I hope this Newsletter finds you well. It hasn’t been quite as cold this past week, but you can still certainly feel winter in the air. Darke County continues to have sufficient moisture at this time (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037). Continue to be safe in these winter conditions.
For those needing to renew their pesticide or fertilizer licenses, there will be one more training session in Darke County to recertify. The training date will be February 20th, beginning with fertilizer training at 4:30 p.m. and pesticide training at 6:00 p.m. The event will take place in the meeting room at Darke DD, 5844 Jaysville-St Johns Rd, Greenville, OH 45331. Please note that these recertification trainings will be taking place in neighboring counties as well, if you are unable to attend in Darke County. If you need to register for one of these sessions, or if you have any questions, please reach out to me.
HPAI in Western Ohio and Indiana remains an important matter. The number of cases has continued to grow since late last year when the first outbreak was confirmed. Nearby counties, particularly Mercer, but now including Van Wert and Auglaize, have confirmed cases as well. The importance of biosecurity cannot be overstated. Avoiding unnecessary contact with poultry, using footbaths and disposable boots, and proper sanitation of people and equipment are important practices. Other biosecurity measures, as well as the latest numbers of Bird Flu, can be tracked at the ODA website: https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/animal-health/hpai/01-poultry
The next Darke County Garden Roundtables will be February 13th at 12:00 p.m. and February 21st at 6:00 p.m. Both sessions will be held at the OSU Extension Learning Center, and the agenda is attached.
I will be at Worch Library on February 13th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss Making Pesticide and Fertilizer Decisions. Here, we will discuss the considerations that go into applying pesticides and fertilizers to your fields and gardens. I hope to see you there!
Wright State University, Lake Campus,will be hosting a workshop called Small Farms, Big Returns. This event will take place Monday, February 24th, at 5:30 p.m. Small Farms, Big Returns will focus on managing a small agricultural operation for maximum profitability. Specific topics will include setting prices, pasture management, poultry production, and market gardening. For more information and to register, please see the attached flyer.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be February 21st at 7:30 a.m., held at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
· Balancing the Animals and Available Forages
· Cattle Inventory Report
· Controlling Lice in Dairy Cattle
· Rumen Acidosis in Dairy Cattle
· 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.