Author: jagger.6

Dr. Brady Campbell, Assistant Professor, OSU State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist
Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Noble County
Dr. Maria Smith, Viticulture Outreach Specialist

Registration ends soon – sign up today!

Shepherds, viticulturists, and foodies alike are welcome to join us for an evening in the vineyard to discuss how sheep and grapes can be compatible in vineyards and how lamb & wine can be compatible in the dining room. An introduction to grape production and challenges along with demonstrations of vineyard grazing, lamb preparation, wine tasting, and dinner will be included with registration for this event. The meal will consist of 4-5 cuts of lamb prepared during the live cooking demonstration, 5 Ohio grown wines, sides, and a dessert. The cost to attend this event is just $30 per person, payable to The Ohio State University, by October 15, 2022. Be sure to register quickly as registration is limited.

The event will be held at The Ohio State University South Centers: 1864 Shyville Road, Piketon, OH 45661 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to register online at https://go.osu.edu/lambandwine2022. You may also view the event flyer here and register using the QR code included. 

Questions about the structure of the course may be directed to OSU State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist – Dr. Brady Campbell at campbell.1279@osu.edu or (330) 263-5563 or Dr. Maria Smith, Viticulture Outreach Specialist at smith.12720@osu.edu or (330) 263-3825. Questions about the payment process may be directed to Noble County ANR Educator – Christine Gelley at gelley.2@osu.edu or (740) 305-3173.

We look forward to seeing each of you at this years event!

Can you benefit from learning more about business management and having time to work on your own business plan?

Join Mark Cannella from the University of Vermont Extension for this half day seminar.  Mark will present lessons on strategic planning, marketing and managing finances toward profitability.  This longer-form program will offer time for group discussion and time to work on your own basic business planning steps to target your priorities.

Participants are encouraged to bring any business records and information that enables them to apply the seminar directly to their own business (space is limited).

Continuing education credits offered: SAF CF credits: 4.0 category 1

Follow this link for registration: https://woodlandstewards.osu.edu/events/maple-business-planning-deep-dive

The Extension offices in Coshocton and Greene counties will be hosting the 2022 Beginner & Small Farm College on October 24, 31 and November 7 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. This college is designed to help landowners examine potential ways to increase profits on their small acreage properties. The program is open to all new or aspiring farmers, new rural landowners, small farmers, and farm families.

During this college, participants will be challenged to develop realistic expectations for their new farm business. They will receive information on getting started, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of their property, and developing a farm business plan. Information on farm finances, insurance, liability, labor and marketing will be covered during the college. The topics included in this workshop include:

October 24th-Getting Started on Your New Farm Business

• Developing real-life expectations for your farm.
• Examining the available resources and opportunities for your property.
• Developing a farm business plan, including setting your family and farm mission, goals and objectives.
• An introduction to marketing and selling agricultural products.

October 31st–Money, Money, Money! Managing your Farm Finances

• Developing a family and farm balance sheet.
• Using enterprise budgets to project farm income.
• Recordkeeping for farm businesses and farm taxes.
• Managing family and farm income and expenses.

November 7th–There’s More to Farming than Just Growing Stuff!

• Farm Management for New Farms
• Setting up your farm business, including choosing a business entity and obtaining employer identification numbers.
• Farm taxes.
• Obtaining farm financing.
• Insurance and liability for farms.
• Licenses and permits needed for a small farm business.
• Employer responsibilities related to farm labor and labor laws.

Farm Tour (Date & Location TBD)

Each site host will be planning a farm tour so participants can visit with a successful local farming operation to learn how they started and what they have learned during the development of their farm business.

Registration: The cost is $30 for the first person and $15 for each additional. Registration is limited to the first 50 registrants per location. Registration deadline is October 17th. There are two methods to register for this college.  Registration on-line can be made at: go.osu.edu/smallfarmcollegeregor  Registration can also be made by mailing in a registration form to the site host for the location you plan to attend.

Mail Registrations for Coshocton County Site to:

OSU Extension –Coshocton County

c/o David Marrison

724 South 7thStreet, Room 110

Coshocton, OH 43812

Mail Registrations for Greene County Site to:

OSU Extension –Greene County

c/o Trevor Corboy

100 Fairground Road

Xenia, OH 45385

More Information:

For more information about the Coshocton County location, contact David Marrison at

marrison.2@osu.edu or (740)722-6073

For more information about the Greene County location, contact Trevor Corboy at corboy.3@osu.edu or (937)736-7203

Dr. Brady Campbell, Assistant Professor, OSU State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist
Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension

Have a small herd of beef cattle, goats, or a flock of sheep? Are you a new or beginning ruminant livestock producer? If yes to either of these questions, this program is for you!

Join OSU Extension educators and state specialists for an all-day workshop covering topics every ruminant livestock producer needs to know from grazing and nutrition, livestock marketing, facilities and housing. This event is slated to be held on Saturday, October 8th from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm at the OSU ATI Beef Center located at 2736 S. Apple Creek Road, Apple Creek, Ohio 44606. After lunch, those who have an interest in sheep or goats will depart to the Small Ruminant Research Unit located on Fredericksburg Road (5651 Fredericksburg Road, Wooster, Ohio 44691), while those focused on beef cattle will remain at the ATI Beef Center.

Afternoon training sessions will be species-specific that include hands-on training in animal care and handling, basic animal health, livestock evaluation, and much more.

Cost: $30 per person lunch Included.
Limited to first 40  Registrations.
Register at https://go.osu.edu/smallfarmruminantfieldday

Agenda

• 9:00 Registration Opens
• 9:30 Welcome and Introductions
• 9:45 Morning Discussions:
  • Nutrition and Forages
  • Housing, ventilation, manure management
  • Livestock marketing
• 12:00 Lunch
• 1:15 Hands on
  • Efficiency (tools, equipment, and facilities)
  • Record keeping
  • Birthing supplies and simulators
  • Sheep – demo shearing, drench gun, trimming feet, FAMACHA
  • Beef – calving simulator, calf processing, BCS, cattle evaluation

For more information, please contact Morrow County OSU Extension Educator, Carri Jagger at jagger.6@osu.edu or Garth Ruff at ruff.72@osu.edu

We look forward to seeing you at the event!

Author: Sally Miller

The very hot temperatures and dry periods over the last month have been stressful for peppers and tomatoes, resulting in the appearance of blossom end rot. While blossom end rot, as the name implies, typically occurs on the blossom end of tomato fruits, in some cases (see figure) it occurs on the shoulder and sides of the tomato fruit. In peppers it occurs commonly on the sides of the fruit but can appear anywhere on the fruit surface.

Blossom end rot is the result of plant stress brought on by periods of dry vs moist soil.  Calcium deficiency in the plant is the cause but applying calcium to the foliage won’t help.  Calcium is relatively insoluble and plants under stress can’t move it to flowers and developing fruit.  It is a vital component of plant cell walls and the matrix that holds the cells together. When fruits start to form without sufficient calcium the tissues soften and die.  Secondary molds often colonize the dead tissue.

The disorder is especially disappointing to home gardeners, because fruits with blossom end rot are often the first to ripen but usually inedible. I don’t recommend cutting off the affected parts and consuming the rest due to the risk of mold growth and presence of potential toxins to which some people may be sensitive.

Blossom end rot becomes less problematic with more consistent soil moisture and as the plants grow and develop their root systems.

Thanks to Carri Jagger for the blossom end rot of pepper photo.

By: Sally Miller

Septoria leaf spot has been found in Ohio recently, not surprisingly after heavy rains in many areas. This excellent photo taken by Dr. Francesca Rotondo is diagnostic for Septoria leaf spot: round tan to brown spots on the leaves and leaf yellowing. In the more mature spots, margins are dark brown and small round black dots can be seen in them through a hand lens or the lens of your smartphone camera. The tiny black dots are called pycnidia, the fruiting bodies of this fungus. Pycnidia are flask-shaped structures with a small hole at the top, partially submerged in leaf tissue. Pycnidia contain large numbers of spores held in a gelatinous matrix; when humidity is high or free water is on the leaf surface, the spores ooze out of the pycnidia like toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube. The spores are dispersed by rain or irrigation water to other leaves on the same plant and to other nearby tomato plants.

Septoria lycopersici is seedborne and also survives at least 1-2 years in soil. Septoria leaf spot is favored by moderate temperatures, high humidity and rain or overhead irrigation. While Septoria does not cause spots on tomato fruit, it can rapidly defoliate the plant. If this happens early the plant is likely to die. Later on, defoliation leads to small fruit, poor ripening and problems with sunscald. Even large, previously healthy, vigorous plants can be completely defoliated.

Commercial growers can manage Septoria leaf spot by including a strobilurin fungicide such as Quadris or Cabrio in a fungicide program that also includes a protectant such as chlorothalanil or mancozeb. A list of labeled fungicides to manage Septoria leaf spot can be found in the Midwest Vegetable Production Guide for Commercial Growers. Cultural practices to minimize Septoria leaf spot should be undertaken, including crop rotation of 3 years or more, planting tomatoes on raised beds, using adequate spacing, using drip irrigation, pruning foliage to allow good air movement through the canopy, and removing diseased plants from the field. Septoria leaf spot is rarely a problem in high tunnels, greenhouses and other structures that protect plants from rain.

Organic growers need to follow the cultural practices described above and may consider growing tomatoes in protected culture. Copper-based fungicides formulated for organic production can suppress disease development if applied soon after initial symptoms appear.

Home gardeners should adopt the cultural practices described above and should also remove and destroy leaves with symptoms. This is really only effective when symptoms first appear. Always avoid the foliage when watering plants. Fungicides containing chlorothalanil or copper can be applied to slow disease spread.

Check out the Ohio Forage and Grasslands Council Page and the American Forage and Grasslands Council Page for resources and up coming events.