OSU Growing January-February 2018 by Mid-Valley Media

January-February 2018 Volume 38, Issue 1

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #115 Albany, OR

Extending Knowledge and Changing Lives in Linn and Benton Counties

science Comes Alive for elementary students in extension Program Fifteen years ago, Corvallis fifth-grade teacher Kristin Erickson started participating in Oregon State University Extension’s Benton County 4-H Wildlife Stewards Program. Science class hasn’t been the same since. “It adds more of a real element to the science that

we do at school,” said the Jefferson Elementary School teacher. “These projects bring science alive for students,” said fellow teacher Kristen Silbernagel. “They are excellent work samples for meeting state standards in speaking, research and process and production skills.” Now in its sixteenth year, the 4-H Wildlife Stewards

Program is one of several inschool programs available to students in Benton and Linn counties through the Oregon State University Extension Service. In the program, kindergarten through fifthgrade students discover natural science outside the classroom door and learn about local ecology. The

Continued on Page 2 Photo Provided by benton County extension

Trained volunteer with students doing a creek study.

InsIde:

Photo Credit Maggie Livesay

By Mitch Lies, GrowinG Editor

students from Linus Pauling and Monroe Middle school study stream health as part of the sTeM beyond school Program.

extension Reaching Youth Through In-school Programs By Mitch Lies, GrowinG Editor Oregon State University Extension Service reaches Linn and Benton county youth in a variety of fashions, including through many in-school programs that supplement existing educational programs. In Benton County, Extension has multiple inschool programs that attract wide-spread participation from kindergarten through 12th grade, including STEM Beyond School, a program designed to spark an interest in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Last year, two local middle schools participated

in the program, which is now in its second year. Funded by an Oregon Department of Education grant, the program includes a weekly two-hour afterschool club meeting and 35 hours of out of school STEM experiences designed to spark an interest in STEM activities and lead to a future career choice in STEM fields. Students gained experience in biochemistry, marine science, Lego engineering, food science, aerospace and other areas in the program’s first year. And several students participated in educational trips to the Oregon coast, to OMSI, and the OSU

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Linn County 4-H Brings Cheer to Lebanon Veterans Home – Page 20 Register now for seed to supper Classes – Page 17

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

January-February 2018 —

Mid-Valley Residents Pitching In for science

Who We Are The Oregon State University Extension offices in Linn County and Benton County offer practical, lifelong learning experiences. We sponsor conferences, workshops, demonstrations, tours, and short courses. We recruit, train and manage volunteers who assist us with community outreach and education. Our Extension faculty and volunteers answer questions and give advice by phone, in person, through e-mail, and on our Websites. We provide brochures and flyers with specific information on a variety of subjects. We are funded by a cooperative partnership between Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and our local counties.

Office locations and hours

The Benton County office is located at 4077 SW Research Way in Corvallis. Office hours are 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Telephone: 541766-6750. Fax: 541-766-3549. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton. The Linn County office is located at 33630 McFarland Rd (on the corner of Old Highway 34 and McFarland Road), in Tangent. Office hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Phone 541-967-3871. Seed Certification phone 541-967-3810. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn.

Program Staff Phone Numbers

Linn County 4-H Youth Development Robin Galloway Linn County 4-H Youth Development Andrea Leao Benton County 4-H Youth Development Carolyn Ashton Benton County 4-H Natural Science and Benton County Leader Maggie Livesay Field Crops* Vacant Livestock & Forages* Shelby Filley Dairy* Jenifer Cruickshank Commercial Swine & Forage* Gene Pirelli Small Farms* Melissa Fery Small Farms* Amy Garrett* Small Farms & Groundwater Education* Chrissy Lucas Community Horticulture* Brooke Edmunds Community Horticulture* Pami Monnette Forestry, Natural Resources* Brad Withrow-Robinson Forestry and 4-H Youth Jody Einerson Family & Community Health (FCH)* Jeanne Brandt FCH & SNAP Ed* Tina Dodge Vera SNAP Ed* Brooke Jackson SNAP Ed* Karina Goicochea SNAP Ed* Yosvan Campos EFNEP* Monica Echeverri * Multi-county assignment

541-730-3469 541-730-3534 541-766-6750 541-766-6750

541-672-4461 971-600-1222 541-623-8395 541-730-3538 541-766-6750 541-766-3556 541-730-3470 541-730-3471 541-967-3871 541-766-6311 541-730-3544 541-730-3541 541-766-6750 541-766-6750 541-967-3871 541-730-3542

Administration and program support serving Linn County

Office specialist Office specialist Office manager & Linn County Leader Seed certification Seed certification

Laurie Gibson JoLynn O’Hearn Michele Webster Doug Huff Tom Manning

541-248-1088 541-967-3871 541-248-1087 541-967-3810 541-967-3810

Administration and program support serving Benton County Office specialist Office manager Office specialist

Kelly Cotter 541-766-6750 Liz McGovern 541-766-6750 Andrea Watson 541-766-6750

Interim Regional Administrator GROWING editor

Lindsey Shirley 541-967-3871 Mitch Lies 541-967-3871

Continued from Page 1 program provides teachers and volunteers with support to increase student learning in topic areas, such as water quality, wildlife, soil, native plants and more. “With the majority of students spending more screen time inside and less time outside in active play, programs like this are important,” said Maggie Livesay, 4-H faculty at OSU Extension in Benton County. “Hands-on learning is a hallmark of 4-H programs and programs like this reinforce the learning that takes place in the classroom by providing real world examples.” The program is open to all Benton County elementary schools and includes a series of professional-development workshops for teachers and volunteers in which Livesay and 4-H program assistant Jody Einerson provide curriculum highlighting applicable natural science topics and model techniques for teaching students in the outdoors. “It can be challenging to take 25 to 30 kids outside,” said Einerson. “Practicing those techniques makes outdoor learning a valuable experience for both the students and the teachers.”

All of the five schools currently participating have schoolyards that serve as outdoor science labs. Even if a school lacks a natural area for study, the program encourages creating a place outside the classroom walls for youth to connect with nature. At Jefferson, students have conducted research projects on Dixon Creek that borders their schoolyard. According to Erickson, the students with the help of 4-H Wildlife Steward volunteers and parents have planted several hundred native plants to provide wildlife habitat, put up an interpretive trail and use the site for field studies. Jefferson also has a large garden that is spearheaded by 4-H Wildlife Steward volunteer Marc Curtis. He spends time each week teaching students about the exciting changes taking place in the garden. They learn things like how to propagate plants, collect seed and make compost. The 4-H Wildlife Stewards Program also includes an endof-year event, which showcases student science inquiry and research projects. The format for the 4-H Wildlife Stewards Summit is similar to a science conference in which student teams create a research poster

and deliver an oral presentation to a judge. Erickson said, “Students benefit from doing these presentations, not just for the teacher, but in a conference setting with community members. It is a really good educational experience and meets Oregon Department of Education standards for my fifth graders.” Last year, more than 200 students participated in the one-day conference. This year’s event will be held at Hoover Elementary in Corvallis. Students who excel at the 4-H Wildlife Summit are eligible to compete in the Benton County Fair, and many projects advance to the Oregon State Fair each year. The students “are really excited about it,” Erickson said. “Most of the kids really enjoy doing something that feels like it is beyond the classroom. They get to go outside. They are exploring something new. And a lot of them enjoy the competition side of it.” Clearly, science class hasn’t been the same since Erickson started participating in Benton County Extension’s 4-H Wildlife Stewards Program.

Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities and materials without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran status. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations to persons with physical or mental disabilities will be provided. Please notify the Extension office five working days prior to the event you are interested in attending to request reasonable accommodations.

2 — January-February 2018

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Brooke Edmunds 541-730-3470 brooke.edmunds@ oregonstate.edu

Insights Into Gardening By Jana Tindall Insights Into Gardening is a fun, day-long educational conference providing participants with upto-date, research-based gardening information. It is sponsored by the Benton County Master Gardener Association, and is for anyone interested in gardening – from beginners to experienced gardeners. Master Gardeners may count the class hours toward re-

certification. Attendees choose from 16 classes offered in four concurrent sessions taught by local experts. In addition to classes, participants can visit with more than 20 exhibitors for one-onone advice and to make a few purchases. Be sure to purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win some great prizes provided by our exhibitors. New this year will be a silent auction. Proceeds from this

event help fund grants, scholarships and educational outreach. The conference is Saturday, Feb. 10, at LaSells Stewart Center on the campus of Oregon State University in Corvallis. Doors open at 8 a.m. and the first class begins at 9 a.m. The cost is $35 in advance and $40 at the door. Parking is free. More information is available online: extension. oregonstate.edu/benton/ insights.

Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop There will be a fruit tree pruning workshop with OSU Extension horticulture faculty, Jeff Choate, on Tuesday, Feb. 13, from 1-3 p.m., at Grandpas Farm Stand, 36483 Hwy 226 Albany. As always, the class will be held rain or shine, so dress weather appropriate. There will be an opportunity for a hands-on activity after the

You reap what you sow, so... it’s time to get sowing.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Community Horticulture

Pami Monnette 541-730-3471 pamela.monnette@ oregonstate.edu

workshops, so bring your gloves and pruners. Cost is $20.00 per person. To register by phone, call 541-9673871, or drop by the Benton or Linn County OSU Extension Service offices to register in person. 4077 SW Research Way, Corvallis (Benton) 33630 McFarland Rd, Tangent (Linn)

January-February Gardening Calendar for Western Oregon Planning • Plan to replace varieties of ornamental plants that are susceptible to disease with resistant cultivars in February. • Take hardwood cuttings of deciduous ornamental shrubs and trees for propagation. • Have your soil tested in your garden plot to determine its nutrient needs. Contact your local Extension office for a list of laboratories or view EM 8677 online. • Begin planning this year’s vegetable garden. Check with local retail garden or nursery stores for seeds and seed catalogs. • Keep a garden journal. Consult your journal in the winter, so you can better plan for the growing season. • Plan an herb bed for cooking and creating an interesting landscape. For example, choose parsley, sage, chives, and lavender. Choose a sunny spot and plant seeds or transplants once the danger of frost has passed.

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• Plan to add herbaceous perennial flowers to your flowering landscape this spring. Examples include candytuft, peony, penstemon, and coneflower.

Maintenance and clean up • Repair winter damage to trees and shrubs. • Make a cold frame or hotbed to start early vegetables or flowers. • Fertilize rhubarb with manure or a complete fertilizer. • Incorporate cover crops or other organic matter into soil. • Prune and train grapes; make cuttings. • Prune fruit trees and blueberries. • Prune deciduous summer-blooming shrubs and trees; wait until April in high elevations of Eastern and Central

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eeds! s e l b a vail ee's Now a ume, Ren l, Ed H Territoria tanical Interest. o Garden, B n-GMO options. No Organic, r Seed Starting ou Plus all y d Soils. an Supplies

5470 NE Hwy 20, Corvallis 97330 (541) 753-6601

GarlandNursery.com January-February 2018 —

CreaTing a PoLLinaTorFriendLy LandsCaPe in your garden 4th Annual Linn County Master Gardeners Pollinator Conference will be held on Saturday, March 3, at the Conference Center at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center, Knox Butte Road, Albany. • Registration starts Jan. 1 • Registration $30.00 • Box Lunches $10 (must be preordered by Feb. 24.) • Space limits us to 200 registrants NOTE: There are many events at the Expo Center this day, so don’t plan to leave for lunch. Bring your lunch or pre-order a box lunch. Parking later in the day can be an issue. Pollinator Conference Presentations Morning Meeting All the Needs of Pollinators— not just flowers. How do we help all of them? What research is telling us. • Linda Hardison, Director of the Oregon Flora Project (OSU-Assistant Professor -Senior Research. (Along with her colleagues). Afternoon Mason Bees- The Super Pollinators! How to care for them, what they do for us, their life cycle, and the challenges they face. • Susan Morton and Ranee Webb, Linn Master Gardeners Is Your Yard a “Green Desert” to our Native Bees? Create a sustainable plant community in your yard for our native pollinator that emphasizes native plants. • Rich Little, retired entomologist, Linn/Benton County Master Gardener Select vendors will offer related merchandise. There will be door prizes and a raffle with wonderful things to win. The Linn County Master Gardeners will have cocoons, nest boxes and supplies for Mason Bees and books on related subjects. NOTE: Bring a cooler to keep cocoons cold during your trip home. A towel between the cocoons and ice or cold pack is suggested.

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Gear Up Your Garden for Cold Weather By Kim Pokorny As freezing weather moves in, gardeners may be worrying about how to protect their plants from the cold. Experts with Oregon State University Extension Service recommend several ways to guard your landscape from frigid conditions. • Though snow can act as excellent mulch on the ground, it can also weigh down the branches of shrubs with frail structures such as arborvitae, boxwoods, young rhododendrons and azaleas. Every two to three days, knock the snow off branches and wrap rope around the branches of bushes and shrubs. Tying the branches upward helps restructure the branches to a more upright position before the storm. • Insulate plants with mulch, compost, leaves or any kind of organic matter that will protect root systems. Snow can also be a good insulator for many plants. • It’s especially important to protect container plants since the pots can freeze. Cover them with

Photo by denise ruttan

2018 Beevent Pollinator Conference

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shake snow off branches to keep them from being damaged.

compost, mulch, old blankets, sheets or burlap, or anything that can help insulate them. Wrap pots in bubble wrap to provide even more protection. Don’t leave pots hanging. Place on the ground and cover. • Most trees go dormant in the winter and can withstand temperatures in the negative degrees. The exception? Non-native trees that do not have the same cold tolerance. Be sure to check labels before buying and make sure to plant trees with cold hardiness appropriate to your area.

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Check the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to find your hardiness zone. Don’t walk on your lawn, especially if there is no snow insulating the grass. Walking on it can break the leaf tissue and damage the grass if it is frozen. Keep your greenhouse above 35 degrees and plants inside will likely survive. Next spring you may notice some brown freeze streaks and damage on the leaves of the spring-flowering trees and bulbs you put in the ground recently. Cold weather likely will cause a lot of leaf and tissue damage. Frost damage causes leaves to appear water-soaked or shriveled, or to turn dark brown or black — but does not always kill the plant. Generally, do not water your plants in freezing conditions. But shrubs growing underneath the eaves of a house are susceptible to drought damage. Water them deeply every six to eight weeks only when the air temperature is above freezing and early in the day.

Upcoming Linn/Benton Master Gardener events • Jan. 8 Lebanon Second Monday Lunchtime Gardening Series – Gardening on the Cheap with MG, Jill Van Buren, noon-1 p.m., The Lobby, 661 S Main Street in Lebanon. Free and open to the public! • Jan. 9-Feb. 27 Gearing up for Gardening: Seeds, Weeds, Trees, Tools, and Soils Ole! Free lunchtime talks every Tuesday in January and February from Noon – 1 p.m., Corvallis Public library. • Jan. 11 Linn County January Master Gardener Association Membership Meeting, 6 p.m., Tom’s Garden Center. Topic: TBA - Open to the public! • Jan. 25-March 22 Master Gardener Program Training every Thursday, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., The Central Electrical Training Facility in Tangent. Open to all Master Gardeners! • Jan. 15 Benton County January Master Gardener Association Membership Meeting, 7 p.m., the Sunset room of the Benton County Extension Office. Topic: TBA - Open

to the public! • Jan. 16 Seed to Supper Instructor Training with the Oregon Food Bank, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Linn County Extension Service in Tangent • Feb. 8 Linn County January Master Gardener Association Membership Meeting, 6 p.m., Tom’s Garden Center. Topic: TBA - Open to the public! • Feb. 10 Insights into Gardening: A day-long seminar offering practical, research-based information for gardeners and gardeners-to-be. @ LaSells Stewart Center, OSU campus in Corvallis. Registration info: extension.oregonstate.edu/benton/ insights • Feb. 12 Lebanon Second Monday Lunchtime Gardening Series – Mason Bees with MG, Susan Morton, noon-1 p.m., The Lobby, 661 S Main Street in Lebanon. Free and open to the public! • Feb. 13 Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop, 1-3 p.m., Grandpas Farmstand in between Albany & Lebanon. Registration info can be

found here: extension.oregonstate. edu/linn/master-gardener-eventscalendar or call 541-967-3871 • Feb. 19 Benton County February Master Gardener Association Membership Meeting, 7 p.m., the Sunset room of the Benton County Extension Office. Topic: TBA - Open to the public! • Feb. 24 OSU Extension Small Farms Conference – A daylong event geared toward farmers, agricultural professionals, food policy advocates, students and managers of farmers markets. Registration information: http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/ sfc • March 3 BEEvent Pollinator Conference - An informative day-long seminar geared towards homeowners about practical landscaping techniques to encourage pollinator health. @ Linn County Fair & Expo Center. Registration info can be found here: extension. oregonstate.edu/linn/beevent

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Control Moss in Lawns by Keeping grass Healthy

Oregon. • Prune and train trailing blackberries (if not done the prior August); prune back raspberries. • Prune fall-bearing raspberries (in late-February or earlyMarch).

By Kim Pokorny Many homeowners struggle with moss that invades lawns as winter rains provide just the right conditions for its growth. “The most frequent winter time question I receive regarding lawn maintenance is, ‘How do I get rid of moss?’” said Alec Kowalewski, turf grass specialist for Oregon State University Extension Service. To answer that question, Kowalewski and Brooke Edmunds, a horticulturist with Extension, developed a publication and video on Managing Moss in the Landscape in Western Oregon. The new resources dive into the three steps to rid your lawn of moss, a frustrating process since it first involves dealing with the conditions that encourage moss. “Some people want the quick fix,” said Edmunds. “They don’t want to think that it might be too difficult to have lawn in the shade. But grass doesn’t grow well in wet, shady areas and won’t outcompete moss.” Moss is like a lot of weeds, Kowalewski added. It will do well in tough situations and doesn’t need as much nutrients as lawn does. Don’t just put a Band-

Calendar continued from Page 3

• Prune clematis, Virginia creeper, and other vining ornamentals.

Planting/propagation – February • Plant windowsill container gardens of carrots, lettuce, or parsley. • Plan to add herbaceous perennial flowers this spring: astilbe, candytuft, peony, and anemone. • Good time to plant fruit trees and deciduous shrubs. Replace varieties of ornamental plants that are susceptible to disease with resistant cultivars. • Plant asparagus if the ground is warm enough.

Aid on it with chemicals, Edmunds said. Instead keep the lawn healthy by reducing shade and moisture and following good cultural practices. That includes keeping pH between 6.0 and 6.5 by adding lime if necessary. Fertilize twice in spring and twice in fall. Mow and irrigate appropriately. Details on lawn care are provided within the video and publication, as well as these resources, which can be found at https://catalog.extension. oregonstate.edu/. • EC 1278 Fertilizing Lawns • EC 1521 Practical Lawn Care for Western Oregon • EM 9100 Retail Lawn Seed Mixtures for Western Oregon and Western Washington • EC 1550 Practical Lawn Establishment and

Renovation • Efficient Lawn Irrigation in the Intermountain West (video) • Integrated Pest Management for Turfgrass (video) To maintain a healthy lawn, Edmunds recommends pruning trees to let in more sunlight and dealing with excessive water with French drains or tiles. If that doesn’t bring the desired results, Edmunds recommends treating the moss with appropriate chemicals. Another option is to dethatch the lawn with a rake or rented dethatcher to pull up the moss and then reseed bare spots. If all else fails, you’ll need to do a full

• Plant seed flats of cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts), indoors or in a greenhouse. • Where soil is dry enough and workable, plant garden peas and sweet peas.

Pest monitoring and management • Scout cherry trees for signs and symptoms of bacterial canker. Remove infected branches with a clean pruner or saw. • Use dormant sprays of lime sulfur or copper fungicide on roses for general disease control, or plan to replace susceptible varieties with resistant cultivars in February. • Moss in lawn may mean too much shade or poor drainage. Modify site conditions if moss is bothersome. • Mid-January: Spray peach trees with approved fungicides to combat peach leaf curl and shothole. Or plant curlresistant cultivars such as Frost, Q1-8 or Creswell. • Monitor landscape plants for problems. Don’t treat unless a problem is identified.

Houseplants and Indoor Gardening • Gather branches of quince, forsythia, and flowering cherries and bring indoors to force an early bloom.

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Agricultural Business Management • Agricultural Sciences Animal Science • Animal Technology Animal Technology: Horse Management Crop Production • Equine Science Horticulture • Profitable Small Farms Veterinary Assistant

linnbenton.edu/programs http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

January-February 2018 —

Family and Community Health

Jeanne Brandt 541-730-3544 jeanne.brandt@ oregonstate.edu

Tina Dodge Vera 541-730-3541 tina.dodge@ oregonstate.edu

Master Food Preserver Volunteers sought

sanitizing and Removing Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers The following steps may have to be repeated several times if foods have been allowed to spoil in the refrigerator or freezer during a power outage: • Dispose of any spoiled or questionable food. • Remove shelves, crispers, and ice trays. Wash them thoroughly with hot water and detergent. Then rinse with a sanitizing solution of 1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water. • Wash the interior of the refrigerator and freezer, including the door and gaskets, with hot water and baking soda. Rinse with a sanitizing solution (see above). • Leave the door open for about 15 minutes. iF odor reMains, Try any or aLL oF THe FoLLowing: • Wipe the inside of the unit with equal parts of vinegar and water to destroy mildew. • Leave the door open and allow to air out for several days. • Stuff the refrigerator and freezer with rolled newspapers. Keep the door closed for several days. Remove the newspaper and clean with vinegar and water. • Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds or baking soda loosely in a large, shallow container in the bottom of the unit. • Use a commercial product available at hardware and houseware stores. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Note: If odors still remain, the unit may need to be discarded. Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.

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OSU Extension Service will begin accepting applications for volunteers interested in becoming trained volunteer Master Food Preservers in February. The 8-week training will be held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Tuesdays, starting April 3. Volunteers will be expected to return a minimum of 48 hours of volunteer time during the food preservation season between June and October. Volunteer duties include

assisting with community food preservation classes and staffing information tables at farmers markets and community events. Cost will be $125 for supplies used in class. Extensive food preservation experience is not required. Participants should learn all aspects of food safety and preservation during the training. A desire to interact with the public in a cheerful and positive way is more important.

For more information about the program and to receive an application, contact Jeanne at 541730-3544 or email jeanne. brandt@oregonstate.edu. For community members who want to learn more about food preservation, but do not wish to volunteer, a variety of hands-on classes will be offered during the summer and fall. Watch future editions of GROWING for a schedule and registration information.

2018 extension Programs at Lebanon senior Center These free programs are open to all community members. Please let us know you plan to attend so enough materials and samples can be prepared by calling 541967-3871. Classes are held at Lebanon Senior Center, 80 Tangent St, Lebanon, OR 97355, from 10 a.m.*- noon. *(note the time change from previous programs) • Feb. 22: Historical Origins of Sayings. Come for a fun review of sayings and clichés we use without thinking about why or where they came from.

• March 29: Tomatoes. Tips for successful tomato gardening and preserving your tomato harvest. Review of varieties of tomatoes to choose from as you plan your garden and ideas for using and preserving even the green ones that you grow. • April 26: Growing Herbs and Flavored vinegars. Easy to grow in pots or gardens, herbs provide healthy flavor to your everyday meals. Flavored vinegars are a popular way to use herbs to infuse flavor into dishes you prepare.

• Sept. 20: Culinary Oils. Nut, coconut, and avocado oils join a selection of vegetable oils already on the market. Learn about health considerations and culinary uses for these products. • Oct. 25: Oregon Pears. Oregon is internationally renowned for producing a variety of delicious, sweet, and juicy pears. Focus on our state’s official fruit – the history, harvest, and using them in meals.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Unlocking a Healthier You in 2018 By Carol walsh

If you’ve ever started a new year (or a new month or a new week, for that matter) with a resolution to “lose weight,” and have taken some action to “diet,” then you’ve probably bumped into a roller coaster of feelings along the way, ranging from elation to discouragement. You may also have experienced the predicaments of feeling hungry, deprived, left out, or clueless. Can it be possible to make changes without falling back into long-standing habits that got you where you are now…and feel satisfied with your efforts? Is it worth it to take on this major self-engineering challenge? If improved health is what you’re after, then studies of large groups of people have found that the answer to both questions is a resounding YES. Lifestyle changes that result in even modest weight loss can provide dramatic health effects such as improved blood glucose, blood pressure, and significant reductions in sleep apnea, kidney disease, incontinence, depression, and medication use. During my professional life, I was witness to additional client improvements, such as measured reductions in blood lipids as well as selfdescribed gains in digestive and joint comfort, physical activity. and mood. 4 Keys To suCCessFuL weigHT Loss Whether obvious or

not, all weight loss efforts hinge on a style of eating that reduces caloric intake. You may find a controversy about whether calories count in the popular press, but successful weight loss will inevitably involve a sustained change in energy balance. The previously mentioned large-scale studies showed clearly that people who embarked on a reduced calorie eating style, and kept it up over time, were successful. Nutrition, medical, and behavioral researchers are currently working to understand the factors that impact a person’s ability to persist. These factors involve the nutrient content and timing of foods and meals, use of surgery and medications, as well as the thinking patterns and coping mechanisms employed. Approaching any change from a positive stance of self-compassion appears more likely to catalyze lasting behavior changes than thoughts of fear and regret. The third key feature of sustained weight loss is physical activity. Activity is not the most important part of losing weight, but

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

instead appears to be super important for keeping weight off and improving feelings of well-being. Thus during weight loss, it makes sense to gradually increase activity in whatever way is enjoyable. The final feature of a successful sustained weight loss effort involves the use of behavioral strategies that contribute to keeping up with the previous three keys. These will include 1) self-monitoring that allows a person to notice their patterns of behaving, thinking and coping, 2) making changes to one’s environment, 3) using problem-solving techniques, and 4) maintaining frequent contact with a support system. If you start or continue a weight loss effort for improved health, consider meeting with your physician to track measurable changes and to access valuable support from their colleagues, including registered dietitian/nutritionists, physical therapists and behavioral counselors. Good, basic nutrition advice can be found at ChooseMyPlate.gov and other support can be found in our community or online, some are fee-based, and some are free. Carol Walsh is a retired Registered Dietitian/ Nutritionist living in Corvallis. She currently volunteers for Benton and Linn Counties as a Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver.

Winter energy saving Tips HeaTing is By Far one oF our BiggesT energy exPenses. To save on HeaTing CosTs: • Turn your thermostat down. Each degree you lower it saves about 2 percent on a heating bill. • Install a programmable thermostat. Use it to automatically control the heat when you are not home and overnight while you are sleeping. • Wear a sweater and heavy socks if you’re chilly. • Have a professional tune up and inspect your furnace once a year. This can save you up to 10 percent on your heating costs. • If you have forced air heat, clean the filter each month. • If you have hot water or steam heat, check water levels. A furnace dealer can tell you how to add more water. Ask the dealer for more tips to make your system work better. • Clean the area around your furnace. That lessens the chance of fire and improves airflow. • Make sure heat can get into the room. Keep furniture and drapes from blocking radiators, heating registers and return vents. oTHer winTer TiPs: • Where windows face the sun, keep drapes open in the day, but close all drapes at night. • Repair windows. Even a crack drives fuel bills up. Got a loose window? Install weather stripping. • Install storm windows. They pay for themselves by keeping cold air out. • Close storm doors. Seal air leaks by caulking and weather stripping doors. CurBing FirePLaCe CosTs: • Buy “seasoned” wood. That means wood that has been allowed to dry out. Freshly cut wood has too much moisture to burn well. Keep your woodpile covered. • Keep the damper closed when you aren’t using the fireplace. • Open dampers in the bottom of the firebox, slightly open the nearest window, close doors leading to the room with your fireplace, and lower the thermostat to between 50 and 55 degrees when the fire is lit. • Haven’t used your fireplace in over a year? Call a chimney sweep for an inspection and make all repairs before using it again. Source: Cornell Extension

you May quaLiFy For Free HoMe weaTHerizaTion The Community services Consortium for Linn and Benton counties, in partnership with local utility companies provides free weatherization services, such as added insulation, weather stripping and heat duct sealing to homeowners and renters. Check to see if you qualify. Call 541-738-0958 or visit http:// communityservices.us/files/WX_BROCHURe_with_ Application_11.30.2017.pdf January-February 2018 —

Oregon Ryegrass Growers Association Annual Meeting – January 17

8 — January-February 2018

campus. The program culminated in a three-day STEM Adventure Camp, in which students studied flight, drones, forensic science, and other areas of science and engineering. The Benton County 4-H Teens as Teachers Youth Advocates for Health is in its fifth year. In this program, 4-H faculty Carolyn Ashton and Maggie Livesay provide training of teaching techniques to teens, who subsequently provide health Monroe Middle school students study ocean acidification in sTeM and environmental education lab. to elementary age youth. The program provides multiple county commissioner, volunteers tie activities benefits to the younger sheriff, district attorney, like planting, growing and youth, and participating mayor, and many others to harvesting seed to science teens benefit from learning learn more about county about healthy eating, physical and math curriculum. government. Schools involved this year exercise and the environment are Memorial Middle School And Extension reaches and communicating those in Albany, Adams Elementary elementary school children concepts to others. School in Corvallis, and in two Linn County and A third in-school Mountain View Elementary two Benton County schools Extension program, offered School in Corvallis. through the federally through a partnership with Students also participate funded SNAP Ed program. Benton County Parks and An extension of the federal Natural Areas is titled FOCUS, in science activities through 4-H Oregon Season Tracker, Supplemental Nutrition for Forest Organisms Creeks a citizen science program Assistant Program, SNAP Ed’s U Study. Now in its fourth where elementary and evidence-based strategies year, the program annually middle school students track helps prevent obesity and reaches more than 200 and record precipitation and chronic diseases in vulnerable third and fourth graders. It plant development. populations through nutrition includes a five-hour field “Oregon Season Tracker education and increased program at Beazell Memorial is a great way to get youth physical activity, according to Forest where students study involved in science,” said Tina Dodge Vera, Family and wildlife, food chains and Jody Einerson, an educational Community Health Extension food webs, air quality, water program assistant for agent for Linn and Benton quality and hike between Extension. “One of the counties. sessions. keys to education is getting Schools targeted this “It increases their kids to learn outdoors and year are Sunrise and South knowledge about a local getting them familiar with Shore Elementary in Albany park’s ecosystem,” said their environment. This does and Lincoln and Garfield County Extension Leader that.” Elementary in Corvallis. The for Benton County Maggie Benton County 4-H also program includes in-school Livesay. “We find that many offers the Know Your County and after-school programs of the children have never Government program every targeting under-resourced been out there.” spring for middle school families. Extension also reaches students. Youth take tours of For more information on students through Master the county jail, 911 center, these programs, or if you are a Gardener programs, where, and courthouse for a mock teacher looking to participate according to Linn-Benton trial. They get an opportunity in one or more, contact your Master Gardener Program to speak directly with a local Extension Service office. Coordinator Pami Monnette, Photo Credit Maggie Livesay

The Oregon Ryegrass Growers Association will hold it’s 57th annual meeting on Wednesday, January 17, at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center. This year’s featured speaker is Nicole Olynk Widmar, Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University. Nicole’s teaching, research and Extension activities focus on farm business management and production economics. She will be doing her talk on farm succession planning. Along with the featured speaker there will be the usual market reports and updates. Pre-registration is required and you can get a registration form e-mailed to you, or call the OSU Linn County Extension office 541-967-3871 to register. Cost is $20 per person. Registration at the door on the day of the event is $25 per person. We hope to see you there.

Extension Reaching Youth continued from Page 1

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Groundwater Protection Education

Chrissy Lucas 541-766-3556 chrissy.lucas@ oregonstate.edu

A new Loan Option for Replacing a Failing septic system There are 456,000 septic systems in Oregon, and some 30 percent of Oregon households rely on septic systems. As many as 10 percent of these systems fail each year, according to various estimates, and not all homeowners or small businesses have the resources to make needed repairs. Fixing a septic system can cost as much as $25,000. Finding out your septic system is failing can be an expensive problem. That’s where Craft3 comes in. With support from many partners including the State of Oregon, Craft3 offers an affordable Clean Water Loan to help families repair or replace their failing septic system with no money down. The Clean Water Loan makes it easier to fit the complete cost of designing, permitting, installing and maintaining your septic system into your household budget. In some cases, you can also finance connection to a nearby municipal sewer system. Craft3 has unique approval

criteria and repayment terms that work for a wide range of property types and family circumstances. Fewer failing septic systems in our communities means fewer families vulnerable to displacement and less pollution that can harm our children, natural resources, and local industries reliant on clean water. eLigiBiLiTy • Properties can be owner- or non-owner occupied. Rentals and second homes are eligible. • One of the following must apply: - your septic system is at least 25 years old; - your system is failing and you have evidence to support it; - you have been contacted by Health Officials; or - you are under orders to fix your septic system. • Counties currently served by Craft3: - Residential Oregon: All - Commercial Septic Systems: All in Oregon or Washington

How To aPPLy • Submit your loan application online or download a PDF at https:// www.craft3.org/Borrow/ clean-water-loans. Receive pre-approval within three business days. If you mail your application, preapproval may take longer. • Obtain a design for your system, permits and installation bids from an approved contractor. • Finalize your Craft3 loan. Securely sign your loan documents electronically or by mail. 50 percent of your loan amount is available upfront for design, permits and installation. • Oversee the work by your contractor to repair or replace your septic system. • Authorize Craft3 to pay your contractor once work is completed to your satisfaction and approved by your local jurisdiction. • Enjoy your new system — making sure to maintain it properly. All loans include a $2,000 reserve to support your system’s ongoing

Loan availability, terms and conditions current as of 9/26/2016 and are subject to change. Residential property examples include financing of Craft3 $595 loan fee. not all applicants will qualify. ** Principal balance and interest (if applicable) due on sale, transfer, refinance or maturity. subordination may be available with lender approval, fees may apply. *** If, after 15 years, homeowner has not sold, refinanced or otherwise transferred ownership of the property, is in compliance with the loan agreement, and meets relevant lending/program criteria, the 15-year loan period may be extended, at the lender’s sole discretion, for up to an additional five years.

health. • Repay your Craft3 loan via convenient automatic bank payments. residenTiaL ProPerTies Loans are available throughout Oregon and in select Washington

Counties. Rates and terms are determined by applicants’ annual household income. See the accompanying table for more information on eligibility. This article has been reprinted with edits from http://www.craft3.org

Well and septic system Class and Free nitrate screening Offered in Linn County To learn more about your drinking water well and septic system to protect your family’s and animal’s health, your property investments, and the safety of the groundwater resource, plan to attend one of the upcoming FREE Rural Living Basics classes or stop in at a community nitrate screening clinic. Chrissy Lucas, a program assistant with Oregon State

University Extension will be teaching Rural Living Basics: Living with your Well and Septic System class on Wednesday, Jan. 17, from 6-8:15 p.m., at the Linn County Extension Service Auditorium, 33630 McFarland Rd, Tangent. Community Well Water Nitrate Screening Clinic will be held Thursday, Jan. 25, from 3:30-6 p.m., at Tangent City

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

Hall, 32166 Old Oak Drive in Tangent. Participants in either the class or a community clinic may have their water screened for nitrate by bringing about 1/2 cup untreated well water to class in a clean, water-tight container. Nitrate has been associated with a type of bluebaby syndrome, and there are emerging concerns about additional health problems

associated with nitrate in drinking water. The areas at greatest risk for high nitrate in the Willamette Valley are those with well-drained soils on the valley floor. All homes with private wells should be actively monitored for nitrate levels. These opportunities are free and open to the public. However, pre-registration is appreciated for classes to ensure adequate supplies. To

register, call Chrissy at 541766-3556, or send e-mail to Chrissy.Lucas@oregonstate. edu. For additional information on well water and septic systems, other free Rural Living Basics classes and nitrate screening events, visit the OSU Well Water website at http://wellwater.oregonstate. edu or for more information, call 541-766-3556.

January-February 2018 —

Forestry and Natural Resources

Brad WithrowRobinson 541-766-6750 brad.w-r@ oregonstate.edu

Living with wood sickness

A reminder that the Linn County Seedling Sale and the Goods from the Woods local wood products fair will be held on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Linn County Fair and Expo Center. Both events are sponsored by the Linn County Chapter of Oregon Small Woodlands Association. Portions of the money earned each year from the Seedling Sale are used to help fund educational programs for youth in Linn County, including 4-H and college scholarships. Seedlings will be available while supplies last and pre-orders are encouraged. All pre-orders need to be submitted by Jan. 20. The plant list/information sheet and seedling order form are available on line by following the link on the Benton County Forestry Extension upcoming events page http://extension.oregonstate. edu/benton/forestry/events. For questions or additional information, please contact Bonnie Marshall at bonnieym@wvi. com or 503-769-6510.

An easy new Year’s Resolution: subscribe to the Woodland Compass

Photos by brad WithroWrobinson

Are you interested in seeing more information about how to take care of your woodland property? Do you want to find out about upcoming events? Then you should subscribe to the Woodland Compass and Needle, the FREE electronic news and announcement bulletins from Benton, Linn, and Polk Counties Extension Forestry & Natural Resources Program. The Compass is released electronically six times a year with information about the art and science of taking care of your woodland property for the benefit of you and the creatures that live there. As an on-line publication, it comes in full color with active links to other stories and resources. The A tour is a great way to learn Needle has timely electronic about your woodland. subscribe announcements and is the best way to find out about upcoming to the Compass and needle to woodland events and happenings get practical information and tour announcements. offered by Extension and its partners in the mid Valley. If you are interested in receiving the Compass and Needle, please email Jody Einerson (jody.einerson@oregonstate.edu) or call the Benton County Extension Office (541) 766-6750 and give us your name, email, and physical mailing address & phone (to help keep email lists current). There is something for nearly every interest, so put your whole family on the list. It is FREE!

By Brad withrowrobinson, Forestry & natural Resources extension Agent, Benton, Linn and Polk Counties

Photo by brad WithroW-robinson

seedling sale and Goods from the Woods Fair

10 — January-February 2018

Jody Einerson 541-766-6311 jody.einerson@ oregonstate.edu

Reprinted from TreeTopics, http://blogs.oregonstate. edu/treetopics The wood sickness is an all-too-common condition that afflicts many in the family forest landowner community. As described in an earlier article (available on Tree Topics blog), it is characterized by large accumulations of wood in a person’s yard, shed, garage or barn, excessive buildup of chain saws and other logging tools, portable mills, and all sorts of secondary wood working tools. You know it when you see it. People with this affliction treat wood with the same passion as collectors of fine wine treat their vintages. Each likes to hide things away and store them cool dark places, often for years at a time. Yet each is able to recite the source and a story of how they came to own each piece or bottle. They are determined and very patient waiting for each to find its destiny. Orson Wells made a series of wine commercials late in his career that captured that spirit when he would declare “We sell no wine before its time.” The parallel sentiment among wood hoarders

You might have the wood sickness if…this is the scene in one or more of your outbuildings.

might be “we use no board before it’s stored.” An afflicted friend of mine (who will remain unnamed) is remodeling a house and recently put in a hardwood floor. He patiently converted stacks of stickered wood into milled floorboards. Then, he gradually and laboriously laid them out one by one to create a gorgeous floor of Oregon white oak, bordered with black walnut. As discussed before, there is no cure for the wood sickness, but it can be helped by therapy. The therapy is difficult and sometimes painful. His therapy reduced the amount of wood in his stockpile while producing pain in his knees and back, but was otherwise effective

and productive. There are many people like Jay who are coping and trying to come to grips with their obsession. You see them around town from time to time. No more so than this time of year, when they commonly emerge from garages and workshops coated in therapeutic sawdust, to display and maybe sell the products of their therapy at art shops, Christmas Bazars and the Local Goods from the Woods fair. They may be friends, family or even complete strangers, but please show them some holiday spirit. Meet them half way. I bet that turned fruit bowl would look terrific in your sister’s dining room.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

Commercial Agriculture

Commerical Agriculture Livestock and Forages Percent of Lamb Crop Born of ewes exposed and ewes Lambing Shelby Filley 541-672-4461 shelby.filley@ oregonstate.edu

seCond oF Two ParTs Part one was published in the november-december issue

By James M. Thompson, OsU extension sheep specialist (retired)

Two very important measures of performance and production efficiency are the percent of lamb crop born of ewes exposed and ewes lambing. It is impossible to give an ideal level that a producer should aim for because there is no optimum level that is suited for every operation. What needs to be determined is the optimum level of performance that fits the resources that you have available on your farm or ranch. Once you know this, then manage to improve on this measure. If you have a high number of open ewes at lambing, then your level of performance for the percent of lamb crop born of ewes exposed is going to be low. Therefore, efforts need to be devoted to getting this level into an acceptable range and these were discussed previously. Once you have a handle on this, the two measures (lambs born per ewe lambing and ewe exposed) can be looked at together. The heritability for lambing rate is low, therefore it is responsive to management. Selection based on lambing rate should still be a consideration and, if practiced for a period of time, should allow you to make some progress albeit slow. Use of breeds noted for prolificacy such as the Finn sheep will help increase percent lamb crop born. Research indicates that for every percent Finn blood that you have in your ewes you increase lambing rate by a comparable level. Thus, quarter

Finn ewes increase lambing rate by 25%. From the management standpoint there are many things to consider when trying to improve on this measure of performance. The first relates to that discussed previously with regard to when you begin the breeding season. If you expose ewes early in the breeding season for an early lamb crop you have to expect a lower lambing rate due to a lower ovulation rate at this time. Ewes naturally achieve maximum ovulation rate at the midpoint of the breeding season with lowered levels at the beginning and end. Thus, if your resources allow, switching the start of your breeding season might allow for an increased percentage of lamb crop born. In this situation consider all aspects such as price trends for lambs and feed resources before making any changes in your operation. Flushing and body condition score at mating can increase the number of lambs born per ewe lambing and ewe exposed. Flushing can be expected to increase number of lambs born per ewe by 5 to 20%. Light weight ewes in poor body condition are more responsive to flushing than heavy ewes in good body condition. This doesn’t mean that ewes should be taken down in body weight to be flushed. If this is done, lamb production will suffer due to the negative effect of low body weight at mating on the number of lambs born. Ewes that have gradually increased in body weight from weaning to flushing and are at a 3 to 3 1/2 condition score when flushed

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

will generally produce more lambs than ewes that have lost weight and are at a 1 1/2 to 2 condition score when flushed. Other factors to consider include use of fertility tested rams and maintaining a preventative block health program to insure optimum rates for lambs born per ewe exposed and ewe lambing. Percent Lamb Mortality from Birth to Weaning This measure of performance is determined by dividing the number of lambs that died by the number of lambs born. Ideally all producers should attempt to wean every lamb that is born alive. The most critical time for the lamb is from birth to three days of age. If losses are minimized during this time, overall mortality will be markedly reduced. Ewe nutrition programs prior to lambing are important to the health and vigor of lambs at birth. Thus, having ewes in a 3.5-4.0 body condition score at lambing is the first consideration in the reduction of lamb mortality. Spending time with the ewes at lambing is very important in saving lambs. The increased number of lambs that are saved will more than justify the time devoted to the ewe flock during the lambing season. One of the primary causes for lamb losses at birth is related to hypothermia (chilling). The young lamb’s mechanism for controlling body temperature is not fully functional at birth. If the animal becomes chilled at birth, it may become too weak to suckle and eventually will die of starvation. Being on hand at lambing to insure the lambs

do not become chilled and that they nurse the ewe early in life becomes key for the shepherd in preventing lamb mortality. This points out the importance of stripping out each of the ewes teats to check for milk and making certain the lamb gets that first sip of milk. Lambs that are too weak to nurse should be given colostrum using a stomach tube feeder. Seeing that lambs get a fill of colostrum early in life is essential for minimizing death loss. After the lambs are going, they should be watched closely for signs of disease and starvation. The largest percentage of lamb losses from birth to weaning occurs the first week of the lamb’s life. Starvation is one of the leading causes of death. This may occur due to the inability of the ewe to produce sufficient milk for the number of lambs she is raising or mismothering. Mismothering can be dealt with by insuring that lambs are properly handled from the lambing pens and into mixing pens to insure proper bonding before going to large groups. If ewes do not have sufficient quantities of milk, graft the lamb to another ewe or raise

as an orphan. Ewes that do not have sufficient milk production should be identified for culling, provided your nutrition program is adequate. There are many diseases that can take their toll on the lamb crop from birth to weaning. Having a preventative disease program is the best means to keep losses at a minimum. This includes such things as vaccination programs for the ewes and lambs to minimize losses from enterotoxemia type C&D and tetanus, identifying specific problems from previous lamb crops, and remedying the situation through changes in management and health programs. It is advisable to work with your local veterinarian for a total flock health program. Eliminate the things that might result in losses each year from the accidental category. This could be the so-called “booby trap” syndrome. Items that fall on lambs and crush them or holes that catch heads are just a few examples of this category that take a small but unnecessary toll each year. average weaning weigHT This statistic is determined by dividing the total pounds of lamb weaned by the number of lambs weaned. It could also be the pounds of lamb marketed, but in either case include replacement lambs as part of this statistic. Increasing the growth rate of lambs will allow marketing lambs at an earlier age or marketing heavier lambs at an earlier age.

Continued on Page 13 January-February 2018 —

Commercial Agriculture Small Farms 2018 OsU small Farms Conference slated in February

as aLways, THe osu sMaLL FarMs ConFerenCe aLso wiLL FeaTure: • Educational sessions in English and Spanish on farming and the food system; • Exhibits by more than 50 organizations; • The best locally sourced lunch you can get in February; • Networking and local beer and wine tasting during Think with a Drink. The conference will be held Saturday, Feb. 24 at the LaSells Stewart Center and CH2M Hill Alumni Center on the OSU campus To register and for more information visit http:// smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sfc.

12 — January-February 2018

Amy Garrett 541-766-6750 amy.garrett@ oregonstate.edu

exploring the small Farm dream workshop series May be right for you! Photo by aMy garrett

Oregon State University’s 2018 Small Farms Conference will feature a presentation by Jeff Moyer, a worldrenowned authority in organic agriculture. Moyer’s expertise includes organic crop production systems with a focus on weed management, cover crops, crop rotations, equipment modification and use, and facilities design. Moyer is perhaps most known for conceptualizing and popularizing the No Till Roller Crimper for use in organic agriculture. In 2011, he wrote Organic NoTill Farming, a publication that has become a resource for farmers throughout the world. Moyer brings a farmer’s perspective and approach to issues in organic agriculture. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of The Seed Farm, and is a board member of the Soil Health Institute, PA Farm Link, and IFOAM North America. He is a past chair of the National Organic Standards Board and a founding board member of Pennsylvania Certified Organic. Moyer was named Executive Director of Rodale Institute in September 2015 after spending the last four decades at the Institute. He is credited with helping countless farmers make the transition from conventional, chemical-based farming to organic methods.

Melissa Fery 541-730-3538 melissa.fery@ oregonstate.edu

Winter salad green succession planting at a small farm in the southern Willamette Valley.

Are you considering launching a small farm enterprise, but are not sure where to start? Whether you are dreaming of raising sheep, growing berries, or selling heirloom vegetables, the Exploring the Small Farm Dream Workshop series will give you the tools to start making choices to determine if farming is right for you. In this four-session course you will learn about current opportunities in smallscale agriculture, explore objectives, assess personal and financial resources, conduct preliminary market research, and learn about farm business finances, which will all feed into an action plan and guide your next steps. If you are exploring the idea of starting a farm business, this course is designed for you. This

includes people thinking about full-time farming, farming part-time while continuing other employment, changing careers to start a farm, and/ or developing an existing but informal farming pastime into a more serious business activity. wHaT To exPeCT • Creative exercises, research, and class discussions that will help you assess your skills and resources. • Interview with local farm-business owner that will assist you in deciding how to carry your dream forward. • Learn about farm business finances to help form and fund your dream. • An opportunity to make connections with others interested in starting new farm enterprises.

wHen and wHere • Tuesdays, Feb. 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2018 • 6-8:30 p.m. • Marys River Grange (24707 Grange Hall Rd, Philomath, OR 97370) regisTraTion deTaiLs $60 for one individual; $75 for two farm business partners. Fee includes worksheets and handouts, 10 hours of detailed class instruction and exercises led by Extension Faculty and successful local farmers, and refreshments at each session. To register for the Benton County series go to: http:// smallfarms.oregonstate. edu/south-valley/events or contact Amy Garrett at 541766-3551.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

new Guide Helps Growers Protect salmon and steelhead from Pesticides Cleaner water is possible with alternative approaches to managing pests Pesticides are the most frequently detected contaminants in the streams of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The region, an agricultural powerhouse and home to 70 percent of Oregon’s residents, historically saw runs of over 1 million Pacific salmon and steelhead each year. Water is the Connection, a guide released by Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP), helps growers and other pesticide users understand which pesticides are problematic to salmon and steelhead populations or the insects they need for food. The guide explains how to use alternative approaches or best management practices to keep the pesticides out of the water. Sharon Selvaggio, NCAP Healthy Wildlife and Water Program Director says, “We all want clean, pure water. Growers and irrigation districts highlighted in the guide show how they’ve used alternative approaches for managing insects, weeds, and disease. And when pesticides are used, simple actions – like planting trees on the edges of fields or preventing drift – can have a powerful impact on water quality.” Though the guide is focused on farming in

Oregon’s Willamette Basin, the strategies discussed are relevant for protecting water quality for a wide range of crops through the Northwest and beyond. Water is the Connection and fact sheets for eight pesticides that pose particular risk to salmon and steelhead are free and available at

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn

www.pesticide.org/water_ is_the_connection. The project was sponsored by the Oregon Pesticide Stewardship Partnership Program. For more information about NCAP’s efforts to advance alternatives to pesticides, visit www.pesticide.org or call 541-344-5044.

Lamb Crop continued from Page 11 A factor that has great influence on weaning weight of lambs is milk production of the ewe. Nutrition of the ewe flock during lactation becomes an important factor in average weaning weight. Providing the environment for ewes to achieve their genetic potential with regards to milk production starts with a sound nutritional program during late gestation and into lactation. Therefore, when making flock selections for growth rate make certain that records have been adjusted for all non-genetic influences such as rearing code (singles, twins, triplets) and age of ewe. Once adjustments are made, selection of terminal sires on the basis of growth will help to increase flock performance in this category. One thing to keep in mind when making selections of terminal sires is “not how big a ram gets, but rather how fast a ram gets big.” This is important because we need to be selecting rams that are going to sire lambs that will have a desirable yield grade and quality grade and still have a carcass that is in the correct weight category. This also needs to be done within the constraints of resources (feed) that we have available in an economical manner. In summary, all the factors of flock productivity that I have discussed are in some way or other related. Thus, it is not possible to concentrate on one without having an effect on another. All factors influence the production efficiency of your operation. Ideal levels for each parameter vary from flock to flock. As a producer, carefully evaluate each statistic for your flock to find the value that is optimal for your flock based on the resources available. addiTionaL resourCes • Body Condition Scoring of Sheep. James Thompson and Howard Meyer. Oregon State University Department of Animal Sciences. http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/ bitstream/handle/1957/14303/ec1433.pdf?sequence=3 • Flushing Ewes. Shelby Filley. Oregon State University Extension Service. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ douglas/sites/default/files/documents/lf/2007/dcclf601.pdf • Nutrition for Lambing. Shelby Filley. Oregon State University Extension Service. http://extension.oregonstate. edu/douglas/sites/default/files/documents/lf/lfc0004.pdf • Culling Ewes. Shelby Filley. Oregon State University Extension Service. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ douglas/sites/default/files/documents/lf/2007/dcclf602. pdf • Sheep Production Guide. James Thompson. Oregon State University Department of Animal Sciences. http://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/xmlui/bitstream/ handle/1957/20440/em8916-e.pdf?sequence=1

January-February 2018 —

A w

Commercial Ag Agriculture Commerical seed and Cereal Crop Winter Meetings slated By Mitch Lies, GrowinG Editor A wheat market outlook, a report on seed maturation and harvest timing in grass seed crops, and spring fertilizer recommendations are on the slate for Oregon State University Extension’s winter Seed and Cereal Crop Production meetings, Jan. 9 and 10. The meetings are at Roth’s Hospitality Center in West Salem, at the Linn County Fair and Expo in Albany and at the Forest Grove Elks Lodge in Forest Grove. The meetings in Salem and Albany are on Jan. 9, with the meeting in Salem running from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and the meeting in Albany running from 1:30-5 p.m. The meeting in Forest Grove runs from 8:30 to noon on Jan. 10. Other topics on the slate include a presentation on slug trends and future directions of slug research from OSU slug scientist Rory McDonnell, an update on weed management and Italian ryegrass resistance from OSU Extension Weed Management Specialist Andy Hulting, and a presentation on spring management decisions for winter and spring wheat from OSU Extension field crops agent Nicole Anderson and plant pathologist Chris Mundt. OSU Extension seed crop physiologist Tom Chastain will provide the presentation on seed maturation and harvest timing in grass seed crops. OSU Soil Fertility Specialist Amber Moore will provide the presentation on spring fertilizer recommendations. Three Oregon Department of Agriculture pesticide recertification credits are available for attendees.

Orchard Management series for small-scale tree fruit producers THere is sTiLL TiMe To regisTer For THese CLasses. • Thursday, Jan. 11: Site Selection and Pest Management 6-8 p.m. at the Linn County Extension office in Tangent. • Thursday, Jan. 25: Nutrient Management 6-8 p.m. at the Linn County Extension office in Tangent. Tuition for the series is $30/person or $45/2 farm partners. Registration is available at: http://smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/south-valley/events Space is limited to 30 participants.

14 — January-February 2018

an in-depth Probe of soil pH By Mitch Lies, GrowinG Editor All soil pH measurements, it turns out, are not created equal. Soil pH measurements can vary widely depending on the time of year soil is gathered, the depth of a soil probe and the type of test used to measure soil acidity, said Oregon State University Extension Soil Fertility Specialist Amber Moore. “If you were to take your soil to two different labs and one does the water method and one does the calcium chloride method, you are going to get two pH values,” Moore said at an OSU Extension Seed and Cereal Crop Production fall meeting. The calcium chloride method typically gives a lower pH than the water method, Moore said, although the difference often isn’t enough to alter management decisions. “You don’t always know if your lab is using the water pH method, or the calcium chloride method, and so understanding what they are doing can help you understand how to use those values,” she said. Acidic conditions can cause a wide variety of soil fertility issues, Moore said, including aluminum toxicity, manganese toxicity, phosphorous deficiency and calcium deficiency. For perennial crops, it is especially important to treat acidic soils with lime prior to planting, Moore said, and often is a good idea to bring

OsU extension soil Fertility specialist Amber Moore will be speaking on spring fertilizer recommendations at extension’s seed and Cereal Crop Production Meetings in January.

pH above optimal levels, with the understanding that acids will build in soils over the life of a stand and lower the pH over time. Moore said most labs today use what is known as buffer pH to determine lime needs. “The reason we don’t use soil pH is it is too jittery,” she said. “It changes too much.” The buffer method is ideal for soils if the pH is below 5.8 and organic matter less than 10 percent, Moore said. “Once you start getting into 6.2 or 6.5, that buffer method starts to be a little less accurate,” she said. “The good news is, once you get into those high pHs, you don’t need lime.” In the water method, soil is mixed with water, which allows hydrogen ions to float in the mixture. A hydrogen ion electrode is then placed in the solution. “This provides an immediate measure of the pH,” she said, “but there are different things that can change that soil pH value.” Among variables that can change the value is the

ratio of soil to water in the mixture. Different labs use different ratios, she said, ranging from 10 grams of soil to 20 milligrams of ionized water, to 10 grams of soil to 10 milligrams of water. Typically, she said, the 1-to-1 method, or the 10 grams of soil to 10 milligrams of water, gives soil pH values slightly lower than the 1-to-2 method. The calcium chloride testing method involves substituting calcium chloride for the water in the mixture. “The idea is to reduce the seasonal salt effect that we can see over the course of the year (when using the water method),” she said. In the buffer method, labs measure how the acidic compounds in a solution are reacting to buffer compounds. “That is going to give you a more accurate idea of how much lime is needed to neutralize that soil,” Moore said.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

nut growers society Meeting The 2018 winter meeting of the Nut Growers Society will happen on Thursday, Jan. 18th, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the LaSells Stewart Center on the OSU campus. On tap for this year’s meeting will be reports on the latest research, marketing and industry practices impacting Oregon’s Hazelnut industry and much more. Visit http://members.oregonhazelnuts.org/events to learn more and to register.

Pruning Apples in the Tall spindle system; Pruning Peaches resulting in about 900-1,200 trees per acre. Several of the pruning and training techniques used with this system challenge the basic principles associated with freestanding apple trees. For example, maintaining the strength of a freestanding tree’s structure necessitates pruning to upward, outward-facing growth, but in the tall spindle system, large branches are removed and downward-hanging branches are more fruitful. Bob and Sally Duncan

have graciously offered their orchard as a site where we can see a first-hand example of 2- to 4-year-old cider apples that have been established using the tall spindle system. This class will include about 60-90 minutes on the tall spindle system of apples, then we’ll shift gears and proceed to neighbor Tony Wutzke’s peach orchard. RSVP to Jeff Choate, preferably by email (Jeff. Choate@oregonstate.edu), but phone is okay too, 541344-1709.

Oregon Ag department Looking to Create state Brand Oregon is one of only four states in the U.S. without a state agricultural brand. That could change, however, under an Oregon Department of Agriculture project. “What we have found in Phase One is there is value in creating an Oregon agricultural brand, and that people would use it,” said ODA Director Alexis Taylor at the Oregon Seed Growers League’s annual meeting, Dec. 4 in Salem. As part of Phase One, in which the department gauged interest and assessed value in creating an Oregon agricultural brand, the department also looked at states with successful brands and those with less successful brands, Taylor said.

“Oregon is coming late to the table of the idea of an agricultural brand,” Taylor said, “but that actually means we can learn from all of the people who have been successful.” Complicating efforts to create an Oregon brand is the diversity of the state’s agricultural products, a diversity encompassing food, beverage and nonfood products. “A lot of the top-20 commodities we grow are nonfood products, such as grass seed, Christmas trees and nursery products,” Taylor said. “We need to make sure the brand can be utilized by someone who is serving the local farmers’ market, but also the grass

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seed grower.” Taylor said the brand could be used domestically, as well as internationally. “We are thinking about the brand more domestically, but there is a real opportunity internationally, as well, to brand Oregon as the highquality, high-value producer of a whole cross section of commodities,” Taylor said. ODA currently is collecting feedback on the brand from small Oregon farms and producers, as well as from other industry partners. Interested parties can provide feedback in a seven-question Food and Agriculture Brand Survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/ VSMCXVR.

Featured ask an expert question— Can I leave my garden hoses outside this winter? Q: If I unhook my garden hoses from the faucet, can I leave them outside? I always turn off the outside water for the winter. But will it damage a hose to leave it outside? - Hood River County, Oregon

Photo by terrie sChWeitzer

A free class for commercial growers will be offered on Friday, Jan. 5th, 10 a.m. to noon, in south Corvallis (details will be provided to all who RSVP). The tall spindle system of apple production is a high-density system intended to optimize the economic return of your apple orchard. A narrow canopy is maintained with trellises to maximize sunlight interception. Rows commonly are 12 feet apart with trees about 3 to 4 feet apart within the rows

A: Hoses can be stored outside as long as you make sure to drain all of the water from the hose. Hoses can be drained easily by running them over a tall place where gravity forces water to exit the hose. This ensures that the hose won’t split when any residual water freezes. However, while hoses can be stored outside if necessary, be aware that the temperature swings even if completely drained can and will cause the hose material to age at a faster rate and the hose will not last more than a few seasons. Chrissy Lucas Small Farms/Ground Water Quality Outreach Program Coordinator OSU Extension Benton County

January-February 2018 —

Commercial Linn Soil andAgriculture Water Conservation District

Kevin Seifert 541-926-2483 www.linnswcd.org

what is an swCd?

16 — January-February 2018

Beyond soil and water, SWCDs are involved in efforts to remove invasive weeds. Some SWCDs help restore stream side vegetation to improve shading on streams. Some

Linn sWCd field tour with landowners to discussion conservation practices. Photo by Kevin seifert

SWCD’s are here to help you make informed management decisions to ensure soil and water will be viable resources for generations to come. The acronym SWCD stands for Soil and Water Conservation District. Linn SWCD is not an environmental advocacy group and certainly won’t tell you agriculture is bad for the environment. We do not enforce regulations, and we do not issue permits. Working with us is always voluntary and we offer services at no charge. We exist to provide benefits to the public and reinforce the benefits of properly managed agricultural entities to the communities in which they exist. Linn SWCD works with landowners with a variety of issues to plan and design solutions, and to help put these solutions into action. We even have access to funding pools to help mitigate the cost of upgrades and enhancements to save water, soil, and energy. For topics out of our expertise we partner with other agencies to find solutions and access others that could answer these questions for landowners. SWCDs help agricultural producers save water. The solution to pollution

is dilution. More water instream helps mitigate temperature issues. We work with producers to upgrade irrigation systems to more efficient designs. An upgrade, such as drip irrigation, discourages the growth of weeds, which in turn, reduces the usage of tillage or herbicides. Additionally, water is not lost to evaporation. This means more of the resource is used properly to encourage plant growth. SWCDs help conserve soil. Preventing soil erosion keeps farmland productive. Keeping soil out of streams improves water quality. Ideas that Districts use to limit soil erosion include: • Cover Crops prevent erosion by intercepting rain, filtering run-off, and anchoring soil with their roots. • Grassed Waterways are a type of designed drainage that ensures the conveyance of run off in a non-erosive manner with a filtering aspect. • Filter Strips are bands of perennial grass that run perpendicular to the slope of a field to intercept, slow, and filter surface run-off.

Photo by Kevin seifert

By Kevin seifert, Linn County soil and Water Conservation district

Linn sWCd irrigation efficiency project to better use surface water for crop irrigation.

SWCDs have programs to promote wildlife. Promotion

of wildlife, if managed properly adds resilience to a

farm system. For example, predatory birds keep populations of field mice and voles in balance. Native pollinating insects benefit from managed habitat and help productivity of certain flowering crops such as orchards and vineyards. SWCDs rose out of the Dust Bowl era. In the 1930s, the combination of aggressive tillage with persistent droughts left soils susceptible to wind erosion. Fields from Oklahoma could be seen in the air around Washington D.C. This severely degraded farmland led to forced migrations of families who could no longer make a living off their land. Franklin Roosevelt saw the need to encourage conservation practices to keep communities thriving and began to establish the Soil Conservation Service and SWCDs became the local liaison between soil experts and the agricultural community. Something that we still do to this day. Each SWCD in Oregon offers programs that best fit the needs of their individual county. The best way to find out what your SWCD does is to contact them. They’ll be happy to hear from you. They can listen to your interests and find solutions to your resource concerns, or at least make you aware of the rules and regulations that keep our streams clean and soils productive.

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton

FRee Beginning Vegetable Gardening Courses being offered this spring in Multiple Locations By Pami Monnette

Photo Provided by PaMi Monnette

The OSU Extension Master Gardener program in partnership with the Oregon Food Bank is proud to bring Seed to Supper to Linn and Benton counties again in 2018. Seed to Supper is a comprehensive fiveweek beginning gardening course that gives novice, adult gardeners the tools and confidence they need to successfully grow a portion of their own food on a limited budget. Nearly 25 Master Gardeners from Linn and seed to supper participants Benton counties will be learning about composting and serving as Seed to Supper soil building at the Philomath Volunteer Educators this Community Garden spring! Seed to Supper classes are designed for adults gardening on a budget. Class size ranges from 8-25 participants, depending on the location and population served. Community organizations such as health departments, senior centers, food pantries, affordable housing units, and parenting groups partner with OSU Extension to provide support and outreach for the Seed to Supper programs. In 2018 we are excited to offer classes in the following locations: Lebanon, Albany, Harrisburg, Corvallis, Philomath and Monroe. Seed to Supper classes meet for 2 hours for six weekly sessions. During the first week, participants are given a gardening booklet that is theirs to keep; participants will also be given seeds and/or plant starts to take home. Over the course of six weeks, participants will learn about building healthy soil; planning, planting, and caring for their garden; and harvesting and using their bounty. To learn more about Seed to Supper or to register for a course, please visit • http://extension.oregonstate.edu/benton/seed-supper • http://extension.oregonstate.edu/linn/seed-supper To get involved by serving as a Volunteer Educator, helping to promote Seed to Supper, or making a contribution to support this program, contact Pami Monnette at pamela.monnette@ oregonstate.edu, or 541-967-3871.

Control Moss in Lawns by Keeping Grass Healthy continued from Page 5 renovation. If you choose to use a product to control moss, there are several available. Kowalewski recommends sulfate products such as ferrous sulfate, iron sulfate and ammonium sulfate. These are environmentally friendly options, he said. Apply by

spot treating as soon as moss appears. Sulfur products such as these will lower the soil pH, making conditions acidic. An occasional application of lime, which will raise the pH, is recommended when you are making frequent sulfur applications. Before applying

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lime, test soil pH with a gauge available at garden centers and home improvement stores. If you decide to use a chemical herbicide, Kowalewski recommended that gardeners choose products with soap of fatty acid or carfentrazone as

an active ingredient. Read labels and follow all safety precautions when using pesticides. Remember, though, even using herbicides to kill moss won’t keep it from returning. When using herbicides, be sure to use protective gear and to follow all of the label’s

recommendations. Some people like moss. For them, Edmunds said, “If you’re OK with it, carry on.” Source: Brooke Edmunds, 541-730-3470, brooke. edmunds@oregonstate.edu; Alec Kowalewski, 541-7375449, alec.kowalewski@ oregonstate.edu January-February 2018 —

Benton County 4-H Youth Development An essential life skill that we teach in the 4-H program is record keeping. You’ll often hear 4-Her’s refer to the “record books” that they’ve been keeping since they began their 4-H career. Learning how to keep records is both an art and a science. While there are foundational pieces of information that need to be kept in 4-H records, there is also room for 4-H’ers to personalize their 4-H stories. Record keeping teaches 4-H members about accounting, reporting, and written communication. Furthermore, members who keep record books are eligible for 4-H scholarships, travel opportunities, leadership positions, and awards at the county, state, and national levels. Record books also provide an invaluable personal history and memory book to look back on for years into the future. Record keeping is a fundamental part of a member’s 4-H experience, and we encourage all 4-H members to attend our annual Records Workshop, which will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 1-3:30 p.m., at the Benton County Extension Office. New and returning youth will learn new and helpful tools to complete records more efficiently. Contact the Benton Extension office to register. There is no cost to attend!

2018 4-H Camp Counselor Applications Available We are looking for Camp Counselors who are in 9th-12th grade to volunteer for the 2018 4-H Four Rivers overnight camp in Salem, Ore. Volunteer Camp counselors gain valuable job experience, learn about leadership and responsibility, and become wonderful role models for the 4th-8th grade campers. 4-H Camp will be held June 23-June 27, (Saturday-Wednesday), with counselors arriving on Friday, June 22. Non-4-H youth are welcome to apply. Males are especially encouraged to get involved, so that we can accommodate the maximum number of boy campers. New interested youth can print the application off from the county 4-H website or they can stop by the Extension office. Applications are due Friday, Feb. 16. We are also recruiting applicants for Junior Volunteer staff (college age students or older who do much of the behind the scenes work at camp plus support counselors). All applicants will need to attend the 4-H Counselor Selection Day on Saturday, March 3, at the Benton County Extension Office. The selected counselors and alternates must also participate in counselor training beginning on Friday night, May 4 and

Photo Credit Linn County 4-h

Record Keeping an essential 4-H Life skill

Maggie Livesay 541-766-3550 maggie.livesay@ oregonstate.edu

Carolyn Ashton 541-766-3555 carolyn.ashton@ oregonstate.edu

Teen Counselor assists camper during tree swing activity.

continuing through Sunday, May 6, at the Oregon 4-H Center

in Salem. There is no cost for trainings.

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18 — January-February 2018

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Junior Leadership Opportunities for 7th-12th Grade Youth Photo Credit benton County 4-h

Youth grades 7-12 have numerous opportunities to sharpen their skills in leadership, communication, and more. The focus for 4-H Junior Leaders is to build skills and gain confidence while helping clubs succeed. Junior Leaders work with adult leaders to plan, organize, teach, and lead activities within their club environment and beyond. Junior Leader training is open to all youth in 7th-12th grades who want to expand their skills. The training will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m., at the Benton County Extension Office. Registration is required and there is no cost to attend. Youth do not need to attend this training more than once in their 4-H career, unless they would like a refresher or more ideas to sharpen their skills. One adult leader must

Youth work as a team to coordinate a challenge at a previous training.

accompany and attend training with registered member.

Contact the Benton Extension office to register.

Presentations Contest A presentation is a method used to communicate an idea by showing and/or telling. It is a way to present information to others, to teach and share what you know or have learned in a structured way. Giving presentations is an important part of the 4-H experience. No matter what project area you are in, you can give a presentation. Every 4-H member is encouraged to give at least one presentation every year.

wHy sHouLd you give a PresenTaTion? All through your life, you will need to speak in front of others. Whether it is at school, at work, or at home, you will need to know how to ask for things, how to explain things, or how to speak persuasively enough to win the support of others. Speaking skills will help you in job interviews and allow you to give effective presentations to your peers. Horse Photo Credit benton County 4-h

Junior members give an illustrated talk for the first time.

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project members can also earn points for the all-around award given at the end of the year by participating. The Benton County Presentations Contest will be held on MondayTuesday, Feb. 26-27, and is open to 4-H members aged 5-19. This contest is the state qualifying event for Intermediate and Senior members. Please call the Benton Extension office to register and visit our website for all the details and contest rules. 4-H members present to a judge, using one of the following categories: • Demonstration (show how to do something – great for new presenters) • Illustrated Talk (use visuals/ equipment) • Speech (no visuals or equipment – challenging for experienced presenters) • Impromptu (on-the-spot presentation-topic provided by judge) • Cloverbud non-competitive opportunity (ages 5-8); Show & Tell, Recite Pledge, Other topic of choice.

Benton County and Linn County extension programs may offer opportunities that are only open to the residents of their respective counties. Please check with your county extension office if you have any questions about participation eligibility for specific programs.

Annual 4-H Fund Campaign now Accepting donations We welcome your support of the Benton County 4-H program through our annual Benton County 4-H Fund Campaign. This yearly event provides support for the many educational activities offered to local youth through the 4-H program. Donations are now accepted online and in office. Please visit www.bentoncounty4h. com/donate Any contribution is greatly appreciated. If you have donated in the past, we greatly appreciate your support. Your contribution helps our program focus on positive development for Benton County youth.

Adult Volunteers Wanted! The Benton County 4-H Program is actively looking for adults who want to share their time and talents with youth, aged 5-19. Are you interested in making a positive impact on youth? Do you have an expertise that you want to share? Do you want to learn new skills? Volunteers will receive training, support from OSU faculty and staff, and from other 4-H volunteer leaders, as well as access to project and resource books and materials. If you are interested in volunteering with the Benton County 4-H Program, please contact our office for more information. Our next training will be on Tuesday, February 13, 6-8:30 p.m. January-February 2018 —

Linn County 4-H Youth Development

Andrea Leao 541-730-3534 andrea.leao@ oregonstate.edu

Robin Galloway 541-730-3469 robin.galloway@ oregonstate.edu

Lebanon’s Veteran Home stocking Project

welcome Hannah

Photo Credit to deb burns

20 — January-February 2018

dorothy enjoys a visit from Rosie the pony that Reining Riders 4-H members brought to the veterans home. Photo Credit to anna WiLson, oregon veterans hoMe

above and right: More than 50 4-H members and volunteers showed up to sew and stuff the stockings for the Lebanon Veterans Home service project. Photo by MiCheLe Webster

Hannah Turner has recently joined the Linn County Extension Office as a student worker. Hannah works directly with Andrea on the special needs program and does outreach and programming in schools. She is a 4-H graduate who is interested in pursuing a future career in Extension and 4-H. We are excited to have Hannah join our team.

delivery day when we were able to present the Veterans with their gifts. There was a Christmas Caroling event with some special four-legged friends to round out the day! A big thank you goes out to all of the people who donated their money, time, and resources to make this service learning project such a success. Photo Credit andrea Leao

2018 Linn-Benton-Lincoln Camp will be held June 23-27, at the Oregon 4-H Center in Salem. All youth in 4th through 8th grades are invited to attend. Registration information will be out soon.

in November and sewed more than 160 stockings. Throughout the month of November, we shopped around and purchased items to stuff the stockings. On Dec. 10th, more than 50 members and volunteers gathered at the Linn County Extension Office to stuff the stockings and make up gift baskets. Dec. 19 was the big

Photo Credit andrea Leao

save the dates!

In October, we kicked off the Linn County 4-H service learning project. This year we chose to provide the Lebanon Veterans home with stockings stuffed with supplies and goodies for each resident. We collected over $1,200 to purchase items that were on the Veterans wish lists. A small group of members and volunteers got together

Kaylie, a Linn County leadership member, giving Frank a stocking that the 4-H members made.

LR, a Linn County leadership member and Robin Galloway, with a little help from Kona, help spread cheer by handing out stockings to residents of the veterans home.

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The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a training program that prepares people to help themselves and others in the the event of a disaster. During an incident, emergency service personnel may not be able to reach everyone right away. By getting trained in CERT, people have the skills to help emergency responders save lives and protect property. To educate and empower 4-H staff to take leadership roles in their communities, Oregon 4-H recently

sponsored a CERT training at the 4-H Center near Salem. Participants included Benton County 4-H staff Maggie Livesay, Carolyn Ashton and Jody Einerson, new 4-H program coordinator Ellie Vanderzanden, and Linn County 4-H staff Andrea Leao and Robin Galloway. Instructor Lynette Black, of Wasco County 4-H, said that the trained volunteers will be able to provide critical support to local emergency responders in many ways. These include giving immediate assistance

to victims, provide damage assessment information, and organizing other volunteers at a disaster site. Anyone who wants to support their community can take the CERT training. For more information contact: Federal Emergency Management Agency Federal Regional Center 130 - 228th Street, SW Bothell, WA 98021-8627 425-487-4600 Ready.gov 800-621-3362

Photo Provided by andrea Leao

4-H staff Learns emergency skills

Come to the third annual Western Regional Livestock education day to learn how to show your livestock to their best advantage for the show ring and auction.

Third Annual Western Region Livestock education day Jan. 27, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Polk County Fairgrounds, Rickreall

Join 4-H and FFA members from around the region to learn how to fit a market animal project, market your animal for the youth auction, and how manage the health needs of your animal. A large focus of the education day will focus on how best to market your project and your youth auction to businesses in your community. Industry professionals and livestock producers will serve as our presenters for the day. 4-H Junior, Intermediate, and Senior members from Western Oregon, as well as FFA members are welcome to attend. Lunch and prizes will be provided by Coastal Farm and Ranch. For questions please contact Andrea Leao, andrea. leao@oregonstate.edu.

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extension Honors Partners, Cooperators at Annual Conference

sHeryL CasTeen A bold attitude, decades of experience, and willingness to be creative are traits Sheryl Casteen brings to her volunteerism with Linn County Extension. Sheryl’s background in law enforcement, marketing and farming have given her broad experiences to have a keen eye for new opportunities related to Extension programming. When serving as President of the Linn County Extension Association, she used her political savvy to get budgets passed and increase the visibility of Extension countywide. Her personal and professional experience in horticulture have made her an invaluable member of the Master Gardener team on both the county and state levels. Sheryl is someone you might lead, probably follow or better get the heck outta her way! Linn BenTon Food sHare The OSU Extension Service in Linn and Benton County would like to recognize our ongoing partnership with the Linn-Benton Food Share. At the core of their mission, the food share is dedicated to decreasing the amount of families in Linn and Benton Counties who experience food insecurity. Along with many partners, they are striving to move the food share system away from a strictly emergency food system towards a community of greater selfsufficiently and a stronger local community food system. This

22 — January-February 2018

Photo by MitCh Lies

Several Linn County and Benton County individuals and programs received awards at Oregon State University Extension Service’s Annual Conference Banquet, Dec. 6 in Corvallis. Below are the local award winners, starting with recipients of the OSU Extension Association Cooperator Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions of organizations in support of OSU Extension Service.

Citizens for Benton County extension PAC

sheryl Casteen

Linn Benton Food share

Jeanne Brandt

Robin Galloway

Kelly Cotter

Brooke edmunds

Amy Garrett

Andrea Leao

natural partnership between OSU Extension and the Linn Benton Food Share has enabled us to expand our offering of educational resources that cross the program areas of Family & Community Health, Home Horticulture, Small Farms and Nutrition Education. CiTizens For BenTon CounTy exTension We would like to thank the Citizens for Benton County Extension members: Kathy Clark, Kelvin Koong, Jackie Thorsness, Tammy Skubinna, Greg Volmer, Barb Volmer, Pat Wray, Debbie Wray, Rita Adams, Frank Morse & Sara Gelser, a group of dedicated volunteers that saw a need to permanently address the funding instability facing the Extension Service in Benton County. They were very successful in their goal to educate voters that Benton County Extension was a great investment and deserved tax-dollar support. These volunteers put this funding issue and opportunity for a Service District at the top of their priority list for several years and spent countless hours in one-on-one meetings, delivering public testimonies to cities and presentations to service and business organizations, distributing lawn and highway signs, and holding conversations at grocery stores and parking lots. Due to the tremendous talent and efforts of this amazing group, Benton County residents passed Measure 2-106 in May of 2017 with a 77 percent majority. sTaFF and FaCuLTy awarded Each year the OSU Extension Service Association recognizes outstanding staff and faculty for their service to the organization and to Oregon residents. Innovative programs and the staff and faculty that create them to help solve problems and strengthen Oregon’s communities are given special

recognition. Below are a list of Benton and Linn county staff and faculty that received awards this year. Congratulations to Kelly Cotter, 2017 OSUEA Classified Staff Award winner. Kelly is the 4-H support staff for Benton County Extension has been working as a member of the Extension team for five years. She is an integral part of providing exceptional programing for 4-H and for the office. She is organized, independent, and has new and innovative methods to increase support for our Extension office and 4-H programs. In addition to her amazing technical skills, Kelly is kind, considerate, and helpful to volunteers and all of our Extension clientele. osuea TeaM award The OSU Extension iTeam of Brooke Edmunds, Linda Brewer, Alan Dennis, Patrick Proden, Sandy Reichhuber, Siew Sun Wong received the OSUEA Team Award for their effort in planning and implementing the first OSU Innovate Extension event in May 2017. Working as a team, they provided a fun, engaging day-long work session to provide a platform for innovative program planning. They inspired teams and individuals to update programs, change the way they work, or develop solutions to organizational challenges and gave those teams an opportunity to present these ideas to colleagues and OSU Extension administration for funding. osuea searCH For exCeLLenCe award The Dry Farming Collaborative team of Amy Garrett, Heidi Noordijk, Dana Kristal, Ana Duncan received the 2017 OSUEA Search for Excellence award. This award recognizes outstanding Extension education effort, innovation and impact. The Dry Farming Project, was launched

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Calendar of events for Linn and Benton Counties *

January 2018

Linn and Benton Master Gardener Training, Thursdays, Jan. 25 - March 22, Tangent

Gearing Up For Gardening Series, Tuesdays, Noon – 1 p.m., Jan. 9 – Feb. 27, Corvallis, Benton County Public Library

•

Linn and Benton County Extension Offices closed New Year’s Day

Linn and Benton County Extension Offices closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Benton County 4-H Cloverbud Camp, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds Carriage House, registration required Benton County Master Gardener Association Membership Meeting, 6 - 8 p.m., Sunset room of the Benton County Extension Office. Topic: TBA. Open to the public! Benton County 4-H Enrollment Deadline, ($25 per member, after January, 17, $30

in 2013 in response to farmers concerns over increased affects by climate change, (reduced snowmelt, increased temperatures, and drought leading to reductions in summer water availability).The programs goals are to increase knowledge and awareness of drought mitigation tools and strategies for growing crops with little or no irrigation. The Dry Farming Collaborative program started with a few growers in the Willamette Valley and has now grown into a regional project attracting national and even international interest and engagement. For more information visit: http:// smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/ dry-farm/dry-farming-project. osuea searCH For exCeLLenCe award The High Desert Leadership Retreat team of Jamie Davis, Karissa Dishon, Jon Gandy, Amy Derby, Samara Rufener, Lindsay Walker, Traci Reed, Andrea Leao, Katy Joyce, Reaza Mansur, and Katy Baley received the

Benton County 4-H Junior Leader Training, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., and Records Workshop, 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., Benton County Extension Office

Benton County 4-H Favorite Foods Contest, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Benton County Extension Office, registration required

Insights Into Gardening, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., LaSells Stewart Center, Corvallis, registration required

Benton County 4-H New Leader Training, 6 - 8:30 p.m., Benton County Extension Office, registration required

Benton County Master Gardener Association Membership Meeting, 6 - 8 p.m., Sunset room of the Benton County Extension Office. Topic: TBA. Open to the public!

Oregon Small Farms Conference, Oregon State University, Corvallis, registration required

February 2018 *

Linn and Benton Master Gardener Training, Thursdays, Jan. 25 - March 22, Tangent

Gearing Up For Gardening Series, Tuesdays, Noon - 1 p.m., Jan. 9 – Feb. 27, Corvallis, Benton County Public Library

Benton County 4-H Teens as Teachers Training, 9 a.m. -2 p.m., Benton County Extension Office Local Woods Product Fair & Oregon Small Woodlands Association Seedling Sale, Feb.

OSUEA Search for Excellence award. The High Desert Leadership Retreat (HDLR) is an annual youth conference facilitated by 4-H faculty and staff from the greater Central Oregon area. This four-day conference draws over 125 seventh - twelfth grade youth annually from across the state. Since the inception of HDLR in 1994, over 2,000 youth have attended this conference. HDLR provides a unique opportunity for youth participants to interact in group living situations. The living situation intentionally models future experiences they are likely to encounter living with roommates. In 2017, HDLR was evaluated under the new Oregon 4-H Program Model to explore the social development aspects of this uniquelydesigned conference. esP adMinisTraTive LeadersHiP award Since assuming responsibility for leadership of the OSU Extension Food Preservation

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4, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., Linn County Expo Center, Albany

per member)

program, Jeanne Brandt has created a strategic plan and worked toward the goals of ensuring all staff, faculty and volunteers who address food preservation education on any level are well prepared and have the resources they need to be successful. From online resources, marketing, and IRB approved program evaluations, the Master Food Preservation and Safety Program is managed with careful, thorough, and successful leadership under Jeanne Brandt. Program evaluations indicate undeniably positive impact for Oregonians. HoeCKer exPerienCed FaCuLTy award This year’s recipient of the Experienced Faculty Award is Nicole Anderson. Nicole is a field crops faculty for the Washington, Polk, and Yamhill county area, but has served as an advisor to the entire midvalley in the absence of field crops faculty in Marion and Linn counties. Nicole is noted for achieving international

26-27 Benton County 4-H Presentations Contest, 3 p.m. -9 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds, registration required

recognition for her research, publications and educational programming, including efforts to reach traditional and progressive audiences using emerging technology. Her impressive accomplishments include primary or co-author on nine refereed journal articles, 18 numbered OSU Extension Service publications, 22 published abstracts or proceedings, and numerous technical research reports, and other outreach publications. She has presented research findings on 23 occasions at international events and led or collaborated on over $541,000 in grants and contracts. Her research programming is currently resulting in millions of dollars of positive economic impact for Oregon’s field crops industry. osuea aLBerTa B. JoHnsTon award For exCeLLenCe in exTension eduCaTion Robin Galloway is this year’s recipient of the Albert Johnston

Award for Excellence. Alberta Johnston served the Extension Service for 40 years as county Extension agent, specialist, and administrator in Wyoming, Montana, and Oregon. On her retirement as Deputy Director of the Oregon State University Extension Service, she endowed this award to outstanding performance of Extension educators and administrators. Robin is an extremely experienced professional faculty member who has worked for Linn County Extension for over seventeen years. During her long career in Extension, she has provided leadership for the Linn County 4-H Program. Robin has provided educational programs for youth and adults in a wide variety of programs through written work, regional and national presentations, workshops, camps, and more. These programs included but were not limited to natural science, the horse project area, and camp practices. Congratulations to all of the award winners!

January-February 2018 —

Assisted Living at Quail Run Set on 275 scenic acres with lakes, meadows, oak groves, and views of the Cascade Mountains, Mennonite Village is an inclusive community of amazing people. Quail Run at Mennonite Village is Albany’s only not-for-profit assisted living facility. The building is specially designed to accommodate the changing needs of its residents over time. Spacious studio and one-bedroom suites with kitchenettes combine convenience and comfort with 24-hour availability of personal assistance and support. Mennonite Village and its employees foster the respect, care, dignity, and worth of every resident by providing freedom of choice and opportunities for physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual growth. Each apartment offers generous amenities and services: • Three farm-fresh meals served daily, from 7 AM to 6 PM • Private dining rooms available for family dining • Weekly housekeeping and linen service • Utilities, including cable television and air conditioning • Pull-cord call system and other optional call systems • Ample closet and storage space • A variety of daily wellness and social activities, both on and off campus • Scheduled bus service within Albany city limits • Laundry room for personal use • Whirlpool bathing options • Full-service salon and nail care options Mennonite Village is an“open campus”that welcomes new residents to all areas of our Village. You do not need to start in independent living. Should a need arise for additional health services, they’re available on campus, and you’ll pay only for the services you use. Mennonite Village is proud to be a smoke-free, tobacco-free community. Mennonite Village is subject to the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make such a preference, limitation, or discrimination.

Mennonite Village Assisted Living 2525 47th Ave. S.E., Albany, OR 541-928-1122 www.mennonitevillage.org www.facebook.com/mennonitevillage