Mark your calendar and plan to attend our first garden seminar being held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17 in the Community Room at the Mt. Orab campus of Southern State Community College. Gary Keuffer, OSUE Brown County Master Gardener and member of the Brown County Beekeepers Association, will be discussing the importance of bees and beekeeping. Chris Dresel, Vice President of the Brown County Beekeepers Association, will be presenting information on gardening to benefit bees. They will also be discussing a nontraditional way to keep bees.
This is the first in a series of programs offered by the Master Gardeners at the Southern State Community College in Mt. Orab that meets on the third Thursday of the months of September – November and then will pick up again in January. The October session will cover Fall Lawn Care and November will be on coyotes. Remember that all seminars are free and open to the public.
Master Gardener Training
If you have ever thought you would like to become a Master Gardener Volunteer, the opportunity for training is upon you. The classes will be offered during the day from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays starting Oct. 7 and running through Nov. 19 (14 sessions offered, you must attend 13 to obtain the 50 hours of training required). The Wednesday sessions will be in the Mt. Orab Library and the Thursday sessions will be at Southern State Community College in Hillsboro. There will also be an opportunity for evening training using distance learning. The evening classes will begin on Oct. 6 and be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6 p.m. Note: if you miss a day or evening session you have the opportunity to make it up in the opposite time slot.
Charge for the course will be $150 on or before Oct. 2, after that it is $160. Once trained and if you complete the 50 hours of volunteer time within a year, $100 will be refunded. To sign up for the day classes call the Brown County Extension Office at 378-6716 and for the evening class contact the Ross County Extension Office (classes will be offered locally depending on participation) at 740 702-3200.
PQA Certification Scheduled
Pork Quality Assurance certification for adults will be offered in Wilmington on Oct. 20. This is one of three sites that it will be offered this fall. Contact Tony at the Clinton County OSU Extension Office (937-382-0901), 111 S. Nelson Avenue, Wilmington, OH 45177.
Antibiotics in Livestock
In recent years we have heard more and more about the concerns of antibiotic use in animals and the concerns with resistance. In the near future we will see changes on what can be used and how it can be used. Many of the antibiotics that can now be bought off a shelf will need a veterinarian involved in the use and dosage, as well as a reason that it can be used.
If you have questions or concerns about the upcoming changes in the use of antibiotics on the farm you may want to mark your calendars for Monday Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. A free dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and the program will start at 7 p.m. at the Union Stockyards in Hillsboro. Dr. Joe Dedrickson will be presenting the educational session.
There are still a few opportunities remaining for free forage testing. This is part of a program that the Ohio Valley Extension Educational Research Area (made up of 10 counties) is offering for late harvested, first cutting hay. If you would like to be added to the list contact me preferably by e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.org or call 937-515-2314.
Farm Science Review Tickets
Remember that we have Farm Science Review tickets available at all OSU Extension Offices until Sept. 21 or we run out of tickets. For more information about the Farm Science Review go the website at http://fsr.osu.edu
Dates to Remember
Sept. 22-24 -Farm Science Review
Sept. 28- Oct. 3- Brown County Fair
Oct. 7 -First Day of Master Gardener Training Class.