Roots & Ridge Report

I can't believe September has arrived, August was over in the blink of an eye! Across Pipestone and Murray counties, the signs of fall are becoming harder to miss. The mornings are a little cooler, the days are getting shorter, and the fields are beginning to take on that familiar late-summer look that means harvest is just around the corner. After months of watching crops and livestock grow and hoping for rain at the right times, producers are shifting gears and preparing for one of the busiest seasons of the year.

For our local 4-H, FFA, open class families, the fair season has wrapped up. Both Pipestone and Murray County had outstanding fair participants who had great county fairs and really represented up at the Minnesota State Fair the last few weeks! Good luck to all the horse project participants who will take on the Minnesota State 4-H Horse show September 17-21.

And, of course, September wouldn't be September in southwest Minnesota without a little harvest talk. Whether you're in the combine, weaning calves, hauling grain, putting up silage piles, or simply watching the fields change from green to gold, there is plenty happening across the countryside. This is one of those months when the work can seem endless. Now, we’re all hoping for some good harvest conditions ahead.

Inside this month's newsletter, you'll find Extension resources to help you through the busy fall season, along with timely information for crop and livestock producers. Dr. George Lemke gives us a great article on what scrapie and how to make sure your flock is stay clear of the possibility of infection. We've included resources on harvest, farm and livestock management, horticulture, and other topics that can help as we transition from summer into fall. We've also included a few podcasts and other resources that might make good company during those long hours in the tractor, combine, or pickup.

Thanks for taking a few minutes to read this month's newsletter. I hope September brings favorable harvest weather, equipment that cooperates, healthy livestock, and maybe a few quiet evenings to enjoy the changing season. For myself, I will be heading west near the end of the month to get married and enjoy a honeymoon! With that said, I will be out of office September 18th- October 5th. I encourage you to reach out to our county offices if you need anything. They will know where to send you to get assistance. Here's wishing everyone across Pipestone and Murray counties a safe, productive, and successful harvest!

Matti Boomgaarden- Extension Educator

boomg022@umn.edu

MC:507-836-1143

PC:507-825-1193

Blair Hellewell was raised on a sheep farm in New Zealand. His passion for livestock and farming brought him to Minnesota in 1997 through the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Agricultural Student Trainee (MAST) program. Blair was placed at Coorain, a 1,400-acre grain farm near Balaton owned by Ron and Connie Schwartau. He met Tami that summer, and they eventually joined the Coorain operation full-time, with Ron and Connie inviting them to partner and gradually take ownership of the farm.

Today, the farm is a diversified operation that includes crop and livestock production. Their cropping operation includes corn, soybeans, and alfalfa, with a commitment to land stewardship and to using practices such as strip-till and vertical till. They operate a sheep enterprise that has grown to 500 breeding ewes. Through this operation, they have developed value-added products, including wool pellet fertilizer made from wool not suitable for textiles and wool pet beds. They enjoy sharing their experiences and knowledge with those interested in sheep production and value-added agriculture.

Blair and Tami’s three daughters, Ashley, Jayda and Joelle, have been an essential part of their farm, helping with lambing, feeding, sorting, vaccinating and shearing. They have all been involved in 4-H and FFA. Jayda will be joining the operation full-time after graduating with a degree in agriculture production and technology.

DeGroot Farms was established in 1956 when Bert and Lucy DeGroot purchased the farm. Bert’s son, Jay, and his wife, Vi, started farming nearby in 1967. Jay’s son Mik joined the operations in 1996. He and his wife, Angie, now reside on the original farm. Mik’s son Tucker joined the operation in 2022, so there are three generations of DeGroots farming together today.

The current operation includes 1100 crop acres where they produce corn, soybeans and small grains. They custom feed cattle and own a 60-head cow-calf herd made up of Shorthorn, Maine Anjou and Chi breeds.

The family serves their community in different roles: Mik is a member of the Pipestone County Fair board and the Pipestone County Cattlemen’s Association board, and Jay is a former township board supervisor.

The Pipestone County Master Gardeners will host “Bees and Blossoms,” a workshop designed to increase understanding of the value of native plants and their importance to Minnesota’s native pollinators.

Participants will learn from staff with the Pipestone County Soil and Water Conservation District and the University of Minnesota Extension about the benefits of native plants and practical ways to incorporate them into home garden beds. The workshop will provide helpful information for gardeners looking to create beautiful, pollinator-friendly spaces while supporting Minnesota’s native wildlife.

The workshop will be held on Wednesday, September 16, at 2:00 p.m. at the Government Office, located at 1016 8th Ave. SW, Pipestone, MN 56164.

This is a free program, and space is limited. Please register by September 11, by calling the Pipestone County Extension Office at (507)-825-1190.

The recent case of scrapie found in Oregon is a reminder that scrapie has not yet been eradicated from the US. Although we had not found a case in five years previously, this is a disease that can be and needs to be controlled.

Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative brain disease that affects sheep and goats. It belongs to a family of illnesses called transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which are caused by infectious proteins known as prions. Animals usually catch the disease at a young age, but symptoms often take two to five years to appear. Common signs include severe weight loss despite a normal appetite, behavioral changes, lack of coordination, and intense itching that causes animals to scrape off their wool or hair. There is no cure or treatment, and the disease always results in death.

Scrapie can be eliminated from a flock by using genetically resistant breeding stock. Codon 171 contains the gene that makes a sheep either resistant or susceptible to the disease. The dominant R allele is resistant, and the recessive Q allele is susceptible. Using a simple Punnett square, you can calculate that using a buck that is RR will give you 100 percent resistant sheep even if you're breeding that ram to ewes that have 2 susceptible alleles. Using a QR ram will have the same result as long as you are sure all your ewes are QR or RR. A blood test can be performed to discover the status of your ram, and some producers/sales will advertise this in catalogues.

Using proper Identification when selling and transporting breeding stock will help trace the disease if more cases occur and continue to be essential in the course towards a scrapie free nation.

Using these techniques, we can assure that we will reach the seven years without a positive needed to declare the US scrapie free.

If you have questions on how you can equip your flock to be scrapie resistant, or about regulations concerning scrapie tag use please contact Windy Ridge Veterinary Clinic at 507-825-3336.

Dr. George Lemke

Windy Ridge Veterinary Clinic, PLLC

P. O. Box #367

1309 7th Street, S. E.

Pipestone, MN 56164

507-825-3336

507-825-5252 - Emergency

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