Agriculture and Natural Resources
News
Growing Hops - A New Trend for Ohio Farmers & Gardeners
While attending our Southwest Ohio Fruit and Vegetable School a couple weeks ago, I participated in the growing hops class. It is estimated that Ohio beer manufacturers send approximately $4 million out of Ohio annually by purchasing the flowers of the hop plant, called hop cones, or “hops,” from growers outside the state.
Pigs Are a Common Sight at Agricultural Fairs Taking Place in Ohio and Around the Country this Summer and Autumn
WOOSTER, Ohio -- Better education regarding the nature of influenza viruses and how to prevent infection, along with stepped up efforts to keep sick pigs away from agricultural fairs, are the best ways to minimize risk of human disease and any potentially adverse impact on the country's pork industry as a result of the current outbreak of influenza A H3N2 variant virus, Ohio State University animal virologists say.
OSU Extension Offers Resources and Information to Manage Drought as Conditions Intensify Statewide – by: Tracy Turner
COLUMBUS, Ohio - As the drought of 2012 continues to intensify statewide, Ohio State University Extension experts have developed two websites dedicated to helping farmers, producers and consumers find ways to deal with the dry conditions and extreme heat.
Orphaned Wildlife Babies?
In the OSU Extension, Butler County office we have been receiving reports of folks saying that they are seeing many orphaned animal babies out and about. According to Marne Titchenell, OSU Extension Wildlife Specialist, spring to early summer is the time of year when one may stumble upon a nest or den of young wildlife babies.
Non-native Grass Found in Butler County
Recently at a meeting it was brought to Butler Soil and Water Conservation District and OSU Extension’s attention that Butler County may have a population of common reed grass. Four sites of common reed grass have been reported with at least one of them being the non-native strand. Common reed grass, Phragmites australis, is a tall perennial wetland grass that reaches heights of 15 feet or more. This non-native grass was thought to be introduced into North America accidentally in ballast material in the early 20th century along the Atlantic coast.
What do the Unseasonably High Temps Mean for Our Wheat Crop?
This year with the unseasonably high temps through winter and into the spring there has been concern as to how our crops will fare. Wheat in particular is one crop that needs the cold weather to grow properly. Pierce Paul, wheat crop specialist with The Ohio State University reported the following in the CORN newsletter, www.corn.osu.edu, about what we need to consider before making any decisions on destroying the crop.
New Pipeline Crossing County
The Enterprise Liquids Pipeline Company (ELPC) Marcellus Shale Ethane Pipeline Project has plans to construct a natural gas pipeline to transfer collected unrefined liquefied natural gas from Eastern Ohio to refineries in the Southern United States. The Butler Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is sharing information, ideas, and materials to better prepare landowners for easement negotiations, project process during installation, and mitigation of impacts on your property due to pipeline construction.
Youth Scientists: Creating Environmental Stewards Project in Butler County
Trees can often face threats of certain insect and disease pests. Normally the strong will survive and only those weakened by other pressures, usually a biotic or non-living, are the ones to falter. When invasive species come knocking, a different story unfolds. While native trees and shrubs evolve with native pests, everyone “gets along.” It is the exotic pests that have the potential to cause serious injury, and even death, sometimes of an entire species, family, or multiple species. When an exotic pest is introduced, accidentally or on purpose, the host plant usually does not have any genetic resistance and there aren’t other pathogens and predators to help rage a battle against the exotic invader. With the case of emerald ash borer (EAB), scientists have predicted the elimination of the entire Fraxinus genera including five different species in Ohio alone and potentially threatening at least 44 arthropods that rely on the host for survival.
Tips for Buying Firewood
With cold temperatures arriving soon, cost-conscious Ohioans will be looking to save money on heating expenses. For many, the solution is burning firewood. Officials at the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), responsible for enforcing Ohio’s firewood laws, remind Ohioans to follow some basic tips when purchasing wood to heat their homes.
New and Small Farm College
Are you a small farm landowner wondering what to do with your acreage? Are you interested in exploring options for land uses but not sure where to turn or how to begin? Have you considered adding an agricultural or horticultural enterprise but you just aren’t sure what is required, from an equipment, labor, and/or management perspective? Are you looking for someplace to get basic farm information? If you or someone you know answered yes to any of these questions, then OSU Extension has some opportunities for you!
Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium Programming to Concentrate on Small Ruminant Nutrition
(News Release provided by Roger A. High, OSIA/OSWP Executive Director) Butler County folks who are interested in raising sheep and goats should think about attending the 2011 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium. This year’s program will concentrate on “Small Ruminant (Sheep and Goat) Nutrition”. The event will be held on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at the Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), Skou Hall, 1328 Dover Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.
Common Tree Issues; Attributed to Soil Problems
Many times tree problems are not initially caused by pests and diseases but are the result of the wrong plant choice in that particular site. There are several requirements that a gardener should look at before choosing a plant for your landscape such as light needs, cold hardiness and soil type. Soil type is an important piece to look at and many tree/bush problems can be related back to soil problems. In fact, according to Dr. Richard Rathgens, a senior Agronomist & Urban Forester with The Davey Institute, it has been estimated that 80% of shade tree disorders can be attributed to their soil environment. Unfortunately, because caregivers do not have access to the root zone of plants, the true cause of many tree maladies goes undetected.
Fall Pasture Management
A sustainable and long-lived pasture is dependent upon proper management of grazing animals and attention to soil fertility needs. This is a year round effort for successful grazing managers. There are many critical periods during the year that affect the amount of forage that is produced on a pasture.
Hay Field Fertility, Have You Replaced What You Took?
The Butler County OSUE office has been receiving a number of calls in regards to fertilizer applications for hay fields. Fall is the best time to apply fertilizer both for home lawns as well as hay fields. As with any fertilizer recommendation whether it is for home lawns or for hay fields, a soil test is the most cost-effective and science-based way to determine what amounts need to be applied.
Learn about Biofuels at the Farm Science Review
Biofuels production is an important part of agriculture across the Corn Belt, and farmers can learn about the continuing evolutions in biofuels crop production at Ohio State University's Farm Science Review, Sept. 20st – 22nd.
Soil Crusting From Rapid Drying May Cause Emergence Issues
After all the rain and cold weather during the end of May that Butler County, and much of Ohio received, the hot temperatures are definitely welcomed by farmers. These hot temperatures are helping to dry soils out and get planters back in the field, but this rapid warm-up may cause some issues for crops already in the ground. Tim Boring from Michigan State University Extension shares with us some of the issues rapid drying might cause with emergence.
Producers Should Consider Factors before Switching to Soybeans
As Butler County producers go into June with no more than 10-15% of crops planted, many have been contemplating whether or not to switch to soybeans instead of planting corn this year.
Treating Ash Trees - A Viable Option for Homeowners, Municipalities
Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week — an effort to spread the word about this insect pest of ash trees — is May 22nd -28th this year. Learn more at: http://ashalert.osuedu.
Bat Diseases Could Cost Ohio Farmers Up to $1.7B a Year
Ohio farmers could suffer more than $740 million a year in agricultural losses, and possibly as much as $1.7 billion, if the new deadly disease called white-nose syndrome wipes out the state's bats, according to a recent study in the journal Science.
Firewood Quarantine Still in Place in Ohio despite Ash Borer Regulation Changes
When the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) expanded its emerald ash borer (EAB) quarantine last September to include all of Ohio’s 88 counties, the movement of ash tree materials and hardwood firewood within the state apparently was no longer regulated — since the quarantine made it illegal for people to move those materials from a quarantined county into a non-quarantined county.
