July - Sept Extension Express
Extension Express!
Purdue Cooperative Extension Service -Vermillion Co.
JULY - SEP 2023 2023 INDIANA STATE FAIR JULY 28—AUGUST 20
THANK YOU!
Thanks so very much to everyone who helped before, during and after the 2023 Vermillion County Fair!
We truly appreciate your help and dedication to the 4-H program and the Fair. Maybe you supported your favorite exhibitor(s), helped set up for an event, provided financial support, shared words of encouragement, or assisted with building watch in the 4-H Community Building. Whatever you did to help is very much appreciated! We have had many positive comments about this year’s fair, and we’re already looking forward to 2024!
With sincere gratitude from all of us at the Purdue Extension Vermillion County Office,
Lori Phil Morgan
Lori Bouslog Phil Cox Morgan Lutz
Extension Educator Extension Educator Extension Educator
Ext. 332 Ext. 335 Ext. 337
lbouslog@purdue.edu cox119@purdue.edu mwillhit@purdue.edu
Connie Margie Maddie
Connie Warner Margie Allee Madison Pence
Office Manager Extension Program Ass’t Summer Intern
cjcohen@purdue.edu mmallee@purdue.edu madisonp2022@yahoo.com
Ext. 334 Ext. 336 Ext. 338
If you have a disability that requires special assistance for your participation in a program offered by Purdue Extension Vermillion County, please contact the Extension Educator offering the program. Our contact information can be found on this page. Requests for assistance must be made at least two weeks prior to the program you plan to attend.
AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE RESOURCES!
Have specific questions, call Phil at 765-492-5335 or email at cox119@purdue.edu
The Kernal/Purdue University/Corn Extension
To see the current and past issues (and to subscribe) of the Crop & Pest newsletter go to: https://extension.entm.purdue.edu/newsletters/pestandcrop/ .
The most recent issue (June 16) of the Pest & Crop Newsletter covers the following topics:
Armyworm Pheromone Trap Report – 2023
Take Time to Evaluate Your Pasture Management
Birdsfoot Trefoil – An Underutilized Pasture Legume
2022 U.S. Ag Confined Space Related Injuries & Fatalities
Our hope for rain came true. Is it enough?
For the current issue (and to subscribe) please see: https://vegcropshotline.org/
The most recent issue (June 24) of the Vegetable Crops Hotline Newsletter covers the following topics:
Western Bean Cutworm Moth Season Begins!
2023 Western Bean Cutworm Pheromone Trap Report
So Lush, So Green, and Oh So Poisonous
National Forage Week – A Time to Celebrate Forages
Worth Mentioning Again – Overgrazing Perennial Pastures During Hot and Dry Weather Has Long Term Consequences – Don’t Do It
Drought Expands and Expected to Continue
The current issue (June 6) of the Purdue Landscape Report covers the following topics:
Phoma stem blight of Vinca
Can I Prune Like the Pros?
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid: Distribution Update
For the current issue or to subscribe to the Purdue Landscape Report see: https://www.purduelandscapereport.org/
For the current issue of Purdue Extension’s Facts for Fancy Fruit newsletter (and to subscribe) please see: https://fff.hort.purdue.edu/
The current issue (June 6) of Facts for Fancy Fruit covers the following topics:
Crop Conditions; How Serious is this Drought and will it Continue?; Apple Powdery Mildew; Important Bloom Time Grape Sprays; Updates on Codling moth, Oriental Fruit Moth, and Spotted-wing Drosophila captures in pheromone-baited monitoring traps
Purdue Farm Management Tour & Indiana Master Farmer Reception – July 11
Learn about innovative farm management strategies, new technologies for improving efficiency and productivity, ways to help ensure a successful transition of your operation to the next generation and more at the annual Purdue Farm Management Tour on July 11.
Purdue University’s Center for Commercial Agriculture and Purdue Extension sponsor the tour, which includes stops at two farms in Washington and Jackson counties in Indiana. Farms are chosen based on successful business management practices or farm managers’ unique perspective on farm business management.
Each tour includes an interview session where farm operators provide an overview of their farms. Host farmers will also share successful farm management tips, discuss how the management of their operations is changing in response to the agricultural economy and evolving family circumstances, and share reasons behind their recent innovations in production practices and adoption of new technology. The tour is free and open to the public; however, registration is required by visiting purdue.ag/farmtour or calling 765-494-7004.
Tour Schedule – All times are listed in Eastern Daylight Time
9 a.m., July 11 - Hackman Family Farm Market: Tom and Ruth Hackman's home farm has been in their family since 1911, and they are the sixth generation to farm in Jackson and Washington counties. The Hackman farm has always been a diversified farm operation, but the enterprise mix has changed over time, as crop operations have become more important with less emphasis on cattle. The Hackmans raise corn and soybeans and augment their row-crop operation with produce, including sweet corn, watermelons, cantaloupes and several other produce crops. The produce operation expanded in recent years when daughters Megan; Jacquelyn and her husband, Klayton; along with son Victor, all returned to the farm. In addition to supplying several major retailers with watermelons, the Hackmans also market directly to consumers via locations at the farm and in Seymour. Their newest enterprise is a subscription-based fresh produce delivery service. At this tour stop, you'll learn about the value of diversification, how to develop new enterprises to facilitate bringing the next generation into the farm operation and navigating food safety issues.
1 p.m., July 11 – Rowland Farms: The Rowland family's farm has been in operation since the late 1930s, with Greg and Jenny Rowland taking over the operation in 1988. The Rowland's crop operation is focused on soybeans and non-GMO popcorn. Greg and Jenny are keenly interested in improving soil health via cover crops to boost their farm's long-term productivity. In 2018, the Rowland's son Jacob joined the operation and recently put into operation a new commercial scale cage-free layer house. The highly automated poultry operation features a manure storage system that helps ensure the Rowlands achieve maximum value from the poultry litter applied to their cropland. At this tour stop, you'll learn about the evolution of cover crop technology employed by the Rowlands and how adding a new enterprise to the farm operation can facilitate bringing the next generation back to the farm.
4 p.m., July 11 – Indiana Prairie Farmer Master Farmer Reception and Panel Discussion: The Indiana Prairie Farmer Master Farmer Reception and Panel Discussion will be held in conjunction with the Farm Management Tour to honor the 2023 Master Farmers. The Master Farmer Program is a long-standing tradition that honors individuals who have contributed heavily to state agriculture and demonstrated success in farming efficiency, stewardship of natural resources and community service. This year’s award recipients will discuss keys to success during the course of their long farming careers. The reception will take place at Cornerstone Hall, 1500 East R.C. Morris Drive, Salem, IN 47167. There is no cost to attend; however, registration is required by visiting purdue.ag/farmtour. The Indiana Master Farmer program is sponsored by Purdue University’s College of Agriculture and Indiana Prairie Farmer.
Purdue Digital Ag Showcase - July 14
Join Purdue experts for the Digital Ag Showcase on Friday, July 14, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET at the Beck Agricultural Center in West Lafayette. The free event includes demonstrations featuring both leading-edge research and practical applications related to data-driven agriculture.
The day will include demonstrations and highlights of the work happening at Purdue related to data-driven agriculture. New this year are sessions focused on both livestock and specialty crops, as well as sessions specifically for high school educators.
Topics to be covered include:
- Digital tools for farm business management
- Digital weather resources for agriculturalists
- Using recycled drainage water for irrigation and fertigation of corn
- Sensor-based plant disease detection
- Applications of video and UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) in livestock management decisions
- Digital recordkeeping platform for specialty crop producers
Sessions on digital agriculture curriculum and training for high school agriculture and STEM educators will be offered. Indiana teachers will be eligible to receive Professional Growth Plan points for attending this event.
Session topics for educators include:
- Augmented reality of electromagnetism in agricultural technology
- Digital agriculture curriculum developed by Purdue Extension
- Demonstrations of sensors for precollege audiences
- Panel of high school educators with experience teaching digital ag topics
The program will feature an energetic presentation by full-time farmer and part-time software engineer/architect Aaron Ault of Rochester, Indiana. With motivating examples from his crop and livestock farm, Ault will demonstrate how simple digital platforms can enable improved logistics and decision making.
Beck Agricultural Center is located at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education, 4550 US 52 West, West Lafayette. Farmers, industry professionals, educators, students and anyone with an interest in digital agriculture are encouraged to attend. Preregistration is requested at purdue.ag/digitalagshowcase by July 6 as lunch will be provided.
Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day – July 27
Visit the Purdue Student Farm and connect with other small farmers to learn about topics like drip irrigation, organic pesticide options, high tunnel production, raised garden beds and postharvest food safety. The Small Farm Education Field Day, presented by the Purdue Student Farm and the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, will be Thursday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Topics will include:
- High tunnel table grape production
- High tunnel pepper production and variety selection
- Growing grains on the small farm – dry edible bean variety trial
- Predator-prey dynamics in high tunnel crop production
- Biorational pesticide efficacy for controlling caterpillars and flea beetles
in crucifer crop production
- Black soldier fly composting and two-spotted spider mites on cucumbers
- Raised garden beds for vegetable production
- Postharvest food safety demonstration
- Silage tarps and their potential uses on small farms
- Choosing fertilizer injectors for drip irrigation for small plots
The Purdue Student Farm is located at 1491 Cherry Lane, West Lafayette. Registration for the event is $25. Purdue students can register for free by requesting a discount code from Lori Jolly-Brown (ljollybr@purdue.edu
MONTHLY PROGRAMS AT CLINTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
Lori Bouslog, HHS Extension Educator, is offering monthly programs at the Clinton Public Library, 313 S 4th Street. The programs will begin at 6:00 PM on the second level of the library. Programs offered include:
*Sleep On It: Why Sleep Matters July 17
*Food Labeling: What’s in there, anyway? August 21
*Empower Me To Be Clutter Free September 18
*Curb the Urge to Splurge During the Holidays October 16
*Using Holiday Leftovers November 20
*Cooking Under Pressure December 18
Future programs will be the 3rd Monday of each month!
VERMILLION PARKE HEALTH COALITION
Are you interested in the health of your community? Are you looking for ways to make a difference? The Vermillion Parke Health Coalition (130+ members!) has been meeting for 2 ½ years, with support from our state Connections IN Health team. The meetings, on the first Thursday of odd numbered months at 10:00 AM, are hybrid now. There are four working groups (Resource Manual, Food Insecurity, Connecting Health Care, and Poverty), with several coalition members involved with at least one of them. If improving the health of your community is important to you, please contact Lori Bouslog at lbouslog@purdue.edu or call 765-492-5332 to discuss how you can be involved.
SAVE THE DATE !
The Poverty working group of the Vermillion Parke Health Coalition will host a Poverty Simulation on Wednesday, October 25, 10 AM to 1 PM, at the 4-H Community Building in Cayuga. Join in a live role-playing simulation of families living in poverty. This eye-opening look into the difficult decisions that millions of Americans are forced to make every day will foster empathy and awareness of the needs in our communities.
This program has been approved for 2 CEUs by the School of Social Work at Indiana University. Lunch will be provided. Please register in advance for planning purposes. Register at www.iyi.org/events. Contact Lori Bouslog, Health and Human Sciences Extension Educator, at lbouslog@purdue.edu or 765-492-5332, for more details.
A Sprinkle of News from Sue
As we welcome our new Indiana State Extension Homemaker President, Peg Peter, we are excited to announce our State Theme, “Get Connected – Stay Connected”. Peg plans to continue the Kindness Hearts project. If you are interested in this project, please call me at 765-562-3577. We would love your help continuing this challenge.
In other Extension Homemaker news, we have some upcoming events:
- Vermillion County Extension Homemaker Council meeting will be Monday, July 10th at 11:30 AM at Off the Tracks in Dana.
- Bakersfest will be held Wednesday, October 4, hosted by Helt’s Prairie Club. Baked entries must contain peaches with the categories of Quick Breads or Muffins, Pie, Cake, Cookies, or Miscellaneous.
- IEHA Week will be October 22-28
- Extension Homemaker Trip will be October 26th
Sue Weber, President
Vermillion County Extension Homemakers
LEADER LESSONS
The Area V HHS Educators offer leader lessons and package lessons, which are listed on pages 14-15 of the current Extension Homemaker program book. The lessons on the IEHA website, www.ieha-families.org, are also available for use throughout the year. Please contact Lori for copies of the lessons your club is requesting!
IEHA FALL DISTRICT MEETING
Extension Homemakers, please mark your calendar for the IEHA Terre Haute District Fall Meeting. Monroe County will host on September 21st. More details will be shared as they are available. All IEHA members and guests are welcome!
2023 BAKERSFEST
Save Wednesday, October 4th for Bakersfest! The featured ingredient this year is Peaches. Please watch for additional information on the Purdue Extension Vermillion County website at https://extension.purdue.edu/Vermillion and the Vermillion County Extension Homemaker Facebook page.
PRESSURE CANNER DIAL GAUGE TESTING OFFERED
In order to ensure you are preserving foods safely, it is important to keep your equipment in good working order and in the case of pressure canners, that includes having the dial gauge tested each year. Purdue Extension Vermillion County is offering dial gauge testing for pressure canners. Please contact Lori at 765-492-5332 or lbouslog@purdue.edu to arrange for your pressure canner’s dial gauge to be checked before you begin preserving foods this summer.
DINING WITH DIABETES is coming to Clinton this fall! Purdue Extension Vermillion County is partnering with the Vermillion County Health Department to offer this program for adults with type 2 diabetes, or who are at risk of type 2 diabetes, and their family members, caregivers, and support persons. The program will help you learn the skills needed to promote good health. Dining with Diabetes consists of four sessions and a follow-up, and is taught by trained and caring educators.
The program includes:
- planning meals and snacks with delicious and healthy recipes
- cooking demonstrations and food sampling
- motivation and support — connect with others who are living with diabetes
- ideas for being more active
- an understanding of how diabetes affects your overall health
Vermillion County residents who have not attended a previous Dining With Diabetes class may attend at no cost. For those who have attended a previous class, the registration fee is $40 per person, or $65 for a couple. Registration will be online, with a link provided to those who are interested. Please contact Lori Bouslog at lbouslog@purdue.edu OR 765-492-5332 for more information and to receive the registration link.
A MATTER OF BALANCE dates have been set! Mark your calendars for October 10, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27 and 31; and November 3, 7 and 10. The 8-session series will be held from 10 to Noon on each of the dates listed. Participants must attend at least 5 of the 8 sessions to be considered complete. Class is limited to 12 participants.
Managing Concerns About Falls acknowledges the risk of falling but emphasizes practical coping strategies to reduce this concern and remain active and independent. The program consists of eight, two-hour sessions led by trained facilitators.
You should attend A Matter of Balance if you:
- are concerned about falls
- have had a fall in the past
- restrict activities because of concerns about falling
- are interested in improving flexibility, balance and strength
For more information, or to add your name to the registration list, please contact Lori Bouslog at lbouslog@purdue.edu or 765-492-5332.
VERMILLION COUNTY 4-H
https://extension.purdue.edu/county/vermillion/vermillion-4-h.html
Thank you to each and every one of you for a great fair this year. We would not be able to do it without you! Your suggestions are highly valued, so please join us for our Fair Evaluation Meeting – Monday, July 10, 7:00 PM at the Fairgrounds Community Building. The 2023 Vermillion County Fair will be evaluated on how to make 2024 even better for our youth!
My Record of 4-H Achievement DUE by July 30
The My Record of 4-H Achievement is the official record of your participation of projects and 4-H activities within the 4-H program. Each year you will fill out this sheet for the current year. It is important that you fill this out because it helps you qualify for scholarships and awards throughout your 4-H career. This form is due by July 30th to the Extension Office. This can be turned in by dropping it off at the Extension Office in Cayuga, mailing it to the extension office at 703 West Park Street, Suite #1 Cayuga, Indiana 47928, or emailing it to mwillhit@purdue.edu. It can be found in the yellow 2023 Vermillion County 4-H Handbook on pages 133-134.
4-H Achievement Program! 4-Hers who will be honored at the annual 4-H Achievement Program will be sent additional information. Please watch your mail and make every effort to attend. The Achievement Program will be held on Sunday, August 27 in the Community Building at the Fairgrounds starting at 3 pm.
4-H NEWS!
4-H Jr. Leader Meeting on Sunday, August 27 in the Community Building at the Fairgrounds starting at 1 pm.
Officer elections will take place during this meeting!
Jr. Leaders is a project that allows 4-H members in grades 7-12 the opportunity to provide assistance in all 4-H activities. Jr. Leaders serve as mentors and role models to the younger 4-H members.
4-H LOOKING AHEAD TO 2024 :
2024 4-H Online Enrollment will be open between October 1 – January 15 to all youth in grades 3-12! Mini 4-H is offered to grades K-2.
Changes for 2024. Plans/Changes for the 2024 Handbook and 4-H Program are underway. If you noticed incorrect information or feel there should be a change, clarification, typo, and/or addition, please let us know in writing an email by September 1. Please be specific!
2023 Indiana State Fair will take place
Friday, July 28-Sunday, August 20.
Find a full schedule here > https://www.indianastatefair.com/p/state-fair/competitions--contests
If your 4-H project had a “State Fair” ribbon on it, that means you are eligible to take that project to the Indiana State Fair. Congratulations! You will receive instructions about when your exhibit project is due at the Indiana State Fair. The Extension Office Staff does offer the option to take projects to the Indiana State Fair for you. Be on the look out in your mail for more information.
Wetlands Day is September 28th for Vermillion County 8th graders and September 29th for Parke County 8th graders at Duke Energy’s Cayuga Generating Plant. Wetlands are many different things to many different people. Some people have never heard or thought about wetlands. Others are working actively to protect wetlands because of their importance, and that is our goal with Wetlands Day. There will be many rotations throughout the day where students are presented with a selection of hands-on educational studies. We hope that the students are able to take the information learned by professionals this day and demonstrate their understanding of importance of wetlands to wildlife and other people.
Do YOU want to become a volunteer? The Indiana 4-H Youth Development Program has a variety of involvement opportunities available. We rely heavily on adults who care about the development of youth across the state and in our very own county to deliver positive youth development experiences to our youth. Scan the QR code to find out more information on how to become a volunteer in Vermillion County! If you would like to take the next step, please email Morgan Lutz at mwillhit@purdue.edu
Save the Date !!!
Our FIRST EVER 4-H Kick Off
at the Vermillion County Science & Conservation Center
Saturday, October 7 !
