Author: Beth Scheckelhoff

Beef Quality Assurance on January 22

The Putnam County Extension office will be holding a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program on Wednesday, January 22 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. This is an excellent opportunity to become BQA-certified or to renew your certification. BQA certification lasts for a three-year period before it needs to be renewed. This program is offered at no cost to attendees. Light refreshments will be provided by the Putnam County Cattlemen’s Association.

Can’t make the program? Check out BQA.org for in-person classes, or take the online course to obtain your certification/recertification!

2025 Putnam BQA

Planning for the Future of Your Farm – January 23, 2025

 

We are excited to announce the opportunity for farm families to explore the future of their farm in this day-long workshop!

OSU Extension invites farm families to learn how to create a plan for the future transition of their farm’s ownership, management, and assets to the next generation. Learn how to have crucial conversations about the future of your farm.

Workshop topics include: Developing Legacy Goals; Planning for the Transition of Management; Planning for the Unexpected; Communication and Conflict Management; Legal Tools and Strategies; Developing Your Team; Getting Your Affairs in Order; and Selecting an Attorney.

The base registration fee of $65 includes course materials, refreshments, and lunch for two persons. Additional family members can attend for $20 per person. More information can be obtained by contacting Beth Scheckelhoff at 419-523-6294, scheckelhoff.11@osu.edu. This workshop is being co-sponsored by Ohio Corn and Wheat.

Printable flyer and registration form: Putnam Planning for the Future

Registration deadline is January 18!

Organic Grains Conference on January 4-5

Registration is open for the 2nd annual Ohio State Organic Grains Conference, January 4-5, 2024 at the Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center near Toledo, Ohio. The 2024 conference offers programming for experienced organic growers, growers transitioning to or considering organic, and consultants or educators who support these growers. Featured speakers will include Klaas Martens from Lakeview Organic Grain in New York; Léa Vereecke from Rodale Institute; former Ohio State soil fertility specialist Steve Culman; and Eugene Law, currently of USDA-ARS, but soon to be an Ohio State assistant professor in weed ecology.

Take advantage of Early Bird pricing until December 6 and register now! The cost of $100 per person includes two days of quality programming, meals throughout the event, and opportunities to network with organic farmers in the region as well as speakers and trade show vendors.

This event is brought to you by Ohio State University Extension and Ohio State’s Organic Food & Farming Education and Research (OFFER) program. Continuing education credits will be available for Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs). For more information, visit go.osu.edu/organicgrains.

Visit https://fulton.osu.edu/program-areas/agriculture-and-natural-resources/2023-organic-grains-conference to see information about the 2023 Organic Grains Conference, including recordings or slide decks from many of the presentations. In its first year, this event drew more than 180 participants.

Snowy Owls in Ohio

Not all birds live in Ohio year-round, especially during the winter months. It is common to see bald eagles, hawks, sparrows, crows, geese, and other feathered species including owls. Interestingly, while twelve different owl species have been recorded in Ohio, only half are commonly found in the winter. One occasional visitor, the snowy owl, has been spotted in NW Ohio this past week.

The snowy owl is appropriately named as it regularly nests in the snowy Arctic tundra, some 2000 miles away from Putnam County. Males are mostly white while females more commonly have black bars on their feathers. Both males and females have white faces.

The number of snowy owls reaching Ohio in the winter varies from year to year. This largely depends on whether there are enough lemmings (a small rodent found in the North American tundra) for them to hunt. When the number of lemmings declines, snowy owls will fly south in search of food.  They will then expand their diet to include other bird species and small mammals like voles, mice, and rats.

Snowy owls are usually spotted along Lake Erie but can be found further south. They prefer the expanse of agricultural lands which is like the snow-covered tundra where they nest. In contrast to other owl species, snowy owls feed during the day, not the night.

Snowy owls will perch for long periods in search of prey – and are easily observed by passersby. Several snowy owls were spotted this past week. Owls are fairly large birds with a four-foot wingspan and weighing 4-5 pounds. Keep your eyes peeled for additional sightings of this magnificent winter visitor!

Image courtesy of pixabay.com

2022 Putnam County Livestock Programs

Putnam county producers raise a large number of livestock each year – including hogs, cattle, sheep, and poultry. In 2022, producers will have the opportunity to attend both a Beef Quality Assurance Certification and Recertification program and a Livestock Mortality Composting Program.

Beef Quality Assurance
Thursday, January 13 from 7:00 to 8:30 PM

Many buyers only source beef from producers trained in Beef Quality Assurance (BQA). Ensure that you have complete market access by becoming BQA Certified or Recertified. Clint Schroeder, Extension Educator from Allen County, will conduct the program and answer producer questions and concerns.  There is no charge for this program.

Livestock Mortality Composting
Wednesday, February 2 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM

Composting is an economical and efficient method of disposal for livestock. Certification is needed in Ohio to compost cattle, horses, poultry, sheep, goats, and swine. This program will review how to appropriately construct, monitor, and manage your compost system. The course will be taught by OSU Extension Specialist Glen Arnold.  There is a $10 fee to attend this program and includes all materials.

Programs will take place at the Putnam County Extension Office.

 

 

Putnam County Coffee Talk Begins January 7

The extension office is excited to announce a new monthly series of programs that have been developed together with the Putnam County Soil and Water Conservation Service.  This series is called “Putnam County Coffee Talk” and will feature topics for both our agriculture industry as well as homeowners and the general public.

Putnam County Coffee Talk will take place on the first Friday of each month from 8:30 to 11:00 am at the OSU Extension office located at 1206 East 2nd Street in Ottawa. An agriculture-focused topic will begin at 8:30 and conclude at 9:30. Coffee and light refreshments will be available from 9:30 to 10:00 am. The homeowner/resident topic will run from 10:00 to 11:00 am.

The first segment of Coffee Talk will be on Friday, January 7 focusing on local and regional land values, a topic important to farmers, landowners, and residents alike. You might be interested to learn how land values have changed in and around Putnam County this past year and anticipated value changes for 2022 and beyond.

Both sessions will feature a panel of local land value experts, including Bob Benroth from the Putnam County auditor’s office, a local appraiser, and auctioneer. Sessions will discuss land values, CAUV, and the panel will be open for questions from all. Come to one session or stay for both and enjoy a coffee break in between!

Additional topics for the coming months include:

  • February 4: “Managing Manure on the Farm – Techniques and Regulations” followed by “The Scoop on Poop – Manure Applications in and Around the Home”
  • March 4: “The Why, How, and Where of Planting Windbreaks” followed by “Backyard Trees 101 – Ornamental and Fruiting Trees for Putnam County”
  • April 1: “Micronutrient Applications on the Farm – Bust or Benefit?” followed by “ABC’s of Lawn Care”
  • May 6: “Local Government Programs and Updates” followed by “Planting Primer for Your Putnam County Garden”
  • June 3: “Where Are We with Water Quality in Putnam County?” followed by “Managing Your Pond”

There will be no session in July, and Coffee Talk will resume on the first Friday from August through November. We hope to see you there!

 

Extension Office Taking Putnam County AG Hall of Fame Nominations

Since its creation in 1820, Putnam County has long been recognized as a highly productive agricultural county in Ohio. Past and present farmers have worked the ground, tended crops, raised livestock, protected our streams and rivers, and developed innovative equipment and methods to ensure that we have an abundance of food on our tables.

Early next year we will once again recognize our strong agricultural heritage by inducting recipients into the Putnam County Agriculture Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame honors individuals and businesses that have contributed significantly to Putnam County’s agricultural legacy. Last year, the Putnam County Agriculture Hall of Fame inducted Lewis Klass, formerly of Leipsic, Donald Kimmet of Ottawa, and Albert Maag of Findlay.

We need your help in identifying potential recipients for 2022 and beyond. If you know of someone who has contributed to the county’s agricultural base, please contact our office so that we may send them or a representative of their family a nomination form. Nomination forms may also be found on our website at www.putnam.osu.edu.

Award nominees, whether living or deceased, must have made their major contribution to agriculture as a result of being born in, living in, beginning or completing their career in Putnam County, Ohio. Nominations may be made in the following categories: producer or farmer; or an agricultural-related activity such as a business, industry association, education, or government.

A wooden plaque honoring our Putnam County Agriculture Hall of Fame recipients since 2018 is on display at the Courthouse in the Recorders office.

Putnam County Ag Hall of Fame Application

 

Celebrate the Holidays with Holiday Cactus

The Christmas season is upon us. Lights, trees, and holiday greens and plants are all around. Most people think of poinsettias as the traditional plant to decorate with for the holidays. Two holiday plants that can be purchased in bloom from Thanksgiving through Christmas are called holiday cacti. These include both Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus.

Both Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus plants are commonly given as houseplants or flowering plants during the holiday season. What are the differences between these two holiday cacti? Both are species of Schlumbergera, a leaf cactus, where the leaves are segments of the plant stem called pads. The Thanksgiving cactus has very sharp pointed leaf edges and flowers typically in the fall around Thanksgiving. The Christmas cactus has softer, scalloped edges and flowers a little later, closer the Christmas.

Image courtesy of gardengatemagazine.com

Holiday cacti are called “short day plants” meaning they require short days (less than 12 hours of light) to set flower buds. Cool night temperatures can also help to set the buds. This environment naturally occurs in Ohio in the fall.

They can be very long-lived, and when given the right conditions, they will rebloom each year.

During the summer, plants may be located outside on a deck, patio, window box, etc. in part shade (3-6 hours of sunlight per day). Filtered sunlight, such as under a tree, is preferable as it mimics the plant’s natural habitat. Excessive sunlight may result in pale green branches, drought, and sunburn.

One way to initiate flower buds next year is to leave plants outdoors in a protected location until just before frost danger. The shortening days and cooler nights of fall signal the plant to produce flowers buds resulting in abundant blooms. Alternatively, locate holiday cacti indoors a cool, bright location where daytime temperatures are 65-70° F and evening temperatures are 55-65° F. When plants are exposed to cooler night temperatures of 55° F, they bloom in approximately 5-6 weeks, sometimes regardless of the day length. However, when the night temperature is 60-65° F, plants must have at least 12 hours of complete darkness every night for about 6 weeks to bloom. Plants are unlikely to bloom if exposed to night temperatures above 65° F.

 

Can you tell what kind of holiday cactus this is?  Hint: the sharply pointed stems indicate that this is a Thanksgiving cactus!