General Agriculture Resources
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Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is an important nutrient-dense leafy green, and its annual per capita consumption has significantly increased over the past decades. Spinach production in Georgia has experienced significant growth in the last few years, with over $400M in annual value, ranked first among all the other leafy green crops. Field spinach production is labor intensive, and the cost of weed management, harvest, and post-harvest accounts for 56% of the production cost. With the advantages of controlled environment agriculture in reducing labor costs and increasing production value with an extended growing cycle, hydroponic spinach has been gradually accepted and planted on a large scale.
Spinach is a cool season crop typically seeded during early spring or early fall. Summer season is often skipped because of pressure from insects, diseases, and weeds. Additionally, the optimal temperature for spinach seed germination is 65-70°F (18-21°C), and for spinach growth is 60-77°F (15-25°C). However, there is the possibility to grow spinach during summer in the greenhouse using a deep water culture hydroponics system that can minimize these pressures by focusing on heat-tolerant cultivar selection, germination improvement, and optimal hydroponic system implementation.
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Pesticide and fertilizer recommendations are often made on a pounds per acre and tons per acre basis. While these may be applicable to field production of many crops, orchardists, nurserymen and greenhouse operators often must convert these recommendations to smaller areas, such as row feet, square feet, or even per tree or per pot. Thus pints, cups, ounces, tablespoons and teaspoons are the common units of measure. The conversion is frequently complicated by metric units of measure. This publication is designed to aid growers in making these calculations and conversions, and also provides other data useful in the management, planning and operation of horticultural enterprises.
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Leasing hunting land is one of several types of hunting enterprises that can be profitable for landowners, or can at least cover some of the costs of land ownership. This publication give you tips on creating an equitable lease agreement.
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This publication describes how a passive solar greenhouse was constructed using an earthen wall and water barrels for heat retention. The benefits and potential pitfalls of such a structure are discussed. Additional authors include Alexandra Williams, Syngenta, U.S.A, and Krista Jacobsen, Department of Horticulture, University of Kentucky.
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Nobody wants drought, but it’s been happening a lot in recent years in the Southeastern U.S. For farmers without irrigation, it may seem that little can be done besides accept what rain comes. However, by paying attention to forecasts and following general practices that help collect and retain moisture, risk can be reduced for all manner
of future climate conditions. Here are some ideas for what can be done, centered around two practices: first, knowing what’s in store; second, planning ahead.|
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High levels of dust in cage-free poultry house air can carry airborne microorganisms and endotoxins that, once inhaled, may trigger respiratory diseases in animals and/or their caretakers. Mitigating dust levels is imperative to protecting the health and well-being of the animals and their caretakers and improving the environmental stewardship of cage-free layer farms. Studies have concluded that good manure management and proper ventilation can alleviate dust problems. Mitigation strategies have various levels of effectiveness, but some are cost prohibitive. Selecting the right dust control strategy should consider poultry types, housing design, local climate, and litter/bedding management strategies.
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Pulse width modulation (PWM) technology is becoming a standard option on most new agricultural sprayers because of its ability to precisely regulate both flow rate and pressure over a wide range of travel speeds. This publication provides information on nozzle selection for sprayers equipped with PWM technology, including how to use PWM nozzle selection/tabulation charts, other useful online tools, and considerations for effective pesticide applications.
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C 1208
Chainsaw Chains and Bars
The action end of a chainsaw, or the part that cuts, is made of the bar and the chain. Chainsaw chains come in many sizes and configurations and not all saws can handle all bars. To make the right choices for the job, a saw operator should be aware of the cutter type, pitch, gauge, and cutter configuration when purchasing a chain or a chainsaw.
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Irrigation systems are used by farmers and homeowners to supply supplemental
water to their crops. At the end of the growing season, the irrigation system should be checked and winterized to maintain proper operation for the coming season.This publication provides a list of suggested things that should by done on both drip and center pivot systems to help protect them during the winter months.
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