Last week we held “Real Money, Real World,” a program that introduces students to money management: Each student gets a profile that includes job, family size, and income. Then, they visit different stations to determine how that money will be spent – housing, food, insurance, utilities, child care, transportation, entertainment, loan repayment, clothing, etc. It’s always interesting to listen to these high school students as they realize just how much it costs to live in the “real world”! To quote one as he stood at my booth, pondering the possibilities: “Decisions, Decisions!”
Tuesday evening, March 20 is the Master Gardener’s “March Madness” Program at the Amos Public Library in Sidney, beginning at 6:30 p.m. No reservations required! Just show up to learn how to plan your Garden Prep to get it done over a three-month timeline so you can enjoy spring, also!
Our next West Central Ohio Dairy Luncheon will be this Tuesday, March 20, at the New Bremen Pizza Hut. Lunch is available at 11:30 a.m.; program should be over by 2 p.m. This month will feature a panel discussion about robotic milkers.
A Pesticide Applicator Training Class for those wanting to get licensed will be held Thursday, March 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Auglaize County Administration Building downstairs meeting room, North Blackhoof Street, in Wapak. Contact Jeff at 419-739-6580 to register.
As a follow-up, the ODA will be in Wapak to offer Pesticide Applicator Exams on March 29, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., also at the County Administration Building. You can register for this at https://pested.osu.edu/PrivateApplicator/testing. Click on the link for “register online” for the ODA website and then go down to the March 29 date.
And, speaking of Pesticide Licenses: My thanks to all of you who have taken the time to get the recertification training for your 2018 renewal. Have you received your new card from ODA, yet? If not, did you remember to send them your $30 License Fee?? Yes, you paid us for the training; you also have to pay ODA for the license itself! The “due date” is March 31!
We are holding a Fertilizer Applicator Certification Training on Monday, March 26, at the Palazzo in Botkins. Anyone applying commercial fertilizer or (manure with a guaranteed analysis) to more than 50 acres must obtain this certification. Yes, you can take a test rather than sit through the training, but …
We are offering two sessions: 2 to 5 p.m. and again from 6:15 to 9:15 p.m., with a meal available between the two sessions. This has got to be more fun than taking a test! The cost of the training is $30. Please register before March 20, by contacting me at [email protected].
There will be a Livestock Mortality Composting Workshop in Hardin County on Wednesday, March 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. This will be held at the Hardin County Extension office in Kenton. The cost is $10 which includes the workbook, certificate, and refreshments.
Participants will learn principles and operations of livestock mortality composting; how to select a good site; design options; managing the compost facility; biosecurity and disease prevention; rules and regulations; and troubleshooting, which includes a review of the basic principles and management of livestock mortality composting. Pre-register at hardin.osu.edu or by calling 419-674-2297.
Well, last week was the Ides of March. Et tu, Brute?? Ah, yes, I loved Latin in high school! I even had a niece conjugating verbs as a little one: Amo, Amas, Amat; Amamus, Amatis, Amant!
Of course, sometimes words can have multiple meanings: “magna” is both “great” and “large.”… Like when we wrote on the blackboard in Latin, “Mrs. Maxwell is Great!”… When she read it, she knew what we meant, but she did get a laugh out of it! Good to have a teacher with a sense of humor!
