Extension Calling: advice for the farm, garden, and home

One of the many calls we get in the summer is regarding Anthracnose on Grapes. Unfortunately, when it comes to fungal diseases, often by the time you see symptoms. Scouting and prevention are key. In this show we discuss how to properly use fungicides, and how sanitation, pruning, and healthy soils will keep your fungal diseases at bay.

Fire is beautiful and sometimes magical, but it is not joke. Fire losses and expenditures total nearly $330 billion annually in the USA. There are many things you can do to reduce the danger of fires. Follow local burning guidelines, always extinguish fires completely, and use fire wise landscaping principles. Note: in the show we wrongly used firewise.org as the web address, it has been updated t...

It's hot out there! With heat indexes hitting 100 this summer, we are rerunning a show from 2019 on how to manage heat stress in livestock. You'll learn to identify the signs of heat stress and what you can do about it. When in doubt, call your vetrinarian!  Livestock Heat Stress: Recognition Response and Prevention by Susan R. Kerr from Washington State University Extension  https://hdl.handle.ne...

If you are raising livestock you have your hands full. Not only do you need to balance breeding and genetic stock, but you also need to balance minerals and medical. But, at the base of all good livestock production is grass and soil. If you neglect those, you can lose a lot of money.

While we're not technically making burgers out of soil, through a complex series of interactions good soil leads to lots of healthy grasses, which make healthy cows, which then make great burgers. But, if you want a good end product you can't scrimp at the beginning. Feed your soil the right foods, provide the right medicine and vitamins, and you can watch everything improve. 

The best way to manage fireblight is by taking preventive action. But many miss that window or don't know they should take action in February and March. Blackend shepherds crooks show up in June and July well after the prevention time period is over. Is all lost? Perhaps not, but you must be careful in the steps you take. 

Controlling perennial weeds takes a different perspective than controlling annual weeds. They are often harder to completely remove due to their large root systems. Patience is key here.

The sheer variety of weeds makes them difficult to control. Some are annual, some biennial, some perennial. Each type requires different management. Annuals are often controlled using pre-emergent herbicides, but when do you apply them to get the greatest impact? Are there other effective methods?

Woody ornamentals include trees, shrubs, and even some vines and ground covers. With the long life expectancy of woody plants it is important to think of the bigger long term picture before you put it in the ground. Things like planting zones, slopes and frost pockets, drainage and moisture levels, can make big differences in the success of and long term problems in your plantings. 

Woody plants took a hard hit this past winter. Warmer temperatures mixed with sudden freezes overcame many of our shrubs natural protections. Often, once one stressor occurs, a series of followup stressors come visiting our plants. We discuss steps you can take now to help revive your woody ornamentals and protect them in the future. 

Pawpaws are a unique tropical fruit that grows in northern climates. It is often referred to as the "insert your state here" banana. Tune in to a recap of lessons learned in the 2023 Ohio Pawpaw Conference including tips on taproots and ripening.

A blast from the past about growing grass. Check out this show, originally aired in 2016, where we talk about how to get and maintain a healthy lawn. Hint: it has more to do with what you can't see than what you can see! We also tagged on some important Ag Minutes on hay production and tractor safety for our farming friends! 

Strawberries are one of the first fruits and a great seller at Farmer's Markets. Today, we talk about varieties, planting techniques, and pest control. Whether you're a farmer or a home gardener, if you like strawberries, this isn't a show to miss!

Farmers work hard to create food from seed and soil.  It's important we support our local food system so we can keep them around! Shopping at a local farmer's market does more than just support the farmer however, there a nutritional and community benifits too!

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to write out how to do something in detail. That is why there are many many templates to help you develop a farm food safety plan that is right for your farm. Remember, it is important your plan and your standard operating procedures match what you actually do to reduce risk, not what you think an inspector or auditor wants to see. 

When growing produce there are really two types of water, preharvest and harvest/post-harvest. For any applications during and after harvest, the water must be potable. In other words, you should be able to drink it! Before harvest however, there's a little wiggle room. Listen in to learn more! And please fill out our survey @https://bit.ly/ExtensionCalllingEvaluation

Grafting trees is common practice, but tomatoes!? Tune in to learn the why and how to take your favorite tomatoes and graft them to different root stocks!

Carrots are a tasty and healthy snack. With light fluffy soil and even moisture you'll be three quarters of the way to a quality crop. Tune in for the other quarter and grow your own snacks this year!

The ticks we have to day are not the same ticks we had 20 years ago. With the changes in our weather patterns come new varieties and they're packing a greater disease load. Special guest Tim McDermott from OSU Extension gives us a review of what has changed and what you can do to protect yourself, your children, and your animals. 

Food safety is a luxury we take for granted, until something happens. Our food system is incredibly safe. But, everyone has a role to play to keep it that way: growers, packers, processors, transporters, marketers, and consumers. Simple steps like washing your hands before handling fresh produce can mean the difference between a lovely dinner and a miserable stay in a hospital. Join us to learn mo...

Don't find out ten or twenty years from now the tree you lovingly planted had a poor root system. Learn what to look for when buying a tree.  Also, how to avoid transplant shock and improve a tree's success. 

Ever wonder how plants know when to sprout and insects know to hatch? Ever wish you knew how to predict when you should apply preventative chemicals to your lawns or trees? Growing Degree Days are the answer! 

Two timely topics today. First we talk about fire season and how to safely burn brush piles. Then, we move on to propagating plants using cuttings. We focus on elderberries, but the method applies to most woody species. 

After any emergency it's important to look back and ask, "what could I have done better?" But, even more important, you should make plans on what to do if an emergency occurs. Today we discuss some tips for emergency planning and what you should and shouldn't be worried about post derailment.

After any emergency it's important to look back and ask, "what could I have done better?" But, even more important, you should make plans on what to do if an emergency occurs. Today we discuss some tips for emergency planning and what you should and shouldn't be worried about post derailment.