Meigs Extension offering various virtual educational opportunities
POMEROY, Ohio – 2020 was an odd year, to say the least. 2021 is even starting on a rainy note too. While many activities stopped, evolved, or got pushed back, our agricultural community has continued to work. Animals need cared for, crops need planted, treated, and harvested, timber needs to be harvested, inspected, and delivered for processing, raw ingredients need packaged for delivery to restaurants (even if they are take-out only) and grocery store shelves need stocked. The bottom line is that our food, fiber, timber, and related industries have been working overtime to keep America moving.
To help those industries keep providing everything from fresh fruit to chicken tenders to plywood and (GASP) toilet paper, OSU Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Staff have been working to provide support. In January alone, more than 50 classes are listed on the OSU Extension ANR Calendar. Topics range from Dairy Labor Management to Farm Bill Updates to Crop Diversity to Greenhouse Management, and just about everything in between. You can access the full calendar by visiting https://agnr.osu.edu under the Events section.
Michelle Stumbo, 4-H/ANR Extension Educator in Meigs County, is involved in planning and is teaching part of the materials for the Pasture for Profit Course. She also continues to answer general agriculture related questions from Meigs County residents. While OSU Extension is not offering many in-person events at this time, staff are still working and available to support residents.
Information about the Pasture for Profit Course can be accessed on the Events Calendar at https://agnr.osu.edu, starting January 13.
This year between January and March in 2021, the Pastures for Profit curriculum will be offered as a virtual course. One live webinar will be offered per month along with “work at your own pace” videos and exercises that accompany each webinar. The Pastures for Profit program is a collaboration between Ohio State University Extension, Central State University, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Ohio Department of Agriculture, and the Ohio Forages and Grassland Council.
Each webinar will be offered live via Zoom on January 13, February 3, and March 3 at 7 p.m. and feature three presentations in a 90-minute span. Attendees will be able to interact with the speakers and ask questions in real time. Once registered, attendees will be granted access to the online course including the webinars and complementary resources. Participants that attend all three webinars will have the opportunity to earn a certificate of completion. Registered participants will also receive their choice of a curriculum binder or USB drive of the traditional course by mail.
Some other sessions that may be of special interest to Meigs County residents include:
- Small Ruminant Production Webinars – The OSU Sheep Team will host three webinars offered via Zoom in 2021. The information provided will be applicable to both sheep and goat producers large and small. These webinars will be offered during the third week of the month.
- Greenhouse Management Workshop – Improving Production via Listening to Plants 3-day virtual event – http://GHMgmt_flyer_2021.pdf
- Crop Diversity to Improve Your Bottom Line – This series will look at practices and considerations to successfully incorporate alternative grain crops into your rotation to diversify your operation. Register: http://go.osu.edu/cropdiversity Topics include: Specialty Small Grains, Winter Malting Barley, White Wheat, Wet Wrapped Oats, Triticale, Seed Production, Corn and Soybean Seed Production, Cover Crop Seed Production, Non-GMO Crop Production, Best Practices for High Yielding Non-GMO Soybean Production, Weed Control, Insect Management: The Forgotten Corn Pests.
- Ohio Cow-Calf Outlook Meeting – Dr. Kenny Burdine, Associate Extension Professor and Coordinator of the Livestock Marketing and Management program at the University of Kentucky will be discussing how the beef market looks for 2021 and management factors into feeder calf value.
- A DAY in the WOODS – “Advice from the Woods” question and answer session with professional foresters and wildlife biologists, Stephanie Downs (ODNR-Division of Forestry) and many others based on questions submitted. Submit your questions in advance by email apsley.1@osu.edu.
- Athens County Extension is hosting a virtual Master Gardeners Course, deadline to register is Jan 8. For more info, check out – the Master Gardener section of https://Athens.osu.edu for more information.
To view all offerings from the OSU Extension Agriculture & Natural Resource Staff, visit https://agnr.osu.edu/events/calendar. Most of these offerings are web-based at this time due to COVID-19 restrictions. If you do not have access to internet programming (Most are even usable on most cell phones) and would like information on any of the provided topics, please contact the Extension Office and we will find alternative resources. You can reach our office at 740-992-6696 or by emailing Michelle at stumbo.5@osu.edu.