If you’ve ever watched the end of an Ohio State football game you may have seen the team players gather near the marching band, swaying arm in arm as they sing their alma mater. These lyrics have always kept their relevance for me though it’s been many years since I first sung them at OSU. Time certainly brings change.
A recent exciting change for me is taking a new position within OSU Extension here in Coshocton County. As the Family and Consumer Sciences educator I am thrilled to bring programming to our communities encouraging healthy people, healthy relationships and healthy finances.
As a result of this change, the focus for my column will begin to shift from agriculture topics to food, family and finances. Though honestly over the years those topic have already been weaving their way into my columns, because they are a part of agricultural life too. A new Agriculture and Natural Resources educator will be starting here in the county soon and we hope to contribute to this column together.
Over the past few weeks, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting with colleagues in surrounding counties who have outstanding Family and Consumer Sciences programs. I’m gleaning ideas from them about programs to bring here to Coshocton based on the needs assessment and program review that so many of you contributed to last fall. It’s also been a pleasure to meet with professionals in our communities who are sharing their insights and expertise about how OSU Extension can add value to some already great programs here in our county. In the coming months I look forward to teaching programs at the Coshocton Public Library, the Coshocton Community Center, the Coshocton Senior Center, and more.
Another change in the past couple of weeks is that my garden has been just exploding with vegetables. I’ve been giving zucchini and summer squash away to anyone who doesn’t say no fast enough. This is prime time for many people to consider preserving the harvest. Whether it’s canning, freezing or dehydrating, there are many ways to extend the time that we have to enjoy all that hard work spent in the garden.
There are some great resources from OSU Extension, including instructional YouTube videos, which can be found on our website coshocton.osu.edu. In our office we also offer the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, a very thorough resource for anyone interested in canning a variety of products. I’m already looking forward to next year when I’ll be able to teach some hands-on training. Feel free to call me at the office any time though with questions related to food preservation at 740-622-2265.
The best part of my job that will not change is getting to work with the amazing citizens of Coshocton County. It’s been a great honor to serve as the County Ag Agent, and now I’m looking forward to many more years of service as the Home Ec Agent. Very few people have probably ever been able to say this. And for that I am completely grateful.