Otter Tail County Extension Update

Summer seems to finally be here, and MN weather continues to keep us all on our toes. The UMN crop team has been working hard to provide podcasts, articles, and webinars that will assist in decision making as the season continues.

There are plenty of opportunities for improving shoreline, lawn, and ag land health in our county, so keep reading to find information about those below.

If you have ideas or hopes for programming this summer, or any questions/concerns, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Take care,

Olivia Olson

olso7655@umn.edu

office: (218) 998-8308

cell: (218) 282-5963

Join University of Minnesota Extension educators for a webinar series covering all things insects. Topics covered include: identification, integrated pest management, beneficial insects and pollinators. Each session will dive deeper into the big world of our tiny insect neighbors.

Topics:

• June 10: Insect 101
• June 12: Insects as pests
• June 14: Insect as allies
• June 18: Insect question and answer session

June 10, 12, 14 & 18

12 - 1 p.m.

Online

Register for insect webinar series

The EOT and Wadena SWCDs were selected to participate in the Alliance for Climate

Smart Agriculture pilot program being led by Virginia Tech University. This pilot program

will provide incentives to reward farmers and ranchers for adopting climate-smart

agricultural practices. The goals of this pilot program are to enhance agricultural

productivity, benefit producers, and improve climate resilience.

During the three-year pilot program, $80 million will be available to partners in

Minnesota, Virginia, Arkansas, and North Dakota for program administration and direct

financial incentives for producers. Through the pilot program, farmers and ranchers in

participating districts will be eligible to receive $100 per acre or animal unit by voluntarily

implementing practices that sequester carbon, improve soil health, reduce greenhouse

gas emissions, and improve water quality and conservation.

The list of eligible climate smart conservation practices includes:

Conservation Crop Rotation (328)

Residue and Tillage Management, No Till (329)

Cover Crop (340)

Residue and Tillage Management, Reduced Till (345)

Silvopasture (381)

Riparian Herbaceous Cover (390)

Riparian Forest Buffer (391)

Filter Strip (393)

Nutrient Management (590)

Tree/Shrub Establishment (612)

Irrigation Water Management, Alternative Wetting and Drying (449)

Pasture and Hay Planting (512)

Producers in the East Otter Tail and Wadena Soil and Water Conservation Districts who

are interested in the program should contact their respective SWCD offices for more

information. The SWCDs are in the process of learning about the program and plan to

host informational meetings later in June.

EOT SWCD Phone # 218-346-9105, Wadena SWCD Phone # 218-631-4201

Are you losing more and more of your lawn to the lake or stream each year? Are you concerned about the rain runoff from your house and driveway making the lake dirty and unswimmable? Are you interested in increasing habitat and wildlife on your property to enjoy while sipping your coffee on the deck? If you answered yes to any or all of these, our shoreline program might be perfect for you!

Planting native grasses and flowers along the shoreline or installing a rain garden reduces the amount of pollutants running into your lake and increases food and shelter for wildlife such as birds and butterflies, all while providing you an endless summer of bright, beautiful flowers.

If you're interested in talking with someone about restoring your shoreline, contact the East Otter Tail SWCD at 218-346-9105 or the West Otter Tail SWCD at 218-998-5300. If you live on an impaired lake, you may be eligible for funding to cover some of the costs of this restoration.

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) is accepting applications for spring 2025 Lawns to Legumes pollinator habitat grants.

The Lawns to Legumes program aims to increase habitat for at-risk pollinators in residential settings across the state by providing people with reimbursement-based funding, workshops, coaching and gardening resources. Anyone who lives in Minnesota and has a yard, deck, or other outdoor space for planting can apply to be reimbursed for up to $400 in costs associated with establishing new pollinator habitat in their yards. The program is available to both Minnesota homeowners and renters.

Applications will be accepted through November 30, 2024. If you previously applied for the program, you will need to reapply to be considered for spring 2025 funding.

Apply online at Blue Thumb’s website. For more information about Lawns to Legumes, visit BWSR’s website.

If you have a sick or dying plant, the University of Minnesota has a great resource to help you determine what might be ailing your plant. It allows you to search based off the symptoms on your plant, and works for trees, shrubs, flowers, produce, and your lawn.

Access the resource here.

In some Minnesota lawns, instead of the grass greening up, the grass is being torn up. People are reporting lawns ripped up by raccoons, moles or crows. These hungry animals are just a symptom of the lawn’s actual problem: white grubs. Read more about these pests here.

A new interactive online tool, MN CliMAT, provides highly localized climate projections across Minnesota — down to the 2.5-mile scale. Users can use data to visualize how even specific towns may be impacted in the coming decades.

Recently launched by the University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership (MCAP) in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the tool includes detailed information about temperature, precipitation, lake temperature, ice cover, soil moisture and other variables vital to informing how and where we prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Parkers Prairie

• June - Oct
• Fridays, 3-6 pm

Perham

• May 29 - Oct
• Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 am -1 pm

Pelican Rapids

• June 23 - Oct
• Fridays 3-6 pm

Fergus Falls

• June - Oct
• Wednesdays 2-5:30 pm
• Saturdays 9 am - 1 pm

New York Mills

• Wednesday 3-6 pm
• Saturdays 9 am - 1 pm

Have you been feeling stressed and/or overwhelmed and need some assistance?

The North Central Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Center works across 12 states and 15 partners (including the University of Minnesota) to create and share mental health supports, resources, and services to help farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers. They provide telephone helplines, training and professional services, and support groups to help farmers and farm workers get the support they need to thrive. Supporting your mental health allows you to show up for yourself, your farm, and your community to your full capacity.

Farm Aid Hotline: 1-800-FARM AID (1-800-327-6243)

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Iowa Concern Hotline: 1-800-447-1985

• (Financial, legal, and stress support available to residents in MN, not just IA)

Are you a beginning farmer looking to rent or purchase working farmland in the Midwest? Or are you an established farmer/landowner in the Midwest who is seeking a beginning farmer to purchase or rent your working farmland, or to work with in a partnership situation? The Land Stewardship Project's Farm Beginnings project has simple application forms available for people seeking farmland or farmers. More information and the forms can be found at this link.

Email: olso7655@umn.edu

Phone: office (218) 998-8303 cell (218) 282-5963
Website: extension.umn.edu
Location: 118 N Main Ave, New York Mills, MN 56567

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