Author: Nanette Neal

Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School

Ohio State University Extension in Warren County is offering this webinar series as a replacement for the 2021 Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our “live” school will return on March 26, 2022. Mark your calendars.

The following webinars are free but do require you to register for each meeting at our website. Anyone is invited to participate, but attendance is limited to 300 people. All sessions will start at 7:00 p.m. and will be finished by 9:00 p.m. Website Address for Registration: warren.osu.edu 

March 22, 2021
Equipment Basics
Amanda Bennett, Ohio State University Extension, Miami County
Many products are available to the beginner beekeeper. But which ones do you really need? This session will cover basic equipment needed to begin your beekeeping adventure. The benefits and drawbacks of different systems will be discussed and participants will take away a list of essential items needed.

March 24, 2021
Bee Basics
Amanda Bennett, Ohio State University Extension, Miami County
Opening up a hive can be a very daunting task for the new beekeeper. What is “normal”? What should a beekeeper be looking for during inspections? It is important for all beekeepers to understand normal lifecycles, seasonal activities, bee abnormalities and oddities to be able to accurately assess colony health and look for red flags to guide management decisions.

March 29, 2021
Bees and Plants: An Essential Relationship
Denise Ellsworth, Ohio State University, Program Director, Pollinator Education
Bees depend on plants for energy-rich nectar and high-protein pollen, while plants depend on bees and other couriers to transport pollen from flower to flower. This session will focus on the rewards plants offer and key plant sources of this essential food. Participants will also learn how to use phenology to track bloom time of local plants using a web-based biological calendar.

For more information about the Southwestern Ohio Beginner Beekeeping Webinars, contact Greg Meyer, OSU Extension Educator in Warren County, by email at meyer.213@osu.edu .

Midwest Women in Ag Community Education Series

Women working, owning, and operating in agriculture is an increasing demographic to the population of farms and ranches across the country. The 2017 US Census of Agriculture showed that the number of female operators is still growing. Approximately 28% of the population of farmers and ranchers in the United States are female with continued steady growth since 2009. Whether on a small farm or large operation, women are increasing their footprint in the agricultural soil as developers, entrepreneurs, and marketing enthusiasts.

Join us each Thursday in March from 9-11 AM (EST)/8-10 AM (CT) for the Midwest Women in Ag Community Education Series.  This series is a collaborative effort of land grant institution Extension and related non-profits including Ohio State University Extension, Purdue University Extension, Michigan Food and Farming Systems and Kentucky Women in Agriculture. This series will be held virtual on the Zoom platform and features a morning health and wellness segment followed by an educational session and discussion.

There is a fee of $10 per session. You must register and pay to receive the connection link and details. Register today at https://go.osu.edu/ohiomidwestwomeninagseries

Click here for a copy of the flyer.

March 4th: The Ohio State University

Planning for the Farm & Family Future

Peggy Kirk Hall, OSU Extension, Associate Professor & Director, Agricultural & Resource Law

 

March 11th: Purdue University- Extension

Marketing the Farm

 

March 18th: Kentucky Women in Agriculture

Engaging a Community to Grow Agricultural Literacy

 

March 25th: Michigan Food & Farming Systems

Leveraging Technical Assistance, Education and Research Programs to Support Diversity in Agriculture

Good Agricultural Practices Trainings

The produce safety team has three online Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) trainings scheduled this winter, with the first one coming up next Thursday, on January 21st. These programs are free to attend.

You can find more information at producesafety.osu.edu/events. Registration links are available for each event: