Contents and Purpose: The Oklahoma Alfalfa Production Calendar contains applied information to assist in profitable production of high quality forage desired for marketing and use in Oklahoma and the surrounding area of the Southern Great Plains. Information supplied has long-term applications such as those relating to stand longevity and immediate utility such as updates on current insect infestations. Cost-benefit relationships are addressed in most topics.
Audience: The ultimate users of the Production Calendar are alfalfa producers; however, much of the information may reach them through County Extension Educators, Agricultural Consultants, and Crop Scouts who use the site. Lending agencies and material suppliers should also benefit from this web site.
Organization: The Calendar centers on the month and production categories. Users select the month of interest, then indicate the type of production, storage, or marketing information desired. Most months include the following choices: Equipment, Forage Quality, General Production, Gopher Control, Grazing, Harvest Management, Hay Storage, Insect Control, Liming Acid Soils, Machinery, Marketing, Seed Production, Soil Fertility, Soil Sampling,
Stand Establishment, Tools, Variety Choices, Water, Weather Links, and Weed Control. Information is arranged from short statements to more in depth discussions of the topic and to references of publications with additional information. Included are "bullet statements" (1 or 2 sentences) that serve as reminders to experienced alfalfa producers, "production tips" (150 to 500 words) that provide new information about products, processes, and research), "information capsules" (1 to 10 sentences about a particular alfalfa topic, including trivia), OSU Extension Facts (2 to 8 pages), OSU Extension Circulars (10 to 30 pages), and other references. Several hundred photos are provided to help understand the problems and opportunities for alfalfa production.
Developers: All alfalfa research and extension personnel at Oklahoma State University contributed in various ways to the Oklahoma Alfalfa Production Calendar. Most of the text and web page design was developed by John Caddel (Forage Agronomist, Plant and Soil Sciences Department), Jim Stritzke (Weed Specialists, Plant and Soil Sciences Department), and Richard Berberet (Alfalfa Entomologist, Entomology and Plant Pathology Department). Critical reviews were received from other members of the Oklahoma Integrated Management Team. Chad George, Jason Warren, and Kerry Stromski, undergraduate students, helped to create formats and verify links.
Sponsors: Funding for the Oklahoma Alfalfa Production Calendar was provided by the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, USDA/CSREES Southern Regional IPM Grant No. 97-EPMP-1-0146 and, and the Oklahoma Alfalfa Hay and Seed Association. Server space and administration was provided by the Plant and Soil Sciences Department, Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma State University.
Future: New information will be incorporated as it becomes available. Links to other web pages will be included, and as the audience contributes questions and comments, new text and photographs will be included. Comments to assist in the development of the Web Site are welcome and can be sent to john.caddel@okstate.edu