The Miami County Master Gardener Volunteers will present “Attracting Backyard Birds” at “Coffee with the Master Gardeners” on Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. The session will be taught by Miami County Master Gardener Marian Moeckel who will give tips on attracting beautiful songbirds and other colorful birds to your yard this winter. Learn how to provide ample shelter and water for the birds you desire to attract. Feeder information on what works and what doesn’t will also be discussed. Get practical info on where to obtain supplies and the best combinations of feed to attract a variety of beautiful birds during the winter months.
The session will be held at the Extension Meeting room on the ground floor of the Old Courthouse in Troy at 201 W. Main St. The cost is $10 and preregistration is required by Nov. 2. For more details contact the Miami Extension office at 937-440-3945 or by email at [email protected]. Visit go.osu.edu/mgvcoffeeseries or the Facebook page “Miami County Master Gardeners” for more information.
The winter-monthly Dairy Luncheons will resume in November. These programs are held on the third Wednesday from November through March at the Pizza Hut in New Bremen (state Route 66, south side, at Amsterdam Road). The luncheons begin at 11:30 a.m. for (Dutch Treat) lunch buffet and visitation with fellow dairy farmers. The program starts at noon and goes until 1 p.m.
The topics and presenters for this year’s Dairy Luncheon Series are as follows: Nov. 16, “Management and Feeding Systems for Dairy Heifers” by Dr. Maurice Eastridge; Dec. 21, “Stray Voltage” by Steve Seitz; Jan. 18, “Dairy Economics” by Dianne Shoemaker; Feb. 15, “Animal Welfare and Audits” by Dr. Katy Proudfoot; and March 15, “Feeding Cows in This Economic Environment” by Dr. Bill Weiss.
Yes, there is always some good information at these meetings, but you can’t dismiss the social time! Informal discussion has revealed that “just visiting” and sharing experiences is as big a “draw” as the topics themselves. What better place to enjoy a good lunch, have a chance to catch up with others in the dairy business, and learn something new?!? Hope to see you there!
There is a new manual for those employing labor or pesticide applicators who treat crops (primarily in the greenhouse and nursery businesses): “How to Comply With the 2015 Revised Worker Protection Standards (WPS) for Agricultural Pesticides” was recently released by the U.S. EPA and details important new rules that impact employers of agricultural workers
Some of the new or revised rules include pesticide handlers and early-entry workers now must be at least 18 years old; agricultural workers and pesticide handlers must receive annual safety training, of which the content has been expanded; workers must now be trained before entering areas that have been restricted due to pesticide application during the past 30 days; if required to use a respirator by the label, handlers must have a medical evaluation, fit test, and training; and records of pesticide applications, training verification, and respirator compliance must be maintained for two years. Compliance with most of the new rules will be required by January 2017.
Another change is that the family exemption under WPS has been expanded to include in-laws, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and first cousins. The new compliance manual can be downloaded for free at pesticideresources.org/index.html. The Ohio Pesticide Safety Education Program will be offering workshops on new WPS requirements this winter.
Well, harvest is done at home and cover crops seeded. I actually got to haul wagons to town – the first time in two years! Love drivin’ tractor!
