Contacting 811 before gardening – is it necessary?

For many, the excitement of the gardening season is on the horizon. New fences, landscaping, and plans for fruit and vegetable gardens are underway. As shovels and trowels are taken out of storage it’s important to make sure gardeners are protecting themselves and the buried assets supplying energy to their neighbors and community. A quick, free-to-call 811 allows utility operators to inform gardeners if there are utilities in the project area. Even non-invasive digging methods can cause damage.

Some utilities may only be located a few inches underground. Erosion and terrain modifications can change utility depth over time, and utilities don’t always run in a straight line. Utility locators have a duty to identify if a gas, water, electric, or telephone line is in your digging area. Don’t take the risk, contact 811 and make sure your gardening fun isn’t interrupted.

April is National Safe Digging Month and a great time to share safe digging messages like this one!

Southwest Ohio Perennial School – Register by April 1

Speakers and topics:

  • Brandon George, University of Kentucky Extension – Perennial Plant Sociability Metrix: How Do Plants Get Along in the Landscape
  • Jim Jasinski, Ohio State University Extension – IPM with backyard plants, raised beds and Spotted Lantern Fly update
  • Susan Givler, OSU Master Gardener Volunteer – Strawbale Gardening
  • Kathy Smith – Ohio State University Extension, School of Natural Resources – Unwanted non-native plant removal, encouraging native plant growth and planting natives in the understory
  • Gigi Neal – Ohio State University Extension – Edible Landscape

Get registered today!

Lunch will be catered by Chef Michael Scudder, owner of “Taste of the Good Life“.

Southwest Ohio Perennial School ’22

Speakers and topics:

  • Brandon George, University of Kentucky Extension – Perennial Plant Sociability Metrix: How Do Plants Get Along in the Landscape
  • Jim Jasinski, Ohio State University Extension – IPM with backyard plants, raised beds and Spotted Lantern Fly update
  • Susan Givler, OSU Master Gardener Volunteer – Strawbale Gardening
  • Kathy Smith – Ohio State University Extension, School of Natural Resources – Unwanted non-native plant removal, encouraging native plant growth and planting natives in the understory
  • Gigi Neal – Ohio State University Extension – Edible Landscape

Get registered today!

Lunch will be catered by Chef Michael Scudder, owner of “Taste of the Good Life“.

Butler County Home Horticulture Series

2022 Butler County Home Horticulture Series

Spring Classes for the Home Gardener

 

 

Dates & Topics:

  • Tuesday, April 5, 2022: Maximizing Sustainable Garden Productivity
    • Ian Zeglin, Manager of Garden Operations, Greenacres Foundation
  • Tuesday, April 12, 2022: Manage your Lawn & your Stormwater Footprint
    • Ashlee Widener, Water Resource Specialist, Butler SWCD
  • Tuesday, April 19, 2022: Purchasing Quality Grass Seed & Spring Lawn Seeding
    • Justin Curley, ANR Educator, Purdue Extension, Jay County
  • Tuesday, April 26, 2022: Trees & Electric Lines, Proper Planning & Planting
    • J.T. Benitez, ANR Educator, OSU Extension, Butler County

Cost: $5 per class (Pay at Door)Time: 7:00 PM
Location: OSU Extension, Butler CO. 1802 Princeton Road, Hamilton, Ohio 45011
RSVP up to 1 Day before each session by 4 PM to: J.T. Benitez, ANR Educator @ (513) 887-3722 or benitez.6@osu.edu

CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information,visitcfaesdiversity.osu.edu. For an accessible format of this publication, visitcfaes.osu.edu/accessibility.

Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training

The Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Clermont County OSU Extension Office is announcing a Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training to be held on 3/16/2022 at the OSU Extension Clermont County Office, 1000 Locust St, Owensville, OH 45160.

The training will be one day starting at 9 AM. There is no cost for Ohio produce growers. There will be an hour allotted for lunch; however, it’s not provided due to grant funding restrictions.

The PSA Grower Training Course is one way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) which states ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’

The course will cover basic produce safety; worker health, hygiene, and training; soil amendments; wildlife, domesticated animals, and land use; agricultural water (both production and postharvest); postharvest handling and sanitation; and developing a farm food safety plan. As a participant you can expect to gain a basic understanding of microorganisms relevant to produce safety and where they may be found on the farm; how to identify microbial risks, practices that reduce risks; how to begin implementing produce safety practices on the farm; parts of a farm food safety plan and how to begin writing one; and requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and how to meet them. There will be time for questions and discussion, so participants should come prepared to share their experiences and produce safety questions.

To receive a completion certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course.

To register for a course, contact Matt at (614)600-4272. Please leave your name, mailing address, and a phone number contact in the voicemail. We will contact you to confirm your registration.

2022 Soil & Water Conservation Plant Sale – Now taking orders!

It’s time once again! The Clermont SWCD is offering tree and shrub seedlings, as well as a few native perennials at discount prices. This program offers the opportunity for individuals to develop small areas of reforestation, wildlife enhancement, or additions to home landscaping.

Mail-in order form attached in the newsletter or visit store.clermontswcd.org to pay by credit card.

Mail-In Order Deadline: April 15, 2022

Website Orders Will be Taken Until May 3rd OR Until Stock Runs Out

NEW Pick Up Dates:

Thursday, May 5, 2022 Noon – 6:30 pm

& Friday, May 6th, Noon – 4:30 pm

2022 Spring Litter Clean-Up (SLC) Logo Design Contest

Designs Due Friday, March 11, 2022

 

 

 

 

The annual Spring Litter Clean-up is kicking off once again with a Logo Design Contest for all K-12 students attending a school in Clermont County or the East Fork Little Miami River watershed. Homeschooled students are also invited to participate. The SLC contest is sponsored locally by the Southern Ohio Association of Realtors (SOAR). The student with the winning design will receive a $100 cash prize, with an additional $100 going to their school’s art department. There will also be 13-grade level awards given at $25 each. Interested students should register and review the rules on the event website: www.springlittercleanup.com. Designs must be submitted by Friday, March 11, 2022. For more information, contact Connie Miller at 513-732-7075 ext. 2 cmiller@clermontcountyohio.gov.

Save the date: 2022 Spring Litter Clean-up to be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022

Promoting The Wise Use Of Our Natural Resources Through Service & Education

2022 Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School

The 2022 Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School is returning as an in-person event on Saturday, March 26 at the Oasis Conference Center in Loveland, OH. Registration is now open for the school at warren.osu.edu. We are limited to the first 350 people who register, so sign up early. The cost is $40 per person which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. This school is designed to provide education for new and moderately experienced beekeepers. Class descriptions are available on the website. There is a series of classes available for new beekeepers which takes them from buying equipment to bee biology to managing their hives during the first year. For more information, contact Greg Meyer at meyer.213@osu.edu or by phone at (513)695-1311.