I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, and you are all looking forward to a much better 2021 beginning this next weekend.
Let’s hope the Buckeyes can get us off on the right foot with a win over Clemson.
As we move into a new year, there are several upcoming agronomy programs for you to take advantage of right from your home computer or phone.
This winter OSU Extension’s Agronomy Team will offer a variety of educational programs for farmers and crop consultants to attend online. The team will offer both traditional programs including a Corn College, Soybean School, and Precision University, as well as focusing on some new hot topic areas.
New programs will focus on three areas: Investing in Soil Health, Crop Diversity to Improve Your Bottom Line, and Farming in Weather Extremes. CCA CEUs will be offered at each session. There is no cost to attend, but registration is required for each session to receive log-in information.
The schedule with registration information for each program is listed below.
AgCrops giveaways
Be one of the first 300 people from Ohio to sign-up and attend a 2021 Virtual Winter Meeting hosted by the AgCrops Team and you will receive a set of handouts! Included in the shipment to your door is a copy of the Corn, Soybean, Wheat, and Forages Field Guide, a 2020 eFields Report, digital soil thermometer, and a 2021 Agronomic Crops Team Calendar (with important marketing, crop insurance and USDA report dates identified).
These items were generously funded by the Ohio Soybean Council and the USDA NIFA Integrated Pest Management program.
The Dirt on Soil Health: Investing Below the Surface
In this weekly series, farmers, industry, and academic experts will weigh in on practical steps to improve soil health and measure impact on crop yield and farm profitability. Thursdays, Jan. 14-March 18 from 8-8:30 a.m. Register at http://go.osu.edu/soilhealth2020 .
Jan. 14 — Does Soil Health Pay? Farmer Panel, Nathan Brown, Matt Falb, and Les Seiler
Jan. 21 — What Can Soil Health Tests Tell You? Steve Culman
Jan. 28 — Can Improving Soil Health Improve Yield? Jordon Wade
Feb. 4 — Cover Crop Management, Hans Kok
Feb. 18 — Compaction Solutions, Scott Shearer
Feb. 25 — Soil Health in Ohio, Elizabeth Hawkins and Steve Culman
March 4 — What’s the Return on Investing in Soil Health?, Rick Clark
March 18 — Programs and Funding to Support Soil Health
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. Thursdays, Jan. 14-March 4 from 9-10:30 a.m. Register at http://go.osu.edu/cropdiversity
Jan. 14 – Specialty Small Grains, Winter Malting Barley (Greg McGlinch), White Wheat (Dennis Pennington), Wet Wrapped Oats (Al Gahler), Triticale (Jason Hartschuh)
Feb. 4 – Seed Production, Corn and Soybean Seed Production (Fred Pond), Cover Crop Seed Production
March 4 – Non-GMO Crop Production, Best Practices for High Yielding Non-GMO Soybean Production (Laura Lindsey), Weed Control (Mark Loux), Insect Management: The Forgotten Corn Pests (Chris DiFonzo)
Farming in Weather Extremes
This series will present practices and technology farmers can utilize to adapt to challenging growing seasons with increasing extreme weather events. Thursdays, Jan. 21-March 18 from 9-10:30 a.m. Register at http://go.osu.edu/adapt
Jan. 21 – Disease Management Options for Today’s Weather, Pierce Paul and Aaron Wilson
Feb. 18 – Managing Water in Today’s Wet and Dry Growing Seasons, Aaron Wilson, Eileen Kladivko, Larry Brown, Lyndon Kelley
March 18 – 2021 Growing Season Weather Outlook and Changing Climate Patterns, Aaron Wilson
Corn College and Soybean School
Best management practices and important updates for the 2021 growing season. Speakers include Peter Thomison, Steve Culman, Pierce Paul, Laura Lindsey, Mark Loux, Anne Dorrance, Andy Michel, and Kelley Tilmon. Feb. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon (Corn College) and 1-4 p.m. (Soybean School). Register at http://go.osu.edu/agronomyschools
If you have questions about Agronomy Team Programs, please contact Amanda Douridas ([email protected]), Mary Griffith ([email protected]), or Laura Lindsey ([email protected]).
Extension will offer online programs focused on other topics areas as well as agronomic crop production including farm management, livestock production, pesticide applicator recertification and more.
For a full list of Extension programs visit https://agnr.osu.edu/programming .
Tony Nye is the state coordinator for the Ohio State University Extension Small Farm Program and has been an OSU Extension Educator for agriculture and natural resources for over 30 years, currently serving Clinton County and the Miami Valley EERA.
