ST. HENRY, Ohio—Among farmers, one family’s tragedy can feel like every family’s tragedy.
On Aug. 10, three brothers died from the toxic fumes of an underground manure pit on their family’s farm, sending shock waves across the agricultural community well beyond St. Henry.
The eldest brother stepped into the underground tank first. He went in to fix a problem with a pump. When he was overcome by a toxic mix of gases and passed out, another brother called for help before rushing in to try rescue his brother. Then a third brother went in to try to save the other two.
One by one, they all succumbed to the gases. One by one, they passed out, landing in the standing liquid, a tragic domino effect: Gary Wuebker, 37, Brad Wuebker, 35...
My home was flooded yesterday, impacting food I had stored in cabinets, my pantry, and my fridge. As my home dries out, what do I do with the food?
Many Ohioans have experienced similar problems recently as heavy rains, flash floods, and flooding have caused water-soaked homes and businesses across the state.
Because your question is very similar to others that were asked in previous “Chow Line” columns, it’s best answered by reissuing a combination of those columns here.
If your home becomes flooded, it is important to throw away any food that might have come into contact with floodwater. That includes cartons of milk, juice, or eggs, and any raw vegetables and fruits. In fact, unless they were in a waterproof container, any foods in your home that...
LONDON, Ohio—This year’s Farm Science Review from Sept. 21–23 offers numerous events, exhibits, and presentations of interest to members of the media.
Sponsored by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), the annual farm show in its 59th year takes place at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center near London, Ohio. The event draws more than 100,000 people.
Media members will need tickets to get in and parking passes for the news media lot. For those, please sign up by Aug. 27 by visiting go.osu.edu/fsrmediapasses.
The requested number of admission tickets and parking passes will be mailed to you in early September.
Send in your request now, so you don’t miss FSR’s...
SOUTH CHARLESTON, Ohio—Still can’t tell the difference between a squash and a pumpkin?
With fall nearing, those who plan to harvest pumpkins or those who want to learn how to tell the difference between pumpkins, squash, and gourds, can attend the Aug. 26 Pumpkin Field Day, offered by Ohio State University Extension.
The free event is from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the Western Agricultural Research Station, 7721 S. Charleston Pike, in South Charleston. The field day will offer beginning and experienced growers valuable research updates regarding disease management, insect management, weed control, weather impacts on production, and new pumpkin and squash varieties.
Whether you are an experienced or a beginning grower, the field day can offer pertinent information, said...
CELINA, Ohio—Manure Science Review this year will feature a cutting-edge livestock farm that’s keeping soil and water healthy by practicing regenerative agriculture.
The event takes place Aug. 10 at MVP Dairy in Celina.
Started in 2019, MVP Dairy is home to 4,400 cows, uses a variety of state-of-the-art technology, and was named 2020 Innovative Dairy Farmer of the Year by the International Dairy Foods Association and Dairy Herd Management magazine.
The farm, its website says, “was specifically designed to effectively and efficiently handle manure from our cows while reducing odors and preventing potential runoff.”
Responsible manure management, the website says, “is always a top priority.”
During Manure Science...
LONDON, Ohio—The Ohio State University’s Farm Science Review, which was held online last year because of the pandemic, will return this year to be live and in person for the 59th annual event.
The premier agricultural education and industry exposition is set for Sept. 21–23 at Ohio State’s Molly Caren Agricultural Center, 135 State Route 38, near London.
“While research, teaching, and serving communities throughout Ohio never stopped during the pandemic, we are grateful to once again be in person, working together, to advance our industry,” said Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State’s vice president for agricultural administration and dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
CFAES is the...
What’s the best way to choose the perfect melon?
Whether it’s watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, or other melons, summer days (or any day!) are a wonderful time to indulge in these delicious, nutritious fruits.
Not only do these fruits taste wonderful, but they are also healthy, low-calorie treats that are packed with vitamins. For example, a cup of cantaloupe has 60 calories and is rich in vitamins A and C, while a cup of honeydew has 64 calories and is rich in vitamin C and potassium and provides B vitamins. A cup of watermelon has about 45 calories and has significant amounts of vitamins A and C.
Watermelon is also 93% water, and the red variety is a good source of lycopene, a phytonutrient that gives watermelon its color. Lycopene appears to protect the body...
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Cathann A. Kress, vice president of agricultural administration and dean of The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), has been appointed to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST) board of trustees.
Kress will begin her three-year renewable term on the CAST board on Aug. 1.
“I look forward to serving in this role and advancing the understanding of the science and technology that are critical to our modern food and agricultural industries,” said Kress.
Established in 1972 as a result of a 1970 meeting sponsored by the National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, CAST is based in Iowa and is an international consortium of scientific and professional societies,...
LONDON, Ohio—Ever want to climb into the cockpit of a plane and glide over a field?
At this year’s Farm Science Review Sept. 21–23, visitors will have that chance without leaving the grassy ground under them.
The upcoming, annual farm trade show will offer a series of virtual reality experiences such as operating a crop duster, high-tech planters, combines, and other equipment.
Sitting in a mini IMAX-type theater, visitors to FSR can watch videos projected on a domed screen around them. They’ll get an expansive view—a bit wider than peripheral vision—so they can feel as if they’re flying a plane. Or riding a high-tech planter. Or peering into a beehive.
To film the videos, Ohio State University Extension educators...
We’re having a cookout as part of our Juneteenth celebration. Do you have any ideas about what foods to serve?
First, it’s important to understand what Juneteenth is.
Juneteenth is a holiday that began in Texas, signifying the date of June 19, 1865, when Union Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger told the slaves in Galveston, Texas, that the Civil War was over and that slavery had been abolished—two years after President Abraham Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed the slaves. The freed slaves began celebrating when they realized they were free, and thus the celebration became an annual tradition. As a result, the celebration of June 19 was coined “Juneteenth” and later became an official holiday in Texas in 1980.
Yesterday, Juneteenth...
