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Connections Newsletter: Winter 2022 Achievements Edition

Aquaculture

  1. Aquaculture Research Achievements 2021

    By Dr. Hanping Wang
    Aquaculture Program Leader

  2. Aquaculture wins research, grant, and publication awards

    By Dr. Hanping Wang
    Aquaculture Program Leader

    In 2021, the Ohio Center for Aquaculture Research and Development (OCARD) at The Ohio State University South Centers won a national competition for aquaculture research grant dollars from the USDA. 

Articles

  1. South Centers Turns 30

    By Bradford Sherman 
    South Centers/CFAES

    South Centers celebrated three decades of responsive research, education, entrepreneurial application, and collaborative partnerships in Southern Ohio with an impressive roster of honored guests as part of a special celebration event held in September 2021.

  2. Family First: Marsha Amlin retires after 30 years at South Centers

    By Bradford Sherman
    South Centers/CFAES

    Family comes first for Marsha Amlin.

    It was that way on her first day with The Ohio State University way back on November 25, 1991. It remains that way through her final day on January 31, 2022, as Amlin retires after 30 years with the university at South Centers in Piketon.

    “I’m ready to retire, but I feel like I probably would have hung on a little longer if I wasn’t in the position I am in right now,” said Amlin. 

Business

  1. Let’s Be Fit with Tamara Kissinger

    By Patrick Dengel
    Business Development Specialist

    Tamara Kissinger, owner of TK Fitness, has a public fitness training studio located at The Ohio State University Endeavor Center in Piketon. This fitness studio offers multiple services for individuals that are 15 years old and older. Services include personal training, conditioning programs, and fitness classes.  

  2. The Ohio Channel now re-airing OSU South Centers’ short videos

    By Patrick Dengel
    Business Development Specialist

Cooperatives

  1. SOACDF grant will fund additional leadership experiences for local youth

    By Joy Bauman
    Co-ops Program Specialist

Endeavor

  1. New partners move into Endeavor Center, space still available

    By Ryan Mapes
    Endeavor Center Manager

    Like many businesses and organizations, the Endeavor Center experienced significant challenges during the pandemic.  The doors to the facility were closed while employees worked remotely during the onset of COVID-19.  Through much of 2020 into 2021 the Endeavor Center was closed to the public.

Horticulture

  1. Researching the effectiveness of laser bird deterrent devices

    By Bradford Sherman and Dr. Gary Gao
    South Centers/CFAES

    Bird depredation damage is a tremendous challenge for commercial fruit growers. Growers and researchers are constantly looking for easier and more cost-effective methods, including the use of lasers.

  2. Back to the Basics

    By Bradford Sherman and Brad Bergefurd
    South Centers/CFAES

    Amish and Mennonite farmers overwhelmingly prefer face-to-face communication, as opposed to the modern methods commonly used by Extension personnel, a recent study has revealed.

    Because more than 80 percent of Amish and Mennonite farmers have used or benefitted from Ohio State University Extension services, it is important to remember and respect their preferred communication methods, says Specialty Crops Specialist, and one of the authors of the study, Brad Bergefurd.

  3. New program to help train Ohio minority and socially disadvantaged farmers

    By Brad Bergefurd, The Ohio State University 
    Dr. Siddhartha Dasgupta, Central State University
    and Dr. Alcinda Folck, Central State University  

    The lack of affordable and good quality farmland is a major barrier for many socially disadvantaged people to adopt farming as an occupation. For many minorities and socially disadvantaged farmers, to expand their farms and manage their cropland, they need to have educational opportunities to increase their farming knowledge and experiences. 

  4. New produce auction coming to Beaver

    By Brad Bergefurd
    Specialty Crops Specialist

  5. Highlights of the Fruit Extension Program and Research Projects

    By Dr. Gary Gao, Professor and Small Fruits Specialist
    and Ryan Slaughter, Research Assistant II

    Online workshops well attended in 2021
    Due to COVID restrictions, the Small Fruits team at The Ohio State University South Centers continued to offer workshops online via Zoom in 2021. Zoom fatigue proved to be only a myth in regard to the small fruits workshops, as each continued to draw very nice numbers.

  6. New grant dollars to aid tomato soil health research, crop management

    By Brad Bergefurd, Dr. Ye Xia, Dr. Rattan Lal, and Dr. Richard Dick
    The Ohio State University

    New and emerging pathogens, nutrient disorders, and soil health issues have been reducing yield and quality for many Ohio tomato farmers. Thankfully, new three quarters of a million dollars in grant funding will aid researchers in finding answers. 

  7. USDA grant to help explore soil health and disease management of high tunnels

    By Brad Bergefurd and Bradford Sherman
    OSU South Centers/CFAES

    New USDA funding coming to The Ohio State University South Centers will help research and develop crop management techniques to increase the soil health and reduce or alleviate the soil disease pressures causing crop and financial losses to farmers.

  8. $250,000 grant received to explore new strawberry production techniques

    By Brad Bergefurd
    Assistant Professor and Specialty Crops Specialist

    Locally produced strawberries have outstanding market potential, however the number of farms growing strawberries and strawberry production acreage are decreasing in many areas of Midwest United States. 

Manufacturing

  1. Survey Says: MEP had super third quarter

    By Bradford Sherman
    South Centers/CFAES

    It was an impressive third quarter in client metrics for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at The Ohio State University South Centers, says Director Aaron Patrick of Ohio MEP.

Marketing

  1. Data collection at farmers’ markets increasing success

    By Anna Adams
    Direct Marketing Team

    While the pandemic brought about many changes, one thing that has remained consistent is farmers markets. Markets across Ohio were open in full swing this season and were buzzing with customers. Members of The Ohio State University Direct Marketing Team, as well as the Ohio Farmers Market Coalition and the Ohio Farmers Market Network visited many of these markets to speak to managers about their data collection methods. 

  2. First Tri-state CSA conference held

    By Christie Welch
    Direct Food and Agricultural Marketing Program Specialist

    Despite the continued struggles with the global pandemic, The Ohio State University Direct Food and Agricultural Marketing team has continued to adapt to provide resources and education for Ohio’s local food producers. With the hopes of having the pandemic behind us, the team planned the first Tri-State CSA Conference, titled Thinking Inside the Box, to be held in-person. 

SBDC

  1. SBDC at South Centers: Here to support you

    By Brad Bapst
    SBDC Director

    Whether your business is just a budding idea or has been around for a few days or a few decades, the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at The Ohio State University South Centers is ready to support you heading into 2022.   

SWBR

  1. 2021 was a year of outreach, research, and collaboration

    By Drs. Rafiq Islam and Arif Rahman
    SWBR Program

    The Soil, Water, and Bioenergy Resources (SWBR) program at The Ohio State University South Centers focuses on developing, managing, and disseminating science-based knowledge on economically viable, environmentally compatible, and socially acceptable agricultural management practices to address climate change, water quality and management, and food quality and public health of the state of Ohio. 

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