Author: Bruce Zimmer

Annual Home Garden Trials – Time to Order Your Seeds

Get ready to dig in – the 8th Annual Home Garden Trials have officially arrived, and this is your chance to become a real citizen scientist right in your own backyard (or community plot)!

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener, part of a community garden project, or have eager young growers at home, we invite YOU to participate. It’s simple, rewarding, and incredibly impactful:

Just grow two selected varieties of our chosen vegetables, herbs, or cut flowers, then share your observations and comparisons throughout the growing season. Your hands-on data helps us evaluate top-performing varieties for Ohio gardens – your input truly makes a difference!

This year’s lineup is bursting with possibilities:

  • 5 Warm-Season Trials – perfect for those sun-loving crops!
  • 5 Cool-Season Trials – ideal for early spring and fall favorites!
  • 1 Herb Trial – fresh flavors straight from your plot!
  • 1 Flower Trial – bring beauty and pollinators to your space!
  • 1 Special Youth Trial – designed especially for our young gardeners to get growing and learning!

Participation is easy and affordable:

  • Each trial costs just $3.
  • Get seeds shipped directly to your home for $8, or pick them up at your local Extension office for only $4 (convenient and budget-friendly!).

Sign-ups start TODAY and run through February 15 – don’t wait, spots fill up fast!

Seeds will ship around March 15, giving you plenty of time to prep your garden and get planting.

Ready to jump in? Head over to https://go.osu.edu/ohioveggies right now! You’ll find:

  • Full details on this year’s exciting varieties
  • The link to the order form to secure your spot

This is more than just growing plants – it’s contributing to real science, connecting with gardeners across Ohio, and discovering which varieties thrive best in our climate. Last year was a huge success, and we’re on track for an even bigger one in 2026!

Grab your trowel, rally your family or community group, and let’s make this growing season legendary.

Happy gardening – we can’t wait to see (and hear!) about your results!

Grow strong, The Ohio State University Extension Home Garden Trials Team https://go.osu.edu/ohioveggies

Ohio 4-H Conference – registration due Feb 20

A conference for teens and volunteers is being planned for Saturday, March 21.  The Conference and Luncheon will be held at the Columbus Convention Center.  This conference offers a wide variety of sessions to attend.  The luncheon is attended by all participants and will recognize volunteers for years of volunteer service.  Registrations are due as soon as possible.  The actual deadline is February 9th, however if you want to get your first choice of sessions it is important to register early. A registration form is included.  The 4-H Advisory Committee will cover your registration but there is a $10 commitment fee.

Apply for the Ohio State Fair Junior Fair Board—Applications due March 1

Are you ready to build leadership skills, make statewide connections, and serve as the face of youth at the Ohio State Fair? The Junior Fair Board (JFB) is your chance to shine!

NEW for 2026:

Due to changing schedules and challenges in filling specific roles, JFB members will now serve as overall board members rather than representing individual organizations. Applicants can list all youth organizations they’re involved in and must provide a reference for each.

Who’s Eligible?

Ages 16–20

Active in youth organizations (like 4‑H!)

Demonstrated leadership

 

Applications open January 1 and close March 1

Apply here: https://www.ohiostatefair.com/p/get-involved/jfb

It’s Cool—and These Projects Are Too!

No horse? No problem. Horseless Horse invites all youth to explore the world of horses—with no hooves necessary. Youth explore over 20 different horse-related subjects with easy-to-use worksheets. Horseless Horse also may be used during the educational portion of club meetings.

Not Just Knots turns simple rope into serious know‑how. Youth learn 14 knots that matter, master skills that stick, and impress everyone with what they can do with a single piece of string. After that, they show off their skills with a capstone project. From camping to crafting to everyday problem‑solving, 4-H members will use these skills for a lifetime.

Horseless Horse (173) and Not Just Knots (540) are available at the Washington County Extension Office.

Congratulations Churchtown Busy Bunch!

Congratulations Churchtown Busy Bunch 4-H Club!  We are ecstatic to announce the club was selected as a 2026 recipient of the Ohio 4-H Community Service Award! This is just one of the awards given annually to 4-H adult volunteers and clubs for their work. The club is being recognized for their work with hurricane relief in North Carolina.
The awards will be presented at the Ohio 4-H Conference on March 21 in Columbus.

Ohio 4-H Achievement Award Applications Due Jan 30

Thinking about applying for National 4-H Congress with your State Achievement Award Application? Applications are due Friday, January 30 to the OSU Extension Office. The award application can be downloaded from the State 4-H Website: https://ohio4h.org/awardsandscholarships

All youth ages 14-18 can apply. The following youth were nominated at the November 2025 4-H Celebration to complete the application.

  • Alayna Biehl
  • Alyssa Biehl
  • Maddock Hughes
  • Mollie Lang
  • McKensie Mason
  • Levi Reynolds
  • Alexis White
  • Alyssa White

Contact the Extension Office if you need help with your application!

You Bought Livestock at the Local Auction Barn. Now What?

Dr. John Yost, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Wayne County
Dr. Greg Habing, DVM, Ph.D., DACVPM Professor; The Ohio State University, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
Dr. Samantha Locke, Postdoctoral Scholar; The Ohio State University, Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine

(Image Source: Waverly Sales Company)

Re-posted from OSU Small Animal Ruminant Team – https://u.osu.edu/sheep/2026/01/13/you-bought-livestock-at-the-local-auction-barn-now-what/

Livestock auctions are a cornerstone of local agricultural commerce. They are not just a place to buy and sell livestock but also serve as a point of access to the larger national marketplace for the local producer. Collectively, livestock auctions provide legal security for financial transactions. They also become the point of price discovery to determine the real value of the livestock marketed.

However, much like travelers in an airport, bringing together animals from many different locations can result in the spread of bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Additionally, the process of trucking animals to the facility, co-mingling them with animals from other locations, and then transporting them to their next destination creates stress that increases their susceptibility to new pathogens. This fact sheet provides general recommendations on the initial management of newly acquired livestock purchased from a local livestock auction. Included are specific recommendations for the different species of livestock/poultry may be implemented after consultation with your veterinarian.

Work with Your Veterinarian

Continue reading…

Pawsome Pups 4-H Club Forms

Washington County has a new 4-H club for youth interested in dog projects and learning how to train their dogs.

All members must enroll in a dog project and can enroll in other 4-H projects too with the club.

Parent/Caregiver Survey

I’m currently completing a graduate project focused on how children’s sleep affects parental wellbeing, with the goal of using the results to inform future Extension parenting programs related to sleep and routines.

If you are a parent or caregiver of a child ages 0–3 living in Ohio, I invite you to take this brief, anonymous survey yourself. It takes about 10 minutes and has already received strong community interest.

I would be grateful if you could also share this survey with families in your county and community networks who may qualify. The more diverse perspectives we gather, the better we can shape programming that truly meets families’ needs. Attached you will find an image with a QR code that can be shared online, along with a brief invitation to the survey for in-person outreach.

Thank you so much for supporting this work and for helping strengthen Extension’s impact for families.

Warmly,
Erin Ruggiero

Extension Educator, Medina County

4-H Club Forms Due January 15

These forms have only been mailed to the organizational advisors and are due back to the Extension Office by January 15 before you can re-organize for the new year:

  • 2026 Club Information Sheet
  • Year-end Financial Report
  • Annual 4-H Club Charter