Planning For the Future of Your Farm Workshop

2024 PFF Flyer

Join the Ohio State University Extension offices in Crawford and Seneca
counties for a workshop designed to help farm families develop effective
succession and estate plans. This workshop will provide strategies and tools
to transfer farm ownership, management, and assets to the next generation.
Learn how to have the crucial conversations necessary for a successful
transition. Topics will include:

Developing Goals for Estate and Succession | Planning for the Transition
of Control | Planning for the Unexpected Communication and Conflict
Management during Farm Transfer Legal Tools and Strategies |
Developing Your Team | Getting Your Affairs in Order | Selecting an
Attorney
For more information visit go.osu.edu/farmsuccession

LOCATION
808 Whetstone St.
Bucyrus, OH 44820

Don’t Strike Out Next Breeding Season

Many livestock economists have demonstrated over the years that there is a premium in the marketplace for uniform lots of calves. For further proof, just watch what happens at the local auction market when it comes to selling feeder cattle and then tune into one of the western video auctions and compare prices….

Learn more here

Fall Forage Management

The fall is a critical time in our yearly forage management calendar. Regardless of how the growing season has progressed, your fall management practices will set the stage for getting the next spring off on the right foot. In this article, we will give some recommendations on soil fertility, fall planting of new alfalfa stands, and when to take the last forage harvest for the season…

Learn more here

Enhancing Beef Cattle Breeding: Insights from the eBarns Survey Study

It is valuable to observe shifts in breeding practices and understanding the focus of other operations to optimize management techniques tailored to your specific needs. The primary goal of dissecting breeding strategies is to not only boost profitability but ensuring that operations are sustainable in the long run. In result of wanting to harness these insights on a broader scale, OSU Extension spurred the Beef Cattle Breeding Program Impact Survey Study, to be featured in the 2024 eBarns publication. The study gathered detailed information on breeding practices, directly correlating these practices to genetic improvement, efficiency, and productivity of operations…

Learn more here

Mechanically Controlling Weeds in Pastures

Maintaining high-quality pastures is crucial for Ohio’s beef producers. Weeds compete with forages for nutrients, water, and sunlight, potentially lowering the quality and quantity of the forage available to grazing livestock. Weeds can significantly impact pasture quality and even cause livestock health issues if poisonous species are consumed. Traditional weed control methods include mechanical (mowing), chemical, burning, and biological controls. In 2021 we finished a three-year study focused on mechanical mowing, aiming to understand how different mowing schedules impact weed and forage growth…

Learn more here

Spotted Lanternfly- Have you seen me?

The Spotted Lanternfly is a native to China, India, and Vietnam that has no made its way into the Untied States and Ohio! This invasive pest is a sap-feeding plant hopper; meaning that even though it was beautiful long wings, they don’t actually fly. They will feed on and have the capability to kill fruit plants like grapevines, ornamentals and woody trees. Do you drink beer? The Spotted Lanternfly will feed on and kill hops! Although these pests will feed on the above species, their favorite host plant is the Tree of Heaven. The Tree of Heaven is also an invasive species here in Ohio- what a coincidence!

toh3tree of heaven leaf

Tree of Heaven with seeds (top) Tree of Heaven leaf (bottom)

The Spotted Lanternfly has various life stages each year. Early nymphs will start to appear in April and May and are less than 1/4 inch in size. These early nymphs are black with white spots. Once the year goes on and May and June come around the nymphs will enter their late stage. Late stage nymphs are less than 1/2 an inch and are still black with white spots but now they have red on their back and head. The adult Spotted Lanternfly will start to emerge in late June and will be active until Winter. The adult has 4 wings with a piercing sucking mouthpart. The front wings are translucent grey with black spots and a black tile pattern at the tips. The hind wings are red with patches of black and white. Adults are about 1 inch long, 1/2 wide at rest and 1 1/2 inches wide with their wings spread.

Early stage nymphs

Late stage nymphs

Adult Spotted Lanternfly from bugwood.org

Some signs of Spotted Lanternfly include honeydew, black soot and mold either on the trees, at the base of the tees or under the trees.

Black sooty mold (top) and honeydew (bottom) from bugwood.org

If you think you’ve seen Spotted Lanternfly or signs of the pest, SAY SOMETHING! You can report directly to the Ohio Department of Agriculture via ODA SLF Webpage or email them at plantpest@agri.ohio.gov or by phone at 614-728-6400

Make sure to be as detailed as possible when making your report! Include:

  • Pictures (if able)
  • What exactly you saw
  • Where exactly you were
  • The date and time the sighting occurred
  • Your contact information

You can also report using the Great Lakes Early Detection Network (GLEDN) app

Forage Field Night in Wooster, Ohio

Forage Field Night 9-4-2024

OSU Extension –Wayne County will host a forages field night and pasture walk on September 4th, 2024at the OSU CFAES Wooster Beef Unit from 6:00 to 8:30. The program will highlight current research on the evaluation of individual animal forage consumption while on pasture and it’s use in genetic selection of replacement breeding stock. In addition, we will discuss ruminant livestock grazing behaviors as influenced by forage availability and quality.

For more information, you can view the attached flier or call the Wayne County Extension office at 330-264-8722

Pesticide Applicator Exam- Seneca County

Seneca County is now a host location for the pesticide applicator licensing exam given through the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

If you are thinking about taking the applicator exam, go to the ODA Pesticide Exam Registration site to choose your location and register for the exam.

The Seneca County exams will be located at the Seneca County Extension Office at 3140 South State Route 100, Tiffin, Oh 44883

The Seneca County dates are:

  • September 24th, 2024 at 9am
  • October 15th, 2024 at 9am
  • November 14th, 2024 at 9am
  • December 9th, 2024 at 12pm
  • January 27th, 2024 at 10am

If you need study materials for your exam, you can purchase those from the extension office. Please call ahead to make sure we have the needed items in stock (419-447-9722).

You can find more information at pested.osu.edu or visit seneca.osu.edu