January was busy … I think February might be even more so!
On Thursday, Feb. 21, Hardin County Extension will be holding a day-long Ohio Intensive Soybean Management Workshop. The program will begin at 9 a.m. and end by 3:30 p.m. and will be held at their office on West Lima Street in Kenton.
Topics and presenters for the day include Soybean Production Management Strategies by Dr. Laura Lindsey; Soybean Weed Management Update by Dr. Mark Loux; Soybean Disease Management by Dr. Anne Dorrance; Breaking yield barriers through soybean breeding and variety trial programs by Dr. Leah McHale; Soybean Insect Management by Dr. Kelley Tilmon; and Soybean Fertility Update by Dr. Steve Culman. It is very rare to have all of these OSU Extension State Specialists in the same county on the same day! You really might want to sign up for this special event!
In addition to all the good speakers and topics, there will be a notebook provided to each attendee with multiple publications from OSU and there will be time for questions from the audience! The registration deadline is Thursday, Feb. 14, and is limited to 25 people. The cost is $35 per person and includes lunch as well as the books and handouts. You can register online at go.osu.edu/hardinsoybean or you can call the Hardin County OSU Extension office at 419-674-2297 to sign-up.
Also on Feb. 21, Mercer County Extension is holding a Pesticide Exam Preparation Class from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Central Services Building in Celina. The focus will be on Core and Category 1 – Field Crops. Register by calling 419-586-2179.
Thursday, Feb. 21, must be a really popular day this year! Darke County Extension is holding a New Fertilizer Applicator Certification program that day at their office on Wagner Avenue in Greenville. This should be a three-hour training to enable you to get your Fertilizer Applicator Certification without taking an exam. Contact Sam Custer for more details: 937-548-5215.
Shelby County Master Gardeners are starting their 2019 Spring Gardening Series in two weeks. There will be five programs this year, the third Tuesday of each month through June. These programs will be held in the Community Meeting Room at the Amos Memorial Public Library at 230 E. North St. in Sidney, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and ending about 7:45 p.m. There is no charge for these programs and no need to register; Just show up! Free refreshments and hand-outs are available at every session.
This series should give you a head start and some great ideas for your garden and landscape. At the first session February 19th, the topic will be “Oh, Say Can You Seed?” – How to save money and grow healthy plants by starting your own plants from seed. The March 19th topic will deal with “What’s All the Dirt? – Soil isn’t Just Dirt!” with a focus on soil testing to see what nutrients are present and what your plants really need. I’ll keep you updated as the future months come, but April will do with Lawn Care, May with Shade Plants, and June on four-legged Pests. Hope to see ya there!
The Ohio AgrAbility Program will be holding a one-day workshop on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the Nationwide/Farm Bureau 4-H Center on Fred Taylor Drive in Columbus. This one-day workshop will focus on agriculture and horticulture as viable work options for individuals with developmental disabilities. Speakers and panelists will provide insight on adaptive employment models, as well as identify resources and assistive technology to support workers in these settings. Workshop participants will gain an understanding of the workplace opportunities and ways to overcome barriers for both the agricultural employer and their workers.
The program – Building Independence Through Agriculture – will run from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The cost is $50 and you can register online at http://www.cvent.com/d/n6q7m1. You can get more information by contacting Laura Akgerman, Disability Services Coordinator, at 614-292-0622. When the focus shifts from disability to ability, everyone benefits.
