Vicki Morrone Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist Michigan State University C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems 303 Natural Resources Bldg. East Lansing, MI 48824 517-353-3542 517-282-3557 (cell) 517-353-3834 (fax) For information on organic agriculture production please visit: http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/ P Please consider the environment before printing this email ________________________________ From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 4:21 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: GO NOFA Forum Digest Number 693 Messages In This Digest (2 Messages) 1. RENEWABLE ENERGY GRANTS & LOANS TO FARMERS From: Go-NOFA Admin 2. curculio From: Mike 1. RENEWABLE ENERGY GRANTS & LOANS TO FARMERS <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/go-nofa/message/1720;_ylc=X3oDMTJyZWpmaDl oBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzE0OTEzOTg0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzIzNDU3OARtc2dJZAM xNzIwBHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW1lAzEyMDQ4ODE2ODM-> Posted by: "Go-NOFA Admin" [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask] 0%26%20LOANS%20TO%20FARMERS> almist5 <http://profiles.yahoo.com/almist5> Thu Mar 6, 2008 2:47 pm (PST) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Tim Jones (315) 477-6436 [log in to unmask] <mailto:timothy.jones%40ny.usda.gov> USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT OFFERING $220 MILLION IN RENEWABLE ENERGY LOANS AND GRANTS TO FARMERS AND BUSINESSES NATIONWIDE SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 6, 2008 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced today that its Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program will accept $220.9 million in loan and grant applications this year. "Renewable energy loans and grants can help New York farmers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs, while contributing to the nation's energy security and environmental well-being," said Patrick H. Brennan, State Director for USDA Rural Development in New York. "I urge interested farmers and businesses to contact our representatives to find out how they can apply for this program." The program makes loan guarantees and grants available to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. Eligible applicants may seek loan guarantees to cover up to 50 percent of a project's cost, not to exceed $10 million. Grants are available for up to 25 percent of a project's cost, not to exceed $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements and $500,000 for renewable energy systems. USDA will administer one grant solicitation with two separate competitions this year. For the first competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no later than April 15. For the second competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no earlier than April 16 and no later than June 16. Applications for loan guarantees, as well as those for loan/grant combinations, must be completed and submitted no later than June 16. All applications must be submitted to the USDA Rural Development state office in Syracuse. Interested farmers and businesses in western New York should contact Tom Hauryski at (607) 776-7398, ext. 4, e-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:thomas.hauryski%40ny.usda.gov> for information on the application process. Interested parties in eastern New York should contact Karen McDonnell at (315) 677-3552, ext. 4, e-mail [log in to unmask] <mailto:karen.mcdonnell%40ny.usda.gov> , or Scott Collins at (315) 477-6409, e-mail [log in to unmask] <mailto:scott.collins%40ny.usda.gov> . USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. In fiscal year 2007, USDA Rural Development invested more than $262 million in New York, raising its total investment in the state to more than $1.5 billion since 2001. Further information on rural programs is available by contacting the State Office at (315) 477-6400 or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ny. <http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ny.> # Tim Jones Special Projects Coordinator USDA Rural Development New York State Office (315) 477-6436 cell: (315) 399-8393 Back to top Reply to sender <mailto:[log in to unmask] 6%20LOANS%20TO%20FARMERS> | Reply to group <mailto:[log in to unmask] NTS%20%26%20LOANS%20TO%20FARMERS> | Reply via web post <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/go-nofa/post;_ylc=X3oDMTJyajRtNm5uBF9TAzk 3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzE0OTEzOTg0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzIzNDU3OARtc2dJZAMxNzIwBHN lYwNkbXNnBHNsawNycGx5BHN0aW1lAzEyMDQ4ODE2ODM-?act=reply&messageNum=1720> Messages in this topic <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/go-nofa/message/1720;_ylc=X3oDMTM2N2s3ZTU 3BF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzE0OTEzOTg0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzIzNDU3OARtc2dJZAM xNzIwBHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2dHBjBHN0aW1lAzEyMDQ4ODE2ODMEdHBjSWQDMTcyMA--> (1) 2. curculio <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/go-nofa/message/1721;_ylc=X3oDMTJyZ3BjNDR rBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzE0OTEzOTg0BGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzIzNDU3OARtc2dJZAM xNzIxBHNlYwNkbXNnBHNsawN2bXNnBHN0aW1lAzEyMDQ4ODE2ODM-> Posted by: "Mike" [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> mikebernhard2003 <http://profiles.yahoo.com/mikebernhard2003> Thu Mar 6, 2008 6:58 pm (PST) ----- Original Message ----- From: Jerome Rigot To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:oeffadirect%40oeffa.org> Cc: [log in to unmask] <mailto:go-nofa%40yahoogroups.com> ; [log in to unmask] <mailto:pasanorthcentralEast%40yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 4:05 PM Subject: GO NOFA Forum Hogs Help Battle Beetles in Apple Orchard Hogs Help Battle Beetles in Apple Orchard http://news.aol.com/story/_a/hogs-help-battle-beetles-in-apple/200803050 82209990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001 <http://news.aol.com/story/_a/hogs-help-battle-beetles-in-apple/20080305 082209990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001> By JAMES PRICHARD, AP The quarter-inch-long plum curculio is particularly difficult for growers like Koan to control because no good organic controls have been developed for them. The beetle can be controlled conventionally, often with the pesticide azinphos-methyl. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is phasing out the powerful pesticide, marketed under the trade name Guthion, because of the risks it poses to farm workers and to the environment. I bought a supply of Imidan before it was outlawed. I had heard that when applied at nightfall, it was degraded by morning, at least to the point where pollinators would not be affected. Could be chemical company propaganda. With plums, my choice appeared to be Imidan at petal fall and once or twice more at one week intervals or zero plums. Whereas among apples and pears the curcs only made the fruit ugly, which I would just juice anyway. But with those 3 sprays, apples also seemed to be protected from codling moth, and (is it possible?) apple maggot. Adult female curculios cut crescent-shaped flaps in the skin of newly formed apples and lay their eggs inside, where they hatch. The beetle larvae burrow into the center of the young fruit, making it drop prematurely in late June or early July. Apple/pear drop in response to curcs varies with variety. Last year, I didn't Imidan-spray and had no damage to Yellow Transparent, Liberty was mostly ruined (on the tree), Criterion , and another yellow-apple tree mostly spared. (Then again, homestead-scale orchards are harder to draw conclusions from, except if there is info-sharing on boards like this) Not enough pears last year to report on. Koan decided to try to find an animal that would eat the fallen apples as they lay beneath the trees, before the bugs became adults, but he had a few misses before he settled on pigs. First, he tried using some chickens. "All they did all summer long was lay around under the trees when it was hot and just sunbathe, you know, kind of like on the beach," he said. My understanding is that they will only eat curculio if you knock the curcs out of the tree. That is best done by driving a lag screw into the trunk, and tapping it smartly with a hammer, at dawn and dusk. Obviously you want to keep the birds hungry, and make a habit of it, from the time the buds begin to open until June drop. I have built a poultry run around five maturing plum trees, so I will have more info next year, if there is p[ollination. 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