Environmental

Soil Health Tour 2022 Sites Finalized

 

The 18 in-person and 6 virtual tour stops for the 2022 Soil Health Tour have been finalized and are almost ready to be visited by farmers, conservationists, and soil-lovers around Northwest Ohio, Southeast Michigan, and Northeast Indiana. The tour officially opens Monday, September 19th at 8AM and closes Wednesday, September 28th at 5PM. A wrap-up event will be held Thursday, September 29th at the Paulding County Extension Office from 6-8PM to close out the tour. Register for the September 29th event at go.osu.edu/soilhealthtour.

The flyer with tour site information can be accessed here.

The in-person tour stops are as follows: Continue reading Soil Health Tour 2022 Sites Finalized →

Save the Date for 2022’s Soil Health Tour!

 

Save the Date! The second annual Soil Health Tour, presented by OSU Extension Paulding County, will be held September 19th-28th, 2022. Visit tour stops showcasing a variety of soil health practices across the region. This year, we have expanded to include tour stops in Northeast Indiana and Southeast Michigan as well as Northwest Ohio. We are also introducing a few virtual tour stops to showcase sites that may be inaccessible to the public or better explained through photos and videos. However you plan to attend, we hope to see you during Tour Week!

Wrap up the Soil Health Tour with Paulding County Extension on Thursday, September 29th, 2022 at the Paulding County Extension Hall. Join us, a guest speaker, and farmers and landowners who provided tour stops for an educational and networking event. Meal will be provided with $10 registration fee. Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) continuing education credits will also be offered at the wrap-up event on September 29th.

Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to the event: go.osu.edu/SoilHealthTour; We can’t wait to see you!

2022 Pesticide Disposal for Farmers

ODA has announced the 2022 pesticide disposal dates and locations for farmers.

“The program assists farmers with a free of charge, safe and environmentally responsible disposal of unusable, outdated pesticides. No household or non-farm pesticides are accepted, nor are pesticides accepted from commercial companies.”

  • August 17, 2022 – Van Wert County
  • August 24, 2022 – Erie County
  • August 30, 2022 – Greene County

For more information see the link:  https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/plant-health/pesticides/disposal

Join us for an Agriculture and Water Quality Program on August 4th

Join Paulding County Extension from 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM on Thursday, August 4th for a program titled “Agriculture and Water Quality: How do TMDLs and Edge-of-Field Monitoring fit in?”

Greg LaBarge, Field Specialist in Agronomic Systems from Ohio State University Extension and Josh Griffin, Lake Erie Programs Manager from Ohio EPA will speak at this event.

This program will focus on water quality, the agricultural practices that impact it, and the potential solutions for improving it by discussing edge-of-field research being conducted by The Ohio State University. Curious what practices could be improving and impeding water quality on your farm? Have you been thinking about how the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process will impact farming in Northwest Ohio? Join us to hear what the process for TMDLs consists of, where the Maumee Watershed is in that process, and what farming practices can contribute to improved water quality.

Register for this free event at go.osu.edu/TMDL. CCA credits for Soil and Water management will be provided.

Click here to see a flyer with more information

Regenerative Grazing Pasture Walk to be held in Paulding County!

Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) is hosting a series of Farm Tours across Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan this summer to showcase organic and ecological farms in the region. Among those being showcased is Canal Junction Farm, right here in Paulding County! A Regenerative Grazing Pasture Walk will be held at the farm on Saturday, July 16th, 2022, starting at 10AM. The address is 18637 Rd. 168, Defiance OH. Questions can be directed to Ralph, Sheila, and Kyle Schlatter at (419) 399-7545 or canaljunctionfarm@gmail.com. Their farm’s website is canaljunction.com.

More information about this OEFFA Farm Tour and other stops along the tour can be found at OEFFA’s website, or this link.

USDA Video Showcases Key Partnerships Driving Science-Based Conservation in Western Lake Erie Basin

A new USDA video provides a closer look at the collaborative partnerships driving innovative water quality assessment and conservation in the Western Lake Erie Basin. The video, Science-Based Solutions: Leveraging Partnerships to Protect the Western Lake Erie Basin, shows how USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) watershed studies in the Western Lake Erie Basin bring researchers, farmers, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations together to develop science-based solutions and strategically place them where they can deliver the greatest conservation benefits.

Under CEAP, a network of researchers, from government agencies to universities, work together to monitor the impact of conservation practices on the landscape. These studies directly inform USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service programs, practices, and planning and ensure that the agency provides technical and financial assistance to landowners to develop and implement impactful conservation plans.

Regional partnerships like those driving conservation efforts in the Western Lake Erie Basin have proven to be effective, as demonstrated by the recently released USDA report, Conservation Practices on Cultivated Cropland: A Comparison of CEAP I and CEAP II Survey Data and Modeling.

CEAP is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental effects of conservation practices and programs and develop the science base for managing the agricultural landscape for environmental quality. Project findings will be used to guide USDA conservation policy and program development and help conservationists, farmers and ranchers make more informed conservation decisions.

Upcoming Western Lake Erie Basin Conservation Practices Public Input Meeting

Input Meeting Email Flyer – Link to flyer

Join OSU Extension’s Water Quality Associates on Tuesday, February 22nd from 10-11AM for a public input meeting regarding on-farm conservation practices. This webinar is aimed toward farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin who farm or live near our target watersheds, found on the attached flier. This virtual webinar will allow OSU’s Water Quality team to hear directly from farmers and landowners to guide local watershed planning efforts and funding priorities. What conservation practices do you want to learn more about? Are there practices that you think may work for your farm, but you don’t know where to start? Are there practices you are interested in if additional funding or support becomes available? Join us for an informal discussion to talk about these topics.

Register for this webinar at www.go.osu.edu/inputmeeting, or contact a Water Quality Extension Associate to give your input if you can’t attend the meeting. Contact Paulding County’s WQEA Rachel Cochran, cochran.474@osu.edu, (567) 344-5016, with any questions.

Farm Office Live – Did You Miss the January Topics? Recording Available.

Farm Office Live provides the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, ag economics, farm business analysis, and other issues dealt with in your farm office. Targeted to farmers and agri-business stakeholders, our specialists digest the latest news and information and present it in an easy-to-understand format.

Photo of Farm Office Team Presenters

To register, visit the Farm Office Live registration site at https://osu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8abbbMu0RdC-oPB5DFuB3w.

Register once and you’ll receive reminders for future sessions.

DOWNLOAD JANUARY SLIDES 

Future dates: 

February 16 7:00 – 8:30 pm
February 18 10:00 – 11:30 am
March 16 7:00 – 8:30 pm
March 18 10:00 – 11:30 am
April 20 7:00 – 8:30 pm
May 18 7:00 – 8:30 pm

Did you miss a Farm Office Live?  Access our past Farm Office Live recordings and materials https://farmoffice.osu.edu/farmofficelive

We’re Hiring! Water Quality Extension Associate Position in Fulton County

OSU is hiring for the Water Quality Extension Associate position located in Fulton County, Ohio. This position serves Fulton, Williams, and Lucas counties. For more information or to apply, visit this link. Continue reading We’re Hiring! Water Quality Extension Associate Position in Fulton County →

New 5-Minute Ag Topic Video: Manure

Click below to view the second video in our new 5-Minute Ag Topic video series, which we hope to continue over the course of 2022. The topic for this second video is manure. Water Quality Extension Associate Rachel Cochran discusses different types of manure, rules and regulations surrounding its use, benefits to applying manure, as well as safety considerations. If you have any suggestions for future video topics, or would like to get information regarding manure research opportunities on your farm, please reach out to cochran.474@osu.edu or noggle.17@osu.edu.

Upcoming Water Quality Wednesday Winter Programming

Join the Ohio State University’s Water Quality Extension Associates for a webinar series discussing topics related to water quality, ranging from Phosphorus and agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) to watershed planning and technology. Continue reading Upcoming Water Quality Wednesday Winter Programming →

New 5-Minute Ag Topic Video: Phosphorus

Click below to view the first video in our new 5-Minute Ag Topic video series, which we hope to release over the next few months. This first video topic is Phosphorus, where Water Quality Extension Associate Rachel Cochran discusses a quick overview of this essential plant nutrient. If you have any suggestions for future topics, please reach out to noggle.17@osu.edu or cochran.474@osu.edu.

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).

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 Bagworm Eggs are Hatching: The Game’s Afoot! →

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 Box Tree Moth Alert →

Federal bills target carbon reduction practices on farms and forests

BY  | APRIL 22, 2021 · 5:30 PM

President Biden announced a major goal this week–for the U.S. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half over the next decade as compared to 2005 levels.  Agriculture will play a key role in that reduction by “deploying cutting-edge tools to make the soil of our heartland the next frontier in carbon innovation,” according to President Biden.  Several bills introduced in Congress recently could help agriculture fulfill that key role.  The proposals offer incentives and assistance for farmers, ranchers, and forest owners to engage in carbon sequestration practices.

Here’s a summary of the bills that are receiving the most attention.

Growing Climate Solutions Act, S. 1251.  The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee passed S. 1251 today.  The bipartisan proposal led by sponsors Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) already has the backing of over half of the Senate as co-sponsors, including Ohio’s Sen. Sherrod Brown.  The bill has come up in prior sessions of Congress without success, but the sponsors significantly reworked the bill and reintroduced it this week.  The new version includes these provisions: Continue reading Federal bills target carbon reduction practices on farms and forests →

Farmer Advocates wanted!

https://youtu.be/5miEieP1vdA

Do you know of a farmer who would be an excellent candidate with leadership, enthusiasm, and passion for soil health and water quality management as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation? You can nominate them by completing an online form. Select the button for the application.

The Nature Conservancy is looking for farmers who are currently utilizing cover crops on their farms in the Maumee River Watershed of the Western Lake Erie Basin. We are looking for a diverse group of farmers; large acreage, small acreage, corn and soy, small grains, livestock, new and experienced, willing to reach out and share their knowledge and experiences with other farmers in their area. Selected farmers will be compensated for their time. Select the button for this application.

If you are interested in being part of this exciting farmer-led outreach project and would like to apply as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation please complete the online application form by selecting the button above.

The application period is open for farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin that are interested in sharing their conservation farming practices with other farmers.  Farmer Advocates will be compensated for their time to attend the training and work with other farmers @ $30/hour.  The focus of the project is to promote farmers learning from each other about building soil health and managing water.

To apply as a Farmer Advocate for Conservation or to nominate a farmer you believe would be an excellent candidate please use the online application and nomination forms on the landing page found at https://sites.google.com/view/farmeradvocate or please contact Stephanie Singer, Stephanie.Singer@tnc.org.

The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface recordings available.

Did you miss out on the live presentations for this winter on The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface? Great news! Recordings are available for the entire series of topics.

In this weekly series, farmers, industry, and academic experts weighed in on practical steps to improve soil health and measure impact on crop yield and farm profitability.

Recordings and Slide Sets are available at https://agcrops.osu.edu/events/webinar-recordings/dirt-soil-health-investing-below-surface-0 or on the OSU Agronomic Crops Team YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYlh_BdeqniJPI5Ga7icO7mbFzDdpK7fr or by clicking one of the videos below.

Does It Pay to Improve Soil Health on Your Farm?

Panel discussion with farmers Nathan Brown (Highland County), Matt Falb (Wayne County), and Les Seiler (Fulton County).

Continue reading The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface recordings available. →

Coffee Talks to Continue

Don’t forget to Join OSU Extension Educator, Sarah Noggle, and Water Quality Extension Specialist, Rachel Cochran on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 8:30 AM for our Virtual Coffee Shop.

Coffee Shops usually only are 30 minutes in length and are hosted via the Zoom platform. Join via the internet or phone https://osu.zoom.us/j/694208805 for the internet or dial 301-715-8592 by phone and press code 694 208 805#. PASSCODE ADDED 419399

 

Additional Information From ODA About The Mystery Seeds

Americans Receive Mystery Seeds in the Mail, Mostly From China - WSJPlease note: Paulding County has received various packets of seeds.  Please follow the directions below or contact Sarah at the Extension Office (419-399-8225) to arrange a drop off of the seeds.  

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is asking Ohioans to please send in unsolicited seeds.

After increasing reports of Ohio citizens receiving packages of unsolicited seeds in the mail, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is again urging the public to report and submit any unsolicited seed packets to ODA. In partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine Office, ODA is working to investigate the number of seed packets sent to Ohio, what type of seeds they are, and where they were mailed from. Continue reading Additional Information From ODA About The Mystery Seeds →