Every November, the Person County Cooperative Extension office celebrates Farm City Week. This year, we are wanting to feature FIVE Person County Farmers. We will use what you tell us about you and your farming operation to post an article on our website for people to "visit" you during Farm City Week. The "visit" is to increase awareness of farming and our hard working farmers. People will be able to read about you and your farm without having to come to your farm, unless your farm is open to the public. If you are interested in participating, please complete the form linked below by THIS Friday, October 2 to be considered in our Farmer Feature. https://go.ncsu.edu/farmerfeature 

Our committee will review the entries and select FIVE farmers to be featured this year. We will contact all of the entries and let them know if they were selected. If you are one of the selected farmers, we will also be contacting you to get pictures of your farm to include in the feature. 

Person County Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce that the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President, Gene Copenhaver, will be speaking at the October joint Person and Granville Cattlemen’s meeting on Thursday, October 22 at 6:30pm. The meeting will be held in the Person County Office Building Auditorium located at 304 S. Morgan St. Roxboro, NC. Gene Copenhaver is a fifth-generation cattleman whose family dates to the 1850s in Washington County, Virginia. Copenhaver currently manages his family’s stocker operation in southwest Virginia with his son, Will. Copenhaver was an agriculture loan officer for 38 years and served his clients who were primarily cattle producers in five East Coast states. Copenhaver has served in many leadership roles on the local, state and national levels. Additionally, he graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in animal science. A sponsored meal will be served; please RSVP to kdwoods@ncsu.edu or call 336-599-1195.  We look forward to seeing a large crowd; it may be several years before we have an NCBA president on this side of the Mississippi.

Bull Soundness Exam

Once again, Person and Granville County Cooperative Extension, along with Franklin, Warren, Caswell, Durham and Orange, will be hosting a Bull Breeding Soundness Exam on Monday, November 2 from 9:00am - 2:00pm at the Granville County Livestock Arena, located at 4400 Cannady Mill Road in Oxford, NC. Having a BSE performed on your bull prior to breeding season is like insurance, making sure the bull can perform his job.  The cost is $20 per bull, pretty cheap insurance.  If you would like to schedule a time to have your bull evaluated, email kdwoods@ncsu or call 336-599-1195.

Soil Test Price Increase

We have entered fall, according to the calendar, which means Thanksgiving is not that far way.  And that is the time when having your soil analyzed will cost you a little bit of money. Currently, we are in the “Free” time of soil testing.  But that changes around Thanksgiving, and this year it will increase a little bit to $5 per box.  That is still a great bargain.  But if you are really thrifty, then plan on getting your soil, in the boxes, and completed forms to the Extension office by Wednesday, November 18 at 5:00pm to make sure we can get them to lab in Raleigh before their deadline.  If you can’t get your samples to us by then, you can still get the analysis done, it will just cost a little bit of money - $5 per sample.

Need or Have Hay??

This year will certainly go down in the history books and many of us would probably like to forget a lot about 2026 – especially the heat and drought.  The weather experienced this year made hay production difficult, at best.  Many folks had very poor spring cuttings and fall cuttings typically don’t produce that much hay; although some may have had a better than normal fall cutting.  All that to say is the hay will likely be short this year.  If you typically purchase hay for your animals, you should probably go ahead and make those arrangements.  If your usual supplier does not have enough for you, then you can access the NC Hay Finder Tool.  It is sort of a classified ads listing for hay.  You can search for hay for sale. Of if you’re a hay producer, you can list hay that you have for sale.  There is no charge to list or search.  If you are looking for hay to purchase, you may want to consider looking a little farther outside of your normal area, as other parts of the state may have received some timely rains to help with hay production this year. 

Thanks to the Person Granville Extension Master Gardeners Volunteer Association for their donation and planting of a Liberty Tree at the Person County Museum of History. They held a tree dedication ceremony at the recent Early American Living History Fair, held on Saturday, September 12.

Harvest Season Safety: A Reminder for Everyone

Article written by Amy Timmerman – Extension Educator with University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Safety Tips for Harvest Season

For Farmers

1. Visibility: Ensure all lights, flashers and reflective tape on equipment are functioning and visible.
2. Warning Signals: Use flags, emblems and lights on all machinery.
3. Precautions: Avoid traveling after sunset and during peak traffic times.
4. Maintenance: Clean equipment to prevent mud on roadways and check for overhead obstacles.
5. Transport Safely: Balance loads and transport equipment correctly.

For Auto Drivers

1. Be Patient: Remember farmers will pull over to let you pass when safe.
2. Expect Slower Speeds: Farm equipment typically travels at 5-15 mph.
3. Keep Distance: Give ample space when meeting or passing equipment.
4. Watch for Signals: Be attentive to turn and hand signals from farmers.

General Reminders

• Stay Alert: Both farmers and drivers should minimize distractions and stay aware of their surroundings.
• Plan Ahead: Schedule work to avoid high-traffic times and ensure all safety measures are in place before starting tasks.

As we navigate this critical time, let’s prioritize safety on all fronts. Farmers, please ensure your equipment is visible and well-maintained. Drivers, exercise patience and awareness around farm machinery. Together, we can work to keep our communities safe during this busy season. Stay alert, stay safe!

Getting Ahead of Italian Ryegrass in the 2026-2027 Winter Wheat Seasion

Written by Ryan Hamberg — Contributors: Charlie Cahoon | September 23, 2026

Full Article posted on the NC State Extension Small Grains portal: https://smallgrains.ces.ncsu.edu/news/getting-ahead-of-italian-ryegrass-in-the-20262027-winter-wheat-season/

As wheat planting approaches in NC, weed management decisions made before and shortly after planting will dictate whether we can achieve season-long control. This is especially true for Italian ryegrass, which drives most weed management decisions in our state.
Step 1: Start clean with an effective burndown. This has become increasingly challenging as Italian ryegrass populations across NC have developed resistance to several of our key herbicides. Where glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass is suspected, paraquat remains one of our primary burndown options ahead of wheat. Remember that paraquat is a contact herbicide with no residual activity, so weed size and spray coverage are critical. Target small ryegrass plants and use adequate carrier volume.  Availability of paraquat will soon change. Syngenta now confirms that Gramoxone production has ceased, with sales ending by December 31, 2026, or when existing supplies are exhausted. Other paraquat formulations are currently available and may remain on the market, but growers should check individual product labels and availability. Fields with resistance to both glyphosate and paraquat require a different approach. Waiting until wheat planting may leave few effective chemical burndown options. 

Step 2: Keep it clean with a residual herbicide. Once you control emerged ryegrass, the next step is choosing a residual. Pyroxasulfone-containing products such as Zidua SC, Anthem Flex, and Fierce EZ are excellent options for residual Italian ryegrass control in wheat. While all three contain pyroxasulfone, differences in additional active ingredients and labeling provide some flexibility in application timing. Check article linked above for  product table with active ingredient and time information. 

Recommending the “best” pyroxasulfone timing is difficult; each option has pros and cons. Applying pyroxasulfone at planting provides residual activity against early-emerging ryegrass. Delaying the application may shift more residual activity later into the fall and potentially improve control of later-emerging ryegrass. However, delaying the residual is not always better, especially if ryegrass emerges before application. Pyroxasulfone has little to no activity on emerged ryegrass. If ryegrass emerges before the delayed application, you will need to control those plants with another herbicide. Fields with a history of heavy early emergence may benefit from getting the residual out sooner, while delayed applications may have more value where ryegrass emergence tends to be prolonged. There is risk for crop injury when applying pyroxasulfone products prior to wheat emergence. Following product-specific planting-depth, seedbed, soil, and rainfall restrictions reduce the risk of wheat injury.

Rainfall following application is also important. Pyroxasulfone requires moisture for activation, and approximately 0.5 inch of rainfall or irrigation may be needed for optimum activity. Applying pyroxasulfone earlier may also increase the likelihood of rainfall before ryegrass emergence, improving the chance the herbicide activates in time. Extended dry conditions following application can reduce residual control.

For additional herbicide options, rates, application timings, and weed control recommendations in wheat, refer to the 2026 North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual.

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