This Wednesday evening, Sept. 16, is the “Save Honey Bees and Other Pollinators” program in Wapakoneta. Denise Ellsworth, OSU Extension Entomology Program Director from OARDC inWooster, will be talking about how to create habitat to lessen the decline of these beneficials. The program will be held at the Auglaize County Administration Building, 209 S. Blackhoof St., beginning at 7 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can preregister at 419-739-6580. Donations will be accepted to help cover expenses.

There will be an opportunity to learn more about Water Quality at a program being sponsored by the city of Sidney, Shelby SWCD, and Shelby County Farm Bureau on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 10 a.m. at the Ag Center on Fair Road. Dr. Karen Mancl from OSU will speak in the morning on water quality issues. Following lunch, there will be a tour of the Sidney Water Treatment Plant. RSVP to reserve your spot by Sept. 18th at 1-877-775-7642. Free!

OK: Farm Science Review is just a week away! Got your tickets, yet??You can save $3 per ticket if you purchase before you go: $7 now or $10 at the gate. We still have tickets at our office, until next Monday, Sept. 21. Stop by to get yours! OK, why would you wanna go?

Farm Science Review has a bit of something for everyone! For farmers, it offers the opportunity to see some of the latest technology in action: field demonstrations of combines, planters, drones, precision technology, etc. In addition, there is the opportunity to see and discuss all the possible inputs you could use on your farm.

Now, for those of us who have no interest in seeing tractors and combines going back-and-forth across the fields (I’d rather be driving!) there are lots of other things to visit and learn about: “Can American Cities Feed Themselves?” will be one of the topics at the Small Farm Center. Other topics will include Production and Marketing of Super Berries, Raising Miniature Beef Cattle, Aquaculture Opportunities in Ohio, Pricing Your Farm Products for Profit, and the Economics of Organic Grain Production. Still more will focus on Dairy Goats 101, Getting into Beekeeping, Hops Production in Ohio, and Small Scale Poultry Production.

Then, there’s the Gwynne Conservation Area: Called “the Gwynne” for short, the site’s 67 acres of prairie, woods and waters showcase a range of conservation practices year-round and, during the Review, will host dozens of talks and exhibits on trees, ponds, wildlife, and similar topics. Some of the talks will include deer exclusion fences; tree identification; pond management, especially aerating the water and controlling aquatic vegetation; and the environmental impacts of shale oil and gas drilling.

“Question the Authorities” focuses on Farm Management topics: Business Succession Planning, Crop Budgets, Grain Outlook, Farmland Prices and Rental Rates, Managing your Farm in an Economic Downturn, Farm Lease Legal Checklist, among others. They have all three days filled with a number of topics.

The Utzinger Memorial Garden area offers talks on Garden and Insect Photography, Healthy Food, Pruning Woody Plants in the Home Garden, and Plant Scene Investigator: What’s Wrong with my Plant and Who did It?, while at the McCormick Building there are hearing tests, health screenings, and Universal Design tours. New this year are the Field to Faucet Water/Nutrient Research Tours. Find a complete list of topics, times, and speakers at fsr.osu.edu.

Well, the “Fuzzy Babies” are growing: They’re eating almost a bale of hay per day! Once things slow down a bit, I need to get them set up in an outdoor pasture. Maybe after FSR? But, it’ll be crazy then, too …