Author: Sarah Noggle

Farm Science Review Tickets Available at OSU Extension Paulding County Office

Picture courtsey of Farm Science Review

The 59th annual Farm Science Review is set for September 21-23 at Ohio State’s Molly Caren Agricultural Center, 135 State Route 38, near London.

Featured at the event will be more than 100 educational sessions, including “Ask the Expert” talks; 600 exhibits; the most comprehensive field crop demonstrations in the United States; a career exploration fair; and immersive virtual reality videos of agricultural activities.

This year’s Farm Science Review will also feature a new online component called “Farm Science Review Live.”

Hours for Farm Science Review are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 21–22 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 23.

Tickets are available at our office, $7 each. Either cash or check payable to OSU Extension Paulding County is accepted. Tickets are $10 at the gate. Ages 5 and under are free admittance. Currently, the Paulding County Office is under construction and you can pick up tickets in the Youth Leadership Building (building east of the Extension Office), Monday to Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM.

Don’t Forget to Register for the Tri-State Precision Agriculture Conference

Join OSU Extension Henry County for the inaugural Tri-State Precision Agriculture Conference on August 11, 2021. Speakers will discuss current trends in tillage equipment, and equipment demonstrations will feature high-speed tillage, vertical tillage, strip tillage, and cover crop seeding systems. Fertilizer re-certification and CCA credits available.

When:  Wednesday, August 11, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Continue reading →

Get your Waterhemp Populations Screened for Herbicide Resistance

By Mark Loux, OSU Extension

We have been screening a random sample of waterhemp populations for herbicide resistance over the past two years.  Herbicides used on the screen include mesotrione, atrazine, 2,4-D, fomesafen, and metolachlor.  Results of our research show that it’s possible for Ohio waterhemp populations to have some level of resistance to one, several, or all of these herbicides.  Glyphosate is not included because we assume almost all populations are already resistant to this.  We are also part of a regional project that has been screening for dicamba and glufosinate resistance with populations that we supply, although none has been identified to date. Continue reading →

Manure Science Review Coming August 10th

By Glen Arnold- OSU Extension

The annual Manure Science Review will be held on Tuesday, August 10 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at MVP Dairy near Celina, Ohio. Attendees will see and hear about this state-of-the-art dairy’s 80-cow rotary milking parlor, manure handling and management for the 4,400-cow herd, and regenerative farming practices. Speakers will provide updates on the effectiveness of saturated buffers in reducing runoff in Grand Lake Saint Marys as well as issues of legacy phosphorus runoff and the KDS/Quick wash system for manure nutrient recovery. Field demonstrations will include solid and liquid applicators, the Cadman Side-dress System, Oxbo Equipment, in-season manure side-dress demos, and more.

Continuing education credits have been approved for Certified Crop Advisors, Certified Livestock Managers, and Indiana State Chemist certifications. Registration costs are $25 per person until August 1st and $30 per person after that date. For program and registration details, click on the link at ocamm.osu.edu or contact Mary Wicks (wicks.14@osu.edu; 330.202.3533).

Take the Wheel – OSU Extension and Kenn-Feld Group to Host Women’s Tractor Safety and Operation Program on August 28

Learn how to safely operate agricultural equipment with OSU Extension and Kenn-Feld Group at their Women’s Tractor Safety and Operation Program. OSU Extension Educational Program Manager Lisa Pfeifer will demonstrate how to stay safe around agricultural equipment and identify equipment parts. Then take the driver’s seat and practice operating equipment thanks to our hosting dealership Kenn-Feld Group.

The Women’s Tractor Safety and Operation Program will be held on Saturday, August 28 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Kenn-Feld Group, 2772 US-6, Edgerton. The cost of the program is $10 per person and includes coffee and refreshments.

Women of all ages interested in learning how to operate compact to mid-size tractors in a supportive environment and network with other area women are encouraged to attend. Registration is required by August 23 and is limited to 20 participants. Register online at go.osu.edu/WmsCoTractorSafety or call Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator Stephanie Karhoff at 419-636-5608 for more information.

Tractor Safety Program Promotional Flyer Final

Double Crop Forages to Maximize Summer Forage Potential

By Jason Hartschuh, OSU Extension Educator, Crawford County

Many producers use summer annual forages for grazing and stored forage to either fill the summer slump or keep livestock feed through the winter. With wheat harvest finalized across most of the state and straw baling completed for many now our attention turns to creating a second or third profit center off those wheat acres.

Wheat acres provide an excellent opportunity for double cropping with forages that when harvested at the proper growth stage can either make high-quality late gestation early lactation forage, grazing opportunities, or gut fill to mix lower the quality of other forages or concentrates.

Many species of summer annuals can be utilized for forage. Some of them such as radish and turnip can be easily grazed but do not make well-stored forage as Baleage or dry hay. For dry hay, we have found the best two species to be teff and oats. Most other species can be harvested as silage or Baleage. Be cautious making dry hay that for plant stem is truly dry. Continue reading →

Farm Office Live is Back!

Farm Office Live” returns virtually this summer as an opportunity for you to get the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, farm business analysis, and other related issues from faculty and educators with the College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.  Attend “Farm Office Live” online on July 23, 2021, at 10 AM (EST).  To register, please visit https://go.osu.edu/farmofficelive 

What is Going on with the Birds??

uthors Marne Titchenell

Published on

American robin showing symptoms. Photo credit Kristi Anderson.

In the above photo, taken last week by Kristi Anderson and posted to the Preservation Parks of Delaware County Facebook page, an American robin is displaying symptoms of the illness.

Recently, there have been reports of sick or dying birds found around Ohio and in nearby states. These birds often have swollen eyes, discharge from their eyes that may appear crusted, or a lack of clarity to the eyes. Affected birds may also exhibit neurological signs, for example, their head may hang to one side then flop to the other side. In late May of this year, wildlife biologists in Washington D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia began received reports of sick and dying birds. Since then, reports have surfaced in additional states, including Ohio.

Ohio counties experiencing the bulk of the outbreak so far include Brown, Butler, Clark, Clermont, Delaware, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Warren counties.  Continue reading →

Paulding County Fair is Livestock Sale is Right around the corner

Saturday, June 19 starting at 9:00 AM will be the Jr. Fair Livestock Sale.

The sale order by species is as follows:
• Beef Steers
• Dairy Beef Steers
• Beef Feeders
• Dairy Beef Feeders
• Swine
• Sheep
• Rabbits
• Goats
• Poultry: Turkeys, Ducks, Geese, Chickens

For more specific information on the livestock, sale check out https://cpb-us-w2.wpmucdn.com/u.osu.edu/dist/8/71321/files/2021/06/Livestock-Sale-Buyer-Letter-with-Add-On-and-Listing-1.pdf

This information is from our 4-H Educator’s blog.

Private Pesticide Recertification Deadline is July 1 – In Person Training in Paulding County June 24

There are two options for last chance re-certification for Paulding County Fertilizer or Private Pesticide applicators. Private pesticide and fertilizer applicators who expired either in March 2020 or 2021 have until July 1 to recertify and renew.

  1. In-Person option on Thursday, June 24 – 8:00 AM – Fertilizer Recertification ($10) 9:15 AM – Pesticide Recertification ($35).  Please call the office at 419-399-8225 to register. Ask for Sarah Noggle
  2.   A self-paced online recertification course is available at https://pested.osu.edu/onlinerecert. You can also access the course by clicking the purple box titled “Self-Paced Recertification Courses” at pested.osu.edu (see screenshot image below).

Continue reading →

Producers with Crop Insurance to Receive Premium Benefit for Cover Crops

From the RMA Website 

WASHINGTON, June 1, 2021 – Agricultural producers who have coverage under most crop insurance policies are eligible for a premium benefit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) if they planted cover crops during this crop year. The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP), offered nationally by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), helps farmers maintain their cover crop systems, despite the financial challenges posed by the pandemic.

The PCCP is part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative, a bundle of programs to bring financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and producers who felt the impact of COVID-19 market disruptions.

“Cultivating cover crops requires a sustained, long-term investment, and the economic challenges of the pandemic made it financially challenging for many producers to maintain cover crop systems,” said RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy. “Producers use cover crops to improve soil health and gain other agronomic benefits, and this program will reduce producers’ overall premium bill to help ensure producers can continue this climates-smart agricultural practice.” Continue reading →

Bagworm Eggs are Hatching: The Game’s Afoot!

Authors Joe Boggs
Published on
bagworm

Overwintered common bagworm (Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis) eggs are hatching in southwest Ohio.  The 1st instar caterpillars are very small with their bags measuring around 1/8″ in length.

Bagworm

The tiny 1st instar bags are constructed with pieces of tan to reddish-brown sawdust-like frass (excrement) stuck to the outside of silk and look like “dunce caps.”  As the caterpillars mature, they begin weaving host plant debris into the silk which provides structural stability and helps to camouflage the caterpillar bag-abodes. Continue reading →

Box Tree Moth Alert

Box Tree Moth

Boxwoods (Buxus spp.) are some of the most common plants found in Ohio landscapes and they remain a mainstay of our nursery industry.  Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) caterpillars defoliate boxwoods and will strip bark once they run out of leaves to eat.  The moth has multiple generations per year, depending on geographical locations, and sustained high populations are capable of killing boxwoods.

Continue reading →

Newest addition to the Paulding County Extension Office.

With the passage of the Paulding County OSU Extension levy in 2020 and funds being released in 2021, the Paulding County Extension Office had the opportunity to expand the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) program area. Our newest addition to Paulding County Extension, in the role of Family and Consumer Sciences, Extension Educator is Casey Bishop. The FCS Extension Educator will focus on information and resources in the areas of Health People, Healthy Finances, and Healthy Relationships.

Bishop is a graduate of Jacksonville University with a bachelor’s in Psychology, and the University of North Florida with a master’s in Counseling. Coming from Florida, she brings her experience in a psychiatric setting working with individuals with substance abuse and mental health issues. More recently, she worked at Cypress Creek Juvenile Offender Correctional Center. At CCJOCC, Casey gained her Professional Teaching Certification in Social Studies and Exceptional Student Education and became Lead Educator. Continue reading →

Management Considerations for Beef x Dairy Calves

Regardless of the genetics of cattle, you’re feeding, you will find value in listening to this three-part webinar series.

This article originally appeared in the Ohio BEEF Cattle letter at https://u.osu.edu/beef/2021/05/12/management-considerations-for-beef-x-dairy-calves/

During the first session (embedded below) held on April 21 the focus was on marketing dairy beef calves and featured Larry Rose and JT Loewe of JBS as they discussed the quality of the cattle they seek to purchase, their pricing structure, and the demands they have for high quality, consistently sized and correctly finished dairy crossed beef cattle. Regardless of the genetics being fed, the speakers shared a strong message for the value of consistency and proper finish the market is demanding in all fed cattle. Garth Ruff, Ohio State University Extension Beef Field Specialist, and Jerad Jaborek, Feedlot Systems Extension Educator at Michigan State University, hosted a three-part webinar series on management considerations for beef sired calves from dairy cows that covered a variety of topics related to marketing, genetics, and management of crossbred beef x dairy cattle.

Continue reading →

Summer forage Field Days across the state

Join one or all three field days with forage producers across the state. Dates are June 25 (Crawford County), July 9 (Wayne County), August 28 (Licking/Knox Counties). Registration is located at http://go.osu.edu/foragefielddays2021 or by scanning the QR code in the article. The cost for the events will be $10 per location with a $5 discount if you are a member of OFGC (Ohio Forage and Grassland Council).  2021 OFGC Field Day Flyer

Poison Hemlock and Wild Parsnip are Bolting and Blooming

By Joe Boggs (Published on May 16, 2021)

Additional note from Sarah Noggle, Extension Educator in Paulding County. In 2020, Poison hemlock has been found in Paulding County. The densest populations have been located along the railroad beds, overgrown areas along woods, and also old fence rows. Help beautify Paulding County by controlling the weeds along the edges of your property but use caution if you find Poison Hemlock.

Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is one of the deadliest plants in North America.  Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) sap can produce severe, painful skin blistering.  Both are commonly found growing together in Ohio and both are beginning to “bolt” and bloom meaning the clock is quickly winding down for controlling these non-native nasties.

Wild parsnip

Poison hemlock

Wild parsnip

These non-native weeds are members of the carrot family, Apiaceae.  The old name for the family was Umbelliferae which refers to the umbel flowers.  The flowers are a key family feature with short flower stalks rising from a common point like the ribs on an umbrella.  Queen Anne’s lace (a.k.a. wild carrot) (Daucus carota) is often used as the poster child for carrot family flowers.  This non-native blooms much later in the season. Continue reading →

What’s going on with Lumber Prices?

By Brent Sohngen, Professor Environmental and Natural Resource Economics, The Ohio State University

In case you haven’t noticed, lumber prices have increased a lot over the last year.  Based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Lumber Price Index, which you can find here, lumber prices have increased 180% since April 2020.  This increase started last fall and has continued ever since. So, why have they risen, and how high will they go?

Let’s start with the first question, why have they risen?  The economic explanation is relatively straightforward: Demand rose rapidly due to pandemic-related building, and supply is really inelastic, as we say in economics.  Thus, while the demand for wood has increased dramatically, the supply of wood hasn’t been able to keep up.  Let’s break this down.

Consider the demand side first.  The construction sector, specifically building and remodeling houses, is one of the largest demanders of lumber in the US and around the world.  New home starts and construction spending cratered at the beginning of the pandemic, but they rebounded pretty quickly.  Remodeling in particular seems to have picked up a real head of steam. Continue reading →

Purdue Corn and Soybean Monthly Outlook Webinar on Friday, May 14 – 12:30 – 1:30 PM

Register Now

Upcoming Webinar

MAY CORN & SOYBEAN OUTLOOK UPDATE WEBINAR

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. EDT

Date: Friday, May 14, 2021

Join us for our free monthly corn and soybean outlook webinar series

Purdue ag economists Michael Langemeier, Nathanael Thompson, and James Mintert will host a free Corn and Soybean Outlook monthly webinar series for the remainder of 2021. Each webinar will follow the release of that month’s U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Crop Production and World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) reports. Continue reading →

There’s Still Time to Enter the National Wheat Yield Contest!

By Eric Richer, OSU Extension Fulton County,

Many Ohio farmers are reporting good to excellent wheat ratings this spring. A couple good looking wheat with a nice run-up in price and this may be the year that you want to enter the National Wheat Yield Contest!

The contest is a friendly competition that will help farmers stay focused on raising high-quality, high-yielding wheat while evaluating agronomic and economic decisions at the field level.  Each registered contestant must be a member of their state’s wheat growers association (in Ohio, www.ohiocornandwheat.org). Contestants can enter more than one variety but each variety has an entry fee of $125.

Click here to review the rules and requirements for this year’s contest, and create your application to enter: https://yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.org/. May 15th at 5:00 pm EST is the last day to enter the contest.  The link to the rules and requirements can be accessed directly here: https://yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.org/Content/RulesPDF/NWYC%20Entry%20Harvest%20Rules.pdf

In Ohio, each district’s 1st and 2nd place winners will be recognized at the 2022 Celebration of Ohio Corn & Wheat and will receive recognition for themselves and their seed dealers.  The overall Ohio winner will a 1-year free lease on a seed tender from J & M Manufacturing.  The Ohio runner-up will receive free fungicide from BASF.  National winners traditionally receive a trip to the March 2022 Commodity Classic, which will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana.