pasture

Muskingum Ag Network Breakfast March 4

| Clifton Martin

The Muskingum Ag Network meets the first Tuesday of each month, except for July and August, at Friendly Hills Camp and Conference Center, 5880 Friendly Hills Rd, Zanesville.  Our next program will be March 4, 2025 with Jordan Penrose, OSU Extension Morgan County, on spring pasture management.  Breakfast is at 8:00 AM and costs $10.

Small Farm Conference and Trade Show

| Clifton Martin

Ohio State Extension announced plans to host a Small Farm Conference in Wooster, OH on March 8th. The theme for this year’s Small Farm Conference is “Sowing Seeds for Success.”

Conference session topics are geared to beginning and small farm owners as well as to farms looking to diversify their operation. There will be five different conference tracks including: Horticulture and Crop Production, Business Management, Livestock, Natural Resources and Diversifying Your Enterprise.

Some conference topic highlights include: Growing in a Hoophouse, Integrated Disease Management Strategies for Apple and Peaches, High Tunnel Tour, Using Cover Crops for Soil Regeneration, Creating Habitat for Beneficial Insects on the Farm, Growing Microgreens, Money to Grow: Grants 101, Growing Your Farm With Agritourism, Navigating Licenses/Certificates for your Small Farm Market, How Can Value – Added Help Your Farm, Vaccination Programs for a Small Farm, Grassfed Beef Tour.

Anyone interested in developing, growing or diversifying their small farm is invited to attend including market gardeners, farmers market vendors, and anyone interested in small farm living.

Attendees will have the opportunity to browse a trade show featuring the newest and most innovative ideas and services for their farming operation. The conference provides an opportunity to talk with the vendors and network with others.

The Conference will take place on March 8th from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the Ohio State University Wooster Campus Shisler Conference Center, 1680 Madison Ave, Wooster, Ohio 44691.

For conference and registration information call OSU Extension Morrow County 419-947-1070, or OSU Extension Knox County 740-397-0401. Please follow this link to register for the conference: https://Go.osu.edu/2025smallfarmconference

Legal Updates, Corn Performance Trials, eFields Reports and more

| Clifton Martin

SCOTUS to Decide Fate of Nationwide Injunction Against Corporate Transparency Act | Farm Office 

Ohio legislative roundup: final bills passed in 2024 | Farm Office 

EPA’s New Herbicide Strategy: What is it and where did it come from? | Farm Office 

2024 eFields Report Available Now | Agronomic Crops Network 

Ohio Corn Performance Test (OCPT) – 2024 Results Overview | Agronomic Crops Network 

Adjusting for Cold Weather | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Cold Stress and Beef Cows | Ohio BEEF Cattle Letter 

Muskingum Ag Network Breakfast

| Clifton Martin

The Muskingum Ag Network meets the first Tuesday of each month, except for July and August, at Friendly Hills Camp and Conference Center, 5880 Friendly Hills Rd, Zanesville.  Our next program will be January 7, 2025 and feature Ted Wiseman, OSU Extension Perry County, with a program discussing the basics of fencing on the farm.  Breakfast is at 8:00 AM and costs $10.

Winter Feeding Tips for Small Ruminant Production: Nov 20

| https://u.osu.edu/sheep/2024/11/12/winter-feeding-tips-for-small-ruminant-production/

Sheep and goat producers are invited to attend a seminar on winter feeding programs for small ruminants from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, November 20 at the Eastern Agricultural Research Station (16870 Bond Ridge Road Caldwell, OH). Come hear research-based management advice from OSU’s State Small Ruminant Extension Specialist- Dr. Brady Campbell. Local Extension personnel will also offer advice on local resources and potential solutions for navigating the winter ahead amidst drought. A light meal will be provided for all registered attendees. Registration for the event is required by November 18th. Call 740-305-3173 or email gelley.2@osu.edu to register today!

Beef Cattle A.I. Workshop

| Clifton Martin

OSU Extension Muskingum County will host an introduction to artificial insemination of beef cattle on July 30 and August 1, 2024 from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Extension Office in Zanesville.  This two-night workshop is a classroom event starting on night one and concluding with hands-on-practice on night two.  Topics that will be covered during this workshop include: Advanced Reproductive Tract Anatomy and Physiology, Estrous Synchronization, Pasture Considerations, Expected Progeny Differences (EPD’s), and, Tools, Equipment, & Techniques.  Our program cost is $20 per person and RSVP’s are due July 25.  Our classroom location is the meeting room at the Rural Services Building, 225 Underwood St, Zanesville, OH.

Please RSVP and register using our online webform and payment portal found at go.osu.edu/muskingumbeef.

Direct questions to Clifton Martin, Extension Educator, Muskingum County, 740-454-0144, martin.2422@osu.edu or to Dean Kreager, Extension Educator, Licking County, 740-670-5315, kreager.5@osu.edu

Link to Program Flyer

Hands on small ruminant parasite workshop (Licking County)

| Dean Kreager

Learn about internal parasite issues and how to use FAMACHA as a selective deworming tool.  You will also learn to do your own fecal egg counts at home.  The workshop will include hands on evaluation of sheep using the FAMACHA system at Dale McCombs farm near Johnstown and then go to the Licking County Extension office for training to do fecal egg counts  on your own.  The cost will be $40 and include a McMaster slide for fecal egg counts, handouts and lunch.  We are limiting attendance to 20 to assure good hands on participation time.

Contact Dean Kreager with questions and to register 740-670-5315 (please inform us of any dietary restrictions)

Click here for the flyer with additional details: Small Ruminant Parasite Flyer1

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

| Clifton Martin

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is making its share of headlines in agricultural news. Recent attention focuses on beef and dairy supply chains. Fortunately, fundamental practices like pasteurization and proper cooking temperature eliminate the pathogenic risk to milk and meat and we benefit from a strong and healthy supply chain. However, there is plenty of concern to monitor HPAI and prevent adverse impacts to the industry.  For further reading and updates, here is a list of recent news and links: