by CrownRandall | Dec 14, 2024 | Agriculture
ARCANUM – Members from Arcanum MVCTC FFA competed in the State Finals for the Ohio FFA Ag Technology and Mechanical Systems Contest and placed 5th in the State. Team members were Charlie Weiss, Noah Egnor, Matthew Denlinger, and Lance Brinksneader.
The members earned the right to compete in the Finals by placing in the top 10 on the online test in October. The online test included general knowledge and problem-solving questions on machinery, electricity, structures, equipment, environmental and natural resources.
During the State Finals Contest, held at The Ohio State University ATI in Wooster, members completed individual and team activities which included electrical skills, stick welding, equipment troubleshooting, differential leveling, yield calculations and the construction of a rafter.
“The ATMS contest uses a lot of real-world skills but on a time rotation,” team member Charlie Weiss said. “Even though I was on the finals team last year, it is always difficult because you never know exactly what challenges will be placed before you.”
For placing 5th the team will receive a banner at the State FFA Convention. Charlie Weiss will also receive a plaque for placing 3rd as an individual in the contest.
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by CrownRandall | Dec 11, 2024 | Agriculture
GREENVILLE – The Greenville FFA Chapter celebrated its 95th anniversary with its new agricultural educator, Korey Garland.
Earlier this year, during the summer, Garland learned that the agricultural educator position was vacant and offered his assistance to the administration. Shortly after, Garland, a 2015 graduate of Greenville High School, assumed the role when it was presented to him.
“I was very active with the FFA Chapter once I graduated, being a part of the alumni,” said Garland. “I sat down with the Career Tech Director and had a meeting on how I could help until they found an advisor. Then later on, it was asked if it was something I’d be interested in.”
Garland explained that he had an interest in an agricultural educator position but thought that it’d be down the road upon more experience in his career and was ready to slow down.
Garland was involved in the Greenville FFA Chapter where he served as chapter president during his junior and senior years of high school. He currently resides in Greenville, Ohio with his wife Lauren, and his daughter Karter.
He attended Wright State University – Lake Campus where he graduated with a degree in agriculture in 2019. He has several years of experience in agriculture including ag sales, ag production, and ag technology.
“Now I’m taking all that knowledge that I have and putting it into a 45-minute lesson every day,” said Garland. “
He expressed that a goal of his is to continue being involved with the Greenville FFA Chapter Members and helping them achieve their goals and hopefully have members with state degrees and American degrees.
“We placed 10th at the district soil competition this year. The goal now is another one, another top ten. There’s a couple more competitions in the spring and I want to go to state.”
Garland shared that he currently has about 56 active members in the Greenville FFA Chapter.
There are currently many projects and events planned for the Greenville FFA Chapter.
Some members of his mechanical principles class are currently building two chicken coops, with eight nesting boxes that will be sold upon completion. Members also had the chance to make and sell freshies recently in their business management class.
There will be a degree ceremony held on December 12, 2024, with roughly 20 kids receiving degrees.
Garland hopes to become more involved with the community in his chapter. They plan on continuing the adopt a highway program and some other already completed service projects.
There will also be an upcoming event around February and it’ll be like an FFA Fair. Students will create posters and displays of their SAEs about what they do and help educate the public on those topics. It will be an open community event and everyone is welcome.
Garland remains enthusiastic and positive about the upcoming year and is excited to give back to the FFA Chapter that started his passion for ag.
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by CrownRandall | Dec 11, 2024 | Agriculture
DARKE COUNTY – Darke Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is accepting applications from Darke County landowners interested in selling an agricultural easement on their farms through January 31, 2025. Darke SWCD has received an allocation from the Clean Ohio Fund to select, close and monitor easements under the Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program (LAEPP) to protect local farmland.
The program allows landowners to voluntarily sell easements on their farms to the state of Ohio. The easement requires the farm to remain permanently in agriculture production. Selected farms must be 40 acres or more, actively engaged in farming, participate in the Current Agricultural Use Valuation program, demonstrate good stewardship of the land, have the support of their local government and not lay directly in the path of development. Landowners may use the proceeds of the easement in any way they wish, but most reinvest it in their farm operations.
Funding for the state’s farmland preservation efforts is derived from the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, approved by voters in 2008, and used to purchase agricultural easements from willing sellers through a competitive process. From 2002 to 2022, 589 family farms in 61 Ohio counties have collectively preserved 91,507 acres in agricultural production. Permanent easements preserved under related programs bring the total acres currently preserved in Ohio to over 106,000.
Interested applicants can request an application by contacting the Darke SWCD office at 937.548.1715 ext. 3 or stop by at 1117 Southtowne Court in Greenville.
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by CrownRandall | Dec 11, 2024 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – Congratulations to the 8th grade Versailles FFA members who placed 3rd at the State FFA Novice Parliamentary Procedure contest on Saturday, Dec 7th at Delaware Career Center.
The 3rd place team consisted of President Abby Wilker, Vice President Blair Schellhase, Secretary Elizabeth Grieshop, Treasurer Blake Pitsenbarger, Reporter Isabel Grisez, Sentinel Kacey Borchers, Student Advisor Allison Bergman and Member Vera Pearson.
The team provided a 15-minute presentation and demonstration of how to conduct a business meeting.
A special thank you to Miss Bergman for coaching the team. Congrats to all!
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by CrownRandall | Dec 9, 2024 | Agriculture
VERSAILLES – On Tuesday, December 3rd, the Versailles FFA hosted a DIY Pine arrangement class in the Ag Shop with Mental Health Awareness and focused on FFA members sharing their own individual talents.
Throughout the night there were speakers which included: Paige Gehret talked about making bows and Poinsettias, Nicole Keller, a Licenced Professional Clinical Counselor, spoke about how pine impacts your mental health, Eden and Liam Barga explained their SAE of goat production and demonstrated how to make goat milk fudge, Danica York gave a presentation about her SAE and wood carvings, and Kim Stockslager from Brown’s Nursery talked about different types of pine and gave a demonstration on arranging a pine display. Overall there were 38 large pine arrangements and small pine arrangements designed by the individuals that attended the class.
Throughout the night there were facts provided about handling holiday stress and the impact of mental health. They included: That 69% of people report feeling increased stress and anxiety during the holiday season, and the leading causes are financial strain, time constraints, and family gatherings. Ways to manage holiday stress can include: Setting a budget, prioritizing self-care, simplifying expectations, planning ahead, saying “no” when necessary, and connecting with support. SAD or seasonal affective disorder can worsen when added to holiday pressure. 50% of people report that the holidays affect their mental health. Snacks and door prizes were provided.
A special thank you to Versailles FFA members for assisting especially the greenhouse committee that helped plan and carry out this event which included Margaret Schmitmeyer, Brooklyn Livingston, Adam Rauh, Liam Barga, Ava Jennings, Keira Rahm and Abby Henry.
Thank you to Brown’s Nursery for supplying the pine and thank you to Brooklyn Livingston for supplying pine cones and Maraget Schmitmeter for supplying red berries.
Thank you to Nicole Keller, Liam and Eden Barga, Paige Gehret, Danica York and Kim Stockslarger for sharing their talents for the program. The Versailles FFA would like to thank everyone who made this event possible!
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by CrownRandall | Dec 8, 2024 | Agriculture
Calf Price Update: “Calf and feeder cattle prices have jumped higher over the last few weeks. Several factors are working together to boost prices including rain, fewer calves for sale, and maybe even the impact of import restrictions on Mexican cattle due to screwworm regulations.” Dr. David Anderson of Texas A&M University shares an update on recent calf prices, the factors that influence those prices, and how they compare to normal trends. https://u.osu.edu/beef/2024/12/04/climbing-calf-prices/
Christmas Tree Options: “As the battle rages on whether to purchase a ‘Real’ tree every year or an Artificial tree that can be stored and put up every year, what’s the ‘Right’ choice? For some, this can be very personal causing stress even among family members. One possible solution, ‘Why not just do both!’” As we begin decorating for the Christmas season, it’s worth taking a look at this article from OSU Extension Educator, Thomas DeHaas, to consider whether a real or artificial tree suits us best. Here, DeHaas discusses the history of artificial trees, the modern artificial tree industry, and the advantages and disadvantages of both types. He also discusses maintenance and reminds us that we could do what his family does, and just have both styles of Christmas tree. https://bygl.osu.edu/index.php/node/2444
Knowing Your Colostrum’s Bacteria Levels: “Pasteurization has been used for over 100 years as a tool to decrease bacteria levels in raw milk and keep consumers of milk safe. More recently, pasteurization has also been adopted as part of many calf-feeding programs to reduce bacteria levels in milk and the transmission of diseases like Johne’s disease and bovine leukosis virus.” Colostrum is an essential part of a newborn calf’s diet, and it is important to ensure the product is of good quality before feeding. In this article, OSU Extension Specialist Jason Hartschuh discusses the proper management of colostrum, including pasteurization, udder hygiene, and other important topics to make sure your calves are being provided with ideal nutrition. https://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/do-you-know-your-colostrum-bacteria-levels/851825.html
Managing Cattle Through the Changing Seasons: “In All Creatures Great and Small, author James Herriot reflects on the routine of caring for animals through the changing seasons, ‘the winter days are closing in, the snow had begun to fall, and I felt the reassuring weight of the work ahead—the routine of feeding, checking, and caring for the animals that were always at my side, no matter the weather. This sentiment remains relevant today, as the abrupt shift from warm late fall weather to a sudden cold snap marks the beginning of winter. Such transitions highlight how quickly seasons can turn, influencing both pasture conditions and livestock care. As forage growth halts and plants enter dormancy, the remaining forage becomes more like standing hay than pasture. Managing this change, as Herriot alludes to, requires flexibility and vigilance to ensure both animal welfare and pasture quality are maintained.” As the weather quickly becomes colder, caring for livestock can bring new challenges. Retired NRCS Agronomist Victor Shelton shares his wisdom on managing these challenges in this article. Shelton covers a range of topics, including forage conditions, temporary fencing, and animal nutrition. https://u.osu.edu/beef/2024/12/04/managing-the-change-in-weather-requires-flexibility/
Winter Application of Manure in Ohio: “With the colder weather, some livestock producers will be applying manure on frozen ground. Here are some things to keep in mind. For the article below, frozen ground would be soil that you cannot inject the manure into or cannot conduct tillage within 24 hours to incorporate the manure. Permitted farms are not allowed to apply manure in the winter unless it is an extreme emergency, and then movement to other suitable storage is usually the selected alternative. Several commercial manure applicators have established manure storage ponds in recent years to help address this issue.” With winter quickly approaching and cold weather already upon us, it is important for livestock producers to fully understand regulations regarding the application of manure throughout the colder months. In this article, OSU Extension Manure Field Specialist, Glen Arnold, reminds us of regulations throughout Ohio, and also of the specific rules for those in the Grand Lake Saint Marys and Western Lake Erie Basin watersheds. Take a look at this article to make sure you understand the winter manure application rules that must be followed. https://agcrops.osu.edu/newsletter/corn-newsletter/2024-41/winter-application-manure-ohio
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