Are you looking for something to do this summer? Look no further this summer there will be the Agronomy Breakfast Series and an On-Farm Research Tour. The series will consist of 2 sessions held on Friday, June, 10 and Friday, July 8, 2022  and the On-Farm Research tour will take place on August 27, 2022. These events are open to the public and are FREE for Brown County Producers. Non-Brown County Producers will be charged $10/hr for pesticide credits and will not be charged until after the events have been completed.

 Agronomy Breakfast Series:
          When: Friday, June 10 & July 8, 2022 from 8:00-9:00am
Where: Brown County Fairgrounds: Ag. Administration Building (Next to Farm Bureau Office) 325 W. State St. Georgetown, OH, 45121
Registration: REQUIRED Participants can register online at Agronomy Breakfast Series.
Cost: Free for Brown County Producers, $10/hr. for Non-Brown County Producers (Payments will be collected after the series has concluded)
Friday, June 10, 2022 will include:
30 minutes of Private Pesticide Category CORE recertification
0.5 CCA Continuing Education Unit: Integrated Pest Management
Brown County Extension insect monitoring update: black cutworm, true armyworm, fall armyworm, western bean cutworm, european corn borer, and corn earworm.
Additional reports from the field (insect, weeds, disease).
Friday, July 8, 2022 will include:
30 minutes of Private Pesticide Category CORE recertification
0.5 CCA Continuing Education Unit: Integrated Pest Management
Brown County Extension field reports (insect, weeds, disease).

On-Farm Research Tour:
          When: Saturday, August 27, 2022
Where: Fussnecker Farms- 10068 Hamer Rd., Georgetown, OH 45121
Dailey Farms- 1193 Fite-Hauck Rd., Sardinia, OH 45171
Registration: REQUIRED Participants can register online at On-Farm Research Tour
Cost: Free for Brown County Producers, $10/hr. for Non-Brown County Producers (Payments will be collected after the event has concluded)
Fussnecker Farms- Here participants will be ale to receive:
30 minutes of Private Pesticide Category 1 (grain and cereal crops) recertification
0.5 CCA Continuing Education Units (Integrated Pest Management)
Overview of Fussnecker Farm’s/OSU Extension’s on-farm research plat: Soybean Fungicide
Dailey Farms- At this tour spot participants will be able to:
30 minutes of Private Pesticide Category 1 (grain and cereal crops) recertification
0.5 CCA Continuing Education Units (Integrated Pest Management)
Live drone demonstration: fungicide/cover crop application methods
Dinner and overview of Dailey Farm’s/OSU Extension’s on-farm research plat: Soybean Seeding Rates

*See the flyer below for more information.

You can register for the Agronomy Series and the On-Farm Research Tour online by using the links above or  by calling the Brown County Extension Office at 937-378-6716 or by emailing Amanda Perkins at perkins.715@osu.edu.

Check out all the 4-H things coming up!

As we head further into spring and summer is closing in there are LOTS of opportunities for you and some are right around the corner! We wanted to send out an update on upcoming events; this list isn’t everything. Read carefully and don’t miss out! As always, keep an eye out for project letters which will be emailed out on a rolling basis starting very soon. Letters all get posted on our website also. We try really hard to keep the calendar up to date (http://go.osu.edu/brown4hcalendar)  and this also loads into our 4-H Now App. If you see something missing, feel free to reach out!

• Virtual Quality Assurance – Saturday, April 30th at 10 am. Pre-Register and see QA information on the website here: http://go.osu.edu/brownqa
• Camp Open House – Sunday, May 1st – Noon-4 pm at Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp, Jackson, OH. Bring out the whole family to check out camp!
• Workforce Skills Contest Registration Due – May 5th; Contest Date- May 11th
  • Open to all project age members. Youth will compete in age divisions by selecting from our list of jobs, preparing a cover letter, resume, and completing an interview. Full details are on the website http://go.osu.edu/workforceskills
  • Thank you to our generous Sponsors – Bane Welker Equipment, Howsers One Stop Shop, Triple S Boer Goats, and the Brown County 4-H Committee. We will be giving out prizes per age division. 1st Place – $100; 2nd Place – $75; 3rd Place – $50.
• Quality Assurance – In-person – May 10th, 6 pm – Rhonemus Hall
• Camp – 4-H Camp is a great opportunity for all youth. Campers stay in cabins, get a chance to hike, make friends, go to campfires and SO MUCH MORE! There is also a camp for everyone. Not all registration links are posted but as they are they can be found at http://brown.osu.edu/4hcamp
  • Camp Scholarships – there are multiple camp scholarships available for youth attending Beginner, Jr. High, Teen, STEM, and Junior Shooting Sports Camps. The deadline to apply is May 11th. Scholarship can be found on the camp link above below the table with camp dates.
  • Beginner Camp – Registration deadline – May 16th
  • Junior High Camp, Special Needs Camp – Registration Deadline – June 1st
  • Jr. and Senior Shooting Sports Registration deadline – June 15th
  • Others will be posted as available
• Workforce Skills Contest Interview & Awards – May 11th; Rhonemus Hall
• Shooting Sports Safety Meeting – May 12th, 6:30 pm – Rhonemus Hall – Required for all youth taking a shooting sports project to be eligible for range activities
• Junior Leaders May 17th– open to all 4-Hers who are 13+ at the time of the meeting. Junior Leaders is designed to be educational, service, and social-based. Teens who are involved help with various activities throughout the year and plan activities. Meetings are at 5:30 pm at the Extension Office. Email me at clary.42@osu.edu to be added to the email list. New members are always welcome!
• June 1st – Major Deadline Day (more details will be sent with project letters on all the deadlines)
  • Horse and Dog paperwork due; State Fair QA Deadline; Jr. High Camp Registrations Due; Beef Breeding, Sheep, Goat, Swine Ownership Deadline

We hope you will all consider taking advantage of the many opportunities available!

Please remember that failure to read and understand provided information is not an acceptable reason for unmet requirements or missed deadlines. If you do not understand, please ask clarifying questions. We are happy to help clarify information and help you complete the process in advance of deadlines.

The Brown County Master Gardeners spent some time this week giving the Monarch Way Station a makeover for the spring. During the makeover the gardeners weeded, mulched and trimmed some of the plants that are in the way station. Enjoy the way station on the Brown County Fairgrounds on the left side of the Extension Office. Below you will see some of the master gardeners with the way station in the background.

The Brown County Master Gardeners were showing off their gardening skills this week! On Tuesday the Master Gardeners spent some time weeding, trimming and mulching the Monarch Way Station located on the left side of the Extension Office on the Brown County Fairgrounds. Below you can see some of the Master Gardeners with their work behind them.

Check out the video below to learn more about OSU Extension’s role in community development!

Are you looking for something fun to do this summer? 4-H Camp has something fun for everyone! At camp you will get to stay in a cabin, go swimming, fishing, hiking, dancing and so much more! The best part is you don’t have to be enrolled in 4-H to go to 4-H camp. Registration is now open for both Beginner and Jr. High Camps. Registration for Beginner Camp closes May 16, 2022. Registration for Jr. High Camp closes June 1, 2022. Camp Scholarships are available to help offset the cost of camp and are due MAY 11, 2022. In addition to the Beginner and Jr. High Camps there are also specialty camps. These specialty camps include Special Needs, Jr. Shooting Sports, Sr. Shooting Sports, STEM, and Teen Camp! There is something out there for everyone!  More details and registration links and deadlines can be found here.

Today is the LAST DAY to add your name to the list of those who are interested in becoming an OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV)! The Brown County Master Gardener Volunteers are planning to offer a New MGV training in 2022. The MGV program works with county Extension personnel to provide educational services to the community while providing the opportunity to sharpen you gardening skills and knowledge. These services often include hosting seminars, garden activities, and other horticultural events. This program helps active members network with other gardeners and provides access to numerous continuing education opportunities. The Brown County Master Gardeners are looking for people who want to: learn more about plants and gardening, participate in practical and intensive training programs, share knowledge with others, and devotes time to serve your community as a volunteer educator. In order to become a Master Gardener Volunteer you must complete these steps:

If you or someone you know is looking to enhance and demonstrate the skills needed when seeking employment this contest is for you! The Brown County 4-H Workforce Skills Contest is the perfect opportunity for Brown County 4-H Project Members to exhibit and practice their skills that employers are looking for. There are 3 divisions: Junior 8-11, Intermediate 12-15, and Senior 16-18. (All ages of Jan. 1, 2022) Each part of this event simulates real-world experiences that members will have seeking employment and all aspects of life. There are 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners per age division. 1st place winners will receive $100, 2nd place winners will receive $75, and 3rd place winners will receive $50.  Thank you to  Bane Welker Equipment, Howser’s One-Stop Shop and the Brown Co. 4-H Committee for being our sponsors for this event. Full details of the contest can be found here. Participants can register by clicking here.

There is still time to add your name to the list of those who are interested in becoming an OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer (MGV)! The Brown County Master Gardener Volunteers are planning to offer a New MGV training in 2022. The MGV program works with county Extension personnel to provide educational services to the community while providing the opportunity to sharpen you gardening skills and knowledge. These services often include hosting seminars, garden activities, and other horticultural events. This program helps active members network with other gardeners and provides access to numerous continuing education opportunities. The Brown County Master Gardeners are looking for people who want to: learn more about plants and gardening, participate in practical and intensive training programs, share knowledge with others, and devotes time to serve your community as a volunteer educator. In order to become a Master Gardener Volunteer you must complete these steps:
1. Be accepted into the Master Gardener program by completing the volunteer application. (Applications are not yet available)
2. Complete the formal training provided by The Ohio State University Extension. Training is approximately 50 hours along with receiving a 70% or better on all quizzes and exams.
3. Complete 50 volunteer hours on projects that are pre-approved by the Master Gardener coordinator. (The volunteer time must be completed within one calendar year after their formal training.) Additional information can be found here. If you are wanting to become a Brown County Master Gardener Volunteer, give the Brown County Extension Office a call at 937-378-6716 by April 21, 2022

With spring among us it is the perfect time to begin thinking about the plants that you want around your home. Don’t limit yourself to just flowers this spring! Think about planting trees this year! If you are unsure about how to care for a tree sapling the OSU Extension Office in Greene County is hosting an evening program on Tree Planting and After Care. Trees are an investment in the future. How you handle planting a tree is the most important part of the new trees life with you. Realizing that the time and energy you spend planting the tree correctly can lead to a better long-term relationship between you and your tree. What you do to your tree the first few years of life will affect its shape, strength, and even its lifespan. Understand the techniques you need to be successful in caring for your investment! This event will take place on Friday April 15, 2022 from 5:30pm-7:30pm at the OSU Extension Office in Greene County (100 Fairgrounds Rd. Xenia, OH 45385) There is a fee of $5 to attend this event and pre-registration is required. Registration closes April 15, 2022 at NOON and can be found here.