Hocking/Vinton Grazing School

Grazing Workshop Series

 Hocking SWCD, Vinton SWCD, Ohio State University Extension, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Ohio Department of Agriculture will be hosting a comprehensive educational opportunity for grazers.  This workshop series will begin the evening of February 20th at the Olde Dutch Restaurant, located at 12791 St. Rt. 664 Logan, OH  43138.  The buffet will be available on your own prior to the meeting, which will be from 6 – 8p.m. in the conference room.  Topics to be covered that evening include: The Basics of Management Intensive Grazing (MIG), Soil Fertility and The Economics of Grazing.  Following this workshop, a series of 6 pasture walks will be scheduled throughout the summer in both Hocking and Vinton counties.  These evening workshops will showcase a variety of grazing and conservation practices local producers are utilizing.  There is no charge for the workshop but reservations are required.  If you plan to attend or have questions please contact the Hocking SWCD at (740) 385 – 3016 or the Vinton SWCD at (740) 596 – 5676 before February 16th.

 

 

 

Tuesday, February 20th

(tentative agenda)

 

5:00-6:00        Dinner – Olde Dutch Buffet (on your own)

 

6:00-6:10        Welcome

 

6:10-6:40         What is MIG

 

6:40-7:10        Pasture Soil Fertility

 

7:10-7:40        Economics of Grazing

 

7:40-8:00        Outline Grazing Series Workshops Throughout the Summer

Gypsy Moth Hocking Update 2018

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has release the 2018 Gypsy Moth treatment maps and dates for open houses.  Hocking County will be included in aerial spraying in multiple locations.

 

Open House Dates and Locations:

February 6, 2018    Tuesday
Vinton & Athens Counties – Mineral A MD, Mineral B MD, Mineral Btk & New Plymouth MD Blocks
Lake Hope State Park Lodge (Dining Hall)
27331 State Route 278
McArthur, OH
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Perry & Hocking Counties – New Straitsville A, B, C, D, & E MD & Nelsonville Btk / MD Blocks
New Straitsville Public Library
102 Main Street
New Straitsville, OH
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

 

February 7, 2018   Wednesday
Fairfield & Hocking Counties – SW Lancaster MD & Rockbridge NPV Blocks
Hocking Township Hall
1175 Cincinnati Zanesville Road
Lancaster, OH
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

 

CLICK HERE FOR ODA LINK OF TREATMENT MAPS

CLICK HERE FOR QUESTIONS OR DETAILS ABOUT ODA GYPSY MOTH PROGRAM

America Recycles Day is Wednesday November 15th, 2017

Full Disclosure:  I am a board member of Athens Hocking Recycling Center.

That said I recycled and considered it an essential part of my life and world view long before I joined the board.  Seeing how the process works behind the scenes reinforced the concept and value of recycling for me and you are invited to see this process as well.

Some background:

I have toured the facility and it is pretty cool process wise.  Conveyor belts and workers are sorting material to where it is baled.  Below is a cool video from the AHRC site to get a feel for it.

Would you like to tour the MRF?  (Materials Recovery Facility)  Tours will be given on America Recycles Day!

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Through Wednesday November 15, 2017
 
Athens-Hocking Recycling Centers, Inc. (AHRC) will celebrate America Recycles Day on Wednesday, November 15th, 2017 by hosting tours of its materials recovery facility (MRF) at 5991 Industrial Drive, Athens, Ohio 45701.  Tours will be available every hour, on the hour, from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm.  The public is invited to attend.
 
The tours will allow the the public to see first-hand what happens to the materials that residents and businesses recycle through the drop off-locations and curbside pick-up.
 
AHRC is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that provides recycling services in both Hocking and Athens Counties.  For more information, visit athenshockingrecycle.org, call 740-594-5312, on Facebook at facebook.com/athenshockingrecycle/

Fall Harvested Vegetables

I have long been a big proponent of using the full gardening season to grow and produce fruits, vegetables and herbs in your garden.  I am not even talking about using season extension methods like row cover or high tunnels, but instead simply taking advantage of our fairly long growing season.

I posted a fall growing timeline on Talking Hocking back on July 8th.  You read that right,  summer is when you plan your planting.  You look at the frost and freeze dates and count backward.  I listed the best varieties to plant in the post.  I planted in early August the next round of zucchini and green beans.

The best thing about fall is that many of the problems you face in spring and summer go away.  The temperatures moderate,  the rain comes back and the bad bugs go away.  There are a ton of pollinators just looking for something with a flower.  You have ideal growing conditions and in many cases will get a larger harvest than the summer one.

Here is what a squash blossom looks like when it is not full of cucumber beetles

The green bean patch looks ragged but that was after a fourth picking of beans.  Still have at least one or two left before they are done for the season, but that still means beans until Halloween.

I thick planted carrot seed from a color mix.  As they mature I will pick out the largest carrots which will give room for the smaller carrots to grow larger.  They are cold tolerant and so the carrot patch will last until Thanksgiving.   They look and taste great too.

The weather prediction for fall frost and freeze noted a later arrival than most years.  That is helping for sure.  Not every year is like this one, but seed is cheap.  I planted 3 zucchini plants, 3 squash plants and a 9″ row of beans.  Cost was less than $2, totally worth it to take the chance and most of the plants still look great.

The ten day forecast for Logan has a small chance of a frost next week Monday night.  I am hoping the micro climate of my office, the street and the parking lot keeps it above 40 degrees.  If so I bet I will be eating these little beauties next week.

Next year make sure to take advantage of fall weather and make a plan to extend your harvest.  Fall is a great time for growing and you will be surprised by the amount you can sneak in before the frost and freeze dates.

2017 Farm Science Review

In a couple short weeks it will be time for Farm Science Review, one of my favorite things in Extension.

Each year I get a little more involved with this event and this year I am all in.   My first year I attended for a day as I had never been there and really enjoyed it so last year I was able to grab a piece of ground at the Gwynne Conservation Area up the road for a deer plot presentation as well as talk about parasites in small ruminants on the main grounds.

This year my schedule will be:

  • Tuesday – At the Gwynne all day,  talking Deer Plots mid-day
  • Wednesday – At the main grounds, talking Equine Internal Parasite Management at 10am.
  • Thursday I get to speak back at the Gywnne on a really cool project idea I had that myself and a bunch of educator buddies of mine developed that is particularly useful for Hocking County residents – A new demonstration area that will show different forages to try for Year-Round Grazing.

There was a 1.1 acre of ground that had been neglected that was planted in warm season perennial bunch grasses, like prairie grasses

Some bunch grasses present but also a ton of weeds

The spot was managed with herbicides with the best quarter acre saved of perennial grasses to show them off and the rest of the plot was planted with other forage types.  We will have quarter acre plots of the following:

  1. Warm Season Annuals
  2. Overwintered Stockpiled Forage
  3. Cool Season Perennials
  4. Warm Season Perennials

Baby oats that will grow into a forage that can be fed into the winter

 

Stop by this new grazing demonstration area if you get a chance.  Shuttles will take you back and forth from each event location.