Harvest April 2019 by Gannett NEO

AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY REVIEW

SPRING 2019

INSIDE

FARMERS NEED TO GEAR UP FOR MORE RAIN ACROSS THE TABLE: KEY INSIGHTS FROM TWO YEARS ON THE ROAD MARKETING PORK IN A NEW WAY

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SPRING 2019 | Volume 06 | Issue 02

Features

06 10 14

04 06 10 12 14

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT The Farm Bill In One Summit

CFAES LOVES ITS BUCKEYES

And Also All Their Friends

ACROSS THE TABLE: KEY INSIGHTS From Two Years On The Road

ANNUALS: ONE YEAR OF Bright, Vivid Color

URBAN AGRICUTURAL RENEWAL Is Growing In Ohio

In Every Issue

05 22 38

CAN YOU NAME THIS TOOL? SUBSCRIBE TO HARVEST HARVEST EVENTS CALENDAR

Find us on facebook.com/OhioHarvest

HARVEST magazine is a quarterly publication centered in some of the most agriculturally rich counties in Ohio. We will bring you the latest in farming technologies, industry practices and hot topics in agriculture from industry experts in our area. If you wish to submit an article or offer a suggestion, please feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

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Everything you need to know about

News from | The College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

the farm bill in one summit

THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY Published on MARCH 18, 2019

COLUMBUS, OHIO Profits for Ohio corn and soybean farmers are not likely to be as high as they were in 2018 when growers benefited from above normal yields and new government aid, according to an agricultural economics expert at The Ohio State University. At least two factors could be different this year: Yields in 2018 were record high for corn and soybeans, which may not happen again in 2019, and the government payments that farmers received to compensate for the impact of foreign tariffs may not be reissued, said Ben Brown, manager of the farm management program in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University. “We’re expecting Ohio corn and soybean farmers, on average, to either break even or experience losses in 2019,” Brown said. The majority of corn and soybean returns for producers are determined by the price per bushel the farmer is able to sell them for, in addition to the number of bushels per acre the crop yields. Also, farmers can receive government aid. For corn, roughly 8 percent of per acre gross returns comes from direct government assistance; for soybeans, 6 percent, Brown said. Government payments are authorized through the federal farm bill, which Congress passed in December and is budgeted to cost $426 billion over five years. Producers of commodities have a choice between two programs: Agricultural Risk Coverage or Price Loss Coverage. Prior to the 2018 farm bill, growers chose between the two programs at the beginning of the farm bill and were required to stick with their choice for the authorized period, typically

4 | SPRING 2019

five to seven years. The new farm bill allows producers to make a choice for the first two years (2019, 2020) and then, beginning in 2021, allows that choice to be made annually. Which program is more profitable for a farmer can change from year to year. Another significant change in the new farm bill will affect dairy producers. The Dairy Margin Coverage program provides aid to dairy farmers when the margin between milk prices and feed costs dips below a certain coverage level that the dairy farmer chooses. Higher coverage levels have a higher probability of triggering a government payment, so the premium a dairy farmer must pay to enroll in the program also increases. The 2018 farm bill lowered the cost of premiums for the first 5 million pounds of milk, but raised premiums costs for any milk over 5 million pounds. “The change will help all dairy farmers who participate in the program, but particularly small dairy producers,” Brown said. Producers who participate in the Conservation Reserve Program will see changes as well. Those who opt to set aside a portion of their land for conservation to reduce soil loss, improve water quality, or increase wildlife habitat could receive less compensation per acre compared to what they received under the previous farm bill. However, the farmers will have the option of enrolling more acres in that program. Nationally, the total acreage allowed in the program rose to 27 million acres from 24 million, but the payment rate for farmers enrolled in the program dropped. Farmers have been paid the county rental rate for their property placed in the conservation program, which differs by county. The new compensation rate has been decreased to 85 percent of the county rental rate.

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CFAES loves its Buckeyes,

By | Kurt Knebusch cfaes THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

and also all their Friends

ABOVE: Ohio State, with CFAES’ help, boasts two green, healthy ‘Tree Campuses’ (Photo: University Communications, Ohio State.)

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two homes of the Buckeyes were recently honored for how they care for their trees. The Columbus campus of The Ohio State University and the Wooster campus of the university’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) have each been named a Tree Campus USA by the national Arbor Day Foundation. The designation, given annually, goes to colleges and universities for their commitment to effective urban forest management—for doing the work to have healthy trees where it’s sometimes a ABOVE: Crabapple trees in Secrest Arboretum, Wooster. (Photo: challenge to grow them. Recipients have to Ken Chamberlain, CFAES.) meet five standards, including having a campus tree advisory committee and a campus tree care For the Columbus campus, it’s the eighth plan. consecutive year earning the honor; for the

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The two campuses’ tree committees have more than a dozen members each, including faculty, staff, and students from CFAES, from other parts of Ohio State, and many volunteers.

Wooster campus, the seventh. Arbor Day Foundation President Dan Lambe said Tree Campuses “set examples for not only their student bodies but the surrounding communities (by) showcasing how trees help the environment.” Dave Benfield, director of the Wooster campus, said the Tree Campus recognition “attests to the passions” of the people involved—the campus workers and tree committee members—in conserving, caring for, and continuing to plant new trees.

The two campuses’ tree committees have more than a dozen members each, including faculty, staff, and students from CFAES, from other parts of Ohio State, and many volunteers. Efforts include developing their campuses’ tree plans; planting, mapping, and inventorying trees; organizing service learning projects, and hosting Arbor Day celebrations. CFAES Forestry Program Director Kathy Smith, a member of the Columbus campus tree committee, said helping a campus’s trees is critical. “There

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CAMPUSES continued from pg. 7

ABOVE: Orton Hall on the Oval, Columbus. (Photo: University Communications, Ohio State.) are all sorts of pressures” on them, she said, from she said. drought to pests to a range of stresses—compacted The Wooster campus, located about 95 miles soil, polluted air, Frisbees—that come from being north of Columbus and 60 miles south of around people. Cleveland, includes three main parts: the Ohio And campuses often have lots of people. The Columbus campus, covering about 1,700 acres, has more than 60,000 students and 45,000 employees—along with, by one count, nearly 16,000 trees. Sycamores, maples, oaks, and others give shade on the Oval, the heart of the campus. Nearly 200 Ohio buckeye trees stand in Buckeye Grove at Ohio Stadium, each one honoring an AllAmerica Ohio State football player. Some 3,600 trees alone grow in CFAES’ 62-acre Chadwick Arboretum & Learning Gardens. The Columbus campus tree committee, for its part, is currently working to “enhance the tree canopy and preserve our heritage trees,” said Mary Maloney, Chadwick Arboretum director and a member of the committee. The work “drives our planning and purchasing decisions to ensure the healthiest and most diverse tree canopy possible,” ABOVE: Aerial image of Administration Building and Thorne Hall, Wooster. (Photo: Ken Chamberlain, CFAES.)

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Agricultural Research and Development Center, CFAES’ research arm; Ohio State ATI, a two-year degree-granting unit within CFAES with about 700 students; and the 110-acre Secrest Arboretum. Roger Hamilton, grounds manager for the Wooster campus and a member of its tree committee, said the 400-acre campus core is home to more than 5,000 trees, from dawn redwoods—considered “living fossils”—to a 50-plus-year-old shade tree evaluation planting to the United States’ largest collection of flowering crabapples.

Some 17 colleges and universities in Ohio and 364 throughout the United States have earned the Tree Campus designation so far this year, the foundation reported. Jason Veil, Secrest Arboretum curator and a fellow member of the Wooster committee, said the Tree Campus designation symbolizes a commitment to a “healthy, beautiful, and functional tree canopy.” Veil said trees give benefits beyond their good looks, including better health and wellness for people, greater energy efficiency in buildings, and money-saving ecological services such as stormwater retention. Trees are “critical green infrastructure,” Veil said. Smith agreed. “Trees on campus provide so many ecological benefits,” she said. “They’re an integral part of a sustainable campus.” Some 17 colleges and universities in Ohio and 364 throughout the United States have earned the Tree Campus designation so far this year, the foundation reported. On all those campuses, Lambe said, “air will be

which are labeled, but also walking, birding, and simply relaxing in nature. Both facilities also offer a variety of workshops, tours, and special events. Some are free; some have a fee. Chadwick Arboretum and the Wooster campus are both hosting Arbor Day celebrations on April 26. Chadwick’s, featuring the dedication of 32 new trees, will be at 10 a.m. on the west side of Kottman Hall. At Wooster, a tree planting ceremony is set for 3 p.m. on the front lawn of Ohio State ATI. Both events are free and open to the public. Details on the arboreta and their activities are at chadwickarboretum.osu.edu and secrest.osu. edu.

Reprinted by permission from OSU CFAES.

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Across the Table: KEY INSIGHTS

By | Adam Sharp EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OHIO FARM BUREAU

from two years on the road

This article was taken, with permission, from the Ohio Farm Bureau’s Our Ohio magazine.

GRASSROOTS is a term we use regularly in Farm Bureau. It’s shorthand for saying that everything we do is from the bottom up, not top down. From defining our values to developing our policies to recruiting new members, everything starts with and is done by and for our individual members. Being grassroots paid dividends for a little kid growing up in a Farm Bureau family. It meant I got to play with other farm kids while my folks and their friends gathered in each other’s houses to kick around the issues of the day and come up with ideas on how Farm Bureau should or could get something done. Today, as the guy you’ve put in charge of running your organization, hanging out with members is still a lot of fun. It’s also a strategy for helping Farm Bureau thrive for our second 100 years.

10 | SPRING 2019

Fairfield County A couple months ago I wrote about my tour of Ohio, traveling close to 14,000 miles over two years to hear from our grassroots. I shared with you the six big themes that came from my time on their farms and in their communities. They focused on advocacy, membership, communication, finances, partnerships and overall excellence. We’re in the midst of working our plan to deliver on those priorities. But beyond these broad strategic goals, I heard a lot of innovative, specific ideas on how to make our great organization even better. I’m not sure what took more time, making all those visits or organizing everything I learned. I’ve put together a 20-page booklet that digs really deep into my conversations with more than 800 passionate members. If you’d like a copy,

Today, as the guy you’ve put in charge of running your organization, hanging out with members is still a lot of fun. It’s also a strategy for helping Farm Bureau thrive for our second 100 years. – ADAM SHARP EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, OHIO FARM BUREAU

• • • • •

send an email to info@ofbf.org. Short of that, I’ve handpicked a few to share on this page. Let me know what you think. I’ve got a lot of practice listening. Why do you belong to Farm Bureau? • I’m part of the agricultural community • Member benefits such as Nationwide, workers’ comp program, discounts • Focus on young people • Advocacy – the voice of agriculture • Information, education • Opportunities to be involved

Re-print permission granted. Article originally appeared in Our Ohio, published by Ohio Farm Bureau.

What do you most value about Farm Bureau? • Advocacy in the public policy arena • Networking with other members • Community building • Communications about the industry and the organization

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What can Farm Bureau improve upon? • Grow agricultural literacy • More, stronger partnerships • Coordinate with other farm groups to improve effectiveness, efficiency • Find new revenue sources • Strengthen efforts on water quality, regulatory reform and other policy issues • Improve public perception of agriculture • Ramp up political engagement opportunities for members • Provide learning opportunities for members • Make events exciting, useful, accessible • Promote our values • Expand social, video and local media communications • Engage members more directly • Be welcoming to a wide range of ag interests • Develop leaders, Young Ag Professionals

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ANNUALS: ONE YEAR OF

Prepared by | Lana R. Adams Penn State Extension

BRIGHT, VIVID COLOR Make a good planting site for the plants

How? First, make sure your ground is well drained (which means it can’t be very dry and it can’t be soggy). If you put your plants in a wet area then the roots will probably rot and the plant will die. Do a soil test (you can get them at the Extension office) to see what kind of fertilizer your soil needs. Next, add some organic material (composted leaves or manure, peat moss, etc.) to your planting site.

Start with healthy plants

First of all, what is an annual?

It is a plant that grows from seed to flower in one year and then dies. Usually you buy annuals in the spring and know they will die in the fall. Some examples of common annuals are marigolds, petunias, geraniums, impatiens, and zinnias. You can buy annuals as bedding plants (often sold in plastic packs of 4-8 plants) or as seeds. No matter if you buy plants or seeds, you want your flowers to look good and not be too much work. Set yourself up for healthy, beautiful plants by doing a few things right from the start.

12 | SPRING 2019

Don’t pick plants that have very wet or very dry soil in the pots. Do not choose plants that are wilted or have a lot of yellow leaves. Look at the leaves from top to bottom and on the underside of the leaves - are there insects on the plant already? Don’t buy aphids or other insects with your plants, you don’t need them!

Choose the right plant for the right location

Unless you have a lot of time to spend on watering, fertilizing, and treating your plants for insects you should be careful to choose plants that are known to do well in the area you want to plant

them. For example, if you have an area in full sun all day, you will not want to plant impatiens there. Sure, they’ll look good in the morning, but as the day gets hotter they’ll droop and wilt. The plants known as “Pennsylvania Gardener Selects” have been grown in trial gardens throughout the state. They’ve been judged for beauty and for the way they handle Pennsylvanian environments. Because they’ve proved themselves in other Pennsylvania gardens, they should do well in yours. Look for them at the garden center where you’re buying plants. Also remember to ask garden center employees about what kind of annuals to plant in dry, wet, shady, or bright sun locations.

Put plants in the ground the right way

roots from that root ball and tease them out of the soil pack. Dig planting holes at the same depth as the soil in the pots. Carefully cover the top of the soil but try not to cover the place where the stems and leaves meet the soil surface. Do water the annuals after you plant them.

Keep the plants happy all summer

If you have: done a soil test, chosen the right plant for the right location, made sure the roots are going to grow into the soil, and planted your annuals properly, then you’re well on your way to having beautiful, healthy plants. All summer you should be careful to water the plants deeply when they need water. Deep watering means letting the water soak down into the soil. To encourage large, colorful flowers you want to fertilize your annuals regularly (weekly or monthly) with either a balanced fertilizer (20-20-20) or organic amendments (fish emulsion, blood meal, etc.). When you use small amounts of fertilizer you are giving the plant as much fertilizer as it can use at one time. That’s better for the plant and better for the environment!

Do your plants have roots that are coming out of the holes in the bottom? Or are the roots making circles around the inside of the container? If you answered yes then you must do something to make the roots change the way they’re going or they will never grow out of that little circle of soil. Break up the root ball enough to make sure the roots are going to grow into the soil where you’re planting them. You won’t hurt the plants! Just untangle the Reprinted by permission of Penn State Extension.

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URBAN AGRICULTURE RENEWAL

Promoting local food production and creating economic opportunities for urban communities statewide

By | Tracy Turner OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

IS GROWING IN OHIO

ABOVE: Several raised beds in an industrial parking lot as part of the Urban Renewal Farm in Dayton, Ohio. OSU Extension provided funding for the soil and the materials to create the raised beds. Photo: Jim Jasinski, OSU Extension.

IN THE HEART of oIn the heart of the oldest neighborhood in Columbus sits a 2.5-acre farm that resulted in $50,000 worth of produce in 2017. The farm is spread across 12 sites throughout the city’s urban landscape. Franklinton Farms—named after the neighborhood in which it sits—is a network of urban farming plots where traditional farming Franklinton Farms techniques and high and low tunnels are used ABOVE: Franklinton Farms to produce enough vegetables, fruits, and herbs to supply a 40-member community-supported “Our mission is simple: We grow food for the agriculture (CSA) program. neighborhood,” he said. In 2019, the CSA plans to expand to 75 members, Franklinton Farms is one of hundreds of urban said Nick Stanich, executive director of the farms that have sprouted up in recent years in nonprofit operation. That’s in addition to the formerly vacant lots in cities across Ohio, thanks in hundreds of pounds of produce the operation part to the efforts of OSU Extension, the outreach donates to area families and homeless centers in arm of The Ohio State University College of Food, Franklinton. Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.

14 | SPRING 2019

“Urban agriculture and local food production are a growing phenomenon for several reasons, including to address food insecurity, as a means for an economic enterprise, for community building, and as job training for young people and others.” – Mike Hogan OSU Extension agriculture and natural resources educator in Franklin County U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Urban agriculture and local food production are a growing phenomenon for several reasons, including to address food insecurity, as a means for an economic enterprise, for community building, and as job training for young people and others,” Hogan said. Such is the case in Cleveland, which now has an estimated 45 urban farms, according to Margaret Fitzpatrick, an OSU Extension agriculture and natural resources educator in Cuyahoga County. The Ohio City Farm operated by the Refugee URBAN continues on pg. 16

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Through programs and workshops to train urban growers on how to start and fund urban farms, Extension has helped expand agriculture into urban areas. The goal? To help create or expand agriculture-related business opportunities for people who want to get into the urban food production industry. “OSU Extension has always been a strong advocate and supporter of urban agriculture, with it being a land-grant university,” Stanich said. “OSU Extension does a great job in helping to market urban agriculture and in rallying people around the idea that urban agriculture can be a successful enterprises. “OSU Extension’s workshops and its Master Gardener Volunteer programing and training have inspired a lot of people to get involved with urban food production. Their programing in urban agriculture has been focused on building a network of farmers and potential farmers who want to grow food in urban areas.” Agriculture is now a booming industry in many urban centers across Ohio and nationwide, said Mike Hogan, an OSU Extension agriculture and natural resources educator in Franklin County, who works to increase the number of urban farmers. For example, Columbus was home to only five urban farms just four years ago, he said. “Now, there are at least 30 urban farms throughout the city,” he said. “Not only have entrepreneurs been able to benefit from starting their own farm business in the heart of city neighborhoods, but people in the neighborhoods have benefited from having access to fresh, healthy foods grown nearly in their backyards.” That is significant, considering that in Ohio, nearly 1 in 7 households experiences food insecurity, meaning the household cannot afford balanced meals on a regular basis. That rate is higher than the national average, according to the

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URBAN continued from pg. 15

farm, how to control pests, and how to market and Response is located on land owned by the sell products. Cuyahoga County Metropolitan Housing Authority “Urban agriculture is important and (CMHA). transformational in that it allows community OSU Extension offers training and resources to members to have a visible, immediate impact on help members of urban agriculture operations get their communities,” Fitzpatrick said. “It’s also their farms up and running, and then sell produce. incredibly empowering from a community wellExtension also works to establish and support being standpoint and an economic impact.” community gardens, which are similar to urban One such enterprise is the Vineyards of Chateau agriculture operations, but instead of selling Hough, created in 2010 in the same Hough produce, members of community gardens take neighborhood in Cleveland that was the site of home or donate what they produce, Fitzpatrick the 1966 race riots that destroyed 25 percent of said. the inner-city neighborhood’s structures. The One such successful community vineyards were built on the garden is the Summer Sprout grounds of an abandoned house, program, funded by the city of complete with an urban biocellar Cleveland and implemented by and an underground winery. OSU Extension. In 2017 alone, Several area workers are now there were 185 community employed there. gardens in Cleveland as part The Montgomery County office of the program, with 3,383 of OSU Extension also actively community gardeners who promotes and supports urban worked on 46.6 acres of garden agriculture. Several programs— areas, producing 17,393 pounds including a partnership with the of produce. city of Dayton to run Vacant Through the program, to Vibrant—have resulted Extension offers the supplies, in transforming numerous training, and technical assistance vacant lots into vibrant, urban that people need to operate agriculture plots, said OSU community gardens and urban Extension educator Suzanne farms. That includes the soil, Mills-Wasniak, who works with seeds, plants, lumber, and other the program. materials needed to create the The latest in the Dayton area is gardens. the Shelter Farm, a partnership Extension also helps growers ABOVE: The Ohio City Farm operated by the with the University of Dayton, St. Refugee Response is located on land owned identify land for community Vincent de Paul Dayton, and OSU by the Cuyahoga County Metropolitan gardens and perform soil testing Extension. The farm, created last Housing Authority (CMHA) in Cleveland. to ensure that the soil is safe to year, has already generated over grow on, Fitzpatrick said. 1,500 pounds of produce with a retail value of “Many of the plots are on vacant lots that were $2,400, Mills-Wasniak said. formerly homes or were used for industry,” she For Marcie Todd, owner and operator of said. “So, we have to make sure that the soil is Freshtown Farm, urban farming is now her fulltime free of any lead or other contaminates that would job. Her farm is situated on a plot of land that make it unsafe to grown on. formerly housed three vacant homes in Vassor “We help growers understand how they can Village near South High School in Columbus. move forward with the garden or urban farm in She now grows at least 70 varieties of produce a safe way, whether it be through planting using there, and on a larger plot in Pataskala, enough raised beds or choosing another location for the to sustain a 30-customer CSA business, as well as farm or garden,” she said. sell to several local restaurants and two farmer’s Extension also offers technical assistance for markets. urban farmers, including how to plan an urban Todd also produces enough food to donate to

16 | SPRING 2019

local food banks as a way to “give back to the community,” she said. “I find a lot of value farming in the neighborhood and working in the community in which I also live,” she said. “In addition to being able to earn a living and run my own business, part of the privilege of urban farming is being able to produce healthy foods for people that live here, too.”Todd is one of several growers who has graduated from the Ohio Master Urban Farmer workshop series offered by OSU Extension. The intensive course, which was developed by OSU Extension, teaches the basics of farming in an urban environment. Topics include soil testing for urban sites, choosing a farm location, basic plant science, marketing your produce, and most importantly, zoning and legal issues associated with farming in urban and residential areas. Mark VanFleet, owner and operator of Harriet Gardens, is also a program graduate. His urban farm is situated on a formerly vacant lot in a residential neighborhood also on Columbus’ South Side. His one-half acre plot produces row upon rows of vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, carrots,

turnips, cucumbers, garlic, basil, dill, chard, and kale. The plot provides enough for the fulltime urban farmer to sell his produce to 15 local restaurants and at least three farmers markets. “I never thought I’d grow up to be a farmer – I’d never even gardened until my wife and I bought our house 10 years ago and planted a small plot in the backyard,” VanFleet said recently, as he harvested carrots out of his Merion Village farm. “It’s become my passion and, three years ago, my fulltime job. “I like living in the city and didn’t want to move, so turning this vacant urban lot into a farm has been wonderful. Its small size is manageable for my experience and its location is close to home. Plus the neighbors love it.”

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SMALL FARM CONFERENCE

Press Release OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

CONVENED IN PIKETON, OH

PIKETON, OHIO: Small farm owners who wanted to learn more about how to make their farms work better for them, expand their operations, or find ways to utilize acreage, attended workshops and presentations on these and more issues during the “Opening Doors to Success”, Small Farm Conference March 29 & 30, 2019 in Piketon, Ohio. “The conference was designed to help participants learn more tips, techniques and methods for diversifying their opportunities into successful new enterprises and new markets as a way to improve economic growth and development on their farms,” said Tony Nye, an Ohio State University Extension educator in agriculture and natural resources and Small Farm Program leader in Ohio. “It may be a person who is new to agriculture, or someone that may have acreage that they aren’t using to the fullest, or even someone who has newly acquired land and may not know what to do with it,” he said. “What we try to do with these conferences is to give participants a smorgasbord of ideas that may interest them by offering a wide variety of sessions in which they can learn more in-depth about an issue, gain resources and learn how to finance a new venture.” The “Opening Doors to Success” Conference and

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Trade Show was held March 29 & 30, 2019 at the OSU South Centers in Piketon, Ohio. This conference kicked off Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. with the PSA Grower Training Course to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement. Then at 5:30 p.m. Friday was a Hops Workshop – ‘Getting the Whole Picture’. On Saturday, the conference featured 31 sessions from Ohio State and industry experts and a trade show for small farmers that offered information to benefit a variety of growers. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. “The overall goal of these events and the mission of the OSU Small Farms Program are to provide a greater understanding of production practices, economics of land-use choices, assessment of personal and natural resources, marketing alternatives, and the identification of sources of assistance, “he said. “Participants gain awareness and knowledge of different enterprises that they can venture into and how to begin the process of becoming an entrepreneur by exploring some of the different ideas that are out there,” Nye said. “Participants learn some of the basic information needed to get started in their endeavors and leave the conference with the knowledge there is

“What we try to do with these conferences is to give participants a smorgasbord of ideas that may interest them by offering a wide variety of sessions in which they can learn more in-depth about an issue, gain resources and learn how to finance a new venture.” – Tony Nye OHIO STATE Ohio State Extension educator in agriculture and natural resources and OHIO Small Farm Program leader help and resources available to them.” • Tax issues Some of the topics planned for the conference included: The conference is an outgrowth of the Ohio New and Small Farm College, an eight-week program created • Forages and hay by OSU Extension that offers an introduction to the • Livestock production business of small farming for those who are new to • Direct marketing • Aquaculture the industry. The program offers information on bud• Legal issues for small farms geting, business planning and how to develop a farm structure, among other issues. • Soils For more information about these the conference • High tunnels check out our webpage for Small Farm Programs • Forest and Woodland at: http://agnr.osu.edu/small-farm-programs or con• Vegetable and Fruit Production tact Tony Nye (937) 382-0901 or nye.1@osu.edu • Farm management

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Farm income projections hold

News from | The College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY Published on MARCH 20, 2019

A BIT OF GOOD NEWS COLUMBUS, Ohio — Corn prices are on the rise, while soybean prices are projected to continue to dip this year before recovering a bit in 2020, according to government projections. And this year, national net farm income, which takes into account many commodities not grown in Ohio, is projected to increase 10 percent over last year’s total, forecasts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show. “These are not the best of times, but it’s stable,” said Ani Katchova, associate professor and chair of the farm income enhancement program at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Low commodity prices can put financial stress on growers, but the bankruptcy and loan delinquency rates, indicators of the financial health of farms, have not fluctuated much in recent years, said Katchova, one of the authors of a new CFAES reporton farm income forecasts. “It’s definitely not a crisis,” she said. “Farmers are generally not distressed, although many face tight profit margins.” In years with low profit levels, farmers are increasingly leaning on crop revenue insurance, buying up higher and higher coverage levels to help compensate, Katchova said.

20 | SPRING 2019

“Low commodity prices can put financial stress on growers, but the bankruptcy and loan delinquency rates, indicators of the financial health of farms, have not fluctuated much in recent years.” – Ani Katchova | associate professor and chair, farm income enhancement program Ohio State University (CFAES) growers’ net profits, and growers who own their land are likely to see a profit on this year’s crop. Two factors boosted income on the 2018 crop that might not recur this year. New government aid to compensate for foreign tariffs may not be reissued, and 2018’s record high corn and soybean yields might not be repeated this year. The aid to compensate for foreign tariffs helped bolster profits, particularly for soybeans. The aid amounted to an average payment of $95.70 per acre for soybeans to Ohio farmers and $1.88 per acre for corn, Brown said. “I can’t emphasize enough the significance of those payments,” Brown said. “For corn and soybean farmers, they really helped income statements.”

WO-10666889

“Due to crop insurance, we see better farm incomes,” Katchova said. However, commodity prices remain low, with modest projected increases. The average per bushel price for corn, $3.36 last year, is projected to increase to $3.50 this year. By 2020, the price will rise to $3.90, according to estimates by the USDA released on March 13. At the same time, the average per bushel price of soybeans, which was $9.33 last year, is projected to drop to $8.60 this year before rising a bit to $8.75 by 2020. National net farm income began declining in 2014 and continued to do so until 2017, when it rose slightly before dropping again in 2018. “Even though you have this expectation of an increase in farm income, it’s still tighter times,” said Ana Claudia Sant’Anna, a CFAES postdoctoral researcher who co-authored the new report with Katchova and Ben Brown, manager of CFAES’ farm management program. It might take about a decade or more for profit levels to return to what they were in 2014, Sant’Anna said. A positive for farmers in many states, including those in Ohio, is that agricultural land has maintained its value. “If there’s a bright spot in farm balance sheets, it’s the land values,” Brown said. Overall, the value of cropland in Ohio has changed very little, he said. If land prices were dropping, that might be cause for concern, Katchova said. “But farmers are not massively selling land,” she said. Not surprisingly, expenses on the farm are projected to climb in 2019, with the largest increases being in farm labor, feed purchases, interest, and property taxes. Corn and soybean farmers in Ohio likely will break even or potentially experience a loss on this year’s crop if they don’t own the land they cultivate, Brown said. Land costs factor significantly into

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Wayne County ag community

By | Emily Morgan THE DAILY RECORD

brings relief to Nebraska farmers

ABOVE: Representatives from the local Ohio Farm Bureau branch and several 4-H clubs gathered at Centerra Wooster on Thursday to show off one of the three drop-off locations for their supply drive to benefit farmers devastated by the recent flooding in Nebraska.

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WOOSTER, OHIO — The Wayne County agriculture community is working together to bring relief to their fellow farmers hundreds of miles away in Nebraska that have been devastated by the recent flooding. Wayne County 4-H organized a supply drive for farming families in Nebraska that have lost nearly everything due to the storm that hit the Midwest on March 13. Referred to as a “bomb cyclone,” the severe weather system was followed by heavy rains and melting snow that caused catastrophic flooding across Nebraska and Iowa. “Us here and sending supplies out there, it shows

“It’s a different state that we’re helping and maybe agreater cause, but it means a lot to give back.” Jamie Wellert | Northwestern Neighbors 4-H Club several trucks to deliver water, bales of hay, rolls of fencing and feed to deliver to Nebraska. He posted on his Facebook that he and Kurt Wachtel are thankful for the donations and support they have received from the community so far. “The whole community has already been coming together above and beyond what we’re doing,” Hiner said. “The community support everywhere I walk into has been amazing. Nobody has said no. They all say, ‘What can we give? What can we do?’ We have a great community.” Monetary donations can be made to the Nebraska Farm Bureau at www.nefb.org/get-involved/ disaster-assistance. Reporter Emily Morgan can be reached at 330287-1632 or emorgan@the-daily-record.com.

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that even though we’re so far apart, we are a giant family,” said Sarah Tallmadge of the Ohio Farm Bureau in Wayne County. Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts reported that the cost of damages has risen to over $1.3 billion in his state alone. 4-H Clubs across Wayne County came together to encourage individuals and businesses to donate items such as iodine, gloves and OB sleeves, livestock probiotics, vet wrap, Blu-Kote, electrolytes, fencing materials, halters, first aid kids and more. Lindsay Shoup, the local organization director for Ohio Farm Bureau, added physical donations are preferred over monetary donations because supplies are low or completely out of stock at nearby stores in Nebraska or costs are more expensive. The supply drive ran through Wednesday, March 27. Items were dropped off at Centerra Wooster at 427 W. Henry St. in Wooster, Rural King at 3541 Lincoln Way East in Wooster, and Herdmark Media Inc. at 8619 W. Old Lincoln Way in Wooster. Jamie Wellert of the Northwestern Neighbors 4-H Club organized several trucks to ship everything west a couple of days later. Wellert compared the quick organization of the supply drive to the same efforts made last September when the Wayne County Fair swine committee had to relocate hundreds of hogs to Richland County in only a few hours after torrential rains flooded out their barn. “It’s a different state that we’re helping and maybe a greater cause, but it means a lot to give back,” she said. 4-H Program Assistant Sarah Boreman of OSU Extension is most excited to see the kids getting involved in the project. “I really enjoy it from a youth development level,” she said. “We’re teaching the kids how to give back.” “And showing them that even if you’re not rich, there are ways to give back without money,” added Michelle Hinner, organizational adviser for the Shear Genius 4-H Club. The 4-H leaders gave ample credit to Jeremy Wolbaugh of Apple Creek who is organizing

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BACON VENDING?

By | Yianni Sarris

MARKETING PORK IN A NEW WAY

CFAES communications intern

and Alayna DeMartini

ABOVE: Ohio State students line up in the animal science building to make their selections at the bacon vending machine.

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“Our boss likes to open up meetings by walking in and saying, ‘Hit me with a crazy idea.’ So at that moment we kind of just thought, ‘Why not a bacon vending machine?’” said Meghann Winters, a senior agricultural communication major at The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Winters, 21 at the time, was a part-time employee with the Ohio Pork Council. She was the council’s most junior staff member when she was given the responsibility to find a vending machine and reconfigure it so that it would offer cooked bacon. “Originally, we were going to rent a vending machine, but that didn’t make much sense financially. So I ended up finding an old, used one on Facebook,” she said. The next task proved to be much toughter: “baconify” the vending machine.

Ohio State students line up in the animal science building to make their selections at the bacon vending machine. With some tools and advice from her dad and a lot of Googling, Winters retrofitted the machine to deliver a package of cooked bacon strips or bacon bits after a dollar was fed into it—all of which sounds a whole lot easier than it actually was. “There was a lot of trial and error involved in that,” she said. Configuring the bacon packages to fit within the rows and coils and then fall into the bottom bin proved to be quite tricky. “Most vending machines are made for candy bars, not necessarily bacon,” she said. “We had to make sure the packaging didn’t get caught as it was falling out. We also had to find shelf-friendly bacon.” Bacon connoisseurs will likely recognize that bacon is a food that’s usually cooked, then eaten, and isn’t stored like more traditional vendingmachine foods. Luckily, a few sponsors stepped up to help: Sugardale, Smithfield, and Hormel donated packages of cooked bacon and bacon

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bits for the machine. Once this meaty machine was brought to Ohio State’s Columbus campus, specifically to the Animal Science Building, it really sizzled. “We couldn’t keep it stocked fast enough,” said Lyda Garcia, an assistant professor of meat science, and faculty advisor to the Meat Science Club. The club worked to keep the machine stocked and available to students during finals week last December. Four to five times a day, bacon had to be added. As a result, about 275 pounds of bacon were sold over the eight days the machine was on campus. When the Ohio Pork Council approached Garcia, they offered to loan out the machine and supply the donated bacon for a fundraiser for the Meat Science Club. Garcia immediately anticipated that the machine would garner a lot of attention—even from the national and international media. “I had to do a lot to get the bacon packages to fit within the coils and fall successfully. The boxes were getting stuck. “It was something out of the norm. I knew it was going to fly,” she said. And did it ever fly. Just before the first Ohio BACON continues on pg. 28

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BACON continued from pg. 27 State students got to buy bacon from the vending machine, Winters wrote a press release notifying local news stations about the machine. Within hours of sending her release, the story had gone national, then international. With the help of her Ohio Pork Council coworker Emily Bir, all of the inquiries were handled without Winters ever missing a class. The machine drew scores of students, tweets, and Facebook posts, going viral within hours and garnering more than 1,100 news articles and 6,470 mentions on social media over the next week. The New York Times, USA Today , the Associated Press, United Press International , and The Guardian , a British daily newspaper, all took an interest. Media mentions were made in five countries (Australia, Virgin Islands, Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom), as well in at least 40 states and Washington, D.C. “I thought a few people would come in, but by the third day, we were sold out,” said Sarah Page, president of the Meat Science Club. Then, they had to get more bacon. And the rush to restock continued until the end of the eight days. Apparently, people liked not only the novelty

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of it, but also the taste. It was more chewy than crispy, “like oven-cooked bacon,” Page said. “I thought it was really good, but you can’t really go wrong with bacon.” Then Fox News emailed. They wanted to get the machine on their daytime talk show, Fox and Friends. “We got the email on a Thursday and were scheduled to be on the show that Sunday. We decided to go,” Winters said. There was one small problem, however. Transporting a vending machine from Columbus, Ohio, to New York City isn’t exactly easy. But Winters’ boss, Bryan Humphreys, executive vice president of the Ohio Pork Council, had a pickup truck. “We originally looked into a shipping company, but between price and our rushed timetable, we just ended up putting it in the back of Bryan’s pickup truck and driving all day long to get there,” Winters said. At first, Winters wasn’t on the air. Humphreys was, accompanied by Dave Shoup, hog farmer and Ohio Pork Council president. After the first airing, however, Winters handed out bacon to everyone working in the station. On the ride back to the hotel, Winters got a call from her contact at the station. They wanted her to come back. The next day, Winters—the Ohio State senior involved with the “crazy idea” about a bacon vending machine—was interviewed on Fox and Friends, one of the most surreal experiences of her life. On set, the lights were particularly bright. She felt hot and nervous. She hadn’t considered herself a public speaker and this was, after all, national television, and the interview was live. “I told myself, ‘Ok, Meghann, get it together. This is probably never going to happen again,’” she said. Winters thought of what her parents had said to her the night before: “You can do this. And don’t mess up.” She took that as a vote of confidence—parents, perhaps a bit nervous too, wanting their daughter to shine. Winters (far right) had the opportunity to appear on Fox & Friends with the vending machine and Bryan Humphreys, executive vice president of the Ohio Pork Council (second from right), The Fox and Friends host asked Winters only one question: “Who came up with the idea?” Beaming, Winters explained that it was a group effort. “Once the segment started, it was really fun,”

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Help us fill our pages with the stories you care about most. Contact us 330-264-1125 spectrum@the-daily-record.com ABOVE: Winters (far right) had the opportunity to appear on Fox & Friends with the vending machine and Bryan Humphreys, executive vice president of the Ohio Pork Council (second from right),

she said of the live appearance. “I really was just enjoying the moment.” At the time, it felt like the bacon vending machine was in the eye of the whole nation. “We’ve had many requests for the bacon vending machine from all over,” she said. “Even after the novelty of Fox and Friends wore off, the future was still very bright.” The future is bright for a lot more than the bacon. Having started this journey as an intern with the Ohio Pork Council last spring, Winters has since been hired as the communications coordinator for the council. A career in agricultural communication seemed a natural progression for Winters, who grew up in Old Washington, Ohio, where she followed her older sister around showing market lambs until she was 9 and old enough to do it herself. Since the hoopla over the bacon vending machine has dissipated, a lot of people have been asking Winters, “What’s next?” Sometimes that’s a little intimidating to consider. Sometimes that’s exciting, as well. “It just makes me even hungrier to start my career,” Winters said. “I’m thankful I was given this opportunity to hit the ground running really in the infant stages of my career.”

Reprinted by permission, OSU OFAES. WO-10666639

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Farmers need to gear up

News from | The College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY Published on MARCH 13, 2019

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Weather extremes like those during 2018, much more rain, and heavier downpours are likely to become the norm rather than the exception in Ohio, according to a climate expert with The Ohio State University. As a result, the state’s farmers will have to deal with more and more water pouring onto and running off of their fields, and that could threaten the quality of water downstream, said Aaron Wilson, climate specialist with the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Last year was the third wettest year ever in Ohio. Temperatures have been getting warmer across the Midwest, with the coldest temperature in the year now up 3 degrees from what it was in the first half of the 20th century, Wilson said. Warmer temperatures have led to a greater amount of water vapor in the atmosphere and increased rainfall. Intense rain events are more common now. On Aug. 4, nearly 2 1/2 inches of rain fell in one hour near Cincinnati, and from Sept. 8–9, nearly 7 1/2 inches of rain fell in Brookville, just east of Dayton. “The question is, what do we do with it? How do we steward that water?” Wilson asked. Wilson spoke of recent weather trends during the Conservation Tillage and Technology Conference from March 5–6 in Ada, Ohio. The annual conference drew 824 people and offered a series of speakers on topics including soil health, nutrient management, and cover crops. The conference is one many educational offerings that CFAES provides to Ohio farmers, whose contributions are being celebrated this week as part of Ohio Agriculture Week. Increased rainfall in Ohio is contributing to the load

30 | SPRING 2019

FOR MORE RAIN of nutrients, such as phosphorous and nitrogen, entering Lake Erie and other bodies of water, Wilson said. In 2017, Lake Erie recorded its third largest harmful algal bloom ever reported. Phosphorus runoff is a main driver of the lake’s blooms. Farmers might want to look into other measures – such as a second ditch, cover crops, an underground drainage system, and other conservation practices – for handling the additional water, he said. “I don’t think we should ever look at a single solution to a problem,” Wilson said. The increase in the amount of annual rainfall in Ohio ranges from 5–15 percent, he said. Saturated fields keep farmers out of them. Work days have been lost due to rain, with an average of five days lost in April and an additional five in October, both important months for farmers for planting and harvesting, Wilson said. Besides the additional rain and a warmer winter, on average, summer days tend to not be as hot, but summer nights cool down less than they used to, Wilson said. Daytime temperatures across the Midwest, on average, are a little over 2 degrees cooler now compared to those in the first half of the 20th century. These weather trends are leading to additional stress on livestock, more insects surviving through the winter, and more weeds, Wilson said. “The changing climate we’re seeing makes the job of a farmer more difficult,” he said. Source(s): Aaron Wilson wilson.1010@osu.edu (614) 292-7930

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES

THROUGH COUNTY FARM BUREAUS STEVE BRUNNER always has safety on his mind whether it’s in his capacity as a maintenance electrician, farmer or captain of the Stockdale Volunteer Fire Department. This summer Pike County Farm Bureau helped him and other residents by partially funding two grain bin rescue tubes and sponsoring training for first responders on the equipment as well as a safety awareness day for residents. The rescue tubes are the first in the county and were funded by the county Farm Bureau and Wilber-Price Insurance Group. “Our area has a lot of small grain bins and it’s always been in the back of my mind that if we needed a rescue tube, the closest one is in Hillsboro and that’s 50 miles away and would be too late. We provided close to $5,000 worth of equipment to county fire departments that did not have a dime to them,” said Brunner, Pike County Farm Bureau’s president, noting that rescue tubes went to both the Stockdale and Waverly volunteer fire departments. To help the community become more aware of safety issues, the county Farm Bureau partnered with Wilber-Price, Ohio State University Extension, the local sheriff’s department, Soil and Water Conservation District and fire departments for a Rural Family Safety Day. Residents learned about safety topics related to their food, ATVs, animals and the sun, and the sheriff’s department handed

out information about its Post Overdose Response Team program. Even Smokey Bear was on hand to promote fire safety. The two-day event, which received an Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation grant, was one of seven county programs in Ohio to receive American Farm Bureau’s County Activities of Excellence Award for unique, local and volunteer-driven programming. That’s quite the distinction considering only 24 programs nationwide received the award. “Our county Farm Bureaus are the heart of our organization,” said Ohio Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Adam Sharp. “Our members know what their communities need and help make good things happen.” Last year Ohio Farm Bureau provided $1.13 million to support more than 400 county programs. These programs statewide had a direct and positive impact on communities, informing students about high-demand agricultural careers, researching ways to improve soil health and water quality and raising $10,000 for Ross County’s Drug Free Clubs of America program, also known as M.A.D.E. (My Attitude Determines Everything). The fundraiser was held on a Farm Bureau member’s farm and included a live and silent auction. EMPOWERING continues on pg. 32 harvest

| 31

EMPOWERING continued from pg. 31

A look at some of last year’s county Farm Bureau programming

cooking abilities using food grown and produced locally. The event raised $8,500 for a community center that serves dinner for the needy as well as distributes hygiene products.

Greene: Celebrating Ohio’s Corn Crop Ashland, Holmes, Medina and Wayne: More than 3,500 elementary students learned “SAFE FARMS” Facility the science, history and health benefits of eating The county Farm Bureau has been working on raising funds for a permanent grain bin and grain leg safety training site that would be accessible to both first responders and outside groups from a six-state area.

corn over a two-week period and each school meal featured a different corn food and fact about the crop. Six students were invited to take a combine ride with a local farmer so they could see the crop out in the field.

Butler, Hamilton, Montgomery and Lake: Barn Painting Preble: Farm Safety IS a Big Deal* A barn that dates back to the early 1800s The program provided a well-rounded education about farm safety to three age levels. The counties encouraged elementary students to learn about farm safety by using a county designed AgMag. Volunteers spoke to high school students and reached out to local farmers to post Caution Farm Equipment signs on roadways that experience large farm equipment traffic.

and is still used for farming today was painted to commemorate Ohio Farm Bureau’s 100th anniversary this year. The barn, owned by the Adams family, appeared on the cover of the January/February edition of Our Ohio magazine.

Licking: Virtual Field Trips

Live video allowed students and farmers to interact directly without leaving the classroom or Carroll: Sowing the Seeds for farm. The virtual field trips gave students access Agriculture’s Future to biosecure barns. Dozens of students, teachers and school counselors learned about the wide variety of Lorain: Agricultural Outreach and agricultural careers by visiting local food, leather Education Partnership and tractor companies as well as Ohio State A partnership was created between the county University’s Agricultural Technical Institute. The Farm Bureau and community college to develop “Tailgate to Touchdowns” event at the football programs that complement each other. For stadium promoted agriculture and the school’s example, Farm Bureau worked with the college’s new horticulture and FFA chapter. Culinary Arts program to source local farms to provide products for the student-run restaurant. The students then took field trips to each of the Coshocton: The Little Farmer Zone A fiberglass milking cow, coloring tables, straw farms to learn about how the products are grown bale maze, games and interactive displays were and how much work it takes to get the ingredients part of a play space created at the Coshocton to their kitchen. County Fair to entertain and teach children about agriculture. The project was one of 10 nationwide Mercer: What is Your Soil’s Health to receive a $1,000 mini-grant from the American The goal of this project was to research ways Farm Bureau Foundation. to improve soil health and water quality in the watershed. Data was collected for 16 months on Fayette: Farm to Fork Charity Dinner* the difference in soil health between a long-term, Area chefs participated in a fun competition no-till system and a minimum till system and then to showcase their recipe development skills and shared with the public at a field day event.

32 | SPRING 2019

Montgomery: After School “Agriculture is Everywhere”

Ag program, also known as the M.A.D.E. program (My

Seventh and eighth grade students attended monthly after school classes to get a better understanding of the agriculture industry and the many career options. Topics they explored included animal management, horticulture and gardening, wildlife and natural resources and food safety.

Morgan: Think F.A.S.T. – Farm & Safety Training

Attitude Determines Everything). The event, which included a live and silent auction, raised $10,000.

Scioto: Cool!

Conservation

School

…

More than 150 people attended this hands-on education event where they learned about topics such as timber management and harvest, invasive weed management, basic beekeeping, urban Ag wildlife, backyard bluebirds and keeping chickens.

Fourteen different safety sessions were offered on lawn mower safety, tractor and power-takeoff safety, ATV safety, fall protection, drug and alcohol awareness, grain bin safety, dangers of working with livestock, sun protection, canine search and rescue, derma-skin cancer screening, livestock hauling, family fire safety and chainsaw safety. Two grain bin rescue tubes were presented to the fire departments and a mock farm accident was conducted.

Noble: Ag School Days*

Fourth grade students from two counties attended this educational event at the Eastern Ohio Resource Development Center in Caldwell. Farm Bureau presented a program on corn for all 800 students. A popcorn popper was set up and students tasted samples as they learned about the varieties of corn and its many uses. American Farm Bureau’s AgMag on corn was distributed to the students.

Putnam: Farm Safety Day Camp

Third grade students from every school in the county visited a local farm where they rotated among safety stations, including gun safety, water safety, grain entrapment, poison and chemical safety, equipment entanglement, lawn mowers and electricity. A mock ATV accident included an actual 911 call-in and life flight helicopter landing on the property.

Seneca and Sandusky: Farmers Financial Series

Beginning

County Farm Bureau volunteers worked together with local AgCredit and Farm Service Agency agents to develop a program that highlighted loans specific to new and beginning farmers. The event attracted 115 people.

Van Wert: Ag Pavilion and Food Stand

The county Farm Bureau has been a strong supporter of the Ag Pavilion and Food Stand, including helping raise funds for a new building three years ago. This year the food stand, often staffed by Farm Bureau volunteers, raised $20,000, which was used for scholarships and the purchase of several animals at the livestock sale. The meat was donated to local food banks.

Wood: Crafting Cocktails with Herbs*

During this event, a greenhouse owner explained the tools needed to grow a successful herb garden. Guests also learned from a mixologist who demonstrated how to use herbs in cocktails, and they took potted herbs home.

*American Farm Bureau County Activities of Excellence award winner Reprinted by permission. This article originally appeared in Our Ohio magazine, published by Ohio Farm Bureau.

Ross: M.A.D.E. on the Farm

More than 250 people attended a fundraiser on a Farm Bureau member’s farm to raise raise money for the county Drug Free Clubs of America harvest

| 33

The Gwynne Conservation Area:

Story by | Doris Sigg Gatehouse Media

A NATURAL RESOURCE SANCTUARY

ABOVE: The streambank resoration project is one of many initiatives to enhance natural resource mamagement at The Gwynne Conservation Area.

THE GWYNNE Conservation Area is a 67-acre demonstration and education area for agriculture and natural resources management practices. The Gwynne is located in Madison County at the Ohio State University’s Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London Ohio. A committee of resource professionals from Ohio’s natural resource agencies oversees educational programming and policy at the Conservation Area. Programs & Activities The Gwynne Conservation Area is used yearround for educational programs conducted by local and state agencies as well as other natural resource related organizations. The premier event at the Gwynne takes place during the Farm Science Review held each

34 | SPRING 2019

September at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center. During the three-day event, more than 4000 visitors explore the displays, demonstrations, programs and activities on the Gwynne grounds. Experts from across Ohio present scheduled programs on a wide variety of natural resources topics. At a Glance: • Forestry, wildlife, aquatics, grasslands, and watershed theme areas filled with displays and demonstrations • Scheduled programs, displays, and demonstrations on conservation-related topics • Experts from state agencies and other natural resource management organizations answer visitor questions • More than 4500 visitors in 3 days • Information on installation of conservation

practices, including grassland cover and wetlands, and forestry and pond management • Vendors of conservationoriented products and services • Your company reaching out to a focused clientele of private landowners! Shuttles bring Farm Science Review visitors to the Conservation Area on their way to and from the field demonstrations.

• • • •

Windbreak plantings Streambank stabilization Alternative land-uses Crop tree plantings – pines, nut trees, timber species • Conservation landscaping • Wildlife food plot and nesting cover • Warm season grasslands and native prairie plantings • Habitats and Ecosystems • Early successional forests • Miamian silt loam soil • Wetland • Grasslands and prairies • Floodplain • Riparian forests • Ponds • Stream • Cropland

Exhibitors and Vendors at the Gwynne The Farm Science Review ABOVE: The Gwynne has 20 nest boxes available for attracts hundreds of bluebirds, tree swallows, chickadees, and house wrens exhibitors and thousands looking for a home. of visitors each year. At the Gwynne Conservation Area, exhibitors can reach a target audience of landowners interested Information extracted from: https://fsr.osu.edu/ in natural resource management on their land. gwynne-conservation-area Each year a growing number of businesses, trade organizations, and environmental and educational organizations provide visitors to the Gwynne with tools and information to meet their resource management needs.

Things to see at the Gwynne: • Managing water • Constructed wetland • Dug-out and Embankment ponds • Low-impact stream crossing • Dry hydrant • Grassed waterways • Managing soil erosion • Riparian buffer plantings and reforestation

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Conservation Practices & Demonstrations The Gwynne Conservation Area is a unique resource for the citizens of Ohio and other visitors, with a variety of habitats and ecosystems and appropriate conservation and resource management practices. Visitors can see these management practices on site as examples of ways in which their land can be enhanced for economic, environmental, and enjoyment purposes.

Miller’s Clothing and Shoes

| 35

OHIO FARM BUREAU NAMES

Press Release from Ohio FARM BUREAU

NEW events PROGRAM SPECIALIST

COLUMBUS, OH — Julie Shull of Chillicothe has events that benefit Farm Bureau members and

staff. Shull’s new role is a part of actions taken by Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Adam Sharp to realign staff teams and departments around key strategic plan areas of advocacy, membership, communications, financial strength, strategic partnerships and organizational excellence. The process began shortly after Sharp was named OFBF executive vice president in 2016. Shull will serve in the strategic partnerships area. Shull began her Farm Bureau career in 1995 as an administrative assistant and over the years contributed to programs including insurance services, safety and accounting. She later served as executive assistant to a senior vice president and was engaged in the department’s work with field staff, membership, leadership development and member benefits. Shull is a graduate of AmandaClearcreek High School, and attended Fairfield Career Center and Columbus State Community College. She is a member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals. Shull was actively involved in youth sports in the Circleville area. She and her family now reside in Chillicothe. Ohio Farm Bureau is the state’s largest and most inclusive farm and food membership organization. Its mission is working together for Ohio farmers ABOVE: Julie Shull of Chillicothe has been named events program to advance agriculture and strengthen our specialist for Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. communities.

been named events program specialist for Ohio Farm Bureau Federation. She will plan, coordinate and execute major OFBF events including the organization’s annual meeting, the Ohio State Fair Land and Living Exhibit, Farm Science Review, the Young Ag Professionals Winter Leadership Experience and Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation’s fundraising events including Cultivating a Cure, Foundation Night Out and the annual golf outing. She also will lead efforts to develop new

36 | SPRING 2019

WHAT’S SEASON? FrUITS &IN VEGETABLES Apr

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

twitter.com/OhioFarmBureau twitter.com/OurOhio facebook.com/OhioFarmBureau facebook.com/OurOhio

Apples Asparagus Beans Beets Blackberries Blueberries Broccoli Cabbage Cantaloupe Carrots Cauliflower Cherries Collards Cucumbers Eggplant Endive & Escarole Grapes (Table) Kale Leeks Leafy Lettuce Mustard Greens Onions Parsnips Peaches Peas (Green) Peppers Potatoes Pumpkins Radishes Raspberries Raspberries (Fall) Rhubarb Spinach Squash (Summer) Squash (Winter) Strawberries Sweet Corn Tomatoes Turnip Greens Turnips Watermelon

May

www.OurOhio.org

What’s In Season

A MONTHLY GUIDE FOR FRESH

harvest

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SPRING & SUMMER AG EVENTS MAY 08 May 8 Tree Walk When: 1–2 p.m. Where: Seaman Orientation Plaza, Secrest Arboretum, OARDC, CFAES Wooster Campus, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, Ohio. What: Features a range of tree-related topics including selection, planting, pests, and diseases. Free, no reservations required. Details: 330-2633761.

11 Truck and Tractor Pull When: Sat., May 11, 2019; 4pm-Until (No Specific End Time) Where: Troy Community Center, Welshfield, OH 740-244-4239 or 440-668-5307 Call for information. Presented by the Geauga County Antique Tractor Pullers Association.

38 | SPRING 2019

What: 16 Private Pesticide Applicator Testing, all day, testing begins at 10 a.m., Portage County Extension Office, 706 Oakwood St., Room 101, Ravenna, Ohio. Details: go.osu.edu/Cr8z 18 Simply Nature for Families!, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Secrest Welcome Center, OARDC, CFAES Wooster Campus, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, Ohio. Children will be led through several outdoor activities and receive a take home kit to connect the park experience with backyard nature. Activities are free, but please call 330-263-3968 by May 15 to register. Intended audience is children ages 5-10, accompanied by parents, grandparents or other caregivers. Details: go.osu.edu/Cr8v 22 Herbs and Perennials Workshop, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Miller Pavilion, Secrest Arboretum, OARDC, CFAES Wooster Campus, 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster, Ohio. Cost: $40 arboretum members, $45 non-members. Details and to register: go.osu.edu/ Cr85 Contact: Paul Snyder, snyder.1062@osu.edu, 330-263-3761.

June 01

July 13

Pegasus Farm Family Fun Day

Truck and Tractor Pull

When: Sat., June 01, 2019; 11am Until (No Specific End Time) Sat., June 01, 2019 at 12:00am Where: 7490 Edison St NE; Hartville, OH What: Kick-off summer at Family Fun Day on June 1st at Pegasus Farm, a premier therapeutic equestrian center located in Hartville! The community is invited for a day of family-friendly fun on the Farm: pony rides, petting zoo, archery, demonstrations of equestrian skill, inflatables and more are all part of the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities. In addition, a special opening ceremony will honor our local young people who have made the decision to serve their country through military service. This ceremony begins at 11:30 am. Pegasus Farm is located at the corner of routes 619 and 44 east of Hartville, Ohio. Admission is $25 per car or minivan.

When: Sat., July 13, 2019; 4pm-Until (No Specific End Time) Where: Troy Community Center, Welshfield, OH 740-244-4239 or 440-668-5307 Call for information. Presented by the Geauga County Antique Tractor Pullers Association.

08 Truck and Tractor Pull When: Sat., June 08, 2019; 4pm-Until (No Specific End Time) Where: Troy Community Center, Welshfield, OH 740-244-4239 or 440-668-5307 Call for information. Presented by the Geauga County Antique Tractor Pullers Association.

SEPTEMBER 17-19 2019 Farm Science Review When: September 17-19, 2019 Where: Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Wooster, Ohio What: The premier outdoor agricultural education and industry exposition

15 Berlin Moo Fest When: Jun 15, 2019 Where: Berlin Main Street Merchants 4900 Oak Street, Berlin, OH 44610 What: Celebrate Ohio Dairy Farmers with fun activities and sales in Berlin. Email Address: visitberlinohio@gmail.com Phone: 330-893-2523 Website: http://heartofamishcountry.com

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