I hope this Newsletter finds you well. Spring has officially arrived in Darke County, and it won’t be too long before field and garden work is happening in full force. Some work has already begun as the weather has warmed. Darke County has had cool temperatures and precipitation later in the week (https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?fips_39037). Ohio weather can be unpredictable, but hopefully, we won’t have much more cold weather before spring officially arrives.
While there haven’t been any officially confirmed cases recently, it is important to remain aware of HPAI in Darke County and the surrounding region. Continue using proper biosecurity measures when working with backyard flocks. More information on biosecurity, 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
I’ll be discussing Pheasants at Worch Library on April 10th at 6:00 p.m. We’ll be discussing pheasants in nature, raising pheasants, and what we can do to support pheasants. I’ll be joined by a special guest, and I hope to see you there.
I’ll also be at Arcanum Library on March 28th at 2:00 p.m. to discuss Spring Gardening. We’ll be discussing starting a garden, crops to consider growing, and practices for having a successful garden as the weather starts to get warmer with the arrival of spring.
The next Darke County Ag Breakfast will be on April 25th at 7:30 a.m. at Jack’s Cabin in Greenville.
This week’s Newsletter topics include:
2025 Beginner’s Guide to Farmland Ownership
Checking for Contaminants in Hay
Improving Hay Quality
Spring Nitrogen Recommendations for Winter Wheat
Understanding Animal Welfare
Wheat to Beat Project
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