by CrownRandall | Jul 12, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. There has been some variation in rainfall throughout Darke County; while certain areas of the county have had some excess rain at times, many areas throughout the county could benefit from some rain in the coming days (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037Corn is progressing nicely, with much of it starting to tassel, and many soybean fields have begun flowering. The second cutting of alfalfa and wheat harvest is largely complete. Many garden crops are ready to harvest as well. Common weeds include waterhemp, common and giant ragweed, and volunteer corn, with other weeds making appearances as well.
I’ll be at Worch Library on August 28th at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Blackberry Production. We’ll discuss management practices for producing a good blackberry crop, including water and nutrient management, pest control, pruning, harvest, and more. I hope to see you there!
Our next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be July 17th at 12:00 p.m. and July 30th at 6:00 p.m. These sessions will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
If you have a pond or are planning on having a pond in the near future, the Tri-County Pond Clinic in Miami County will be a great event to attend. The clinic will be on July 28th at 6:30 p.m. There, we’ll discuss basic pond management, information for new pond owners, liability of pond ownership, and stocking ponds with fish. See the attached flyer for more details.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be July 18th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Battle for the Belt
Bovine Emergency Response Training
Choosing a Soil Analytical Laboratory
Planting Warm-Season Annual Forage Grasses
Scouting for Soybean Diseases
Selling Home-Produced Foods that Use Fresh Fruit
I hope you enjoy this week’s Newsletter, and as always, never hesitate to reach out to me and let me know how I can best serve you and all of Darke County.
by Caden Buschur, Darke County Extension Educator
by CrownRandall | Jul 6, 2025 | Agriculture
Happy Independence Day! I hope this Newsletter finds you well. Darke County, and the rest of Ohio, remain out of the abnormally dry drought category (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037. However, there is variation in moisture level throughout the county, with some fields containing standing water, while others could benefit from some rain. Corn and soybean progress continues, while wheat harvest has begun and second cutting of alfalfa is underway. Many garden crops are ready to harvest as well.
I’ll be at Worch Library on July 10th at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Backyard Composting. If you would like to learn about turning waste into a valuable garden resource, you may be interested in attending. I hope to see you there!
Our next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be July 17th at 12:00 p.m. and July 30th at 6:00 p.m. This session will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
If you have a pond or are planning on having a pond in the near future, the Tri-County Pond Clinic in Miami County will be a great event to attend. The clinic will be on July 28th at 6:30 p.m. There, we’ll discuss basic pond management, information for new pond owners, liability of pond ownership, and stocking ponds with fish. See the attached flyer for more details.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be July 18th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Battle for the Belt
Considerations for Fungicide Application on Silage Corn
Maximizing Forage Quality in Wet Springs
Options to Add Forage Reserves
Preventing Hay Barn Fires
Soil Crusting and Herbicide Carryover
I hope you enjoy this week’s Newsletter, and as always, never hesitate to reach out to me and let me know how I can best serve you and all of Darke County.
by Caden Buschur, Darke County Extension Educator
by CrownRandall | Jun 28, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. The major weather focus this week has been the high temperatures. Be careful in the heat, and take measures to keep you and your livestock healthy in these conditions. Much of Darke County has also experienced heavy rains (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037. There is a lot of variation in corn progress, while soybean progress appears more consistent overall. Wheat is turning the corner and harvest will begin before too long. Regarding forages, many alfalfa producers have been harvesting second cutting. Giant ragweed has been the most prominent weed I’ve been seeing in fields, with others such as common ragweed, poison hemlock, and waterhemp not far behind. Be safe in the heat and in the fields as the growing season continues.
I’ll be at Worch Library on July 10th at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Backyard Composting. We’ll discuss topics regarding what you can compost, how to manage the compost, and putting your new resource to use. I hope to see you there!
Our next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be July 17th at 12:00 p.m. and July 30th at 6:00 p.m. This session will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
I’ll be joining some colleagues in Miami County for a Tri-County Pond Clinic on July 28th at 6:30 p.m. There, we’ll discuss basic pond management, information for new pond owners, liability of pond ownership, and stocking ponds with fish. See the attached flyer for more details.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be July 18th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Avoiding Wheat Quality Losses
Beating the Heat on Farms
Dairy Economic Update
Double Crop Soybean Considerations
Potato Leafhopper in Alfalfa
Putting Poison Hemlock Into Perspective
I hope you enjoy this week’s Newsletter, and as always, never hesitate to reach out to me and let me know how I can best serve you and all of Darke County.
by Caden Buschur, Darke County Extension Educator
by CrownRandall | Jun 20, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. Much of Darke County has experienced additional rains this past week, along with warmer temperatures which are expected to continue through the week. The entire state continues to stay out of the abnormally dry classification
(https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037. Crops are progressing nicely, with a lot of variation in growth stage depending on when planting was done. Wheat has been turning and second cutting of alfalfa is beginning. Giant ragweed has been perhaps the most prominent weed I’ve seen, along with poison hemlock, wild carrot, common ragweed, and waterhemp.
I’ll be at Worch Library on July 10th at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Backyard Composting. We’ll discuss topics regarding what you can compost, how to manage the compost, and putting your new resource to use. I hope to see you there!
Our next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be June 25th at 12:00 p.m. and June 26th at 6:00 p.m. This session will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
I’ll be joining some colleagues in Miami County for a Tri-County Pond Clinic on July 28th at 6:30 p.m. There, we’ll discuss basic pond management, information for new pond owners, liability of pond ownership, and stocking ponds with fish. See the attached flyer for more details.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be July 18th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Battle for the Belt
Be Alert to Bagworms
Managing Chiggers
Ohio Fruit News
Sulfur Management for High-Quality Silage Corn
Summer Fly Control for Livestock
I hope you enjoy this week’s Newsletter, and as always, never hesitate to reach out to me and let me know how I can best serve you and all of Darke County.
by Caden Buschur, Darke County Extension Educator
by CrownRandall | Jun 13, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. Darke County has experienced some more dry weather over the past week, with some more rain likely on the way this weekend. The entire state continues to stay out of the abnormally dry classification
(https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037. The majority of planting is done, with many of the crops progressing nicely. Prominent weeds include poison hemlock, common and giant ragweed, Canada thistle, and henbit. Be sure to cooperate with any farm equipment on the roads, and stay safe in the fields and planting season progresses.
Remember to take advantage of the Darke County Garden Giveaway! Whether you want to add additional plants to the garden, succession plant, or try something new, it’s hard to turn free seeds. Stop in at the office and pick up some spinach, carrot, cucumber, green bean, and lettuce seeds.
I’ll be at Worch Library on July 10th at 4:00 p.m. to discuss Backyard Composting. We’ll discuss topics regarding what you can compost, how to manage the compost, and putting your new resource to use. I hope to see you there!
Our next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be June 25th at 12:00 p.m. and June 26th at 6:00 p.m. This session will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
I’ll be joining some colleagues in Miami County for a Tri-County Pond Clinic on July 28th at 6:30 p.m. There, we’ll discuss basic pond management, information for new pond owners, liability of pond ownership, and stocking ponds with fish. See the attached flyer for more details.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be June 20th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Cover Crop Forage for Prevented Planting Acres
Ohio 2025 Crop Returns Outlook
Ohio Legislative Roundup
Record High Cattle Prices
Statewide Slug Monitoring Project
Using Technology to Manage Heat Stress in Dairy Cows
I hope you enjoy this week’s Newsletter, and as always, never hesitate to reach out to me and let me know how I can best serve you and all of Darke County.
by Caden Buschur, Darke County Extension Educator
