Month: February 2025

4-H Open House – Thanks Everyone!!

Thank you everyone for the awesome 4-H Open House on Thursday night. We appreciate the volunteers working the activities and all the families that attended! We had over 200 participants plus our volunteer workers!

2025 Open House Door Prize Winners

Camp winners will receive a letter with instructions to claim their prize:

  • 4-H Cloverbud Camp Winner –Calvin Eschbaugh
  • 4-H Beginner Camp Winner –Nora Jackson
  • 4-H Junior Camp Winner –Emma Wheeler
  • 4-H Senior Camp Winner –Nathaniel Cline

The following winners will need to pickup items at the OSU Extension Office, M-F 8-4 pm 1115 Gilman Ave

  • 4-H backpack –Tiffany Ault
  • 4-H backpack –Selah Williams

4-H Shooting Sports 2025 Spring Session

Have fun while safely learning the basic skills of a shooting sports discipline!

Advance Registration:

  • Youth must be 9 years old as of January 1, 2025 and not older than 19 by December 31, 2025
  • Signup Genius, an online software tool, is used for registration.
  • The link to access the signup will be posted on the county’s 4-H Blog at: https://u.osu.edu/washington4h/

and on the Bull’s Eye 4-H Club Facebook Page at:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/235865860279115

  • The link will be posted in the morning and go live on Friday, February 28, 2025 and close March 11.

 Disciplines:

  • Members can participate in one or two disciplines. Different disciplines are offered at different times.
  • Air Pistol (all skill levels shoot together) Max of 12.
  • Rifle (Beginner) & Rifle (Intermediate/Advanced) Max of 12 per class.
  • Archery (beginning, intermediate, advanced). All skill levels shoot together. Max of 15.
  • 3D Archery: Will be shooting at 3D animal targets and must be able to shoot at 20 yards. Minimum of 5 or Max of 8.
  • Shotgun: All skill levels shoot together. Shotguns have a recoil and weigh between 6-8 lbs. We use both low recoil shotguns and ammunition. But recoil is still present. Participants are expected to be able stand, hold and swing the shotgun by themselves. We will be using 20 gauge shotguns. Max of 15.

Meeting Dates & Location: 

  • Meeting Dates: March 16, 23, 30, April 13, and April 27. Orientation & Safety Procedures will be taught at Discipline 1.
  • Discipline 1: 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. Club Meeting: 2:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Discipline 2: 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
  • Discipline 1 Options: Beginner Rifle, Archery, and Air Pistol.
  • Discipline 2 Options: Int./Advanced Rifle, Shotgun, Archery, and 3D Archery.
  • Hervida 4-H Camp, 1260 Camp Hervida Road, Waterford OH 45786
  • Dress for the weather! You will be outside; no heated buildings; outside toilet.

Cost:

  • $5 with completed enrollment, health, and release forms due at orientation
  • Scholarship help is available to cover dues if needed
  • All shooting equipment and supplies provided THANKS to our supporters:

The NRA Foundation, Inc. Whitetails Unlimited Hervida 4-H Camp Inc.

Mid-Ohio Valley Friends of NRA Jim’s Gun Shop LLC Marietta Gun Club

Information & Questions:

  • For general shooting sports program information, go to: http://go.osu.edu/ssports
  • For questions, call Misty Mason at 740-516-4046 or Amanda Warren 740-336-0183

 

Quality Assurance Training – Session #1 – March 4

Please remember that QUALITY ASSURANCE is mandatory for all youth (taking market livestock and lactating dairy cattle/goat projects) and one parent/guardian must attend in order to be eligible to participate in junior fair events, shows and sales at the fairs.

Test-out Option – Youth ages 12-14 and 15-18 may participate in the test-out option. The test will be offered immediately following each QA session.

Looking for study material to prepare for the test: https://washington.osu.edu/sites/washington/files/imce/Quality%20Assurance%20Test%20Study%20Guide_1.pdf

Endowment Dinner Needs Volunteers and Donations

The Washington County 4-H Endowment Dinner and Auction is quickly approaching on April 12, 2025 at the Washington County Fair- Junior Fair Building.  The committee is looking for volunteers to help with set up on Friday evening, and during the event on Saturday.  Please visit the link to sign up to help volunteer.

The Endowment Committee is also still accepting donations for our live and silent auctions during the event.  We would like to thank our generous supporters who have donated to the event this year.  We are also looking for donations for our Grab bags that evening.  Grab bag items can be for adult, teens, and youth.  Items may be dropped off at our office located 1115 Gilman Ave Marietta.

Lastly, we still have tickets available and they may be purchased at our office between the hours of 8am and 4pm.  You may also reach out to a committee member for tickets as well.  We are excited for our largest fundraiser of the year and look forward to a successful event.  Please call our office for more details at 740-376-7431

Event Flyer: Endowment Event flyer 8.5 x 11 2025

Table Reservation: 2025 table reservation form

Donation Form: Donation Form for 2025

Heat Lamp Safety

Heat Lamp Use for Newborn Livestock

It’s that time of year when we hear in the news of barn fires as a result of heat lamps being used for lambing, kidding, and even calving.  As temperatures get colder, livestock producers raising young animals need to make conditions favorable for rearing newborns in adverse conditions. Adding heat lamps to livestock pens should be done with caution.  With any electrical appliance or heating source, precautions need to be taken.

If you must use a heat lamp, best management practices recommend the following tips:

  1. Purchase a high-quality heat lamp. Use lamps that are enclosed with a heat lamp guard (wire or otherwise). If using a lamp outdoors, make sure the lamp is labeled for outdoor use.
  2. Use high- quality bulbs. Low quality bulbs such as thin glass can shatter.
  3. Regularly inspect to make sure that the bulb is tightly secured, and wiring is not exposed, is sealed, and is secured.
  4. Avoid using bulbs over 250W.
  5. Many lamps are used over numerous years. Remove any dust, cobwebs, or dead insects before use.
  6. Secure the lamp to a panel using a non-flammable chain or a heat lamp clamp.  Do not use twine or rope.
  7. Make sure the lamp is secured high enough that adult livestock cannot tamper or abuse the fixture (with head butts, kicks, or bashing).
  8. Keep the lamp away from the ground, combustible bedding (like straw and blankets), and the newborn livestock at a minimum distance of 20”.  Never lay a heat lamp on a flammable surface.
  9. Plug your heat lamp into an Arc Fault Interrupter breaker which will trip if the fixture sparks.  Best practice is to plug directly into an outlet and not an extension cord.
  10. Keep a 10-pound, ABC multipurpose fire extinguisher in the barn for incipient fires.
  11. Install a loud smoke detector that can be heard at the house that will help to alert you of a fire.
  12. A barn temperature monitoring system or fire monitoring system is ideal, but barn cameras will help monitor conditions when use of alternate heat methods are necessary.  This will help keep an eye on barn conditions and potential problems.
  13. Never leave a heat lamp unattended, especially overnight.

Heat lamps pose a significant fire risk, as they are designed to warm the area they are heating. There will be cases where you cannot avoid using a heat lamp, and in those situations, it is important to continuously check on the livestock and monitor the pen area for signs of overheating or dryness of the bedding material. Once the animal is warmed, turn off the light.

 

This column is provided by the OSU Extension Agricultural Safety and Health Team, https://agsafety.osu.edu/.

Sabrina Schirtzinger, ANR Educator Knox County, can be reached at 740-397-0401 or Schirtzinger.55@osu.edu.

Wayne Dellinger, ANR Educator Union County, can be reached at 937-644-8117 or Dellinger.6@osu.edu.

Dee Jepsen, Ag Safety and Health Specialist, can be reached at 614-292-6008 or Jepsen.4@osu.edu.

 

4-H College & Career Scholarships – App due March 3

Applications are now being accepted through March 3 for Washington County 4-H college and personal development scholarships.

Applicants for the College Scholarship program must have been enrolled and in good standing in Washington County 4-H Program at least three years. Applicants must be a high school senior or college freshman at the time of application with plans to attend any accredited associates or bachelors program. The program will award three $500 college scholarships.

Applicants for the Personal Development Scholarship program must be at least a high school senior, high school graduate, Washington County 4-H Alumni OR current Washington County 4-H Volunteer. Applicants must have been involved in the Washington County 4-H Program a minimum of three years as a member or volunteer. The purpose of this scholarship is to reimburse applicants for expenses incurred for further training or technical education. Reimbursable expenses include: books, tools, supplies, tuition, school fees, continuing education fees, room & board, etc. The program will award four $250 scholarships.

Application: 2025 Scholarship Application

Ringworm in Livestock Species

Ringworm is a fungal infection affecting the skin, hair, and nails and is also known as dermatophytosis. Ringworm affects many mammalian species including cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, dogs, and cats. It is also zoonotic, meaning that humans can get infected from animals as well. It is highly infectious among animals and between animals and humans, so be sure to wear gloves and wash hands when handling an animal with a known or suspected ringworm infection. 

There are many species of fungus that cause dermatophytosis.  Most of these species of ringworm do NOT glow under Wood’s Lamp, so it is not an effective means of diagnosis. Fungal culture is the only test that can definitively diagnose dermatophytosis, but results can take as long as three weeks. However, ringworm has distinctive lesions that can indicate an infection to you and your veterinarian.  

Ringworm lesions are typically individual, circular areas of hair loss that may have scaling, crusting, and/or oozing along with redness or inflammation. Lesions are commonly found on the face, neck, chest, and limbs. These lesions may only become evident after shearing, so it is important to disinfect clippers between animals or use an entirely different set after clipping an infected animal.  

 While ringworm typically self-resolves, there are treatments that can aid the process and reduce spread since resolution may take 4 to 12 weeks. Supportive treatment of ringworm typically consists of topical therapy and adjustments in husbandry, as overcrowding can perpetuate infection among individuals.  Isolation of infected animals until resolution of lesions is ideal when possible. Please consult your veterinarian for use of topical therapies. Resolution is usually determined by new wool or hair growth in the lesion and supported by hair or wool around the edge of lesion not being easily removed when pulled.

As a reminder – animals that have active ringworm lesions should NOT be taken to the fair, especially given the zoonotic and contagious nature of the disease.

 To see how ringworm lesions may progress overtime, please see the infographic provided below.

Diamond C Livestock: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=572655578410153&set=a.472144501794595

East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference

Registration is now open for the 2025 East Ohio Women in Agriculture Conference on Friday, March 21 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at Shisler Event Center on The Ohio State University’s Wooster Campus, 1880 Madison Avenue, Wooster, OH 44691. This is a very special year as we celebrate our tenth year together with our biggest conference yet!

This year’s program will feature 24 break-out sessions in 6 tracks including: Plants, Animals, Business & Marketing, Home & Family, Special Interest, and Personal Development. These informative and interactive sessions are presented by Ohio State University Extension educators, farmers, industry professionals, and partner agencies.

We are thrilled to have international speaker, author, and farm coach, Elaine Froese, at our conference this spring. She’s on a mission to guide farm families, across North America, to get unstuck, communicate better, find harmony through understanding, and secure a profitable farm legacy. Elaine is traveling from her home farm in Manitoba, Canada to speak with us! She will share a special keynote about Living an Intentional Life, will teach a breakout session to help tackle tough family conversations, and will have Coach on Call individual sessions available throughout the day. Every participant will also get a copy of Elaine’s book, “Farming’s In-Law Factor.” You can learn more about Elaine Froese at elainefroese.com .

Registration information can be found at go.osu.edu/eowiareg25  and you can learn about sponsorship opportunities at go.osu.edu/eowiasponsor25 .

Flyer: 2025 EOWIA Conference Flyer

Agriculture & Natural Resources Position Posted

Washington ANR Educator

This position is in Marietta, Ohio in Washington County.

The Ohio State University Extension (OSUE) seeks an Educator to work collaboratively with county, region, and state teams of OSUE professionals and with local agency leaders and volunteers. The Extension Educator will be responsible for a broad range of basic to complex duties that could include but are not limited to: Provide guidance and/or leadership for Agriculture and Natural Resources programming targeted to local and regional needs including but not limited to current and future needs in farm management, production agriculture, agronomy education, livestock and crop production, consumer horticulture, commercial horticulture, food security, innovative agricultural business opportunities, estate planning, and leadership of Master Gardener volunteer program. Utilize appropriate methods, both informal and formal, of community assessment to identify educational needs and opportunities of local community. Establish methods of effective communication with clientele using newsletter, county blog, Facebook, and/or combination of methods. Maintain a high level of visibility with a wide range of clientele to promote the understanding of agriculture and natural resource issues. Educator will work with county team members collaboratively and participate in shared programming efforts. Teach educational programming, based on needs, to groups and individuals comprised of adults and/or youth. May also convene and facilitate community coalitions focused on needs and/or emerging issues. The Educator may be required to replicate and adhere to existing programs that meet the needs of their local community or eliminate programming that is not effective or can be better served by ANR volunteers. The Educator will develop promotional material, work with and/or lead committees and volunteers, and establish and maintain partnerships within the community that support the achievement of program goals. The Educator evaluates educational programs and dissemination methods, as well as utilizes existing evaluation instruments to evaluate the teaching effectiveness, program quality and results of local programs. Participate in discussions with county representatives concerning program funding. May be responsible for securing external funds to support local programming. The Educator will further the overall mission, vision, and values of both Ohio State University Extension and Agriculture and Natural Resources.

 

Southeastern Ohio Breeders Sale

Area goat and lamb producers will be hosting a breeders sale on April 12 at the Noble County Fairgrounds. This is a great opportunity for 4-H & FFA members to see available livestock in one location. Contact Megan Isner at 740-447-1892 for more information.