by CrownRandall | Sep 23, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. Overall, Darke County remains very dry, although some spots throughout the region have been receiving more rain than others (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?OH). More on the weather is discussed in the attached Newsletter article from OSU Extension’s Aaron Wilson. Much progress has been made in silage harvest, and some soybean harvest has begun as well. Overall, there seems to be less disease pressure in crops than noted in previous years. Volunteer corn is commonly seen in the soybean fields, and other prominent weeds I’ve come across include waterhemp, velvetleaf, foxtails, marestail, and giant ragweed. Forecast and discussion of this year’s corn crop is also included in the Newsletter, from OSU Extension’s Osler Ortez. I hope you all have a safe and successful harvest season.
I’ll be at Worch Library on October 30th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss Backyard Poultry Production. If you’ve ever wondered about getting into small-scale poultry raising, or if you’re interested in learning more about the flock you already have, this program may be of interest to you. We’ll discuss the basics of nutrition, management, species consideration, and other topics for both meat and laying birds.
Our next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be September 24th at 12:00 p.m. and September 25th at 6:00 p.m. These sessions will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
There is still time to pick up some last minute Farm Science Review Tickets if you have not done so already. The Review will begin next Tuesday, and run through Thursday. Many people enjoy FSR each year, and there is always plenty of opportunity to learn something new, see the latest in ag technology, and connect with others. I hope to see you there!
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be September 19th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Battle for the Belt
Corn Yield Forecast
Green Fields/Green Dollars Podcast
Ohio Fruit News
Timing Your Last Alfalfa Cutting
Weather Update
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 | Aug 27, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. Darke County remains out of the abnormally dry classification, but most parts of the county could use a good amount of rain (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?OH). Corn and soybeans continue to progress through the reproductive growth stages, and silage harvest will start before long. Giant and Common Ragweed, Waterhemp, velvetleaf, and volunteer corn are common weeds.
I hope you all enjoyed your time at the Great Darke County Fair! Congratulations to all those who had success this week, and thank you to everybody who made the event possible. Special thanks to those who helped out at the Steak and Chop Tent.
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 on August 26th at 12:00 p.m. and August 27th at 6:00 p.m. These sessions will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
Farm Science Review is a month away, and as always, there will be plenty to see and do. The event will run from September 16th to 18th. Tickets are available for $10 at the Extension office—make sure to get them ahead of time to save yourself some money at the gate.
If you have any interest in joining the OSU Extension-Darke County team, consider applying to be an Extension Educator Coordinator at our office. A job description and further information is provided in the attached flyer; feel free to contact me with any questions.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be August 29th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Battle for the Belt
Evaluating Bulls on a Cattle Operation
Importance of Forage Analysis
Planting a Pollinator Patch
Red Crown Rot in Soybeans
Southern Rust in Corn
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 | Aug 17, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. While Darke County remains out of the abnormally dry category, much of the area would benefit from rain (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?OH). Corn and soybeans continue to progress, with some foliar diseases such as Tar Spot and Northern Corn Leaf Blight being seen in some corn. Common weeds have included waterhemp and some palmer amaranth, as well as common and giant ragweed, marestail, and foxtails.
Happy Fair Week! The Great Darke County Fair is officially here and there will be plenty of activity for the next week. Good luck to everybody participating in shows, and I hope to see many of you at the fair. Be sure to stop by the Steak and Chop Tent for a bite to eat; if you’re interested in working a shift, register with the following link: https://go.osu.edu/dcf-steak-and-chop-25
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 August 26th at 12:00 p.m. and August 27th at 6:00 p.m. These sessions will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
Farm Science Review is a month away, and as always, there will be plenty to see and do. The event will run from September 16th-18th. Tickets are available for $10 at the Extension office—make sure to get them ahead of time to save yourself some money at the gate.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be August 29th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Cover Crops and Manure Following Wheat
Impacts of Delayed Silage Harvest
Plants Poisonous or Injurious to Horses
Rabies in Cattle
State Operating Budget’s Impact on Agriculture
Stockpiling Fescue and Orchardgrass
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 | Aug 17, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. Darke County has stayed on the cool side and continues to have sufficient moisture at this time (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?OH). Corn and soybeans continue to progress, with some foliar diseases such as Tar Spot and Northern Corn Leaf Blight being seen in some corn. Tight tassel wrap has also been a concern for some corn producers. Field activities such as fungicide applications have been taking place, and common weeds have included waterhemp and some palmer amaranth, as well as common and giant ragweed, marestail, and foxtails.
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 August 26th at 12:00 p.m. and August 27th at 6:00 p.m. These sessions will be at the OSU Extension office, and the agenda is attached.
Summer is flying by, and Farm Science Review is just around the corner. FSR will be held September 16th-18th, and tickets are available through the Extension Office. Purchasing tickets ahead of time can save you some money, so let me know if you are interested in tickets.
The Great Darke County Fair is nearly here! Be sure to stop by the Steak and Chop Tent for a sandwich to support a good cause, and if you are interested in volunteering for a shift, register with the following link: https://go.osu.edu/dcf-steak-and-chop-25
I encourage backyard poultry producers to consider taking the following survey on HPAI and backyard flocks. The survey is completely confidential and helps researchers to gain further information on the public understanding of HPAI and what biosecurity practices are being used. If interested, take the survey at the following link: https://redcap.link/backyardflock. You can also use the QR code in the attached flyer.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be August 29th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Battle for the Belt
Caring for Heifer Mastitis
Dairy Economic Update
Planting Alfalfa in Late Summer
Social Housing of Preweaned Calves
Soybean Response to No-Till Practices
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 | Aug 3, 2025 | Agriculture
GREENVILLE – The Darke County Junior and Senior Fair would like to invite all to the Celebration of Achievement. On Thursday, August 21st we will start our Celebration of Achievement at 4:30 p.m. with light refreshments, followed by a live auction of the grand and reserve champions starting at 5:30 p.m. in the cattle arena. Jr Fair buyers/supporters, potential supporters, Junior fair livestock exhibitors and their families are encouraged to attend the Celebration of Achievement.
The Celebration of Achievement will consist of recognition of the outstanding exhibitors of livestock species, livestock department scholarship recipients, showman of showman barn representatives, dairy and general livestock judging winners, Overholser Scholarship Recipients and shop, crop and horticulture outstanding exhibitors. In addition to the recognition the following champions and reserve champions will be sold at the Celebration of Achievement which include: Grand Champion Beef Market Animal, Reserve Champion Beef Market Animal, Grand Champion Market Hog, Reserve Champion Market Hog, Grand Champion Boer Wether, Reserve Champion Boer Wether, Grand Champion Dairy Goat Wether, Reserve Champion Dairy Goat Wether, Grand Champion Market Lamb, Reserve Champion Market Lamb, Grand Champion Dairy Steer, Reserve Champion Dairy Steer, Supreme Champion Dairy Cow, Gallon of Milk. Champion Meat Poultry Entry, Reserve Champion Meat Poultry Entry, Grand Champion Commercial Egg Production entry, Grand Champion Rabbit Meat Pen, Reserve Champion Rabbit Meat Pen, Grand Champion Single Rabbit and Reserve Champion Single Rabbit. New this year at the Celebration of Achievement, up to 4 buyers can work together and equally split purchasing champion animals.
Following the Celebration of Achievement, an online auction will be available at www.bwfinaldrive.com. Bidding will begin on Thursday, August 21st, following the Celebration of Achievement and will close at midnight. on Thursday, August 28th. Jr. Fair livestock that is eligible to sell will be sold online this year. Each junior fair exhibitor is only allowed to sell 1 livestock species at the county fair. The only exception would be if you had more than one champion.
The livestock auction will continue to use the premium method for livestock bidding. This means, what you bid is what a business/organization pays; the livestock buyers are contributing towards a premium and not purchasing the actual project. Multiple buyers can contribute towards an exhibitor’s overall premium.
All individuals, businesses and organizations that plan to support the Celebration of Achievement and the online sale process need to register at bwfinaldrive.com. It will require their name, address, email, and a credit card to prevent fraudulent bids.
If you created an account last year in bwfnaldrive to support the sales, they will use the same information and you do not have to create an account this year. Your credit card will not be charged; you will be billed for your support of the livestock sales after conclusion of the online sale process.
If you have questions, please feel free to email [email protected]. We look forward to your support and attendance at the 2nd annual Celebration of Achievement, followed by the online junior fair sale process.
