Hello, Harford County!
University of
Maryland Extension
Winter is coming! Are you ready? While we
can’t predict whether it will be a mild winter or a
Harford County Office
harsh one, now is the time to prepare for the
P.O. Box 663
possibility of severe winter storms. Here are a few
2335 Rock Spring Road
tips to help keep things running smoothly in the
Forest Hill, MD 21050
event that Mother Nature presents us with
challenges.
(410) 638-3255
Know the terminology. What’s the difference
M—F 8:00 a.m—4:30 p.m.
between a watch and a warning? It’s simple, but
lots of folks don’t know. A watch means that a
Extension.umd.edu/harford-county
storm is possible in the next 12 to 36 hours. A
facebook.com/HarfordAg
warning means a storm is expected in the next 12
to 24 hours. Keep abreast of the latest weather
Sara BhaduriHauck
reports so you can be ready for what’s coming.
Ag Extension Educator
Winterize buildings. Are your farm
sbh@umd.edu
buildings in good enough repair to withstand
wind, snow, and freezing temperatures? Make
any needed repairs now, especially if you need
to do roof work (which is much more
dangerous in even moderately icy conditions).
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Add insulation where appropriate to keep
water lines from freezing. Ensure that
Poultry 101: Starting
2
livestock shelters will remain dry and
Your Small Flock
protected from wind.
Be prepared for power outages – even
outages
that may last several days. If you live
Toxic Plant Profile:
2
down a long lane with above ground power
Black Walnut
lines, a fallen tree on your personal line may
be the last to be repaired after a storm.
Prepare your generator and be sure to have
Understanding
3
sufficient fuel on hand. Consider how you will
Easements on
manage livestock if you rely on electric
Farmland
fencing to contain them. Have enough water
and be prepared with an alternative strategy
for heating your home, such as with a
Key Considerations for
5
kerosene heater. (See page 6 for more on
Your Nutrient
safely heating with kerosene.)
Management Plan
Have an emergency plan for animal feed
and water. What will you do if your well
Kerosene Heater
Safety
6
Introduction to
Beekeeping Short
Course
7
The Extension Office will be closed on
December 25 in observance of
Christmas and January 1 in
observance of the New Year.
freezes? What if heavy snow or ice disrupt your
normal feed delivery? Think ahead and have a
backup plan in place. Also keep in mind that
livestock require more hay in colder weather and
the process of eating and digesting helps keep
them warm, so be sure to have a sufficient supply
of hay.
Service snow removal equipment. How will
you manage if a blizzard leaves us with four feet of
snow? You’ll need to be able to get to livestock to
provide care, and livestock will need access to
their feed and water if it’s not inside their shelter.
Make sure your snow removal equipment is in
good working order, hooked up, and easy to
access from your house when severe winter
weather is predicted.
Take extra precautions when working
outside. Farmers usually don’t have the luxury of
taking snow days, but do your best to plan work
schedules so you can avoid working outside on
extremely cold days or when ice makes the work
dangerous. When you are working outside, leave
extra time to complete tasks that may be
complicated by the weather. Don’t push yourself
too hard – keeping warm puts extra stress on your
body. Heart attacks during hard labor in cold
weather are a major cause of death in winter.
Expect the unexpected! Being proactive,
getting prepared, and developing a plan B can help
prevent problems and accidents and reduce stress
should severe winter weather occur.
Sincerely,
Small Flock Health Workshop
The hottest topic in poultry health this year is
Avian Influenza (AI). Learn how to limit your
flock’s risk of exposure, how to recognize AI
6:00 p.m.—9:00 p.m.
in your flock, what to do if you identify AI in Baltimore County Ag Center
your flock, and options for managing
Cockeysville, MD
mortalities from the virus on your farm
(including composting, which will be demonstrated). Speakers will include Dr.
Gary Felton of University of Maryland as well as other University of Maryland
and Maryland Department of Agriculture staff. For questions, please contact
Linda Bilsens at lbilsens@ilsr.org. More information and registration are
available online at ilsr.org/smallflockhealthworkshops.
December 8, 2015
Poultry 101: Starting Your Small Flock
January 29, 2016
Are you thinking about starting a small
flock this spring but don’t know where to
3:30 p.m.—8:00 p.m.
begin? Look no further! This workshop
Baltimore County Ag Center will introduce you to everything you need
Cockeysville, MD
to know to successfully begin raising
poultry. Topics will include zoning and
legal restrictions on keeping poultry, housing needs, protection from
predators, how and when to source chicks, brooding peeps, nutrition and
feeding, dealing with manure, preventing disease, and regulation on the sale
of poultry products. Presenters will include Dr. Jon Moyle, University of
Maryland Poultry Extension Specialist; Dr. Brigid McCrea, Delaware State
University Poultry Extension Specialist; Deanna Baldwin, Maryland
Department of Agriculture; and Jennifer Reynolds, University of Maryland
Poultry Extension Coordinator. Registration is $30 per person and includes a
hot dinner. Registration is required prior to January 18 and is limited to the
first 30 registrants. Register online at poultry101workshop.eventbrite.com
(processing fees apply) or by calling the Harford County Extension Office and
paying by check. For more information or to register over the phone, call
410-638-3255 or contact Sara BhaduriHauck at sbh@umd.edu.
Toxic Plant Profile: Black Walnut
By Sara BhaduriHauck, University of Maryland Extension—Harford County
Black walnut trees are considered toxic but are
unique from most other toxic plants. They are safe to
all livestock except horses, and horses are generally
only affected by shavings made from the tree. Black
walnut trees are, however, toxic to some species of
plants if growing within a certain range of the tree. In
fewer instances, shedding pollen can cause allergic
reactions in horses and people as well as kidney effects
in animals that ingest hulls.
Black walnut trees are easy to identify by the large
round nuts that drop after the leaves fall in autumn.
They are large trees with dark brown bark that is
deeply furrowed. The leaves are long and pointed (see
left photo on next page). Black walnuts are fairly
common in Maryland and may live for up to 250 years.
They are the most commonly planted nut tree in North
America, partly because most seedlings germinate
from nuts buried by squirrels.
The roots of the black walnut tree produce an
organic compound called juglone. Juglone has an
allelopathic effect on some other plants, meaning it
can stunt their growth or even prevent them from
growing. Juglone has its effect by disrupting a plant’s
ability to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. Not all
species of plants are negatively affected by this
compound: pasture and turf grasses will grow in the
presence of juglone, but many flowers, vegetables,
and some species of trees and shrubs will not. Juglone
is present in the leaves, roots, husks, and fruit and can
be found in the soil throughout the tree’s entire root
zone (on average 50 to 80 feet in diameter for a
mature tree). Allelopathic effects are not usually
observed until the tree is at least seven years old.
Juglone does not pose any threat of toxicity to
humans, but gardeners should be aware of its effects
and plan accordingly. Using raised beds lined with
gardening fabric may make it possible to grow
susceptible plants in closer proximity to black walnut
trees. Juglone does break down when composted. If
black walnut leaves, twigs, or nuts are used in compost
to be spread in a garden, the compost should be aged
at least one year before being applied.
Horses can be affected by black walnut if shavings
made from the tree are used in bedding. As little as
20% black walnut in shavings or sawdust can cause
clinical signs within hours of contact. Effects of
exposure primarily affect the lower limb and include
stocking up, stiff gait, and reluctance to move. If
untreated, toxicosis can progress and cause colic,
swelling of the neck and chest, elevated heart and
respiratory rate, and even laminitis and founder.
Clinical signs usually disappear once the bedding is
removed. The best way to prevent problems is to
ensure that bedding does not contain black walnut.
Black walnut shavings are quite dark and easily
contrast against light-colored pine shavings (see center
photo below). Other livestock species are not affected.
Juglone, the allelopathic chemical produced by the
black walnut, was originally suspected as the toxic
compound in shavings and sawdust. However,
researchers have not been able to reproduce toxic
effects when juglone is isolated and administered
either dermally (on the skin) or orally (by ingestion).
Thus, the toxic compound that causes these symptoms
in horses is still unknown.
Black walnut can cause other problems, although
these are reported much less frequently than the two
described above. Some people and horses are
especially sensitive to black walnut pollen and can
suffer from allergic reactions when pollen is shed in the
spring. Additionally, the husks surrounding fallen nuts
can become toxic as they start to decay (see right
photo below). Penicillium mold affects the
decomposing husk and produces a neurotoxin called
Penitrem A, which is toxic to livestock and can be fatal
to dogs. People should also be wary; black walnuts are
edible but can be contaminated with Penitrem A if they
hulls have begun to decompose before the nuts are
harvested.
Photos: Iowa State University Extension (left), Rutgers Cooperative Extension (center), Clemson Cooperative Extension (right).
Understanding Easements on Farmland
By Sara Everhart, Legal Specialist, University of Maryland Francis Carey King School of Law
Reprinted from the Maryland Risk Management Education Blog
What Is An Easement?
An easement is a non-possessory interest in the
land of another which entitles the easement holder to
limited use of another’s land without interference. An
easement holder is a person with a legal right to use
the easement and may include the owner of the land
across which the easement passes. Because the land
crossed by the easement is burdened by the
easement, it is referred to as the “servient estate.”
An easement is defined by its purpose and each
easement must be analyzed to determine why it was
granted. Easements are perpetual unless they are
limited, or terminated by agreement, abandonment,
implication (e.g. necessity ceases to exist), adverse
possession, or another means of formal termination.
An alternative to the granting of an easement is the
granting of a license. In general, a license is personal
to the individual who received it, is not transferable,
and is freely revocable.
Types of Easements
There are many types of easements but most
easements can be broken down into easements by
grant, reservation, implication, or prescription.
An express easement is created by an express
grant or by reservation in deeds, or by separate
documents. An example of an express easement on
farmland is a utility easement referenced in a deed,
held by either a governmental entity or utility
company, which allows the holder of the easement to
install, repair, or service utilities within the easement
area. A farmland owner needs to fully understand the
scope of easements on his or her farmland. For
example, a who farmer ignores an easement and
plants crops on land burdened by a utility easement
risks losing the crops if the area needs to be disturbed
by a utility company. Another example would be an
express easement held by a homeowner’s association
prohibiting the keeping of certain types of livestock.
A reserved easement occurs when one party
expressly reserves the right to retain an easement in
property being transferred. A common example of a
reserved easement is an access easement. For
example, a transferring landowner may sell part of his
farm but reserve an easement to cross the property to
reach a main access road. It is important for the
servient landowner to fully consider the potential
impact of reserved easements. For example, an access
easement may not initially appear to be problematic if
the neighboring operation does not involve heavy
traffic but if the easement holder later decides to
modify their operation to incorporate a Community
Supported Agriculture component, the type and
intensity of traffic can change dramatically and
the burdened landowner will have no legal authority
to stop the use.
Easements by implication can be created, through
prior use, necessity, or inclusion on a plat. For
example, if a person has no other access to a
road other than across another’s land, a common law
easement by necessity may arise through
implication. If an easement is implied based solely on
necessity (a landlocked parcel), the easement
terminates as soon as the need for it expires
(alternate access is acquired). Further, when property
is conveyed by reference to lots on a recorded plat,
the purchaser acquires an implied easement for the
use of the dedicated streets, parks, or other open
areas shown on the plat.
Finally, easements by prescription are acquired by
continuous, open, and hostile use of the property for
a 20-year period. For example, if a farmer allows a
neighbor to cross his or her property with harvesting
equipment continuously, openly, and without
permission for a 20-year period, the neighbor may
have the basis to claim an easement by prescription to
continue the use.
Is Your Farm Land Subject to Easements?
If you are not sure if your farm land is subject to
easements, a good place to start is to review the deed
to your property and look for any easements or
references to the property being subject to
easements. ALEI has created a helpful video which
explains how to pull the deed to your land from
publicly available websites (see www.umaglaw.org/
videos.html and choose “How to Access a Farm’s Land
Records”).
Nutrient Applicator Voucher Training
January 13, 2016
Those who apply nutrients (manure or
commercial fertilizer) to 10 or more
10:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m.
acres in Maryland are required by the
Harford County Extension Office
Maryland Department of Agriculture
Forest Hill, MD
(MDA) to obtain a nutrient applicator
voucher by attending an approved
training session. Voucher holders must attend a renewal training at least once
every three years to maintain a current voucher. This training will satisfy
requirements for voucher renewal. Those that need a first time voucher may
also attend but will stay until 12:30 for additional information. MDA now
requires that a copy of your voucher be included as part of your nutrient
management plan; if you are planning to have a new nutrient management
plan written this spring, NOW is the time to make sure your nutrient applicator
voucher is current. The session is free, but registration is required in advance as
space is limited. To register, call the Harford County Extension Office at 410-638
-3255 and specify whether you will attend for a new voucher or for renewal.
“Write Your Own Nutrient Management Plan” Training
The Farmer Training and Certification workshops provide opportunities for producers
with cropland and pastures who use commercial fertilizer and/or manure to learn how
to write nutrient management plans for their operation that meet Maryland
Department of Agriculture’s regulations. Three workshops will be held: Anne Arundel
County Extension Office, January 19 and February 2 (snow dates 01/21 and 02/04);
Wye Research and Education Center in Queenstown, MD, January 26 and February 9
(snow dates 01/28 and 02/11); and Washington County Extension Office, February 16
and 23 (snow dates 02/19 and 02/26). Each of the workshops offer a day of instruction
and a second day for an open-book exam and plan development. Individuals with
fields or pastures high in soil test phosphorus may require additional training and a
greater time commitment. Participants will receive a comprehensive training binder,
certification to write nutrient management plans for their own operations (for those
who pass the exam), and credit to fulfill the nutrient applicator voucher training
requirement. Space is limited and registrations are accepted on a first-come, basis;
therefore, register early. Paid registrations must be received 10 days before the first
class. Each workshops will run 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The cost is $35 and includes lunch
on the first day. For more information, please call 410-841-5959.
Key Considerations for Your Next NM Plan
By Patricia Hoopes, Harford County Nutrient Management Advisor
Manure Applications in High FIV-P Fields
Are you planning to apply manure or any
phosphorus material to a high FIV-P field this spring?
Manure or a P-containing product applied to a high
FIV-P field requires some extra field work by your
advisor. Work closely with your Nutrient
Management Advisor to decide on the best time for a
PSI and UM-PMT study to be done and incorporated
into your nutrient management plan. Take into
consideration that clear unfrozen fields are the
easiest to work with.
Manure Incorporation Exceptions
Do you apply manure in a no-till situation?
Remember if you apply manure, regulations require
incorporation. There are certain exceptions with hay
ground and pasture land.
Another exception is highly erodible land (HEL).
This must be documented by inclusion of maps
showing land defined as highly erodible land by USDA
-NRCS. The addition of this map to your Nutrient
Management Plan proves it is best if the soil is not
disturbed. Contact Soil Conservation for your HEL
maps, and work with your advisor to add this to your
nutrient management plan.
Another exception is fields in which a current soil
conservation and water quality plan or a current
USDA/NRCS program requirement prohibits or
otherwise restricts soil disturbance. The document
addressing the prohibition must be included in the
nutrient management plan.
Distance to Water Maps
Do you have a stream or pond on your farm?
Regulations now require maps showing the distance
from fields to water. An application of crop nutrients
using a broadcast method requires a 35-foot setback.
A directed spray application or the injection of crop
nutrients requires a 10-foot setback. Work with your
advisor to ensure maps document streams and ponds
correctly. If you are updating your Soil and Water
Conservation Plan, they have tools to develop a great
map for this.
Starting to work on the nutrient management
plan early allows extra time to request necessary
documents and field studies. Start planning now for a
successful spring planting season. Wishing all a merry
Christmas and happy New Year!
Kerosene Heater Safety
By Howard J. Doss, Michigan State University Extension. Reprinted from the National Ag Safety Database.
Portable kerosene heaters can supply
homeowners with temporary heat during a power
outage or can be used to warm a cool room without
the expense of heating the entire house. Newer
models are manufactured with numerous safety
features, but operator errors such as using gasoline
instead of kerosene, failure to provide adequate
ventilation, fuel spills, etc. have resulted in numerous
home fires. According to the National Fire Protection
Association, there is a "much higher" fatal fire risk
associated with the use of wood stoves, portable
kerosene heaters and space heaters as compared to
central heating.
The following list will help reduce the risk of a fire
from using a portable kerosene heater:
 Use only water-clear 1-K grade kerosene. Never
use gasoline. Gasoline is not the same as kerosene.
Even small amounts of gasoline or other volatile
fuels or solvents mixed with kerosene can
substantially increase the risk of a fire or an
explosion.
 Always store kerosene in a container intended for
kerosene, not in a gasoline can or a can that has
contained gasoline. This helps avoid using
contaminated fuel or the wrong fuel by mistake.
Kerosene containers are usually blue, gasoline
containers are red.
 When purchasing kerosene at the pump, make
sure to use the kerosene pump, not the gasoline
pump. Some service stations have separate islands
for kerosene. Some oil companies have also
established quality control programs to minimize
the chances of gasoline contamination of kerosene.
 1-K grade kerosene should be purchased from a
dealer who can certify that what is being sold is 1K. State-operated and private sector certification
programs that ensure the quality of kerosene are
established in some states. Grades other than 1-K
can lead to a release of more pollutants in your
home, posing a possible health risk. Different
grades of kerosene can look the same so it
important that the dealer certify that the product
sold is 1-K grade kerosene.
 Never refuel the heater inside the home. Fill the
tank outdoors, away from combustible materials,
and only after the heater has been turned off and
allowed to cool. Do not refuel the heater when it is
hot or in operation. Do not fill the fuel tank above
the "full" mark. The space above the "full" mark is
to allow the fuel to expand without causing leakage
when the heater is operated.
 In case of flare-up or if uncontrolled flaming occurs,
do not attempt to move or carry the heater. This
can make the fire worse. If the heater is equipped
with a manual shut-off switch, activate the switch
to turn off the heater. If this does not extinguish
the fire, leave the house immediately and call the
fire department. As an added reminder and
precaution, install at least one smoke detector near
each sleeping are or on each level of the house.
 Reduce your exposure to indoor air pollutants by
properly operating and maintaining your portable
kerosene heater. Although portable kerosene
heaters are very efficient in the burning of fuel to
produce heat, low levels of certain pollutants such
as carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are
produced. Exposure to low levels of these
pollutants may be harmful, especially to individuals
with chronic respiratory or circulatory health
problems.
 To assure you and family members are not exposed
to significant levels of these pollutants, you should
follow carefully the following rules of safe
operation:
 Operate your heater in a room with a door
open to the rest of the house.
 If you must operate your heater in a room
with the door closed to the rest of the house,
open an outside window approximately an
inch to permit fresh air to effectively dilute the
pollutants below a level of concern.
 Always operate your heater according to the
manufacturer’s instructions, making sure that
the wick is set at the proper level as instructed
by the manufacturer.
 Keep the wick in your heater clean and in
good operating condition by following the
cleaning and maintenance procedures
recommended by the manufacturer.
 Keep
an
outside
window
opened
approximately an inch to ensure adequate
fresh air infiltration. This is important
regardless of whether you use a kerosene
heater or some other conventional method of
heating. If your home is relatively new and
tight, or if it is older but has been winterized
to reduce air infiltration from the outside.
Baltimore City Urban Ag Extension Assistant Position
The University of Maryland Extension Office in Baltimore City is seeking candidates for a program assistant to
work with urban agriculture. The successful candidate will implement educational programs that promote and
expand backyard and community food production in Baltimore City while incorporating sustainable agricultural
practices and improved environmental quality, as well as serve as the coordinator for the Baltimore City Master
Gardeners. Minimum qualifications include a high school diploma or GED and five years of related experience.
Salary will be commensurate with experience and education, with a base of $32,286. Applications must be
received by December 4. Apply online at ejobs.umd.edu (choose “staff” and search for position number
121561).
Introduction to Beekeeping Short Course
Focused
on
the
guiding
principles of beekeeping, this
course will help you build a Baltimore County Ag Center, Cockeysville, MD
framework to continue your
10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m.
education as a beekeeper, honey
bee steward, or simply a person who recognizes the irreplaceable value of honey
bees in our food system. Topics will include: understanding the players in the
hive, how the hive operates as a collective of 50,000 individuals, timeline of a
typical season, signs of a healthy hive, and common pests and diseases and ways
to identify them. Instruction will be provided by Nathan Reid, researcher at
University of Maryland, College Park; founder of the Urban Honey Bee Project;
and avid beekeeper for 10 years. In addition to the two Sunday classes, an
optional field day will be held in the spring (date to be decided). Registration is
$60 per person with course booklet and $50 without the booklet. Register online
at marcbeekeeping.eventbrite.com. This program is being hosted by the
Maryland Agricultural Resource Council.
January 31 and February 7, 2016
Kathleen A.P. Mathias Agriculture Energy Efficiency Grants
The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) will provide grants on a competitive
basis to farms/business in the agriculture sector to cover up to 50% of the cost of
eligible energy efficiency upgrades and up to 25% of the cost of eligible renewable
energy upgrades. In fiscal year 2016, there is up to $650,000 available for eligible
energy efficiency measures and up to $250,000 available for eligible renewable
energy measures. All energy measures must be installed before February 1, 2017.
Applications are available at energy.maryland.gov/business/Pages/incentives/
FY2016mathiasag.aspx and must be submitted by January 20, 2016. The website
also contains a Q&A document to assist you with completing the best application
possible. Questions about the program can be submitted to program manager
Dean Fisher at dean.fisher@maryland.gov.
Jeff Myers
Area Extension Director
Harford, Baltimore,
and Carroll Counties
Sara Meagher BhaduriHauck
Faculty Extension Assistant
Agriculture and
Natural Resources
sbh@umd.edu
Extension.umd.edu/Harford-county
facebook.com/HarfordAg
The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all citizens and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color,
sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression. The
information given herein is supplied with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by University of Maryland Extension is implied.