Muskingum County Agriculture and Natural Resources | Ohio State University Extension

The 2nd annual Ohio State Organic Grains Conference will be January 4-5, 2024 at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center in Oregon, Ohio. This event is brought to you by Ohio State University Extension and the OFFER program.

Featured presenters for this year will include Klaas Martens of Lakeview Organic Grain in New York, Steve Culman from Washington State University (formerly Ohio State), Léa Vereecke from Rodale Institute, and Eugene Law from USDA-Agricultural Research Services. We’ll again feature a trade show with venders who offer relevent goods and services; a farmer roundtable lunch; and farmer panels on topics like weed control strategies, technology, and biological products. Our 2024 line-up includes Ohio State educators and researchers with an interest in organic production, including corn and emerging crop specialist Osler Ortez; associate professor in soils and agronomy Ryan Haden; farm management field specialist Eric Richer, and manure nutrient management field specialist Glen Arnold, plus research updates on kernza and crop-livestock integration.

Attend a day early and be part of the Organic Farmer Researcher Network dinner and brainstorming session. We invite farmers, researchers, and educators to gather together on the evening of January 3 for a meal and small group work to develop specific research projects. Use this opportunity to gather feedback and ideas for an individual trial you are planning for your farm, gather partners for a multi-farm project, or help lead university research proposals. A limited number of $100 travel stipends are available to defray additional travel costs for this pre-conference event.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Ohio Beef Cattle Herd Health Seminar in Caldwell, OH on January 26

November 14, 2023 | Clifton Martin

Join OSU Extension and the Ohio State College of Veterinary Medicine for a day focused on beef cattle herd health and preventive care. This event will be January 26, 2024 at the Caldwell Extension Operations research farm in Noble County at 16714 Wolf Run Rd, Caldwell, OH. Program starts at 10:00 AM and includes lunch. RSVP by January 19. Cost is $10. A registration form is available at this link.

Pesticide Applicator Exam Training Session January 18, 2024

November 14, 2023 | Clifton Martin

A pesticide applicator exam training session will be offered on January 18, 2023, 6:00 PM, at the Rural Services Building. In order to obtain a Private Pesticide Applicator License, individuals must pass the exam which is administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Those who wish to use Restricted Use Products (ODA List) must acquire an applicators license to purchase and apply product. This training is intended to provide an overview of the concepts presented in the exam as preparation. To register for this exam training session please email martin.2422@osu.edu or call 740-454-0144.

Learn more about the Ohio Private Applicator license at this link.

Following this training session, the Ohio Department of Agriculture will be present at the Rural Services Building to administer the exam on:

January 25, 2024, 10:00 AM (Exam registration at the ODA Website)

2023 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium Announced

October 18, 2023 | Clifton Martin

On behalf of The Ohio State University, Ohio Sheep and Wool Program, and Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, we are pleased to announce the date of the 2023 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium to be held on Saturday, December 2, 2023 at The Ohio State University Wooster Campus Shisler Conference Center (1680 Madison Avenue, Wooster, Ohio 44691). The theme of the 2023 symposium is Nutrition and Marketing. Throughout the day, we will hear reflections and insights about changes in the sheep, lamb and wool industry. We will discuss nutrition as it primarily relates to sheep flocks including an emphasis on club lamb flock nutrition. We will also hear from speakers on marketing insights of both sheep, lamb and wool. Speakers and discussions will lead to the betterment of the flock and the American Sheep Industry.

Speakers at this years event include: Dr. Francis Fluharty, Allen Johnson, Ty McGuire, ASI President Brad Boner, ODA State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Summers, OSU Small Ruminant Specialist Dr. Brady Campbell and more…

A quick guide highlighting the days events include:

OSU Sheep Research Update/OSU Sheep Facility and Production Update
Nutrition
- Dr. Francis Fluharty, Chair of Animal Sciences, University of Georgia, Sheep Flock Nutrition
- Allen Johnson, Purina/Johnson Show Lambs, Club Lamb Flock Nutrition
- Ty McGuire, Biozyme Nutrition, Sheep Flock Nutrition
Sheep and Lamb Marketing
- Dr. David Anderson, Agricultural Economist, Texas A&M University, via ZOOM
Additional Events at the Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium
- 8:00 a.m. – 2023 OSIA Annual Membership Meeting
- Breakfast and Lamb Lunch included with Registration
- Industry Awards Program
- OSIA Scholarship Silent Auction
- Trade Show

Of additional importance, the Young Shepherd’s Assembly will also be meeting again this year the evening before the symposium for fellowship and discussions related to all things sheep. Those that are 18-40 years of age (physically or at heart) are welcomed to join for food and drinks at JAFB Wooster Brewery, 120 Beall Ave., Wooster, OH 44691. Cost: FREE. Sponsored by Open Roads Renewables. Pre-registration required.

For those interested in registering for this years program, please do so by completing the online for at https://www.ohiosheep.org/osia-programs.html#symposium. Please complete your registration by November 18th.

2023 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium Flyer

Source: 2023 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium Announced | OSU Sheep Team

Weather Update: Fall Weather Settles In But No Freeze Yet

October 18, 2023 | C.O.R.N. NEWSLETTER // 2023-36 // WEATHER UPDATE: FALL WEATHER SETTLES IN BUT NO FREEZE YET

The weather pattern over the last couple of weeks has certainly brought cooler temperatures to the region. However, temperatures are still above average across the state through the first 16 days of October. In fact, most locations across the northern half of Ohio typically experience their first 32°F (freeze) in the first two weeks of the month. As Figure 1 shows, this is not the case in 2023, with only a couple of stations having reported freeze conditions so far.

Read More

Corn Dry Down

October 18, 2023 | https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2023-36/ohio-crop-progress-precipitation-cool-weather-and-corn-dry-down

Cooler than normal temperatures and wetter than normal precipitation can impact corn drydown (figure 2). Once corn reaches physiological maturity (when kernels have obtained maximum dry weight and black layer is formed), it will dry approximately 0.75 to 1% per day during favorable drying weather (sunny and breezy) during the earlier part of the harvest season (from mid‑September to late September). By early to mid‑October, dry-down rates usually drop to 0.5 to 0.75% per day. Between late October to early November, field dry‑down rates drop to 0.25 to 0.5% per day. Finally, by mid November, drydown rate is stimated at about 0 to 0.25% per day. The later it gets, drying rates go lower and at times drying can be negligible.

An excerpt from: Ohio Crop Progress: Precipitation, Cool Weather, and Corn Dry Down

Ohio State University to Provide Resolution Services for Ohio Farms

October 18, 2023 | https://farmoffice.osu.edu/blog, Robert Moore

Ohio has over 76,000 farms and 13 million acres of farmland. In such a large and diverse industry, conflicts commonly arise that can lead to disputes, litigation, and appeals. Ultimately, these conflicts can cause harmful effects that threaten the viability of Ohio agriculture. To address these issues, a new program has been developed – Ohio Farm Resolution Services at The Ohio State University (OFRS). The goal of OFRS is to cultivate solutions to the conflicts that impact Ohio’s farms and farm families.

OFRS will provide a three-pronged approach to assist farms and farm families in resolving problems and conflicts:

Education resources. The first approach will be to provide educational resources that may lead to a resolution. Educational resources may be in the form of bulletins, publications, articles or individual discussions. For example, OFRS may provide a law bulletin on farm leasing to a tenant and landowner involved in a lease dispute. Some disputes can be resolved through education alone.
Consultation and informal resolution services. OSU Extension attorneys and farm management specialists will be available to meet with parties to assist with resolving their issues. These services will be more informal and may include sitting at the kitchen table with a family struggling with transition planning or perhaps meeting in a pasture to discuss shared fence line concerns between neighboring farmers.
Formal mediation. Sometimes conflicts escalate to hard feelings and entrenched positions. When this happens, formal mediation may be appropriate. This process will involve the intervention of a trained mediator to assist the parties in negotiating jointly acceptable resolution of issues in conflict. The mediator meets with the parties at a neutral location, often shuttling between separate rooms, where the parties can discuss the dispute and explore a variety of solutions. Formal mediation is often the last step before litigation.

Most consultation and mediation services will be conducted by OFRS’ primary consultants/mediators: Peggy Hall, David Marrison, Jeff Lewis and Robert Moore. OFRS will also develop a pool of outside mediators who can assist with matters that require special or unique technical knowledge. OFRS is committed to providing individuals who have both the knowledge and skill to help understand and resolve issues.

OFRS will be able to assist on a wide variety of matters. The following are issues for which OFRS can provide assistance:

Family communication
Farm transition planning
Business entities
Business practices
Land use
Property issues/neighbor issues
Zoning
Farm leases
Energy leases
Farm labor issues
Farmland drainage
Crops/agronomy/soils disputes
USDA administrative appeals
ODA administrative appeals
Farm lender/creditor negotiations

OFRS is available to provide educational and consultation services now. Mediation services will be available beginning in January 2024. For more information or to refer someone to OFRS, contact Robert Moore at moore.301@osu.edu or 614-247-8260. Information is also available at farmoffice.osu.edu/ofrs.

This article originally appeared at farmoffice.osu.edu on October 13, 2023: Ohio State University to Provide Resolution Services for Ohio Farms | Farm Office (osu.edu)

Seeking an Office Associate (Office Services Coordinator) at the Muskingum County Extension Office

October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 | Clifton Martin

OSU Extension is hiring an Office Services Coordinator in Muskingum County. To view the official job posting or apply you must visit the OSU job portal at this link. This 40 hour per week position serves as primary point of contact for phone-in and walk-in clientele and provides fiscal support to the operations of the Muskingum County office in addition to other duties in the office. This job posting closes October 27, 2023.

Alexus Masterson Starts as Family and Consumer Sciences Educator in Muskingum County

October 18, 2023 | Clifton Martin

The Muskingum County office of Ohio State University Extension is pleased to announce that Alexus Masterson has been hired as the Family and Consumer Science Educator. She will provide leadership to the Muskingum County Family and Consumer Science program, which consists of clientele at many stages of life, from birth to death.

Alexus is a native of Morgan County and has served as the Family and Consumer Science Program Assistant in the Washington County Extension office for the past 9 months. During that time, she coordinated Food Preservation classes, Healthy Living programs, and Real Money. Real World., while helping to deliver many other aspects of the county FCS program. She is a 4-H Alumni of 7 years from Morgan County as well.

Alexus obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Community and Public Health from Ohio University and a Master of Public Health from Ohio University.

Contact Alexus at 740-454-0144 or masterson.98@osu.edu

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2024 Ohio State Organic Grains Conference