Create your own herb pot
Staff report
The Master Gardener Volunteers will hold an Herb Pots Make it Take It event on Saturday morning, April 24, in the auditorium of the county Community Center, South U.S. Route 68, Urbana.
Sessions will be held at 10 and 11 a.m., with a 10:30 a.m. presentation on how to grow herbs and care for them.
Pre-registration is required by April 16, and spots are limited. To register, visit http://go.osu.edu/MakeIt
The cost is $25 per pot (includes 5 herbs), and additional herbs are available for purchase.
For more info, call Amanda Douridas, Champaign Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Educator, at 937-772-6012.
Some Ohio corn showing signs of ear rots
This photo illustrates various ear rots of corn: Diplodia (A); Giberrella (B); Fusarium (C); and Trichoderma (D).
Felipe Dalla Lana | OSU Cereal Pathology Lab
If you had damaged corn or were rejected at an elevator because your vomitoxin levels were too high, you are not alone. This was a widespread issue across Ohio. Vomitoxin is caused by Gibberella Ear Rot. Like with most ear rots, it is difficult to control because there has not been clear results on management strategies.
Harvest and hybrid management
Harvesting early is very important. While you cannot get rid of vomitoxin, getting the grain cooled down and dry can stop the spread. There is some indication that increasing the combine fan speed during harvest will help clean out the grain. This has worked in wheat. OSU will run a study this winter to fine tune this recommendation. Some hybrids are more resistant than others, but this often is not indicated by seed companies. If yo
County agriculture organizations combine
By Amanda Douridas
The Champaign County Ag Association and the Local Foods Council have joined forces as the Local Ag Council committee under the Chamber of Commerce. Both organizations were working to enhance agricultural economic development and education in the community so joining forces made a lot of sense.
The Local Ag Council has some major projects underway, including the creation of a commercial shared-use kitchen to be used by food entrepreneurs. The kitchen is being developed in cooperation with Graham Local Schools and will be housed in the high school cafeteria.
A USDA Rural Development grant was received in 2018 to fund specialized equipment. The procurement of equipment is underway, though progress has been delayed because of the pandemic. Seeing no further delays, the Council hopes to open the kitchen for use this coming fall.
Extension hosts series aimed at female landowners
By Amanda Douridas
Land is an expensive and important investment that is often handed down through generations. As such, it should be cared for and maintained to remain profitable for future generations.
Almost half of landowners in Ohio are women. OSU Extension in Champaign and Miami Counties are offering a series designed to help female landowners understand critical conservation and farm management issues related to owning land. It will provide participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to talk with tenants about farming and conservation practices used on their land. The farm management portion will provide an understanding of passing land on to the next generation and help establish fair rental rates by looking at current farm budgets.