by CrownRandall | Sep 23, 2025 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – The Versailles FFA is conducting a new activity this fall on September 27th called the SAE Roadshow and all are welcome to take a driving tour to see firsthand FFA members’ Supervised Agricultural Experience projects.
This event will be set up like a passport event where FFA members, family, and local community members will be able to travel from home to home and learn about the variety of our members’ SAE projects. The stations that will be provided on this activity is Paige Gehret’s Pumpkin Patch, along with Hank Smith’s Honey, also located there, Down Home Farms, Buschur Dairy, Eden and Liam Barga’s Goat Milk, Rhylan Broerman’s garden and salsa business. Each stop that can will have a sample of their items and a place where you can purchase some.
Also, at each stop attended, you will receive a sticker that can be placed on your passport. Full passports can be turned in for the chance to win a door prize.
To RSVP, please text or email Ms. Taylor Bergman at [email protected] or 937-621-9136 or contact Mrs. Dena Wuebker at [email protected] or 937-423-2369.
Passports will be available to pick up at the FFA Fall Harvest Sale on Sept 20th as well. at 937-621-9136.
by CrownRandall | Sep 23, 2025 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – The Versailles FFA is proud to invite all Versailles and surrounding area residents to Igniting Awareness, a free community safety event aimed at promoting fire prevention, preparedness, and public safety awareness.
The event will be held on Thursday, October 9, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Versailles Fire Station, 320 Baker Road, Versailles. The event starts at 6:00 p.m. with a complimentary dinner featuring hamburgers, sausage patties, hot dogs, chips, baked beans, soft serve ice cream, brownies, cookies, and drinks.
During the meal, attendees will have the chance to visit a variety of informational booths and speak with fire and safety professionals from organizations including the Versailles Fire Department, American Red Cross, Darke County Farm Bureau, OSU Extension, and the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Guests can come between 6:00pm to 7:00pm to receive the free meal.
At 7:00pm, the program will start and include an educational program for adults and kids. The event will feature a special kids’ program, which includes hands-on activities such as an inflatable fire safety house, second-story bail-out ladder, spraying fire hoses, climbing on fire trucks, trying on firefighter gear, etc.
Adult attendees will hear from three expert presenters. Andrea LeMaster, Fire, Life, and Safety Educator with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, will discuss fire extinguisher use and maintenance, as well as home escape planning and drills. Bob Frye, past Versailles Fire Chief, will address fire risks associated with home cleanliness and hoarding, provide Ohio fire statistics, and emphasize the importance of smoke detector placement and upkeep, especially in rural and agricultural buildings.
Ken Johnson from the Darke County EPA will share information on fire policies and resources available to local residents. As part of the event, free smoke detectors and fire extinguishers will be distributed to attendees.
This event is being sponsored by a grant received by Ohio FFA Association and Farm Credit Services Mid-America. This community-focused program is designed for all ages and is a great opportunity to increase safety knowledge in a hands-on, engaging environment.
RSVPs are requested by September 27th. Please RSVP using the google form: https://forms.gle/ieChzf6MjN7Znpto7
Don’t miss this chance to connect with your local safety professionals and learn valuable tips that could save lives. Each guest will come home with a free smoke detector or fire extinguisher.
This program is being made possible by a grant from Ohio FFA Foundation and Farm Credit Mid America.
For more information or to RSVP, please contact the Versailles FFA by emailing Dena Wuebker at [email protected] or call/text at 937-423-2369 or Taylor Bergman at [email protected] or text/call at 937-621-9136.
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
