1st day deer/gun season a success

The first day of Ohio’s deer-gun season resulted in many happy hunters — and a lot of venison.


Hunters taking to the field on a pleasant day took down 29,297 white-tailed deer on Monday, a 24 percent increase from the number killed during a soaking rain last year, state wildlife officials announced yesterday.

The deer-gun season continues through Sunday, with an additional weekend hunt Dec. 15 and 16.

An estimated 420,000 hunters will seek to bag deer this year, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.

Hunters brought down 90,282 deer in the weeklong gun season last year, a drop of about 15,000 from 2010.No accidental shootings or other serious hunting-related injuries had been reported as of midday yesterday.

From the Columbus Dispatch

Thanksgiving

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, the district would like to remind us all of our personal responsibility to be good stewards of the soil that produces the food we eat.  Assuring food for the future is one of the most basic issues any society faces, and is quite complex. In today's world, and for tomorrow's needs, an ample supply of food requires:

• Productive soils and ample water supplies, maintained in a clean and healthy condition by people who practice effective stewardship;
• A wide and diverse variety of food crops, with traditional crop strains protected so that their characteristics can be used in the future if needed;
• An economic and social system that provides peace and security for people who produce food and fiber on the lands where they live;
• A transportation and distribution network that moves food rapidly and safely from the fields where it is produced to the consumers who need it; and,
• A global network of support that allows people to quickly and effectively helps those in hunger or famine. 

THE DUST BOWL

Don't miss Ken Burns two-part documentary, The Dust Bowl, Sunday and Monday on PBS.  Read about it in this story at USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2012/11/13/the-dust-bowl-and-ken-burns/1702991/

The Dust Bowl years prompted the formation of the SWCDs across the US - Guernsey SWCD formed on October 22, 1942 - 70 years ago. 

National Wildlife Federation Publishes Report on Cover Crops

The National Wildlife Federation released a new report, titled "Roadmap to Increased Cover Crop Adoption.” NACD, along with two-dozen other organizations, assisted the National Wildlife Federation in the development of this document. The report is meant to be a guideline for organizations and individuals interested in increasing cover crop adoption. Since cover crops are such an important conservation measure in managing soil health and nutrients, it can serve as a great starting point and a motivator to overcoming the barriers and supporting the champions of cover crop adoption.

For more information, or to download the report, http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/Media-Center/News-by-Topic/Global-Warming/2012/11-01-12-NWF-Releases-Roadmap-for-Increased-Cover-Crop-Adoption.aspx.

Tips for fall soil fertility testing

Soil fertility is one of the foundations for high yield potential and is necessary for maintaining plant health and integrity. Particularly after a challenging year like 2012, post-harvest is a good time for soil testing and fertilizing for the immobile nutrients phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Appropriate pH levels, as well as adequate P and K are keys to help maximize yield potential for 2013 and beyond.

Read entire article here:
http://ocj.com/2012/11/tips-for-fall-soil-fertility-and-sampling/

The Ohio Department of Agriculture advised beekeepers Wednesday to be wary of environmental conditions that could affect food sources for some bee colonies over the winter. According to the department, drought-like conditions experienced in Ohio this past year, as well as a lack of nectar and water, could leave some bee colonies with fewer resources during the winter. Because of this, ODA is encouraging bee keepers to ensure that their insects are properly fed in the coming months.

Environmental Protection Agency -- Air quality data collected near a shale gas drilling well in Muskingum County suggests that air remains clean, OEPA officials announced Friday.   The agency, which began monitoring air quality at the site in April, said the results show no violation of the federal particulate matter pollution standards. Concentrations of the pollution, however, exceeded the federal threshold in June, but were likely caused by nearby road construction, OEPA officials said.  The agency will continue to collect data from the well sites for a least two years and plans to add more monitoring equipment.

Ohio residents can submit comments on new EPA rule proposals that would allow external organizations to administer water operator certification tests, through mid-November.  The public will also have the opportunity to partake in a hearing and present testimony on the rule proposals Nov. 13 in Columbus.  The proposed rules will allow organization to apply to become approved examiners, where if accepted they would give computerized water and wastewater certification exams throughout the state at a more frequent rate that the EPA. The proposed rules also set requirements for the certification process.

Striking out hunger with lean beef!

More than one ton of lean ground beef was donated to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank Oct. 25, 2012 by Ohio’s beef farmers and Kroger. Throughout the summer, Columbus Clippers, Kroger, the Ohio Soybean Council, Ohio Corn Marketing Program and the Mid-Ohio Foodbank partnered with Ohio beef farmers in Striking Out Hunger with Lean Beef. A donation of more than 2,000 pounds of lean ground beef is the result of that partnership.
Read rest of article here:
http://ocj.com/2012/10/ohio-beef-farmers-team-up-to-donate-one-ton-of-beef/

Water Sampling Basics Program postponed!

We've been getting lots of calls concerning water testing due to the shale drilling boom in the area, so we've planned an educational program to help answer questions on why and how to take samples and have your water supplies tested. The program has been cancelled for Thursday, and will be rescheduled at a later date. Please call the district to let us know you are interested so we can notify you of the new date.