By VICKI JOHNSON
Ohio Correspondent

ARCHBOLD, Ohio — Two upcoming crop days are intended to aid Ohio farmers in managing insects, along with sharing other tips and tidbits for a fruitful 2011.
In Archbold, weather expectations, nutrient management and an insect watch are the focus of this year’s northwest Ohio Corn/Soybean Day, set for 8:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. on Jan. 27. Sponsored by The Ohio State University’s Maumee Valley Extension, Education and Research Area, the program takes place at Founder’s Hall at Sauder Village, 22611 State Road 2 in Archbold.

Cost is $30 at the door. Download the registration form at www.go.osu.edu/ Bdu or contact the Fulton County extension office at 419-337-9210. Registration and checks payable to “OSU Extension” can be mailed to: OSU Extension Fulton County, 870 St. Rt. 108, Suite A, Wauseon, OH 43567.
Topics for the day include “What Is Going On with the Weather and What to Expect for 2011” from Jim Noel, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Ohio River Forecast Center; “Risks and Rewards in Nutrient Management” from Robert Mullen, extension soil fertility specialist; “Insects to be On the Lookout for in 2011” by Greg LaBarge, extension educator; and “Managing Wheat for Yield and Quality” from Pierce Paul, extension plant pathologist.

“We will be discussing soybean aphids, western bean cutworm and corn nematodes and their potential impact in 2011,” LaBarge said. “Attendants will also learn how to prioritize nutrient applications with rising fertilizer costs, and will gain information about new tools to manage head scab disease of wheat.”
In addition, 26 exhibitors will be displaying information on their businesses, from seed companies to equipment dealers, to financial institutions. There are opportunities to earn Certified Crop Advisor and pesticide recertification credits for Ohio and Michigan, too.

Call LaBarge at 419-337-9210 or e-mail labarge.1@osu.edu for more information.

Northern Ohio Crops Day

Cover crops, corn and wheat yields and pests are the highlighted topics of this year’s Northern Ohio Crops Day from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 10 at Ole Zim’s Wagon Shed in Gibsonburg.

Topics and speakers include “Growin’ Good Corn” by Bob Nielsen, corn specialist and professor of agronomy, Purdue University; “Cover Crops” by Alan Sundermeier, OSU assistant professor and extension educator from Wood County; “Wheat Yields” by Pierce Paul, assistant professor of plant pathology, OSU/Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center; “Western Bean Cutworm” by Christina DiFonzo, field crops entomologist, Michigan State University; “Private Pesticide Licenses” by Dennis Mills, OSU extension state program specialist in plant pathology and pesticide education; and “Crop Insurance Update” by Dennis Lenhart, Hartlen Insurance.

Advance registration is requested, with a $10 fee. Pesticide recertification is an additional $20 for private applicators and $15 per hour for commercial credit. For more information, call Mark Koenig at 419-334-6340.