Natural Resources

East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference

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The eighth annual East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference will be March 24th at the Shisler Event Center in Wooster.  Over the years hundreds of women from across Ohio have attended.  This year’s program will feature 15 break-out sessions in 4 tracks presented by OSU Extension educators, farmers, and partner agencies including: Business & Finance, Plants & Animals, Home & Family and Special Interest. Farm and Dairy editor-in-chief, Rebecca Miller will deliver this year’s keynote presentation, Clinging to context in a noisy world: don’t lose sight of your “why.”

New this year is a Youth Symposium opportunity for high school and college students to present their research, SEA, capstone, thesis, or other study projects. To submit your proposal, visit: http://go.osu.edu/EOWIATeenPresenter.

Registration information for the entire conference can be found at: go.osu.edu/eowia2023.

ExploreAg Camps for High School Students

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Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation is excited to be offering its signature ag literacy and workforce development program, ExploreAg, again in 2023.

ExploreAg offers FREE weeklong camps and one-day experiences for high school students. Students are introduced to various aspects of agriculture, food science, environmental sciences, and more, both in the classroom and through opportunities for hands-on learning both on and off-campus at the Ohio State University, University of Findlay, and Wilmington College. Students will interact with and learn directly from internationally known teachers, scientists and researchers.

Subject areas include food science, precision agriculture, animal science, natural resources, management skills, technology, and agricultural business. In addition to the classroom experience, scholars will participate in field experiences that highlight cutting-edge research and meet industry partners to provide a glimpse of various careers in related fields.

ExploreAg is designed for students currently in traditional agriculture education programs and for students who might never have considered studying agriculture as a career.

Weeklong immersive sessions will be held:

  • The Ohio State University Columbus Campus – June 11-16
  • The Ohio State University  ATI Wooster Campus – June 18-23
  • University of Findlay- July 9-14

Mini-Camp immersive sessions will be held:

  • Wilmington College – June 4-7
  • Hocking College – July 31- Aug. 2

One-Day scheduled immersive sessions will be held:

  • COLT Electric Lineman Training – June 9
  • Rio Grande College – June 30
  • John Deere Training Facility – July 7

Note: More one-day sessions are being planned.

The ExploreAg program is free to all high school students and includes on-campus accommodations, meals, staffing, program materials, and transportation. Supervision is provided at all times by faculty, staff, and program counselors who are current college students in related majors.

The deadline to apply is April 10 and details can be found at exploreag.org. Applicants will be asked to submit the email of one reference along with a short application. Students selected will be notified in April of their selection.

4-H Forestry Wildlife Conservation Camp

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The Ohio 4-H Forestry Wildlife Conservation Camp is a fun-filled weekend learning experiences for campers in grades 7-11. The camp is held at Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp located just outside of Jackson, Ohio. This camp offers opportunities for campers to meet and learn from Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Hocking College and OSU Extension professionals.

Campers participate in hands on educational sessions on invasive species, wildlife and tree I.D., tree climbing, operating a portable wood mill, outdoor survival, hunting & trapping and much more! Campers will also have time for fun traditional camping activities such as crafts, boating, fishing, hiking and campfire. All activities are conducted under the direct supervision of our trained counselors and 4-H staff. To register please visit: https://ohio4h.org/camp/forestry-and-wildlife-conservation-camp. Registration deadline is April 1, 2023, however, space is limited and in the past, the camp has filled within a matter of days, so please don’t wait to register. Cost is $110 to attend. There are a limited number of $60 scholarships available if needed. Scholarship deadline is March 1, 2023.

REMINDER: Ace of Clubs 4-H Club to host Doug Tallamy

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Ace of Clubs 4-H Club along with several other local community partners will host Doug Tallamy, author, professor, and ecologist, as he shares his work and research highlighting the importance of using native plant species to protect and re-establish habitat biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem.  The talk will take place on Monday, December 5, 2022 at Swasey Chapel on Denison’s campus promptly at 7:00 PM.  Parking is available in the underground parking garage at Slater Hall or in the Swasey Chapel parking lot.  Space is limited – Please REGISTER each guest who plans to attend.  

2022 Farm Science Review

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Farm Science Review is on the horizon and is set to celebrate 60 years as one of the nation’s largest outdoor farm shows, this Sept. 20 through 22 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center.

Farm Science Review is excited to announce a NEW mobile ticketing option for the 2022 show. Mobile ticketing will allow visitors to print tickets at home or save to a mobile device for entry. Presale ticket price of $10 will be available online and at participating sales locations until midnight Monday, September 19th. Tickets may still be purchased online during Farm Science Review for $15. Children 5 & under are free. Visitors may still purchase paper tickets with cash or credit card at the gates. The Licking County OSU Extension Office will also have a limited number of tickets that can be purchased at our office through September 19th.

Paper tickets can also be found (while supplies last) at various locations around the county:

  • Granville Milling (Granville, Johnstown, and Pataskala locations)
  • Hanby Farms in Nashport
  • H.W. Martin & Sons in Hebron
  • Utica Feed & Hardware in Utica
  • Legend Farm & Food Supply in Vanatta
  • Farm Credit Services in Utica

Purchase tickets online by visiting go.osu.edu/fsrOSUELicking or scan the QR code below.

 

Savoring Ohio Produce Webinar Series

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The Ohio State University Extension Food Preservation Team will be hosting a series of webinars on food preservation throughout the next several months. Each webinar will be held on a Tuesday from 4:00-5:00pm and features specific vegetables or fruits. This would be a great opportunity for those taking the Canning and Freezing project, or anyone interested in learning more about food preservation. Register for free at: https://go.osu.edu/2022FoodPreservationWebinarSeries.

Help Celebrate Earth Day!

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The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is looking for passionate 4-H students to use their skills and talents to spread a message of education, service, and stewardship this Earth Day.  ODNR is seeking proposals for student-led programs to take place at participating Ohio State Parks. Programs will be open to the public.

“We are impressed by the passion for conservation we see in Ohio’s 4-H students,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “We would love for these students to take that passion and find out-of-the-box ways to engage their community, to improve our natural world, and have a little fun while doing it.”

The chosen programs will be offered to the public, free of charge, at Ohio State Parks between Friday, April 22 and Sunday, April 24.  Examples of desirable programming include, but are not limited to invasive species removal, Earth Day art projects, sustainable fashion, and campfire cooking.

For a list of participating parks and to apply click here. The deadline to apply is March 14, 2022. Contact Alyssa Yaple with any questions about project proposals. Winning proposals will receive recognition at ODNR’s Natural Resources Park at the 2022 Ohio State Fair.

4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills as they work in partnership with caring adults.  The program is committed to helping young people develop skills that will help them succeed.  Read more about it here.

The ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft provides exceptional outdoor recreation and boating opportunities by balancing outstanding customer service, education, and conservation of Ohio’s 75 state parks and waterways.

The ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.

River Round Up Poster Contest

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Calling all student artists – The 2022 Licking County River Round Up Poster Contest is now open and accepting submissions through April 8!

The 2022 River Round Up Poster Contest is open to all school-aged youth in primary, secondary schools (public, private, and home school; K-12) or school-aged youth living in Licking County.

Posters submitted must reflect water pollution awareness and encourage volunteer participation in the River Round Up.

Poster Awards: One winning poster will be chosen from each of the three categories below. $100 will be awarded to each of the winning student artists, and $500 will be awarded to each of the students’ schools for advancing science and art programming.

Categories: Elementary (K-5), Middle School (6-8), and High School (9-12). One winner will be chosen from each grade category.

Winning posters will be used as the primary electronic marketing pictures for the 2022 River Round Up and will be displayed at River Round Up Event sites on September 10, 2022, and in promotional displays around Licking County throughout the year.

For contest rules and to submit your artwork, visit: https://lickingswcd.com/how-to-help/river-round-up-2022.html

What is the Licking County River Round Up?

The Licking County River Round Up is an annual, county-wide river cleanup event in September on the Saturday after Labor Day. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, September 10, 2022. This community event brings out hundreds of volunteers who pull tires, shopping carts and mountains of trash from the Licking River and its tributaries.

Through this amazing community-based conservation effort, a river system that had all but been abandoned, has seen a beautiful rebirth of aquatic and bird life. The event is coordinated by the Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District in partnership with many local agencies and organizations – including the Licking County Health Department.

Don’t Forget! Achievement Award Forms Due October 15th

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Are you at least 14 years of age, or will be 14 years of age by January 1, 2022? Then we have just what you need!

You are now eligible for county, state and national project award recognition, selection to attend 2022 state and national trips, and possibly even the opportunity to apply for scholarships as a high school senior! All of these opportunities are available to YOU – but you have to apply for them! The deadline to apply is Friday, October 15th, and all of the 2021-2022 application materials can be found on our Teen Opportunities page.

ExploreAg Camps

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ExploreAg introduces high school students to the various careers in science, engineering and technology in the food and fiber industry and engages them in actively pursuing career paths that can help them become a part of the sustainable future of agriculture.

ExploreAg is open to students from varied backgrounds, with diverse skills and interests, and provides them with an opportunity to explore and understand available career paths in the agriculture and food industries. ExploreAg programs are free.

The goal is that a student’s time at ExploreAg will lead them to discover a passion they may not have considered yet.

More Information:
July 9-11th – Central State University
July 16-18th – OSU Main Campus (Columbus, OH)
Ohio State Extension, Franklin County and the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation are excited to offer Explore Ag, a STEM-based career development camp. The ExploreAg program is a FREE weekend experience for 12-17 year old students. During ExploreAg, campers are introduced to various aspects of agriculture, food science, environmental sciences and more, through hands on learning opportunities and presentations. For more information please email mulligan.70@osu.edu or visit exploreag.org