Once the Christmas holiday is over, the chore of taking down and disposing of the cut Christmas tree remains. Today, because of solid waste regulations, most communities will no longer permit the used Christmas trees to be hauled out with the garbage and sent to the sanitary landfill.

However, Christmas tree disposal does not have to be a problem, because there are several environmentally sound disposal methods available. People who maintain bird feeders can help the winter residents by creating a small windbreak with a single tree. Put the old Christmas tree on the northwest side of bird feeders that are exposed to the wind. The tree will provide protection for the birds and also help keep birdseed from blowing away. However, don't place the tree too close to the feeder, so it does not become a hiding place for predators, such as cats.

Another option is to place your tree in the backyard, anchor it with a steel fencepost, and then decorate it as a food source for wildlife. This can lengthen your family's enjoyment of the tree and attract an assortment of birds, chipmunks, and squirrels to your yard. Some items that can be used to "decorate" your tree include: strung popcorn, pinecones smeared with peanut and sunflower seeds, strung cranberries, apple rings and orange slices.

A number of local fishing clubs urge homeowners to drop off their old Christmas trees to be used as fish attractors in their lakes and ponds. Holes are typically drilled through the trunks, the trees are connected by cable and anchored by concrete blocks and are then placed in 8 to 10 feet of water. The Christmas trees serve as places where small fish can hide from larger predator species. And, hopefully, the larger fish will gather around the trees in the area in hopes of an easy meal.

Christmas trees also make excellent material to construct brush piles to provide cover for a variety of wildlife, including small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Some good locations for brush piles in rural areas are near field borders and woodland areas. An ideal brush pile is about 6 feet high and about 15 to 20 feet in diameter. If the brush pile is smaller than that, predators

can often get into them. If they are larger than what is recommended, they lose some of their effectiveness. Undeveloped areas in suburban yards are also potential areas for brush piles to attract wildlife. However Frazee cautions that homeowners should check local ordinances before constructing a brush pile in a town or subdivision.

Another environmentally sound way to dispose of your tree is to chip it up with a chipping machine to use as landscaping mulch. The mulch can be used in the garden or planting beds to help reduce weed problems, modify soil temperature and help to retain moisture. If you do not have a chipper, you may want to contact your local public works department, garden shop, or tree nursery to check on the availability of this service. Many times, local service clubs offer this service to the community after Christmas.

Properly disposing of Christmas trees will benefit Illinois' natural resources and will also help to save landfill space. Not only are the above methods safe for the environment, but they can provide a source

- Bob Frazee

Choosing the right hybrid or variety is one of the most important steps in planning. The typical corn hybrid is only in the market about three years, so evaluating new seed sources must be done every year. Choosing the best genetics for your particular field conditions can add to your profit.

Yield is not the only factor to consider. Planting conditions, seasonal weather, soil types, pests and other environmental conditions that can all influence yield. It is important to compare yield information from several locations. One should also consider maturity, lodging, stalk strength, disease and insect resistance, etc. Continuous corn rotations, especially in reduced tillage systems, are more likely to have a build up of disease organisms and therefore are at a greater risk for diseases such as diplodia, gray leaf spot, and stalk rots. Disease resistance built into the hybrid is the easiest defense a farmer has in protecting yield.

Numerous sources of information exist for growers searching for the right traits to maximize their profit. Company trials, university trials and on-farm test strips offer insight into which hybrids can grow well across a many different environmental factors and growing conditions. Performance trails typically list crop performance characteristics, such as emergence, maturity dates, yield, test weights, percent moisture and stalk lodging. Some also report grain quality information for percent oil, starch and protein. Most performance trials show the "least significant difference" (lsd) value to indicate differences in that characteristic between hybrids or varieties. If the difference between two hybrids is greater than the LSD value, then you can confidently state that the two hybrids are different in that characteristic.

Look at the differences between the best and worst hybrids in a trial. Hybrids vary a lot in their potential to adapt to stressful environmental conditions. There may be large differences across a maturity zone depending on local conditions. Weather significantly impacts pests and yields differently every year. When comparing trials, find out the local growing conditions for that year. Most importantly, use two- or three-year averages to make comparisons, since these are more reliable.

Homegrown information can be equally valuable. You and your neighbors experience in watching crops develop and using yield monitors to compare different hybrids in your environment is can be an important source of information.

Put field days on your calendar. Observing individual characteristics of a crop when it is growing is a great way to see differences. Contact your local corn or soybean associations for field day information. Visit your local University of Illinois research centers and ask to be on their mailing lists for research updates and field day information.

· Northern Illinois Agronomy Research Center, near DeKalb, 815-824-2029, www.cropsci.uiuc.edu/research/rdc/dekalb/

· Northwestern Illinois Agricultural Research and Demonstration Center, near Monmouth, 309-734-7459,

www.cropsci.uiuc.edu/research/rdc/monmouth/

· Copies of 2007 University of Illinois Corn, Soybean, and Forage Variety Trials are available at local Extension offices. Current and historical crop performance data from University of Illinois are available at the following websites:

à Corn, Soybean, Small Grains, Forage Performance Testing, http://www.cropsci.uiuc.edu/vt/

à Varietal Information Program for Soybeans,
http://www.vipsoybeans.org/

- Ellen Phillips

If you hear your farmer/husband talking about strip-till these days, don't worry too much about where he has been hanging out.

Well, what is strip-till? According to the Conservation Technology Information Center, strip-till is a hybrid between no-till and ridge-till. With strip-till, after harvest is completed in the fall, farmers will typically use a special anhydrous ammonia injection knife, called a mole knife, to till and raise a 4 to 6 inch ridge in fields where corn will be planted in the spring. Phosphorus and/or potash may also be applied at the same time. In the spring, the corn planter runs directly on this ridge and places the seed in this tilled area.

During eight out of ten years in the decade of the 1990's, many Illinois corn farmers encountered cool, wet soil conditions at planting time. For some Illinois farmers, no-till corn did not perform as well as desired, since the cool, wet soil under the residue slowed germination and early season corn growth. However, with strip-till, corn growers can now capitalize on the cost reduction benefits of no-till without the production problems associated with wet, cool spring conditions.

Researchers are now reporting the following benefits by fall strip-tilling corn.

· Warmer soils at planting time.

· Better soil drying.

· Earlier no-tilling, which offers higher yield potential.

· More uniform corn emergence.

· Improved no-till corn stands.

· Faster early no-till corn growth.

· Reduced soil erosion as compared with mulch-till.

· Enhanced surface water quality.

The use of strip-till has shown encouraging results for better emergence and high corn yields while enhancing the protection of our soil and water resources. To learn more about the "nuts and bolts" of strip-till farming, producers are encouraged to attend one of the 2008 Tillage Seminars listed below that will be held throughout Illinois in February 2008.

· February 5: Richland Community College, Decatur, IL., ph. (217)-877-6042.

· February 6: Hamilton's 110 North East, Jacksonville, IL., ph. (217)-243-7424.

· February 7: Rowland Lewis Center, Mt. Vernon, IL., ph. (618)-242-0780.

· February 12: The Quality Inn, Bradley, IL., ph. (815)-937-8940, Ext 3.

· February 13: Holiday Inn, Rock Falls, IL., ph. (815)-772-4075.

These seminars, which feature an outstanding line-up of nationally recognized speakers, run from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pre-registration is necessary and the deadline is one week prior to each scheduled meeting. Seating is limited so registration will be taken on a first-come basis. A $15 per person fee will be charged to cover room rental and noon luncheon.

Contact your local University of Illinois Extension Office or Soil and Water Conservation District to receive a copy of the Agenda for the Illinois Tillage Seminars or to register, please call the phone numbers listed above and you will be given the address to send in your registration and payment to.

- Greg Clark

Happy Holidays to one and all! With the beginning of the new year comes the beginning of a new agricultural season, thus bringing new challenges and technology to 2008. Our goal remains the same to bring up-to-date research and resources from the University of Illinois Extension to the agriculture producers and individuals working in the agriculture sector.

For this reason, the Ag Newsletter will include brochures and flyers promoting workshops and seminars that will help you embark upon the 2008 growing season. University of Illinois Extension has various workshops and seminars that are offered to you during the upcoming winter months for your benefit. These programs will help you increase your knowledge and to provide answers for your 2008 growing season. Please take a moment to examine these and other programs outlined in the AG Newsletter and we also want to wish you and your family a safe and prosperous New Year.

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It's that time again. Private Pesticide Applicator Training and Testing programs provided by the University of Illinois Extension are for anyone who purchase and use restricted-use pesticides. The Illinois Pesticide Act requires individual farmers to become certified as a private pesticide applicator. According to the current records, there are about 120 producers that will need to renew their licenses this year in Whiteside County.

Representatives from the IDOA will administrate a close-book, 50-question examination for producers wanting to obtain a private pesticide applicator license. Once an individual passes, a three-year certification license will be given to the individual.

To help individuals study for the examination, pesticide applicator training manual and companion workbook are available through the Extension Office. For an individual who just needs a refresher, there are private pesticide applicator training sessions provided by the University of Illinois Extension. The sessions with training and testing will take about three hours while the testing only sessions will take one hour.

Some sessions have limited seating so pre-registration is necessary for all sessions. For a compete listing of all training and testing dates, please call the Whiteside County Extension Office. There will be a $30.00/person charge at all training sessions. Information on commercial training and testing sites and materials is available on request.

Producers who have been "Certified" are able to purchase restricted-use pesticides from their suppliers thus of course needing your certification number or card. If you lost your card and you are not sure about your certification number or the date you had been certified, we can take a look at the list at the Extension Office to help you.

- Greg Clark