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

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.

 

All day gardening event at Bishop Educational Garden – Sept 9th, 2017

On Saturday September 9, 2017, the Hocking County Master Gardeners (MGV), in conjunction with the Hocking County Soil and Water Conservation District, are offering a day of fun, education and training entitled Secrets in Our Garden. “Our Garden” is Bishop’s Educational Garden located at 13200 Little Cola Road, Rockbridge, Ohio.

Attendees can select from ten different workshops including: Tree Identification, Invasive Plants, Pollinators, Container Gardening, Edible Landscapes, and more. The keynote speaker will be Julie Zickefoose, writer, artist and naturalist who will be presenting, Creating a Haven for your Wildlife and Yourself. Kris Cline, of the newly opened, Butterfly Ridge Conservation Center, and Rick Webb from Webb’s Perennials will be on hand to speak.

Registration includes five CEUs(for MGV), lunch and snacks; the cost is $30 for MGVs and $35 for non-members. The registration deadline is August 15. For more information, you may send an email to f16jazz56@gmail.com, call the OSU Extension Office in Hocking County at 740-385-3222, or visit the Hocking County Master Gardeners Events Page on Facebook.

 

Click Here to Print Brochure  –> Secrets in Our Garden (4)-1hdtrf3

The Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour at The Urban Farm on August 8th.

There will be a free open to the public tour of The Urban Farm at Southeast Ohio Regional Kitchen on Tuesday August 8th at 6:30 pm as part of The Ohio Sustainable Farm Tour as well as a celebration of Ohio Local Foods week.

 

Come visit The Urban Farm to see our process.  Bring your friends and your questions and hear about our current plans for produce production and plans for expansion in 2018.

 

Butterfly Garden at Hocking Valley Community Hospital

I was able to participate in a fun event at HVCH this past Friday.   The containers from last years container vegetable garden were planted with a mix of plants that are specific attractors to butterflies, either for nectar or forage.   Rick Webb from Webb’s Perennials kindly donated the plants,  Thanks Rick!

The butterfly knowledge was provided by Butterfly Ridge Butterfly Conservation Center which is located in Hocking Hills.  They have some land they are developing with plant species specific to butterflies and other pollinators.

Here is my favorite species of butterfly

It was a fun event.  The plan will be release of butterflies over the season into the protected courtyard so they can eat and then lay eggs.  Then after the caterpillars hatch they have forage to eat to mature into butterflies to continue on their journey.  The courtyard is a pleasant place for patients and staff to relax and this will make it even better.

I am looking forward to helping care for the butterfly garden this season and you will see me there periodically.  I also look forward to partnering with Butterfly Ridge to host programs at their center to provide educational programming later this summer.  I will let you all know about that once we get the details finalized.