by CrownRandall | Dec 27, 2024 | Farming Report
I hope this Newsletter finds you well, and that you had a Merry Christmas! It doesn’t quite feel like winter, but it is officially upon us as the year draws to a close. Precipitation has slowly started to bring Darke County out of the abnormally dry category (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037). Stay safe on the roads, especially for those traveling during the holidays.
The next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be held on January 16th at 12:00 p.m., and January 30th at 6:00 p.m., both at the OSU Learning Center. The agenda is attached to this email. If you have any questions or topics you would like me to discuss ahead of time, please use the following survey link: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_06zzY8Kwhnmd4Nw.
For those needing to renew their pesticide or fertilizer licenses, there will be two training sessions in Darke County to recertify. The first will be January 31st, with pesticide training beginning at 9:00 a.m. and fertilizer training beginning at 1:00 p.m. The second training date will be February 20th, beginning with fertilizer training at 4:30 p.m. and pesticide training at 6:00 p.m. Both sessions will take place in the meeting room at Darke DD, 5844 Jaysville-St Johns Rd, Greenville, OH 45331. Please note that on the notification letters sent out, I made an error. The letter states that the 31st is a Thursday, but it is a Friday. If you need to register for one of these sessions, or if you have any questions, please reach out to me.
If you are in need of Beef Quality Assurance Certification, I will be providing a training session in partnership with the Darke County Cattlemen’s Association. The event will take place on February 1st, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and will be in the Ansonia High School Cafeteria. The training is free for all DCCA members and youth and is $10 otherwise. More details can be found in the attached flyer.
There will be a webinar on HPAI hosted by professionals from OSU Extension, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, and the Ohio Poultry Association. This will take place on January 15th at 12:00 p.m. More details and a link to register can be found in the attached flyer.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
· Checking Up on Your Feed Supply
· Controlling Mud on Cattle Operations
· Improving Dairy Herd Performance Using Milk Analysis
· Maintaining Forage Stability
· Northern Giant Hornet Update
· Supplementing Beef Cattle with Vitamin A
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.
Happy New Year!
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by CrownRandall | Dec 26, 2024 | Farming Report
VERSAILLES – James Schmitmeyer is a senior at Versailles High School and participates in the Agriculture Education Capstone Program and has been selected as the capstone highlight student of the month. The Versailles Agriculture Education Capstone Program is in its thirteen years of existence. James is the son of Doug and Brenda Schmitmeyer of Versailles, Ohio. Capstone is a program that gives Versailles High School Junior and Senior Students who are enrolled in agriculture education an opportunity to gain real-world employment experiences and opportunities while in high school.
James has worked over 7,900 hours at LineView Farms since his enrollment in agriculture education class. James’s primary roles at LineView Farms include: feeding calves, bedding steers and feeders, milking, scraping, working ground, planting, combining, operating grain carts and hauling manure. Doug Schmitmeyer of LineView Farms is quoted as saying “James is very dedicated, prompt and a hard worker. He always wants to learn. James is very careful and reliable with equipment. We are looking forward to him joining the farm full-time after graduation.”
LineView Farms is owned and operated by Doug and Brenda Schmitmeyer and was started in 1993. LineView Farms is a diversified crop and livestock operation that consists of a 100-head dairy operation, raises dairy steers and feeders, operates a pig nursery and farms 1,800 acres of corn, alfalfa, soybeans and wheat.
This year 53 students are enrolled in the Versailles Agriculture Education Capstone programs and are leaving school after their daily required courses are complete and working at area businesses. The goal of the spotlight is to highlight each month one of the students that participate in the capstone program and highlight the skills/knowledge they are gaining, and the roles/assets they are to their business. The students enrolled in capstone also use their employment as their Supervised Agricultural Experience Program. As part of their grade in capstone, students are required to keep detailed records of their hours worked, earnings and skills performed. In addition to the record books, capstone students are being evaluated at the end of each nine weeks by an evaluation completed by their employer.
Congratulations to James and Thank you to LineView Farms for this opportunity.
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by CrownRandall | Dec 26, 2024 | Farming Report
VERSAILLES – Versailles FFA has been able to conduct several community service projects during the month of December. Earlier in the month Versailles FFA donated oranges and apples to Kinder Corner, Brilliant Beginnings, Versailles Pre School, Versailles Senior Citizen Center and Versailles Health Care Center.
Versailles FFA also adopted a family and purchased gifts for that family through the Versailles Council of Churches. Another record-breaking amount of toys was collected in the Versailles community as part of the toy drive.
Versailles FFA would like to thank the following locations for donating their facilities to use as toy drop-off locations: St. Denis Catholic Church, Versailles Christian Church, Trinity Lutheran Church, Versailles Schools, Versailles United Methodist Church, Webster United Methodist Church, Versailles Ace Hardware, Versailles Saving and Loan, Park National Bank, Dollar General and John’s IGA. On December 13th, the Versailles FFA assisted the Council of Churches with their annual food, gift and toy distribution. Each family that came in on Dec 13th was able to select 5 brand new toys per child, additional toys from the toy drive were donated to Rustic Home and St Vincent DePaul. Versailles FFA would like to once again thank the community for their generosity and support of the new toy drive. Versailles FFA would like to extend a thank you to Scott Garrison, Wyatt Reese Memorial Fund and Versailles Savings and Loan for their generous donations to assist with the toy and food distribution. In addition to the toys, gifts, can goods, each family that participated was able to leave with a box of fresh food items that included: hamburger patties, a pack of hot dogs, milk, butter, eggs, salad, cheese, potatoes, mac and cheese, ketchup, bottle of ranch, carrots, peanut butter, baked beans, applesauce, box of cereal, toilet paper, dish soap, paper towels, loaf of bread and buns, apples and oranges made possible through generous supporters of Versailles FFA.
A special thanks to John’s IGA for selling the items at a wholesale price and donating toward each food box. The Versailles FFA also sponsored a Can Food Drive the last week of school for all Jr. High and High school students and donated cans to benefit the Versailles area food pantry sponsored through the Versailles area Council of Churches. The canned food drive was another huge success this year. Over 9,000 cans of food, cleaning supplies and personal hygiene items were donated and over $3000 were collected in the high and middle school and donated to the Versailles Council of Churches, again thanks to the students, staff and administration for making this activity so successful.
Results of the high school include: placing 1st average of 185.75 cans per student in Mrs. Kremer’s 1st period class. This class will have a pizza party in January. Placing 2nd was Mrs Hoying’s 1st-period class with an average of 56.25 cans per student and placing 3rd was Mr. Swank’s 1st-period class with a 32-can average per student. In the middle school placing, 1st was Mrs Shappe’s Tiger Team with an average of 54.7 cans per student and will win a pizza party in January. Placing 2nd was Mrs Davis’s Tiger Team with an average of 44.5 cans per student and placing 3rd was Mrs Tyo’s Tiger Team homeroom with a 157.7 cans average per student.
Thanks to everyone’s generosity with the Can Food Drive. A special thank you is extended to the Reese family for donating a considerable amount of good items in memory of Wyatt Reese’s Tiger Team of Mrs Shappie. A special thank you to Mrs Wuebker’s 7th-period class for helping deliver the cans.
The Versailles FFA would like to give a special thank you to all the staff, students, and parents who supported the Canned Food Drive. The Versailles FFA would like to thank the community interactions committee for helping organize many of the activities and special thanks are extended to committee co-chairs Ruthie Smith and Symone Grieshop.
In addition, the greenhouse management class grew poinsettia that were donated to the health care center and senior citizens center.
The Versailles FFA would like to thank the Versailles community for their support of the recent community service projects sponsored by the Versailles FFA.
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by CrownRandall | Dec 22, 2024 | Farming Report
VERSAILLES – On Saturday, February 22nd from 8 a.m. until 12:00 p.m., the Versailles FFA & FFA Alumni will be hosting an Omelet Breakfast to recognize the local agriculturalist and promote the agriculture industry. There will be free omelet breakfasts for all in attendance.
This breakfast is free but will require RSVP to ensure proper breakfast.
The breakfast will also include: a farm toy show, kiddy tractor pulls, agriculture displays to promote the industry, and farm displays created by the local youth. This event will be open for all of the public to enjoy. Toy Show Vendors that will be present at the breakfast include: Kris Hinton from Rockford, Kris’s collection includes custom farm toys, small-scale livestock and machinery buildings, Jim Ford of Athens’s collection focuses on: 1/64 scale farm toys and custom-built farm toys, Tom Barga of North Star collection focuses on custom and scratch built farm toys and 1/64 scale farm toys, Roger Heckman of Versailles with various tools and 1/64 scale farm toys and Winner Farm Toys of North Star with assortment of Ertl and New Ray farm toys from 1/64 scale up to 1/16 scale.
On behalf of the Versailles FFA chapter, we would like to personally invite and encourage the youth of Darke County to participate in a farm toy display contest. Again, this contest is completely cost-free. Awards and monetary prizes will be awarded for each division sponsored by the Darke County Farm Bureau. All participants will receive a small prize; however, first place in each division will receive $25.00, second place $15.00, and third place $10.00. All displays along with a tag with your name and age must be delivered to the Versailles FFA advisor, Mrs. Dena Wuebker, at Versailles Schools near the Greenhouse door (door 4) from 7:30 am to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 20th. All displays will be judged prior to the breakfast and the Farm Displays will be displayed on the stage of the cafetorium all attendees will be enabled to view the displays. Farm displays can be torn down and loaded out between 12:00 p.m. and 1:30 pm on Feb 22.
|th. The rules and regulations for the Farm Youth Display can be received by emailing [email protected] find the information on the Versailles Exempted Village School website under the high school followed by the FFA link.
Please RSVP for the breakfast to either Dena Wuebker at 937-423-2369 or through the above email, or contact Taylor Bergman at [email protected] or 937-621-9136 or contact Versailles FFA President Colin Batten at 937-621- 6909. Please RSVP for the breakfast by Feb 18th.
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by CrownRandall | Dec 21, 2024 | Farming Report
GREENVILLE – On December 12, the Greenville FFA chapter hosted its annual Degree Ceremony, honoring the achievements of Greenhand and Chapter degree recipients. The evening was filled with learning, laughter, and meaningful discussions, serving as a special opportunity to celebrate members who met the requirements for their degrees.
The chapter was privileged to welcome State FFA Vice President Carter Boyd, who delivered an inspiring speech to the audience. In appreciation of his time and dedication, Carter was presented with a gift of gratitude.
The following members earned their Greenhand Degree:
Cash Bubeck, Hunter Burns, Austin Bush, Landon Brenner, Nevaeh Chalmers, Wyatt Elliott, Katelynn Emrick, Eric Ferguson, Lane Francis, Drew Garber, Samantha Hampton, Bentley Huecker, Cooper Hunt, Meredith Hunt, Aleya Smith, Caleigh Stebbins, Kylee Stith, Riley Thomas, and Lucas Wright.
The Chapter Degree recipients were:
Kacady Hines, Jaliegh Hummel, Skylynn Kessinger, Owen Shaffer, Emma Stith, and Julia Yohey.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to Carter Boyd for his impactful speech, and to everyone who contributed to setting up and tearing down for the event. Your support made this night one to remember!
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by CrownRandall | Dec 21, 2024 | Farming Report
VERSAILLES – At the December meeting for the Versailles FFA the chapter bowled and ate pizza at McBos bowling alley. Members were also recognized for outstanding fruit sales.
Versailles FFA named two FFA members of the month for December. Adam Rauh is a Sophomore and a 3rd year member of Versailles FFA. Adam is active in monthly meetings, The Eagles fruit sale breakfast, helps with the soup and sandwich social, fruit sales, CDE luncheon, State convention, penny war, omelet breakfast, soup and sandwich social, facts and snacks, canned food drive, toy drive, career fair, and more. He has competed in the soils CDE, public speaking, agronomy, green hand quiz, career exploration CDE, and Parliamentary Procedure. Adam is the son of Todd and Carol Rauh. Adam was awarded a t-shirt and certificate for being named a member of the month. Congratulations Adam!
Zac Bartram was named Versailles FFA Member of the Month for December. Zac is a Senior and 3rd year Versailles FFA member. He has been active in monthly meetings, the beef and pork tent, Farm Day, soup and sandwich social, canned food drive, National Convention, DIY flower class, fruit sales, hunter safety course, and more. He has participated in the floriculture CDE, and wildlife management at the invitational and state levels. Zac is the son of Bryan and Amy Bartram. Zac was awarded a t-shirt and certificate for being named a member of the month. Congratulations Zac!
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