Author: Sabrina

What to do with Compacted Pastures?

Erika Lyon, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Jefferson and Harrison Counties

During the last couple of weeks in December and into early 2021, eastern Ohio saw warmer-than-usual temperatures and a lot of rain. What does this mean for our pastures and hay fields?

With rain comes the mud, and with mud often comes compaction. Compaction in forage crops often occurs within the top 3-4 inches of soil, but it can also appear at deeper levels, forming “hard pans” that restrict the movement of water.

Compacted soils mean reduced pore space to house water and air — two important components of healthy soils. Nearly half of soils should consist of pore space, whether macro- or micro-pores to allow roots to develop deeper and water to better infiltrate downwards.

Compaction can ultimately lead to increased drought and disease susceptibility of plants, even when it appears there is standing water in a field.

 

 

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Women Raising Children on Farms

Women raising children on farms in Ohio, Vermont, and Wisconsin wanted! Researchers are looking for women primary caregivers of children under 18 to participate in an on-line small group discussion and a short survey about how they are juggle children and work. $50 is available as a thank you for your time. For questions, contact Florence Becot with questions at 715-389-9379 or becot.florence@marshfieldresearch.org To sign up to participate, visit this link: https://redcap.link/WomenRaisingChildrenOnFarms

Knox County Master Gardeners Awarded 2021 Outstanding Community Service Award

The Knox County Master Gardener Volunteers received the 2021 Ohio State Master Gardener Outstanding Community Service Award during the Ohio State Master Gardener annual awards program. To be eligible for the award the project needs to help support the community and lead to a raised awareness of the Ohio State University Extension Master Gardener Program.

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Lambing and Kidding Emergencies

Haley Zynda, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Wayne County

Dystocia, weak lambs and kids, hypothermia (if you have the pleasure of lambing in January and February like we do in the Midwest), and agalactia all classify as lambing and kidding emergencies in my book and probably yours, too. With lambing season perhaps already started for some and right around the corner for others, it’s time to prepare for the “lamb-pede” soon to hit your barns. Continue reading →

ODA Issues Quarantine for Spotted Lanternfly

Originally posted on the Buckeye Yard and Garden onLine – November 2, 2021-

Author: Amy Stone

On Thursday, October 28, 2021, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) announced a quarantine to combat the spread of the Spotted Lanternfly (SLF). This BYGL Alert includes information from their release about the new quarantine. Life Stages of the Spotted Lanternfly

SLF is now designated a destructive plant pest under Ohio law, which increases inspections and restricts movement of certain items from infested counties in Ohio and other states into non-infested Ohio counties. SLF can spread long distances quickly by people who move infested materials or those containing egg masses.

Currently, SLF is only known to be established in Jefferson and Cuyahoga counties. Individuals traveling from an SLF infested area with items including tree branches, nursery stock, firewood, logs, or other outdoor items that pose a high risk of spreading the pest, are asked to complete a self-inspection checklist on ODA’s website.

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New laws and new resources on wind and solar development in Ohio

BY  | OCTOBER 13, 2021 · 3:47 PM

Large-scale wind and solar energy development has generated both opportunity and conflict across Ohio in recent years.  For several months, we monitored the progress of Senate Bill 52, a proposal intended to address community and landowner concerns about wind and solar facilities.  This past Monday marked the effective date for Senate Bill 52, passed by the Ohio Legislature in June, and we’ve been busy developing new resources to help explain the laws that are now effective.

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So Lush, So Green, And Oh So Poisonous

– Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension Forage Specialist

A yew bush used as landscaping is in need of a trim. Don’t feed the trimmings to livestock or death will occur. (Photo Credit: Keith Johnson)

It’s that time of year when the yew (pronounced like the letter “U”) is likely in need of a trim to look best as a landscaping plant. Yews have been used as a common landscaping shrub or small tree for decades. They have closely spaced, glossy, rather tough, dark green, linear pointed-end leaves that are 1.5 – 2 inches long.  Hard-to-see male and female flowers are found on separate plants and form fleshy red to yellow fruits that contain a single seed.

 

Many plants have poisonous compounds that can cause all kinds of concerns, and even death, if consumed. The interactions that I have had with veterinarians, suggest that the yew is right at or near the top of plants that cause livestock death. A disheartening scenario is when yew trimmings are thrown over the fence by the livestock owner or neighbor thinking that the trimmings would make a great snack for the livestock. Fresh or dry trimmings, it doesn’t matter. The result will be the same – death.

Yews are hardy perennial landscaping plants, but don’t toss the trimmings to your equine, heard, or flock or they won’t see the light of the next day.

In memory of livestock that met “Their Maker” because they ate yew.