Month: February 2022

Maple Syrup Festival is Back!

The Maple Syrup Festival is back for 2022! Mark your calendar for Saturday, March 26 – there is something for everyone!

The Maple Syrup Festival is held at the Williams County Fairgrounds, 619 East Main Street, Montpelier, Ohio. Breakfast will start at 7:30 a.m. and costs $8.00 per person (Children 5 & Under are Free). Breakfast will be prepared by the Williams County Fair Foundation and the Williams County Pork Producers and includes pancakes and sausage with “pure” maple syrup. For more information contact the Williams SWCD at 419-636-9395. Continue reading →

Williams County Private Pesticide and Fertilizer Recertification Meeting on March 21

Do you have a Private Pesticide Applicator’s License and/or Fertilizer Certification expiring in 2022? If so, register for our re-certification session on March 21 at the Veterans Memorial Building.

Fertilizer recertification (Category 15) will be from 5 – 6 pm and pesticide recertification (CORE & Categories 1-6) from 6 – 9 pm. Pre-registration is required at go.osu.edu/williamspat or 419-636-5608. Registration cost is $10 for fertilizer recertification and $35 for pesticide recertification and includes educational materials and refreshments. This is separate from the ODA $30 license renewal fee. Can’t attend? Check out https://pested.osu.edu/Recert/maumeevalley for more recertification opportunities.

Tri-County Soil Health Workshop to be Held March 18

Join Fulton and Williams Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Hillsdale Conservation District for a Tri-County Soil Health Workshop on Friday, March 18 at the Kissell Community Building, 509 N. Main Street, West Unity, OH. Presenters will include Rick Clark, a 5th generation farmer and 2022 National No-Till Conference presenter and Dr. Aaron Wilson, Atmospheric Research Scientist with the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and Climate Specialist with OSU Extension. The workshop will also feature a local farmer panel moderated by Rick Clark.

CCA credits include 3 Soil & Water Management CEUs and 1 Crop Management CEU. MAEAP Phase 1 and MI RUP Credits are also available. Workshop cost is $20, which includes lunch and refreshments. Registration is required by March 11 at either www.hillsdalecd.org or by by submitting completed registration form and payment to Williams SWCD, 11246 State Route 15, Montpelier, OH 43543.

Ohio Spring 2022 Outlook

By:  Aaron Wilson

Are you ready for Spring 2022? In this video we review the weather of fall 2021 and winter 2022, assess the current conditions, and provide the latest outlooks for spring and summer 2022.

Mid-Ohio Small Farm Conference – Sowing Seeds for Success

No need to feel alone in the field. Our new and small farm conferences provide connections that will last long after the event.

  • Do you own a few acres that you want to be productive but you’re not sure what to do?
  • Do you have a passion for farming and turning your piece of this wonderful earth into a food producing oasis?
  • Do you own land or forest that you’re not quite sure how to manage?
  • Do you raise or produce products that you would like to market and sell off your farm but you’re not sure how to make it successful?

If you’re asking yourself these questions, this conference is for you! Targeted to new and small farm owners, we cover topics like:

  • Horticulture
  • Produce Production
  • Natural Resources
  • Livestock
  • Specialty Crops
  • Farm Management
  • Marketing
  • Miscellaneous Topics

You’ll also have the opportunity to browse a trade show featuring the newest and most innovated ideas and services for your farming operation. Talk with the vendors and network with your peers. If you are a new or small farm owner, you don’t want to miss the 2022 Small Farm Conference – Sowing Seeds for Success on March 12th from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Mansfield OSU Campus in Ovalwood Hall.  The campus is just minutes from I-71 and US Rt 30.

Please visit: https://go.osu.edu/osufarmconference2022  for class and registration details or call OSU Extension Morrow County 419-947-1070.

Continue reading →

ARC-County: What’s my County’s 2022 Guarantee Revenue

By:  Wm. Bruce Clevenger, OSU Extension

The Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs were authorized by the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills. Both programs are risk management tools. The ARC-CO (county) program provides income support tied to historical base acres, not current production, of covered commodities. ARC-CO payments are issued when the actual county crop revenue of a covered commodity is less than the ARC-CO guarantee for the covered commodity. Continue reading →

ARC/PLC Program Election and OSU Extension Decision Tool

By: Chris Zoller, Extension Educator, ANR, Tuscarawas County

Introduction
The 2018 Farm Bill reauthorized the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) safety net programs that were in the 2014 Farm Bill. Producers must enroll in ARC/PLC for the 2022 crop year through their local Farm Service Agency office. The signup period for the 2022 crop year is open now, and the deadline to enroll and make amendments to program elections is March 15, 2022. Continue reading →

Using Citizen Science to Improve Cover Crop Performance in the Great Lakes Region

Collaborators: Etienne Herrick, University of Michigan; Tim Boring, Michigan Agriculture Advancement

Funding: USDA NIFA Predoctoral Fellowship, University of Michigan’s Rackham Program in Public Scholarship

CLICK HERE TO PARTICIPATE

In the Great Lakes region, overwintering cover crops can provide numerous agroecological benefits, such as soil conservation and nutrient cycling, weed and pest control, and climate resilience. Continue reading →

Upcoming Western Lake Erie Basin Conservation Practices Public Input Meeting

By:  Rachel Cochran

Join OSU Extension’s Water Quality Associates on Tuesday, February 22nd from 10-11AM for a public input meeting regarding on-farm conservation practices. This webinar is aimed toward farmers in the Western Lake Erie Basin who farm or live near our target watersheds. Continue reading →