improve participants’ understanding of rainwater harvesting and landscape management,” she said.

Dr. Diane Boellstorff, AgriLife Extension water resource specialist, College Station, said proper fertilizer application and efficient water irrigation can protect and improve water quality in area creeks and collecting rainwater for lawn and landscape needs reduces stormwater runoff.

Reagan Hejl, research associate in the soil and crop sciences department, College Station, said soil samples will be submitted to the AgriLife Extension Soil, Water and Forage Testing Lab in College Station for routine analysis, including pH, conductivity, nitrate-nitrogen and other parameters.

Residents can pick up a soil sample bag with sampling instructions from the AgriLife Extension office in Kendall County, 210 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 9 in Boerne or at the AgriLife Extension office in Bexar County, 3355 Cherry Ridge St., Suite 212 in San Antonio.

For more information about the Upper Cibolo Creek Watershed Protection Plan, go to https://www.ci.boerne.tx.us/147/Upper-Cibolo-Creek-Watershed.

At the San Antonio program, Lee Marlowe, sustainable landscape ecologist at San Antonio River Authority, will discuss updates on watershed protection plan activities to improve and protect water quality in the Upper San Antonio River.

For more information about the Upper San Antonio River Watershed Protection Plan, go to https://www.bexarflood.org/#!/main/map

Funding for the Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program is provided in part through a Clean Water Act grant from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The project is managed by the Texas Water Resources Institute, part of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, AgriLife Extension and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University.

4th Annual Women’s Stewardship Conference in Fredericksburg October 1-2

6Sep

By: Beth Ann Luedeker
Contact: Matt Brown, matthew.brown@tamu.edu

Maureen Frank, Texas AgriLife Extension, spoke to attendees at the 2017 conference about birds and birding.

The fourth annual women’s stewardship conference sponsored by the Bennett Trust and Texas A&M AgriLife will be held October 1 -2 at The Inn on Barron’s Creek in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Tiffany Lashmet in front of room addressing a group of women

Tiffany Dowell Lashmet spoke to 2017 attendees about agriculture laws. She will be returning this year to provide another entertaining and informative presentation.

This year’s conference, “Empowering Women – New Stewardship Traditions”, will include presentations and discussions of land stewardship followed by an outdoor session and tours of agribusinesses owned and/or run by women.

Day one of the conference will include presentations on topics from both traditional and non-traditional agriculture. This year’s agenda includes small ruminants, horses, bee keeping, birding, prescribed burning, agriculture finance, agriculture law and more.

Following breakfast on day two, we will travel to a nearby ranch where attendees will rotate between different activities – plant identification, animal track and scat identification, skeet shooting and archery. Professionals will provide instruction in safety and operation of shotguns and bows before allowing the participants an opportunity to test their marksmanship.

women with animal track molds on a truck tailgate

Analiese Scoggin showed participants a variety of animal tracks and scat before leading the group through the woods to see natural evidence of wildlife.

“The afternoon tours will include businesses we have not been to before,” said Matt Brown, conference organizer. “We will stop at Bridget’s Basket in Hunt, Texas, where we will eat lunch, and then travel to a couple other operations which we are still finalizing.”

instructor showing proper way to hold a bow and arrow

Larry Petty of Kerr County 4-H Shooting Sports provided archery instruction at the 2017 Bennett women’s conference.

The conference began in 2015 to meet the need of the increasing number of women who are becoming landowners. It offers women an opportunity to learn in a comfortable atmosphere, among other women of similar interests.

The two-day conference costs just $75, including all meals, break refreshments and tour transportation.
More information can be found on the website – https://agrilife.org/bennetttrust/
Register at: https://agriliferegister.tamu.edu/productListingDetails/2618

Several of the state’s top female shooters were on hand to provide shotgun instruction and give the women an opportunity to try their hands at skeet shooting.

Yaupon control discussed at 32nd Annual O.D. Butler Forage Field Day

12Jul

Story and Photos by : Beth Ann Luedeker
Contact: Vanessa Corriher-Olson vacorriher@ag.tamu.edu

Landowners fight a constant battle against invasive species of plants. Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Soil and Crop Sciences professor and AgriLife Extension forage specialist from Overton provided several control options for yaupon during the 32nd Annual O.D. Butler Forage Field Day and Camp Cooley Ranch.

Dr. Corriher-Olson speaking to group of people

Soil and Crop Sciences professor Dr. Vanessa Corriher-Olson discusses yaupon control measures during the O.D. Butler Forage Field Day at Camp Cooley Ranch. (Photo by Beth Ann Luedeker)

Yaupon can be controlled mechanically or chemically, Olson told attendees. During her presentation Charles Fuchs with CF Mulching Services of Easterly demonstrated yaupon removal using a mulching machine.

“Mechanical control gives you instant gratification, because the vegetation is there one minute, then gone, but it is a temporary fix,” Corriher-Olson said. “Yaupon is a perennial, which means it has the ability to grow back from any live root material that is left behind.”

With mechanical control, you often see the vegetation come back with a vengeance. It will need to be retreated to take out the root structures.
“You also have to think about soil disturbance and how it will impact production and your production goals,” she said.

large track-driven mulcher removing undergrowth

CF Mulching Services provided a demonstration of mechanical yaupon control at the Butler field day.

Chemical control is more lasting, but there are drawbacks there too. Since yaupon tends to grow under desireable trees, care must be taken when applying herbicides to prevent unintended damage. It is also less obvious that plants have been treated, so areas should be marked after spraying.

Corriher-Olson pointed out that there are several ways to use herbicides to remove the yaupon. Some of the options are:

Cut Stump Treatment – a treatment of 15 percent Remedy and 85 percent diesel applied within one hour of taking the tree down will prevent regrowth. If the window is missed, a new cut can be made to treat.

Basal Stem Treatment – a mixture of 25 percent Remedy Ultra and 75 percent diesel sprayed on the yaupon.

“Yaupon needs to be sprayed under good growing conditions to insure the herbicide is translocated throughout the plant,” Corriher-Olson said.
Sprayed plants should stand for at least 12 months to take out the entire root structure.

“If you cut it too soon, it will come back,” she said.

group of people sitting in chairs and standing in sales facility

Producers filled the Camp Cooley Ranch sale building for the 51st Annual O.D. Butler Forage Field Day.

High volume foliar spray – a mixture of 1 percent Remedy in water with 1/4 percent surfactant sprayed on leaf material to the point of glistening, but not running off.

“When you are spraying under or around desirable trees you should avoid the heat,” Corriher-Olson said. “High temperatures will cause the herbicide to volatilize into the canopy of the desireable trees. You should also try to avoid contact with the bark, but the canopy is more susceptible to damage.”

group of people looking at tractor loaded on trailer

Mike Reddick of United Ag and Turf discussed securing a load for the road.

6th Annual Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Watershed Cleanup

10May

Writer: Paul Schattenberg, 210-859-5752, paschattenberg@ag.tamu.edu

Contact: Ward Ling, 979-845-6980, wling@tamu.edu

In spite of a cold front that blew in, volunteers came out in force for the recent annual Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Clean Up, coordinated by the Geronimo and Alligator Creeks Partnership, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority.

five people with trash grabbers and gloves

Volunteers prepare for watershed cleanup. (Photo by Jean Barnes, GBRA)

The cleanup is part of implementation efforts for the area’s watershed protection plan, coordinators said. Geronimo Creek and its tributary Alligator Creek flow through Comal and Guadalupe counties. Both creeks were identified for watershed protection plan development due to elevated levels of bacteria and concerns about high levels of nitrogen, as reported in the Texas Water Quality Inventory published by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

“This was our sixth annual cleanup and it was a huge success despite the cold weather,” said Ward Ling, AgriLife Extension coordinator for Geronimo and Alligator creeks watersheds. “We had 114 volunteers at this event who worked to remove more than 1,800 pounds of trash and debris from the creeks and surrounding areas.”

“Workers were on hand to provide information to volunteers about water quality issues in the creeks and to offer safety information such as helping volunteers identify areas where poison ivy might be growing,” he said. “Miles of roadway and creek banks were made litter-free by adults, teenagers and children who donated their time to make a difference in the way the area looks, as well as how they feel about it.”

Ling said many teams from area businesses, industry and churches returned for this year’s cleanup and new teams were added.

“Waste Connections and the city of New Braunfels donated disposal and recycling services for trash collected during the event,” he noted. “Over the years, we have learned new ways to streamline the event and make it better, and we’re still learning.”

Ling said this year volunteers focused on 10 locations amounting to 11 miles of roadway and creek banks around Geronimo and Alligator creeks.

man with one dollar bill and woman with one hundred dollar bill

This couple found cash while picking up trash in the road ditch during the watershed cleanup. It is finder’s keepers at this event! (Photo by Ward Ling)

“Volunteers removed 89 bags of trash, four tires, several wooden pallets, automotive batteries, mattresses and debris,” he said. “Some even found money, mostly dollar bills hidden among the litter. But one group found a $100 bill, which was a good payoff for coming out to work in the chilly morning wind.”

Event sponsors included Alamo Group, Becker’s Feed & Fertilizer, the city of New Braunfels, Continental Corporation, Crossroads Veterinary Hospital, Ehlers’ Tree Farm, Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, Guadalupe County Groundwater Conservation District, KWED, Niagara LLC, Progressive Waste Solutions, Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, the Irma Lewis Seguin Outdoor Learning Center and Thrivent Financial.

For more information, contact Ling at 979-845-6980 or wling@tamu.edu or go to http://www.geronimocreek.org/.

Funding for the effort was provided through a federal Clean Water Act nonpoint source grant administered by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.