Author: uhlenbrock.9

Does Your Pressure Canner Need Tested? Schedule an Appointment Today to Keep Your Family Safe!

It’s just about time to fetch canners out of the basement or garage.  Fresh summer produce is on its way.  When was the last time your dial gauge pressure canner was tested for accuracy?  If it’s been more than one year, it’s time for a re-check.  OSU Extension Clermont County will be testing dial gauge pressure canners throughout the summer at the OSU Extension Office located on the Clermont County Fairgrounds (1000 Locust St, Owensville, OH).  Contact Margaret Jenkins at 513-732-7070 or jenkins.188@osu.edu to schedule an appointment. Appointments are 15-minutes and you only need to bring the pressure canner lid to be tested.

With good reason, most people have a healthy regard for the possible dangers of pressure canners.  Usually this respect is based on an old story of a pressure canner “blowing up” in someone’s grandmother’s kitchen.  Regardless, it is important to realize that pressure canners are safe if the safety precautions are followed and the canner is used properly.  Dangers arise when the unit isn’t maintained and/or used properly. To make sure your pressure canner is working properly, all dial-gauge pressure canners should be tested for accuracy each year.

 

Remember, home food preservation can be safe, simple and easy to learn!

Southern Ohio Farm Show

In this week’s episode of the Southern Ohio Farm Show, we feature:
-Weather outlook with Dr. Aaron Wilson
-Information on Yellow Poplar with Dave Apsley
-Tick removal with Dave Apsley and Dr. Tim McDermott
-Spring planting in Southern Ohio with Dr. Brooke Beam
-Growing your own spinach salad
-Specialty crop bulletins with Dr. Gary Gao
-Home composting with Andrew Holden

Contact OSU Extension Clermont for bee removal

Honeybees tend to swarm around this time of year.  Swarming is the reproduction of a honey bee colony. It is a normal and natural phenomenon, and rarely poses a danger to people or animals. When honey bees have good weather and plenty of food, their populations can increase dramatically.

When a colony becomes crowded inside their current home (a bee hive, hollow tree, or other cavity) they will begin to raise a new queen bee.  When this new queen is almost mature, the old queen will leave the hive, followed by about one half or two-thirds of the worker bees and some of the drones. This queen bee will land nearby, on a tree, shrub, fence post or even a building.

While the sudden appearance of a large number of honey bees may appear frightening to some people, they are usually quite harmless. Because they do not have any brood or honey to protect, a new swarm is usually very gentle in temperament and they rarely sting. Unless the swarm poses a specific threat or inconvenience to people, they can be left alone and admired from a distance. The bees will likely remain for only a few days at most, and then suddenly fly away to establish their new home.

A swarm of bees can often be easily moved. If the queen bee can be collected, most of the other bees will follow her into a new hive.  If you have a honey bee swarm on your property and would like to have it removed, OSU Extension Clermont County maintains a swarm list of beekeepers in and around the tristate area that may be able to assist you.  Contact the office at 513-732-7070 for a list of beekeepers in your area.

New Program Assistant – Shelby Schelling

Hello Clermont County! My name is Shelby Schelling and I am excited to begin my journey as the new Program Assistant for Agriculture Natural Resources, 4-H, and Family Consumer Science for Clermont County Extension. I’m excited to combine my passion for education and agriculture and I look forward to meeting all of you.

I am a graduate from North Adams High School in Seaman, Ohio. While in high school, I also attended Southern State Community College and received my associate’s degree in Science. After graduating high school, I attended Wilmington College and received my bachelor’s degree in Science with a concentration in Agribusiness. After college I went on to be a Survey Technician for Ohio Department of Agriculture, for two years; working on the Asian Longhorned Beetle Project in Clermont County. From there, I continued my Agriculture journey as the High School Agriculture Teacher and FFA Advisor for Ripley High School in Ripley, Ohio. I was a teacher at Ripley for three years and loved being in education and teaching the community and students about agriculture.  While teaching at Ripley I was fortunate to receive the Youth Service of America grant to expand my FFA students’ community service opportunities. I achieved my master’s degree from Bowling Green State University in Workforce Education and Development. After leaving Ripley, I then pursued a position as the Ohio Mobile Dairy Classroom Instructor for Southland/Southwest Dairy Farmers. Southland/Southwest Dairy Farmers is part of the Southwest Dairy Museum in Sulphur Springs, Texas and is a non-profit organization working with dairy farmers to educate the public and youth about the dairy industry. I am so excited to be able to continue my career with OSU Extension.

My husband Levi, my son Wayde, and I reside on a 200-acre farm in Hillsboro, Ohio; where we raise dairy cattle, grain crops, and hay. I grew up on a farm in Adams County, Ohio where we raised tobacco, hay, and grain. I have a strong passion for agriculture and love getting to educate the public on all things Ag. I have been fortunate to experience many different things in my life to help broaden my scope of agriculture and be able to educate the public on many different topics. I have been a board member for Farm Bureau, I was 2019 Adams County Ohio Mrs. Agriculture and I have been able to travel to different states and present about the dairy industry. In my spare time I am also a photographer. I love to be creative and capture all aspects of life. I also have a strong passion for horticulture; my husband and I recently built a new greenhouse on our farm.  In December of 2020 we also created an agritourism business on our farm.

I am excited to begin my new role as your Program Assistant and look forward to serving you. It is my hope to help streamline the other programs in the office and to come up with new ideas for the community and our extension programs. Thank you, Clermont County; for welcoming me with open arms. Feel free to contact me via phone at 513-732-7070 or via email at schelling.4@osu.edu for all your extension inquiries or just to say “hello”.

 

 

 

Clermont County Fair Rabbit Costume Contest!

Ruff’N Stuff 4-Hers is sponsoring a Rabbit Costume Contest! Join the fun by entering your rabbit(s)!

Creative costumes and themed human/rabbit costumes are encouraged. Contest and awards will take place on Friday, July 30th at 6:00pm!

 

CONTEST DETAILS
➢ Registration will take place during rabbit check in – Saturday, July 24th, 9:00-11:00am and will continue until
Friday, July 30th, 12:00pm.
➢ Only Clermont County barn registered rabbits are eligible for the costume contest.
➢ Costumes must be safe and comfortable for the rabbits.
➢ The first 50 entrants will receive a participation ribbon.
➢ First place winners will receive a trophy. One winner in each category. Categories based on owner’s age: Beginner (9 and under), Junior (10 and 11), Intermediate (12-14), and Senior (15 -18). There is also an Adult Category!!
➢ Judges will be looking for 3 criteria: Originality, Creativity and Pizazz!
➢ Winners will be announced as soon as the contest is complete.
➢ Judge’s decisions will be final.

FLYER & REGISTRATION

Contact Brenda Bayne with questions bjbayne@fuse.net.

Pullorum Testing

Pullorum Testing will be held Saturday, June 5, from 10:00am-12:00pm in the Poultry Barn.  Exhibition and breeding chickens only; no turkeys, ducks or geese.  Market Chickens do not have to be Pullorum Tested unless they are co-mingled with other poultry.  This will be the ONLY opportunity for pullorum testing.

2021 Ohio State Fair

The 2021 Ohio State Fair livestock schedule is now posted at: ohiostatefair.com/agriculture-livestock/livestock-schedule/.

Livestock competitions are open to Ohio exhibitors only. Registration and entry books will be available soon.

Southern Ohio Farm Show

Enjoy the first anniversary episode of the Southern Ohio Farm Show!
This episode features:
  • Weather outlook with Dr. Aaron Wilson
  • Visit the new Maplecrest Meats & More in Hillsboro to learn about locally sourced meat products with Joanie Grimes, Andrea Holt, and Lindsey Hall.
  • Get tips for a championship lawn at Snow Hill Country Club from Dave Miller
  • Learn about Equine studies at Wilmington College with Daren Wright, Stephanie McConnell, Savannah Cool and Myckala Geisler
Tune in next week for another new episode! To register for the live Zoom broadcast that occurs every Wednesday at 10AM, register via: