Please join us in welcoming the new Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp Manager, Sarah Wensink!
Sarah is a native of Wood County, Ohio, where she has been actively involved as a 4-H volunteer, specifically helping with camp for 20 years. Sarah will officially start in her new role as the Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp Manager on Friday, April 26th. Don’t worry, we will have her decked out in Canter’s Cave gear in no time!
Welcome Sarah!
Wanting to learn more about livestock judging? Check out this camp with the opportunity to work alongside the Ohio State University Judging team! Registrations are due May 1st. The OSU Livestock Judging team is looking forward to hosting a great event and wants to make sure that you are there if you have an interest in fine-tuning your livestock evaluation skills!
Click on the link for a printable form.
https://ansci.osu.edu/
Over the weekend, I had a chance to get into the woods and do some mushroom hunting. We were not as successful as we had hoped to be but we did find close to 60 Morels. It was enough for a nice addition to a weeknight dinner. As the warm weather continues to provide the right conditions and many are searching for the “honey hole”, proper identification is extremely important before consuming any mushrooms. There is an old saying “There are old mushroom hunters and bold mushroom hunters but there are no old, bold mushroom hunters.”
The following information is from an Ohio State Factsheet that provides important information and identification about edible and non-edible mushrooms. This factsheet also busts a few myths about mushroom identification and safety.
There are 2,000 or more kinds of wild mushrooms in Ohio. Some are poisonous, and some are edible and delicious when properly prepared. The edibility of the majority is either not known or they are not considered for food because of their small size or poor flavor or texture.
Even though not everyone is interested in collecting mushrooms to eat, it is important to understand most have an important and beneficial role in the environment. They grow in a wide variety of habitats. Most of the mushrooms seen on a walk through a woods are beneficial. Many species are quite specific about their food source and will be found only under or near certain kinds of trees — some under pines, others under oak, etc. Some are important as decay organisms, aiding in the breakdown of logs, leaves, stems and other organic debris. This important role of mushrooms results in recycling of essential nutrients. Some mushrooms grow in and form their fruiting structures on living trees, causing decay of the sapwood or of the heartwood. Many woodland mushrooms are essential to good growth and survival of trees. They establish a relationship with roots of living trees that is mutually beneficial. These are called mycorrhizal mushrooms.
All mushrooms, whether poisonous or edible can be admired for their beauty and their fantastic variety of form, color and texture.
Some edible mushrooms are very similar in appearance to poisonous kinds and may grow in the same habitat. Edible mushrooms are known to be safe to eat because they have been eaten frequently with no ill effects. Poisonous mushrooms are known because someone ate them and became ill or died. There is no test or characteristic to distinguish edible from poisonous mushrooms. This indicates a need to identify with certainty one of several of the proven edible species and pick and eat only those positively identified. At the same time, you should also learn to identify some of the common poisonous mushrooms, especially those that are similar to edible kinds. It is especially important to learn the characteristics of the Amanita mushrooms, since several of the species common in Ohio are poisonous and a few cause serious illness and sometimes death.
The word toadstool is often used to indicate a poisonous mushroom. Since there is no way to distinguish between a so-called toadstool and an edible mushroom, it is more precise to speak of poisonous or edible mushrooms.
The season for collecting wild mushrooms in Ohio for food begins in late March and early April when the first morel or sponge mushrooms are found. These choice edible mushrooms are most abundant during April and the first two weeks of May. The false morels (members of the Gyromitra genus) are found at this same time of the year, but they must be regarded as poisonous and not collected for eating. It is true that many have eaten false morels with no apparent ill effects. However, recent research has shown toxins to be present in some of the false morels that can cause death or serious illness. Do not eat the false morels.
From mid-summer to late autumn, a great variety of mushrooms may be found in Ohio. A number of these are choice edibles. Photographs and brief descriptions of several of the more common mushrooms found in Ohio are included in this fact sheet and in the book Mushrooms and Macrofungi of Ohio and the Midwestern States.
No mushroom should be eaten unless edibility is absolutely certain. Assume that all mushrooms are poisonous until proper identification is made. Even at that point, eat at your own risk!
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| Figure 1. Chanterelle (Cantharellus) is bright yellow to orange and found from June to September under hardwood trees, especially oak, and under hemlock, which is its favorite host in Ohio. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. | Figure 2. Giant Puffball (Calvatia) Edible. It ranges in diameter from 8 to 24 inches and is found in parks, meadows, pastures, open woods and urban areas from late August to early October. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. |
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| Figure 3. Shaggy mane (Coprinus). One of the inky caps. Late summer to fall in grassy areas and hard-packed ground. Edible. Gills and cap soon become inky. Photo courtesy of W. Sturgeon. | Figure 4. Shaggy Parasol (Chlorophyllum rachodes). This scaly capped, edible mushroom is often found in compost, mulch and lawns, often near spruce trees. It has a white spore print. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. |
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| Figure 5. Fly Amanita. Reddish-orange, orange to yellow caps with whitish “warts.” Poisonous. Under trees. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. | Figure 6. Morel mushroom (Morchella). Five species in Ohio late March to mid-May. Edible. Photo courtesy of W. Sturgeon. |
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| Figure 7. Meadow mushroom (Agaricus). In grassy areas, late summer and early fall. Pink gills, becoming chocolate brown. Edible. Photo courtesy of W. Sturgeon. | Figure 8. Russula mushroom (Russula sp.). Many species in Ohio of various colors: green, yellow, orange, purple, red, white, etc. All woodland and mycorrhizal. Some edible and some poisonous. Summer and fall. Brittle in texture, especially the gills. Photo courtesy of W. Sturgeon. |
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| Figure 9. Sulfur or Chicken mushroom (Laetiporus). Orange-yellow with pores. On wood. Edible, especially the tender edges. Summer and fall. Photo courtesy of J. Justice. | Figure 10. False morels (Gyromitra sp.). Note the conical-shaped true morels versus the false morels. Do not eat false morels. April and May. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. |
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| Figure 11. Jack-O-Lantern mushroom. (Omphalotus, Clitocybe). Orange-yellow with gills. Base of stumps, decaying tree roots. Poisonous. Photo courtesy of W. Sturgeon. | Figure 12. Slippery jack (Suillus, Boletus). A fleshy pore mushroom. Under 2- and 3-needle pines. Edible. Photo courtesy of W. Sturgeon. |
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| Figure 13. Smooth white Lepiota. Grassy areas, late summer to early autumn. Edible for most people. Be aware of look-a-likes. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. | Figure 14. Destroying Angel (Amanita sp.). Three, all white similar species, common in Ohio in mixed woods. Found July to October. Poisonous, deadly. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. |
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| Figure 15. Eyelash cup. Grows on wood. Dark hairs line the edges of the cup. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. | Figure 16. Green-Spored Lepiota. Often appears in large fairy rings in lawns. Poisonous. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. |
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| Figure 17. Lactarius or milk mushroom. One of many woodland species. Some edible, some not. All are mycorrhizal. A latex (white or colored) exudes from injured areas. Summer and fall. Photo courtesy of B. Bunyard. | Figure 18. Common brown cup mushroom (Peziza). Photo courtesy of W. Sturgeon. |
The authors of the above guides are professional mycologists. These guides are often available online, in local bookstores or in public libraries.
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North American Mycological Association
P.O. Box 64
Christiansburg, VA 24068
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Mr. Walter Sturgeon
Ohio Mushroom Society
288 E. North Avenue
East Palestine, OH 44413
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Contact the above for more information. The membership dues are nominal. Newsletters are issued several times a year, and field trips, forays and workshops are scheduled. These clubs are for anyone interested in any aspect of mushrooms. Both have professional mycologists to help identify mushrooms and lead field trips.
In this broadcast of the Beef AG NEWS, John Grimes and Duane Rigsby discuss how EPDs, genomics, genomic enhanced EPDs and selection indexes can be utilized for the selection of individual animals that best fit the criteria for your beef herd mating system.
Attached to this post is a flyer for the upcoming dates for Quality Assurance Trainings. The QA scheduled for April 23rd at Eastern Brown High School has been canceled but will be rescheduled. All Quality Assurance must be completed and documentation submitted by July 1, 2019.
Have you raised your hand yet for 4-H in 2019? Go to 4h.org/RaiseYourHand and fill out your information to Raise Your Hand for 4-H! Did this last year? You can vote again this year! ANYONE who supports 4-H can participate.
If Ohio wins, the $20,000 prize will be split between the counties with the most hands raised. Help Ohio and Brown County be in the top!
Upcoming Beef Quality Assurance Training: Thursday, April 23rd at the Union Stockyards in Hillsboro, OH. Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the training will start at 6:30 p.m. There is no cost to attend but registration is required. Contact the Union Stockyards at 937-393-1958 to register. BQA certification is also available for free at https://www.bqa.org/certification.
On April 4th, 10 producers attended Brown County’s GAPs training for produce growers. OSU Extension Educator and Horticulture Specialist, Brad Bergefurd taught producers about the best practices for worker, waste, wildlife and water management on the farm.
Dorothy Pelanda, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture made a visit to Brown County on April 8th. Dorothy shared information about her background and experiences. Dorothy also provided an update on water quality issues and Senate Bill 57. Pictured above, members of OSU Extension meeting with Dorothy. In the picutre from left to right: James Morris, Brooke Beam, Senator Joe Vecker, ODA Director Dorothy Pelanda, David Dugan, State Representative Doug Green, Kristy Watters and Kathy Bruynis.
To register for training classes contact the Pesticide Safety Education Team at 614-292-4070 or pested@osu.edu. The cost for a morning session is $35 and the afternoon session is $30. All classes will be held at Ohio Department of Agriculture, Bromfield Administration Building 8995 East Main St. Reynoldsburg, OH 43068. More information can be found below and on the attached pictures.
This training program provides an overview of pesticide safety information. Everyone attending the morning session will receive documentation that they have met the requirements of Trained Serviceperson training. A Trained Serviceperson can apply pesticides in Ohio as long as they are working under the supervision of a licensed commercial applicator. The afternoon sessions will review Ornamental Weed Control (Category 6c). Attendees will choose between Industrial Vegetation (Category 5) and Turf (Category 8).
Testing is available at the conclusion of the day. A photo ID is required for the test.
Registration and check in opens at 8:30 a.m. The class begins at 9:00 a.m. The class fees include a continental breakfast, instruction, and class notes. Lunch is included with pre-registration. To receive study materials for the class, you must apply for a license with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which requires a separate $35 fee. Signing up for this class will not deliver you study materials.
On-site registration accepts cash and check ONLY. No credit cards can be used for on-site registration.
Refunds and Cancellations: There will be a $25 processing charge per registrant for any refunds. No refunds will be given after two weeks following the class. There is a $30 fee for any returned checks.
Registration and check in begins at 8:30 a.m. Below is the class schedule. Exams are available at the conclusion of the class, around 3:30 p.m. You will choose what exams you would like to take during the check-in process at the beginning of the day. Attendees that attend the morning session will receive a Trained Serviceperson certificate.
| 9:00 Morning Session | |
| Core and Trained Serviceperson Review | |
| Laws and Regulations | Applicator Safety and Environment |
| Calculations and Formulations | Label Interpretation and Quiz |
| Lunch: 12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. | |
| 1:00 p.m. Afternoon Session | |
| Weed and Herbicide Basics | |
| Weed control principless and herbicide terminology for: | |
| Ornamental Weed (6c) | Industrial Vegetation (5) |
| Turf (8) | |
| 2:10 Breakout Sessions | |
| Turf (8) Auditorium |
Industrial Vegetation (5) Seminar Room A |
| Turf Insects | Applications and Calculations |
| Turf Disesease | Label Reading |
| Noxious Weed ID | |
The New Applicator Pesticide Training course is designed to help you prepare for the Commercial Pesticide Applicator test. To become licensed, you must apply for your license with the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
The application for a pesticide license requires a separate $35 fee be paid to the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Once you have applied for your license, you will receive study materials. It can take 4-6 weeks to receive your study materials. We recommend that you apply for your license before taking this course. A representative from the ODA will be available on site to distribute study materials, if you have not yet received them.
You must pass the core test and at least one category test to receive your license.
