Home Owner

Registration for the 2026 Ohio Woodland, Water, and Wildlife Conference is open!

This conference brings together natural resource professionals/land managers from across the state to learn about the latest issues impacting our natural resources, current and applied research, and practical management strategies for both public and private lands.

  • Date: March 4, 2026
  • Location: Mid-Ohio Conference Center
  • Time: 8:30 am – 3:30 pm
  • Early registration: $70
  • Late registration: $85 after 2/16
  • Registration deadline: 2/23/2026
  • Register HERE

Continuing education credits are being applied for and typically include ISA, SAF-CFE, and pesticide credits. Check out the official conference schedule and flyer 2026 Woodland Water Wildlife Brochure.

Farmer and Farmland Owner Income Tax Webinar

Farmer/Farmland Owner Tax Webinar Graphic

Are you a farmer or farmland owner wanting to learn more about recent tax law changes, which were part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act?

If so, join us for a live webinar on Friday, November 14, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to noon, as part of our Farm Office Live Series.

You can register by visiting: go.osu.edu/register4fol. This webinar will cover key tax issues affecting farmers and farmland owners, including tax provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, tax planning in low-income years, residual fertility/excess fertility deduction, research and development tax credit, Ohio tax update, and much more!

NW Ohio Women In Agriculture to Meet on Thursday, November 13

Are your personal and farm finances working together—or pulling in different directions? 🤔

Join the Northwest Ohio Women in Agriculture Roundtable on November 13 at 6:00 PM to learn strategies for blending family and farm budgets for long-term success. The event will take place at the Black Swamp Nature Center, located at 753 Fairground Drive, Paulding, OH 45879. (Please note this is a last minute location change.)

This welcoming event offers local female farmers, farm wives, female agribusiness professionals, or anyone interested in agriculture a chance to connect over dinner while staying informed about the latest agricultural trends and local updates. While the program is geared towards adults, we do appreciate bringing youth along to learn. Each person attending must complete a separate registration. 🗓️ Register by Monday, November 10 🔗 https://go.osu.edu/25NWOhioWIANovember

While the event is a roundtable discussion, this month’s featured speakers are Paulding County Extension Educators, Melissa Rupp and Sarah Noggle, who will teach a session on Your Money Goals: Adding Personal Finances into the Farm Budget. Participants must RSVP to receive materials and a meal by Monday, November 10, 2025. 

SPECIAL THIS MONTH: If you have something you would like to trade or barter related to kitchen supplies, or even a potential white elephant gift for the holidays, bring that along.  Continue reading NW Ohio Women In Agriculture to Meet on Thursday, November 13 →

Join Escape To the Forest with Invasive Species

Join the Ohio Woodland Stewards Program on Friday, June 27, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM for a virtual session titled “On the Brink: Early Detection of Woodland Invasive Plant Species”. Most woodland owners are already familiar with the dreaded “usual suspects,” such as garlic mustard, bush honeysuckle, and autumn olive. Have you considered what invasive plants might be on the next horizon? Join ANR Educator Carrie Brown as the team explores plant species that are not yet state listed but are exhibiting invasive characteristics.

Register at go.osu.edu/invaders

Join OSU Extension at the Small Farms Conference in Wooster, Ohio

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 operations. There will be five different conference tracks including Horticulture and Crop Production, Business Management, Livestock, Natural Resources, and Diversifying Your Enterprise. Check out the official program guide here. Continue reading Join OSU Extension at the Small Farms Conference in Wooster, Ohio →

NW Ohio Newsletter 2025

📬 The 2025 Northwest Ohio Newsletter is Coming!

Exciting news! The 2025 Northwest Ohio Newsletter will be hitting mailboxes near the end of December! 🗓️

Packed with the latest updates on agriculture, Extension programming, and community opportunities, this newsletter is your go-to resource for staying informed and connected.

Prefer to read online? 📲 Check out the Virtual Version here.

Stay tuned—there’s a lot to look forward to as we kick off a new year together! 🌾

#Agriculture #Extension #NWOhio #StayConnected #LeanOnYourLandGrant #PauldingCountyStrong #OSUE

Ohio Maple Days 2024

Registration is now open for Ohio Maple Days 2024.

Friday, December 6th we will be offering a workshop on transition and estate planning featuring Ohio State University’s own David Marrison and Robert Moore.  While this workshop is a part of Ohio Maple Days it is open to any landowner who wants to participate.  Registration is available here.

 Saturday, December 7th is a day for everything maple.  Topics this year include an expert panel on filtering, cost-share programs, managing a timber sale, marketing for producers, and a grading and tasting session to name a few.  Visit with vendors and enjoy a maple-themed lunch.  Registration is available here.

Maple Days Flyer 2024

Woodland Wisdom – New Course

Registration is now open for a new online course and webinar series Woodland Wisdom: Learn to Balance What You Have with What You Want.  This new online course offers woodland owners a way to enhance their land management skills.  There are 7 sessions covering a wide range of topics designed to help woodland owners focus on opportunities their land offers.

Registration is open here.

Please Give Your Input on the Paulding County Parks and Trails Survey

The residents of Paulding County have expressed a strong desire for increased opportunities to engage in outdoor activities together. To fulfill this vision, a dedicated committee has been established with the primary goal of securing state funding to revitalize and create connections between Reservoir Park and the Black Swamp Nature Center. It is important to note that there are no plans for additional local taxes.

We are actively seeking your valuable input through this survey to ensure that this project aligns with the aspirations of Paulding County’s residents. We encourage all Paulding County residents to share their thoughts on the types of activities they would like to see in this newly revitalized space. Your feedback will play a role in shaping the future of outdoor recreation in Paulding County.

Take the survey by clicking this link, or by entering bit.ly/parksandtrailssurvey into your browser.

Please reach out to Anna Gurney with Paulding SWCD, (419) 399-4771 or education.specialist@pauldingswcd.org, with any questions about this project.

To mulch or not to mulch?

Are you planning on spreading mulch around your trees and landscape this year? Master Gardener Volunteers see this common practice of mulch placed under trees and right up the tree trunk!

Another mulch volcano! That is a big NO, NO! It’s important to keep mulch off the tree trunk because the covered tree trunk will grow roots under the mulch. As the new roots grow in the soft mulch, the deep roots begin to die off. Eventually, a tree with a weak root system could be blown over by a strong windstorm.

For more information on mulching trees see this excellent article written by Joe Boggs that can be found on the OSU Buckeye Yard & Garden onLine (BYGL), https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1494.

Ohio’s Woodland Stewards: Friday’s Escape to the Forest series on February 10

Included are very high-resolution images of the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle. Specimens provided by Dr. David Wagner of the University of Connecticut.

Join us for our first Friday’s Escape to the Forest webinar of 2023.  Ohio State Extension Specialist in Forest Entomology, Kayla Perry will be our presenter as we get up to date on what is going on with emerald ash borer (EAB) and how our forests are doing post-invasion. She will discuss the status of Emerald Ash Borer in post-outbreak forests.

Join OSU’s Kayla Perry, State Extension Specialist in Forest Entomology, as we talk about Emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis). EAB has caused widespread decline and death of ash trees throughout eastern North America since it was first detected in southeastern Michigan in 2002. This presentation will provide an update on the distribution, management, and ecological impacts of EAB, with a focus on forests that have experienced the longest duration of invasion by this insect.

Register here for the webinar.  Continuing education credits for ISA and SAF will be offered. Continue reading Ohio’s Woodland Stewards: Friday’s Escape to the Forest series on February 10 →

2023-2024 Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide

The 2023-24 Midwest Fruit Pest Management Guide is now available.  The easiest way to get a hard copy is to order from the website https://mdc.itap.purdue.edu/item.asp?Item_Number=ID-465.  You can also download the guide for free.

This guide provides conventional pest management recommendations for commercial tree fruit, small fruit, and grape producers throughout the Midwest and surrounding states. These recommendations have been formulated to provide up-to-date information on pesticides and their application.

Needing Help on Rural Broadband in Ohio

Dear OSU Extension friends,

The Federal Communications Commission recently released new broadband maps that will be used to determine the amount of funding Ohio will receive to expand broadband access throughout the state via BEAD (the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program).

To improve the maps and ensure Ohio receives as much support as possible, we need your help!

By Jan. 13, 2023, we need as many Ohioans as possible to check the federal maps, and if there is an inconsistency about their local internet availability, submit supporting information online.

To participate:

1) Share this email with all listservs that reach your community, as well as your broader network in Ohio.

2) Share the attached poster on social media, in your office building, and in commonly used spaces in your community.

3) Talk to as many people as you can. The more people who share their local status, the better!

If there are any questions about this effort, please contact David Civittolo, Ohio State University Extension interim assistant director for community development, at civittolo.1@osu.edu. Thank you for helping us bring high-speed internet to all Ohioans.

Directions for the Survey (As seen in the graphic)

It’s easy, follow these steps:

  1. Search for your address at: BroadbandMap.fcc.gov
  2. Click on the “Settings Symbol” and make sure ‘All Wired and Licensed Fixed Wireless’ is selected under Technology (See picture)
  3. Is the location status correct? If not, click ‘Availability Change’
  4. Can the listed service providers deliver at the internet speeds displayed? If not, click ‘Availability Change’

If you have any questions, visit our website at broadband.ohio.gov or email us at broadbandohio@development.ohio.gov

 

September Farm Office Live – September 22 @ 10:00 AM

Sept 2022 Farm Office LiveThis season’s Farm Office Live schedule is set! We return on September 22 at 10 am, live from Farm Science Review! Make sure to register for this season’s Farm Office Live by following this link: https://osu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3V84ep3zT6SsKDJ_k_2FQg

Registration does not carry over from year to year. So, if you want to stay up to date with all the latest farm management and ag law issues, make sure to sign up!

2022 to 23 Farm Office Live Flyer

September Farm Office Live Slide

Upcoming Webinar: Native Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife

By Dave Apsley, Natural Resources Specialist, Ohio State University Extension

Our first  A DAY in the WOODS program for 2022, “Native Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife”, will be offered via Zoom webinar at 3 pm on March 11.  A registration link and  more details can be found at: https://u.osu.edu/apsley.1/2022/02/22/native-grasslands-and-pollinator-habitat-for-wildlife-offered-via-zoom-webinar-on-march-11/

This program will introduce you to “Native Grasslands and Pollinator Habitat for Wildlife” which will be covered in more depth at our field-based July 22,  A DAY in the WOODS program.

Apply to Master Gardener Training by February 10

Do you want to join the Ohio State University Master Gardener Volunteer Program? Applications are now available for the 2022 training class. The Ohio State University Master Gardener Program reaches hundreds of people in Paulding County each year. While this program is held in 2022 in Williams County, the initial certification classes are universal statewide and will count toward becoming a volunteer in Paulding County.

Volunteers receive training from OSU experts on topics such as lawns, soil health, tree identification, annual and perennial plants, insects, pest management, plant diseases, and more!  Once trained, Master Gardeners volunteer for OSU Extension to increase the outreach efforts of Ohio State University throughout the community.  Some projects include conducting public seminars and workshops, hosting informational booths, and maintaining local gardens.

The training will begin in March and run through April. Applications are due February 10, 2022.  Classes will be held Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. at 1425 East High St., Bryan, OH.  The cost for the complete program is $65 per person or $95 per couple for Williams County residents payable by the first class and $100 per person for non-Williams County residents. Printed applications are available at the OSU Extension Williams County Office or applications may be submitted online at go.osu.edu/WmsCoMGVTraining.

Farm Science Review Tickets Still Available until Monday

Picture courtesy of Farm Science Review

There is still time until Monday to get tickets. 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. The full program is located at https://fsr.osu.edu/sites/fsr/files/imce/Information/FSR%202021%20Full%20Program%20with%20Maps%20Gatefold.pdf 

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 back in our offices after our remodel. You will see a new facelift in the office. Please ask Katie for tickets.

Fall armyworms are marching

Fall armyworm damage to a yard in Paulding County. If you are seeing this please contact me. There is a chance the yard will come back with the rains received on Thursday evening.

I have received many phone calls and emails this week about armyworms this week from both farmers and landowners.  I have worked with Curtis Young in Van Wert County to make the positive ID of Fall armyworm.  I have shared some of the pictures of the damage armyworms can do.  I am receiving these calls from around the county.

Fall armyworm in a lawn in Paulding County. The threshold for control is 4 worms per square foot for lawns/homeowners.

Across the US, the Fall armyworm numbers have been much higher than in previous years due to our current weather patterns and the life cycle of Armyworms, there is a chance we could see a third-generation yet this year.  These guys like to feed on the species in the grass family and their “candy” is newly seeded yards (within the last few years), volunteer wheat fields, and newly seeded forages. Additionally, I am linking extra articles with information on control and general question both agronomically and for homeowners. As always, contact me with your questions.

Thanks,

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 →