Be sure to listen into this fun interview with Winne the Pooh and Donna Elliot, theatre director for Wagnall’s Community Theatre….lots of fun !!
The production begins April 19-21 and continues April 26-28!! Be sure to check out the https://www.facebook.com/WagnallsCommunityTheater for ticket information
The Ohio Forest Pests: A Field Guide, a resource that was printed and has been distributed at targeted programs, is now available online.
Ohio’s forests face numerous challenges to their health, ecological benefits and future existence. The hope is that this identification guide will assist foresters, woodland owners and other natural resource professionals to identify forest pests in the field. This field guide is not comprehensive, but attempts to provide identification resources for the insects and diseases most likely to be encountered in Ohio woodlands. Also noted are potential species that may be problematic for our forests. These species may not be present currently; however, they should remain foremost in our minds so that we are diligent in preventing their incursion.
You can view and/or download this publication at: https://easternforestpests.com/
Be sure to listen into the Saturday Farm Page on 88.9FM WLRY at 7 am and 7 pm on Saturday 4/20 to learn more the 4-H Vendors Craft Show in July. Vendors are needed! Listen in for all the details with 4-H advisor Cindy Gilfillen.
The impact of the sheer numbers of flowering pear can go unnoticed. But not this time of year. As one of the first flowering trees of the season, now is a great time to tag them for later removal. The key is to know what trees should be removed before they set fruit. So, you have time. But NOW is the time to tag trees as they come into flower. They are so easy to identify.
Interestingly, think about all of the housing developments that might have used used pears extensively in home landscapes or as a street tree and how birds loved to help those disperse those seeds.
They looked beautiful but didn’t behave as a sterile tree as advertised. But they are the tree that keeps on giving, or invading.
Did you know it is illegal to buy or sell Ornamental Flowering Pear Trees in Ohio as of January 7th, 2023? The suggestion is to get out and tag the flowering trees now. Then, sometime before fruit is set, go out and remove the trees. A great fact sheet on invasive plant removal is attached:
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/f-65
Although the fact sheet is written to control Tree of Heaven, some of the same techniques can be employed. In addition, Ohio Department of Natural Resources has a document regarding Callery Pear: https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/plants-trees/invasive-plants/callery-pear
Also, a general fact sheet on Controlling Undesirable Trees, Shrubs, and Vines in Your Woodland can be found here: https://woodlandstewards.osu.edu/sites/woodlands/files/d6/files/pubfiles/0045.pdf
The take home message is if you want to reduce Callery Pear in your landscape or woodlot, now’s the time to tag!
The next summer get-together is just around the corner. Family, friends, or old classmates will be in town. It’s the perfect time for inviting them over to grill out for dinner . . . or is i
t?
Few things can satisfy or impress family and friends like the aroma, tenderness, juiciness, and deep rich flavor of a steak or chop grilled to perfection. However, there may not be anything that strikes as much apprehension and fear into the hearts of a dinner host as that of failing to correctly select, prepare and grill the perfect steak. If you’ve ever struggled with the angst of whether you can pull off that perfect meal and eating experience of dinner originating from your grill, then the Grill Smart class is designed for you.
Grill Smart is a program adapted by OSU Extension Beef Field Specialist Garth Ruff from the Barbecue Science class that is taught annually on campus at The Ohio State University. The program takes participants all the way from meat selection to properly serving a perfectly grilled masterpiece.
More specifically, during the 3-and-a-half-hour Grill Smart course, participants learn to match the appropriate cooking methodology with a particular muscle or cut, gain an understanding of how or why different muscles are typically merchandised as steaks or roasts, and which cuts to select for various types of entertainment functions. Furthermore, those in attendance will become more familiar with terminology associated with the meat industry, and learn about potential food safety issues when preparing meat and other food products.
Participants will gain experience with various cuts of beef, turkey, and pork chops. Seasoning and the use of spices and oils will be explored along with cooking temperatures and determining doneness. Lighting the grill and properly cleaning it, all in the name of food safety and eating experience, will also be covered. In order acquire a general understanding of sensory evaluation, participants will get to sample the end product of each learning objective, a highlight of the program for many.
When it comes to meat, a satisfactory eating experience is directly related not only to the selection at the meat case, but also the tenderness, juiciness, and flavor of the cooked product. Regardless, if you’re entertaining and feeding family, friends, or long lost classmates, your success on the grill will always set the tone for the entire event. Don’t let your anxiety over whether you’re doing it right ruin your evening.
Make plans now to participate in one of two Grill Smart sessions scheduled for June 27, 2024. Hosted at the Fairfield County Ag Center, 831 College Avenue, you may choose the 10:30 a.m. session or the second one that begins at 4:00 p.m. Participation at each session is limited to 16 participates that will work in groups of four. Cost is $30 per person and covers the cost of the meat, seasonings and grilling equipment. Call 740-653-5419 or visit https://go.osu.edu/fclocal to register.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn to select, prepare, grill and serve the perfect steak, chop or tender . . . after all, no one ever invites friends over to microwave!
Be sure to tune into this interview with Rachel of All Saints & Co. Consignment Boutique. It is great place to feel welcome and shop!! And the story behind the story that Rachel shares is truly inspiring. Be sure to listen in!!
Want to learn more about easy way to clean and recycle in your Kitchen? Be sure to listen into this interview with Lancaster Fairfield County Community Action Recycling expert, Keri Murphy for all the details!!
One of the earliest and most-welcomed signs of spring are the flowers who have persevered through the winter. As colder temperatures subside and give way to spring, crocuses respond by pushing new shoots up through the earth and opening their cheery blossoms. This can remind us that there is always potential for change and growth, even during difficult times.
In order to bring about positive change in our culture, or ourselves, we begin with hope. Fostering hope has been shown in various research studies to help decrease symptoms of depression and improve mental health, self-esteem and the ability to function with a chronic illness. In a study of older adults, hope was linked to better physical and mental health and health behavior outcomes.
To better understand what hope is, we can look at the science behind it. Goals are the thing we are striving for and become the cornerstone of hope. Pathway is the ability to identify routes toward goals and to find new pathways (problem solve) around obstacles, if necessary. Agency (willpower) is the ability to sustain motivation to move along these pathways. No matter the difficulties we may face, hope is accessible to each and every one of us. Unlike optimism, which is simply the expectation of a better future, hope is action-oriented and a skill that can be learned.
To foster hope in your life, you may need to re-frame your thinking and form new habits. Hope experts recommend these tips:
At the heart of change is our ability to understand the way things are right now in our lives… and that we can begin to imagine the way things could be. This is where hope is born. So, when you see early spring flowers, let them remind you to hold on to hope and believe that things will get better, and the courage to take some action to bring about change.
The scholarship was established by Dorrin and Ruth Ross. Natives of Licking County, Ohio, Dorrin and Ruth married and moved to Columbus in 1935. Mr. Ross began his career as a carpenter, worked for the Curtiss-Wright Company during World War II, and spent the remainder of his career with the Ohio Parole Board, working his way from Parole officer to a supervisor before he passed away in June, 1989.
The scholarship is indicative of Mrs. Ross’s interest in supporting educational opportunities for rural students, inspired by the loss of her family’s farm during the Depression, after her graduation from college. The Dorrin and Ruth Ross scholarship program has assisted 4-H and FFA youth in Fairfield County with scholarship funds for over 25 years. 
Eligibility Criteria:
Candidates must meet one of the following criteria:
Graduates or graduating high school seniors of Bloom Carroll High School or Fairfield Union high School;
Past or present members of Fairfield County 4-H or Fairfield County Agriculture’s Future Farmers of American(FFA);
Candidates must attend or plan to attend an educational institution in the U.S.
Deadline for the online application April 15, 2024 5:00 p.m. /NEW for this year the application is now ON-LINE and can be found at the Columbus Foundation site or at https://cfprograms.smapply.io/prog/rossschol
Tis the season to buy potted blooming bulbs for inside the house to celebrate the coming of spring. The most common are daffodils, tulips or lilies which may be planted outside once the foliage has died back or stored in a cool dry environment and planted in the fall. All are considered members of the Liliaceae family and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, depression, excessive salivation and death in cats following ingestion of any plant parts. Exposure to daffodils and tulips can cause similar signs in dogs. However, only mild gastrointestinal signs are reported in dogs ingesting lilies. Cats are the most at risk due to their relative low body weight, their jumping ability to get to high places basically anywhere in the house and curiosity which results in chewing (ingesting indoor plants, especially new plants brought into the house.
