Conservation Tillage Conference is tomorrow and Wednesday. Visit www.ctc.osu.edu for information.

The last Dairy Luncheon for this year will be, March 15, at the Pizza Hut in New Bremen. This month’s topic is “Feeding Cows in This Economic Environment.” OSU Dairy Nutritionist Dr. Bill Weiss will be our presenter. Lunch is at 11:30 a.m., with the program to begin about noon. All are welcome.

Miami County is holding a Growing Hops in Ohio program, March 16, 6:30 to 9 p.m., at their office meeting room in the Miami County courthouse. Cost for registrations by March 10 is $5; $15 after that.

Some of the topics that speaker Brad Bergefurd will address include “Getting Started in Your Backyard,” “Trellis Construction,” “Variety Selection,” “Disease and Pest Management” and “Marketing Your Hops.” Brad is a horticultural specialist with OSU Extension, located at the South Centers in Piketon. He has been conducting research on Ohio-grown hops for the past five years.

Information can be found by visiting go.osu.edu/miamihops or by calling Amanda Bennett at 937-440-3945. Advance registration is required; class size limited to 30.

There is increased demand for malting barley, a key ingredient in craft beers. A Malting Barley Conference and Trade Show will be March 24, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Greene County fairgrounds in Xenia.

The workshop will feature detailed information on the latest in malting barley production, including variety selection, disease and weed management and how to use cooperative markets in Ohio. The conference is for both beginning and advanced malting barley growers and anyone else interested in growing the crop.

The conference will include a trade show, as well as a tour of the malting barley production at Little Miami Farm. Participants will also be able to network with others in the micro-brewing industry at Yellow Springs Brewery, a 15-barrel brewhouse in Yellow Springs, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at no extra cost.

Registration for the conference is $20, which includes handouts, snacks, lunch and beverages. For more information on the conference, including the conference’s full agenda and registration, go to go.osu.edu/maltingbarleyconference.

Just a reminder of the Three-Hour Fertilizer Applicator Certification Trainings, March 20, at the Palazzo in Botkins. There are two sessions: 2 to 5 p.m. and 6:15 to 9:15 p.m. There will be a light supper available between sessions.

These three-hour trainings meet the requirement for obtaining an Ohio Fertilizer Application Certificate for those applying commercial fertilizer to 50 acres or more who do not presently have a pesticide applicator’s license. (Yes, that “commercial fertilizer” and “50 acres” includes side-dressing corn.) This is free, but we need reservations by March 13. Please let me know which program you plan to attend.

Well, it’s been a couple crazy months. The kids are mostly settled into the farm house with new countertops in place about two weeks ago. Kim should have the kitchen pretty well organized by now. We still get to see the grandkids, but not on a daily basis … Guess we need to stop by more often.

It is nice having someone extra to help with the feeding on occasion. Of course, sometimes everyone gets fed twice. And, we’ve got more cats in the barn than we’ve had in awhile (Genevieve is our “Crazy Cat Lady.”), but they are helping with mouse control.

There are also other advantages: Stanley has help moving hay and James found our first egg of the season. And, last Wednesday, James, Kimberly, and the kids helped Stanley clean up some of the mess created when the wind took the roof and siding off a small barn shed. It’s nice to have “extra hands” around.