Author: Beth Scheckelhoff

Focusing on Family Meals

One of the highlights of this past holiday weekend was having the time to sit down and connect with my family, kids, and their friends over home-cooked meals. Growing up, it was a regular occurrence to eat dinner each night with my parents and brothers around the kitchen table. Now as a parent myself, I feel lucky if we have 3 or 4 meals during the week when everyone is present for the entire meal. Sometimes the meals are home-cooked, more often not. While family dynamics, typical work and school schedules for parents and children alike, the types and frequency of extracurricular activities, how and when we eat our meals, and so much more has changed over the last cecntury… the smiles, laughter, conversations, and empty plates from this past weekend remind me of the enduring importance of family meals.

Why are family meals so important?

Research shows what we have already gleaned from our experiences around the kitchen table – that eating together promotes bonding and greater connection between “family” members (this also includes friends, neighbors, etc.), healthy eating practices and habits, improved social skills and relationships, and a sense of belonging.

What can you do?

As a working mom, I know how difficult it can be to make time to eat together. Here are a few suggestions for gathering the family around the dinner table:

  • Schedule time. Check family member schedules for the week ahead and plan 2-3 meals together. If you can only have one meal together, make it the best meal of the week! Don’t be afraid to start small. Add another meal each week, when possible.
  • Spread the wealth. Have willing family members help you plan, shop for, and cook meals. Involving others in the process will lighten the load and add lots of fun!
  • Stay focused. Remove distractions that might prevent you from connecting with one another during meal time. Turn off televisions, radios, cell phones, iPods, etc. Invest your time in one another. Messages, phone calls and other distractions can wait.
  • Invite others. Family meals aren’t just for our immediate and extended relatives. Invite neighbors, friends, coworkers, and others to dinner. Eating together fosters relationship building and strengthening – something that is good for everyone involved!

Want to learn more?

Here are a few additional resources from around the country that provide practical tips for family mealtime:

Putnam County WIA Series Starts November 14

Women who participate in farm life and work in the field of agriculture contribute to Ohio’s overall farm gate success. In 2012, 28% of Ohio farm operators were women – a trend that is expected to increase in the future. For 2016-2017, OSU Extension has developed a series of educational sessions designed to increase the knowledge and skill set of local women involved in all aspects of agriculture.

This is the second year that OSU Extension Putnam County is offering a Women in Agricultural series called Growing the Knowledge, Skills and Success of Farm Women.  The program runs monthly from November through May. Each session begins at 5:30 pm with a light dinner, followed by the educational program from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Sessions are:

  • November 14, 2016 – Legal Ease with Lee Schroeder
  • December 12 – Expanding Agricultural Opportunities – Contract Growing, Manure Management and More
  • January 9, 2017 – Computer Security and Smart Uses for Social Media
  • February 13 – IPM, Business Health and Legal Issues
  • March 13 – Insurance and Marketing Best Practices
  • April 10 – Beyond the Balance Sheet with Bruce Clevenger
  • May 8 – Living Wreaths and Fairy Gardens

All sessions will be held at the OSU Extension Putnam County office located at 1206 E. 2nd St., Ottawa, OH  45875.  Interested individuals can register for one or more sessions ($10 each session) or for the entire series at a discounted rate of $50. All materials and supplies are included in the registration fee. This program series is made possible with the generous support of our local sponsors: Ag Credit, Legacy Farmer’s Cooperative, Poet and Crop Production Services. For additional information or to register, please contact Beth Scheckelhoff at scheckelhoff.11@osu.edu or at 419-592-0806.

Click here for the registration form: 2016-17 Putnam County WIA Registration Form

 

Worker Protection Standard Manual Available for Agricultural Employers

from Mary Ann Rose
Program Director, Pesticide Safety Education Program

The must-read manual for growers on the 2015 revised Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is now available. Horticultural growers such as greenhouses and nurseries will be most affected by these changes because of the numbers of workers they employ.  Retailers are also affected if pesticides are applied to holding areas. WPS protections for workers are very comprehensive.   The rules include requirements for safety training, posting of application information, application signage and verbal warnings, restrictions during applications, decontamination supplies, and emergency assistance.

WPS protects workers who are exposed to pesticides or pesticide residues on crops.  Worker protections are not indefinite; they extend for 30 days after a pesticide restricted-entry interval expires.  So with minor exceptions, employees not directly involved with handling crops or spraying them aren’t covered by WPS.   WPS also does not apply to livestock production or non-agricultural uses, such as lawn and landscape.

The new rules require employers to train workers and pesticide handlers annually instead of every five years.  New employees must be trained before handling pesticides or working in pesticide-treated areas, and only licensed pesticide applicators or EPA-approved trainers will be able conduct WPS worker training. There is also a first-time-ever age (18) requirement for pesticide handlers and new recordkeeping requirements.

Compliance with most new rules is required by January 2, 2017.  Compliance with new training content, centrally displayed information, and application exclusion zone restrictions is delayed until January 1, 2018. The Ohio Department of Agriculture has the authority to enforce WPS in Ohio and conducts WPS inspections.

Growers can download a copy of the new WPS compliance manual and other EPA-approved training resources from the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC: http://pesticideresources.org/index.htmll). New WPS worker training videos in English and Spanish also can be downloaded from PERC; worker and handler training manuals are expected to be available in 2017.   All materials are free-of-charge.

Worker Protection Standard Updates will be offered by OSU Extension starting this winter. See the Ohio Pesticide Safety Education WPS page as they become available (http://pested.osu.edu/home/quicklinks/wps).

 

Putnam County WIA Kick-off!

Please join us at the Putnam County Extension Office in Ottawa on Tuesday, October 25 from 5:30 to 8:00 to kick off the 2016-2017 Women in Agriculture series of programs. The evening will include a light meal, women in agriculture program updates, and an engaging session on Women’s Safety Awareness offered by James Taylor of Taylor’s Kwon Do in Columbus Grove. There is no cost to participate, but kindly RSVP to Beth by October 21. The program is limited to the first 20 individuals who RSVP.

October 25, 2016:
5:30 pm Dinner
6:00 pm Women’s Safety Awareness Program
7:15 pm Women in Ag Updates

Location: Putnam County Extension Office, 1206 E. 2nd St. in Ottawa, OH

Please RSVP to Beth Scheckelhoff by October 21 by e-mail at Scheckelhoff.11@osu.edu or phone at 419-592-0806.

Welcome to the Ohio Women in Agriculture blog!

We are excited to finally launch OSU Extension’s Ohio Women in Agriculture blog! This blog will provide information on programs and events around Ohio, current topics of interest for women involved in all aspects of agriculture, as well as resources, forums, and other tools to help women in agriculture (WIA) connect across Ohio!

About the Blog

Our team members are passionate about working with women in agriculture. Please feel free to reach out to any of us at any time with questions, concerns, or interests you may have. A list of our current team members can be found under the TEAM MEMBERS tab.

Women in Ag programs are being designed, developed, and delivered across Ohio. We will post information on each program as it becomes available – and will highlight upcoming programs and events under the PROGRAMS AND EVENTS tab.

We will be continually adding and updating information under the RESOURCES tab – so please be patient as we add these items!

Staying Connected

A few tips to ensure you stay up-to-date and connected with the Ohio WIA network:

  • If you would like to be notified when new content is posted to this site – please enter your email address on the right side of this page under SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL.
  • Visit our Facebook page by clicking the Facebook icon on the top right of the home page, or search – Ohio Women in Ag Learning Network on Facebook.
  • Follow us on Twitter at @OhWomeninAg!  Feel free to use the hashtag #ohwomeninag when posting about programs, resources, topics, etc.
  • Please contact us via phone or email. Very soon, we will have a contact form on the blog that you can easily submit questions or messages! In the meantime, please visit the TEAM MEMBERS tab for contact information.

Thank you for being a part of the Ohio Women in Agriculture Learning Network  – and we look forward to working with you in the near future!

OSU Extension Women in AG Team