|
Greetings from the San Juan County Extension office, the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Farmington Ag Science Center!
The growing season is upon us, and we are grateful for all of the moisture after the driest year on record of 2018. The San Juan County Extension Service, the Farmington Ag Science center and the San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District are here to serve you. Please let us know if you would like additional information or sections of the quarterly newsletter. We appreciate your support, and wish you a great growing season.
Bonnie Hopkins, San Juan County Ag Extension Agent
Kevin Lombard, Superintendent Farmington Ag Science Center
Melissa May, District Manager, San Juan Soil and Water Conservation District
|
|
|
June 17, 2019 McGee Park 6-8pm
New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Dean Rolando A. Flores and New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte will host the session beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 17 2019, at McGee Park multipurpose Building room C in Farmington.
New Mexico’s top agricultural leaders will be on the road again with stops in Silver City, Farmington and Artesia for a third year of statewide listening sessions with agricultural producers.
New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Dean Rolando A. Flores and New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte will host three sessions around the state to hear the concerns of farmers and ranchers.
“As representatives of NMSU we voice the agricultural needs through research, teaching and extension,” Flores said. “The best way to know about the agricultural issues is to listen to the stakeholders in the state.”
“We look forward to meeting with New Mexico residents across the state and listening to their concerns,” Witte said. “The listening sessions provide New Mexicans with the opportunity to engage in face-to-face conversation with us, while allowing us to answer questions they may have regarding agriculture in our state.”
|
|
If you would like a market poster to hang in your office or business, please contact the Extension office at 505-334-9496
Farmington Growers Market Website
At the Farmington Museum 3041 E. Main in Farmington
Saturdays 8am-Noon June 8-Oct 26, 2019
Tuesdays 4pm-6pm July 9- Oct 22, 2019
Follow on Facebook and Instagram for updates and events
Kirtland Growers Market,
Kirtland Town Hall June 17- Oct Mondays 5-7pm
Follow on Facebook
Aztec Farmers Market
Westside Plaza, Aztec July 10-Oct30 Wednesdays 4:30-7pm
Follow on Facebook
|
|
Please notify the SJC Extension office with any significant grasshopper populations. We will notify the USDA research team, and Shelby Alexander, the member for SJC will complete a survey of the area. This research is critical to the New Mexico and United State Department of Agriculture research programs. They also assist Cooperative Extension in developing educational programs that benefit our community.
|
|
Exert from the USDA field guide for managing whitetop, see full publication here https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5410132.pdf
Whitetop is listed as a noxious weed in Arizona and New Mexico. Whitetop (synonyms: heart-podded hoary cress, whiteweed, peppergrass, hoary cardaria) is an introduced, creeping, broadleaved, perennial plant that grows up to 2 feet tall.
Growth Characteristics
• Perennial herbaceous plant; typically grows 16 to 20 inches tall.
• Deep, long-lived taproots that store carbohydrates; extensive creeping root system.
Spread A single plant produces up to 4,800 seeds that are viable for up to 3 years in the soil. In warmer climates, whitetop may produce several seed crops during a growing season. Seed is dispersed by water, wind, and animals; seed may move great distances as a contaminant in other types of seed. New shoots are commonly grown from root fragments, which can be spread long distances as a contaminant in displaced soil, 2 hay bales used for erosion control, or alfalfa hay. Seed or root fragments may adhere to surfaces and undercarriages of vehicles and road maintenance equipment.
Management Early detection and removal of new infestations soon after discovery is the most effective weed management strategy for whitetop control. Because of its extensive creeping rootstock, large populations are a challenge to eradicate if not an impossibility once established. Small or isolated infestations on otherwise healthy sites should be given high priority for treatment, followed by treatment of whitetop in corridors with a high likelihood for spread, such as waterways and irrigation structures. In areas where whitetop has become well established, containment should become a management priority. Containment can be achieved by managing the outside perimeter to prevent further spread. Whatever the approach, whitetop management will likely require several consecutive years of treatment with an integrated approach to reduce its impact to the plant community.
• Maintain healthy plant communities to limit whitetop infestations. This may involve using improved grazing management to prevent excessive grazing and reseeding areas with desirable grasses and forbs after disturbance.
• Detect, report, and map known infestations. Keep annual records of reported infestations.
• Practice prevention and eradicate new populations of whitetop as early as possible.
• Periodically check areas where hay bales are used to control erosion or where soils have been imported for presence of whitetop.
• Implement annual monitoring and a followup treatment plan for missed plants and seedlings.
• Combine mechanical, cultural, biological, and chemical methods for the most effective whitetop control.
|
|
The local food movement is advancing rapidly here in San Juan County. Join us monthly for the Local Food Task Force meeting held on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 10am-noon at the San Juan College Quality Center for Business. The taskforce is helping ensure that the local food efforts are grassroots and community supported.
Join us for the next meeting at the San Juan College Quality Center for Business from 10-12pm on June 15, 2019. Or join our Local Food newsletter HERE to receive updates.
Follow us on Facebook:
Local Foods, Local Places Farmington NM
Check out our website and join the newsletter mailing list
https://aces.nmsu.edu/lflpfnm/
|
|
There is a growing demand for local honey in San Juan County! Are you interested in cooperatively selling your honey through the new Farmington Food Hub? Or are you producing large quantities but need help selling and distributing? Is there specific equipment that you may need to produce and sell your honey commercially? Contact the Extension office for more information.
Check out the San Juan County Extension Bee Keepers website HERE and join our bee keepers newsletter
Follow us on Facebook HERE for timely updates and information about bees in San Juan County.
|
|
Master Gardener volunteer hours are due on June 30 for veterans and September 3 for interns. Memberships dues for all Master Gardeners are $20 and are due to the Extension office by July 1, 2019. The summer garden tour meetings are schedule for:
June 28 11am-12pm at San Juan College
July 19 11-12 at Lavender on the SJ River
August 23 11am-12pm in Kirtland Location TBA
September 20 11-12 in Aztec, Location TBA
|
|
Are you looking to participate in a community garden? Here are the contacts:
Farmington:
New Beginnings 505-325-7578
PATH Community Garden: amy@fourcornersfoundation.org
Old Farm House Garden: 505-334-9496
Aztec
Samaritan Village: joannacee3@gmail.com
Aztec Methodist Garden: 505-427-0320
Bloomfield
FBC Garden craig@fbcbloomfield.com
|
|
|
BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
NAVAJO RESERVOIR
2019 MAINTENANCE RELEASE SCHEDULE
June 11, 2019
SENT VIA E-MAIL
The Bureau of Reclamation is continuing to schedule release changes for the maintenance release from Navajo Reservoir. The release was decreased temporarily over the past weekend to allow for high flows on the Animas, and was back to 4,500 cfs by yesterday morning.
The release will be increased to 5,000 cfs today, June 11th. The change will occur in two steps: 10:00 AM, 4,750 cfs. 12:00 PM, 5,000 cfs. This release will be held for 24 hours before starting ramp-down tomorrow morning. The ramp-down will occur over 3 days, reaching 500 cfs where it will remain until further notice.
Release changes have been made based on river conditions and coordination with local agencies.
The shape and timing of the hydrograph have been coordinated with the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to balance Recovery Program benefits with flood control and operational safety. During spring operations, releases from the Navajo Unit will be made in an attempt to remain at or below the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers safe channel capacity of 5,000 cfs between Navajo Reservoir and the confluence with the Animas River in Farmington, and 12,000 cfs downstream of Farmington. The release may be changed or reduced if the precipitation forecast shows a risk of exceeding safe channel capacity in the San Juan River.
Areas in the immediate vicinity of the river channel may be unstable and dangerous. Please use extra caution near the river channel and protect or remove any valuable property in these areas.
Please stay tuned as a notice with an updated schedule will be sent out daily during the release. Notices will also be posted to our website. If you have any questions, or would like further information, please contact the Western Colorado Area Office at 970-385-6500, or Susan Behery at 970-385-6560 or sbehery@usbr.gov.
For Navajo Reservoir Operations and information, visit http://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/nvd.html
Updated Daily Schedule (will be updated with each notice)
Date |
Day Of Week
|
End of Day (cfs)*
|
|
6/3/2019
|
Mon
|
1920 (actual)
|
|
6/4/2019
|
Tue
|
3200 (actual)
|
|
6/5/2019
|
Wed
|
4090 (actual)
|
|
6/6/2019
|
Thu
|
4670 (actual)
|
|
6/7/2019
|
Fri
|
4,670 (actual)
|
|
6/8/2019
|
Sat
|
4,650 (actual)
|
|
6/9/2019
|
Sun
|
3,920 (actual)
|
|
6/10/2019
|
Mon
|
4,380 (actual)
|
|
6/11/2019
|
Tue
|
5000
|
|
6/12/2019
|
Wed
|
3700
|
|
6/13/2019
|
Thu
|
2600
|
|
6/14/2019
|
Fri
|
1600
|
|
6/15/2019
|
Sat
|
500
|
*preliminary readings at the USGS San Juan River at Archuleta gage
|
|
Farm Farmington Web Page
It’s time! Spring is in full swing, which means it’s gardening season! Whether you are new to home and community gardening, or are an experienced master gardener with two green thumbs, Farm Farmington! is here to help. Farm Farmington! is your guide to community garden locations, local resources, and potential partnerships to help every garden, big or small, flourish every year. It includes resources and information about techniques for managing healthy soil, rainwater harvesting, city and county regulations, locations of community gardens, and so much more. The Farm Farmington! Guide and other gardening resources are available on the San Juan Soil & Water Conservation District website at this address:
https://sanjuanswcd.com/farm-farmington-community-agriculture/
Aztec USDA Office Team Update
It has been a busy few months here in the Aztec USDA office, and we would like to recognize some of the phenomenal staff that make this such a fun and productive place to work. Back in January, San Juan Soil & Water Conservation District (San Juan SWCD) welcomed two new staff members to the team. Andy Bleckinger is the new Assistant District Manager, and Kurt Imhoff is the Watershed Coordinator for the San Juan Watershed Group. Andy has a background in Environmental Studies and is excited to provide outreach and education opportunities to the community. Kurt is a geomorphologist and has jumped right in to managing various local restoration projects. Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) had a staff change as well, and while we are sad to see Jose Pino leave for Indiana, we thank him for his years of service to San Juan County and wish him the best in all his future endeavors. At the same time, we are excited to welcome back Diego Ortiz with NRCS, who worked in this office for a few months last summer. Finally, we would like to recognize Katrina Bryant, VISTA Volunteer with San Juan SWCD, who recently received the 2018 San Juan College Volunteer-of-the-Year award for all of her hard work and dedication to connect the local youth of San Juan County to the soil and water in their watershed. Over the past 9 months, Katrina has led education and outreach programs for over 500 youth in our community. Congratulations Katrina!
|
|
The May Rainwater Harvesting Workshop was a big success! Thank you to Stream Dynamics from Silver City, San Juan Nursery and the City of Farmignton for being such great partners on this project. If you are in Farmington be sure to drive by Forest Place (just off of 20th and Butler) to see the example the participants created.
|
|
New Mexico State University Agriculture Experiment Station
Farmington, NM
Dr. Kevin Lombard-Superintendent Dr. Koffi Djaman, Irrigation Specialist
505-960-7757 farmingtonsc.nmsu.edu
|
|
Welcome to spring! Early spring bulbs are in bloom adding delightful color to the landscape. It is time to focus on landscape clean up, such as ornamental grass cutback in your xeric garden. The grasses need to be cut back annually. According to University of Illinois Extension publication ‘Ornamental Grasses’, if the ornamental grasses are not annually cut back the old grass vegetation can accumulate and delay the plant crown warming and new plant growth up to three weeks.
Another resource for ornamental grasses is Designing with Grasses by Neil Lucas. He discusses ornamental grasses as a design element in the landscape. This book covers a breadth of information on ornamental grass. The book is available for loan at the Farmington Public Library.
If you’re interested in adding ornamental grasses to your landscape you can visit the NMSU’s Agricultural Science Center - Farmington website at https://farmingtonsc.nmsu.edu/xeriscape-plants.html Plants are arranged on the webpage according to irrigation levels. If you would like to visit the ASC – Farmington Xeriscape™ Demonstration Garden we are open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, except holidays.
Margaret M. West, Ag. Research Scientist
NMSU’s Agricultural Science Center - Farmington
|
|
|
Check out the Farmington Ag Science Center Website for daily weather updates
NMSU Agricultural Science Center at Farmington, New Mexico has collected weather data since 1969. The weather station was designated an official National Weather Station climatological observation site in 1978.
Weather observations are collected daily at 8:00 a.m. and electronically reported to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The data reported to NOAA are over a 24 hour period from 8:00 a.m. previous day to 8:00 a.m. present day.
The air temperature readings are derived from thermometers mounted at the weather station. Soil temperature readings are derived from a maximum/minimum thermometer via sensor probe buried 4 inches deep into bare ground.
Precipitation data are collected in a standard eight-inch rain gauge. Evaporation measurements are collected from a Class-A metal pan.
Wind movement is recorded in miles per day. The data are collected from two separate three-cup anemometers, at different heights. The high wind movement is collected from 2 meters above the soil surface while the low wind movement is collected from an anemometer position 18 inches above the base of the evaporation pan.
2018 total precipitation recorded at NMSU's ASC Farmington official National Weather Observation site was 4.97 inches.
Record low precipitation recorded since 1969 was in 1976 at 3.57 inches. The recorded high precipitation since 1969 was recorded in 1986 at 14.65 inches. Mean precipitation from 1969 - 2018 was 7.99 inches.
The final frost for spring of 2019 was May 21.
|
|
The New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute is pleased to host the 4th annual conference on the Animas and San Juan Watersheds. The conference focus has been broadened to include all water quality issues facing the Animas and San Juan Rivers watersheds, starting at the headwaters in the San Juan Mountains, flowing through the San Juan National Forest, past the mixed urban and agricultural valleys from Durango to Shiprock, and through desert canyons across the Navajo Nation into Lake Powell. The Conference Planning Committee is eager to build on the success of the last three conferences in bringing together researchers and the general public to meet, learn from, and share the results of ongoing water quality research, including research results associated with the August 2015 Gold King Mine spill.
|
|
Many farms and ranches have been passed down through a family for generations or operated by a single owner for decades. You or someone you know may remember when and where underground utilities were installed on your land. However, the location and depth of these lines can change over the years due to erosion, previous digging projects or uneven surfaces, so it’s important to call 811—even if you think you may know what is buried in the area.
Digging Safety Tips:
· If you observe any suspicious activity along pipeline right-of-way report it to the Pipeline Operator (PO). Contact information for the PO can be found on signage on the work site.
· If you smell any type of odor that is unusual near a pipeline right-of-way report it ASAP.
· If you discover any flammable, toxic or corrosive gas or liquid gas escaping from the pipeline, report it to 911
Before Digging or Planting:
Comply with New Mexico law. Dial 811 or your local One Call Center to request to have pipelines located before digging or landscaping at least two days before starting your project. One Call is a free service that coordinates with utility companies to mark pipelines and other underground utility lines.
811 is a free, nationwide service designed to keep you safe when digging or excavating. Calling 811 is meant to be a simple process and is always the safest option any time you are moving dirt. Two to three business days before a soil-disturbing project, simply make a call to 811 with important details about your work, including:
· The type of work you will be doing and a description of the area.
· The date and time when excavation will begin.
· Your work site’s street address, the road on which it is located and the nearest intersection.
· Driving directions or GPS coordinates.
After the call is made, professional locators will mark underground utilities. Pipelines will be marked with yellow flags or paint so you can conduct your work around them, saving yourself from potential injury or property damage.
|
|
Guide W-104: Understanding Water Quality Parameters to Better Manage Your Pond
Rossana Sallenave (Extension Aquatic Ecology Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources)
PDF: https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_w/W104.pdf
Guide H-309: Grape Varieties for North-central New Mexico
William “Gill” Giese (Extension Viticulture Specialist, Ag. Science Ctr. at Los Lunas/Dept. of Extension Plant Sciences)
Kevin Lombard (Superintendent, Ag. Science Ctr. at Farmington/Associate Professor, Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences)
PDF: https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/H309.pdf
Guide G-229: Organize a Home Filing System
Bryce Jorgensen (Extension Family Resource Management Specialist, Dept. of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences)
PDF: https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_g/G229.pdf
HTML: https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_g/G229/welcome.html
RITF-87: Proceedings: Range Improvement Task Force 2016 Livestock Water Symposium
Douglas Cram (Extension Forest and Fire Specialist, RITF)
Nick Ashcroft (Natural Resource Policy Analyst, Linebery Policy Center for Natural Resource Management)
Marcy Ward (Extension Livestock Specialist, RITF)
Kert Young (Extension Brush Specialist, RITF)
Samuel Smallidge (Extension Wildlife Specialist and RITF Coordinator)
PDF: https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_ritf/RITF87.pdf
HTML: https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_ritf/RITF87/welcome.html
Circular 586: Irrigated Pasture Management in New Mexico
L.M. Lauriault (Forage Crop Management Scientist, Dept. of Plant and Environmental Sciences and Agricultural Science Center at Tucumcari)
M.A. Marsalis (Extension Forage Specialist, Dept. of Extension Plant Sciences and Agricultural Science Center at Los Lunas)
M.A. Ward (Extension Livestock Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources)
PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_circulars/CR586.pdf
Guide M-118: Monitoring Your Well Water
Rossana Sallenave (Extension Aquatic Ecology Specialist, Dept. of Extension Animal Sciences and Natural Resources)
Kate Ziegler (Professional Geologist [AIPG], Zeigler Geologic Consulting, LLC)
Amy Ganguli (Associate Professor, Dept. of Animal and Range Sciences)
PDF: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_m/M118.pdf
|
|
Four Corners Ag Events
June 8- Oct 26 First Farmington Market
June 17 Ag Listening Session 6-8pm McGee Park
June 17 First Kirtland Market
June 19-20 WRRI Conference, San Juan College
July 10 First Aztec Market
June 25 Local Food Taskforce meeting
August 8-9 Local Food Summit, Farmington Civic Center
August 12-18 San Juan County Fair
|
|
|
|
|
