Gardeners and farmers depend on pollinators to produce crops. Natural ecosystems need pollinators to ensure healthy plant populations. However, a combination of factors is causing declines in bee pollinator populations with one factor being the loss of habitat or flowers that provide pollen and nectar. How we manage ornamental landscapes has an impact on two of the most important factors affecting pollinators: habitat quality and pesticide exposure.
OSU Extension in Mercer County will be hosting a class on Pollinator Habitat on Wednesday, May 25, 6 p.m. This will be held at the Central Services building, 220 W. Livingston St., Celina. The goal of the class is to provide pertinent information for home owners, gardeners, and farmers on practices to follow to enhance habitats for plant pollinators. The class is free and open to the public. Please call the OSU Extension office at 419-586-2179 to register so that enough materials will be available.
There are three field day opportunities being held for small grain producers. The three days cover a variety of production issues, nutrient management practices, and small grain uses. The first On-Farm Wheat Field Day will be on June 1st in Pickaway County (19076 Florence Chapel Pike, Circleville), beginning at 9 a.m.
Topics to be discussed include wheat freeze tolerance, minimum wheat stand, wheat fertility, wheat disease identification and management, and the Ohio Wheat Performance Test. Registration is free, but they need registration by Friday, May 20, for a lunch count. You can register at 740-474-7534 or [email protected].
There will also be a Small Grains Field Day in Wayne County on June 14 and a Small Grain Field Day in Wood County on June 21st. Detailed information on all these field days can be found at http://agcrops.osu.edu/events.
Knowing how to identify your trees helps with diagnosing insect and disease issues. It also allows you to better manage the tree, such as how much sunlight it needs to survive and thrive, and whether or not it’s good for wildlife.
A workshop on tree identification, Name that Tree, will be held on June 3 at the OSU Campus in Mansfield. Presenters will be Kathy Smith and Jim Chatfield, OSU Extension Specialists. This event is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will include classroom sessions followed by outdoor practice on the 640-acre, mostly-wooded campus.
Registration for the workshop is $35, which includes lunch and materials. The deadline to register is May 27. A registration form can be downloaded at go.osu.edu/June3NameThatTree, or you can register online at go.osu.edu/June3NameThatTreeReg. Call 614-688-3421 for more information.
FarmAnswers.org is the USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) clearinghouse, providing resources to help people get started farming as well as tools to help more seasoned producers succeed. Here you can find online courses, videos, presentations, apps, and other materials – more than 3,000 at this time – to answer farming and ranching questions. FarmAnswers.org is live and fully functional.
In addition to information for young and beginning farmers, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program also has information for Women in Ag, Veterans, and Farms in Transition. You can learn more about USDA’s work to support the next generation of farmers and ranchers at www.usda.gov/newfarmers.
Well, as you know, the weather’s been up-and-down-and-all-around! No, we didn’t get any corn planted last week. Maybe this week? We did get Mom and Dad’s flower beds cleaned up and mulched on Mother’s Day. (Actually, “I” didn’t do it; siblings and spouses did. I was in charge of supper!) Good discussion about food, recipes, and people! I think Dad knows everyone in three to four counties (and how they’re related)! We really do need to get that info on record!
