by CrownRandall | Apr 20, 2025 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – On Monday, April 14th, the Versailles FFA Members visited the Versailles Senior Citizen Community Center to celebrate the monthly birthday celebration. Every month, they celebrate birthdays with cake and ice cream as well as games at the end.
This month, the residents dyed easter eggs for easter. Next month we will be celebrating the May and July birthdays.
The Versailles FFA members who attended were Paige Gehret, Rhylan Broerman, Greta Broering, Aleta Longfellow, Symone Werhkamp, Kyra Bergman, Cadence Philpot, Monica Evers, Trina Tuente, Juli Stephan, Ava Jennings, Cheyenne Archey, Abby Henry and Josh Henry.
by CrownRandall | Apr 19, 2025 | Agriculture
I hope this Newsletter finds you well. The ground has dried out some after the heavy rains, allowing a slight uptick in field work (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037. This week’s Newsletter will feature an article discussing the very wet period and how it impacts nitrogen management for wheat fields.
This past Monday, April 14th, was National Gardening Day. There are many ways to garden, regardless of what resources you have available. Gardening comes with several benefits, including self-sufficiency, healthy and economical food production, as well as activity and personal enjoyment. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced gardener, never hesitate to reach out with any garden-related questions.
On the topic of gardening, there will be an opportunity to obtain free seeds through the Darke County Garden Giveaway. The OSU Extension office will be offering free packets of seed, with each large packet containing smaller packets of spinach, cucumber, green bean, carrot, and lettuce seed. Planting information will be included in the seed packet. Let me know if you are interested in these seeds or if you have any questions.
There has been a recent case of HPAI in Darke County, so continue monitoring the situation and gathering information from the ODA website: https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/animal-health/hpai/01-poultry
I’ll be at Worch Library on May 15th at 4:00 p.m. to conduct the program Spring Into Gardening. We’ll discuss the makings of a spring garden, what plants to grow, and how to help them be successful. I hope to see you there!
The next Darke County Garden Roundtable will be April 23rd at 6:00 p.m.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be April 25th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
Fertilizing Pastures After a Drought
Forage Quality Analysis Service
Importance of Water and Calf Starter for Future Performance
Paying for Long-Term Care Without Losing the Farm
Recent Rain Patterns and Their Impact on Nitrogen Management
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 | Apr 14, 2025 | Agriculture
ANSONIA – The Ansonia Animal 4-H Club held their meeting on April 13th at the Ansonia Methodist Church at 2 pm.
The meeting was called to order by President Brady Hartle. The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Savannah Oswalt, followed by the 4-H pledge.
At this meeting, the club covered the 2025 program. This included important items like skillathon and tagging/tattoo dates and quality assurance training times. Healthy Living pins were awarded to the club’s members for providing healthy snacks at their meetings.
The Cloverbuds learned about animals that lay eggs. Mathew Wilson did a demonstration on how to make a marshmallow shooter. For recreation, we celebrated Easter by doing an Easter egg hunt in the building.
10 members and 0 guests attended this meeting.
Our next meeting will be held on May 18th at 2 pm at Ansonia Methodist Church.
Submitted by 10-year-old Austin Seger
by CrownRandall | Apr 14, 2025 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – Versailles Agriculture Education students have been busy starting plants, transplanting plants and propagating plants. To get ready to conduct a spring plant sale by putting concepts learned in the Versailles Agriculture Education classes.
The Versailles Agricultural Education Department and FFA Chapter will be conducting their 14th Annual Greenhouse Sale starting Monday, April 28th. The greenhouse will be open from 2:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, open Saturdays 8:30 A.M to 12:00 P.M. and closed on Sundays. The greenhouse is located on the West side of Versailles Schools at 280 Marker Rd, close to the auditorium. The greenhouse will be closed May 1st and 2nd for the State FFA Convention.
The annuals for sale in the greenhouse include: Pelargonium Hort Patriot: Bright Pink, Bright Red, White; Begonia: Dragon Wing Red; Coleus: Main Street Oxford Street, Main Street River Walk; Ipomoea: Blackie; Pelargonium Hyb Calliope Med: Dark Red; Verbena: Lanai Deep Purple; Vinca Major Variegata (Common Vinca Vine); Dichondra Argentea: Silver Falls; Impatiens Sunpatiens: Comp Hot Pink; Lantana: Bandana Cherry Sunrise, Bandana Gold; Lysimachia Nummularia: Goldilocks; Pennisetum Setaceum: Rubrum; Begonia Semp.: Cocktail Mix; Impatiens W.: Accent Prem White, Accent Prem Mix, Accent Prem Red, Accent Prem Rose; Marigold (Tagetes): Safari Mix; Petunia: Wave Easy Pink Passion, Wave Easy Red, Wave Purple; Salvia Splendens: Vista Red; Dusty Miller: Silverdust; Eucalyptus: Baby Blue Bouquet; Helichrysum; Plectranthus Coleoides: Variegata: Angelonia Angust: Carita Raspberry; Liner Canna: Cannova Scarlet; Dracaena Indivisa: Spike-Cordyline; Ipomoea: Marguerite; Kwik Kombo Bandolista: Lava; Senecio Candicans: Angel Wings; Begonia Bol Iconia Portofino: Hot Orange.
The greenhouse will feature Hanging Baskets available in 10 & 12-inch pots. A variety of planted pots will also be available. Versailles FFA will also fill your pots and you will be charged for the flowers and soil to fill your pots.
Please look for future articles on drop-off information and more details.
If you have any questions, please email Versailles FFA Advisor Dena Wuebker at [email protected] or Versailles FFA Advisor Taylor Bergman at [email protected].
We look forward to seeing you at the greenhouse!
by CrownRandall | Apr 14, 2025 | Agriculture
ANSONIA – Numerous awards were bestowed upon various members of the Ansonia FFA when an estimated crowd of 300 people recently gathered at the school for its 88th annual banquet.
“Come Home to Ansonia FFA” was the theme.
Opening ceremonies were performed prior to the meal, with the 2024-25 officers in charge of the opening ceremony. President Avalyn Locke gave the welcome and Kiera Spencer, the blessing.
After the meal, guests were introduced, and guest speaker Ty Higgins of the Ohio Farm Bureau spoke to the group.
From Licking County, he said Ohio Farm Bureau’s focus for this year is an action plan for 2025.
“There are lots of things happening in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “What we do for Farm Bureau works. We talked about the Farm Bill. We’d love to get one in place soon. There is a lot of farmland involved. Eighty percent of the Farm Bureau is for nutrition and 20 percent for income from trade deals. We brought in new partners to give us guidelines.”
Featured throughout the program was the annual Silent Auction. This was followed by the presentation of various awards.
The recipient of the $2,000 Ben Overholser Scholarship was Sophia Aultman, accepting it from Overholser’s widow, Gail and son Josh. According to the Overholsers, Ben worked for Sisco and so far, $94,000 in scholarships have been given out to deserving students. He was 58 years of age at the time of his death in 2021.
Additional awards included: Star Greenhand, eighth-grader Wyatt Homan and sophomore Sloane Gariety; and State Chapter Farmer, sophomore Kensey Homan.
In the Greehand and Chapter Degree ceremonies, others honored were:
*Greenhand: Owen McGuire, Ava Thatcher, Cadence Burke, Annabelle Billenstein, Addison Gelhaus, Lynne Lerock, Jacob Macnutt, Carson Winner, Jake Pierre, Graham Coppess, Tanner Moody, Brooke Harter, Savannah Hall, Kaylee Schlechty, Lillian Perry Kaden Brookhart, Reese Everman and Alexis Moody.
*Chapter: Alexa Kreiner, Elly Locke, Kaitlyn Barga, London Reichert, William Aultman, Emma Brown Benjamin Barnt, Mathieu Baldridge, Aidan Barber and Troy Stuck.
Proficiency Award winners were Poultry Production Placement, Kensey Homan; Emma Brown, Ag Mechanics Repair and Fabrication; Diversified Ag Production, Jayda Mangen; Diversified Crop Production, Grace Graf; Ag Mechanics Repair and Maintenance, Avalyn Locke; Beef Production Placement, Austin Singer; Special Crop Entrepreneurship, Sophia Aultman; Specialty Crop Placement, Troy Stuck; Poultry Production Entrepreneurship, Avalyn Locke; Equine Science, Kiera Spencer; Fruit Production, Avalyn Locke; Best Production Entrepreneurship, Grace Graf; Vegetable Production Entrepreneurship, Emma Brown; and Agricultural Services, Alexa Kreiner.
FFA Advisors Jennie Bohman and Emily Williams presented some of the awards.
The new officers for 2025-26 were announced. Installed were: President Troy Stuck; Vice President Kensey Homan; Secretary Austin Singer; Treasurer Keira Spencer; Reporter Wyatt Homan and Sentinel William Aultman.
Retiring officers are: Avalyn Locke, president; Sophia Aultman, vice president; Kiera Spencer, secretary; Austin Singer, treasurer; Jayda Mangen, reporter; Kensey Homan, sentinel; Troy Stuck, student advisor; Kaitlyn Barga, historian; Grace Graf; parliamentarian; Kaitlyn Tollefson, chaplain; and assistant student advisor, Benjamin Barnt.
