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I will be teaching a class on Home Hydroponics in partnership with the Mt. Carmel Healthy Living Center on Tuesday August 20th @ 3pm. The class is free and open to the public but they do ask for registration to ensure there is enough space. Bring your friends and your questions and hope to see you there!
Check out the registration link below to register for this class as well as view a ton of other free learning opportunities.
I have a Growing Garlic Class coming up on October 16th as well!
Join my colleague Jenny Lobb, Registered Dietitian and OSU Extension Educator, to learn how you can build a “better” (healthier) recipe for your summer gatherings and celebrations. You will learn about the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and how to make simple shifts to better meet the recommendations in your year-round cooking, eating, and celebrating. Recipes and tips will be shared for safely preparing healthy, easy, and tasty seasonal recipes. A cooking demonstration and tasting will be included. The class is free and open to the public but they require registration to know how many will come so they can prepare food.
Location: Urban Farm Church, 3901 Maize Rd., Columbus, OH 43224
If you have questions, contact Jenny Lobb at lobb.3@osu.edu
or by phone at 614-292-7775
My colleagues at OSU Extension are hosting a series of virtual Q and A Sessions on the topic: Making Food at Home to sell. This is a topic of interest to many urban farmers and is sure to provide a wealth of knowledge. The series is free but does require registration. The registration link is below.
Here are the topics and dates/times:
Register here: go.osu.edu/virtualQA24
Each virtual Q&A session will begin with a 5–10-minute presentation.
You do not need to come prepared with questions. Feel free to drop in to listen!
*Please note that these virtual Q&As solely pertain to foods approved to be made at home (in Ohio) with the intention to sell them (e.g., cottage foods and home bakery products).
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is where we grow faster and more efficiently, using less water and nutrients by controlling the inputs such as light, temperature, pH, water, and nutrient delivery. A lot of people know about CEA as hydroponics. Ohio’s #1 industry is agriculture and our fastest growing segment is controlled environment agriculture. Ohio is now the number TWO state in the nation in the indoor production of fruit, vegetables, and herbs! There is a lot of opportunity in agriculture. My largest program is engaging youth in agriculture in workforce development in their classrooms so they can see if agriculture is something they enjoy as a possible career. I have a ton of information to share about CEA for you to learn more.
Growing Teachers Throughout the Seasons is a USDA NIFA grant project that created a guidebook with supplemental online modules to engage teachers and students in schools in agriculture. It was pilot tested by 46 teachers from Columbus City Schools so it is data-driven and teacher informed. Reach out to me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu if you would like to get GTS into your schools to engage your kiddos in agriculture.
Hydroponics at Home! Did you know you can grow all year long using hydroponics in your home? It is fun and easy. Check out this video to learn more about Home Hydroponics.
Extension Today at Howlett – OSU’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences has classes on controlled environment agriculture in our Horticulture and Crop Sciences Department. Learn more about what the students are doing in this video.
Extension Today at the CEARC – come take a tour of OSU’s brand new research greenhouse, the CEARC!
Want to learn more? Email me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu
I have been collaborating with Community Development for All People on the South Side for the past several years to increase urban agricultural production by bringing the former South Side Settlement House garden, now named Mari Sunami Community Garden back in to production. It is an exciting project for me due to the location and the history. A wonderful, large space with full sun and amazing possibilities.
You are invited to attend a garden walk on Thursday June 27th @ 6pm at Mari Sunami. We will talk tomato pruning, integrated pest management, and summer veggies. Plus any of your questions. Hopefully this heat goes away by then! The event is free and open to the public so bring your friends and your questions!
The above picture shows the garden looking north getting ready for spring planting. Plans include soil amendments and a water line in 2024.
Mari Sunami Community Garden can be a little tricky to find. The above picture shows its location between Innis and Woodrow on the South Side. CLICK HERE for the Google map link as well. The address is 248 Stanaford Pl. Columbus, OH 43207
I will be teaching an in-person class on Tomatoes 101 in collaboration with my friends at the Mt. Carmel Healthy Living Center at 3pm on Tuesday June 18th. The class is free and open to the public, but does require registration, see the link below. We will talk fertilization, pruning, and trellising so bring your friends and your questions!
The class is free but does require registration. CLICK HERE for the link to the registration page for the Tomatoes 101 and other classes.
The Mt. Carmel Healthy Living Center is located at 777 W. State St. Columbus, OH 43222. Free parking is available on site. Hope to see you there!
If you cannot make the class, I have a recorded webinar that you can watch whenever you want to learn more about growing healthy tomatoes.
I will be teaching a class on Summer Vegetable Gardening at the Grandview Heights Public Library on Tuesday May 21st @ 6:30pm. We will discuss what to plant now, our summer weather projections, fertilization, and what bugs to look out for plus your questions. The event is free and open to the public so bring your friends and your questions!
CLICK HERE for directions to the Grandview Heights Public Library.
Being able to eat good food is fundamental to our wellbeing. Food nourishes us, reflects our families and cultures, and brings us together in community. Food justice means that good food and enough nourishing food is available to all. Join us this Sunday, May 19, 11:30 AM at the Broad Street Presbyterian Church for a conversation with Tim McDermott, Assistant Professor and Extension Educator at the Ohio State University and Brian Landers, Food Educator at Local Matters about what is happening and what could happen here in our city and at the Broad Street Food Pantry to cultivate food justice in our community.
This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture. It can be used by garden students of all ages however!
Send me some pics! I know we have some growing going on right now!
Please be sure that all of your garden systems are closed up before you leave for the summer. We are getting closer to the last day of the year and now is a good time to engage your students to assist you with garden clean up. Here is some helpful information from Katie.
Outdoor Raised Bed:
Row Cover Cleaning:
Row cover can be washed by hand in a sink or large tub of hot soapy water and then rinsed a few times in clear water. Or you can wash it in a washing machine on the gentle or delicate cycle. It’s best to dry it in the sun as it will also help disinfect it and brighten it.
Indoor Grow Stations : Cleaning your AeroGarden
Start by dismantling your garden and cleaning out your indoor plants and any leftover roots. Roots can grow into the filter, so be sure to clean it out and reinstall after you’ve finished cleaning the bowl. If the filter looks too worn, replace the filter to prolong the life of your pump. Be careful not to throw away your filter by accident! It’s easy to do when removing plant roots.
After clearing out the roots, you should clean and sanitize your AeroGarden® hydroponics growing system to help prevent the growth of root pathogens that can destroy your live plants. There are various ways to clean your garden:
If you have a dishwasher:
If you don’t have a dishwasher:
Cleaning the Grow Deck:
Sometimes roots will grow through the nozzles on the grow deck and prevent proper water flow. Separating and cleaning the grow deck of any stray roots can help keep the water flowing efficiently. The grow deck can be separated on almost all AeroGarden® models.
First, remove the grow deck from the bowl of your AeroGarden® and place it upside-down on a flat surface. Locate the tabs on the underside of the deck and push the tabs inward and down. The tabs are flexible and designed to be separated. Use a scrub brush or similar cleaning tool to remove the roots and any other debris from the grow deck. Snap back together in place.
For your LED light and seed starting trays:
I know that many of you have harvest festivals and taste testing at school. Make sure that you follow safe harvesting techniques. Here is a video to guide you.
Any questions about your growing? Email me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu
This is a weekly look at what is happening in the school garden to assist teacher educators engage their students in agriculture. It can be used by garden students of all ages however!
Send me some pics! I know we have some growing going on right now!
First up a weather report to get us through the week for planning on our season extension:
Once we get to the 50 degree days and the plants start to increase their growth rate, we will need to fertilize using either the Shake and Feed or the pink crystals that mix in with water that you got from Katie, not the Aerogarden fertilizer. Make sure to follow the label instructions. Check for your fertilizers now, and if you do not have any, then contact Katie.
This week:
Hopefully your tomatoes are doing great and you are getting a harvest with your kiddos. Let me know if you have any questions or problems. CLICK HERE for the Aerogarden tomato planting guide. If you need tomato pods then contact Katie.
The Aerogarden website has a tremendous amount of content to assist with maintenance of the units, troubleshooting problems, or how to take care of the plants in the system.
Do you need seeds or seed starter for your project? Contact Katie.
I know that many of you have harvest festivals and taste testing at school. Make sure that you follow safe harvesting techniques. Here is a video to guide you.
Any questions about your growing? Email me at mcdermott.15@osu.edu