Upcoming Events

2023 Small Farm Conference Registration Open!

Ohio State Extension announced plans to host a Small Farm Conference in Mansfield Ohio on March 11, 2023.  The theme for this year’s Mid-Ohio Small Farm Conference is “Sowing Seeds for Success.”

Conference session topics are geared toward beginning and small farm owners as well as farms looking to diversify their operations.  There will be five different conference tracks including Farm Office, Horticulture and Produce Production, Livestock, Agritourism/ Marketing, and Natural Resources.

Some conference topic highlights include: How to purchase our family farm, food animal processing, beekeeping, sweet corn, blueberry and pumpkin production, small ruminant nutrition, agritourism laws, fruit tree pruning, and cut flower diseases.

Anyone interested in developing, growing, or diversifying their small farm is invited to attend including market gardeners, farmers market vendors, and anyone interested in small farm living.

Attendees will have the opportunity to browse a trade show featuring the newest and most innovative ideas and services for their farming operations. The conference provides an opportunity to talk with the vendors and network with others.

The Conference will take place from 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Mansfield OSU Campus in Ovalwood Hall, just minutes from I-71 and US Rt 30.

For conference and registration call OSU Extension Morrow County at 419-947-1070 or OSU Extension Knox County at 740-397-0401. Please follow this link to register for the conference: https://go.osu.edu/2023osusmallfarmconf

2023 Session Descriptions

Small Farm Conference Brochure 2023

Paulding County a host for Ohio Department of Agriculture Pesticide/Fertilizer Testing on February 7, February 23 and March 8

Testing for Private and Commercial Pesticide, Fertilizer Applicator License will take place on February 7, February 23, and March 8 in Paulding County at the Extension Office. While our office does not administer the test, we are the host and will do our best to provide you with information. Testing will start at 10:00 AM. You must pre-register via ODA’s website HERE. You will need to click the exam registration tab and choose exam by location as to where you want to sign up. Multiple exams may be taken during a session. Additionally, the Ohio Fertilizer Certification test is given at these locations.

General Information: Ohio Department of Agriculture offers an in-person testing option for Private and Commercial Pesticides examinations for 2023. Pre-registering with the Ohio Department of Agriculture is mandatory.

Day of in-person testing reminders: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Department of Agriculture asks that every person taking the exam do a self-check before entering ODA’s campus or regional exam location. If you are feeling sick, please reschedule your exam.

  • Photo IDs will be required.
  • Pencils and calculators will be provided.

 

Need to check your pesticide test scores?  Go to this link: https://agri.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/oda/divisions/plant-health/pesticides/exam-results

Notes for Pesticide Testing Applicants must be 18 years of age and have a valid ID through the state of Ohio or potential for state reciprocity. Register via the ODA website.

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 →

Cover Crops Roundtables to be Hosted in Paulding County

Paulding County Extension is re-starting its Cover Crops Roundtable Series after a three-year hiatus. This series was created as a platform for farmer-to-farmer interaction, with OSU Extension serving as the discussion moderator. The goal of the series is to allow peer learning through networking, problem-solving, and idea sharing regarding the benefits and challenges of growing cover crops on the farm. Continue reading →

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.

Upcoming Labor Management Workshops – Build Your Farm Labor Management Know-How

The 2023 Workshop Series from the Farm Labor Dashboard project will help farm operators and managers build the knowledge and skills they need to successfully recruit and manage the right employees for their farms. The online series (offered via Zoom) is geared to produce and diversified livestock producers who are new to managing employees, and to farmers who are considering changes to how they arrange for and manage, labor on their farms.

Topics include practical approaches to building more successful work crews; conducting financial planning to meet payroll needs; practical and effective strategies for hiring, training, and keeping farm employees, and negotiation basics. Sessions begin January 7 and continue through early March.

A special session for agricultural service providers on January 10 will introduce tools and strategies to help farmers with payroll planning. Additionally, there will be monthly peer learning sessions for people who want to take a deeper dive into delegation, productive conflict, and other creative approaches to labor management.

Advance registration is required.

Learn more at the Farm Labor Dashboard or email beth.holtzman@uvm.edu.

The workshops are made possible by grant support provided by USDA/NIFA under award 2021-49400-35641.

Continue reading →

2023 Ohio Woodland Water and Wildlife Conference

Registration is open for the 2023 Ohio Woodland Water and Wildlife Conference

Join us on March 1st for a diverse set of talks that will offer continuing education credits for ISA, SAF, and pesticides where applicable.  The program flyer is attached here WWW 2023 flyer.  You can register here.

Early registration per person – $65 before 2/10/2023 and $85 after 2/10/2023
Last Date To Register: 2/17/2023

Registration includes continental breakfast, lunch, breaks, and a resource notebook.

NW Ohio Newsletter Events

Please call the office or email noggle.17@osu.edu to register for events, or to find out about program changes, etc. 

Events: Please note all events are subject to change.  To see our full NW Ohio Newsletter with events for the area, click NW Ohio Newsletter 2023

Continue reading →

Webinar Series on Soil Health for 2023

Greetings Soil Heath Enthusiasts,
The Ohio State University Extension Soil Health Committee as part of the OSU Agronomy Team wanted to make sure you were aware of our upcoming soil health programs scheduled for this winter.

To participate in the SOIL HEALTH 2023 WEBINAR SERIES – Registration can be found at www.go.osu.edu/soilhealthweb
CCA Credits will be available for each webinar.

Continue reading →

OSU Extension’s Water Quality Wednesday Webinar Series is back for 2023!

Join OSU’s Water Quality Extension Associates for their annual winter webinar series focusing on the interaction between agriculture and water quality. These webinars will take place monthly from January to March 2023. Continue reading →

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 →

New Farm Lease Law & Ohio Farmland Leasing Update Webinar

From Peggy Kirk Hall, Associate Professor, Agriculture, and Resource Law Program

Lawsuits over late terminations of farm crop leases might reduce after a new law in Ohio takes effect on July 21, 2022.  The law will affect situations where the parties in a farm crop leasing arrangement have not addressed a date or method for terminating the lease–typically verbal leases, although a written lease might also fail to address termination.  A landlord in those situations who wants to end the crop lease will have to do so by delivering a written notice of termination to the tenant operator by September 1.  A late attempt by the landlord to terminate the lease after September 1 would not be effective and the lease would continue for another crop year, although a tenant operator can choose to agree to accept a landlord’s late termination. 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.

Click here to see a flyer with more information

Soil Health Nexus Educator Training to be held July 13th in Paulding

Join OSU Extension for an event sponsored by the Soil Health Nexus aimed at educators and advisers in the agricultural community. This event will serve as an in-service to educate attendees on all things soil health, and will allow you to become more confident in your abilities to expand this knowledge to others. This event will be held July 13, 2022 from 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM in the Paulding County Extension Hall, 503 Fairground Drive, Paulding OH 45879. Registration is free, but required to attend the event. A meal will be provided with registration.

Questions about who should attend this event can be directed to Sarah Noggle, noggle.17@osu.edu, or (419) 399-8225.

Register here for the July 13th event. Registration has been extended until July 6th, one week prior to the event.

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.

Paulding County Farm Bureau is looking for volunteers to help before, during and after the Paulding County Fair.

The Paulding County Farm Bureau is looking for volunteers for various time slots before, during, and after the Paulding County Fair in 2022. Due to the farming season and weather-related events, there are times the Farm Bureau needs to reach out beyond its board membership. Without volunteers in the community, these activities won’t be able to take place.

The fair runs from Saturday, June 11 to Saturday, June 18. These volunteers are preferably adults or older youth partnering with a parent/guardian. Tasks include helping with selling ice cream in their booth, helping with the Farmer Share Breakfast, helping with the Kids Dream Day event, and set-up and teardown of their building.  Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b054faaa82da4f94-paulding

Thank you,

Abram Klopfenstein, President of Paulding County Farm Bureau

Jessica Vandenbroek, Organizational Director, Paulding, Putnam, Allen, and Van Wert Farm Bureau