Open to commercial produce growers and home gardeners

HARDIN COUNTY – Hardin County OSU Extension has planned a Fruit and Vegetable Crop Walk program on Tuesday,  August 2 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. that addresses fruit and vegetable production issues in the region.

The location of  the program will be on a produce farm at 15237 County Road 209, Kenton. It is open to all fruit  and vegetable producers, whether they are commercial or home gardeners.

• OSU Extension Integrated Pest Management Coordinator Jim Jasinski will provide information  on using IPM techniques to control pests with produce.
• Ashley Leach, OSU College of Food,  Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Assistant Professor of Entomology will provide an  update on specialty crops insects.
• Gary Gao, OSU Extension Small Fruit Production Specialist will  provide information on growing grapes and raspberries.
• Brad Bergefurd, Technical Specialty  Crop Agronomist, Brandt Discovery and Innovation will provide an update for growers on  vegetable production fertility.
• Hardin County OSU Extension Educator Mark Badertscher will  provide information about Driftwatch; a voluntary communication tool that enables crop  producers, beekeepers, and pesticide applicators to work together to protect specialty crops  and apiaries through use of mapping programs. 

The program will be held outside so bring your lawn chair and umbrella in case of rain. There  will be a diagnostic table so be sure to bring along any weeds, plant nutrition problems, plant  diseases, and insect specimens in a sealed plastic bag for questions and answers. The program  will conclude with a walk through a produce field, pointing out fruit and vegetable issues and  steps to properly manage them. There is no cost to attend this event.

An area of southeastern Hardin County is home to farms specializing in commercial fruit and vegetable production. Hardin County is also home to the  Scioto Valley Produce Auction near Mt. Victory where much of this produce is sold.