 For most agricultural producers, activities over the winter months tend to slow down. This is an opportune time to take a look at your farming operation and determine if there are areas that could benefit from the establishment of one or more conservation practices.
For instance, do you have a ditch or stream running through your farm that needs a filter strip? Is a particular field prone to wind erosion and stands to benefit from a windbreak? How about that one area that’s hard to farm because it’s always wet? Have you considered how FSA’s Lake Erie Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (Lake Erie CREP) might benefit your farming operation and help to protect the environment at the same time? Lake Erie CREP began with the main objective to improve water quality in all of our rivers, streams, and tributaries within the Lake Erie watershed with a special emphasis on the Blanchard and Tiffin Rivers as important tributaries of the Maumee River. These conservation practices will target environmentally sensitive areas to reduce sediments and nutrients, prevent water pollution and minimize the risk of flooding and improve the habitat for multiple wildlife species. Continue reading |
Nutrient Management
New Factsheet: “Understanding How Soil Test Phosphorus Impacts Water Quality”
A factsheet discussing the relationship between the amount of Phosphorus in our soils and water quality, written by Greg LaBarge, Field Specialist, Agronomic Systems and Rachel Cochran, Water Quality Extension Associate at Ohio State University was released today. It discusses the importance of P management, as well as different studies that have examined the relationship between P levels and water quality. Many best practices for managing high P levels are discussed as well. View the factsheet at this link, or visit Ohioline and search for the factsheet ANR-0111.
Certified Livestock Manager Webinar 4: A Summary of eBarnsOn-Farm Research – CLM Credits Offered
Join the Water Quality Team for our 4th Certified Livestock Manager Webinar of the series on February 6th from 10-11:30 am for “A Summary of eBarns On-Farm Research”. Speakers include OSU’s own Dr. Brady Campbell, Assistant Professor, and Small Ruminant Specialist, Courtney Krieger, Water Quality Extension Associate, and USDA’s Dr. Jessica Pempek, Research Animal Scientist. CLM and CCA Credits will be offered at the end of the program. Register at go.osu.edu/CLM to attend this webinar. For questions email emmons.118@osu.edu
eBarns was new in 2022 and focuses on applied livestock, forage, and manure management research across Ohio. The report can be found online at go.osu.edu/ebarns2022. Continue reading
New Pesticide Applicator Crash Course Open for Registration
As advertised in the NW Ohio Newsletter in 2023 a New Pesticide Applicator class. This class will help new pesticide applicators prepare for the Ohio Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator license test in CORE and cereal and grain crops (private category 1/commercial category 2c) as well as recordkeeping after you have obtained the license. Study guides will be provided with registration along with other resources. Study books from the OSU Extension Publications store are available at an additional cost. The books can be ordered via our office by calling (419)399-8225 or by ordering online at https://extensionpubs.osu.edu/. An additional study by the participants is encouraged beyond the two hours spent in class. Although this class will help prepare participants in Core (applying pesticides properly and safely) and Category 1 (Grain & Cereal Crops), other resources will be made available for additional study in other certification categories.
The class will be held on Thursday, February 16 from 9:30 AM-12:00 PM. The class will be held in person.
Location: Paulding County Extension Office, 503 Fairground Drive, Paulding, OH 45879
Cost: $25
Registration information: RSVP is mandatory with the deadline of February 15. Seating is limited. No walk-ins are available.
Registration link: https://go.osu.edu/23pestcrash or you can register via the QR Code below.
Register for ‘Solve Problems and Reduce Risk with Healthy Soil’ Event
The Nature Conservancy is promoting an event for farmers and landowners to solve problems and reduce risk by making their soils healthy. This event will be held at the Hancock Hotel in Findlay, OH from 9AM-4PM on Wednesday, December 14th. Continue reading
OSU Extension’s CLM Webinar Series is back for December!
Join OSU Extension’s Water Quality Team for the third installment of their Certified Livestock Manger (CLM) Webinar Series! The webinar to be held from 10-11:30AM on Monday, December 5th will discuss how to utilize manure as an organic fertilizer on your operation. Continue reading
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
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!
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.
Paulding County To Host Agriculture Breakfast Next Week!
Join OSU Extension’s Water Quality team for a breakfast meeting focused on conservation practices!
We need your input on which types of conservation practices to include in future watershed plans. The practices outlined in these watershed plans will be the first to receive funding once the plans are implemented and grants are secured. The meeting will be held on the Paulding County Fairgrounds in the Youth Leadership Building from 7:30AM – 9:00 AM on Tuesday, April 12th. Breakfast will be provided free of charge, but an RSVP is required. Call 567-344-5016 to register, or email cochran.474@osu.edu.
Click the link below to see an enlarged version of the flyer
Paulding Breakfast Meeting Flyer
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.
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
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
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.
Water Quality Extension Associates Planning Winter Meetings and Spring Research Need YOU!
The six water quality extension associates located in Northwest Ohio are gearing up for winter programming and need input from you! Continue reading
Soil Health Tour and Event Scheduled for Northwest Ohio
By Rachel Cochran, OSU Extension Water Quality Associate
Paulding County Extension will be hosting two events in Northwest Ohio in August: a soil health tour and a follow-up event with a guest speaker. The soil health tour includes stops around Northwest Ohio showcasing different practices to help improve soil health. A map of tour stops can be found at go.osu.edu/soilhealthtour and will be updated as tour stops are confirmed. Continue reading
Call for Cooperators – 2021 On-Farm Research
By Rachel Cochran, Water Quality Extension Associate, and Sarah Noggle, Extension Educator
As we begin to approach Spring planting, it’s important to think about the intricacies of the growing season – what fertilizer to use, how much to apply, how to apply it, etc. If you’re unsure what rate would most benefit your crop while earning you the largest profit, on-farm research may be a good way for you to determine that. If you’re unsure what effects different management practices are having on the health of your soil, on-farm research may be a helpful tool. For almost any question you may have about your operation, an on-farm research trial may be a good way to better understand what the best practices may be for your farm.
This year, we plan to continue the eFields Soil Health Study that was started in 2020. In this study, soil samples are pulled from three depths: 0-4”, 0-6”, and 0-8” within a field. A variety of different tests are then performed on that soil, including routine nutrient analysis, pH, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), total organic matter, aggregate stability, and Permanganate Oxidizable Carbon (POXC). The results of these tests will be grouped with fields of similar management and published in the 2021 eFields book and will help to give you a snapshot of the health of your soil.
OSU Extension Paulding County is here to help you find out what’s best for your operation, whether it be through sharing of information or planning of research trials on your farm. Reach out to Sarah Noggle, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator, or Rachel Cochran, Water Quality Extension Associate, if you’re interested in doing any type of on-farm research this growing season. We will be happy to set up a trial for you to get the answers you need.
Contact our office at (419) 399-8225, or email noggle.17@osu.edu or cochran.474@osu.edu for more information.
2021 Weed Control Guide and NEW Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations Now Available
Are you looking for up-to-date weed control or fertility information before planting season? The OSU Extension Paulding County Office now has copies of the 2021 Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois Weed Control Guide and Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations for Corn, Soybean, Wheat, and Alfalfa available for purchase.
The 2021 Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois Weed Control Guide explains the importance of weed control and gives suggestions on herbicide management strategies for corn, soybeans, small grains, and forages. Also included are special sections on marestail, Palmer amaranth, and waterhemp. An index to all tables regarding herbicides is listed on the back cover for easy navigation and quick referencing. The cost of the publication is $17.25 plus $1.25 in tax making the total for the booklet $18.50.
The updated Tri-State Fertilizer Recommendations for Corn, Soybeans, Wheat, and Alfalfa reflects changes in regional field crop production practices, including general reductions in tillage and crop rotations, greater plant populations and grain yields, new pests and diseases, and the emergence of precision soil sampling and fertilizer rate and placement technologies. The updated fertilizer recommendations aim to aid farmers in managing mineral fertilizer sources in field crop systems as judiciously and profitably as possible. The cost of the publication is $9.00 plus $.65 tax making the total for the booklet $9.65.
Both publications are available for purchase by either cash or check at the OSU Extension Paulding County Office (1425 East High Street, Suite 112, Bryan) Tuesday – Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., no appointment necessary. To pick up an order call office associate, Katie Gorrell or email her at gorrell.42@osu.edu. Please call ANR Extension Educator Sarah Noggle at (419) 399-8225 with any questions specific to the publications.
Farmer Advocates wanted!
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.